Chapter 6- The Blue Kimono

Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain. – Jeremiah 4:30 NIV

Kathrina was pleased with what she saw in Kenneth’s apartment. The place was clean and neat. Walls and ceilings were painted white, the huge glass windows were draped with candy stripes blue soft cotton fabric, and the furniture in the dining and lounge areas were reddish-brown mahogany and sturdy. There was a living plant on a huge clay jar at the corner. A hanging capiz lamp provided the room a soft, tender glow.

Kenneth served oysters and sushi, took out a bottle of chilled sake and poured on the ceramic cup held by Kathrina. Then it was Kathrina’s turn to pour sake for Kenneth. His eyes seemed to already drink all of her. Kathrina had perfected the skill of keeping her soft gaze on the neutral level which was not exactly on the eyes but surely not evasive or coy, it was a ‘blank stare’ meant to show interest but not desire, allowing only a split second of ‘flame’ to spark. Kenneth smiled innocently which relaxed Kathrina.

“Sugoi!”

They brought the rims of their wine cups together in a toast and then partook of the premium sake. Sugoi meant great, tremendous… while kanpai is reserved only for excellent wines but which were not as awesome as sake, a kind of rice wine rumored to be an aphrodisiac.

Kenneth encouraged Kathrina to open his box of gifts for her. There was an elegant blue kimono inside, complete with accessories, including a bracelet of rice pearls embedded on silver florettes. Kenneth opened the bracelet snap and helped Katrina put it on her wrist. She thanked him with a quick kiss, which he seemed to expect and accepted calmly.

“Allow me to give you this, ” said Kathrina as she mined from her tote bag the Invictus [Unconquered] eau de toilette by Paco Rabanne. He thanked her and she expected a kiss and got it—a gentle bite of his lips on her lower lip, progressing to a more passionate and lingering play on full mouth and his breath smelled of fresh mint that made her giddy as if in flight, while his arms gently hugged her body. He knew just when to stop.

“Kath, you said you want to be photographed in a kimono?”

“Ah, yes…!”

“You may get dressed in that room, just call me if you need help.”

“Okay, thanks, Kenn…”

Kenneth’s bedroom had a large bed, huge soft pillows and blue linens. It smelled of forest trees and subtle floral scents. There again was the soft light from a shaded hanging capiz shell. How nice it would be to sleep here, so calm and comfortable. She had not had a good rest for the longest time, thought Kathrina. “I want to sleep here, ” she whispered. But she must change into a kimono, the reason she came into this room, she reminded herself.

It was an elegant blue Tsukesage with chrysanthemum design and red obi to be worn during a tea ceremony, wedding or funeral. Kathrina took off her travel clothes and shoes. She put on first the juban or undergarment and then wore the tabi or socks. Then she reverently slipped into the blue kimono, arranged it in such a way that the edge of the juban was visible above the kimono collar, and then tie the wide red obi on her waist. She studied how to do all these on YouTube. Then she wore the geta and they felt good on her feet, the heels were not too high. She worked her shoulder length hair into a chignon and then placed the kushi [hair ornament] meticulously chosen by Kenneth for her. She retouched her makeup, adding more shade of earthy brown around her eyes to make them more mysterious and captivating, a technique as ancient as the times of the Persian empire, then took the small bag that goes with the kimono and opened it. Inside was a jasmin scented note where Kenneth scribbled in strong, masculine script—

Kath, honey, I’m so honored by your visit. I’ll do everything in my power to satisfy you and make you happy, that you would never ever want to leave. –Kenn

A tender ache gripped her heart. Kathrina would never ever want to leave Tokyo, never ever want to go back to Manila. She wanted to spend the rest of her life here, with Kenneth Matthews, die and be buried here.

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