Inauguration

September 4, 1891

The main event in Shimizu that day was the inauguration of a new textile factory, which coincided with the arrival of the family heir who would manage it: Takumi Takahara. With 25 year old, Takumi Takahara. He had finished his studies last spring and was ready to begin managing the family's factory, which promised jobs, development for the city, and new hope for families.

Takumi had learned at university not only administration but also new techniques for dyeing fabrics, which he wanted to implement. Part of these teachings involved the use of herbs, plants, and cochineals to ink the fabrics.
The inauguration event of the Takahashi Factory in Shimizu was a social event organized by the family, where better working conditions were promised, along with jobs for the young people of Shimizu.

In the town's main event hall, an european hall for parties and events, several guests had gathered not only to celebrate the factory's inauguration but also to celebrate the progress of Shimizu. The town mayor, Tsubasa Kurogane, was present, along with several important families. Some of those families were the Yanagi, the Apricots, who was seeking alliances, and finally, more members of the Kurogane family most of them with important positions in government.

Outside the hall, people talked while waiting for Kurogane's toast to begin the event. Inside, the waltz was already being played, which people praised because many of the musicians were talented young people from abroad.
The arrival of Haruto and Akiko Apricot gave people something to talk about because they arrived alone. On one side, there was talk of Sachie. People were glad she hadn't arrived and asked the couple about Himawari and if she would arrive soon.

"Himawari will arrive with the Yanagi family," Haruto commented proudly. "My daughter has been staying with her fiancé's family to ensure the planning of their wedding is perfect.”

“They’re planning the wedding for next March” said Akiko with some joy.

"With the arrival of the Takahara factory," one of Haruto's friends said to the couple, "you could order the best fabrics for Himawari's wedding kimono."

Haruto saw this as an excellent excuse to approach the Takaharas and discuss business. He believed it was necessary to implement safety measures in the factory with which he could do business with his medicines for potential injuries.

Haruto's conversation with his friends was interrupted by Sachie's arrival. Her appearance sparked conversation upon her entry. Her kimono, clearly inherited from her late grandmother, looked spectacular, but to the guests, it was old and seemed somewhat worn, but Sachie wore it with pride. Her hairstyle was simple, with barely a cheap hairpin just for minimal decoration.
What drew the most attention was her lack of makeup. Her tanned skin stood out under the artificial lights of the night, which led to the pointing out of Haruto's elder daughter.

"Your daughter has a skin tone... how I can say it?" commented a person from Haruto's group. They couldn't find the right word.

"Extravagant," said another person in a condescending tone. This made Akiko look at the floor, embarrassed.

Haruto, offended, withdrew from the group as he approached his daughter.

"You are embarrassing us," he told her, trying to make his daughter reconsider. "You know we are here to negotiate, to try..."

"You wanted me to come. I did" Sachie replied without shame.

Her father knew he couldn't take it back; he knew what his daughter was saying was true. He wanted to believe that the criticism no longer affected him, but seeing how the other ladies pointed at her and talked about, surely, her tanned skin, he knew they would continue, that they wouldn't stop.

"Keep a low profile, will you?" her father insisted. He didn't want to cause a scene and ruin his opportunities to approach the Takaharas.

Sachie's parents entered the hall, and she just sighed. She had just arrived and was already overwhelmed, tired, and wished to leave. She thought about it, but at that moment, she was approached by a lady who tried to chat with her.

"I like your kimono, Apricot-san," she said while judging her with her gaze. It was noticeable that the white parts of Sachie's kimono were soiled.

"It belonged to my grandmother," Sachie answered proudly. "For me, it is an honor to wear it, that way..."

The woman interrupted Sachie to praise the newcomers. Himawari was arriving, arriving with her fiancé, Lieutenant General Yanagi, who was wearing his military uniform. Her sister wore a more modern kimono, a sophisticated hairstyle adorned with jewelry and gold ornaments.

The opinions and reactions regarding the couple's arrival were different, making an obvious comparison between the sisters.

"The youngest Apricot daughter is quite a lady." 

"Why can't the elder one be like that?" 

"Himawari is so beautiful!"

Izumi's parents, Colonel Shinobu and his wife, Urara Yanagi, walked proudly towards the hall, ahead of their son and the fiancée, to meet Himawari's parents. Haruto and Akiko, relieved that they had finally arrived, discreetly mentioned that Sachie was there. Mrs. Yanagi sighed with annoyance.

“Why did your older daughter is here?" Shinobu asked Haruto seriously, trying to make him see the reality of the situation. "She might humiliate us. Do something!"

This made Himawari nervous. In recent years, there had been friction between the sisters. Sachie constantly ignored her. She always went to that garden to cultivate and she didn't like being compared to her sister. 

From afar, Sachie observed. Her sister was capturing everyone's attention; many women approached her, and she spoke timidly, reflecting the education she received from her mother. She was the perfect contrast to herself, whom people ignored or just gave a dry good evening. She was beginning to wonder why she had come.

Ten minutes after the Yanagis arrived, the party formally began with a speech from Mayor Kurogane, who smiled while thanking the Takahara family for helping modernize Shimizu with the newly inaugurated textile factory.

Haruto wasted no time in socializing with the guests; it wasn't long before he could approach the leader of the Takaharas. A robust man of 49, Keiichi Takahara is a serious man with a severe gaze who, according to his beliefs, proudly wore his western suit: ironed, custom-fitted, his Yōfuku shone more than ever that evening.

Many tried to get information on where to order a jacket like his, about the material of his vest, and who ironed his pants. His wife wore the traditional kimono, which was praised for the silk used and for having come from Kyoto.

Meanwhile, Takumi, somewhat bored of behaving politely and listening to all the praise for his family, asked permission to retire and went out to the garden for air. There, near the flowerbeds, was Sachie, looking at the flowers that decorated the place. Takumi approached, curious about what she was doing.

"Miss Apricot, good evening," Takumi said kindly; Sachie startled.

"I see you are making an habit of scaring me, Takahara-san," Sachie replied, annoyed. She stood up and tried to leave.

"The gardener who made this garden is very skilled," Takumi began to say to start a conversation. "The flowers look beautiful."

"They have been given too much water," Sachie replied, annoyed. "The flowers haven't been pruned properly, and they will begin to dry up when autumn arrives."

Takumi chuckled a little, at which Sachie stopped, confused. She found it difficult to socialise or strike up a conversation. It was always the same: they criticised her way of speaking, her behaviour, and even her way of dressing.

Sachie was ready to face Takumi's criticisms, which didn't happen. He simply stood beside her, smiling. Something that impatient her even more because she didn't know what the man was thinking. His gaze was not one of reproach; it was one of curiosity.

"Who taught you everything you know?" Takumi asked curiously. "I mean, about the ointment and the herbs you used that day to heal Souta."

“Ojii-sama (grandfather) taught me in secret," Sachie replied, confused. It was the first time she had been asked about her skills in medicine.

"The doctor who examined the wound praised the person who did the dressing," Takumi explained, indirectly praising Sachie.

She relaxed and began to explain how she started learning about herbology and medicine from her grandfather. She talked about how he wanted a grandson but, not having one, began to teach his granddaughter. When he was alive, no one said anything, but when he passed last winter, that's when the problems began.

“Eventually my father discovered Jii-sama was teaching me and he was always annoyed about this theme ," Sachie said with some sadness. "But he never stopped. Jii-sama always told me that one must protect one's own values, and he never liked the arrival of the americans and their modern medicines."

Takumi listened in silence, surprised that Sachie would open up to him, a stranger. With Sachie he remembered a special person he met in his student days in Nagoya. She always enjoyed to talk about everything she likes. 

Inside the event hall, people slowly began to talk about the interaction between Sachie and Takumi. The rumours started to spread slowly, discreetly, but they reached the Apricot and Takahara families.