The Cursed Oiran: A Tale of Love and Betrayal - Part I

In 1860, in the bustling city of Edo, out in the brothels of Yoshiwara, lived a renowned Oiran named Tsukiko. Oirans were the highest-ranking courtesans in Japan and were known for their beauty. Tsukiko was no different. Named after the moon, her skin was pale, and her beauty striking. Her charm captivated all who crossed her path. On a fateful night, a group of courtesans, including Tsukiko, went out for a walk and got ambushed by bandits. 

They wanted money, and when the girls refused, they showed no mercy. They struck down one of the girls instantly. Bystanders instantly fled the scene to avoid getting hurt or killed. Tsukiko, who secretly trained herself when no one was watching, instinctively struck a nearby bandit with her fists. She felt like her hand had shattered from the impact. As the bandit stumbled back, she grabbed his katana and stabbed him through the chest. She tried to take out as many bandits as she could, but to no avail; her companions still fell one by one. 

She could feel her stamina running low, and just as a bandit lunged at her, an arrow whistled through the air from the shadows and struck him right in the eye. A few more arrows shot past Tsukiko and killed a few more of the men. 

Tsukiko looked in the direction of the arrows and saw a shadow of a man motioning her to follow him. Without hesitation, she grabbed her belongings from the ground, ran towards him and away from the bloodshed. In the dark, she could see that he was a samurai from his armour. 

“Thank you for saving me, samurai-sama.” She said to him with a low bow. He nodded in acknowledgment, grabbed her hand, and led her through the city. As they ran through the alleys and away from the city, she could hear the bandits chasing after them.

When they reached an abandoned house, he held his arm in front of her and said, “Let’s rest here for the night.” They made their way inside the house to set up.. It smelled of mould and must from the rotten wood and straw. “Are you hurt?” he asked. 

“Just some small cuts and bruises; I’ll be okay,” she responded, but as she looked over at him, she saw blood leaking out from his bracers. “You’re hurt!”. 
“I’ll be fine.” He said as he pulled his arm back.
“Here, let me; I know how to patch people up.” 

As she cleaned and sewed up his wound, Tsukiko asked, “Where’s the rest of your clan? How did you get hurt? Why did you help me?”
“Whoa, there. Slow down.” He said with a soft laugh. “I don’t serve any master or clan. I was hurt from the previous night during a fight. As to why I helped you, I saw that you were all being attacked by dishonest men; it’s a shame I hadn’t shown up earlier.” 

When she finished tending to his wounds, he said, “I will take you back in the morning.” She looked back at him with sadness in her eyes and asked, “Can I come with you instead, samurai-sama? I don’t want to live this life anymore.” 

“It’s not an easy life out there. It’s no place for an oiran, you could get killed.” 
“I know, but I’ll take my chances,” Tsukiko said with confidence. 
“Have it your way, then. And you can call me Kenzo.” 
“I’m Tsukiko.”
“Thank you for sewing me up, Tsukiko. Let us rest now,” he said with a smile and a small nod. As they made their beds to sleep for the night, Tsukiko felt a strange sense of excitement about the life she would be living. 

For the next few months, Tsukiko and Kenzo travelled through the countryside. She would tend to his wounds, guard and upkeep their campsite while Kenzo went out hunting. Gradually, their bond deepened into love. They shared many nights together, and despite her previous life of being with different men, she was happy being with just him. He made her feel what it was like to be truly loved. But little did she know that he was hiding a secret from her.

One day, Kenzo ventured out on his hunt and did not return. Tsukiko was worried about what had happened to him. A couple of nights went by, and he still had not returned. Tsukiko couldn’t help but think the worst had happened to him. But she didn’t want to let the dark thoughts cloud her mind; she wanted to know for sure, so she gathered her things and set out to find him. Her search stretched into months, leading her through towns and villages. Finally, deep within a bamboo grove, she discovered a small house. 

In front of that house, she found Kenzo with another woman. Her heart shattered, and she could feel tears welling up. She wiped her tears away and thought to herself that this could just be someone who helped him. She took in a deep breath and walked towards them. As she got closer, the sound of her soft footsteps made him look up. Bewildered, he asked, “What are you doing here? How did you find this place?!”

“Who is that, husband?” The woman asked. 

Husband? What was she talking about? Tsukiko thought to herself, confused. Feelings of anger and betrayal started welling inside Tsukiko. Her voice trembling as she said, “I was searching for you everywhere, my love. You said you would be coming back.”

“I lied.” 

Tsukiko was taken aback. This was not the man she knew. The one she knew was loving and gentle. This man looking back at her, was looking at her with disgust. “I loved you! I thought what you felt for me was real! You even told me that you loved me. We went through so much together; we fought together. The whole time, you lied to me?!”

“Yes, I was travelling, a man was bound to get lonely. You’re also the one who wanted to leave your life behind, so don’t blame me.” he retorted. 
“You could have told me from the beginning. Instead, you made me feel like I was the only woman for you,” she said sadly. 
“You’re just a courtesan; you should have known better.”

Hearing this made Tsukiko burst into tears, and she pulled out her katana, feeling as lonely as ever. Kenzo took a step back. “I’m sorry, Tsukiko, but my life is here.

Overwhelmed with betrayal, Tsukiko lashed out. She lunged towards Kenzo, yelling, “So, now you’re sorry? How could you do this to me?!” He somersaulted aside to dodge her sword. At that same moment, she felt a long, sharp blade pierce her from behind. She looked down and saw Kenzo’s blade sticking out from her chest. Shocked, she dropped her katana, clutched at her chest and looked behind her. It was Kenzo’s wife. 

As his wife pulled the blade out, Tsukiko fell to her knees, blood spreading through the front of her kimono. She looked up at Kenzo and whispered his name as she fell forward, her head still facing him, as blood pooled from beneath her. 

Her vision started to glaze over; she tried to catch another glimpse of her lover as she saw him turn his back towards her and said to his wife, “Come on, dear.” Her tears rolled silently towards the ground, and she let out her final breath. 

Her spirit, unable to move on, became bound to the bamboo grove, where she met her tragic end. To this day, the bamboo grove is said to be haunted by Tsukiko’s ghost. Her mournful presence lingers as a testament to a love betrayed. and forever looking for someone to love her. Young men who wander into the grove are entranced by her beauty, her skin and kimono shimmering in the moonlight. They would follow her deeper into the grove, never to be seen again.