In case you missed it!! Here’s Part I
The Cursed Oiran - A Tale of Love of Betrayal Part I
And here’s Part II, which was featured on
!Trigger warning: Themes of suicide
Hanzo, a detective, sat at his desk looking through old missing persons files. He came across Atsuki’s file and was intrigued by his story. He’s seen it all: robberies, murders, gang wars, but he has yet to look into the paranormal. He was never one to believe in ghosts and wanted to prove it was just another missing person's case. That, and he needed a change in his work.
The case file was thin and filled with vague details. As Hanzo dug deeper and found files similar to Atsuki’s, he noticed a disturbing pattern. He took a deep breath and sipped his coffee, knowing it’d be a long night now that he’d uncovered this. It seemed like, over the decades, several other men had vanished without a trace.
The local folklore grew with each disappearance, all mentioning the name Tsukiko. Determined to uncover the truth, Hanzo had to start where these men would disappear to, the bamboo grove. Every day, he would visit the grove, pour over old records, interview the locals, and piece together the missing pieces. The more he learned, the more fascinated he became with the legend of Tsukiko.
He finally decided he was ready to visit the grove at night, hoping to catch her. Being a man of science, he never believed in ghosts and would always find a reason behind their stories. When he got to the grove, as expected, he didn’t see anyone. He went in a little further when he saw her. The moon illuminated her striking face, and her kimono shimmered. She was breathtaking. His heart skipped a beat from her beauty and with a tinge of excitement that ghosts were possibly real.
Hanzo, thinking the moonlight or long nights he’s spent working was playing a trick on him, rubbed his eyes. When he opened them again, she was still there, smiling at him. Unafraid, he approached her. A part of him was drawn to her lonely existence. When he got closer, he saw how lovely she looked, and to his surprise, she spoke. He looked around, thinking she might be speaking past him, but he was the only one there.
Over the next nights, they continued to talk. Being a believer now and thinking she could offer any closure, he had her open up. Tsukiko revealed her tragic past—her life cut short by betrayal and sorrow. She was forever bound to the grove, waiting for a love that would never come.
Hanzo found himself captivated by her each night despite knowing the truth. She had revealed to him that she knew the men who disappeared when asked. He should be arresting her or getting far away, but how does one arrest a ghost? And he didn’t want to run away either. Instead, here he was, touched by her story. She was lost in time. Being betrayed by a former lover in his own past, Hanzo understood how she felt. Because since that day, he’s been using work to hide his pain. He started to find solace in his interactions with Tsukiko, even though they were otherworldly.
Days turned into months when he realized he had fallen for her. He slowly neglected his work and watched the clock, waiting for the sun to set to come so he could talk to her. One night, Tsukiko looked at him and asked him the fateful question, “Will you still love me knowing I look like this?” Her form shifted, revealing her decayed form under her tattered kimono.
To her surprise, Hanzo said, “Yes, I do.” He said it with such calmness and not a moment of hesitation that even he was surprised with himself. He knew the absurdity of their situation, but his feelings were genuine. She sensed this, and her ghastly appearance faded away, replaced once more by her beautiful self.
“I know we can never be together, not in the way I want, but I do love you,” Hanzo said.
Tsukiko smiled—a smile she had never worn since the day she met Kenzo. “For so long, I’ve waited. For someone to love me for who I am,” she whispered. With those words, her form began to shimmer and fade. She leaned in to kiss him. Hanzo watched, heart aching, as Tsukiko fully faded away. Her spirit, having finally found the love she yearned for, was free.
Hanzo, now completely alone, stood in the silent grove and felt a tear roll down his face. The case was closed, but he felt empty, lonely and sad. He had lost someone he had come to care for and love, even though he never had her. As he headed home, a thought crossed his mind. He wanted to join Tsukiko.
When he got home, he went into his basement, found some rope and tied it to a strong wooden beam. He pondered his decision, then took his chair, tied the rope around his neck and stepped off. Hanging there, before he took his last breath, he saw Tsukiko appear once more before him, holding out her hand, taking with her her last victim.
Ooooh love this ending!!!!
Striking ending to a wonderful saga!
(I could not abide my previous typos lol)