As the water,

❀ 瀬をはやみ    ✿    se wo hayami    ❀   Though a swift stream is ✿
✿ 岩にせかるる  ❀    iwa ni sekaruru ✿       Divided by a boulder ❀
❀ 滝川の       ✿  takigawa no     ❀     In its headlong flow  ✿
✿ われても末に   ❀  waretemo sue ni ✿      Though divided, on it rushes ❀
❀ あはむとぞ思ふ ✿  awantozo omou   ❀   And at last unites again. ✿ 
                     - Sutoku In


Many changes have happened in such a short time. Sayo-neehan, now named Sayoha has passed her minarai test. She has left the ranks of shikomi completely. ^^ I was the first to tell her. She was very nervous, but we are all happy and proud that she has passed!

 

Sooki and Candhi watch as Okaahan assesses Sayoha's outfit and make up.

Tonight, Tomohana-neehan becomes a maiko. Her Misedashi will last three days. How excited I am! I am creating a Mokuroku poster for her to wish her good luck!

I have put in a lot of thought about my Geimei. I decided I would wait until later, when I had an older sister. I put a lot of thought into who I wanted as an older sister, back at Naka No Shima. Tomohana-neehan who is very bright and kind... Suzuha-neehan who is very friendly and funny... Toshifuku-neehan who always answered my questions... Fukuteru-neehan who always helped me... Umecha-neehan who is very successful... I thought it would be one of them. Even when we switched Okiya, though I thought very fondly of Chisaki-neehan as she was friendly to me even before we were sisters in Mitsuhana, but I realized that as she is the Okiya's Heir... the atatori, my chances as a new girl and an outside must be low...
Last night, while we were waiting for our class to begin, the Okiya's atatori, Chisaki-neehan whispered something to me: She asked if I would be her little sister! 
All those chores really paid off! ^___^


This is a big privilege and also a big burden. Often, a younger girl would have to request and hope with luck that her Okaahan allows her to have such an honorable older sister.
I was very shocked that she picked me.
As the Atatori's younger sister, I have a lot of responsibility to look forward to. I want to make my new older sister proud.
When I asked Okaahan why she asked for me, Okaahan said that I remind her of herself. I am very happy and very touched. I will always honor the Mitsuhana Okiya. I am so blessed to be a part of it!


Yesterday, I helped the new shikomi, Candhi-chan with her chores. ^^ With Kiyomi-chan, we even went to the Ochaya and practiced roles! Kiyomi-chan danced as a maiko- Like an Oak tree! Stiff and Strong, as we haven't had any dance lessons quite yet. I was the rude patron and doubled as a shikomi to show Candhi-chan how it is done! We also had our first taste of sake, Kiyomi-chan, Candhi-chan and I were all so bubbly afterwards, NOW WE KNOW! When we are maiko we must give the patrons as much sake as they like to ensure a fun and entertaining party!

 

Candhi and Kiyomi (As a maiko) watch in confusion as their humble "patron," (Sooki) dances on the table. 

It has been fun here at Mitsuhana Okiya. ^^