I breathed heavily, unable to walk, and sat on the sofa with my bloodied hands.

Those eyes—Reina's eyes—were the same as Otou-san when he killed Okaa-san. Cold and detached from all humanity. "Reina was just like Otou-san after all…" I thought as I let out a hollow laugh, coughing up more blood. 

Reina approached me with her wheelchair, following the scent of blood. “Oni-chan, you would never understand how being blind is…I hated the way you coddled me. Pretending to get along with me…” she said weakly. 

I looked up as I coughed up blood, and I didn’t know why Reina was crying when she had stabbed me. This sight would have been pitiable if it weren't for the knife sticking out of my throat. 

Suddenly, Reina screamed at the top of her lungs, causing the staff to walk towards this room. They were faces full of horror, witnessing the scene where I was full of blood, slumped on the sofa, and Reina was crying. “Oni-chan killed himself! How could he leave me all alone?” she wailed, glaring at them.

For some reason, the people didn’t see the large hole I had in my throat; it was as if they deliberately ignored it. I saw more staff running towards me before my vision darkened. I scoffed inwardly, "Dying the same way Okaa-san did...how ironic! After what I had promised her".

A few seconds passed, and everything blurred around me as if I was being erased from this world. However, before I closed my eyes for eternity, Reina appeared standing before me, her wheelchair gone. She was grinning widely, with her pure black irises staring me down. 

…I was dead, wasn’t I? Just like that…To think I would die from a stab wound by my sister. I shouldn’t have wasted my time on her. I couldn’t help but shudder remembering the final grin she had shown me. But where was I? In the afterlife?

“Jun-sama, it is time to prepare for tomorrow’s performance,” said an unfamiliar voice.

Wait, who is that? Did someone save me from the hospital? How was that possible? Unless one of the staff members had come to my aid…That’s just hopeful thinking first I should get up and try to get some answers out of her.

I opened my eyes, but all I could see was darkness, there was no light, no shapes, just a black void. For a moment, I couldn’t help but lay still, what was happening to me? “Help me get up,” I called out, hoping the unfamiliar person would aid me.

“Hai! Jun-sama, you shouldn’t push yourself after the injury to your head. Please calm down”, the unfamiliar voice said in a panic.

“Can you tell me who I am?” I asked. Something didn’t feel right: the voice’s accent and the way she showed such respect to me. It couldn’t be the hospital staff. Then what happened?

“…I can’t believe Jun-sama has to suffer because of the bastard who visited last time. We’re never letting him in anymore. Not after what he did to Jun-sama”, the unfamiliar voice cried out in pity.

“Just answer the question,” I said a tad bit deeply. I needed to know what was happening I didn’t have time for her bullshit.

“Yes, of course. Your name is Jun-sama, and you’re a courtesan of the Lotus Pavilion, the highest ranking one, and not just anyone can call for you”, the unfamiliar voice said proudly. “Just recently, a patron had caused trouble for you demanding unreasonable things, and while he was throwing a tantrum, Jun-sama hit his head. You had me so worried”.

I nodded and slowly sat up, focusing on my other senses to gather information. The mattress beneath me felt soft, likely Jun’s bed. I felt the mattress scanning the surface, looking for anything to confirm where this place was. The mattress was smooth but hard, and the blanket's fabric was coarse.

I had to remain calm to escape this situation. Had something happened to my eyes since I couldn’t see where this place was? Was the dagger poisoned, the one my sister threw at me? I needed more information. I had become a courtesan, meaning I’m not in the 21^st century since there were no courtesans in my time. Did I go back in time? Or in another world?

“You can’t get out like that, Jun-sama. You have to start getting ready, and I also need to put some cream around your eyes to relax. I hope you don’t find them uncomfortable today, Jun-sama”, the unfamiliar voice said.

How did she know the irritating feeling in my eyes? I tried standing up, and the voice ran to me, helping me walk. I moved cautiously since I couldn’t see anything, was it temporary blindness from flashing something in my eyes? As I walked to the dressing table where the voice was leading me, I reached out, feeling the objects in my way.

Based on the objects I had analyzed with touching, I could somehow navigate through the room myself. Remembering where they were placed and the position of the walls and furniture.

“Jun-sama, you have to get ready for a bath, please cooperate with me,” the voice said as I felt tugging on my hair. She started combing it and putting my hair in a high, tight ponytail.

“You have to make sure not to let the attending ladies near you. You have to keep your identity hidden, Jun-sama. Did you happen to forget the promise you had made to the lady, your Okaa-san?” the voice said.

I shook my head, telling her I had no idea.

The voice sighed; I could feel the pity in her voice. “Jun-sama, the lady had disguised you as a courtesan, so you didn’t have to go out for the war. She had been extremely careful, and no one other than me knew of this situation in the whole pavilion. She didn’t want her blind son to go die in the war”, the voice explained.

I nodded, sighing in relief, knowing that my dragon was still alive and that I was a man. “What’s your name, by the way?” I asked.

“I’m your maid, Jun-sama. There’s no need for the master to know the name”, the voice said. “You can just call me out whenever you need me. I will place you in the bath and keep a lookout for the other maids”, the maid said.

I nodded. My maid then set up the bath for me with warm water and helped me settle within it. I took off my clothes and approached the bath. I leaned against the tub, sighing. I couldn’t believe I had gone back in time and was a courtesan. It meant that I had to fulfill all the duties of being a courtesan…

I looked back, seeing only the black void; I couldn’t see anything. I now knew that this body had an eye condition since birth as well, did that mean It was impossible for me to ever get my sight back?

Reina’s sobbing face flashed in my eyes. I couldn’t believe I was remembering her at this time. But I couldn’t help but think if Reina felt the same as me... Enough with the reminiscing, I had to come up with a plan and figure out what I was going to do in the future.

“Jun-sama, may I come in now? We are running out of time”, the maid said hurriedly.

“Yes, come in,” I called out, ready to leave.

The maid unlocked the door, walking in, and then she hurriedly clothed me. Bringing me to the same dressing table as before, she started drying my hair with a rough cloth. “Do I have to go somewhere right now?” I asked as I could smell the makeup she had opened up.

“Yes, you have to perform in front of the guests today. They paid quite a fortune just to see you dance, Jun-sama”, the maid explained.

Great, as soon as I arrive in this accursed body, I have to perform in front of a crowd full of old men. However, I knew there was no way I could run away from here because of the disability I had.

“Jun-sama, cheer up. I’m sure you’ll do great as always just follow your instincts”, the maid said, making her pathetic attempt at cheering me up.

I sighed and silently accepted the situation. I knew I had to blend in for now and made sure no one found out that I was a man and that I wasn’t their Jun.

The maid continued dressing me up like a woman. She put makeup and jewels in my hair. Then, she proceeded to wrap clothes around my body. I felt amazed at the layers of clothing I had to carry around, though it wasn’t heavy. It was quite an experience being treated as a woman; I quite liked it, though, since the old man would be fawning over me. It’s nice to have people’s attention, isn’t it?

The maid took another 30 minutes and finally finished the look. “We must hurry to the hall and start the performance, Jun-sama,” she said, leading me to the hall.