Kurinai marveled at the selection the clothing store he was looking at had on display. The windows were filled with vibrant colors and all varieties of fabric.

            This is much more than I thought this part of the city would have.

            The store was divided up into two sections, one for men and the other for women. Understandably, the section for women was larger. The dominant clothing for women was the kikurai, a formal headdress that wraps four times around the head then extends down to envelop the body in its entirety, symbolizing the mind is in control of the body and that without knowledge, one has no power. They came in a range of colors and styles, some solid colors, others in pattern prints.

            For the men, the vast majority of the clothes displayed consisted of the hulichi, a formal suit with several pieces. The shirt was an open-breasted silk shirt that extend down to the lower pectoral area, symbolizing openness and when a man has more hair, he is showing his devotion to openness.

            This place is much too formal. Kurinai thought. I need more in-the-middle.

            He walked out of the shop and spotted another down the street with less colors splayed across its entrance, less glass for the windows as well but just enough to see the products displayed inside.

            In the shop, there were more informal clothes of lounging slacks, closed shirts for both men and women, and a menagerie of other clothes with the house colors of all the noble families in Control. Kurinai’s own Masuroto Blue was hanging on the shelf near the front.

            This might work.

            Kurinai bought a few common lounging slacks and cotton shirts for normal use and other things that Kurinai and Zenji needed to both go out and do together. Others, like his Masuroto Blue styled clothing, he bought as a precaution when Zenji would be with him and Kurinai would be recognized.

            I will need some help with the beggar clothes, though. Kurinai thought. Zenji can get some, I am sure.

            Kurinai walked to the front of the store to purchase the clothing. He hefted the clothes onto the wood counter and pulled out his money.

            “New wardrobe, my lord?” The clerk asked.

            “You could say that.” Kurinai said. He then handed him ten gold kenin.

            “That’s too much, my lord. That’ll buy three times as much, sir.”

            Kurinai looked down. “Is that so? I do not normally do this. I have my servants purchase my clothing when I need.” Maybe I should get away more often.

            “I don’t know if I can break coin for you, my lord.”

            “Very well. I will find some more to match. Do you by chance have any hulichi suits here?”

            “Aye, my lord. We have two left. I don’t normally sell much, so I don’t order a lot. They are neutral coloring, if that pleases you.” The clerk said.

            “That will work wonderfully.”

            “Very well, my lord. That will equal the value of the coin. I will fetch them.” He walked to the back and returned with white and brown hulichi suits.

            They will do perfectly.

            Kurinai bought the clothes and left with large bags in hand, struggling slightly to heft them along. The thought of him handling the bags made him think of his sister and how much she would have enjoyed the excursion.

            When Kurinai returned to the shop, his servants had already installed a strong door, weathered to match the walls. Zenji was waiting outside the door, fiddling with a rock with his foot.

            He looked up to see Kurinai walking back with several large paper bags of clothes.

            “Good haul huh?” Zenji said.

            “I purchased what we need. Can you find some beggar clothes for us?”

            Zenji eyed him. “Beggar clothes?”

            “Yes, like the ones you are wearing.”

            “I’ll pretend to not be hurt. But yes, I can. I’ll bring some tomorrow. And I have something.”

            “What? Did you find your friend?” Kurinai said.

            “Yup. He gave us a name, and a place.”

            “Well, let us get in and talk about it.” Kurinai said.

            “I would, but I can’t get in. Your servants didn’t leave the key, at least none I could find.”

            Kurinai walked over to the door and looked for the false keyhole. He found a small, covered hinge and slid a small finger-sized panel aside and stuck his finger inside. He pushed then bent his finger, engaging the tumbler, unlocking the door.

            “Whoa.” Zenji said.

            “I asked them to make a special door for us, with the illusion of a locked door. Only those who know where to look can find the finger lock.”

            “Don’t they know? The makers that is.”

            “Yes, but they are loyal and would not dare speak of it to anyone else.” Kurinai said.

            “Alright. I believe you.” Zenji said.

            The two walked into the shop and Zenji closed the door behind them.

            Zenji grabbed the table in the front and pulled it through the door, nearly too large for the doorway to fit through.

            The two stood at the table, no chairs to speak of.

            “I think I will tire of having no chairs.” Kurinai said.

            Without acknowledging Kurinai’s discomfort, Zenji said, “So, this guy that my friend mentioned is apparently called the Baker. He said it’s both literal and metaphorical. He didn’t really explain what that meant. The Baker owns a popular pastry shop near the market square. My friend didn’t know much though, just that something else is going on there. He was pretty hard-to-get, too. I have a feeling he knew more, but he was kind of mad I asked.”

            “Interesting.” Kurinai said. “Well, there is no hurt in enjoying some tasty pastries.”

            “So, you think we should just go and see what’s up first?” Zenji said.

            “No other way. We have no proof that he is into anything and no understanding of what that would be if he was.”

            Zenji nodded. “Sounds good to me. I would buy but—”

            Kurinai eyed him. “Did you suddenly get a job I had no knowledge about?”

            “Ah. So, you see through me, do you?” Zenji said. “Yes, I want you to buy.”

            “I already promised you food and that you would not go hungry, right?”

            Zenji smiled. “Yeah, you sure did.” He punched Kurinai lightly on the shoulder.

            “And lessons.” Kurinai added. “You cannot get away that easy.” Kurinai turned and pulled the two hulichi suits out and held them up to see.

            “Are those—”

            “Yes. hulichi suits. For both of us. I thought that we may have to do some infiltration someday and we needed to both look different yet similar. I could not wear my houses’ colors, so I bought two. And that includes lessons on how to be a stately gentleman and young baron or lord.”

            “You’re gonna teach me to be a rich person?”

            “Absolutely. And in turn,” Kurinai said, as he pointed to Zenji’s clothes, “I need some lessons of my own.”

            Zenji smiled. “Ah, I see. You need to blend in too. Well, that’d be easy. We need the clothes, but you need to hunch down more.” Zenji walked over and pushed Kurinai’s shoulders down, shifting his upper body out and over slightly. “You present yourself too well if you want to not be noticed.”

            “Not be noticed?” Kurinai said.

            “No beggar or vaga wants people to see him. He wants to be in the shadows, able to sneak around and get as much food as he can without anyone seeing. Unless he’s wanting to be seen on the side of the street asking for food or coin.”

            “It appears we both have a lot of work to do.” Kurinai said.

            Zenji smiled. “I guess we do.”

            “Well, I think we have exhausted what we can say about the Baker right now until we attempt to investigate. Get some sleep and meet me there tomorrow for breakfast, around the seventh hour of the day.” Kurinai said. He walked to the doorway and turned back to Zenji.

“Will you be ok walking back alone?” Zenji asked.

            Kurinai smiled. “No one will attack someone they cannot see.” He winked and left out the door, closing and locking it as he left.

            “Someone they can’t see—wait. Oh! Because they’ll not be able to see him when he makes them see what he wants! I get it now.”

            Kurinai’s voice was faint, but through the door he said, “Try and learn to not say everything you are thinking out loud. Lesson one complete.”

            Zenji blushed, then turned to find a soft spot in the floor boards for a warm night’s sleep in the shop.