Summary

When he looks at her curiously, Sayuri can feel the blood rushing to her face as she waits to greet them. Her opportunities to speak with him are few, despite the fact that fate has her sitting between him and Nobu. Nobu spends most of the time explaining the sport to her. He is a serious man, who has little patience for the small jokes she makes, and is sure that she knows it. At one point, Sayuri looks up to where Awajiumi is sitting with Korin only to discover that Hatsumomo is sitting beside him now instead. Mameha takes Sayuri outside and explains that the Chairman and Nobu have been patrons of hers for years. Hatsumomo is so shallow that she has often spoken of Nobu calling him Mr. Lizard. Though Nobu is abrupt and somewhat sharp at times, he is intelligent...