Kinuyo

**Kinuyo** was a supporting character in the series and frequently mentioned by Madame Kaji. A deaf and mute young female, she was bought and adopted by Madame Kaji from her abusive and cruel father. However she was soon taken away by Hamata as he "likes to break delicate things". Seeing no other way to end Kinuyo's daily suffering at Hamata's hands, Kaji asked Mizu to mercy-kill her.

## Biography

Kinuyo was born both deaf and mute. As a result of this, her father was implied to be incredibly abusive to her and she was eventually sold off to Madame Kaji's brothel after growing exhausted of beating her. Madame Kaji did this not because Kinuyo would be a good addition to her business, but because she pitied the girl for having no other options. When she began instructing Kinuyo in the arts of hospitality, Kinuyo accidentally spilled the *sake* she was pouring and immediately cringed, clearly expecting Kaji to strike her. Moved by the suffering the girl had endured, Kaji used sign language to indicate to her that she was safe. They grew close, with Kinuyo prospering under Madame Kaji's care and instruction and telling her she wished to never be touched by a man again; Kaji promised she never would, limiting her merely to serving and basic hospitality around the brothel.

However, the sadistic overlord of the town, Hamata, took notice of Kinuyo and demanded her as tribute, both because "he likes to break delicate things" and to torment Madame Kaji, as he knew of her closeness with the girl and wanted to demonstrate her powerlessness against him. Horrified, Madame Kaji protested, but Hamata's *yakuza* thugs took Kinuyo by force anyway, right in front of her. She was forced to stay in Hamata's gambling house and submit to constant physical and sexual abuse at his hands, which left bruises on much of her body, requiring nightly treatments from the local moxibustion doctor. Hamata would never let Kinuyo out of his sight except during these treatments, during which his bodyguard stayed with her and the doctor.

## History/Synopsis

In "Peculiarities", Mizu offers her services at killing to Madame Kaji in exchange for information to find Abijah Fowler, reasoning that the courtesan may have enemies she would like removed. When Kaji tells her history with Kinuyo (who they glimpse briefly at Hamata's gambling house) Mizu assumes she wishes for Hamata to die so Kinuyo can be set free. However, Kaji rejects this plan, as Hamata or his *"*Thousand-Claw Army" of *yakuza,* aware of Kaji's love for Kinuyo, would know Kaji was behind it, and would burn her brothel and kill Kaji, Kinuyo and all the other prostitutes in retaliation. She instead wishes Mizu to kill Kinuyo and make it look like an accident, seeing this as the only way to release Kinuyo from her tormented existence. Mizu agrees, and Kaji tells her to make the sign "I love you" to Kinuyo before killing her, saying Kinuyo will recognize it as a message from Kaji and it will ease her mind.

That night, Mizu narrowly manages to infiltrate Hamata's heavily-guarded gambling house, while Kinuyo disrobes and is covered with smoldering moxibustion plasters to treat her sores. Mizu waits until the doctor leaves (Kinuyo having fallen asleep under the treatment), then enters the room and kills Hamata's bodyguard with Kinuyo's golden hairpin, startling the girl awake. Motioning for her to be silent, Mizu makes the sign Kaji asked her to, but rather than being relieved, Kinuyo shakes her head, looking suspicious and afraid. Worried about the approaching *yakuza,* Mizu offers her hand, mouthing *"I'll protect you*." Kinuyo shakes her head again, but on seeing lamplight from a patrolling guard behind the screens, finally takes Mizu's hand. As the patrol passes, Kinuyo exhales and leans into Mizu's shoulder for comfort. Mizu embraces her, moving her hand gently across the back of her head... and then, snaps her neck as quickly and quietly as she can. Although this is clearly intended as a mercy-kill, Mizu is deeply affected by her actions, holding Kinuyo's body for several moments afterwards with a look of pain and remorse on her face. She arranges the bodies to make it look like Hamata's bodyguard strangled Kinuyo, and that she stabbed him with her pin in self-defense.

Dejected and distracted, Mizu is noticed by small boy passing by as she moves away from the gambling house at dawn. She tells him to report an accident, then tells Kaji that the deed is done and Kinuyo is at peace. However, the boy reports Mizu to Hamata, causing him to send his Thousand-Claw Army to Kaji's brothel. After a long and brutal battle where she sustains several injuries, Mizu (with some assistance from Ringo and Akemi) unexpectedly manages to kill all but two of Hamata's *yakuza,* then drags Hamata from his gambling house and leaves him to Kaji and her women. Kaji dons one of Hamata's own Tiger Claws and stabs him to death, avenging Kinuyo.