InsaneJournal

Who: Sam and Yuriko
What: Sam interviews for a position at Okugata!
When: Recently
Where: Okugata
Ratings/Warnings: PG-13 just in case.
Status: Complete!


Sam hadn't been sure what form of dress was appropriate for this kind of job interview. The burlesque show wasn't quite like working at a strip club, though she admitted she didn't know all the tiny details as to why.

Still, it didn't seem appropriate to show up looking like she would when she got on stage, so she'd packed a small bag of things she'd use if Miss Oyama wanted a demonstration, and instead arrived in a nice skirt and blouse.

She made her way into Okugata with a confident step and a warm smile, waving at the staff she came across on the way, "Hello! I have an interview today?"

Yuriko was in her office when the telephone call came through, and she asked Reiko to send the girl back. She’d appreciated this Sam’s professionalism, but she did also like that she was bubbly and vivacious. It was a good personality type for this kind of work.

She was dressed in a well-cut suit and heels, and when the door opened, she rose with a polite smile. “Nishimura-san, I presume? Welcome.”

The outfit was very well put together. Sam liked this woman already, and she really hoped that she got the job. The building and staff had a kind of energy to them that was hard to explain, but felt nice.

She grinned in response, bowing just slightly, "Oyama-sama, it's a pleasure to meet you! And to have this opportunity! I love what you've done with the interior."

She kept speaking in English, remembering that the girl’s Japanese was rusty. “Thank you.” Yuriko returned the slight bow, smiling. “This place is truly a labor of love for me. Hostessing helped me to find who I was, back in Roppongi. Are you familiar with the concept?” A merely curious question; previous familiarity with hostessing wasn’t a deal-breaker. “I was told that in America it is all but unheard of, which seems silly to me.”

"I'm... probably not as familiar with the concept from a realistic standpoint as I should be. You get the wrong idea about it when you're not living in-country, I know. But it's got to be something like what the Geisha do, only without the same level of training, I think?" Sam clasped her hands together in front of her, trying to think up the things she'd remembered, "Seeing to a guest's entertainment and food needs, providing company and conversation. Nothing overtly sexual."

Yuriko nodded. “Yes, that about sums it up. The only thing that must be done differently is the question of dohan - paid dates with a hostess. Here, that would qualify as prostitution. So, I simply say that if a customer asks out a hostess, she may agree and go on a date outside working hours. So, a lady working here may have as many or as few outside entanglements as she chooses. I have never been a fan of men being able to strut about like peacocks while women are meant to be shy and chaste.”

"I'm not really meant to be shy and chaste," Sam admitted, with a bit of a smirk. She wasn't going to hide her nature. She didn't think that Yuriko was the type of woman who'd mind.

"I understand what we're not allowed to do. I don't want to break any laws, but I can't say that I'd turn down a date with someone really cute if they asked for one later on."

“And you are of course permitted to go, just not during working hours.” Yuriko chuckled. “For the record, I am not exactly the retiring lotus flower myself. I met my fiance in a bar and within one hour was asking him home.” She grinned at the memory.

Sam grinned, "Congratulations! That's never happened to me, not like that. I meet a lot of people, but we never seem to click quite like that. And maybe it's because that wasn't really what I was looking for."

Was that too much information? She hoped not. If Sam was honest with herself, really honest, she knew the reason why she never clicked with the people she brought home. She just didn't want to admit it yet.

"The hostesses are sometimes the entertainment, too, or are your dancers hired separately?"

“I prefer to hire ladies who can do both - it’s far easier, as well as offering the customers the chance to see the lady they were speaking with up on stage. However, I might be willing to consider one or two ladies who would do one or the other.” Yuriko shrugged. It was her club, after all; what she said, went.

"I'm happy to play both roles, I just wasn't sure that's how it worked," Sam replied, with a nod. She pulled a business card out of her purse, "I have some experience dancing for customers in these kinds of settings. You can call the number on this card for a reference, if you like."

“I appreciate that very much, Nishimura-san.” Yuriko bobbed her head. “It is no personal slight, just a businesswoman covering her tracks.”

"I took no insult."

Sam smiled, and bobbed her own head a bit. Yuriko was already a woman she greatly respected, and she tried to remember how to be as professional as possible, "I'm very open about availability. I just moved here from London, and while Lara isn't charging me rent, I wanted to raise some money for her expedition. I'm not afraid of working a lot or working hard."

“Expedition?” Yuriko echoed, interested. “What does your Lara do for a living? In terms of hours, I try to schedule regular shifts - there is no need to uproot someone’s schedule if possible - but there may be overtime or extra coverage if we bring in parties. However, if you are asked to work when you were not intended to, there will be time and a half.”

"She's an archaeologist!" Sam's face lit up immediately, her hands getting a little animated, like she could somehow portray archaeology with little hand motions that looked like digging, "She wants to go out on a dig, she's got some great research, but she needs the money to do it!"

She grinned a bit, "I really want to go with her when she goes, actually, I hope that wouldn't be a problem. I don't think it would be for too long and it probably wouldn't happen for several months or even a year. The hours sound reasonable and I like your overtime policy, too."

“I do not see an issue, provided you give sufficient notice.” Yuriko smiled. “You seem very excited, as well as attached to your lady friend.”

"Oh!" Sam blushed a bit.

The reaction seemed a little out of place for a woman who had no shame admitting how promiscuous she'd been in the past. She waved a hand in front of her body, and shook her head, "Please forgive me, I've misled you into thinking that Lara and I are in a relationship. That's not entirely true, she's a very old friend of mine. We've known each other since we were thirteen or so."

“Ah! I apologise, in that case. Gomenasai.” Yuriko smiled. “Be that as it may, I have no objections to you joining her expedition whenever it occurs, as long as notice is provided me.”

Sam bowed her head again, in acceptance of the apology, and then smiled, "I'll be certain to do that. We'll have plenty of time to give notice in advance. But I'm acting like I've gotten the job already, and I know that I can't be the only applicant. Is there anything else you need from me?"

“No, you are not, but you are one of the more appealing and qualified.” Yuriko spoke plainly; she expected her associates to do the same with her. “I should most likely be able to offer you a position, but I cannot of course be certain until all the applicants have been contacted.”

"Even if it's only something part time, that would be just fine. I really want to work here. I have a great deal of respect for you and what this place stands for." Sam hoped that she'd get something with a few more hours to it, though. She felt a little lost and having some structure to her days would do her good, she knew.

It was one of the benefits of hanging out with Lara. She knew the kind of things she needed in her life to not get completely lost in the party lifestyle.

“I can see this attitude, yes. And I respect those who are willing to honor what this place is - it is a hostess club only, yes, but it is my hostess club.” Yuriko hoped she didn’t sound too firm; this girl had been nothing but polite and respectful. “Yes, Nishimura-san, I think there might be a place for you. But I will advise you likely by the end of this upcoming week, if it will suit?”

"It's something different, and a club like this that celebrates women instead of exploiting them... I think it only being a hostess club is perfectly fine." Sam nodded her head again. It wasn't at all like a strip club. That was also okay with her. She felt like a woman who worked here could shout about it from the rooftops and still be owed respect, "That will suit just fine! Thank you again, Oyama-sama."

“Not at all. Though if you get the job, you may use Yuriko-san.” Yuriko chuckled.

"Thank you. I just... wanted to be sure to show the proper amount of respect." Sam ducked her head a bit. She rarely got to connect with that side of her, and she hoped she hadn't misstepped or acted too formally.

“The suffix -sama is fine for those that you wish to impress,” Yuriko said, winking. “But I assure you, Nishimura-san, I do not become offended at formality levels. People have told me throughout life that Japanese is extremely difficult to learn, and if you are not a native, I give you the benefit of the doubt.” Technically, the girl was a native, but if she hadn’t lived in Japan for more than a handful of years, there was no reason to be rude.

"I wish I could say that I was a native. It must be so nice to have somewhere, an actual place that you could say you belonged to," Sam replied. The grin was still on her face and she still sounded her usual cheerful self, but there was a sadness in her eyes, briefly.

It ran away as she grinned a bit more widely and said, "I guess if I get the job, I can say that I at least belong here. Not that I'm trying to sway you! Just... an observation."

“I understand.” Yuriko said. And she did. Even within Japan, she’d always been a bit odd, or so she’d been led to believe. She didn’t entirely belong there, either. No, she could certainly empathize with this young lady.

“I will definitely let you know within the week.” She said again, smiling. She was fairly sure that unless this girl was worse than useless on stage, she’d fit right in.

Sam reached out her hand to shake Yuriko's, and then nodded her head, "Thank you again for this opportunity. If there's anything else you need from me before then please let me know."

“I will.” She smiled. “マタ オアイ シマショウ, Nishimura-san. Mata oai shimashō.” It meant ‘until we meet again.’