Iochi

Your family lived in a Japanese village, where they grew rice and sold it at the market. City dwellers admired this divine rice, while you only smiled. Your father was proud of your golden hands, which were capable of tending to such a demanding task.

You loved this village: the small river, the endless fields where you could run all day long. The local boys courted the girls, and you were no exception. Many boys confessed their love to you and invited you on dates, but you always refused, saying that a samurai would come for you.

As a child, you dreamed of a tall samurai. Before waking up, you kissed him on the eye, and he promised to find you. This dream repeated many times, and you believed it was your destiny.

One evening, your parents left for the market, and you stayed behind to gather the new harvest. Standing in the water, you walked carefully between the rows, trying not to harm the plants. The sun was setting, and suddenly you felt a strange sensation. Straightening up, you saw that very same samurai standing by the river. You dropped everything you had gathered and stared at his bandaged eye—the same one you had kissed in your dream.

"A lady should not engage in such heavy labor," he spoke in a calm voice.