Chapter 356

Ooh— A whistle resembling the bellow of an elephant pierced the air as the Takamatsu slowly glided into the port of Tokyo. Dockworkers, sleeves rolled up and eager to earn their daily bread with sweat and brawn, swarmed the piers. Even in the biting cold, many of these rugged men stripped to the waist, glistening sweat beading on their lean muscles—truly, labor is the most glorious thing. Of course, none of this concerned the trio of bourgeois girls who had just returned from a holiday at Uihi's family home. While the muscles were certainly a fine sight, staring too long would only give one styes, so Sakiko with practiced theatricality hooked an arm around Soyo and Uihi on either side, pulling them flush against her. "No looking," Sakiko said, completely deadpan, ignoring their half-hearted struggles. "It's entirely unladylike."