Hatsumomo is viewed as an empress in the okiya since she earns the income upon which the others live. When she returns after a night out, it is the job of the most junior cocoons (as the geisha-in-training are called) to attend to her. One night, however, Chiyo dozes off only to be woken when a man enters the building. Chiyo assumes that he is a workman since it is so late at night, but he asks if Yoko (a young woman who books Hatsumomo’s engagements) is present. Yoko has fallen asleep but proceeds to follow the man’s instructions, locating Hatsumomo via the switchboard operator and leaving a message. The message states that the Kabuki actor Onoe Shikan has come to town, but Chiyo later realizes that this is code. 

Hatsumomo arrives twenty minutes later and warns Chiyo to never tell anyone about this man’s visit. She then enters the maids’ room, and Chiyo thinks that she can hear murmurs and groans. Hatsumomo is also visited by her boyfriend on a regular basis, but the maids keep these meetings a secret. Because these meetings earn no income, Hatsumomo would be in trouble should Mother, Granny, or Auntie find out.