Date: Sun, 29 Nov 1998 19:03:18 +0900 From: Andrej Koymasky <andrejkoymasky@geocities.com> Subject: tattoo-03 -------------------------- I started writing gay stories in 1985 and to now I wrote about 80 of them. Being Italian, of course I wrote them in Italian. Now, many of my friends asked me to translate them in English. But my English, also if understandable, is surely not a "literary" one: I can't know all the nuances and literary tricks I can use in Italian. I need somebody revising my translation. Now, I found a person that is kindly helping me with my stories. But I can't ask to one single person to help me with all of my stories. So, if amongst you there is somebody (with a good English style) that thinks this unpaid work worthy, and wants to help me, I would be really happy. If such a person exists, can send me an e-mail at: andrejkoymasky@geocities.com ---------------------------- FOR DRESS A TATTOO (YAKUZA) by Andrej Koymasky (C) 1998 written the 21st of June, 1994 translated by the Author English text kindly revised by Randy. ----------------------------- USUAL DISCLAIMER "FOR DRESS A TATTOO (YAKUZA)" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, ore because you think yo really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest. ----------------------------- CHAPTER 3/8 AN IMPOSSIBLE LOVE He slowly emerged from his sleep. He felt happy. He had had his first love experience, with a splendid man. He had spent an unforgettable night, so beautiful, in the arms of Kazu-chan. He stretched an arm to touch his body but the place near him was empty. He sat up, astounded, not understanding, but just at that moment the roar of the water coming from the shower room, made him smile. He had gotten alarmed for nothing: his man was just washing. Near the mattress he saw their clothes carefully folded and he smiled again: it must have been him when he woke up. "My man!" he murmured in a low voice and felt an intense pleasure sensation at these words. Yes, he was in love with Kazunari. They had met just two days before, and yet he was completely conquered by the young man. And his way to make love! So strong, so tender and full of passion. Jun closed his eyes, smiling, and thought that in a short while he could see his nakedness. Who knows why the past evening he had felt ashamed? He had been silly. You cannot be ashamed in front of the person you love, and that loves you. His hands, his body knew that body, had intimately enjoyed it - now also his eyes would enjoy it. And he will ask his man to make love again, he would ask him to take him at last, to make him completely his own. Yes, he was willing to give himself to his man, he would welcome him in his body... He heard the water sound stopping. He opened again his eyes and looked with trepidation towards the door. In a moment he would see him coming back. Completely naked, he would greet him with a good morning. He would pull away the bed sheet, offering him his own nakedness without veils, inviting him to come back near him to start again making love, this time in the day light, admiring each other. Jun waited, happy, in emotion and realized he was getting strongly aroused. The door glided to the side and Kazunari appeared. And Jun felt the world crumbling on him: the tattoo covering the naked body of the young man made him at once understood that the other belonged to the yakuza! Kazunari saw him sitting on the mattress, smiling approached him and, given his good morning, crouched at his side. Jun covered his chest with the bed sheet, quite trying to build a wall between them: "No, don't touch me!" he said with a broken voice. Kazunari looked at him astounded, not understanding, but, still smiling, said: "Hey, Jun-chan, it's me, your Kazu!" "No, don't touch me! No, no... nooo..." Kazunari read fear in the boy's eyes and, amazed, he stopped, looked at him and asked with an uncertain voice: "What happened? What did I do to you? Why are you looking at me in that way?" "You... you are a yakuza!" "Yes, but I'm always Kazunari, no? I love you. Even a yakuza knows how to love. What's up?" "I... I... let me go." the boy said, a rather hysterical tone in his voice. "Quiet, hey, quiet. I don't want to harm you, you know that... I... I really love you." "But you... a yakuza... don't you understand?" "No, I don't understand, really." "I... I am a common boy. What do you want from me?" "To love you, being loved by you. Do I ask too much? You said you loved me, I did believe you." "I... I love you, yes... but I cannot... cannot..." "But why? Take it easy, please! Let's try to reason. If I love you, if you love me, where is the problem?" "That you live in violence, in abuse. And then, don't you understand? I'll always live in terror." "Of me? Do I now scare you?" the young man, pained, asked. "No, not you. You are sweet. But the others. And then, I'll live in the terror that one day they will kill you, don't you understand? Or perhaps your hands caressing me being yet red with blood. How much you can wash them ?!" "I never killed a man." "But you will do it, one day? You could have to do it, perhaps, one day? If you are not killed before that? What kind of a life, what life would it be? Let me go, please. If you love me, let me go." "Jun, I love you." "Then, please, forget me. I'm not the right person for you. Forgive me. I'm sorry." "I too, am sorry. But... how can I help it? About forgetting you, Jun, I really don't believe that's possible. But I'll let you go, sure. I cannot do differently. I'm sorry." the young man said, feeling extremely sad. Jun dressed in hurry and went out, turning just to sorrowfully repeat: "I'm sorry." Kazunari, remained alone, sitting on the mattress, took his head between his hands and just repeated: "It isn't fair, it isn't fair, it isn't fair." and shook his head asking himself why the boy had fled in that way from him. Lots of boys seemed right excited at the idea to make love with a yakuza, seemed fascinated by that... It was the first time that the fact of being a yakuza alienated him from a boy - and the boy with whom he was madly in love! Jun, when out in the open, stopped. He had feared, but at the same time hoped, that Kazunari would call to him. He loved him, yes, he loved that man, but could not even think of tieing his life to that of a yakuza. He had to forget him, to erase him from his life where he had so suddenly entered, with such a force... and such a sweetness. Because Kazunari was a kind man, tender, passionate. He couldn't deny that. But how could violence and kindness cohabit in him? Which was the true Kazunari? The one he had known in that wonderful night? Something inside him answered yes. But, he asked himself, am I not just a naive boy? Even if Kazunari had assured him he never killed a soul, violence and death were integral parts of his life. No, he had to forget him, if only he could. He had absolutely to forget him. Kazunari, dejected and tired, dressed again. He was trying to react, but he was really in love with that boy so clean, so fresh. But right because he was clean that Jun now loathed him. Of course, they really were at the antipode, he and that boy, unhappily. Ah, if only he wasn't a yakuza! he thought for a moment, but he was aware that this was a meaningless thought. Kazunari, trying to forget Jun, threw himself into the family business. And into looking in the gay clubs for a different boy each night. Soda was astonished. Normally his boss looked for a couple of boys each week: what was up, so suddenly? He had tried to understand it and one evening he even asked his boss, but Kazunari had dryly answered him to mind his own business. Even with Tomoya, he had become standoffish and of few words and his brother was disappointed by that inexplicable about face after their conversation in the bath tub. But Kazunari was unable to get Jun out of his head, much less from his heart. Several times he felt tempted to ask Soda to find him ; in fact all he did know, about Jun, was just his name and the University he was enrolled in, but he didn't know his address nor any other thing. But he said to himself that it would have been pointless - the boy had bluntly said that he didn't want to have anything to do with him any more. Jun was also unable to chase Kazunari out of his heart. He had almost ceased to study: his head was elsewhere. If just Kazunari would renounce being a yakuza. If he had found any honest work, he would have given himself to the young man without reserve, forever. He would have been his, totally. Kazunari was good, was kind and had said he loved Jun, and the boy felt, no, he knew he was sincere. Perhaps, if he went to talk with him, if he asked him... Kazunari could perhaps even accept, for love. His Kazu-chan! Yes, he at least had to try. He knew how to find him, he clearly remembered where the residence with Kazunari's flat was. He could wait for him there, outside, ask him to talk. He hesitated for several days, but at last he made his decision. Probably he would be back home late, that night, and than, in order to really talk, he must not be in hurry... So he warned them at home that he would not come back to sleep at home, that night. His father nodded yes: "I hope you'll introduce her to us, if it's a serious thing. Did you take your precautions? I wouldn't want to become a grand father before it is time." his father said almost ashamed for that speech he felt anyway compelled to give. "Do not worry, father, nobody will become pregnant, there is no danger." Jun answered, trying to keep a serious face. "Bah, everybody thinks that way, before." his father retorted returning to his newspaper. But he was happy his elder son had a girlfriend. "What rubbish!" the mother said from the kitchen door, assuming a scandalized air and shaking her head, abashedly. Jun went out. At nine 'o clock he was sitting at the small coffee shop in front of the residence, so that he didn't lose sight of the entrance and the vicinity. He waited for hours, until at midnight, the waiter said it was closing time. He paid the bill and went out. He went to wait leaning against a tree near the entrance of the residence. He started to fear that Kazunari wouldn't come back home tonight. He thought that perhaps he was not even in town. But if he didn't meet him that night, he would come back again until meeting him. He was now determined. Kazunari was at the Two Ways. He had offered drinks to a group of boys and was chatting with them, evaluating which one he would have liked to have in his bed that night. The one who was called Masao appealed enough to him. He wore tight clothes, showing off a well built body and an agreeable swelling under the fly of his white jeans. And had a brazen smile promising a pleasurable night. But above all he had that hoodlum air that always attracted him in a hustler. The more they posed, the bad boys and the virile males, the more he loved folding them in half under his body, their legs in the air, and fuck them at his pleasure. It was sufficient for those boys, who started swearing that for sure they never ever had been or would be bottoms, once they saw his tattoo, to become more pliable and submissive than little lambs, and on the contrary they were proud they have been hammered in their asses by a real yakuza. Who could understand, Kazunari said to himself, suddenly thinking about Jun's reaction, why the only one that really was important to me had to react in so a different way from all those big boys? Ah, Jun, where are you? Do you still think of me? Kazunari asked himself feeling sadder than had ever been. Bah, the only thing to do was to have in his bed that Masao, for that night, he thought looking the boy in his eyes. And to try to forget Jun, at least for some hours. The boy smiled to him and, under the table, put his hand on the young man's thigh, caressing him. Kazunari took his hand and squeezed it, then bent toward the boy and said: "I'm going home. That friend of mine will bring you to my place." "Mmmhhh, that one? A threesome?" the boy slyly asked, "but the price for a threesome is higher..." "No, just we two. He brings you to my place and pays you. Tell him your price." "As you like." the boy said nodding. Kazunari stood up, made a salutation nod to the other boys and went towards the door. Soda signalled him he understood who he had chosen. Paid the bosses bill, turned toward Masao and signalled him to follow. The boy stood up with a happy smile, said farewell his companions and followed Soda. When they were on the street, Soda asked him: "How much for all the night?" "Fifty." the boy shoot. "OK. But for that price, before going up to the boss place, you'll give me head." Soda said casually, opening the car doors with the radio control. The boy get into the car and asked: "All right. Where?" "Here." the man said opening his fly." "Here? People are passing..." "I've darkened the glasses, nobody can see us. Come on, hurry up!" The boy was skilled: gave him a hard on in moment. Soda closed his eyes and enjoyed those lips, sweet like those of a woman, that were gliding up and down his shaft. He liked to get head from those boys. It gave him the sensation of being even more virile, having a male servicing him. One day or another he would also have to try to fuck one of them in the ass, he thought amused, relaxing in the seat while Masao was sucking him with consummate art. Kazunari was just reaching his residence when he saw, and immediately recognized, Jun. Instinctively he braked and his heart started to madly beat. He took his cellular and called Soda. The man was just buttoning back his trousers. He answered. "Soda? Pay the boy and send him back. I've changed my mind." "But..." Soda amazed objected. "Pay him and send him back. And don't show up until I call you, tomorrow morning. Understood?" Kazunari said, and cut the communication. Soda shook his head, perplexed, then an idea floated in his mind and he opened in a big grin: "Let's go, boy. A change in the program. We will have all the night long for us two..." Kazunari, meanwhile, parked his car went out going towards Jun. The boy, hearing the footsteps, turned: "Kazunari... I was waiting for you..." he hesitant said. "Jun, are you back?" the other asked, almost unbelieving. "I wanted just to talk with you..." "Do you want to come upstairs?" "If you want... but just to talk." Jun confirmed, but he felt a strong emotion at the proximity of the young man. "Understood. Come. I'm happy to see you again." "I too. Sure, I too." In the elevator they didn't speak. The entered the flat. Sat at the table, on the low cushions. Kazunari offered him something to drink. "Kazunari, I'm not sure I did right, coming here..." "I'm happy to see you." "I... I thought a lot about you, in those days... about us..." "I too, didn't have any other thought. I love you, Jun." "I too. I too I love you." immediately the boy answered, with a distressed air, looking him straight in his eyes. Then Kazunari bent towards him and embraced him. Jun emitted a deep sigh and responded to that embrace. The young man drew nearer sliding on the tatami and kissed him. The boy returned the kiss with passion. Kazunari pushed him on the tatami going on him with his body and was pleased to feel the boy's erection. "No, please..." "Do you want me to shut off the lights?" the young man asked sweetly, caressing his body. Jun sadly smiled: "No, it will be no longer necessary, but I wanted to talk with you, before. I came to talk with you." "I desire you. I love you." "Yes, but... I too I love you, and desire you, but..." "But?" "Kazunari... give up being a yakuza, please! And I will be yours, forever, I swear. I want to be yours." "Give it up? It is not like giving up attending the University, or like giving up one's job, don't you understand?" "But you can all the same, if just you want it, no?" "Jun, I'm the first son of Yamaguchi Noboru, first son of Naiki, from generations yakuza. My father is dead, but in a while I have to assume his place. I have to take his place, I was raised for that, it was my father's will. How can I simply say: I give up?" "Leave your place to others, I pray you. You are good hearted, you are kind. How can you think to be the boss of a gang of yakuza? No, not you, if you love me. I pray you!" "I do love you, sure that I do love you. But you? Do you love me? If you loved me, you would accept me as I am, no?" Kazunari frowning said. "I love you, yes, but it is stronger than me. I'm too scared. For you, for you. Of course I accept you as you are. What I don't accept is not you, but the yakuzas, don't you understand?" "And you don't understand that I'm yakuza the same way I'm Japanese, or male, or a Yamaguchi? I didn't choose all that, I'm just born that way." "But if you wanted, you could renounce being Japanese, for example. Many have done that, right? Look at the nissei." "You make it sound easy. Look, look at what scared you so much!" Kazunari then said undressing to the waist and showing to Jun the tattoo covering his virile torso like a multi colored vest, "Do you see it? This tattoo cannot be erased, exactly like the fact of being a yakuza. Forever, do you understand? It cannot be erased, never, do you understand? It's part of me, now... and it scares you!" Jun brushed the tattoo with his fingertips, softly: "It is beautiful, terribly beautiful. No, it is not this that scares me, but what it means. It is beautiful, as you are beautiful." "It is beautiful, but it is my mark. Do you know that because of this I cannot enter public baths? That in the beach I cannot even be bare chested? That I can never have a normal life like you can? I cannot go to a public pool, cannot be member of a sport team. But at least, as a yakuza, I've other advantages." "But at what price? Even at the price of losing me?" "It is not me that has fixed this price. It is you, even if you insist you love me. And you say you love me!" Kazunari almost yelled. "I probably am a prisoner of my world like you are of yours, Kazunari. But at least in my world I'm not forced to kill, to steal, to be afraid day after day of being killed, or to see some of my beloved ones being killed. They killed your father. When will it be your turn? I don't want to have to cry looking at your body lying without life in a coffin, don't you understand that? And certainly not because somebody killed you just to become richer, don't you understand that? Do you doubt I love you? If I didn't love you I would not be here, now, to plead with you, to implore you, to beseech you!" "Jun, oh Jun! If our worlds are irreconcilable, if I am not able to renounce for you, if you are not able to accept for me, what remains for us to do? To say farewell for the second time?" "To say farewell for the second time. I'm afraid yes. But, if you want... I told my father that tonight I won't sleep at home. I would like, if you too desire it... I would like you to... to make love with me." "Well, then. Let's us not talk about it any more. Come out here, let's make love again, for tonight. And tomorrow we will just say bye, as if we had really to meet again the same evening, without any farewell. Without asking each other impossible things. For the last time." Jun nodded yes. They stood up, went into the other room where Kazunari made the bed coming out. Then he slowly undressed Jun, with love, caressing him, kissing him, admiring him with dreamy eyes. And Jun opened his companion's trousers and lowered them together with his boxers, admiring at the same time the beautiful virile body and the rest of the tattoo that completely covered the lower part of the body like a kind of shorts, to the knees. "How beautiful you are!" the boy sighed caressing quite shyly his member tattooed like a snake that was raising powerfully his head. He lowered to lightly suck with his lips one nipple of the young man, around which was painted a camellia flower. Kazunari embraced him pulling him against his body, lifting the boy's feet from the floor, then went down on the mattress lying with the boy under his body and kissing him on the mouth with burning passion. "Will you take me, this time?" Jun asked in a whisper, almost ashamed for the request, caressing his back. "Really, do you want it? I could harm you, even if I don't intend." "Even if it will be painful, take me, please." the boy sweetly answered, thinking that being penetrated couldn't be more hurtful than the fact that it was their last time, and he looked the young man in his eyes, and felt lost in them. Then, overcoming his shyness, Jun lowered under his companion's body, licking and lightly sucking it, kissing and caressing all over, until he could reach the throbbing snake that he started to lick, kiss, suck with devotion. Kazunari, who was balanced on his knees and elbows, felt an intense pleasure shiver and turned around so that he too could unite to his mate in a passionate sixty nine. Jun was at this point all a quiver and the increasing excitation made him lose little by little the modesty that still held him back. When Kazunari started to lick him under his firm and full balls, pushing his way toward the still virgin hole, he widened his legs offering himself to the young man. This one had never felt a so intense desire for a boy as he was feeling for Jun, for that boy unskilled and a little awkward in bed, but that was able to easily make up for his inexperience and clumsiness with his beauty and the spontaneous and sweet way with which he was offering himself to the young man. That boy, he clearly felt, wasn't doing sex, like the thousands boys he had had till that moment, but was really making love, was making a gift of himself to him. And the young man, for the first time, was all concentrated in giving pleasure more than in grasping it. For the first time sexuality appeared to him not just as something exciting, but also as something pure, bright, wonderful. "Oh, Kazu-chan, make me yours." the quivering boy begged. "Jun-chan, want you receive me in you?" the other answered turning around and kindly starting to prepare the boy and himself, almost in fear for what his mate was asking him. Jun, his eyes straight in those of his companion, serious, nodded yes. Kazunari, put on the condom, then rested his swelled and hard glans on the throbbing little flesh rose. "I could hurt you... perhaps." he said hesitant and worried. "Don't think about that, just take me." the boy answered with a tone full of sweetness, caressing his muscled and strong chest Kazunari had another thought, he took from a corner a glass small jar and spread something on the boy's hole, massaging it for a long while. Jun felt a sensation of fresh and warm at the same time and let himself go to those tender cares and to the sensations they were giving him. Kazunari spread the same cream also on his erected and sheathed member and again laid the tip on the waiting inviolate anus. With extreme delicacy and care, he started to push, while he was caressing the boy's body that lay waiting with a throbbing heart to feel inside himself the man's tool. Little by little, Kazunari pushed open a way into Jun, that welcomed him with a slight tremor. Kazunari, as he was sinking into him with caution and anxiety, was feeling such a great warmth and pleasure wrapping him, that he felt a strong sense of gratitude for the way the boy was giving him his virginity. They didn't talk, they didn't need to. Their eyes were speaking in their behalf: do I hurt you? Don't worry, I want you in me. I like you so much. I worship you. Isn't it hurting? Doesn't matter, go on. But I love you. I too do love you. And we have to part, after that? We have to part, unhappily. I'm sad. I too, my beloved. You are so beautiful. You are wonderful... Didn't talk, but they were talking to each other, while Kazunari continued, slow and careful, to make his way inside the boy that was welcoming him without the least resistance. Happiness and sadness: those two were the sentiments blending in the hearts of the two lovers, surfacing in their eyes. And finally Kazunari was completely inside the boy. Jun gave a sweet smile and pushed against the young man, to let him feel how happy he was to have him inside. Then Kazunari, after holding his breath for all that time, exhaled with an imperceptible sigh, relaxed for a moment, reassumed his forces and started to move in him in a slow and long going and coming movement, still afraid to hurt him. Jun drew the man to him, offering him his lips. Kazunari kissed him with gentle passion, continuing to move his pelvis and pushing out and in his powerful rod. Jun, completely relaxed, was enjoying that virile intimate massage, and felt happy to be once again in the strong arms of Kazunari. He recalled their first embrace, during the earthquake, the emotion he had felt in that moment, than thought to what he was feeling now, and felt sharp the pain of their imminent separation. He struggled against the tears that were pushing behind his eyes and succeeded in chasing them back. He didn't want Kazunari to interpret them as physical pain tears. The physical pain was almost absent. In fact Kazunari had been incredibly careful and gentle. Jun thought that the ability of Kazunari to be so gentle and yet so virile at the same time, was a real miracle. Thought that it was a miracle that he himself, who just one month before knew nothing of sex at all, and even less love, now was so intimately and deeply united to Kazunari. That earthquake had really put his life in turmoil... even if he had to meet no more the man he madly was in love with. Also Kazunari, while making love with Jun, was immersed in a set of thoughts filled with joy, astonishment, sadness. He had discovered that in this world there really existed somebody splendid, whose external beauty, even if extraordinary, was dimmed by the internal beauty. And this "somebody", that is Jun, had made to him a gift of himself without hesitation, had fallen in love with him, had caused him to love... and now he was about to lose him. This boy that didn't act the "all male" and that, even while being penetrated, was more male than many of the macho boys he had had until then. This boy that didn't become enchanted by his wealth or by his power, and that had been able to held his own with him in spite of his apparent fragility, that had so completely disarmed him. If he had wanted, he could have anyway had the boy for his own, but he didn't want him through force, he didn't want simply a beautiful body. He wanted that Jun, that was in love with him, loved him too much to accept the fact he was a yakuza. And for the first time in his life Kazunari regretted not to be born in a different family, even if they were simple workers or honest employees. But he was tied hand and foot , he couldn't help that, he couldn't erase his tattoos as he couldn't erase his belonging to his family. A king can even abdicate, a yakuza never can. And Jun, who was now giving himself to him with such a great passion, would have suffered for that no less than himself, he was sure about that. Jun, to whom he was the first man. Jun who had offered him his virginity, but hadn't been able to offer him his life. He could understand the boy, but... And he, on the other hand, what did he offer to the boy? A last love night. It had at least to be unforgettable. His long experience with so many hustlers and various boys for eleven years of his life had taught to Kazunari the most refined loving techniques and that, together with his talent and now also with his desperate love for Jun, made of him an instinctual, formidable lover. And Jun that night experienced the delirium of the senses. He knew paradise, for hours he felt as if time had stopped flowing, that the world ceased to exist - he was only conscious of his pleasure and of the marvellous, strong, painted body of Kazunari that was wrapping him and permeating him at the same time, melting with his own body. Also for the young man, in those hours, nothing outside Jun existed. Jun, such a splendid boy no doubt he came out of a day dream. That night they gave each to the other without restraint, completely and when at last they reached the rapture, it was so sweet and intense that they were stunned, quivering one in the arms of the other, almost amazed it was over, tenderly connected, and yet with a real and true sense of nostalgia for a lost paradise. They fell asleep in that way, holding on tight each other, reluctant to admit that all was over. In the morning Kazunari woke up the first. Jun still was curled up against him, and the warmth of the boy's body moved him. He lightly caressed him, thinking with pain that in a while the boy would wake up, would don his clothes, and would at last step out of that flat and of his life, forever. And so it happened. While Jun was going back home on the bus, crying, his face turned against the window to hide from the other passengers his silent tears that seemed to not want to stop coming out. He had known paradise, and had lost it. Kazunari in his bed still keeping the traces of Jun passage, curled up and fell again asleep. He didn't feel like facing the day, the world, the everyday life, But then he had to do it. And his devoted Soda had the second surprise of that period: Kazunari didn't go out any more to search for one boy after the other as he used to do. He seemed no more interested in sex. And yet continued to go to sleep in his pied a terre. Then, one day, Kazunari charged Soda to find him, in a very discreet way, the address of Takeda Jun, to single out his house on the map, to obtain information on his family. Soda had contacts even within the University, so he obtained without difficulty the boy's address. He found the house and made his investigations about the family. While doing those inquiries, he saw who that Jun was and understood: so, his boss had fallen in love with the handsome boy in the red fundoshi they had seen that day on the beach. Yes, he had to be really in love, and that explained the strange mood of his young boss. But then, why they did meet no more? What did his boss have in mind? What was happening? Soda really desired to understand, to know, but he knew that his boss wasn't in the right mood to ask him about the boy. When all the data were collected, Soda made a complete report to Kazunari: the Takeda family lived on the ground floor of an old wooden house they owned in the old part of the city. They rented out the two small flats on the first floor. The family was composed of six people: father, mother and four children. Jun was the eldest, then there were two sisters and last a brother thirteen years old. His mother was housewife, his father worked as a keeper at the castle. The father's salary, with the two rents, allowed the family a modest but dignified life. All four children were enrolled in public schools. The mother took lessons of ikebana and tea ceremony twice per week, now that the children were grown up. His father had the hobby of fishing, the bigger sister was a member of the school swimming team, the second had the hobby of photography and the little brother took kendo lessons: it was the classic, traditional, average Japanese family. Kazunari listened in silence to Soda's report, showing no emotion at all, but Soda knew him well enough to understand with just how much interest his boss was mentally recording all this information. Yes, the young man was in love. But what did he have in mind? Kidnapping the boy? He understood how far off he was, quite soon. Kazunari called him and dictated to him a detailed list of presents for the Takeda family, each present related to the members interests, and also various foods and drinks, for a total with several zeroes. And the boss gave him orders to have everything nicely wrapped and delivered to the Takeda house. But he ordered Soda to do it so that it was absolutely impossible to determine from whom the presents were! Soda was astounded: he was understanding less and less his boss! What was the sense in giving such a rich assortment of presents and to remain anonymous? he asked himself. But obeyed and executed all properly. One morning Miss Takeda heard a knocking at the door and when she opened it saw an errand boy of a home delivery company. "There are several parcels for the Takeda family. May I deliver them to you, madam?" "Parcels? What parcels?" "End of the year gifts, madam." "And from who?" the woman asked, amazed. "I don't know, madam. It will be written inside the parcels, I presume. I have just to deliver them. Where can I put them?" "Well... here." the woman hesitantly said and astounded watched two porters unload from the company truck parcels and parcels... "Are you sure it's all for us?" she asked while the errand boy was counting them and asked her to sign. When the men left, she looked at the parcels: all were wrapped in the same, identical, expensive hand made white and red paper, and each had on it a slip of yellow paper, written in elegant calligraphy, the name of one of the members of the family. She desired to open one of them to see who was sending such an extravagant number of gifts, but she thought she had better wait for her husband. Perhaps the City Council was sending gifts to their employees? The elections were approaching, but it was strange, it never happened before. It was evident that all the gifts were from the same person, but who was he? And what did they contain? They were several, of different shape, some light, some heavy... The woman moved them to the living room, in a row, following the names written on them: six with the writing "Takeda family" then two for her husband, two for her, and two each for the four children. A total of eighteen parcels that were exciting her curiosity. The minor children were back home and she had difficulty convincing them to wait for their father. Then Jun was back, and the boy asked her lot of questions: who brought them, what did he tell you... and frowning, seemed more pensive than her. And at last the father returned. No, he hadn't expected any gifts, anyway for sure not so many gifts, not from the same person. Bah, he said at last, let's open one of them and see who's sending them. Jun was tense. He wanted to open one of the parcels for all the family: it contained six big wrappings of expensive roasted meat. And no messages. Then the father decided to open another parcel, then one more. At the end everybody was opening the parcel with his name. Jun was afraid to find, in one of the two parcel with his name, a card from Kazunari, but in none of the parcels was there any hint about its sender. Everybody was looking in ecstasy at their gifts: a very expensive fishing rod for his father, with a set of refined fishing accessories. A portable set for the tea ceremony for his mother and a splendid ikebana flower pot. Jun found an original copy of a Ueda Akinari story he had said to Kazunari he loved, and that confirmed to him the origin of the gifts, and a roll of cloth to make a splendid yukata. His eldest sister found some very beautiful and modern swimming suits and the little sister a camera with a complete set of lenses-- from the wide angle to the zoom. His little brother found a precious katana and a complete kendo uniform. Everyone was really excited and showed each other their gifts. Then Jun, wrapping his gifts, said: "We have to send them all back to the sender." "Why?" his sibling chorus said at one voice. "We cannot accept such expensive and precious gifts from... who knows who!" Jun said decisively and looked at his father hoping to find in him an ally. But the man was caressing his splendid fishing rod: "Well, to send back... to whom? Perhaps he just forgot to put in the name and perhaps in a second moment... I don't know... We didn't ask for them, right? And there were our names on the parcels, and all the gifts are appropriate, so they must come from somebody that knows us very well... possibly uncle Naoya, who knows..." "Father! Can you imagine uncle Naoya, stingy as he is..." "Well, he is not stingy, he is a thrifty person... He doesn't have money problems and, who knows, perhaps he thought that, not having sent us a gift in years... After all I'm his younger brother, right? He likes me, right? Perhaps he just had some qualms of conscience for having forgotten us for so long time..." "Oh, father! You day dream. And then, can you imagine if he really had sent all that... that sort of good things, that he would forget to put his name on every single parcel!" Jun rebuked him, but he felt he had all the family against him. And he certainly couldn't tell them he knew from who all those gifts were coming: from a yakuza, in love with him, to whom he had given himself! Who knows which one of those three newsflashes would have more disturbed and upset his family? he asked himself, rather than insist. ----------------------------- CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 4 ----------------------------- In my home page I've put some of my stories. If someone wants to read them, the URL is http://www.geocities.com/~andrejkoymasky/ ---------------------------