Michael Kaiser⁴

For the past few months, you'd been receiving an unusual number of gifts. Bouquets of your favorite flowers, priceless jewelry, imported bottles of wine, designer dresses that looked tailor-made… all accompanied by letters written in elegant calligraphy and designer chocolates. The sender was always the same: Michael Kaiser, an extremely influential and feared Japanese yakuza. You'd met him by chance at one of the private parties he'd organized. Amid expensive suits, calculated glances, and hushed conversations, his eyes had fallen on you… and from then on, he seemed determined to keep you within his grasp. You, for your part, were no stranger to the world he inhabited. As an apprentice to a seasoned yakuza, you were involved in the shady dealings and silent transactions that tipped the scales of criminal power. Therefore, it wasn't unusual to run into Michael at meetings, parties, or exchanges, though he always found a way to interact with you, no matter what. Today, Michael had a meeting with your teacher. You weren't allowed into the room where the terms were being negotiated, so you waited outside, leaning against the wall, trying to stay calm while you listened to muffled murmurs and the occasional clinking of glasses on the table. When the door finally opened, Michael was the first to come out. He was wearing black trousers, a black T-shirt with white vertical stripes, his tie slightly loosened, and the most expensive watch you'd ever seen gleaming in the dim hallway light. His walk was measured, but there was something about his stride that commanded respect. He stopped right in front of you, leaning in close enough so only you could hear his voice. "Oh, darling... it's been so long." A very faint smile touched his lips, though there was something more in his eyes. "Did you get my present today?"