My Yakuza Boyfriend

"Be brave, and good luck, Tanaka!" Ken hugs his younger brother.

"Bye, Ken. I'll write to you. And don't worry about me, Tokyo isn't that far from here. You can always visit me on holidays." Ken waves as his brother enters the Nagoya Japan Railway Bullet-train Station. He returns home right away, for tomorrow is a new week and he has to get up early for work at the factory.

On the train back home, he yawns and realizes his train station is next, for he's already crossed the bridge over the long canal that leads to the sea. He smiles as he remembers once having fished there with Tanaka.

As he gets off the train, he climbs the stairs to the overpass crossing the tracks to the exit. Just in front of him he notices a strong man walking hurriedly. He rushes in large steps and ends up dropping his wallet.

"Sumimassen, kaban!" Ken shouts in a broken Japanese, something like, "I'm sorry, wallet!" He takes the old black fat wallet and runs after the man, who stops and turns around, as if annoyed. Ken recognizes him right away.

"Takao-san!" That is, Mr. Takao. The unfriendly man takes the wallet, bows, and leaves right away.

Ken walks to the bike parking lot and watches Takao way ahead of him, who turns around, as if conscious of being followed. He keeps on walking fast. Then he rushes out with his bike nearly running over a few girls who shout at him to be more careful. Ken unlocks his rusty bike and cycles back home up the hill. He knows that Takao will have to go up the hill, and ride a long way towards the factory where he lives in the old back deposit. He must be in great shape to be ridding his bike uphill so fast.

As Ken passes in front of the Sun Plaza Supermarket, he notices its dark façade. Earlier today, Tanaka and he were in the same supermarket, and his younger brother even offered to pay for the groceries, even though he was leaving the town.

He stops his bike by the traffic lights, and admires the pay phone booth that his brother and he used to make calls to their parents back in Brazil. The light then turns green and he continues riding back home. As he takes right at a dark narrow street, he notices somebody behind him cycling away in a hurry. He turns and cannot distinguish the man.

Was it Takao? Why was he coming this way? Has he been following me?

Ken peddles faster and dismisses his thoughts. He arrives at his house and notices six bikes parked in a row. Five belong to his cousins, and one, to Tanaka, for he couldn't take his bike along. He enters the house and talks to his cousins, who are watching TV.

"You have to watch, Ken. Takao is a dangerous man. He belongs to the yakuza." Shigeru, his cousin, says.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to be a bad man to me Shigeru. Besides, doesn't he work at our factory? If he's a yakuza, shouldn't he be rich?"

"Anyway, I wonder who's going to move out of this house next, Mineko says." She's another cousin.

"I am!" Shigeru says. "And my sisters too. It's all settled with our brother in Kariya City." They all remain silent.

"My mother is coming to Japan soon. Once dad died, she sees no point in staying in Brazil anymore." Mineko says.

"The car accident was terrible and traumatic." Tetsuo, her younger brother says.

"Well, in this case, I'd better start looking for a place for me." Ken adds.

"You should stay with us, Ken. It's better this way." Tetsuo suggests.

On Monday morning everybody is cycling to work. The company that they work makes water boiler parts. Ken, Tetsuo, and Shigeru enter the changing room and put on their light brown uniforms. Ken admires the locker besides his that is now empty.

Work is hard as usual and they all complain about the heat. During lunch, Ken steals glances at Takao, who always eats lunch by himself in the corner of the canteen. He rarely talks to anyone.

"Ken, why are you staring at Takao? Has he done anything to you?" Tetsuo asks, while finishing his lunch. He always saves his tiny piece of beef for last. "Geez, I can't wait to go back to Brazil and eat a huge juicy steak! Not this thin slice of meat!"

"No, I'm not staring at him."

"They say he was a yakuza." Shigeru whispers.

"I don't believe in that. Besides, he hasn't got any tattoos on his body and he's still got ten fingers on his hand."

"Well, this is what everybody here says. And that's why nobody wants anything to do with him. And we shouldn't either."

"I see. And just because of that, he has to live in the deposit building at the back of the factory. Poor Takao-san." They finish their lunch in silence.

A month later, Shigeru, Yoko, and Tieko move out of the house. Mineko, Tetsuo, and Ken remain.

Ken receives wonderful letters from his brother. He is making plenty of money working for Honda. He asks him to join with the two other brothers who also live in Fujisawa, which is not far from Tokyo. His brother is also taking private Japanese classes with a cute Japanese girl. Her name is Issa.

Mrs. Murata arrives in Japan and stays with them in the old house. She is always smiling and making jokes, an odd behavior for someone who's just became a widow, Ken thinks. She stays home all day and cooks dinner for them, cleans the house, and does the laundry.

On the following weekend, Mrs. Murata takes her children to Nagoya, to visit some relatives who are natives in Japan. They leave the house quite early on Sunday morning. Ken also gets up early and takes his brother's bike for a ride to his favorite spot. He calls it Kama Park, because it's near a huge department store with the same name.

He puts his bike in the parking lot of a public library that is next to the park. He visits the small zoo and has fun watching the animals. About lunch time, he eats his obento, which is a delicious assorted cold meal on a tray. He buys a coke from a vending machine and takes his chopsticks and eats happily. When he's finished, he decides to walk to his favorite spot, the rose beds by the big lake. He sees at the distance the public pool that is closed, for they've having a water shortage in the city.

As he returns to take his bike, he decides to enter the public library. He manages to speak with the librarian in his broken Japanese where he can find some books in English. She smiles and helps him find some materials. He thanks her and picks a few and looks for a table to study. Just then, their eyes meet.

Takao closes the book he was reading and abruptly rushes out of the building. Ken is surprised by his reaction and sits by the same table. Just then, he notices the writing material he's left behind.

He collects them and rushes to deliver them to him, but he's nowhere to be seen. He decides to return to the library and reads the books he's taken. He is quite happy as his English has improved. He even borrows a pen from the librarian and begins to copy some of the difficult vocabulary to look them up in his Oxford Learner's Dictionary at home. As he is running out of paper, he doesn't feel like disturbing the librarian again and tears a blank sheet from Takao's notebook.

On the following day, at the lunch break, he approaches Takao.

"You left these on the library yesterday, Takao." Ken hands him the bag of writing material. Takao takes them back, bows his head, and mumbles something incoherent. "Do you study English too?" Takao then looks at him defiantly.

"Did you read my stuff?"

"No, of course not! But I admired your beautiful handwriting." Ken smiles. "Look, this is my handwriting," he doesn't wait for Takao's reply and shows his English lessons he's been doing by himself.

"Your handwriting is good. The grammar can be improved, though." He frowns and shakes his head.

"I met you on that Sunday night, when I saw my brother off at the bullet train station. But you didn't want to speak with me." Takao looks down and smiles for the first time.

"No one ever, speaks with me, Ken. So, what's the point of, trying to be nice?"

From that day on, Ken abandons Tetsuo and Mineko and sits across from Takao. They practice their English, and Ken even says he's got a Daily Yomiuri newspaper subscription.

"That's a newspaper in English, Takao." He says proudly and hands him an issue.

"Very interesting. May I keep it?"

"Of course!"

Their sudden friendship draws attention from everybody in the factory. People are probably wondering what they talk so much in a foreign language.

Ken and Takao compete in their knowledge of the language. As Ken's mother tongue is Portuguese, a Latin language with Germanic roots, he has a very good vocabulary.

"Ken, everybody is talking about you and Takao."

"Let them, dear. Do you know what? Takao has already been an overseas student in Canada and has already taught English at the university! No wonder he has perfect grammar and is all the time correcting me when I make the slightest mistake!"

"Oh, really? Then why is he working here and living in a filthy deposit by the factory? Is he running away from the law or something?"

"He hasn't spoken to me about that yet, cousin."

"Anyway, Ken. Guess who's going to be moving out next?"

In two weeks, Mrs. Murata is already moving in with her new boyfriend in another town. She is taking Tetsuo and Mineko along.

"Guess what Takao? I'm going to have to move out of my place, for everybody else has done so."

"I've heard that Tetsuo and Mineko are leaving the factory." He looks down.

"I'd hate to move to a place away from the factory. I can't imagine myself riding the bike at night alone, when I have to work extra hours."

"Well, I live in a big place. But it's, well, old and dark, and not too clean either."

"Are you suggesting I move in with you?" Ken smiles.

"Only if you want, Ken. Besides, you won't need to pay rent." He smiles shyly.

"But are you sure you won't mind sharing the place with a stranger, a foreigner?" Ken feels very insecure, for foreigners, especially the ones from Brazil living in Japan have a poor reputation for being dishonest and shoplifters.

"But you're not a stranger to me, Ken. Besides, I also feel like a foreigner living in my own country."

"No, Takao. I don't want to be imposing."

"Then suit yourself." Takao shrugs his shoulders.

After a week, on Saturday after work, Ken is already moving his stuff to the back of the factory, to the surprise of everybody. The factory owner thought the arrangement odd, but accepted Ken's request.

"See, you have your own bedroom here. The rice tatami is kind of new. And look at the view from your window!" Ken looks out and smiles.

"Wow, it's beautiful! Look! The rice fields and orange trees!" Takao smiles and touches his shoulder gently and points to the horizon.

"I bet you'll like to see the lake behind these hills. It isn't big, but for me, it's my private ocean. I always go there, to think about life." He looks down.

"I'd love to go there on Sunday."

"Let's go there tomorrow then."

"Geez, is tomorrow Sunday?" Ken looks puzzled. Takao chuckles.

"You're losing track of time, my friend?"

Takao then offers to help Ken fix his bedroom. He even sweeps the new tatami and prays over the room for good luck. Then he sprinkles some sake and salt.

"It's for good luck, safety, and prosperity."

"You Japanese have so much tradition. Not to mention superstitions too, my friend."

"Don't you have a tradition about moving in to a new place in Brazil?"

"I suppose we drink champagne and throw a party for family and friends." Ken smiles. Takao's face lights up.

"I've got a new bottle of sake." He rushes to bring a bottle and two small porcelain cups. He pours a cup for Ken and hands him the bottle. Ken then pours some sake for Takao--in the Japanese culture you never pour yourself a drink when in the presence of others. They toast. "To your happy stay here!"

"Kanpai!" Which means cheers. They drink.

"I'm sorry I have no friends to bring to your bedroom inauguration party."

"That's ok, Takao. You're here, aren't you?"

"But I already live here." Takao then shows him the kitchen, bathroom, and cozy living room. "As you can see, there's plenty of room here for two or even three people!" Takao removes his cotton T-shirt. Ken turns away. "You don't like when I get changed in front of you?"

"Takao, I'm sorry. There are so many things about myself that not even I have figured out yet." Takao nods and folds his T-shirt. Ken notices his muscular hairy chest and large belly.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Do you think you'll find any tattoos on my body?" He looks defiantly at Ken.

"So, you know that people talk about you."

"I'm just a normal guy like you, Ken. On top of that, I'm already forty-five and haven't figured out myself yet."

"You surely do look younger than that, Takao. All Asian people do." He smiles.

"You're twenty-something, aren't you? People here like to talk." Then they begin to laugh. "Let me show you something." Takao leads Ken into his large bedroom. Ken admires the neatly folded clothes, gym equipment arranged in the corner, a small prayer altar, some stacks of books, and some family albums. "See, this is my family album." They sit on the tatami and lean against the wall.

"You are an only child! Hey, look at you playing baseball! Is that you wrestling?" Then he finds a loose photo. "Oh, look at this one." Takao blushes and takes the photo from Ken's hand. Their hands brush.

"That was my first Halloween Party abroad in Canada."

"You look nice in your Batman costume!" He chuckles and rushes to his closet again.

"I think it's still here somewhere. I haven't seen it in a long time." He fumbles through some old clothes.

"What are you looking for, Takao?"

"There it is! My Halloween costume! I just hope it still fits me. But it surely stretches!" He just drops his shorts, revealing his small tight-fitting cotton briefs. "I'm sorry, Ken!"

"That's all right, Takao." He puts on his costume. "Let me help you with the back zipper." Ken admires his huge muscular hairy back, love-handles, firm round hairy buttocks, strong muscular legs, and muscular arms.

"I wonder where the cape is." Ken finds another bag.

"There it is, the trunks, cape, gloves, and mask."

"So, how do I look, Ken?"

"Wow, you look better than Batman himself." Ken notices his bulgy trunks, large belly, and big pecs.

"I wish I too had big muscles like you, Takao."

"Do you want to feel them?" He invites Ken to touch his big pecs.

"Wow, they're surely hard. And your chest, back, and legs are quite strong."

"I can give you some basic work-out training if you want."

"Deal! And I'll clean the place up for you!" Takao's face lights up.

"I hate doing house-cleaning. It's not manly you know."

"I don't think cleaning a house should be just left for girls. Everybody has to help around." Takao chuckles.

"My ex-wife used to say the same."

"You were married, Takao?" He nods and picks up another photo album.

"This is my wedding album." He hands it to Ken. "I know, Fumiko looks quite masculine. Well, she wanted to leave her house and become a lesbian. I agreed to marry her so we both wouldn't be persecuted by our families for our sexual orientation." Ken turns to him.

"How do you mean, Takao?"

"I'm a homosexual."

"You're gay?" Ken stares at him. Takao lowers his head and nods.

"I-I'm sorry, Ken. I hope you, well, I understand if you change your mind and decide to move someplace else." He removes his costume and puts on his T-shirt and shorts.

"By why would I do that?" He touches Takao's solid shoulder. He looks into Ken's eyes, something not common for the Japanese to do. Ken also looks into his eyes.

"Because as a gay man myself, I find you, quite attractive, Ken. And you may not want me staring at you or making you feel uncomfortable while staying here."

"I don't feel uncomfortable being here with you. I rather like your company, Takao."

"I knew you were special. You're not like the others, who are prejudiced and intolerant." He looks away. "Geez, I don't know why I'm saying these things."

"Please, Takao, say whatever is in your mind."

"I know, Ken. Well, the first time I saw you, a couple of years ago." He takes his cup and asks Ken to pour some more sake for him. He drinks everything in a single gulp and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "I, fell in love with you." He walks towards the window.

"Takao, I think you're the first person I'm talking about this, too." Ken asks for a drink and Takao pours sake for him. Ken also gulps his sake too. "I don't know how to talk about it. In Brazil, people always called me names, like, faggot and sissy." He looks in Takao's eyes. He strokes Ken's face. "In Brazil, I suppose we're not used to being so open in matters of sexuality, like here. Not to mention get naked in front of each other."

"I understand how you feel, Ken. For me, it also took some time to, accept and feel pride about my homosexuality. I guess you need your time to figure out when to come out and tell others. But I'm glad you've taken the first step and told me. I promise I won't tell anybody. Not that I have a lot of friends to tell it to, so your secret dies with me." He smiles shyly. "But, I still have feelings for you, Ken." He takes his delicate hand. Ken smiles and kisses the large hand.

"I'm sorry I'm being so awkward, dear." He releases the hand and looks away. "I-I've never thought it would be this way." He turns to Takao. "Can I kiss you, dear?"

"Sure!" He grins. "I've waited for this moment, for a long time, Ken!" They kiss awkwardly as Ken has never been so close to a man before. Takao embraces him and has tears in his eyes.

"This feels so special, dear. Kiss me again, please!" They kiss once more and Takao's tongue becomes daring. Ken breaks away. "I-I'm sorry, Ken. I-I shouldn't have done it."

"Oh, dear! It was so, warm and nice." Ken smiles and covers his own excitement. "I'm sorry too, dear! I suppose when you kiss a man, your body responds to it right away." Just then he notices Takao is also hiding his boner.

"Am I your first one, Ken?"

"Yes, dear." He smiles. "I've never kissed a man on the mouth before." He runs a finger over his lips and smiles.

"And, did you like my kiss?" Takao straightens his body and expands his chest proudly. Ken nods.

"It was very nice, dear. I'll never forget it." Without thinking, Ken strokes Takao's cheeks, chin, ear, and short black hair.

"It feels so good when you stroke my face, Ken." He grins.

"Wait until I tell my brothers and my parents about this experience. I bet they're going to freak out."

"A-are you going to tell them?" He looks down and paces around the room.

"Well, yes! I'm so happy, dear. I need to share this happiness with my family! Besides, they need to know that, I've finally found, someone special, like a boyfriend."

"My family have cursed me for being who I am. I mean, an outcast and a gay man." He looks down. Ken embraces him and runs his hand over Takao's strong back. "But now I feel happy because you're in my life, my boyfriend."

"As time goes by, dear, you've got to teach me more about, well, gay sex." Ken blushes.

"Everything has its right time, Ken. Of course I'll teach you all that I know on this subject. And I promise to be very patient and wait for your time to explore my body."

"I find you quite attractive and your body is very strong and hairy, dear."

"I know my body is quite different from most Japanese man, for I'm hairy. You like the way my body is?" He grins and begins to strip slowly. He removes his T-shirt again, his shorts, and finally, his cotton briefs. He smiles and turns around. Ken admires the chubby muscular hairy man in his full glory. He admires the hairy back, round firm hairy buttocks, the forest of black pubic hair, his long fat uncut cock, his large hanging balls.