The house rules were peculiar. Each child had a specific task to keep the place running: one washed the clothes, another cleaned the house, another tended the small vegetable garden, another counted the provisions. Some brought water, others kept watch during the day or scared away wild animals. Kris was in charge of checking the traps against intruders, keeping watch during the night and getting food. Everyone felt useful. Everyone felt part of something, of a huge and quiet family. They didn't go to school, but Kris taught them a lot of things and the older ones did the same with the little ones. In the free time, the children went out to play in front of the house. Sometimes they tied a bunch of dry leaves with a rope to improvise a ball and played football, or at least something similar. That day the sky was clear and the forest air was fresh, the children's laughter filled the clearing as they ran back and forth.

- Pass it on, Sousuke!

The little one ran after the improvised ball, he was not used to playing with so many children yet, but he wanted to show that he could do it too.

- Here! Here!

Sousuke kicked the leaf ball hard. The ball rolled on the ground and several boys ran after him between shouting and pushing. For a moment it was all noise, laughter and dust kicking up under bare feet. Until Sousuke stopped. First he felt a dizziness, then the world seemed to tilt around him. He felt confused, slowed down. The voices of his brothers could be heard more and more distant, as if they were underwater. When he tried to take another step, his chest tightened and he couldn't breathe.

- Sousuke?

Sousuke opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. His legs gave way and he fell to the ground with a thud

- Sousuke!

The others immediately approached.

- Hey! Get up! Get up! - What happened to him?

One of the boys gently shook him by the shoulders, trying to wake him up.

- Sousuke! React!

But the child was not responding. His eyes were open, but his skin was cold and he wasn't breathing, he looked like a fish that had just been pulled out of the water

- He's not... he's not moving!

- He's pale! - He has no pulse!

Panic began to spread among them.

- We need to call Kris!

- No, take him to the house!

- He's dead!

- Shut up!

At that moment Kris appeared running from the forest. He had heard the screams and immediately came to the call.

- What happened?

The children turned away when they saw him kneeling next to Sousuke. Kris took the little one in his arms and rested two fingers on his neck. His expression was one of horror as he realized he had no pulse. Before the eyes of the rest of the children, Kris picked up Sousuke carefully and stood

- I'm going to the hospital

And without saying anything else, he ran out towards the forest path. Sousuke woke up in a hospital bed a few hours later. She didn't know what had happened until Kris told her: He had collapsed on the floor for no apparent reason, he had no pulse and as she could she had taken him to a hospital. Fortunately, the doctor was very friendly with Kris and had no problem taking care of Sousuke.

- This child has a very strange disease, I did some tests and he seems to have a disease called hypertrophic myocardial infarction. I have no idea how he has survived without medicine, because this is hereditary. Maybe he didn't make much physical effort before.

- Is very serious?

Kris felt his heart in his throat. For a moment he looked at the doctor Toshi and then at Sousuke

- What do I have to do?

The doctor sighed. He was a short man with short black hair and big glasses. His expression was neutral almost all the time

- He needs a special medicine. But it's very expensive, Kris. I can help you with the first dose, which lasts about a month. After that... it'll be hard to keep covering for her.

Kris clenched his fists. I wasn't going to let that kid die even if I had to do anything for money. And that was something Toshi knew, she knew her friend well. So I look him in the eye, before adding

- Give me a couple of weeks to see if I can get more medicine and help you with that, don't worry about money.

Toshi rubbed the back of her neck before pulling a piece of paper out of her robe and started writing.

- For now, go to this pharmacy. Tell them Toshi sent you and to charge it to my account. They already know.

Although Toshi helped Kris a lot with the children's medicines, even stealing them from the same hospital, that medicine exceeded the limit of what she could cover with her money, but she did not tell him directly.

Kris hugged Toshi with gratitude, a quick hug that slightly upset Toshi, who was not used to the contact. Sousuke stayed a few more hours in the hospital before leaving with Kris to the pharmacy that Toshi had indicated to them. Now all that remained was to wait. Waiting for the phone to ring and some job to appear that would allow them to pay for the medicine. Because from that moment, things started to get much more difficult.

Kris was waiting for answers from Toshi. Anything, anything at all. Meanwhile he was watching Sousuke more attentively than ever. Since that incident, the boy played more carefully and the rest of the boys also watched him constantly, as if they were afraid that he would collapse again at any moment. One afternoon, while watching them from the driveway, Kris recalled his own childhood. He remembered the bullies who had surrounded him for years and the little things he had learned from them: sleight of hand, cheating with cards, quick distractions to fool others.

- Oh, that's...!

He took a piece of wood and began to carve it patiently. He didn't have a clear design in mind, he just let his hands move by instinct. Little by little the shape was appearing: a wolf mask that he decided to paint white. When he finished, he started using it when going out to the village. He performed in different places, but especially in those where he knew that people with money used to meet. Part of what he earned he gave to Toshi to save for Sousuke's medicine. The rest he used to buy decent food for the children, especially food that would not affect the little one's health. Kris was very good at what he did because he had great skill with cards and knew some tricks of illusionism. His hands moved quickly and elegantly. People were fascinated by his little shows. But obviously that wasn't enough. I barely had enough to cover food and some basic needs. Sousuke's medicine was another matter entirely. Kris knew, he needed more money. Much more. And then his mind began to play with a dangerous idea: If he was going to take a chance, maybe he should really do it. He had spent almost a month raising money for the medicine, but Toshi still couldn't find a provider who could get it a little cheaper. Despair was beginning to approach. One night he decided to try his luck in a different place, a dangerous field. He came to a big restaurant that used to set tables outside. The place was full of elegant customers and lively conversations. Kris walked to the center of the open space and stopped, gradually attracting the attention of the diners. He was wearing the white wolf mask and in one hand he was holding a deck of cards, which he was dexterously shuffling.

- I am the Russian wolf, the ghost from beyond!

His arms moved gracefully, as if in some kind of theatrical

- I have come from distant lands to show you my magic. To show you that I can take anything I want from you... and you'll never notice!

The letters began to move between his fingers. He shuffled them, made them disappear, threw them into the air and caught them with surprising dexterity. It was a short show, but entertaining enough to keep people watching. Ten minutes was enough for the customers to leave coins and bills on the makeshift table in front of him, the best night he had ever had. Among the customers there was a group that watched him with special attention: an older, elegant and well-dressed man, accompanied by his son and some other men. The young man had noticed something curious during the show, so he muttered something in his father's ear. When Kris passed by his table, the older man called to him.

- Nice to meet you, boy. We saw your act and found it very interesting - He said, inviting him to sit down.- You have quite a lot of skill.

Kris watched the group. His gaze stopped for a moment on the young man sitting next to the older man who had a tattoo on his face: part of a dragon that extended from the eye, furrowing the cheek and neck. The elegant suit would cover the rest of the tattoo. The blonde smiled slightly under the mask. He had entered yakuza territory and was talking to the big shot.

- Thank you very much, sir

Kris replied with a calm, but feigned expression. I knew that kind of people were unpredictable, easily that smiling man could pull out a gun and kill him without flinching. I keep trying to stay this calm

- It's not a big deal. I'm just doing it out of necessity. - Oh, yeah?. So do you dedicate yourself only to this? - More or less.

The tattooed young man was still watching Kris's hands. They moved even while he was speaking naturally, as if sure of what he was saying.

— If you do it out of necessity, you should always fill your bags, just like you did now

Kris sweated a little under his mask and the older yakuza looked at his son with confusion. The blonde didn't want to take off his mask in front of them. But the young yakuza saw a little saliva pass by, he had guessed his secret. The young man barely raised his chin, pointing with his gaze towards one of the tables behind the blond.

- You stole the watch from the man at table eight, the necklace from the woman at table ten. - he paused a little before continuing – very clean and precise.

Kris's fingers tensed slightly, though his posture remained firm.

-If I hadn't been watching your hands,- the young man continued- I wouldn't have noticed.

Kris did not respond. He couldn't, his mind went blank. Then the young yakuza slowly got up from his seat. He was taller than he looked. He walked around the table until he was in front of Kris, too close. With two fingers he took a letter that was barely peeking out of the blond man's sleeve and turned it curiously between his fingers.

- you have fast hands, interesting.

Kris could feel his gaze going through the mask, he was paralyzed even though he looked calm on the outside. Tsubasa, I was trying to dislodge him, he was a picky man

-Tell me something- the young yakuza continued. -Do you always enter dangerous territories or were you feeling brave just today?

- I was just looking for a job.

Kris replied quickly, trying to sound confident. He could feel that man's breathing too close. Then her smile gave him chills

- Well, you found it.

The older man lightened the tension with a laugh

- I like you, boy! If my son says you're good, then you must be. In fact, I think I need someone like you in my organization.!

- Uh... I…

- He doesn't seem like the type to be a bully. But I could serve as a bodyguard for you, Father.

- For me? I don't need a bodyguard, -the man laughed.- But I do have some plans. If you accept, of course.

Then, Tsubasa looked at the mask again, as if trying to guess what his face looked like behind it.

- Although I'd like to know what I should call you first.

the older Yakuza was easing the obvious tension between the two young Kris got nervous. I didn't know what to answer, but if I went in with them I would just have to take care of the boss, it didn't sound that complicated, right?

-Belyy volk, - he finally replied with a perfect Russian accent.- But you can call me Bel.

The man smiled broadly.

- So, Bel, welcome to the Yamaguchi family.

Kris bowed his head as a sign of respect, but he felt a knot tightening in his stomach. He could feel Tsubasa's gaze locked on him. I just wanted to get out of there.

- Can I start tomorrow, please?

- Of course

The man reached into his vest, pulled out a simple card and handed it to Bel. The guy's smile was so disturbing that instead of feeling relief he became more nervous. It was already difficult for him to hide it

- Come to this address tomorrow. I have an important meeting.

- Thank you very much.

Kris took the card and left. He felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. He was messing with the yakuza, that was already too much, but if he could help Sousuke with that he was going to continue. He had come to Japan and that small town fleeing from his father and the Russian mafia, a world he never wanted to be a part of. And now, of necessity, he was falling into that abyss again. When he finally felt far enough away, he hid in an alley. He leaned his back against the wall and looked up at the sky. The stars were shining brightly. He realized that it had gotten late, the boys would surely be asleep by now. He sighed several times before taking off his mask. The tears started falling, I was scared. She let herself fall to the ground and put her head between her legs to cry. His father's mafia had scarred him deeply, that's why he had run away. And now he had gone into the same hole he had come out of. He knew that, sooner or later, that path would end up dead, so he began to think about what he should teach the children before that day came. A little bump made him lift his head.

- Kristoff... are you okay?

- Toshi…

Kris immediately got up and tried to dry his tears, while Toshi looked at him with obvious confusion. - What are you doing here at this hour? Kris hesitated. Toshi was his friend, it was who motivated him to be a better person. If I knew he was in the mafia, I would hate him.

- I... nothing... I just wanted you to save the money for next month's medicine.

- Couldn't you wait until tomorrow?

- No... not really.

- It's okay. Go home. It's late and it's not very safe to walk around here.

Kris handed over the money he had won that night. The watch and the necklace thing would be solved later. He said goodbye and started walking back. When I got home, the kids would be asleep. And that meant that I would still have a little more time to cry alone.