Michael's Past Part 1

"Your personal agent...?"

"Yes, my personal agent."

"Can you give me more details?"

"All I can say is you would do missions outside the jurisdiction of the International Secret Corps."

"Oh..."

"I'll give you a week to think about it. And make sure not to tell anyone else about it"

"Okay..."

***

Earth, December 2, 2022

I wake up and check the time, just to notice I woke up really late. Right now the clock shows 11:57 am. I couldn't sleep well last night with my thoughts all over the place. I probably knocked out around 2 in the morning after struggling to sleep.

I went to go on with my morning schedule. I went to get breakfast and brush my teeth, and this time around, shower afterwards. Once I finished I decided to go train. While training I started to get into my thoughts and think things through.

Michael has given me some time to think about his condition, but it's a really hard choice. Katsumi warned me not to get too involved with Michael because he's obviously involved in some shady stuff. So if I accept I would be disregarding Katsumi's warning. But if I don't accept I'm going to be stuck doing nothing for a while and I'm going to be completely dependent on the organization.

Fuck it, I'll do it.

I make my way to Michael's office and find Secretary Blake storming out of Michael's office. She looks very pissed. She stops for a moment and looks at me. As she walks away I ask her something.

"Are you alright mam?"

"Do I look alright?!"

"No..."

"Then don't ask stupid questions!"

She just turns away and starts walking out.

I wonder what happened to her. But, that's her business.

I knock on Michael's door and wait for his response.

"Haaah, come in."

I walk in and close the door behind me. Michael then turns up and looks at me. He looks back down and gets back to work.

"Did you already make your mind kid?"

"Yeah... but, what's with Secretary Blake?"

"Hah, that. Don't worry too much about it, it's nothing. Just tell me your decision."

"I'll do it, but I need to know what exactly I'm doing. I'm not going be some idiot who's going to be led around."

"Fine, come with me."

Michael does something and a secret room opens up. He gets up and makes sure the office door is locked. He then grabs a water bottle on his desk and heads into the room and signals to me.

"Follow me kid. You say you want to know what exactly you're going to be doing. Here, I'll show you."

I follow him in and find all sorts of things hanged on the walls. I see weapons, outfits, screens, and much more. I see a table and see a desk in front of a computer. I honestly wonder how the whole secret room was put here without people realizing it.

"Take a seat kid."

"Sure..."

I take a seat on one of the chairs next to the tables. Michael turns on the computer and all the screens.

"While that's loading, I'll go ahead and tell you a story. You heard about the White Tiger before right?"

"Hmm, yeah, I remember you mentioning that guy during the orientation."

"Well I fought him before and I even know his real name which no one else seems to know. He's a Japanese man that goes by the name Tatsuya Fujii. His father was the CEO of a major conglomerate but was assassinated. But that's all I really know about him."

"Oh, so what exactly does that have to do with being your personal agent?"

"Let me finish my story first and I'll tell you then."

"Fine."

Michael then starts walking around the room and heads to an encased black outfit and starts his story.

"I was born into a very wealthy family. My parents never gave me the time of day and when they did it was only for their benefit. All I did because of that was go to school, practice martial arts, or go hang out with friends to mess around. I did go to occasional events with my family but whenever they wanted to keep up appearances, but otherwise I was just causing problems and never dealing with the consequences. I continued this lifestyle unti I became 20. Around that time decided to go to university and so I did by using my parents' money. At a Freshman Orientation Party I met a foreign student who came from Japan. Her name was Akemi Sonobe."

"Sonobe?! You mean--"

"Yes, Sonobe as in the clan the twins are from."

"Oh, shit!"

Okay, what the fuck is going on. Wait, don't tell me this has to do with his reason for taking in the twins. Well, I'll have to see afterwards.

"Now that detail is cleared up let's get back to the story. I found her to be quite the beauty and decided to go talk to her. She ignored me that day and I felt annoyed. After that day I went to find her everyday, but she continued to ignore me. One day, she finally gave in and finally started talking with me. We realized we had some similarities and got along. We started dating soon after that. Things were going well until my parents got in our way."

Michael stopped talking for a bit as he seemed to remember a bad memory. He pulls out a bottle and takes a pill from inside. He grabs his water bottle and takes a drink from it to pass the pill down.

I get up and make my way to him.

"Are you okay sir?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing. Just let me get back to the story."

"Right..."

Instead of going back to sit down I just stay standing next to him.

"My parents found out that she was disowned by her family and didn't want me to be with someone who had no backing. I refused to break up with her and decided to run away together. I took the money my parents left me in the bank before they had a chance to freeze the account and used it to move to Japan. We managed to live quietly for 3 years until my parents found us. They figured that I wouldn't listen to them and opted to have her assassinated. One night while we were sleeping the assassin came but she stopped him as you might have guessed. I noticed when she killed him and she seemed to want to keep it a secret in order to protect me. I felt so weak and scared in that moment that I left running out. Akemi didn't go after me because she felt guilty. I on the other hand felt embarrassed when I finally composed myself. I felt so ashamed I didn't go back to her."

And while he says that I notice a hint of regret in his eyes. He then stops to take another pill, which he then passes in the same as the prior one. After he's done he turns to me and looks me in the eye.

"Look kid, let me tell you something. You and me may have different roots, but in the end we're still similar. We may be taking different paths, but they both lead to the same place. I still want you to be my personal agent, but at the same time you may end up having to give up on some things."

"What kind of things?"

"Love. You may end having to give up on the love you have with my daughter."

"Are you trying to get in our way?!"

"No, I wouldn't stoop as low as my parents."

"Then-- "

"You might be the one ruining your relationship."

"What do you mean?"

"You and I both aim or aimed to be strong and make ourselves worthy of standing by the women we love. Isn't that right?

Tsk

"What, what are you talking about sir?! I think you're misunderstanding something. I--"

"I'm not misunderstanding shit. If you can't even admit that out loud to me, then down bother with my daughter. She doesn't need to be with a spineless coward."

"..."

Hah, he's right. If I don't even got the guts to say it to him, what right do I have to be by her side. I'm over saying I've changed. Maybe have, physically that is. My mind seems to still have some problems.

"Fine, I admit it. Also, I was planning on confessing to your daughter before, but I can't after what I experienced during my mission. I have to become stronger. And once I've become stronger I'll do it."

Michael gets to me and smacks my shoulder in a proud manner.

"Glad to see you finally got some guts. But that very thing might be what ruins your relationship with her."

"What do you mean?!"

"You'll know once you hear the rest of my story, so let me continue."

"Alright."

***