CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX - Under the Yakuza's Gaze

"Excuse me," she said, turning to the kind woman who had been watching over her. "I really appreciate your hospitality, but I need to get going. Can you show me the way to the train station now?" The woman nodded, speaking rapidly to a young man nearby. He nodded, then gestured for Claire to follow him. "My son," the woman explained. "He show you way." Claire bowed deeply, remembering the custom she had observed in Tokyo. "Thank you so much," she said. "You've been so kind." As she turned to follow the young man, a commotion near the edge of the square caught her attention. A group of men had arrived, their presence causing a ripple of unease through the crowd. They were dressed differently from the other villagers - dark suits instead of festive yukata, their faces set in stern expressions. The young man tugged at Claire's sleeve, urging her to move faster. There was an urgency in his manner that hadn't been there before, and Claire felt a chill run down her spine. "What's going