Masaki Kobayashi

Masaki Kobayashi is the owner of L'Amant (French for 'The Lover') restaurant and a former Yakuza. He's an openly gay man and prefers to be addressed as Marie, though he is often addressed as The Master or Mari-san by others. His coworkers are Fumiya Kurimoto and Ayano. Kobayashi tends to aid Natsuo and others by providing advice and consultation.

_Appearance:_ Kobayashi is a strong and athletic individual, keeping himself in shape with various exercise, including yoga. He has long, curly black hair that is often tied in a ponytail, and sports a light trimmed mustache. He is very high maintenance, keeping his body hairless and well moisturized, and wears expensive cologne. Kobayashi has a typical Yakuza style tattoo that covers his back and parts of his chest. Although he can look quite intimidating when wearing his old Yakuza outfits, he often prefers to wear something more effeminate and/or revealing. His typical work attire includes a usual waiter's button shirt and bowtie, but he happens to wear very short trousers with leggings. He is also not opposed to dressing in drag, wearing a fundoshi, or even a leather thong.

_Personality:_ Kobayashi is a bright, cheerful, and flamboyant person. He often speaks in an effeminate form of speech. Because of this, he can speak on the same level with the females of the series, and can even be quite snarky with them. Kobayashi insists that people call him Marie or Mari-san, and gets irked when people address him by his actual name. Kobayashi is an empathetic person, sensing when others are emotionally disturbed and offers whatever advice he can - though sometimes that can come with a consultation fee of having to buy a drink from him. Kobayashi is also flirtatious, often teasing Natsuo and asking any men he meets if they're single.