Amari clearly heard what her little niece, Akari asked and chuckle lightly at her disappointment, while her elder twin, Akira is clinging on her like a koala bear.
“My name’s Akari, I am 4 years old.” The little girl answered Mizuki’s question, forming a four with her little fingers that let Amari’s laugh. Her niece and nephew are just so cute, she can’t stand it. “and this is the older twin, Akira.” She pick Akira up from clinging unto her and walk to where Akari’s talking to Mizuki.
“Aunty, is this uncle your really your friend?” Akari asked pouting her lips at Amari.
“Yes, he is, sweetheart. Is something wrong?” Amari asked, crouching to Akari’s eye level when she saw the girl started to tear up. “Is something wrong, honey?” she asked gently and wrap her arm on Akari’s little body.
“Where’s uncle Makoto then?” she asked trying not to sob on her words.
Amari was struck dumb at her little niece question and scratch her head. She darted her eyes from Akari and see that Akira is also looking at her intently waiting for her to answer. She look at Mizuki for help, but he doesn’t know anything about this. Amari was silent for a moment when her sister, Maria, came back to the kitchen.
“Why is my girl crying?” Maria asked, she looked a bit surprised.
“Sis…” Amari muttered in a low voice, seeking for help.
“Akira, bring little sis to her room and play.” Maria said and Akira pull Akari out from Amari’s arm. “Okay, Mommy. See you later, aunty.” Akira said and kissed Amari on her cheek.
After the children left, it has been silent. Amari was surprised. How could she not? The children was asking about her ex fiancé and the way Akari cried…
“Sis, did you say something to the children?” Amari asked after Maria put the food on the table asking Mizuki and her to eat.
“Are you really asking me that?” Maria asked her back.
“I’m sorry, sis. I’m just…scared…no, I’m just worry.”
“Mizuki, do you know why you’re assigned to my sister?” Maria turn to Mizuki after looking at Amari for a moment and Mizuki shake his head as a ‘no’.
“I also don’t know.” Amari said and sighed.
“That’s why I kept telling you not to hide anything… And you know what I find on your apartment in New York?” Maria asked.
Amari was silent, she couldn’t mutter a single word at Maria’s words. She know she was wrong that she didn’t tell anyone about the threaten letters she had received from her ex fiancé. But, she just couldn’t do it from the shock she has received. She loved him and their break up have been unexpected, and the letters have been another things that is unexpected.
“You found the letters…Mizuki, I’ll tell you this. My ex fiancé is a Yakuza, and I broke the engagement with him without him saying yes. He’s holding a grudge against me…” Amari said and sigh heavily.
A yakuza. Well, that was certainly unexpected.
Not a word out of his lips, he nodded quietly as he listened to Amari's heavily spoken confession. If this was the case, then it was no wonder he had been hired as her bodyguard… and on such a short notice, too.
It was Maria who finally broke the silence. "Mizuki?"
He snapped to attention and turned to her. "Yes?"
Hesitation flickered across her face for a few seconds but then Maria shook her head, a rueful smile gracing her lips as she wrapped an arm around Amari's shoulder. "Can I trust you to protect my sister?"
The look in Maria's face was so gentle, so protective, and Mizuki immediately knew how worried Maria was for her sister.
"It is my duty," he replied, bowing his head to her. When he looked up, his gaze met Amari's and a small, encouraging smile curved his lips. "Amari's safety is my priority, and I promise I will do my best—even put my life on the line for hers."
Maria's eyes softened. "You might not have to go that far," she said, her tone lighter immediately, "but thank you. That is all I needed to hear." She squeezed Amari's shoulder. "Come now, let's not talk about such horrible things."
When Mizuki and Amari arrived home after spending the whole day and having dinner at Maria's house, it was already dark.
Once making sure that the apartment was fully secure and all the doors and windows were locked, Mizuki decided to talk to Amari and find out more about her ex-fiance.
If he was really an important member of the yakuza, he would have to involve his team in it somehow. The yakuza was not something a sane person would take all on his own, and this one sounded like he was bloodthirsty for something--or someone--if he had gone as far as to send threatening letters.
He found her on the bed they shared last night and sat down across of her.
"You don't seem to like to talk about it, but if you don't mind, I'd like to hear more about… Makoto," he prompted gently. "It would help very much if you can at least tell me what he looks like, maybe show me a picture, and if he has any distinguishable physical characteristic. Do you still have the letters he sent you?"
