A Songbird's love

Chapter 16: Cake and a secret

The family collapsed on the couch the minute they got back home. Anka was checking Len and Rin over to make sure they weren't hurt. I went upstairs to take a shower, the day was exhausting and I wanted a break from the tension.
I was drying my hair with music playing on my phone when the music changed into my ringtone. I peeked at the caller's name, seeing that it was Teto, I put her on speaker. There was no one else in the room anyways. I turned the hairdryer off when Teto started speaking.
"Hey, Miku. I'm at the front gate, do you think you could open it?"
The front gate? Of the house? But I haven't even sent her the address, how did she know?
"Uh, okay. I'm on my way."
I quietly walked down the stairs, and sneaked to the front door. I didn't want to meet the family just yet, especially Len. Luckily, they didn't notice me. They were watching the news instead, which was talking about the shooting earlier.
The doorbell rang just before I could reach the door, causing the family to look in my direction. I didn't meet their eyes, just muttered, "I'll get it." And rushed towards the door. Damn, Teto didn't know how to wait.
I hurried towards the gate where Teto was gaping at the house. When I reached her, she whispered with awe, "That's a huge house."
I opened the gate to let her in, then asked, "How'd you get the address? I didn't even send it yet. And what's the luggage for?" I pointed at the pink luggage she had pulled in.
"Oh yes, I went back to base and your brother wanted me to come stay with you until this gang business is over. So he gave me the address and told me to hurry over asap."
Mikuo. Always the protective one. Teto leaned in and said, "There's more, but here isn't the place to talk about it."
I sighed, the waved her towards the house, "Come on. Let's go tell them that you're here."

I held the door for Teto as she pulled the luggage in. Anka and Fudo looked surprised to see Teto. Len and Rin were nowhere to be seen, probably in their rooms. Good, I don't think I could face them yet.
"Sir, ma'am, our company wants Teto to stay with me until all the danger out there in the streets is over. It would probably be a while, so I hope you don't mind."
Anka was visibly confused, "But we didn't hire another bodyguard."
Teto piped up, "Oh no, I'm doing this for free. I'm just here to help Miku out and maybe spend some time with her in the process. You don't need to pay me."
Fudo spoke up, "It's not right to not pay you. We'll pay you the same amount as we pay Miku. It's only fair. We insist." He said firmly when he saw Teto about to object.
"Speaking of that, I guess you can get your pay today. Miku, I had honestly doubted whether you could protect my kids, but after today there is no more doubt. Here," Fudo passed me a cheque which wrote a huge sum of money, "This is your pay for this month. Thank you for keeping my kids safe."
He quickly wrote another cheque for Teto, even though it was technically her first day. We both bowed in thanks, and headed to my room, the guest room.
The guest room had two beds, but I had used the other to put clothes on. I hung up the clothes while Teto unpacked. As we worked, I asked, "So, what else did you want to tell me?"
Teto recounted everything Mikuo had told her before she came here. Apparently, the gang members were after this family. For what reason, Mikuo hadn't found out yet. He only knew that their boss wanted revenge, or something like that.
I was about to tell Teto how weird I found Fudo's reaction to the man earlier, when a knock on the door interrupted out conversation. I had a feeling it wasn't Anka or Fudo.
"Uh... it's not locked."
Rin came crashing in, with Len behind her. She froze when she saw Teto, who was looking at them with wide eyes. Rin pointed at Teto and exclaimed, "It's you! From the mall earlier. What are you doing here?"
Teto gave a small smile, "Yeah, it's me. I'm here to help Miku out with protecting the two of you. Things are going down out there, and Miku's brother was uneasy about her being here alone, so he sent me."
I gave her a glare, she made me sound like a little kid.
Len closed the door and said, "There's something we wanted to talk about."
Teto got up from where she was on the floor to sit beside me on my bed. She waved a hand at her bed, gesturing to the twins to sit. I looked at everywhere and everything but the twins. Mostly the floor, because there was nothing interesting in the room. Was the carpet always that blue?

Rin started off the conversation, "What was going on today? At the mall?"
Teto asked uncertainly, "Do you want everything?"
"Everything."
I sucked in a breath, this is it. This is where I had to see their reactions.
"Then we're going to have to tell you about ourselves. Or..." Teto glanced at me, noting that I wasn't willing to speak, "I will have to tell you about ourselves, seeing that Miku seems incapable of doing so right now."
I faced away from the twins and Teto, studying the things Teto had brought along in her luggage instead. Teto's closet was mostly pink, white, black or grey. Pink was her favourite colour.
Teto launched into the secret I had been trying to keep this whole time, "We don't come from a company of bodyguards like your parents think. We come from a league of assassins." She paused, letting the information sink in. I sneaked a peek at the twins to find them looking at me with wide eyes. I jumped up from the bed to put away the hairdryer I had left plugged in. After that, I went to Teto's luggage to help her unpack.
I know I said I would gauge their reactions, but it was nerve-wrecking. I need something to do.
Teto continued while constantly giving me worried glances (not surprised, I've never acted this way before), "Your mother probably surfed the dark web and found our website thinking it was a company that allows you to hire bodyguards. She wanted the best, and the best was Miku."
I refrained myself from looking back.
"So yes, fast forward to today because I don't know what happened before I met you guys, probably nothing, knowing Miku. There were gang members after your family, for what reason we don't know yet. I am sent here to help Miku protect you, because now I see for myself how much Miku cares for you. Her brother -our boss- also knows, which is why he allowed me to come. And, that's pretty much all."
The twins were speechless, and I was finished helping Teto unpack. I left one layer of clothes though, to hide the guns she brought along. I'll show her where I hid mine later.
To end of everything on a brighter note, Teto said, "Oh yeah, Miku, I got cake before I came here. It's over there." She pointed at the window seat where the bag was placed.
"Oh, but there isn't any plates."
Rin and Len looked at each other, seeming to silently converse, before Rin hopped up and linked her arm with Teto's, "Let's go to the kitchen."
Which left me with Len.
Oh no.

I still couldn't look at Len, even though I could feel him watching me. The silence that filled the room was awkward, to me anyways. I just sat there and waited for Teto and Rin to come back. When did taking plates and forks from the kitchen take so long?
I heard Len move, and looked over to see what he was doing. What I didn't expect was to see his face so close to mine. I scooted back a little in surprise, but he didn't let me go far. He managed to grab my hand before I could move much and pulled me a little closer, "Why are you so jittery today?"
I stared at him, and asked nervously, "You're... you're not mad?"
"No."
I studied his features, there were no signs of anger. His face was totally neutral.
"I... I kept a secret from you the entire time, though."
Len shrugged, "I know. I am a little disappointed, but I'm not mad."
"Disappointed about?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I knew he would ask that question, I just wanted him to say it out, "To protect you. And Rin. The lesser people know, the more they are protected."
He watched me for a few seconds, then raised his free hand to ruffle my hair.
"Thank you, for telling me why."
I didn't say anything, just intertwined my fingers with his, locking him here beside me and leaned into his shoulder. I have never felt so relieved.
"Ooh, look at you two. Miku, you never told me you got yourself a boyfriend."
I whipped around to see Teto and Rin at the door, Teto pushing the door open. I stuck my tongue out at Teto, and retorted, "I don't need to tell you everything."
"True. Anyways, time for cake!"
As Teto and Rin cut the cake into smaller pieces, Len mumbled, "Can I sleep here with you tonight?"
His eyes were really beautiful, a vast sea of blue filled with plea and earnest. I couldn't say no to that face.
"Sure. You can stay here as long as you want."
He relaxed into me, "I'll stay the whole night."
It was a split second thing, based fully on instinct. I let my lips brush his cheek lightly, and only realised what I did after.
He gave me a sly look, "I'm expecting more later when we're alone."
Alone. My face started heating up. I just realised something.
We have never kissed on the lips yet.