#16 Bodyguards

"We've arrived." The greyed butler pronounces as I alighted the sedan.

Once outside the luxury vehicle, I stepped onto hexagonal, stone pavement surrounding a small water fountain.

It was a district far from where my sister's residence was, an area where even I was unfamiliar with. The building before me was a small mansion— a villa with a design following Renaissance architecture.

As I looked around in light interest, Erica speaks to the butler through the car.

"Thanks for the good work. You can leave us now."

"As you wish, madam."

The windows rolled up, and the car leaves in a controlled pace. Erica looks at me finally and with no one else around, her expression drops again. Her steps became more relaxed as she saunters towards me.

"Curious about this place? Of course you would~ This place is great, isn't it. It's big enough for the two of us to do some recreation together."

I looked at my teacher, perplexed. Of course, this was a natural response. After all, this private property was owned by "Tachibana Pharmaceutics", a subsidiary run by Erica herself.

Well, it certainly looked expensive. Beyond the fences that read "Private Property", there was an open, concrete field at the back, as wide as an aircraft runaway.

"...How much was this?" I sighed in exasperation.

Her eyes narrowed mischievously, as if she was relishing in the faintest of my reactions. Erica's body language had turned to one of slight amusement.

"Are you accusing me of misusing company funds~? Don't worry, it's taken out as part of the research funds~" The perky woman replies as if she'd read my mind.

"...Research funds...? If I remember correctly, it was for the development of a new drug..."

If it's for a temporary office, the expense wouldn't require us to buy this entire plot of land.

Was there something more to this place?

Still, Erica's never one to do things without reason.

"Fufu... interested? It'll spoil the fun if I tell you now, but if my boss wants to know, I guess I'll have to tell him~"

"...Fun, huh." I stare at Erica's expression as she seemed to be having fun.

"It's just like you to say that... well, I'll look forward to the results at least." I promptly followed her inside without question.

It's been some time since we've met, Erica and I.

Beyond the relationship of a boss and his business partner, we felt more like close friends as we grew the company together since its early days. In a way, it felt natural to trust that Erica wouldn't do things without reason. A workaholic like her always places the company's interests first and foremost.

While I lightly reminisced on the past the wide oaken doors opened as we lightly approached, revealing the interior of the place.

And then, I got a slight headache at what I saw.

No wonder Erica said all of that earlier, I thought I should've seen this coming...

They've followed me back to Japan, huh. Persistent. And... a slightly troublesome duo.

""Good evening, Master!"" A unison of stern voices lifted me up at once, and I sighed once again.

Two apricot-haired girls greeted me with a ninety degree bow.

Their attires were identical, as they both donned on a black vest over a white long-sleeved shirt. They were dressed smartly in matching black pants, which all seemed to be coordinated well through a custom-fit getup. At first glance, the two girls were indistinguishable from one another. After all, they were twins at birth.

Once their greetings ended, the pair continued staring at me in silence with their sharp, apathetic looks.

To an outsider, it would seem that these girls were distant towards their employer, but I've grown to understand the faces of a "kuudere" over the years of interaction with these siblings. The nuances like the light clearing of throat, the side movement of their waists, and the unintentional raise of their chins... Most of all, it was their unsettling, burning gazes that seemed to burn a hole through my head.

It was almost as if they were in reverence at my arrival.

The easiest way to differentiate them was by the color of their neckties.

"Aah... Kasumi... and this is Kokomi-chan huh.

The purple necktie was the former, and the pink one belonged to the latter.

As if happy that they were differentiated properly, they gave light nods in response.

...Their stares are growing a little too strong though.

"Ah yes... uh... I-It's been a while, you two."

At this, I placed both of my hands on top of their heads as if on reflex, and ruffled their hair playfully. Their faces twitched for a moment, and both heads lowered almost simultaneously as their free hands reached out and gripped on my wrists.

It wasn't to the extent that it would hurt me, but it was getting a little uncomfortable since they weren't letting go.

Their breathing, ...they're getting a little erratic it seems. Are they angry?

"...?" Hmm... The twins used to like headpats though. I guess my sudden disappearance back to Japan did leave them with fewer escort jobs than usual. Mm, that's probably why they're angry inside. Such workaholics, both of them... sigh. The two should be old enough to be independent from their jobs.

At any rate, my hands are getting tired already.

I turned to Erica with an accusing look, who's probably the one who brought them along. She smiles wryly, as if understanding and enters the conversation.

"Dear me, you two..." She crosses her hands and places one on her cheek casually.

In the next moment, her atmosphere turned completely cold.

"How long do you plan on taking advantage of Kyou?" A voice so cold it could freeze a person, Erica continued that unnerving smile of hers, directed towards the unmoving girls.

""!!!"" The prickly aura seemed to have produced immediate results. Kasumi and Kokomi hurriedly let go of my arms and left my side. The girls had swiftly hidden behind one of the pillars in the hall defensively, their heads peeking out to observe the sudden bloodlust that they had sensed. It didn't seem like they were fully docile, however, as their glares that were redirected to Erica, now contained some semblance of hostility.

Erica, however was completely unfazed. She even let out a look of scorn, much to the chagrin of the two.

"Hmph. You two are bodyguards. What you just did was tantamount to neglecting who you're supposed to protect. In a real situation, Kyou would have been in grave danger just now."

Erica returned them with a lengthy sermon, further inflaming the girls who were seething in silence. When she'd gotten the reaction she wanted, Erica snorted in satisfaction and turned to me with a smile as if her demeanor earlier was a lie.

"I apologize for that. Those two cats found my schedule somehow and stowed themselves away on the plane here. It wasn't my intention to bring them here, but since they had already came along I thought it was better to situate them here first."

Erica beckoned the two over, and they reluctantly approached. I looked at them with a tired face, and sighed again.

"Haah... well, it doesn't really matter. Let's just quickly settle the matters with the Anastasia family and your reports together. I have places to be today."

Erica seems to be genuinely surprised at what I said.

"Eh? T-That... did you have your own plans for tonight?" She looked at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were only preoccupied with that cupid game of yours once you were back in Japan, and had no friends or girlfriend to spend your time on—"

"..." I was rather spent for the day, hence I only reacted dully to her tease.

I hadn't noticed that the twins had reacted visibly at the word "girlfriend". Erica too, seemed to have mistaken my silence for something else, as her mood fluctuated slightly.

"...Kyou? That reaction, don't tell me, you... had one?"

"Huh? Yeah... of course. Didn't I tell you before on the phone once?"

Erica's face stiffened.

"It's my sister. I'm supposed to be home for dinner tonight. You know, to celebrate my welcome to the school?"

"A-Ah... Mari-chan huh! Right, of course! You did mention it~"

Ehh... what's with this change in mood. She'd never taken an interest with family talk before.

Behind her, the twins let out similar sighs as well.

"...? So... we good then?"

"Ah, mm' yeah! Let's, ...settle business right away!" Erica replied in an usual fluster, quite unlike her usual self for once.

"Right and after those matters are settled, I would like your cooperation with handling some juveniles in town."

"Fight?" Kasumi, Miss Purple of the two tilted her head in response.

"Well. Something like that. Although, it will be a little dangerous so please remember to wear the company's anti-weapon vests properly."

"Please do not worry about us, Master. As your loyal bodyguards, we live and die by your side."

Those words were a little heavy to bear, but I simply nodded with a smile.

Hopefully I do make it for dinner. Today's menu was supposed to be imouto omurice...

... .... ....

... ...As the trio watched their superior relax on a recliner in the lounge after a lengthy session of business talk, it seemed that he had fallen into a light nap. Naturally of course, they had to wake him up so he would be on time for dinner with his sister. However before that, they had taken the opportunity, a few precious minutes for a quiet but important conversation:

"Look at him, Kyou-sama must have been really exhausted today. He's sleeping like a log."

"Fufu, that's right... Even his sleeping face looks adorable."

"...But that's not the only reason why he's sleeping this soundly, is it?"

"Seconded. ...Those pills shouldn't be used in excess. It will lower the effectiveness in the future."

"Tch. I know, that was an experimental version from that hag in the labs. It's rid of those side effects."

"?! Tell me you've tested it!"

"Oh shut up, you don't need to tell me that, little girl. I've made sure to oversee the live trials before we had the right formula for it. This one's just to see if any other modifications on the pill vitamins needed to be made."

"You better be right. I don't care who you are. If anything happens to Master, your head will be severed."

"He needs some energy for the clean-up operation ahead. I merely did what was necessary."

"I wonder if that's really true. If not for our presence, I'm sure you would have your way while he's asleep."

"Now whatever do you mean?"

"I meant what I said, hag."

"Fufufu, looks like you still haven't learnt your place yet?"

""Right back at you.""

"Ch'. Why am I arguing with a kid. In any case, the drug really does its job well huh. Look at that uncaring face of his... Fufu. ...You two, be sure to hand a few of this to Mari. I was asked to prepare some as per our arrangement."

""Esteemed sister-in-law?""

"Tch, you two... More importantly, as for the reason you two are here. ...I suppose you don't need to be reminded of your true assignment here, yes?"

"Naturally. You don't even need to say it."

"Second, big sister. After all, Kyou-sama is too naive with women even though he's so good at everything else. So the natural conclusion is that we have to protect him."

"That's good to hear. Fufu, you two better keep a close watch. You know of your master's tendencies. Despite his various smarts, the one thing he's never been good at, is knowing a woman's heart. That game of his, I wonder how fast it'll crash and burn this time again."

"Hmph. No matter who comes, we'll deal with them. After all... we're Master's bodyguards."

The twins smiled derangedly with several plans in their heads, unaware that Erica too, had her own as she observed the twins with a veiled smile.