The exact job, thankfully, was specific. I was meant to be a “bodyguard” for the oldest girl, Bella. It might be a bit hard since she might feel like I betrayed her by getting married, but I’ll try my bestest.

The reason “bodyguard” seemed to be a vague term, was because I knew that if a parent would go so far as to employ a teacher in the form of a bodyguard, it must be serious.

Would I have to kill people? Maybe I might need to take a bullet for her even.

Both scenarios are of course, worst case scenarios, but they are entirely possible.

While thinking about all of this, I was walking in a small circle around the bar, but it didn’t attract the looks from the crew. In fact, they seemed to even understand and sympathize with me.

“Boss... will I... ahem, t-take a life?” (Ren)

“Well, that seems inevitable, little Tsuchiya” (Big boss)

I looked at him with watery eyes and a bewildered expression. As I thought, it’s different than just thinking it. Him wholeheartedly admitting, it’s tough.

He wasn’t talking down on me, nor was he teasing me. All he was doing was stating a fact about this profession. It seemed as though he was even comforting me, though in his own weird way.

Either way, I was conflicted about this. I wasn’t raised this way. Obaa-san taught me everything I needed to know about being a good person, and this is the polar opposite of that.

Remembering that meeting between obaa-san and that young looking woman was all the more heartbreaking when I even assume that obaa-san was involved in this life.

I refuse to believe someone like her used to do this... but I can’t help it. I’m not her, and I’m sure I’ll never be a saint like her. Our circumstances are different.

“Don’t worry, Tsuchiya-san. Think about it this way: it’s either you, or them. Now the decision you have to make is who is more worthy of living” (Big boss)

A gentle smile that masked the seriousness of what he just said was plastered on his wrinkly face. He looked just like a kind grandpa giving advice to a young man like me.

But the more I dig into that way of thinking, the more bigoted it seems. It isn’t always me, or them. They could have their own Chika; a person they want to care for.

It’s a flawed logic that leaves more holes in a gap he tries to fill... but I don’t have a choice. Again and again, I’m left to the wills of Big boss and his “business” moves.

I’m normally a passive guy who goes with the flow, but this even makes me annoyed.

So, I decided to try and challenge his reasoning.

“But what if they have someone they need to care for? Like... me?” (Ren)

“And? You are you and they are they. Would you rather leave Chika all alone? You care too much about her Tsuchiya-san, and boy do I know about it” (Big boss)

I was flustered at his claim that he knows “how much I love her”. Was he watching me when I was... no no, don’t think about that. But when he explains it like that, the thought process seems to be the “most” logical philosophy in this line of work.

I say “most” since, well, it isn’t logical at all. It’s like saying that 1+1=11. But any other philosophy I can think of is much worse than that. He really got this whole thing down huh?

“Then... thank you, Big boss. That was very insightful” (Ren)

“Yeah, now get out of here and go be inside full with your wife or something” (Big boss)

I had no words. I have never met such a shameless grandfather. Look, Yanyan is over there looking annoyed and I even feel a hint of killing intent.

However... he was right. I do usually “sleep” with my wife, so I had no way to retort him. All I could do was lie down and accept it.

“Kuh!!!..... I’ll see myself out” (Ren)

With a slightly flushed face, I walked out of the bar with my head down.

The orange-glazed sky was quickly setting. I was watching it with a fascinated expression on my face; like I was looking at a magic trick or something.

The woman who drove me here wasn’t around anymore, having left a couple minutes ago. This meant that I had to take the bus to get home. It wasn’t too late, but the sun was still very low.

Going home wasn’t anything special as nobody of interest or anything of interest happened.

I arrived home and placed Chika’s head on my lap. Her sleeping face was a bit worrying, but I knew her heart rate was fairly normal.

While stroking her soft hair, I looked down at her beautiful face. Her perfectly defined cheekbones, tiny mouth and button nose. Then Big boss’ words came into mind.

‘...me or them right? Chika... or them’

Unknowingly, I let out a wide grin. It was filled with happiness and a pinch of madness. Just looking at her... her or them.

I guess that Big boss was right huh? It seems that I’ll be living off of that philosophy from now on.

Although I was petting Chika, I wasn’t paying too much attention to her. My gaze was utterly focused on the entrance door to our apartment. For some reason, I felt that it wasn’t enough.

That any regular person could just waltz in whenever they want and invade my space. It felt very flimsy, that I wanted to immediately fix it by adding more locks.

“...hmmm...” (Chika)

Suddenly, Chika twitched and moaned while in my arms, showing her discomfort from her face. She has been sleeping for about 3 hours from whatever Viola gave her, but that didn’t matter too much right now.

“Oh, you’re up?” (Ren)

“Yeah... was I sleeping?” (Chika)

Instead of sitting back up, she opted to snuggle her head closer into my stomach, trying to feel for my warmth; acting like she was like a clingy kitten wanting to be with her owner.

At this moment, I had two choices, paths, if you will, to go down. Either I tell her that the mother of the four girls in teaching drugged her and forced her into a very short temporary coma, or...

I obviously chose the latter. Before I could think of the second choice, I knew what I was picking. If I chose the first option, she’d definitely freak out and act irrationally.

Now thinking about it more, it seems that I’m a bit more calm? Like I can handle this situation a bit better. Whatever, that isn’t the problem now.

With a calm voice I usually use to talk to students’ parents, I slowly stroked her head in a calming manner as I softly explained what “happened” to her.

“Un. When I came home, you were passed out on the couch” (Ren)

“Was that the case? Sorry then... I should take better care of myself” (Chika)

By now, I was grinning from ear to ear. She must still be under that sleep inducing drug since she seemed drowsy and unable to get angry or have anything on her mind.

“There’s no need to apologize” (Ren)

She suddenly sat back up using her arms and looked at my clear face. A light smile was shown, probably making her pretty happy.

From then on, she stared explaining her entire day to me. From her making breakfast to watching her favorite TV show, to generally hanging out. It seems as though she had fun.

What a nice version of Chika.

(Yanyan POV)

“You’re bitter...” (Yuriko)

“C-c-can you sh-sh-s-sh-shut up?!?! Damn it urrrghhhhh....” (Yanyan)

Meeting Ren today was definitely a part of the highlights. However, I hated seeing him being taken advantage of. That contract, while still a contract, had a massive problem.

...it was void. Null. Nada. That contract meant nothing. If anything, it was dirt on Ren that the hag could use on him. He really is too inexperienced at this type of life, huh?

I was trying to convey it with my eyes, but it seems as though he directly ignored my signals. Since when was Ren so dumb?

No, he has never been dumb... that woman. I do have to admit that without her being a stupid cripple, I wouldn’t have met him this early, but still... she is rotting him from the inside out.

He seems much more tamed. Like... a lion without his mane or a peacock without its feathers.

“You need to be calm...” (Yuriko)

“S-shut up!!! Damn it, I’m going out to buy another pack” (Yanyan)

“You have asthm-“ (Yuriko)

With the constant nagging from Yuriko, I couldn’t help but snap. She is really such a hindrance. Without my smokes, how would I stop this? What, touch myself until I’m calm? Oh please.

“Youre awfully chatty today, aren’t you? Shut up before I put a bullet through that empty space in your skull” (Yanyan)

“.....” (Yuriko)

The silence lasted for about 10 seconds before I accepted her “answer”. She was the more reasonable one who calculated things beforehand. Though, it’s a bit annoying hen she tells me what to do.

“I take that as obedience” (Yanyan)

“Do as you like, but don’t ruin yourself before he can feel us...” (Yuriko)

“I know what I’m doing. It’s not like I’m doing drugs or something” (Yanyan)

Despite our argument being settled, Yuriko decided to continue with it.

“Anyways, just smoke one...” (Yuriko)

“No. Just, no” (Yanyan)

 

———

a.n | howdy-doo my readers! Thanks for reading this far and I hope you are still interested in this story of mine that I thought of while taking a walk.

 

if you’d like daily chapters, check this novel out on Webnovel. Link down below as always. Sorry for the plug.

https://www.webnovel.com/book/my-teacher-is-secretly-an-assassin-!_20057521305949505