"It's Mandarin.""What?" My brows jumped up as I turned to see Chito looking over my shoulder."I said it's Mandarin." He jerked his head to the desktop as he peered at the strange language on the computer."Oh, okay, I'll remember that, thanks." I nodded, my eyes raking over his healthy-looking features. His usually rough curls were now fixed into a semblance of style, and that smile had never left his face. For that I was glad."Welcome, sis." His voice faded as he walked away. I couldn't get over it. Chito, walking."Wait a minute, how did you even know it was Mandarin?"He stopped and turned round, pulling a hand through his curls and roughening them up. A slight frown inched across his face but it was immediately wiped away. "You taught me, you taught me all I know." He shrugged and gave me a lopsided smile before walking away once more.How was this possible? Just what alternate universe was I living in? I was able to not just speak and understand but teach Chito as well. Mand
Today is going to be a good day. A. I Ronga is going to be birthed, and everything will be fine. Life will be even better before Aretha and Exceva.I kept up this thought, like a loop, going on in my mind, but it did nothing to erase the tightness in my chest. This feeling, I knew, was borne from the actions of Mia. I just couldn't place it, but I knew she wasn't a hundred percent there. Yes, she was loving and attentive, but I had the distinct feeling she was just going through the motions.The signs were all over her face.It was in the faraway look in her eyes and the way her hand lingered on something for too long, instead of just picking it up and using it. Just yesterday, I caught her standing by her door, head averted towards the window, staring at absolutely nothing. At first, I thought she was looking at something outside but it turned out nothing was there to catch her attention.Nothing, except her thoughts.Was she having a mental breakdown because of those men she killed?
Sweat stuck to every part of my body as I ducked. My legs screamed in protest against the onslaught. Never mind my legs, my whole body ached from the back to back exercises and endurance training I had been giving it these past two weeks. I knew without being told it was paying off. My driving force was not because I was an assassin, that in itself was secondary. I didn't feel like one, but I could definitely get back in shape.The whole focus of my training was to kill the man who contracted me last. It's either kill or be killed, as my guardian had said.This whole thing still smacked of unbelief.How could I have been living a normal life one day, and the next, I woke up and my life had literally turned upside down?It's not like I didn't believe it, it's that life wasn't just fair. I spent more and more time at my other place, acquainting myself with it and -SMACK!My face stung. "Why'd you do that?"My guardian raised a brow and shook his head. "In a real fight, you would have b
I didn't remember what I was like before the accident, but I was sure I wasn't a flowery girl with hearts and unicorns spilling out of my eyes. From the guns and knives hanging on racks in my weapons place, I was definitely hardcore and gritty. Female assassins didn't wear dresses with sweetheart necklines or dinner dresses with pencil heels, not unless they were undercover and wanted to fool someone.No!Female assassins wore leather skin tight trousers and matching tops with combat boots. They had a tough demeanor and screamed hell. At least that's what my wardrobe at my weapons place showcased, so when my guardian gave me the contact of a certain man called Ben, he told me to look every inch like the assassin I was.As I stood at the entrance to his block of flats waiting for him to buzz me up, I looked down at the leather get up I had on and shook my head. I hoped the make up I wore wasn't too much.Had I preferred red or black lipstick before?Was I gothic oriented or did I like
"Wipe that smile off your face, sis, it's getting embarrassing the way you keep smiling when no one's talking to you, sheesh!"I glanced at Chito but I could see the corners of his lips were turned up. "Is that right? Instead of staring at my face, why don't you concentrate on your phone hmm? Isn't that what you teenagers do?"Chito's face widened with a sunny smile. "Say cheese!" He lifted his phone in the air and before I had the chance to say no, he had taken a snapshot of us.Pretty sure I looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He grinned and showed his phone to me. Within the bright colours, he and I were boldly displayed. He looked like a different person altogether. Handsome, carefree and happy. I stared hard at myself, shocked at what I saw. Cheeks that were flushed pink, eyes that had an extra shine in them, and lips that were plump and slightly swollen from too many kisses.I looked like a blushing bride on her honeymoon. I closed my eyes and shook my head, on
Chapter 44I was six years of age when my mother took me to camp Anuhi in Japan. At first I thought it was just like every other camp where one goes to for two, maybe three weeks, and goes back home after gaining some endurance trainings Little did I know it was a camp to rear assassins from o young age. I stayed at the camp for one month, and when it was obvious mother wasn't coming back to take me, I cried my heart out and didn't eat for a full day. The next day I resigned myself to my fate and adjusted the best way I knew how to.That was when I met master Haruki, the owner and maker of camp Anuhi. He made a star appearance one morning while the coordinator was briefing us on what we were going to do. He appeared large as life, even though he was slight of frame. He had a long white beard and a bald head. He also looked wizened, and I thought he was old.My first mistake.Our first mission was to run, I thought it was just that, little did I know it was just to warn us up. After r
Chapter 45My heart was literally in my mouth as I got into the car.Chito kidnapped?How?When?Why?Those three short questions kept reverberating in my head as the car began to move away from the parking lot. Chito was just a boy, for crying out loud, what did anyone want with him?I had a sinking feeling it had something to do with Mia. What it was, though, I couldn't say. I hadn't gotten any feedback from Red yet with regards to why my picture had been lying not far from Mia's purse on the day of her accident. I decided I couldn't wait any longer. I dialed his number and waited impatiently for him to pick.Unfortunately, it rang off and his voicemail kicked in. I cut it immediately, irritation rising inside of me. I didn't want to speak to his automated voice, I wanted to speak to him personally.My heart lurched as I remembered how Mia had called a few minutes ago, crying hysterically. I could hardly hear what she said. I had to cut the call and call her back, but she hadn't pic
I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as soon as the words left my lips.A story of how you met your wife? Really? That's all you've got?I pushed the thoughts away and shook my head. "I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from, I-""I would like to hear it." I felt rather than saw her shift beside me and knew I had dug a pit for myself. . . or not, depending on what I said next."What do you wanna know?" I asked, a bit defensively."Well. . . I'll take whatever you're willing to tell me." She replied, almost immediately.I closed my eyes and tightened my hold on her. I didn't know where to start, because talking about Aretha was still a sore subject and I wasn't done healing yet. It had been almost two years since her passing and all I wanted to do was lick my wounds when no one was watching. Now, Mia was forcing me out of my comfort zone.There was a slight shift from her and I felt her moving away from me. "I understand."Did she though?She turned away from me and curled in on herse