"Hello. I would like to go to the villa toward the East where a woman named Hiroko lives. It’s—"
“The Roar already let me know of its location.” The driver started the engine.
Of course Reo did. Mr. Anticipate Everyone’s move.
I laughed and climbed in.
My men followed.
That was when I noticed the kids.
Three of them stood on the side—two little girls and a boy. None of them were taller than my hips. They stood at the edge of the path with their eyes on the cart.
I could tell that they were desperately trying not to giggle at the silliness of it all.
The tallest girl had her eyes wide. The boy was bouncing on his heels. The smallest one had both hands pressed flat over her face with her fingers spread so she could still see through them.
I lifted an eyebrow at them. “Do you like my tiger-cart?”
That broke the smallest one. She giggled into her palms.
The other two cracked immediately.
I lifted my hand, curled my fingers into a claw, and let out a small playful roar. "Rawr."
The kids lost it. All three of them dropped to the gravel in a heap of giggling little bodies.
The driver pulled the cart forward, and I waved goodbye to them.
One of my guards snickered.
I smiled. “Those kids are adorable.”
He nodded. “The short one is my daughter, Mei.”
“Aww. Mei. That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl.”
He beamed in pride. “She knows I’m here during the day and likes to see if she can spot me with her cousins.”
My heart warmed.
“She also. . .is a bit fascinated with you.”
“Oh really?”
He nodded. “She’s drawn pictures of you and me at your side with a gun, protecting you.”
“Oh, I love it. I would love to see the drawings and thank her personally. . .of course. . .if that’s okay with you.”
He widened his eyes. “That would make her entire year and have my wife talking about it with her friends for the next ten years.”
“Oh, then we’re doing that today.”
He chuckled.
“And your name?”
The glow on his face left and his chuckling died down.
