Prologue
Sawada Tsunayoshi or Dame-Tsuna for short was sort of famous during elementary. She first saw him during when she first transferred from Tokyo to Namimori. At first impression her view of him was a cute klutz. He has bad grades, always trips on his legs during PE, cannot ride a bicycle and he has no friends. But her impression to him had gone to worse. Their classmates started calling him dame-Tsuna. But what lowered her impression on him lowered not because of his clumsiness but because he didn't dare to stand up by himself which frustrates her to no end.
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The first time she spoke to him was during the two of them were assigned to take care of the sunflower beds. She looked at his form. His eyes always looking on the ground afraid to meet hers, his fingers nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. With a sigh, she introduced herself.
"Hi! My name is Toshida Ayame. Nice to meet you!" She heard him mumble something but didn't quite catch it.
"Sorry. I can't hear you. Can you repeat it again?" She laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head. It was quite embarrassing.
"I-I'm S-Sawada T-Tsunayoshi. Nice to meet you…"
"You can call me Ayame. Tsunayoshi-kun!"
"H-hai. Ayame-chan, y-you can call me Tsuna i-instead."
"Ok, Tsuna-kun!"
And that was their official meeting, the bond was small but it was there nonetheless.
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Tsuna's eyes were fixated on a certain figure on the seat three rows in front of him. His face was covered with blush and every minute he sighs. He let out a very familiar 'hiiieeee!' when someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Tsuna-kun, are you alright?"
"Ah, A-Ayame-chan. I-I'm alright."
"Are you sure? Your face is red. Do you have fever?"
"A-Ah! No, I-I was j-just…" He glanced at the direction again and then he noticed the pair of eyes looking at their direction. His blush worsened and he bumped his head on the desk.
"Ah. I think I get it now. You like Kyoko-chan, don't you?"
"A-Ayame-chan!"
"Ayyyiieeee~ Tsuna's starting to grow up."
She was teasing him but she felt hollow inside. She ignored the feeling but continued to support him on his love.
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"W-why would I do it?" Her books were thrown on the ground and her indoor shoes were stained with mud. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears while the rest of her female classmates were laughing at her.
"Yoshida, why are you hanging out with dame-Tsuna?"
"Sara-chan…"
"I hate you! You're choosing him over me! How could you?!"
"I-It's not like that. S-Sara-chan, he's a good friend a-and I would never l-leave you."
"Baka! Everyone's laughing at us because you're hanging out with dame-Tsuna. I won't be friends with you anymore!"
Her best friend left her alone. She picked up her things and then her tears flowed uncontrollably. Why is it so hard to choose?
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She really wanted to become friends with Tsuna but she was afraid. She was afraid of being alone again. But would it hurt to try? Surely, he wouldn't her, right?
"Ok, class please pair up for the field trip. The girls partner should be boys. Start now!"
"Hai-sensei!"
She walked around to find Tsuna and she saw a familiar mop of brown hair.
She went to him hurriedly. She was excited after all it was her first field trip.
"Tsuna! Can you-" she cut off whatever she was saying when she saw Sasagawa Kyoko holding Tsuna's hand with a smile on her face while the said boy was blushing but there's that small smile. She started backing away, she was shaking and she doesn't know why but she held her tears back. But it was then Kyoko noticed her.
"Ah! Ayame-chan, what can I do for you?"
"N-nothing." Tsuna's gaze landed on her but she didn't return it.
"G-Gomen, I have to go now."
With that she ran away. Then she wondered, why did it hurt when Tsuna didn't do anything? She disregarded it as a childish whim. After all, she's just a seven-year-old girl.
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The next year, she on a different class. She didn't get the chance to talk with Tsuna again. She had started all over again until she had forgotten what had happened. She became part of the library committee. Over all, it was normal.
"Yoshida-san, can you give this to Sawada in class 2A? I forgot to return his notebook."
"Hai sensei."
"You can return it after class."
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"Is that dame-tsuna's notebook?"
"If you mean Sawada-san, then yes."
"Ooh."
She raised her eyebrow when she noticed the almost innocent look Sara gives at the notebook but she dismissed it that was then when she returned the notebook, hurt was evident on Tsuna's face when he saw what was written on it.
"I-I didn't know you hated me that much, Y-Yoshida-san. G-Gomen."
The blank look on her face didn't change but the shock inside her was too great. Tsuna's painful smile alsmost broke her heart. This time she can't be friends with Tsuna and she can't look at him straight in the eye anymore.
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"What did you do to Sawada-san's notebook? Tell me Sara." Her angry outburst on the phone didn't matter. She just wanted to know.
"Ah, you mean dame-Tsuna? I just wrote how much you hated him."
"BUT I do not hate him! What made you think of that?!"
"Ah! So you've finally shown your true colors Ayame! You're really siding with dame-TSuna! I thought we were friends!"
"We are friends! I avoided Sawada for you! I didn't need another reminder. That's why please stop."
"Here I am, trying to give you popularity but you jinx it! Now tell me, what's so good with that dame!"
"It's over. Gomen Sara."
"I hate-"
She put down the phone her conscience nagging her, Sara's tearful face and Tsuna's painful smile keeps on replaying on her mind.
"I'm a terrible person. I can't even protect my friends."
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Middle school. A lot of things happened, Tsuna running around the whole town in his boxers and with that weird flame in his head. His so called right-hand man, a baby cow carrying grenade everywhere, a cosplaying girl with weird costumes, Kyoko-chan's brother shouting extreme and many other weird things happened. There's also that anger in Gokudera and the cold look from Yamaoto that was directed at her everytime she crosses path with the trio. As usual, Tsuna's eyes kept looking forward but still not looking at her. The smile at her face was nostalgic, 'thatnk goodness, he doesn't look at the ground anymore. There's the improvement even though he still hates me.' It seems like Namimori Middle was the center of all chaos. Unexplained injuries and their absences. She couldn't help but think maybe Tsuna's included in something dark and secretive.
The weirdest thing that happened was when Tsuna was absent for three days and came back within a week. He kept looking at her when he thinks she isn't looking. She was weirded out that why for the remaining two days of the week she stayed at home. When she went outside to throw the garbage she caught sight of a baby with a fedora and a green chameleon on his shoulder.
"Tsk, he went all the way to look if you were doing fine because he didn't see you at school. That useless student of mine."
That confused you but continued doing your stuff anyways.
And then Sawada was gone for a whole day again.
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The next time she saw him was at the school rooftop, he was laughing with his friends then she noticed his aura. She smiled.' Tsuna's definitely not dame-tsuna, how wrong you are Sara.'
That afternoon, she was closing the library for final touches but then she felt arms hug her from behind.
She turned to see who was hugging her and then she saw Tsuna.
"T-Tsun- I mean Sawada-san? C-can I help you?"
"Arigatou."
They stood there in silence but the truth is, Tsuna trip to the future made him realize.
The next day, instead of avoiding his gazes like she always do, she turned at him head on and for the first time in seven years she saw his warm smile again. And it's been like that for two years.
'Just what happened?'
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"Grandma, why is there a baby here?"
"Ciassou! You must be Yoshida Ayame, my name's Reborn your home tutor for a whole year."
"..."
"I will train you to become a good mafia-boss-wife within a year to be suited for the Vongola Decimo."
"..."
"Be proud, you don't have a choice in this case. It's either marry or die."
"..."
"..."
"GRANDMA! I'm scared! Help me!"
"Now, now Ayame-chan what could a baby possibly do?"
"A lot of things!"
End!
Chapter 2 will be next week..