Chapter 1

As the sun continued to set that certain day, a soft tune of piano resounded through the hallways of Namimori Middle School. A heart-wrenching Chopin piece echoed in a music room, each note was rich and mellow. It was as if was welcoming the inevitable end of that day. The red-soaked sky shone through the windows of the music room. One window in particular was open, letting the cold breeze of the evening pass through the room.

Achoo!

The piano momentarily stopped as a sneeze echoed inside the empty - save for one - music room. Tsuna sniffed as his messy brown hair, which was reddish that moment as the sun rays reached him, rustled with the wind, revealing a pair of brown eyes as his bangs that had long past his forehead swayed along with the other strands. He closed his eyes as his upper teeth bit his lower lip in some strange frustration.

He glanced at the music sheet in front of him and resumed from where he unintentionally stopped. His hands continued to move through the keys, notes resonating one after the other. As a small wrinkle was slowly forming in between his eyes, the notes became heavier and stronger.

Tsuna was buried in deep concentration that he didn't notice the crunching sound of grass and leaves just below the wide-opened window. His hands continued to glide through the ivory-keys. When he was reaching the last measures, he opened his eyes. Gently, he finished the piece 'til the last note. He lifted his hands upwards gracefully and then laid them down his lap.

Tsuna raised his hand to wipe an imaginary sweat from his forehead, and sighed contentedly.

The room hummed into silence. He, however, was not surprised when a voice suddenly rang out in the room, from outside the window, saying, "What a hateful Chopin."

He turned his gaze towards the window. There was no one in sight, but he knew the owner of the voice and where exactly that person was. He stood up and went towards the window. He leaned on the window sill, and then gazed down towards the figure that was inclined against the wall just below the window. When the wind was picking up a pace, the older boy's jet black hair whirled messily with the wind. Jet-black eyes looked up towards the younger boy.

"Herbivore," the not-so-much-of-a-stranger greeted.

"You finished up late today, senpai." Herbivore sighed, and then continued with a pout, "Well, if you're just going to complain, then please don't come and listen, Hibari-senpai."

"Having a bad day?" Hibari asked as he stood up. He brushed the dirt on his uniform and turned to face the other boy.

"I always have bad days."

Hibari scoffed, "…herbivore."

"Ah...! Please go away. Shoo. Shoo!" Tsuna made a motion of flicking his wrist for emphasis.

"You brat...!" Hibari growled.

"Hiie! I didn't mean to offend you, Hibari-senpai. Don't get mad!" He clapped his hands once, in a motion to apology, and squeezed his eyes close. When Hibari did not answer, he peeked down with one eye.

Hibari laid down his body to the ground, then pillowed his head with his folded arms. He didn't make a reply but glared at the younger boy. A small sweat formed at Tsuna's forehead. He lifted either of his hand to scratch the back of his head as he awkwardly chuckled to feebly attempt to lighten up the mood of his senpai. However, the solid gaze of Hibari proved that that was, indeed, a feeble attempt.

Tsuna sighed, then propped his chin with his left hand, his elbow was on the window sill. He shut his eyes as he whispered, "It seems that I'm not the only one having a bad day."

"I always have bad days."

"Oh."

A hum, "Tsunayoshi."

Tsunayoshi perked up, "Yes, senpai?"

"Play something."

"Hrm?"

"The one you played the other day with the cow."

"With Lambo? The other day?" Tsuna lifted his head, his hands following it as it craddled his face. He scrunched his face, in deep thought. He and Lambo were close friends, for some reasons even now he could not identify. They were in the same class, or Lambo was placed in the same class as the brunet starting their junior year – Lambo was a transfer student. Though he was more of a painter, Lambo would sometimes join Tsuna with his musical endeavors. They played quite a lot already, the reason why the pianist was having a hard time remembering which piece was Hibari was referring to.

And then he suddenly lightened up, "Beethoven!" he announced. "Symphony no. 7. Roger, roger!" he affirmed while grinning widely.

He walked towards the piano and then sat down at the chair. "Because it's Hibari-senpai's bad day today," he teasingly said. "I'll be playing for him today, to at least ease his mood." he readied his hands, hovering over the keys. And then he played.

When Tsuna closed the music room and handed the key over Hibari, the sun had fully set. He sneezed again as the cold breeze had hit his whole body this time when walked outside the premises of the school. There were stars out as well. Playing for Hibari-senpai sure had taken a lot of time. But he didn't mind.

As if he could, when Hibari had willingly - without any convincing and cajoling from Tsuna and a certain cow's side - joined them in walking towards home, even if Hibari had to endure Lambo's never-ending chatter the whole time.

Well, it was worth it.

A/N: Succeeding chapters will not be released in a chronological order.

Anyway, thanks for dropping by. :)