A/N: Why did I decide to make this? Because I LOVED the quote (there are three)! Aaaah I really do! And no worries, folks; this won't be a multi-chapter! Hahaha, btw, I've almost finished at writing the last chap of "Bond of Two Strong Hearts" but have difficulties in writing the wedding scene itself! Haha, if you have any suggestion of some unexpected things that could happen in the chap, do tell me! XD Anyway, hope you enjoy this fic! XD

P.s. HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR

Summary: What are faith, hope, and trust? Tsuna found the meaning of faith in his darkest times when he's alone and left out searching in the vast world. Found the meaning of trust when he's facing a life-or-death situation. And he found the meaning of hope, as he was fighting to create something impossible. Warning inside. Semi AU

Warning: varied scenes, varied ages each scene, different PARALLEL WORLDS each scene, mild-AU

Faith, Trust, Hope

Once, all villagers decided to pray for rain, on the day of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an umbrella.

That's faith.

Tsuna looked at his surroundings. It was raining, so the children didn't go outside like they used to in the noon and up to the evening. Instead, they either play some blocks, watch cartoons, or sleep. Tsuna himself was busying himself watching the rain with his doll—a yellow cub that smiled welcomingly and friendly, he always thought. There's soon a roll of thunder flashed, and some girls screamed in fright while some of the boys hid their ears with their hands. The others, one of them was Tsuna, didn't do anything but stare.

To the brunette, the lightning was scary and so did the thunder, but a part of him didn't really flinch. Maybe he has heard it too many times, or maybe he has ever been so close in contact with it. The teachers, or rather the children called them the "older sisters" of the small orphanage came rushing in. They quickly comfort the scared ones and gave cookies to the kids.

Tsuna was also approached by one of them and took the cookie from her hand silently. She smiled, ruffled his hair, and left to tend the other children. The brunette looked back at the doll he's holding before he looked out the window again. It's getting cold, and the rain seemed not going to rest soon. He sighed and puffed his cheeks; he wanted to go outside and feel the grass under his feet. But most of all, he wanted to meet that man again.

The five-year-old smiled until his cheeks puffed. He just met a man, with a vest and a white shirt while he's venturing outside. He was lost in the town when he bumped to the man, who has kind eyes and volunteered to help him get back. But not before he took the brunette to a lunch and an ice cream store. When Tsuna finally got back to the orphanage, he'd told all about his adventure to his cub-doll.

He was no more than five, his parents were killed in a fire three years ago, and he has no relatives to take care of him.

But every time he looked out from the window, under the warm sunlight and the vast blue sky, he'll eye the passing families. And he couldn't help it but envy the hands of the adults that the children can hold all day long.

When they're sad, their mommy and daddy will comfort them.

When they're injured, their mommy and daddy will help them.

And when they're afraid of thunderstorms, they can always go to their mommy and daddy's room and sleep together in a warm cuddle.

At least, that's what Tsuna remembered of his parents years ago. Now he never feel it anymore that he nearly forgot. But when the man he met a few days ago ruffled his hair, took his hand, or listen to his ridiculous stories while eating ice cream—he remembered again.

So he was all set when a week later, three days before his birthday, that one of the caretakers told him that someone was ready to take him in.

It was not his grandfather, nor his perhaps-secret uncle, nor his distant relatives (if he has one), but it's none other than the "kind man" whom he met previously.

"Come and greet your new father, Tsunayoshi," the lady smiled down at the brunette; his belongings were ready beside him. But although they said 'belonging', it was just a small suitcase filled with two sets of clothes and two pairs of socks. Tsuna watched with parted lips and watchful wide eyes as the man knelt to his eye-level. The man stroked the top of his hair gently.

"Hello again Tsunayoshi. Who knows that it'll end up like this huh?" he chuckled. Tsuna nodded happily. After a short simple exchange of words and papers, they set off. Finally, Tsuna was able to look behind the orphanage, but this time, he knew that he's leaving for sure.

Tsuna was smiling at the man, who has a similar smile on his face as they walked toward the small town.

The man's name was 'Giotto'. He was twenty two and still hasn't got married when he took Tsuna in.

But the blond has given anything that Tsuna dreamed of a 'family'—cuddles, laughs, advices, ruffles, toys, ice-creams, and love.

As he watched from the window of his home, with the blonde still sleeping on their bed, he saw the snowflakes slowly dropped unto earth, slowly creating a thick pile of snow. He breathed out and watched it fogged the glass. It's been a fast ten years and he still remembered it fresh. The world was different from then and he smiled at the similar scenery, but different vision.

He always has faith that he'll get a family again after his parents died.

And once again, Tsuna was living in a dream.

Example of the feeling of a one year old baby. When you throw him in the air, he laughs because he knows you will catch him.

That's trust.

Seven year old Tsunayoshi grumbled and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Right beside him was Dino, who tried to encourage and cheer him up, despite in the similar situation. However he's the older of the two and has to be wiser. Although Tsuna knew that Dino must be feeling similar with him, but Tsuna didn't want to hear that. Right now he's really annoyed by the fact that his tutor always did what he likes without even negotiating with the people involved.

They both halted in their steps and stood in perfect silence when they heard rustles around them. Then birds starting to squawks before flying away in vast groups. The branches of the trees shook as they did and sent a shiver right behind the two soon-to-be bosses' backs. Tsuna gulped nervously, suddenly all irritation and annoyance went up in smoke—he just want to get out of there.

Tsuna looked up when he felt a bigger hand wrapped his tiny, trembling one. Dino nodded his head at his little-brother figure, which replied with the same, but shaky nod. Tsuna let Dino led him by the hand as they make their way to the thick forests and increasingly cold temperature. His grips on Dino's hand tightened and the blonde turned his head at Tsuna to make sure he's alright, before he squeezed Tsuna's hand reassuringly.

They both walked and walked, until the sun was setting slowly. The mission was to find the helicopter that Reborn has ordered to stay somewhere in the nature—which can be anywhere in the mountain. They've walked and rarely stopped, but there's really no sound, nor movement, nor sight of anything of a transportation.

Dino sighed in frustration; anywhere he saw was green, green, and green. There's hardly any life around them, which he then thought better than facing a dangerous wild animal. Then he felt a pull from behind him and saw Tsuna sat on the dirt, almost crying. He was about to ask the brunette what's wrong when he noticed the bruise on Tsuna's little leg. Immediately he kneeled down and checked the injury.

"I-it hurts… Dino-nii…" Tsuna whimpered when Dino touch the big purple spot. Dino bit his lips. The injury was bad, and he really didn't want Tsuna to push himself further than this. Besides, they've got nowhere to go right now.

"Can you walk, Tsuna?" the brunette nodded slowly. Dino smiled sadly, knowing that Tsuna's pushing himself, so he went on one of his knee and put his arms behind him. "Let me carry you."

"B-but… what about you?" Tsuna asked timidly. He noticed the bruises and fresh wounds on Dino's cheeks and arms he got when he push the sharp branches and stones out of their way. Dino merely grinned.

"I'm alright," he said. "Let's go before it gets dark."

Tsuna nodded hesitantly before he slipped his legs on the space between Dino's longer arms. The blonde carefully stood back on his two feet and continued their walk. After a long thirty minutes, the even breath beneath his back showed that Tsuna's fast asleep. Dino tightened his hands carefully, as to make sure he's not gonna fall. And after another five minutes, Dino would've kissed the ground when he saw the cave—where they could stay in and rest for the night.

Dino stepped quietly, though, afraid that a beast was inside. When he checked there's none, he was about to tug Tsuna when a big, brown bear appeared from the bushes with a group of ten men followed behind the huge animal. Dino's eyes widened as he prepared his whip. But the men grinned and laughed when he threatened them to leave. Instead, the men ordered the bear to attack.

Dino quickly put Tsuna leaning to the walls of the cave entrance as he faced off with the bear. But despite his efforts and trainings, he was not there yet, and he was quickly overwhelmed by the bear's attacks. Just when his arm about to be tear off by its sharp teeth, a small rock hit his head, and he saw Tsuna threw more rocks at the bears' head.

"Tsuna…!" Dino gasped when the bear started to run toward the brunette. The men laughed and commented how easy it was to kill the Vongola—and that was enough to push Dino to break the walls of his limits. He quickly threw his arm and the whip caught the bear's huge leg, successfully making it fell. He was about to kill the bear with the gun that Reborn told him to bring, when he noticed the sound of something clicked right behind him. He knew that the man behind him was about to shoot his head—

Bang.

The man fell. Dino's eyes widened while Tsuna bit his lips in fear.

"Looks like you're doing just fine, stupid disciples," Dino saw his tutor standing as if nothing happened, with the barrel of his gun aimed to the group of men. The men were furious at the interruption, as they drew their weapons and about to attack Reborn—only to have themselves killed by seconds.

"R-Reborn…!" both Tsuna and Dino gaped. "C-could it be that you're following us all along…?"

The hitman smirked. "I have to make sure that you're facing what you supposed to face. These idiots weren't included in your training menu."

Tsuna puffed his cheeks while Dino sighed in relief at the thought that it's finally over.

Even after that, Reborn still sent them to many dangerous and life-threatening places and missions. But somewhere in their heart knew that Reborn would step in when he has to step in. Strangely, that has ensured a part of them, and despite they would still protest and complained, but they would still follow their tutor—knowing that whatever they've been sent to was not impossible at their current best.

But the one thing that they never knew was—

When did they start to trust their lives to the tutor in the first place?

Every night we go to bed, we have no assurance to wake up alive the next morning but still we set alarm for tomorrow.

That's hope.

The Vongola HQ was strangely quiet. Or rather, it was the type that said 'peace before the storm'. And yes, as you've imagined, a peace could not endured for more than five minutes as soon as people gathered, or rather, met each other.

"B-boss a-are you not mistaken about this orders?!"

"Huh?" Tsuna sighed and put down his pen. His elbow rested on the table and his arm acted as a support for his head. He stifled rolling his eyes. "About what?"

"About recruiting the Shimon and Gesso into one of our 'circle'!" the man with light grey hair and wrinkled face exclaimed while pointing the paper on his hands. It did signed the Vongola Decimo's name, complete with the official dying will flame to prove its originality. Tsuna looked at it boredly, though acknowledging it.

"Yes, I'm perfectly sure," Tsuna closed his eyes and sighed. The 'circle' that his senior meant was the group that was the very core of the huge Vongola family. They were the one that moved, discussed, and decided the Vongola's general actions. It consisted only of the most utterly trusted members and there's absolutely no 'possible threat'. So, someone who has ever pointed his weapon at the boss of the Vongola is out. of. question.

"B-but… boss…!" the old man about to form yet another sentence of protest. "They… they've tried to kill you before! And they have tried to destroy the Vongola! And-"

"Alfredo," Tsuna spoke his name sternly and immediately the man shut his lips closed. Tsuna opened his eyes and scanned the paper on his desk. "I've fought against and along with them before and I knew that I could trust them." Tsuna explained. "It's not really necessary for you to doubt them that much."

"B-but-" Tsuna's steely eyes commanded no other protest. So, he bowed, before leaving the room silently. Tsuna leaned back on his chair; it's the tenth time that his subordinate protested against his idea. It wasn't an exaggeration; everyone's worried for his sake and for the Vongola' sake that the Gesso led by Byakuran, or Shimon led by Enma, would try to rebel against them again. But Tsuna wasn't worried. Not at all, if he could say. Not in his wildest dreams that he could imagine them try to kill him again.

"The Vongola must've been in its dark age if such an old member didn't even notice a third's presence all along," a voice said almost in a growl. Tsuna tilted an eyebrow and glanced at the Varia's supreme boss, who just emerged from the shadows. Tsuna snorted.

"Didn't know that you could stay silent that long, Xanxus," Tsuna remarked calmly and the said man scoffed but did nothing offensive towards the other head of family. They both knew that Squalo's the one who's always making Varia identic to the word 'loud and chaos'.

"Whatever trash," Xanxus said as he threw a brown folder toward the brunette, who caught it at ease. There was blood on the front of the paper folder and Tsuna frowned.

"So typical of you Xanxus," he commented as he pulled out the papers inside it. Xanxus scoffed and again walked by without much comment. However, his sharp eyes noticed the document beneath the paper he's holding.

"Hmph, you still dreamt of creating 'peace' and 'togetherness'?" Xanxus asked mockingly. Tsuna paused, looked at the document Xanxus saw, and nodded.

"Yeah, of course," Tsuna shrugged.

"There can never be something as naive in the mafia world," he makes a face. "Even ugly things happened in every corner of the world regardless of the mafia."

"…" Tsuna's lips formed a bitter smile. Sure, he also knew about them. Every one of his enemies begun their plot after such tragedies. "I still can do my best."

"You're fooling yourself."

"At least it won't kill me."

"Hmph," Xanxus rolled his eyes. "And entrusting your life to people that once lived to kill you?"

Tsuna shook his head. "Byakuran and Enma would never try to kill me." Then a smirk emerged on his face. "You wouldn't, too."

In a split second, a flame whizzed inches from Tsuna's head, creating a huge perfect hole in the wall behind the brunette. He, however, remained unflinching and merely watched the Varia boss, whose flame still burned fiercely on his open palm.

"Don't push your luck, trash," he commented before he let for the door. Tsuna sighed but a small smile sneak its way to his lips.

His eyes caught the names of the members he's about to recruit—Enma, Adelheid, Byakuran, Kikyo, Mukuro, the list went on. All of them have tried to kill him and every one of them has almost succeeded in getting rid of him.

He knew that this world wasn't so kind.

The word 'peace' couldn't be well-gripped by the people who has ever has blood on their hands—

Including him.

But as long as there is one person who dreamt of it—

Then there's still hope.

A/N: Hehe, finished! Yes, I'm so sorry for the random scenes and the 'jumping' of Tsuna's character all over the place! But I tried to match it with his age, so I hope it still can be accepted! And while I'm writing this, I kinda find an absolute difference (in my opinion) between 'faith', 'hope', and 'trust' though can't be described by words LOL. Hohoho, anyway, thanks for reading! What do you think? Any responds will be given… a glomp! *glomps*

P.s. in case you're wondering what do I mean by 'quote', let me get it together in one place to make it easier:

"Once, all villagers decided to pray for rain, on the day of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an umbrella.
That's faith.
Example of the feeling of a one year old baby. When you throw him in the air, he laughs because he knows you will catch him.
That's trust.
Every night we go to bed, we have no assurance to wake up alive the next morning but still we set alarm for tomorrow.
That's hope."

Questions that you might ask (or I will as a reader)

Q: So, can you explain what 'parallel world' each scene was?
A: the first is kinda like AU, or the type that's settled 400 years before cannon aka Giotto's era. The second one is kinda following the cannon, but with the exception that Tsuna has known the Vongola and has been involved with the mafia since young age unlike in the cannon. The third one sets in the TYL world of the cannon, like usual.

Q: So… Tsuna's parents were…?
A: Well, they're not really playing an important here, but I think I'll stick with Iemitsu and Nana.

Q: Huuuuh? Xanxus is… OOC!
A: Well… to tell you the truth I've edit and edit his part again. I try to shape him just like TYL Xanxus, who, although has acknowledged Tsuna's strength, but still didn't want to bow down to Tsuna's leadership. So… yeah. Despite him acting somewhat kinder here, I hope he's still IC

Q: What's the brown folder Xanxus gave to Tsuna? Did the Varia reports to Tsuna?
A: Err, no. I don't think so. So, let's just say it's a highly classified mission between Tsuna and Varia.

Q: What's this… 'circle' that Alfredo mentioned?
A: Something I created. LOL. It's like… it's the core of an organization, and can be made up of only the MOST trusted people that they knew will NEVER turn their back toward the organization.

Q: Huh? Dino and Tsuna…?
A: Well, in the second scene, Tsuna and Dino were already Reborn's official students. And Reborn sent them both to a place with a similar situation with the 'Death Mountain' episode in the cannon.

Q: So… Reborn was…
A: In the second scene, the one that I want to point out is Reborn's deep feelings about, "I sent you to do this, because I know you can do it. If I know that you can't do it, that's when I will step in." similar with the situation Tsuna faced when he's about to face Jager and Reborn persisted that he shouldn't because he can't win. Sorry if it's not really that clear.