A/N: Written November 2008, in nine short parts. Style used is where a situation is explained in third person, and then ends with an entry from the central character, who is mostly TYLDino in this case. Watch for time skips and unclear plot lines. No edits had been made since it was written.

I will submit one part a day.

"Uwaaaa!" SPLASH. "...Ow ow ow..."

Dino sat up in the shallow stream, dripping wet. He rubbed his jaw which he landed on, already on the verge of tears. He looked towards a rock, which Reborn was standing on, considerably dry compared to the Cavallone Ninth's teenage son. The baby looked dissatisfied.

"Stupid student, it's just a run in the woods and you're already tripping everywhere," Reborn criticized, hopping off the rock to the land. "You really are clumsy. How are you going to become a mafia boss if you keep acting like this?"

"I'm clumsy, I know!" Dino interjected. "But even if I'm not, I'm never going to be-oof!" Reborn delivered a kick into his blonde head.

"I told you to stop saying those discouraging words," Reborn said, landing on a flat rock in the middle of the stream. "It's not going to help."

Dino got up very fast to his feet. "But I really don't-" He slipped once and landed on his back when he trudged towards the bank. After getting up for the second time and finally reaching his destination, he turned towards his home teacher with a determined look in his eyes while hugging himself for warmth.

"I don't want to be a mafia boss, no matter what! There's nothing good being one!"

"Then, what is bad about it?" Reborn asked in turn, hopping towards him, which made Dino reel back a bit and almost trip again.

"W-well, I can get killed! There will always be people after my life!"

"People are already after your life now," Reborn said with a knowing glint in his eyes. Dino tried to ignore that.

"A-and I have to kill people! I don't want to kill! It's horrible!" He shook his head roughly.

"But it can't be helped sometimes," Reborn told him. "What if your family is in danger? What if someone is trying to kill your subordinate?"

Dino blinked. "I..." Honey eyes softened as they were cast down to the ground. "I...want to protect my family, but without having to kill anyone, if possible..."

"Then you can do so." The boy looked up in surprise at Reborn, who had begun to walk ahead. "You can try and protect your family without killing anyone. That's why I'm here."

"Reborn..."

"But remember, I'm a hitman." Reborn paused for a while to look over his shoulder. "I kill for a living. You may not have to kill for money, but you will have to kill to protect those you love. Because of this, I will teach you not to sympathize for your enemies."

"Eh? But - !"

"Whether you want to learn or not, it's up to you. I won't be strict on this. But remember, I'm just teaching you what a mafioso should be."

"..." Dino bit down on his lower lip, watching his home teacher beginning to walk again. He tightened his fist.

"If you don't hurry, the bears are going to come and get you!" Reborn's voice floated to him, and only then did the boy remember to run (and trip) after the mysterious baby.

At that time, I really thought: 'I'm not going to kill, I don't have to kill, I can protect my family without staining my hands'. I lived with that belief in myself, even after I succeeded my late father's position and became the Cavallone Tenth.

When Reborn was still around, he often reminded me of my duties. Although he never told me directly, I know that he was trying to tell me not to get too cocky about these peaceful days, that one day, I will have to take drastic measures to protect my family. I would always just nod my head, smile, and respond with the same two words: "I know."

A year after Reborn left me to train the upcoming generation of Vongola, our affiliated family, I had yet to break the vow to myself. I decided to think that I was more right than Reborn was. I could handle Cavallone without being guilty of murders. I can be strong as long as I have my family around me, so I can protect them. Without anymore reminders being told to me, I started to get cocky.

I was twenty-two years old, yet I was like a child - so naive, so wistful for something that I should know was unreal.

If only I had known better.