A/N: Well... Er...
Plot bunnies just hit me in and I've decided to type it out before it drives me crazy in the middle of my exams.
(Yes, I'm having exams now. Damnit.)
His first impression of the brunet.
Pretty. Naïve. But strong.
Yup.
You heard him alright.
That was the impression Kirin or in Chinese, Qi Lin (麒麟) had when he first saw the brunet.
Sawada Tsunayoshi, was it?
He mulled long and hard on the brunet's nickname in class, not understanding why names like 'Dame-Tsuna' was thrown at Tsuna and why he accepted all those with a sheepish smile.
Didn't he feel angry? Resentment? Hatred?
Why couldn't the others see it too? That hidden strength of his. Surely someone would have spotted it?
(Supercilious Humans)
"Yo, want to eat lunch with us, Kirin?"
The male blinked his eyes, inclined his head in slight confusion before letting his gaze glide to the brunet who was behind the raven teen.
"Eh?"
"A-Ah, it's alright if you don't want too."
"Yeah! You don't deserve to be eating lunch with Jyuudaimei!"
Kirin gave a placid smile. "I would love to join you… Just that you see, I didn't bring lunch and break would probably be over by the time I manage to buy any food from the canteen."
He let a sheepish grin take over his lips when the brunet shot him a troubled look.
"So you don't have food?"
Ï guess you can put it that way. But I'm sure I'll enjoy the presence of you three during the break."
Kirin's eyes crinkled with the smile he shot the three which was reciprocated by the raven teen-Yamamoto Takeshi, was it? - and Tsuna while the guy with silver hair (Gokudera, his brain supplied quickly) shot him a scowl before a bright grin lit up his face when Tsuna announced that it was time to go to the roof.
He got up slowly, stretching his body in the process. Smoothing over the crease of his trousers, Kirin straightened up and shot them a small smile.
He sauntered behind the three as they ventured towards the roof, tuning out their daily conversation and observed his surrounding languidly.
"-san, Kirin-san?"
His thoughts flickered out as his gaze landed on the petite brunet.
"Yes?"
"TEME! HOW DARE YOU IGNORE JYUUDAIMEI!"
Raising his hands up to his chest level in the universal surrender language, he backed slightly and slide on his 10th mask.
The mask of amusement, surprise and slight apology.
This guy is pretty easy to rile up.
"Sorry. I got slightly distracted. What were you saying?"
"A-Ah. We've reached the roof."
"Ahahaha, you're pretty funny!"
His footstep slowed down to a stop with the door behind and he couldn't help but stare at the three as they strolled to their usual spot on the roof, the wind ruffling the brunet's hair gently as a sardonic smile adorned his lips.
They make a pretty good team. Since their weakness are supported by each other strength.
(Kind of reminded him of his old team. Where his sky was still alive. Still breathing, smiling, laughing, running, jumping,unmistakablyalive)
"Kirin-san? What's wrong?"
He tensed slightly at the brunet expression-concerned, curiosity, fear?- and forced himself to relax.
(Not him. He's not him. Not him. Not him. Not him Not him Not him Not him Not him. Not his sky, no matter how their expressions are so alike.)
He forced a cheeky grin at him. "What~ For Tsunayoshi-Kun to be so concern, if I didn't know better, I would have thought that you got a crush on me?"
The brunet spluttered unintelligent words and he shook his head violently while Yamamoto laughed cheerily with Gokudera muttering darkly about pineapples and levelling a scowl at him.
Grinning, he waved a hand languidly before exiting the roof, he had just stepped in five minutes ago, using the need to go to the washroom as an excuse.
(Well, it isn't exactly a lie.)
He raked a hand through his crimson locks and heaved a sigh when he stared at his reflection in the bathroom.
A boy with crimson locks that seems to burn in the light coupled with dark brown eyes stared back at him.
"Ciaosuu! What brought you here, Kirin?"
The boy offered a placid smile and bow slightly. "Reborn-San, master Fon mentioned that you've requested for backup in Namimori."
"I see. I was expecting Fon to send someone else but never would I have thought that you would be coming." Reborn lips twisted into a smirk while observing the boy whose expression remained the same.
"The pleasure is all mine."
"Now that you're here, the Varia wouldn't know what hit them."Reborn remarked nonchantly, but there was an undertone of glee as he tilt his fedora down.
Kirin inclined his head, his expression blank. "I'm honored."
He bowed and straightened again, only to exit the bathroom when Reborn slipped into his secret passageway after 5 minutes of silent stare.
The boy looked out of the window passively as he stood in the hallway, his eyes clouded with thoughts, only to surface out when the bell rang.
Slipping on mask number three outside, sheepish grin, he took a deep breath before entering the classroom silently.
He pushed those thoughts that pounded in his head loudly (SkySkySky, its Sky and Tempest and Ame.) to the back of his mind when he saw the three entering the room together and slipped into his seat.
Time to do his job.