Right.
Today's the day the idiot of a student of his would have turned twenty-four. A grim expression plastered his face. The student he hadn't tutored for long. The idiot who died a stupid death. The idiot who would have been the tenth boss of the famiglia he was working for.
He would've quit, but oddly, he didn't.
Xanxus was the last living candidate, controlling both the Varia and the Vongola. He did not lead a bloody famiglia, but of course would shed blood on certain occasions. His arrogance had died down not long after the former Decimo-in-training defeated him long ago in the battle for the rings. Reborn followed him, only after realizing this. That was simply the only reason.
He failed his mission; he failed to see the young teenager shape his life and become the heir he would have followed. He failed Nono, and he failed himself.
Almost curious, he wondered if the young boy's will was in the Vongola Ring, but of course, it most likely wasn't. He was not an official boss. Reborn found himself frowning. He was getting emotional over a stupid wimpy scrawny child who was scared of chihuahuas and hated fighting. But maybe that was okay. Maybe that was an exception, for that no-good child had a way of weaving into one's heart, like a sky flame wielder, which he was.
Xanxus had surprisingly sent him of all people to Japan to watch over the 'trash's mother' for his death was leaked out in the mafia, and his mother became targeted. Maybe Xanxus did it on purpose. Maybe that was a good thing. Whatever the cause, it happened.
The hitman found himself at the boy's grave, and of course, they waited there.
But it seemed as though half of them left. The ones that remained were the former Rain, Storm, Sun, and Lightning guardians. He could see why they stayed longer. They had a closer bond with the decimo than the other three former guardians, as well as Giannini and whoever else was in their 'famiglia' ten years ago.
"You're here, Reborn-san.." came the now-matured voice of Hayato.
Yes.. the former storm matured after the child's death, unable to cope with the situation. Perhaps they shared a similar grief of being unable to protect. He was the tutor, and the former right-hand-man was always concerned for his safety.
Reborn didn't answer and tilted his hat.
The former rain guardian held a strained smile, putting up a front for his former temporary tutor. The former sun guardian kept his frown, and the young Bovino was acting like his younger self, a brat, with a red face, puffy eyes with tears streaming, and a runny nose.
He himself had to admit he was a bit saddened, but he would never show this.
"His mother left not long ago. She didn't feel well," Takeshi said quietly. The quiet voice from him surprised Reborn, truthfully. What happened to the happy-go-lucky baseball-loving teenager he had seen ten years ago as an arcobaleno?
From the corner of his eye, he saw something. On alert, the former arcobaleno immediately turned around, only to see nothing. Was he going to hallucinate? Never. Reborn was the World's Greatest Hitman. He was not going to hallucinate.
"I... must be going now. Aneki needs me for something," the former storm said, clearly keeping his explanation vague. Perhaps staying longer would have made him break down.
The scrawny no-good brat made Reborn scowl. If only he was never sent to train the stupid brat he wouldn't be feeling this unnecessary emotion. Sawada Tsunayoshi weaved a way into his heart, for sure. He was the decimo-to-be that he was training. He was the student that showed much potential. The young teenager who still had a life waiting for him, and it was gone. The former arcobaleno tilted his hat, watching as the remaining members slowly made their way toward their daily lives.
In a sense, perhaps if Tsunayoshi never encountered Reborn, he would still have been the wimpy and lonely boy who would have probably still lead a normal life and would never have been friends with the people he knew then. He probably would have been alive. Or maybe dead either way for his selfless acts.
"Dame-Tsuna, look what you've done. You're supposed to be a mafia boss now."
A smile suddenly crept on his face. He knew a comeback the boy would be saying, but of course, those words wouldn't come out of his mouth or in his voice.
"I'm not going to be a mafia boss!" Reborn stopped in his thoughts. Did he imagine that? No, never. Immediately, he turned around.
No one was there.
Oddly, he thought of the same exact words that would have probably come out of his mouth. Sighing to himself, he walked away from the grave and made his way through Namimori. A bit of nostalgia flew through him as he remembered the days he used to mess with his former student.
Wait.
Someone was following him.
Reborn turned around, only to see a boy with a hoodie covering his face. He paused. It was the same hoodie he last saw the clumsy student of his wear. He frowned. Was this some sort of joke?
The boy looked up.
No.
This has got to be a joke.
Sawada Tsunayoshi was staring at him.
Reborn scowled and continued walking. This was most likely a prank by the mischievous Lambo or his accomplices Fuuta and I-Pin.
"Reborn!"
Ignore it.
"Reborn..?"
Ignore it.
"It's me!"
Ignore it.
But he just couldn't. It was going to annoy him until he faced it.
"What do you want, Dame-Tsuna?" The spirit squeaked and smiled in relief.
"Gokudera-kun saw me earlier and lied about leaving to help Bianchi. He thought I was an illusion," the boy said quietly.
Well, that made more sense. Unless Hayato really matured and doesn't get sick around his sister anymore.
"Yamamoto and Onii-san saw me as they left... they haven't changed."
Right... when he had just seen them there were no shouts of 'extreme' or bright smiles. But that was understandable, as this was... not a regular day for any of them.
"Your point?"
The brunet's answer left him bewildered for the rest of the day. It left him thinking for a while.
"I wanted the old days back."