There's gonna be some spoilers here for an upcoming book so read this at your own risk XD
Just kidding. But if you really don't like some character spoiling, it's best you don't read this chapter at all. You can come back and read it again after I published that book though.
This chapter is heavily OC-centric.
"Bold" - Japanese
"Normal" - English
Chinese will be in text
~ Angeline's POV ~
Yeah, today's the last day of the Chinese New Year Celebration. How much did you guys receive?
I'm joking. Don't tell.
I've been on the giving end this year, for my new little relatives and some of the unmarried older ones. The older ones... Sometimes I wished that they can quickly get married so that I'll have one less person to give the red packets to. Not to mention, they are all working. Are they leeching off my money?
Luckily, cash was never an issue because of my husband and my business in Italy.
"Angie, can you come here?" Her mother called. Today is the last day of the New Year Celebration and as per family tradition, the whole immediate family will congregate at the dining table of the household. Obviously, Tsuna would not be able to make it because of work overseas but everyone else is present. Yes, grandpa is here today as per grandma's insistence.
Our family never made the Lohei ourselves. We're always buying from the markets and the malls. If we were feeling lucky, we would get some from the high-class restaurants in the hotels. Fullerton sells good ones.
Yeah, that hotel that they first stayed in for their mystery trip to Singapore.
I hurried over to my mother, knowing what exactly does she want from me. I laid out the utensils and set the table. From the corner, my two sisters and their companions were racing against each other with the latest Wii console. I am so glad that they've found someone to love, but they are always glaring playfully at me whenever Tsuna is around. I mean come on, give us a break!
Mother then came out with the main dish and placed it in the middle of the table. Wow, the chopsticks placement aren't affected! Then again, I do own a Chinese Restaurant.
"Go wake your grandparents," Father said, appearing behind Mother with a pot of porridge to go with the Lohei. It was said that my Paternal Grandparents always prepared porridge for every Lohei session, and that tradition got passed down to my Father and now, us.
I abided my father's command and headed for my grandparents' room. Lately, the couple loved to sleep, as if trying to catch up on their lost slumber. Welp, that also meant that we had more time to hog the television. Once they use the TV, we descendants won't be able to use them.
"Nonno, grandma, wake up. It's time for dinner!"
Grandpa was first to stir awake and he shooed me away, indicating that he would wake grandma up on his own. I giggled and left, heading for my own room this time.
My room isn't anything fancy. There were renovations made to accommodate Tsuna and me, but generally, nothing much has changed. There were more pictures hung in the room, a huge portrait of the two of us hanging above our bed. The curtains were white and translucent, filtering the harsh sunlight in the morning. The walls were painted in cream yellow, with some brick wallpapers pasted on the main wall. The cupboard to the right and the study desk to the left.
I laid down on the comfy duvet and touched my still-very-flat stomach and caressed it, thinking of the life growing inside my womb. Quietly, I whispered.
"Neh Bambino, we're gonna have the last Lohei of the year in a few minutes. Too bad your Papa can't make it this year."
Then again, Tsuna can't say anything whenever there's a Lohei. He understood its significance but never knew what were the phrases used and what he should say whenever he is involved. I told him to "Say good stuff" but he always kept mum. Thus, the awkwardness a few days ago at the Vongola's CNY celebration. He's still shy after all these years.
Just then the main door clicked open and a familiar voice greeted the family. There were a couple of shouts here and there and hurried footsteps towards my direction. There was a quick "Hi Coyote" in between. I shot up, surprised by his appearance.
"Tsuna?"
The door slammed open, and the said person stood there with a slightly exhausted expression. He must have ran up the stairs instead of waiting for the lift. "Tsuna!"
Said person grinned and scooped me up into his arms, peppering my face with little kisses. The two of us then plopped down on the bed, with the brunet hugging me just below the navel.
"I thought you won't be coming!" I cried, hugging the arm of my husband. Tsuna laughed, patting on my head to calm me down. I am pretty calm though, but he liked to do that whenever I'm even a little bit agitated.
"Laura gave me a call," he recalled. "Threatened and told me that 'It's family tradition so you better come home'. Oh, and she said that I won't be able to see my child be born when he or she does. Thus I knew I have to fly back since this year was no exception to family reunion dinner." And we both know how good Laura keeps her promises and threats.
I giggled, snuggling into the comfortable warmth Tsuna gave until the door opened again, this time with Tryphena standing there with a slightly amused face.
"Yeah, you two can continue doing whatever you're doing. I'll tell Mom that you two aren't coming."
The two of us sprung out of bed immediately, with Tsuna chiding me on being a bit more careful for the child, and headed for the dining table where everyone was waiting for us to begin. The sauce, spice and crackers had been added already. Laura or Tryphena must have led the "ceremony" already.
My mother and father smiled at us, the latter passing him his pair of chopsticks since his appearance was a surprise.
"All right," my grandmother begin. "Can Tsunayoshi do us the honours?"
Tsuna blinked in surprise. "Me?"
"Yeah, who else?" Father replied snarkily. "Do you see anyone here that's of Japanese descent?"
Tsuna laughed, now completely comfortable with his father-in-law's harsh but joking comments. "Is it alright if I use English?"
"Of course, but that would also mean we have to start you on Mandarin soon. Are you ready to add another language into your arsenal?" Coyote asked. The brunet just smiled and wrapped an arm around my waist. My cheeks flushed instantaneously at the contact and my younger siblings whistled. I nudged him slightly and he coughed into his fist.
"May we have a good year ahead!"
"捞啊!"
A/N: Thanks for reading the two CNY instalments. Here I wish everyone a happy and meaningful year ahead! God Bless!
Translations:
Bambino - Baby
Nonno - Grandfather
