Outside Whitehouse of Vongola, Forest
"Brother…" Lacey muttered as she saw Giotto.
Giotto glared angrily at Daemon. Lacey, Éclair, and Talbot could feel the tension between them. Daemon smirked as he saw Giotto's glare at him. He could tell that his boss was very furious inside seeing him with his beloved sister.
"Come to my office now…Daemon…" Giotto ordered in cold tone. Daemon shrugged and just followed him, leaving the worried Lacey. Talbot and Éclair escorted Lacey back to her room. As they arrived at her room, Lacey sat on her bed with Éclair beside her while Talbot sat on the chair.
"What will my brother do…?" She asked hesitantly.
"I do not know… But Lacey, I already told you that he is a dangerous person and you must be careful with him…had he done something to you?" Éclair asked in concern.
Lacey shook her head. "He had visited me…since a week ago…" She admitted, much to Éclair and Talbot surprise.
"That long? Why did you hide it from us?" Éclair asked again, quite shouting at the purple haired woman. Talbot put his hand on Éclair's shoulder to calm her down. He then turned to Lacey as he held her hand.
"I see…now I know the reason behind your happiness and cheerfulness these days… It's because of him, right? And also all those gifts…" Talbot guessed. Lacey nodded, not denying anything. "So…yesterday…the presence that I felt was Daemon's presence…"
"He never once hurt me or anything…instead…I always feel at ease around him…" She added, small smile formed in her face. Éclair and Talbot looked each other in confusion mixed with worry.
"I cannot explain it but…he and I…are similar kind of person…"
Giotto's office, Third floor, Vongola HQ
Without hesitation or holding back, Giotto punched Daemon and pinched him to the wall, grabbing his shirt tightly. His eyes showed clearly his anger. Daemon could not help but grinned at this. Seeing his boss losing his calm and patience like this was his first time, and it really amused him to see the usually calm and collected man to lose his composure completely.
"I told you…not to enter that house without my permission…!" Giotto said furiously as his grip on his shirt tightened.
"Hmm~ I am very pleased with your anger. But just to make this clear, even though I know this would not make you satisfied, but I never done anything inconvenience or despicable to her." Daemon said as he grabbed Giotto's arm that grabbing his shirt.
"What are you intend to do…? If…you intend to harm her or dragging her to this war…then you're asking for a death sentence…that time will be the end of your life…" He said threateningly, which only amused Daemon even more. Giotto then let go of him, but his eyes did not left Daemon's figure.
"What is actually do you want, Daemon?" He asked as he started to regain his composure, he remembered that getting mad at Daemon not worth his time and it only made the other amused. Though, any brother will be angry if their sister got hurt in any way and Giotto is not an exception even though they are not related by blood.
Daemon wiped the blood from his mouth and walked to the door, about to leave. "Hmm~ I will say this clearly, I would not stop my visit to her. She is very interesting… She is…intriguing for me… You can try to stop me if you want, though, that is if you want to hurt her feelings…" He stated as he left the room.
Giotto frowned and slammed the table out of frustration and anger. "…I have no choice…"
Hallway, First floor, Vongola HQ
Talbot and Éclair walked side by side, not saying a word. They were still thinking of what Lacey has said and what will Giotto do to Daemon after he found out his visit to Lacey.
Éclair sighed heavily. "Why this is happened at a time like this…?" Éclair finally broke the silence.
"I just hope Primo did not lose his calm…" Talbot added.
"Nufufufufu~ unfortunately, he already lost his calm…"
They turned straight and saw Daemon in front of them. Both surprised seeing the wound on his cheek and now sure that Giotto really had lost his control.
"Nufufufu… I never thought he would be mad that far… Though, it is interesting to see him like that…" Daemon commented.
Éclair walked to him and slapped him on his wounded cheek. "How disobedient can you be, huh? Just why are you doing this…?" She asked as she glared at him.
Daemon shrugged at this. "I never done anything without her permission or did anything that unpleased her, I thought you know that just by seeing her…" He replied and smiled playfully, ignoring her glare and walked pass her.
"Are you plotting something…? Sir Daemon…" Talbot asked before Daemon could pass him. Daemon just gave him a grin and left to the main door.
"I have to keep an eye on him…" Éclair stated.
Evening, Lacey's room
Lacey played her harmonica. And her symphonies back to sad again. She really worried about Daemon and her brother. She could not get it out of her mind. She could only hope that both of them didn't fight one another.
She stopped her play as she heard someone knocked the door. "Lacey, it's us, Knuckle and Lampo!" Knuckle shouted. Lacey then shouted back, giving them permission to enter. As they entered her room, she was tackled by a hug from Lampo.
"It's been a while! How are you doing, Lacey?" Lampo greeted happily as he put his hands on her shoulder.
Lacey smiled as she replied. "I am okay, thank you. I thought…both of you're supposed to be at Cavallone Family HQ?" she asked.
"Primo sent us a message that the meeting is held tomorrow afternoon, so we get back here as soon as possible." Knuckle answered.
Lampo suddenly opened his bag, about to bring out something. "Here! This is some souvenirs." He gave her many chocolate sweets, which she gladly accepted and sent him one prize of her smile and gratitude. "Thank you, Lampo."
Lampo blushed in embarrassment. "Of course! Your welcome! You could ask anything to the great Lampo here." He said proudly. Lacey could not help but giggled at this while Knuckle chuckled as he leaned against the wall near the door.
Lampo then noticed a key-like necklace dangling around her neck. He never saw Lacey wear this key before.
"Where did you get that key? Is it a gift from Primo?" Lampo asked as he pointed out to the key.
Lacey shuddered. She wondered what will happen if she tells them that she get this from Daemon. However, since her brother already found out Daemon's visit, she thought that it won't be necessary to hide about it now.
"I…got this…from Spade…" she said hesitantly and softly.
Silence surrounded the room. Even though she didn't see it, she could tell that Lampo and Knuckle's eyes widened in shock.
"Spade…you meant…Daemon Spade…?" Knuckle asked while smiled weakly, hoping he was wrong. But this hope immediately disappeared when Lacey nodded slowly in confirmation. "Did…Primo knew of this…?" he asked again.
"He just found out this morning…and told Spade to come to his office… After that, I do not know…" she explained slowly as she fought the tears on her eyes. Noticing this, Knuckle didn't push it further and instead try to change the subject.
"Umm, can you play your harmonica again? You played harmonica before we arrived here, right?" Knuckle requested.
Lacey started playing again, feel a bit ease by their arrival.
Giotto's office, Third Floor, Vongola HQ
"What do you want from me know, Primo…?" Daemon asked to the Vongola boss whose attention focused on papers. He then stopped for a while and looked directly at Daemon, serious.
"From now on, you will be put in the front line with me. Thursday morning, we will go to Shimon Family HQ to meet Cozart. That is all…you may go now…" Giotto turned back to his papers.
Daemon smirked. "Hmm~ I see…so now you finally put me in the front line so I cannot visit her again?" He said mockingly. He then left without a word, ignoring the sharp glare that Giotto sent him.
Shortly after Daemon left, Knuckle and Lampo came with unsatisfied look on their face.
"Primo, is it true that Daemon visited Lacey! How can it be?" Lampo asked roughly.
"Yes… I never knew until this morning because Lacey kept his visit as a secret…and Daemon has said to me that he will keep visiting her regardless of my order… I told him if she gets hurt…it would be the end of his life…" Giotto replied. His tone is cold and serious. Lampo and Knuckle were startled at this. They never saw their boss being serious like this.
"Knuckle, please check these reports and give back to me after you finished, Lampo, sign this, this is from your father." He handed them reports and a letter. Both nodded and left the room without anymore question.
"I never saw Primo like that…" Lampo commented.
"Yeah, I guess Daemon had gone too far to the extreme…" Knuckle added.
"But Lacey…she seems at ease about Daemon. She even calls him "Spade". And I don't understand when she said that she and Daemon are similar kinds of people…what was that meant?" Lampo wondered, putting his finger on his chin. Knuckle sighed and decided to concentrate on the reports first.
The next day, Lacey's room
Lacey awoke from her sleep and opened the window to get some fresh air. Sochratez and Luberth then awoke and leaned to Lacey, she could tell that they are hungry and brought out some food for them. She stared at the window and sighed.
"I guess…he would not be coming today… huh, Sochratez, Luberth…" she said to her cat and dog.
"Hmm~ I never said I will stop visiting you just because your brother now knew about my visits for the past few days…"
Before she realized, Daemon appeared behind her and already wrapped his arms around her. Her cheeks reddened but instead freeing herself, she leant back and smiled as she put her hands on his arms, happy and enjoying his presence. However, she then noticed the wound on his cheek as she looked up at him and let go of his arms. She turned to face him in concern and caressed carefully the wounded cheek.
"Is this…because of yesterday…?" she asked.
"It is just a small injury, though, I never thought that your brother will be mad that far… he really cares for you…" he commented as he held her hand that touching his cheek. "He had put me in the front line with him, so I will be busy from now on." He said as he moved her hand away from his cheek.
"I see…no wonder why he did that…" she muttered softly with sad tone.
Daemon brought out something from his pocket and put it on her hand. "Take this."
Lacey looked at a small white box with golden pattern of clams and pearls and a key hole on it and attached to chain like a necklace "What is this…?" she asked, confused.
"Try to open it with the key I gave to you." Daemon pointed the key on her neck.
Lacey took the key and entered it into the key hole. The box unlocked and as the box opened, symphonies came from it. The symphonies, melodies, all of it, it was the song she had created, it was La Perla.
"This is…! How did you…? Are you a music box maker…?" She asked, amazed.
"No, I only made the design of the box and asked a certain person from a certain shop to make the rest." He explained. He chuckled as he remembered the terrified expression of the shopkeeper when he came to the shop early this morning.
"This is wonderful, beautiful… Thank you very much, Spade! I really love this!" She smiled brightly at him, her tone clearly showing that she is happy and grateful. Daemon could not help but chuckled and smile back which he immediately hide before she realized.
"…I will visit you again." He promised her. "You do not need to worry about afraid being alone…" He patted her head. She smiled at him. However, they immediately keep a distant between them as someone suddenly knocked the door.
"Lacey I want to sa- Daemon…" Giotto entered the room and turned his attention to Daemon. "It is time for us to go, come on Daemon…" Giotto said as he walked to Lacey. Daemon nodded and jumped from the window.
Giotto turned to Lacey with serious face. "Lacey… about Daemon…" Giotto about to say something until Lacey put one finger on his lips, silencing him. "I know, brother… but, I would never change my mind… I cannot explain it clearly but, he and I are…similar kinds of people…" she said softly.
"But Lacey, he is too dangerous…two months ago he…" Giotto stopped before he could reveal to her the mission that Daemon accomplished. He absolutely cannot tell his sister about it. It's too cruel for her to know.
"I will be okay… please trust me. And Spade is also your guardian, right? All of you shares eternal friendship…the word behind the lid of your pocket watch, you must be know of it… "Giuro eterna amicizia""
"How do you know about that vow…?" Giotto asked, surprised.
"One day when he visited me, he dropped his pocket watch here and I opened it… he also very desperate searching for it… It is okay if you do not trust him, but at least please believe in me…"
Lacey put her hands on the side of his face and smiled gently at Giotto. "Do not push yourself too hard… I will always waiting all of you here… I will always believe in all of you… forever and ever… so please come back safely, then, we can spend more time together again…brother."
Giotto's eyes widened in surprised. He looked at her eyes and realized her gaze was sincere at the same time serious. "Lacey… you are…" Giotto placed his hand on her hand, held it softly. "I see… so you…" He then smiled back and hugged her. "I will… thank you." He whispered into the shell of her ear before he left her.
Giotto ran quickly from the tower "She is not… the little girl that I knew anymore… Why I didn't realize it quicker…? She is always by my side… always supporting me…always believing in me… Even though I treat her like this…and before I knew it…she's already becoming a strong woman. Is it because of Daemon…?" He thought in his mind. His feelings mixed with gladness, happiness, and confusion. But he kept aside this feelings and focus on current situation.
Living room, First floor, Vongola HQ
Éclair was greeted by her brother, the Bertesco Primo and Alaude who just leaned against the wall. "It is been a while, Éclair. We finally meet again." He said to his sister.
Éclair bowed to him before smiled at him "I am sorry, I cannot go back for a while." She apologized.
"Where is Primo? He is not here?" he asked as he looked around him.
"No, he just left to Shimon Family HQ with Daemon." He answered. Alaude turned to her, quite surprise. "Daemon…?" he asked.
"Daemon broke the rule, so signore had no choice but to put him in the front line with him…" she explained hesitantly.
"So that sly illusionist had met Lacey…" Alaude muttered and then followed the two siblings.
"By the way, where is the butler that came as a messenger from Vongola the other day?" The Bertesco boss asked. "He said he have to go back home for a while to clean up something." Éclair answered. They suddenly stopped when something fall from Bertesco Primo's cloak.
"What is this?" She picked it and observed it carefully, after a minute she then realized it was a bomb "A… a bomb…! Brother, why did you keep something like this on your cloak?" she asked in panic voice.
"Calm down! This is belonged to the enemy, I take it because I think we can discuss about it at the meeting this afternoon!" He explained carefully.
"Oh… I see… good idea… hmm?" she then noticed a small red pattern on it that blurred because of the snow. "This red color…why it seems so familiar…?" she thought but pay it no heed and walked again.
Lacey's room, Whitehouse, Forest
Lacey was listening to her music box again peacefully while lying on her bed. She was serious when she said she love it. To her, this music box is the most wonderful gifts she had ever received. She decided to always wear it so she can listen to the music whenever she wants to. She then sat up on her bed and played her harmonica at the same time with the music.
"It feels so warm and comfortable and somehow…now…I am sure…it is close… I can feel it…now, what I am searching for is very close…, but what is it…? Where is it…? I want to fill this unsatisfied feeling in my heart…"
She stopped playing and looked at the sky from the window. She felt a cold wind and saw leaves on trees start to change its color.
"Soon it will be winter season, it will be snowing…my birthday." She muttered softly as she closed the window when realized Sochratez felt cold. She then wore her cloak, put a blanket on Sochratez and light the stove fire to warm herself and her cat and dog.
"I wonder…will I able to celebrate it together with the others…this year? With my brother… with Spade…"
"Of course you can!" Lacey almost screamed in shock as she realized that Talbot was sitting behind her while he covered himself with Lacey's bed blanket. "
Talbot…! Please do not scare me like that. When did you get here?" Before Talbot could answer, Sochratez tackled him with his claw several times.
"Not long… More importantly, can you explain what do you meant by, you and Sir Daemon are similar kinds of people?" he asked as he drank a cup of warm chocolate.
Lacey was silent for a moment before spoke. "He…he's also searching for something like me… He said, that he is seeking strength that able to make Vongola Family the strongest organization… However… that is not what he actually searching for…his heart is searching for something else that he himself do not know of it… He never realizes that…because he always denying his own feelings…" Lacey explained softly.
Talbot froze in his place until Sochratez attacked him again. Talbot rubbed his head roughly and only had one question in his mind: How could this young woman able to understand Daemon Spade, whose known as the most sadistic and dangerous guardian of Vongola just in short period of times?
"Lacie…if you could understand him that far…no wonder Sir Daemon's gaze…turned like that…"
Shimon HQ, Mediterannia Sea
Giotto, Daemon, and Cozart were discussing the investigation on the Shimon Island and the recent case in Vongola HQ. "I see…have you discussed this with other bosses?" Cozart asked to the blond in front of him.
"No. Not yet. I intend to discuss it at the meeting this afternoon." Giotto replied.
Their discussion was cut off when someone knocked the door of the office. Cozart opened the door and found one of his subordinates in front of him. "Boss, I am sorry for disturbing you, but we need you to check on something." The subordinate said.
"Alright, I will be right there. Wait a minute." Cozart then turned again to Giotto and Daemon "Sorry, there is something I need to check, please wait here for a while." He said as he left, leaving the two alone in the room.
Silence surrounded the room until Giotto broke it. "Why do you still visit her…?" he asked without turning his face to him.
Daemon chuckled. "Did not I tell you that I will still visit her even if you ordered me not to?" he replied, grinning at him and Giotto somehow knew of this but ignored it.
"For what reason…? What do you want from her…?" He asked again and made sure to himself that this time he must stay calm.
"Hmm~ who knows?" He answered playfully.
"Answer me seriously, Daemon…" he said firmly and faced him directly.
"Hmm~ maybe because she is rather…intriguing." He answered bluntly.
Giotto looked at him with confused look "What…?" He uttered.
"You could say that she is interesting and I am still curious about her…and I want to know more about her…" He admitted.
"She is none of your concern… She is just a normal young woman. She has nothing to do in this war."
"Hmm~ and so you think you have a right to control her own life like locking her in that small house for years? She is the only one who has the right to choose her own path in her life. No one else can. That is including you…and me…"
Giotto shuddered by his words. Giotto knew well that he is right. He was the very reason of her loneliness all of these years. He always told himself that this is for her sake but it's actually not. He did that because he did not want to be hurt. He was afraid if he lost her, unable to protect her, and never considered her feelings or try to believe in her.
"You can give me any missions to separate me from her, but that will not change my mind, I have no intention to end my visits." Daemon added again, making Giotto glared at him, which he ignored. "I am not doing this…to upset or hurt you…" He said slowly, surprising Giotto.
Before Giotto could comment, Cozart came and said he is ready to go. Three of them walked from the office to the ship. Giotto could only stare at Daemon along the way as he thinking his words that confused him.
"What does he meant by that…?"