This is an important spin-off! If you didn't read the first arc of the main story, you can't understand anything!
Hi everyone!
I'm italian and I'm translating my story in english because some not-italian people ask me to do it, so please forgive me for this poor and basic english!
I accept any advice because I really want to improve my english and I know there are many mistakes, SORRY!
Thank you for reading ~
Target 6 - An important Lesson
Arina and Nozomi throw their bags in the air and start running happily, jumping and laughing together as they were sisters.
The blonde girl lays on the ground and embraces the sand with love, happy to be finally free from school and homework.
The other two children reach quickly the two girls on the line that divides the beach from the clear sea, sitting down next to them.
Fabio: Sea, seaaaaaaaaaaa!
The beach is a small paradise surrounded by cliffs, hidden and protected by the sight of prying eyes.
It isn't so small, it is actually large enough to accommodate the most important members of the Vongola family and their relatives. That same beach is frequently used for the summer holidays of the boss and his guardians, when they don't have to leave for vacation or cruise around Italy and abroad.
The beach is clean, the sea is always clear and it is continuously under control of the experts, just because it's the Vongola's private beach.
The group can hear the noise of people opening their beach umbrellas. Arina turns behind her, looking at the guardian of the rain, Yamamoto Takeshi, who's opening some umbrellas helped by the guardian of the storm, Gokudera Hayato.
Lambo and I-Pin are opening their own umbrella at the right of the entrance, next to Vongola Decimo's one, Sawada Tsunayoshi, who's taking his blouse off, helped by his wife Kyoko.
On the left umbrella there's Ryohei, Kyoko's brother and Nozomi's uncle, who already has taken off his clothes and he's lying on a towel, wearing sunglasses. Beside him, his wife Hana is spreading a little bit of sunscreen on the shoulders of their son Kotaro, who's playing with the sand.
Under another umbrella, a little farther on, there's a beautiful purple-haired woman who's wearing a sexy bikini and is arranging her hair.
Arina observes all with curiosity, but that situation is not new for her. Every summer they spend some of their free time on the beach and since she was little, when she was taken into the family by Decimo, she lived in close contact with them and she regularly attends to similar scenes.
She also knows that there isn't one of the guardians, Hibari Kyoya. The man in question is the guardian of cloud, but he isn't with them and he doesn't have a very close relationship with the family. Although he seems to respect Decimo he keeps his distance from them, remaining enough detached from the family and never participates in trips and holidays.
It is very rare to meet him at the mansion because he always has something to do, but when it happens to be there it's somewhat scary. He seems to emit a disturbing and suffocating aura, anyone who meets him is concerned about their safety.
She turns back to the children and sees that Nozomi is happily jumping together with Claudio and Fabio. She knows that her pupil has finally finished the holiday homework, Arina has imposed her to do it immediately so she could enjoy the rest of the summer. As a reward for her promotion in the next school year and for correctly performing her duty, that day her father decided to take her to beach with the whole family.
Arina knows that Decimo was very busy lately, so that day is really a special prize that can help him to relax.
Thanks to her friend I-Pin she knows that the family, along with many other allies, is looking for a way to fight a company who wants to enter their territory to carry out the misdeeds.
In addition, Decimo is also looking for the killer of Arina's parents.
She sighs.
After all, she doesn't want to think about it. If the man has decided to spend a nice family day at the beach, it means that that day should be wonderful for everyone.
Nozomi is still hopping around when her beautiful mother approaches her and stops the child, placing her hands on the daughter's shoulders.
Kyoko: Stop! You don't want to throw yourself into the sea with all your clothes, I hope.
The woman's expression is serious enough but Arina knows she's joking and, in fact, her eye brightens up a few moments later, when the daughter sulks.
Nozomi: But why?! It's funny!
Kyoko: Saa, saa, Nozo-chan, why don't you show to everyone your beautiful swim suit that your mother bought you?
The woman helps the child to slip off her white dress, revealing her light blue swimsuit.
The small girl blushes.
Claudio: Waaa so cute, Nono!
The two children observe the brunette from head to toe and the redhead also starts to giggle, while the woman folds her daughter's dress.
Claudio and Fabio take off quickly their t-shirts and shorts, they throw their shoes in the air and jump into the water along with Nozomi, while Arina collects the clothes that the two messy boys have left around.
Kyoko: Don't stray too far from the shore!
She observes the three jumping into the water and then turns to Arina who nods, smiling.
Arina: I got it, Kyoko-san! If they dare to swim too far from the shore, I'll hit them.
The woman laughs softly.
Kyoko: You have permission to spank that scamp!
Arina: With pleasure!
The blonde girl takes her dress off and reveals her emerald bikini, Kyoko takes it gently from her hands and folds it, putting it back together with the children's clothing under their umbrella, where Decimo is already sitting on the towel next to Kyoko's one and he is watching the kids splash loudly in the water.
Tsuna: Look, they already have so fun and we are just arrived here.
Kyoko: Nozo-chan couldn't wait, summer is an important time for children. It means sea, sand and fun.
Tsuna: Ha ha, I remember the days when we went to the beach to relax and have fun.
Kyoko: uh, with Gokudera-kun and the others? I remember them as well, those times. But we were older than Nozo-chan.
The boss laughs.
Tsuna: But when we were in the water, we became children.
Kyoko: Oh, there's no doubt about this!
The woman takes place on the pink towel next to her husband, while still looking at her daughter and their friends playing with the young Arina, who has started a swimming race. The group is now happily swimming from one side of the beach to the other.
All the four are having fun when Fabio suddenly stops, observing an indefinite point as long as the other three turn toward him.
Claudio: Hey, what's up?
Fabio: Uh, there's something on the rocks! There, you see?
Arina and Nozomi quickly reaches Fabio and Claudio.
Arina: Never mind, don't swim there! You might get hurt!
Fabio: Wait, I just want to know what it is!
Arina: no, no! It's too dangerous! Hey, Fabio!
The girl looks toward the beach, nobody seems to be looking on their side and the only nearest people are Lambo and I-Pin, laughing on the shore, but they aren't paying attention to them.
Arina: no, damn it.
The child is moving toward the rock, followed by Claudio and Nozomi. Arina, which fortunately is the fastest of the three, overtakes them and stops in front of the children.
Arina: Stop, kids! Are you crazy?! If you get close to the rocks you might get hurt!
Fabio: But .. but ...
The blonde shakes her head.
Arina: Leave it to me, go away from here.
With a disappointed look, Fabio and Claudio swim back while Nozomi remains there, observing Arina with angry expression.
Arina: Nozo ... go back.
Nozomi: No. Why does it has to be always you? We could see by ourselves, Fabio is the one who has seen that thing, it isn't right!
Arina: It isn't about right or wrong, you are too young to push yourself over there. If you want, I'm going there to see what's that, otherwise let's go back to play.
Nozomi: We aren't child! I'm seven years old!
Arina: Oh, seven, of course. You really are an adult, you know?
Nozomi: Don't make fun of me! I'm not kidding, you think that it is so difficult to swim down there to see what the hell is on the rock? It's not for adults only, don't say shits!
Arina: HEY! What is this behaviour, Nozo? Who taught you these words? You are rude!
Nozomi: Look, at school almost everyone talk like this, it isn't my fault!
Arina: And since when do you imitate them? Weren't you different? Weren't you better than them?
Nozomi: I say it because you made me upset!
Arina: Upset, you say? And do you think it's a good excuse to talk like that?!
Nozomi: Stop it, don't talk to me like if I'm a child!
Arina: You ARE a child. You're young, you're inexperienced and you can't understand anything yet!
Nozomi: So am I the one who don't understand anything? And what about you, you even bothered to find out who killed your parents! You are stupid!
The blonde girl can't believe that she actually has said that, she looks at the girl with anger and she almost doesn't want to spank her.
Every so often it happens that the two have a fight, but it never happened that Nozomi has said such things, neither has happened that Arina has lost her temper because of the child.
Arina: How the hell do you dare to say such things about my family? You should hold your tongue and stay in your place, don't meddle in my life!
Nozomi: I'm not the one who has interfered in your life, it's you who has meddled in mine!
Arina: What are you talking about, brat? You are the one who is talking about my stuff and you're judging me! You, a brat of the elementary school! I don't want to be judged by a child!
Nozomi: I'm not a brat and I judge who I want, do you understand? You've interfered in my life, when you do something cool you always is praised by papa, and if I do something good he still praises only you!
Arina: It's obvious that your father thanks me for your grades, who do you think is the person who has followed you throughout the school years, forcing you to do your homework despite having to study for herself?
Nozomi: I didn't need to do those useless homework, I already knew everything! I already know everything because I learned many things from books and Primo-sama!
Arina: Stop talking about those stupid dreams! You're destroying your brain, you don't talk about anything else!
Nozomi: I talk about whatever the fuck I want!
Arina: Nozo! Stop to speak like this or I'll tell your father!
The child gasps, a tear goes down on her face and she almost doesn't burst into tears.
Nozomi: You ... you only can go to papa to say things! If I do something bad, papa yells at me. If I do something good, papa praises you! Papa loves you more than me, you're taking my papa away from me, I hate you!
Arina can't say anything, she is confused and observes the child while swimming toward the shore and running away in tears, reaching the left side of the beach.
The teen forgets about the mysterious object behind the rocks and also swims toward the shore, sitting thoughtfully.
Has the child always thought about something like that?
Arina doesn't know what it means to have a father and, in fact, she loves Decimo as if he was her real dad.
Is she really stealing his love from Nozomi? It's true that Decimo thanks her if Nozo gets good grades and when she does something good, because Arina is the one who is taking care of her as a real tutor.
But doesn't Nozo receive compliments too?
She really can't understand it.
Kyoko sits next to her, but Arina doesn't move because she is immersed in her thoughts.
Kyoko: You both had a fight, apparently.
Arina looks first at Kyoko, and then her eyes look for the small child around the beach, hoping that she isn't hurt or she isn't in some dangerous place.
She understand at once that, in spite of the quarrel and her anger for having been judged by a little girl, she really loves Nozomi and is concerned about her safety.
She has realized that Nozomi has misunderstood the situation and mistakenly believes that Arina wants to take her father away from her.
At that moment she feels stupid for never having understood something so important. She wants to run to hug and reassure her, saying that her father loves her and that she doesn't have to be afraid of anything.
Kyoko: Don't worry, Tsu-kun is with her.
The woman has understood why the girl is so worried and she has responded to her gaze.
Arina: ... Kyoko-san ... I think that Nozomi ... has got the wrong idea ...
Kyoko: uh? What did she say?
Arina: Well ... I don't understand ... but she said Decimo loves me more than her because he always praises me ... but Decimo also makes a lot of gifts and compliments to her ... in short, he doesn't ignore her... but then why she said those things?
The woman sighed, watching the sea.
Kyoko: You know, Arina, children have much need of their parents because they are the pillars of their little world. Nozo-chan needs her father all for herself because he is "her hero," and despite he doesn't ignore her, she is jealous because he shares his affection with you.
Arina: But .. but he doesn't like me more than her, that is ...
Kyoko: Surely not, but in her eyes you are special to her father just like her, so she sees you as a sort of rival who wants to take advantage of the affection of her father, and that could take him away from her... and I think that now that she has found out that you don't have parents she is more convinced about it.
Arina: ... what can I do?
Kyoko: uhm ... I think you should let her know that you are her friend, one of her precious friend, and that she can trust you.
Arina: I don't know... she is so angry ...
Kyoko: ... huh? Is there something down there?
Kyoko looks at the rocks, where the boys were swimming a little earlier.
Without thinking twice Arina gets up quickly, leaving the woman and jumping in the water, swimming towards the point.
She reaches a bay and leans over it, noticing that there is something that shines in the sunlight.
A glass bottle, stoppered with a cork and with a paper inside, floats wedged between the rocks.
She bends over and takes it, sitting on the rocks and opening it, trying to remove the piece of paper.
Arina: uh ...? This …
She smiles, immediately after having found the serenity that she had lost, putting the paper into the bottle.
She knows it was stupid to have a fight with Nozomi who's, despite what she said, just a child.
Arina is conscious she has said cruel things to her about her dreams and she couldn't even imagine that the girl thinks of her as a possible rival. Nozomi loves her parents, especially her father, she sees him a little because he is busy, so Arina can understand that the child needs him and how much she wants her father for herself. The same behaviour is typical in older siblings who hate the younger ones, which usually attract to themself all the attention of their parents.
She swims to the shore and meets the two children, who are looking at the small Nozomi sitting on some rocks far from there.
Next to her there's Tsuna, who is caressing her head with love.
The blonde girl approaches the two slowly and waits when the brunette looks up and notices her, so she shows her the bottle she just found.
Arina: ... Nozo ... I found a message in this bottle. There is a treasure, do you want to look for it with me?
The brunette looks at the bottle and then her, saying nothing but with a perplexed look.
Arina: I want to look for this treasure with you, will you come?
Tsuna: That sounds fun, why don't you go?
The little girl looks at her father, but she doesn't speak.
Tsuna: Hey, Nozo-chan. Shouldn't you help a person who asks for help?
Nozomi: ... ah ... mh ...
Tsuna: Do you want to let her go alone? Without your help she won't go very far.
Arina: Yes, in fact I need you! With your intuitions we'll find it for sure!
Even Claudio and Fabio, who were listening at the conversation, approach the three.
Claudio: Yes, come on, Nono-chan! Let's go find the treasure together!
When the brunette sees that they need her, she wipes her tears and nods, though still a little reluctant, reaching the two with a slight smile.
Arina: Nozo ...
The girl turns to the blonde and watches her, handing the bottle to her.
Arina: ... I'm sorry... without you we are lost, so please guide us.
Nozomi takes the bottle and observe first Arina and then her father, who stands up and look at both.
Nozomi: ... no, I'm sorry. Thanks for asking ...
Arina: Seriously?! What could we do without you? You're the boss of our little family!
She giggles, she doesn't even realize what she said. She has defined their group as a "family", just like Decimo's one.
Perhaps, after all, they really are a family, they're always together, despite their different ages.
Arina, which is much older, is forced to be together with the brat and her friends, but she can't admit she actually enjoy it.
She smiles, at the end she likes them so much and she is happy that Nozomi has forgotten about the fight and is focusing on the treasure hunt.
The quartet wanders endlessly around the beach, counting the steps, observing and poking around under umbrellas, finding some other buried messages and laughing together as if nothing has happened.
Everyone are looking at them with curiosity and also Tsuna, who has returned under his umbrella and lies down next to his wife.
Gokudera: Uh, Juudaime ... they are working so hard, huh?
The albino man leans against the umbrella, watching the bizarre group.
Tsuna: Exactly what I wanted, after all.
Gokudera: At this rate, they're going to find the treasure in less than ten minutes.
Tsuna: Of course, Nozo-chan can figure out the riddles with lot of ease.
Gokudera: ... Vongola hyper intuition, uh?
Tsuna: Well, it's not just that. She's also smart, my lovely little girl.
He smiles.
Kyoko: I'm glad they made it up ... luckily the bottle was there just at the right time.
Tsuna: In the end it went well anyway, right?
Gokudera: The important thing is that they're having fun ... and that their bond becomes more solid.
Tsuna: ... Nozomi needs this affection, but she also needs to smile. She was born in this world that it doesn't belong to her ... I don't want to think about it now, I only want that she won't have to regret anything about her childhood and her adolescence.
A few minutes later Arina finds the last message. She doesn't read it but decides to give it to Nozomi, who looks surprised.
Arina: You must read it, boss!
The brunette smiles and takes the paper, opening and reading it.
Nozomi: So ...
"If you have found this message it means that you are very good! My compliments!
I was already certain of your victory, but this give me a further confirmation. You are a good team, you have advanced all together without succumbing to fatigue and have fought cheerfully, helping each another until the end.
What have you learned from this adventure? Has your bond been strengthened?
Think about this, be aware of your abilities and how the presence of everyone is important in a team. "
Claudio: Huh?! Who has done this stuff?
Arina looks amazed and perplexed at it, just like the children.
"Be complementary, don't give up your bonds and don't think you can do something by your own.
Always be yourself and be together.
And now, Nozo-chan, turn yourself and come to embrace your daddy that loves you so much "
The brunette reads the last sentence unable to hold back her smile and her embarrassment.
As soon as she finished reading it she looks at the two little boys who're smiling, still in disbelief. Then she looks at Arina, they had a fight just before but now it seems that everything is fine.
The child smiles, throws the paper in the air and turns, running towards the umbrella where there is Decimo, who's waiting for his daughter with open arms.