::Ahh… things are getting interesting. Again, bold italics are said in Italian.
::I don't own KHR.
".Conspiracy."
Who the hell was that old man… Hayato thought as he entered his apartment. … and why do I feel like he knows who I am?
When he entered the kitchen to put on some hot water for some coffee, he was surprised to see a plate of Gyoza and some salmon sashimi on the table. The Gyoza were still slightly hot, meaning it hasn't been long since they were cooked. He saw a small note, and read it.
We had to borrow your kitchen for a while.
We hope you like it, Hayato.
The fish is for Uri.
P.S. It's not poisoned, promise.
-Bianchi and I-pin.
He didn't know it, but he smiled. He opened his Vongola Box (of course, the more compact version they brought from the future), and Uri thankfully didn't proceed to scratch his face off, but started eating the Sashimi on the table. Hayato however, held the plate of Gyoza and looked at it carefully. He smelled to check if it was anything like her usual cooking… but to his surprise, it actually smelled delicious. He took a pair of chopsticks and pried one open…
Looks normal enough. I guess I-pin was the one who cooked it.
"How is it, Uri?" He stroked his storm-flame cat's fur. It purred with delight.
"I guess I have to go thank her now." He said to himself as he ate some of the Gyoza. "Wait a minute… how did they get in here anyway?"
Earlier that afternoon, near one of Namimori's supermarkets…
"A-are you alright, Master Bianchi?" a flustered Giovanni said after beating up a man that tried to pickpocket his former master. "It's been so long!"
"You finally decided to show yourself, Giovanni." She said.
I-pin looked at them curiously, wondering what they were saying…
"Ah, go have some fun, I-pin." Bianchi said. "I have to talk to an old friend for a while."
"Okay." I-pin said, and she went into her favorite Chinese herb store.
"Hayato told me everything." Bianchi said as she took a seat on a nearby bench. "I want you to be honest with me."
"I would never lie to you, Master Bianchi." He said, taking a seat beside her.
"What did I tell you about calling me that?" she said. "Now, tell me, what are you and Giuseppe doing here?"
"I'm sorry." He said, obviously having a hard time explaining. "But-"
"Is it true that you were ordered to attack the Vongola?" she asked firmly.
"A-attack the Vongola?" Giovanni said in disbelief. "Why would we attack Italia's most powerful Mafia Famiglia? Our family is only one of their many allies."
"Don't tell me you people have nothing to do with it." Bianchi said.
"Things have been well… hectic in Italy." He tried to explain. "The boss is sick, and his upper subordinates are having a power struggle before he even dies!" He said, outraged.
"So… you're here to make sure that Hayato and I are safe?" Bianchi said, coming to her own conclusions. "Since we are Father's only children, if we die, then the seat for Boss is wide open?"
"That is part of the reason. We have been taking turns watching over you two." Giovanni said, sighing. "Unfortunately, there are only a number of men who have not been swayed into thinking that either of you are capable of becoming Boss. Most of them are in Italia, trying their best to make sure the Boss makes a full recovery, and keeping him safe from would-be assassins."
"Wait… then you mean… that accident with Haru…"
"The thief was an assassin sent to kill Master Hayato." He said. "He made it seem like he was just trying to steal one of those girl's bags, knowing that Master would take action. But they underestimated him. He was able to restrain the assassin, and his comrades who were in that car provided a distraction that allowed them to escape. Once we, who were loyal to your father, found out, Giuseppe and I decided to go to Japan to protect the both of you."
"It's their fault they always viewed Hayato as nothing more than oriental half-breed pianist." Bianchi smirked. "I can't believe the problem is even getting innocent people involved."
"Ever since that incident, because one of the Vongola Decimo's friends was involved, the Vongola have helped us restore order. Some of the Ninth's men are helping us protect the Boss. Even some of their CEDEF agents have arrived in Japan…" Giovanni said. "…Giuseppe told me one of them was tailing master Hayato earlier today."
"So that's why things have been quiet so far." Bianchi said. "So you not knowing that Hayato was the Vongola Decimo's Storm Guardian was a lie?"
"Pretty much." He replied with a sigh. "I said I couldn't lie to you… but Master Hayato is complicated, and I didn't want to involve him at the time, so… he still doesn't know anything except that the boss is sick… but I was so happy when I found out you were going back to Italy." Giovanni said. "I even got the private jet and your rooms in the mansion all ready. I'm sure the Boss will start to feel better once he sees the two of you again."
"There's just one problem… Hayato might not be going to Italy with me." Bianchi said.
"We have tried everything we can to convince him… we have even talked to the Vongola Decimo about it. He told us he would try to help us out as much as he could, but he also said that it was better if Master Hayato did not know anything about the assassin that tried to kill him. And Giuseppe even has a plan that involves a kind old man and a piano shop, but I don't know how that will help." He said.
"Well, if he decides he's not going to Italy, we could just sedate him and load him in the plane. Things have become too serious to let him just have his way." Bianchi said. "Give him until tomorrow to decide."
"That's exactly what Giuseppe said." Giovanni sweat dropped. "On a different topic, I have meant to ask this question in a while… how are Master Hayato and that cheerful young lady related?"
"I don't really know." Bianchi said, smiling. "They do seem to be spending a lot more time together… but I think it's because he's taken it upon himself to make sure she doesn't get hurt. He did blame himself a lot when she got hit by that car."
"The Boss will be so glad when he hears how much Young Master has grown!" Giovanni exclaimed, tears of joy almost welling up in his eyes. "Maybe he'll think about arranging wedding plans when he finds out."
"What?" Bianchi said. "I never said they were-!"
"Why else would he be so concerned for the young lady?" he said.
"You'll do nothing of the sort." Bianchi said, almost laughing. "I'm sure Hayato will have your head if he finds out."
"Alright." Giovanni said. "I can't say no to you."
"Love does conquer all, in the end." Bianchi said, standing up. "It was nice seeing you again, Giovanni."
"The pleasure's all mine."
Back in Hayato's apartment…
After eating and washing up the dishes, Gokudera began to search around his drawers and cabinets. "Where did I put that thing?"
He finally found what he was looking for in the drawer of his bedside table. It was a bag full of paper… old letters between his father and mother that the Bianchi of ten-years-later gave him before they returned to their own time.
He sat down on his bed and began rummaging through the letters, looking for an old photograph.
"She does kind of look like me." He smiled at the photograph of a beautiful young lady with pale skin, and long flowing silver locks wearing a light blue ball gown, who carried a sleeping baby in her arms. "I didn't even remember what she looked like…" Well, it wasn't like I really tried.
He fell asleep with the photograph still in his hands, and the letters all scattered around the floor of his bedroom, where Uri found the perfect place to sleep.
The next day, at the library…
"Uh, you start without me… I'll go… look for a book on this." Gokudera said. I'll start by patrolling the perimeters.
"Alright." Haru said, as she tried to ignore how different he looked with his hair like that and his glasses, she pretended to be poring over her 598-page copy of Chemistry: The Central Science. "Don't worry, I can handle this."
Ten minutes later…
What's taking him so long? Haru thought as she tried to balance a chemical equation involving Potassium Nitrate and Glucose. She looked around and didn't see him anywhere, but a book on the table caught her eye. "Hahi?" she said, out of habit. Gokudera-san brought this with him. "Il Principe, Niccolo Machiavelli." It's in Italian… good thing I took it for my freshman language classes. She skimmed through some pages. I didn't know he was into politics. Maybe it's for school. "H-hahi?"
An old letter fell into her lap.
What's this?
At Tsuna's house…
"I can't believe it was Gokudera-kun who was in danger all this time." Tsuna told Reborn.
"Things like this are common in the mafia, you have to get used to it if you're going to be a good Boss, Tsuna." The arcobaleno said, he then took a sip of his coffee. "You can get experience in dealing with allied families because of this."
I never even said I wanted to be a Mafia Boss. Tsuna sighed. "But isn't this a little too much? I'm just a Japanese middle schooler. I should be studying, not helping armed people in Italian suits."
"You can't complain about it now." Reborn said, hitting Tsuna on the head with a stick-shaped Leon. "You weren't just picked out from a bunch of kids, Tsuna. You've been a candidate to be the Decimo since you were born."
"Well, I hope Gokudera-kun doesn't start blaming himself when he finds out that some of his own family were responsible for what happened to Haru." Tsuna said. "It was so hard getting him over it the first time."
"Don't worry about him. He can handle himself." Reborn said. "Are you going to tell everyone except Gokudera and Haru about this?"
"I already did." Tsuna sighed. "Nii-san (Ryohei) said that we should try to convince Gokudera-kun to go to Italy. But Yamamoto said we should just let him do what he wants, since it was personal. But they also said that they were still going to stay alert in case anything else happens. Even Hibari-san said he was going to 'bite-to-death' anyone who tries to cause trouble here in Namimori. I haven't been able to see Chrome yet, but maybe tomorrow or later I'll tell them about what's been going on."
"Your subordinates are very reliable, Tsuna." Reborn smiled. "I hope we don't have to force Gokudera on that plane to Italia."
"I hope he doesn't find out that we know everything." The future Decimo sighed. "I told his father's subordinate not to tell him that part, he'll get upset for sure."
"Do what you have to, Tsuna."
Haru was wiping away her tears when she heard footsteps going toward her. She had already put back the letter in its envelope and tucked it back in the book by the time Gokudera placed the stack of books he got on the table.
"What's wrong with you?" he said, seeing her reddish eyes. "Did you cry or something?"
"N-no." She said, trying to act the part. "Some dust got in my eye."
"Uh… okay." He said, taking his seat. He noticed that the book he brought with him was moved, but decided to ignore it. Haru probably can't understand Italian anyway. "Need help?"
"I just can't get this right." She said, handing him the paper she was working on before the letter distracted her. "What's the chemical structure of nitroglycerin?"
She couldn't have asked an easier question.
Later that afternoon…
"Juudaime…" Gokudera began, a worried look on his face.
"What's wrong, Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna asked. "Is Haru okay?"
"Yes, she's fine." He answered.
"What's the problem then?" he said.
"I might not be able to keep an eye on her for long." He said.
"It's no problem." Tsuna explained. "Basil-kun told me he was assigned to stay in Japan until the matter gets resolved. Besides, Yamamoto-kun has free time."
"I've thought about it for a long time, and I've decided… but I'm deeply sorry for all the trouble, Juudaime." He said.
"No, you don't have to apologize." Tsuna said, stopping him from getting on the floor to bow. "Bianchi's upstairs."
He went upstairs and knocked on his sister's room…
"What is it, Hayato?" she said as she opened the door.
He kept his head down so he wouldn't see her face, she kept the syringe she was ready to sedate him with hidden in her sleeve.
"I'm going to Italy."
She dropped it on the floor as she hugged him. He dropped down to the floor when she let go.
::Looks like we're going to Italia next chapter. I'm excited. I hope things weren't too confusing.
::Thanks for reading, please review.