"Somehow I feel a warmth and comfort today
Your ever kind heart, the way you smile, and even how you find your dreams
I knew nothing, so honestly, I've always copied you."
- Nandemonaiya (English Version) by RADWIMPS
The heavy rain slowly dissolved into drizzles by morning.
Some loud noise in the background broke through Tsuna's sleep. He groaned and snuggled deeper in his blankets. Turning over, Tsuna blinked. He soon regained his bearings as the sound continued blaring outside.
What the hell…? Who was honking their horn so early in the morning?
I-pin stirred in her sleep before settling back again. Tsuna covered his ears with his pillow, but the honking just kept going. Gritting his teeth, he rose from his futon and walked to the living room so he could look out the window. The streets were empty other than some cars belonging to his neighbors. Tsuna's breath hitched when he noticed a familiar black van a few feet away.
"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, grabbing his jacket.
He dashed outside, careful not to slip on the small steps; light rain and moist air tickled his skin. He pounded the driver's window with a fist. As soon as it rolled down, Tsuna scowled.
"What the hell are you doing?" he said with a small hiss. "It's five in the morning."
Xanxus clicked his tongue, looking away. His voice was muffled behind his black mask. "Then you should've come out earlier, brat."
Tsuna groaned. "What are you even doing here? Why couldn't you just knock on my door or something?"
"I don't know where you fucking live."
"Right…" Tsuna sighed. "What do you w—"
He yelped when something soft landed on his face, almost dropping the canteen shoved in his hands too.
"Take your shit," Xanxus said.
Shaking his head, Tsuna pulled down his pale-yellow towel from his head. It smelled like some hotel detergent. He wrinkled his nose when he noted the slight scent of tobacco.
"Did you smoke before coming here?" he said, leaning away.
"What?" Xanxus said. Even with sunglasses on, the man's glare was permeable through the dark, expensive lenses. "Do you have something to fucking say?"
Tsuna pursed his lips. "Smoking will kill you, and with your drinking—I don't even want to say it."
"Then fucking don't."
Rolling his eyes, Tsuna neatly folded the towel in his arms. "Is that everything?"
"Back up," Xanxus said, looking ahead. "I'm late."
Tsuna stepped away just in time before Xanxus stepped on the gas, his car skidding on the street. He winced when the man drove past a red light. So apparently, Xanxus wasn't a civil driver.
Tsuna suddenly gasped. "Wait, your umbrella!"
He frowned when all he saw was an empty street. He looked down at his stuff. Couldn't Xanxus do anything like a normal human being? (Could any of them…?)
"Tsuna-nii?"
Tsuna jumped when the landlady's daughter spoke up behind him. Holding a purple umbrella, Junko wore a brown cardigan over her white pajamas. Her long black hair tumbled into loose curls over her shoulder.
Tsuna forced a smile. "Good morning, Junko-chan."
Junko yawned and rubbed her eyes. "What's goin' on?"
"I'm sorry if I woke you."
Junko squinted, gazing out to the streets. "Was that your friend?"
Tsuna shook his head. "No, there's nothing to worry about, really. Come on. I'll walk you back."
Junko glanced at his stuff. "Kaa-san doesn't like noisy people." She smiled sleepily. "You're lucky she worked herself too much last night."
Grimacing, Tsuna started heading back to the apartment building. Junko followed beside him. "Yeah, I'm really sorry, Junko-chan. You should go back to sleep. You still have an hour or so before school."
"I'm already awake and I have to cook for Kaa-san anyways." Junko laughed sheepishly. "I couldn't finish all my homework last night, too."
"Ah, well, don't push yourself too much," Tsuna said, stopping in front of Junko's door a few rooms down from his. "You'll work yourself to death."
Junko smiled. "Not like you, Tsuna-nii." She unlocked her door before entering inside. Yawning, she gave him a small wave. "Have a good day then. And tell your friend not to be so loud next time."
Tsuna pursed his lips. "He's not my friend."
However, he ended up talking to a closed door instead. Sighing, he walked back to his apartment and tried to forget whatever the hell happened ten minutes ago.
Wait… Xanxus pulled up in front of his apartment.
His apartment.
Ah, shit.
When Tsuna opened the canteen in his kitchen, his eyes widened when he saw the slip of paper inside the squeaky-clean interior. The handwriting was unfamiliar, but clear to read:
Thank you for the soup, Tsu-chan~ Xanxus really loved it~ Would you mind sharing the recipe? Thank you~
- Lussuria
There was even a heart drawn next to his name. Below it was a phone number.
Tsuna nearly fell to the floor if he didn't have any dignity left.
I-pin reminded Tsuna over a hundred times to fill out the lottery forms and drop them off at the post office.
Every time she mentioned them, Tsuna's heart sank a little bit more before he finally sat down at the dining table with the papers spread out in front of him.
He twirled his pen, already feeling nauseous just by looking at them. They weren't even that long, only asking for his name, phone number, home address, how many people he was bringing, the usual.
Tsuna's breath hitched. Phone number and home address…
Okay, he was beginning to backtrack on this. Maybe he was being too paranoid. This could just end up being a relaxing trip for everyone; but everything from the restaurant flashed in his mind, making him groan. Gripping his hair, Tsuna thumped his head against the table.
What was he supposed to do? He promised I-pin…
"Why did it have to be this?" he said, shaking the forms in the air. "Does no one want to give away some nice kitchen stuff or something?"
He yelped when his phone suddenly buzzed and nearly fell over his chair. His shoulders relaxed when he realized it was just a text from Haru.
TSUNA I NEED YOUR OPINION! PLEASE HELP!
Sighing in relief, Tsuna opened the pictures attached to the message. They were three different sketches, each featuring a different model. Some accessories were lightly circled with notes and there were some strips of distinctive earthy colors shaded on the side.
The first one showed a rough sketch of Adelheid with her right arm raised. Her black hair was in a ponytail but her most striking features were her height and large bust. She wore a black school uniform of sorts and thigh-high boots. Simple and classy, there was nothing wrong with it. The outfit suited her really well actually. Haru wrote "school concept" on the side along with "new beginning?" and "fresh start? First day?".
The second sketch was a man with green hair and small-framed glasses, his right arm raised to the side. He wore a different version of Adelheid's school uniform, which consisted of a sleeveless hoodie showing off his bare arms and a dark green shirt half-tucked in his black skinny jeans. Haru's notes were "punk/bad boy/school", "black and other colors; green looks good on Koyo", and "Kimura-san's favorite".
Furrowing his brows, Tsuna clicked his pen a few times. Well, they both looked good, but what was Haru going for? Was Simon's album about…schools? A fresh day? A new beginning? The last one sounded right, however Tsuna wasn't so sure.
When he opened the third sketch, his eyes widened. It was Enma sitting on a tree stump, shoulders slouched and his arm propped on a raised knee. He wore an alloy orange vest over a brown shirt with the sleeves folded up to his elbows and brown loafers. A reddish-brown braided bracelet adorned his left wrist. Tsuna didn't know what Enma was looking at, but he looked content, relaxed, at peace.
The first two's really good, but I like the third one more.
A few minutes passed then. Tsuna twirled his pen, still thinking about how he'd fill out these stupid forms. Seriously, why? He still didn't get past writing his name.
His phone vibrated again.
RIGHT? Okay thing is I already ran this with Kimura-san who's the head of the Visuals/Design Dept and she likes the second concept more. But I don't think it'd fit with what Simon's going for. Like their whole album is about being born anew? And okay the school stuff I get but it's too mainstream. Everyone did school uniforms before like EVERYONE. Maybe they could do that later when they're more popular? Idk tsuna send help pls.
Tsuna placed his pen to the side.
What's their concept? You don't have to tell me if you can't.
Literally being born anew and the album's called Nativity. I mean, the songs are great. Rauji-kun's an amazing songwriter! But I was kind of thinking it'd be more in tuned with nature? Like, Enma could be the earth, idk. He's the leader and he's helping the other members stand on their own feet and giving birth to them in a way. Lol, okay that sounds weird but you get what I mean. And ohhh, he's so sweet to the other members too. Did you know that they're all childhood friends? What are the chances?
Tsuna laughed at the series of texts. Leaning back against his chair, he tried to keep up with Haru's speed.
Don't worry. I get what you're saying. You can do a lot more with the third concept though. Does Kimura-san not like it at all? Is there any way you could get her to agree? Technically, they called you in to give your input and design for them.
Well apparently in this world they don't give a damn. Kimura-san's decisions are all final. There's nothing I can do about it which is bs bc hello? I came here to GIVE you my designs anyways?
Maybe you could run them by Simon? Do they get to have a say?
It's risky. Kimura-san might not like it…
It's their album though. They should get a say on their concept.
YES. EXACTLY. But since they're new, Kimura-san doesn't want to risk anything. Songs can be great but ppl mostly can't get past the visuals if they don't match or sth. Idk it's weird. Ppl can be little shits but what can I do? No wonder Varia became their own thing.
Tsuna raised a brow at that small bit, but didn't focus on it much. Haru needed him.
Even if it's a risk, it's Vongola. Have they ever failed?
LOL. You're not wrong but hey they're still a hotshot company. Apparently they know what they're doing. Idk I just want the third concept to be a thing. It's driving me nuts!
I think you should talk to Kimura-san again. Or show the designs to Simon. They could back you up.
Ahhhh, I can do that. Definitely. Sure. Just come and pick up my corpse after Kimura-san's done with me, k?
Tsuna laughed.
I'll do that. But don't worry, I won't let you die on me.
But yeah, I can definitely show this to Simon. Seriously, it's their FIRST ALBUM AND I'M GOING TO HELP THEM MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION DAMMIT. Wish me luck!
Tsuna smiled fondly.
You don't need luck, Haru. You're doing amazing already. I'm sure Kimura-san will come around and that Simon will love it. Stay strong.
Tsuna…you're just too good to be true.
I live to please.
Way to ruin the moment.
Smiling, Tsuna glanced at the lottery forms. Four tickets…
Can you talk over the phone? If you can't then it's fine. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you.
Not even a minute passed before Tsuna's phone repeatedly buzzed in his hand.
"Haru?" he said, accepting the call.
"What's wrong, Tsuna? Who do I have to kill?"
Tsuna laughed. "No, I just…wanted to talk. Am I bothering you?"
"You can always talk to me. Always, always, always. What's up?"
"How's Vongola so far?"
Haru groaned. "I think I'm going to jump off the building. I mean, everyone's nice but they're so…distant. I don't know. A lot of things are hush-hush over here, but I really like my cubicle, even if it's only temporary. They even gave me the latest Vongola Etch tablet! The stylus is so smooth! Oh, and Simon's just great! Enma and Adelheid are so cute together and Rauji's songwriting skills are amazing! And Julie! He's like Reborn! He even wears fedoras but"—she giggled—"don't tell him I said that. He doesn't like being compared to him."
Tsuna smiled shakily. "I doubt I will."
"Anyways, how's everything on your end? Shouldn't you be at work?"
Tsuna winced. "I just have the day off."
"Really? That's great! You can finally rest and sleep! Sleep's great."
"Yeah, um, I just wanted to ask…if you're free next week from the 23rd to the 26th."
"It's I-pin's birthday! I'd never miss it! Why?" Haru gasped. "Are you planning on doing a surprise party? That'd be so much fun! Tell me what you need!"
Tsuna laughed. "No, no, it's not that. Well, the kids and I went to the mall a few days ago and…there was a raffle."
"Tsuna…"
"But I had no choice! The kids really wanted to try it and—and I couldn't just say no! I mean, no harm done in doing it, right?"
"Please tell me it was for kitchen stuff…"
Tsuna huffed. "No, but I'd prefer that, honestly."
"What was it?" Haru's breath hitched. "Oh, Kami, don't tell me…"
"Don't freak out."
"I will regardless."
"Um…" Tsuna glanced at the lottery forms. "It's…a meet-and-gre—"
He immediately pulled the phone away when Haru squealed. Wincing, he counted to three under his breath before bringing it back to his ear.
"—ever thought that you'd be one of them!" Haru babbled on. "Primo got their winners last night, too, and I still can't believe that you actually got it! I mean, you have the weirdest luck but—Oh, who did you get, who did you get, who did you get? Wait, let me guess."
"Haru, this isn't exactly…the greatest thing in the world."
"Are you kidding me? You get to spend time with the hottest men to ever live on this earth! Well, Bluebell's a girl but you get what I mean! So who did you get?"
Tsuna mumbled Arcobaleno under his breath.
"What? I couldn't hear you."
"…Arc—"
Tsuna winced when Haru squealed again. He massaged his temples, trying hard not rip up the forms in the process. Damn it…
"Arcobaleno? The Arcobaleno? Oh my God, you gotta be kidding me! I think this is the best thing you ever won! Like, the greatest thing ever! Better than that spa resort pass!" Haru gasped. "Hahi, is that why you asked me if I was free? Oh, I-pin's going to love it! You're all going, right?"
Tsuna sighed. "Yeah…"
Haru paused for a second. "What's wrong, Tsuna?"
"I mean, it'd be great if you could come with us. The kids will probably love it."
Except Fuuta, Tsuna thought.
"But…?"
"There's no but."
"Tsuna."
"Just…I don't know. Will this…be safe? And the kids can't miss school, but I-pin begged me and I couldn't say no."
Haru laughed softly. "You do have a problem with that. Well, it's not good to miss school. I mean, if you think about it, this is pretty unimportant, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Okay, I'm not the best with these things, you know that, Tsuna. But it can be a little family vacation! When was the last time you ever went out and relaxed?"
"Relax" and "Arcobaleno" shouldn't even be in the same sentence.
"I still don't know." Tsuna sighed. "But yeah, it'd be great if you can come. We have an extra spot."
"Tsuna, no matter what, I'm on your side, you know that, right?"
Tsuna's lips twitched into a small smile. "Yeah, I know."
"Oh, break's over. Tell me more later, 'kay? Don't worry, Tsuna. Everything will be fine."
"I hope so."
"Hey, if anything, you'll have me and the kids. I-pin can pull some mean punches. Okay, I gotta go now! Talk to you later, Tsuna!"
"Okay, thank you, Haru."
"Of course!"
When Haru hung up, Tsuna tapped his pen against the table. Okay, he could do this. How hard was this going to be, really?
Still, he prayed to every god there was that his information would be safe and wondered what the hell he was doing.
Dropping off mail at the post office had never felt so terrifying.
As soon as Tsuna had no more lottery forms on hand, he felt awfully relieved—for like a second. When he stepped out of the post office, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He groaned when he saw the number.
Tsu-chan, thank you for the recipe~ It must've taken a while~ Buuuut, I'm more of a visual learner~
Why did Tsuna ever think that just sending the recipe to Lussuria would settle things? He sat down at a nearby bench and texted a response.
Lussuria-san, this isn't rocket science. You can read and follow simple instructions—I believe you're smart enough.
I'm flattered~ My brain's just as wonderful as me too~! The thing is I don't have all the time in the world… So, it'd be wonderful for you to just give me a quick demo~!
What…kind of logic was that?
I can…make a video?
I'm also a tactile learner~
Tsuna wanted to bash his head against the wall. Sighing, he rubbed his face with his hands, not caring how ridiculous he looked to passing pedestrians. The mountains were becoming more appealing every day—no, every second.
How convenient. Actually, I meant to ask this, but is Xanxus-san okay?
Ohohoho, you don't have to worry about him at all~! I've never seen him in such a good mood in a long time~
Tsuna pursed his lips. That was Xanxus being in a good mood?
Well, he had cold medicine with him and I wasn't sure. Plus, he had…a lot of alcohol.
Awww, Tsu-chan, are you worried~? How sweet of you~ Oh, but don't worry. We just have some sick staff members~ They ended up stuck in the rain last night for too long ~ Xanxus was just doing what a good leader should be doing~ Hehe, he may be a brute but he has a heart there somewhere underneath all that muck~
Tsuna scoffed, but his lips curled into a smile despite himself.
I see. Well, I hope they get better soon.
Thank you, honey~ Oh, but don't forget, I'm in Namimori Sanctum Hotel~! RM 2023~
Tsuna blinked. Wait, how did they get here?
Oh no, I can't. That's…really inappropriate, Lussuria-san.
Never inappropriate between friends~
Tsuna bit his lip. They weren't friends.
I will block your number. We shouldn't even be talking to each other.
Oh, Tsu-chan, it's okay~ No one will know~
Tsuna did it—he blocked Lussuria's number. Wait, why didn't he do this with Reborn's number before? Smiling, he did the same thing with the other man's number. He almost yelped when his phone shook again.
You can't get rid of me that easily, Tsu-chan~ ;)
Okay, along with getting Fuuta a phone, Tsuna was going to change his number.
After stopping by his home to retrieve Xanxus' umbrella, Tsuna took a bus down to Yumei. It wasn't as large as Midori or Kokuyo but it was Namimori's richest district. Honestly, he didn't know why he even bothered following Lussuria's directions—he just wanted to be left alone.
But Lussuria must've had way too many phones on him because he'd send another text from a different number every time Tsuna blocked a new one. Was that supposed to be a thing? Either way, Tsuna hoped Reborn wouldn't do the same. Well, he wouldn't do that if he never found out, and that was if Tsuna just…didn't respond.
Kami, his hair was going to start graying way too early.
Namimori Sanctum Hotel was the nicest hotel in the city. A 20-story building with cream-colored walls, it was located right in front of the central train station. Tsuna immediately felt inadequate when he walked through the revolving doors. The lobby was large and bright with a counter a couple of feet away. Tsuna's Converse squeaked a little on the tiled floor, making him wince. Some patrons and workers walked around, creating some amicable chatter.
Before Tsuna could reach the reception desk, a tall man suddenly appeared in front of him. Tsuna nearly tripped if the man hadn't reached out to steady him.
"Ah, I'm sorry," he said, flushing. "Y—You just came out of nowhere."
Wearing an all-black suit, the man had spiky brown hair and a black surgical mask. He glanced down at Tsuna, making the brunet unconsciously step back. Finally, after a minute or two, the man gestured for him to follow. Tsuna was just a little bit grateful that he carried Fuuta's pepper spray in his bag.
"Um…did Lus—"
The man raised his hand, silencing Tsuna immediately. With a slight nod, he headed towards the elevator. Tsuna stayed rooted to the spot, just staring, as the man held the elevator open. Restraining a sigh, Tsuna slowly made his way towards him and entered the elevator. He shuffled closer to the corner, keeping an eye on the quiet man.
Soft jazz filled the awkward silence, but Tsuna's shoulders remained tense. He glanced up and nearly stiffened when the elevator stopped. They reached the 20th floor.
The doors opened with a small ding. Tsuna followed the man down the long, well-lit hallways, marveling at the well-decorated walls and paintings. He stopped short when the man paused in front of a door at the farthest end of the hall. Stepping to the side, the man nodded at Tsuna then at the door. The room number was engraved on a small golden plaque: 2023.
"Thank you…"
Tsuna blinked when he turned around. The man had vanished. Shuddering, Tsuna searched the empty hallways but found no signs of him or that he even existed. Just…poof.
Did he step into the twilight zone? He was pretty sure he did.
Taking a deep breath, Tsuna knocked on the door. There was no response. He knocked again, louder this time. He heard some distant, rustling papers. Someone spoke but Tsuna couldn't hear what the person was saying. He knocked a third time when the door suddenly flung open.
"I told you to bring your card k—"
Tsuna widened his eyes—it was Mammon. The man's voice was much quieter than usual and very hoarse. A white mask covered his mouth and his eyes—they were a beautiful shade of lilac, making Tsuna's breath hitch. He jumped when Mammon suddenly flipped his hood over his head.
"Sawada," he said, coughing lightly, "what are you doing here?"
Tsuna's cheeks turned a little red. "I—He—Um, Lussuria-san told me to come…here. He kept bothering me and I couldn't block his number so…"
Mammon pursed his lips. "Why do you have his"—he coughed—"number?"
Tsuna frowned. "Are you okay, Mammon-san?"
"Answer the question."
"I met Xanxus-san last night and gave him some miso soup so he wouldn't get sick from the rain." Tsuna took out the man's umbrella from his bag. "I wanted to return this too, while I had the chance."
Mammon stayed quiet for a moment before sighing. "Come in."
Tsuna entered the room quickly before Mammon shut the door. His nose crinkled when he saw the mess inside. The suite was spacious but not too fancy, with the curtains drawn over the large windows and cream-colored sofas littered with candy wrappers and clothes. Some empty wine bottles were on the coffee table with two empty glasses toppled over. There were three beds—only two were clean.
"Why did he call you here?" Mammon said from the kitchen table. A small pile of papers was stacked on top of it.
Tsuna frowned. "Are you sick, Mammon-san?" When Mammon opened his mouth, Tsuna quickly said, "Lussuria-san just wanted me to give him my miso soup recipe. Well, I did but he said he was…a visual learner."
Sighing, Mammon then entered another coughing fit. He sipped his cup and scribbled something in an indigo planner. "That idiot. He's out now. Just wait until he comes back. You won't tell anyone about this."
Tsuna peered inside Mammon's cup and immediately snatched it from his hand. "Are you drinking coffee?"
Mammon lightly clicked his tongue. "Give it ba—"
Tsuna scowled when Mammon coughed again. "Coffee won't help you get better. You need to stay hydrated."
"You can't tell me what to do."
"No, but I can do this." Tsuna dumped the coffee in the sink, ignoring Mammon's protests. He looked around the bare kitchen before finding some tea near the coffee machine. "You're going to drink this instead. I'm not taking no for an answer."
Mammon didn't speak while Tsuna heated the water. He chewed his lip, mentally smacking himself. What the hell was that? Why did he lash out at Mammon of all people? He'd never done that before. Wait, no, he did—when Fuuta caught a bad cold weeks ago, when Haru had a fever a year ago, when his mother…
Tsuna gripped the counter to keep himself steady. He snapped out of his thoughts when hot water soon poured inside Mammon's cup. The sound seeped through the silence. Tsuna tore the tea packet, faintly relaxing when he smelled a whiff of chamomile, and placed it in the cup. He frowned when he saw Mammon continue working through the papers.
"Mammon-san," Tsuna said, setting the cup down on the table, "you should be resting."
Mammon didn't look up. "I am resting."
"This isn't resting—this is working. You're sick." Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. "Please, you shouldn't—you shouldn't push yourself. You'll get worse."
Finally, Mammon paused. He peered at Tsuna from under his hood then sighed softly. "I'll give you a pass for earlier."
Tsuna smiled slightly. "Thank you. And I'm sorry about for acting out before."
Pulling down his mask, Mammon accepted the cup of tea and blew on it cautiously. He wrinkled his nose. "I don't like tea."
"It'll help your throat. I don't think there's any honey here to sweeten it for you."
Mammon took a small sip before placing the cup down on the table. Tsuna pulled a chair beside him. He glanced at the papers, which were filled with numbers. His eyes widened when he noticed a Namimori Hospital bill from the day he was admitted.
"That's my hospital bill," he said weakly.
Mammon tucked the piece of paper under another small pile. "It is."
"I—I could've paid it."
"It was either that or paying triple for the damages."
Tsuna's grip tightened around his bag. "I…suppose. Thank you, Mammon-san. You didn't have to."
Mammon just pushed his mug to the side before returning to his papers.
Tsuna frowned. "I said you should rest."
"These won't fill out themselves."
"You can do them later when you're better and well-rested."
"This is resting for me."
Tsuna leaned his cheek onto his palm. "I said it before and I'll say it again, Mammon-san. This is working."
Mammon sighed. "Mou, just stay quiet and leave me alone."
Tsuna suddenly pulled his chair closer to the table, making Mammon tense. "Then let me help."
Mammon frowned. "No."
"You don't have to pay me to shut up about whatever I'm looking at. I'm just going with my last option."
Coughing, Mammon pulled up his mask and turned away. His coughs didn't sound too bad, but Tsuna didn't want to take any chances. He pushed Mammon's cup towards him, which the man accepted grudgingly.
"This is me being nice, Mammon-san," Tsuna said. "I would've slipped slipping pills in your drink."
Mammon paused, his cup centimeters from his lips. "You wouldn't."
Tsuna smiled. "Don't test me." Mammon huffed. "Drink it before it gets cold." Wrinkling his nose, Mammon drank some more tea while Tsuna perused the bills and paychecks on the table. "I can help you. This must be a lot for one person."
"Persistence will get you nowhere."
"If it means you getting better and resting like you should, I'd still give it a chance. Before you say anything, I really wasn't lying about the sleeping pills."
Mammon frowned but didn't say anything. He placed his pen down and grabbed his cup again, wrapping his hands around it. "You will tell no one."
"I know the drill, Mammon-san."
"Any mistakes you make, you'll pay for yourself."
"I won't." Tsuna took Mammon's pen and clicked it. "Where do I start?"
Mammon slid a packet towards him. "This is Varia's staff list divided into different departments. Read me the name and I'll tell you what to write."
There were already several names crossed out on the spreadsheets. Tsuna skimmed through the numbers until they clicked in his head—they were the biweekly checks for each staff member.
"Ah, okay." Tsuna scooted closer to the table, quickly finding where Mammon left off. "Tachibana Chiyuri."
"44,559.88 yen. Ne deductions."
Tsuna wrote it down. "Minamoto Yukio."
Mammon coughed. "42,218.24 yen. No deductions."
They continued like this for a while until Tsuna finally finished. He raised a brow when he realized how small Varia's staff was. There were only 43 people. Mammon then took the packet away and placed it on a larger pile. Tsuna frowned. The man had definitely been going at it for a while now.
"I hope that both piles are finished," Tsuna said.
"Varia's done," Mammon said, shifting through some more spreadsheets. "This is Arcobaleno's. Each member has their own pages."
Tsuna gawked when Mammon passed him three pages with Colonello's name. He flipped through them and gasped at the large numbers. "This is all his?"
"What else? Deduct 50% from each line on the first page."
Tsuna blinked. "I'm sorry?"
Mammon pursed his lips. "I'm not repeating myself."
"Right…"
Tsuna did what Mammon told him, even going as far to calculating the numbers. Mammon coughed before sniffling. Tsuna checked his cup, noticing that it was empty.
"I'll make you more tea," he said, standing up before Mammon could protest.
They soon entered a surprisingly lax silence when Tsuna heated up some water.
"You don't ask questions," Mammon suddenly said.
Tsuna quirked a brow. "I said I'd stay quiet if you let me help." He glanced at the piles of paper. "You know, it's not bad to ask once in a while. You look like you have your hands full."
Mammon sighed, tapping slowly against his thigh. "Help requires equal retribution. That's something I'm not willing to get myself into."
"Not everyone asks for something when they help each other. Some people do it because they want to."
"Some, not many."
Tsuna smiled. "Maybe you haven't met as many people yet."
"I've met enough."
Hot water then poured inside Mammon's cup. Tsuna grabbed another chamomile tea packet from the small basket beside the coffee machine.
"Well, it'd be nice, you know? I've lived in Namimori my whole life so meeting different people has been pretty limited. It's my home and I love it, but I want to see a lot more." Tsuna laughed sheepishly. "I used to have a travel journal back in middle school. I'd print out all these different places around the world and plan what I'd do if I get to spend the day there. It was my dream but, I can't do that anymore, not without…my mother."
His chest ached when he remembered his mother's kind smile, her warm brown eyes, the sweet scent she'd carry from the flower shop—they faded just as soon as they blossomed in his mind. Now all he saw was her pale face against her pillow and the heart monitor's beeps slowing down. Running a hand through his hair, Tsuna blinked rapidly to keep his tears at bay.
Wow, he really thought that he had it together but he was just pathetic, really—really, really pathetic.
"The cup's full," Mammon said, snapping Tsuna out of his thoughts.
"Ah, right." Tsuna placed the tea bag inside the mug and stirred it gently. He set it down in front of Mammon. "Here." Mammon blew on it gently. Tsuna sat back down again. "You know, I'm not asking for anything for helping you."
Mammon just sighed under his breath. "Deduct 30% from Colonello's final salary."
Tsuna smiled but did what he asked. He blinked when he saw Mammon's hand-written note on top of the third page. It was written in French but Tsuna understood what he wrote: Sawada sent to the hospital; transfer 30% to bill.
"Why aren't you writing?"
Tsuna jumped before laughing sheepishly. "My bad." He wrote the deduction and calculated the final amount. "Is that everything?"
Mammon just handed him another packet with Reborn's name, which had more pages than Colonello's. "Deduct 50% from the first page and 30% from his final wage."
Tsuna smiled. "I got it."
The two continued to work relatively in peace with Mammon coughing here and there. Lussuria never came but none of them realized it until Tsuna had to leave.
Returning to Namimori Middle nearly sucked the soul out of Tsuna's body.
He jumped when Mayumi slammed the classroom door open with impressive bravado. Oddly enough, the black panda ears on her head twitched when she pointed at the startled students. There were seven of them, which was less than Tsuna expected. How could seven students run however many food booths they were running? When he was in middle school, most of the grade participated and there weren't any problems dividing the work. His eyes then landed on Junko who just blinked at him.
Before Junko could say anything, Mayumi spoke, "Alright, br—kids, never fear because I found the most wonderful teacher to help you!"
One of the female students frowned. "Kocho-sensei, we're doing fi—"
"This is Tsuna," Mayumi said, shoving him in front of her. "Isn't he the cutest bunny you've ever seen?"
"Kocho-sensei, please don't," Tsuna deadpanned.
Some students snickered.
"He'll be filling in for Yagami-sensei so listen to him well!" Mayumi grinned. "Have fun and don't give him too much trouble!"
With that, she jumped out the window, but not before sending some finger guns at Tsuna with a wink. Tsuna just sighed and entered the quiet culinary room with an awkward smile.
"So, I'll be subbing in for Yagami-sensei," he said, gauging everyone's reactions. "I know that this is rather sudden, but I hope we can work well together."
Some whispers broke out among the students until the girl who had spoken to Mayumi stepped forward. She had long black hair in a high ponytail and carried a clipboard.
"I'm Higashi Itsuko, Tsuna-san," she said, "from Class 3-A. I deal with the funding for our booths." She gestured to the other students. "We were just finalizing our plans. I'm sorry that Kocho-sensei brought you into this."
"I see," Tsuna said. "Well, do you mind if I ask where the others are?"
Another female student with pigtails huffed behind Itsuko. "After Yagami-sensei got sick, most of them bailed."
Tsuna blinked. "Why would they do that?"
The girl shrugged. "Probably didn't see any point in it. Not all of them wanted to cook. I think some of them are doing their own club stuff."
A boy with glasses turned another page in his workbook. "This isn't mandatory anyways."
The pigtailed girl rolled her eyes before flicking the boy's forehead. "Yeah, don't go complaining when we don't have help on Saturday."
The boy rubbed his forehead with a wince. "You hit hard."
Another girl with short hair separated the two with a nervous smile. "Rika-chan, Naoki-kun, let's not fight, okay?"
"So, are you saying that this is all of you…?" Tsuna said, catching everyone's attention. His stomach sank when a few nodded. "Couldn't you convince them to come back? I don't think you can handle the booths with only seven of you—well, depending on your menu."
Tsuna jumped when Rika suddenly bounced towards him. She looked at him oddly for a moment or two before grinning.
"You look like Giotto!" she said.
Tsuna's brow twitched. "Great. So, moving o—" He yelped when the girl leapt in the air, reaching out for his hair. "What are you doing?"
"Rika-chan!" the short-haired girl said, pulling the other girl away. "I'm sorry, Tsuna-san. Rika-chan, stop it!"
Rika pouted. "But, Miyumi-chan, it looks so fluffy."
Tsuna self-consciously ran a hand through his hair, which only made Rika squeal. He stepped back when she tried jumping again until Miyumi pulled her back with a sheepish smile.
"I'm sorry, Tsuna-san," she said. "Rika-chan can get too excited sometimes."
"That's…okay. Anyways—"
"Are you related to Giotto?" Rika said. "Long-lost brother? Cousin?"
Itsuko's brow twitched. "Rika—"
Tsuna pursed his lips. "I'm not related to him in any way. Let's just get to the menus, okay? I'm sure you don't want to end up staying here for too long."
"Tsuna-nii," Junko said, stepping forward. She handed him a pink clipboard. "This is what we have so far."
A boy with headphones around his neck looked Tsuna up and down. "You know him, Junko?"
Junko huffed. "Eiji-kun, be more polite. Tsuna-nii is older than you. We live in the same building."
Rika gasped. "Lucky! Then you get to see a Giotto-lookalike every day! I'm jealous!"
Tsuna sighed. "I'm n—"
Eiji scoffed. "Giotto's not even that great."
Rika glared at Eiji. "You're just jealous that you'll never be as great and handsome like him!"
Eiji rolled his eyes. "He barely puts in the work for the group. All he does is look nice and sing whatever G writes for him, who's infinitely better anyways."
Naoki groaned into his hands. "Here we go again."
"That's the same with Skull!" Rika said, ignoring Naoki.
Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Wait—"
He blinked when Junko pulled him back and shook her head. "It's better to leave them alone, Tsuna-nii. You can sit down here."
Itsuko and Miyumi joined them, the latter sighing sadly. Pushing up her glasses, Itsuko sat down across from Tsuna. "Don't even bother listening to them. I'm sorry about them."
Tsuna just laughed it off. "It's fine. So, this is what you have so far?"
He skimmed the list. Even though he was doing something a little more productive, he still couldn't block out the students bickering in the background.
"—produces everything for the group with Asari so I don't know what you're trying to prove here," Eiji said.
"Giotto made his own single!" Rika said, waving her arms in the air.
"'Stay in My Heart'? Come on, that was like years ago. Where's his singles now?"
"Do they do this a lot?" Tsuna said, glancing at the quarreling students.
Itsuko sighed. "More than necessary."
Miyumi smiled sheepishly. "Rika-chan and Eiji-kun are just really passionate about music."
Junko shrugged. "They'll finish soon. What do you think about this, Tsuna-nii?"
Tsuna returned to the list. "Well, I don't see a lot of problems with it. I'm just more concerned how seven of you can cook all of this."
"You don't have to help us," Itsuko said. "Kocho-sensei can be…overbearing."
Junko frowned. "Itsuko-chan, we can't do this alone. Besides"—she smiled—"Tsuna-nii will actually help us better than Yagami-sensei. He's a very good cook."
Miyumi peered at Tsuna shyly. "Really? It'd be nice if you can help us."
Itsuko pursed her lips. "Are you trying to say something?"
Miyumi stiffened. "Ah, well…"
"This can work if there's more of us," Junko said. "We're just saying that we could take some things off."
Itsuko narrowed her eyes. "We have enough funds for this."
"It's not about funds, Itsuko-chan, it's about availability. Also, not all of us can cook these."
"I can."
"But you're only one person. You can't handle all the booths."
"I can work something out."
"Okay," Tsuna said, getting their attention, "the bunkasai's in three days and we can't afford to waste time arguing about this. Itsuko, I agree with Junko-chan and Miyumi." He gestured at the list. "This is too much for all of you. It doesn't matter if you can cook these or not—you have to work together if you want the booths to function at all. Besides, this is a lot of food."
Itsuko scowled. "I—"
"I'm not saying you're incompetent or anything like that, but you also need to consider your classmates. If they can't handle these then it'll backfire. Unless you can get the others to come back, you could work something out, but this is still a lot. You should cut it down to three or four dishes, something easier so you guys don't get a heart attack."
Miyumi and Junko giggled, but Itsuko kept her frown in place.
"This isn't what I expected," she said, her voice slightly quivering.
Her chair skidded as she abruptly stood up. With that, she marched out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.
"Did I say something wrong?" Tsuna said, his eyes wide.
Miyumi shook her head. "No, Itsuko-chan's just very sensitive." She smiled. "Since it's our last year, she wants to give it her all, even if she doesn't say it out loud."
Junko nodded. "She's also moving to Tokyo after she graduates. We don't know when we'll see her again…"
A bout of silence passed before a boy wearing a baseball cap stood up. "I'll go and talk to her."
Miyumi smiled. "Okay. Take your time, Shinji-kun."
Shinji gave her a two-finger salute. "Oh, by the way, Rika, Decimo's a whole lot better than Primo."
He grinned and dashed out of the room just as Rika threw her pencil case at him. Shinji's laughter rang in the hallways before fading out.
"No, they're not!" Rika said, scowling.
Eiji snorted. "I mean, if you look at their record sales—"
"Shut up, Eiji!"
"You just don't want to admit that Primo's ancient."
"They're not! They're all in their twenties!"
"You get what I mean. Besides, Arcobaleno's pretty old but they're still relevant."
"They've just been in the industry longer."
"Primo's been in there longer, too." Eiji shrugged. "Stars eventually fade out, Rika. Can't deny it."
Naoki raised his hands. "Why don't we just talk about something else? Did you study for the math test tomorrow?"
Rika glared, making Naoki flinch. "Does that matter?" She suddenly turned to Tsuna. "What do you think, Tsuna-san?"
Tsuna blinked. "What do I think about what?"
"About Primo! Are they too old? They're not right?"
"Um, I don't think I'm the best person to as—"
Tsuna drew back when Rika leaned over his desk. "Primo's great, right?"
"Well, I mean—"
Junko pulled Rika back. "Rika-chan, you're overwhelming him."
All Tsuna could think about was Primo and Decimo fighting at the restaurant. Not really the greatest impressions. Then again…
"Giotto-sa—Giotto is nice," Tsuna said, "if that's what you mean."
Rika brightened up immediately. "He is! He's the biggest sweetheart ever!"
"Yeah…"
"And he has such a sexy voice and I still can't get over the fact that you look like him, only fluffier! Kocho-sensei's right! You do look like a bunny!"
Tsuna's brow slightly twitched but his smile froze in place. "I guess."
"Neh, Tsuna-san, who's your favorite idol?"
Miyumi helped Junko pull Rika back. "Rika-chan, calm down."
"Um, again, I don't think I'm the right p—"
"Is it Giotto? That'd be so cute! I can show you some posters I have of him!"
Eiji snorted. "Yeah, you'll just creep him out, stalker."
Rika narrowed her eyes. "I didn't ask you, idiot." She turned to Tsuna with a sweet smile. "Well?"
Tsuna sweat-dropped. "You really like Giotto-s—Giotto, don't you?"
Rika swooned. "Of course! With his lovely sky blue eyes and sexy voice, he's the sweetest, kindest man to ever walk this earth! Who wouldn't love Giotto-sama?"
Miyumi smiled. "Well, I like Dino."
Rika widened her eyes. "Yes, Dino!" She squealed. "He's so cute and sexy—how is that even possible? And his voice! Did you watch his concert last night? He covered one of Reborn's songs, 'Ansare'! It was so good, I cried!"
Tsuna raised a brow. "Ansare" meant "to be out of breath" or "to hardly breathe" in Italian. He didn't want to know.
Miyumi tilted her head. "Isn't Reborn dating someone?"
Rika rolled her eyes. "No, they broke up a long time ago—Bianchi. Did you know she's Gokudera's half-sister? How crazy is that? Well, I guess I can see the resemblance—they're both so violent. Oh, there were rumors that she sent Reborn an invitation to her gallery but he didn't go." She giggled. "Too bad for her."
Tsuna pursed his lips. He didn't know who Bianchi was or if what Rika said was true, but he was a bit put off with how she belittled the other woman.
"Oh, then I must've mixed that up with someone else," Miyumi said.
Rika perked up. "Oh, oh, oh! I think I know who you mean! Mukuro!"
Miyumi nodded. "Yeah, Mukuro! They said he might be dating someone in secret."
"With M.M.! She's one of the stylists in Trinisette! Oh, did you know she works at Étoile? Lucky her—she gets to meet hot men all the time! I think she'd look good with Mukuro."
M.M.? Wasn't that the candy…?
Eiji sighed before putting on his headphones and heading towards the door. "Peace. I'm out."
Junko furrowed her brows. "Where're you going? The meeting's not over."
"No point if none of you are going to talk about anything useful. See you tomorrow."
Eiji slid the door shut before Junko could say anything more.
Rika huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Good. He was being annoying anyways."
Naoki sighed. "I mean, he's right. We're not doing anything productive. Itsuko's out and it'll take a while before Shinji calms her down."
Tsuna smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. I should've done something about it."
Junko shook her head. "It's okay, Tsuna-nii. We can work more on it tomorrow."
Miyumi smiled brightly. "Yes, we can! This'll be fun!"
Rika suddenly gasped. "Miyumi-chan, Junko-chan, we need to go!"
The two girls tilted their heads. "Eh?"
Rika grabbed her bag and shoved her phone in their faces. "They said Decimo's at the children's hospital now! We need to go! Oh my God, they're actually here, in Namimori!" She squealed.
Naoki blinked. "Wait, what? I thought you hated Decimo."
"Don't 'what' me! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! They're still celebrities! We need to go!" Rika grinned slyly. "They said that Nagi's there, too."
Tsuna just stared while Naoki scrambled for his bag and was already half-way out the door.
"Well, are you coming or not?" he said.
"Going!" Rika waved at Tsuna. "Bye, Tsuna-san! I'll see you tomorrow! Don't run ahead, Naoki!"
Clutching her bag to her chest, Miyumi bowed towards Tsuna. "I—I'll see you tomorrow, Tsuna-san. Thank you for coming! Rika-chan, Naoki-kun, wait for me!"
Tsuna waved half-heartedly. "See you tomorrow…"
Junko giggled. "I'm sorry about that, Tsuna-nii."
Tsuna smiled. "You don't have to apologize. Are you leaving, too?"
Junko slipped the clipboard back in her school bag. "Someone has to keep them in check. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Good luck."
Junko nodded. "Thank you!"
After she left, Tsuna tensed when he heard multiple shrieks outside. Looking out the window, he winced when a large crowd of students dashed out of the gates, most likely heading towards the children's hospital.
He fished his phone out of his pocket. It was 3:23 PM. Lambo and I-pin should be coming out of school around now. He wasn't sure about Fuuta, but he'd probably still be in the building. It was quiet, almost too quiet. A cool breeze swept in the room, making Tsuna sigh softly.
Still though, with that many people swarming a hospital…
Chewing his lip, Tsuna pulled up Hibari's number.
Hibari-san, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you but I just wanted to let you know that you and Decimo might be in trouble in a few minutes. Some of your fans found out where you are. Stay safe.
He closed his phone and remained in his seat for a few more minutes. There was no response. Finally, he stood up to go looking for Fuuta.
At least, being home was less eventful.
"Did you send it, Big Brother?"
"Yes, I dropped it off this morning."
"You're sure?"
Fuuta frowned. "I still don't like it, Tsuna-nii."
"I'm sorry, Fuuta…"
I-pin beamed. "But we're going!" She squealed into her pillow. "And Big Sister's coming with us, too! It's going to be the best thing ever! I love you, Big Brother!"
Tsuna smiled softly, hugging I-pin. "Yeah, I love you too, I-pin."
Lambo pouted. "I want a hug, too." He giggled when Tsuna tugged him closer. "We're going to be together forever right, Tsuna-nii?"
Tsuna kissed Lambo's head. "Yeah, we will. Come on, you guys need to sleep."
He ran a hand through Fuuta's hair while the boy slept by his side. I-pin and Lambo snoozed to his left. Sighing, Tsuna rested his head against the wall and gazed out the small bedroom window. The moon glowed faintly against the evening sky and the stars shone like little diamonds. Tsuna's lips twitched into a soft smile.
His phone soon vibrated in his hand. Lowering the brightness, he read the message that popped up from an unknown number: The offer for Varia still stands if you ever change your mind.
Tsuna huffed before responding. Thank you, but I don't think I ever will.
Understandable, but the offer will remain open.
Tsuna chuckled under his breath. He then remembered Mammon's lilac eyes and wondered why he would cover them up. He didn't even bother questioning how Mammon got his number. Probably from Lussuria. Tsuna was still changing it though.
His phone buzzed again.
I'm sorry for not being there, Tsu-chan~ My meeting went on longer than I thought~ :'( Let's meet up next time~
It's okay, Lussuria-san. Don't push yourself too much.
Aww, you really are an angel, Tsu-chan!~
Tsuna sighed. Honestly, at this point, he didn't know what to think anymore. Another message appeared on his screen and he smiled when he saw that it was from Vasya.
pls tell me youre still alive
Affirmative.
and resting?
Never felt better.
why do i have the feeling that youre messing with me…
I'm not! You don't have to worry about me.
okay but you know im here for ya right?
Same with me. Is there something you needed?
oh nahhh. just wanted to check on you. but was kind of wondering if your midori sea tour's still available. we're actually leaving tomorrow so…yeah. if you cant then thats okay! no worries!
Of course! What time do you want to meet up?
oh really? cool! is 5 okay? too early?
That's fine.
we can meet where we had that photoshoot before. its cleared out anyways.
Sure! I'll see you tomorrow there then.
yup! sleep tight tsuna! gotta go now!
Good night, Vasya. Take care.
At that moment, looking out into the night sky, Tsuna had never felt more at peace.
Little Notes and Fun Facts
1) The man that led Tsuna to the hotel room was Due, one of the members of Varia Lightning Strike squad a.k.a. Varia's security team. :^D
2) Some more hints about Nana…
3) Okay, so the currency exchange: I took the highest average salary of a given profession (hair stylist, makeup artist, choreographer, etc.) and converted them from USD to yen with some most likely botched up math. So for Tachibana Chiyuri, she makes 44,559.88 yen biweekly as a hair stylist, which is $408.75, meaning she makes $49,050 yearly.
4) Trinisette functions on an equal-pay system. Every member in a group gets equal pay unless they're in individual projects like TV shows, dramas, or filming commercials in their home countries. Then they'd get the full pay for that without splitting it amongst the members or to the company. Varia functions the same way.
5) The songs titles/albums/singles are all made-up within the context of the story. Fair warning though: I don't know if I can write lyrics, lol. I'll try though.
6) For those who guessed it, yup—Bianchi's the artist Gokudera was talking about back in Ch. 7. Plus, M.M. is the interviewer for Ètoile, the French magazine mentioned back in Ch. 4.
7) Tsuna may or may not be garnering his own little fan club… :^)
8) If you're wondering, no—not many people have ever seen Mammon's eyes.
A/N And here it is, a month late and not as long as expected…
Entering finals week and trying hard not to cry. If you're in the same boat, we can get through this, peeps. Hopefully…
Anyways, I've gone back and revised the previous chapters. There aren't any major changes aside from grammar and spelling checks, but there are some added scenes here and there. In Ch. 3, I added more dialogue between Skull and Tsuna when they're heading to the café. In Ch. 4, I took out some idols' info when Tsuna talks to Haru and the kids. I was planning on saving them later around this chapter (as you've read) and the next few. Additionally, I added a little more dialogue between Reborn and Tsuna after Reborn saves him from getting hit by a car. In Ch. 7, I added more interaction with Akiyama and Tsuna in the convenience store.
Also, we reached +1K favorites and follows! I wouldn't have done it without you, peeps! Honestly, you peeps are the ones writing this story and steering the plot so it's a group effort! I still don't know where I'm going with this—just winging it with your poll choices and suggestions—but I think we're doing alright so far. :^D
Plus, there's another poll on my profile. I won't tell what it's for but go vote if you can! You can only choose one though. The options are: Colonello, Reborn, Viper/Mammon, Verde, Skull, Lal Mirch, Fon. Guests can vote, too! I'll add yours in the final count. ;^)
Thank you so much for reading and just sticking with the story up to this point! I really appreciate it! I love you, peeps. :'^)
Thank you for reading. I hope to see you in the next chapter!
Have a lovely day~
Little Miss Bunny
Revised: 5/3/2018