NOTES

I know all of you were wondering if I'm no longer around. Actually, I still am. I know I told you that my projects and the things that had been keeping me busy would be over by May - which, they have thought it lasted until early June - but then I went on a long vacation. So I haven't updated not because I was busy, but it was because I really don't want to do anything. In fact, I spent most of my days off of any social media and the majority of the internet (which felt sooo great and empowering). Despite all that, I still checked my email everyday so I read all those PMs and comments asking (begging) me to continue my stories (and dearest readers, you've plucked the strings of my sadistic heart so). But all good things come to an end; and I'm back to my busy life. Do you know that it's easier for me to have ideas and want to write when I actually have something to do rather than when I actually don't have anything to do? I mean, on my vacation all I have in mind was which cafe I should visit that day, or which store I wanted to visit.

So yeah, this mofo is still around somehow. The whole world must be crying.

HER FIANCE, CURIOUS

Enma winced at his phone for the numerous time that morning. Adel had been calling him all day; and not that Enma got tired of her voice; it's just that he was sick of the constant watchfulness the Suzuki Corp. Mistress was giving him. It took a lot for Enma to convince her he doesn't need bodyguards shadowing him while he was in his own alma mater – The Vongola Music Academy – doing his own job. And he knew he needed to deal with the aftermath of their compromise on Enma's security arrangement.

"I'm fine, Adel," Enma sighed tiredly, "And yes, Kyoya drove me to the school".

Everyone nearby could hear the woman ranting from Enma's phone. She was berating him on the fact that Kyoya rarely liked watching after people, especially someone he despised like Enma. But then Enma reminded her that no one dared mess with the Suzuki when Kyoya is in town. It never ended well for them if they ever dared to cross Hibari Kyoya.

In fact, the only reason Adel agreed to let Enma visit Japan on his own was because she knew her step brother would be there too.

"Love, of course your brother would do his job; I am his dearest sister's fiance after all," Enma said finally, and that seemed to melt Adel's heart slightly. The woman calmed down and Enma was given his own space once again.

Enma sighed and gave a tight-lipped smile to the young man beside him. "Sorry, my fiance could be... a bit of a mother-hen," he explained.

"It's fine. Though if you need more time with your fiance, perhaps we can continue the tour some other time, Mr. Kozato".

"Oh, no. Don't bother. We can resume the tour. The school has changed greatly over time and I need to relive my memories here. And call me Enma," the red haired man gesture so that they walked ahead and continued on with their tour. It was Bianchi's idea to have Enma look around the school after years of living in France. "... Yamamoto is it?"

"Call me Takeshi," the teenage violinist beamed.

They walked around the familiar hallways of the prestigious music academy; some of them reminded Enma of his youth where he briskly crossed the place from class to class with his hands full of music sheets; some of them seemed new and unfamiliar that Enma even wondered if this was the same school he attended years ago. Funny, he thought, how time changed the familiarity of one's own home.

"So how's the practice with Hayato doing?" Enma started the conversation with the young violinist. If Enma wasn't mistaken, Takeshi was involved with Hayato's band.

The teen had a thoughtful look before he answered, "We're doing great, but we just had a new addition to the band so some changes have to be made".

"New addition?" Enma questioned, "Only weeks away from the performance?"

Catching the surprise in Enma's tone, Takeshi quickly rose his hands defensively. "No, no, Tsuna is a brilliant addition. And everyone likes him," here, the boy gave a conflicted look, "Definitely. But we need to arrange some things, of course. Nothing we can't handle".

"This is unlike Bianchi," Enma blanched, "Does she know?" As far as he knows, Bianchi was the supervisor for the junior orchestra; the orchestra consisting of their best enrolling students here in the academy. If she was in charge, she wouldn't add a new member close to the performance date.

"She suggested it," Takeshi answered truthfully.

"What?" Enma's eyebrows rose. That sounded unlike the Bianchi he knew. Bianchi is very much a perfectionist when it comes to music and managing her musicians.

"It's her acquaintance after all," Takeshi added.

"But that is -," very unprofessional of her.

"Oh, but he's brilliant," Takeshi disrupted. This time, there was no thought nor doubt on his claim; he truly meant it. "Exceedingly so..., despite everything," Takeshi added as a last note, causing Enma's brows to meet in suspicion.

"... despite everything?"

"Yeah. Uh, he's a unique one". When Enma kept his silence, Yamamoto hurriedly add, "He kind of... gave us dead animals".

A sadist. There might be a student with a sadistic tendency in the Academy, Enma suspected. He meant to discuss the issue with Bianchi but found himself dragged under the attention of Bianchi's secretary.

"Oh! But I mean, of course!" Melanie Mauer, popularly known as MM, Bianchi's gossip-loving secretary, gushed, "I also think it's a bad idea to make last arrangements near the performance, let alone adding a new performer – but no! Of course Bianchi wouldn't listen!"

Melanie Mauer wasn't a musician – she wouldn't know a single key on a baby grand – but she would claim she knows what she is saying. "As far as I know, Mr. Kozato – or is it Mr. Suzuki now? – this is... what do they call it? Nepotism. Yes, nepotism!" the short haired woman insisted, "I mean, he's cute and all – even I have to say that – but nepotism is still nepotism!"

And all Enma originally aimed was to make small talk to the young secretary as he make arrangements to see Bianchi, not having her sit him down and told him her lengthy opinion on the issue. "In fact, Mr. Suzuki –"

"It's still Kozato, actually –"

"Yes, Mr. Kozato – in fact, despite his looks, the boy is connected to some shady crowd," her shapely eyebrows wiggled knowingly.

What looks? What shady crowd? Enma simply stared questioningly at the young woman and was unsure if he should stay or leave quickly.

"I saw him everyday!" MM continued, "Leaving with that woman. You wouldn't expect it from... from someone as innocent-looking to be so.. so adulterous! Scandalous! And that woman! She even wore that skimpy dress of hers to this academy. What did she think this place is? A strip club?"

As if on cue, the door to Bianchi' office was opened. Enma was still landing his eyes on MM's cleavage and concluded that her comment on another woman's attire was rather ironic; then he slowly turned his head to find the brisk shadow of a woman walking by. Her long dark hair was flowing behind her as she fixed her sunglasses. There was something in the way she moves; her confidence and her smell; that reminded Enma strongly of someone.

... Adel?

But no, Enma reminded himself as he watched the woman's back. She had the wrong height and the wrong attitude. Adel had never ignored Enma like that.

"That's her!" MM shrieked, though she kept the volume of her voice so that it sounded like a hiss, "That's the woman I told you about! Extremely twisted that woman is. The last she visited here, it's all because she insisted to put a collar on that boy. A collar! Like a pet!"

She then leaned closer to Enma, "And even last week I saw her hanging with this group of suspicious looking men. Word has it she is involved with them – you know, The Arcobalenos," she whispered the last bit enthusiastically.

"What?"

"The Arcobalenos!" MM repeated, "You know, Vongola's well-known partner. The two organizations are like... siblings. That organization is very shady, just like Vongola I suppose. Everyone knows what Vongola does".

No, they don't; but they get the gist of it. Simply put, everyone knows Vongola isn't as innocent and as simple as the family-run business they claimed to be. Vongola is an old aristocratic family from Italy. Rumor has it that they were originally a huge thing in the mafia, hiding behind the cover of their huge business around the world. Now suddenly migrating their headquarters to Japan, they have been involved in the local politics; but people believed they have been involved with the nation's, if not the world's, politics since long ago.

As someone who used to study in Vongola funded facility, Enma understood this so well. He knew in the back of his head that everyone in the academy was either there for talent, money, or influence. Yet back then he was so young and far too deep in his study to look around and check if this was true. Everyone was ambitious back then and the school rewarded that trait; thus Enma barely made notes of who and why they were there. Simply said, if there was politics in the academy, Enma wasn't aware of it. He was blind to this kind of stuff; that is until he met Adelheid and sank in her world.

He wished that the academy stayed true to it's purpose; that is to be the home for talents; not politics.

"People nowadays! You couldn't judge them by their appearance. That boy might be angel-like – but God knows what he's doing with that damned woman. She's an Arcobaleno after all, must be the type to bed younger guys just for the fun of it,"

Enma winced. Don't get him wrong, Enma was used to being brushed aside or being mocked; but he hated it when people dear to him was insulted right on his face. The kind of claim MM just made was the kind of claim he often heard about Adel. Adel was such a domineering and beautiful woman. There were always something wrong with such woman to date a younger and more submissive guy. It was bad when the guy became the eye-candy and not the other way around. The woman would be seen as the evil tramp who preyed after younger men and seduced them to their bed; as if love was never a part of their story.

A bit insulted, Enma briskly gathered his papers and left with a rude huff. "I bet you understand love more than I do, Miss Mauer".

He left the room without further words. Halfway to the practice hall, he felt a bit guilty for lashing out at Miss Mauer. The secretary was just another clueless young lady afterall; there was no reason to be rude to her when she didn't even know what she did wrong. Enma sighed and decided he needs to cool down on the nearby classroom.

He stepped inside a random practice room and was glad to find a piano in the middle of the studio . The redhaired man thought it would be a good idea to look after the music sheet for the junior's band and practiced it a bit before he watched them practice tomorrow. So he approached the grand piano, and was surprised by the presence of another person standing by the opened window.

It was a young boy; most likely a student even though he didn't wear the school's uniform. The tuff of brown hair on top of his head was the first thing Enma noticed, before his eyes landed on the boy's sleepy cherubic face. There was something enchanting in the way he looked at Enma; At most, you would call it ethereal; at less, you would be stuck deciding between the word adorable and beautiful. He was nicely dressed and even looked like a doll. Enma spent some time deciding if this was a real person or simply a statue, because the boy made no words nor movement after he caught Enma coming closer.

But then again, who would sculpt a statue as beautiful as this and tragically make his scarf stuck to the window.

"Oh! Do you need any help?" The question was more rhetoric than anything. Enma hurriedly went to the boy's side and helped him get the scarf off of the window. "That's a bit dangerous, what were you doing that close to the opened window? This is the fifth floor! You could have fallen!"

The boy's eyes were wide opened, then he blinked owlishly. "Catching a bird," the boy answered finally.

"Uhh, I see. Though I'm not sure if it is the right place and time to do that," Enma told the boy. But now that he took a good look, he thought the boy seemed harmless; innocent-looking even. If only everyone at the academy could be like this; no terrorizing their friends by sending dead animals, no nepotism.

"I'm Kozato Enma, by the way. What's your na - ?"

But the boy left before Enma finished.

"Forgive my secretary would you? She's a bit...," Bianchi squinted her eyes to look for a better word, "Bubbly for her own good, but she meant well."

Enma smiled awkwardly and took a seat across from the pink haired woman. He skipped the appointment he made yesterday and was texted by Bianchi herself to meet up at her office the next day. He rather felt guilty for causing such trouble, but was glad that Bianchi was made aware of her secretary's attitude.

"I've talked to her. She'll do her best not to repeat her mistakes," Bianchi assured with a wink. A minute of pleasantries and sips of tea later, Bianchi asked her question, "So what do you want to talk about?"

Enma cut to the chase, "Bianchi, you added a new vocalist to the juniors orchestra?"

"I did," she answered honestly, "Which is good now that you brought it up because I was thinking of having you to watch his progress."

"W-wha? But that's beside the point! Why did you put a new person into the group now?" Enma shook his head in confusion, "It's -what? A couple of weeks before the event?"

"I know," she shrugged as though there's nothing serious regarding the issue, "He is an important person to a friend of mine".

"Oh my God. Don't tell me, Bianchi, is it... is this nepotism?"

The woman gave Enma a long look before she snickered. "I've always knew you love this academy so much," she noted, "But I have to admit the boy got some talent; if that could give peace to your mind".

"It's not just about talent! The academy is also about discipline, effort, and love for music!" Enma stood from his seat. Even he was surprised how much this fazed him, "You don't know what I heard, Bianchi. That boy... he gave his fellow musicians dead animals!".

Bainchi rolled her eyes as though she knew of the news. "I know!" She groaned, "Hayato wouldn't stop bragging about it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"Absolu – wait, what?" Enma blinked, "Do you understand that this new student could be a threat to the rest of the students? Not only that, I heard that this boy is acquainted with an older woman and he might be involved with some... gang. Sad to tell you but that is hardly legal and the school should question it".

"I'm not surprised, considering that the one who brought him here is one with questionable connections too," Bianchi sipped her tea, "Oh dont look at me like that. This academy is run by Vongola, you shouldnt be surprised by now".

Enma threw himself to his seat, "I'm surprised you dont take this seriously. You used to be strict".

"Who said I'm no longer strict?" Bianchi rose an eyebrow from behind her teacup as she faked her offense, "Then again you're taking this too seriously. The boy is harmless! Trust me, you'd agree once you see him". She put her cup down, "But that woman is too intimidating for my liking. She came here yesterday, spying on him you see? I think she's jealous or something. Last time she put a collar on the boy, I had to get it off of the poor child," she shook her head, "I mean, how possessive could a woman be?! And once I talked to her about it, she took great offense!"

Enma shook his head in disbelief.

Despite the weird start of their conversation, Enma's conversation with Bianchi continued in lighter manner. The matter of the new addition to the junior team went forgotten in seconds once the conversation turned to their reminiscence of the time they spent in the academy as students. He left Bianchi's office in good mood, even sparing MM a smile on his way out (which the secretary returned with a guilt-ridden timid nod).

He was taking a right turn toward the hallway to the alumnus lounge when he accidentally hit someone. The other person fell to the floor. "I am so sorry!" Enma exclaimed while offering his hand to help the fallen person, seemingly a student here. Enma was pleased to find that it was the boy who was stuck on the window from yesterday. "It's you!" Enma greeted happily, "It's nice to see you again".

Enma unconsciously landed his hands on the boy's brown scarf and fixed it. The boy blinked owlishly yet again, mumbling softly under his breath.

"What was that?" Enma asked, "You're not looking out to catch birds anymore, are you?"

The boy didn't answer, but Enma laughed merrily. How Sweet.

"Take care of yourself okay? There, now you look all neat," he patted the new bow he created on the boy's scarf. He then left the boy alone in the hallway, all the while humming a random tune on his way to the lounge.

If only he knew, he would quickly get away from being the focus of those brown eyes.

Hours later, Hibari Kyoya made his appearance in the lone hallways of Vongola Music Academy. He was waiting for his sister's fiance, obviously, as of ordered from said sister. He was scowling from the long wait, making a group of students who walked by nervous. A silver haired student seemed to have the guts to sneer at him though.

His phone rang. The black haired male looked down at his phone. The number was unknown. He eyed his surrounding and gave a small grunt to no one. An unknown number could mean a lot of things; it could be a threat at Adel, it could mean he has a careless staff who lost their phone, it could also mean there's a bored teen out there that decided they should make a crank call at a random number.

Kyoya decided to venture into the more isolated part of the school, wherever that is, and picked up. "Hello?" He greeted to the line, meanwhile watching his surrounding with keen eyes.

"Hey!"

Kyoya growled, "How the fuck did you get this number?" then he hissed the cursed name, "Luce!"

Yet she ignored the question outright, "A friend told me you're in Japan!"

Kyoya looked left and right. Who from Luce's side could track him that easily? No, there should be one person. Fon. "I'm hanging up".

"Oh wait! Do reconsider would you? I have told you that I have interesting offers after all," she giggled from the other end of the line, "Because if my informant wasn't mistaken, you weren't staying in Japan for no reasons".

"I have a job, if you haven't known," Kyoya gritted his teeth.

"Oh, don't be silly! You shouldn't have drown yourself in all of Estraneo's papers if only you've asked me," her smile could practically be heard from the phone. Because of course, she knew that Kyoya faked destroying all those papers; she knew him too well. Hibari Kyoya was not the type to miss out the opportunity to seek out what other people, especially something as big as The Arcobaleno, wants.

"I technically have Japan in my palm, what kind of information do I not have? Especially those surrounding Estraneo?" Luce continued, "Come on, our colaboration would be the envy of the world. You give me something, and I offer you something. Wouldn't that be profitable?"

Yet the problem with Luce is that she is a control freak despite all the sweet facade. She would never just offer without backing it up with a huge demand. Hibari was disgusted by how she controls all those 7 strongest men and calls them her toys; including his own uncle and Lal.

Lal. Beautiful, intelligent, and strong Lal. It has been Kyoya's desire to take her away from Luce's strong grip. But there was that person; the person with tea-colored hair. Someone who matters enough for Lal to hide them from Kyoya. Someone who is capable of killing Birds.

But no, Kyoya didn't have time for that. He has to set his priorities straight and focus on one thing at a time. He didn't have time to focus on his desires and tail after Birds' killer to get Lal. That was exactly what Luce would want after all. Kyoya wouldn't let himself get into Luce's trap –

"Hibari! Hibari!"

"Wait, what?"

"Hm?" Luce responded, "I was just saying that I could even set a meeting at Sky Bar soon".

"No, I'm sure I heard," Kyoya turned around and faced the center of the hallway. No, that voice that called him wasn't Luce. There's only one thing who often called him in that high pitched voice and in that sing-songy manner. "Hibird?"

"What?" Luce questioned from the other end of the line; confused.

Kyoya didn't answer. He was too busy watching the vacant hallway. He was sure he hear that voice nice and clear. The young man walked further into the center of the hallway; his eyes turned sharper; he was on the hunt. He stopped in dead center and let his ears warn him of any signs of living.

A second.

Two.

Three.

And then ten.

Nothing.

"Hello? Kyoya, you still there?"

Kyoya let his eyes roam around the room before he finally returned to his phone. "Yes," he answered as he turned around and make his way out of the place, favorably outside of the building, "You know what, let's talk later".

In Hibari Kyoya's mind, he was just imagining Hibird's voice thanks to Luce's taunting. However, he missed seeing a brown haired boy hanging upside down from the chandelier on top of where he just stood. The brown haired had his two feet hooked around the chandelier, while his two hands formed a huge fist in front of him. The boy then pulled his left palm away to reveal a round canary bird in the strong grip of his right hand.

The bird was visibly shaken. This brown haired boy was not the gentlest handler of small animals after all. The AI inside the bird knew that fact very well; it had stored the data of his captivity under this boy.

"Birdie!" the boy squealed happily. He had been looking for this bird since last week. It seemed that Tsuna lost it when he practiced in the academy. Thankfully he found it yet again. He kissed the top of the bird's head lovingly then jumped like a feline to the carpeted flooring of the hallway.

Tsuna had a nice plan for birdie, of course. Because Lal told him to create as many as minions possible; and that would mean having to invest on the people who deserves it. And Tsuna had found yet another minion.

Tsuna pulled out a paper bag from the pocket of his pants then pushed the poor canary into it. He folded the top of the bag carefully before he strutted across the hallway; the alumnus lounge became the destination in mind. Once there, he found the room to be empty; which made sense considering school is over and the people who stayed to practice had to be holing their selves in the practice room.

Tsuna put the paper bag none too gently on top of a desk nearest to the door. The paper bag landed right beside a golden name tag; it read Kozato Enma. "You deserves it," the boy mumbled before he left the room.

Minutes later, you'd see Enma tumbling inside the room meanwhile complaining that he would get an earful from Kyoya for making him wait. He then noticed the paper bag, and was worried once he noticed the messy heart shaped doodle on it. Surely, Kyoya would fuss about this because Adel's fiance should not have any secret admirer, ever; even though said admirer's feelings was not reciprocated.

He had to make his mind quick though; because a fuming Hibari Kyoya was waiting outside of the building and Enma better not add fuel to the already existing hatred the younger man had toward himself. So he grabbed the paper bag and hid it in his bag; hoping Kyoya wouldn't find it.

It was almost midnight, and Adel was alone in her bed wearing her hottest red lingerie. She wondered if Enma would be home by now considering that it should be late afternoon in Japan. She smirked mischievously and took a selfie. There, now she could tease her fiance from afar.

It was funny, she thought after sending the picture, because Enma would be troubled by the photo. Not because he didn't like it, of course; they had shared too much to not know what the other likes and dislikes. It was because he knew Kyoya bugged his phone. That would mean the future brother-in-law would know everything Adel and Enma shared.

Enma had been in a lot of trouble just for flirting with Adel through phone. Adel had to admit she likes it; she liked the idea of her man going through stuff because of her – however twisted that sounds. It was probably the idea of having someone who would go through all that troubles to stay with you. Just imagining it made her tremble, and all possessiveness she holds over her fiance struck her once again.

Her phone buzzed. It seemed Enma had replied, which was weird. Adel expected him to hesitate before replying. Because it was a lose-lose situation for Enma; Adel would be angry if he didn't flirt back; yet Kyoya would be angry if he did otherwise. Adel hurriedly opened the message – half hoping it was a picture of Enma half naked (because she loves that man when he's half naked or fully naked).

But it wasn't.

What she got instead was a picture of Enma's head and... a bird?

Why do you have a fat bird on top of your head? Adel replied.

I found this bird on my desk, Enma replied, weird huh?

Possibly from a student, Adel concluded; and that thought made her feel like slapping someone on the face. That, or she could make an innuendo out of this. How about, 'I'd rather see another bird of yours'? But that would make her sound too desperate.

Adel sighed and turned to her left side. And now she couldn't tease her fiance mercilessly because the man had started talking about the bird. Plus she also failed to create trouble for her lover; because Kyoya wouldn't make a fuss if Enma sent Adel a picture of a mere bird, right?

TBC