October 2, 2010

Like I said, I planned to meet Yukino at the cafe. We met up and he immediately pushed me for answers. I told him the truth the only way I know how, bluntly…

"...I was at a graveyard."

He blinked, surprise all over his face, "I shouldn't have pushed you," he immediately apologized.

I shook my head as I gripped my tea, "Nah, it's fine. Just-" I cut myself off and put my head down, "It just happened before the Hibari's found me- before I was in a good place like Namimori."

Yukino nodded understandably, "I get it, you don't have to tell me until you're ready."

I opened my mouth to thank him, but something landed on our table. I stared shocked at the pink ball that had landed on our table, my eyes wide.

"Huh? What's this?" Yukino asked as he reached out to touch it.

My eyes grew wide and I tried to stop him, "Yukino, don't-"

I grabbed his wrist but it was too late, he had already touched it and made it burst.

And as the pink smoke surrounded us, I cursed the god that brought Yukino in on these damn adventures.

When the smoke had cleared, Yukino was surprisinglystill in front of me, his eyes wide with confusion and shock. Beside him was a blonde older man I didn't recognize. And I was sandwiched between the same brunet man who had greeted me before, the silver haired man, and that man.

I jumped out of my seat and backed away from the raven haired man, "나 만지지마!" I exclaimed nervously.

Yukino was immediately concerned at my slightly manic reaction, "Mamoru?"

In my defense, I think my reaction was very justified.

The blonde and brunet grinned mischievously while the silver haired man sighed, "What'd you do to mess with him Takeshi?"

The tall raven haired Japanese man with a scar on his chin smiled brightly, "I have no idea what you're talking about Hayato," he said with little to no tact at all.

The brunet just chuckled, "Come now, let's all calm down." He looked at me and Yukino, "Yukino-kun, Mamoru-kun, please sit down. I assure you these men won't do anything to you."

Yukino's eyes sharpened, "But you will?"

And for a second, I could have sworn I saw some strange color bleed through his eyes.

The brunet's eyes widened before he chuckled, "You have my word I will not do anything either, I can't harm my two of my best men," he assured.

I raised an eyebrow, "Your men?"

The silver haired man glared, "Just hurry up and sit down Mamoru, you don't have much time left. Tsunayoshi won't hurt you."

I looked over at them, "Who are you all?"

"Mamoru," I looked to Yukino, "What's going on?" he asked, he looked so confused and his body was visibly shaking.

I looked forward again, "I'll tell you later, just stay away." I warned.

The blond man shook his head, "Calm down, I assure you, we won't hurt you, you're family."

"What is this family?" I asked sharply, "And the Varia?" I growled, "That man in the fedora didn't give me much information."

They tensed and I knew I had struck a chord. The blond stood up and I turned towards him with wide eyes, "As much fun as this is, I'll show you why we won't even think about hurting you," he approached Yukino with confident steps.

Yukino stopped and froze. I tried to go after him, but arms wrapped around my waist.

I tried to pry them away but by the time I looked up, the blond had captured my friend's mouth with his own.

Yeah I know, a "Wait what?!" moment.

I gaped as the blond held my friend close until he collapsed, "What the hell?!" I yelled loudly.

"Chiavarone!" the silver haired man yelled.

Suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the black haired man's grasp, "How do you know Reborn?" The brunette asked, almost panicked, "He never told me about this-"

"Reborn?" I echoed, my mouth growing dry, my mind quickly connecting the dots, "So he is that baby that approached me at school the other day," I blurted, "But if that's the case, then this is the future!" I felt my breaths shorten, "What the hell is going on? Time travel isn't real!"

The brunet's gaze suddenly softened, "I'm so sorry you had to go through this by yourself, Mamoru-kun." He mumbled softly to me, burying his face in my hair as I continued to panic, "And I don't know if this will make it easier, but I'll tell you who we are and who you and Yukino-kun are."

He pulled away and showed me a beautifully crafted orange ring, that immediately burst into flames, "We are, the mafia,"

Before I could process it, we were brought back to our world.

The waitress panicked when she saw Yukino collapsed and me hyperventilating. She in vain tried to calm me down as 911 began to arrive. Moving between the cafe, to the ambulance, to the hospital was all done in a flash.

At some point they had tried hooked me up to something that would help me breathe. I resisted, out of my mind with no oxygen, and tried to get away from them. Nurses tried to calm me down and eventually, after a doctor tried, I assume they injected me with drugs to make me pass out.

When I woke up again…

...it was late afternoon, a few hours after school got out on weekdays.

I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to get used to the amber dimming light filling the room through the windows. An elegant hand came closer to my face and covered my eyes.

"Take your time," the voice murmured, "Don't force yourself."

I focused on the smell of sakura the hand carried as I eventually adjusted to the light. The hand moved, leaving the lingering scent of sakura, allowing me to take in the sights of Hibari Fuyumi, the Hibari Matriarch.

I stared at her openly, "Hibari-sama, what are you doing here?" I asked.

She glanced away from the sunset she was staring at towards me, then back towards it, "I received word that my charge was sent to the hospital after what looks like an anxiety attack, I wanted to know the cause," She simply responded, straight to the point.

I looked away from her perfect figure, wearing an elegant kimono that suited her Japanese features, "It was nothing of your concern," I told her, which was honestly the truth.

There was an uncomfortable and tense silence that followed my words.

"So you won't tell me?" she asked coldly.

I nodded silently.

She got up from her seat and turned towards the door, I watched her back as she stopped, "Your living quarters are to be moved. You are to live with my only son in the Hibari Compound. If anything happens to you, I will know through him." She barked out coldly, "Men will come to take your stuff on Tuesday during school. My son will pick you up after and take you to your new living quarters," She began to walk again, "That is all."

I watched as she left and immediately slammed my fist against the wall.

"Mamoru?" I looked up and saw Yukino's puzzled expression, "Are you okay?" He stood at the open doorway to my room, his eyes slightly wide.

I composed myself and sent him a teasing smile, "Worried about me? How sweet," I cooed. At his serious expression I sobered up, the smile fading from my face, exhaustion setting in, "I'm fine," I reassured as I beckoned him in, "And you?"

He sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm fine, it was just shock." He told me, "I've already gotten over it." He chuckled to himself, "Looks like I know my sexuality," he joked.

I let out a sparse smile at his quip, but immediately grew serious, "You want to know what happened, don't you?" I asked in a raspy voice.

He looked at me with determined eyes and nodded.

So, I explained everything. The first time it happened to me, a few more occasions of the smoke attacks. About the red haired boy, the brunet teen, the pink ball and smoke, what I had learned from that man that called it the-

"Mafia?" Yukino asked incredulously, "In the future we're mafioso?"

I shrugged, "According to that man, we are."

He looked down for a second and looked at me determinedly, "Slap me." He commanded.

I stared blankly, "Whaa?" I asked unintelligently.

He frowned, "I have to make sure we're not insane."

I stared at him and chuckled, "We'll be insane together." I assured him, hitting my fist to the temple of his head lightly.

After a check up, we were released from the hospital and Yukino's mother fussed over us.

We complained that we were alright, but the hospital gave her the rest of the day off to take care of us.

It was comforting to have dinner with Yukino's family. It felt safe. (And tasted amazing)

I think we both had a good night's rest, despite falling asleep on the Kinoshita couch.

P.S. Find out more about the mafia.

P.P.S. Thank Yukino's mom for the food.

P.P.P.S. How the hell is that couch so comfy?

P.P.P.P.S. Try to accept that the mafia is real.

Korean Translation:

"나 만지지마!" - Don't touch me!