uploaded on October 17, 2015

Thank you very much for answering my question! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that most of you prefer All27 but of course there are still some favorites. I tallied your responses and the top three (aside from All27) are Reborn, Hibari and Yamamoto.

I also received a few compliments with the cover art. Thank you so much! I actually have some drawings for KHR in my tumblr so if you're curious, please check it out (just remove the spaces since FFN doesn't allow links): msleilei . tumblr . com

I think we're getting some plot now or something. Thank you so much for reading this story and as always please enjoy!

Rational

"Uncle Kawahira?" Tsuna poked his head through the kitchen door.

"Yes, Tsuna-kun?"

"We're out of Cloudy cupcakes."

"Perfect timing!" Uncle Kawahira pointed at one of the fridges. "Please get them from that fridge. I made a few more batches earlier today." He turned around and went back to mixing batter.

Tsuna gulped. Suddenly his legs felt weak and it was like he couldn't move.

He was freaking nervous.

One might ask him, why would he be nervous entering the Kawahira's Baked Goodies' kitchen? Surely there shouldn't be anything wrong with that, right?

Well, yeah. But Tsuna had never been to the kitchen before.

Ever.

There were times he poked his head inside whenever he needed to say something to Uncle Kawahira, but that was the entirety of it. It was silly since he was employed here for two months already, but he had no reason to enter the kitchen, and even if he did, Uncle Kawahira would always offer to do it himself. They did have an understanding before that the kitchen area was for Uncle Kawahira, while the service area was for Tsuna.

But now Uncle Kawahira was openly telling him to enter the kitchen.

Tsuna didn't know what to do.

"Is there something wrong?" It was a female voice coming from behind him — the customer.

Tsuna turned his head around and smiled as best as he could. "Ahh, everything's fine." Where's Reborn when you need his charm to distract the female populace?

The girl nodded at him impassively. "I can wait. Enma told me the cake here is delicious and I trust his judgement."

Way to put pressure on him! He should focus on getting the cupcakes from the kitchen —

"Here it is, Tsuna-kun," Uncle Kawahira appeared out of nowhere with a big smile on his face as he handed him the tray of Cloudy cupcakes. "I'm sorry I ordered you to get it when I could have done it myself."

Tsuna gulped again. "I-it's okay, Uncle Kawahira," he took the tray and quickly returned to his area to store the cupcakes in the chiller and display cases. He was relieved. If he was the main character in a work of fiction, wouldn't that scenario be the perfect excuse for a turning point in the story? Apparently not.

"Three Cloudy cupcakes," Tsuna presented the box of cupcakes and placed it on the counter. The girl nudged her head as a bow and as a confirmation of her order. Nodding himself, Tsuna began entering the order in the register and started small talk — now would be the right time to satiate his curiosity. "You're Enma's friend?"

"A childhood friend. Adelheid," she introduced herself, her face still impassive. "I know you helped Enma before, when you caught him resting on the ground after he tripped." Tripped? Did that guy seriously tell his friends he only tripped when Tsuna was pretty sure he was beaten up? "You might be a nice person but that doesn't automatically mean you're okay in my book."

Tsuna sighed in his head. This girl reminded him of Kyouya. He wanted to befriend her since she was Enma's friend, but she dismissed him in a heartbeat. To be honest it left him crestfallen but a bit more decided on befriending her. She said she was Enma's childhood friend, so they had known each other for several years now; she shouldn't be that bad, right? Maybe he could ask Enma for help?

Before he could think of his next move, Adelheid left the shop with her purchase.

That was when Reborn decided to appear.

"Where were you?" Tsuna whined at Reborn who was fixing the ties of his apron. "I could've used your help to entertain the customer while I got the cupcakes from the back and —

"I know I'm reliable, Tsuna, but you shouldn't depend on me too much. Even though a boss normally delegates tasks to others you should also learn how to be more capable."

"I'm not a boss. You're just making up excuses," Tsuna pouted even more and crossed his arms, turning away.

Then he felt Reborn step closer to him as his gut feeling flared to life. It wasn't malfunctioning this time — like it usually did when Reborn was around — and it warned him of an incoming attack; he stepped to the side, avoiding the flick he was about to get on his forehead.

"Good evasion," Reborn nodded as he brought his hand down to his side. "Let's practice this from time to time."

Why the heck would he need to practice avoiding flicks to the forehead?!

While Tsuna continued to sulk on his side of the store, his eyes found their way to the window panes. The shop was near the train platform enough that you can see people coming to and fro from the train. It was at a prime spot! That was the reason why Tsuna believed this shop had the potential to have lots of customers. He couldn't understand why it was the other way around. Sometimes he never even see anyone glance at their shop. It was as if it didn't exist.

But all of his musings didn't matter when it happened.

Time stopped.

His breath caught in his throat.

Tsuna saw him again.

Him with the sparkling blond hair and the sunset eyes — goddamit, brain — walking to the train platform. He was talking to someone with reddish hair and a strange tattoo on his face —

Tsuna grabbed the counter to stop himself from running after them. He was on the clock, dammit! He should focus on the cake shop and not on strange, yet mesmerizing, people!

"What are you doing, Tsuna?" Reborn asked from behind him before grabbing one of his wrists. That instantly snapped him out of his daze as he tugged his hand away from Reborn's grip.

"I'm having an internal conflict," Tsuna grumbled and glared before looking away again. Who was that guy and why the hell was he having this effect on him? At least now he knew the guy frequented Namimori Station — Tsuna would have to be more observant in the future if he wanted a chance to talk to him.

Wait . . . why did he want to talk to him? In fact, what would he say? Ask him his name? Ask him where he lived and what he liked and why he had those enchanting orange eyes —

Tsuna stopped himself before his thoughts get any wilder. Those thoughts were stalkerish and he didn't want to be a stalker!

"Dame-Tsuna, I bet you're thinking of something lewd right now."

"I-I'm not!" Tsuna quickly shook his head and tried to fight the blush from showing up on his face. He was not thinking of anything lewd at all. NOT AT ALL! It was just . . . that guy was too . . . good-looking? Attractive? Charming? He also had an air of nobility around him, as if Tsuna wasn't worthy to look at him. It was as if Tsuna wasn't even worthy of thinking about him!

And those tangerine eyes — in the three seconds that he looked at Tsuna, it was enough to make him feel all gooey and —

Oh god. Tsuna leant against the counter and stared at it in disbelief. What the heck was happening to him? What if Skull-sama was right? What if he did fall in love at first sight? But that was too irrational and Tsuna couldn't see himself experiencing that for no reason at all!

He looked nice. He was nice to Tsuna. He even smelled nice —

Tsuna sat himself at the corner of the shop to reflect on his life.

Tsuna could hear the voices of Uncle Kawahira and Reborn but their words weren't registering in his head.

"What's wrong with Tsuna-kun?"

"He's reflecting."

"Reflecting? Why?"

"He felt the need to do so after staring at the window, apparently."

"At the window?"

There were a few seconds of silence before Uncle Kawahira spoke again, "Reborn-kun, please watch over the shop," followed by the telltale chimes of the shop's door bell.

Tsuna was brought back to reality. He stood up from his corner of the shop before rushing to the glass windows, pressing his hands against the pane. He tried to look for Uncle Kawahira but he was too late, the man had already disappeared from sight.

He brought his hands down to his sides. He had never seen Uncle Kawahira leave the shop before. As far as he knew the man lived in the shop, so he wanted to see what would it be like for him to leave the store. But he was too fast! For an older man he was still too energetic. More importantly, where did he go?

"Are you done sulking?" Reborn's voice was too close.

"What does it mean when your heart stops when you look at someone?" Tsuna asked on a whim, then quickly regretted it as he covered his mouth with his hand. Goddamit, he could be such an idiot sometimes! He was not supposed to say that out loud!

Reborn snorted. "When your heart stops, you're probably dead."

It was a good thing Reborn wasn't a romanticist.

"Let's go back to your training," the guy spoke up again as Tsuna felt him walking away from the window.

It was a very good thing. Knowing Reborn, he would pester Tsuna until the end of time to make him explain why he was thinking about heart-stopping moments and Tsuna would never be able to explain it. Especially if it involved a stranger — a good-looking stranger, but still a stranger.

Uncle Kawahira returned an hour later. Tsuna forgot the man was even outside and quickly dismissed his entrance just as fast. He couldn't remember the reason why Uncle Kawahira went out in the first place. Was there even a reason? Maybe the man liked to take walks from time to time.

Now that Tsuna wondered about it, what was he doing before Uncle Kawahira left the shop? He sold some cupcakes to Enma's friend and . . . ah, well, if it was important he would remember it later.

It was a scary-looking man.

Tsuna stared up at a guy with wild, green hair and droopy, gray eyes, who, at the moment, was more interested in Reborn than all the other things in the shop.

"C-Can I help you?" Tsuna tried to get his attention as his responsibility as the cashier.

The man ignored him. "I didn't realize you'd be here, Reborn."

Tsuna turned his head to look at the guy behind him, but said guy had an uncaring, yet dangerous look on his face. So this person knew Reborn?

Then Reborn looked away from the man. "I only talk to customers."

Tsuna's jaw dropped to the floor. Was that how one spoke to acquaintances?!

The guy was undeterred and held his smirk. "I suppose it is understandable since we are in a cake shop." Finally he acknowledged Tsuna's presence as his eyes found and locked on Tsuna's big, brown ones. "A whole Mesmerizing Rain cake and a cappucino to go." He then glanced back at Reborn. "There, now I'm a paying customer."

Reborn turned around. "I'll get back to you after I make the cappucino."

Reborn's purposely being difficult, Tsuna thought in panic when an annoyed expression passed the man's face. He really didn't want a repeat of what happened between Colonnello and Reborn so he should do something about this right now. "U-um," he tried to get the man's attention again as he boxed the cake, "You're Reborn's friend?"

"Heh, friends . . ." both men mumbled at the same time. Tsuna guessed they weren't.

"I am Verde," the man introduced himself, extending out a hand. Polite, Tsuna observed as he returned the kind gesture and shook hands with him. "You must be the owner of this shop."

"N-no, I'm just the cashier. I'm Tsuna." Colonnello assumed the same thing when they first met. Why would they make such a simple mistake? If anything, Reborn looked more like the owner of the shop than him!

"And I am the barista, Reborn," the guy placed the drink on the counter, keeping his eyes on Verde, "Which is why I'm here."

Tsuna could see Verde's eyebrows bunching up in confusion before the smirk returned on his lips. "I see. This must be what Colonnello was referring to, although I am still not convinced. It's too good to be true."

Reborn smirked back before breaking eye contact. "Take it or leave it."

Verde turned to Tsuna who was watching the exchange with utmost bewilderment — he didn't understand a thing, although he did pick up they were mutual acquaintances with Colonnello. "Tsuna. What is your full name?"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," he answered wholeheartedly, not a little bit curious why Verde wanted his name in the first place.

The guy nodded. "Then, please allow me to call you Tsunayoshi."

"Um, okay?"

Verde smiled at him, which . . . kind of looked weird on his face, and yet it was surprisingly tender. Tsuna smiled back almost instinctively. "Tsunayoshi. I like you."

Tsuna choked on air as he felt his cheeks heat up. What the heck?! This guy didn't even know his name five seconds ago! Not to mention there was a very, very dangerous aura coming from behind him and Tsuna was pretty sure it was from Reborn.

"Interesting," Verde tapped his finger against his chin while staring straight at Tsuna, which might have caused more flushing and panic for him. "But I still need more substantial data to form a conclusive opinion."

"Oi," Reborn shoved the box and cup on Verde's hands, "Get your cake and get out."

Verde only snorted at him and left without saying anything else.

"Tsuna," Reborn slapped him upside the head, snapping him out of his daze, "Don't take that idiot's words seriously. He's testing your reaction."

Tsuna took a few deep breaths and when he was sure the heat on his face dissipated, he replied, "Reaction?"

"Yes. He wants to see how you will react."

Tsuna scrunched his eyebrows. "React on what?"

"With what he said." Suddenly, Reborn smiled at him sweetly, almost causing Tsuna to flee out of sheer terror. "Tsunayoshi. I like you."

. . .

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that."

"Well then. I'm going to take my lunch now."

Tsuna didn't even bother informing Uncle Kawahira before he made his escape away from the shop.

"Hello, Takeshi? Are you busy?"

"T-Tsuna? It's rare for you to call on a weekday — I'm walking to my next class right now —

"How do I go to Kishiki?"

"Oh? Are you enrolling for the next semester?"

"N-not yet. I want to see the university, that's all. And maybe the dorm you're staying in."

. . .

"Takeshi?"

"Stay where you are. I'm coming over."

"NO! Takeshi! I was just wondering about it. Besides you said you're on your way to class —

"Then this coming Saturday?"

" . . . Sounds good."

"Great! Okay, heading to class now, I promise!"

After saying their goodbyes, Tsuna ended the call with slight hesitation. He had felt too much distress he needed to calm himself down, and the first thing that came to his mind was Takeshi and his university and Kishiki and it just went from there. It wasn't as if he was actually thinking of going there, it was more of a passing thought but he said it anyway and now he had a date on Saturday with Takeshi.

He hadn't calmed down the slightest bit.

To be honest he didn't even want to return to the cake shop. Reborn made him nervous for some reason and that was why he ran away in the first place. It was his fight-or-flight response helping him survive another day that told him to get away.

Tsuna slumped against his seat and closed his eyes. Be rational. Of course he had to return to the shop! He should calm down and get back after his break.

But first, he had to eat.

When he opened his eyes, Byakuran was sitting in front of him with that ever-telling creepy smile of his.

He could eat later, Tsuna convinced himself before he stood up and got out of there as fast as he could.