Soul: After such a long break, I'm finally back everybody~! I got a sprint of motivation today that I went and finished the chapter! Joining me today is Shiori, the Vongola 11th Cloud Guardian.
Shiori: You say 'break' but it was more like an overused vacation.
Soul: W-Wha- I just had to let the ideas come to me!
Shiori: Yes, yes. The festival is coming up.
Soul: Yes it is! It will lead to where the story gets important!
Shiori: You mean to say, it wasn't important until now?
Soul: What a way to twist my words... /cries
Shiori: SoulSpirit9440 does not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Enjoy the chapter.
"Are you going to be okay?"
The question caused the black haired boy to turn towards the younger blonde. He closed his eyes, placing his hands in his pockets as the red scarf hung. "What is?"
The two were in the hallway, having passed each other. It was late at night, but the lights shone brightly.
Daiki shifted his eyes to the wall. "…He will be there."
Sighing, Ayato began to walk forward. "If that's what you're worried about, I'm leaving."
"Don't act like it hasn't bothered you." The sentence cut through like ice and the older boy came to a stop. "All these years. You haven't forgotten."
"…So what?"
Daiki bit his lip, clenching his fists tightly. "…How can you act so calm? D…Did you really not care about him?"
Ayato paused, his bangs falling to brush against his eyes. "I never said anything about caring. You just need to do your job, just as always." Without waiting for the younger boy to respond, he left with brisk footsteps.
"Aya-chan…"
Ayato opened the door to his room, only to slam it shut after him. He leaned his head back, hitting the door. The pain didn't unnerve him.
The room had simple furniture, but the windows were closed to block out any light. Still, he was able to make his way to his bookshelf.
Hidden in the corner at the top, a small album had been placed amidst the numerous books of fiction. He pulled it out slowly, turning it over. He blew away the dust that had collected on it, brushing away any leftover particles.
There was a pause as the boy's hand reached to open the album. It hung there longer than it should. Ayato bit his lip, his hair falling over his eyes as his hand fell. He started to place the album back where it was.
But as he did so, a loose picture fell from the album. The picture consisted of seven young boys, smiling together in the house they had lived in together. Four of the boys were of the same age, while the other three were older.
Ayato bent down, picking up the picture carefully. "Ah, this one…"
"What? You used our money again?" Ayato growled as he raised the knife he had been using to cook their dinner for that day.
Sou simply smiled like he always did, holding up the old fashioned camera he had bought. "I had to, Aya-chan! I mean, as soon as I saw this, I knew it had to be fate!"
"Fate my ass." Ayato rolled his eyes, gesturing to all the other bizarre objects in their house. "You're always starting new hobbies, only to get rid of them later!"
"But I'll definitely stick with this one!" Sou promised. "It'll be great to capture memories from now on! It even comes with a video feature!"
Ayato's eye twitched, but knowing he wasn't going to win, gave up and sighed. He went back to preparing dinner. "Do what you want."
"It smells good!"
Kohaku, Daiki, Rei and Hiro walked into the room, lured by the smell of the food. Vin followed them in, adjusting his glasses as he did.
His eyes went to Sou, and then to the camera. "…Again?"
Sou smiled brightly. "Say, since we're all here, how about we take a picture together?"
"Hah? Why would we-?" Ayato was about to protest but he was interrupted by the younger boys.
Their eyes sparkled. "Let's do it! A group picture!"
"Kind of like a family picture!" Daiki piped.
Kohaku nodded cheerfully. "Yeah, yeah I was thinking of the same thing!"
"Onii-chan, join us too!" Rei tugged on his older brother's arm.
Vin rubbed his head. "I guess I have to."
"I'm in." Hiro smiled.
They all looked at Ayato, who was being cornered. The boy sighed. "I guess we will."
"Everybody, smile!" Sou announced after he timed the camera and went to seat himself with the others.
The camera's shutter clicked.
Ayato closed his eyes as the memory came to a fade, opening it again to look at the picture. The ring on his ear seemed to make its presence known more so than before.
"Sou… I guess you did stick with that hobby."
"Yukino, can you help me out?" Haru called for her oldest daughter from the kitchen, taking some vegetables out of the fridge.
"Coming."
There was a tumble of footsteps on the stairs before the girl appeared in the room, walking over to take an apron.
"Can you cut up some vegetables for me?" Haru asked, setting the plants on the counter and taking out a bowl.
Yukino nodded, pulling on the drawer to take out a cutting knife. She began to cut the vegetables, pausing every so often to put them in the bowl.
"Is something wrong?" Haru's voice broke the silence as she stirred the contents of the soup.
Yukino blinked in surprise, turning around to her mother. "Why do you ask, Mom?"
"Well, you look like you're thinking a lot about something." Haru explained, taking a sip of the soup before adding more salt. "It's not like you to be so quiet."
Yukino paused, giving her mother a small smile before turning back to her task. "I'm fine. Really I am."
Haru stared at her daughter's back for a moment, before she turned back to the soup. Her daughter will tell her eventually. It was best not to press it too much.
When everything was prepared, Haru called for the rest of the family as Yukino set the table. Yukine and Mayu walked in a few minutes after being called. Haru, annoyed, asked where her husband was. When Yukine told her he was still in his study, Haru asked him to drag his father out. Shrugging, Yukine did as he was told as Mayu went to help Yukino.
Gokudera had a sour look on his face as he walked into the room behind Yukine, who had successfully dragged him out after threatening him about how Haru will make him sleep outside if he missed the family dinner. As soon as Haru glared at him, he kept a neutral face and went to his seat at the head of the table.
When everybody was seated, the usual chatter started as they started eating. Of course, there were always small arguments here and there but that was the usual in the Gokudera family.
After a while, Gokudera spoke up. "Yukino, what's wrong?"
Haru blinked at her husband in disbelief. Even though their eldest daughter had been acting normally, Gokudera saw right through her. And why was he being so blunt just when she was trying to give their daughter space? Haru didn't know if his ability to do that annoyed her, or made her love him even more.
Yukino flinched, setting down her bowl. She knew full well her mother would always wait for her to speak first, but her father went straight to the point. Finally, she spoke, "There's been someone on my mind for a while."
"Huh? That's what's been bothering you?" Yukine said. "What's so great about that person?"
Yukino shrugged. "He was different from anybody else I've met."
"'He'?" Gokudera's eye twitched but he kept his face neutral. Haru couldn't help but hold back her laugh behind her hand. "When was this?"
"Mhm, a while ago, I guess. I never saw him again so I guess it's nothing to worry about." Yukino said sheepishly.
"Aww, my little girl is in love~!" Haru cooed, a bright smile on her face. Yukine flinched, remembering how his mother had acted when she thought he was in love.
"No, that is not love. She met him once for Pete's sake!" Gokudera protested, unable to believe his wife was having her delusions now.
Yukino smiled, remembering her meeting with the mysterious boy. "He said my music was beautiful."
Haru didn't even stop the grin on her face from growing bigger, whereas Gokudera on the other hand turned pale. "Hahi! Yukino, you can tell your mother all about it later. Let's sleep together tonight!"
"Can I join too?" Mayu piped up.
Haru nodded cheerfully. "Of course, of course. Let's have a girls talk about love tonight!"
"W-What!" Gokudera was flabbergasted as he watched his wife smiling cheerfully. "Haru, that is not love!"
Haru waved a dismissive hand at her husband. "Oh, please, Hayato. Yukino is at the age where she can fall in love with hundreds of boys."
"H-Hundreds?" Gokudera could not believe what she was saying. He looked over to his last saving chance, Yukine. "Aren't you concern about this?"
Yukine bit into an egg roll and shook his head, diminishing his father's only hope. "She only met him once so it's not like she's going to meet him again. Besides," his eyes glinted, "if he turns out to be a total ass, I'll kill him."
'I think I said something similar to that when I was younger…to Aneki's husband,' Gokudera thought, sweatdropping.
The dimly lit hallway echoed the sounds of footsteps as a figure walked through. Rei, having had dinner, decided he wanted to practice more. Staying in the Vongola mansion limited his resources and options, but he would have to make do.
In all honestly, he would have expected his father to reject the offer. Him, stay at the mansion where Decimo was? Rei knew the rocky history between his father and Decimo, but since Xanxus never said anything, he didn't speak about it either.
But Xanxus had accepted Reborn's proposal. Rei didn't know if it was out of respect for the Alliance, or something more. He never quite understood what his father was thinking. The man hardly spoke unless he had to, and while he wasn't working, he would either be sleeping or eating. There were times when Rei didn't understand why his kind mother would marry someone like his father. He respected his father, greatly so, but there were always things about him Rei couldn't stand.
Rei once asked his elder brother about their father, but his brother had only given him a smile and smoothly sidestepped the question.
Because of Kohaku's deal with Reborn, he and Hiro were swept into it as well. Rei didn't have much experience with women aside from his mother and his Guardians. Becoming a suitor of a girl whom he had met only a few months ago felt odd to him, but it couldn't be helped. He didn't have a say in the matter. All he could do was follow his father's orders.
He wasn't allowed to make his own decisions.
Reaching the training room, he cracked open the door. As soon as he did, a familiar tune came out. Opening the door wider, his amber eyes widen as he witnessed the scene in front of him.
A girl was dancing by herself with a music player lying on the ground that provided the music. Well, she was attempting to dance. Her movements were slow and the order was incorrect.
"…Val?" Rei stepped into the room just as the music came to a stop.
The blonde whirled around in surprise, not having noticed she had a visitor. Her face slowly became a pink hue as she placed up her hands to explain in gestures. "U-Um I was just-!"
Rei glanced down at the music player, noticing the song choice. He glanced back up to Val. "You were practicing the dance?"
Val nodded, rubbing her head sheepishly. "Yeah. I didn't do well during the practice session so I thought I'll practice by myself in order to improve."
"I have to say, you suck." Rei said bluntly.
Val looked as if she was about to cry. She knew she was horrible but he didn't have to be straight out about it.
"…Do you want me to help you?"
"Eh?" Val's eyes widen. "What did you say?"
Rei turned away, adverting his eyes from the girl's. "I said I'll help you with the dance! After all, I created it so it would make me look bad if you do it wrong!"
Val stared at him for a while before she broke into a large smile. "Thank you, Rei!"
"Wha- I'm not doing it for you! Remember that!" Rei blushed furiously.
Letting out a small giggle, "Oh my, you blush so easily." Val couldn't help but be amused by the boy's reactions.
Rei's face was slowly turning as red as a tomato. "S-Shut up! I'm just not good with girls…" He muttered the last part but Val had heard him since they were standing in front of one another.
"But at the meeting you were quite cold to me." Val reminded him, remembering the Alliance meeting a few months ago.
Rei managed to calm himself down in order to answer her clearly. "It's because my father was there. I can't show this pathetic side to him."
"Xanxus-san?" Val blinked. She smiled softly, placing her hands together. "I don't think you're pathetic. Everybody has things they're not used to, and it can be embarrassing. You should freely be able to express your feelings."
"Thanks…" Rei was surprised. He hadn't spoken about this to a girl his age before. His childhood friends and Guardians already knew and often teased him about it. But here was someone who accepted this part of him.
He cleared his throat, deciding they were going off topic, and went over to the music player, turning it on. "We shouldn't waste time. From what I've seen, it's better to get you to remember the moves and which order they're in."
Val nodded. "I'll be in your care, instructor!"
"Don't call me that. It's embarrassing." Rei mumbled, turning away as he turned red again, but his words were drowned in the blasting music.
"Then, we'll take it from the top!"
They eased into practicing, first going through the entire routine before Rei stopped to tell Val her mistakes. The girl nodded as she listened to the advice, adjusting herself to do it correctly. The black haired boy stayed a few feet away from her, but he demonstrated how to do things.
As they stopped for a break, Val collapsed on her knees, leaning against the wall. "Here." Rei tossed her water bottle to her, and Val caught it in a fumble.
Val smiled as she took a sip of water. "Rei, you're actually really kind."
"H-Hah?" Rei sputtered, turning to look at her. "I-I'm not!"
Giggling, Val glanced upwards at him. "You are. You're taking the time you could have spent training to teach me. Sorry for not letting you train."
"It's fine." Turning away, Rei raised the bottle to his lips, taking in some water. "It was my own decision." He said, pink dust on his cheeks.
Val tilted her head. "Is there a reason you're not good with girls?"
"I-It's not that I'm bad with them or anything…" Rei mumbled. "I think it was when I was younger. Despite growing up together, the others seem fine with girls. But I've never been one to interact with them all that much."
"You seem fine with me and the others." Val commented.
Rei sighed. "You're in the Mafia. Regardless of what I do, I still have to communicate with you or else we might lose this war. If my father finds out about this, I'm ruined."
"It seems we both have demanding fathers." Val set her bottle down, standing up and stretching her legs.
Rei paused, only to chuckle a moment later. "I don't think they'll be happy being compared like that."
"Ah, you finally laughed!" Val piped brightly, smiling. "I've only ever seen you laugh and smile when you're with the guys. This is the first time you've laughed without them around."
"O-Of course I can still laugh without them! I mean, who needs to be besides childhood friends who tease you 24/7?" Rei protested, turning red again.
Val couldn't help but laugh as the black haired boy started ranting about how his childhood friends constantly tormented him ever since they were little. She slowly drowned out his words as, for a split second, a memory came to her.
"Then, tell me your favorite story!"
"What?"
"Your favorite story. You must have one right? Since you've read so many books. Tell me your favorite! I'll listen."
"Okay!"
"My favorite is the one about a princess who sleeps for one hundred years!"
Val grabbed her head, staggering as she placed a hand on the wall. Rei's urgent voice drowned out in her own thoughts.
Her eyes blurred as she looked at Rei, as if she was seeing a foggy image. The image of the boy flashed back into her mind. That boy…
Didn't he have black hair…?
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