A/N:

@bbbk007: Thank you. Hahaha. Oh and Reborn? You'll know the reason.

Thanks for the reviews. And the favorites. And the follows. I may or may not be able to update this weekend. HAHAHA. But, really, it won't be long for this story to end.

Anyway, go on.

Chapter Twenty-Four

His heart is breaking. He doesn't know what to do, nor what to pick. Torn between his safety and the safety of his family. And right now, he can't breathe from the pressure.

"Choose Tsunayoshi!" Xiao Min shouted, hand gripping Hayato's hair.

"Take me." Tsuna answered. "Let them go and take me."

The man smirked. "Take him."

"No. I want you to let them go and I'll go with you."

"Fine."

Tsuna sighed as he approached his guardians. He caressed they're faces one by one. He smiled sadly as he stared at Bianchi and the kids faces. He stood up and breathed in before going with them. Xiao Min put a hand on his forearm and gripped him tightly, not wanting to let him go.

They were going to step inside the van when a gunshot was heard, and one of the men collapsed. Tsuna stared at the body in worry before looking at the source of the bullet. Reborn is standing there, a normal black gun in hand, and glaring at them.

"Tsuna." Reborn called. [Are you okay?]

"Clam?" Tsuna asked. [Are the Vongola here?]

"Yes." The hitman answered. It made Tsuna sigh in relief. "Are you going with them?"

"I need to go." Tsuna responded, wincing as the hand on his forearm tightened. He can feel the nails piercing his skin. "Check them. Please."

"Your safety is priority, Tsuna." Reborn persisted.

Tsuna smiled. "I'll be okay."

The moment he said that, Xiao Min yanked him towards the van. Reborn felt his rage took over him. Sensing the danger, Tsuna brought back his free arm and smashed it towards the man's head. The grip on him loosened as the man howled in pain. Reborn took the opportunity to shoot every man surrounding Tsuna who ducked away from the bullets' pathways.

Reborn walked towards Tsuna. The latter blew away his bangs before smiling to the former. A tick mark appeared on the hitman's temple. Then he smacked Tsuna's head upside down. Tsuna interjected loudly in pain.

Tsuna was going to say something when he felt his head throb. He stood up quickly and shielded Reborn from an incoming bullet. But the latter had it otherwise. He turned them around, taking the bullet in his arm. Tsuna shouted his name then went for the hyper dying will mode. In a flash, Tsuna went for the man, beat him up before returning to Reborn's side.

"Reborn." Tsuna said worriedly.

"I'm okay, Baka." Reborn hissed. "How can you be so reckless. Throwing away your life for me."

"Because I want to keep you safe." Tsuna snapped. "I don't want to lose another parent. Two is enough. I don't want to add more."

Reborn tipped his hat down to cover his blush. "I was only gone for a while and this happened."

"They kidnapped them." Tsuna answered between gritted teeth. "I couldn't sit still."

"You could've called the Vongola, instead of leaving a note there for me."

"I'm not yet a boss, Reborn. The chances of believing me is thirty percent, while they believe you hundred percent for scaring them."

Reborn was going to retort when his sight became blurry. Tsuna, who saw this, immediately held him by his shoulders and let Reborn's forehead rest on his shoulder. He waited until the hitman fell asleep. He chuckled despite the growing anxiousness in his stomach.

"I'm more accustomed to the feeling that I'm the first one to fall asleep, Reborn." He murmured before sighing. "I have a bad feeling about this whole fiasco. And I know what ever happens, I'll be hurt and all I could do is cry and accept it. So promise me you'll take care of yourself, neh?"

The emotions are uncontainable. The moment everything registered in his mind, he can't stop his tears from flowing. It was painful. To know that you'll be forgotten by your love ones.

Tsuna stared at the door in front of him. It's the room where most of his friends are. Even Reborn is there. He sighed before turning his head to his right where Jaeger was sitting. He did a lot of persuasion to make the Vendice sit beside him.

When Shamal told him that the bullet contained some kind of drug that can forget a person, he knew he'll be the one that they will forget. He knew the extent of Estrano Famiglia. And it will never be questionable if they're hellbent on making all his possible saviour forget him. Now, he can either just praise them or curse them for succeeding.

"Are you ready Tsunayoshi?" Jaeger asked.

Tsuna nodded. "Yes. Sorry for the inconvenience, Jaeger-san. I'm abusing your power."

"It's the only way we could repay you after helping us with the Estrano Famiglia."

Tsuna nodded and smiled. "Thank you."

Jaeger stared at the brunet in front of him. He watched as the latter smiled and tousled his storm guardian's hair. He can see the sadness in Tsuna's eyes despite the happy smile he wears. He kept a sigh.

When his boss, Bermuda, called him, he got this feeling of dread. When the boss told him to assist Tsuna, he knew something was up. Then when he stepped out of the portal, saw Tsuna crying in front of a doctor. He already got the gist why Bermuda wants him there.

Regardless of his boss living up to his name of being cold and scary, he isn't that heartless. He's only harsh to those who breaks the silence. And he really cares about the brunet who can turn the world around.

"That's the last one." Tsuna mumbled as he steps out of the portal. "Thank you so much for the help, Jaeger-san."

"Are you sure you're okay, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna stilled before smiling again. "I am. I will always be."

"You've been in hardship, child. It's fine to cry and be weak for once in a while."

"I'm really fine. I know my limitation." Tsuna answered.

Jaeger sighed. "I'll go."

Tsuna nodded. "Tell Bermuda-san that I said thank you."

Jaeger stared at him.

"I know he sent you here. So thank you."

"Ok."

Tsuna stared at Hayato. The latter is balancing himself on his chair, looking bored and all. The brunet brought down his eyes to the book in front of him. Can he do it? Give the book to a friend who forgot him? Tsuna shook his head. He bought it for him, it will be a waste if he doesn't give it.

So he stood up, walked towards the bomber and stood on his side. Hayato noticed his presence and glared at him. Tsuna just smiled. It surprised the Italian.

"Ha-Gokudera-kun. Here." Tsuna said as he handed the book.

"What are you-" Hayato stopped in mid-sentence when he saw the title of the book. "W-Where did you get this?"

Tsuna suppressed a chuckle. "I had it in my room. I thought I'll give it to you since I heard that you joined the occult club."

"A-Are you sure you want to give this to me?"

Tsuna nodded. "Yes. It will be a pleasure to give this to you."

Hayato took the book with twinkling eyes. "Thank you!"

"No probs. I have more than three books for such topics like that. Tell me if you want to get them, okay?"

"Sure!"

Tsuna smiled happily to his storm. He was going to walk towards his seat when he saw the storm ring hanging on the bomber's chain necklace. He felt relief. To think Hayato didn't remove his despite the curiosity he has.

After school, he went for the field. It was a routine for him to go there and watch his rain guardian practice with his team. But today is different. Takeshi is all by himself, arranging a ball pitcher machine. Tsuna shook his head. He can't have the past repeats itself.

"Hello, Ta-Yamamoto." He greeted as he neared the startled baseball star.

"Ah! Tsunayoshi!" Takeshi acknowledged with a smile.

Tsuna took the bat laying on the ground and raised it. "This is heavy."

"Is it?" Takeshi asked, laughing.

"Yeah. But I can still swing it."

"You know baseball?"

Tsuna stared at him before smiling. "A little. I learned from the best."

"Who?" Takeshi asked, a little curious.

"You." Tsuna answered, making the baseball star blush. "Oh. Don't be shy, Yamamoto-kun. You're really good at it. I can see your love for the sport."

"I am in love to baseball." Takeshi responded with a beam.

Tsuna nodded before eyeing the machine. "Gonna practice your bat?"

"A-Ah yeah." The raven answered, looking at the machine beside him.

"Hmm... Why don't we have some deal?" Takeshi stared at him. "If I bat one pitch from you, you're going to rest for two days. No baseball, no sports. But if you win, I'll help you with your practice."

"Eh?"

"In compensation to my part, I'll help you with your studies."

"Are you sure?" Takeshi asked.

Tsuna dropped his bag on the ground and put the bat on his shoulder before grinning to Takeshi. "Let's find it out?"

Tsuna chuckled when Takeshi's eyes twinkled in delight. "Yes!"

Tsuna stood on his position on the home base while Takeshi took the spot of the machine. The brunet readied himself. When the pitcher went for position, Tsuna swung the bat just as the ball went straight to him. He didn't hit it, but it was a close call. He breathed deep before going for his position.

Takeshi stared at his batter. He doesn't know why he agreed with the deal. He felt the need to trust the person he was playing with.

Tsuna trained his eyes on the ball. Unconsciously, his eyes became orange before smiling to his pitcher. Takeshi took that as a challenge, went for his position then threw the ball. Tsuna trained his eyes, swung his bat then grinned when he felt a force trying to knock away his bat, but he persisted and sent the object flying to the sky.

Both watched the ball disappear in the heaven. Tsuna looked at Takeshi before dropping the head of the bat. Takeshi looked at Tsuna. The latter smiled at him, and he felt warmth hug him in assurance.

"Since I won, let's go for ice cream?" Tsuna suggested.

"Eh?"

"Come on." Tsuna said as he picked up the bat and put it on his shoulder. "I've been craving for ice cream since two months ago."

"O-Okay. Let's return these first."

"Yatta!" Tsuna cheered. And it made Takeshi laugh.

"You're weird, Tsunayoshi."

"Just Tsuna. Tsunayoshi is very mouthful, Yamamoto-kun."

"Then call me Takeshi too." The raven said.

Tsuna smiled. "Sure."

Tsuna stared at the coffee beans placed on the cabinet. It reminds him of Reborn. After a shrug, he took out the bag of beans and placed it in the counter. He hasn't drunk coffee in awhile, so it's okay to make some.

He was in the process of arranging things in two bentos when he heard the door opened. He stilled and tried to feel his intuition. It's not alerting him anything. So he went back to work. He placed a cup on the counter, pour a good amount of coffee in it before resuming to arranging the bentos.

"You're going to carry some bentos today?" A baritone voice asked.

Tsuna nodded. "I have this feeling that I'll meet a demon later today."

'Feeling?' "You're missing something."

"The soup." Tsuna said out loud before face palming. "That was the reason why I kept having this feeling that I'm missing something important. Here is your coffee by the way."

"Hn." Reborn answered as he put a finger on the handle of the cup. "Make the soup."

"I can't." Tsuna answered as he sighed. "I don't know how to do it."

Reborn raised a brow. "But you drink some?"

"The chef who makes it is not here." Tsuna mumbled as he closed the lid of the first lunch box. "We made a lifelong agreement that he'll make them. But he can't do it at the moment."

Reborn sighed. He doesn't know why he's feeling guilty. "I'll do it."

"Ah. No need. I'll just... Eat it without the soup. I'll just..." Tsuna trailed off staring at the bento he made.

"I'll make it, Baka. So make that a full course meal."

"O-Okay."

Tsuna bit his lower lip as he helped Reborn in making the soup. Like those times, they're synchronizing in moves. He feels happy.

So when he was going out, he stared at Reborn. The hitman raised a brow towards his direction. He just smiled.

"Can I hug you?" Tsuna asked.

"What?"

"A thirty seconds hug." Tsuna supplied.

"What are you talking about?" Reborn asked in confusion.

Tsuna went over to him and hugged him by the waist. Reborn stilled. The brunet hugged him tighter as he counted in his head. He didn't dare cry. He'll ruin his parent's suit. He can't dare that. Reborn, although conflicted, he reluctantly hugged him back by the shoulders.

"Welcome home, Reborn." Tsuna said in Russian before letting go, quickly taking his bag and rushed out of the house with a loud yell of 'I'm going!'.

Reborn stared at his hands. "I'm... Home..." He whispered in the air.

"Herbivore." Tsuna turned around to see Kyouya standing by the door. "For being here-"

Tsuna slid the lunchbox he made towards the skylark before staring at the sky again while eating. Kyouya, confused and reluctant, took the lunchbox and went for the second roof. The two ate in silence.

"Kyo-Hibari-sempai." Tsuna called, before looking at his cloud. "Have you seen the pineapples?"

Kyouya paused on eating and looked at Tsuna. "How did you know the pineapple herbivores?"

"They're my friends."

"Herbivore." Kyouya taunted.

Tsuna pouted. "And you once called me Omnivore."

'Omnivore?' Kyouya thought.

"Omnivore. Omnivore. Omnivore." A bird chanted.

"Ah! Hibird!" Tsuna said. The bird landed on him, and settled in his hair. "Hey there, little one. Want some seeds?"

"Seed. Seed. Seed." Hibird chanted as he went on the ground.

Tsuna pulled a small container out of his bag and placed it in front of the bird. "There. Have your fill."

"Tsuna. Tsuna. Pineapple. Pineapple."

"Kufufufu~ That skylark. Teaching things to my gift."

"Mukuro!" Tsuna called when a mist materialized in front of him.

A teen in a green uniform, with a unique hairdo made his appearance, with a girl wearing the same thing except there's an eye patch on her right eye and wore a skirt.

"Greetings, Tsunayoshi." Mukuro said with a smirk.

"Bossu." Chrome called before hugging the brunet who's teary eyed already. "We're sorry for forgetting about you. It's a good thing we remembered the moment we saw you yesterday."

"Y-You saw me?" Tsuna asked.

"Yes. In the supermarket." Chrome answered as she let him go. "We were going to approach you but we saw some men lurking around, so we finished them off first."

"Thank you." Tsuna expressed.

Mukuro tousled his hair. "You're strong for enduring this long, Tsunayoshi."

"I have faith." Tsuna responded.

"You always have faith in us."

"Herbivores. You're trespassing." Kyouya said, closing the bento box.

"Oya? You don't remember Tsunayoshi, do you?" Mukuro taunted.

"Mukuro. No fighting." Tsuna reprimanded.

"Hmp. You're too merciful, Tsunayoshi."

"I've been merciless for two years. Might as well be kind now before everything becomes too late." Tsuna answered as he caught the bento box Kyouya tossed to him. "I'm going to class. No fighting okay?"

"Are we the only ones who remembers you, bossu?" Chrome asked.

Tsuna nodded before patting the girl's head. "Don't worry. They will soon."

"Okay, bossu." Chrome meekly responded.

"I'm going." Tsuna bid before turning away.

Kyouya and Mukuro glared at one another. But Mukuro was the first one to look away. Kyouya raised a brow, surprised at the motion.

"I will not fight someone who doesn't remember the sky." Mukuro said as he took Chrome's hand. "Come Chrome. We'll visit Tsunayoshi tonight and eat with him."

"Hai, Mukuro-sama."

"Pineapple herbivore." Kyouya called.

A tick mark appeared on Mukuro's forehead. 'Let it go, Mukuro. Tsunayoshi will not be glad if you fight with him. And you'll upset Chrome too.'

"Who is that herbivore?" Kyouya asked.

"He is the giver of that ring you have as a necklace." Mukuro looked at him in the corner of his eyes as mist surrounds him and Chrome. "The sky where a cloud like you can roam freely without being restricted." Then the two went gone.

"I can help." Tsuna said as he took a load of paper from a fellow classmate.

"A-Arigatou." The girl expressed.

Tsuna smiled. "Happy to help, Sasagawa-san."

"Oh. You can call me Kyoko."

"Then call me Tsuna."

Kyoko smiled. "Thank you for always taking care of my brother."

"Ah no. I should be the one thanking you for letting us take care of Onii-san."

"He's very enthusiastic whenever he's with you. But I don't see you together nowadays."

"Ah. That's a long story, Kyoko-chan."

"Oh. I won't pry."

"Tsuna!"

Tsuna made a 'oomf' as a body collide to him. "Takeshi. You're heavy."

"And you're so soft. I want hug you all day." Takeshi answered as he hugged Tsuna by the neck and nuzzled in the brunet's hair. "Fluffy!"

"Eh! Takashi!" Tsuna chided jokingly with a laugh.

Takeshi laughed too befote looking at their third companion. "Hi Kyoko."

"Hello Takeshi-kun." Kyoko greeted back.

"Oh. Let me help." The baseball star said as he took some stock of paper from Kyoko's and Tsuna's hands.

"Thanks." Both said.

"How's Ryohei-sempai?" Takeshi asked.

Kyoko smiled. "He gained some recruits."

"Oh." Both boys said then looked at each other.

"Let's visit him?" Tsuna asked.

Takeshi nodded. "Sure."

The three entered the teachers' lounge and put the papers on a specific table of a teacher. When they were going out, a girl called Kyoko. The two bid goodbye to Kyoko and separated. Tsuna and Takeshi started to goof around the hallway when Tsuna saw his storm.

"Gokudera!" Tsuna called, gaining Hayato's attention. He smiled. "Let's eat lunch? Rooftop?"

"I'm not-"

"Takeshi, this is Hayato Gokudera. Gokudera, this is Takeshi Yamamoto." Tsuna introduced. "Now let's eat lunch."

"Juudaime-"

The three froze. Especially Tsuna. The three stared at each other before Hayato stared hard at Tsuna. The latter fidgeted. The Italian bomber begun to descend and kneeled in front of the brunet who had tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Juudaime." Hayato apologized, head bowed, tears cascading.

"It's okay, Hayato. It's no one's fault. It's their fault."

"But to forget you for two months..."

"I don't care. As long as you're here. And you remember me. It's okay. So raise your head, Hayato. There's no need for a friend to bow to me."

Hayato stood up. Tsuna held his face and wiped away the tears. Then he hugged the bomber who hugged him too. Takeshi remained silent, smiling away. When Tsuna looked at the baseball star, he got the gist. So he pulled him to them and hugged both of his guardians.

"Thanks God you remember." Tsuna mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Tsuna." Takeshi apologized. "I remembered everything when we were studying in the convenient store five days after our little baseball deal. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you."

"It's okay." Tsuna whispered as he closed his eyes. "It's okay. As long as you... Remember me... I'm okay..."

Hayato and Takeshi looked at each other as they feel Tsuna fall asleep. Takeshi chuckled while Hayato smiled a little.