CHAPTER 12:
AFTER A LOOOOOOONG TIME, WELCOME TO ANOTHER CHAPTER!
Thank you for reading A Not So Ordinary Life of a Background Character!
I know you're not interested in my excuses but here they are anyway…
My father was hospitalized and everyone knew he had a low chance of recovering, not with his habits. Not with his aversion to doctors and following their advice. Not with my own mother's reluctance for him to stay at the hospital because of COVID-19. I knew he was living on borrowed time. But I kept putting off talking to him in a sort of prayer that there will be a 'next time'.
Long story short, there wasn't a 'next time'. My father died with me still convinced that there will be a 'next time'. When my younger sister delivered the news via phone (I was stuck in another city for work), I was in strict denial. It wasn't until I had to deliver the news to my grandmother (my father's mother) that it sank.
Trying to travel even for the funeral of our own father was sh*tty process during a pandemic, the people I had to go through even sh*ttier. I'll spare you the details of that.
It was several days later before it sank that I was now the sole breadwinner of the family.
Basically, I had only recently started pulling myself together, partially because I had my promotion earlier this month and the pay increase was a breath of relief.
Life is hectic and unfortunately, this story had to take a backseat on my priorities list.
And yeah, that's it. I'm here again.
Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn
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Natsumi already had her whole speech ready. It was clearly an accident. The shortstop, Kuroda Ren, insisted that she did it on purpose after hearing him make fun of her. He has yet to stop glaring at her even after she apologized to him. Natsumi already opened her mouth to explain that there was no way she did it on purpose when a light laugh interrupted her. It was Yamamoto Takeshi.
"Haha, sorry. I think that's partially my fault," Yamamoto apologized.
"No! You're not at fault here! She is!" Kuroda glared at her again for good measure.
By this point, Natsumi was no longer very sorry about hitting the idiot right at his vital regions. She scowled back and reasoned, "Look, there was no way I could have known where that ball was headed after hitting it! Heck, I didn't even know if I was gonna hit the ball!"
"Of course not! Yamamoto Takeshi is the baseball club's ace!" Kuroda yelled back.
"Exactly! There was no way I could control where the ball was going!"
"No! You hit me on purpose!"
Natsumi was in awe at Kuroda's logical arguments.
"Stupid monkey," Hana murmured somewhere but it was heard clearly thanks to the silence that pervaded after Kuroda's most recent outburst of sound logic.
"Shut it! You all saw her expression before the ball was thrown! She was clearly targeting me!" Kuroda tried to reason.
"Because you were insulting her!" Tsuna came to Natsumi's defense. She still looked so adorable even with her cheeks puffed up in indignance. Kyoko making the same face beside her made the scene even cuter. Double sparkles. Ouch. Must turn away.
Naturally, Gokudera would support Tsuna, "Hime is right! It's only natural to be angry at you after you insulted her!"
Kuroda sneered at Gokudera and the silver-haired teen didn't take that sneer lightly. Natsumi was already wondering if this would turn into a yelling match or a physical altercation when Sasagawa Knuckle-sensei finally returned with Dr. Shamal and a stretcher.
That's right. A stretcher. Kuroda wanted to be transported to the clinic via stretcher because his injury was too painful.
At first, Natsumi was full of sympathies because the ball hit a sensitive part of the male anatomy. Of course, it would hurt! But right now, she only flared up with irritation because drama queen.
It's funny how your perspective of a situation could change depending on your feelings about the subject matter.
Anyway, Natsumi still hit the ball so she got a passing grade for their P.E. It's all that matters, according to Hana. Natsumi couldn't agree more.
Tatsuya couldn't stop laughing. In fact, he was laughing so hard that he was now quite literally lying on the floor while holding his stomach.
Ara just rolled her eyes at his overdramatic boyfriend. But still…Ara smirked at Natsumi. It was funny. "Good job. I'm proud of you," Ara praised the younger female.
"It wasn't on purpose!" Natsumi yelled back, red in embarrassment.
Tatsuya gasped in air and stopped long enough to whisper, "Right in the family jewels." He then resumed laughing hysterically, still on the floor.
Natsumi could only sputter in indignance.
What high school had their school trip on the first month of the school year? That's right. Vongola High.
It was why Tsuna missed the school trip last year. Also why she was so excited about it this year.
Natsumi wasn't able to go to the school trip last year too since school trips by Vongola High usually take them abroad and thus needed three whole pages of consent form signed by their guardian. Unfortunately, Emiya Tatsuya was nowhere near Japan to sign those forms for Natsumi. Thankfully, Natsumi privately thought. Last year, the students got caught in an avalanche caused by Skull de Mort-sempai firing a cannon.
"Wait, abroad? As in another country? Our school trip would be to another country?" Tsuna asked in disbelief and in worry.
"Yep, I heard the senseis saying something about visiting the pyramids this year," Natsumi confirmed. She could already sense something going wrong and unfortunately this year, Tatsuya was very much present in Japan enough to sign her forms. She wondered if the chaos this time would be something about an undiscovered maze they'll get stuck in.
"Oh no…if it's in a different country," Tsuna mumbled.
"Tsuna-chan?" she asked in concern. It was just her and Tsuna in Hibari-san's patisserie this time with Hana and Kyoko off somewhere. Haru, meanwhile, seemed to be busy with some sort of cosplay event happening in Tokyo.
"Kaa-chan might not let me go if she found out about the school trip would be outside Japan," Tsuna confessed with a pout. (The sparkles had become a daily occurrence to Natsumi by now and she was growing accustomed to it. Just as long as it wasn't double sparks, those still short-circuit her brain.)
Natsumi gasped at that, "But the alternative project is a nightmare." She would know, she had to do it last year.
Tsuna slumped, "I know."
Natsumi wracked her brain for any suggestions and could only come up with, "Maybe ask our homeroom teacher for an alternative, alternative project? If all else fails I'm volunteering myself, Hana-chan and Kyoko-chan in helping you with it."
Tsuna paused at that suggestion before firmly shaking her head.
Oh crap. Natsumi forgot just who their homeroom teacher was. Oops. "Or not?" Natsumi added with a small voice. More firmly, she continued, "The girls and I could talk to your mom so we could reassure her. Or maybe a miracle could happen and the school trip this year would be inside Japan."
Tsuna gave her a tentative smile but she still looked down.
"Egypt?" Ara asked in disbelief.
Tatsuya merely snorted, "It's one fancy school alright. At least as a scholarship student, it'll be all expenses paid plus allowance." He was still reading through the three-pages worth of consent/waiver form before signing it. Ara gave a low whistle before settling behind Tatsuya to look over the consent form as well.
Natsumi nodded, "I should probably still bring extra money though."
"Bring enough to buy yourself a ticket home. Can never be too careful," Ara advised.
"I won't get lost or get left behind…probably," the high school student added almost thoughtfully.
"Did you two really just planted a flag?" Tatsuya asked while giving the two girls a deadpan look, "Now I'm having second thoughts about signing this lengthy thing."
"No! Sign it! I'll bring extra money! I'll make sure I'll bring my passport everywhere! Heck, I'll make sure to be within fifty feet of a teacher every time we go out!" Natsumi begged, horrified. She did not want to do the alternative project, again.
Tatsuya hummed vaguely. He let his imoutou make a few more promises ("You won't wander off?" "Yes!" "You won't sneak out to have some secret fun with your friends?" "Yes!" "You won't let yourself get sales talked into buying random things?" "Yes! Wait, what?") before signing the consent form.
He enjoyed the resulting crushing hug. The resulting shriek of happiness, not so much.
Tsuna's mother said no. The five-way call between the fluffy-haired brunette, Natsumi, Hana, Kyoko, and Haru just ended after endless reassurances from the latter four that they'll help their friend with her alternative project. Everyone was resigned to Tsuna being unable to come to their school trip.
Well, there was that other possibility she brought up.
Natsumi sighed. Vongola-sensei might probably pull it off but preparations for the school trip should be long done by now. She won't put much faith in that one.
Natsumi gave Tatsuya and Ara a crushing hug each. "Stay safe, both of you," she told them.
"You stay safe, Natsu," Tatsuya pointed out.
Natsumi huffed at that, "This is an isolated incident! It won't happen again!"
"Make sure it wouldn't happen again," Ara sternly told her.
Natsumi wanted to scowl at that but nodded obediently before spouting her well-practiced line, "At any sign of bullying, approach a teacher."
"Good," Tatsuya praised, "Either approach that sometimes-okay Vongola-sensei of yours but I'll feel more assured if you approached Asari-sensei instead."
Natsumi blinked at curiosity at that, "How did you two get acquainted with Asari-sensei enough to trust him this much?"
Her brother just patted her head, "Long story."
"Maybe we'll tell you next time but the flight's boarding," Ara added.
This time, Natsumi did pout, "Oh come on, it'll be thirty minutes before the plane leaves."
"Anyway, we're going now," Tatsuya deflected.
"Tatsu-nii~" the female Emiya whined.
"Call us regularly," Ara merely reminded her.
"Ara-nee~" Natsumi changed targets. But alas, the couple was tight-lipped until they crossed the boarding gate.
Natsumi was half-convinced there was nothing special about the encounter and the couple was only pulling her leg to tease her.
But…but what if it's not?
Maybe she could ask Asari-sensei?
Yeah…no. He's still her teacher.
Natsumi will never doubt nor will she ever underestimate a man in love again. Vongola-sensei managed to pull it off.
The school trip was within Japan, up north in Hokkaido where they could still enjoy the view of cherry blossom trees in early May while strolling through old, historical castles. They could enjoy seeing the Sea of Clouds of Unkai Terrace, and maybe the 'little Netherlands' Tulip Park, or the pink fields of Shibazakura, and maybe go trekking in Rebun Island. And oh, hot springs.
Vongola-sensei was trying so hard to sell the change in plans from Egypt to Hokkaido. Natsumi was still feeling grateful to him enough that she wanted to buy what he was desperately selling. But…but all Natsumi could summon was a deadpan look.
At least her classmates bought it.
(Most of them anyway.)
Tsuna was entirely ecstatic about being able to come to the school trip though so Natsumi will let this blatant favoritism slide.
"Wait, your school trip's in Hokkaido now?" Tatsuya asked in disbelief.
"Yep, there was a change of plans," Natsumi confirmed, phone pressed against her ear as she laid down on her bed.
"That was one abrupt change of plan, especially this late already," Tatsuya pointed out.
Power of love, Natsumi wanted to say but instead said out loud, "They pulled it off anyway, and here we are now."
"Yeah, I guess–," whatever Tatsuya would have said was lost when a pleasant voice rang from a speaker in the background. "My flight's boarding. Gotta go now. Love you. See you when I see you."
"Love you too. See you when I see you. And oh! Please tell your shishou sorry and thank you about being understanding about your abrupt return to Japan."
"I'll tell him you said 'hi'."
The call ended before Natsumi could correct him.
Thankfully, the school decided to fly from Tokyo to Sapporo, cutting the trip to slightly over one and half hours. Imagine if they decided to take the overnight train? Natsumi would be too tired to enjoy anything.
The Sea of Clouds was beautiful and worth it, even if they had to be there way too early to really enjoy it. Natsumi took a lot of selfies and photos with her friends with the beautiful cherry blossoms and shibazakura and the colorful tulips in the background. The hot springs back at the traditional inn were delightful once Natsumi got over the fact that she could see way too much of her female classmates' skins.
In other words, they had the most out of the three-day trip. Natsumi even bought a lot of tiny trinkets and ate a lot of the local specialty sweets.
It was probably why Natsumi's guard was down. After all, all they had to do for the last day was roam around with a teacher in the morning before taking their flight back to Tokyo that afternoon.
It all started on the morning of their last day.
All teachers of Vongola High were assigned a set of students to supervise that morning. Hibari Alaude being Hibari Alaude stated that he will take only two and only two students, no more than that. Of course, Hibari Kyoya was immediately handed towards him. The second student was, unfortunately, (surprise, surprise) Sawada Setsuna.
"Really Alaude?" came Vongola-sensei's exasperated voice, "Either take only your brother or take at least three."
Natsumi shot Vongola-sensei a look because the sunshine-haired sensei probably just wanted Tsuna in his group and have Hibari-sempai be Hibari-sensei's sole focus, thus lowering the Demon Prefect's chances of picking a fight with the local yakuza.
(On the school trip last year to Russia, Hibari-sempai somehow picked a fight with the Russian mafiya. The scary thing was he won.)
"Alright," Hibari-sensei's deep voice silenced everyone. Everyone.
Somehow even the birds that were chirping earlier decided to be quiet. The female Emiya looked at the very still birds up on a tree branch with some amusement. They almost looked like realistic statues with how still they were.
"Emiya, with me," Hibari-sensei added. Natsumi's head turned to the pale blond History teacher so fast, she nearly had a whiplash.
"Wha-what?" was her very intelligent question.
"Natsumi-chan!" Tsuna cried in relief.
Faced with Hibari-sensei's glare and Tsuna's relieved figure, Natsumi could only give Hinata-sensei, her supposed minder, a helpless look. Hinata-sensei only gave her a helpless look back before patting her shoulder consolingly.
Oh, come on! Natsumi was with a normal teacher! Among normal students! She was safe from shenanigans. Or so she thought…
Natsumi shot Hinata-sensei one last betrayed look before plastering a smile and turning to Tsuna. The poor girl looked so relieved to be with a friend that Natsumi can't even hold a grudge against her.
It's not Tsuna's fault she has such a troublesome fan club!
With an impending sense of doom, Natsumi marched towards her death–uh new group.
Hibari-sempai managed to pick a fight with the local yakuza. If that wasn't bad enough, they seemed…ready to pick a fight with him. The number of submachine guns and heck the snipers was a testament to that. It felt more like a trap than anything.
Like how though? The school trip plans were changed at the eleventh hour! The itinerary was probably only written a few days before the actual school trip!
It was only thanks to Hibari-sensei that they even got out of the commotion (mostly) unscathed. Natsumi spent the whole time getting pulled, pushed down, carried like a sack of potato, and screaming like a banshee.
What's bothering Natsumi though, was that these people kept yelling 'Hibari'. They knew of sempai even before he picked a fight with them. At least Natsumi assumed it was Hibari-sempai and not Hibari-sensei because their main target seemed to be the younger Hibari.
(Natsumi forgot about the other Hibari not present that has the same face and the same hair color as the youngest Hibari.)
The whole commotion attracted quite a bit of attention too because unlike the residents of Namimori, the locals and other tourists weren't used to the scenes of violence and carnage. In fact, she was pretty sure she saw a broadcasting station's van one time or two.
Natsumi lamented that Tatsuya probably had to be called again if things got too serious. She can only console herself with the fact that he would be off-grid for the next six more weeks or so and the incident would have been blown over by then. Probably.
The chase lasted all day long and the four had long since missed their flight. For this very reason, the four decided to take the freaking train. In secret. Because the yakuza were still actively looking for them. Which meant they couldn't use the usual cars for passengers. Which meant they had to go with the cargos.
Natsumi's too d*mn done. So, so done. Why couldn't Hinata-sensei insist she stayed with their group instead? If Hinata-sensei had said something then Natsumi wouldn't be with the sheeps right now.
That's right. Sheeps. What the h*ll are sheeps even doing in a train to Tokyo?!
The four unfortunate souls were walking through the cargos of the train when they heard hurried footsteps coming towards their way along with the distinct gravelly voice of the leader of the idiots chasing them. Natsumi was instantly shoved between the sheeps, hidden by their unshaved wool.
And Tsuna? In a classic action-romance scene, our dear protagonist is currently shoved inside a barely big enough box along with Hibari-sensei and Hibari-sempai. Awkward as f*ck, really. Natsumi wouldn't have envied her one bit if the sheep roughly eight feet away from Natsumi hadn't decided to empty its bladder then and there.
The female Emiya stopped herself from groaning. She's that side character, wasn't she? The comic relief one? The one who had the funniest misfortune happening to them? What heartless deity gave her this role? (A/N: *laughs evilly*) If this was the 'perk' she got when she got promoted from background character to side character, Natsumi would like a demotion, please. She's okay being a background character. Even if it's the one nearly shot by Sinclair-sempai or the one nearly skewered by Belphegor-san's knife. At least she wasn't getting shot at by rifles on live TV.
Most of the yakuza left but two lingered to check 'every nook and cranny.'
Oh no. Oh, fudge. They're going to get discovered. If there's any deity up there, please, please, Natsumi didn't want to get discovered. Please.
As if on cue, the sheep facing Natsumi, who was just lazily chewing at something, decided to empty its intestines.
"Aw sh*t!" one yakuza thug cussed.
"Sh*t indeed," the other replied.
"F*ck that stinks! Let's just tell 'em no one's here and leave!"
"Arrgh, what are they feeding these sheeps!"
The two continued to complain about the smell as they walked away.
Natsumi just looked up at the roof of the car, fingers pinching her nose. Really? Seriously? This is the help you send? (A/N: *laughs louder* *cue dramatic lightning*)
At least the sheep's butt is away from Natsumi.
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END OF CHAPTER!
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It's been so long that I forgot about the disappearing lines. So yeah...here's your lines. Sorry about that!