Lit:

The longest chapter I had ever written. Six thousand and five hundred words.
I put Simon in Parlemo while Vongola in Sicily. I admit, I stopped following the manga after the anime ended.

Anyway, Iemitsu is written as an ass because he is one. You know, lying to his family and then boom, "Son, you are the future mafia don, the largest one in Italy even."
Geez, old man, good luck. In my story you are a dead-fish in the protagonist's eyes.

THIS CHAPTER HAS SO MANY RIDDLES! It drives me crazy but once again, I love all of them.

Beware: Women arguing. Their words and actions are crazy.

Summary:

She ended up splitting the table in two. Reborn still didn't give her a glance.
The only noise accompanying them in the quiet hall was the sound of ice spreading followed by the door slamming shut.
By the age of sixteen, the future Vongola Decimo was officially betrothed to Hibari Kyoya, the sole successor of Hibari Clan.

Log:

/un-beta-ed/

"Italic conversation" with * at the end is spoken in Italian.

Play nice!

The Kat Hunts the Hare

Three
Harden

Three days of circling the entire city of Palermo.

Three days of handling Shittopī's ceaseless babbling of fashion.

Three freaking days of trying every set style of clothes.

Tsuna had had enough.

So the next minute Shittopī turned her body to ransack another standing hanger full of summer dresses with her mouth still chattering nonsense, Tsuna swiftly bolted out of the store through the opened back window. The storeroom staff dropped some boxes when Tsuna scurried past her but the perpetrator only mouthed a quick apology.

As Tsuna ran through the busy main street, she didn't stop for another fifteen minutes. She sprinted to the nearby plaza consisted of dessert shops and salons before turning to the next intersection, to a park near the sea where she could enjoy the breeze―maybe guessed where Vongola Headquarter located or which way Japan was, or simply wondering how was everyone while she chose to disappear without a word.

Therefore when she was sure she was far enough, she let herself dropped down to the grass. Her back grazed the tree trunk when she leaned herself to lounge and watch the sky, letting her thought wandered aimlessly. The sound of sea waves hitting the cliff edge balcony near her did the job in soothing her throbbing head. Passerby watched her weirdly but she paid no mind. The problem which was swirling mockingly inside her head was no other than her betrothal to her own guardian.

Marriage.

She was going to get married, moreover she had already engaged at the age of sixteen years old. Too young, much too early to her liking.

Tsuna sighed tiredly as she released all the shopping bags she had grasped tightly. They fell messily around her.

Marriage was not what she had in mind in the first place. She had never expected to marry in her early twenties either. She had expected to marry past twenty five, maybe around twenty eight or even thirty. The Vongola Don had too much to think, starting with destroying Vongola and built it again from scratch―with the same purpose but different path―and ended with her protecting her family from the danger of mafia world. Her focus was to create Vongola as a better yet peaceful future.

When she was a kid, she dreamed of being successful in life, in anything. To pride herself for her loving mother, to be a proud daughter who could be boasted. Her mother would always be her top priorities.

Along the way in growing up, she had unconsciously taken her father's share of her mother―of love, attachment and longing. She had wished everything for her mother. She was there solely for her mother. All the things she had thrived, staked and broken were for the relief of her mother's happiness.

Tsuna wondered, and still did, if what she had ever done so far had ever made her mother feel sad and cornered. If her unsightly marks in school ever made her mother thinking what she had done wrong in her teaching. If her every bruise from training ever made her worry to the point where she couldn't sleep or if her every burnt and torn clothes ever made her mother cry when she mended them patiently in the middle of the night.

Thinking about them all, Tsuna thought that she was no different than her father.

She was keeping secrets too, even a big one where one life was being sold for one slip of careless secrecy. A secret which was pilling up day by day and slowly turned into a mountain of white lie. But she could not admit them yet and she was torn by her own choice of protectiveness.

Tsuna then wondered, what would her mother say when she knew her stupid husband officially betrothed their only child with a young master from a renowned ancient clan? Moreover it was all done without his daughter's consent. Would her mother jumped in joy? Or maybe she would cry because she wasn't included in the important meeting?

Whatever she could think of her mother's reactions, she came to one conclusion. Her mother would absolutely be happy if Tsuna said she was happy.

Tsuna stared at her engagement ring of dying will flame. The bold purple felt so mocking that Tsuna was tempted to throw it away into the sea not far below her. She grasped it only to feel a warmth sensation circling around her fingertips.

"What would you expect from a ring of flame, stupid Tsuna." She murmured to herself as she sighed and slumped dejectedly.

She was still staring at her fingers when a shadow shrouded her from the bright sun. She looked up only to see a woman with both hands holding myriad shopping bags.

"Sorted out your mind?" Shittopī asked without a slightest rage or annoyance, her mien was calm as if she had expected the occurrence. Tsuna on the other hand was stunned to find such tender smile from Shittopī, after she had insolently left her alone and ran away. Tsuna folded her legs and hugged herself, providing space for Shittopī to sit. The troubled teen nodded briefly and Shittopī let themselves watch the cloud drifting away in silence. The hustle bustle of busy plaza slowly eased their minds.

"I was actually trying my best to annoy you. I mean, I expected you to run away sooner. This is a bit later than I thought."

Shittopī was met with silence. She then asked, "Have you found your answer yet?"

Tsuna turned her head and contemplated, she then nodded her head unsurely.

Shittopī who saw that laughed, "What uncertainty is that? Believe in yourself more. It will do you good in the near future."

"…It's hard to think and decide when all of it is not about me alone."

Shittopī rolled her eyes and snorted, "What are you talking about? Of course it's all about you."

"Huh?"

"Are you this stupid, Vongola?" Shittopī raised her eyebrow but quickly put on a reassuring smile when she saw the younger girl had started to pout.

"No, I mean yes, you are stupid." Shittopī returned Tsuna's glare with a slight pinch on her arm, "You are stupid if you think you can't think about yourself. It's your life, actually, just do whatever you want. If you think this marriage is too one-sided and you will lose many advantages either to you or your famiglia, then just cut them off. What's the problem then?" Shittopī faced her and asked earnestly.

She honestly didn't know why the Vongola heir opposed that much. The reasons of business affiliation and a particular scary senior were just not make any sense to her. In structural of large organization and corporation, this kind of arrangement was not new and Shittopī sincerely wondered if something secretive was indeed bothering her newly founded best friend. So she ought to try her best and dug the secret to satisfy her curiosity.

Shittopī eyed Tsuna sharply and asked again, "What are you so afraid of with this Hibari?"

Shittopī didn't miss the slight jolt when Hibari's name was mentioned. She watched the brunette swiftly avoided her eyes and looked to the side. The latter's tip of ear was a bit pinkish.

Oh? Shittopī grinned inwardly.

Shittopī moved her head to face Tsuna directly and said, "Hibari." She watched with utmost interest when Tsuna rigidly moved away, the reddened pair of ear was enough clue for Shittopī to understand the rough picture of situation.

"So what's up with you and this senior of yours?" Shittopī folded on of her leg and casually leaned on it, watching Tsuna with a playful twinkling on her eyes. Hearing the question, Tsuna diverted her gaze again and pursed her lips.

It took a quite long time of enjoying each other presence for Tsuna to finally continue to speak.

"Hibari-san is…" Tsuna tilted up and stared at the cloud, "Fearless."

Shittopī watched the corner of Tsuna's lips turned into a small smile. Unconsciously, she also ended up smiling when watching the younger girl slowly opening up. The silence she offered then acted as an encouragement for Tsuna to continue.

"…Hibari-san is a man of action." Tsuna started again with a soft voice, "He listens to challenge, achievement and power. He is a dauntless figure of justice, the walking siren of an authoritative. Hibari-san is a threat himself. He is uncontrollable but at the same time he is patient and endearing."

Shittopī raised her eyebrow and watched Tsuna's stalled smile turn into a tender one.

"He seems like a great guy." She admitted. Tsuna turned herself to face Shittopī before nodding in agreement.

"Yes, he is."

"You love him?"

To her surprise, Tsuna shook her head. The confused Shittopī dropped her smile and stared dumbfounded, "Huh? You actually don't?"

"I don't." Tsuna firmly said. Sensing the uncomfortable silence to her answer, Tsuna chose to elaborate, "Love is a strong word and a bit too much, I think."

"Then, how about 'like' as in romantically? Do you want him? To own him?"

Tsuna shook her head again, "No. I mean, like is a word which means we are actually friends in the first place?"

Shittopī gapped and leaned her body backwards, "You are not?"

"Hibari-san and I are not friends. I mean, you need to be friends and know each other before you can like him. I guess, we are not suitable to be called as schoolmates either since I actually know nothing about him." Tsuna flattened her bended legs to the grass and slowly wiggled them side to side, "If I have to describe our relationship, I think 'business partner' will be the perfect fit. I usually regard him as such and as my senior, too. We respect each other boundaries and try our best to stay clear of each other problems―even if our problems seem to be in that one same place most of the time. Hibari-san is my cloud guardian and he is obliged to serve Vongola, as the ring sadly has chosen him."

Shittopī was stunned as she stared at Tsuna's eyes, the clear hazels were veiled with contrition. Shittopī then impulsively grabbed Tsuna's hands to attain her attention. She sharply took a deep breath. Those eyes reminded herself of Enma, when the meek boy held the entire history and sin on his shoulder, when the fainthearted boy stood on the front line in the name of Simon and when the kind boy was not allowing himself to cry over his pain of losing someone. The guilt and blame were always being covered with a clumsy smile. Shittopī wasn't brave enough to let that look stayed longer on Tsuna.

"Decimo." Shittopī engulfed Tsuna's hands with hers, "It's not your fault that he is needed in Vongola. Strong people choose their own place. Strong people are not fickle. They hold their ground, they fight their own fears. That Hibari Kyoya knows, always, what he wants, what he needs and what he despises."

"I know. Even so, the cloud is supposed to be free―"

"―He is. Do you even see him as a man with shackles around his ankles? Even if it is so, people like him―which reminded me of Adel, too―will blasted those kinds of hindrances with one swing of their weapon. They will be free again in the next second, with a little bruise that will not even hold a day. Who are you trying to joke, Vongola?"

"…But those shackles were there."

"Is it?"

"They are, in the name of Hibari Clan's sole heir and Vongola Guardian of Cloud. Those are his."

"That is practically the same with you as the Vongola Decimo and me as Simon's. Not your fault. Do we actually have the privilege to say no to the old men from organization? Obviously not." Shittopī huffed, "See what I mean? Those with powers will find themselves along the ranks. They will have a place, even if they never choose to be there. They still should be there. We're always playing tag dangerously. After all, we are no normal citizen."*

Shittopī stretched her arms and legs before continuing, "In here, we just have one rule to stay alive: go big or go home. Ya know what I mean? If you take fancy of something, fight until your death. Die with honor. If not, go cry in your mama's arms and sleep tight. Live with shame. I believe that man holds the same principle. He is quite smart, isn't he?"

Tsuna nodded her head vigorously.

"That's solved then. If he didn't turn down the arrangement, there must be something holding him back. Don't you think so, too?"

"I actually had the same thought but with Hibari-san's personality as strict and frank discipliner, I thought the intention would be bare. He must have wanted to play me around since I am an herbivore."

Shittopī once again rolled her eyes and snorted. She couldn't even remember how many times had she done this since their talk begun. The swirling rumors around Italy were actually smarter and more accurate than this dense girl!

"How come you are this stupid? Ah, no more talks, no more! Just go and talk with him. If the two of you should stay that way, you should talk and talk again and understand. Grasp the situation and understand the circumstances. Whatever going on with you, I'm too tired to care!" Shittopī flicked her hands back and forth.

Tsuna confusedly watched and scratched her head. Shittopī was then suddenly remembered the missing piece, "Oh, right. So, you said you don't like and don't love him. Then do you have, maybe, a little bit of crush on the guy? Is he maybe your first love?"

Tsuna's face turned red in an instant, her mouth gaped like a fish outside the water.

Shittopī laughed out loud, earning weird looks from the people around them. She then pointed her finger to Tsuna, "He is? He is! So you do still have a crush on him!"

"W-Well! Who doesn't?! Every girl in our school does!" Tsuna stammered and failed to cover her face, Shittopī wouldn't let her even once. They bickered back and forth, disregarding the uncomfortable look from passerby at their loudness.

At the same time, two figures were walking towards them. One of them was taller than the others, with the shorter following closely behind in panic.

"Adel, wait!"

Shittopī and Tsuna stopped at the familiar shout. They turned their head as the footsteps drew nearer. Tsuna was the first one who spotted Enma, he was looking flustered and worried as he kept trying to get the attention of the person he followed.

Shittopī suddenly stood up and clapped her hands once, "Adel! You are back? For a rest or stay?"

Adelheid nodded at Shittopī, "Stay."

Meanwhile the Simon Decimo was trying to catch his breath as he wiped his sweating forehead, Adelheid however set her gaze firmly on the brunette standing awkwardly beside her fellow guardian.

"Vongola." Adelheid nodded curtly, "We meet again."

Tsuna nodded and replied with a bumbling smile, "Yeah. How is your business trip?"

Adelheid smirked as she displayed an intimidating posture. Tsuna felt the chill in the air. She pressed the urge to just bend her head down and yielded to Adel's intensity. The air felt stuffy as Adelheid turned her smirk to one of a contempt smile.

Tsuna felt like running now, the gaze she received from the raven haired woman was no joke. Those eyes appeared courteous but Tsuna found menace and merciless lying underneath. Her palms felt humid as the cold sweat slowly made her clothes uncomfortably stick to her skin when she moved.

Enma and Shittopī were no better, they could feel the threat Adelheid imposed and the two of them simultaneously took a step back when some kids suddenly went bawling not far behind them. Their mothers were seen soothing them in panic, confusion marred their face as their kids avoided looking at where Adelheid stood.

Adelheid however, was not perturbed by the noise and crowd they unintentionally attracted. The contempt smile still stayed on her face. She then pointed backward to the dessert shop where the kids were crying.

"Shittopī." She addressed her fellow guardian without looking at the said person, "Book the entire second floor from that shop. We have a private meeting to be held."

Tsuna gulped. She didn't like the stare Adelheid gave her before turning around to follow Shittopī and Enma inside the booked shop.

Adelheid Suzuki was a strong woman, a graceful embodiment of pretentious warrior. She was dauntless but gentle, willful but observant. She grew up fostered by rules, presented for every stride and notion of her being. She was a forthright lady but a self-interested leader to her folks.

Every tread she took was full of confidence and promising glory. Her sharp eyes saw through every lies and swizzle. Every jerk of her hands airily swung to end her foes. Adelheid Suzuki was a tough lone woman who was able to grasp her own throne against hundreds.

Consequently, Enma would never doubt the best mother figure devoted to him. She was his core, the standing ovation he desperately held to stay sane, alive and appreciated. She was the one of many which he desperately protected for a better and peaceful future.

Enma had an inkling―he had learned to trust his instinct―that the conversation was one he would regret of attending.

That noon, Enma was startled by Adelheid's surprise return to his office. The gentleness that usually radiated on her entire being was nowhere to seen. The edge of her pursed lips and hard gaze told Enma there was some wretched news she came home with.

The following question ejected from Adelheid's mouth was about Vongola Decimo whereabouts, of her who had shaken the world with her sudden disappearance after her betrothal was announced publicly. Vongola had dispatched some men to scout each of the alliances for Vongola Decimo and Adelheid apparently had been the one to coarsely disarm the entire dozen of Vongola men in front of Simon's gates when she came home. It was done in less than five minutes. She left no one behind to report or acted as messengers.

Enma opened his mouth to answer his guardian's question. When the first word of 'Shittopī' left his mouth, Adelheid wasted no time to turn around and went straight to the city of Palermo where Shittopī's heaven resided in the form of boutique and beauty shop. Her steps were heavy and left a trail of confusion for Enma to follow.

"Adel! Adel, what's wrong?" Enma called, trying to catch up with the long legs of his guardian. He once in a while tried to get her attention by calling her name but to no avail, Adelheid walked past everyone who stared or greeted them. Enma politely gave them all a brief smile.

From the corner of his eyes, he then saw how rigid her posture was or how there was aura of promising pain quietly swirling in those gaze, as if her hands were waiting for consent to go for a kill.

"Adel, are you searching for Shittopī? Palermo is big. We won't find them without dispatching―"

"Enma." Adelheid's tight voice warned him. She eyed the man behind her from the corner of her eyes, "You still need to learn if you need someone else to locate your own guardians."

Enma tilted his head down and slowed his steps when Adelheid did. The latter then took a sharp turn to the west plaza, where dessert shop square was located in the next intersection. The warm bustling of society's talks and commerce accompanied the two youngsters until a shrill of accordion took their attention and packed the plaza. Nearly two dozens of both women and men were dressed with tiered gowns and fitted frock coats. Some of them were playing folk instrument while the others sang to gather attention. Children on the street clapped their hands, following the cadence of the tune.

Adelheid didn't stop her steps. Slowly advancing, she eyed the group and suddenly said to Enma, her voice was struck down by the loudness of accordion, "I have a question. May I ask you for answer?"

Before Enma could comprehend or said his assent, one of the men from the group with a red butterfly tie and stovepipe hat walked to the front of his peers and bowed. A wide grin was plastered on his face as his eyes scanned the crowd, "Good day to our beloved people of Palermo! Through today and the day after tomorrow, our Massimo will sonneteer the legendary show, La Traviatta! The heartbreaking love story of Violetta and Alfredo! This―"*

Enma and Adelheid neared the loud group who was being swarmed both by children and adults. Adelheid then stopped on a quite distance and watched the children danced around with their parents. The loud announcement was still being made and dramatized by the peer on the background.

"Enma. How far are you willing to bet on my trust?"

"Huh?" Enma blinked in confusion. He started to doubt himself if he even heard the words clear amidst the crowd. He stared at Adelheid who was giving her attention to the dancing children, her expression slowly softened.

"I will always believe you. Whatever you do, you have a reason, always." Enma put on his best tough expression and nodded. Adelheid silently observed him and turned around without saying a word or acknowledgement. She proceeded to walk past the performers, Enma still hot on her trails.

"The tickets will be sold in the evening. Don't forget to come and watch! Dai!"*

Adelheid turned her pursed lip to a small smile which Enma didn't notice since he was following from behind.

All the performers behind them then complied loudly at the same time: "Dai!"*, before they danced away and sung. On the fixed distance, they repeated the announcement.

Enma jumped again from the same sudden loud exclamation before composing himself. He followed Adelheid closely and saw Adelheid nodded her head. He then heard, "Very well. I shall hold onto your words."

At that moment, Enma felt warmth spread around his heart and he went to grip his shirt. A childish grin adorned his face.

They then once again walked in silence with Adelheid on the lead, until they saw a big tree trunk with two girls who sat on the shade, the loud one was laughing while the other brushed the teasing aside.

Enma felt the air turned chilly and he noticed how Adelheid's warmth suddenly disappeared from her entire being. How coldness and detachment were seen by her stiff fists on her side.

Enma watched the way Adelheid approached his friend―the stuttering Vongola Decimo―and once again noticed how Adelheid seemed to hold herself back, rage swirling on her calm orbs. Her instruction for Shittopī to book an entire floor for sudden meeting envisaged a bad omen―Enma once again trusted his gut.

At that time, Enma felt a bit of fear of what had gone wrong with this situation or what had triggered Adelheid's aggressive stance in the first place. He then wondered if something had gone wrong in her three days of mission.

He once again tailed after Adelheid with Sawada Tsunayuki following behind closely. Their expressions were unreadable.

The entire second floor of the tea house was bare of customers as all was driven out by Shittopī and Simon's blank cheque. Adelheid came in first, followed by Enma and Tsuna. Shittopī was the last to close the door.

Adelheid stood firmly, back leaned on a high table as the window behind her was left opened. Her arms folded curtly in front of her as her eyes briskly bore down the petite figure of Vongola Decimo. Her smile was long gone.

"I believe we have the mutual desire to protect the innocent while at the same time trusted our back to each other."

Adelheid started first, eyes once again impaling the young Decimo. Tsuna on the other hand didn't quite understand where Adelheid directed their conversation to. She simply understood the mentioned pact between Alliances and they have respected each other so far. What had gone wrong in her blind spot, she didn't know.

She then did what most people would do, asked the questioner what she had meant.

Shittopī rolled her eyes at her frankness.

Adelheid stared at Tsuna all along, eyes not straying to everything but the latter, "I am asking for your reason, Vongola. The reason why you are pulling our leg to your affairs. Your person's matter is their own, not ours. Your marriage is your matter, not ours."

Tsuna's confused mien turned sharp in understanding. She held down her persistence stubbornly while eyes pointed upward to meet the Simon Guardian of Glacier's gaze. Her inheritance on her finger shone tauntingly.

Tsuna sat on the armchair while eyes keenly fixed on Adelheid.

"What's my marriage got to do with you?" Tsuna asked skeptically.

Adelheid slammed her palm on the table beside her. Her eyebrows were furrowed.

"It certainly got something to do with Simon, with Vongola and its entire Alliances. Not only us, your own famiglia has also faced their own accusations by this very moment."

Tsuna left her position on the armchair, "What?"

Adelheid's vexation then turned to anger in split second when she realized the Vongola Decimo who had fled the scene three days ago without knowing the impact she had left behind.

"Your ignorance is bringing the entire alliance down, Sawada!" Adelheid raised her voice, "We stand side by side with Vongola not only hope to be stronger and to secure our own place amidst the battle of control in Italy, because of the bond of our predecessors, their trusts in us and our belief in your ability are what moved us to rely on you. But you are disregarding this important matter like some stupid kid fighting over a toy!"

Vongola and Simon's history was not unknown around the mafia scope, either about the oldest precursors or even the youngest successors. The companionship, disillusionment, attachment and confederacy, the rumors have all been disordered with truth.

Even so, they paid no mind as the longing of fairness and shelter had laid their paths side by side.

Tsuna let herself stared at one of her trusted allies, feeling ridiculed by the cold stare of indifference. Enma however was watching with concern from the side, feeling helpless as to not choose any party.

"Um, Adel…" Enma started but Adelheid halted him from speaking further while Tsuna and the latter once again trying to beat each other with a rigid look.

Tsuna shook her head while immersed deeply on her own thoughts. She watched the way Adelheid closed her eyes and her thin lips turned upwards in a mocking smirk.

"―You still don't understand such simple definition?" Adelheid cut off the words pointed at her.

Tsuna frowned deeply like she had been offended by the most brazen criminal, "What I don't understand is your lacking in the mentioned accusation."

Adelheid's eyes snapped open as she sauntered over. She stopped in front of Tsuna, hovering over her like a predator ready to pounce.

"They say good walls make good neighbors, Vongola."* She murmured. Tsuna raised her eyebrow, prompting her to continue the rigmarole. "Who you choose to affiliate with, I simply don't care. You are free to do everything but don't drag us down. Keep them under your hat."

"The one who decided―"

"The one who I am talking with, is you." Adelheid pressed the words with indignation, shocking even Enma and Shittopī who knew her usual calm composure. The other two were currently watching and confused with the anchored topic, but they chose to remain silent.

"Sawada. Do you think you are smart? Let me spell it one by one for you, then. Do you know half of Vongola Alliances doubt you, the young baby of Vongola Decimo? Even doubt us, Simon? Do you even know by grabbing another old clan for a kindred alliance will make you appear more poorly in front of the masses? When you have just declared how weak the Vongola Decimo's family is by doing so! When you need all the family and assets of your betrothed to make Vongola stay prosperous and respected? Please don't try to make me laugh." Adelheid said in one breath and gave Tsuna a look when she wanted to intercept the indictment, the younger one quieted down immediately. "All the degraded leaders are straying to find your weakness, to destroy you, us, and you are currently providing the way for them to march. Do you even know the political situation in your famiglia?" Adelheid asked. Her fists were clenched on her side, eyes both showing remorse and resentment but Tsuna couldn't read past the other reason of her reaction.

When she found no answer come out from Tsuna, she already had her speculation. She raised her hands and combed her messy falling hair. She then took a loud but deep breath before facing Tsuna again.

"I see that your mind is not even orderly in this matter."

Tsuna bowed her head, quietly admitting her ignorance to the whole affair and feeling too immersed in her own misery of the arrangement. She missed the way Adelheid's eyes softened but hardened again in the next second.

"I might sympathize if the things were not getting complicated as this, not anymore. This is not a kid talk, Vongola. Someday you may be the reason why your friends may not trust their backs to you anymore. This is―in one way―stressing me out, too. Those degraded bastards might hold a meeting where elders will debate your suitability as their leader in the near future, and everything you hold dear might be sacrificed."

Enma once again tried to speak up but this time Tsuna raised her hand and he stopped abruptly. She calmly stared at Adelheid and said, "I won't drag my friends down."

"You will never know what can happen to your stalwarts."

"No, I don't. But I can prevent them."

Hearing those, Adelheid chose to laugh. She openly sneered at the naïve thought the younger girl had.

"How far do you think your protection goes? Up until now, you are not fighting alone. You are never fighting alone. You hold everyone's will. You are only a naïve child, Vongola. You are simple enough to be dragged around without a good reason. And I will remind you again and again―" Adelheid smiled bitterly, "―that you are not a hero, Sawada."

Tsuna was struck by the same words Reborn had kicked into her years ago. The very same one when they were sent into the future, where everything was burnt and hid, where the adult Tsuna might consciously or unconsciously had put those dearest of her at the front stake. A stake for her younger self to get stronger, to fight and ended the war. Her in the past had raged in such ridiculous method presented by her older self, but now by staying as a nescient future leader, wasn't she already on the bad start? Wasn't she going to repeat the history once again by staying oblivious?

Her mind then reeled back to her conversation with Timoteo, on the same night where the engagement was inaugurated.

Those knowing smile, those tacit gazes and those unspoken flow of conversations the two of them shared in the silence of Vongola Mansion. At that time, she had wondered if there was some confidential plan beneath her arrangement, but she doubted it after seeing how sincere Timoteo was. Thinking backwards, she finally put some of the missing puzzles together. Reborn had obviously taken a part in Timoteo plan. For once he had refused to meddle in her business. Rather he went on and encouraged her by the name of future protections and expectations. Tsuna then wondered once again. Did any chance her father know and partake in it, too?

"Did something happen while I was away? The media reacted badly? Death threat?" Tsuna asked the silent Adelheid in which she only replied by raising her eyebrow.

Enma coughed to hide his nervousness and answered her question, "The entire world is actually congratulating you and Hibari Kyoya. They hope the wedding will be as grand as a royalty's, being broadcasted and like, your wedding day will be marked as national holiday."

Shittopī went ahead and slapped his head. She dragged him to the seats away from the other two and hushed him.

"What? I'm just answering her!"

"No. Stop being stupid. Can't you even see that she is on the verge of blasting the entire Italy? Oh, look. Adel is telling us to be quiet, her glare did. Let's just sit and pretend we are dead―"

Tsuna clenched her fists and gritted her teeth in hopelessness. Adelheid was right, she was never alone. There was something hidden deep in the name of Vongola, in which she wasn't allowed yet to venture. By knowing so, it drove her to the brim of insanity. She really had the urge to slam the Vongola Headquarter and forced the truth out from their minds. Did they silently use her to achieve Vongola's sinful goal and stall her desire to build the New Vongola? Tsuna's swirling thought was stopped by Adelheid.

"I am not in the mood to tell a tale for you, Sawada, as I am currently in a tight schedule. And I don't care whoever you are marrying, but again. Secure your position and don't be a baggage, or the results won't be pretty." Adelheid took a step closer, "The same as the other famiglia on Alliances, we thrive to stay prosper and safe by doing our own business or expanding on the same scale of ranks. Even if Vongola is the ring leader, prying eyes and curious ears will never disappear entirely, you do know but this had escaped your mind until today. What Vongola had done by securing you and Hibari might appear as normal to other people, and people will behave so but in our world that is not the case. Vongola is on the peak chain, what more do they need? Keep that in mind and before you can proceed to the future, clear the past and plan the present first."

Adelheid's eyes wandered to the opened window and let out a scowl. Her expression hardened once again, like a tigress being provoked.

"Drop the deal, Vongola. We ain't dealing with shit of claim being offered on a silver platter. Either you lose the deal or you lose us as your most trusted federation." Adelheid cited the last part impatiently, "Pick your choice carefully."

Tsuna's attention suddenly perked up. She stared wide-eye at Adelheid's dickering and hardened gaze―they were as steady as mountains, firm and steady.

"Simon is not going away on a war. Sever the deal for us."*

Tsuna turned from facing Adelheid to the drifting cloud from the opened window. The room felt stuffed and crowded that Tsuna was thankful her attention was being directed to the outside. The sky was turning darker but there was no wind. Tsuna once again wondered, had the sky been this close before? This was supposed to be only the second floor, yet she was drawn to the sky and cloud, like she could reach them by jumping out of the window.

She suddenly shifted her attention back to Adelheid, spotting both hesitation and confidence from her stance. She then tried to put up a sneer and Adelheid mirrored the action with a pleasant smirk. Their intensities once again clashed without rest, slowly making the two spectators in the room sweating profusely.

"Everything will be at stake if you proceed to act reckless and foolish. There will be no second time, Sawada."

Tsuna folded her arms to her chest, "I see you are very eager to end the core of this problem."

Adelheid responded with a clenched fist and a snarl.

"Pick your choice soon, Vongola. Drop the matter and your back will be secured or proceed and slowly live in a stalemate scenario. Based on your choice, I might still preach you as our acquaintance."

Tsuna's eyes hardened on Adelheid, the latter mirrored with the same tenacity of what spectators saw would be described as hate. A loud breeze suddenly closed the opened window with its force and Tsuna sneered at her interlocutor.

"Mark your words, Adelheid. I will come someday to sever that deal of yours. Personally. Wait for the good news. I may let the world know sooner after I deal with that family of mine." Her lowered voice reverberated loud and clear while promising pain and havoc to whoever witnessed the secret exchange inside the room.

Adelheid's displeased frown turned to an inviting smirk. She was apparently pleased with Tsuna's threat.

Tsuna turned around and walked to the door, "Let's go, Shittopī-chan. The three days of Parlemo's beauty offer hasn't dried up, yet."

She spared one last glance before walking out with Shittopī's bewilderment accompanied the silence.

Outside the closed door of the shop's second floor, Tsuna's daunting smile morphed to a grim one. Her eyes strayed once again to the nearest opened window. Shittopī watched the change and showed her confusion. They stayed in silence with Tsuna watching the window and Shittopī observing her, none was speaking out their mind.

"…Your hateful words and glare weren't even that convincing." Tsuna mumbled. Her palm was put on her heart, feeling the quickened heartbeat slowly going steady.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"It's nothing, Shittopī-chan." Tsuna turned around and put on her brightest smile, "Aren't we going to explore the last district?"

When Shittopī showed her a wide grin, Tsuna suddenly felt she had chosen the wrong move. Dread settled on the pit of her stomach as Shittopī's long hand then reached to drag her around the district towards the capital and Tsuna once again buried her face into her hands.

She peeked from the gap of her fingers as they stared tauntingly at the big tree the two of them had previously sat. Her eyes gleamed and she was determined to flee once again.

She had places to be and one of them happened to be in the center of Italy. She was tempted to test her power limit and to let more paperwork and bills delivered to the head in the process. There was some debt left to be paid by her and she wasn't going to sleep peacefully until it was paid in full.

About:

The Italian word of "Dai" has so many meanings, depends on the body language and tone of the user. In this chapter, Dai means "come on" or "come along". Simply the performer is asking the people to come and watch the show in the evening.

While the show entitled "La Traviatta" means "The Fallen Woman" or "The One Who Goes Astray", an three-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The aria "Sempre Libera" at the end of Act I is especially well known. The story follows the love between a famed courtesan, Violetta Valery, who makes the greatest sacrifice for her lover, Alfredo Germont. After Violetta fell in love with him, the couple leave Paris and begin a contented life in the country. But Violetta's happiness is destroyed when Alfredo's father, Giorgio, pays her a visit and convinces her to leave Alfredo as their scandalous relationship is bringing shame upon his family. They then go to their separate ways. It isn't until Violetta is on her deathbed that Alfredo learns the truth behind her departure.

This one is a heartbreaking story, I have watched. The story and characters are so pure and romantic with the right dosage, even if the female lead was an courtesan who played a lot with men beforehand.

End Log:

Thank you for reading.

I admit, this chapter has so many information and I won't blame you if you are confused. This chapter is meant to make you so. Because the riddle will be solved in the next chapters.

The fourth chapter is a bit difficult. So many feelings will swirl around and the people would contemplate what to do with their new discoveries.

Stay tune! If not tomorrow, the chapter will be published on Friday.

Once again, please stay safe, world!