Squalo picked Shiori up and placed her in a bed before leaving. Squalo needed to be discrete. He really hoped everything was fine. It was Xanxus after all. He's one of the most powerful men alive. Though, Shiori's weak state terrified him. That's when he saw the destruction. The streets were a mess and charred probably due to Xanxus' flame.

"Squalo!" Nono's storm guardian ran to him.

"What the hell is going on?" Squalo asked.

"Things went even worse than what we thought. Nono is being kept hostage and Xanxus is still fighting."

"How injured is he?"

"He has a few scratches and a major wound."

"Dammit!" Shiori was right. Xanxus was in trouble. "Shitty boss worrying Shiori like that. I'll fucking kill him." Squalo ran everywhere until he found Xanxus. He was thrown to the ground.

"Do you think you could really scare me?" The enemy questioned smugly.

"VOI!" Nono saw Squalo and was surprised. Shouldn't he be with Shiori? Xanxus got onto his knees and looked back.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Xanxus asked.

"I'm going to fucking kill you, shitty boss!" Squalo was too angry.

"It looks like your subordinate is turning his back on you." The enemy spoke.

Squalo ran up and slashed the guy's chest right open. "You're the cause of this whole mess!"

"Trash." Squalo looked at Xanxus.

"We'll talk later." Squalo said.

Xanxus stood up. "Well, old man. Do you want me to finish him off?" "Yes."

After the family was dealt with, Squalo tended to Xanxus' wounds. He had scratches which was to be expected. There was one major wound on Xanxus' abdomen that caught Squalo's attention. Shiori was grasping her stomach earlier. Nono walked over to them. "Is Shiori safe?"

"She should be in bed resting. That idiot got too worried and got herself sick."

"What was she worried about?" Nono questioned.

"This shit trash." Xanxus growled at Squalo.

After being patched up, the three went to Shiori to check up on her. Nono's guardians stayed behind to deal with the mess. The entire house was quiet. They went to her room and saw her missing.

"Where did she go?" They looked everywhere and couldn't find her. A small yawn was heard. Xanxus opened the door to the backyard and saw Shiori sitting with her finished cake and a cup of tea.

"VOI! You should be resting!" Shiori let out a small shriek.

"I-I'm sorry, Squalo! I thought cake and tea would help."

"You're sick!"

"Not anymore. I suddenly got all better." That's when she saw Xanxus. "Are you hurt?" She asked.

"I'll be fine." He responded.

"You were hurt though." Shiori said as if she knew what happened. Nono looked between the two.

"Go get some rest. You'll catch a cold like this." Xanxus said softly. She stood up with her dishes.

"I'm glad you made it out alive." Xanxus kept his eye on Shiori. After she put her dishes in the sink, she collapsed.

Xanxus picked her up and went into a room and placed her in bed. She was breathing heavily. Was she still having effects from over using her flame? Nono got closer to her and could feel how unbalanced she was.

"Did something happen to her when you met her." Nono asked the two men.

"She was attacked by a flame user and has been like this ever since." Xanxus responded before Squalo could. Xanxus didn't want Nono knowing about her flame.

"Her body probably can't handle the overwhelming nature of flames. I'll help her." Nono's finger lit with a flame.

"Don't touch her." Xanxus demanded.

"I can help her. Do you want her to suffer?" Nono questioned.

With a wince, a calm, gentle flame appeared on Xanxus' finger. This shocked the two. Once the flame touched Shiori's forehead, she instantly relaxed and smiled.

"Xanxus…" Nono said with shock.

"What? Are you going to punish me for this too?"

Nono shook his head. "I never knew you could produce a flame like that."

"Leave it be."

Nono smiled as the two left the room. He looked to Shiori. "Thank you, Shiori. You've done something no one else could do. You changed him for the better even if it's only you he treats like this." He placed a flame on her forehead as thanks. Even though Xanxus tried his best, it was only temporary. He probably did this before which is why Shiori passed out. Nono took one more look before leaving the room. The two men were quietly fighting with each other.

"Will you two be quiet? Shiori is trying to rest and won't if you two are fighting." Nono warned them quietly.

"See? I told you." Squalo said.

These two were children at times. To make things worse, when Shiori was involved, they got worse. It made sense why Shiori could sense Xanxus was in trouble. His flame still lingered in her body and when he was in trouble, the last of it disappeared which resulted in what happened.

"Are you two staying here tonight?" The two grunted. It shouldn't have been a surprise. "I'll leave for the night. I'll be back tomorrow morning to check on her. Please try to stay quiet for Shiori's sake." Nono left and met his guardians at the hotel.

"Did you see Shiori?" The storm guardian asked.

"I did. She's sleeping. Poor thing was worried sick."

"What's with that smile?" The storm guardian questioned his boss.

"You all saw how the three interact with each other." They all nodded.

"It's strange to see him not aggressive towards someone." Another guardian said.

Nono shook his head, thinking about the flame. "He's only cautious with Shiori and Shiori alone."

"Why do you think that?" The rain guardian asked.

"I don't know and I don't care. He's capable of being kind when he wants." Nono said with a warm smile.

"Kind? Maybe, but his flame is monstrous." The storm guardian spat.

Nono walked toward his room. "The flame he showed me was different. It was so gentle it wouldn't have burned anything, not even a piece of paper."

"That's impossible." The same guardian said. Nono went into his room without saying anything. That gentle flame proved the lengths he'd go to protect Shiori.

When I woke up, I could smell something cooking. It was foreign yet familiar at the same time. I know I've smelt this before, but I can't tell what it is. I got up and dressed into my regular clothes that were more suitable for the fall season. Yesterday was almost like a blur, but everything felt better. In the kitchen, I saw Squalo cooking.

"Squalo?"

He turned and smiled. "Good morning, Shiori. Are you feeling better?"

"I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you. Is it just you here?"

"Xanxus is here still sleeping. I'm pretty sure his father and friends are coming to check on you." He said and went back to cooking.

"They don't need to do that. I'm perfectly fine."

"That's true, but you did feed us an amazing dinner last night. I'll call you when breakfast is done."

"Alright. Thank you again, Squalo."

"Shut up and get out so I can concentrate."

I quietly laughed and went into the living room to chill for a while. I thought about what had happened. Xanxus was hurt last night. No. He was all scratched up from what I could see. What kind of business meeting had violence involved? Well, they were Italian. I shook my head. They couldn't be mafia. Could they? It'd explain the tough exterior, but I didn't want to believe it. Part of me knew it was a possibility, that it was the most probable answer, but I decided to play stupid and not think too much about it. Ignorance is bliss after all.

There was a knock before the door opened. Xanxus' father and his friends were all here. I looked up from the couch.

"Ah, Shiori, you're looking much better." Xanxus' father said happily.

"I feel a lot better too. My head hasn't felt this clear in a long time. I can't remember the last time I felt like this."

"That's good to hear. Where's Xanxus?"

"He's sleeping."

"Do you mind if I go wake up him?"

"Go for it." He walked into another room while the others just stood around, looking everywhere. They were a little awkward. A few minutes later, the two walked out.

"Trash." I looked up at Xanxus.

"Not you." Xanxus said.

"Oh." I said quietly.

Squalo walked to us. "What is it?"

"We need to leave." Xanxus spoke with a slight slur from tiredness.

"We can't just leave Shiori alone."

"We have no choice." Xanxus looked rather pissed off at something.

"Why?" I kept looking between the two. Xanxus looked down at me for a split second before looking away.

"I won't say it again."

Squalo looked at me. "Breakfast is done and still hot. Will you be fine without us for the rest of the time you're here?"

"I'll be fine. What about you two? Is everything alright?" They seemed taken aback by my question.

"We're strong. Don't worry about us." Squalo's words said something totally different than his eyes. They were full of worry. I looked up at Xanxus. His red eyes wouldn't look into mine. I looked at his father, then at the rest. They were all avoiding eye contact. "Okay."

They were all leaving. I grabbed Squalo's wrist. "Shiori? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick again?" It was just the two of us.

"I don't know what's going on, but can you promise me something?"

"It'll depend what it is."

I looked into Squalo's eyes and took a deep breath. My grip on him tightened. "Can you make sure Xanxus is alright?" His eyes widened a little.

"You have nothing to worry about, but I can promise you that."

"Thank you, Squalo. Have a safe trip back home." He nodded before leaving with the rest.

It was only when Xanxus walked into the car did I have a bad feeling. I couldn't think of anything that could have happened when his father went in the room. My mind was blank. I closed the door after I watched the car drive off. A plate of food sat on the counter. Squalo even did the dishes. I took one bite and felt my eyes burn. It was delicious, but it couldn't help how worried I felt. Is this what it was like having friends? Did it make you feel weird things like this? Oh well. I finished the plate and gave a sigh. "That was really good. I wish there was more." I went into the living room and lay on the couch. It was comfortable. My eyes were slowly closing. Maybe I'll see everyone next time. It'll be nice.

Soon, it was time for me to go to school again. My parents were still gone. It worried me, but I knew they'd be just fine. In school, everyone seemed to just stare at me. Did I do something? I sat down and took out a book. The guy in front of me turned around.

"How was your vacation?" He was the only one in class that spoke to me.

"It was nice."

"Did you study during the time you were gone?"

"I went and visited my grandparents in Osaka."

"You don't seem like one to like travel." He commented.

"It's enjoyable."

The teacher came in and started our lessons. Like usual, I didn't have to pay attention. I've noticed how it was starting to snow. I looked across the room to the windows and felt alone. I didn't like how Xanxus and Squalo suddenly left like that. I had to stop thinking about it. They're just people who happened to be closer to me than most people. Thinking like that made things more depressing. I was getting attached and I wasn't sure if I liked that or not. At lunch, I was alone as usual. I usually liked being alone but being with everyone made me like being with people a lot more. I ate my food slowly. I had to stop half-way through. Nothing would make my stomach feel better.

I needed to distract myself. So, I looked at all the clubs the school had to offer on the bulletin board in the hall. The list was surprisingly large considering how small the school was. There was every sport and hobby on the list, but the only thing that looked interesting was archery. Grandpa used to be good and would let me watch him practice. They met every day but Friday after school. That doesn't seem too bad. After school, I nervously walked to where the archery club met for practice. A group of people looked at me.

"Are you here for the archery club?" Someone asked.

"Yes."

One girl walked up to me with a big smile. "Welcome. I'm Sachiko the president of the club. What's your name?"

"Shiori."

"It's nice to meet you. What made you want to join?" She questioned.

"I needed something to do after school and since my grandfather used to do archery, I figured I should give it a go."

"I'm sure you'll do great. Follow me. I'll find a uniform for you." I followed Sachiko to the backroom. There were a lot of things in the cluttered room. "Try this one on. We have more sizes." I went into the locker room and changed. It fit as well as it'd fit. "So?"

"It fits enough."

"There are more sizes available." She commented.

I walked out with a small smile. "If I go bigger or smaller, it won't fit my chest."

"Say no more. Let's go. Everyone is probably already going at it. I'll mentor you until you feel like you got the hang of it." "Thank you."

Walking out, Sachiko brought me to the end of the line to an empty spot. "Do you know how to string the bow?"

"I do. It was the only thing grandpa allowed me to do." I took the bow and quickly attached the string to it.

"You did that quicker than some of us." Sachiko said impressed.

"I've had years of experience."

"Do you know how to shoot?" I shook my head. "I'll show you."

Sachiko took her own bow and put the arrow on the string itself. She then got into position. I noticed how her breathing was steady. She held her breath and then released it after she shot. The arrow went right into the middle.

"Do you want to try?" I nodded and took an arrow. I got into position. Sachiko went behind me and guided my hand. "You'd hit the ground if you aimed like that." She let go and watched. My breathing steadied but my heart wouldn't stop beating. I shot. The arrow hit the edge of the target.

"Not bad, newbie." Someone commented. I wasn't satisfied.

"The more you practice, the more likely you'll hit the middle. Shoot a couple more times." Sachiko said. I did and they went all over the place, but they still hit the target. "You seem like a natural."

"How?" I asked Sachiko.

"When people first start, they usually don't hit the target."

"And that makes me a natural?"

"That's right. No one is perfect at a new thing when they start. It never happens."

At the end of the day, I went home. My fingers were a little raw from shooting so many times. Though, it was nice. No wonder grandpa does it. When I got home, my dad was the only one home.

"I'm home."

"You're home late. Did something happen?" Dad asked, worried I ran into trouble.

"I decided to join the archery club."

"You did? I guess you do take after me. How did you do?"

"The president said I was a natural. I hit the target every time, but none were perfect. Some hardly made contact."

Dad smiled. "Be proud of your work, Shiori. You might not be satisfied, but it's still results. It took me a week before I could hit the target."

"Really? Grandpa is super good. I'm surprised you're not like him."

Father clicked his tongue. "That old man always had a thing for it. He always said something about it being in our blood."

"Is mom working overtime tonight?" I asked, opening the fridge.

"I guess. She hasn't called to say so."

"Oh." That's weird. She usually called so we wouldn't worry. Dad walked into the kitchen. "Hungry?" I made a noise. "How about we go out for dinner? We haven't done that in a long time." "What about mom?"

"She'll be fine." How come I can't trust those words? "Hey, dad?" "What?" "Is there something going on between you and mom?"

"Why do you think that?" He seemed surprised by my question.

"It's a lot more tense in the house, almost as if it's hard to breathe. Plus, both of you are gone for weird periods of times. You even leave different notes for me."

"We're…just having some troubles, but it shouldn't concern you. C'mon." I followed dad to the car. We got in. I still felt weird. "So, where to now?" He asked me.

"You're the one that decided to go out."

"I was hoping you'd have something in mind."

I sighed heavily. "How about ramen?" I suggested.

"That sounds good." Dad replied and started driving.

Sometimes, well most of the time, dad was a free spirit. He was the type that went with the flow but wouldn't be walked all over. He loved going on adventures without destinations. When we got there, the sun was setting. We went inside and sat at a table. We ordered our favorite flavors. For me, miso. For dad, salt.

"So, have you made any friends?" Dad asked.

"Sort of."

"Are they from school?"

"No."

"Oh? Would they happen to be those people your grandparents told me about?"

My face turned red. "H-how do they know?!"

"Their neighbors told them. Some handsome men were following you. Who are they? Why do you know them? Are they from those scum?" Dad asked with narrowed eyes.

"T-they're from Italy. I met them in Kyoto."

"Oh."

"Are you fine with that?" I asked nervously.

"You tell me. What did your gut feeling say?"

"They're rough around the edges, but they're different with me. In fact, they're sort of protective of me. They're the one that gave me the earring." I couldn't help but smile. Thinking of them made me feel safe.

Dad hummed with thought. "And why did they give you the earring?"

"I was attacked in Kyoto by those people. They ended up saving me and gave me the earring as protection, a lucky charm of sorts."

"I see. Hopefully, I'll meet them one day."

"Huh?" I tilted my head, confused. "You always had a hard time becoming close with people. Because of it, you never made friends. I know you lied to your mom, but you didn't want to worry her. The fact you're close with them makes me feel relieved you can trust someone other than us."

"Thanks, dad." Our ramen was put on our table. "This looks amazing." I picked up my chopsticks and stared at the extra large bowl of ramen.

"If you eat that whole thing, I'll buy you dessert." It was something he'd tell me as a kid to make me eat all of my food.

"You already know I'll eat the whole thing."

He chuckled. "I know."

We quietly ate our food. It was that good where we didn't want to talk. After we were done, we went straight home. There were sweets there. When we got back, we saw mom walking with a man I've never seen. Mom saw us and froze before walking over.

"Where did you two go?" She asked cheerfully. She was happier than usual.

"We went and had dinner." Dad responded.

"I'm sure that was nice."

"Who's this?" I asked the question I'm sure dad was thinking.

"This is Haru. He's a colleague of mine at the hospital. He decided to walk me home since it was so late out." I looked at Haru. His features were similar to the family that was after me. I wouldn't be surprised if he was related to them.

"I see. Thank you for walking my wife home."

"It was no problem." He gave mom a weird look before leaving. That did not sit right with me.

Mom smiled at me. "How was dinner?"

"It was good. How was work? Did you work overtime again?" I asked.

"I did. The paperwork was awful, but the important thing is I'm home safe and sound." We headed in.

"Why don't you go get ready for bed? You had a long day." Dad told me.

"Did you do something today?" Mom asked me.

"I joined a club."

"That's nice." I walked up the stairs. Mom seemed to be drunk on happiness. It didn't seem right. I shook my head. She couldn't be having an affair behind dad's back. She's madly in love with him.

For the next two weeks, I've been getting a lot better at archery. Sachiko was happy with my progress. The entire club was too. Everything was going so well at school. I actually wanted to go so I could go to archery after. At home, things were different. The air was a tenser than it was before and it'd only happen when both my parents were together. Dad wasn't even sleeping with mom anymore. They tried to hide it, but it's hard not to notice the footsteps leaving the bedroom to the living room during the middle of the night. I wish things will fix themselves. We were better anywhere but Namimori. Would not living here still bring my family to the brink like this? Would my parents eventually drift away from each other? If they do get a divorce, where does that leave me? I didn't want to choose who I'd stay with. I needed to stop thinking about it. It's only stress me out. I went the archery practice that day. Sachiko walked to me with a small hop in her step. She was certainly happy about something.

"Hey, Shiori?" Sachiko called me.

"Yes?"

"Do you like musicals?" She asked with a smile.

"They're alright. Why?"

"Well, it's sort of tradition that the archery club helps the Tokyo Musical Association out."

"How do you help?" I asked.

"We're either casted as extras or help move pieces together between scenes. I wondered if you're alright with that and wanted to help."

"I'll help."

She spun in a circle from pure excitement. "Wonderful! We'll all go this weekend."

"I can meet you there. I know where it is." I explained.

"That's right! You're originally from Tokyo, aren't you. That sounds like a plan. Saturday at ten in the morning it is. See you there, Shiori. Maybe you'll be casted."

It'd be best if I didn't. I don't like it when many people stare at me. At least helping the musical out will distract me from the situation at home. During practice, I was able to get a few bullseyes. It made me feel happy with my progress. Grandpa would be proud. At the end of practice, Sachiko handed me a very large packet.

"W-what's this?"

"This is the script for the entire musical. I already know what I'm doing, so I thought it'd be best for you to see what the thing is about." She commented.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

She gave a large, cheeky smile. "I'm part of the crew that helps with props. I used to be in plays as a kid and I suck at acting."

"I see. Thank you, Sachiko."

"No problem! Oh, and your aim is getting a lot better. You'll be getting bullseyes all the time before you know it."