DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN
"Wake up!" Haru shouted.
Hayato jumped up from the bed in shock. Haru angrily tapped her foot as he was trying to catch his breath. It took him a few seconds to understand what was happening. He's never let anyone come this close to him while sleeping. He was a light sleeper. For her to come this close, he couldn't believe it.
"How long are you going to stay in bed?" She ripped the blanket off of him. "Get up already. I don't have all day. Go to the bathroom if you need. Today is the start of your training."
She threw the blanket back over his head. He flailed his arms around to free himself. When he finally got it off he found that she had taken a seat on the couch. Not the best morning call that he got. He bit his tongue back from snapping.
"What do you have for me today?" She pointed to a pile of clothes the were thrown onto the floor.
"First off, shopping. I can't be seen with you being a mess. I'll look like some sort of slave driver." If he was going to do this job he had to look the part as well.
"Give me a minute." He got up, going straight to the bathroom. On his way he got a glimpse at the time. 12:35pm. He slept roughly 13 hours. His body must have been more tired than he thought. The bed was just so soft and warm. He could see why Ricco people could sleep so well.
He quickly brushed his teeth, with the complementary toothbrush and paste, splashed some water on his face, used the toilet and was out as fast as he could. He didn't know his boundaries with his employer yet that he would rather not get fired on the first day. If he could get fired that is.
When it came down to it they both needed each other for their own benefits. Hayato was just more desperate. If anything happened, she was at an advantage to complete her mission through other means. On the other hand, he didn't have any other option to gain the money he needed.
Hayato held up the clothes that she had given him. They didn't look entirely new. They were still better than what he had on hand though. They were a bit baggy but they still fit him almost perfectly. The only reason why it wasn't exact was because he didn't have the usual amount of fat and muscle that someone his age and height should have.
When he stepped out of the bathroom he went over to Haru.
"I'm ready to go."
"Good." She tossed him a large jacket that covered up to his knees. "Wear this too until we get you some new clothes. Here's your first rule if we're going to work together. Don't attract attention. Got it?"
"How many of these stupid rules are there going to be?" He put on the jacket.
"Keep acting like a child and you'll find out. Don't push your luck."
If there was one thing to add onto the list of things Hayato hated about Ricco, he would say that it's loud. There were people constantly talking, cars beeping, construction somewhere, too much was happening all at once. Everywhere he looked someone was doing something. Not a single person was simply enjoying their time. They had to be working on something; all the time. Now he had to act as one of them.
After getting some breakfast Haru dragged him to the biggest shopping mall in the district. Once they were there he kept darting his eyes between her and their surroundings. No one really cared about them but he felt that everyone could tell that he didn't belong.
Haru was different from him. She resembled the basic Ricco look with the light make-up. He could even catch a faint smell of her sweet perfume. The way she walked didn't have any resistant as she was use to this environment. Meanwhile he was hiding his appearance under a large trench coat.
She suddenly turned around to face him. She leaned in closely to his face. As if he wasn't already on the edge with all the noise. "W-what?"
In his confusion she pulled the hoodie over his head. She grabbed the strings, tying them together before he could react. "You would be died with that reaction time."
"You just caught me off guard." He tried to defend himself moving to remove the hood.
"Keep it like that for a while. It'll help buffer the noise."
Hayato didn't know what to say. He didn't expect her to notice his discomfort. Or even care for that matter. He didn't want to admit it but it did help. To a certain degree.
Seeing the two sides of her it raised the question in his mind on which one was the real version of her. The way she was able to put on this cutesy image so easily made it seem natural. She changed the way she spoke and the overall presence she held was welcoming. Even her clothes fitted the image this time. She could have planned this beforehand but she still had these clothes in her possession.
He knew that they shared a work relationship. He couldn't, and most likely wouldn't, cross that line to find out more about her. However, it did make him intrigued that there was a real reason for her joining the Vongola. She could have been a killer from birth. Or she could be more similar to Hayato than he thinks.
"Hurry the fuck up." She was already far ahead of him. He got rid of the thoughts of her being innocent after hearing her emphasis on fuck.
First thing that they brought was 3 pairs of shoes. 2 running and 1 formal pair. The moment they brought them Haru threw out his current pair. Same with his clothes. The moment he gave her his worn out clothes she threw them into the closest trash bin without his consent. To be fair even though he wore them like shoes and clothes, they hardly did their job.
For the most part Hayato didn't care what he wore as long it was better than what he had. That wasn't setting the bar very high. He did notice that she did lean towards more casual, baggy type clothing for him. Comparing it to some of the others his age, he didn't look that much different. That was probably what she was aiming for. It was crazy to believe that he could ever be put on the same level as those in Ricco.
Each store they went to Haru stacked up practically anything she saw into Hayato's arms. The sky was the limit with her budget and his inability to say anything against her. Of course he was the one to carry everything as well with the excuse that he needed muscle training.
No matter how many clothes were thrown at him, it didn't make him feel any closer to completing his mission. She labeled this shopping trip as part of his training. That was complete bullshit in his eyes. They were burning daylight with all of this. He agreed that he needed some new clothes. He didn't need a full shop's worth of it.
Currently they were in a sports store. Their main objective was in the clothes once more. He considered asking about stuff like weights or exercise labelled objects but didn't. He would have to carry those around too. Who would have guessed that bags of fabric would be so heavy? He didn't see any difference in the expensive branded ones that he only got what Haru told him to.
Hayato stepped out of the changing room. He scanned the store finding Haru watching a tv screen with a serious face. He walked up to her, seeing that she was watching a baseball advertisement. He wasn't too familiar with athletes but he could tell this person was a big deal by the production put into the ad.
He looked it over, finding the person's name in the corner. "Yamamoto Takeshi? Is he your celebrity crush or something?"
"You can say that."
"You should give up in that case. Some top class baseball player isn't gonna go for some crazy Vongola woman."
"I wouldn't bet on that." She took out her cell phone showing her lock screen. It was Takeshi kissing her on the cheek. "He's my boyfriend."
"What?! That big time celebrity is your boyfriend?!" She ignored his outburst as some people directed their attention to them. He quickly realized that and calmed himself down. "So does that mean he's also a Vongola member?"
"Takeshi? A Vongola member? Don't make me laugh. I mean look at him. All smiley. No one would even consider him to be a part of the Mafia." He looked back at the ad playing one of his games.
"Too bad. He has good reflexes." He mumbled to himself. She didn't miss it. Only one look and he was already able to see Takeshi's abilities.
Out of all of the guardians, Takeshi was the one that was the most fitting to be in his position. Both in the spotlight and as a guardian. He kept the facade up in front of the cameras that portrayed the image of a beloved baseball player, one of the world's greatest players that wouldn't dare hurt a fly. In reality, he was a natural born hitman.
"Does he know about you then?"
"If word gets out about me then my relationship would be over so listen up. Rule number 2; never speak to him unless I allow it. Even in that case do not speak about your job." Haru spoke with a smile on her that sent chills down his spine. She was clearly threatening him to keep quiet. And though he hated listening to her constant orders, this one was one that he didn't dare to break.
"Sheesh you really like the guy." No that wasn't it. She only wanted them to have as minimal amount of contact as possible.
"I'm still a girl at heart. Love is stronger than any force out there!" He scoffed at her. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"Yeah. You're starting to sound like Ani- no, never mind." She was already aware of who he was referring to. There was little that Haru wasn't able to find out about Hayato.
Him and his sister were relatively close. They both bickered on many occasions but they supported each other. Even now she was putting her trust in him to gain money for the family. Keeping the information he releases about them to a minimal was a smart move.
Hayato thought back to her innocent image that she used on him earlier. That must have been what she used when she was with Takeshi and other civilians. If he only knew that side of her he wouldn't have questioned it. The two sides of her were so different it didn't make any sense on why she was so easily able to change it.
"It doesn't matter who I am in the end since my face isn't known to the public. It's just easier this way. Takeshi has enough fans that I don't need to be hiding my face anymore than necessary."
It was true that Haru kept herself away from the camera's view. The couple were a unique pair. Both pretending to be the kindest people while operating some of the most ruthless crimes in the city. Dates in broad daylight hiding from cameras while committing heinous acts in the shadows away from the public.
"So what does he think you do if not be a killer?"
"An independent designer. Whenever I have free time I make costumes for plays or whatever. It comes in hand when I need a cover without taking up too much of my time. It works for when I have to infiltrate somewhere else as well. I've even watched his games pretending be a fan myself."
"Are you ever jealous of those fans? Flaunting over your boyfriend?" She shrugged.
"Comes with the job. No way will Takeshi fall for some random person. He's a lot smarter than most people put him as." Haru, in a way, prided herself that her boyfriend was able to pull off such an image. It was rare to find someone that was as intelligent as she was. Probably the only person that surpasses her was Hibari. Or maybe even Hayato in the future. But as of right now he was still an unpolished diamond.
"You sure about that? He looks like any other baseball idiot. He doesn't even realize that his girlfriend is lying straight to his face with an innocent facade." She gently pulled on his sleeve making him flinch.
Raising her hand to her face she pouted at him. "Is something wrong with Haru-desu?"
She easily switched to first person with a higher pitch with big eyes that sparkled with the store's lights. He stuttered in what he should say. Having her so close made him realize how small she was compared to him.
She was dressed differently than last night too. Where last night she was more so directed to what one would wear at a bar, today she looked like a normal girl. With her brown hair tied up and wearing a summer type outfit, there was less of a threat she presented.
"I-I w-what- I-" She pulled away laughing.
"Whatever you say Gokudera-san but I know a lot about men. With some make-up, a good physic, and no seen fighting will, I appeal to a wide variety of men. Including you in some ways. Takeshi just so happens to be the one I went after and won."
He would agree that she wasn't ugly in his eyes. He just couldn't stand the idea of her doing this drastic flip whenever she wanted. He was used to bad people being seen as bad people. People that appeared sleazy, littering, showing off, stuff like that. Haru being able to appear so cute went against that. Not only that but she did it for fun. She laughed at Hayato because it was funny to watch him panic. She was the epitome of criminals with the appearance of a saint.
"Just stay evil looking."
"Unfortunately I don't know what evil looks like. No one does. So I'll be doing things my own way. 'Kay?"
He bared his teeth. "Fine."
"Good. Let's continue shopping."
"Is there a reason why we are buying so much? This should be enough to last me a month without even washing once." Haru went to a nearby rack causing him to follow behind. He thought that she would continue speaking but she only threw more into his arms.
Hayato had been asked a lot of questions so far. It was suspicious that this was the one that she chose not to answer. Of course he couldn't be certain that she was telling the truth with the past answers. But with this one she couldn't give an actual answer to him.
Haru was able to pick up that he had selective hearing. She had already told him that his training had begun. Today was merely a time to observe how he acts with her and strangers. By not answering his simple question she can see how he reacts to not getting answers.
From his silence she knew what he was doing. If he couldn't get a direct answer, he would observe to assume one himself. She was amazed that he didn't blow a fuse like he had done before. Just when she thought she figured him out he surprised her once more.
Haru gave out a small laugh. She turned to Hayato patting him on the shoulder. He took a step back out of her reach. "In due time you'll understand everything my dear Gokudera-san."
They both sat at a café with a few cakes and drinks. They were placed outside for some fresh air after spending hours in a mall. Hayato didn't order much as he never really got the chance to have sweet things so only got the least expensive. Haru, on the other hand, was praising herself for her good work that she ordered multiple slices.
They didn't talk much. He was more concerned with watching her every movement. She was taking amusement out of his paranoia. And her cakes made everything better. There was a lack of awkward tension but it definitely wasn't lax.
Suddenly Haru felt a familiar presence nearby. She looked up to see something flying in circles around their heads. She smiled raising her finger up to it. "You're in for a treat. You're about to meet one of Vongola's most trusted and versatile comrades."
Hayato looked up to see a small yellow bird descending down to them. It landed elegantly on her finger, chirping once in greeting to them. "Hah?! That tiny little bird is?"
"I'll have you know that Hi-birds are highly trained creatures. Not only are they used for messaging but for surveillance and many other things. Not to mention they sing beautifully." He stared at the bird. It turned to him chirping once at him as if wanting to say something. It gave him a bad feeling.
Hi-bird jumped off her finger onto the table. Haru removed a chain around her neck. He was surprised when he saw her ring on it. He was under the assumption that they had to wear it around their fingers 24/7. It was the only way that the citizens protected themselves.
"Aren't you required to wear your ring all the time?"
"No. That's something we spread so that people are less suspicious of each other. Though we are to keep it on us one way or another." She slipped her ring on. She tapped it against the leg of the Hi-bird's metal anklet. The anklet lit up at its touch.
The anklet opened, dropping out a rolled up note. She quickly skimmed through it. "Good news. Your tutor is in town. He's made some time in his schedule so that he could teach you."
"My tutor? I thought you were going to be teaching me?"
"I will be in charge of you. In terms of training there's someone else that I think will better suit your style." She fed the Hi-bird a bit of the fruit on top of her cake as a small treat.
"What a polite way of saying that you're pushing your work onto someone else."
"Awww are you going to miss me? Don't worry I'll make sure the big bad tutor won't hurt you. Too much at least." Haru cooed at him, only ticking him off more. "Regardless, I do believe that though this tutor has his problems, he is the best option to teach you. I will be leaving him notes I have taken on you so he will complete what is asked of him with ease."
"What notes have you been taking on me? All day we've only been shopping. That tutor better be the best fucking fighter if you're gonna leave me with them."
"Well you'll be disappointed that he isn't a fighter. That isn't what you need. And I've taken plenty of notes on you. Everyone had habits and ways of functioning that they're not fully aware of. When you recognize them, you'll learn to fix them and then you'll be of use to me. Until then you're still too weak to complete your mission." She patted the hi-bird on the head, dismissing it.
"And if I fail my training?"
She thought about it for a second. She could have told him that he would be thrown back on the streets but she did pay for all of his mom's hospital bills that she wanted to get some worth out of him. There would be no way that he would be able to pay off that amount. Abandoning him would only make her lose money.
"Don't. I already told you that you are the easiest way for me to accomplish my mission. If you are unfit, then I'll surely find some use for you. One way or another."
"But I'm not a Vongola member. You can't keep me around forever."
"That depends fully on you. I know what your tutor is capable of doing. How you handle that and his... Unorthodox methods is up to you."
"Unorthodox? Is this man right in the head? Oh what am I saying? All you Vongola people are crazy."
"He's not a Vongola member."
"So you're giving me away to some nobody?" She scoffed while taking another bite of her cake.
"And you wonder what notes I've been taking on you when you make it so easy." Hayato raised his eyebrow. Everyone had things that they didn't know about themselves. Haru could easily see them in him. She's dealt with worse people in a shorter amount of time.
Hayato had to give up knowing that she wouldn't reveal information willy-nilly. Everything she was doing had a meaning that he couldn't understand just yet.
"If I'm going to work for you then can I ask one thing about the job?"
"Not like you haven't been asking all the time anyways. I may not answer but go ahead."
"This person you want me to kill... Is he a Vongola member too?" She picked at the cake with her fork.
"No. But he is someone high in power that he might as well be a member." Especially with how much her boss trusts him. Not that she said this out loud.
"It's not my tutor is it?" She rolled her eyes.
"No, your tutor is someone that can be trusted. For the most part that is." He groaned loudly at her, never fully answering his questions.
"Okay so what are you going to do while I'm being trained?"
Haru's ring shined once in his eyes before she put it back on her necklace. "I have my own job to finish."