Chapter Twenty-Three

Tsuna turned around when he felt eyes staring at him from his back. His caramel eyes scanned the area and spotted sticking blond hair and blue-green eyes peering at him at the corridor he just used. He can't help smiling at how cute 'sneaky' All Might is. Even in his hero persona.

Ever since he cried to his Dad, he had been feeling lighter. That kind of feeling he gets when every burden gets lifted a little from his shoulders. When he can sigh in relief for a moment before attacking again. Shouta had been taking care of him more frequent too, forcing him to study in the living room again while the man reads his papers about their class. It took some time to act the usual around his Dad again.

Man. To think that a fifteen years old with a mentality of fifty-five years old man cried over stupid insecurities and loneliness. He even needed the hug and the kiss. He couldn't look at his Dad's eyes for days, without blushing. Shit. Now that he realized it, he's calling a thirty years old man his Dad. But then, Shouta deserves the title. He's someone Tsuna will respect as his father, like Reborn had been in his life. Besides, the people you can always count on is your family. Parents know best too. And Shouta had been his confidant after everything went down hill when he became four. And he'll do everything to repay the man.

Now, he should probably address the hero who has been watching him since he got discharged.

"Yes, All Might-san?" He asked, adjusting his book bag on his shoulder.

The man went out of his hiding and smiled at him with good posture. "Can you spare me some of your time, Tsuna?"

The brunet chuckled, remembering how he asked the man with the same askance. "Sure, All Might-san."

He followed the man when the latter started to walk to lead. He fell in steps with the blond after sec of figuring out that the hero is slowing his pace to let him catch up. They went inside the man's room where Nezu and Recovery Girl, who asked him to call her Chiyo, were waiting with cups of tea for all of them. Tsuna bowed a little in greeting before taking the offer to sit beside Nezu.

It has been four weeks, a month in short, since they operated on All Might. The load on the guy has been light, but he's recuperating well. Very visible too, to the point that his Dad had asked him what he did to make the other healthy and alive. He didn't say a thing. It's not his story to tell, but he assured his Dad that he didn't do anything bad. It made Shouta really curious, and bugged him to the point that they had a tickle war.

"You had been avoiding us, Tsuna." Nezu hummed, making him and All Might wince.

"I have no excuse for my actions. I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Nezu is jesting you, Sawada." Chiyo waved off. "You don't have to apologize. It's a general reaction to avoid the people you helped so they won't feel like you're pressuring them to be grateful."

"Which reminds me," All Might bowed leaned his upper body, as if bowing, making Tsuna panic a little. "I am very grateful to your help. Thank you, Tsuna."

"P-Please. Don't bow to me. It was the least I could do." The brunet pleaded, almost grimacing at the mental image of Reborn glaring at him for being pathetic. He took a deep breath. "A hero cannot bow like that, All Might-san. Please raise your head."

The hero did. "If you have favors, something I could do for you, do not hesitate to approach. It's the only thing I can do to compensate."

He smiled softly. "I'll keep that in mind. But will you tell me how is it? The repairs, I mean?"

"His metabolism is normal." Chiyo assured, taking her own cup of tea. "His vitals are normal. No pain or discomfort. He had eaten more than he could after I gave him the go. He can run lengths and had voiced tummy aches when he ate too much."

"In short, the stomach you made was impeccable." Nezu summarized, eyeing him with amazement, as if knowing what he did.

"What about your form?" He asked, wording it nicely.

"I could stay a little longer, no more blood coughing." All Might answered, truthfully.

His heart eased further as he smiled easily. "That's relieving." Then he noticed the eyes. "I'm sorry about your eyes. I wanted to heal them too, but I didn't really go that further."

"Go?" Chiyo asked, head tilting as Nezu chuckled too.

Tsuna raised his hands after putting his bag down. "Just so you know, studying how a stomach works, how many tissues it has, what nerves to connect and how to make it work properly for a human body is not the simplest work a student can do. Even the other organs that you said were affected by the injury." Well, even for a fifty-five years old man who could remember much from Reborn's and Ryohei's rumblings during that time. "I had to check the library a couple of times to commit the words in my head. I thought I was becoming a doctor in just a week."

The three stared at him.

"Don't get me wrong." He placated as he took his own cup to sip his tea. "I'm not complaining. I am the one who offered the treatment. And besides, it was the best way to keep things off my mind."

"Aizawa had also rejected our request to approach you himself when he asked." Nezu nodded after he sipped his tea. "You had things inside your mind too."

He smiled. "Usual teenager stuffs. Even my classmates have it."

"For an old woman who had worked with you, it's quite good to hear you say those." Chiyo stated. "You've always been so calm and accepting since I've met you, Sawada."

"That's not true." He denied, remembering all those times he felt extreme emotions. "I also have my moments. Getting angry, excited, sad. It's just that being calm makes me think rationally. Being driven with emotions had caused me a lot of troubles in the past."

"Well, I know someone who has those tendencies." Nezu teased, eyes on All Might who winced. Even Chiyo's eyes are on the blond. Tsuna amusingly smiled. "I wonder if you can help him being rational, Tsuna. Having supports like you can bring back rationality."

Caramel eyes flashed orange as his intuition picked up something. "If it will help, I'm ready to back you up anytime, All Might-san. I already registered you as an important figure in my life, so I can pick up signals if you're in trouble." He eyed the other two too. "You are included as well."

"Thank you." Chiyo expressed. Nezu nodded appreciatively while All Might's eyes shed tears. "Such a crybaby, Yagi."

"I-I cannot help it. Such honor." All Might cried, making the three of them laugh.

They talked more before Tsuna excused himself. He was by the hallway leading to the stairs when he heard small pads of footsteps behind him. He looked back to see the principal following him closely. The brunet stopped walking to give his full attention.

"I just want to ask things." Nezu disclosed as he stopped walking too.

"What is it?" He queried before crouching down so both of them won't strain their necks.

"What is your motive for healing him?" The other quizzed without any pretense. As expected. "Regardless of how I accept your reason, I cannot wrap my head around it. It's like something is amiss."

The brunet pursed his lips. "His situation reminds me of someone who has been expecting himself to die a dog's death. And I can't, and will never be able to accept that kind of death for men who have done so much for others and their lives."

"Is that all?"

"Maybe because I know I'll regret not helping him is another reason. I don't want to live my life now, regretting and haunting myself with a decision I should've done."

Nezu nodded. "Thank you for answering truthfully. And I'm sorry for interrogating you."

"I understand why you did it." He sympathized. "My best friend had been in that situation."

"A friend?"

"I had eight best friends, one of them, with his own gang, were victims of human experimentation." His mind provided him pictures of Mukuro. "He has been experimented since he was a child and escaped that mad house with his friends at a young age. He was entering his teen age, if I remember right. He tried to have revenge and tried to kill the leader of their group when they were still young. He had his moments, trust issues and always looking for a motive why he's being approached and such. It was the reason why he's so snarky, annoying and intimidating. And before he even trusted us, he needed to be assured that no one will do something bad to him. He thought everyone always has their reasons why they approach him. The only one he trusted the most is the lady who tested the first on-the-spot made stomach."

"O-Oh." Tsuna chuckled at how speechless the principal is.

"I hope my answers settled your mind, Nezu-san. I honestly want to say 'just for the heck of it' as a reason, but that won't be acceptable." He stood up. "I'll be leaving now. Please have a good evening ahead."

As he walked away, Nezu watched him leave and think of a reason why the brunet used past tense for his words.

"Tsuna."

"Yup?"

"Has Bakugou been acting worse?"

Caramel eyes stopped their movements and gazed up to see black ones waiting for him. "You were listening?"

"For the exam." His Dad answered.

Tsuna sat back as he thinks through. Since their exams are three days away, the competitive side of Katsuki started to rose. Especially on the three of them. He threatened Izuku with his newly found quirk. He also said something about Shouto. If Tsuna wasn't nudged by Jirou, he won't even hear the blond telling him that he's a threat. It was pretty understandable since he tied on third place with Katsuki in the midterms.

What honestly made Tsuna guilty was the fact that the blond didn't use the phone charm they bought together. It means the blond is really angry with him. He did give the ones he picked for his Dad, Izuku, Shouta and Hitoshi. They even put their own charms. He's so glad he didn't bought matching ones. The looks on their faces will be hilarious. Besides, Katsuki is the only one who knew they were bought with other things.

Well, back to his Dad's question...

"Define worse?" He quirked.

"You know, the yelling, picking up fights and such." Shouta shrugged.

"I think..." He looked down to his hands. "I think he's just having a hard time focusing on some things, and is frustrated over them. Like he can't accept people being better than him, especially on Izuku."

"But you said he respects you."

"That's different." He sighed. "He acknowledges effort and courage. Like Uraraka when they fought. Kirishima too. On the other hand, he respects me because even if I didn't show him my abilities, he already gauged my capabilities."

"Then..." Shouta leaned back, contemplative. "You're not friends?"

He shook his head. "You'll think we are with how we interact. Right now, Shouto and Izuku have established it. Hitoshi hadn't said it, but we both know we are. Class A are mere acquaintances even though I could call some of them with their names."

"You like to put labels."

"We can never assume. You know those situations, where when I wrote you as my best friend, but you put Uncle Hizashi as yours? It's the same, Dad. What if I assumed that we are, but one sided? That I was the only one who thought that we were mutual."

"Like when we started." The hero uttered. "You couldn't call me Dad because the feeling wasn't the same. You had to call me Aizawa for..."

"Three years."

Shouta winced. "Then Shouta for-"

"Two years." Both said at the same time.

"Then I was able to call you Dad by the next year, right after you got those life threatening injuries." Tsuna can't smile widely at the memory. "It was the sweetest and best birthday gift ever."

"You're impossible." Shouta uttered under his breath, hiding his burning cheeks with the papers he should be reading.

Tsuna chuckled. "I love you too, Dad."

"I love you, Tsuna." His Dad replied back, still hiding.

Tsuna flexed his hands as he looked around. Everyone is already paired up with the teachers they need to defeat. All, except for him. Well, he is the odd one out, so it's expected?

His eyes flitted to his classmates. They were paired with how their grades and capabilities were made. His Dad, though, took consideration of their personality and attitude. He got interrogated about them almost everyday, except the day before their written exam. From who gets along well with everyone, to who don't. Of course, Tsuna answered. He can't have his food as hostage now, can he?

(He knew it was a joke. But knowing Shouta, he had to answer everything.)

"Sawada." Shouta called out. "Your exam will be different from them."

"Oh?" He uttered, not really surprised.

"Your partner is not in your class." Nezu elaborated, making his classmates look at him. His intuition huffed at the detected lie. "You'll meet him in your site. You are to go against,"

"Me." Caramel eyes gazed at the teacher's side to see Vlad King stepping up. "Pleasure to work with you."

Tsuna bowed to the hero's direction. "Please take care of me."

Caramel eyes assessed the teacher he will be up against. Vlad King has spiked upwards pale grey hair that has a small chump hanging over the left eye, thin and small dark red eyes that his intuition pointed out, and two lower canines. He's pretty bulky and tan, with prominent scars peeking out of their hidings. He's wearing this dark red skin-tight suit with a low v-cut on the chest, trimmed with black until to his shoulders. He has white over-the-top knee boots and white vambraces on his lower arms. He has this tube attached from his left of neck to his left vambrace. There are red gloves in his hands, three piece metal as his belt and orange mask.

What the brunet knows about the teacher is he has this unique blood quirk. He can control his own blood to do something with it. He has good reflexes, and enhanced strength and speed. What Tsuna's impression on him is he's one of those who had doubted him when he said that villains entered the school, right before the USJ incident, and during the deliberation he got invited to.

But, that's not a way to gauge a personality, right?

"The eleven teams will be starting their respective stages simultaneously." Shouta announced. "The general outline of the test will be explained by each of the teachers you'll be battling. You're to be transported by the campus buses. Time is precious, so get in them promptly."

Tsuna bid his classmates good luck. Even Izuku, who looked wry with being paired up to Katsuki and going against All Might. He mentally grimaced as they parted ways. He should really apologize to the two. He was the other devil who urged Shouta to pair them up. Besides, it's for their own good.

He followed Vlad King to their bus. He sat on one of the parallel seats as the hero sat beside the driver. Amusing himself, he put on his headset and listened to some French songs he downloaded after the written exam. He suddenly got hooked to it after hearing the song 'La Vie en Rosé' in that one channel. It brings him back to Paris, those times they go there to just relax while in their civilian clothes.

He's trying to let go, like what Shouta had advised to him. He has to take his time to let go, but how can he when he forgot how to do it? It's like the concept doesn't exist to him. It's like he forgot how it works and what to do. So he asked Shouta.

At first, his Dad thought that he was joking. But when he asked again, Shouta gave in. He was treated like a kid though. Being ushered to sit between the man's legs and look up to the hero who looked down to him to give his point. Dude, he had a laugh of his life after their talk.

Anyway, Shouta told him that letting go is more than moving on. It's not about forgetting the past, and focusing on the present and future. It's not freeing himself from what have been done and what have caused him to feel those emotions he felt. It's that kind of acceptance that nothing will change about the situation even if he tried everything he could. The hero told him, that letting go is remembering the past, taking lessons from it to use for the present and relishing the reason how he grew because of it in the future. It's to provide him motivation and inspiration to be strong as he goes on with his life, and promise to himself that nothing like that will happen again. That once he accepts such situations, he'll do the best he could to honor those memories and use them as something to keep him afloat when things go downhill again.

Shouta told him that letting go is like giving up his most favorite jacket to someone who needs it more. It's like surrendering his want to attend a normal high school to Yuuei, and accepting that he doesn't have a choice but to comply. It's that kind of thing he usually does when he can't change something with just his own power. Like accepting Stain's ideology about the hero society.

His Dad told him that it's what he learned after spending time with him. It's what he taught the man when he was beating himself about Oboro's death. And it's a pleasure to be able to teach it back to him. Saying Tsuna was so flattered and embarrassed was a complete understatement.

(He had to hide his face in his hands before he went for his Dad's shoulder to whisper a 'thank you', and pointed out why is he sitting on the hero's laps, which both of them laughed at.)

Tsuna removed his phone from its hidings before removing his headset just as the bus stopped moving. He put it on the seat, knowing it won't be missing when he comes back again. Vlad King stood up just as he did. They went out of the vehicle and stood in front of the gate that Tsuna knew as their venue. He can't help the bubbling feeling of amusement as he inspected the mansion- No. That would undermine the building. It's a 'castle'.

How nostalgic.

"Since we're here, I will explain the exam." Vlad King started off, facing him. "First of all, I am here to apologize because in this exam, you don't have a partner to be with. Knowing your classmates will react badly, the Principal and Eraserhead told us not to react once they announced their decision over your exam. We cannot take some students from other department since it will not be fair."

Tsuna bobbed his head. "I understand."

"Seeing your reaction, I'll take it you're fine taking the exam alone." Then the hero coughed to his fist. "Now, the exam is for thirty minutes only. Your win condition is to either pin this handcuffs on me," He brought out a pair of handcuffs. "or, escape from the stage." Then he gestured to the castle behind him. "This is different from trial of battles since your enemy will be me."

"You will be acting as a villain then?" He verified.

"Yes." Vlad King affirmed, before explaining further. "Suppose you have come across a villain. If you can fight and win, then that's fine. That being said, if the gap in power is too big, then it's wiser to run and call for back up. In other words, it's a test of your judgement." Then he took something from behind him that made Tsuna's brows furrow a little. "Of course, we took consideration of your capability, so we asked the Department of Support to give us these."

The brunet walked a little closer to see the cuff the man presented. It wasn't hard to think what it has. "Handicaps."

"Yes. I'll be strapping myself of these super compressor weights which are equal to half of my body weights." The hero informed as he clasped the first one on his right wrist. "Any questions?"

"Nothing at all, Vlad King-san." He answered as he looked around. "Well, except for damages. Is it all right to damage the castle? It looks intricate."

"Villains are known to be very destructive, so it will be alright." The hero answered as he strapped a handicap to his left ankle.

He took consideration. "The castle property is complete, I take it? Garden and such?"

"It is." Vlad King nodded before regarding him curiously. "Why'd you ask?"

"Just laying it out." He smiled. "Thirty minutes won't be an enough time to explore all the sections. Knowing Yuuei, they'll go all the way making secret passages to have it realistic."

"That is correct." The hero confirmed. "Now then, you are to go to the center of the stage. That will be the starting point." The gate opened behind the man. "I wish you good luck, Sawada."

He flashed a smile. "Please come at me with all you've got, Vlad King-san."

Before leaving, Tsuna bowed at the man and entered the compound. It was really like Vongola Castle, with all the courtyard, garden and fountains. He remembered those times his guardians could destroy all of their property just for some 'spar'. Heh. Even Reborn would join them in some occasions. But not him.

He'll be at the side, waiting for a moment to freeze them all, figuratively and literally. Especially when he's furious about the property damage and the noises. Even scaring the new family members (staffs, gardeners, maids, etc.). Not like his guardians can't do their own paper works. He'll be damned if he accepts those and add them to his own. Except, if the one who's supposed to be doing it is injured or out of the property.

Tsuna stopped in front of the door. He didn't bother knocking. But he did take a deep breath while staring at the door. Huh. Now that he thinks about it, it's like he's being told to let go of this too. He can't help himself from taking a shaky breath as he put a hand on the knob and twisted it.

"I'm home." He silently announced as he stepped in and let the door close behind him.

"Everybody's at their marks, I take it?!"

Vlad King tried to pinpoint the student he's up against.

"In that case, now's the time, Freshmen of Yuuei High!"

They were told that the students will be at the center of the stage. But when he sneakily got there, the kid is nowhere to be seen.

"Let's begin the end-of-the-term test!"

Now that he thinks about it, why did the brunet ask about the castle? He didn't ask for a specific room. He questioned about the complete sections, property damage and secret passages.

"Ready?!"

Vlad King stilled at midstep when he realized something. How did the brunet know that there are secret passages?

"Go!"

Before he knew it, the whole place got flooded with flames.