yello~ here's the next chapter! hope you enjoy ;)

Chapter 23: The Calm Before the Storm

I'll be honest: I've been neglecting my beauty rest lately. What with literally being thrown into a chaotic situation (aka Hibari) and then having to deal with training and mafia politics afterwards, it was safe to say that I had no real time to chill. So the situation I was in was quite well-deserved, I'd say!

"As long as you refuse to tell us the truth... we won't do any housework! We'll boycott living together!"

The girls were boycotting. I'll admit, I was in a neutral standpoint. The boys could finally realize what they were taking advantage of the entire time, but I also understood their reasons for keeping the girls in the dark about the truth. It didn't mean I didn't agree with the girls though, considering I could only imagine what it must have felt like this entire time, not knowing where they were and having to adjust so quickly.

The girls left, and the boys turned around to see me. Naturally, Tsuna and Takeshi looked at me with hope in their eyes, but I only shook my head. "This is a family matter, so I can't butt in. You're on your own for this, sorry." Immediately, they fell dejected.

I smiled at them. "Hey, it's not the end of the world. I think you guys should learn how to do basic housework regardless, but besides that, think about how they must feel to boycott like this. I know you will reach a compromise, you guys are smart enough."

Reborn smirked. "Take her advice well, Dame-Tsuna. She's the example you should be following."

I flushed. "I'm not even that great of an example!" I placed a hopefully reassuring hand on Tsuna. "I know you can do it, Tsuna! You're the most compassionate person I know."

Tsuna smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Nee-san."

"Wait... Kamiya?! When were you here?! Were you a part of this extreme mafia thing the entire time?!"

I blinked as I met my eyes with Sasagawa Ryohei, the infamous second year who became the captain of the boxing club. Actually, it made sense why he never knew I was a part of the mafia. We'd never come across each other for mafia business, and I only really heard about him becoming a part of Tsuna's famiglia when he got attacked by Mukuro. I also left Japan before he got established as the Sun Guardian, which I learned about when the entire Varia ordeal finished.

I broke the long silence with a simple, "Yes."

His eyes widened. "That's extreme!"

I blinked. "Wait, Sasagawa. Didn't you see my future self? Or did you not arrive to the future yet?"

He blinked, and his eyes lit up with realization. "Oh, so that's why I thought I saw a familiar face!"

Hayato facepalmed. "I'd love to continue this conversation, Turf-Top, but we kind of have to figure this thing out first."

I nodded. "I'll leave you guys to it. Good luck~" I waved at them, and continued forward with a smile, amused at having finally met Ryohei. Eventually I wandered for long enough that I came across the girls, who if I remembered right, were Miura Haru and Sasagawa Kyoko. Reborn had previously informed me that Miura Haru had a crush on Tsuna and Tsuna had a crush on Sasagawa Kyoko. What an interesting pair, honestly.

Haru's eyes lit up with recognition. "You're Hibari-san's girlfriend!"

I blinked. I didn't realize that I had made things that obvious... because it definitely wasn't Hibari. Or was it? Wait... were we even dating? Aware that I had probably spaced out for too long, I smiled awkwardly at them. "Uh... hello! I'm Kamiya Izanami Sanguigno... but the two last names are a bit complicated so just call me Nee-chan! Or Nee-san. Or Onee-san. Up to you!"

"Um..." Kyoko stared at me, her head cocked in confusion. "Weren't you also the Onee-san that worked at Takesushi?"

I grinned. "Yes! I can't believe you remembered me. I quit awhile back because I moved to Italy, actually."

She gasped. "Really?"

Haru's eyes went bright. "You live in Italy?! That's such a romantic country!"

"Is... is it?" I smiled. "That's the first time I've ever heard someone call it that."

"Onee-san." I looked to Kyoko, who looked solemn. "Would you... would you happen to know why they're keeping things from us?"

I smiled. "Instead of worrying about that, why don't you take this time to enjoy yourselves? You guys are in middle school, there's no need for you to constantly worry about cooking and cleaning, you know?"

Haru frowned. "But... why do they always keep returning tired and hurt? What is it that they're doing, Nee-san?"

"Now, it's not any of my business to tell that to you, as that would ruin the point of the boycott, wouldn't it?" The girls fell dejected, and I only smiled. "Let's just say they think they're keeping things from you for your own good. Though I don't quite agree with them, I do see why they would think so."

Kyoko's eyes turned downward. "Onee-san... that means you do know the truth. Does that mean you're also involved?"

"Unfortunately."

Haru blinked. "'Unfortunately?'"

I smiled. "Things happened that caused me to get involved, and well... once you're a part of it there's no turning back."

Haru blinked again. "How ominous."

I laughed. "You have no idea." I turned to the two of them, and placed my hand on each of their heads. "Now, stop worrying so much! Go enjoy yourselves, take a bath, do whatever you want. You girls are free from housework, after all!"

They nodded, and I removed my hands from their heads and started to head off. "Onee-san!" Kyoko called out. I turned around with a "Hmm?" She smiled at me. "Would you like to join us?"

I grinned. "Of course!"

"Nami...nee?"

I turned to the voice, spotting a very grown version of Futa. I blinked, realizing that I had yet to talk to the child Futa about the Mukuro ordeal, but still gave him a smile. "Hey. I'm not too sure what relationship we had before, but-"

His eyes went teary at the sight of me. "I haven't seen you in a decade, you know!"

My eyes went wide. "What? That's crazy, I thought the future me would at least-" I pursed my lips. "I don't know... visit?"

The eighteen year old Futa shook his head. "Once Nami-nee left to Italy, she never came back. I only saw her in passing once Tsuna-nii decided to send your past selves here, but she never really talked to any of us."

"Really?" I sighed. "I apologize on her behalf. Not too long ago I was also sure I would never see you guys again, but... here I am!" I smiled at Futa. "How've you been?"

Futa pursed his lips. "Nami-nee, you know, I never got to apologize to you for leading Mukuro to you. When you left for Italy, you never came back, so I was sure that you hated me for it." Futa immediately protested, "Not that you can't!" He turned his eyes downward. "I guess... I just wanted to finally say I'm sorry. Isn't it because of me that you met Mukuro and why you got involved in the mafia?"

My heart churned at the thought that Futa had thought that for all these years. I made it my goal to go talk to the Futa of my time once we got back. To the current Futa standing in front of me, I simply hugged him. "I definitely don't hold a grudge against you, you big dork. You were a child, being manipulated by someone stronger than you. What were you supposed to do?"

I looked up to see that Futa had begun to cry, hands shielding his face. "R-r-really? I really thought... I really thought you hated me! And and, I'm so relieved!"

I smiled. "You're eighteen now, Futa. C'mon, you can't be crying from this, now, can you? I thought you got stronger." He continued to cry, but I noticed he was making an effort to stop. I sighed, hugging him once more, patting his back. "I'll make sure to go talk to you when I return to my timeline, okay? That way, he won't have to suffer like you did. I'm sorry for running away."

He nodded, and we stood there in comforting silence. I didn't let him go until he completely stopped crying.

Afterwards, we went to the kitchen to witness the disaster that was boys learning how to do housework.

It was this day that I felt at peace for the first time since being sent to the future.

But this was the mafia, and the current world was about to be dominated by one evil marshmallow-obsessed overlord. The peace did not last for long.