Chapter Five

Tsuna gazed at the piano on the side of the room. He glanced at the man in front of him before staring at the instrument. The said object is covered in dust. It's obviously unused for years.

Tsuna averted his eyes to his companion. The man has this silver hair that is tied to a small ponytail, and is wearing a pair of eye glasses. He wore simple clothes, a pencil in hand and facing a paper. He wanted to know what is he doing but he doesn't want to pry. It's not good sticking one's nose on other's business without their consents. If he can help it though.

Tsuna let out his lower lip as he thought of something. He has this inking feeling that he heard the name Hayato Gokudera before, but he couldn't remember where.

The brunet jumped in surprise when the door opened and Kyouya stood there. He stared at his friend before smiling then ended up laughing. He cracked up so hard that he shed tears. He smiled when he saw Kyouya shaking his head but also sporting a small smile. Of course the skylark knows how to express his happiness regardless of his now serious face. Tsuna won't even be bothered if his companion become expressionless. It's normal just as he wants him to be what he was.

"Sorry, Kyouya." He apologized sheepishly before standing up.

"Hn. And you barged in?" Kyouya said as he glanced at their third acquaintance.

Tsuna scratched his head as he strode to his friend. "I did. Good thing he let me stay. How did you find me though?"

"I can smell fear." Kyouya joked with a smirk.

Tsuna slapped the skylark's shoulder. "You're joking."

"Hn." Kyouya grunted before slapping the brunet's upside.

Tsuna glared at him before beaming at Hayato. "Hayato? We're going. Thanks for letting me stay."

"Yeah." The silveret dismissed while looking at their way.

Hayato stared at the door when it closed as the two went out. He can still feel the warm vibe those two radiated after their small banter. He shook his head and was about to continue what he was writing when knocks suddenly came. It almost startled him. Almost.

The door opened as he gazed at said entrance. He stopped himself from grimacing or even scowling at the said knocker. It was Alejandro Balermo, a pianist. The latter smugly looked at him as he walked in.

"Are you done? You've been wasting my time." Alejandro said.

Hayato didn't say anything and continued to write something on the composition.

"Cold shoulder again? Aren't you tired of doing this to me? I'm making your pieces known and appreciated. To be famous."

Hayato gripped the pencil in his hand in terms of holding himself from lashing out.

"Ah. Of course you're sulking. I'm the one playing them. Not you. It's a good thing you aren't playing. It's good your mom-"

"Eh? Am I interrupting something?"

Both snapped their heads towards the door. A brunet was standing there with a big smile despite the furrowed brows that indicates that he's worried. Hayato blinked in surprise when the newcomer's eyes flickered to his direction. Why does he feel like the brunet is worried of him?

Alejandro composed himself and smiled at their visitor. Tsuna smiled back and took out two shirts and a marker. Alejandro's eyes brightened at the sight, thinking that the brunet was a fan of his.

"May I?" Tsuna asked sweetly.

"Oh yes." Alejandro responded too quickly.

Hayato looked away and waited for them to finish. But the opposite happened. The shirts and marker were placed in front of him. He stared at them before gaping at the brunet in front of him. The latter smiled shyly, placing a hand on his nape and flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"What-"

"I'm sorry." Tsuna apologized in Japanese.

Hayato stared at him. 'Japanese?'

"I heard one of your compositions, Hayato. Wait. You don't mind me calling you by your first name right?" Hayato shrugged unconsciously. "What I mean is, you are amazing. My grandpa and I are fans of yours. We always listen to your compositions. Though you aren't the one who's playing it, we still liked it since you're the composer and all. But we also have some of your piano recitals and all. And seriously, they're fascinating. Sometimes heartbreaking but mostly so full of love that they almost become tear-jerking."

Hayato stared at him.

Tsuna blinked back. "Oh wait. I blabbered, didn't I?"

"N-No. I-I mean how did you know that I composed those?"

Tsuna beamed. Hayato felt something wrap around him. Like a fluffy blanket of sort because of the smile. "You spell out your name in your composition. I don't know how you do it, but my grandpa can tell. Once he hear a piano piece, he'll listen intently. After the song ends, he'll tell me you composed it. He plays piano too so he knows the stuffs."

Hayato stared at the shirts and marker. "But why me? Shouldn't it be him?"

Tsuna shook his head. "Nope. I want you to sign. He's not the composer. He's just an artist, not the mastermind, the director, the script writer or the composer. He's just a..." Hayato watched Tsuna with fascination as the latter think of a correct noun to describe Alejandro. "Poser! That's it!"

Hayato couldn't stop himself from chuckling before taking the marker in his hand.

"Wait! What are you going to do? Should I be the one signing that?" Alejandro asked, staring at Hayato as if the latter is a disgrace for taking something his.

Tsuna looked at Alejandro with a innocent look. "I'm a fan of his. So it's just right to make him sign, right?"

Hayato suppressed the smirk that's wanting to grace his lips and kept his silence as he arranged on of the shirts in front of him.

"But I'm Alejandro-"

"Balermo. I know, signore." Tsuna said before staring at the man with now orange eyes. "Now scram before I tell others what I heard awhile ago."

Hayato snapped his head to Tsuna while Alejandro paled. The latter went out immediately. Tsuna sighed before giving his attention back to Hayato. The brunet gave a smile before sitting on the stool adjacent to the silveret.

"Did you really hear... Something?" Hayato cautiously asked.

Tsuna shook his head. "Nope. But I guessed you were talking about something cause he was here and facing you." Then he grinned. "And I was really interrupting something. I told you it was right to come in, Kyouya."

Hayato looked at the 'Kyouya' his company pertaining to. It was the man who went to get the brunet awhile ago.

Kyouya huffed. "You're doing something again."

"Hey! At least that 'something' made us friends now." Tsuna rebutted before smiling at Hayato again. "What I blabbered about awhile ago was true. We're really big fans of yours. If I didn't immediately see the connection between you and the grand piano, I won't be able to remember your name."

Hayato looked at the marker in his hand before facing the shirt. "What would you like me to put?"

"Your choice." Tsuna shrugged. "But I'd like something unique. Like if ever you have this kind of stage name, I would like you to write that name on my shirt."

Hayato stared at the shirt. For once, someone recognized him after years of stagnation. He unconsciously smiled as he recalled his childhood, teenage life and before he stopped doing his passion. Taking off the cap of the marker, he wrote his signature with a sense of nostalgia. Then his true name on the other shirt.

He watched Tsuna beam in delight as the latter stared at the shirt in his hands. It's like he gave the brunet a very out of this world gift. He was even caught off guard when the brunet jumped on him and started to shout his expression of gratitude. He hugged his fan back to keep them upright. They almost fell because of the sudden motion.

"You're the best!" Tsuna shouted as he hugged him tight. Hayato's eyes widened when the brunet whispered those words again. "You're always be the best."

Hayato didn't know what happened. He felt the warmth, the acceptance. He couldn't help himself from tearing up so suddenly because of the surging feelings. So he hugged the brunet tighter and cried silently.

Kyouya shut the door, locked it and leaned near it, staying away from his friend's business. He doesn't know how Tsunayoshi can make closed up people like him and that silveret open up to him like there's nothing wrong with it. If not open up, just feeling accepted and protected. Warmth softly, slowly yet surely crawling to their system and to their hearts. It makes them calm. Maybe the sky flame makes them feel that, but there's something to Tsunayoshi that makes Kyouya so... Welcomed.

And maybe Hayato will feel that too. Just seeing Tsunayoshi coos at the silveret and saying 'there there' to calm the latter down. Man, he wants to just sigh in resignation. He can now envision Tsunayoshi as a mother, not a little animal or that carnivorous mammal- Ah. He is a sea creature. He wants to laugh at the inside joke. He's already imagining Tsunayoshi pouting.

Tsuna patted Hayato's head before parting from him. He fondly wiped the tears of his favorite pianist and smiled at him. Ah... It's like Hayato became a child in his eyes. A child who misses love and embrace from a mother.

He knew what happened to the silveret's mother. No information get past the Vongola's ears. He was one of those people who attended the secret funeral for the woman. Not because he was his favorite pianist's mother, but because he knew the woman is a sunshine. Just like his Mom. He knew the story. He knew the hardship. He knew everything. And he knew that the man in front of him is yearning for a mother's touch that has been deprived from him.

"Do you want water, Hayato?" Tsuna quered.

Hayato shook his head.

"Hmm... Then will you tell me what you need?"

"M-My mom." The silveret hiccuped.

He smiled in solace. "I know the feeling, Hayato. But we can't obtain the things we can no longer reach." Hayato's tears streamed heavily. "However," The pianist looked at him. "those people we lost are still with us. Being our guardian angels that will always guide and protect us. Yes, it maybe a childish perspective, but it's true. And it's what I really believe since my Mom left me. Just think that whenever you did something good, she'll pat your head or your back as a praise. Or when you did something bad, she'll look at you with worry mixed with a scolding expression."

Hayato chuckled. "I can imagine that."

He nodded. "See. She maybe gone, but she's with you. Always. Now cheer up."

"Thanks." Hayato breathed before taking a deep breathe and sighed. "Hoo..."

"Feeling better?"

"Much better."

Tsuna beamed before giving an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry but I think we need to go? We overdued our stay."

"Thanks... For the hug." Hayato expressed with a little flush.

He nodded. "I needed one too, so thank you too."

Tsuna gathered the shirts and the marker. Feeling giddy and excited, he wore the shirt over his long sleeves polo shirt. He grinned at Kyouya who only raised an eyebrow at him to deliver his amusement to the brunet. Damn, he knew he was out of character since awhile ago. But he can't help it. It's his first fan sign from someone he really admires.

"Tsunayoshi." Tsuna looked back to Hayato. The latter glanced at the long forgotten sheet on the table. "How did you know...?"

Tsuna inclined his head to his right a little. "Because I always wanted to hear those words too." Then he smiled. "You can call me Tsuna. See you around, Hayato. Keep up the good work. I'll be here, supporting you all the way."

Hayato stared at the closed door. He shook his head as he let himself sport a big smile on his lips and started to write things he wanted to pour out of his mind.

He just found an inspiration and motivation.

Tsuna's brows are furrowed. Hayato is gulping. While Kyouya is indifferent.

What happened?

Tsuna is furious. Raging and on the verge of doing something completely regrettable but worth it. He flexed his fingers as he stared at the torn pieces of papers on the ground. He knows those papers. He perfectly recognizes them. And it's the reason why he's so angry right now.

Because Hayato's hard work was trashed, torned and stolen.

And he hates this low way of winning. He looked back at the silveret. Tsuna groaned in frustration as he saw a red spot on the other's left cheek, obviously something that will bruise after hours if not attended immediately. Good thing his intuition nudged him to go to this direction. Otherwise, Hayato would still be pushed around by Alejandro.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asked as he put a hand on his favorite pianist's shoulder.

Hayato nodded, a little wary. "Yeah. Thanks for taking the hit though."

Tsuna touched his cheek. Nope. No pain. "It's okay. It was weak anyway so it doesn't matter."

Kyouya and Hayato stared at him with the same thought. 'How was that even weak?'

Kyouya, although really indifferent, put a hand on his nape and tilted his head to the side to crack the bone there. "Tsunayoshi, let's go. Take that herbivore with you." And he walked away first.

"Yeah sure. Won't want to make you thrust that tonfa of yours to his face, will I?" Tsuna said in Italian as he guided Hayato to a direction. Before they went far enough, he looked back to Alejandro who was staring at them in fear. "Although it's very tempting."

Tsuna smirked in satisfaction when the Italian paled. He guided Hayato out of the restaurant with Kyouya in front of them. They settled themselves inside the car, Kyouya at the back and already laying on the seats. Tsuna shook his head and started the engine to drive.

They were going back to their hotel when he just had this alien in his head that wants him to go to a direction. Being obedient, he followed it. Maybe Kyouya caught to what was happening that's why he stayed quiet.

Tsuna looked back to Kyouya who has his eyes closed. Although not noticeable, the skylark is angry. Of what reason, he doesn't know. Maybe of the punch, as what his intuition is telling him? Tsuna sighed.

"Kyouya!" Tsuna called.

"Hn?" Kyouya responded.

"Kyouya!" The brunet drawled.

The skylark opened an eye and glared at the driver seat. "What?"

"Are you mad? Because of the punch I took?" Kyouya nodded.

"I want to bite him to death." The ex-prefect vocalized before closing his eyes again. "Stupid herbivore."

Tsuna glanced at Hayato who was peering out of the window but obviously listening. "He says that phrase when he sees defiant people. He's a carnivore so he uses that catch phrase."

"Carnivore? He called Alejandro herbivore too. What's with the weird language?"

Tsuna laughed merrily. It made Kyouya open his eyes. "It's a birds language- Ow! Kyouya! I'm driving!"

"Hn."

"Don't hn me! You just want to sleep! Not like I'm being noisy!"

"You are noisy, Little Animal."

Tsuna groaned. "Not that again."

Kyouya smirked. "Or would you like Tuna fish instead?"

Hayato can't help his laugh when Tsuna banged his head on the steering wheel and made the car honk. He yelped with the brunet when the latter made their vehicle swivel in direction because of surprise. When they finally drove on the proper lane, he and Kyouya smacked Tsuna's upside. The brunet growled at them in pain.

Hayato sat on his seat in content as Tsuna started to hum a song. He likes the brunet's presence. He didn't expect him to suddenly pop-up in front of him and take the hit that was meant for him. He looked back to what happened to his day as he simply touched his bruise.

Alejandro almost died when Hayato told him that he's stopping from doing composition. The former argued with him, telling him things that he has debt to pay and some things. Hayato calmly told him that he paid everything and he doesn't have any favors that he needs to repay. That resulted him to gain a punch. To save his dignity, he said something that riled up the Italian more. He was going to receive another fist when Tsuna came out of no where and received the incoming attack.

He looked at the singing brunet beside him. He can't help remembering their last encounter in that building. He still doesn't know why the latter is still there, but he knows he must be a high status person to enter the said building.

He blinked when Tsuna looked at his way. The latter smiled at him with happiness before focusing on the road again, muttering the lyrics of the song he has in his head under his breath. Hayato, on the other hand, looked away, perplexed. He unconsciously patted the part where his heart is.

His heart is beating. Alive.

On the night of the day he cried on Tsuna's shoulder, he couldn't shake off the inspiration he got, so he kept on writing till he literally dropped. He sighed when he remembered the papers Alejandro torn apart.

"Hayato?"

"Hmm?"

"It's not that I don't trust you or anything, but my grandpa might scold me if I show you the way, so can you close your eyes for forty minutes or so?" Tsuna asked with cheeks pink out of shyness and uncertainty.

Hayato looked at him before nodding. "Yeah sure."

"It's okay?"

Hayato shrugged. "Not that I have any complain. I'm just a freeloader here."

"No. You aren't." He looked at the brunet who had his brow furrowed. "I was the one who pushed you inside the car. So it's my fault why you're here. Consider yourself an important guest, just like Kyouya. I mean I want to drop you off to the place you want to go but I need to go to my home. There's something happening there that I need to know."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. Really. Just bear with me a little." Then the brunet smiled. "Close your eyes and brace yourself. It's going to be a bumpy ride from the very start."

Hayato did what was told for him to do. True to his word, the first part of the ride was really bumpy. Despite the seriousness and worry of great danger the brunet was emitting awhile ago, Tsuna laughed everytime they almost hit their heads on the ceiling of the car. He can't help himself smile a little. The cheerfulness is contagious.

It took minutes before the road became straight. Hayato sighed in relief but didn't open his eyes. For some reason, he has this tingling feeling that he knows where they are. Under his eyelids, the straight road is a little too dark with constant peering light, unlike the bumpy one that has dancing light. Then after a few minutes, he wanted to open his eyes when light attacked his face.

"Ah. I wanted to make you see this, Hayato. It's really beautiful. I bet you can make an inspiration out of this. Maybe next time?" Tsuna offered.

"If there is a next time." Hayato muttered.

Tsuna sighed. "There will be a next time. If we make one, you know."

"Make one?" He repeated with a raise of eyebrow.

Tsuna laughed. "I will make one. I promise you that."

Hayato thought over the brunet said before speaking up. "Why do you keep on cheering me on?"

"Hmm? Why not?"

Hayato almost opened his eyes if he didn't stop himself.

"I mean everyone deserves to be happy. No one has to live a miserable life or a lonely one. Even pushed around ones." He sensed the driver's gaze at him before it averted away. "And if I have to do something to help out someone to find their happiness, why not do it? It's our choice to be happy. It's up to us if we want to live miserably, in a lonely way or just in a cycling routine. People like you just need a guide to the path so things can go on again."

Hayato faced him instead of looking at him.

"You deserve all the happiness in the world like everyone else. Just like how you deserve to own your music."

Hayato faced ahead, a little flattered. "Thanks."

"Hmmm... No prob."

'But why does it sound like he's telling those things to himself too?' Hayato thought as the car halted.

"Heyya Franco! How's life?" He heard Tsuna greeted.

"A little better, Master Tsunayoshi." A cheerful baritone voice replied.

"Aw. I told you not to put Master on my name."

"But you deserve it, Master Tsunayoshi."

"But family doesn't do formalities." Tsuna argued back.

Hayato heard the man sigh out of amusement. "Fine, Tsunayoshi."

He can almost see Tsuna beaming. "That's more like it. How's madame though? Do you need healers to do the work?"

"Ah. She's getting better. The pills worked."

"Good good. Next time, I want to hear better on your answer, without the little."

"Sì, Signore."

"Anyways, we're going in."

Hayato felt some eyes swiftly glanced at his direction.

"Guests?" Franco asked.

"Kind of. You met Kyouya right?"

"Ah. Yes. He sparred with the others."

"Oho. Try sparring with him next time. He's a demonic- Aw! How the heck did you know I'm describing you when you can't even understand the language, Kyouya?!"

Hayato snickered. It was obvious that the skylark kicked the seat again, lurching the brunet forward to the steering wheel.

"Because it's obvious, Little Animal." Kyouya grumbled.

"Hmp. Anyways, we're going Franco. See you later again?" Tsuna bid.

"Sì Tsunayoshi." Franco responded back.

The car advanced. Hayato felt amazed and warm with the interaction. Like what Tsuna said, they're like family and they interact as one. After a few minutes of driving, the car stopped moving again. Hayato opened his eyes before Tsuna can even tell him to do. He stared at the view in front of him before gazing out of his side of the window. His eyes widened.

"I knew it." He muttered under his breath. "We really are in the Vongola territory."