A/N:

I'm going to take this slowly. Hahaha. One chapter a day. First update of the week. Thanks for the reviews too.

Anyway, onwards!

Chapter Twenty-One

Chrome stared at them.

"So Mukuro-sama is an ex-convict. Kyouya was once a guardian. Takeshi's late father was an assassin, but now you're just a baseball player who knows how to wield a sword. Hayato is a pianist and once a mafioso. And Lambo is an inheritor of a famiglia." She clarified.

Most of them nodded.

"I'm..." Chrome blinked her eyes twice in search of words. "I'm a little surprised. I mean Mukuro-sama is a little scary. Hayato is really bad-ass with all his casual get-up although the rings and silver necklace indicate that he's not one to mess up with. Takeshi has his bokken with him all the time. Lambo once brought out a lot of grenades and some weird weapons. And Kyouya is still the president of Disciplinary Committee of Namimori. He literally, no offense Kyouya, leads a group of ex-delinquents who he beaten up after catching them doing herbivores things."

"How did you know about Kyouya's committee?" Takeshi asked.

"Oh. I'm from Kokuyou." Chrome replied lightheartedly. "I can hear things here and there."

"Can you fight, Herbivore?" Kyouya questioned.

Chrome blinked at him. "I can a little. I took some self-defense class."

"Pineapple can teach you how to use your flames."

"Kufufufu. I will do that without you saying it, Birdie-chan."

"You know. Those nicknames-"

Hayato widened his eyes at Takeshi and immediately put a hand on the baseball star's mouth. Takeshi was about to say something worth to begin a fight again. The noiret blinked his eyes in understanding. Lambo and Chrome laughed at them while the two poles stared at them with hidden confusion.

They're inside Chrome's hospital room, waiting for Tsuna's arrival who was tugged by Shamal for a walk. Since Mukuro confirmed that Chrome got harmonized with Tsuna, they decided to tell her everything. They don't want a fellow element clueless or out of place. And after spending the whole day with her, they figured she's like them. Lost and ruined, picked up by Tsuna who's heart is always in his sleeves.

"Then what about Tsuna?" Chrome questioned, eyes surveying them.

"Tsuna is a don. A boss of a very strong mafia famiglia." Takeshi answered with a grin full of amazement.

"Boss." She whispered. She blinked her eyes in wonder why that word rolls from her tongue so fluidly. So simple. "Then it's right to call him that, right?"

Most of them nodded.

She gave a small smile. "Then boss it is."

"Hm? What boss?"

They all looked at the door. Tsuna is standing by the door with lots of goods in his arms. Kyouya shook his head and approached the brunet to help him with the things. The brunet only laughed an apology. The others, including her, only smiled.

Chrome can see how sunny Tsuna is. The smiles he gives brighten up the whole room and ease them up a lot. The way he laugh gives them reassurance that he's okay. They don't even have to determine if he's faking it because Tsuna is always genuine. She can tell that the brunet can't fake anything even if he wants to. He can convince others that he's okay without the smile, but he can't say it with a straight face or a fake smile.

Tsuna went to her and handed a dandelion before giving some to others. Chrome smiled a little as she stared at the flower. If she was to give Tsuna a flower, she'll pick peony, a king's flower, and Tsuna is a king.

"Neh Tsuna-nii!" Lambo called out.

"Yes, Lambo?" Tsuna answered.

"We told Chrome everything. It's okay right?"

Tsuna stared at him in confusion before it became a look of horror. "Hie?!"

"You're not meaning to leave her in the dark with that reaction of yours, are you Tsunayoshi?" Mukuro snarled a little.

Tsuna shook his head. "N-No! But I wasn't expecting you to tell her already! She just woke up! Have you even considered that it might have been bad for her health?"

The five men looked at each other before eyeing him again and shrugged or shook their heads in answer.

"Kyouya!" Tsuna chided.

"I did consider, Little Animal. But it's too herbivorous to stop these herbivores and fruit from telling the herbivore what we do." Kyouya responded with eyes closed.

"It's okay, Boss." Chrome assured. "I'm more okay with this. It's not new to me."

Tsuna almost choke on his own saliva. "W-What?"

"I know Kyouya's committee. And I live at the back street. I once did some bad stuffs to live. Nothing new." Chrome briefly elaborated.

"Woah. That's cool, Chrome-nee!" Lambo praised.

"It is not." Chrome and Tsuna said in unison.

"Lambo." Tsuna called before sitting beside the kid. "You know how dangerous outside is."

The teen nodded. "That's why I said cool. Chrome-nii can save herself from anything and can do anything out of nothing despite her condition. Isn't that how all of us lived our lives once?"

Tsuna stiffened before he nodded and smiled in solace. "Yeah. But that doesn't mean you have to continue doing that survival. You're all under my wing. It's either I'm gone or died for you live those lives again."

"So you won't leave us?" Takeshi queried, inching towards the brunet.

Tsuna nodded to them. "Nope. However, I won't promise anything though because I don't want to break promises. But I will always be by your side wherever you are."

"Heh. I'm okay with Baseball freak out of your reach, Tenth. Or that pineapple. Or that brat." Hayato commented flippantly.

"Eh? But I was planning to be Tsuna's right hand man in our little group." Takeshi declared, earning a loud 'what' from Hayato and looks from the others. "I mean I can calm Tsuna, so it's just right, right?"

"No! I'm Tenth's right hand man! You don't even know what you're doing all the time!" Hayato argued.

"Kufufufufu. While they bicker who's the right hand man, I'll go for the left." Mukuro mused. Kyoiya snorted. "Any problem, Birdie-chan?"

Kyouya glared at the mist heatedly. "I'll be the head."

Tsuna stared at them before looking at his other companion. "What are you then?"

"Hmm..." Lambo hummed as he did a thinking pose before beaming at him. "I'm okay with being your little brother."

"I'm okay with just being your little follower or just a friend." Chrome answered after.

Tsuna smiled. "Then I'll put you all to my heart. If you're gone, or I let you all go, it means I'm also heartless."

They all halted from talking.

"That's one damn good pick up line, Tsuna." Takeshi praised then all of them laughed.

Tsuna smiled weakly. 'If only they knew.'

And Mukuro noticed this.

Tsuna had posed the blade to his inner arm. He has been in that position for fifteen minutes. Sitting on the closed toilet inside the bathroom of his room. Thinking, evaluating, and feeling. The bathroom was always his sanctuary. His only calm place when everything is just too much.

The brunet stared at the blade for seconds before he looked at his arm. They marred with scars and healing bruises from the accident. Feeling a little reluctant, he put away the blade in its container. He has a feeling he'll need some cuts these days. And he doesn't want that to happen.

He went out of his bathroom then looked around his room. Deciding something on the spot, he took his hoodie and went out. He patted Hayato's head, who was sleeping on the couch, as he went past the silveret, slapped a ready-made sticky note on the door before shuffling out.

Out in the streets, Tsuna looked around and gazed at many people. The road is a little busy since it's already time for the students to go home and some office workers are already out of work. For him, it's sometimes relaxing for him to see people with happy smiles in spite of the tiredness that's slowly taking over their systems. Although some of them are grumpy, devastated or just plainly in a bad mood, he still likes to see their expressions.

God. He does take emotions from them.

It's not that he's emotionless. He just can't feel his emotions anymore not unless they're so strong like anger, sadness, pain. They needed a boost. But in general, in his everyday life, he can't feel anything. He can't feel happiness, satisfaction or even love.

It's because everyone in his town killed him right before he became eighteen.

Tsuna shook his head to shove those depressing thoughts away. No. He has forgiven them. And he wants to forget. Really. Forgive and forget. But that's not the case with human brain. So in return, it still hunts him, and he's keeping it deep and hidden behind his mind.

Puffing out a breath, he entered a small cafe with some people lounging in it. The establishment is warm and light. It gaves him a sense of home. He smiled, unconsciously reliving the memories of his Mom, Dad and his friends who are staying at their apartment right now.

Chrome is with them, and settled in Hana's room. The latter gave permission after knowing that he gained more friends. He can almost see the lady's lips breaking into a big smile with happiness he doesn't know the source of. But his intuition tells him it's because of him. Most of the time, Hana is included in their everyday fiasco. Hayato will call her stupid lady while Hana retorts with 'Gorilla' and they'll argue a lot. She's diplomat with Takeshi and Kyouya, calls Lambo a monkey and had been talking with Mukuro about some things regarding political issues, country things and some serious stuffs that Hayato can comment in. Chrome is in good terms with her too. He suspects Chrome is gaining more confidence from the lawyer. And the alien confirms cause ever since Chrome got comfortable with them, she went silent and always relaxed. Only doing gestures or answering in one word with a serious expression when asked. And since Hana and her talked, her sentence got longer.

Well, Hana Kurokawa is the epitome of a fierce lady with oozing confidence. She'll be a good example for many women.

Tsuna squeezed down the dreadful feeling that wants to settle on his stomach as negative thoughts started to swarm his mind. He knew he won't have a choice. He'll also leave them for the sake of their protection. He's a future boss, and he will do anything just to keep them safe from any harm.

"Good Evening, Sir. What can I do for you?"

Tsuna snapped out of his reverie and looked at the lady in front of him. His eyes widened a little in surprise then his brain automatically inspected the waitress. The girl has this copper coloured hair that stops by her mid-back, and light brown eyes. She's beautiful. She also looks genuine and innocent. Not even the small scar on her left brow can stop her beauty from radiating.

The woman smiled in anticipation with patience. Tsuna smiled back easily as he glanced at the nameplate of the girl.

"Good evening too, Kyoko-chan. Can I have a table for one?" He asked politely.

"No companions?" Kyoko, the waitress, asked in confirmation.

Tsuna shook his head before grimacing. "I hope so."

The lady laughed as she ushered him. "I take it they're rather loud?"

"If you call fuzzing about me loud, then I'll accept the term."

"That reminds me of my brother."

Tsuna nodded before sitting down on a chair. "I'll have double shot and a chocolate cake."

"In five."

Tsuna smiled reassuringly. "Take your time."

Kyoko smiled back to him before she went on. Like what the lady said, Tsuna received his order in five. He silently ate them, slow to savour the food. After eating, he ordered seven different slices of cake. The seventh, a strawberry cake, was given to Kyoko, who arranged the cakes in a box for him. The lady stared at Tsuna who only smiled.

"I'm not flirting, Kyoko-chan. If ever I was, I would've been blushing by now." Tsuna clarified.

Kyoko giggled at him. "I know. I sensed it."

"I just want to give you this. As a commemorate present for our meeting and a snack after a long day of work."

"Thank you."

Tsuna took the box and turned his back on her, but then faced her again. "Sometimes, it's nice to get help from someone, instead of doing it alone."

Kyoko stared at him before nodding. "I'll think about it."

Tsuna walked out of the building a little satisfied. Clutching the box of cakes tighter, he took his phone from his back pocket and dialed a number. The other end kept ringing until it went for the voicemail. He sighed.

Hana has been busy. It took Tsuna's consideration to call her every three days to make her take off some steam on him as a receiver. He didn't mind. And since she's pretty much a worrywart when it comes to him (ever since she went away and Tsuna had been in many troubles from then), it was more convenient for their situation. Hana is like an older sister to Tsuna after all.

He dialled again and waited as he stepped in apartment complex. The ringing felt like forever. He was about to give up when his call went to voicemail, but Hana picked up.

"Hana Kurukawa speaking." Hana greeted.

"Hey Hana." Tsuna greeted back.

"Oh. It's you. I thought we're going for a facetime. I'd like to talk to Mukuro about something."

"I'm doubting if you really love me, Hana. You've been doting on them since I introduced them to you."

A snort. "It's your fault."

"And I therefore affirm the accusation."

"You're the only criminal I met who do not deny the charge against him."

"Cause I know what I did and what the consequences are." Tsuna answered while stepping out of the elevator. "Anyways, I wanted to ask you something."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Can you tell me about your childhood best friend?"

"Kyoko?"

"Yes."

The other line gone quiet for a sec. "Why?"

"I recalled you talking about her that one time you got drunk. I want to hark back a little."

"Fine."

"In exchange, I'll call you in facetime just in time for dinner."

A small silence. "Kyoko Sasagawa has this neck-length copper hair. She has light brown eyes. An airhead but good at academics. She's also the school idol that's why most monkeys in our school crush on her and always gawk. It's almost sickening to see one of them confess to her so brazenly, and she can't do anything about it cause she's not good at rejecting them. Thank God I was always there." Hana ranted on.

Tsuna almost chuckled. If others thought that Hana doesn't have a childish part on her, they'll be damned if they hear her whining and ranting on about certain things. Of course Tsuna is the only recipient of this. He is the only person the lady is comfortable with. And he knows that the others will be the receiving ends as well as she starts to trust them.

"I haven't seen her for six years now." Hana sighed. "I don't even know if she has already a family or has a profession now."

"You mentioned her brother once."

"Ah. Ryohei Sasagawa. The loudest of all monkeys I met. He really liked boxing and kept on inviting people he deemed has potential for the sport. He likes to run around the town for hours and kept on exercising. He has this catch phrase 'to the extreme' and he shouts it whenever he wants. He has this cropped white hair and light brown eyes just like Kyoko's. They are siblings. They're both airheads. Though Kyoko is sometimes the mature one since she takes care of Ryohei all the time."

"Don't you think Ryohei-san is a little underestimated with that title?"

The other end didn't give a response.

"I mean," Tsuna tried to elaborate. "he might have joined boxing to protect his sister since according to you, she's a school idol. If you give a closer inspection, it won't be a surprise if Kyoko-san gets in danger when boys try to flirt with her. And you said she doesn't know how to reject them, it also means she doesn't know how to flow or act accordingly to the way they flirt with her. So to be able to protect her when time comes, Ryohei-san might've thought that he needs something to protect his sister from harm so he joined the boxing club."

"And your point is?"

Tsuna breathed out as he opened their apartment door. He has been outside for too long and he didn't notice that. "It might have hurt Kyoko-san to hear people underestimate her brother. And Ryohei would've felt anger to himself or uselessness because they think he's too childish, too stupid, or too loud."

"Good point."

"Have you ever saw him in mature mood?" Tsuna asked as he hugged Lambo who latched on him. "Hi Lambo. I bought cake."

"Cake! Take-nii! Cake!" Lambo shouted excitedly.

Takeshi's head poked from his room. "Really? There's cake?"

"One slice for each person. No doubles." Tsuna said as he put the box on the table.

"I'll get forks!" Chrome volunteered.

"Bakadera! Go get drinks while I'll run for the cups!" Lambo ordered.

Hayato, who just got out of the bathroom after taking a bath, grumbled an 'okay'. "Welcome home, Tenth."

Tsuna's cheeks got dusted with pink in embarrassment and gratefulness before he whispered, "I'm home."

"Welcome home!" Takeshi, Lambo and Chrome shouted back.

"Hn." Kyouya responded as he walked towards them. "Omnivore."

"Tea?" Takeshi inquired.

The lark nodded.

"Got it!" The baseball star ran to the kitchen.

Tsuna stared as Kyouya sat beside him. "Where is Mukuro?" Just then he felt a prickling feeling at his nape. He looked around before he sensed a mist forming in front of the table. "Mukuro. No doubles."

"Kufufufu."

Kyouya's hands twitched.

Mukuro appeared. "I was by the kitchen, Tsunayoshi. I was helping Nagi and puppy-chan with the dinner."

"I will not eat." Kyouya sneered.

"Mukuro-sama didn't touch the food." Chrome informed as she came in. "He helped by just being there."

"And it was fucking helpful." Hayato sarcastically agreed as he put the drinks on the table.

"I think we should eat first." Mukuro suggested.

They looked at one another before nodding.

"I'll prepare the rice." Takeshi called dibs.

"I'll-"

Tsuna ended the call he has with Hana, and called her immediately with facetime. The latter accepted the call and she got projected on their TV. The lady is in front of her own dinner and waiting for them to finish setting up so they could eat all together.

It was a little setting Tsuna made. It might have been innocent but the others took it seriously. It was their own definition of family dinner. An important time for bonding.

"If you're asking me that question, Tsuna. Then you should already know when it happened." Hana replied to his previous question, her voice booming from the speakers.

Tsuna grimaced. "Hana."

"I don't even know why you need to keep this, Tsuna."

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Fine. But one day, Tsuna. I know one day you'll tell me everything."

"But do you think he'll... You know."

"Ryohei is forgetful. As well as Kyoko. But that doesn't mean they're not grateful." Hana huffed.

"Oh." Tsuna lamely said with a nod.

"Were you talking about Sasagawa-sempai?" Takeshi asked as he settled the last bowl of rice in front of Tsuna.

Tsuna and Hana exchanged glances.

"Yes. Tsuna asked about Kyoko and Ryohei. I mentioned them once. And he wanted to recall and get more detailed infos since he got curious."

All of them looked at Tsuna who only smiled shyly. "It was Hana. Who can't be curious?"

They all nodded in understanding and Hana facepalmed at that.

"Anyways," Tsuna stated as he smiled at them. "any baseball tournament in the future, Takeshi?"

Takeshi shook his head. "None."

"Chrome?"

Chrome shook her head too. "None, Boss."

"Since Hana can't come, what do you think of going back to Italy with us and spoil her with many gifts and pictures?"

Tsuna smiled as all of them beamed and some cheered.