A/N:

One more to go.

Anyway, go on.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Ryohei glanced at his adoptive brother. He has been quiet from the ride to airport up until they stopped in front of Kyouya's home. If the others noticed this, they didn't show it. But it worries him big time. He was there when the brunet's mother died (since the whole Namimori residents gave their own words of sympathy to the son and father), bullied, and left by his supposed guardians almost died. And he knows how hard it is to look back or even step in the land of Namimori without relieving every single thing this town had given to him.

So he did what he can do. Slung an arm around the brunet's shoulders and gave him a light squeeze. The Decimo gave him a small appreciative smile that he answered with his own. Always for his sky.

Now they waited for Kyouya's traditional Japanese home's gates to open. And they did. Tetsuya Kusakabe, Kyouya's right hand man with a pompadour hairstyle, went out of the compound and bowed before straightening up.

"Kyo-san." Kusakabe greeted.

"Hn."

"Your parents are expecting you. Please follow me."

They followed.

The insides of the compound were beautiful, even though traditional. Even Lambo whistled in awe as they passby decorations and statues. As they went in, they were greeted with a lot of walls. And when Ryohei felt like they're nearing an open space, he let go of Tsuna and let him take the lead, Kyouya on his left and Hayato on the right while he's on the brunet's back.

Kusakabe stopped in front of a sliding door after turns in some corners. They all stopped too and waited.

"Kyo-san and his friends are here." Kusakabe announced.

"Let them in." A woman's voice permitted.

Kusakabe opened the door.

"Kyouya." A woman with black hair and brown eyes wearing a flower patterned kimono greeted them with a soft smile. "My. It's been what?"

"Two months." A man in black yukata answered. He has black locks and grey eyes with expressionless face, obviously the reason why Kyouya is... Kyouya.

"Yes. Well, come in." The woman affirmed.

They shuffled in the room all aligned in a straight line except for Kyouya who was slightly in front.

"Ah. Where are my manners. I'm Ayami." The woman said. "And this my husband, Kaoro."

Kyouya nodded. "These are my friends."

Ryohei mused how Tsuna's face lit up like the sun before introducing himself with his smile. "Nice to extremely meet you, I'm Sasagawa Ryohei."

"Bovino Lambo." Lambo said in a soft voice.

"Dokuro Chrome."

"Kufufu. Rukudou Mukuro."

"I'm Yamamoto Takeshi."

"Gokudera Hayato Mam, Sir."

"Reborn."

Tsuna smiled. "Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"My. You've grown, Tsuna-kun." Ayami commented.

Tsuna beamed. "Yes, I did, Ayami-san."

"Ah. I still remember how cute you were when you were helping me with the garden."

"Thank you for having me at those time."

"Nonsense. You are always welcome here, Tsuna-kun. Although it did sadden me that you didn't come for eight years, then got a word that you become my son's sky."

"Dear." Kaoro chided, making the lady Hibari giggle.

"Hai hai. Regardless, thank you for taking care of my handful Kyouya." The lady gave a small bow.

"You're welcome Ayami-san. And Kyouya isn't really handful. He is rather free." The said subject huffed at Tsuna's reply.

Kaoro swept his eyes on the guardians. "So what brings you here?"

Tsuna isn't the adventurous type. He rather has a routine to follow, and never break in spite of how boring it is. But to see Namimori with his own eyes again is something he wants to do alone.

With three of his guardians lurking around, he went out of Hibari compound with a bag and walked in the streets. He was greeted with nostalgia as he looked around, deeming everything to be familiar even after eight years of being away.

He stopped when he saw the park. It was still complete. But the memories he had in this place aren't.

"Ahahaha! Dame-Tsuna doesn't know how to use the swing!" A boy around his age teased.

Tsuna stared at his feet and didn't dare look up to see how the others looked at him too. He was five years old and ashamed that he didn't know how the swing works. Well, not that he doesn't. It's just he can't, because his feet can't touch the ground and give himself a push. But that doesn't give the people around him to stop laughing.

He groaned before painfully sitting up. It hurts, but he's used it. He's in pain, but he's used to it. He's accustomed to it.

Like always, he was beaten up by his schoolmates just for the fun of it. He doesn't have much choice than to obey and muffle his groans of pain to rebel against their will. He doesn't want to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry in pain.

"Hi! I'm Lo Zian!"

Tsuna stared at the hand the guy in front of him is offering before taking it. "T-Tsuna. Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna shook his head before continuing his walk, only to stop in front of the hospital.

"Please! Help Kaasan!"

Nana Sawada giggled while sitting on her hospital bed. "My Tsu-kun. So adorable. Don't cry. I'm stronger than you think."

Tsuna smiled for her sake even though there's dread churning in his stomach. "Hai, Kaasan."

"Kaasan?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't go."

"I'm tired, Tsu-kun."

Tsuna sobbed just as his mother gave a small yet happy smile. "Please."

"I'm sorry."

Tsuna shook his head. "I love you, Kaasan."

The woman closed her eyes, a lone tear strode down to her cheek, while smiling so lovingly. "I love you too."

And Tsuna cried.

"Where's my Nana, Tuna-fishy?" Iemitsu Sawada, a blond in suit, asked as they stood in the hallway of the hospital.

Tsuna looked at him straight in the eyes with tears pouring down his eyes. "She died an hour ago."

And he watched how the man who was loved by his mother with all her heart, cry in grief.

Tsuna smiled. "Kaasan."

Then walked again. He walked past of Namimori Elementary and went inside Namimori Middle.

"Herbivores."

Tsuna opened a weak eye and stared at the Demon of Namimori who is approaching them. All his bullies stiffened in fear while he didn't care. One way or another, he'll be beaten up for being weak anyway. It's all the same. They're all the same.

"For disrupting the peace of Namimori, I'll bite you to death."

Yet in the end, Hibari dumped him in the infirmary and threatened the nurse to treat him properly while watching by the sidelines.

"Yamamoto! Don't- Ahhh!"

Tsuna tensed.

"Don't edge on the rooftop, Goddammit!"

"You don't understand a thing, guys. It's better this way."

"No! Yamamoto-"

"Yamamoto Tsuyoshi!" Tsuna screamed on top of his lungs.

Those who were near him looked at him. And before he knew it, he bolted out of the rooftop, fearing for his life. In the end, he was beaten up inside a closet. And when he got a chance to escape, he did and ran towards the reception room. As quiet as he could, he opened the door and went in. He closed it and leaned on the door. He slid down and panted, wincing every once in awhile. Then he gazed at Kyouya's sleeping form before closing his own eyes to rest.

As he went out of the Namimori Middles' ground, he remembered his walking distance home. And within minutes, there he is, standing in front of his house where everything in his life started.

"Come on Tsu-kun! You can do it! That's my boy!" Nana cheered as Tsuna walked without the table as a support. Tsuna beamed.

"Oh my God! Tsu-kun! What happened?" Nana gasped at the sight of her son.

Tsuna smiled. "I tripped."

"Kaasan? Where are- Kaasan!" Tsuna shouted in horror as he hurried to his collapsed mother.

"We are truly sorry of your loss, Tsunayoshi." A woman said.

Tsuna didn't acknowledge her statement.

"Tsuna-kun?" The said brunet looked up. Ayami Hibari smiled softly. "You look dashing, boy."

Tsuna smiled at her, making those who gave their condolences, but ignored, blinked in confusion. "So do you, Ayami-san. Thank you for coming and protecting my mother."

"You're welcome." The woman reached out and hugged Tsuna who let go of a sob. "You're always welcome, Tsuna-kun."

Kaoro patted the teen's shoulder while Kyouya stayed behind them, looked forlorn even though he does not show it.

"What are we going to do, Tsuna?" Iemitsu Sawada asked cheerfully.

Tsuna sighed. This would be their first official conversation in duration of two weeks after his mother's wake. "We need to talk, Otou-san."

Iemitsu's grin slipped off.

"This is Shamal. He'll be staying with us for a while." Iemitsu introduced with a grin while gesturing to a man in simple polo and slacks.

Tsuna bowed respectfully. "Hello Shamal-san. I'm Tsunayoshi. Call me Tsuna."

Shamal stared, terrified at the blood on the brunet's side. "What the fuck happened?!"

"I..." Tsuna sighed as he limped forward. "I got bullied like usual."

"Are they your guardians?" Shamal asked, doubtful of the six people on the couch.

"Hopefully." Tsuna smiled.

"Shamal-san! Shamal-san! Tsuna!"

"Yes?!" Shamal answered irritably, only to stare at the brunet who is badly beaten. "Fuck! Come in!"

"I'm home." He whispered in the air.

"And I thought you'll be obedient." Reborn sighed, mockingly disappointed.

Tsuna, who was eating a small snack, smiled. "Just did some cleaning."

"Huh." Then the hitman looked around. "This is your home."

The decimo smiled at the 'home' word. "Yeah. The place I was brought to."

"I really wished I met your mother."

"I was just browsing on one of our albums. Would you want to see her?"

Reborn looked at him before nodding, curiosity got the best of him. "Sure."

And that day, Reborn saw the most adorable duo in his own life.