Clear to cloudy

Target 4: The bodyguard of Neo Vongola Secondo

Kotsu wakes up. Sore all over after the intense trap-handling the day before. After lazily making his way downstairs he sits down eating his breakfast. Appears Ren's already finished eating and left from the looks of his chair. "Good morning sweetheart. Ren already left for school. And Reborn has also gone somewhere. He didn't specify where… said he was meeting someone," His mom says with a smile and Kotsu rubs the sleep out of his eyes.

"I'll catch him on the way then. I'm off mom. See ya," He says grabbing some toast and his bag and heads towards school, same as any other day.

-NII-

On the way, he meets a girl about his own age. The very same who helped him when he got hit by the ball. She has long brown hair and blue eyes. She's wearing the female uniform which has a complimentary skirt instead of pants and a bowtie instead of a tie, of which the girl has chosen the blue bow. Fumie… One of his childhood friends. An energetic, friendly and social girl, and pretty much the only girl he ever talks to. He honestly has no idea why she even still talked to him, but that just made him appreciate it even more.

"Hey there Kotsu-kun. You look sleepy as always. That home tutor got you worked to the bone and out still?" She asks giggling a little at his misery to which Kotsu yawns, almost on command, covering with his hand.

"Yeah. I'm fine though Fumie-san… thanks for the concern," He says with a sarcastic annoyance as she seems to be enjoying it.

"I'm just glad to see you actually… you know… DO something. You NEVER do anything other than go to school," She says and Kotsu can do nothing but agree with her. But he was definitely enjoying the peace and quiet of his life.

-NII-

As they come up to the front entrance. The teacher standing guard looks at his watch with a stone-cold, yet impatient expression on his face. "You're dangerously close to being late, herbivores," He says tapping his foot on the ground glaring at the two students as Kotsu and Fumie scramble to get in the gate quickly.

"I wouldn't want to have THAT scary guy as a teacher…" Fumie whispers obviously not wishing for the teacher to overhear her. "Have you seen that bracelet he has? It's full of spikes and stuff,"

Kotsu gulps and looks over his shoulder at the man seeing her point. He DOES look quite frightening.

As soon as Kotsu and Fumie enter their classroom on the third floor Fumie is instantly surrounded by other girls as they have their usual good mornings and such. Meanwhile Kotsu just looks on, grateful that he at the very least has the walk to and from school to talk to her before she's swarmed by others. The teacher walks in and everyone sits down at their tables and takes out pencil and paper to take notes.

"Morning everyone," The teacher says and starts taking leave.

-NII-

After the long set of lessons, Kotsu gets up going to the door to get some fresh air before going home as he always does. He might have a window seat in class, but he still finds the outside to be much more comforting. Right as he slides the door to the side someone comes running in the door knocking Kotsu back causing him to fall. Kotsu looks up being met with a young boy, no more than 12, with messy white hair, freckles and bright yellow eyes. He's wearing some loose dark-green jeans and a hoodie with white sleeves and a black stomach and long laces to tighten the hood. In addition, he also has two thin wristbands around his wrists.

"Hey! Watch it will you!?" The boy says sounding slightly angry with him.

Kotsu rubs his lower back as he stands up again. "You know… you shouldn't run in the hallways…" Kotsu says and the boy nods a little seeming intrigued by the statement.

"I see… Interesting," He says as he takes out a notebook and writes something in it, but even if you could see it you wouldn't be able to read it due to the boy's terrible TERRIBLE handwriting. "You should still watch it. Got it?"

The boy looks around the classroom, which is now around half-empty due to the rest having left to go outside. "Does anyone know who Kotsukiba Niruo is!?" He yells into the class with an angry look.

Kotsu stands up and points to himself with a questioning look. "I'm… Kotsukiba Niruo," He states leading the younger boy to look at him.

"No you're not," He simply says looking almost annoyed at Kotsu. "The REAL Kotsukiba-san is super awesome and cool!" He says smirking pumping his fist in admiration of his perception of Kotsu. Right after that the young boy spins on his heel after no one else seems to have identified themselves as Kotsu.

"W-what do you mean I'm not me!?" He says stepping out to confront the boy, but he bumps into someone. None other than the home tutor of death. "R-Reborn!"

"I see you've met your bodyguard," He simply says causing the boy to blink a few times. His… bodyguard…? But that boy was younger than him!? Not even old enough to go to Namimori middle school yet…

"B-but he wrote me off! Who told him that I was 'awesome' and 'super cool'!"

"I did. I'm his mentor," He answers in a split second.

"T-then… go tell him I'm me I guess! I don't need a bodyguard but just having him run around looking for me is stupid isn't it?" Reborn just points to the young student with a stern look.

"Why should I do that? You go convince him instead. That will be your first task. His name is Tsugemora Gagliardi," He says before walking straight past Kotsu and the boy turns to look at his home tutor.

"W-why should I care!? I don't even know hi-!" He starts but quickly realizes that Reborn has disappeared. "Tsugemora… strange name…" Kotsu says getting up deciding to go outside like he planned to all along. He sits down under the tree just enjoying the nice weather. This was his one peaceful time. The time in between Reborn's physical and mental 'abuse' and class he could actually kind of relax under the tree in front of the school.

"KOTSUKIBA-SAN! Where are you!?" He hears someone yell and he jumps up seeing the young boy from before, Tsugemora, walk around screaming for him.

Kotsu stands and tries looking as cool as he can manage, which obviously isn't very. "Over here Tsugemora!" He tries and the young white-haired boy just looks disappointed still. He stomps over and grabs his collar, looking up at him.

"Leave me alone. You're not Kotsukiba-san! Kotsukiba-san looks cool and awesome unlike you!" he says before stomping out of there again still yelling for him. Kotsu runs after him again walking behind the young boy.

"So um… w-where're you from… Tsugemora…?" He tries and the boy in question just looks at him with disgust.

"I'm looking for someone important right now! I don't want to talk to a normal guy like you! But I'm from Italy. My mom's Japanese," He explains, leading Kotsu to almost to just look at the little boy, who's clearly contradicting himself.

"R-right… then… w-what do you know about Kotsukiba Niruo… other than the fact that he's awesome and all that?" Tsugemora tsks annoyed.

"Leave me alone will you!?" He says before running behind the school to the glass wall seeing none other than Ren practicing his breakdancing. Tsugemora's eyes widen seeing him. "You! You are who I'm looking for!" He yells and both Ren and Kotsu stop to look at him, seeing if he's being serious, as he points in overdramatic fashion at the breakdancer.

"Um… excuse me?" Ren says before letting on a smile. "I guess people DO come looking for me a lot… I shouldn't really be surprised…" He says and Tsugemora looks almost sparkly-eyed at him.

"He really IS awesome!" He says but before taking another step towards Kotsu's brother someone comes running behind the school. A third year with short military-cut black hair.

"ALRIGHT! I knew I'd find you here Ren! W-we're in a little bit of a pinch. We're having a practice soccer game against Akatori middle school in a little bit… but um… looks like not just one but THREE of our members couldn't make it… Our goalkeeper got food poisoning… a defender has family matters and our ace hurt his leg somehow… y-you wouldn't happen to be free for the game and… you know… have some friend's who'd join in?" He says and Ren just smiles.

"Sure thing! I'll help you guys out! As for friends…" He looks behind him and points to Kotsu and Tsugemora. "They're in too!" He says with a smile and Kotsu takes a step back.

"B-but Ren! I-!" He starts but Ren just smiles.

"No buts Lil' bro! This could be a good opportunity!" He says and Tsugemora pumps his fist.

"Alright! Let's do this!" He says proudly and Kotsu is simply forced to go along with it. They get to the football field having burrowed some uniforms to play in. Kotsu sees the coach and he instantly knows something is up. It's Reborn… wearing a coach's uniform and a fake beard.

"Everyone! This may just be a practice game… but that is NO excuse for not giving it your all!" Reborn declares in an insanely convincing impersonation of a soccer coach. Everyone throws their hands in the air.

"OSU!" Everyone says even Tsugemora getting pumped up. However Kotsu is the only person who can't get himself to get hyped knowing he'll fail no matter which position he's put in.

"Alright! I'm a bodyguard so I'll be our keeper and protect the goal!" Tsugemora says smirking as he slams his fists together. The boy who came and got them is the teams captain. Taichi Kobane, a real football freak… at least according to most people.

"You got it! Ain't ever seen you around but I love a guy with spirit!" Taichi says giving him the thumbs up. The statement actually makes Kotsu wonder if Tsugemora's even allowed to be there since he doesn't even go to their school.

Ren smiles as well. "I'll be going up front! Guess that means you're up for defense lil' bro!" Kotsu gulps a little as he has no clue how people play the game let alone a specific position. But defense sounds like the least strenuous position he could have so it's fine…

"Alright! Let's play some soccer!" Ren and Taichi declare already on the same wavelength. Before the game starts Reborn pulls Kotsu aside while the rest are wishing the other team for a good game.

"Kotsu… Akatori has at least one hitman on their team. There's nothing I can do without causing a scene. So it's up to you," He says and Kotsu gets really frightened looking at the enemy team. However right as he's about to complain and panic, whichever came first, Reborn just pushes him out as the game is starting. "Go get 'em!"

Kotsu stands at the position Taichi advised him to, his legs shaking from the thought of him being able to die. Tsugemora looks up at him just tsking annoyed. "Stop that useless shaking! I won't let ONE ball get through our goal! So you can just stand there and be useless!" he says confidently and the referee whistles beginning the game. So now the only question was… will Kotsu die… or will he survive? A deadly game of soccer was beginning!