khr ain't mine

Thanks for the review :D Glad you've liked it. Matchmaker Tsuna's debut doesn't end there lol

(Corrected version: Thanks Deacog(^o^), I didn't know it was grammatically correct)

Chapter 2

Jack O' Lantern

Eager to escape the current conversation and from Reborn's suspicious eyes, Tsuna eagerly proposed.

"Enough about me! I bet you must be curious about this town. Have you explored it yet? If not I can play the guide."

"Yeah, sure. Can you guide me right now? It might be good to move my body around."

"! Really?! No take backs, ok? Man, you're like the only one that accepted the offer."

The response of the grinning teen got him on edge immediately.

"Wait. Why is that? Is it something with your sense of direction-"

His rebuttal was utterly ignored as the boy ran outside screaming about finding something suitable to wear which in turn made the hitman irritated by the dismissal enough to aim Leon at his head impulsively.

Thankfully, his cover hadn't got wholly blown with the noise of glass breaking from upstairs.

"Geez! I have an open front door that you can use instead of breaking in every time!"

The nonchalant response got him curious and made him put the gun back into his vest as he followed the source of noise to... a... weirdo in a t-shirt(with cow patterned jacket?) and jeans wearing a pumpkin over his head.

"Geez to you too, Tsuna-nii! I've told you over and over again that it's always cooler to smash into the window to leave an unforgettable impression."

Well the dude isn't wrong in that regard.

"What about poor me who has to fix the mess?!"

The hitman seamlessly integrated into the conversation with a quip.

"In that case, you don't have to keep the window panes."

"I would do that if this guy wouldn't reinstall the panes once I've done that! It's a never-ending cycle."

"Like I've said before, window breaking entrances is a man's romance."

"What kind?!"

Ignoring the exasperated brunette, the Lantern dude introduced himself.

"Heya Reborn! I'm Bovino Lambo, Tsuna-nii's best little bro."

"No, you're my only metaphorical little brother!"

"What's a Bovino doing here?"

It wasn't strange that a member of the Bovino famiglia would recognize him, being the world's greatest hitman. But the other should have been in Italy, not Japan of all places.

"I live here. I don't know what's going with the famiglia right now. I'm pretty much a civvie."

What was strange was that Tsuna didn't seem surprised at all by the implications of the conversation.

"So anyway, you want a guide around town I'm guessing seeing Tsuna shuffle for clothes. So let me take over that role."

"No Lambo. He agreed to let me guide -"

"Sure. That's fine with me."

Seeing a threat lying under the teen's proposal, Reborn ignored the accusing glare sent by Tsuna for a chance to get information. It seemed like Tsuna was too complacent with the town to help him figure out the situation. The other on the other hand seemed to have an agenda with the brunette which made him an even better target.

The agreement seemed to be the right choice as Lambo gave him a grateful smile and led him out of the house.

Under the silent stares from the hitman, the teen gave him an explanation for his actions "The thing is, Tsuna-nii's body is pretty weak. Don't let him know I told you. He believes that we worry too much."

"Is that so? He doesn't look sick."

"I'm not lying. I've seen him struggle to breathe when we go too far away from the house.

Anyway, as thanks for lending a hand there. I'll answer all your questions. I'm relatively new here, so I can understand why people can think this town is pretty strange.

You've probably seen the interior of Tsuna-nii's house right? It's pretty burnt, but he won't replace the furniture. It's probably nostalgia so, I won't tell him anything about it."

"I'm wondering what's the deal with the town not being on any maps. I don't even know where is this place exactly."

"That's probably the mayor's fault. He's invested in keeping the place as hidden as possible."

"Why not? Visitors and tourism can help the situation of the town. I mean, people might like the antique feeling it gives."

"Hey! We like how it looks like. More like we try our best in keeping the image of the town like this. It takes a lot of money to keep this old ravaged look you know."

"But it looks like a ghost town."

"...It's because this town's theme is Halloween."

"Hence the Jack O' Lantern look you've got."

"...To put it simply, yeah."

It seemed like a delicate situation, so he dropped it for now and said,

"Since I'll be staying for a while for a vacation, is there any procedures for registration."

The patronizing look offered at that statement honestly pissed him off. The fact that a pumpkin could make that kind of impression made him pull the gun to the other's face.

"Don't get so mad! It's just that it was kind of funny someone would actually try to introduce himself as an outsider to the mayor. It's like picking a fight with that guy. You'd think that the dude was xenophobic from what I've told you."

"That's a bit of overkill to judge someone that fast."

"Ah that's right. You're new here. I forgot 'bout that.

That's right... People usually think that, right..."

It was that feeling of exclusion again. It was just like how yesterday the people moved out of his sight the moment he was in the general area.

"Do the people here hate outsiders that much?"

"That's not true. You've met Tsuna-nii, haven't you?"

"That's one person, and he seems like out of the norm right now."

"Tsuna-nii's pretty much the same as us. It seems like the people here gave a bad impression. They won't act like that once you move here."

"I'm just staying temporarily."

"Staying here temporarily or moving here. What's the difference?"

The genuine confusion in the teen's eyes startled him a bit. It seemed like it could be a cultural thing. Like maybe, once you're here, your soul's a part of ours or something of sorts.

"Anyway, don't let the mayor know. You know 'bout this town a bit from someone else, right?"

"I've heard about the town from Tsuna's dad. But how do you know about that?"

"The people here have that same circumstance at the start. Only those who're invited can reach here. Anyway, use that as an excuse.

Say that you're his illegitimate son or something like that, 'cos that'll fly based on the mayor's impression of that guy. He's the visa for your stay."

"Even if I die, I won't give that excuse."

"Yeesh, even you have the same impression on him like us. Then, just say you're his acquaintance. You might catch his suspicion with that though."

"It's not like this mayor knows each and everyone on this town-"

"That guys knows literally everyone and anything acquainted with this town."

It was said so confidently like it was just another fact in this world that Reborn left any reasonable arguments aside. More than that, he could finally see some people moving around carefree.

"If this town's theme is Halloween, you're the only one I've seen so far wearing a pumpkin mask. You sure it isn't just your hobby?"

"Puh-lease. If it weren't for the town's implicit rules, who'd wear something so stuffy everywhere. Those other guys took the role of ghosts. They have no imagination. Look, their clothes are musty white and tattered a bit."

"Hmm, that seems so. But if playing something half-assed like a ghost is ok, why don't you wear it too."

"It's cos Tsuna-nii wants me to stop breaking mirrors."

Reborn looked at the teen to urge him to explain it further.

"It's just that when I see myself in the mirror, my face feels all hot and my heart starts beating wildly, so I end up punching the mirror with all I got.

So Tsuna-nii has to bandage the wounds and replace the mirror.

It's either this or removing every reflective surface."

"Therapy might help, especially if you're a candidate for the successor of the Bovino famiglia. It's pathetic for a Mafia boss to be scared of his own reflection."

"...I'm already out of that rat race."

"You're giving up because of one assassination attempt? You wimp."

There were rumors that the Bovino famiglia tried to assassinate one of its candidates. But if he's here and breathing, there was no way the famiglia didn't know about it. The fact that the other was even alive meant that he was still considered a candidate or else there'd be no way they'd have met today.

"I'm not a wimp! I'm a fearless and chill kid! The coolest you'd ever meet in your life! A cucumber ain't got nothing on me.

Tsuna-nii said so! He even gives me grape candy every time I prove that! Take that!"

"If the theme's Halloween, there's no reason you wouldn't get candy for mischief. You got the reason mixed backward."

"I told him the same thing before and tried all sorts of things. But he refused to give me candy for that even though everyone else does so if I succeed.

Thanks to me, it'll be hard to trick someone else, Reborn. I'd like to see you try beating my high score. Ahahaha!"

"It's a thousand years to early to challenge me, you cow brat.

By the way, if you're Jack O' Lantern, then what's Tsuna?"

"He's the witch."

"He sure doesn't look like one."

"You should see when he goes out. He always wears that baggy cloak he wore to sneak around and get his parents' presents like a ritual. At first, he said it was because it was his last memory with his parents; but a while back it's been changed to that of meeting us!"

"Hmm... is that so?"

"We've been walking a while eh? How 'bout we go have a bite to eat instead, your treat."

"You're the guide, how about some hospitality?"

"Adults gotta treat the younger kids. Isn't that basic manners? Anyway, there's this place with amazing sushi and demonstration for making em. It's as if they're samurai. I'll lead you there, and we can have a bite. Then, I'll ditch you there 'cos I told my friend I'll play with them later."

"Then you want me to explore the place on my own?"

"I have a feeling you'll invite Tsuna-nii just to spite me, so I'll tell Takeshi-nii to take over the escort role. Amn't I neat? I'm not even asking you tips for being as great a guide as I am.

Getting so many men to take care of you, aren't you popular, princess-san-"

Lambo jumped out of the bullet shot, looking sufficiently scared.

"I must have nodded through your explanation. What were you saying just now?"

"Eep! I was just saying the great Reborn-sama won't get a satisfactory tour with a person like me. So I've thought Takeshi-nii can help out here!"

"That's what I thought. Good."

When the jittery teen opened the door, the first thing he had the utmost displeasure seeing was a uselessly sparkling man who seemed like he'd better fit the host club than a sushi restaurant.

Not to mention he seemed like the type who could walk through a bloodbath smiling like an angel given that he was in the midst of chopping off a live fish's head when greeting him, with the fish's accusing eyes facing his direction.

Lambo whispered to him.

"Takeshi-nii's a bit jealous that you'd be living with Tsuna-nii so he did a bit of a nasty greeting to you. But don't take it too bad.

He'll take over the request properly."

That was on purpose?!