Ch 5:

Dino Cavallione slumped back tiredly on his seat after he finished talking to Vongola's Storm Guardian. He could only sigh as he felt the curious and mildly expectant eyes of Ferrero Secondo.

"Vongola Decimo is on his way here" Dino informed. "He wishes to meet your sister"

"Huh?" Was the intelligent response of the duo infront of him. They were baffled as to why the Vongola Don would like to meet the young lady when the other party already declined the marriage proposal?

"Romario" Dino turned towards his ever faithful subordinate (who was currently sweating furiously). He said in a gravely serious voice. "If I die tonight, tell Reborn that I honestly didn't know"

"Boss..." Romario had tears already gathering in his eyes.

Reika and her brother only stared dumbfounded at the semi-comical duo infront of them.

"Who's Vongola Decimo?" Reika asked her brother when she realized that her former teacher didn't give an actual name.

"He's a mafia boss, like us" The man replied while gesturing at himself and Dino.

"Sensei is in the mafia?!" Reika asked wide eyed at her former teacher. "No, importantly... You want me to marry a mafiosi?!"

Dino stared at her in confusion and slightly offended. "What's wrong marrying a mafiosi?"

"'What's wrong?'" Reika repeated in the same manner Dino had said it. "I'll tell you what's wrong: 'Who's more important, your famiglia or your family?'"

While Dino continues to stare at her in confusion, a new voice chimed in; answering Reika's question.

"In my opinion, both of them are equally important.." Looking at the source, Reika's breath hitched and her hand found her brother's suit to clutch. Ferrero Secondo momentarily eyed his sister before focusing on the new arrival.

".. And to choose between them is like choosing whether to live or to die"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi" Reika whispered the name of the man who unknowingly captured her heart many years ago.

"Shizu Reika" Tsuna said her name with a winning smile. "We meet once more"

"Vongola Decimo" Ferrero Secondo acknowledged the new arrival with a nod.

Still smiling, Tsuna requested: "Please excuse my rudeness, Don Ferrero, but I wish to be alone with Ms. Reika for a while"

"Why?"

"We have unfinished business"

The atmosphere immediately became heavy and thick, but the smile on Sawada Tsunayoshi's face didn't falter.

"Romario" Dino nudged his subordinate. "That's our cue to leave"

"Yes, boss!" And with that, the two Cavallione scurried out of the room.

Ferrero Secondo took one last look at his sister before he too, left the room. No more words were needed to be said.

"Why are you doing this now?" Shizu Reika asked, not even bothering to offer the other a seat.

Sawada Tsunayoshi turned to her, smile turning serene. "No reason."

"'No reason'?" Reika repeated in bewilderment. "Are you right in the head?"

"Perhaps not" A chuckle left his lips. "I've been hit so hard for so many times that I don't even believe I'm still sane"

"Why are you here?"

"Honestly, I don't know." He admitted. He strode over to the vacant seat across from her. "The moment I heard you were here, I dropped everything that I was doing and ran all the way here"

A huff escaped her lips. "What's this? Do you love me or something?"

A short silence ensued before the young Don answered "No."

That one word was enough to shatter her already broken heart from many years ago.

"End of discussion then" She forced out a smile and stood up to leave.

Tsuna stood up, reached out and grasped her hand to stop her.

"But I want to give this a try"

"A 'try'?" She repeated angrily. "Sawada Tsunayoshi! I'm not some kind of game that you could just 'try'!" Tears brimmed her eyes. "I'm human, damnit! I have a heart and I have feelings!"

"If you don't even like me then just get lost!" She pulled her hand off his grasp. "Don't toy with my feelings just because you know I'm in love with you!"

And with that, she left.

Gokudera Hayato was rightfully worried as he saw his slumped over friend enter the parking lot, though honestly he wasn't surprised. He had already seen Shizu Reika stomp over angrily to the car waiting for her.

Like the dutiful right-hand man he is, Hayato opened the car door for his beloved boss without asking what transpired inside the restaurant.

An approaching movement didn't miss their attention though, and the Vongola Don set aside his personal problem in favor of the present one. He paused midway of entering the vehicle to see what was approaching them.

To their surprise, it was Shizu Reika.

Standing straight, Tsuna stared curiously at the approaching figure.

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

"You hurt my feelings, and I want a payback" She replied as she stopped just two steps away from him. She took another step and Tsuna closed his eyes, expecting a sharp sting to his cheeks. What he didn't expect was for his necktie to be grabbed and a pair of moist lips to plant over his.

His eyes opened and his mind went blank. Reika's closed eyes filled his vision.

Seconds had never felt so slow until now.

Slowly, their lips parted and she took a step back. Their gazes locked for a second more longer until she turned and walked away.

No more words were exchanged and she left him in a daze.