Capitolo Secondo

Gokudera

That baseball-idiot.

He was pushing the Tenth around all the time at school today, it was impenetrable! People were saying that he had been saved by the Tenth when he had tried to commit suicide by jumping from the roof, pah, what a weakling! Bringing the Tenth into danger, and now he was trying to make friends with him while laughing foolishly, was he brainless or what?

That bastard…laughed so chuffed, as if he didn't have any worries.

I…really hate this kind of people.

A strange kind of pain filled my heart, my hand slipped slowly off the handrail.

Could it be that I was scared? What a joke! Were there any things that I didn't know or hadn't experienced, which would make ME scared? I started to laugh.

But deeply inside, I knew that I feared the sunshine more than the dark. And the sunshine in Japan happened to be too dazzling, hence my magnified pupils couldn't adapt themselves for that.

＊＊＊

It was June, Italy hadn't entered the heat of summer yet, but the temperatures clearly were rising, even the bright shining sun gave the people here an oppressive feeling.

I sat at the desk next to the window in the café and leant against the backrest. The bells rang silvery while the doors were pushed open. I took a last drag on my cigaret, stubbed it out in the white ceramic ashtray in front of me and turned my head to look at the shopping street outside the window. Fashionable dressed girls wandered from shopwindow to shopwindow, arm in arm with their boyfriends.

I closed my eyes in disgust. Humans indeed were stupid creatures, greedy and narcissistic.

Without giving me more time to ponder, a man with sunglasses patted me on my shoulder and made me awaken from my thoughts. I turned, changing my expression hastily into a composed one and signaled him to take a seat. He nodded and sat down, then he ordered a coffee.

"Mr. Reborn sent you?" I asked with a casual air, pretending to be careless, and stirred my coffee with a little spoon.

"Yes." His eyes were hidden by the sunglasses, so I couldn't read his expression at all. He took a letter out of his black briefcase and handed it to me, "Mr. Reborn had commanded that this must be given to you personally."

I scanned the envelope. There wasn't anything strange about it, neither the thickness nor the paper, so I fished out my penknife and ripped open the envelope.

The letter paper had a yellowish color, the black handwriting was a bit illegible.

The message was as follows:

"Smoking Bomb,

I'm sure you've already heard that the tenth boss of Vongola has been elected. He is a fourteen-year-old junior high school student and his name is Tsunayoshi Sawada. If you want to test his abilities, then claim to be another candidate for the boss-selection and come to Namimori junior high.

Reborn"

The rumor of the election of the tenth boss of Vongola had already been the talk of the whole mafia world, I had heard about it some times ago, too, but I had always been rather dubious. Now, however, even Mr. Reborn, who hadn't been seen for a long time, proved the facticity of this news, so I supposed that the power-alternation was near.

I wasn't a member of any family, so usually I wasn't interested in that kind of things, I mean, what did I care about which family it was, I was okay with it if nobody caused me trouble.

But... That guy was 14, too, he even was a junior high school student, how could such a weakling take over a family like Vongola?

Since Mr. Reborn invited me, maybe I should go and take a look, I put the paper into the envelope again and stuffed it into my pocket, then I looked at the man in front of me.

"Tell Mr. Reborn that I'll be there in a week."

＊＊＊

After I'd gotten off the plane, I passed the customs and jostled my way through the people waiting for their baggages, and then I finally exited the airport.

I took a taxi to Namimori Junior High.

It wasn't hot in Japan, even with the bright sun, the wind was a bit cool. The town was very small, it took me only 15 minutes from the airport to the jr. high in the downtown area. We drove past the little low houses, the light yellow glowed warm in the sunlight. Through the window, I looked at the people saying hello to each other, and I decided that I really didn't like this town. Only the idea of everybody knowing everybody sucks. Well, it's not like I'd be staying here for a long time, if Mr. Reborn hadn't written me a letter personally, I would never even be bothered to come.

I slammed the car door and looked up at the plate in front of me: NamimoriJunior High School. The teaching building behind the gate was yellow, too. I won't lose anything just by looking, I thought and went in.

Just like this town, the school wasn't big as well, there were three classes in each year, the floors were straight, so I found the principal's room easily.

I opened the door and went in.

"Principal, I want to transfer to this school.", I pulled out the chair and sat down.

He looked up, raising his eyebrows questioningly: "Where are your parents?"

"I don't have parents, can't I just do it alone?" Those stupid questions, I just hated people who asked too much. And about my parents…it's one of those topics I didn't want to talk about.

"The formulas must be signed by the student's guardian or you are not allowed to enter the school.", The principal smiled, "Come with your mother next time."

My mother. I felt my heart stopped beating for a second, like it was stabbed by something; but this pain changed quickly into indescribable anger.

"Haven't I told you yet? I don't have any! I don't have parents!", I stood up abruptly, "Ain't I allowed to fill in those forms by myself?"

The principal was shocked by my sudden shouts, he pushed his glasses and took the forms out of the drawer, then he handed them to me: "Here…you are."

I finished really fast and gave him the forms back: "That was it?"

He nodded and pointed at the room next to his: "You have to buy your school uniform and attend class next monday.", He scanned the form, "Year seven... I see."

I ignored him, left his room and went in the school's secretary's office.

"School uniform.", I walked straight towards him and said.

"Why are you here by yourself?", the school's secretary pretended to be interested, but I could clearly read out of his eyes that he wasn't.

"None of your business, I only wanna have school uniforms.", I kicked the table leg softly.

"Thirty thousand Yen, young man." He answered with a smile.

Thirty thousand Yen? What the fuck! I only had five thousand Yen with me, was I supposed to let that money just appear from nowhere?

"Wait, are you Hayato Gokudera?", The secretary looked at me and suddenly asked.

"Yeah.", that was strange, how'd he know my name?

"Ah, let me explain to you,", he saw me wonder and went on, "a small man has already bought the uniforms for you, and he told me to arrange you a seat in class 7A. He is your guardian, isn't he? If it's like that, then you just have to attend class on monday.", he took out two suits of clothes, "these are the winter and summer uniforms, here you go."

I nodded ambiguously and left the office after taking the uniforms.

Was that small man Mr. Reborn? So the man who gave me the letter had already told him about my arrival. But this would save me from more troubles, so I supposed I should be glad.

It cost me a lot of time to find an apartment, too. Like "fourteen-year-olds are minors so you can't rent apartments" or "this street's location is perfect you have to pay more", those stupid and clumsy idiots! I finally was able to find an apartment when I had the intention of blowing up those companies.

The apartment wasn't big, but it was properly cleaned up, the floor was dappled by the shine of the evening sun which went through the curtains, the blurry shadows were moving and shivering. I dropped my backpack on the sofa, then went into the kitchen to boil some instant noodles I ate for dinner.

Maybe because it was a red-eye flight, I didn't get much sleep, so I fell on the bed right after dinner. Actually I never had had enough sleep and I was pretty much used to it, but strangely, today I was really tired, it could be the influence of the lazy atmosphere of this small town.

I woke up very early because the sunlight went through the thin curtains easily. I searched for my sneakers and went yawning into the bathroom; after washing my face with some icy water I immediately was sobered up. I never ate breakfast, so I only drank a cup of water. Then I put on my clothes from yesterday, made my bed and opened the window to ventilate the room. The wind in the morning was exceedingly cool, with some smell of grass and dew in it. I breathed deep in and out for several times, then sat on the sofa and lighted a cigaret. The smoke mixed up with the fresh air, people might say that I was contaminating the air, but as for me, it was a distinctive enjoyment. To sit there and smoke while thinking of the things I had to do that day is something I did every morning, it already had become kind of a habit.

Saturday, Sunday. Only two days left and I would have to go to school. Maybe I should go and find out what the japanese students are learning in year seven. So I stubbed out my cigaret, hurriedly combed my hair, checked my keys and went out the door.

It wasn't difficult to find a bookshop, I went to the shelves with the schoolbooks and took out a math book.

It's so fucking easy, are the people here dullards? I closed the book and squeezed it in. Right when I was about to leave, I glimpsed a magazine and immediately took a step back.

「月刊世界の謎と不思議」

There are magazines like this one in Japan, too? I took up the magazine and began to read. I had loved Cryptozoology since I was little, I just couldn't control my excitement when I see supernatural beings and couldn't wait to know more about them. If I'd be able to see an unidentified mysterious animal someday, then I'd have something I could boast of.

But the reason why I got interested in this area was long forgotten, I think it was also because…I hated people, maybe.

I bought that magazine without hesitating, and even asked when the new volume comes out. When I heard it was next month I kind of was disappointed. Those fatheads from the book concern, couldn't they hurry up a little?

After I'd got home, I didn't have other things to do, hence I read the magazine so many times I even forgot to eat lunch. In the afternoon I finally realized that I was hungry, so I went out to buy instant noodles, this time four bags at once. I took a look in my wallet and saw that there were only a ten Yen coin left.

Dammit, have I already used all my money? I clenched my teeth while putting my empty wallet into my pocket. Forget it, it has always been like that in Italy, I won't starve to death anyway.

The day past pretty fast, on Sunday I went to check the school-way and the streets nearby, and then it was Monday morning.

I remembered that there are school uniforms in Japan after I'd put on my clothes, so I had no choice but to wear that boring shirt.

I left home at 8:30, it already was 8:45 when I arrived at school. First I went to the secretary's office, he took me to my classroom, opened the door and sent me in. The teacher saw me, wrote me name on the blackboard and introduced me to the other students: "This is our new transfer student, Hayato Gokudera from Italy."

I looked into the class and stopped at a boy with brown hair. When I read the letter once again yesterday, I found a photo in the envelope, and it was exactly this guy. Pfft, he was even weaker than on the photo, how ridiculous! He saw me looking at him and tried to hide himself under his desk. I got angry just by seeing his face, so I didn't care about the teacher, walked to his desk and kicked it, then I sat down on a chair in the last row.

The teacher flowed on without stopping, it got pretty annoying by the time, so I stopped paying attention to him and started to watch that Tsunayoshi Sawada, he even wasn't able to answer a simple math question, how could a stupid and weak guy like him be the next boss of Vongola?

But I couldn't imagine that exactly this guy saved my life after school, even if I was his foe.

Since I was eight, I grew up in despising looks of other people, nobody wanted to help me, I was like an abandoned child of this world that stumbled in the dark.

Tsunayoshi Sawada was the first one to accept me in this six years, he was also the first one to help me without pondering. He didn't abhor me, didn't banish me, he even didn't fought back. When I saw the put out bombs on the ground, I completely froze. This guy saved my life, so I should protect his with mine. I was determined to follow this tenth boss of Vongola, to become the man he trust, his right hand, 'cause he let me see a bit hope in humanity.

＊＊＊

"I decided to let Yamamoto join the family." I heard Mr. Reborn's voice and turned, looking surprised at him.

Letting that idiot joining the family? What the hell! An easygoing addle-head like him would definitely hinder our family!

Look! He is pushing the Tenth around again, that skunk!

"Mr. Reborn, please think it over again! I'm against the idea of letting that rude freak joining our family!" I couldn't stand it anymore and shouted.

But Mr. Reborn…seemed to be asleep already.

If he wasn't listening to the things I was saying, then I had no choice but to go to that Yamamoto that I could kill him before he does anything stupid.

Because it was the midday rest, the students were eating their bentos, so I found that bastard sitting in the stairway pretty easy.

"Hey, come with me." I walked straight to him and said annoyed.

He looked up, his beige eyes told me that he felt uncertain about it, but after a short time of hesitance, he put down his bento and followed me to the sports ground.

We stood there face to face, I stared at him with anger and thought about how to deal with him. After some time he scratched his face, I didn't know whether he got nervous by the staring or impatient, and said: "Um, Gokudera, you didn't call me out just for staring at me like this, did you?"

Pah, as if I gave a shit staring at you. How could a weak dork like him be able to join the family?

Just looking his stupid face made me want to blow him up!

"You should drink more milk." He took out a bottle of milk and held it in front of me eyes, "You'll be in bad mood if you're lack of calcium."

The fuck! He was thinking of milk at a time like this? Was his brain full of milk or something?! Such kind of fool must be zapped!