"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

Anthony Brandt


The room was quiet, Tsuna had noted observantly as his pen made small scratching noise on the papers he was signing. It had been two days since he had the surprise visit from Shizuko and even until now he couldn't get the experience out of his head. It was a long time since he had spent some time (something NOT mafia related) with a friend before, not to mention his best friend—Shizuko. Tsuna placed his pen gently on the paper and turned his attention to his right-hand man standing next to him, shifting through papers for the things that needed to be signed and the things that needed to be thrown away.

Gokudera felt his bosses gaze on him and he turns to his boss with a small smile. "Did you need something Tenth?" Gokudera asks as he places the papers at the edge of the table. Tsuna returns the smile and looks at his right-hand man. Not skipping a beat as he asks bluntly, "Did you know of Shizuko's arrival?"

Gokudera was taking aback but nonetheless remained his composure. "Y-Yes Tenth. Reborn announced it when you were in your room and—" Gokudera immediately stopped his sentence not wanting to mention Tsuna's "bad days". Tsuna nodded—understanding—and quickly waves away the slight blunder, Gokudera nods, clears his throat awkwardly, and continues on. "Anyway, I think she'll only be here for two weeks, after that she'll be returning back to England."

Tsuna hums in approval to let Gokudera know that he was listening. "So, she won't be staying long…but she'll come back I think—after her year at Oxford I mean."

"Are you sure Tenth?" Gokudera asks, truly confused as Tsuna sounded so sure. "From what I heard from Reborn-san, a lot of hospitals have been requesting for her to come work for them after she graduates. Tch, it can't be helped since she is at the top of her class after all."

"She is?" Tsuna asks with eyes wide and confusion etched on his face.

"Err…yeah." Gokudera answers with an awkward smile. "She regularly sends us updates on how she's doing. Like the time when she received that academic award…and other stuff but mostly related to academics."

Tsuna's eyes widen some more when he hears of the news. "Why don't I know any of these?" He asks and Gokudera just shrugs, picks up the pile of papers, and continues flipping through them in his hands.

"Sometimes you're at work…sometimes you're just too busy. Reborn just says that you're too busy for these kinds of news anyway so I guess this is why you never are informed Tenth."

"Then please Gokudera-kun," Tsuna says making Gokudera look back at him. "If she ever does send any letters in the future, inform me about it."

Gokudera's eyes widen but he dismisses the sudden request and curtly answers with, "Yes, Tenth."

Satisfied with the answer, Tsuna nods and goes back to the paperwork in front of him. A heavy sigh escapes his lips; he never knew how detached he was to the outside world after the break up. Sure he knew he was a mess but to completely ignore everything…especially the accomplishments of his best friend—which he knew earned her some bragging rights. Tsuna's eyes widen just a bit when an idea struck him. Why didn't Shizuko ever send him letters personally? Sure, she sent some letters to everyone else but what about him? Wasn't he her best friend?

"Something wrong Tenth?" Gokudera asks, already detecting something amiss with Tsuna. He turns his head and smiles at Gokudera. A smile that didn't quite reach up to his eyes.

"Do you think Shizuko hates me?"

Gokudera was once taken a back but—like the honest and loyal friend and right-hand man that he was—he answers as honestly as he could without giving away too much.

"I don't think she's mad at you Tenth…more confused I think."

"Hmm…How so…?" Tsuna asks, already forgetting the paperwork in front of him.

"Ah…well," Gokudera fumbles for his words as he looks up at the ceiling, trying to find the words he needed. "She just returned and…I think she's a little bit overwhelmed by all the changes."

Tsuna raised a curious eyebrow. "Changes? In me?"

Gokudera knew he was digging himself a hole but he just couldn't stop. Yes, he did find Shizuko annoying and prideful at times but he still couldn't get that memory of that one afternoon in high school where he saw Shizuko, standing at the edge of the roof and looking out towards the sky.

"What are you doing, baka-girl? Get down or you'll fall down and die, you idiot!"

He remembered saying this as he stared at her back. Gokudera suddenly heard her laugh as she said the words that have haunted him all throughout high school.

"How can I Gokudera-kun? If someone isn't going to look at this beautiful scenery, it will all be wasted."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Who knows?"

She turned around and smiled. A smile so painful that tears started to trickle down her cheeks.

"Maybe I'm just rambling on like a crazy person…or maybe,"

She turns back to the sky and reaches out her hand like she was trying to get a hold of something. Gokudera briefly worried that she was going to jump but knew better. Shizuko might have been sad but she wasn't suicidal.

"Maybe…maybe I just wanted to try living…not just merely exist."

Gokudera could only stare as Shizuko wept and wept on that rooftop. Utterly powerless.

"…dera-kun…Gokudera-kun!"

Gokudera's eyes widen as he turns around to face Tsuna. Worry etched on Tsuna's face and Gokudera mentally cursed himself for blanking out.

"Sorry, Tenth. But I think the reason that Shizuko is the way she is. Might be because she loves…"

Gokudera bit his tongue and swallowed heavily. Correcting himself, he continues,

"L-Loves, y-yo…"

Tsuna raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue but somehow, Gokudera couldn't bring himself to say the words. Besides, it was not like him to meddle in other people's affairs and especially right now—maybe he'll just stand aside and watch it all play out. But he had to finish his sentence. So he said,

"Yogurt."

Tsuna's eyes widened. "Y-Yogurt?"

"That's right Tenth!" Gokudera shouts with new vigor. "They say that when people love yogurt. They tend to change drastically!"

"Hmm…I've never heard of yogurt changing people…but then again, who am I to judge?"

Gokudera's blood turns cold as he turns his head towards the door. Shizuko stood there with a bright smile on her face. She was wearing a yellow strapped dress with a big sunflower pattern on the edge of the dress. Tsuna waved his hand. Shizuko closes the door and she walks towards Tsuna and Gokudera,

"What are you doing here?" Gokudera asks briskly.

Shizuko shrugs. "Tsuna's mom invited me to eat some cake and I thought I'd invite Tsuna along. You know, like the old times. Except…it's the other way around now." She smiles cheekily.

"Hmph," Gokudera grunts audibly. "You're probably going to eat all of it anyway."

Shizuko pouts as she places both hands on her hips. "That is a presumption so absurd that I am greatly offended that you would say that…but yeah, you're probably right." Shizuko smiles and Tsuna smiles back, knowing personally how true that statement is.

"Shizuko," Tsuna calls out as she looks at him curiously. "Do you like yogurt?"

"No way!" Shizuko says instinctively. "Yogurt is just a poor excuse of ice cream! I absolutely hate it!"

Tsuna smiles knowingly. "Yeah, I thought so." Gokudera visibly paled.

"Why are you asking me this though? I'm sure you remember the time I threw that…that…abomination away when it was offered to me."

"Vividly," Tsuna smiles and turns to Gokudera. "I'm sure you could excuse me for a little while, right? I'm sure Reborn wouldn't mind."

"W-What?" Shizuko exclaimed. "Reborn would mind! He would freaking kill you!"

"D-Don't worry about it Shizuko," Gokudera suddenly spoke up as Tsuna stood up from his seat. "R-Reborn-san w-wouldn't mind."

Shizuko's eyes widen as she looks at Gokudera admiringly. "Wow, Gokudera-kun. You really are the right hand man of the Tenth Vongola Boss!"

"Then, should we go now Shizuko-chan?" Tsuna says as he tugs her arm. They both walk towards the door and Shizuko waves' goodbye and leaves the office.

"I…" Gokudera whispers as he takes the paper in his hands and sighs. "This is for the Tenth!"

But he knew greatly that this was just his punishment for blatantly lying to his boss.


Review~ So I'll know how I did :D After forgoing writing for so long I think I've lost my touch :(