Title: The Vacation
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Rating: T+
Pairing: HxH a.k.a 5986
Summary: Haru finally got the vacation of her dream. However, is she ready for it?
Disclaimer: Definitely not mine since the first place. Katekyo Hitman Reborn's characters and related are owned by their respective owners. However, I own the OC.
THE VACATION
Chapter 2: The Exploration: Santa Croce
Haru awaken by the alarm she set on her phone yesterday. Turned it off, she looked at the sleeping body beside her and smiled. Stretched out, she put up her robe, opened the door to the patio, and sat on a long chair, enjoying the warmth of the sunray hitting her face and cool wind blowing away. The smell of the water filled her nose as she took a deep breath.
Couple of minutes passed when Gokudera stirred in his sleep. He reached out to a place beside him to find nothing but a soft sheet. Realizing his wife wasn't in the same place before they went sleep last night, he opened his eyes and glanced to the patio door where the chilling wind came.
"It's still 7 AM, you know." Gokudera leaned on the door frame, yawned and crossed his hands over his chest.
Haru startled at his voice, smiled softly and patted an empty space beside her. Gokudera sat on it after giving her a morning kiss on the forehead.
"Enjoying the morning?" he asked leaning on her shoulder.
"Hn. It's pretty comfy here."
They stayed like that for a moment before Haru stood and walk to the bathroom. Anticipating Gokudera's protest, she reasoned first, "We need to freshen up before taking the stroll, right? I'm first, you're next, and then we can get the breakfast."
Haru had entered the bathroom before the gray-haired man could response. He smirked and lay fully on the chair, "Ah, she's right. It's comfy."
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Gokudera glanced at his watch, 9.15 AM. Annoyed, he looked around the big room, expecting a certain brown-haired woman to be present but in fact, she's not. Haru went to their room taking something she forgot, and he agreed to wait in the lounge. He had waited for almost 15 minutes, playing with his lighter, before deciding to pick her up. When he walked to the lift, said woman appeared with big smile, waving her hand to him. Recognizing his annoyed face, her smile faded a little.
"I'm sorry. I didn't remember in which bag the camera is, so I have to search for it first. You aren't mad with me, are you?" she asked with a puppy dog eyes.
"Tch. Let's go. We waste too much time here," he said, grabbing her arms and walked out from the main door.
As they had planned night before, the first sestieri to explore was Santa Croce, which mean the area outside their hotel. They walked together side by side to the opposite of Santa Lucia train station, to reach the Church of San Simeon Piccolo. When they arrived there, the sight of a building with a large dome welcomed them.
Haru ran her fingers along the pages of her guidebook, searching for the information about the church, while the man beside her just enjoying the architectural of the building.
"Hey, Hayato-kun, listen. 'The church built at the beginning of the 18th century, and intended to be the copy of Pantheon in Rome. This is why it has a large dome, with the statue of the San Salvatore on the top.'" Haru read the sentences of the page to the man behind her. Gokudera peeked over her shoulder, read it together.
"No wonder I felt familiar with the design. Copy of that building, huh?" he smirked remembering his memories long ago in there.
"Something funny?" he shook his head, holding her waist and walked to the outside part of the church. "H-hey, we haven't finished here."
"Come on, there's more interesting places to see besides this church."
With that, Haru argued no more. She hoped her beloved husband knew where the interesting places he mentioned before. In truth, he did really know.
They had visited some places like the Church of Santo Stae, Palazzo Monenigo, the Church of San Nicolo da Tolentino, the Church of San Giacomo dell'Orio, the Patrician Palace and Ca'Corner della Regina. There were several famous objects in some of those places, like altarpiece of Madonna with Child and Saints in the Church of San Giacomo dell'Orio.
She truly enjoyed his guide and explanation of each places, at some point made her wonder: had he visit this city before or did he memorize some books about those places. When the sun started to incline to the west, they stopped at a small restaurant to eat before went to the next place.
"Still have the strength to continue?" Gokudera asked after they finished their late lunch.
"Of course, don't underestimate me. I still have the strength to walk for another hours." She answered sweetly. "So, where did you want to take me next, Mr. Guide?"
"That's good, then. There're still two places to go. Next is Museum of Modern and Oriental Art. This way, Miss," he said holding her hand and led them both to the said place.
The museum was housed in the wonderful seventeenth-century building has known as Ca' Pesaro, which designed in 1628 by Baldassare Longhena and a true example of Venetian Baroque style. The first floor filled with modern art pieces, paintings and sculptures by nineteenth and twentieth century artists.
"Kilmt, Chagall, Kandinsky, Matisse, Mirò, De Chirico, and Moore are some of those artists. This one was Moore's," the museum guide mentioned some names to the tourists group, including Gokudera and Haru, at a sculpture in the middle of the main lounge.
Most of them nodded at his explanations and continued to the second floor, leaving Haru still observed the strange statue. She's still couldn't get the exact message of the art when Gokudera dragged her to upper floor, following the others. The second floor was the oriental part of the museum. It could be seeing from the large collections of oriental art pieces scattered around the room. The floor divided into two sections. Japan on one side, and the other side was China and Indonesia.
"Hey, it's Mount Fuji, Hayato." Haru grinned happily while pointing to the big picture of snowing mountain with blue background on the wall, on the Japan section.
Said man just looked lazily to the picture. He wasn't too fond of this kind of art, but he smiled anyway seeing her smile. They then went to the next section with the group.
"What's that?" Haru stopped walking and turned to a big painting on the wall.
She observed the picture deeply, not realized the group had returned to the first floor. It was a picture of a beautiful woman with a long black hair. She wore a green dress with a strange model, a gold crown adorned her head and a silver staff on her right hand. She sat on a red chair with gold sculpture on its outlines. Haru looked over her figure before stopped at her captivating black eyes. There was strange aura emitted from her. Suddenly, a fear crept up her spine. The longer she looked at those orbs, more fear aroused. She wanted to look away, but her eyes didn't budge.
"Isn't she beautiful?" someone talked to her, brought her conscience back and made her turned around.
A white-shorthaired man stood beside her, wore a black shirt and trouser, and brown jacket on his right arm. He looked at the same painting with a serene look. He turned to Haru, made the woman stared at his cerulean eyes. He had a childish expression on his handsome face. However, his eyes were emotionless. Nothing appeared there, any emotion.
"Yes, she is beautiful."
Haru glanced at the picture once more, and strangely, the fear she had before was gone although she looked at the eyes. It's as if, the person beside her erased her fear only by his presence. She never felt like that except when she neared her husband. However, this person was a total stranger and it scarred her.
"Haru!"
Haru turned to the caller, Gokudera. Relief filled up her mind as he walked closer to her position.
"What are you doing here?! I thought you're lost!" he scowled at her, and it made her laughed.
"I'm so sorry, Hayato. I was looking at this painting and-," Her words suddenly stop as she realized that stranger wasn't there anymore. "…I got stuck."
"Stuck? Stupid, don't do it again. What if you really lost? I don't know where I have to search," he asked as they left the museum.
"I know. I'm sorry, okay? I'll call you next time so I don't have to get lost and you don't have to search for me." She smiled to reassure her worried husband. "Come on, it's still 5.15 PM. Let's continue the stroll. There's still one place to go, right?"
Gokudera nodded at her words before took one water taxi, to take them to Fondaco dei Turchi, a Byzantine palazzo as well as home of the National History Museum of Venice.
"It means The Turks' Warehouse or The Turks' Inn," he said when she asked him the meaning of the place's name.
Although the building had been through a renovation before, the original characteristics of the building remained. It showed from the Venetian-Byzantine façade, which covered in marble. The museum filled with historical collections of flora and fauna, fossils, and aquarium. As the pair explored the building, the content of it reminded Haru to a similar museum in Japan she had visited several years ago.
"Hey, Hayato, you know what? I feel like a school girl walking here."
"Why?"
"Well, it's just like when our school did some trip to the museum, and we have to write a report based on it. Don't tell me you forgot it. That's the time when you-"
Gokudera cut her before she continued the sentence. "Of course I remember! Then, since you already know what it likes to be here, let's go back. I'm tired."
Haru giggled when saw the redness on his cheeks. "Alright, I agree with you. I'm tired, too."
Took another water taxi, they headed back to the hotel.
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"They spotted around Verona two days ago. Our intelligent had investigated their business there. They also retrieved some information and proofs of their real activities. This is the result, Tsuna." Yamamoto handed Tsuna a thin folder consisted of several papers and pictures.
Tsuna read the paper for a while before leaned on his chair. "I hope they don't make the same mistake, Yamamoto. If they do, I have no choice."
"I understand, and there's also an indication that they were after him."
"Yeah, no wonder. He killed his son although it's just an accident. He just care that Gokudera was the cause of his son's death, not the fact that his son is the one who wanted to kill Gokudera."
"Should I call our intelligent to continue their investigation?"
"Please do. But, tell them not to be careless. I don't want to undergo that useless conversation again." Tsuna turned around on his chair, signing Yamamoto to leave.
The Rain Guardian bowed before walked out the room then headed to his own office. He smiled bitterly when that bloody event played in his mind. He really hoped they wouldn't have to meet Vermount in that kind of situation again. If not, then he must prepare his sword again.
A/n: I'm really sorry! Oh my, I'm a really bad writer...the problem is my computer was broken and let's just say I lost most of my files (my papers -NO!-, my homework, my stories –including this chapter-, my sources, etc) and a lil' bit of my future there. I did this one on my friend's computer. Hoped I still remember some of it and hoped this one decent enough before I start to 'play' again with the characters on my mind. Anyway, I apologize for any mistake and thank you for those who had reviewed, commented, alerted, and read plus waiting for this story of mine.
Thank you for reading :)!
AriellaxCastral