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AYYYY, DOUBLE UPDATE. WHAT IS THIS CRAZYNESS?

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To: Yamamoto, Takara
From: Kozato, Enma

But you are cool, even if you're a little weird. I mean that in a good way though! Weird is good. Weird is great.

…but you're still wrong. Adel is the one in charge of the Liquidation Committee and she's scary. I don't know how anyone could possibly be scarier than Adel.

And you didn't! I didn't blush! I'm not some little kid, you know. You can't embarrass me that easily, Takara.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom though – I lost my family some time ago. And I can't really… I can't eat cherries anymore because, well, you know. But you can always come visit Tsuki-chan and the kittens. They can kind of be your cats too, right?

Enma

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Remembering watching and reading Tsuna's dying will confession to Kyoko was nothing compared to actually watching it happen. Quite frankly I had thought it happened yesterday, considering I had seen Reborn in the tree outside of class. But apparently not, as an underwear-clad Tsuna had just come to a screeching halt in front of Kyoko, his forehead ablaze.

"SASAGAWA KYOKO!" I pursed my lips and winced – because this was so damn awkward to watch, "Please go out with me!"

Kyoko tensed up and I winced again – because damn, how could you possibly respond to something like, especially when it came from a guy in his underwear. And when she took off towards the school I followed, though I did make sure to accidentally trip up Mochida on my way; it wasn't like Tsuna deserved to punched in the face – well, I suppose it depended on your opinion.

"Kyoko-chan," she hadn't gone too far, to my surprise – only through the doors to lean against the wall, "You okay, Kyoko-chan?"

When she looked up at me her face was slightly red and her eyes wide and sparkling with confusion and embarrassment, "I think so. That was just so strange."

"I know what you mean," once Kyoko caught her breath we continued towards class, "That wasn't like Sawada-san at all, right?"

"Taka-baka is right, Kyoko-chan," Hana spoke from our class' doorway, "It must have been some strange joke or something."

I wanted to laugh, quite honestly, since I knew that it wasn't a joke. Though I couldn't really admit that to anyone at this point – or ever, really. Because what explanation could I give? That I saw a flame burning on his forehead? Normal people couldn't see that; they could only see it when they knew about it, and I wasn't supposed to know about the mafia or dying will bullets at this point in time.

"Oh look," a guy jeered from the front of the room, "It's underwear man."

"Dude's going to get rejected."

"I know, right?" A couple of guys snickered, "Dame-Tsuna and Kyoko-chan? Never going to happen."

Kyoko squirmed in her seat, clearly uncomfortable, and Hana looked annoyed from where she stood. I myself wanted to smack every one of these guys in the face – whether the confession was real or not, laughing at someone for doing something like confessing was just lame.

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna," this guy, I knew, was on the kendo team, "Captain Mochida has challenged you to a fight during afternoon break in the gym."

At this Tsuna seemed distressed, but my own attention turned to Hana as she spoke –

"Mochida-senpai said he wanted to get revenge for you –"

"Which is going to go wrong," Hana shot me a dark look for butting in, "Mochida-senpai is an ass. You'll see."

Another girl from class, Amai, looked startled, "How can you say that Yamamoto-chan? Mochida-senpai seems like a great guy."

Hana pointed at Amai, though her eyes were on me, "Besides, he's pretty good looking. Kyoko-chan is pretty lucky."

Kyoko's own eyes widened and she waved her hands, "It's not like that at all! Mochida-senpai and I are just on the same committee!"

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To say I was amused to see Sawada Tsunayoshi freaking out around the corner of the building by the gym was an understatement – I wanted to laugh at how silly he looked, sitting there mumbling to himself and Reborn. I knew he'd end up fighting Mochida, and win at that, but surely a little push wouldn't hurt.

"Sawada-kun, getting ready for the fight of your life?" Was it wrong that I enjoyed the strangled noise he made in the back of his throat?

"I-I don't know if…I can't possibly beat Mochida-senpai!" His fingers wound into his hair, "He's the captain of the kendo team and he won that tournament last year!"

"Well, yeah. You definitely can't beat him if you think like that," the best course of action with him was bluntness at this point, "You have to think positively, Sawada-kun. Otherwise you really are screwed."

For a moment his face adopted a deer-in-headlights look before his eyes darted around as if looking for someone – probably the someone who had disappeared once I'd come over.

"You're looking for the baby that was with you, right?" He froze and let out a nervous chuckle, "I saw you muttering to him earlier. And in that tree yesterday."

"Uwah? A tree –"

I waved a hand, dismissing what he was going to say, "It doesn't matter. Look, Sawada-kun, don't let that ass Mochida win this, okay? Someone needs to kick that ass far away from Kyoko-chan."

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The moment I slid into the gym I darted through the crowds to where I knew Kyoko and Hana were – which was, regrettably, at the front close to Mochida. Kyoko still seemed uncomfortable, and I assumed she probably just wanted to talk to Tsuna at this point.

"Where were you?" Hana eyed me once I came to a stop, "Get stuck in a window on your way outside?"

I made a face, making sure I looked insulted, "Are you calling me fat? How could you, Hana-chama?"

Before she could say anything the gym doors opened and people began chattering about how 'Dame-Tsuna actually showed up'. And I took all of that as my cue to tune out – because I knew what was going to happen. Tsuna was going to fail and start losing, and then –

"Do your best, Sawada-kun!"

Then Kyoko-chan would give Tsuna the incentive that Reborn needed to shoot him. A shot that I peered up and over my shoulder to watch happen, and when I did I met Reborn's eyes again, just like yesterday. As Tsuna rampaged behind me my eyes stayed locked on Reborn's – which, honestly, probably wasn't my best idea. But I was curious; curious if he was like he was in the anime, like in the manga. Just… genuinely curious.

"Sawada did it! He actually won!"

Once my attention was back on the floor I couldn't help but to start laughing. It was one thing to imagine seeing someone have their hair plucked out and actually seeing it – and the sight of all those dark strands of hair on the floor was just amusing combined with the shine of Mochida's head.

"I'd quit laughing if I was you," Hana uncrossed her arms before motioning across the gym, "Karma is going to catch up to you."

"Ehh…" Once my eyes moved to where she motioned my fingers twitched at my side, because the eyes I met were steel and ice, "I didn't even do anything today!"

My eyes stayed connected to Hibari's for a tense moment when a cracking sound come from the front of the gym, causing his eyes to dart that way before he stalked in that direction with his jacket waving ominously behind him. I sighed in relief –

"I've never been so happy to know someone broke something."

Hana snorted, "Yeah, yeah. Let's get out of here. I think Kyoko-chan wants to say something to Sawada."

Once outside I couldn't bother with staying – not when Hibari was still lurking so close by. Besides, I was pretty sure that running here without some alternate route other than a straight path would get me bitten to death; especially without a weapon to defend myself with.

"Tell Kyoko-chan that I died a valiant death, will you?" I started walking backwards, my hands clasped behind my back.

"Yeah, yeah," Hana leaned back against the side of the gym, "Run away before Hibari decides to come for you, will ya?"

With that I turned forward and slunk around the corner, my pace brisk and my fingers still twitching – I definitely needed to practice some in the dojo once I got home. There was no other way for me to get rid of this tenseness besides some gymnastics and katas, as they'd really become the only was I could de-stress quickly.

"Yamamoto Takara, right?" His voice was somewhat squeaky, which did admittedly fit his appearance.

"Neh, that's right," I stretched out my fingers, "You're that baby that's been around Tsuna, right?"

"I'm Reborn. I'm an assassin."

I blinked – he really was forward with that, wasn't he? "And I'm a sushi chef's daughter. Is there something you need?"

"Nothing at all."

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To: Kozato, Enma
From: Yamamoto, Takara

And you're a dork – a big ole dork. You're kind of weird, too. So by your terms that must mean you're cool too, right? I think you are, in your own way.

Does this Adel have a squad of pompadour-ed delinquents following her around? Well, not literally. Nami-Kami-sama hates crowds. And me, I'm pretty sure. I mean, I'm pretty sure even the police avoid him.

Is that so? So the next time I'm in Shinkawa it won't embarrass you if I start singing loudly and off key while I'm in town with you? Because I'll do it. I'll do it and I'll cling to your arm so you can't run away. It'll be great. People will take pictures and videotape us; we'll be an online sensation.

You're sorry about my mom, I'm sorry about your family. But you've got me now, right? I can't make up for what you lost, but I'm not too horrible. And you've got those cats – our cats?

…Enma, did you just turn me into a crazy cat lady?

You should sign off like this too, it's fun,

Takara

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I'm not sure I got Reborn's character right, tbh.

What do you guys think?

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OMAKE: Into the sunset.

Where Hana dares Takara to do something she cannot resist.

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There was something oddly thrilling about danger – well, certain types of danger. Like the looming danger of getting bitten to death by Hibari. After so many close calls it was honestly getting kind of – dare I say it – fun.

Provided I never actually got bitten to death.

So maybe that was why I hadn't fought against Hana's dare at all. Besides, the very idea of it was all too tempting to begin with – that idea being spreading sakura blossoms throughout Nami Middle. Hana had no idea what she'd actually asked me to do, but I did.

And it was glorious.

It was especially glorious when Hibari slammed the front doors of Nami Middle open, the pink petals fluttering up around him and shimmering in the light of the setting sun. Though, admittedly, his eyes had never looked as menacing as they did with a red-orange sheen from the sun.

"I got you flowers!" I winked and blew him a kiss, "Happy Valentine's Day~!"

He jerked forward as I tore down the street – a flurry of pink petals blossoming up into the air behind him as Disciplinary Committee members looked on in slight horror.

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I DID IT, YUUJOUKAMI, ALIATHE.

AND IT IS GLORIOUS.

(Though this isn't canon to the story – or maybe it will be in the future? Either way, whether it is or isn't, I enjoyed writing it.)

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