Reborn nonchalantly walked up the extended staircase to the white jet, Tsuna quickly following. Although the brunette wasn't one for extravagance for his sake, he supposed it was the quickest way to Japan. He loved flying, anyway.

It was a small, but swift, private Vongola jet. It appeared the famiglia owned multiple, if the seals on a dozen larger ones said anything.

The other hitman settled in the back corner of the comfortable, passenger compartment. Tsuna sat across from him.

As the raven delved into deep thought, the brunette decided it'd be best not to disturb him. The flight attendant served a dinner of spaghetti, which Tsuna ate graciously. Reborn barely touched it.

After about 6 hours, at around 11 p.m., Tsuna was about to doze off when Reborn suddenly spoke up.

"Why did you accept?" Reborn asked. The raven knew 27 had a month to think about it, but that still didn't explain why he would accept a job to tutor some brat. The World's Greatest Hitman thought he was the only one who had the guts to take on idiots.

Musing over possible answers, Tsuna looked out the window. It was April, so the sun had set a little before 7. The brunette adored the view he had of the sky turning pink, orange, and purple.

"I like kids," he replied with a gentle curve of his lips. Reborn groaned internally. Although, his frustration didn't go unnoticed by Tsuna.

"Kids are fine, but hitmen aren't exactly the 'nurturing' type," Reborn countered, glowering slightly at the man before him. Tsuna continued to smile, even as he answered, and even when sorrow settled itself deeply into the brunette's chocolate orbs.

"I know. We have all killed people, children, who should be innocent of the happenings of Mafioso. That doesn't mean I can't love them."

"Hold it," Reborn sneered dangerously, "Not a client I met had any ill will toward you or the lighter side of the world. They were practically saints of the mafia. Some…" he paused, clenching his jaw, "Some hitmen would've loved to be in their service, if only for a little while."

Tsuna observed with soft eyes that small string of vulnerability. Probably the only strand left in his body that hadn't hardened. Of course, it was only tender because of himself, and to any other person it'd appear like Reborn was scolding him for taking his clients for granted.

The brunette didn't know whether to consider himself lucky or mean for dragging it out. From what he's seen, Reborn would have expertly hidden that thread to anyone else, even if the circumstances were the same.

Quickly deciding his next words, Tsuna let the emotion drain out of his eyes, his face, his body. Let heart freeze, and although being in the state terrified him, the brunette allowed his experience to ice over all the warm things he kept. It happened in less than a second, and he could see Reborn had noticed it. Without wasting another moment, he spoke.

"How many of my clients did you meet?"

The raven, though suspicious of the question and the tone it was asked in, answered nonetheless. "3,237." It was a large number for a hitman that worked exclusively with private clients. Tsuna nodded, continuing without even an ounce of bitterness or spite.

"They are the only ones still alive."

All anger slowly left him, as the younger hitman comprehended the words.

"Betray me, and I kill you," Reborn muttered the warning Tsuna spoke to every client, and exhaled. If 27 really did start as young as he did, then he probably experienced the same things that he had. Many children were used for suicide missions, distractions, 'message carrying'. They didn't inform the kids doing it, and would be considered betrayal. It explains why he so rapidly deaged when Reborn got to the end of the line. Most of the clients he had in those early years he had eliminated.

Tsuna nodded, sensing the waves of understanding from the other hitman. With that, he forcefully paced himself from thawing out, letting the sadness and sympathy pool into his features freely.

"You are right, Reborn. Most hitman would have loved to just have the clients that you met, including me."

Reborn nodded, silently apologizing. He had heard that multiple had died as he searched, but foolishly didn't realize it was to such an extent.

Tsuna had fallen asleep, which for another six hours, let Reborn wonder if he was extremely trusting or just stupid. However, they were nearing Namimori, so the hitman decided to wake him, and get something else that had been bugging him off his chest.

An evil grin streaked across his face, and lifted his foot to kick him. Unfortunately, Tsuna caught it, opening his eyes, which traveled to Reborn questioningly. Begrudgingly, the raven removed his foot, and the brunette straightened. He looked out, the window and smiled at the scenery of clouds. Reborn observed him, crossing his arms across his chest pensively.

"Why do you talk to me with tenderness? It'll kill you some day," Reborn warned.

Tsuna chuckled, nodding. "Well, you are younger. I'm 28."

"You do realize I was stuck in an infant body for several decades right?"

"Yes."

"And my original body only just started aging again three months ago, right?"

"Yes."

"So I'm actually older than you."

"Yes."

"You're an idiot."

"You hired this idiot," Tsuna said, a small, playful grin on his face.

Shaking his head, Reborn asked for some food from the attendant. He needed all the energy he could get, since Ieyasu wasn't going to be let off easy after a month of absence. Counting Tsuna as strong as his baby self, the raven had a whole new array of tortur-tutoring techniques using two hitmen.