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^^...By the way, here is the beta-ed version of Chapter Three. Big thanks to Daylite for the help of beta-ed my story. XD XD XD...*Glomps*

Narration

Emphasis

"Flashback conversation"

"Present conversation"

Disclaimer : I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Hope you all enjoy the new version of chapter three. Love you all! See you~

-Whiteberry-

Chapter Three. Invitation

Seconds passed by and changed into minutes ...

Minutes passed by and changed into hours...

Hours passed by and soon noon was taken over by night...

And one week passed unwittingly since the seventh day of Sun Festival which was held for only a week. Even so...all the feelings felt during the festival still lingered.

His favorite day was one of the complicated things in his life. Aside from him being compared with his said perfect elder brother, this was the annoying thing that could give him more than just a headache or a mere irritation. It was a complete combination of rage, annoyance and desperation. Well...how could he not? The day he deemed as the most favorite was also the day when he felt both free and trapped at the same time.

Like today.

Anyone would be happy with holidays even if it was just a day. A holiday meant day with rest from daily routines. It was a total vacation without obligations which in Kyoya's case was bunch of studies and practices. He was supposed to be free from all his daily tasks as the young heir of Nuvola family.

Judging by the presence of the word suppose, it meant that he didn't need to do his daily tasks but he need to fulfill another obligation instead. And it was none other than to have deal with crowds? The whole Nuvola Family was invited to the second prince's birthday party at the palace tonight which his family responded excitedly. Well said that that situation made him ought to attend the birthday party in courtesy of his mother although they all - the whole Nuvola Family knew too well that he couldn't stand the crowd.

"Next week, a grand party will be held at the royal palace to celebrate the birthday of their youngest member, the second prince of Vongola. All nobles are invited and so, wasn't it a good chance for you to step out from your little solitude world, Kyoya?"

The others could possibly thought it as a suggestion but Kyoya would never fall into it. Behind the sickening sweet smile and the soft tone of his mother was a threat. It was neither a suggestion nor a question. There was never a question mark behind the last sentence his mother just stated out. It was an order. There was no room for refusal.

He was left with no options but to accept the (ridiculous) idea or so, his mother thought. Considering that this was Kyoya Nuvola, being forced was never in his dictionary. Like he always said, no one even if it's his parents could ever dictate him. He may seem to surrender to his mother's order but deep inside his heart and mind, a scheme to escape had already started to form. Childish? No. Rather than childish, he preferred to be called reasonable. It's not a secret that he couldn't stand to be near or being in the crowd. Then, why should he force himself to attend an event which contained crowds, something he obviously hated?

So, here he was more than ready to execute the plan that would let him escape from his own house. Somehow, doing so made him feel like a prisoner that was trying to escape. His family would start busy themselves when the Sun was set at the West which meant now. Not wasting any more time, he quickly stepped out from his room and paced quietly through the corridors that connected with the large main hall at the end of it. Just because of down his bedroom window and other usual escape route were being guarded by several guards with excellent skills in magic; didn't mean that he would just give up his plan to escape. If anything, he became more excited for the challenge was higher.

He glanced around before went across the main hall quietly, making sure he was completely alone there. He was so close in just few inches to the main door when he heard his name was being called gently by the lady of Nuvola, his mother.

"Kyoya Nuvola, where do you intend to go?"

The raven sighed inwardly upon hearing the usual tone she would use whenever she found her son went against her. His mother was currently displeased by his attempt to abandon her order. By his years of experience, Kyoya knew it would never be good to deal with her current state.

"Kyoya, I'm waiting." She said, reminded the quiet raven haired boy about her presence was not to be ignored. He frowned as he thought if only he had the ability to make himself invisible, Kyoya would use it to avoid any contact with his mother.

"None of your business." He replied in a cold voice while throwing a sharp dagger glare towards the woman whose age was around 40. She dressed elegantly in dark purple dress decorated with black laces and pearls hug around her slim waist. She seemed ready to go to a party. The only thing that was lack from her was that her hair was still undone. It was too plain for attending such a grand party. One could tell that she definitely was still in the middle of preparation when she decided to stop her second son from going anywhere.

"I'd remind you in case that you forget. I'm your mother, my dear son. Remember?"

"Just because you're my mother, it doesn't mean I need to report to you wherever the place I'll be going. I have my own freedom." He answered.

That's it. This side was what Lady Nuvola found as the most annoying side from Kyoya. Aside from being cute, it could be a test to her real short patience especially when his stubbornness got the best of him.

"You do have your own freedom but you're still part of the Nuvola. Your absence at the royal grand party will not do any good impression about our family. Besides, like I said before, isn't it time for you to learn things outside your own little dream world?"

"You as Lady Nuvola also should have known that never once this family care about what others think, mother." He replied bluntly, not even care if his words would only irk his mother more, "And I still prefer to breathe a fresh air rather than be in a small crowded place with fake atmosphere." He added with a smirk while turning his heels and walked towards the main entrance.

Kyoya knew that the way he acted towards his mother was rude but there was no way he agreed to be near to something he disliked. Since small, he always had this strange allergy towards crowds. No reasons but just pure dislike without any chance to be reduced. He could tolerate it but not for long. However this was a party; a grand party-to be exact. The chance to stay far from crowds was certainly reduced to almost zero. Needless to say that it would be hard for him to find a somewhat quiet place as no one was allowed to wander freely in the royal palace.

"It's not as fake as you thought. There are always signs of true sincerity if you pay close attention, young man." His mother said while swaying her hand gently in the air, making the atmosphere around the room tensed suddenly and somehow felt frozen.

Kyoya's eyes widened as he realized the sudden change of atmosphere. He tried to move from that room as fast as he could but before he could do it, his leg already felt so heavy like there was an iron ball at his ankle.

He knew it.

A spell had been casted on him by his dear mother. He gritted his teeth as rage filled his entire being. They used his weak point to dictate him. It was a smart move but at the same time, it was unfair.

"Tch. What a coward!"

"I would prefer to call it smart, Kyoya dear." She said with a victorious smile while eyeing her second son with her sharp dark purple eyes, "Now, why don't you get yourself ready? Of course, with the help from Alaude." She said as she shifted her glance to the sudden appeared Alaude who was leaning against the wall, not too far from Kyoya's left side.

Alaude said nothing but nodded his head, making his mother's smile wider than just a small confident smile. "You've got ten minutes to prepare so be quick. We will depart to the palace at 6 pm." She said once again before disappearing into thin air.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes and was about to utter some rude word only to find that no sound coming out from his throat. He was mute thanks to the spell of silence, Silentio*,his brother used on him.

"Don't anger her anymore than this, Kyoya, if you don't want to have another spell been casted on you." Alaude said as he approached his younger brother and snapped his finger altogether at the same time. In a blink of eyes, they were already in Kyoya's own bedroom.

"Help him ready for the party."

With that order from Alaude, all the maids that had been waiting inside the room busied themselves to get Kyoya ready to attend a royal grand party. It was no easy task. Kyoya kept struggling to shoo them away with every ways.

"Kyoya, you have five more minutes or you do want another spell that was much worse than Catena Incantamenta* being casted on you?" Alaude chided as he glared at his younger brother who glared back at him with the same sharp stares.

"I don't care." Kyoya said, not even seemed to care about the fact that Alaude had removed both spells that had been casted on him.

"Being rebellious, huh? Well...I wonder what mom's opinion about your act is two weeks ago?"

Kyoya's eyes widened. No. His elder brother couldn't have known it. He was sure that no one noticed him ran at the rooftop of Aurea Turris. No. His brother wasn't there. Even if he was there, he was not fast enough to catch his sight running at the rooftop, not to mention that Aurea Turris was the highest tower in the town.

"Mother knew it well enough that it's already my habit to run away from studies." Kyoya said with a hint of sarcasm towards his elder brother.

"Then, I'm sure she'll be excited to know your daring act at the golden tower." Alaude said in ignorance but one couldn't just simply ignore a devious smirk that graced upon his lips. It was like a kind of warning, telling that he might know something the others tried to hide and he was irresponsible for any leaked out secret.

"That must be your imagination."

It was the least he could give Alaude as an answer. Saying something rude wouldn't do any good for his brother was an unpredictable type. The words he said before could be just a threat or he might plan to report it for real to his mother. His brother could do either way and he couldn't afford to let such important secret of his reached his mother's ears. As much as he hated it, he had to obey his elder brother this time which meant tried his best to restrain his annoyance for any skin contact made every time those maids dressed him.

It was not more than five minutes that Kyoya was ready to go.

"Please excuse us, Alaude-sama." All the maids bowed deeply and quitted the bedroom at once.

"I see that you're ready. Let's go. Father and mother had already waited for us."

Kyoya sighed inwardly, feeling so depressed. Why there was no any single person that understood him? Party wasn't his thing and crowds weren't his entire reason. He had already told his mother before that he absolutely hated the fake atmosphere that usually surrounded a party. Arrogance, sinister, gossips were the things he hated the most from a gathered noble. Needless to say, they were the exact type of herbivores; a bunch of people who could only do less and dependant to others. They were nothing if they were alone and always looked up to others' opinion. They were the type he despised the most. Not to mention that all the rich kids were complete spoiled kids. Well...perhaps not all of them but still...most of them. There was no way he would want to gather with such people. So, why bother to try making friends with them?

Why couldn't his mother understand it?

If it was just to show respect towards the royals, then, weren't the attendance of his mother, father and elder brother already enough as representatives of Nuvola Family? Why should he come along, too? So that, he could socialize and made any friends?

He didn't need friends. He was fine by himself. No friends of his were herbivores.

Wait.

There was a certain someone who was an exception. If it was the brunette he met two weeks ago, then, he would be happy to be friends with him. Even though he was an herbivore but the brunette was no like most people he met. He loved those warm chocolate brown eyes that would radiate in innocence and sincerity. A pure one.

Judging from the shirt the brunette was wearing, the brunette must be a common people. He could enter Aurea Turris must be because he was someone close to at least either of both the royal princes or he found it by coincidence. That must be it. There was no way that boy was a royalty.

However, it seemed that the brunette was at the same age of the second prince of Vongola. Maybe they were actually the same person by any chance and he had been in disguise while walking in the town so that he could have enjoyed the festival without attracting unnecessary attention from the town people. This was also possible but wasn't the rate of the possibility too small? The answer was uncertain as both 'yes and no' held the same amount of chance. He could only confirm it by meeting the prince directly but didn't it cause him too much inconvenience?

What if that they were actually two different people? Didn't it mean that he would be trap in that dumb party until his parents decided to go home? There's no way he would want that. Just imagining it was enough to send him into a foul mood.

"Don't make such scary face, Kyoya dear. The party isn't as bad as you think. Just give it a try and perhaps, you'll come to like it later." Her mother's soft and gentle words snapped Kyoya out from his thoughts. It was obvious for him that he just let his guards down by being drowned so much in his thought until he forgot about his surrounding and just followed his elder brother's steps out from the mansion to the inside of the carriage.

"I will attend the party but..." Kyoya muttered quietly under his breath without bothering to look at his mother. He just simply stared at the neat garden, line up tree and buildings outside the carriage, "only for the food." He added.

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-To be continue-

Translations :

Silentio : Spell of Silence

Catena Incantamenta : Spell of Chains

So...Reviews, suggestions and critiques are always welcomed. Please, tell me what you think about this story. ^^...

See you all in the next chapter.

-Whiteberry-