Date: Friday, September 03, 2010

Title: The Journal of Memories

Author: Gin Nanashi

Creation Type: Fanfiction

Main Rating: K+

Main Genre: One-Shot Series; Fluff, Friendship

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman REBORN! belongs to Amano Akira; Sasaki Li, Sasaki Xue Fang, Sasaki Daisuke, Sasaki Kiyoshi and every other non-identifiable characters belongs to me (Gin Nanashi).

Summary: Sasaki Li came from a bloodline that allows her to gender-bend. Unfortunately, Li has yet to figure out how to control her ability. Fortunately, it leads to a whole bit of fun for the readers!

The Journal of Memories

Event 18: We'll Always Be Friends! It's A Promise!

A boy with light-brown hair sighed softly as he waited by the open black gates of Acorn Daycare.

He scuffed his sneakers against the hard sidewalk as he reviewed his day.

It was quiet.

And, quite frankly, boring.

For the most part, he was left alone - which was good.

His lips quirked up in a sardonic smile before tilting down.

For the other part, he was made fun of - which was bad.

Tsuna pursed his lips together as he tightened his grip on his bento.

Jumbled voices and shadowed faces crossed his memories.

Light-brown eyes dulled.

If Shouichi were with him, then he wouldn't have felt out of place.

If Li were with him, then the jeers would've lightened.

If both were with him, then no one would've messed with them.

Why?

Because, if Li was protective of one of them, then she was overprotective with both of them.

And, much quicker to retaliate.

Tsuna crouched down and leaned his chin on his knees.

If they were with him…

Then he wouldn't be lonely.

He closed his eyes and sighed softly.

It felt as if his happiness was slowly floating away with each exhale.

But…

Something warm and soft covered his closed eyes, making the light brunette squeak and jump in surprise and fear.

The emotions faded though when he heard two familiar giggles.

Heat crept up to his cheeks as he heard the strong voice sing, "Guess who~!"

An excited grin crept up on his lips as his heart thumped in anticipation.

"Li! Shouichi-kun!"

"Bing, bong~!"

The hands left their place in favor of spinning the boy to face their owner.

Light-brown eyes met with darker ones as the dark brunette gave a playful grin with the redhead by her side.

"It feels like forever!" Shouichi declared with a smile, patting the boy on the shoulder lightly.

Tsuna nodded in agreement before squeaking in embarrassment when Li tackled him into a tight embrace, making his whole being flush red.

"I missed you sooooo much!" The gender-bender confessed as she picked him up and spun around, "School was so boring! Even Mama's training is better than it!"

Slowly, the light-brunette's eyes began to spin as his vision swirled from the motion.

"L-Li-san!" Shouichi yelped while waving his arms.

"Put Tsunayoshi-kun down!"

Li stopped twirling the boy in her arms before dark-brown eyes widened.

She panicked at the dizzy expression, "TS-TSUNA?"

"H-Hoi…" Was the slurred response.

Small tears clung to the corner of her eyes as Li stood in front of the boys with a guilty expression and a depressed aura as a purple will-o'-wisp floated around her.

"I'm sorry… (Boo hoo…)"

The redhead sweatdropped at the exaggerated emotion before flapping his hand at her, "M-Maa… Cheer up, Li-san."

The atmosphere intensified as the dark brunette dropped her head and shoulders.

Tsuna sat on the sidewalk for a moment longer before his head cleared.

He stood up and walked over to Li with a small smile.

Lightly tugging on the girl's uniform, Tsuna whispered shyly, "It's okay, Li. I missed you too…"

His cheeks flushed a rosy color again upon admitting his feelings before deepening when Li immediately perked up.

"A-Anyway!" Tsuna started, trying to ignore the sparkles that began to glitter around the gender-bender, "D-Did you two come here together?"

Shouichi smiled before sweatdropping as the dark brunette seemed to have gone off in her own world with a goofy grin on her lips, "Y-Yeah. Since my school was on the way here from hers, she stopped by and we decided to walk together."

"That's good 'cause I missed you too." Tsuna smiled brightly before also sweatdropping as Li began to chuckle lowly with her bangs shadowing her eyes.

The redhead grinned back and blushed a bit in surprise and happiness, "Same here. It's just not the same as all of us being together, ne?"

They purposely ignored Li as she turned away from them and began to cackle louder with a wide devilish smile, showing off her sharp canines.

The light brunette nodded enthusiastically before asking, "How was it? Elementary school, that is."

"Eh?" Shouichi blinked before pondering and answering slowly, "It's not that different. Just, less recess."

Tsuna pulled a face at that answer, "Then, what do you guys do?"

At this question, the dark brunette whirled around and wrapped an arm around the lighter one with her other arm dramatically placed over her forehead, "It was terrible!"

The redhead deadpanned at that though Li continued as if she didn't see it.

"We had to do work!"

"Work?" Tsuna startled with a bewildered look as the other nodded in mock wisdom.

"That's right. We had to use our noodles to work out problems."

The light brunette paled a bit, "W-What kind of problems?"

Her bangs shadowed her face again as she replied lowly, "What kind of problems, you ask?"

Tsuna nodded hesitantly, partly wondering if it was such a good idea too.

"We…"

She started as she lowered her lips to his ear.

"Had to…"

Her voice lowered to a mere whisper of the wind.

"Find out…"

The light brunette gulped audibly as the girl paused for theatricality.

"IF THE CHICKEN CAME BEFORE THE EGG!"

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Tsuna let loose a loud frightened scream and jumped away with a pale face and a hand over his rapidly beating heart.

Shouichi smacked a hand over his forehead before dragging it over his eyes, "Li-san…"

The dark brunette laughed boisterously as she clutched at her abdomen with tears clinging to the edge of her eyes, "S-Sorry, but I couldn't resist!"

The spiky haired boy huddled near the daycare's wall with waterfalls of tears pouring from his eyes and a dark cloud hovering over him.

The redhead sighed and shook his head as his shoulders dropped, "Honestly…"

None noticed the shadow near them.

"Ahem!"

The cough made them jump in surprise.

Three pairs of eyes turned towards the speaker before one dark brunette twitched at the sight of a certain blonde woman.

"Shouldn't you three be going home, now?" Came the nosy question.

Li wrinkled her nose at the puffy smile before grabbing Tsuna's and Shouichi's hand and bolting for escape.

She paused only to shout back.

"¡Adios, loca ardilla!"

With that, they left a confused daycare owner to ponder on the foreign words.

Once far away, the three slowed to a leisure walk as the dark brunette sung merrily.

Shouichi and Tsuna lagged a bit behind to catch their breath.

Suddenly, Li hummed flatly to herself before looking at the bright blue sky.

"Hey guys?"

The boys looked at her in confusion.

"Do you remember what I said that day?"

They stopped.

"So we really won't be together anymore?" Tsuna had whimpered with teary eyes.

Shouichi hesitated and frowned with furrowed brows and sad eyes.

The light brunette swallowed back his tears as he looked down at his quivering hands.

"…"

None of them seemed to know what to say to that question.

If asked that question only days back, they all would've all denied it.

After all, they've been doing practically everything together ever since they became friends.

But, now…

Now, they were splitting up.

The road of life had forked into different directions.

And each were to follow a different path.

Li clenched her shorts in her small hands and scowled before shaking her head vigorously

"IYADA!"

The boys jumped in surprise.

The dark brunette looked up and bared her canines defensively, "Iyada tte ba!"

"Li…?" Tsuna murmured with wide concerned eyes.

"Li-san…" The redhead mumbled as he looked at her in astonishment.

Said girl frowned her caret-frown as she glared at nothing in particular before turning to look at the boys sternly.

"We will stay together."

Light-brown eyes blinked dumbfounded as comprehension soon dawned on the redhead.

Green eyes turned determined as Shouichi grinned lightly and nodded, "Un!"

Li grinned back before holding out a hand to the befuddled brunette.

"We were all talking about how we won't see each other anymore, but that's wrong!"

Shouichi nodded as placed a hand over hers.

"That's right! We'll still see each other, even if it's not all day!"

Tsuna blinked and stared at the outstretched hands before looking up at the unwavering eyes of his friends.

Green eyes sparked with a certain resolution as the dark brunette gave a toothy grin.

"Ne, Tsuna?"

The light brunette's eyes softened as he gently placed a hand over the pile with a blush and a smile before nodding, "Hai!"

"In that case," Li smirked as she grab the boys into a partial huddle, "Let's make a promise!"

Tsuna blushed as Shouichi smiled before both nodded happily, "Un."

Li paused and turned to them with a grin as she held out her hand.

The boys grinned and followed suit, placing one over the other.

"Ora-tachi wa tsuneni o tomodachi to saremasu!" Li stated strongly.

"Yakusoku da!" Came the determined chorus.

Author's Note:

Last day of class today!

*Gin tries to do a happy dance but epically fails*

... Anyway! I'm finally going home for a week-long break, but I have so much readings and assignments to do...

*74 sighs and slumps over*

College life is as tiring as people say.

But, moving along...

This is filled with fluff; of course, you all knew that.

As a safe precaution, I'm putting up some loose translations here (in the case that some didn't understand the non-English phrases):

(1) ¡Adios, loca ardilla! - Goodbye, crazy squirrel!

(2) IYADA! Iyada tte ba! - NO! I refuse!

(3) Ora-tachi wa tsuneni o tomodachi to saremasu! - We'll always be friends!

(4) Yakusoku da! - It's a promise!

Regarding the pronoun "ora" (which is used by Li), according to Wikipedia, it's often used by children influenced by Dragon Ball and Crayon Shin-chan; it is mainly used in Kanto and farther north and it often gives off the sense of a country bumpkin. For me, though, it's close enough to "ore" and it doesn't have a level of speech, which (hopefully) means that it can be used in all settings.

Lastly, the last day to vote is today!

(It's actually pretty close...)

Other than that, I thank all my reviewers and readers!

*74 bows happily*

¡Muchas gracias!

Preview:

"Please, Kyouya-nii?" A certain dark brunette asked.

"Sasaki Li..." The male mumbled softly.

WHAM!

"Kamikorosu, soushoku no itoko."