And the reviewers has cast their votes. 1827 it is! I also threw in some 8059 in the pairings as well, and I will add another pretty soon. Just don't ask what and when, but it has something to do with Ienari ;)

Additional notes are right below the chapter!

Chapter 6

Saturday found Ienari being violently woken up by the ever popular Leon Mallet. He knew that it would happen eventually, he just didn't expect it to happen again a week after he got out of Italy.

After a few minutes of struggling and threats of being shot, Ienari found himself helping out in the family restaurant as one of the waiters. Reborn had opted him to start out as a bust boy, but Nana objected, saying that he would socialize with more people if he becomes a waiter. Thus began Ienari's training to carry small trays without roller skates for beginners.

"Ienari, order at table sixteen," Reborn said as he handed him a small tray with sweets.

"On it," Ienari said as he took the small tray and went on to the table number that Reborn had assigned him to. It was peak hours, meaning all staff had to be running around serving orders. Even the kitchen was in chaos that none of the cooks are allowed to slack off, or meet the head chef's (Reborn) rage.

"Tsuna, table ten," he took out a larger tray and Tsuna took it with ease, all the while, wearing roller skates.

Ienari was a bit jealous of the unnoticeable strength and hand and feet coordination of his brother, "How do you manage to carry that thing with a lot of plates?" he asked as the two went on the same direction on the tables. "And wearing those, for that matter,"

Tsuna smiled nonchalantly, "If you have a dad who pesters you to get stronger and work out and a mother who urges you to push your limit, you'd manage to carry this much soon enough," he shared.

"Point taken," Ienari replied as he and Tsuna parted ways and he went on to serve tables sixteen, a group of girls giggling like there was no tomorrow. "Here's your strawberry shortcake, two cream puffs, and double chocolate mousse," he said as he placed the orders on their tables.

"Thanks!" the girls said unison. Ienari could tell that they were trying to get his attention, but it was useless on their case.

Instead of voicing things out, he merely smiled and went on his way. When he returned to the counter, Reborn was there setting up the other orders.

"You know, the purpose of you helping out with Tsuna on the weekends is for you to socialize more," he informed.

The blond rolled his eyes, "Socializing is different from flirting, and I have no intention of doing that." He replied defiantly as he took the two smaller trays for his assigned tables.

Reborn watched as he approached the customers with the proper greeting and conduct. Ienari never had a problem with courtesy with authority and other people. He just has a problem with his peers. Ienari can act all respectful and diplomatic, but when thrust into the social circle, he becomes an instant wallflower. Something that Reborn knew he can't cure unless he has found true friends.

And he did find him friends eventually, but all of them were kept at arm's length by the blond who has a lot of issues regarding friends who takes advantage of him, and friends who are only there to destroy his morals.

Reborn smirked as he saw the liveliness return to Ienari. Him making up with Tsuna is a plus. But the one thing they all needed was missing. Something that Ienari couldn't remember.

Reborn swore to himself that the moment he finds the one responsible for Ienari's attempted suicide, that person is going to get it.

And he bets once his friends find out where he was right now, they would come to his rescue whether he wants it or not. His current location is currently being kept as a secret, but if Reborn knew Ienari's friends, they would eventually start to show up in less than a month. Which brings him to the issue of his cellphone that was taken from him by Iemitsu the moment he found out that his son was associating with the Gesso and Simon heir.

Speaking of which…

He approached Tsuna who was taking the large tray to another table. "Tsuna,"

Tsuna tilted his head, "What is it, Papa?"

"Where's the delinquent?" he wondered.

"Ah. Kyouya's doing some delivery with Tetsuya for the rest of the day, saying he doesn't want to cause a ruckus inside the restaurant should Ienari see him." he informed. "He goes in and out the back door,"

Reborn raised a brow, "So that's why Ienari is still not questioning us for our questionable weekend teenage staff," he mused. "When do you plan on telling him?"

"Not when he's not really prepared to know that his big brother is playing for the home team," Tsuna whispered.

It was rare for Reborn to see Tsuna's brother worries reappear, and he was rather glad that Tsuna still has that despite the two of them not talking after eight years. "He's not going to start avoiding you if you tell him,"

"You don't know that…"

"Then what's the harm in telling?" Reborn urged.

Tsuna sighed, "Table Three needs their ramen…" he said as he left the counter.

"Remember Tsuna, the only time the two of you can repair your relationship is if the two of you are very open with each other." He whispered to him before he went back inside the kitchen where Gokudera was.

…

At lunch break, Ienari found himself sighing at the backdoor. He never knew working at a restaurant was harder than Reborn's training. Or he might just be saying that because he needed to socialize with other people, unlike with Reborn, he was spared with the embarrassment to be seen in boxers.

"Hah…air." Ienari sighed the moment he got out, not noticing another person beside him.

"First days are always tiring."

Ienari jolted up when he heard the voice. Turning his head, he saw Gokudera leaning on the wall, chewing nicotine gum. "Gokudera-san…" he addressed as he tried to calm his heart down. Recently, he has always been startled by people, especially the popping Yamamoto Takeshi who he had been taken to the moment he came running down the school with a first aid kit when Tsuna had been hit point blank by the tonfa of Hibari. Reborn had done that to him hundreds of times, but it seems he can never be used to such surprises. Normally he can sense someone's presence, but for those who are good with hiding, it was pretty hard unless he was alert.

"You're doing well for someone who started out only hours ago," he complimented.

"Uh…thanks…"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not complimenting you just because you're the future Vongola Decimo,"

As soon as Gokudera said that, Ienari was in attention. "You…you really are Smoking Bomb Hayato, aren't you?" he asked.

He has heard a lot about Smoking Bomb Hayato. Disappeared at the age of fourteen, said to have been taken in by Trident Shamal. His half-sister, Poison Scorpion Bianchi, had been looking for him ever since, but found no trace of him, until she heard of Reborn's intention to marry a woman in Japan. So when he met him at the special school the other day, he was shocked to see an Italian in Japan.

Gokudera simply nodded. "Yeah. But I took a break from the mafia when I got sent to the school. I seriously did what I told you when we were introduced by Tsuna-san." He informed. "I didn't want to go back in the world that killed my mother."

"How did Bianchi-san take all of this?" Ienari asked. "I mean, she's been looking for you high and low the moment you disappeared. She has to have seen you at Reborn and Mom's wedding,"

For some reason, remembering made Gokudera groan. "Oh fuck. I did not want to remember the day Aneki had almost ruined the engagement." He stated. "Back then, she was still hung up on Reborn-san even though they had broken it off six years ago. The moment she heard he was marrying Nana-san, she went on a rampage and tried to feed her poison cooking,"

"She did what?!" Ienari was shocked. He knew the Poison Scorpion was vicious, but not like this! He was even almost killed by the same method back when Reborn had just started to train him, and it was abysmal.

Gokudera nodded. "I've never seen Reborn-san that furious when Nana-san was hospitalized." He cringed at the memory. An angry hitman is not a good thing. Bianchi learned that the hard way. "But to our surprise, Nana-san simply forgave her, saying it wasn't the first time she was assaulted by a former lover."

Ienari didn't know what is up with her mother for forgiving a woman who tried to kill her because of her fiancé, but he already has a hunch on what she had thought at that time, knowing his mother. "She probably understood that anyone can be driven mad by love," he said so outwardly that the teen beside him looked at him incredulously. He raised a brow, "What? Didn't think I have been in the same situation before?"

"Nah. Just surprised that you can think that way. Guess it runs in your family." He mused as he spit out the gum to a slip of paper before discarding it in the nearby trash. "My break's almost over. And you should do some socializing with the customers. They like it when the waiters are chatty,"

"What about you?" Ienari wondered.

"I work in the kitchen. So instead of chatting with the customers, we make sure the food is good before it's served. Only Reborn-san and I know some of the restaurant's Italian recipes, and that's saying something," he said as he went back inside, leaving Ienari with his own thoughts.

…

Fifteen minutes later, he was back inside, and a peculiar group had entered the now half-full restaurant. It consisted of three girls and a boy who looked like one's older brother. Since Ienari was by the entrance cleaning up the vacant table, he was the one saddled with the greeting (Nana's rules).

"Good afternoon. Table for four?" he offered.

"Ah! You're new here?" the girl with strawberry blond hair asked him with a one thousand watt smile. Ienari could swear that she was glowing.

Ienari nodded in return. "I just started today," he informed.

He was about to say more when the lone boy with white hair and a bandage on his nose looked at him closely. "You extremely look like Sumeragi!" he exclaimed, scaring Ienari out of his wits.

'Is this another one I have to live with besides Reborn and the other nutcases in my life?!' he thought. "H-How do you know my older brother?"

It was then when the brown haired girl squeaked, "Hahi! Are you really Tsuna-san's little brother, Ienari-san?"

"And…you people are…?" Ienari asked, trying not to have an anxiety attack at the moment. He didn't do well with more than two people looking at him like some sort of specimen. It didn't sit right with him.

"Ah! Sorry for being rude. I'm Sasagawa Kyoko, and these are my friends, Hana and Haru." She gestured to the third girl with black hair, and the brown haired girl respectively. "This is my older brother," she gestured at the only boy in the group.

"SASAGAWA RYOHEI AT YOUR EXTREME SERVICE!" he shouted with glee, making Ienari flinch at the tone.

"Ah, I thought I heard Onii-san's voice," Tsuna's voice appeared from the back door and bladed down to the entrance of the restaurant. "Hello. Nice to see you back here,"

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko greeted gladly with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Ienari raised a brow. 'Oh? A regular customer with a crush on Tsuna. But why?' Ienari hadn't seen this girl in the school before, not even in the pictures Nana showed him about the school after his first day. He has never seen the girl before. So that would mean that she was a student of a different school.

"I see you've met my little brother. This is Sawada Ienari," he introduced. "Ienari, meet Sasagawa Ryohei, my upperclassman during my elementary days, Sasagawa Kyoko, his little sister, my classmate during elementary during fourth to fifth grade along with Kurokawa Hana, and Miura Haru, their fellow sweets enthusiast from Midori Girl's Academy." He introduced. "Apart from Haru-san, they all attend Namimori High School," he informed. "They're our regular customers,"

"I see…" Ienari muttered. "Then shall I show you to your preferred table?"

"The table by the large windows," Tsuna motioned to the corner of the restaurant where the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the street was at. He then left them for Ienari to take care of the group.

Taking out his notebook, he placed on his mannered smile and asked, "So, what could we get you for today?"

Haru started her order, "I'd like to start with the chocolate cream puff and some green tea."

"A slice of blueberry cake for me and vanilla shake," Hana ordered.

"Tiramisu for me and espresso," Kyoko said.

"Just some black tea for me and honey toast," Ryohei said in a calmer manner.

Ienari jotted them down diligently and nodded, "I'll be back with your order shortly," he told them before he went to the counter to stick in the orders from the notepad.

He was surprised when Reborn immediately handed him glasses filled with water. "Take these to them to wash off the sweets later on. They prefer it this way," he advised.

"How long have they been a regular customer?" he asked.

"Since the restaurant opened. Now go and make friends," he shoo-ed him from the counter as he took the order to call it to Gokudera and the kitchen staff.

"What is this, part host club?" he muttered. Sighing, Ienari simply followed his instructions. There was no use in disobeying his tutor in the restaurant. Placing the water glasses on the table, Haru stroked a conversation, "Ienari-san, how long have you been back here in Namimori?" she asked.

"Um…just a week ago. I was in Italy for eight years, in case Tsuna didn't tell you," he informed them.

"Oh, he told us everything." Hana stated as she sipped her water. "He never stopped talking about you and your little superhero stunts,"

He could tell that his face was slowly turning red. "Um…well, what else did Tsuna tell you?"

Ryohei was the one who answered, "How you leaving Namimori were one of the causes of his cuts, for one," Ienari shivered at his stare. He had noticed that he had gone silent the moment he had been formally introduced to them, and it wasn't doing anything for his jitters.

"Onii-chan!" Kyoko chided. "Sorry about my brother, Ienari-san. He's a bit touchy when it comes to Tsuna-kun's…well, you know," she stated.

"I'm not blaming him or anything," Ryohei denied. "I'm just saying, he shouldn't leave his brother any longer. Even I can't leave you alone for more than a day when you're more than five miles away from me,"

"That's different. They were separated because of the divorce." Hana chided.

"To be honest? Dad didn't let me near any phone calls to Japan." Ienari confessed. Iemitsu had been strict with him regarding international calls, and will be tight lipped when he asked to call his mother in the early days of the divorce. But over time, Ienari simply never asked again, knowing that he won't get the approval that he wanted from his father. On the off chance that his mother called and asked for him, he would refuse, not wanting to upset his father any further. When he says no, his father seemed to be smug all the time.

Not really the first thing you should say about yourself when meeting new people…

"Eh? But that's…" Haru started.

But Ienari held up his hand and shook his head with a small smile, "No, it's fine. I got the message not to ask him about what's happening. I have a different source on how to know if they're doing fine. Dino-san frequently visits here, so I get most of my information from him," he shared, "He even showed me pictures of everyone at Mom and Reborn's wedding."

"Ah, I remember that wedding! Nana-san was so beautiful in her gown! Reborn-san spent the majority of their budget in her dress!" Kyoko and Haru gushed about the wedding dress.

'Every cent alright…' Ienari thought. He could still remember himself almost having a heart attack when Dino told him the price of the custom made wedding gown.

"You see, Reborn said he only intend to marry once, so why not go all the way? That was both convincing and romantic at that time." Dino had said to him what Reborn had explained concerning the million-euro small wedding.

"So, did your dad remarry?" Hana inquired.

Ienari shook his head. "Nope. There were dates that never got anywhere, but the closest one was the widow of a mafia boss. Though that didn't last very long when I tried to pull a prank that was meant for Ganauche, one of my grandfather's friends," he said, and couldn't help but wince at the memory when his father had sent him to his room when the woman had been soaked with salt water.

"Ienari, orders," Reborn called from the counter.

"Coming," Ienari replied as he excused himself for a moment as he went to get their orders.

As Ienari was trying to listen to Reborn on how to carry two trays properly without 'slipping and or tripping like Tsuna did the first time,' (Tsuna had protested at the mention of his name) the four whispered to each other.

"I kind of like him," Hana said. "He's not a stuck-up brat that I assumed he was when I heard he lived in style,"

"Yeah, but onii-chan, your coldness was uncalled for!" Kyoko chided.

"I was simply extremely assessing him! I didn't mean anything by it!" Ryohei reasoned.

Haru took a glance at Ienari, "But if Ienari-san goes to Tsuna-san's school, then that would mean…"

"It's either he's a ruffian like Gokudera, or he's recovering from some sort of trauma," Hana stated. "But since he's not violent, he might be a Rehab student. He's wearing long sleeves, which means he's hiding the same thing Tsuna was hiding in his early days,"

"But why?" Haru asked.

Hana adjusted in her seat. "Living in style is not always a good thing for one's mental state. Many will use you for your connections and names, and will discard you when you're useless. I guess he has that kind of fear, and he keeps people away from him. I'm guessing taunts and rumors of his 'rudeness' will go with it, also a parent who always expects too much of you, and voila, you have a kid who has a lot of stress built up and had exploded in the form of cuts."

Just in time, Ienari returned with their orders the blond felt that things went on a bit awkward for a few seconds, before they resumed their conversation from earlier.

…

Six o'clock came, and the family of four left the restaurant back to their house.

Reborn checked their mailbox for him to see a small package with a note attached to it. He smirked when he saw the message on it.

Finally nicked it from Iemitsu. Don't worry, Ninth supports this.

Colonello

Turning to Ienari who was about to enter the house, he called out, "Ienari. We need to talk in the living room," he informed.

Ienari simply nodded and the two made their way to the living room while Nana and Tsuna cooked dinner for the night.

"What is it Reborn?" Ienari asked as they sat on the couch.

"Remember your precious phone that Iemitsu took from you three months ago?"

Ienari scoffed. That was one of the times that he admitted to himself that he hated his father's strictness. "Yeah. I remember when he went ballistic when he found out I've been associating with people he didn't want me to meet." He replied. The word friends was never in his dictionary since finding out that a lot of them were only after the connections attached to his person, but he could admit that a few managed to get under his skin. The problem was, most of them were not normal.

"How would you like to defy your father?"

"Whoa, whoa, wait, is it safe for me?" Ienari asked. The last time he tried one of Reborn's schemes, he almost died. Okay, all of Reborn's schemes almost killed him.

Reborn feigned thinking about it for a while. "No, not really." He threw him the small package. "Colonello sent that to me earlier. Took a while, but we found it,"

Ienari caught it and felt a familiar weight on the package. Raising his brow he unwrapped the manila wrapper to see the box of his smartphone. It was a gift from Timoteo on his fifteenth birthday, but it was taken by Iemitsu the moment he saw his contacts list containing names that he didn't really like. "My phone…"

"Just think what Iemitsu will do the moment he finds out your phone is out of his hands. Don't worry, Colonello made sure it wasn't bugged before sending it. Verde also made sure that all of your calls will be in a secure line."

A smile graced Ienari's lips. "Thanks, Reborn."

And with Reborn ruffling his hair like always, things got better for Ienari.

…

That night after dinner and a bath, Ienari looked at his phone. It has been three months since it was confiscated, and he was glad that it was still in once piece, and not in a million pieces like he thought when his father took it away.

Opening the phone, he checked his contacts, making sure that his father didn't know his passcode. He was right at that notion, as all of his contacts were still intact, save for some additional numbers, which were Tsuna's and his mother's numbers. 'Verde-san must have done this…' he thought.

Five minutes later, he deemed the contents of his phone intact, even his apps. He was about to close it when it received a call.

Marshmallow Lunatic

Ienari rolled his eyes. "Of course, he's the one who always knew how to track me…" he muttered as he pressed the 'answer' button. "Hello, Marshmallow."

A laugh was heard on the other line. "It's been three months since we've talked on the phone, and a month since you've let us see you, Nari-chan." A teenage male's voice greeted.

"Things happened." He replied plainly.

"Ooh, do tell!"

"Pretty long, but I'll spare you the details of what you already know."

"Which is a lot." The boy sassed.

The blond frowned, "Do you want me to tell you or not? Which is it?"

"Haha! Temper there Nari-chan! Fine, tell me all about what happened since a month ago. How does that sound?"

"Perfect enough…" Ienari replied as he took in a deep breath and relayed what he knew and what happened to him the past month.

TBC

Cookies for those who would guess the caller (It's pretty obvious once you think about it)!

Now we see Kyoko, Haru, Hana and Ryohei! But they won't have much of a role here, but Ryohei is a bit…well, OOC because of his startling attitude. Remember that this is an AU, and I'll put in an explanation later on.

So, in the end, the character pairings are R77, 1827 and 8059 so far.

I'll be on a…land trip—er—road trip or whatever with my relatives on the eighteenth on the way to my dad's province, so I won't be around much this month which is a hassle. I just wish there's internet on where I will be at. If not…well, update will have to wait until the twenty-sixth. Yeah, that long.

So I hope you guys understand. I'll try to update another chapter before May 18, provided my plot bunny doesn't leave me for a vacation.

-Cathy Rin