Chapter 7

"Wow~ I wish I was there! I'd like to meet your older brother."

Ienari rolled his eyes at his statement, "The school is for delinquents and people with mental health problems. It's not a school for lunatics like you."

"Harsh! I'm not that crazy." The one on the other line defended. "Besides, if I'm a lunatic, then what is Reborn?"

"A Spartan." Ienari replied quickly. "How did you manage to track my phone activity?"

"You underestimate Shou-chan's laptop. We've been waiting for weeks since you got out of Italy for your phone activity. It just so happens I have his laptop here in my room talking when it caught up with your phone," he explained.

"You know, it's highly unlikely that I would believe you. I'd say you were stalking me." Ienari said. "Wait, where are you guys anyway?" he wondered.

Byakuran hummed, "Well, since Japanese schools start in April, and we begin in September, Sho-chan's parents agreed for him to stay here at my place. He already has a permanent room here near mine," he informed. It was already August, and school doesn't start in Italy until September.

"Which brings me to guess that you took Irie's laptop without his consent." Ienari guessed.

The other boy let out a whine, "Perish the thought Nari-chan! I asked for permission."

"Uh huh," Ienari replied, not really believing him.

Just as he said it, he heard the slamming of a door on the other line. With heavy stomping. "Byakuran-san! Give me back my laptop! I still have a lot of things to do!"

"I knew it…" Ienari muttered as he listened in on the conversation on the other line.

"But Sho-chan, Nari-chan is on the phone! If I hadn't taken your laptop, I wouldn't have known that he finally has his phone back and running!"

"That's no excuse when you took it while I was in the shower!"

"But because of that, Nari-chan is on the phone with me right now."

"Oh? So is Ienari-kun more important than me? Fine! I'm taking the next flight back to Japan and enroll in a different school!"

"I didn't say that—shit—Sho-chan come back!"

A door slamming shut was heard afterwards.

"Gotta go Nari-chan. See you soon." Byakuran said as he went after the other person as he hung up.

Ienari sighed exasperatedly. Up until now, he wonders why he was still senile, being acquaintances with the white haired lunatic known as Byakuran, the heir of the Gesso Famiglia. He had met him at school, where he was his classmate since eighth grade. He didn't know what he did, but the Gesso heir simply attached himself to him despite the rumors that had been circulating regarding him being someone who keeps to himself and never associates with anyone. Ienari even heard something about if people get near him, they get eliminated.

Whoever spread that rumor received Ienari's eternal condemnation.

But Byakuran didn't really listen, and dragged along his friend Irie Shoichi with him to bother him.

At first, Ienari was really weary of their presence. He tired avoiding them, But Byakuran always seem to know where he was. Ignoring them was the hardest thing to do as Byakuran will pester him incessantly until he finally snapped and gave in.

Not long after that, another friend joined in with them.

All of a sudden, Ienari dropped his phone on the bed. He clutched his head, feeling a headache coming on. Clutching his head with his hands, he slowly collapsed on the bed, straight to the pillow. He shut his eyes tightly as the pain got worse. "Ugh…" he groaned as the headache was marring his vision. On the forefront of his mind, he saw flashes of white walls, a corridor, people moving around in lab coats and scrubs, and a lone red head at the window of the ICU attached to several machines.

"It's your fault he's there!"

"No! It was an accident! I didn't mean to!"

"Don't blame this on him! You people are at fault, allowing him to get pushed around by others and not doing anything!"

"Stay out of this, Gesso bastard! It's his fault!"

"Please…it's not…"

SLAP!

CRASH!

"How dare you!"

"Byakuran, no! Stop! I'm fine!"

"No you're not! These people are blaming their own mistakes on you."

"How dare you accuse us?!"

"NO! How dare YOU?!"

Immediately, he shot up from his bed, face dripping with cold sweat and eyes wide. "What…?" he wondered as he felt the headache recede. 'What was that? A memory? But…I can't remember when that happened…who is that in the ICU?' unconsciously, his hand went to his cheek, remembering the painful sensation of being slapped and crashing with something behind him. The problem was, the memory was hazy to decipher.

He shrugged, 'Probably just something I thought of. And Byakuran coming to my rescue? I don't remember anything like that.' Picking up the phone again, he checked if he had any mails in the three months that it had been out of his reach. So far, it was full of junk mails, and messages from Byakuran the Marshmallow Lunatic. A few were from Irie, and an unknown number, which earned a raised brow on Ienari's part.

There were several unknown emails, and he read each one of them, thinking that it might be important.

10:45 PM

I'm sorry for how the way they acted. Please pick up my calls. It's not your fault.

8:23 AM

At least visit me. I want to see you.

3:52 PM

Why aren't you coming?

5:17 PM

Where are you?

7:39 PM

Don't you need me anymore?

9:22 PM

Please, just pick up…

10:11 PM

Whatever they said to you, I can clear it up. Please. Just talk to me.

12:16 AM

Why won't you pick up?

"Who is this?" Ienari wondered. The first message was dated a day after he was hospitalized himself, and four days since he detached himself from every Vongola staff aside from Timoteo's two youngest guardians, Brow Nie and Ganauche.

So who was the mysterious messenger?

…

"You gave Ienari his phone back?" Tsuna asked Reborn as the hitman stopped by in his room.

Reborn nodded. "I figured he needed to get in contact with his friends, now that Iemitsu is not there to stop him."

Tsuna sighed as he spun his swivel chair by his study desk. "Sometimes I wonder why the deadbeat goes to that length to bar him from anything he deems 'dangerous.'"

"Like everyone says, he's not good at parenting. At all." Reborn had seen first-hand on how Iemitsu raised Ienari. The man was strict with the boy, and his small act of rebellion against Iemitsu was befriending Byakuran, the Gesso heir that Iemitsu didn't like.

For some, the Gesso and the Vongola heir becoming friends is a good (or bad, depending on either they were allies or enemies) thing for both sides. They would benefit greatly should a friendship be born from their association, but the External Advisor thinks otherwise.

Tsuna raised a brow while smiling, "How is your protective parenting differ from Iemitsu?" he asked.

"I certainly didn't stop you when you befriended that delinquent." Reborn replied with a small smile. "But I have to say, my judgment was quite right when I allowed you to, since he had been the key to your recovery."

"And yet you threatened to shoot him and turn him into Swiss cheese the moment he asked your permission to date me." Tsuna teased.

Reborn frowned, "Well, at least that boy was respectful and knew the proper way of wooing the parents. Your mother had taken to him instantly, which pretty much set the deal."

Tsuna smiled as he leaned back. "Coming into contact with his friends again might cheer Ienari up. And maybe, his memories will return…" he frowned, "Or it could backfire."

"He needs more freedom than what Iemitsu has given him, if it was even called freedom." Reborn stated.

"What amazes me is that he never categorized them as 'friends' despite the fact that he had been bickering with the lot of them." Tsuna said as he looked at Ienari's photos that Dino had sent him months back, when he was still in contact with his 'acquaintances.'

"He has a lot of doubt on him, and never really trusted anyone. I can tell that even Ienari doesn't know how to call the Gesso heir and the inventor friend of his." Reborn explained. "But one thing's for sure. Byakuran can help Ienari." Reborn assured. He then took out a file, "Now, can you help me plan our anniversary?"

Tsuna giggled. "Not just yet. Let's bring in Ienari's opinion in this matter."

…

"So, why are the two of you in my room again?" Ienari wondered. He had just tucked his phone away when the two had barged in and made themselves comfortable in his room.

"So we could plan Mom and Papa's fifth anniversary surprise?" Tsuna answered innocently.

Ienari groaned, "Yeah, but why in my room?"

"If we do it in the living room, your mother would find out. And I prefer it stays between the three of us." Reborn stated, sitting on Ienari's study chair.

Groaning, Ienari succumbed to his fate. Though he figured it might be fun. His mother does need the relaxation once in a while. When they were kids, Ienari didn't remember anything about vacations. Just a normal day out on the playground, the park, and picnics. Never escapades.

"Fine. What have you got?" he finally asked.

Tsuna placed the travel magazines on the bed where he and Ienari were sitting. "Papa suggested that we go on another week-long trip."

"Wait, wait," Ienari held up his hands, "'We'?"

"Of course!" Tsuna huffed. "Their wedding was on December fifteen, and we spend Christmas at wherever Papa decides their anniversary trip would be."

Ienari didn't really know how to respond to this. Who the hell brings their kid in their anniversary trip? Though it was understandable since the anniversary falls on Christmas.

"Although our school calendar says our vacation starts on the twentieth, so they have five days to themselves," Tsuna said, knowing what his little brother was thinking, and it assured Ienari that they would not interrupt their 'special moments' with their presence.

With a sigh, Ienari pointed at the article with a beach resort, "Why not just take her to a beach?" Ienari asked, and then looked at Reborn.

"That's overrated, and I did that twice in different places. I want something different." He said bluntly.

Tsuna laughed lightly. "Papa has…a record of doing things in a grand way when it comes to Mom…" he stated. "On their honeymoon, he took her to the Caribbean in Anguilla for a full month,"

"First to third anniversary?" Ineari asked.

Reborn wore a smug look, "Corsica, Prague, and Santorini."

Ienari whistled. "Talk about European escapade, Reborn,"

"Your mother deserves it."

With a soft grumble, Ienari pored through the travel articles, "Well, if you plan to give her another European escapade, I'd say this is a good choice," he said as he pointed at the world map at the eastern part of Europe.

Tsuna looked closer into it, "Croatia?"

"Specifically, Split. It was said to be the former home of Cupid, the Roman god of Love. I think this is where the story of Psyche was said to have happened. Being the romantic Mom is, I think she'll love it,"

"You've been reading Coyote's books, haven't you?" the hitman guessed.

The blond shrugged, "Eh, got to love Romantic myths." The Storm Guardian of the Ninth had always been a bookworm, so when Ienari had stumbled upon Greek Myths, he was the first person that Ienari went to in order to learn more about them. Ienari even went far to read the book series about a young modern-day demigod and had them all displayed in his shelf. "So, is this it or what?"

The brothers turned to Reborn, whose phone was out. A few more presses in his part later, the hitman brandished a smile. "I'll get it all set up by tonight,"

"You sure do work fast." Ienari mused.

"I'm a hitman." Reborn simply said. "Don't tell your mother, alright?" he said as he left the room for some more calls.

Tsuna chuckled as the door closed, collecting the travel articles, he looked at his little brother, "Their anniversary is not in four months, but still, Papa wants everything ready ahead of time,"

"You know, I never got to know what happened that made them hook up," Ienari said, "I just heard that Mom was dating Reborn from Dino-san, and the next thing I knew, they were getting married before the year was out,"

"That's understandable," Tsuna replied. "Knowing the people you live with, once Mom was divorced, we became normal civilians who should never be involved in the mafia."

"Tell me!" Ienari urged.

Tsuna looked at the determination to know in the eyes of his little brother. Maybe a little puppy dog eyes on the side, and that made him keel over. "Fine. But I'm telling you, there are things that I will omit, okay?"

"Sure," Ienari agreed. On the back of his mind, he wonders if what he would omit was what happened to him when he ended up in the special school.

"Well…where to start…ah! Here it goes…"

That whole night, Tsuna told Ienari what happened that brought about the romance that was the meeting of Reborn and their Mother.

…

Gesso Mansion, Sicily, Italy

Byakuran, the heir of the Gesso Famiglia, kept on banging on the dormitory door of one Shoichi Irie an hour before light's out. "Come on Sho-chan! No need to get jealous over Nari-chan! Here's your laptop back!"

From the other side of the door, Shoichi was having fun torturing the white haired teenager. That would teach him from taking his precious laptop. "I will accept your laptop but I won't accept your apology!" he said with an angry voice. Though he was shaking with amusement as he tried to rein in his laughter. It's not everyday Byakuran would bang in your door and beg for forgiveness.

"That's unfair!" Byakuran whined. "Sho-chan if you won't open up, I will have to force it open!"

"You can't do that! The dorm leader would reprimand you." Shoichi reasoned.

"Then I will find another way then," Byakuran declared.

Shoichi became worried when he heard his footsteps disappear. Taking a deep breath, he opened his door and looked at the hallway. It was empty. "He must have given up." He muttered as he closed the door and turned. But the moment he did, he almost had a heart attack. There he was, in the flesh, Byakuran sitting on his bed with a foxy smile.

"I told you I'd find another way," he said.

He looked at his window which was open. Damn it. "You went through my window? Isn't that a bit…cliché?" he asked as he made an annoyed face, letting Byakuran know that he was still very cross with him because of the laptop napping. "And what would you accomplish by barging into my room?"

Byakuran took something from his pocket and handed it to him. "Look,"

Shoichi looked at what Byakuran gave him and stiffened. "What the? Plane tickets to Japan? Are you nuts?"

"School doesn't start until September anyway."

"Which is in two weeks!" Shoichi stated.

Byakuran waved his hand carelessly, ignoring his outburst, "And besides, we hadn't seen him since last month."

"Do you realize what would happen if someone outside finds out that we went to Japan?" he lectured.

"I do. But no one else knows that Nari-chan is in Japan, right? We'll just say that you felt a little homesick and had to go home for a while. They would buy it." Byakuran defended.

Shoichi's face darkened, "What about…them?"

Byakuran frowned, "What we do is none of their business. They can follow us for all I care, but they're not suicidal as to harm the step-sons of the World's Greatest Hitman. Besides, they wouldn't dare show their faces after what happened to him. They may not be the perpetrator, but they were the reason he did it and forgot." He then looked at him with true hopeful eyes, something that Shoichi knew was genuine. But of course, he too was worried for Ienari and his well-being. After all, they hadn't heard from him since his hospitalization.

"Fine. But we'll only stay there for a week, do you get me?" he bargained.

Byakuran's grin returned, "Yay~!"

…

Meanwhile in Namimori, Ienari felt his spine shiver. Soemthing was going to happen, and he would not like it.

TBC

Yes! I managed to update six days before I leave~!

And so, Byakuran and Irie appears! A little bit about Japanese and Italian education: Japan starts their school year in April, while Italy starts theirs in September. The timeline is set in August.

Yes, I do have a plan regarding the 'Anniversary Meddling' of the three males of the house. If you realize, I made Nana a December bride. Why? Well, the Winter Wonderland themed wedding is very appealing to me. Which means their anniversary trip will eventually turn into a Christmas trip. In other words, Tsuna and Ienari will be tagging along after a few days.

I don't really know if the story of Psyche happened in Split, and I based this on one of my favorite book series by Rick Riordan, Heroes of Olympus, the sequel series of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you hadn't read it yet, then I suggest you start now! It's really good!

So, Ienari is beginning to see bits and pieces of something, but he is still regarding it as a figment of his imagination, and as for the mysterious messenger, well, I'll keep it mysterious for a little while longer.

Oh, before I forget, I got an anonymous reviewer, so I'll put my reply here:

Guest: Yes, I am from the Philippines~!

Thanks for reading!