Chapter 16

Hospital Ward, Cielo Floor, Mafia Accademia Dormitories Bldg. 1, Milan, Italy

Byakuran righted himself as he entered the hospital ward of the Cielo Floor of the dormitory. He stopped at the door with the sign, 'Yuri Giegue' and knocked on the door.

"It's open," a demure voice said from the other side.

Byakuran opened the door to see Yuri Giegue upright on the hospital bed, his usually shiny blond hair is now being partly covered because of the bandage on his forehead, and his right eye had a gauze because of a cut near his brown eye, and a patch at his left cheek.

Looking at Yuri, he really looked like someone almost being beaten up to pulp, but despite that, he was still able to smile. "Ah, Byakuran."

"Why are you here this early?"

Byakuran looked at the young man of eighteen on the right side of Yuri's bed, his untrusting red eyes staring at him scarily. It wasn't helping that his black hair was styled the same way as Reborn—minus the side burns—which made him all the more intimidating. For a son of the right hand of the Trad 6 Secondo, he looked like his charge, the future Terzo, intimidating and scary.

With a small amused smile, he replied, "I heard the news from Kikyo. I guess your overprotective side has its merits, putting your ESP on full throttle, Dante,"

Dante frowned as he looked at Yuri again, "I almost wanted to run my hands through his chest for doing this to Yuri…" he muttered.

"You don't have to go that far Dante!" Yuri said with a worried face, "I don't want someone dying because of my carelessness…"

"But you're not careless! Mateo is the one who should have known better than to lay a hand on someone who isn't his!" Dante growled, but stopped himself when he reminded himself that it might scare Yuri off. "You have no idea that all the people around you will go to hell and back if so much as a scratch land on you."

"And yet here I am, full of bruises, and no one's overreacted yet except for you, Ivan and Papa." Yuri stated. "I know you all care about me, but you don't have to kill Mateo…"

Byakuran sighed as he took Dante's side, "Your lover is right, Yuri. There are some things that cannot be forgiven, and Mateo Velasco did something that he knew would warrant a death sentence from your family." He lectured. "Remember that he is the first one in your generation to assault the second in line to the title of Giegue Ottavo. This might have happened before with other families, but to those involved in things like this, it is something that is feared by the parents."

Yuri looked down, "I know…" he said with a sigh. "I should have listened to Ienari back then…"

Dante raised a brow, "The Vongola? I thought you only knew each other by name and interact only for formalities?"

With a sad smile, he answered, "Way back before we met Mateo…we were best friends. But Mateo did something unforgivable for us to be estranged…but back then, I thought that Ienari had done that. When he attacked me, he confessed that he had done a lot of things just to get to me, even making me severe my friendship with Ienari…he told me everything as he was beating me up…" Yuri clutched his bedsheet. "I don't know if he could ever forgive me…"

"Yuri…" Dante muttered. In formal parties, he has seen the future Vongola Decimo in action with interacting with the adults in every party, but he does his socializing work and avoids his peers for some reason, hence, he never met the young Decimo informally to get to know him. It was as if there was a wall that was erected between him and his peers. When he transferred, he even heard rumors about him, making people stay away from him.

Now he knew that it was the work of Mateo, whose family is notorious in spreading scandals.

As the Gesso heir watched Yuri despair, he decided to free him from it before he starts to believe that Ienari would be capable of hating someone he considers a friend. "You might want to erase that notion, Yuri." He said with a cheerful voice, making Yuri and Dante look at him, "I called Ienari the other day. He is very hell-bent in joining in the fray of the 'Let's kill the bastard' side of the case,"

Dante raised a brow, "How can we be so sure that you are in contact with him? A month ago, he disappeared from our radars. Some even thought that he is dead after being hospitalized,"

"Dante, don't believe that. Ienari is made of tougher stuff than that!" Yuri defended. "Even if he is in a sticky situation, he would not trade his life for anything!" that was when Byakuran knew that they were one of the people who has caught wind of the various rumors of where Ienari could be.

Byakuran sighed, "Yuri…just how much do you remember about Ienari?" he asked.

As if challenging him, Yuri replied, "Since before we drifted apart."

"And that was what? Three years ago? Yuri, Ienari has changed a lot since then. Sho-chan and I had been witnesses to it." He stated. "He would detach himself from the people around him, and would go with the flow. I have been annoying him for the better part of my time here, and not once has he considered me his friend, just an annoying classmate, and simply puts up with my antics." He stated. "What you know about Ienari is the Ienari who might no longer return. That is how much the Velasco heir destroyed his thoughts about making friends, and it all started when he lost you."

As Byakuran expected, Yuri was now at a loss of words, but what he didn't expect was for Yuri to cry. He panicked when he saw Yuri sob as he thought about what Ienari had gone through. "Oh dio…! What…what has Mateo done…?!" he sobbed. "Ienari…he already has enough trust issues even before we became friends…and…"

In no time at all, Dante was beside him. "No more tears, Yuri. You've cried enough because of this whole ordeal."

But Yuri kept on sobbing. "But still! It's all my fault! I believed in what Mateo said to me and the small 'evidence' that he showed me! I'm a terrible friend…how could he still consider me as his best friend?!" he then looked back at Byakuran, "Tell me, what happened to Ienari?"

"I can't answer that unless I have your sworn oath that you will never divulge this to anyone else besides you and Dante." Byakuran said in a serious voice.

Yuri didn't need to think about it. "I swear it upon my family and my flames, never to betray your trust in this matter," he said it with a determined face, neither Byakuran or Dante had the chance to refute his decision—as if Dante would, after what he had learned.

With a satisfied smile, Byakuran began to recount what has been happening so far, all the while, feeling victorious that they have another contact to solve the mystery.

…

Sumeragi-Niserio Residence, Namimori, Japan

Ienari woke up in cold sweat that night, his eyes wide and horrified at the dream that he had. 'No…more like a memory…' he corrected himself as he tried to wipe the sweat off his forehead upon that particular memory.

It had already been years, but the scar that it left was something that Ienari hated every single damn time it returns. Usually, it returns every time he tries to make a new friend. But it had been a little over a month since he came to Namimori and had interacted with Tsuna's friends, and two years since he met Byakuran and Irie so what was happening?

Before he could answer his own question, a frantic knock on the door was heard. "Ienari?" Reborn's voice was heard on the other side. Not waiting for a reply, the hitman might have used his master key to get into his room and rushed inside along with his mother and brother who were equally worried.

"What happened?" Nana asked worriedly. "We heard you shout and got worried,"

Ienari stared at the three of them in bewilderment. He's never had people run to his side when he screams in his sleep. Only inquiries in the morning.

"Is there something wrong?" Tsuna asked as he went to the side of his bed.

It made it hard to produce words. "Uh…it's…" he trailed off. "Nightmare…I've been having it once in a while." He confessed. "It's more like a pretty bad memory…"

He shut his eyes closely, waiting for them to say that it's just a dream and dismiss it, but instead, Tsuna ruffled his head. Tsuna turned to Nana and Reborn, "Don't worry, I'll take care of this," he assured them.

With a nod, Nana and Reborn left, leaving it all to Tsuna who has been through this before. "If you say so Tsu-kun."

And with that, Nana and Reborn left Ienari's room, with full assurance from Tsuna that he would solve this nightmare.

Tsuna made himself comfortable in Ienari's bed and looked at him, "Ienari, you can't run away from your issues forever," he started. "It would always come back to bite you in the ass if you do. Tell me what is really bothering you." He pleaded.

It might be the pleading look in his brother's eyes, or his losing control over his bottled-up memories and feelings that made him cave in to Tsuna's pleading to tell what was wrong.

With a sigh, he relented, "Alright…"

With a smile, Tsuna nodded approvingly. "Tell me anything you want, and start wherever you want to start."

Ienari nodded. "Before I met Byakuran…I did tell you I had a friend once, right?"

"Yeah. You said that he's the younger brother of the doctor we're going to see in a few days,"

"His name is Yuri. He's currently one of the top students in our year…and a person who is always kind to everyone. We met when Grandfather and his father had a meeting, and had set up a playdate for me to get to know him and his older brother. That's what started our friendship. We've been seeing each other since then, sometimes along with Ivan when he has the time." It was then when Ienari's face turned dark, "But then when we enrolled in the academy, everything changed…we met a person in our class, Mateo of the Velasco Famiglia. He just transferred in the second half of the term. Rumors said that he rebelled against his private tutors in order for his father to send him to the school. We didn't pay any mind to his rebellion since it's quite common, considering that his father married five women after his mother.

"He approached me and Yuri one day, and instead of introducing himself to me as the heir, he merely asked the question if I was really Japanese. While it surprised me and Yuri, we let him be close to us. We became a trio. We study together, we do almost everything. But it only lasted for six months when I saw him making eyes at Yuri."

Tsuna raised a brow, "What is the harm in that?"

"Back then, Yuri has had a series of stalkers in school, and it took Ivan almost everything he had to keep Yuri oblivious to it. But I didn't notice his ulterior motives until I heard him talking on the phone one day when I was looking for him for gym. He only needed to be rid of me for him to get to Yuri and make him fall for him…"

"What did you do about it?" he asked, not really liking where the situation was going.

"The stupidest thing ever. I confronted him and threatened to tell Yuri about his intentions of taking advantage of him, but not before I beat him to a pulp. But then, Yuri caught me about to land a final blow at Mateo, and when he asked what was going on, Mateo went a step ahead of me and told him that I was getting rid of him because I was too close to Yuri. He told him that I was the one who has ill intentions towards him." He smirked darkly, "The bastard was so good in acting that he even fooled Yuri." He said as he grit his teeth. "I knew from then on that people will pin something on someone just to escape from their faults. So I simply said to Yuri that I was getting rid of a trash in front of me, and acted like a delinquent with too much power. And then…I told him to get out of my sight from then on." Ienari leaned on the wall, "I left after that and got sent to the headmaster's office where I was suspended for two weeks."

"But…he did try to talk to you, didn't he?"

Ienari nodded. "He did. He was persistent that way. And I didn't want him to get into anything because of me, so I said to him that…well…that he was a nuisance and should stay away from me. If we do meet in parties, I told him I will treat him like I do our allies, which is void of any familiarity. He never said a word to me after that,"

"I see. And what did Iemitsu and Timoteo-san think of this?" Tsuna pried.

"Kept them in the dark too. I said that what they were saying was technically not a lie, and I got grounded until my suspension was over with nothing but books for company." He replied. "Dad even wore his usual 'I-am-disappointed-in-you' look, and Grandfather…well, he wasn't easy to fool. He knew something was up, but he didn't press me for details." He stated.

"Maybe Timoteo-san knew that you had to resolve this yourself. But clearly…you hadn't done a good job," Tsuna said. "I know the feeling of losing a friend because of rumors. All of us are not alien to that feeling. But keeping it bottled inside would result in things we cannot expect…just like mine," he said as he unconsciously looked at his arm with overlapping scars. Even now, Tsuna refused to have them removed, knowing that remembering is better than forgetting it ever happened, because it shaped who he is right now. But he would be damned if Ienari will have to go to the path he led to discover himself.

"I-I didn't mean to bring up something sensitive…" Ienari apologized, seeing the way Tsuna looked at his scars.

Tsuna ruffled his hair, "Idiot. Of course I don't mind. It helps when you talk to someone who's been down the same road." He assured him. "But I'm glad you told me." When he saw Ienari smile, he went on with his lecture. "I know that you don't want to lose a friend, Ienari, but don't you think that Byakuran-kun and Irie-kun are already your friends even if you don't label them as one? They never left your side, and from what you told me, they didn't listen to the rumors and just simply approached you with their hand of friendship. Friends like that are hard to find. Trust me, I know."

Then it dawned on Ienari. Tsuna's words were true. Byakuran and Irie did consider him as their friend, so why can't he?

Because you were afraid.

Because you fear that they would discard you when they grow tired of you.

Just like what Mateo did.

You fear that you would be used.

Ienari shook the voice inside his head. "I…I don't think I can…"

"Can, or you won't?" Tsuna interrogated. "Ienari, true friends are hard to find. And if you let them slip away, you would be all alone with no one to stay by your side. I won't always be there, and neither can our parents and Timoteo-san. You need friends to support you and give you an unbiased opinion of many things. They are there to keep you from being lonely."

He glanced at Tsuna, "Were you lonely?"

"Not anymore." Tsuna said with a smile. "And I thank every god there is that had given me the chance to find friends that will stay by my side no matter what."

All of a sudden, tears came out of Ienari's eyes. All the pent up frustration about his failed friendship came pouring out in the form of tears. Almost immediately, Tsuna pulled him into an embrace, resting his chin on Ienari's head. "Shh…let it all out. I'm here if you need a shoulder to cry on," he assured.

"I-I don't want to be lonely anymore! I don't! But…if I let them be close to me, they would face danger, like what almost happened to Yuri back then…and…now I blame myself because something happened to Yuri now because I wasn't there…! I…didn't want Byakuran and Irie face social ridicule because of the lies that had been circulating around me, so I became a distant bastard…" he sniffed. "I don't want to be that way anymore…" he mumbled.

Ienari kept crying all night until Tsuna noticed that Ienari had fallen asleep while clinging to him. Lying him down on the bed, Tsuna tried to leave, but Ienari had such a strong grip that he held Tsuna's arm tightly, that it kept him in place.

Chuckling, Tsuna scooted him over and pulled the covers on the two of them and laid there, looking at his little brother. "Even after all these years, you still cling to anyone when you have a bad dream," Tsuna muttered as sleep took over him as well.

…

Disciplinary Committee Headquarters, Namimori Reformation and Rehabilitation Institute, Namimori, Japan

"Damn it this is irritating," Gokudera said as he straightened his glasses the umpteenth time. "How in the world do they manage kids in the Mafia Accademia?!" he growled. "Suspended for two weeks for assaulting an heir? Please. Kids there get suspended there for a week for blowing up a part of the school. Ienari is the more powerful heir of the two—provided that the assault was true—so why was he suspended without the Vongola influence coming to his rescue?" Gokudera understood more than anyone in the room that favors run rampant in the mafia, and offending a powerful mafia family even in the littlest thing can destroy one's reputation. So why was Ienari exempt from that common thing?

On the table were the file that were delivered by Nagi to the Hibari Residence upon the request of Tsuna, in fear that Ienari might find them and get the wrong idea. Now Hibari, Tsuna, Gokudera andYamamoto are huddled in the large study full of information about one Sawada Ienari. Nagi was on Hibari's computer screen, reading the copies she has.

"It goes to show how much prejudice the headmaster has towards a foreign student, and the heir to one of the most powerful families to boot." Nagi commented as she looked at the written form of the reason for Ienari's suspension. "Looking at the medical records our informant managed to nick in the dormitory's Hospital ward, the Velasco heir was not even hit in vital areas. Just a few in the arms, gut, and face."

"Serves him right." Tsuna said. "I don't believe that Ienari beat him up without provocation. I should get that headmaster fired for this…"

"Now, now, Tsuna, remember, keep your professionalism apart from personal matters." He chided.

"With the way we are snooping right now, we already failed to do that," Hibari said as he reviewed the academics of the blond. "I have to say, he is pretty smart for his own good. Passing marks in all subjects, but not much social contact after he and a Yuri Giegue had ceased contact," when she flipped a page, Nagi's brow furrowed. "Guys, turn to the twenty-first page of his school record regarding his classmates' opinion on him." She stated.

Raising brows met her, but they did as she told them to.

What they saw made Tsuna's blood boil to dangerous levels.

Classmate A: Ienari? The Vongola heir? I won't go near him if I were you. I heard that he actually picks fights with the assassin teams of different families and does his every dark bidding.

Classmate B: The Vongola? The only ones who has a death wish are the Gesso heir and his two friends. One of them is English, and the other Japanese. They must be immune to his death stare. It's creepy!

Classmate C: The one who assaulted Mateo? Of course I won't go near him! I heard his injuries were severe that he had to stay in the hospital ward for a month for that. They should have expelled Vongola.

Classmate D: Rumors say that he almost succeeded in assaulting Yuri Giegue. They were close friends once, but suddenly became distant. I guess it's true that the Vongola swings that way. He's lucky he's the heir of the Vongola or else the Giegue heir might have killed him already.

Classmate E: He's a shady one, that guy. They said that he's involved in dirty dealings behind the backs of his grandfather and father.

Classmate F: Oh, him? We just leave him be. Looks like someone who could kill a guy with one swift punch. They said he beat up those who comes near him. Glad that Yuri Giegue came to his senses before he ended up like the Velasco heir.

Classmate G: The headmaster was right when he told us in passing that Asian heirs are nothing but trouble. They shouldn't even be allowed to inherit a European family! Scum. He just proved that they are easily provoked, which is a weakness.

Classmate H: Keeps to himself most of the time. Always reading, which is a bit nerdy. Must be a know-it-all if people avoid him.

The room felt several degrees colder once Tsuna browsed all ten pages of the students' opinions towards Ienari. And it was something that is hard to get Tsuna out of.

"Those bastards…" he said as he grit his teeth, reining his anger in. This was how people viewed Ienari in Italy? "They will pay."

And when Tsuna says they will pay, they will pay.

TBC

And another update!

You're wondering why?

Well, it's not really a good news for someone taking preliminary exams this month, but from Wednesday until today, which is Friday, classes were suspended because of super typhoons in our area recently. It's normal, but dangerous, and a bit worrying. I mean, some of our citizens are still recovering from Haiyan, and it wouldn't help if we are endangered as well because of the heavy rains and winds.

Well then, I'll update again soon~!

Stay safe everyone!