Chapter 6

We are at Chapter 6! I hope you still enjoy this story. Please send me your thoughts through Reviews!

ooOoo

Haru walked like a zombie to school. She has been up all night as her mind kept on replaying the scene last night.

"Because the prince likes you."

Haru pulled the ends of her hair in confusion. Bel didn't sound like he was lying or messing around with her. Haru didn't sense any hint of him joking as well.

She does not understand it at all. How could Belphegor possibly like her? They have only known each other for less than a week. Granted, she started liking Tsuna the first time he saved her but that was different. Tsuna-san and her are meant to be. She does not see so with Belphegor. So far, all their interactions had not been going that well. For Haru, they just don't really click together. It was still kind of suspicious to Haru. Perhaps, he mistook his feelings for her? That was possible, Haru thought.

Haru turned a corner and suddenly bumped into someone. Gokudera scowled down at Haru who was rubbing at her forehead who hit Gokudera's chest.

"What are you doing, stupid woman?"

Haru looked up to see Gokudera. "Hahi! It's Gokudera-san!"

Gokudera was about to yell at her again, but he noticed the bags under her eyes. "Are you not feeling well?" He asked abruptly.

Haru gulped and stared down on her feet.

"I am Gokudera-san, thanks for asking Haru."

Gokudera wasn't convinced. He eyed her suspiciously.

"Did the knife bastard take you out last night?"

Haru suddenly lifted her head that it hit Gokudera's chin and the silverette screamed curses at her.

"Hahi! Forgive me Gokudera-san!" Haru went closer to him to inspect his chin but Gokudera pushed Haru away.

"Stupid, stupid woman! What the hell is your problem!"

Haru stilled, took a deep breath and said, "Bel-san told me he likes me." Haru wasn't sure why she was telling this to Gokudera of all people. The Storm Vongola Guardian might just dismiss her or laugh at her but Haru felt like she could no longer bear Bel's sudden confession. She braced herself for his reaction.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?" He yelled to her ear. Haru hastily covered both her ears.

"Gokudera-san stop shouting at Haru!"

"Gokudera, Haru." Tsuna called from behind Gokudera. Yamamoto stood beside Tsuna and Reborn sat on Yamamoto's shoulder.

"Juudaime!"

"Yo Gokudera! Haru!"

Tsuna glanced from Gokudera to Haru, scanning them for injuries. He sighed when he saw they look alright.

"What's the matter? We heard Gokudera's shout and followed It here. We thought something happened." Tsuna asked.

"Something did happen Juudaime! This stupid woman-"

"Gokudera-san!" Haru tugged at Gokudera's sleeves. He can't just tell Tsuna-san about that! What if Tsuna-san start avoiding Haru?

"-the knife bastard confessed to her!"

"No Gokudera-san!"

"HIIEEEE!" Tsuna shrieked. "Belphegor confessed to Haru?!"

Yamamoto laughed good-naturedly. "Wow I didn't see that coming."

Gokudera went over to the Rain Guardian's side and grabbed him by the collar.

"Baka! They're obviously plotting something!" He turned to Haru. "I told you stop hanging around that bastard!"

Reborn jumped from Yamamoto's shoulder to land on Tsuna's head. The brunette was off balanced for a moment.

"Haru, do you think he was lying?"

"Of course, he was Reborn-san! That knife bastard couldn't possibly-"

"He was not." Haru replied quietly, avoiding their gaze. "I felt he wasn't lying."

The trio stared at Haru with wide eyes. Reborn pulled his fedora down. Tsuna looked at Haru.

"So, he's telling the truth?"

"We can't really tell that for sure either Dame-Tsuna. Not lying doesn't mean telling the truth, it could just be that's what he thinks of as the truth."

Reborn glanced at Haru. "Haru, what did you tell him?"

Haru, if possible, went even redder.

"N-Nothing. Haru ran away."

Gokudera grinned and gave a thumbs up "Nice, stupid woman!"

Reborn smirked. "You should give him a proper answer, Haru."

"B-But-"

"Think of this. What if it was Tsuna who confessed to you?"

"Reborn! Do you really have to drag me into this?"

"Shut up Dame-Tsuna. Now, Haru what will you do? Will you be able to live the rest of your life knowing you never gave a boy who confess to you a proper response?"

This made Haru's brow creased in thought. If it was Tsuna-san… If it was Tsuna…

"No! Haru won't definitely be able to live after that!" she declared to the group. Tsuna deadpanned.

"Is it really necessary for Haru to give Belphegor a response? Honestly, I think it's better if she won't."

Gokudera nodded. "I agree with Juudaime, Reborn-san! It might be if it is any normal guy but that knife bastard is not normal!"

"The one who confessed should want to hear an answer no matter who he is." Yamamoto said.

"Stop encouraging her, baseball freak!"

Reborn smirked. "Yamamoto is right. Haru, go and give him your answer."

Haru nodded at Reborn. "Hai! Reborn-chan." And the dark-haired girl raced to their school.

"Why did you do that, Reborn? If he does something to Haru.."

"He won't Dame-Tsuna. You heard he likes her."

Tsuna sighed in resignation. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

In response, Reborn tilted his fedora to reveal a glint on his onyx eyes.

ooOoo

Nobody was surprised when Belphegor didn't show up at school that day. They suspected the Storm Varia might be away on a mission again.

"Honestly, if he won't be coming to school why did he even enroll here in the first place?" grunted Gokudera at lunch time.

"He did say the Ninth told him to." Yamamoto reminded the silverette. "I think he hopes for us to get along with him."

Tsuna flinched at that, unable to imagine him and his friends getting along with the feared Prince the Ripper.

"Where is Haru?" Ryohei asked.

Kyoko was the one who answered. "Haru-chan is still looking for Belphegor-kun, Tsuna-san."

"Hmph. Does the stupid woman expect the knife bastard to just show up out of nowhere?"

Reborn hopped into Yamamoto's shoulder.

"That's exactly what Haru hopes to achieve."

"Reborn! Where did you come from again? Don't just appear out of the blue!"

"Don't worry about the small details Dame-Tsuna." Reborn pulled down his fedora and grinned.

"Just watch, things will get interesting from now on."

ooOoo

Haru was hoping to catch Belphegor standing outside her house, waiting for her so they could pick up Fran again. But the blonde prince wasn't waiting for her there. He also didn't show up at school the next day. In fact, nobody has seen or heard about him for two weeks. Even Mammon. Haru tried visiting the apartment where Mammon told her they stayed at but nobody was in the apartment. Haru tried the next day but nobody was home.

"I guess they went back to Italy." Tsuna told Haru on their way home from school.

"That's possible Juudaime. Those guys come and go as they please."

Haru sighed. "In the end, I wasn't able to give Bel-san a reply."

"What would you have told him, Haru?" Yamamoto asked.

"I would tell him I like Tsuna-san."

Tsuna sweatdropped. "So, you still plan on rejecting him."

"Because Haru only likes Tsuna-san! Haru is Tsuna-san's future bride!"

Tsuna sighed. "By the way, why are you all following me to my house?"

Yamamoto grinned. "Since school ended early, we figured we'll stay for a bit to hang out at your place."

Gokudera and Haru mirrored Yamamoto's cheerful face. "If you would, Juudaime!"

Tsuna couldn't possibly refuse his friends when they're like that. He smiled at them and the three cheered in victory.

They reached Tsuna's house and it wasn't long before Ryohei and Kyoko followed. Nana was more than happy to accommodate Tsuna's friends and she gladly delivered the snacks and drinks she made at Tsuna's room.

Tsuna and his friends smiled appreciatively at Nana before she left them. Tsuna turned to his friends. "It's my turn now, right?" They were playing Uno.

"Yes, Juudaime!"

Tsuna picked a card and throw it hesitantly. It was a block power card.

"I'm sorry Gokudera! That's the only useful thing that I have!" Tsuna clapped his hands together and gave a slight bow.

Gokudera panicked and straightened his boss by the shoulders. "Juudaime! Don't worry about it! Instead, as your right-hand man, I will bring you to victory!"

Tsuna sweatdropped at that. "T-Thanks Gokudera."

"Hahaha! Then, take this!" Yamamoto throw his card on the pile. It was the blank one. "Plus five cards to all of us including me!"

"W-Why are you including yourself in it, Yamamoto?"

"Why? Because it's more fun this way!"

Ryohei nodded in agreement. "It's extremely more fun like this Sawada!"

"You just want to make this game longer." Tsuna said in a low voice.

Both Yamamoto and Ryohei laughed in response.

"I knew it." Tsuna sighed. But he was happy to have his friends around. After everything they've gone through, Tsuna has come to value more normal days like this when they don't have to risk their lives on the line.

But of course, a normal day for them would not end without it.

Lambo suddenly burst open the door. His nose following the scent of Nan's sweets and the six-year-old boy dove for Gokudera's plate. Annoyed, Gokudera grabbed the child by his afro and throw him on the floor. Lambo cried loudly and pulled grenades out of his hair which he threw everywhere but Yamamoto and Ryohei's quick reflexes saved them and they threw the grenades outside the bedroom window. Frustrated, Lambo pulled out his bazooka and fired it at Gokudera who managed to dodge it. Unfortunately for Tsuna, he wasn't quick enough and the ever so familiar ten-year bazooka hit him.

A cloud of pink smoke clouded their visions and they braced themselves for what might appear in place of Tsuna. Gokudera's muscles tensed, his mind recalling the future-that-will-never-be when Tsuna landed in the future inside a casket.

A figure started to materialize out of the pink smoke and they heard a low voice cough.

"I see Lambo has used that bazooka again." Tsuna's ten-year older self stood in front of them. The Vongola Don straightened his white suit and fixed the flower pinned to his chest.

Wait. Is he wearing a suit one wears when attending a wedding?

He looked around him and saw some snacks on the table. Tsuna, recognizing it as Nana's promptly sat down, mouthed a "Itadakimasu!" and bit into a piece. The people in the room watched him silently. Tsuna picked up Lambo and gently put the cow child on his lap where he gulped down the rest of Tsuna's plate of food.

"Tsuna-san!" Haru stepped towards the older version of the brunette.

"Oh, Haru. It's nice to see your younger self." Tsuna smiled warmly at Haru.

"Tsuna-kun." Kyoko greeted.

Tsuna's cheeks tainted a faint pink and he smiled brightly at Kyoko. "Kyoko-chan."

"Juudaime!" Gokudera leaned a little towards Tsuna, his eyes staring at the older version of his boss in both relief and disbelief.

"Hayato." Tsuna nodded at his right-hand man. Gokudera almost fell on the floor when Tsuna addressed him by first name.

"Did you come from a wedding, Sawada?" Ryohei asked the older Tsuna and the Sun Guardian took his seat across Tsuna. The Vongola Don nodded.

"I was on my way there onii-san. In fact, you were driving the car that would be taking me there."

"Is it your wedding, Tsuna?" Yamamoto grinned.

It was adorable to see that despite aging ten years, Tsuna managed to blush like he did in middle school.

"Uh, no." He told them. "It's someone else's."

Haru's shoulder dropped in disappointment. "Oh. I thought it was Tsuna-san and Haru's wedding."

Tsuna grinned at her. "Well, your guess is not that far actually."

"What do you mean Tsuna-kun?"

The older brunette flashed them a mischievous smile. "Nope, sorry I won't tell. You'll just have to see it by yourselves." He glanced at his watch. "Oh, I'll be going back. Please tell my younger self I said 'Hi'." A cloud of pink smoke engulfed him again and the present Tsuna appeared before them.

"Gokudera! Yamamoto! Onii-san! Haru! Kyoko-chan!" Tsuna glanced down at the mop of curly hair below him. "And Lambo!"

"How was your trip to the future, Tsuna?"

"It was better, I guess?" Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "At least in that future I was alive and there was no ongoing war." He exhaled. "For a second there I thought the bazooka won't bring me back there. I'm so relieved." He made a mental note to stash away Lambo's bazooka. For although he managed to return safely, Tsuna was still wary of the bazooka's use.

"Your older self wants to say 'Hi', Juudaime." Gokudera informed him.

"How was he?"

Kyoko smiled at Tsuna. "He's still the same, Tsuna-kun. Nothing much has changed."

Tsuna wasn't sure to be glad at this or what. He's still the same after ten years, does it mean he's still his same dame self?

"Older you told us you were off to a wedding, Sawada." Ryohei informed him.

"Did you manage to find whose wedding it is?" Yamamoto asked.

"A wedding? So that's why future older onii-san wears a white suit." Tsuna thought.

Haru sighed. "It wasn't our wedding, Tsuna-san."

Tsuna sweatdropped.

He turned to the rest of the group. "Future onii-san told me our future selves has been waiting for that to happen. I didn't know what 'that' means but I guess he means the wedding. He said people have been waiting for it to happen and that everyone was glad that it was finally happening. Just, I wonder whose wedding it was? Future onii-san just told me the man of the event is already there. That would be the groom."

Yamamoto laughed cheerfully. "Well it doesn't matter now, does it? In ten years, we'll get to see it for ourselves."

ooOoo

The cloud of pink smoke disappeared and the Tsuna of the ten-years' time appeared.

"You're back, Tsuna." Ryohei said from the driver's seat.

"Hello, onii-san. Guess what, I saw the bride in the past."

Ryohei chuckled. "Is that so? Back there, you wouldn't think things would lead to a wedding, right?"

Tsuna smiled. "Well it was hard to believe. Especially with him."

Ryohei nodded. "Actually, I still have some hard time believing this is happening. I'm glad for them of course. They deserve the happy ending."

It was Tsuna's turn to chuckle. "I guess happy endings really fit him. After all-" The Vongola Don pulled the invitation from inside his suit and stared at the words written on the glossy paper.

"-he's a prince."

ooOoo