CHAPTER 32- Orphanage Blues
'I never expected this to happen', I mentally thought and looked at the other side of the car where Giotto is sitting, his attention to the window.
I looked away from him and just sighed again. 'This is so awkward'
The ride to the orphanage was very silent and my brain can't manage the atmosphere anymore. I tried to think of something to lighten up the mood.
"Giotto...how many orphans are there at the orphanage?", I asked and I was answered by silence.
I just resumed viewing the scenes outside until Giotto answered my question.
"Thirty, there are thirty orphans staying there", he simply answered, his eyes never leaving the scenery outside.
Ten minutes passed after Giotto answered then suddenly the car stopped.
"Decimo. I'm afraid to say that the engine broke. I already managed to call another car but they won't be here until 30 minutes", the driver said and bowed down to the two of us.
"No worries, it's only a few blocks till we arrive at the orphanage, the two of us will just walk", Giotto stated. "However, please deliver the presents at the orphanage when the others arrive"
"Understood Decimo", the driver said and Giotto started to walk to the direction of a forest.
I just trailed behind him, a good two meters was between us. I slowly looked over the place and I can't believe the view that I saw. We were on top of a hill that overlooks the entire town of Sicily.
"It's beautiful", I whispered and I can hear Giotto's footsteps anymore. I look ahead and saw that we were already separated by a hundred meters.
"Giotto, wait for me", I said and ran towards his direction. My clumsiness got a hold of me that time and I tripped over a rock with only three meters behind Giotto.
I waited for the expected pain that I would get from my hard impact to the ground but it never happened. Instead, a pair of hands grabbed my waist and I was pushed to someone's chest. I looked up and saw a pair of worried blue eyes and I thought that my heart stopped beating at that moment.
"I'm sorry", I said and backed a meter away and turned around clutching my fast beating heart.
"Next time be careful. If you want you can hold on to me", Giotto said and extended his hand. I looked at it for a while and decided to accept his proposition. I entwined our hands together and we walked towards the top of the hill where the orphanage is erected.
When we were at the gate of the orphanage, I saw a lot of children running around, playing, and sleeping.
Near the doorstep of the large and homely orphanage is a middle-age woman around 50. She has short black hair which she puts into a bun. She saw the two of us and waved.
"Giotto, I didn't know you'll be visiting here", the woman said and as if its magic word all the children looked to our direction and started to run towards our direction.
"Big Brother Giotto...you're here", all the kids said and they went near Giotto and I had to back away for a few meters so that they can all surround him.
"Giotto-nii thank you for visiting us again, we missed you", one of the orphans said and all took turns hugging Giotto. After a few minutes Giotto told them to play for a while he and the caretaker talks.
"So who's the beautiful lady Giotto, is he your girl friend or fiancée?" the woman said and I can't help but flush.
"No Maam I'm just Giotto's escort here", I reasoned and Giotto nodded.
"So you must be the Sky Protector then, am I right?" the woman asked and looked at me from head to toe making me quite uncomfortable.
"Giotto please excuse us for a moment, for the meantime why don't you and the children play at the gardens?" the woman said and dragged me to what I think is the living room.
"My name is Valdia by the name and your name is?" the woman who called herself as Valdia said and offered me tea.
"I'm Tsunayuki or Tsuna for short. It's nice to meet you Ms. Valdia", I said and gave a small bow.
"The same thing I can say to you. It's an honor to meet the Sky Protector. Say what is your relationship with Giotto?" Valdia asked and I almost choke on the tea.
"We are mere acquaintances and friends Valdia, how could you think about that?" I replied and tried to hide my blushing face.
"Oh, but you know to tell you the truth when I first saw the two of you holding hands when you arrived, I thought you were a couple", Valdia said and my blush became worse. "I would be really happy if the two of you end up together, my eyes are never wrong"
After our small chat Valdia led me to the gardens where Giotto is giving a piggyback ride to two boys and on his legs sat two others. The children around him look so happy and even he had a smile planted on his face. I can't help but look at the scene and engrave it to my memory.
"Whenever Giotto is around, the children are always full of smiles. Giotto also smiles and that makes him more handsome", Valdia said. "Why don't you join them?"
"I'm sorry Valdia but I'm not really good with kids, I haven't taken care of even one", I reasoned out but Valdia still dragged me the kids and Giotto's direction.
"Hey everyone listen here, this is Tsuna, Giotto's friend. She will be with you for today", Valdia said and I can't help but gulp.
"Hey everyone my name is Tsuna. It's nice to meet you", I said and bowed down. When I straightened myself I saw a couple of girls in front of me eyeing me.
"Tsuna-nee you are a very beautiful and pretty lady", they all said and I can't help but be surprised.
"Thank you", I replied and gave the brightest smile I can muster.
"Nee...can we call you Tsuna-nee?" one of the girls said and I just nodded.
"Tsuna-nee, Tsuna-nee let's play", the girls all said and dragged me to who knows where. All the boys went with Giotto for some adventure.
The girls dragged me into a flower field and I made a crown of flowers for all of them and placed them on top of their heads. They in turn made me one made of lilies and placed them on my head. We all ran around the flower fields until lunchtime.
The 12 bell sounded and we all went back to the orphanage where a picnic was being set by Giotto and Valdia.
"Sorry we're late", I said and all the girls ran towards their respective chairs while laughing.
"You all look so pretty, you look like Princesses", Valdia told the girls and they all giggled.
"Tsuna-nee made them for us. You know Valdia-nee, Tsuna-nee is a real life Princess", one of the girls said and that made me stop.
"Why did you say that Elsa?" Valdia asked the girl.
"You see, I saw a text message in Tsuna-nee's phone and some people calls her Princess and Hime. Everyone's treating her like a Princess", Elsa said.
"Really, Giotto-nii's friends also call him Ouji-sama or Prince sometimes. Giotto-nii is also so rich so that means he is a real life Prince", a boy named Fredrick said.
"If they are both royalties, then they should end up together right? In the books you read to us every night Ms. Valdia, the Prince and the Princess always end up together and get married right? So that means Giotto-nii and Tsuna-nee will end up together right?" another orphan named Rica said.
"Besides when we first saw them on the gate, they were holding hands. Also they are both beautiful and handsome", another orphan named, Alex said.
By this time I was really blushing. I don't know with Giotto though but he seems to freeze on the spot.
"So...when's the wedding?" Valdia asked and I can't help but smack her on the head.
"Ms. Valdia as I have told you Giotto and I are only friends", I said and Valdia only laughed.
"But don't couples start as friends?" Valdia replied and all the children cheered.
"Yehey, Giotto-nii and Tsuna-nee will get married! We will become flower girls and bearers", all the orphans shouted together and jumped all over the place.
"Everyone, calm down there will be no wedding, and besides if we don't start eating the food will end up cold", Giotto said and everyone started to eat.
"So, I haven't asked this yet, but where did you two first met?" Valdia asked and all of the children's ears perked up.
"Well, of course we met when Tsuna started to work in the mansion", Giotto simply replied and Valdia pouted.
"Really? But a certain someone said that you were classmates in middle school?" Valdia said and all the children's eyes are on the two of us again.
"Well..yeah we were classmates for a year", I replied.
"Oh...but that certain someone said that you were very very close friends", Valdia replied and I choke.
"But classmates should be close right?" Giotto replied again.
"But that certain someone said that every day you would fetch Tsuna and bring her home too. That is not a normal thing for classmates to do", Valdia said and both of us kept silent.
"Care to tell me whose this 'certain someone' is?" Giotto asked.
"Oh...but I was sworn into secrecy. So it's a S-E-C-R-E-T" Valdia replied with a finger in front of her lips and winked.
"Giotto-nii, Tsuna-nee let's play again", the children all said and we started to run over the whole place again.
"This time let's play hide-and-seek. We will all hide and the two of you will be the seekers, if you can't find all of us in an hour, you will both have to grant our wish. For every child you cannot find, you'll have to grant one wish each. So if you both can't find 5, you'll have to grant five wishes", Alex said.
"Alright, alright I'll count until a hundred", Giotto said and both of us faced towards a tree. "One...two...three"
At that moment all the children started to run all over the place. Four minutes passed and both of us started to look for the children.
In the first ten minutes, we found 7, at the next ten minutes we found 5, at the next 20 minutes we found 12, at the next fifteen minutes we found all except two- and that two are Alex and Rica.
Only five more minutes remained and both us looked all over the place but we still can't find the two. When only a minute remained we started to give up and yelled that they both win.
When the minute passed, we heard giggles near the treetops, there revealed on two of the trees are Alex and Rica with a grin on their faces.
"That means the two of you will have to grant two wishes", Alex said and the children all cheered and Giotto and I just sighed.
"Alright, alright, just spill them then", I said and Rica and Alex had a smirk on their face. I wonder where they learned that.
"First of all, from now on, we will both call you Mama and Papa", Alex said and I started to become pale, Giotto on the other hand just gave out a fitful cough.
"WHAT?" we both shouted and the children raised their finger and waved it from side to side.
"It's the rules, so no protesting Mama, Papa", they all said.
"Fine then, what's the second wish?" Giotto asked and I think I can guess what they are planning.
"Secondly...from now on Papa should kiss Mama", Rica said and all the children cheered again and Valdia went back to the orphanage to get a camera.
"WHAT?No, no, and no", we both shouted and all the kids started to pout and look at us with teary eyes.
"But you said and you promise that you will grant our wishes", they all said again. How come they always answer in groups?
"Alright, alright, we'll do it so don't cry okay", Giotto and I said and the children all smiled again.
"Yey...so do it now", the kids all again said.
I can hear Giotto sigh and for a second he grab my hand and push me near to his direction, he touched my head and I closed my eyes in response. After a few seconds, I can feel a kiss placed on my forehead, and I can hear the sound of cameras clicking and the happy squeals of the children and adults. Wait...adults?
"What's happening in here?" a familiar voice of G said I looked at the direction of the door just to see all the Guardians and Protectors staring at us, all of them with a grin on their faces and some holding a camera or their phone.
"That was such a cute scene", both Arisa and Elena said with sparkles on their eyes. "Don't worry all of you, we will both make sure that they will have the perfect wedding in the future"
"Really? Elena-nee, Arisa-nee we'll be the flowers girls and bearers right?" the children asked and were awarded by a nod.
"Say, why are you all here?" Giotto asked and looked at the fourteen people at the door.
"Well you see, after the driver called that the car broke we volunteered to drive the presents here", Hayate replied. "I should make a frame with this picture"
"Really? If you do that please give me a copy too", Rhea and Laela said and even the other boys asked for a copy too. Alaude and Kyoya in the other hand are in the other side of the room holding Chrome's phone and copying the pictures Chrome has gotten in the scene.
"Presents? There are presents?" the kids said and jumped up and down.
"Yup they are in the cars, we'll get them then" Daemon said and all the male Guardians went outside and got five sacks filled with presents.
"Say Ms. Valdia, care to tell us what's happening here?" Elena said and all the female Arceo and Protectors gathered in a circle.