The next few days,
Mio's POV
Tsuyoshi-san had gone to the market to buy some fresh ingredients. Now, it's only me and Takeshi. We were cleaning the shop in silence and Takeshi decided to break it. "Mio-chan."
"What, Takeshi?"
"What do you like to do when you're free?"
"Eh?" Mio startled but calmed back. "Hmm… Music I think. No, I like swords and arts too…"
"Mio, can you sing?"
"Maybe?"
"Hahaha, cool!"
"But why did you ask?"
"Just because. Ah, right! Mio, I need to go to my friend's house for a while. Do you want to tag along?"
"No, I will stay here."
"Okay. Don't worry, I won't be long! I'm going!"
"Yeah, have a safe trip!" Mio waved at him before continuing her work.
The door slid opened, "Ah, I'm sorry but we're…closed…" She stared at the black haired boy maybe in his 10s in front of her. "Who are you?" the male teen looked familiar. Mio almost mistook him for Takeshi. "Hmm, ah, I'm Yamamoto Ugetsu or you can call me Asari. I'm Tsuyoshi's oldest son. Is he here?"
"No, he was out."
"I see. Well, sorry, miss. My friends are here and we're about to talk about something very important."
"I-I will make some tea, then." After that, she went into the kitchen. She peeked outside. There are 9 people including Asari gathering at a table. 'All of them are good-looking… Tsuyoshi didn't tell me anything about his oldest son neither did Kazuko-san. I thought they only had a son.' Then, the phone at the counter rang. "Ah, I'll get it!" Mio picked it, "Hello?"
"Mio-chan, it's me." Tsuyoshi-san said cheerfully.
"What is it?"
"That's, Mio-chan. You have a long blade, right?"
"Did you mean 'Kesshoyuki'? Yes, why?"
"I noticed that it had been a little cracked."
"Ah? You noticed…"
"I know a skillful sword smith and he's in the town. I've thought about fixing your blade. How about it?"
"Okay but..."
"As a fellow sword man, I understand your feeling about leaving a sword that we held dear to an outsider, don't worry, he's a trustworthy friend of mine." Mio was uncertain at that time but decided to give up. 'Kesshoyuki will break in a matter of time if I refused.'
"Okay but please, Tsuyoshi-san, I'm not skillful enough to be called a sword woman." Tsuyoshi chuckled, "Nonsense! When we sparred the other day, you are better than me. Anyway, don't worry about your Kesshoyuki! I guaranteed that it will be as good as new after that! Okay, I'll come back with the sword smith. Takeshi's there, right?"
"No, he went to his friend's house. And there are guests here."
"Guests? Who are they?"
"Your oldest son, Yamamoto U-Ugitsu and his friends, I think?"
"WHAT! UGETSU'S HOME?! WHEN? WHERE? HOW!" Mio had to put away the phone from her ear. Meanwhile, Asari just smiled and thought, 'Ah, Oyaji didn't change much at all…'
"Just now…"
"Okay, I'll come back ASAP!"
"E-Eh?! Tsuyoshi-san!" the call ended before Mio got to say anything. She sighed and rubbed her ears. "My ears hurt. Who would've thought that Tsuyoshi-san's screams would be this powerful…"
"Ahaha! He always likes that if I came back without telling."
"Um… Asari-san, why I haven't seen you in the house?"
Asari leaned at the counter while facing Mio's cute face, "Well, you can say that I have business to attend to."
"Eh?" Mio pouted, "Kazuko-san didn't tell anything about you, neither did Tsuyoshi-san or Takeshi…"
"You knew my late mother?"
"Un, she asked me a favor a year before she died…"
"What's that?"
"To protect Tsuyoshi-san and Takeshi from dangerous people those were targeting them."
Asari was speechless. 'Mom told me nothing about it…' He looked carefully at Mio and smiled, "I see… Ahaha! Thanks for protecting them. I'm grateful."
Then, a noise was heard from the kitchen, "AH! The tea…!" Mio said and ran off to the kitchen leaving Asari with his friends. "Asari, are you okay?" one of them asked which was a boy with blonde spiky hair and blue eyes. "Gomen, Giotto-san, I was speechless. How come my late mother told me nothing about Takeshi and Oyaji being targeted...?"
"Tch, maybe she doesn't want to burden you since you've decided to join the mafia." A boy with red –pink- octopus-like hair, red eyes and a red tattoo on the right side of his face that looks similar to a Storm Flame, told while put his hands in the back of his head. "Don't worry, Asari, your late mother might had her own reason. May God bless her soul..." a young priest with darkish honey colored eyes and dark brown almost black hair. He wears a white bandage over his nose. A boy with dark blue long hair that was tied into a small pony-tail and blue eyes looked at his silver ring and lost in his own thoughts with solemn face.
"Nufufu~ you were unexpectedly silent, Akira Minoru…" A boy with short blue hair pineapple hairstyle with two zigzag partings, lighter hair color and has bangs talked mockingly at the silent boy, Akira Minoru but no words came out from the said boy. Everyone stared at him with the same thought, 'He was thinking about his lost little sister again…'
"Minoru, don't worry, your sister will come back one day." Giotto tried to assure his friend. "I don't know, Gio… Something was troubling me, after Mom told me about her… I get a feeling that she was near me."
"Don't worry, Minoru-san, you should be positive. Besides, she would be unpleasant when she know that her brother was sad." Elena, a girl with long blond wavy hair and light blue eyes assured him. "Thanks, Elena, guys. Sorry though."
"You were unexpectedly weak at heart for a carnivore." A boy with platinum blonde hair and ice blue eyes said. "Yare yare, don't worry Lampo-sama… I want some candies…" and the last member, a boy with light green curly hair and electric blue eyes said with a yawn while resting his head on the table."Geez, spoiled brat…" G sighed.
They were interrupted by Mio who brought tea and snacks. "Um, sorry for disturbing, I made some green tea and snacks." Minoru's eyes fell on the icy blue butterfly pendant around the girl's neck. "Thanks. Ah, what's your name, little miss?" Asari asked with a smile. "S-Saki M-Mio…" Mio answered with a small blush. "What a cute name and its suits you so much, Mio-chan" Elena said with a wink and a smile. "Thanks… uh…"
"Oh, I'm Elena, 11 years old. Nice to meet you! This guy beside me is Rokudo Daemon Spade, 12 years old. "Nufufu~ nice to meet you, little missy."
'Creepy laugh, face and voice! I get a feeling that this guy is a pervert… Note to self: Stay away and never be alone with this melon addicted guy…' Mio thought with a sweat-drop.
"Ahaha, that pinky head opps, I mean red is Gokudera G. He's 10 years old." Asari could only laugh when he saw a big vein popped on G.'s head and menacing aura. 'Another note to self: Pissing G. off whenever we met. Mwahahaha!' Mio thought with a small smirk. "That blonde over there is Giotto or his real name is Sawada Ieyasu."
"Nice to meet you."
"Sawada? Are you Sawada Tsunayoshi's brother?"
"Oh, you know my lil' bro?"
"We met a few days ago."
"I see." Giotto flashed off his smile. And yet, Mio thought again, 'His smile is blinding me! Too bright!' though, her face was normal. "Next is Sasagawa Knuckle, the priest." Mio was greeted with a loud 'Extreme!'
"Hn, Hibari Alaude, 11." Alaude said. "Ooookaaay."
"I'm Lampo-sama. From now on, you shall be my servant." He said. "No."
"WHA-!"
"Why would I want to be a servant to an already spoiled kid?"
"You're cruel!"
"Just kidding! It's a really great pleasure to meet you, Lampo-san." Lampo seemed to be taken aback by Mio's smile. "Maa, I will forgive you." He said while turning away.
"I'm Akira Minoru, 12 years old. There's something bothering me."
"Hai?"
"Where did you get that pendant?" Minoru asked while pointing at the butterfly pendant. "Ah, this. I got this from…" Mio held the pendant in her hands.
'Wait, where did I get this? I didn't even realize up until now…' She thought. "Uh… I bought this a few days ago…?" she lied. "I see…" Minoru went solemn again with a grey cloud on his head and lightning struck down. "D-Did I say something wrong?" Mio suddenly felt guilty. "Ahaha! Don't worry, sometimes he like this."
"I see."
The door slid opened and revealed panting Takeshi, "Sorry, Mio-chan, it took so much time than I thought… Are? Ugetsu nii-san, when did you get back?" Takeshi went to his brother. "A few minutes ago… How are you?"
"Haha, I've been really great recently." Takeshi replied. Suddenly, a broom came into his view. "Since you're late, you have to clean the rest."
"Eh~? But-But Mio-chan~!" he puffed his cheeks. "No buts! Besides, why didn't you tell me that you have a brother?"
"Ah, haha! I totally forgot about it! Sorry."
"No!" she started to walk away. "Mio-chan! Ne, ne, I'll do it so don't get angry, okay?" He slung an arm on her shoulders. She turned away with a small tint of blush on her cheeks. She eventually gave up with a sigh. "Okay, geez, you don't have to do that, you're entering my privacy."
"Entering privacy? What's that?" A vein popped on her head. WHACK! "Itte! Mio-chan's harsh!" Takeshi whined at Mio's back as she went into her room. She turned around with a pissed off face. "STUDY, WOULD YOU!" she shouted as she chased him around with a broom. "Haha! Are we playing tag game?" he laughed as he ran away from raging Mio. "TAKESHI, DON'T LAUGH WHEN I WAS ANGRY WITH YOU!" she said. "Haha, maa maa, no need to be angry. So, are you 'it'?" he asked with oh-so oblivious face. Mio wailed and hugged Elena who was near her. "ELENA-SAN!" Everyone sweat-dropped and laughed "There, there… Don't cry, now, okay?" she coaxed her.
"I'm home with a guest~!" Tsuyoshi and red haired guy and silver eyes wearing black dress shirt and white slacks stepped into the shop only to see crying Mio and puzzled Takeshi. "Ah, Oyaji, welcome back." Asari greeted. "Yeah, what's going on here?"
"Ah, well, Takeshi's obliviousness made Mio-chan cried." Tsuyoshi could only sighed "Oh, let me introduce my friend, Makoto Shin, the sword smith I told you about, Mio." Mio stopped crying and looked at the man who smiled. "Hello there, little girl. Are you the skillful sword woman that I heard from Tsuyoshi?"
"S-Skillful? No… I'm just a beginner…" she wiped the tears. "Okay, you guys, Mio, Makoto-san and I have to discuss about something."
"Can we stay too?" Asari asked with a serious voice. "Sure." Shin replied. After all of them sat at the table, they went to the business. "Saki-chan, your blade was the legendary, Crystal Snow, Kesshoyuki, right?"
"Legendary? Really?"
"You're the wielder and yet, you knew nothing about it?" Makoto raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I just stole it from the dangerous guys that were chasing me."
"Stole? I see, so, you stole from the Rovinare famiglia, huh…" Everyone except Takeshi and Tsuyoshi (he knew) tensed. "Um, I'm not quite sure…"
"The Rovinare famiglia discovered it in a mountain in Switzerland."
"Oh…"
"Now, can I see Kesshoyuki?"
"Sure…" she got up from her chair and raised her right arm. She closed her eyes and unknown glowing icy blue tattoo started to appear on her arm. She reopened her eyes and a long blade coated in light blue flames appeared. When she grabbed it, the flames dispersed and the tattoo disappeared. She sighed, "Here." She gave the blade. The blade's handle was black and blue with black long chain at the end of it while its scabbard was plain blue black. When Makoto unsheathed it, the blade was pure white even with cracks on it. Makoto inspected it before smile, "Leave it to me. I think if you fight in this state, it will break easily."
"Thanks, Shin, when will it done?"
"Normally, I can get a sword fixed in a week or so but this blade is a complicated one, perhaps a year or more. To fix it, I will need a high rank snow ring. Since you don't have one, I need you to come with me, Mio."
"Eh?"
"What? Is there another way?" Tsuyoshi asked clearly concerned about her. Makoto shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll go with him."
"But Mio, you have to go to the kindergarten next week…" Takeshi said sadly.
"Told the teacher I'm sick or what."
"Still-"
"I'll go."
"Okay…"
"Okay, then, I'll pick you up tomorrow."
That night,
Mio peeked into Takeshi's room and saw the boy curled up on his bed. "Takeshi…" she called as she nearing him. "…" the said boy didn't move. Mio forced him to look at her. "Takeshi, why did you cry?" the boy's eyes were teary and some were running down his cheeks, "Mio's going to leave…" Mio sighed but smiled. She cupped his face, "Mou~ what happened to the 'happy-go-lucky' Takeshi? You aren't you at all. Besides, I'll be gone for a year or more."
"You said as if you don't want to be here…"
"No, you know, my Kesshoyuki is one of my precious in my life. I can't just let it broke or sell it. I love it and I won't let it go till it's time."
"…"
"Do you want to know another one?"
"Huh?"
Mio shyly hugged the boy, "It's the boy who I was hugging." Takeshi's eyes went wide but returned the hug. "You are too." They stayed like that and eventually fell asleep beside each other. After that, Asari went in with a camera. Click! "They were cute~. I might as well show this to Oyaji and my friends."
The next day came and Mio started her journey…
Shina: So, how was it?
1598: Better than none.
Yuki: So cute~!
1598: Girls...
Yuki: Hey!
1598: What?
Shina: -sighed- we own nothing except the OC's.
Everyone: Don't forget to review! Ciao ciao~!
