I'm with the bloody half.

Chapter 16: The Second Day (Again)

"So, are you going to tell me why you're wearing a suit?"

"It's called casual wear."

Tsuna thought his eyebrows were going to hit the ceiling. "Your casual wear is a suit," he said in disbelief. "A suit is casual."

"Are you going to keep repeating that?"

"Casual is what I'm wearing right now, Reborn-senpai." He gestured over his body; he was wearing cargo shorts, an orange shirt with two black stripes on the end of the sleeves, and white sneakers.

Reborn leant towards him, and Tsuna had to step back as he was towered over. "And you're implying what, Tsuna?"

Gulping, Tsuna hastily shook his head. "N-nothing!" He locked the door behind him and started walking towards his companion but stopped. "Do you want to leave your jacket here? We're going to the amusement park. You might feel stuffy." As Reborn merely stared at him, he added, "Is there anything wrong?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I don't want you to wrinkle my jacket." Reborn didn't answer his question.

You're very welcome, thought Tsuna bitterly. He was grateful that Reborn at least slowed his pace down so he fell in step with him.

"Would you like to hold hands?" He lost his balance at Reborn's words, blaming the rock on the pathway, and felt arms surround his upper body. "I see. You prefer to be in them."

Flushed, he pushed the smirking Reborn away and sputtered. "You think very highly of yourself."

"What about you?" asked Reborn as they continued walking.

Tsuna exhaled at Reborn's gust of hot air. "I guess I do, too. I always see your name in the top rank –"

"I meant what do you think about yourself."

Oh. He furrowed his eyebrows, unsure where this was going. "I don't know, really."

"That's good," was the confusing reply.

"What do you mean?" asked Tsuna, kicking a lonely rock along the path. Best not to trip again.

"Think deeper, Tsuna."

\

The amusement park was less crowded than when he went with Hibari. He sat down on the bench as he waited for Reborn to return with their tickets. At the back of his mind, which he cursed, he thought of when Hibari had sat down on the very same seat he was on.

Tsuna needed to have strong words with himself about thinking of Hibari again and again. It's not something that should be a habit.

Amongst the sea of people, he managed to make out Reborn coming back, his suit immensely standing out. Cringing, he wondered how Reborn managed to keep his jacket on in the heat. It wasn't that hot, but the amount of people at the park's entrance made the air suffocating.

Reborn handed him one of the tickets without a word. With one hand holding the ticket and the other about to make its way to his wallet to pay for it, he almost tripped when Reborn grabbed his hand and dragged him inside the park. He didn't need to pay for it, noted.

"So what do you want to ride first?" asked Reborn.

Reborn and Hibari had a lot of similarities, but what made Reborn so much more frightening was the fact that no one was able to read him. Hibari was straightforward in what he wanted: disciplining. But Reborn's actions never had a clear motive, and it made Tsuna all the more vigilant against him. At the very least, he can use the Vongola's rule of treating their lover the best as a shield if ever he became too uncomfortable with Reborn.

Eyes dancing around the park, he attempted to stall for time, cautious of how to approach this day with Reborn. He already learnt his lesson about proving his manliness to other people when he came with Hibari. His eyes moved from The Tower, to the carousel, to the ice cream cart – and then he froze at seeing familiar blue hair.

Blue hair that was coming towards them.

Blue hair accompanied by someone with black hair.

"Mukuro, Hibari," greeted Reborn once the two guys were in front of them. Instinctively, Tsuna grabbed a fistful of Reborn's jacket, wary of what was happening. Leaning down to his ear, Reborn whispered, "Just so you know, I didn't invite them."

"Fancy seeing you here, Tsunayoshi-kun, Reborn." Something flashed in Mukuro's eyes at the latter's name, but it was gone the moment Tsuna blinked. He must have imagined it. He and Reborn had seemed closed when they went out for karaoke. "How about a double date?"

Hibari scowled. "Herbivore, I didn't come here for this." He was wearing his school uniform, and Tsuna couldn't think of a reason why Hibari would prefer coming to this park instead of school.

"Then," Reborn intertwined his fingers with Tsuna's, who was still shocked at seeing the other two, "why did you come, Hibari?"

"My business is none of your concern."

"But I'm sure Tsuna is also curious, right, Tsuna?" Reborn lightly bumped his arm to Tsuna's.

His eyes widened at Reborn's sudden attention. Blinking, he looked back and forth between the three and then behind the two newcomers. If Hibari was here, then there should have been another person. "Hibari-san, where's Kyoko-chan?" he managed to ask, stomach churning at the thought of being able to speak with him again.

Hibari's answer made him feel guilty, because Tsuna was so, utterly relieved. "She had business to attend to with her brother."

Kyoko had been ecstatic when Hibari accepted; something important must have come up. He bit his lip, aware of how much he had been neglecting his friend. "Does that mean you'll extend the week?" he asked.

"No, the rule is a week. No exceptions."

He tried harder. "But Kyoko-chan was excited to go out with you. There's no harm in it, isn't there?"

"Herbivore," said Hibari bluntly, "didn't you hear what I said? No exceptions."

Herbivore.

He didn't mean to, but his grasp on Reborn's tightened, and all he wanted to do was leave. "O-okay. It was great seeing you two, but Reborn-senpai wanted to ride the –" He threw Reborn a helpless look.

"Roller coaster," offered Reborn.

Tsuna's jaw slackened and then he gulped. It's fine. He can handle one teeny, tiny ride again on that monster. After all, he had already survived it once. With a slight nod to affirm what Reborn said and to encourage himself, he tugged Reborn's hand, hoping they would leave now.

"Roller coaster?" Hibari raised an eyebrow.

Reborn cocked his head. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"Do you think the herbivore wants to ride that?" Was Hibari worried about him?

"Do you think otherwise?" Was Reborn confident about him?

"I assumed you know better."

"I know the best, of course." Reborn squeezed Tsuna's hand as he added, "Always."

Tsuna shifted his eyes from the two, intimidated at the ambience they were carrying yet at awe at how neither was backing down, with questions being tossed around and left unanswered. To his right, Mukuro chuckled and remained silent. He really didn't want to be with this half of the Vongola. Yamamoto and even Gokudera, perhaps, were angels compared to these three.

On the other hand, Hibari was probably recalling their time together, and it made Tsuna happy that he was acknowledging it happened and that Hibari seemed concerned about him. But he wanted to get away from him. Why did Reborn have to say roller coaster?

"What do you think, Tsuna?" Reborn's question effectively snapped him away from his thoughts.

"I-I don't have a problem with it." Immediately, he regretted saying it the moment Hibari narrowed his eyes at him.

"Oya, Kyouya and I were actually planning on riding it too. Why don't we go together?" Tsuna didn't miss Hibari glance at Mukuro, but no words came out of Hibari's mouth nor did he give his usual frown. He wondered what the two were doing in the amusement park, as neither of them got along with the other.

"I don't mind," mumbled Tsuna, unable to find a reason to refuse. Wordlessly, Hibari began walking and he hastened to follow, attempting to break away from Reborn's hold which failed. Confused as the other two remained unmoving, he turned around and saw them looking at each other.

"Kufufu, he's pitifully obvious, isn't he?"

With his free hand, Reborn used his index finger to tilt Mukuro's head up, black eyes staring straight at heterochromiac ones. "And you're pitifully predictable, Mukuro."

Shaking him off, Mukuro grinned and Tsuna could tell it was forced, if not unnerved. "Am I now?"

Reborn ignored him and began making his way to the roller coaster, pulling his hand lightly to signal Tsuna to follow. Bewildered at the short exchange, he decided to keep quiet. One storm had just passed and another was already beginning to form.

At the very front of the line for the roller coaster was Hibari, with the rest of the crowd keeping their distance from him, talking with the man in charge of the ride who was clearly flustered. Tsuna attempted to hurry over, worried about what was happening, although he wasn't sure whom he was worried about. It was definitely the man, he concluded. Who knew what Hibari would do to him.

But the warmth on his left hand was stopping him from doing so. He turned to Reborn and said, "Please let go."

"No hurry. We can go together," said Reborn.

"Your rules include treating your lover in the best way as possible, and your lover is telling you to let go of his hand." Whose voice was that which sounded fierce? Tsuna's mouth shaped to an "o." It was his, and he began panicking, because Reborn was frightening, was someone a lot of people revered, and he was just Dame-Tsuna.

However, out of all the possible reactions he imagined he would get from Reborn, Tsuna never expected a grin would make its way on the other's face. Mukuro wasn't helping with his snickers he didn't even attempt to hide, and Tsuna wished Mukuro would leave if all he was going to do today was laugh. It unsettled him, as if he knew something Tsuna didn't; the mysterious, foreboding laugh which felt nauseating.

Releasing his hold, Reborn tilted his head towards the ride. "Well, shall we go?" Tsuna nodded absent-mindedly and ran off, brushing off the omniscient looks from the two.

"H-hey, Hibari-san," said Tsuna as he stood beside Hibari. To the man, he asked, "What's going on?"

The man seemed relieved at his presence, welcoming the different aura he carried. He motioned to the cars behind him exaggeratedly, seemingly tired from repeating it over and over again. "There are only two seats left, and this young man is insisting to ride now and to make two others leave for his friends."

Hibari gritted out, "I never mentioned friends, herbivore." It was almost laughable how a word oozing with warmth and love could be said in such a cold, irritated voice.

This man, without doubt, didn't know who Hibari was, and Tsuna grimaced at how badly this could have ended up if he hadn't arrived. "Reborn-senpai and I can ride the next one," he said to Hibari, knowing his patience wasn't exactly high. "Hibari-san and Mukuro can go ahead."

"Oya," Stepping forward, Mukuro placed a hand on Hibari's shoulder, which was in an instant shrugged off, "but Reborn said he wanted to ride it now."

"Oh." Hesitantly, after placing Reborn's smirking face at the back of his mind, Tsuna said, "Then maybe Reborn-senpai and Hibari can go first?"

Hibari curtly intervened, "No."

Obviously, it was an idea highly unwelcomed. Tsuna bit his lip at how trivial this issue was. This problem was never supposed to be a problem in the first place, but he had to deal with selfish men who only think about themselves. "Can't we just wait for the next ride?" he squeaked out.

"On second thought," Reborn spoke up, "Leon seems parched. Why don't you go ahead with Hibari, Tsuna?"

"I am, too. I'll go with Reborn." Mukuro leant down to Tsuna's ear and, in a low voice, said, "Don't get devoured, little rabbit."

Without waiting for an answer, Mukuro and Reborn started walking away, and it took Tsuna a heartbeat to realise they were playing with him, playing with the knowledge that he had feelings for Hibari. He glared at Reborn's back, because Reborn never had second thoughts, much less change his mind about anything.

"So, uh," the man hesitantly spoke up, "you can get on now."

Begrudgingly, he complied and tried to contain his ugly blend of giddiness, anxiety, and guilt at spending the time alone with Hibari. When the machinery began making noises and the other passengers were already practicing their screams, he believed he should add terror to his list of emotions he was feeling at that instant.

Just before the ride plunged down from its peak, Tsuna thought he heard Hibari mutter something but was drowned in the shrieks filling the air.

\

Neither Mukuro nor Reborn could be found by the time they came back safe on the ground. Proud and pleased, Tsuna found himself smiling at surviving the ride yet could still feel the pounding and adrenaline of his heart. The next time he would ride it, he was confident he could go through it without closing his eyes.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Hibari approach him, and Tsuna gratefully accepted the bottle of water he handed over. The thought of Hibari worrying about him without obligation brought more comfort than the cold liquid currently passing through his throat. Sitting down on the other end of the bench, Hibari didn't utter a single word.

"Thank you," said Tsuna as he closed the bottle.

"This is a public place. Your unconscious body will be a burden." Hibari didn't even spare him a glance.

He took the words without obligation back. "I didn't faint the first time," he protested.

Hibari smirked. "You were about to."

"That's not true!"

"You were white from head to toe."

Tsuna stuck his tongue out, finally completely calmed down. "Well, now I'm not." This was nice: having playful banter with Hibari, and he fought the urge to grin, which he thoroughly failed at because Hibari arched an eyebrow at him.

"You seem happy," he said. "Was riding it again that big an accomplishment?"

Talking with you again is that big an accomplishment. "I guess so," he lied. He wanted to ask about why he was with Mukuro, but he assumed the entire Vongola group was close amidst all the arguments, just like on their karaoke night. There was still something on his mind, however. "How are you and Kyoko-chan?"

Hibari gave him a short glance before asking, "Why do you ask?"

He raised his hands in defence. "She's my best friend, so I was just wondering."

"Your mother said you like her, if I recall."

Haha, I actually like you both. But here you are dating each other, he thought bitterly. He wasn't liking where their conversation was heading, so he chose not to answer. Then there was silence, silence that bordered on awkward, and he tried grasping for any coherent topic he can think of. Memories of conversations with Hibari flew over his head, and he was left with nothing to talk about.

Opening his water bottle again, he opted to drink to delay speaking once more and almost spat the water out when Hibari said, "You like orange."

"Huh?"

"The colour. You also wore orange when we went out."

Half-stunned that Hibari had been paying attention to him and half-amazed at how random Hibari could be, Tsuna only stared at his companion, before laughter came erupting out of him. "Yeah, I like it. I think it's a warm colour."

Emptying his water bottle wasn't a bright idea; now he felt the urge to urinate and he began inwardly cursing his bladder for betraying him at such a good time. "Hibari-san, I need to go to the toilet for a bit. Do you mind waiting for me here?" He gulped when he didn't receive a response.

Eventually, he heard, "I don't like waiting, herbivore."

He pleaded. "P-please?" There were several things he wanted to say please to. Don't leave him alone in a place overflowing with happiness and companionship. Help him search for Reborn as he had no form of contact with him. Spend time with him, even if for a little while.

Here he was being shameless when Kyoko must have been facing something important right now; Kyoko, whom he owed so much; Kyoko, just Kyoko.

"Fine," said Hibari.

Just for a while, Kyoko-chan, just for a little while.

Beaming, Tsuna rushed off to the nearest lavatory he could find. In his haste, his fingers kept fumbling on his pants' zipper.

"Kufufu, you're going to wet your pants at this rate."

"Hie!" Mukuro's relaxed figure greeted him as he spun around, and he was grateful he didn't wet his pants from the shock. "Where were you and Reborn-senpai? Hibari-san's just outside –" His bladder whined. "Um, could you wait for me outside?"

If Mukuro took one more step towards him, Tsuna swore he was going to sock him.

"Shy are we, Tsunayoshi-kun? I have what you have –"

\

"Oya, I didn't expect that."

"Sorry. It was instinct," muttered Tsuna; he didn't regret punching him though. "Anyway, where were you and Reborn-senpai? Where is he anyway? Why did you suddenly leave?" he asked as he led the way back to Hibari. "Also, don't you have your own date?"

"Don't you like our generosity, Tsunayoshi-kun?" Mukuro smiled as a girl bumped into him. "We're letting you spend time with bird freak."

Tsuna's eyes blazed. "Because it's fun to play with me?"

Mukuro hummed. "When people play with things, they usually have a happy ending in mind."

"Of course they do." Tsuna frowned, and in the distance, he saw Hibari on the bench where he left him. "Who would want a sad ending? How does that even answer anything?"

Mukuro's eyes bore on him. "How will you have a happy ending if you don't fight back?" And then he drawled, "Dame-Tsuna."

Tsuna stilled. He wasn't sure how to react to Mukuro's obvious mockery. For the past few days, ever since he got involved with the Vongola, his school life had been relatively quiet, and the turmoil in his emotions made him forget about bullies and tormentors and being physically hurt.

Then he felt anger bubble in him. He didn't mean to be involved with the Vongola, but so much in his life has changed just by meeting them and a part of him knew that, amidst all his internal conflict, he was grateful to be involved. Mukuro was clearly jeering him, and perhaps instead of anger, he was actually frustrated. He'll keep trying. He'll keep stepping forward.

He was about to retort when Mukuro continued, "Rabbits can die from loneliness, so let's make a story where he'll have a happy ending." Those words were too familiar for Tsuna's taste; he remained in his spot, eyes on the floor, attempting to recall where he heard it before.

He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there when Mukuro spoke again. "As long as you're interesting, I'll be around, Vongola." With a last chuckle, Mukuro turned around and left without so much as a glance at him.

Did Mukuro just call him Vongola? It didn't make any sense; he wasn't a part of their group and he had no plan in joining. He wanted to call him out and ask what he meant, but the moment he was about to, a group of children ran past in front of him, and eventually, he lost sight of Mukuro. The entire Vongola needed a crash course on proper communication.

Sighing, he walked back to Hibari, whom he hoped wasn't that irritated at him. Once he was near enough, he could see Hibari talking to someone on his phone, and his heart tightened. Hibari only had two people in his contacts: Kusakabe and the person he was dating. It could've been Kusakabe, but Tsuna wasn't going to ignore the possibility that it was Kyoko.

Instinctively, he grabbed his own phone from his pocket, remembering he still had Hibari's contact information. Did Hibari delete his information the moment their week ended? Of course he would. He didn't have a reason to keep it. In return, he should also delete Hibari's; he won't be using it anytime soon, or ever, anyway.

"You've been standing there for quite a while."

He jumped at the voice and accidentally dropped his phone, which, to his horror, fell in front of Reborn, screen lighted up, freely displaying Hibari's contact card for all to see. Reborn looked down to the phone and winked at Tsuna as he frantically scampered to get it. What was up today with these guys surprising him?

Swallowing his embarrassment, he returned his phone to his pocket and asked, "Where were you? I thought the Vongola was supposed to treat their lover in the best way possible." He cursed his voice for shaking.

"We are, and I haven't violated it, have I?" There it was again, that omniscient look he utterly hated. Always, he was always left out.

"Leaving your date is the best way?" Reborn's amused face thoroughly scared and annoyed him, but he did not say anything more.

Hibari raised an eyebrow and uncrossed his legs when they approached him.

Quickly, Tsuna said, "I bumped into Reborn-senpai and Mukuro separately, but Mukuro suddenly left."

Reborn hummed, and the next thing he did completely caught Tsuna off guard. He purred, "Why don't we go ride something, Tsuna? We're on a date after all."

Didn't you just leave me alone earlier? Suddenly, he felt a firm grasp on his wrist; he bit his lip at the strength and directed his widened eyes at Hibari, who was glaring at Reborn. On the other hand, Reborn merely smirked at Tsuna's wrist and Hibari's hand, eventually prompting Hibari to look at the same direction. He released his hold and, without explaining his action, said, "I'm leaving."

Instead of leaving, however, Hibari stared at Tsuna. "Uh," he started but ended in a nervous form of laughter. He wasn't sure why Hibari was looking at him, or what he was expecting from him. A glance at Reborn told him nothing. Maybe he was just waiting for Tsuna's parting phrase. With Mukuro leaving, Hibari no longer had a reason to stay with them.

He wished he was a reason for Hibari to stay. Wryly smiling, he managed to say, "Thanks for today, Hibari-san. See you tomorrow at school."

His imagination must be running wild today, because he thought Hibari's eyes widened for an instant before going back to its normal size, and he only thought of asking Hibari to stay with them when the prefect's back disappeared from their sight. There was no way Hibari would agree, though.

"Are you familiar with visual novels, Tsuna?" asked Reborn.

He had barely opened his mouth to reply when Reborn continued, "That just now was a bad end."