Yuuki merrily hummed as she buzzed around her house, preparing to head off to school. She was being extra careful with her preparation today because today was both a happy, yet dangerous day for Yuuki.
You may ask, 'how can a day be both happy yet dangerous?'
Well, it was Valentine's Day.
How can Valentine's Day be dangerous, you wonder?
Throughout her life and amidst many missions, Yuuki had the utmost pleasure of experiencing the wonderful dangers of Valentine's Day.
Please do not misunderstand though. She loved the aspect of exchanging Valentine's chocolates and gifts, but the holiday itself was a constant, repeated stressor in her life.
It didn't need to be such an exhausting day, but it was, unfortunately, something Yuuki had no control over. She can use many different methods to avoid and lessen the danger, but it would always be there, on this day, each and every year.
What could it be? You are probably wondering.
HORDES!
Hordes of females – or sometimes males, depending on the country she was in and the sex she was disguised as – hounding her at every corner! The crowds were something Yuuki could handle because she was used to dealing with them throughout and in her everyday lives. What made Valentine's Day especially dangerous this year at Nami-chuu was because of one, specific person.
Remember that creepy receptionist lady in the first chapter? Well, after getting her fired, Yuuki would find herself being stalked by the woman all day on Valentine's Day. The obsessed woman would do anytime to make Yuuki hers. She would even go as far as to attempt to drug Yuuki with an aphrodisiac so that she can have her ways with 'him'.
Fortunately, Yuuki managed to avoid and prevent such events from happening, but she still gets shivers just thinking about it. It wasn't the first time someone tried to drug her, but this incident, in particular, brought immense aversion to Yuuki.
The most recent attempt from her stalker happened last year. Her stalker was bold enough to attempt kidnapping her and having her drink some kind of mysterious 'love potion' – Yuuki supposed that she was getting desperate at this point. Whatever that mysterious liquid was, it had gotten Yuuki hospitalized because of it and that was saying a lot since Yuuki was trained at a young age to be immune to all types of poisons.
Serious, when does that crazy lady even have the time to do all of this – to plan everything? Why Valentine's Day? Doesn't she have better things to do than to stalk an underage, pubescent 'boy'? How did she even get the job as a receptionist in the first place if this was the type of person she was?!
It seemed that the principal was not disciplined enough…
Anyway, that was why this year Yuuki had come extra prepared. She had brought an arsenal of tools with her, in case she gets into any situation where she would need them; make sure that the police kept an eye out for the woman, and notified Hibari of her possible stalker in case she suddenly goes missing or something.
While on the topic of Hibari, Yuuki felt a bit…uncertain about something. When she went to notify Hibari of her stalker issue, Hibari's reactions were…a bit explosive. He was most definitely furious, but Yuuki felt that there was an underlining worriedness to it.
But that can't be possible, right?!
We were talking about Hibari here! The carnivore who could care less about others! It wasn't possible, was it? Maybe it was a pride thing? Maybe he just doesn't like other messing with Nami-chuu's students because that will indirectly mean troubling the school itself?
Feeling her mind getting burnt out from her overanalyses of the situation, Yuuki decided to push the issue aside and focus on the current moment. Despite the trouble the holiday will be bringing, Yuuki still planned on celebrating it. She was especially excited this year because now she had people to give chocolate to.
You see, since the Mugen clan value family and loyalty, it has always been a tradition to celebrate the holidays together as a Family. For Valentine's Day, it was the tradition of giving chocolate as a Family. Back at home in the Mugen compound, most of the female members of the clan would band together and create homemade chocolates together as a bonding moment between the different generations.
These chocolates would then later be distributed to the rest of the Family and everyone gets one. This helped facilitate closeness and the feeling of belonging – that no one was left out. It was a Clan bonding moment for the Mugen and Yuuki missed participating in the event. That was why Yuuki was extra happy this year since she will be able to give out chocolate to people she knew! They might not be her Clan, but they will be close enough to be a good replacement for them.
That reminds her, after thinking about chocolate, Yuuki remembered that she needed to pick up some fruits – specifically strawberries and bananas – after school for the gathering at Tsuna's house. Making a mental notice to stop by the grocery store for the fruits, Yuuki picked up her colorful bag filled with many individuals, homemade chocolates and skipped out the door, ready for the day.
When she arrived at the gate of the school, she saw a group of her fans already standing there waiting for her. There were a lot of people there, but nothing Yuuki couldn't handle herself. The disguised girl took a deep breath as she mentally and physically prepared herself for the onslaught of students.
"Ohayou," Yuuki greeted, catching her fans' attention. Immediately she was swarmed by the girls, a majority of them squealing and shoving their chocolates into her arms. Yuuki thanked each girl as she continued to walk to school, causing her many fans to either follow her or get left behind.
"Kyaa! Kaichou!"
"Keep up the great work, Kaichou!"
"If you need any help, you can always ask me, Yuuki-kaichou!"
"Don't overwork yourself, Yuuki-senpai!"
"Take care of yourself!"
Well, they were at least thoughtful fans.
-`ღ´-
"Ah, peace and quiet," Yuuki groaned as she plopped herself down onto the sofa in the reception room, a.k.a., the Disciplinary Committee room. The sounds of papers rustling accompanied the groans as she was not alone in the room. Off to the side sat Hibari at his desk, working on some of his daily paperwork.
"What are you doing here?" Hibari asked, not looking up from his desk.
"Just taking a break. I'm currently hiding from my fans," Yuuki covered her mouth from a yawn. "My admirers would be too scared to enter the room with you here."
"Hn," Hibari grunted but made no further comment.
Throughout the day, Yuuki had been bombarded by her fans who all came to give her chocolate, treats, presents, and to overall thank her for all of her hard work as the school's student body President.
Most of them boldly came to her in groups while others used subtle means to deliver their packages like sneaking into the council room. Yuuki decided to excuse their behaviors for today since they harbored no ill intentions and most importantly, all vital secrets were proficiently hidden away from public view.
Among her shyer fans, there were also a few who were more creative in their ways of delivering their presents to Yuuki. One example came from a student who was too timid to confront her and too afraid to sneak into the council room.
During a normal walk down the school hallway, Yuuki suddenly found herself stumbling upon a small package being delivered, airborne by a cluster of helium balloons. It was a memorable method to say at least. Another student even got a dog to go deliver the package to Yuuki for them.
Despite, the questionable intelligence of Nami-chuu's students, they can at least be ambitious and creative enough with the execution of their goals.
In any case, Yuuki accepted all gifts presented to her and discarded many questionable ones that she suspect came from the crazy receptionist.
Now that you mention it, where was that crazy lady?
You would expect her to have confronted Yuuki by now or would at least made a public appearance. Yuuki slightly turned to express her question to Hibari since his subordinates are usually stationed around the school. "Say Hibari, did that crazy receptionist ever made an appearance at school today?"
"No," Hibari paused in his writing and, unnoticeably to Yuuki, nudged a large, bloodied handbag towards the underside of his desk. "She didn't, but there is no need for you to be worried about her. I'm sure she won't be making any more appearances in the near future."
Hidden from Yuuki's view, Hibari's eyes flashed maliciously and a savage smirk danced on his lips before his face punctually schooled into an apathetic demeanor, just in time for Yuuki to turn around and look at him.
For a long period, Yuuki stared at the skylark with narrowed eyes, having the slightest suspicion that Hibari had a part in the crazy lady's recent disappearance, but she soon pushed the notion aside in favor of recalling an important task; she still has her chocolates to give out!
Having been busy all day, she had completely forgotten about them. Luckily she had kept them in the Disciplinary Committee room or she feared that they would all be stolen by the students who have snuck into the council room.
Even if they were stolen, Yuuki had her ways to pay back their hospitality, but that was beside the point. She needed to hand out her chocolates before the day ends.
Grabbing the bag of goodies from the corner of the room, Yuuki rummaged inside and took out a medium-sized, red box decorated with a black ribbon. Yuuki skillfully tossed the box to Hibari, "Here, catch."
Snatching it in midair, Hibari took a break from his work to eye the box in his hand. "For me?"
"Mhm," Yuuki hummed in affirmative before departing out of the room. Seeing how it was break time, she made the educated guess that Tsuna and his gang will be hanging around their classroom. Hibari's gaze followed the preoccupied omnivore as she exited the room before flicking back to the box of chocolate in his hand.
"Hmmmm," Hibari smiled, his heart swelling as he leaned his cheek onto a propped-up fist. A satisfied sound rumbled from his chest as he turned the box around in his other hand. Since Yuuki was not in the room, she was oblivious to the reaction her chocolate has caused and the feeling it invoked inside of Hibari.
-`ღ´-
Arriving outside the corridor of class 1-A, Yuuki immediately spotted the group of girls crowding around one of the doorways to the classroom. She could even hear more clatters of adolescent girls coming from inside.
"Cut it out already!" A voice, one Yuuki was quite familiar with, briskly sliced through the energetic air. Since Gokudera's bellow was so loud and clear, she was able to detect the sharp annoyance within the tone.
It was obvious that Gokudera was aggravated by the girls and their obnoxious screams. Unfortunately for him, his plan of silencing them backfired and only caused the group of girls blocking the doorway to get even more hyped up.
"He's totally awesome!"
"He really is!"
"Kyyyaaa! His annoyed face is sooo cute!"
Stealthily, Yuuki snuck passed the group of eager girls and entered the room from the other doorway. Peeking her head inside, she saw students spread out around the classroom with the majority of the girls surrounding Yamamoto. The taller boy had his usual smile on his face as he casually adds one-after-another gifted chocolates to the growing pile in his arms.
Not everyone was interacting though. Evidently, Tsuna was by himself at his desk, watching dejectedly as his popular friends receive chocolates from the female population.
"Yamamoto-kun!"
"I'll cheer you on at your next game!"
Tilting her head, Yuuki slyly crept over to Tsuna and discreetly stopped by his desk. "Feeling a bit envious, Tsuna-kun?" Yuuki teased, startling the young boy.
"Yuuki-senpai!" Tsuna snapped his head up, revealing his shocked gaze as he stared at the president from his seat. Tsuna's commotion drew the attention of others, causing the sound of chatters to rise in volume.
"Eh? What is Yuuki-senpai doing here?"
"Is he here for Sawada-kun?"
"I bet you Sawada-kun is in some sort of trouble. It wouldn't be the first time."
One of the girls gawking at Yuuki suddenly sighed dreamily. "Should I give him my chocolate?" She dazedly asked her friends.
"No!" Her friends all shouted in union, startling the poor girl.
"Don't!"
"Unless Yuuki-kaichou asked for you specifically, you have to go get permission from his fanclub in order to have any sort of personal interactions with him. They are a bit strict on everything related to the president."
"If you don't, you will get hounded or even harassed by them!"
"They're so fierce with their dedication that they even forced a girl to transfer school because she had kept a pen the president had previously lost!"
The girl was shocked by that revelation. "No?! Really? How is that possible?! It wasn't like she stolen the pen, did she?"
"We're not too sure about the details, but the girl was actively aware that the pen belonged to Yuuki-senpai and purposely did not give it back."
"Wow, just how intense is the fanbase?"
"Super intense. My friend who is a part of the group even told me that there is a ranking system inside of the club. The more favor Yuuki-kaichou bestowed upon you, the higher your rank is."
"What?!" The girl was hit with another shocking reveal while her friends all nodded in agreement with the information.
"You recall our history lessons? Yuuki-senpai is basically the Emperor of the school while the fanclub is his court and harem. Each committee or 'factions' even have their own 'imperial consort' in which they associate with!"
"A bit fitting since he is the Student Council President."
"What I found even more interesting is that there are more male consorts than females despite the majority of the fanclub being girls!"
"…"
"…"
"You don't think?"
"Nooooo!" A girl scandalously gasped before the whole group erupted into squeals.
Yuuki twitched, slightly annoyed, but mostly amused by their idle gossip. Yes, there was such a thing as a ranking system within her group of fans, but was she repulsed by such a thing?
Of course not!
She does feel a bit narcissistic for allowing such a thing to flourish, but overall it was empowering for Yuuki. Who wouldn't feel that way when a small favor or disfavor can change the fate of a single person?
Besides, this type of system was merely a way for Yuuki to keep an eye out for potential subordinates – she had other similar systems, but this one was chosen for its suitability to take advantage of the current situation concerning her fanbase.
Within this 'harem-like' system, those who were favored were mainly selected because of their potentiality as her subordinates or informants. To qualify, they must possess certain skills, talents or characteristics suitable for the position. There are no clear qualifications since the range of possible skills is quite large and Yuuki was relatively lenient with her selections. Other than that, there were a few exceptions who were purely favored because Yuuki has taken a liking to them.
Anyway, after Yuuki was convinced of a student's loyalty she would then slowly reveal some her secrets one-by-one to gauge their reactions, making sure that the students were aware of the consequences that will ensue if they were disloyal. The next step will be the enrollment into her Family and becoming a part of her spy network, but only after another session of loyalty assessment. Once enrolled, they would start off as a low-level agent before working their way up the ranks and gaining enough trust to be given the option of joining the Mugen clan.
There were many benefits to participating, but it was not required for a person to rise up the ranks or to join the clan. it was quite obvious that the higher you were in status, the higher the benefits were, but a person can stay as a low-ranked agent and still gain some benefits.
For example, if a low-level agent was planning on going to university, then they could can some benefits like financial help, protection, status, reputation, or – if they were well favored – they might even gain an upper hand of getting into a prestigious school. It all depends on favourability and skills because all kinds of agents were important – like the housewives of the Mugen clan or the members who worked closely with society.
Many recruitments of the Mugen clan was similar to this. Aside from individualistic factors like the 'harem' or the sub-families, the recruiting process basically goes like this; a subordinate of the Mugen clan will take someone under their wings. After at least 6 months worth of trustworthiness, the subordinate will be allowed to forward a request to the main branch to adopt the person into the Mugen clan. If the application was accepted then the person needed to show at least another 6 months of loyalty doing work for the Mugen clan before they could be officially adopted into the group.
Obviously, they had to start from the bottom rank of the Mugen clan and work their way up before they could get involved in the more confidential tasks, but you get the idea. Likewise, there were some exceptions to this like the potential person being someone in which the clan was quite familiar with or in cases where a member of the main branch like Yuuki was the one doing the recruitment – meaning she did not need anyone's permission of enrolling someone into the clan aside from informing her parents about the said recruitment.
Moreover, if Hibari was allowed to create his own group of followers through fear and respect, why couldn't Yuuki do it through favors and manipulation?
Apart from the points that have just been mentioned, Yuuki could care less if there was any ingroup fighting within her 'harem'. She wouldn't even be surprised if certain incidents in historic harems were to similarly happen in her fanclub like reputation tarnishing, lies development, corruption or in a worst case scenario, even poisoning.
Just like an emperor, Yuuki would not interfere with any harem-related problem unless for a few exceptions like if a favored person becomes too dependent or arrogant with Yuuki's power and displeases her, then she would just need to disfavor them.
Her 'favored consorts' should be able to handle petty incidents in the 'harem' and if they can't then they would be no use to her once they enter the underworld which was a much harsher place than the school-style 'harem'.
Having said that, Yuuki made a mental note to check up on the recent status of her 'harem' before shifting her attention back to the current situation. The cross-dressing girl tilted her head, scrutinizing the 10thVongola Boss with her curious eyes. "Did you not receive any chocolate yet, Tsuna-kun?"
"U-Um, n-no, I mean, y-yes?" Tsuna stuttered, not wanting to admit that he had received no chocolate from anybody and that the only one he would probably be receiving today will be from his mother.
It was already embarrassing enough as it was, he did not need to make it any worst.
"Well, whether you have or not," Yuuki reached into her goody bag, causing Tsuna to take notice of the bag for the first time. Quite observant, wasn't he? The crossdresser took out a yellowish-orange, wrapped box with a decorative reddish-orange ribbon and handed it to Tsuna. "Here."
"Huh?" Shocked, Tsuna robotically took the box presented to him. He and everyone else was dumbfounded by the whole exchange.
Their president was giving out chocolate?
Why?
It was a strange sight to see, especially for those who were unaware of Yuuki's true sex. Males weren't supposed to give out chocolate on Valentine's Day, only females. It was uncommon for them to do so.
Seeing the bewildered faces around her, Yuuki explained, "Valentine's Day in Canada typically have the guys be the gifts givers instead of the girls."
"Oooh," everyone chorused. That made sense, but then again, that doesn't explain why Yuuki was giving chocolate to Tsuna. Shouldn't he be giving chocolate to a girl then? Likewise, it could just be friendship chocolates.
…Or maybe that rumor about Yuuki was actually true…
With that thought in mind, some of the students gave Tsuna the stink eye, jealous that he was receiving chocolate from their president. This event will be quickly spread among the school and you bet the fanclub will be hearing about this soon.
Having mentioned that, Tsuna's group and Yuuki's fanclub have a strange relationship. Tsuna's group is greatly favored by Yuuki, but they are in no way a part of the 'harem' which is understandable given the true nature of the 'harem', but to outsiders, it was a strange dynamic.
Many members of the fanclub were jealous of the group while the more sensible ones like the Consorts understood that the relationship between Tsuna's group and Yuuki was much more unique than what was seen. Therefore, they were much more accepting of such a relationship, especially when it seemed to them that their relationship with Yuuki was one of mutual alliance, perhaps even friendship.
Some of the Consorts also understood, based on implicit clues, that they were all being put through some sort of program or selection using the 'harem' system. What the selection entails is still unknown and a mystery to them, but their interests have been peaked, especially with the subtle hints being dropped by Yuuki about the possible benefits for being selected.
"Oh! I can't forget you guys," turning to Yamamoto and Gokudera, Yuuki handed them their chocolates. Yamamoto's box was wrapped in shiny silver paper with a blue and red bow while Gokudera's box was wrapped in purple paper with a sparkling orange ribbon.
"Thanks, Kaichou," Yamamoto said, shuffling his pile of chocolate onto one arm and freeing his other hand to grab the box.
"Thank you, Yuuki-sama," Gokudera grumbled, taking possibly the only box of chocolate he would ever accept today. Despite Gokudera's reluctance to accept any chocolate, Yuuki was sure he would be more than happy to accept the treat if they were from Tsuna.
"I got some for you two as well," Yuuki said, turning to Haru and Kyoko. "Thank you for having me as a group member in home economics."
"No problem," Haru indifferently dismissed, accepting the box.
"You're welcome, Yuuki-kun!" Kyoko smiled sweetly, receiving hers.
Satisfied that her chocolates have been delivered and with no other business to attend to, Yuuki headed back to the Student Council room to organize her own mountain of presents. Likewise, she also needed to write down each name of the students who gave her something and what that item was. This may be a bit tedious and can take up quite a bit of time, but there was a reason behind doing all of this.
By examining each present, Yuuki will be able to have some understanding of the intentions each student has – whether the item came out of gratitude or whether there was a harmful reason behind its delivery.
Furthermore, Yuuki also took this time to keep track of her 'harem' and manipulate her followers through the use of returned favors. For example, if any of her favorite Consorts were to present her with something, then Yuuki will be inclined to give something back during White Day.
Another way to look at it, Valentine Day was simply another event for her fans to try and gain favors from their 'emperor'. It was their chance to raise their ranking!
But!
Only if Yuuki allows it.
This was just another powerplay Yuuki was gaining satisfaction from. The power Yuuki held over the students was seductive and can be addicting, but fortunately for Yuuki, she was quite immune to that allure. Since she was an heiress, she has gotten used to being a leader; to have such power over others, and so for something as insignificant as her 'harem' project, it doesn't appeal to her at all.
It may hold some of her attention since she was searching for some subordinates, but overall, she had better things to do with her time. Besides, it wasn't like she needed to see oversee everything in the harem. The whole system was self-managed by the fanclub and Yuuki participations were quite a few since the fanclub seem to naturally generate themselves around Yuuki's actions. Yuuki did not need to actively govern the harem. She just needed to behave the same way as she usually does and everything within the harem will change in accordance to it.
To go back to what she was doing before, Yuuki entered the silent room and began organizing the large pile of presents. As she went through them, she came across a few… questionable gifts that she made sure was properly disposed of while also marking down the sender on her blacklist. If you really must know, some examples would be chocolates laced with an extra, unnecessary ingredient or component, some blades, a voodoo doll, and near stalker-ish items like pieces of the senders' hair….
Anyway, aside from that disturbing mess of human nature, Yuuki hoped that she will be able to carry everything home. If not, then she can just have someone take it home for her. Maybe she should get Sakamaki-san to come to pick up her chocolate? He seemed to be too idle lately – aside from the mountains of paperwork and cases, he had to do, of course.
…Yuuki viciously smiled in amusement, but then pushed that impulse aside.
Nah, she shouldn't push Sakamaki-san too hard. He's already doing so much for Namimori and he's actually being pretty cooperative with her – she should at least rewards her pets once in a while.
Oops, her thoughts were getting a bit sadistic there. She must be getting overly stressed. Maybe she should take a break and go for a massage or something.
As Yuuki continued to mindlessly do her task, she suddenly recalled the errand she had promised to do for Kyoko. She checked the time and saw that it nearing the end of the final period. Since school was going to end soon and the organizing of her chocolate can be put on hold, she decided to go complete her promise like she said she would.
-`ღ´-
"Have a nice day, Obaa-san! Hope your grandchildren get better!" Yuuki called out as she exited the local grocery store.
"Thank you, dear! Come back soon! I'll also make sure to inform my grandson about your next visit!"
Yuuki smiled, taking in the sudden sound of an argument erupting from behind her. It was a clear contrast to the doting tone the elderly lady has used seconds before and this amuses Yuuki greatly. Despite her old age, the owner of the store was full of vigor as she continued to run the traditional general store that has been passed down from generation to generation in her family.
Remarkably, the owner's grandson – who would be inheriting the store next – was one of Yuuki's fans. His status in the fanclub was a mid-ranking one because of Yuuki's connection with his grandmother, but surprisingly he was not your typical fan. He only became a member of the club because of his indirect relationship with Yuuki. Aside from that, he solely respects and appreciates Yuuki's care for his grandmother. That was all.
Anyway, she was getting a bit sidetracked here. After purchasing the appropriate fruits for the event, Yuuki headed over to Tsuna's place where the gathering was taking place. With a plastic bag in each hand, she hummed a small tune as she trekked through the neighborhood.
Abruptly, she stopped as her body instinctively tensed up, sensing something big coming her way. Just as she was about to turn around to confront it, it sped right passed her, creating a tailwind. The blast of air blew against her and ruffled her appearance. Yuuki paused, letting her hair and clothes settling down as she stood, a bit disheveled, in the middle of the street.
She dully blinked in surprise at the occurrence before transferring one of the plastic bags to the other hand to pat down her windswept hair. In the distance, the figure grew faint along with the familiar-sounding chant associated with it.
"Move it! Move it! Move it!"
Going by the sound of the voice and the knowledge that there was only one person in all of Namimori who could possibly run that fast in such an erratic manner, Yuuki deduced that the figure was Tsuna.
She guessed that Tsuna was probably chasing after Kyoko based on two clues: that today was Valentine's Day and that Kyoko was his long-time crush. It was a bit obvious. Shrugging off the event, Yuuki continued her trek to Tsuna's house.
"Ah, Yuuki-kun," Nana greeted once she opened the door. "Tsuna and the others are already upstairs in his room."
"Thank you, Nana-san," Yuuki replied as she entered the home. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Nana, Yuuki headed upstairs to Tsuna's room. She was greeted with everyone surrounding a table upon entering. "Konbanwa (Good evening), everyone."
"Eeeh? Yuuki-senpai?! What are you doing here?" Tsuna asked, surprised to see the president.
"I've got invited to eat some chocolate fondue by Kyoko-chan," Yuuki explained, sitting down by the low table and placing her grocery bag onto the tabletop. "I also bought some fruits to dip into the fondue. I'm not too sure how you do it here, but back in North America we sometimes eat fondue with different kinds of fruits."
"Whaaa, you're a lifesaver, Kaichou," Yamamoto said, looking at all kinds of fruits Yuuki has brought. There were the typical strawberries, along with some blackberries, bananas, and apples. Luckily, Yuuki had fetched enough for everyone to have their share of fill.
I can finally eat Kyoko-chan's chocolate, Tsuna thought, crying a waterfall of tears. Saved by Yuuki, everyone got to have some chocolate fondue without getting poisoned by the crackers made by Bianchi.
Thus, ends the eventful holiday known as Valentine's Day.