"… no more reports of Kokuyo students attacking Namimori students. Have the students resolved things among themselves or have Namimori's beloved Disciplinary Committee stepped in to save the day once again?" the reporter on the 4:30 pm news mused. She smiled at the camera. "For whatever the reason is, it seems like peace has been restored to our town. Moving on, tomorrow's weather…"

"They really stopped attacking," Tsuna said when he heard the news. "Does that mean everything's fine now?"

"It means they'll try to track you through known elements now, which happened to be Gokudera and Yamamoto," Reborn said, silently appearing behind Tsuna.

"Wahh! Reborn!" Tsuna exclaimed, hand automatically clenching over his heart. "Don't scare me like that!"

"The future Vongola Boss shouldn't be startled so easily," Reborn lectured. "You still have much to learn."

Tsuna didn't notice the serious note Reborn ended with, busy as he was with his instinctive protest. "I said I'm not going to be a mafia boss –" Tsuna interrupted himself as he recalled Reborn's previous words. "Wait, does this mean Gokudera and Yamamoto are still in danger?"

Reborn nodded. "Of course, which is why we have to act promptly. You will not be able to avoid this tomorrow. Tomorrow after school, all of you would meet up at Ryohei's hospital to collect him and then we're going to Kokuyo Land for a frontal assault. With any luck, you guys will defeat Mukuro and his accomplice and then you can all go home safely hand-in-hand and not worry about them anymore."

"This is no joking matter, Reborn!" Tsuna exclaimed with full blown-out worry now, not liking Reborn's flippant manner of treating the situation at all. "This is getting really dangerous."

The last of his syllables echoed within the room, the background tension escalating rapidly and openly now that what was previously unspoken was now said.

It popped like a flimsy balloon when Tsuna noticed a green tennis racket in the corner of his room.

"What?" Tsuna said, eyeing the racket with confusion as he reached to pick it up. "Since when did I have– "The tennis racket abruptly morphed into a mini-car. "Wah!" Tsuna immediately backpedaled away from the morphing object. "It… it changed! What…?" Tsuna paused in his panic when something niggled at him, prompting him to peer closely at the green car rolling around. Green. "Is that Leon?!"

"Leon's tail fell off a few minutes ago," Reborn explained conversationally, "so he can't control his forms right now, leading to that." He gestured to Leon as it morphed again, this time to a cute looking cactus. Reborn looked at his student seriously. "His tail falling off is a bad omen. If you had just gone to Kokuyo Land today like I suggested, you would have been rid of your worries by now."

Reborn pointed out that out in a tone that implied, 'Let's see if you would refuse to comply with me after this.'

Tsuna bit his lips, but didn't dare refute Reborn's words. "I know, Reborn," Tsuna said, deflating upon hearing Reborn's sound logic. "I know. It's just…will this really be fine? I don't want them to go after Gokudera and Yamamoto." Tsuna gazed at Reborn helplessly, lost and seeking for advice.

Reborn could have answered this in two ways. He could have been honest, be a realistic and say, 'That'll be up to you,' and put all the pressure on Tsuna. After all, pressure was what created fine diamonds by the end of the day. Or he could be optimistic and reassured Tsuna that everything would be fine, even when Reborn wasn't absolutely sure if they would be. That would ensure Tsuna remain somewhat confident when he confronted Mukuro.

The second option would never have been something Reborn consciously choose, yet when he looked at Tsuna's fear-filled eyes – not for himself, but for his friends – what ended up slipping out was a smirk and, "Of course. After all, I trained you."

In the end, Tsuna took after the Ninth too much. The encompassing Sky that accepted and embraced all, drawing even the most reclusive Sun into their circle of influence, until Reborn couldn't find it within him to escape and abandon the warmth that they emitted. And to think Reborn was the Sun and they the Sky.

Reborn glanced at Tsuna to see he looked more relived, to have someone reassure him things will somehow be okay and to have avoided carrying the burden of holding people's lives in his hand for just a little longer.

It was simply way too early for this step; his mind was simply still way too frail. Circumstances had pushed them into this, however, so they will just have to make the best of it and commit this life lesson in mind.

And in the end, Reborn was still a tutor. Too much pressure would cause him to break, but no matter what, Tsuna should still accustom himself to unexpected events of life.

"But Tsuna," Reborn added with a warning in his voice, catching the eyes of his reluctant student, "remember, the Ninth gave you three days. Today is Day Two."

Tomorrow is the last chance, was what was left unsaid. Even Reborn had that much mercy.

Reborn watched with no visible regret as dread settled in Tsuna's expression. That was reserved for when a beetle flew into the room with a message for Reborn and simultaneously the reporter abruptly shouted out, "Breaking news!" causing Tsuna to jump with a yelp. Reborn initially smirked at that, but it faded at what the reporter and his beetle said next.

"Latest news came in. It seemed like the conflict between the Kokuyo students and the Namimori students aren't so resolved, after all! Today at 5 PM, one of the patrols from the Namimori Middle School Disciplinary Committee has been found beaten up in a secluded park. One member was conscious enough to reliably inform us that it was the Kokuyo students who did it! Moreover, it seemed like the Kokuyo students have upped their mischief, from simply beating up students to kidnapping! Although it has not yet been confirmed—"the reporter paused to press her hand against her headphone.

"Never mind, disregard the last statement. This has been confirmed by another Namimori student who had witnessed the whole situation. At approximately 4:35 PM, Namimori Middle's baseball star Yamamoto Takeshi was seen at the market of Namimori being coerced by two Kokuyo students to follow them to a less crowded area. The Namimori student, who requested to remain anonymous, said she hurriedly went to inform the nearest Disciplinary patrol of the situation. She found one minutes later and then directed them towards the direction that she had last seen Yamamoto-kun gone. Although hoping for the best, it seems even the Disciplinary members has proven to be no match for the Kokuyo students. The police, who previously stayed out of the situation because they thought it was only a petty rivalry between the two schools, are now officially involved! Meanwhile, both the Disciplinary Committee and Yamamoto-san remained unavailable for interview. Let us all hope young Yamamoto-kun is alright! Stay tune for the next update at Namimori News."

"No—" The word tumbled from Tsuna's mouth before he even registered it, like an automatic denial of what he had just heard. "It's not real, right? I – I must have been an idiot and misheard it, right, Reborn?" Tsuna slowly turned to Reborn, a half-disbelieving smile curled shakily at the corner of his mouth. "There's no way –"

Reborn watched as Tsuna froze upon seeing his solemn expression, silently, in the kindest way he can, telling him that it was reality, that Yamamoto Takeshi, his best friend, had really been kidnapped. Although he can all too easily tell what Tsuna was thinking, for once, Reborn would have preferred to do without his systematic mind-reading.

Tsuna's thinking, 'It's all my fault.'

As he watched genuine fear and guilt lodged themselves onto Tsuna's expression, their weights too much to be held up by his student's thinning and shattering innocence, Reborn knew he should have been harsher with Tsuna. Tsuna might have been mentally prepared for a situation like this then.

Nothing would have made seeing Tsuna's disillusion easier for Reborn to bear, however.

Xxx

"Hibari-san!"Kusakabe Tetsuya exclaimed when he received the news, hurrying over to the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee leader.

Hibari turned his head slightly and, at the sight of Tetsuya running towards him, raised one eyebrow. That was all the warning Tetsuya received before a steel tonfa slammed into his guts, even stronger and harder than Hibari would for punishing those who broke the school rule. Or in this case, running inside the school.

Tetsuya's mouth parted involuntary for a silent, dry retch as air abruptly left his lungs. His hand curled protectively at his stomach, and one of his knees dropped to the ground.

"What is it?" Tetsuya heard Hibari say dispassionately, towering over him. Tetsuya waited a moment for the pain to recede a little, before forcing himself up to a stand, knowing it was his fault for breaking the school rule in a moment of carelessness when Hibari was already annoyed by the fact that the Committee hadn't been able to locate the Kokuyo students who dared attack Namimori students and the Disciplinary Committee members.

Until now.

Tetsuya bowed low in a sign of deference for Hibari, before finally saying, "One of ours woke up, Hibari-san. Kenshi said he heard them saying that they're going back to Kokuyo Land."

Hibari didn't show any outward reaction at first and merely stared at Tetsuya. Then, a smirk slowly curled on his face, lighting his whole expression in a gleam of bloodthirsty anticipation. Without a word, Hibari whirled around, causing the jacket on his shoulders to fan out majestically behind him and the Disciplinary Committee band on the sleeve to proudly displaying itself to the world.

Tetsuya didn't ask Hibari if he should gather the rest of the Committee or attempt to go with him. Tetsuya recognized that look in Hibari's eyes. Even without the Committee, Hibari would go on and single-handedly decimate the enemy's rank.

Xxx

Tsuna didn't know how long he sat in place, completely shocked due to the news. He didn't know how he came out of it either, because after all, one of his friends had just been kidnapped and it was all because of Tsuna.

When Tsuna felt a warm, but urgent throb from somewhere within him, he instinctive followed it without a second thought. From past experience, Tsuna knew it was usually correct, even if Tsuna sometimes didn't understand the cause of the feeling and what he was supposed to do about it. The same feeling that Tsuna vaguely recalled Reborn calling it as the Vongola Intuition was now probing him to focus on Reborn, so Tsuna did exactly that.

Then, Tsuna saw.

For the split-second that Tsuna caught Reborn with his guard down, Tsuna saw them: the hidden apprehension at the whole situation, anger towards himself for letting the whole Muruko business go out of hand, some regret at the knowledge of the innocence going to be lost, resolution to do better, and a cunning mind whirling as he assessed the situation from every angle for damage control and to turn the situation to their advantage.

Although Tsuna had long known his tutor to be dangerous and highly capable even with his appearance of a five year old, it was at this point that he was truly impressed by Reborn. After all, how many people could go through that range of negative emotions at such rapid speed and come out top with the resolution to try again despite any past mistakes?

Something within Tsuna glowed, warm, strong and supportive, as he subconsciously thought, I want to be like him. Tsuna gazed at Reborn as he wiped his face of all emotions like a professional, cool, impassive and impenetrable, giving any onlookers the impression that he was undeniably in control. Such was the air around Reborn, so strong that it even made Tsuna doubt for a second if he really did see Reborn with worry and regret if not for the Vongola Intuition backing Tsuna, reminding him to trust it because it was never wrong and it would never lead him astray. Tsuna looked at Reborn's strength to stand up against all odds and thought ambitiously– like someone else possessed him, except this was all Tsuna and his inner, unacknowledged-until-Reborn-happened-to-him desire to no longer to be Dame, to be someone who could accomplish – that, 'I want to be like Reborn. I want to lead with his strength, with him by my side.'

Reborn looked at Tsuna and his eyes widened minutely with startle because his eyes were glowing orange, Tsuna's Vongola Intuition whispered to him.

Tsuna wanted to be like Reborn so badly at the moment, because he was strong, physically, emotionally and in every single aspect, but he also understood – as he watched Reborn get rid of his only sign of emotion within the next second that he showed it despite no one other than Tsuna was present – that Reborn's strong point could also be a flaw.

'It's not a bad thing to show your emotion, you know,' Tsuna wanted to say, except he instinctively knew that Reborn wouldn't accept it. Reborn had seen and experience many things, much more shocking and worse than Tsuna could have ever dream of. At this point, Tsuna was only a student of Reborn and nothing more. Until Tsuna has proven himself to Reborn and gained his trust and respect, Reborn wouldn't truly take anything even vaguely like advice from Tsuna seriously, because Reborn thought and knew that he himself knows better.

So instead, Tsuna said without the fear that he himself hadn't even noticed he bypassed, "Let's go get back Yamamoto, Reborn."

Reborn looked at Tsuna with surprise, his Vongola Intuition supplied – before a dangerous sadistic smirk spread across his face. Tsuna unconsciously shuddered at the sight of it and inwardly cried, 'I take it back, I take it back. He's the devil!'

Said devil's smirk widened as though he heard his thought, before drawling, "Let's, shall we, Tsuna."

Hey guys. Sorry for this late update and also for the lack of Yusuke in these chapter. Yusuke will end up appearing in the Kokuyo Arc. I just need to set up some things on Tsuna's guardians' side first. Anyway, following Kokuyo Arc turned out to be much harder than I thought and I don't have enough time to go back to reread canon right now for plot and to make sure the characters are IC due to RL, so I'm going to change the update schedule. Again.

Sorry to throw this at you after returning from hiatus, but I'm not going to have a schedule anymore. So what's going to happen is that whenever I'm done writing and Aori is done editing, I'll post. That means I can update a month from now and then maybe again three months after the last update. A little unpredictable, but the Arc is giving me some trouble and I can't figure out how to write some of the characters, so the writing is coming slowly. Once again, sorry about this and thanks for following and reading after all this time. It means a lot to me.