A/N: At last I can post this story. I will not think of all the other stories that popped up when I was writing this one. Too many stories…
Anyways this will be AU: although there are some events in canon come into play, its not the way it originally happened, and most of all Tsuna being a girl and not going to be Vongola boss. I wonder why...? :3

(psst Tsunayume you're up for the disclaimer!)

Tsunayume: Um..the FF author/ess d-does not own any of my alternate self's or any of his ...or my other stuff. *Bows shyly* Ar-rigato!

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PROLOGUE
Nana's determination

Nana grew up in a large family. She doesn't know much of her aunts or uncles let alone any of her distant cousins. All she (is willing to) remember is just before she was thrust into the orphanage, her parents and especially her over-protective older brother hid her from her larger family (it was partially successful).

Nana knew they were all so close and cared for one another, but as time wore on, something change. Eventually she learns to forget the horrid deeds committed by her larger family and became bubbly for the sake of her close family.

Unfortunately, Nana was sent to an orphanage. Not letting it get her down, she decided to use this chance to start over and do what she couldn't do before; help anyone in need. Even though she was never adopted, she grew up happy.

Then she met Sawada Iemitsu.

She turned a blind eye for the shadowy activities he never confessed to her. As long as he will always love her and not having an affair, she would care less.

It was very fortunate for Nana that Iemitsu's love for her is genuine and as passionate as hers. So the young woman only smiled and marveled how similar the man was of her brother, who she never saw again, on the fact they both will go to the extremes to protect her "innocence."

At the birth of their daughter, Tsunayume, Nana was felt she was the luckiest woman in the world. They loved how cheerful and kind their child was. She seemed to have a sixth sense and was friendly with everyone. It was the best 7 years of her life including the last five with her little Tsu-chan (or Tuna fish as Iemitsu coos).

But like all happy things, it ends.

It happened after few days Iemitsu left with their little girl's honorary grandfather. The two female Sawadas were attacked and Nana entered in a yearlong coma, unaware of her daughter's fate.

When she woke up again, Iemitsu told her he had taken Tsu-chan to his workplace for the time she was in coma and only returned their daughter when she woke up. Her Iemitsu promised he will visit on them twice a year.

Years passed and no Iemitsu.

No call was made, not even a letter, only money transferred into her bank account. The poor mother was heartbroken. A part of her died for each passing year without contact of her beloved Iemitsu.

She isn't completely naive to not see her daughter struggle her native language. Ever since Tsu-chan came back from wherever Iemitsu took her, speaking in a strange language (a suppressed voice whispered Italian), even trying to speak to her daughter was difficult by the language barrier.

The whispers of her neighbors helped nothing. All insulting her incompetence and failure to keep such "exotic catch of a man." She tried to ignore those insults, but it took her a couple of years to realize her daughter heard the worst.

She knows her daughter is not a genius, but it isn't her fault for falling behind because her little girl had to relearn her Japanese again. Nana began to worry when she no longer see the happy kind smile of her daughter. It was as if she lost something precious.

There was one time when Tsu-chan was in fourth grade that things seemed to change back as it was before Nana went into a coma.

Her daughter's happy smile came back while exclaiming she made a friend named Haru-chan. She shyly asked if she can invite her next week and Nana whole heartedly agreed.

Unbeknownst to her, that will be the last time she see her daughter's bright smile for a very long time.

When the awaited week came, her daughter closed off from everything and the whispers increased about losing a husband and found out about the burden her daughter had to carry by the cruel words from everyone.

Nana felt she failed as a wife and now as a mother.

Nana found herself in a familiar disinfectant white room. She struggles to remember what happen before being in the hospital, again.

Thinking back what she was doing before finding herself in the hospital, she remembers waiting outside for Tsu-chan to return from her errands she send her on.

The streets were empty and was remembering the whispers she hears at the market place. She looks up when a delivery truck arrived.

It was another package from Iemitsu. As she signed, Nana felt the urge to despair.

She doesn't want any expensive present, she just want to wrap her arms around Iemitsu and feel his warmth again! Then a sharp pain at the back of her neck where the attack from almost 6 years ago, flared up and her legs crumbled under her. She heard worried shouts before the darkness claimed her.

She came out of her reverie when she felt someone was holding her hand tightly. Knowing who it was, Nana tighten her weak grip in return. The response was immediate.

"KAA-SAN!" Nana was stunned to see her precious little girl crying stumbling something of a bridge and leaving her behind.

"Oh sweetie, I guess I just had a relapse for worrying too much," she remembers how broken Tsu-chan was when she crave to go back to her father's place (Nana was sadden the girl no longer calls him her tou-san) or lost her friend, but now the girl looks so guilty and horrified to see her at the hospital.

Nana recalls and feels ashamed of her last thoughts was wishing for Iemitsu. She had felt helpless for being a failure to her daughter and wonders what has she done wrong for Iemitsu not coming to see them. That amount of stress led to her collapsed.

Now seeing her daughter distraught look, she realized she should focused on her little girl and not worry what others think of them. Let them talk, all she needs is Tsu-chan.

"I guess I shouldn't worry about other things," Nana patted Tsunayume's head and giggled at her daughter's long messy hair, "and what is this about standing on a bridge?"

The girl's eyes widen and looked down guilty. Before she began to question what could have meant, Tsunayume interrupted her thoughts and vowed, "Worry not, I swear I will make you happy again and not make you worry too much."

For a second she thought she saw her brown eyes glow golden, but it could be the medication making her hallucinate. She seems so much as her father when he said he will always protect her and love her. But Nana can feel it in her broken heart, that Tsu-chan means it and will not falter.

Nana's eyes began to tear up and hugged Tsunayume tightly, "I will be happy, if you are happy, sweetie."

A/N: Thus the stage is set for the journey of Tsunayume in Namimori Middle school. Who would she meet, what must she face? Beware of a retired hitman in search of his next torture victim in the name of tutoring.