Arranged Marriages.

Whoever started that dumb tradition was probably a sadistic bastard who finds pleasure in making people's lives a living hell, because what's a little entertainment if your great, great, great grandchildren didn't experience the sufferings of marrying someone they don't love, right? If you take a closer look, it wasn't that bad compared to how Louise describes it.

Louise Brienne, soon-to-be Kolovisky.

Honestly back then, Louise did not really question the family's tradition that continued on for centuries; her fate being already tied to someone the moment she was born wasn't really much of a bother for her. She knew it, even at a young age, that she is to go through the same process as her mother and father- they did tell her when she was just 8 years old that she is bound for a perfect noble man, as what she is in their eyes. They loved their only child very much, and Louise did too, that's why she never doubted the decisions they made for her even when it comes to something big like being engaged at the early age of 14. Still, sometimes she would ask the two if they really do love each other despite the circumstances and every time she did, they would only change the subject with awkward smiles etched on their faces.

Louise is just a curious young lady after all.

Her parents only wanted what was best for their lovely daughter, taking it into their hands to find the most suitable husband for her. Of course, being born with noble blood running through one's veins wasn't the only criteria; high ranking families always had certain qualifications when it comes to choosing their future in-laws.

And love is definitely the last thing that's ever taken into consideration.

Funny, the said feeling is what she craves out of all. She wanted to experience it, cliche as it may seem, the kind of love in those fairy tales where the princess finds her prince and lives happily ever after. Isn't that what most girls of her age want too? Her mother would always tell her,

"You will meet your Prince Charming soon, Louise."

And she did.

At least she thought she did, the crazy psychopath is a master when it comes to deceiving people with his angelic looks and gentleman acts. Louise knows however, he is anything but a charming prince,

Luka Kolovisky.

Normally, the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other before the day of the wedding, well in most cases anyway. But Louise had already met him when they were children, he is the son of one of her father's close acquaintances, that she knows much. They weren't relatively close, seeing that the boy was a few years older than her, but hey, age didn't matter in arranged marriages. Louise was only thankful that her parents did not decide to send her off to a middle aged man, unlike what happened to Josie.

Yes, Josephine Every; her parents agreed to a proposal from a Lord Henry or something like that, an old Baron in a neighboring country and Josephine is to move there after their wedding ceremony. She was only 16, and Louise still shudders at the thought of her friend staying under the same roof as that pervert— she could feel the frustration in poor Josie's writings whenever they did exchange letters. Nothing matters in arranged marriages after all, as long as both families could benefit from each other, one's true colors nor mental state is out of the question.

"Aren't you going to spare Miss Louise? She can be of use to us in the future."

"Hmm, you do have a point... Maybe I will- for a few years that is."

Right, who would have thought that her fiancé is a sick maniac who plans the death of her parents- scratch that- her whole family, including her. He did say he was going to keep her alive but who knows for how long? When he finally gets bored of her he'd definitely dispose her like the mere pawn that she is in his game.

And for what?

Wealth? Title? Every riches her family had in life? The Brienne's doesn't really own that much and if anything, her parents were miraculously one of those few people who used their money for charity and have helped a lot who are in need. That must be it—it was because they're too gullible that they don't realize they were being taken advantage of.

Humans sure are greedy.

"Oh love, what are you doing there?"

"U-uh- I- I- have you seen Freya anywhere? I've b-been looking for her all day, I-I'm… worried."

Louise cursed deep inside for being a stuttering mess, hell she was trembling to her core as she tries to put on a brave face! Who wouldn't? Especially when you just found out that your loving, polite, and charismatic husband-to-be was a big fraud. His sweet nature was just a façade, to lure them into his carefully crafted web and strike them when they're most vulnerable. And look at this, his most trusted adviser is also in behind the scenes with him, silently waiting for the right time to attack their unsuspecting prey.

"Maybe she's outside? I saw her just a while ago,"

God, she wanted to wipe that bright smile off his face, if only she could. She gives them a hesitant look before glancing the other way,

"Thank you, Antoni, I'll go check. T-tell me if you ever see her running around here, okay?"

She tried her best to stay calm and act like she wasn't in any hurry, but fails when she started bolting through the large hallway, leaving the two men behind. She only hopes that the idea they had in mind for her sudden panic was because of her fluffy, black kitten, and not because she overheard them and the little scheme they had in store for the Brienne family,

"Sir, do you think she..?"

"… Perhaps. But Louise is just like her mother- beautiful, elegant, and naïve. Even if she did find out, who is she going to tell?"

Louise Brienne is screwed. She was only 14. Her fiancé obviously went bonkers in the head for some reason. Her parents are too busy and excited for their little daughter's engagement to even notice that their future son-in-law is completely mental. This looks like a situation that only happens in films and books so it's really impossible for her to do anything because, in all honesty, she has no idea what to do. Oh and yeah, she could die any time soon if she makes the wrong move. Everything seemed surreal that she could feel her whole world slowly crumbling down, after all,

What would a 14 year old noble like her, who has never encountered something like this before, who is also undeniably desperate, and who possesses a large amount of cash, do?

And then like an imaginary bulb, an idea lights up in her mind.

A Hitman.

It was particularly quiet today, Sawada Tsunayoshi mused as he walks down the street with his best pals, Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi; the two were having their usual loud yet friendly spat. At times like these, explosions made by Lambo's weapons and some new member of the mafia would come barging in to terrorize his once tedious life, before surviving another day yet again thanks to Reborn's Hyper Dying Will bullet and some inspirational quotes he probably found in the internet.

He does enjoy it though, a small smile forms on his face as he secretly admits it within himself. If it weren't for Reborn, he wouldn't be able to meet these amazing people right now, he wouldn't be able to make a move on Kyoko or even strike a little conversation with his angel, he wouldn't be able to laugh out loud like this with a bunch of friends as they walk home together every day, he wouldn't be able to learn some life changing lessons from Reborn nor get stronger and be able to protect his family—

Without Reborn, he would still be the No-Good-Tsuna from back then.

There was still the issue of his failing grades but that besides the point-

"Tsu-kun! You're home!" His mother, Sawada Nana, greeted happily as soon as he arrived at his house, Gokudera and Yamamoto following in suit after greeting the beaming woman back.

"Oh! I forgot to mention, we have a rather lovely guest with us today! Reborn has such pretty friends, ne?" She sighed dreamily and her son only gave her a questioning look,

"Friend-?" Tsuna immediately shuts up as soon as he realized that it was probably one of Reborn's love-obsessed stalkers again. Bianchi was already enough to send him, and Gokudera, to the hospital with severe stomach aches and he doesn't need another addition to that.

"They're upstairs. Be nice, okay?" His mother's last words before she merrily strolled into the kitchen.

Tsuna could only wonder, who is it this time? Another beautiful and sexy woman who had unnatural abilities that could murder anyone? A handsome and very skilled assassin in a mask sent to finally get rid of the Vongola tenth? Or maybe it was an adorable child who hides their dark intentions behind cutesy talk and all? Lambo and Ipin are just kids after all yet one wouldn't expect them to be able to blow up a large neighborhood; Lambo was still a hitman of the Bovino family and Ipin's highly skilled in martial arts, also, there's Reborn.

Only one way to find out, Tsuna readied himself as he grabbed the door handle to his bedroom—

"S'il vous plait!(1) I'm begging you!"

The scene slowly unfolded in front of the young Vongola as the door fully opened; there was Reborn, quietly sipping his afternoon tea, and a kneeling girl who had her head bowed so low that it reached the floor.

It was worse than Tsuna had imagined.

She was worshipping him!

"Oi Tsuna, I can read you you know." Reborn called out before throwing a nearby book straight to his face and of course, Tsuna being the clumsy idiot that he is, didn't even manage to dodge it.

"B-boss!"

"Tsuna! Are you okay?"

The sudden commotion caught the girl's attention and she quickly lifts her head up, turning to look at them all at once. To say Tsuna was mesmerized would be an understatement,

"A-ah, Je suis desolee!(2)"

"W-what?" Tsuna rubbed his swollen face, brightly red from both the hard throw of his tutor and from the girl's delicate features. She almost looked like a porcelain doll, from her tiny nose, well-shaped face, and to her glittering, purple eyes- she was obviously not Japanese judging from her accent and the language she just used.

"Who are you?!" Gokudera shouted as he approached the said girl in a threatening manner, his hands reaching for the bombs hidden inside his uniform. Oh god, Gokudera you don't just intimidate random people by pulling dangerous explosives out of nowhere. Good thing Yamamoto's usual laid back attitude, and his cheerful smile that seemed to piss off Gokudera every time, was enough to ease the tension in the room,

"C'mon guys, let's all calm down-"

"Don't tell me what to do baseball head!"

"Please, Gokudera-kun..."

"But tenth! This person just walked inside your house like she owns the place!"

What a lie.

"I actually invited her in, Gokudera."

Everyone's now facing Reborn, the boys' eyes had the look of confusion in them and the girl well, was still waiting for his response to her rather morbid request. Reborn wasn't an indecisive type of man, once he makes up his mind to do something or not, it was final. And so is his reply towards the girl,

"Sorry, but you have to wait in line. I can't leave until I make a decent boss out of Tsuna."

Louise honestly has no idea what he was talking about but she understood his answer through those words of his,

"B-but! You are the strongest hitman, Reborn! I've heard of your countless works before! No one could possibly be better than you! I- I-

I need you!"

If Bianchi was present she would go on a rampage at the thought of her lover having an affair with another girl and would unleash her wrath by using her poison cooking. In short, it would create a huge mess,

"Are you- confessing your love? To Reborn out of all people?!"

Tsuna could only scream, to think that a baby was a better chick magnet than him was maddening.

"Tsuna don't be dumb." Came Reborn's irritated tone, the sun arcobaleno had the urge to shoot Tsuna on the head for coming up with something so ridiculous, but decided to save it for later as he clarifies things with a blunt voice,

"She wants me to shoot her fiancé dead."

"WHAT?!"

(1) 'Please'

(2) 'I'm very sorry'