"Does a rainbow's beauty lie in its display of vibrant colors? Or does it lie in its form: that of a perfect arch stretching boldly across the sky?"

The cloudless sky was a particularly vibrant shade of blue – one could easily spot a bird's dark silhouette gliding through the air from a mile away. A small smirk danced along the small hitman's features as he did just that, waiting for the graceful creature to pass overhead. He could just barely catch a glimmer of the jewels hanging around its neck as it flew by, dropping an elegant letter into his outstretched hands.

"You can't outrun this decision forever, Tsuna." Reborn's smile widened as he broke the wax seal and unfolded the letter, a small flame bursting to life at the top of the parchment. "It's about time you learned how to commit to something. Come on, Leon. It's time to break the news."

As he tucked the letter away and prepared to start walking, only the slightest glimmer in his eye betrayed the excitement he was feeling.

Tsuna's cheeks continued to redden as laughter filled the classroom. Once again, he was the center of this particularly unwelcome form of attention, having managed to wildly butcher the simple sentence written across the board in English. Even the teacher, a soft spoken and mild mannered woman, looked confused and exasperated. This feeling of wanting to sink through the floor was not a foreign one – Tsuna had felt it almost every single day of his life.

"Alright, settle down," The teacher finally said, seeming to regain her composure. "That was a good guess, Sawada! Don't worry, the school year's just beginning, you have plenty of time to improve. Go ahead and sit back down."

It felt as though he couldn't get back into the seat quickly enough as she turned back around to face the board.

"You'll get it next time, Tenth!" Gokudera whispered encouragingly from behind him. Tsuna knew the boy meant well, but the words only served as salt to the wound. Unable to even muster up a weak smile, he leaned across the desk and hid his face behind his arms. The burning in his cheeks refused to die down.

It was hardly a surprise that he was still "No-Good Tsuna", but there had been a part of him that hoped it wouldn't be the case after entering High School. After everything he had been through with his family, all the training and all the battles they had endured together, he had dared to hope that graduating into high school would be a chance to start over. A new school, with new teachers and classmates, with no reputation preceding him…had that really been too much to hope for?

Apparently so.

When the time for lunch finally arrived, he was the first one out of the classroom, walking briskly down the hall in a manner that was particularly uncharacteristic of him. His fingers only grew tighter around the handle of his school bag, curling into a fist as he pushed his way past other students. It only took him a few minutes to climb the stairs up to the roof, the heavy door slamming against the wall as he kicked it open in frustration.

"H-Hahi!" Haru's alarmed exclamation quickly followed his small outburst. "Tsuna-san?"

"Oh…You're already here?" He asked in surprise. She and Kyoko were already sitting on a small blanket and opening up their lunches.

"Our classroom is right by the stairwell," Kyoko explained, giving him a curious look. "Are you alright?"

"Um," He was fortunately spared from having to explain himself as Yamamoto and Gokudera arrived behind him, followed closely by Ryohei, the rambunctious sound of their conversation drowning out anything he might have said.

"Tenth!" Gokudera exclaimed loudly as he caught sight of Tsuna. "Are you alright? You left so quickly…are there enemies nearby?"

Yamamoto laughed as the hyper-vigilant boy scanned their surroundings suspiciously, and Tsuna couldn't help but smile a bit as well despite the mood he had arrived in.

"No, it wasn't anything like that," He reassured quickly. "I was just, um…really hungry!"

He doubted he could have come up with a weaker excuse, but Gokudera didn't seem to notice, easily appeased by any explanation his boss offered.

"Did you skip breakfast again, Tsuna?" Yamamoto asked, looking mildly concerned.

"That's extremely bad for your health, Sawada!" Ryohei scolded before Tsuna could even respond, although it was true that he had. It was common for him to run late, and therefore forgo eating breakfast…not to mention Reborn's habit of stealing his portions.

"Tsuna-san, come sit by me!" Haru called over to him, patting the area beside her eagerly. "I'll feed my poor, hungry future husband!"

"H-Haru!" Tsuna immediately scolded, still easily flustered whenever she used such terms, but he complied.

"Feel free to take anything that looks good," Kyoko added with a smile as the boys settled down beside them. Tsuna could immediately feel his cheeks burning as she held her lunch out with a smile, his mind racing with the possible implications behind her words. Along with his clumsy nature, the raging crush he had harbored throughout middle school was another thing that had not changed.

"Me too, Tenth!" Gokudera emphatically shoved his food out, a mess of treats bought from the convenience store spilling out of the bag. Tsuna laughed openly this time as the others began to follow suit, quickly dissolving into a mess of raised voices and pointless arguments. His mood was quickly beginning to lighten as he remembered all of the good things he had in his life now. Over the course of his trials with the mafia, he had made many good friends that now surrounded him on a daily basis.

Nearly everyone from Namimori Middle School fed directly into Namimori High, so he continued to share classes with many of these friends. Haru had made sure to get into the same school this year, and Chrome had decided to enroll with them as well. Even the members of the Simon family had followed their lead and continued to wreak their own form of havoc. It wouldn't be long before they all started arriving at their own pace, and the rooftop would dissolve into a chaotic mess of clashing personalities and violent tendencies. Amazingly, that was the time of day Tsuna had begun looking forward to the most.

"High school is a lot more difficult than junior high," Yamamoto commented as Tsuna opened up his lunch.

"Of course it is, Baseball Idiot," Gokudera grumbled. "Were you expecting things to get easier?"

"I just didn't expect it to be so much work so early in the year," The cheerful boy replied. "I'm just barely keeping my grades high enough to stay on the baseball team."

Though he felt a bit guilty, Tsuna was glad that he still wasn't the only one struggling. Yamamoto had always been talented at boosting his morale without even trying.

"The teachers have been a little heavy with the homework so far," Kyoko hummed thoughtfully. "But I'm sure it'll get better! How did you do during your first year here, Onii-chan?" She asked, turning to her older brother.

"I FAILED TO THE EXTREME!" He yelled passionately, eyes ablaze with some indeterminable emotion.

"Don't say that as if it's a good thing!" Tsuna cried out as the others laughed awkwardly.

"Hahi…" Haru sighed as she let her shoulders sag. "I can't wait for summer vacation."

"It's hard to believe it's only a day away," Yamamoto added. "Our first trimester here sure passed by quickly."

"I feel like I've already spent a lifetime here," Tsuna moaned under his breath, though his spirits were easily lifted by the thought of the approaching break.

"We should go on a trip!" Kyoko suggested with her typical bright tone of voice.

"Good idea," A familiar voice suddenly broke into the fray of excited agreements. Tsuna let out a small squeal as Reborn suddenly appeared from one of his many strange hiding places, stepping out of the large air conditioning unit. "How does Italy sound?"

"Reborn!" Tsuna yelled out of sheer habit, before letting his words sink in. "Eh, wait, what? Italy? Huh?"

There was a disturbing glint to Reborn's eye that immediately put Tsuna on edge.

"Here, Baka-Tsuna," The small hitman said as he held out a small piece of paper. "It's a personal letter from the Ninth."

The boy immediately cringed away, knowing well enough at this point that such a thing could never mean good news for him.

"I-I don't want it!" He cried out in pain as Reborn smacked him on the back of the head.

"Don't be an idiot and show some respect. The Ninth wrote this specifically to you."

"Oww," Tsuna whined, clutching his head with one hand as he took the letter with the other. He couldn't deny being curious, and it was difficult to argue against Reborn's point if it was true. The Ninth rarely wrote to him personally, and he could sense the significance of that fact.

As he pulled the letter out of the envelope, he could see his friends leaning in around him with interest and curiosity, and tried to shrug off his discomfort at being the center of attention. There were a few small gasps as he unfolded the paper, revealing the flame sitting alight at the top of the page. Below it, the Ninth's elegant handwriting stretched across the page, the Japanese characters surprisingly flawless. Tsuna took a moment to wonder how many languages the man was fluent in, before he began reading:

Young Tsunayoshi-kun,

I hope your studies are treating you well. The rate at which you've grown has been a spectacle to watch. Words cannot express how proud I am to know such a miraculous young man. Unfortunately, as you grow older, I continue to age as well. While you grow stronger every day, I am continuously growing weaker. As such, it is growing more and more crucial that I choose an heir that will take my place once I retire. A family as vast as the Vongola cannot survive without a strong boss to guide its existence. Should this power fall into the wrong hands…I'm sure you can understand the chaos and devastation that would bring. You are easily my first choice, as I know you to be a strong and capable leader with the priceless ability to empathize and act with a conscience.

As you know, your sixteenth birthday is only three short months away. I cannot think of a better time to bequeath an official title of power upon you. You will be reaching an important age, one that signifies both your physical and mental readiness to join the mafia. I would like to have the chance to personally train you on these matters – as I'm sure you are aware, being a mafia boss is no simple task. I realize you are hesitant to accept the role, and I don't wish to force a decision onto you. If you truly do not want to take on this responsibility, I fully understand your reasons, and I will respect that from now on.

But first, allow me to say this: what you have seen of the Vongola so far is a mere fraction of the entire family. What I am asking you to inherit is the protection of hundreds of individuals. Our family does not only consist of those that fight bloody battles, but the civilians that we fight those battles for. That was the Vongola's original purpose, after all: to protect the people. It has grown corrupt over the generations, but I truly believe you are the only one that can bring it back to its original state and fulfill that noble purpose that Primo set out to accomplish. It is unfortunately a very tangible reality that hundreds may be harmed if someone other than you, with intentions less pure than your own, were to inherit this empire that the Vongola has become.

That being said, I would like to invite you to come to Italy over the course of your next break. I want you to see what the Vongola is, outside of the bloodshed and violence that you've been so unfortunate to experience firsthand. Come see the rich culture that you would be looking after. Come meet the community of individuals that you have been fighting to protect all this time. Before you make your final decision, please at least give me the chance to show you this brighter side of the mafia world, and see for yourself just how beautiful it can be.

I look forward to your reply as well as your potential visit, Tsunayoshi. I hope you'll take me up on this offer.

The wide flourish of his signature occupied the bottom of the page. Tsuna hadn't realized it, but his hands had begun to tremble as he read the letter. He thought this nonsense had been over with, for some reason. His first instinct, as always, was to throw down the letter and run away. There was no way he could be a good mafia boss. He shared none of the faith that others seemed to have in him. And yet, despite all that, there was something that kept his eyes glued to the page and his fingers locked stiffly in place.

The fact that he hadn't already discarded it was beginning to terrify him.

"Well, Tsuna?" Reborn asked, startling Tsuna out of his stupor.

"What does it say, Tenth?" Gokudera asked eagerly, his eyes shining with curiosity and excitement. Everyone seemed to be able to sense that this small piece of paper contained something important.

"H-he wants…" He stuttered, the parchment crinkling under his fingers as they tightened further. "He wants me to go to Italy and see what I would be inheriting…if I were to be a mafia boss…"

The joy that spread across the bomber's face did not mirror Tsuna's feelings in the least.

"That's fantastic, Tenth!"

"But…" Gritting his teeth, Tsuna shoved the letter down, trying to push its words out of his mind. "I've already said hundreds of times that I don't want to be a mafia boss!"

"He's not asking you to make a decision," Reborn interjected, "He wants you to take all the factors into account before you reject the position." The hitman's face had taken on an uncharacteristically serious expression as he stared Tsuna down. "It's up to you to decide whether or not you'll go, but it's not an unreasonable request."

Tsuna couldn't argue against that, but he still couldn't quite wrap his mind around the enormity of his situation. He had always assumed that the mere notion of him becoming a mafia boss was ridiculous, and yet he suddenly found himself seriously considering the possibility. In his mind, he was able to see two different scenes playing out with stunning clarity.

In one, he was surrounded by his family and friends, his own eyes ablaze with the flame that gave him the power to protect each and every one of them. In the other, he was No-Good Tsuna, clumsy, unintelligent, incompetent, and the butt of every joke. In these two scenes, he could see two very different lives playing out, and it wasn't difficult to see which one he preferred. Suddenly, he was seeing the chance to be a mafia boss not as a horrifying nightmare, but as a chance to live up to his full potential. It was a chance to be…happy.

"Tsuna," Yamamoto placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him out of his stupor. "Are you okay?"

His friend's eyes were full of concern. Shaking his head, Tsuna folded up the letter and got to his feet.

"I'm going to go for a walk." He said softly.

"Right now?" Kyoko asked in surprise. "Lunch just started, though. Will you have enough time to eat before class?"

"Can you please tell the teacher that I'm sick? I need to go home."

"Hahi?" Haru tilted her head, the expression of confusion and worry on her face mirroring those around her.

"I'll go with you, Tenth!" Gokudera eagerly sprung to his feet, but Tsuna held up a hand to stop him.

"No," He demanded with a stern tone of voice. "I need to be alone right now. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Without allowing another question to be asked, he turned to leave.

Quickly making his way down the stairs, he gathered his belongings from the classroom and made his way off of the campus. He was surrounded by such an air of determination and purpose that no one thought to question his motives as he simply ditched all of his afternoon classes.

It wasn't until he was just outside of his home that the small hitman rejoined him.

"So you're finally taking this seriously." He said, matching Tsuna's pace from his position on the wall beside him. Rather than answering, Tsuna simply came to a stop and tilted his head back to stare at the sky. It was clear and blue, with only a few clouds to be seen. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, trying to understand how something so vast could possibly have any sort of relation to him.

"I always thought high school would be the time when everything would change for me," He murmured. "Instead, I feel like nothing's different. I've been miserable nearly every day. I keep thinking, 'After everything we've done, how can life be so dull?'"

"Obviously." Reborn agreed flatly as he lifted his gaze upwards as well. "After everything you've experienced, how could your perception not have changed?"

"I don't want to be No-Good Tsuna anymore."

Pulling his gaze away from the sky, Reborn turned to find Tsuna with his head hanging and his hands clenched tightly into fists.

"I just don't think I could live with myself. I don't want to be useless anymore." Lifting his head back up, Tsuna turned to face Reborn. The tutor could see the conflict raging violently behind the teen's eyes. "Do you really think I could be a mafia boss, Reborn? Is it even possible that I could be more than 'Baka-Tsuna' and 'No-Good Tsuna'?"

"My job is to train you, not baby you. I can't answer that for you." For a moment, Tsuna simply stared at him with an expression that was impossible to pick apart, before nodding slowly.

"I have to make some calls," He muttered quietly as he opened the gate to his house and approached the front door. As he entered the house, Reborn couldn't suppress a small smile as he pulled the brim of his fedora over his face.

"He's grown, hasn't he, Leon?" The chameleon wiggled happily from where he sat, making his agreement abundantly clear.