There's so much happy friendship fluff in this chapter! I love, love, love it! Sorry for the extreme lateness and shortness of the chapter, and for not replying to reviews. I've honestly had the most hectic year, and just don't have time for anything anymore, it seems… Anyway, here's a summary of the story thus far:
Reborn is obsessive, especially about Tsuna and has quit coffee. Verde is enjoying his tumblr and now mobile messages with Skull, although neither know who the other is. Skull is a happy-go-lucky guy who pines after Hibari. Hibari doesn't enjoy getting teased about Dino, who was turned down by Hibari, and Hibari also doesn't like Fon interfering in his business. Fon does not like Dino, but loudly proclaims and acts on his love for Viper, whose main focus is on her and Skull's production of the play 'The Tragedy of Miriam'. She does spare time, as does Hibari, to help with Skull's successful shoujo manga based on Skull's neighbours, Squalo and Colonnello. Colonnello, a successful teen model, confessed to the girl he stalks, Lal, who ended up punching and forgetting him. She and Yamamoto are preparing for the Interschool Survival Game, which Midori and Namimori High are jointly hosting. Midori High's survival club – run by the disciplinary committee's Xanxus and Squalo - is gunning for them, wanting revenge for their last defeat. Haru is developing a crush on Fran, who is mysteriously connected to someone from Reborn's family and has given Reborn's personal manservant, Bermuda, a month to break off Reborn's latest obsession i.e. Tsuna. Meanwhile, Reborn has finally got Tsuna to agree to go out with him, and Hayato, Tsuna's emotional support penpal from therapy, has just come down from Italy.
I may have missed things (such as Nana being divorced but now dating someone) but this is the general gist that I hope will jog your memory. It has been so long! T-T
13: Making Memories
"Oh my Gryffindor!"
"I thought Haru was a Hufflepuff?"
"Nah, the new Pottermore put her in Gryffindor."
"Oh my GODRIC!"
"She's really embracing her new house, huh?"
"The flashy colours suit her designs."
"HARU CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE A REAL PERSON!"
"You've known me for how long?" Hayato groaned, but a smile tugged on his lips, half-hidden by the bowl of rice he was eating. "And we've skyped how many times?"
"But you're here!" Haru continued, eyes comically wide. "And you're hot! Haru always thought it was your filters, but you're really handsome!"
"Haru, you know there's no filters on Skype." Tsuna laughed, his chest tight with happiness.
"You never know what these Italians might have created! They can be very vain, you know."
"You watch too much Hetalia," Tsuna retorted, biting into a rolled omelette.
"Eh, it's kind of true." Hayato put the bowl down and winked. "So you find me attractive, silly woman?"
"Don't call Haru that!" Haru smacked his arm. "Haru will now stop referring to herself entirely in third person."
"It's fine. You're not going to confuse me." Hayato waved his hand dismissively. "I've practised my Japanese loads."
"That's my dangerous personality," Haru explained. "I'm still working on it for when I make it big as a designer!"
"Well, that explains why I haven't heard you speak like that before." Hayato put his chopsticks down. "Did you bring the last of the paperwork?"
"Yup! Here you go!"
"What paperwork?"
"Hayato-kun changed schools so he can go with you! Isn't that sweet, Tsu-kun?" Nana gushed as she poured out some coffee for the blushing Italian.
"Eh? But you have a uniform already and everything!"
"Haru and I sorted it all out." Nana patted her son on the back before moving back to the stove.
Tsuna bumped his shoulder against Hayato's, smiling to himself. Even though his mother had sprung the surprise at dinner yesterday, he still couldn't quite believe that all of his friends were physically in the same room as him. Judging by Haru (who had known Hayato was coming for so long!), he wasn't the only one.
"You guys are the best people in the whole world," Tsuna said sincerely.
Haru blew him a kiss and Hayato smiled back at him. Nana just put five containers on the table the three friends were eating breakfast on.
"I made one for each of you, and Hibari-san and that girl you said you were eating with today!"
Tsuna blinked. "Girl?"
"Kyoko, silly! You were talking my ear off about it day before yesterday." Haru snapped her fingers. "Oh, that's right! I brought you guys your new phones." She pulled two mobiles – one orange, the other red - out of her pocket and handed it to him. "Fully charged and programmed right."
"Thanks, Haru! I suck at tech." Tsuna took the orange with a grateful smile.
"And I have no idea how these Japanese service providers operate, so really, thanks." Hayato took the red smart phone from Haru and switched to the camera. "How about a group selfie? I need a proper wallpaper and this cat isn't going to cut it."
The lens captured four faces smiling brightly, despite the expression being so unused on them. Bidding farewell to Nana, the three friends gathered their things and rushed out the home. Halfway down the road, Hayato was sending the picture to the others, when Haru stopped and asked:
"Tsuna, how did you forget about your lunch with Kyoko?"
"Ummm…" Tsuna rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You know my tutoring session yesterday?"
"The one with the weird sempai?" Hayato asked.
"Yeah… He kind of asked me out."
"What?!" yelled the other two. "How could you not tell us?"
"I forgot. I was too excited about Hayato."
Said silverette rolled his eyes. "Get it over it already. I'm here to stay." He swung his arm over Tsuna's shoulder and Haru did the same. "Tell us what happened?"
It felt so different to have them both next to him. Tsuna's cheeks would begin to hurt soon from all this smiling. "Nothing. We just did work, took a break to play some games and he asked me to give him one chance to change my mind about dating him, and I said okay. I mean, it's a win-win, right?"
"Well, you are attracted to him," Haru conceded. "And you'd be so cute together!"
"I really need to see this guy in person." Hayato frowned. "Did he tell you anything about the date?"
"No, just that it will be the Sunday after the Survival Game Tournament... which is this Saturday. Oh, and he asked if I had running shoes. Is that weird?"
"Yes," chorused the other two.
Tsuna shrugged helplessly. "It's still a while away. How about we spend today together after school? I'll cancel my tutoring."
"And I'll get out of my club activities." Haru pulled away as they came to the intersection. "See you guys soon!"
"We'll meet you at your school gate!" Tsuna called after her retreating back. She waved as she disappeared around a corner.
"Alright, let's do this." Hayato rolled his shoulders. "I haven't done public school in…ever."
"Relax; you'll be fine." Tsuna hooked their arms together. "In fact, this is going to be the best day ever!"
Hayato laughed. With Tsuna and Haru at his side? He had little doubt that this would be the best decision he had ever made.
Neither counted on the baseball that knocked Hayato out a minute later.
"Say 'aah'."
"Tsuna, I don't have a concussion."
"You say that, but you nearly took out your eye with your chopsticks. Just let me baby you."
"Did you have to say 'baby'? Now I definitely want to feed myself!"
"Honestly, Hayato. I will get on this bed and shove it in myself."
"Hey, what are you-?"
"Am I interrupting something?" Reborn said coolly, pushing open the curtain surrounding the new transfer student's bed. He restrained himself from twitching at the sight of Tsuna crawling over the newbie's lap, one hand on the stranger's shoulder and the other occupied with chopsticks.
"Ah, Reborn!" Tsuna greeted after a beat of awkward silence. "Can we help you?"
"Who's the blonde?" Reborn evaded.
"My hair is silver, actually," Hayato retorted. "And wow, rude."
"I warned you." Tsuna rolled his eyes.
"How sweet. You talk about me to your…" Reborn tried to find an appropriate word. "I'd say acquaintance, but we're acquainted and yet you still won't crawl onto my lap."
Tsuna frowned. "What are you…?" Then he realised what his current position was. What it looked like. A blush stained his cheeks and he scrambled onto his knees.
"Hey!" Hayato snapped, wrapping an arm around Tsuna's shoulders and pulling him back to his chest. "Stop picking on my best friend!" He turned his back on Reborn and then winked at his friend. "Why don't you send Mr Tall, Dark and Desperate away?"
"Are you sure you're not concussed?" Tsuna asked, but his lips twitched as he contained a smile. "I'll talk to you later, Reborn."
"The hell you will. You cancelled tuition, which is unacceptable, to cuddle with this guy?"
"Cuddling disrupts the peace," a deadly voice intoned from behind Reborn. Stepping out of the shadows was Hibari Kyoya, eyes murderously focused on the exposed bed. "Disruptions will be bitten to death."
"Hiiie!" Tsuna yelped. He hadn't had a proper run in with Hibari in ages, other than the near daily beatings for being late and those were half-hearted at this point. He had forgotten exactly how terrifying the prefect could be.
Reborn rolled his eyes and gave Tsuna a look that promised retribution later. "Well, if it isn't Fon's little-" He barely dodged the tonfa aimed at his face.
"Shall I bite you to death?" If anything, Hibari looked angrier.
"Don't be like that. Familial-" He dodged another tonfa. "Honestly, can a guy just finish-?" He bent under one slash and moved to the left to dodge another. Then he jumped backwards, back to the door with Hibari advancing. "Shall we do this properly then? No holds barred?"
Hibari's eyes promised death. He launched himself at Reborn and the two of them disappeared out of the door, the sounds of screams and screeching furniture following in their wake.
"Well, that was strange." Hayato flopped back on his back, rubbing at his head that was beginning to ache.
"You get used to Hibari after a while," Tsuna said, putting the omelette back in the bento box as he settled next to Hayato.
"And Reborn?"
Tsuna scratched his head.
"You just attract the weirdoes, Tsuna." Hayato patted his arm. "He is good looking though."
Tsuna tossed an arm over his face. "Does that make me shallow?"
"Love stories don't always need a grand beginning."
A knock on the still open door cut off Tsuna's reply. "Is this a bad time?" Sasagawa Kyoko asked, holding a bento box as she peered into the nurse's rooms.
"Ah, Kyoko-chan!" Tsuna waved. "And Kurokawa-san!"
The two girls greeted them with differing levels of enthusiasm. Hana raked her eyes over their new transfer student, scoffing.
"Are we seriously spending our break with these losers? You know what they're really after, right?"
Hayato's eyes narrowed but Kyoko intervened before he could say a word.
"I told you not to come if you didn't want to, Hana. I'm here to see Tsuna."
"As if I'd let you be alone with him after that letter incident."
"He is right here and can hear you just fine." Tsuna frowned. "Neither of you need to be here, you know."
"I want to," Kyoko insisted, taking one of the empty chairs and pulling it closer to the bed. "Now, why don't you tell me about yourself, Gokudera-kun?"
The tense atmosphere created by Hana's words slowly faded, replaced by awkward conversation over shared food. Passerbys were surprised by the sight, though only two lingered. The brunette decided against entering, while the greenette decided to shut the door and hope his obsessive friend missed the cosy scene.
"Alright, here's my credit card for the rest of the day. And don't forget to walk Haru home after supper!"
"Bye, Nana-san!" the teens chorused while Tsuna packed the card carefully away. "Enjoy your date!"
She laughed as she walked towards the bus stop in the fading dusk. No stars had shown themselves yet, but the lamps were already lit along the pathway that cut through the quiet park. Hayato tossed their empty takoyaki tray in the trash bin while the other two remained seated, looking over Tsuna's list. He had been compiling it wishfully for a while now, noting down all the things he wanted to experience with Hayato, and Haru had helped. It felt crazy that they were not even a quarter way through, despite spending the whole afternoon focusing on it.
"There's too many date-specific things there," Hayato complained after he sat back on the park bench. "Why can't we just go to the temple now?"
"No!" his friends protested vehemently.
"It's more special if we go for New Year's! It will be just like in anime!" Haru explained excitedly.
"And we need to dress up traditionally for it too!" Tsuna added.
Hayato gave up. Obviously they had some romantic notions in their head that they would refuse to change. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.
"Let's just go with TakeSushi," Haru decided, pointing at one of Tsuna's more recent entries. "Nana-san won't mind."
"But what about Nona's? I want to hear Hayato complain about how not Italian it is."
"Ooooh, that would be nice too!"
"I vote sushi," Hayato interjected. "And I can pay for myself. Nana-san didn't let us pay for anything today."
"She'll get mad," Tsuna said warningly.
"It was so nice to have her come with us." Haru sighed. "Although I think she just came along for the cake."
The trio smiled as they remembered Nana's earlier shenanigans in Haru's favourite patisserie.
"Oh no, I don't think I could eat another bite!" Nana groaned as she speared a piece of German apple cake. "I'll rip my new dress!" She ate it anyway.
"What a lovely custard! Do you think the chef would give me the recipe?"
"The chef was so kind! I do think I will come here again!"
"Oh, the chef sent all of this for me? This is so much cake! I couldn't possibly-!"
"Oh, that broke my heart. The chef was so sweet, but I'm already seeing someone. I couldn't not tell him."
"Do tell Yamaki-san that I will be back for his delicious bake goods! And – oh, he said I should take this home? He really is the sweetest."
"Do you two still not know who she's dating?" Hayato asked.
"Mum will tell me when she's ready. Anyone is better than Iemitsu though."
"It's too hard to guess! Everyone falls in love with Nana-san!" Haru pouted. "I need to learn her ways."
"It's all in her smile," Hayato said, nodding sagely. "It makes you feel – warm. Loved. Like you could do anything."
Tsuna's lips quirked. "Sometimes."
Unspoken history hung in the air, before Haru linked their arms and dragged them to their feet. "It's sushi time! We don't want to have to wait if it gets too busy."
"I'm still full though…" Hayato said, rubbing his stomach.
"We will be hungry by the time we get there!"
TakeSushi was packed for a Wednesday night. Lal fumbled with a menu as she rushed to greet the latest group waiting at the entrance. She hurried them to their seats before returning to collect an order that Takeshi was trying to figure out who it was for.
"Haha, Lal, your handwriting is getting worse!"
"Go sort out table five," she snapped, brushing some unruly strands of hair from her face. The ambient lighting caught on the gleaming fatty tuna on her serving tray as she deposited it before her fussiest – and worse – customers of the night. "Anything else I can get for you?" she asked loudly, to be heard over the drunkards two tables over.
"Ushishishi, bring me a bottle of your best wine!"
"I'm afraid we don't serve alcohol to minors," Lal said for the umpteenth time.
"Baka brother!" laughed the other blond at the table, causing his twin to glare at him.
"If that will be all…" Lal said, carefully stealing away the silverware that she was sure had not been there ten minutes ago.
"Be gone, peasant!" Belphagor snapped.
"Usheshe, bring me a refill of Fanta!" Rasiel called after her retreating back.
"Next time you get the psychotic twins," Lal growled at Takeshi, who had just picked up an order.
Takeshi shrugged. "They always ask for you." He paused. "I can take table six off your hands, if you like."
"Don't you have your hands full?" his father asked, deftly cutting up some salmon. He ignored the loud cheers from the party of twelve. "What a day to be short-staffed."
"The twins need all of Lal's attention! I can take one extra table until they leave."
Lal said nothing as she filled a glass with bright soda, while Takeshi rushed off to deliver an order to one of his tables. After enduring another bout of nagging from the twins, she grabbed Takeshi's arm as he passed by. "You can have the table, but I want to know why."
Takeshi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as they navigated their way to his father. "I may have hit one of them this morning…"
"You got into a fight?" Lal hissed. She dodged one of the drunks as he called for the bill.
"No, no! I was practicing my pitching with Hasegawa and he missed the catch. I didn't have time to go apologise this morning."
"Takeshi!" Tsuyoshi scolded. He popped a platter of sushi in front of his son. "I raised you better! Take this to them as an apology, and look after them for the night."
"Thanks, dad!" Takeshi grinned and walked off.
"Tch. The idiot was supposed to take a rest day today." Lal shook her head, before pasting on a smile to deal with a different table.
"Welcome to TakeSushi!" Takeshi greeted, standing before the group of strangers. "Here's a complimentary plate of sushi to start you off."
"Oh, thank you!" Tsuna bowed his head.
"They just give it away?" Hayato asked, eyebrow raised.
"Ah, no, this is to show my regret." Takeshi bowed. "My deepest apologies for hitting you in the head with a baseball this morning."
"Ah, it was you!" Hayato raged, standing up. He spewed forth a host of Italian insults while a horrified Tsuna and blushing Haru tried to get him to calm down.
"Ah..." Takeshi blinked, bemused. The teen he had hit looked quite… pleasant. He was reminded a bit of the Midori High student that he and Lal sometimes faced in survival games. But this boy's silver hair was short, and his eyes a delicate green that practically glowed with his ire. Takeshi continued to stare, and slowly the boy's insults turned to spluttering and a light blush began creeping onto his face.
"Why the fuck are you staring at me like that?" Hayato snapped at their server, finally noting the eyes of the other patrons. Shit, he forgot that he was in a different country now, and one that would definitely think him crude.
"Was I?" Takeshi says pleasantly, blinking away his observations. "I just realised that I don't know your name."
Hayato would have snapped again, if it hadn't been for Haru and Tsuna's pleading eyes. "Gokudera Hayato," he begrudgingly said instead.
Takeshi's smile brightened his face. "I'll remember that! Us upperclassmen have to take care of our kohai, after all." He ruffled Gokudera's hair before walking off, leaving the silverette to splutter indignantly in his wake.
"What the hell was that?" He looked at his friends for an explanation as he sat down. "Who the fuck was that?"
"Yamamoto Takeshi," Tsuna explained. "He's one of the star members of Namimori High's baseball team and a year above us."
"His father owns this place," Haru added. "And from what I've seen and heard of him, he's really friendly."
"Yeah, well, update that information: he is an annoying moron. The bastard didn't even take our order!" Hayato huffed, crossing his arms.
"In the meantime, let's just enjoy your first time eating real sushi!" Haru said, clapping her hands.
Hayato side-eyed her. "Selfie time?"
She grinned. "You bet."
Hayato leaned closer to her and Tsuna leaned over him, smiles on all their faces as she readied the camera.
"Ni!" they chorused brightly and snapped a photo.
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"Judging by your face, I'd say your judgement is currently impaired."
Colonnello scowled at the pretty girl sipping tea in front of him and forced himself not to touch the bruise that had still not faded from his face. "Why do I even put up with you, kora?"
"Because I'm the only other model you know?" Bluebell tossed her hair. "I'm way out of your league though."
"Then why go along with this silly idea?" Colonnello replied.
"Because it's perfect timing!" his agent, Lancia, explained patiently. "Love Suburbia is going to cast the drama's protagonists next week, and you've been begging to get into acting."
"Yes, but –"
"And the producers decided to cast newbies in the role, because they want it to be authentic," Zakuro, Bluebell's manager, cut across Colonnello briskly.
"What's more authentic for a story about two friends that love each other, than real life childhood friends," Bluebell waves to indicate the two of them, "who have recently revealed that they've been dating?"
"But I-"
"And it's not like it's totally a lie," Lancia steamrolled past Colonnello's protests. "You and Bluebell have been friends since you entered the media scene, and there's always been rumours of the two of you together. Especially since you do a lot of photoshoots together."
"It's not my fault Japan likes to stick the foreigners together," grumbled Colonnello.
"Who knows?" Zakuro finished his coffee. "Maybe you two might actually make it work."
"Hmph!" Bluebell wrinkled her nose. "As if! I have my sights set on someone better."
"I'm not quite sure I'm ready to die when Kikyo's jealousy rears his head, kora" Colonnello says drily. "I could always shoot him in the head! But the bastard is sneaky."
"Kikyo and I are just friends," Bluebell replied, pouting. "But yes, I'm hoping he will make a move once he sees me dating someone else."
"So you're just planning on using me to snap your dreamy idol boyfriend."
"It's just creepy when you call him dreamy." Bluebell smirked. "Besides, it's not like you have anyone in your life, so why are you arguing about this?"
"It will be really good for your career, and if we manage to get onto Love Suburbia, your popularity will continue to soar." Lancia finished his tea and leaned back. "Are you in or out?"
Colonnello turned his face away as he contemplated his options. He didn't want to do this. It felt wrong, and he couldn't really see himself faking it very well with Bluebell. Besides, what if Lal was the kind of girl who followed celebrity gossip, minor though it will be? If she sees him saying that he's been dating Bluebell, will she think of him as a two-timing jerk? Then again, she obviously didn't recognise him… so maybe not?
"Needless to say," Bluebell interrupted his thoughts, "we will eventually break up on mutually agreeable terms. We will say that we decided we were better friends. And you are absolutely not allowed to cheat on me. We're going to sell this well." Her eyes gleamed. "Or I'll sic my brother on you."
Colonnello shuddered. He had some very vivid details of her brother smiling and eating marshmallows while describing in graphic detail the things he would do if Colonnello ever allowed Bluebell to be hurt. And that was just when he was a friend. He was not looking forward to the boyfriend shovel talk.
"You'll tell him it's not real though, right?" Colonnello pleaded.
"Of course she will," Lancia said, just as Bluebell agreed.
She glared at him for speaking for her before saying, "I would never lie to my brother. You know that. But I won't tell anyone else. Who knows who would spill the beans and ruin things?"
Colonnello sighed. He had a feeling he was going to get the talk anyway. "Fine, but I'm telling Squalo. For how long will we pretend?"
"It depends on the reception and how things go with the series, provided we even get the job," Zakuro explained. "I have places to get to, boy, so give me your answer.
It felt like a betrayal to even say it, but perhaps he could use this time to just get Lal to notice him. Heck, maybe Bluebell could even give him some advice (though judging by Kikyo and her's lack of a relationship, she was hardly an expert). "I'll do it."
Zakuro clapped his hands together sarcastically. "I now announce you to be boyfriend and girlfriend!"
Colonnello clinked his glass with Bluebell's, and hoped he wouldn't regret his decision.
Yes, this chapter reads like a filler, but doesn't the whole story seem that way? But if it makes you feel better, the Survival Game is only 2 chapters away! Also, world-building is fun :D
I'm so sorry for not replying to your reviews, and I will try to get to them later. Just know that I appreciate every single one and on bad days, I love going through them and getting to know some of the people reading my story. They really help, and give me the motivation to continue.
So thank you to my constant reviewers, AiMila, Nella Moonblood Royalle, Kestrealbird, 11jaemin16, Evani, Thalassa Bra, xoxo-No Name-xoxo, Kristina M.P. as well as to all the guests. And also, to my new reviewers: D C JoKeR H S, HighAnimeFangirl, Mintlead64 and The Environmentalist. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter despite the long wait :) (and please tell me if I made any errors)