Vongola X Yozakura

[Ishya_Chan]

Chapter 1 - Tsuna X Mutsumi

Loser Tsuna.

Or No Good Tsuna.

That's how they called Tsunayoshi Sawada.

The pathetic wimp at Namimori Middle School best known for his poor grades, wimpy attitude, bad luck, and lack of athleticism. These are facts that Tsuna freely admits.

But he was not always like this. Though, he had long forgotten when it started.

If Tsuna had to blame something, it would be his bad luck that often placed him in difficult situations.

How bad is his luck?

At first it started with simple embarrassing accidents like often getting chased by dogs, accidentally falling down stairs, being hit by bird droppings, and getting struck by random objects.

Those were still bearable, earning him some laugh from his peers, but it gradually got worse.

During the critical moment in their school volleyball competition, he slipped from the sweat of his teammate while trying to receive the ball, causing their class to lose the championship.

Since then, many of his classmates lost trust in him and started to call him No Good Tsuna.

But that was not the worst.

He was beaten up by older delinquents and got hanged on a tree at his school's front gate with nothing but his underwear for not giving his pocket money.

The next morning, he became a source of laughter and pity for the entire school.

All of those incidents made his self-esteem reach the rock bottom which affected his motivation to attend school and do his school activities, causing his grades to drop badly.

But even No Good Tsuna dared to dream big.

Namimori Middle School had two school idols recognized and admired by every student.

Tsuna slowly shifted his gaze toward a girl seated in front of him next to a window.

A pretty face framed by a long blue hair.

Yozakura Mutsumi. One of Namimori Middle School's two school idols.

He still remembers it clearly. Since kindergarten, they would often see each other and have short greetings since they were in the same neighborhood.

Tsuna has a crush on her. But when thinking of himself objectively, his self-esteem sunk deeper into the abyss.

She was one of the prettiest girls at school. Perfect grades, athletic, and charismatic.

Mutsumi possessed every good trait he would never have.

Tsuna liked how she was kind and caring to everyone, even to someone like him.

Whenever he was teased for being useless, it was always her who would scold them and cheer him up.

When he stopped attending class, it was her who talked with Tsuna's mother so he would attend classes once again.

Even if it was her duty as the class president, Tsuna still couldn't help but feel touched.

It felt like in a world that branded him as a failure, she saw him without judgement but only kindness.

Everyone admired her.

People who were countless times better than him.

That's why she was a dream he could only yearn for silently.

"Mutsumi, you'll attend Namimori Junior High too, right?"

The girl that asked was Sasagawa Kyoko, Mutsumi's closest friend, who was the other school idol beside her.

"Yup, it's close to my home, so the distance is convenient."

"Thank goodness! I'm not alone! I always feel nervous in new environments, but with you now, I feel more relief."

"Geez, I can't really leave you alone."

"Hehe~"

Tsuna let out a long sigh.

They were now nearing the end of their final year in middle school, meaning their new chapter of life as junior high students were approaching.

And for Tsuna, this transition into an unknown chapter was something he dreaded.

Humanity's greatest and oldest known fear was the fear of the unknown.

"But I'm glad… I'll go to the same school as Mutsumi…"

That relief and joy greatly eased the fear settling in his heart.

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The school bell rang.

Tsuna was eager to return home, but as if lady fortune finally smiled at him after all his bad luck, he encountered Mutsumi outside the school.

"Oh it's you, Tsuna… Heading home?"

"Y-yeah, how about you?"

Tsuna tried his best to look composed but inwardly he was panicking at this unexpected turn of event.

"I didn't have any tasks from the teachers today, so I got to go home early."

Tsuna nodded in understanding. Mutsumi was usually busy because she played various roles at school.

"I think this is the first time I saw you get home early… Being both our class president and the student council's secretary must be tough…"

"You get me! I won't lie, being busy is exhausting and a hassle!"

Mutsumi nodded in agreement as a small smile tugged the corner of her mouth.

"But I like what I'm doing, so I can't complain much. Attending school is like a privilege to me, so I want to make sure it's the best!"

Tsuna gazed at her figure with his eyes flashing with admiration. But for some reason, he could see a faint loneliness in her smile.

While he was thinking, Mutsumi suggested to him.

"Our directions are the same since we are from the same neighborhood, right? Let's go together."

"S-Sure!"

Tsuna was inwardly happy. He couldn't believe he got the chance to walk home with her! Never in his life did he imagine this happening.

In the end, the atmosphere between became awkward and silent.

On one hand, Tsuna sweated heavily trying to think of how to continue the conversation.

On the other hand, Mutsumi looked calm with her expression unreadable.

Whooosh!

A dangerous sensation snapped Tsuna out from his thought process.

"Watch out!"

At the same time, Mutsumi abruptly warned him of an incoming stray baseball.

Tsuna turned his head around, narrowly avoiding the ball from hitting his head. Just as he thought it was over and relaxed, the ball bounced back from a wall and slammed against his cheek.

"Ouch!"

His head tumbled backward as a scorching sensation radiated from his bruised cheek.

"Sorry! Please forgive us!"

At the park near them, a group of kids exclaimed in worry before bowing in apology after their baseball injured Tsuna.

"No worries…"

Tsuna smiled at them while rubbing his throbbing cheek, throwing back the baseball to the kids.

Mutsumi exclaimed next to him.

"You know, I now realize today why you always come to school looking like a mess or injured."

"It's nothing special… I just have bad luck."

Tsuna looked downward as he spoke, a wry smile plastered on his face.

Mutsumi grew concerned when she saw the subtle sorrow on Tsuna's face. A pained sorrow so subtle like he was desperately trying to hide it.

"This may sound rude, but I just wanna ask because I'm concerned. Is your bad luck connected to how you're always alone at school, causing you to have trouble making friends?



"Ah, that's...."

Tsuna hesitated.

"Maybe… I just don't know how to talk with others well and… I don't have opportunities to make friends."

Mutsumi leaned in, her serious eyes expressing she wanted to listen carefully.

"During the start of school, I caught a severe infection and only recovered after 2 weeks. When I returned to school, everyone had already had their own groups. I'm already awkward, so it was hard for me to fit in…"

Tsuna looked sideways as he laughed dryly, as if to mock himself.

After that, everything turned for the worse for me.

"You must have it tough…"

Mutsumi sympathized, patting his shoulder gently.

"But you'll be okay… No, I'll make sure you're okay! As your class president, I'll help you! That's why if you need help, don't hesitate to approach me!"

Tsuna widened his eyes at her, completely taken aback.

"T-Thanks…"

"Oh right, Tsuna—"

As Mutsumi was about to say something, Tsuna felt every hair on his body abruptly stand up. An intense sensation of sickening danger overwhelmed his breaths.

A kind of danger the boy had never felt his whole life.

In Tsuna's perspective, the world appeared to slow down as he noticed an approaching white van behind Mutsumi.

The car's door opened and a pair of muscular arms reached out without hesitation from the darkness toward Mutsumi.

Tsuna didn't have time to process anything.

As if guided solely by intuition… his body was already moving a second faster than the kidnapper, pulling Mutsumi into his embrace before the kidnapper could successfully grab her into the van.

In just a mere split second, Mutsumi was saved by Tsuna, her eyes still wide open in surprise.

"I failed to grab her….? By a kid…?"

The van stop. From within its dark interior, a rough, heavy voice resounded, shaking with intense anger and disbelief.

Soon under their trembling eyes, a masked man stepped outside the van's door.

Tsuna's body shook unceasingly with fear as the man's tall stature towered over them, his massive muscles rippling beneath a tight black undershirt.

"Damn brat! How dare you get in our way! I'll fucking skin you alive!"

The man growled intensely, the air around them freezing under the intense pressure leaking out from his entire body.

This was pure, unadulterated killing intent. A proof of this man having killed dozens of people.

When faced with a danger that threatens their life, the human physiology automatically chooses between two life-or-death responses.

Fight.

Or.

Flight.

But facing this overwhelming killing intent that froze the air around them, making the temperature drop several times—the human physiology has no choice but to forcefully shut itself down and freeze completely—understanding that in this current situation, fighting or running now was only a futile, wasteful attempt.

Like a prey before a predator, Tsuna's body could only helplessly freeze.

All he could do was guard Mutsumi from behind him.

"Mutsumi… run…"

With a shaking voice, Tsuna whispered to Mutsumi and prayed she listened.

Woosh!

"Gotcha!"

With those words, before Tsuna could react and even see, he felt a large hand tightly grab his throat and lifted him high above the ground.

"..Kuekk….!"

A hand clamped his throat. Squeezing it tightly as the man's rough, calloused fingers dug in deeply until his windpipe felt like a crushed paper straw.

His chest rose and fell, again and again, a searing pain rapidly spreading from his lungs that desperately begged for air outside.

But no matter how much Tsuna desperately tried to breathe in even the slightiest bit of oxygen, nothing came in, only an excruciating pain that grew with every second.

"Struggle all you want! I will not let you go until you die!"

The man grinned hideously from beneath his mask.

"....Kuehkk!!"

Tsuna struggled intensely to break free, his nails desperately clawing at the hand choking his throat, but the man only made his grip stronger.

"Arghh…!"

Tsuna felt his heart pounding faster and faster, his ears ringing intensely to the point he could barely hear his surroundings.

He failed to hear Mutsumi shouting worriedly at him, screaming angrily at the man to stop.

All he could hear was the rushing sound of his blood flushing louder in his ears like it was about to burst.

Tears slipped from Tsuna's eyes as his vision dimmed and grew dark.

Am I gonna die?

As his consciousness slowly slipped into the darkness, Tsuna could clearly feel the unsettling sensation of doom, whispering to him that death was near.

Gradually, his intense struggles slowly weakened and his shoulder dropped heavily below.

All of his strength left him, replaced by the familiar sensation of weaknesses and helplessness.

Facing death, Tsuna couldn't help but feel an all-consuming regret.

I couldn't even save the girl I like from danger...

The weakness that felt so familiar and comforting, he hated it with every fiber of his being at this very moment.

If I fought with a dying will and didn't freeze, If I was stronger and not weak, could I have saved Mutsumi?

"Please stop… It's me you want, right? He's innocent. Please let him go...!"

Mutsumi wore a resigned expression, her eyes shaking as she gazed at Tsuna's terrible state.

At that moment, Tsuna was pulled up from sinking into eternal darkness.

No—!

The hand wrapped around him loosened, causing Tsuna to fall to the ground.

Don't Mutsumi..!

The kidnapper glared at him from above, clicking his tongue.

"Lucky shit! If not for this girl, you'll already be mincemeat!"

Tsuna laid weakly on the ground, desperately heaving while coughing violently in pain.

He saw Mutsumi following the kidnapper into the white van.

With one last look at Tsuna, Mutsumi smiled at him as if to say to him not to worry and everything would be okay.

Tsuna slowly reached out his hand towards her, but they were already gone.

Mutsumi was kidnapped.

And Tsuna wasn't able to do anything at all.

He let himself be saved by her instead.

For the thousandth time, he really hated himself for being Useless Tsuna.

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Mutsumi got kidnapped.

As Tsuna briefly recovered, he quickly thought of ways to help her.

"The police…"

During the moment the van took off, Tsuna forced himself to observe the car's license plate and memorize it.

Tsuna ran toward the nearest police station box. Even as his throat still burned in pain or how his head still felt dizzy and lightheaded, his steps never faltered with resolve to help Mutsumi.

"Just a bit more…!"

His lungs burned intensely once again, his head had already gone blank but there was only one thing in his mind.

Even if I die, I must ask help from the police!

Carried by the resolve burning within him, Tsuna's exhausted body blazed with newfound energy, squeezing out his final bits of strength.

"Haa…. Haa…! O-Officer, please help! My classmate got kidnapped!"

Tsuna reached the police box and quickly recounted what happened earlier.

Obtaining the plate number, the police officer contacted the city's police headquarters to dispatch officers to save Mutsumi.

The HQ also contacted Mutsumi's family, though, Tsuna heard they appeared far too relaxed and calm even though their sister got kidnapped.

Tsuna sat exhaustedly on a seat, catching his breath and sincerely prayed that Mutsumi remained safe.

"Hey, kid! I've got good news!"

The police officer hurriedly went to Tsuna while wearing a large smile.

"I've heard a report from HQ. Your friend just got saved from the kidnappers!"

"Really!?"

Tsuna was relieved and happy to hear Mutsumi was safe now. His tense body finally began to relax.

He thought for a moment and asked curiously.

"Thank goodness, officer! But are the police that fast and good nowadays?"

The officer laughed.

"We were also surprised. In truth, it wasn't the police that solved this matter. We don't know their identity, but they saved that girl and delivered her home safely. We got confirmation from her parents."

"I see…"

Tsuna didn't know the person who saved Mutsumi, but he was really grateful to that person.

"Anyway… That girl's background sure isn't normal… Kid, you got an extraordinary friend."

Tsuna nodded. He already knew that Mutsumi was from a wealthy family. That's why she was raised as an elite that excelled at everything.

Perhaps the kidnapper went after Mutsumi because of her background.

After everything was over, Tsuna finally made his way home.

He stopped for a moment and watched the sunset faraway, leaving a veil of amber glow over the entire landscape of Namimori City.

Tsuna could still vividly remember his near death experience earlier.

At the face of death…

He couldn't help but laugh at his own current pitiful self.

…Nothing really mattered.

The judgement he received from others, it really wasn't a big deal if he think of it now.

He found it funny how he blamed everything on his circumstances. Of how he allowed his life to be defined by the nickname No Good Tsuna the others called him.

All he did was run away. But now for some reason, he felt light and free.

Tsuna made an oath that would change his life.

He remembered his helplessness as Mutsumi gave in to the kidnapper.

If only I was better…

Stronger…

And more resolved…

To become a man suitable for her, Tsuna swore to work hard.

There were many times he wishes to change and become better, but the words placed to him by others became stuck like a shackle he could never be free from.

But facing life-and-death.

And seeing his own weakness to save Mutsumi…

For the first time, Tsuna was ignited with a blazing resolve to change.

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Far away, in a room where the light came from crystal chandeliers instead of the sun, an old man sat in silence.

The chair beneath him was carved, heavy, and ancient.

A small figure stood before him. A baby wearing a black suit and a fedora tilted forward, obscuring his eyes.

"Reborn, I have a new task for you."

The man said, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

"Go to Japan. Find and train my future successor."

The baby called Reborn didn't move and only listened silently.

The old man's eyes drifted toward the portrait hanging behind him. A figure from another time stared back.

"Do it in secret. Until he can stand on his own, he must remain unseen. There are many who would come after his life."

He sighed sorrowfully.

"Such is the fate of our family."

Reborn nodded slightly.

"Right... the Vongola Family."

"Take care of him. Especially because he carries the blood of our founder..."

The man added which made Reborn quite interested.

"Understood… Nono."

Reborn's gaze grew complicated as he accepted the order.

Giving this task meant…

"I don't have much time left."

Reborn silently watched as Vongola Nono closed his eyes.

In Nono's mind, he was reminiscing over a distant memory.

A boy was cradled in his arms, a small, fragile yellow-orange flame flickering gently on the child's forehead.

Little one, sorry for having to involve you...

Nono opened his eyes and gazed outside the window to watch the sun rise in the sky.

However...

"...Decimo..."

Whether your light can overcome the darkness of our lineage… or be swallowed by it just like the rest of us...

Whatever the outcome….

"…you are our hope."