Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Fan Fiction ❯ Rinasce! ❯ Rinasce! Parte uno. ( Chapter 1 )

“Tsu-kun!” the breezy voice said. “...A home tutor is coming today!”

“Home tutor!” Tsuna Tsunayoshi repeated, jumping at his mother's words. He had been listening to her usual parental rubbish – about how it was such a crime that he had skipped half of the school day, and how I'm Not Asking You To Go To A Good High School Or College, You Know! I Just Don't Want You To Be Bored With Life, Tsu-kun! Live Happily, Feeling That It's Great To Be Alive! That kind of thing. It wasn't completely unbearable stuff, because long ago, Tsuna had taught himself how to tune it out like it was nothing.

And then, out of nowhere, she had dropped a bomb like this.

Home tutor. The words were unbelievably appalling. Of course, both Tsuna's studying and leisurely habits might not have been the best, but they certainly were no cause to take away his very freedom! A home tutor meant that he would be watched, that even after a long day of bullying and self-loathing at school, he would be forced to participate in more all over again as soon as he arrived home. Only, in front of the eyes of a complete stranger.

What made the idea worse was the fact that his time would just be wasted: with or without tutor, surely things were going to fail. Tsuna was good at nothing, and would stay so. All he had to look forward to now, then, was just weeks and weeks of wasted hours with a stranger, and only because his mother thought he was bored with life.

Which he was. But that was besides the point.

In any case, the very thought of such a thing made Tsuna's mouth drop. But his mother must have missed his horrified expression, because she continued on as if nothing had happened what-so-ever. “There was an interesting flyer in the mailbox.” She held up a sheet of paper Tsuna correctly identified as the reason for his situation, and read: “ '[We] will raise your kid to be the new leader of the next generation. Grade and subject doesn't matter. Signed, Reborn.' ” She looked up, smiling brightly. “I've wanted a teacher like this for you!”

“Don't create your own image of him! It sounds like a scam, anyway!” Tsuna snapped out suddenly, brain twirling, starting to panic. He had to pull out of this, and quickly. He would make empty promises to improve himself if he had to, although he'd save the bargaining for last. First, he would try the refusal attempt.

“I'm not having a tutor, okay?” he shouted. So far so good. “I mean, I'm not good at anything I do anyways!”

Ah. That last part had slipped. But it was of no matter, because it seemed that he had momentarily sidetracked her. He could see his mother open her lips, brows raising sympathetically, about to undoubtedly reassure him of how not a human waste puddle he was. She was wrong in this argument, of course, but this would give him more time to protest against his potential teacher, Peecorn. Or whatever his weird foreign name was.

There was a knock on his bedroom door.

Tsuna's mother's mouth closed. She looked to her child, wide-eyed, and Tsuna looked back, wearing much the same expression. They were both on the second floor of the house, and both the only two people that were supposed to be in it. After the fleeting emotion of shock passed, Tsuna shook his head, silently motioning to his mother that he was certainly not going to get the door.

The mother frowned, disappointed, but she went to the door in his stead. Quietly, she opened it a crack, and Tsuna heard a gentle “Hello?” erupt from her.

“ Hello, and good afternoon,” a voice responded. “Your front door was unlocked, so I helped myself in. I've come three hours early, but only to evaluate, as a service to you.”

The voice was very confident-sounding, but strangely high-pitched. Tsuna's mother opened the door wider, letting out a small breath of surprise. Tsuna raised his brows. Standing at the doorway was the last thing he'd expected: a child. A strangely dressed one at that. He didn't look older then perhaps five or six, and wore a jet-black tuxedo that matched his dark hair and eyes. The inconsiderate punk hadn't even taken off his black loafers when he'd walked through the door.

Even creepier, though, was the kid's expression. He was smiling warmly, but somehow it was a cold smile, devoid of any real feelings. In fact, the face was of the kind that grew only after so many hardships and tears that absolutely nothing was left in it, but a smile at the end. It was a vividly adult expression.

His mom spoke, and Tsuna remembered she was there. She bent down, hands on her knees, to look the kid in his stout face. “Where's your mommy, little guy?” she said, in a sweet voice, “What's you're name?”

The words surprised Tsuna. Why was she talking like that? Couldn't she see the maturity on the kid's face?

No. Of course she didn't. Because Tsuna was imagining it. There was no maturity, not more then any other snot-nosed kid in the world. It was just his imagination, and he needed to wipe those thoughts away. He was weirding himself out with it anyways.

“Hm?” The kid blinked, and tipped his hat. “...But I'm Reborn. The home tutor.”