Yume Hibari's Story

"Listen here, young Ieharu."

At the mentioning of his name, Ieharu's ears perked up, but he didn't turn to look at the source. He was too busy playing his video game, torso hunched to the side, shoulders scrunched in concentration, the clicks and clacks of his controller nearly as deafening as the sound of gunfire emanating from the massive flat screen before him. This wasn't the first time he had to multitask while an adult was talking.

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this–in fact I shouldn't be, but I believe honorable men like myself should show some good charity toward the families of their targets."

Ieharu's eyes narrowed slightly, but his concentration on his game didn't falter for a second. Though he was only halfway paying attention, he did recognize the voice. Male. Upbeat. Sanguine, but with a hint of danger. It was Godot, though his twin brother Ieyoshi always called the man "their new nanny".

"You might not believe me–I get it, it's a little sudden–but I am an assassin sent by an anonymous payer of mine to knock off an heir of the Vongola family."

From where he stood in the room, Godot took a few steps closer. Ieharu didn't notice, nor did he respond. On the TV, a rival's body exploded in a plume of blood and body parts. Presumably the boy's doing, because he snickered softly.

"Namely, that would be you, Ieharu Sawada." Outside, thunder boomed, ravaging the skies. It was several moments before Ieharu reacted, but then it was as if he'd been physically slapped. The clicking and clacking from the controller ceased immediately as he slowly turned his head, looking over his shoulder at the man who had just threatened his life in no uncertain terms. He was standing pretty close, too. Eyes wide, Ieharu moved his lips as if to form words, but nothing came out.

"Indeed," Godot continued, shrugging as if it were none of his business, his attitude cavalier. "Your Daddy-o's quite an important guy, and there are certain people who are quite concerned as to who takes his nice leather-padded throne."

Ieharu dropped the controller. The sound of an explosion erupted from the TV soon after, the flat screen flashing wildly before going black. There were only two words on the screen now: Game Over.

It was then that Ieharu found his voice, high pitched and wracked with incredulity. "Wait... what?!"

"I don't think you'd be all too interested in the details, seeing as you're going to die anyway." Godot took another step closer. He was within arm's reach of the boy now. "But just think of this as my diagnosis for you."

While gaming, Ieharu had been seated on the edge of a particularly comfortable reclining chair. Having closed the distance between them, Godot leaned on the chair's back, causing it to shift and Ieharu to slide backwards. Slowly. They were practically face to face now.

"I've decided that it's going to happen tomorrow." He said, matter-of-factly. "I can't delay it any further, please understand that I really wish I could."

Ieharu simply stared in horror, the weight of Godot's words imprinting themselves onto his psyche. Could it be true? Is he serious? He sounded pretty serious. Looked dead serious, in fact. But his father would never put an assassin so close, right? ... but what if he didn't, or he made a mistake? What if it was all part of the plan? What if he was going to die?!

"I've grown to like you, young Ieharu, so this is about all I can do for you."

"But—!"

"You've got one day to live, or at least until the next time I see you. I'm giving you the opportunity to clear up whatever remaining regrets you might have. It really hurts my conscience to think about good men dying with regrets..."

As Godot spoke, Ieharu brought his hands to the sides of his face, a sound like that of a dying animal escaping his lips. One day?! It wasn't fair! He had a math test tomorrow that he'd already studied for. He had so many people to meet... so many friends to make... all of it for nothing. His hands traversed his head, moving from the sides of his face to his forehead. Tears came to his eyes at his next thought.

I'm still a virgin!

"Regardless, that doesn't stop me from doing what I'm paid to, I just like to get an extra minute of sleep later on. So, I suggest spending the night to give it some thought, just make sure you sleep good, alright?" Ieharu didn't respond, his hands still plastered to his forehead. "... Oh, and make sure you don't tell anybody like your brother or something. You don't want to get your family involved, else I'll be forced to... Well, I'm sure your a smart kid–in fact, I know you are." Again, Ieharu didn't even respond. Didn't move. Didn't dare to. Never in his life was he so intimidated by the presence of another.

After a momentary silence, Godot turned, releasing the chair and nearly causing Ieharu to fly off it as it snapped forward. "Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow." Almost as an afterthought, he added: "Oh, and good luck on the quadratics test."

**

"Yoh, I'm not kidding. I'm serious." Ieharu threw his hands up, a gesture meant to implore. "Didn't you hear me?! He's going to murder us all!"

The boy was sitting atop his bed, covers wrapped around himself like a burrito. Only his face and hands were exposed. He looked like an Eskimo, wrapped in his layers. Standing across from him was literally his mirror image save for their hair color. It was his twin brother, the self-proclaimed "older brother" Ieyoshi, casually slipping on a T-shirt while laughing his head off. When it came to someone as eternally relaxed and laid back as Ieyoshi, "laughing your head off" meant a few soft, curt chuckles. If you weren't actively listening for it, you might even miss it.

"Pfft. Murder you, maybe." Ieyoshi's voice was gruff, his tone sober, his face stoic. It was as if someone had turned his "energy" dial way down and then broke it off. "He did say only one of us would be offed, right?" He turned from sizing himself up in the mirror to look at his brother, who hadn't yet responded. "Right, Haku?"

Ieharu sighed, his big brunette bushel of hair poking out from under the covers. "Right," he mumbled, dejected. He cast his eyes downward before speaking again, this time in a hushed whisper. "You'd save me, right?"

The response was immediate.

SLAP!

Almost instantly, Ieharu brought both hands to his left cheek, where Ieyoshi has unceremoniously slapped him, a look of surprise and anger fresh upon his face. "Yoh! What the fuck?!"

Ieyoshi took a stance, leaning to the side, hand gripping lightly the base of his skull, a somewhat exasperated expression overcoming his otherwise neutral countenance. Ieharu recognized it as his brother's lecturing pose. He'd seen it a million times before. "Look," his brother began, pointing at Ieharu's face. "He's obviously not going to kill you. Think about it." Ieyoshi brought his hands together, marking off his points by counting his fingers. "A, that no-good Tsuna might be stupid, but do you think he's stupid enough to bring a killer into the house? To sleep in our beds? Eat our food?"

"Hey!" Ieharu interrupted, his voice shrill. "Dad's not no-good!" He said, referring to their father, Tsunayoshi.

Ieyoshi shrugged, continuing, his voice as low and monotonous as a boring college professor's. "Whatever. B, the guy's been here for, like, two weeks already. If he wanted to kill you, why not get it over with quickly? Why play buddy buddy with us for nearly a month? C, we don't have time for this. Get up. We have that math test, remember?"

Though he nodded at a couple of his brother's well-articulated points, when Ieyoshi told him to get up, he responded by pulling the covers over his head and rolling back into bed. "I think I'm gonna be sick..." He mumbled, peeking out from under the sheets after a moment.

Ieyoshi sighed, grabbing his backpack by the strap and swinging it onto his shoulder in one smooth fluid motion. He then sauntered out of the room as if the universe owed him a favor. Sauntering seemed to be his natural form of locomotion. From his mannerisms and personality to the way he picked up his bag and walked out of a room, in Ieharu's eyes, his brother was the pinnacle of cool.

After hearing the customary slam of the downstairs door, there were several moments of blissful uninterrupted peace, with Ieharu nearly falling back asleep. Before he could drift fully into unconsciousness, however, he heard someone at the window. He could tell without looking that it was Ieyoshi. Reluctantly, Ieharu rolled out of bed, the frigid air biting into his exposed skin. Slowly but surely he made his way to the window. After a moment, he opened it.

"Ieharu." Ieyoshi was standing on the grass outside of their home, looking up at their shared bedroom window. Their bedroom was on the second floor.

"What? I said I'm not going."

"Yeah, I know. I just remembered something."

Ieharu raised an eyebrow. Ieyoshi had that look on his face again. The one he always got several dozen turns before he won at Monopoly.

Ieyoshi's lips morphed into a slight grin. In response, Ieharu gulped involuntarily. That grin was never a good sign.

"I know something you think I don't know. And it'll make you come to class, too."

Ieharu ducked down so that only his eyes shown over the windowsill, as if his brother were going to start hurling rocks. "Wh... what are you talking about?!"

There was a moment of silence before Ieyoshi responded, but when he did, his brother's eyes grew wide with fright. "I know who Ieharu likes."

Ieharu shot up, his upper body practically leaning out the window at this point. "W-What are you talking about?! I don't l-like anyone!"
"Yes you do."
"No I don't!"
"Then you should have nothing to worry about when I confess to them on your behalf... unless you can catch me, of course."

And with that, Ieyoshi turned and began walking away with that slow measured pace of his.

"Wait! Yoh! Don't! Stop!" Ieharu pleaded, but if his brother heard his protests, he didn't act like it. His fears of being assassinated evaporated instantaneously, replaced instead by the terror of complete social doom at the hands of his brother. Ieharu brought his hands to his face. Unlike his brother, he didn't think of himself as very cool, or smart, or anything. He didn't have many friends. No one respected him, but at least they left him alone. If Ieyoshi was serious about telling, and he's always serious...

Well, he'd never be able to show his face at that school again.

Like a hurricane, Ieharu threw on whatever clothes were lying around. He and his brother shared a room, and they were the same in size and height, so they shared apparel too. In roughly eight minutes time, Ieharu had gone from half naked to mostly ready for school. Brushing his teeth would have only slowed him down anyway. As he rushed towards the door, open book bag swinging off his shoulder, it began to dawn on him that, even if he were to run his very hardest, his brother had an insurmountable lead. Immediately, he began to regret not stopping his brother while he had the chance. Still, maybe there was hop—

Upon bursting through his front door, Ieharu tripped over his own feet and face-planted on the stairs outside. Slowly but surely, he raised himself up off the ground, propping himself up with one arm and holding his injured face with the other. He was trying his very hardest to resist the urge to cry, but it was yet another fight he just wasn't winning. That same bitter thought that always hobbled him reared its ugly head once more: the loser Ieharu has failed.

Little did he know, a shadow slowly crept up behind his unprotected back.

"Buongiorno, young Ieharu," his terrifying home tutor greeted him as casually as ever, his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket, "I didn't think you'd be so eager to go to school today, especially on such a terrible day like this." Godot looked up toward the sky, of which was blanketed in thick clouds. The air was moist from the remains of the previous night's downpour, and water glistened on the soaked grass and wet concrete. For his part, Ieharu yelped audibly at the sound of his name being called. Godot's pleasant demeanor would have eased the boy, had their last conversation not ended so terribly. Instead, his stomach did a backflip and his chest turned to ice. Gradually, he turned his head, once again looking over his shoulder. The feeling of deja vu was practically nauseating. The man always seemed to approach from his blind spot.

"M-mi-uh-G-g-g-godot... h-hi..." He managed to stutter his tutor's name, eyes wide with fear as he suddenly remembered: he was going to die today.

"Oh, by the way, about our little agreement last night... I got word from my client that there's been a change of plans." Again, there was that peaceful smile, as if all was right in the world. "It's sort of exciting, I suppose."

Iehari inhaled sharply. Deep in the recesses of his gut sparked the faintest glimmer of hope. "A change?" The pitch of his voice inflected as he spoke, making his question come out as more of a plea.

Godot nodded. "Yes," he replied, "a pretty big change. You see, I'm not going to kill you later." At that very statement, in one swift motion, Godot brought his hand out of his pocket, a black pistol in hand. All so suddenly, Ieharu found himself staring down the barrel of Godot's Beretta. That flicker of hope in his gut disappeared just as swiftly. Too scared to move, too scared to even think, Ieharu did what came natural.

He screwed his eyes shut.

There was a delay, however. Godot hesitated, although he smirked when he did so. "Seeing as you've accepted your fate already," he said, "I guess that must mean you don't have any more regrets. There's no special person in your life? No unfinished business with somebody close, not even your family? Nothing, eh?"

After several moments of silence devoid of a bullet to the face, Ieharu gathered that the question hadn't been rhetorical. Still, he didn't dare open his eyes. Maybe this way, he still had the chance to wake up from this nightmare.

From under his breath, the boy mumbled something.

"Speak up, boy," Godot demanded, "You're only getting one chance to say it, so spit it out!"

Somewhat startled at the command, Ieharu repeated himself, this time with a bit more volume. His kept his eyes closed. "W-why do you care about what I regret, M-mr. Godot?" Ieharu could almost swear he heard Godot chuckle.

"You'll understand if you die." With that cryptic statement, Godot rotated his wrist sideways and squeezed the pistol's trigger.

And that was it. A loud pop!. A flash of pain. Pressure around his forehead. And then nothing. Ieharu Sawada, son of Tsunayoshi Sawada and Kyoko Sawada, brother to Ieyoshi, friend to few, and most of all, still a virgin, died at that moment.

However, while dying, Ieharu regretted. He regretted parting with the world. He regretted what a waste his life had been. He regretted spending the time studying for a math test he'd never take. But there was one thing he regretted more than anything else. One thing that, even as the bullet pierced his skull and robbed him of life, he wished he had accomplished with all his heart.

I should have stopped Ieharu from confessing for me... from saying something stupid... I could have stopped him...

His body was cold before it even hit the ground.

... with a dying will.

On the other side of the street, several passersby screamed in horror. One was even so bold as to yell, finger pointing in violent accusation: "That thug just shot that kid!"

Ieharu's body slumped on the ground, blood pooling under his head. One second, he was certainly dead. But then in the next...

"REBORN!!!"

Ieharu literally exploded, most of his clothes burning away to ashes, his then-dead body springing to life like round two in any good video game's boss battle. Though he was still scrawny and mostly naked, he sported a look that'd never crossed his face before. His eyes were wide and full of determination, his pupils dilated, his irises practically glowing. He was grinding his teeth in seething rage. Most noticeable was the massive orange flame located smack dab in the middle of his forehead, the blaze shifting and pulsing to some unknown rhythm.

His sudden re-emergence from death and accompanying roar of rebirth startled everyone in the area, excluding Godot. One of them—an old woman—fainted where she stood.

"I'M GOING TO STOP IEYOSHI FROM SAYING SOMETHING STUPID!" He shouted at the air. "WITH MY DYING WILL!"

And with that, Ieharu sped off, his feet carrying him as fast as an Olympic athlete as he raced with all his might towards Ieyoshi and Namimori High.

Godot watched as the half-naked boy sped off like hell on wheels, and so did the rest of the neighborhood. People looked at Godot, flabbergasted at what they had just witnessed. Godot smiled at them affably.

"Things are going to be a lot more interesting around here from now on."

---

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---

"I trust both of your judgments, you both are my children and his as well."

Rousing from the realm of unconsciousness, those moon blossoms known as eyes were revealed as the curtains rose. They held a flicker of emptiness before regaining the semblance of a soul. "Princess." The voice brought her to affirm the environment around her as it landed on the figure of an elderly gentleman maneuvering the black sedan she was currently in. "We are still a long way. May I suggest to continue your rest if you are tired. I shall wake you once we have arrived." His tone was fatherly towards her as it also held the unrelenting respect. Her line of sight changed its direction towards the rear-view mirror where she met the look filled with concern for her well-being. "You need not worry about me, Hiroshi-san. I have rested well enough." She answered with a small smile decorating her lips, alighting her eyes with the sliver of assurance.

That is right even within the Himemiya Household, her long absences had been accounted towards a fragile health. It was not far from the truth and held the string of truth, but it was still a lie. She does not feel any comfort in knowing that it was done for the good. She would have wanted the truth be divulged, but this was the word of her mother and so, it shall be. "Still, thank you for your concern. I truly appreciate it. If possible, please do stop calling me Princess. I am still embarassed being called that." Hiroshi gave a smile showing his joyful acceptance of her gratitude and also the admiration for her humility after so, focused on driving her to the intended location she must be. It had been a long time since she had returned to Namimori High. She had heard that changes are afoot, but she does not fear or condemn it. That is but a normal cycle that all life must experience, though, she has one specific concern.

"Hiroshi-san, have you heard anything about Ani?" She asked her question with the air of care and the hint of hesitation as she looked at her hands now resting upon her lap. Hiroshi knew as to who was the young lady was referring to. It was none other than the one known as the prodigal son of the Himemiya and her older twin brother... "Mamoru-sama, I believe is fine. Though, I have heard he had gain quite the notorious reputation, but he seemed to be doing his classwork." The latter had made her raise her eyes to look at Hiroshi. She had known her twin to surpass the word stubborn and would not attend classes. It is a good thing to see him participate, but what caused it? "I am glad to hear that, but I do wonder for his change of heart." He completely understood what the young lady meant. "I believe that the answer shall be waiting for you once we arrive at Namimori High, Pr---" He was unable to continue as he was urged by the strong yet gentle reprimand brought by her gaze. "Yume-sama."

The added honorific was not needed, but it will do as she smiled at this with a soft elegance, showing her approval and also gratitude for the answer.

"Never forget everything, keep it all within your dreams."

Her arrival at Namimori High was quite early, as it was to be since the residence she was staying out was rather far. That is why when Hiroshi opened the door for her to step out. There were but a few students about, yet they could not help but stare at her. Others have faint blushes upon their cheeks. She was clad pristinely in the school's winter uniform, showing a slender yet elegant frame. Her hair of coal black like a starless sky was left unbound trailing behind her like silk strands. Her porcelain white skin was spotless with those silver eyes like the enchanting moon. She was a vision and the incarnate of a Yamato Nadeshiko without doubt.

Yume stood there for a moment. It was quiet with a weather befitting of after a rain. Her eyes looked at the sky and noticed the the clouds loomed over them with such a sad disposition. "Is there something wrong, Yume-sama?" She looked at Hiroshi and gave a small smile. "It is nothing. I will be fine here on my own. I shall see you later Hiroshi-san." The elderly gentleman who wore an attire specific of a butler bowed his head in understanding. "Of course, have a wonderful day, Yume-sama." When that was done, she made her way through the grounds as the newer students who have not seen her before were curious. Others who do greeted her in familiar respect, she returned it with finesse and warmth.

There are no notable changes as far as she could observe, but then again it is still a bit early. In any case, she had been informed beforehand to stop at the Principal's Office to arrange some last minute paperwork in regards to the long leave of absence she took from school. Once there, she was assisted promptly and even had a small discussion with the Principal if she was fine now and also a bit about her twin. She of course apologized for the problems caused by her brother's personality and assured that she was also fine now. The short meeting soon ended as she left the Principal's Office, but it was still early as she stopped briefly to look through the windows by the hallway overlooking the school entrance. It was only just now that the students are pooling in.

New faces are about the crowd, but she could not see the one face she wanted to see the most. "Onii-sama..." She muttered under her breath, before proceeding in her walk. She should return to her classroom and must not dally anymore. She had been absent for too long now. But, she was frozen in place as she sensed something. Her eyes returned to the school entrance and saw a figure blazing in flames. That is how she sees it through her eyes and had assessed it to be Ieharu who soon collided with Ieyoshi, the Sawada Twins. She could hear the murmurs and interest of the school body around her at what was happening, especially when Ieharu was only seen in his underwear.

"Was it going to begin now?" The question echoed within her head as she stood there observing the various spectrum she could see. If that was so, Yume knew what she must do as she removed herself from the windows and continued down the hall. The school bell will probably ring soon, so she must go to her classroom now, but deep in her thoughts... "Please keep them safe..." Spoken with such sincere concern through a whisper that the wind took and blew to nothingness.

When Ieharu came to his senses, several thoughts occurred to him nearly simultaneously. For one, he was virtually surrounded by a gaggle of students from his school. Some looked on with shock, others were shouting and screaming like fans at a sporting event, and others still were laughing uncontrollably. That tied directly into some other thoughts: he was at school. He was naked, save for his boxers—surely a gift of mercy from a higher power. He was also on top of Ieyoshi, his own traitorous fist raised into the air, though he didn't quite remember how it got there—

Suddenly, it all came flooding back to him. Godot! He'd shot him! Tried to kill him! And then he... he...

Elsewhere in the crowd, Enn stopped cheering. A disappointed look crossed his face, and he turned dejectedly towards Ryuu and Damien. "Aww, Haku's flame's gone out... that sucks!" The flame on Ieharu's head was disappearing now, and while it was going Ieharu looked less and less like he was going to murder his brother, which was boring. Though maybe Ieyoshi would kill Ieharu instead, and the fight would continue! Enn brightened up at the thought, his head turning back towards the fight. "Think Yoh'd kill Haku now?"

Damien was still awestruck by the events transpiring before his eyes. For the past couple of minutes his hands were locked tightly together while he remained standing, frozen in time, only able to watch. He didn't quite hear Enn's question. Ryuu, on the other hand, turned his head so fast it could have caused whiplash. "WHAT?!"

Ieharu's eyes widened as the last five minutes of his life replayed in his head in the span of a few seconds. Slowly, his gaze drooped until his eyes met his brother's, or at least would have met his brother's had Ieyoshi had his eyes open. Instead, the twin had his eyes closed, his upper lip twitching a bit, as if he were fighting to hold something back. Ieharu recognized that look all too well, gulping loudly. He didn't have much time to make this right.

"Uh, Y-Yoh... haha," his nervous chuckle only exaggerated his forced, toothy smile. When his brother didn't react, Ieharu continued, stuttering uncontrollably, abject terror having entered his expression. "Uh, n-now I know this is go-go..." He licked his lips, sweat beating atop his head. "... going to be hard to believe, but Godo—"

Ieyoshi exhaled loudly. To Ieharu, a dragon may as well have exhaled smoke from its nostrils, preparing itself for the coming barbeque. Just then, Ieyoshi opened his eyes. Very slowly. Very purposefully. His glowing amber-orange irises bored relentlessly into his brother's. Ieharu flinched involuntarily, his fist for some reason still in the air where he'd left it. Both boys eyes shifted to it at the same time. For his part, Ieyoshi still emanated a boring type of serenity. His expression was cold, even colder than usual. A typical person might mistake that for a calm mind. Ieharu knew much better, and he didn't have much longer to fix this before things got really bad. Perhaps he could continue to talk his way out of this?

"Uh—"

"Wow," called the jittery girl, Tomoe Tachibana, interrupting Ieharu in this most pivotal moment. "It's a fight!" The short second-year girl skipped toward the two, an unmistakable pink-colored BluScreen band in hand. "Mind looking over here, boys?" Slowly, Ieharu's gaze drifted over his shoulder and off a meter or so to the side. There always seemed to be some bad news to be had when he found himself looking over his shoulder. Not far behind him was something that he recognized as far more terrifying than just any ordinary highschool girl with a phone. It was them, that infamous group of second-years that everybody had come to know. Many thought of them with mixed feelings, but as far as Ieharu was concerned, they were the group to be feared most in life, bar none. Some knew them as the "Dolls," but many knew them as Queen Rosa and her most loyal subjects.

"Why, this looks like a disruption to the peace of the school," the lieutenant, Akako Hayashi, spoke aloud, "Isn't it, Rosa?" She had the look of a hyena, with a sneer that shook one in their shoes. The Queen, Rosa, appeared to hesitate for a second, frowning. Many eyes were on her, including Ieharu's, and her Dolls waited to see what she would say. Rosa swallowed, and then smirked. She chuckled, but this chuckle broke into a wretched laugh, one that seemed to drain any who heard it of all hope.

Rosa caught herself, putting her hand over her mouth and clearing her throat. Rosa took another step forward so she was in full attention, avoiding a puddle on the ground. "Oi, Rosa," an intimidating punk girl, Erin Saito, asked in a low voice "What are you gonna do?" Rosa merely opened up her handbag and took a long, flat device out. Then, she declared her intentions with one word:

"Paparazzi!"

All at once, several members of the crowd, loyal to Rosa or not, took out whatever mobile device they had and began taking pictures of the boys, mainly the half-nude Ieharu, from just about every angle. Rosa's girl, Tomoe, called out, "Say cheese!"

At first, Ieharu was confused. What, exactly, were they taking pictures of? That's when he looked down at himself. Right. He was naked, save his boxers. Okay.

It took a moment to click.

They were taking pictures of him!

The word "okay" just kept repeating in his head as he sit there, frozen, his fist still in the air, unable to decide what to do next. The thought of having his picture taken while he was in nothing but his boxers was too terrible a thought to contend with. He could almost feel the infinite flashes of the various cameras against his bare skin. After only a few seconds, he screwed his eyes shut. It was his default defensive maneuver, after all, when he was unsure how to move forward in a situation.

"Ieharu." When Ieyoshi spoke, his voice was much more grave than usual, emphasis on grave. Ieharu flinched again, forcing him to open one eye. For a moment, he'd almost forgotten about his brother, whom he was practically sitting on top of. The two shared an relatively comfortable silence then. "Comfortable" compared to the camera snaps and the laughing that surrounded them, anyhow. Though this entire situation confused him, the one thing he could count on to be familiar and predictable was his twin brother. Unfortunately, Ieharu had a feeling that what would come next would be anything but comfortable for him.

When Ieyoshi spoke, his next words came out very suddenly. It was undoubtedly a command, and it was absolute. "Get off of me."

Before he even finished his sentence, Ieyoshi brought his leg out from under Ieharu's lower body, cocked it at the knee, and smashed his heel into the boy's chest. From an outside perspective, it was a very clean maneuver. Succinct, orderly, with a professional delivery honed by several years of experience with back alley scrapping.

For Ieharu, of course, it was little more than pain incarnate, his momentary comfort shattered into a million pieces. Unable to control his trajectory, he practically flew backward, his skinny body colliding full force with the person standing not a meter away. With Rosa. The Rosa. The collision took the girl's legs out from under her, forcing her to fall backwards. She yelped in surprise. Unfortunately for them both, there was a shallow yet particularly large puddle of water waiting to catch her earthly plunge.

The result wasn't pretty. Rosa—Queen Rosa—flailed for a moment before falling straight into the puddle.

Ieharu avoided any water damage, landing on solid ground barely a few inches before the pool of dirty rainwater. Honestly? He saw stars. Fuzzy spherical blobs of light dotted his vision as the poor boy struggled to his feet, haggard coughs bursting violently from his throat, his small diaphragm struggling to catch a breath.

Yes, this is about what he expected. Ieyoshi never went anything but hard when it came to scuffles.

From where he lay, Ieyoshi blinked a couple of times, his instant of anger evaporating. As he did so, he also noticed that the sound of camera flashes, that incessant click click click, had ceased as well. A particularly annoying thought struck him at that moment, but he pushed it aside, to be dealt with later. For now, someone had their hand in his face, and he was too busy trying to calm himself to really pay attention to what they'd said, but after a moment it came back to him.

"Are you alright?"

Ieyoshi had never heard this voice before. Looking over, he realized he didn't recognize the face either. The person standing above him couldn't have been older than him. He looked petite, short, with tufts of uncharacteristically vivid blue hair poking out under a particularly large hood. It was obvious he was trying to hide his hair beneath the fabric, a choice Ieyoshi didn't particularly understand. Now, Ieyoshi had a good memory. At least, that's what he told himself. He may not remember people's names, but he could certainly recognize any face he'd seen before. This person didn't look like one of the second or third years, and he was fairly sure he'd at least seen all the first years once at the very least. So who was this kid?

Ieyoshi shook his head, dismissing the train of thought. Whatever. It didn't matter now anyway. He accepted the boy's outstretched hand, offering his thanks in the form of a nod. He could have gotten to his feet of his own accord, but this manner of kindness would not be forgotten.

At around the same time, the other twin, Ieharu, got to his feet, both hands holding his chest, where he'd been kicked. His soft amber-orange eyes darted up to meet Ieyoshi's for but a moment before darting to either side, eyeing the crowd of people. Ieyoshi knew better than anyone that his brother didn't do well in crowds. Without wasting another moment, Ieyoshi cleared the distance between them. After a second, the twins stood side-by-side. Unfortunately for them, the others had begun to snap pictures again. Some were even capturing video, holding their phones above their heads and laughing.

"I'm sorry, Yoh," Ieharu muttered, his eyes downcast. "I'm so sorry."

Ieyoshi didn't respond. Instead, he simply started unbuttoning his jacket. In an instant, the article of clothing found its way on top of Ieharu's head. "Put that on," Ieyoshi commanded, his hands moving now to his own belt buckle.

"Yoh, wait, what are you doing?!" Ieharu protested, but again Ieyoshi didn't respond. In a second, he'd slipped out of his shoes and pants, the latter of which also ended up on Ieharu's head.

"You take the shoes, I keep the socks," he began, "you take the pants, I keep the underwear. You take the jacket, I keep the shirt. Sound fair?"

Ieharu stared for a moment, completely nonplussed, as his brother somehow made standing in your underwear in front of a crowd of people look like a fashion shoot. How did he look so damn confident, even now? Even in this situation? The moment of shock didn't last long, however. Graciously accepting the gifts of clothing, Ieharu slipped on the articles and mashed his somewhat dirty feet into his brother's shoes.

Now it was Ieyoshi who was partially naked. His boxers were black with yellow letters that read "I'M BATMAN, BITCH" across the back. One of the so-called "paparazzi" of students saw this and decided to snap a picture with his phone. Unfortunately, he didn't realize he was well within arm's reach of Ieyoshi when he did.

Ah, that's right. The annoying thought from earlier. It was time to deal with it.

When Ieharu saw that grin part his brother's face, the one he called the "supervillain smirk," he looked over at the other boy, the one with the camera, a silent prayer running through his mind.

The boy seemed to notice it too, because he gave Ieyoshi a somewhat innocent look, his eyes growing wide, the Sawada twin seemingly towering over him. Suddenly, Ieyoshi sprung into action, grabbing the boy by the collar with one hand, pulling him close. As if executing a dance, Ieyoshi's other hand, fingers balled into a fist, were waiting right there to meet the boy's face. Again and again Ieyoshi punched him. His fist came back with blood after the first hit. After the third, it was clear that Ieyoshi had broken the boy's nose, his every fist fall met with a small misty plume of crimson. With the fifth, there were cries from the crowd for him to stop. And so he did. Not because they told him to, of course, but he'd planned to strike the boy five times. Not four. Not six. Five would do. Five would send a message.

The boy had gone limp in his hands, so Ieyoshi dropped him, his body crumpling to the ground. He then bent down and picked up the boy's phone. The beaten kid had dropped it after the second punch.

Ieyoshi eyed it for a moment. It was a fairly new model of the BluScreen. A very nice phone. Very expensive, especially on a high schooler's budget. Excellent. This would make for a perfect example.

Seeing the look on Ieyoshi's face, Ryuu's eyes widened. He dashed forwards, weaving through the crowd towards the Sawada twin and, more importantly, the student he'd just had in his death grip. "Oh Shit—"

A grin came on Damien's face after witnessing Ieyoshi's usual and heavily choreographed flare for the dramatic. It was truly tempting to wreak havoc on these students for laughing at the twins and taking pictures; however, if he started fighting, then he wouldn't be able to manage as much restraint as Ieyoshi just had. Breaking the bones of his entire class probably wouldn't look good on his student record, either.

A small gust of wind touched Damien's face, his hair swaying ominously in the breeze. He slowly shifted his gaze, realizing that the individual next to him, Ryuu, had started heading towards where Ieyoshi stood. Nope. That wasn't allowed. "You see, Yoh is pretty busy here," he said as he bent over in a track athlete's running stance. He visualized a track, a referee pointing a gun in the air counting down. "He doesn't need any interruptions." Three, two, one. Like an olympic sprinter, he surged forward and within a fraction of a second he expertly maneuvered through a space between Ryuu and another student that had just opened up. He shifted his weight to rotate his entire body, extending his right hand forward with his palm facing Ryuu. He felt the weight of the opposing boy's chest as Ryuu's momentum came to a grinding halt. He followed up by digging his feet into the ground, forcing Ryuu backwards. "Back off," he commanded.

"Fuck you, no," Ryuu snarled, eyes narrowing in a glare at the teen blocking him. His glare shifted towards Ieyoshi an instant later, and he attempted to shove Damien to the side, but it was too late. Ieyoshi chucked the phone across the school's perimeter fence with all of his might, said fence being located a dozen or so meters behind the crowd. He hurled it with such force that it smashed into the window of a parked car on the other side of the street. The small device exploded into pieces of metal, electronics, and graphene. In response, the car's alarm started blaring in the relative distance. It was like background music to Ieyoshi. Its chaotic qualities paralleled his mood quite well.

Ryuu cursed. One did not simply smash a phone like that, dammit! His glare shifted to Damien, angry at the teen for blocking him.

Ieyoshi turned his head to the left, the small bones in his neck shifting with it, emitting several soft crack!s in quick succession as the crowd looked on, some clearly in abject terror. Ieyoshi couldn't see a single phone pointed in his or Ieharu's direction any longer.

Good. He widened his grin into a sneer, none of its warmth or depth doing anything to defrost the chill emanating from his eyes and he stared at individual members of the crowd. When one of them dared to meet his eyes, he snapped, just as he'd rehearsed in the mirror. Ah yes, it was finally time for the coup de grace.

He shook his entire upper body with the force of his next word, spittle flying from his mouth, his expression ravenous. "FUCK—" It had the intended effect. The people closest to him literally jumped backwards, as if he were a ghoul. He didn't miss a beat, continuing his thought. "—you lookin' at?"

That's when people stopped looking at him. Good. Only a short blonde haired student continued to glare, eyes shifting from Damien to Ieyoshi and back, but the Sawada twin paid him little attention.

He looked down at the kid he'd accosted, his voice icy. "I better not see any fucking pictures, or I'll fucking break you." His words were simple. They weren't outlining a threat. They were explaining an inescapable reality. Without further ado, Ieyoshi turned on his heel, the move as elegant as a leaf twirling in the breeze, and began walking towards the main school building. Honestly, he didn't care if they kept taking pictures. He didn't care if they talked. He didn't care that he was in his favorite batman undies. These were all meaningless trivialities to him. But Ieharu cared. And if they were to make his brother feel inadequate or ashamed or embarrassed, they might as well be assaulting him, too. That's how it worked with twins, after all. They were bound by something thicker than friendship, or family, or even blood. Ieyoshi thought of his brother as an extension of himself, and a part of his core being. Attacks on the Sawada twins would simply not be tolerated. Not without swift and, if he had anything to do with it, very violent retaliation.

As he strolled, as leisurely as one would through a park, Ieyoshi lost interest in whatever schoolyard foolishness was transacting behind his back. People had gotten the message, certainly.

They'd think twice before acting foolish around his family.

With the tail ends of his black batman boxers picking up with the wind, he made his way to up the steps towards the large double doors that constituted the school's main entryway.

For his part, Damien took Ieyoshi walking away as his cue to leave as well. Ryuu's attempt to push past him was admirable, but it just wasn't gonna happen so long as Damien drew breath. He merely leaned into Ryuu's strength, overriding it with his own and forcing the other boy backwards, inch by inch. Damien couldn't help the smirk that creased his lower countenance. In this contest of toughness, it was clear who the victor was. "Step back." He ordered once again, his tone unyielding. He gave Ryuu a light shove. It was light by Damien's standards, but the other boy ended up shuffling backwards a few steps and colliding with another one of the students in the crowd. He hadn't meant to be so rough, but oh well. Losing interest, Damien turned ran up to join his friend, turning to face the opposite direction as he did, his eyes trained at the crowd. He was walking backwards up the stairs at this point, his balance excellent.

Ryuu growled under his breath and started to run towards them, but it was to no avail.

"That's all folks," Damien announced, reaching in a pouch alongside his jeans. He grabbed two circular gray balls the size of marbles from it, brought his arm up, and slammed the balls to the ground. A plume of smoke immediately sprung up and spread over the area, the coughs of the students ringing out through the air like the end of a rap album. Ryuu screeched to a halt, not wanting to enter the smokescreen.

Ieharu watched the two make their gaudy exit, half-way relieved, half-way horrified, and infinitely thankful to his brother for the gift of clothing. Without thinking, the now-clothed boy rushed over to the student that had the misfortune of crossing his brother's wrathful gaze. He better than anyone knew how bad things could get when his brother decided to play rough.

To be frank, there was blood everywhere, and Ieharu wasn't quite sure how to proceed. He began to panic, gnawing on his lower lip, wondering if the poor guy would die.

"Haku!" Aobane called, waving to his friend as he pushed through the crowd. Ieharu looked up at the sound of a familiar voice calling his name. When he saw who it was, he couldn't help but smile. With such a familiar face to help, things would be okay now. Aobane slowed his pace as he approached his friend, whom was now mostly clothed in his brother's uniform. Though Aobane couldn't see much from where he had stood behind the crowd that had accumulated around the scene, once he managed to place himself beside Ieharu, he narrowed his eyes slightly in the direction of the crowd that parted quickly to allow the other Sawada through. Clearly none of the other students wanted to be near him, and by the looks of Yoh's bloodied fist and the poor sap who lay on the ground with crimson liquid still flowing from his nose, they had good reason to.

Aobane continued to watch him with a frown for a few moments, but then turned his attention back to Ieharu and placed his hands on each of the boy's shoulders. "Are you okay? What was that all about? Or... well... I think more importantly right now..." Aobane began, his brows furrowed, with the concern in his voice rather clear. "We should get Chitose to the nurse. I mean, like right now."

He let out a small, nervous laugh as he removed one hand from Haku's shoulder and pointed in the direction of the so-called Queen whom Ieharu had crashed into only a short while ago. Ieharu got the message, nodding once in agreement. Aobane turned then, leaning down beside the injured Namimori student and lifting him into a sitting position, pulling one of the boy's arms over his shoulder. "Better get him to the nurse! Let's go, Haku!" he said with a small smile, though there was a slight but unmistakable tone of urgency in his voice as he looked up at his friend.

Ieharu followed Aobane's example, taking the injured boy's other arm over his shoulder and attempting to lift, but when he did so, pain exploded from his chest, nearly causing him to stumble and drop the already-injured student.

"Ow," Ieharu hissed, wincing. Aobane gave his friend a wide-eyed, worried expression. Had he gotten hurt when him and his brother were fighting? He hadn't been standing in the right spot to get a full view of brawl, but it wouldn't come as a shock to Aobane if Ieyoshi had gone a little too hard on his brother. "Sorry." Ieharu couldn't help but grin goofily, feeling somewhat dumb. "I think I might not be so okay."

Ryuu coughed away the last of the smoke, a dark scowl on his face. The rational part of his brain was wondering where the hell Damien got smoke bombs from, but the larger more angry part of his brain was threatening to take over to run after the disappearing duo in order to beat the shit out of them. The theatrics reminded him of memories from long ago, and when Sawada's lackey blocked Ryuu the feeling of helplessness and rage felt terribly similar to back then. He gritted his teeth at the feeling, angry with himself for not stopping it, although how could he, when it happened so fast? He hadn't felt that way for a long time.

Not that it mattered now. Ryuu closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, forcing rage and other disturbing thoughts away and locking them in the back of his mind, allowing rational thought to resume its reign. Running after them wouldn't help a damn thing, and he wasn't going to be able to win in a two on one battle, either. He also had no idea where they were anyway, and, like it or not, Ryuu knew that Ieyoshi had the right to retaliate. Breaking a phone and a car was going a bit far, though. Still, there were too many things to consider, like the fact that he'd been protecting his twin brother.

Ryuu forced his attention elsewhere, thinking about the injured student. Right now, he should just do whatever he could, like bring the student to the nurse's office and check if the kid's phone was salvageable.

Tension fading from his body, Ryuu let out what sounded like a sigh and moved towards the two students—Aobane and the younger Sawada twin, the who was pretty much the cause of the whole fucking mess—pausing on the way to collect his bag and hitch it over his shoulder. He was trying his very hardest to ignore the sour taste the whole ordeal left in his mouth as he approached.

Bring the student to the nurse's office, then check up on the phone before class starts. Right. He could do that.

"I can help," he offered gruffly, coming to a stop beside the three boys.

"Ryuu!" Aobane exclaimed a little louder than necessary, relieved to have his classmate come to the rescue. Ryuu gently took the injured boy's arm—Chitose, wasn't that his name?—from Ieharu and pulled it over his shoulders instead.

Ieharu was thankful for this, though the other student, Aobane called him "Ryuu," seemed to radiate an aura of anger that was a bit scary. All the while, he forgot about the person he'd accidentally rammed into. He'd forgot all about Queen Rosa...

Luka merely shook his head at the show the Sawadas put on so early in the morning. In the end, nothing serious seemed to have happened and he lost interest quickly once he was sure the twins weren't in any immediate danger. The flame on Haku's head did raise some questions in his head but now wasn't the time to dwell on it for too long. The corner of his lips twitched up into a slight grin when Ieyoshi took of his pants so boldly and offered it to his twin brother. They certainly were a unique pair. Shaking his head, Luka continued towards the school building.

Kumo leaped off his shoulder in one graceful movement, meowing up at him before rubbing against his leg as if to say goodbye for the time being. "Stay out of trouble," he reminding, crouching down to give the cat a quick scratch behind its ears. With another small meow, the feline was off to go about his own business. Luka stood up to head into the building when he noticed movement upstairs by the window. He jerked his head up, just in time to catch sight of long black hair.

"Yume nee-san?" Luka was well aware Yume had taken a leave from school for a while now but he hadn't really heard anything about her returning. It's been quite some time he had seen her so he hurried into the building and up the steps in hopes to catch her before class started. At the least, he wanted to welcome her back.

"Nee-san," he called out from down the hall.

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Luka nearly jumped when he heard a voice coming from behind him. He turned around and blinked down at the pretty looking blonde then offered a small smile. While he spoke fluent Japanese, he was happy to hear the language he was most familiar with: Italian. It had only been a week since he came to Japan but he still missed the place he was supposedly raised in. "Why yes. Today happen to be my first day here and I'm at a loss of where to go. Can you perhaps direct me to the principal's office," he replied back in Italian. There was a momentary pause before he spoke again, "Ah, my name is Hiroshi," he said introducing himself. This time he spoke in Japanese, hoping the girl understood the language. But given that she was here at Namimori High School, he would assume she did know or at the least understand Japanese.

Before he could say any more, he stumbled forward clumsily when he felt someone bump into him. "O-Oh, it's alright..." Was he blocking the hallway by any chance...? He looked at the pair of males, one with bright red hair and the other with brown hair. He looked to the one who he presumed bumped into him.

"You're not hurt, are you?" It wasn't like the two of them fell or their collision was severe enough for either one of them to get hurt but he felt like it was polite to ask anyway.

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"The relationships you build shall be your foundation for your sanity."

There was a voice a familiar one calling for her, with that of a familial title. A hint of recognition flashed deep inside and a series of faces appeared in her thoughts, until it stopped to one. Her steps came to a halt as she looked over her shoulder as her body was now in an angular position. Eyes of gentle moon reflected the same image of whom she had welcomed to her circle of family as a younger brother. There he was at a distance as her eyes crinkled in delight of a reunion. "Luka-kun..." She called out in return as it held the sense of a cheerful surprise. At that point, she fully faced him with a smile adorning her lips. Her hair much like that of an abyss fall around her like night's curtain, contrasting nicely with her natural white skin.

She was indeed a vision that most of the students could not help but have a moment to contemplate about her existence.

"This is a wonderful surprise." Instead of walking towards her classroom, she went to the path leading back to Luka, a student of her father, whom she had met when they were younger. The meeting was at best uneventful as her father made it out to be, but it was a surprise and a good one, if she would describe it. She had been shown that her father was not as distant to people as she had initially thought. But, she had been told by Uncle Tetsu that this only came to be when he married the Himemiya Priestees, her mother. Truly, she had wondered what kind of relationship her parents hold, because even if they had not seen each other, they still hold such trust and respect. In any case, being far sociable than that of her father and brother, she had engaged Luka in a more amiable manner and became an older sister to him which she was fond of to be look at that in such a way.

Reaching him, she stopped before him, while assessing him in a polite manner. Those eyes of silver lit with such joy. "You have grown into a fine young man when I was not looking, Luka-kun." It had been a long time since she had seen him. As she grew up, her social interactions with others had become limited due to her training of becoming a fitting heir to the Himemiya Clan. It is why she could not see him or the other children of her father's famiglia as much as possible unless it was deemed as an official matter. That is why she was also not aware that Luka is apparently studying here as well which she could tell from the uniform he wears. She had believed that he was still in the company of her father and Uncle Tetsu, but that was not the case. It was also a given that she had taken a leave of absence in her attendance to this school which contributed to her ignorance of him being here.

"How long has it been since I last saw you?" The sound of fondness clearly heard on her voice. "Are you doing well? Enjoying your time here as a student?" She asked in smooth succession much like how a doting sister would do towards her little brother. "I am really glad to see you, Luka-kun." Her hand then was elegantly placed on his head, a gesture she had done to him to show her appreciation and indicative of her familial affection. She patted his head with a gentle and warm smile shown upon her face. "I hoped Ani did not cause trouble to you in any sort of manner." The hand on his head was removed as it returned to her side and that eyes of hers held a degree of concern meshed with a hint of melancholy. "Do kindly forgive him if so."

For in the end, there was no denying especially towards to Luka that the relationship between the Hibari twins are not ideal.

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It was a mighty fine morning! That much he could tell when he woke up earlier and prepared everything needed for school. This was his vision as he roamed around the hallways of Namimori High, doing his usual patrols of sorts. He spotted a ruckus at the main entrance. As a dutiful teacher, Zenith Lucci traversed the stairways to reach it in hopes preventing students getting hurt. However, the obstacles were enormous in the image of the large-bodied (from a sumo-wrestler lineage) vice principal who asked him about the latest drama shows.

It only ended when the ever-manic obsessed History teacher confused him to be a sort of Babylonian God. He was lucky to find an opportunity to slip through, by literally slipping as he took a step back. He rolled through the staircase but managed to make it look like an acrobatic act, it does help when one watches cirque du soleil, but his epic landed him in a puddle, and also a lot of muscle cramps. He was simply getting too old for this. Through it all, the students who witnessed and knew him could not help but laugh at their teacher's antics. He welcomed it with a smile though, he was down when the seemingly trouble he spotted earlier had now dispersed. He got wet and back pains for nothing. Taking a deep breath, he proceeded to enter the building once more. He would need a spare change of clothes as he took of his coat and twisted it hard as water came out of it in volumes.

"Lucci-sensei! Don't wet the hallways!" He awkwardly laughed and apologized before excusing himself from the elderly janitor. There was a couple of students out there in the hallway, new faces, a blue hair, blonde girl, a brown hair. "Good morning, children! How are you all this fine morning? Don't mind my appearance, there's a good reason behind it. I assure you."

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Luka smiled when Yume turned to face him and lightly jogged up to the female Hibari. As usual, Yume was as beautiful as ever. While Mamoru resembled more of Hibari Kyouya, Yume was a splitting image of her mother. Not to mention, she had been kind enough to accept Luka as a younger brother. Perhaps it was thanks to the young princess that Luka had felt a little more welcomed in the Hibari family when he was young. To him, it was nice knowing he had someone to call a family despite not sharing a single drop of blood. Of course it was hard to tell what Mamoru thought but the male didn't express complete hatred towards him. Then again, the two never had a full conversation to begin with so Luka wasn't sure of anything concerning Mamoru at the moment.

"I just grew a bit taller, Nee-san," he chuckled, "I didn't think it was possible for you to get any prettier but I guess I was wrong. Ahhh, there's gonna be a bunch of perverts trying to go after you," he grinned, his tone light in a jesting manner. No but seriously, he wouldn't be surprised if he saw the male students crowding around her. "How long?" Luka looked up at the ceiling as he gave it a thought, trying to count the number of years. "I'm not sure. But it definitely feels like it's been ages since I've seen you." He blinked at the string of questions and let out a small laugh, "I'm doing fine. More than fine, actually. School is kinda boring but..." Luka trailed off towards the end of his sentence, remembering the scene he witnessed this morning. Surely Yume had seen it too. He ducked his head a little when the pale hand gently ruffled his hair, returning the affectionate gesture with a soft smile.

"--Uh, Mamoru-nii?" Right... The older of the twin had managed to make a reputation for himself but he hadn't done anything Luka... yet. Possibly because Luka had been smart enough to avoid making Mamoru angry. "He never troubles me but I think the number of patients in the hospitals increased lately because of him. There was a momentary pause before he spoke again. "Hey, Nee-san. Don't worry about him too much." He was sure Yume had other important matters to be concerned about.

"Anyway, I didn't hear anything about you returning." Which might be a given since he's sure the Vongola was busy. Ever since Luka decided to go off and live alone here in Namimori, he hadn't have much contact with the man who raised him. It was Tetsuya who often sent him messages of how they were doing. "It really is a pleasant surprise." Though he's not too sure if Mamoru will find the news exciting. "And... I wasn't really going to ask but have you seen the Sawada twins this morning? Haku had a flame on his head. I might be thinking too much of it but I can't help shake off this feeling, you know? Do you think there's something going on?" Luka cared about the Vongola just as much as he cared about the Hibari Family.

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From the corner of his eyes, Hiroshi witnessed the brunette falling but didn't have the chance to ask if the other was okay--especially since the redhead got right into introducing himself. "My name is Akamatsu Hiroshi. It's fine if you just call me Hiroshi," he replied. His eyes flickered between the two males then back to the blonde standing beside him. It was now confirmed that she wasn't a fluent speaker of Japanese as he assumed she was. This told him she was most likely a transfer student just like him. "Is that so? Actually, I was just asking Florence here if she could help me. Though, it seems she's new here as well. It'll be great if you can show us the way--"

The sound of the janitor's voice interrupted the four students, which was quickly followed by a tall green-haired male greeting them all. Hiroshi took a small step away from the drenched male, his lips twitching into an awkward smile, as he wasn't sure what the make of this situation he was currently in. "Zenith-sensei...?" He repeated after Akira, looking back over at the redhead once more. Ah, so this man was a teacher at this school. He certainly seemed like an... interesting individual.

"Good morning, sensei," he finally greeted, being as polite as possible. "Oh, I am also in need of a class roster. And preferably as soon as possible... please." It wouldn't be good to be late on the first day, right? Despite the fact that he was just thrust into this situation this morning.

Hiroshi's first impression of the school wasn't great but it also wasn't bad. Except, he had no idea what the say about the duo who were missing parts of their clothing earlier this morning. Aside from that and the wet teacher in front of them, this school seemed like a normal high school. Or at least he hoped.

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"Remember, you must never get involve. Your role will always be to watch, child."

It was always wonderful to be in the presence of Luka. Yume could not help but have the seemingly perpetual joy attached to her demeanor. "You did not only grow taller than me. You have become quite handsome." There was not an odd tone in her voice that could be related to deceit or the equivocal appreciation due to a bond. It was simply her honest assessment. "The girls must be fawning all over you." She noted as a fun afterthought and then gave a light laughter with an elegant cover of her mouth with the hand. "You also became quite the flatterer, Luka-kun." That was largely true of course, however, she was much as humble as that of a turtle when it comes to her physical attributes.

She settled down her chuckle when Luka described the school was a bit boring. That was understandable especially to someone like him who had grown to the lifestyle of a mafioso. At the same time, she knew who his father truly is. Then again, it does not make who he is, that can only be determined by his actions. It was the same for her and her twin. Their father and their mothers are separate entities and they are different from them, even if she was going to be taking the position of her mother. As for her brother, Luka said that Mamoru had not caused him trouble, though, it was not the same for others. The Principal's words sounded as an exaggeration to her before, but now, it might not be so, with hospital cases.

She could not help but released a sigh in which Luka advised her not to worry about Mamoru too much. Her little brother even not by blood was endearing in every sense. She gathered her negativity into a box and hid it away for now. "Thank you, Luka-kun." Then, the conversation shifted towards about her return to school. That is right, it had been abrupt which was by her own doing actually. "Ah yes, I was not scheduled to return until next week. However, I wanted to come back as soon as possible." She looked at Luka apologetically for not informing him, but she could not do so, for she had no idea he was even here. As for Uncle Tetsuya, the information should just be known to him about now. "That is probably why no one has been made aware. I apologize."

Luka then said that it was a pleasant surprise which made her appreciate this little brother of hers, he was adorable. The moment soon passed as he asked about what had occurred at the grounds which was related to the Sawada Twins. She was well-aware that Luka cared about the Vongola and it was the same for her. She does care for them greatly. "From this point on, it will be their decision." She gazed out through the windows beside them. She recalled the many spectrum she had seen, not only with the twins but also to the people around them. She was certain that nothing truly is merely a coincidence. "Luka-kun, watch over them as much as you can. " Her eyes then returned to Luka as those silver pools reflected a sense of understanding and trust.

"They will face trials and plenty of it. Like their predecessor, it will groom them to what they could be, that is yet to be known of course." She stopped there and changed the subject to another. "However, before all of that. It is time for class. We cannot be late for it. Shall we go?" She turned her back at him and begins to make her way to where her classroom is, but after a few steps, she looked over her shoulder as her eyes landed on him once more. "School will probably be not boring as you think it would be." She then focused ahead of her path, but there was a certain melancholy to her eyes that disappeared instantly.

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Zenith was 199% sure that he looked completely a mess, and was not really the poster image of well-bred educator. The janitor in the background was the first proof of that and also how one of his students, the one who is Shinsato, Akira asked if he was fine. It was good sentiment, but was rather demeaning. though he really appreciated the care. "Ah, yeah I would need those towels, but maybe later! I would need to help these fine new students! But thanks, Shinsato-san!" Never a frown and never an air of anything but affability on his part.

"Hello there!" He waved at them with such energy. "The name is Lucci, Zenith and I'm a teacher here despite what I look like. You can call me Zenith-sensei like this cool guy here did!" He pointed with his thumb towards Akira with a bright smile. "Okay as for the rosters..." He began to look inside his suit, hoping that somewhere inside was still dry."I think I have a spare here... Just wait a second..."

He then finally broke into a wide smile as he unearthed from his suit the said class rosters. "Ah ha! Found it!" He broke into such an infectious cheer like that of a child and then he handed it to the two students who asked for it. ""Here you can have this. Just look for your names and the room should be there!"" He then looked around. "Upstairs would be the room for the freshmen and the juniors. You can read them in room, like 1-A, 1-B, and I-C so on. For juniors, it is number 2 and seniors 3 where the rooms are at the 3rd floor." Then he tilted his head to the side, to wonder if he forgot something. "You should get to your classes! It would start soon and if you need the Principal. he just left so, maybe some other time? Now go go! Time is best use for learning!"

A small hand, fingers spread, lain flush against the frosty glass pane. It's fogged over slightly, with drizzles and droplets streaming down its surface, leaving little streaks in their wake. A dazzling flash of light. The crackle. Seconds of expectation. And then suddenly: Boom! The thunder roars. The window shakes. There is a visceral reaction then. A sort of slow-burning fear claws its way up from the gut of every human being. Instinct grips your heart between its shadowy tendrils and squeezes, and for a very brief moment, you are afraid. You are bowed by it. Before this sheer force of nature—this chaotic machination that is greater and more powerful than you, that is completely outside of your control—you are confronted by your own frailty. Inability. Ineffectuality. You are no match. But then you remember. You remember that it is on the outside looking in, and you are on the inside looking out. You are protected. The glass guards you from the torrential rain, from the threat of lightning, the raging thunder, the howling winds. Here, in this place, in this room, you are safe.

You are safe.

And so that inkling of fear, that instant of anguish, that momentary pressure in your chest—it vanishes. As you gaze out of the window during this, a particularly terrible storm, you take solace in the fact that you are in here, and it is out there.

And, for however brief the interlude may be, you are spared its wrath.

For the boy, it was not a window that guarded against a furious torrent of consequences, but a simple door. One that was tall and brown, closed, opaque and impenetrable. Like the rest of the bedroom, it too lay shrouded in shadow. A sort of rayless murk overwhelmed the place, choking the room with its consummate darkness. Even the windows were blackened with an inky obsidian, as if someone had painted over them with black paint, rejecting completely the effulgence of high noon. Inside this room was peaceful. It was quiet. With the darkness came a sense of harmony. Serenity, even.

It was safe. He was safe.

For now.

Outside the room, on the other side of the door, a storm raged. Not one of cloud, rain, and thunder, but one of men and mortals.

Though the sounds were muffled, one could hear their boots as they stomped and clacked along the ground, often in lockstep. Orders were barked by a frenzied authority. Coats flapping. Weapons—guns by the sound of them—drawn, checked, holstered, redrawn, and checked again. And then again. And again. And again. Commotion. Mobile devices chiming. Hushed whispers.

It was a storm of sheer pandemonium, and it was terrifying. But it was out there, on the other side of the door. Not in here—

BEEEEEEP—click click!

With the house on lockdown, each and every door had its steel-reinforced triple bolt engaged. It wasn't simply a door you'd be able to smash your way through. That sound, however. Those clicks. That was the sound of the door's locks being disengaged. Only a very select handful had the authorization to do such a thing during a lockdown, and whichever one of them that was about to step through that door was guaranteed to bring the storm outside in with them.

To the boy, those clicks were like the crackle of thunderclouds. Instinct—fear—gripped his heart with a vicious ferocity in those interim moments of silence that stretched on for eons. These were his seconds of panicked expectation. For he knew what came next: the thunder. The divine punishment. For his crimes, he would surely be smit.

Whoever it was, it was someone the boy definitely did not want to see. Not now. Maybe not ever.

The door swung open. It was done slowly at first, deliberately, as if the person on the other side were peeking in. After a moment, the door opened completely. All of the sounds—the chaotic barking, the running, the whirl of weapons being drawn, checked, and holstered, it all ceased, as if a cone of silence had descended upon the area. The only indication that the door had been opened at all, other than the initial clicks, was the entrance of light from the hallway—a brilliant incandescence that waged holy war against the boy's crepuscular and consummate dusk.

This was a war the darkness could never win. It was forced to retreat, clinging like cobwebs to the corners of the bedroom.

The door remained open for a rather short amount of time—just long enough for a figure to step through it—then it closed, returning the room to its pitch-black state.

For a while, nothing happened. The storm outside the door did not resume—the muffled sounds of commotion and pandemonium from earlier had not yet returned. Likewise, the bedroom regained its internal peace as the darkness resumed its reign. Then suddenly, there was a soft beep. It was the touch panel—the room's light controls—being interacted with.

Someone was trying to turn on the lights.

But the boy, like all children his age, was particularly tech savvy, and he wanted it to stay dark. It's why he'd locked the light controls some time earlier. After a few attempts, the figure realized this as well and stopped. Again, it seemed that nothing was happening. The darkness masked any sort of activity, and the figure moved without making a single noise. The next sound the boy heard was a tap, like a knuckle knocking on glass. It was then that the boy realized his mistake, his oversight, but by then it was already too late.

There was one final tap, and then a confirmation beep as the windows themselves acknowledged the touch command. Ever so slowly, the inky paint-like blackness that tinted the massive glass windowpane began to fade away, allowing muted streamers of sunlight to enter the room. Once the opacity was reduced by around a fourth, the figure removed his hand from the window, halting the process.

The room was no longer dark now, bathed instead in a gentle milky sort of glow, as if by candle light. It was a compromise between the dark and the light.

The abode was square in shape. It was definitely not small, though it was not massive either. On one side of the wall was the entrance, the door. It was surrounded by posters of comic book heroes. Mostly Batman. Adjacent to that wall was another. This one featured two small desks, two dressers, and a paper-thin television mounted into the wall. There was also another door on this wall that lead into a small bathroom off to the side. The next wall was composed entirely of a sheet of glass. It was bulletproof, shatter-resistant, and entirely electronic, able to change its tint to become completely opaque or completely transparent with a few touch commands. On the final wall was a particularly large wooden bunk bed.

The figure noted that the top bunk was empty, though there was an unmoving lump lying under the comforter on the bottom bunk, as if hiding. With a sigh, the figure moved across the room to stand before the bed, towering above the child-sized lump beneath the covers. For nearly a minute, nobody and nothing moved, save for what the figure realized was the delicate rise and fall of the comforter, timed to the breathing of a person. This seemed to satisfy, for the figure disengaged first, moving back across the room and grabbing a chair. He slid it across the floor to rest between the center of the room and the edge of the bed before taking a seat, his back to the massive window. Under his arm were a stack of papers, and in his free hand was a plate of some kind. He set the plate down to his right, close to the bunk bed, and the placed the papers on his lap, pulling a pen from his coat.

The figure ran a hand once through his short spiky brown hair, exhaling softly before crossing his legs and getting to work.

For the better part of thirty minutes, the room remained mostly silent. The only sound that could be heard, aside from an infrequent footstep or murmur from outside the door, was the scribbling of pen on paper.

It was not the figure that broke the silence.

"Tsunayoshi." Came a small boy's voice, almost like a hiss, from under the covers. The word was said with such disdain, such venom, that the boy may as well have been reciting the name of a plague, or demon.

The figure, Tsunayoshi, stopped writing, the pen becoming still atop the paper as if someone had paused time. He smiled then, the skin around his mouth and eyes crinkling. It was a smile so genuine and all-encompassing that it nearly brightened the room all by itself. "Ieyoshi," he replied, his tone light and full of warmth. Tsunayoshi—Tsuna—had been waiting for this moment. Though he didn't get to see him as often as he would have liked, he knew by now that interacting with the boy required extreme patience on his part. "The boys," he began, nodding his head toward the door and the Vongola hitmen standing guard outside it, "tell me you haven't come out since momma left with your brother. Is that true?"

There was no response. Tsuna continued.

"Well, you're gonna have to eat sometime, Ieyoshi. Here." He pointed to the plate on the ground. Not like Ieyoshi was looking since he was still hiding under the covers. "It's PBJ. I made it for you. Momma's been telling me it's your favorite now."

Ieyoshi responded by pulling the comforter more tightly around himself, adopting a fetal position and remaining absolutely silent. Tsuna expected this, and after a moment went back to scribbling on his papers. Again, patience would be the key to meaningful interaction here.

Several minutes passed before Ieyoshi spoke again. Where before he sounded confident, jaded, annoyed even, this time his voice was much softer and child-like. Tsuna recognized the fear that underlined it—the pain—and it nearly broke his heart. "Dad," Ieyoshi muttered. Never once had he uttered that word in reference to Tsunayoshi. Not once. "... is he... is Haku..." The tendrils of instinct, of fear tightened their vice-like grip on the boy, forcing his voice to climb even higher in pitch. He sounded as if he were about to cry. "Did I—"

"He's fine," Tsuna interrupted, his tone remaining warm and upbeat. "He's sleeping now, and they tell me he might even come home tonight."

The truth was, Ieharu wasn't fine. When Kyoko called him up, sobbing, Tsuna dropped everything, flying back to Namimori that same day. Unfortunately, it was a 20-some hour flight. When he arrived at the intensive care wing, the staff wouldn't let him see Ieharu. They kept repeating over and over again that he was was suffering through convulsive status epilepticus, or "a violent seizure that won't end" as the nurse put it. Apparently, the only way to stabilize him was to induce a temporary coma. What was evident, they claimed, was that he suffered some sort of serious metabolic disturbance. It was as if his very cells were robbed of the energy necessary to perform their vital life-sustaining functions.

"So don't worry," Tsuna continued. "Okay?"

This time, Ieyoshi didn't wait before he responded, bursting out from under the covers like a powerful geyser and sitting upright, propping himself up with his free hand. Immediately, he locked eyes with his father and scowled. "I'm not a kid! You can't just lie to me anymore, Tsuna!" He hissed, his frown deepening.

While another parent may have been flustered by the blatant lack of respect on part of their offspring, Tsuna merely laughed. A good genuine belly-laugh. He laughed so hard that his son's cheeks flushed red with chagrin and confusion. "I'm pretty sure 10-years-old means you're a kid still, buddy." He grinned again, pointing a finger down towards the plate at Ieyoshi's bedside.

Ieyoshi gritted his teeth, gripping his pillow by its case and arching his arm backwards, preparing to hurl it at his father. "Why can't you just go away!"

The mirth in Tsuna's expression melted away, his smile disappearing, replaced entirely by the intimidating steel of an annoyed parent. "Don't throw that at me," he commanded. Ieyoshi froze, his eyes widening slightly before he relented, gripping the pillow with both hands and laying it on his lap. Again his face flushed slightly, his eyes downcast. It was very rare that Tsuna became stern with his sons, and it caused Ieyoshi's demeanor to shift instantly, his shoulders slumping, his body language becoming more submissive. Tsuna sighed, willing his joviality to return. "So what happened, Yoh?"

Ieyoshi's eyes, still cast downward, shifted guiltily to the side. When he began talking, he spoke quickly and quietly. "Well, we were wrestling and we rolled and stuff and he was winning so then... and then..." He chewed on his lower lip as he searched for the right words, tears brimming at the edges of his eyes. "And then the monster got him." Ieyoshi muttered with extreme caution, as if uttering the words would bring the creature back into reality. His tears began to fall in earnest, streaming down his puffy cheeks like rain down a window pane. "The monster from before. The one that's always inside me."

Tsuna was nonplussed, opening his mouth to respond but closing it right after. This was the eventuality he'd always feared finally come to pass. Still, he wanted nothing more in that moment than to hug the boy, to make him believe that everything would be alright, but such a display of affection would only serve to aggravate the child further. The best strategy to assuage Ieyoshi was to comfort him with logic—to use words.

Ieyoshi languished as the silence between them grew to a deafening level. He still refused to meet his father's gaze, trying his hardest not to stammer as he made his next inquiry. "Do you hate me?"

Tsuna was literally taken aback, reacting as if he'd been slapped. Surprise raced across his countenance like a rocket, leaving him stunned for a brief moment. Then he smiled. It was a positively sanguine expression. "Ieyoshi," he began, chuckling softly. "That's just not possible. There's nothing you could possibly do to make me hate you."

Ieyoshi chanced a glance up at his father before casting his eyes downward once more, still refusing to keep Tsuna's gaze. He began to knead the pillow between his hands as if it were Play-Doh. By now, the top of the pillow had become noticeably dampened. "Have you ever hurt someone by accident?" He asked in that uncharacteristically sheepish manner of his.

Tsunayoshi didn't respond at first. Instead, he simply took stock of his son, absorbing the scene before him while pondering the question. Clearly, Ieyoshi was in pain. He had been left alone and in the dark about his brother for nearly 24 hours, since Kyoko couldn't be at two places at once and Ieharu was at the hospital. Yet again, Tsuna's work with the Vongola had gotten in the way, and when his family needed him most he wasn't able to make it in time. He'd failed. The Vongola Decimo stood, deftly catching his important work-related documents as they fell from his lap and placing them down on the chair. Had he ever hurt someone by accident? Tsuna looked down at his boy, his flesh and blood, with a solemn expression. "Every day, Ieyoshi," he finally replied. "Every day."

BEEEEEEP—click click!

Tsuna glanced at the door as it opened while Ieyoshi furiously wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands. Standing in the doorway was none other than Hibari, current Vongola Cloud guardian, in his immaculate jet-black suit and tie.

"Herbivores," he uttered in an almost disinterested tone. It was his form of a greeting.

"Hibari!" Tsuna replied, grinning awkwardly. This was an unexpected visit. "Welcome!"

Ieyoshi turned his body in an attempt to hide the fact that he had been crying. Not that Hibari could so easily be fooled.

The cloud guardian grunted in acknowledgement. "Still hard to believe that you multiplied," he remarked offhandedly. "But I came as soon as I heard. I believe we have a solution for your other little one."

Both Tsuna and Ieyoshi gaped at Hibari with wide amber eyes, asking the same question in unison: "We?"

The loud chatter of the cafeteria filled the room. The cafe was spacious and contained more than enough space for every student in the school as if they planned for another incoming class. Although it seemed like a normal day, there was a bit of 'tension' floating around in the air. It was Thursday, but not your average one. More specifically it was Godbread Thursday, the day where boys become men.

"Only a few more minutes to go," Lilith said watching the oven. She was still waiting to produce the gift from heaven and bring it to life on earth. The Godbread. Perfectly seasoned, buttered, and prepared with love. The ultimate bread that for today, was only one eighth of the regular price. Typically, only fully grown adults with a well-paying job could afford such a delicacy or a few students that came from rich families, but this special was made with the students in mind; however, there was a large catch with this. Only five were being made. In the spirit of competition, each Godbread will be placed separated and equal distance from the opposite side of the coffee shop. Whoever brings it to Lilith's cashier stand in the small coffee shop section located in the cafe, gets the sale. Once the Godbread container was handed to Lilith, then it is considered safe and no longer eligible for anyone to take. This was the honor rule in placed for all those who battle for it. This was a monthly affair and allows students to release any stress they have built up through school along with the chance to be blessed by the Godbread.

Today marked the second Godbread Thursday of the school year which tends to be the more popular one. By now, the nicknames of those who have participated have been given and more people would have garnered strategies in preparation for war. The first war was interesting to say the least. There five winners were the Hokage, the angry Mad Hatter, the Ghost, the Doll Queen, and the Still Reaper. This time, the fight will be more rigorous since more students have prepared their own strategies in preparation. You could see among the students that some have matching shirts to represent their factions, others have sat in certain positions closer to the Godbread locations where they would be placed. "This'll be a good show," Lilith said to herself. This was one of the few things that gave Lilith a slight rush other than stealing valuables. "I guess I'll check what's on TV then," she said as she motioned towards the remote. There was a slightly large television used to create ambiance with background music while the store ran. *Click* She flipped to the first channel, hah the news.

"This is AMAZING," the reporter obnoxiously yelled. "Tempest! From Blast of Tempest is rumored to be coming to Namimori to perform, SOON!" Her excitement was very apparent accompanied by the fans standing behind her trying to get their five seconds of fame. "I love you Tempest!" one of the teenagers shouted from behind the reporter. "Oh yeah! We love you Tempest," another fan shouted. "But that's not all folks!" the reporter could barely contain her excitement, "But Kunyo! Kunyo the model! He'll be accompanying her! Both of these idols together!"

"Her music is alright, but Kunyo is pretty attractive. Not my type though," Lilith muttered while changing to the next channel. Another news jingle came on again, "Oh great, more news."

A male reporter with a larger build stood there with a serious demeanor. "This is scary news folks. Last week, we went from covering the mysterious gamer N1E5—pronounced Nies— and his many achievements, but this week we have a notorious hacker attack...in NAMIMORI." "This man sounds like the conspiracy theorist that are on television....oh wait," she stopped midway realizing this in fact is the news. "But alas, we have hope! We have another hacker on our side!”

"Conspiracy, conspiracy, next," she clicked the remote again.

"Here we are live with the famous Wushu Master, Alois!" The reporter shifted the mic while the camera focused on Alois. "Hello Alois, I've heard you're coming to Namimori soon, why is that?" She continued to ask him probing questions on and on.

"Eh, that's cool I guess." *DING DING DING* The oven continuously beeped. It's time. Lilith pressed the power button on the remote to shut off the annoying news reporters. As she walked towards the oven, she could notice the shift in atmosphere in the cafeteria. The voices slowly began to fade as she went to open the oven. She grabbed her Namimori cafe specialized mittens with Bertha's image holding a coffee mug, then opened the oven. The irresistible aroma overwhelmed the cafe and overtook Lilith for a moment. The smell started to spread even further into the cafeteria causing an eerie silence to fill the area. "The God bread," one student muttered quietly, "Praise the gods. "The Pastry Goddess has finished the ritual," another student said while beginning to kneeling down in respect. Lilith somehow earned the title of Pastry Goddess as the legends of God Bread Thursdays began. The nicknames and different factions of students were always interesting to say the least.

Lilith pulled out the long strip of Godbread out of the oven and already prepped five durable sturdy containers out on a table. She carefully divided them up, spread butter, a bit more seasons, and finally completed the legendary God Bread by placing them in the containers. "It's time," she said while holding each container stacked on top of each other like a professional waitress. She walked slowly towards the first pedestal on the opposite side of the cafeteria. The pedestal was white and in the form of ancient Greek god. The five gods that had a pedestal design were Zeus, Hera, Athena, Ares, and Apollo and it is said that whichever bread you receive will cause you to earn a different blessing from the respective god. Each pedestal god held their hand out as if they were holding something up which conveniently could be filled with a God Bread. All five god pedestals that lie equal distance from each other while they all stand on the opposite side of the cafe. As Lilith placed the final God Bread, she began walking back like a model in all her beauty. She lived up to her title as the Pastry Goddess because as she slowly walked, her hair flew which helped show her natural allure. By this point, the entire cafeteria population was silent and watching Lilith head back to the cafe. The war doesn't start until she says those magic words. Students sat there with their fist clenched and ready.

The sound of running footsteps began near the Zeus Godbread statue. Someone tried to get a false start ahead of everything. "Sorry love," Lilith said as she quickly turned around. She reached for a small yen coin from her pocket, held it with two fingers with her left hand, and prepared her right hand to flick it. She closed one eye, then released the flick. The yen flew at a terrifying speed directly toward the student. BAM! It hit the child bulls eye on the back of the head. He fell down temporarily knocked out from the impact. Some students shook their heads, knowing that you should never try to get an early start. The Pastry Goddess is beautiful but merciless. Without saying any further words, Lilith turned around and continued walking towards the cafe. She finally reached the cashier with her back facing the wall opposite of the students and the Godbread. The tension in the air was more evident since it was about to be that time. She quickly turned around with the 'coffee lady girl' persona and smile and said, "Welcome to Namimori Cafe! We are Now Open!"

"To the Godbread!" "Ahhhh!" I'll get it!" A multitude of students had begun yelling while chasing their respective god pedestal. This was the beginning of the second bread wars.

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"The past is not always where you have left it..."

"Sakura-sama, do you really believe this is wise?" Eyes resembling the golden sheen of the sun showed no waver as it gazed at the fluttering pink petals entering the room through the opened window. "Wise, you ask." She looked at a lone petal that landed inside her tea. "It is a result I yet to know, if it would warrant that description." She reached for her tea and drank from it with elegance uniquely hers. An odd vision she was surrounded by Japanese tradition, for she was garbed in a dress of simplicity yet the regal definition of a noble woman of the western world.

"Despite it all, they are children." She placed down her tea on the nearby table and stood from her position. "Yet to bloom, we can only nourish and guide as to who they ought to be under their own volition." She made her way to the opened shoji doors as her trailed behind like silken curtain. "In the end, we only have hope. That it would be enough for their sake."

"Sometimes, it is in front of you hounding for the future..."

Yume walked along the rather quiet hallways of Namimori High. Her eyes looked towards the window panels lining up her path as they provided a reflection of a peaceful scenery. The light defined her form creating such a silhouette of graceful radiance. So, it was not far-fetched as why the passing students could not help but be captivated by her presence and yet her attention was taken by the view upon the glass. It portrayed the grounds and the sporadic flow of students coming in. This was rather explainable as she had heard the lunch bell rang as she entered the school earlier. Most of the students must be at the cafeteria now.

Apparently, she had arrived quite late for the morning classes and managed to attend by noon. It seemed that her duties had been taking much of her time. She did have to leave early yesterday. Though, she does regret that decision to do so. Hiroshi had informed her of the events which transpired after class had ended yesterday on the way here. It seemed her mother had sensed the anomaly, clearly presenting the difference between their abilities at the moment. Nevertheless if she was present, perhaps it would not have escalated to that point. It could have been avoided entirely and yet, what is done has already been done. All one could hope to do was to stand and gather the broken pieces in an effort to compensate for that error, if only possible.

That was probably reason why she has yet to make her appearance at the cafeteria where she had heard some event was about to happen. Just like so, her gaze was not meant to linger or to understand. It was to search for an individual, to know. Then again, she has already an answer. What she required was not it at all, but beyond what is clear and sure. Just like so, she continued her pace as she stumbled upon some of the maintenance staff installing a new window. She halted at that point and recalled another portion of what Hiroshi had spoken to her. It seemed that her Ani had been in an altercation with a fellow senior. The result, a broken window as the one who went up against her brother was thrown out of it. And of course, she had to pick up after him which she did.

Many had suggested for her to simply give up on her brother. It was the best solution for in the end, his problems should not be hers. They say that at some point, even family has limitations. Their belief that she was holding on due to blood ties was not even part of the reason. She is here for him, because, she is responsible and she wanted nothing more but to be... "Witch." That voice prevented anything else to be processed by her. Her eyes met with the same silver eyes that she was born with, the greatest difference was the emotion conveyed through it. Hers, it was of surprise, a pleasant one. On the other side, it was of pure contempt. "Onii-sama. Good morning." She smiled at Mamoru with such gentleness and was rather glad to see that he had come early, that meant he was interested attending school. "I see you--- "

"Get away." Effectively cutting anything else needed to be said at that point, he walked passed Yume as if she was nothing and also ending the conversation, if that was to be considered one. She maintained her ground as the smile much like crystalline drop of water vanished into a vapor under the sun. Still, she looked over her shoulder to see her brother's back moving away without interruptions as it faded out of her sights. There was sadness present upon her facade and also something deeper, yet not truly clear to anyone's eyes. She then faced forward once more and continued onto her path. This had been their relationship for quite some time, she should say that she is used to it, but really she couldn't.

It was at that point, she caught sight of the one she was looking for accompanied by two people quite dear without doubt. Her face lit up with such warmth and kindness, yet at the same time those silver eyes held an understanding deeper than any of them could ever understand. She knew most what he might be feeling at this moment, the condition of the boy now in the hospital. As such, she began her approach when a sudden feeling awash her, making her take a heed from having another step. From the corner of her eyes, she saw something ethereal. She turned to get a better look and indeed saw someone beyond the windows. As if certain, her attention was caught, this someone began to talk and she of course listened intently as much as she could. Her focus was absolute on her expression as her eyes locked on that someone without fail, only to be broken with...

"Yume-san?" Without a moment lost, she looked at the one who called her and it was one of her classmates. "Yes?" The concerned student answered that question. "Are you all right? Is there someone out there?" She then looked back only to see that there was no one there anymore, not even a trace. "A guardian angel..." Her fellow senior looked at her oddly in which she responded with a small smile. "Do not worry about it, thank you for your concern." It was better to not speak anything further about it. "...Okay, I'll see you later." She assured her classmate with a nod who then bid her a wave and left, seemingly satisfied that she was fine. As for her, she looked back at the window and then to corner of the corridor barely catching the one she had been seeking vanishing from her line of vision.

"I wonder what to do with one who is full to the brim and one who is infinitely empty." Her voice whispered it to the winds as she began to walk once more.

"So you're saying people fight over the pastries?" Ieyoshi walked along Damien's right side as he spoke, his tone as paced and even as ever. He had the voice of a old sage that had long since grown bored of his mortal coil. "Sounds dumb," he muttered almost offhandedly. "I already have a lunch from home anyway."

"No Yoh you don't understand!" He shook his head while moving slightly in front of the twins to face them. "Godbread wars is a way of life!" He said with an unnecessary loud voice. He shifted his pose as if he were a samurai holding his invisible long bamboo hat. After a dramatic pause, he gave a deep voiced chuckle as if he were the final boss in a video game. "Little did you know peons, I am," he quickly clasped both of his hands together then swiftly moved them in various positions like a ninja performing a jutsu. After reaching his final hand gesture, in a old Japanese man tone, he said, "The Hokage!"

Ieharu giggled in response, his grin big enough to brighten the whole hallway. Though soft, his laughter was rich and bubbly. Ieyoshi, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"Godbread wars give you a chance to show your heart, valor, and soul. To battle all of the other warriors fighting their way to be blessed by the gods!" He clenched his fist and pounded it on his chest producing a slight thump noise. "Will you both not heed the call?! Will you both not join the ranks of the chosen few?" He looked up to the sky with a gleam shining in his eyes. His arm now extended upwards with one finger pointed to the stars. "The god's invitation stands before you both! Join me for this battle, for I shall have victory once again! Earn your own Godbread!" By this point, he was no longer looking at the twins, but towards the sky like a dreamer. He whispered with a loud voice, "Be Legendary," while providing his own recurring echo of the word 'Legendary' as if it were fading out. He maintained his pose pointing to the sky fixating his gaze on the same spot. He was awaiting a response from the twins and didn't move an inch like a statue.

"Well... I think it sounds pretty cool," Ieharu said, chiming in from Damien's left. For some reason, the older twin was maintaining a noticeable distance between himself and his younger counterpart, though Ieharu was not sure why. It'd been this way all morning, ever since they'd woken up. Maybe he had done something wrong? Or perhaps he'd angered his elder twin by dragging him into that fight yesterday? Just the thought of yesterday's antics with Ishiki made Ieharu's chest seize up, but the moment passed rather quickly. Though he remembered being bruised and bloodied before falling asleep that night, most of his injuries were healed by morning as if they hadn't even occurred in the first place. He looked past Damien and to his brother, shooting him a smile. "Not that I wanna fight again or anything," he continued. "I learned my lesson, huh!" The moment Ieharu looked towards Ieyoshi was the moment Ieyoshi looked away, his eyes trained in the opposite direction. Ieharu's smile melted into something resembling a frown, betraying for a moment his inner frustration with being ignored, but with his hand he wiped the expression from his face. He didn't dare ask Ieyoshi what was wrong. Not yet, anyway. He knew better than just about anyone that only way to fix a problem involving his brother was with extreme patience.

The trio walked in deafening silence for a few awkward moments before Damien spoke again.

Damien picked up on the unusual vibe in the air between the two. He typically performs something witty as comic relief between the two, but for once, he was at a loss of words. Well best to keep them on task. "Batman!" He suddenly blurted out. "Yoh, if you actually got a Godbread, you might be known as Batman throughout the school!" He shifted his gaze over to Ieharu and his eyes squinted a bit. A grin came upon his face as he said, "and you ole little you. You'll be Captain Underpants the hero." Damien chuckled as a look of horror raced across Ieharu's face.

Ieyoshi simply grunted in response. It was neither approving nor dismissive.

As they rounded the corner, they were greeted by the a large metal sign that hung from the ceiling: Namimori Cafe. Loud chatter overflowed from the room, nearly drowning out their conversation. As they stepped through the double doors, they were forced to raise their voices.

"Do it, Yoh! Do it!" Ieharu urged. Ieyoshi? Didn't want to fight? Truly, his brother was behaving strangely today.

Ieyoshi shrugged, turning back towards the entrance. He had no qualms with a little friendly sparring, but with all the crap that went down yesterday, he just felt tired of it all. In fact, he wanted to go back home and sleep more than anything. "Meh," he sighed, preparing to walk out of the room. "On second thought, I'll catch you guys later."

"Oh, come on, Yoh!" Ieharu groaned, "don't be like that."

Ieyoshi stopped in his tracks, seemingly at the behest of his brother.

"Oh jeeze," Ieyoshi muttered, his voice taking on an unusually high pitch, his shoulders slumping slightly. Literally a moment ago he was the image of cool, the posterboy for suave, the unshakable stale-face Ieyoshi, but now he looked like a kid who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

If he didn't know any better, Ieharu would describe his brother's strange behavior as bashful, but that was an impossible role reversal. The boy followed his brother's gaze towards the cafeteria's entrance. Standing there

"Woah!" Ieharu began. "Is that Yume-nee?!"

Damien shifted his head immediately at the name. "Did you say," without pause his eyes went from his normal expression to a love struck teen, "Yume?"

A smile that would even shatter the moon's gentle light in reverence decorated the lips of the Himemiya Princess as she stood at the entrance with those eyes of her gazing at the visage of three individuals though, it was clear her attention was commanded strongly by one. Words were not spoken as she took a step towards the group in her eloquent grace. A crown of starless obsidian trailed behind her with every elegance intrinsic in her being. It was like a vision of a lady meant for the greatest illusions of mankind had come to reality, as such it was clear as to why the onlookers of the cafeteria were attracted to her form.

True to that, a companion of the Sawada twins was obviously enamored with her. Ieharu glanced over to his left to see Damien looking as if he'd taken a shot of adrenaline to the chest. Ieyoshi, on the other hand, seemed to shrink backwards... though surely it only appeared that way.

"Good day to you." Yume started as she found herself now before the group. "Ieharu-kun. Damien-kun." Her sight then settled on one. "Ieyoshi."

At mention of his name, the elder Sawada twin flinched ever-so slightly. It was a nearly imperceptible micro-movement, though Ieharu honed in on it like a missile, eyebrows rising. He noted that, for as long as he could remember, his brother always acted... weird? in front of a small handful of people. Ieharu enumerated the list in his mind. There was Mom, Dad, uncle Ryohei, that actor that played Batman in that one movie, and then there's...

The smile on Yume's face did not relent, though her eyes held a deep understanding that none can decode, perhaps, only a selected few could hope to. "I am glad to see you all attending Namimori. I would like to apologize I had not welcomed you as early as I am able." To show her sincerity, her head lowered in a bow as her hands delicately placed at her front. "I also would like to extend my apologies if my Ani had done anything untoward to you all." She then lifted her head to look at them with an expression of sweet affection relating to her brother. "It would be a great favor if you would dismiss his disorderly conduct."

Haha, it's cool, Yume-nee," Ieharu said, smiling as he scratched the back of his head. "I don't think we've really seen him around, though I heard he threw someone out a window."

"She called me Damien-kun," an infatuated Damien muttered, causing Ieharu to snicker quietly. For his part, Ieyoshi simply stared at his shoes.

Then like so, Yume's emotion shifted to that of gentle joy. "I do hope that you three are enjoying your time here." She showed familiarity towards them and this was a natural course as her father after all serves as a Vongola Guardian and above reason, she had been her father's representative in the Annual Famiglia Meeting. Something she is only able to attend when her schedule would allow it or is endearingly asked by her Oji - Tetsuya. It was rather enjoyable even with the consistent questions and overfriendliness provided by Rokudo in which she is often protected by Sasagawa. Most of all, she was glad to meet the others as well, specifically the children of her father's friends, though she had been told many times that it was not that case. Though, there was one she had met far more than the rest.

In any case, she stopped her thoughts of before and focused at the now. "How have you been, Ieharu-kun? Damien-kun? Ieyoshi?" Each time she mentioned a name, she looked at them with her eyes filled with tenderness yet, held that profound meaning as if seeing through them. "It has been quite a while since I have seen you all." She had a thoughtful smile before continuing with her words. "How all of you have grown. Such handsome boys." And as swift as a wind passing, her lips pursed ever so slightly. "I do wonder. Have you boys been into trouble?" Just like so, she looked at each of them before fixing her gaze a bit longer on Ieyoshi's profile and then proceeded looking at them in equal light. In the end, the things needed to be tackled cannot be revealed in the light, for now.

Ieyoshi remained silent, and Damien just stared awkwardly, so it was up to Ieharu to respond. He'd turned a shade redder at Yume's compliment. "Pretty good, Yume-nee," he replied. "We haven't seen ya since Dad was last around. How's--"

Suddenly, the room grew silent, which gave Ieharu pause. Everyone looked towards the front of the cafeteria, where a woman began placing containers out along several pedestals.

Yume looked at the breads being placed in interest.. Her eyes seemed to be in trance as if observing it or rather seeing something more than that. She does recall that there had been mentioned of an event for the cafeteria during Thursdays. It was indeed interesting as she could see some of the students focused rather in an excited manner, yet with a predatory gleam in those faces. Though, she could understand why they appeared so invested on the breads being displayed. They do look exquisite, that much she could tell. "Those Godbreads do look rather appetizing." She noted and then looked back at the boys. "Now, I know why they seem eager for it, though, I do not think I would be able to get one myself." She smiles gently and it was just simply a good after thought for her as she take another look at the breads.

Ieyoshi stole a glance at Yume, then at Damien, then sighed, a smirk worming its way onto his face despite himself. "Fine, Hokage. I'm in." He raised a fist, pointing it towards the Godbread statues. "I just gotta punch my way to one of those, right?"

And then it happened. "Welcome to Namimori Cafe! We are Now Open!"

---

---

---

---

"Nii-chan! Nii-chan! Nii-chan! I---"

How irritating. Those silver eyes opened in sheer annoyance. His dreams were haunted by an afterimage of something that Mamoru could not understand due to it being shattered into confusing small portions, though he knew well enough the voice that was calling out to him. Hence, his level of irritation raising to a tipping level as several factors that he dislikes are being mixed in. "That Witch invaded my dreams." There was clear contempt behind those words as the looping melody of the Namimori Anthem played through the current area, it was probably the only reason he was staying still in his position, currently lounged underneath a certain tree far from the populace of the school. If not, he would have smashed something or someone already to alleviate the edge on his temper and that was not really a pleasant sight to see.

Instead, he covered his eyes from the world with his forearm over it as he allowed the cool autumn breeze passed through and the falling leaves which served as a makeshift curtain and even cushion underneath him. The aesthetic of the place was perfect for him to be at ease and judging by the isolation, he has from the others, it was good. It also provided him to ponder on some things that would not be visible or rather known by other people, believing he does not think of anything else, but he does when it comes to himself. He removed his arm over his face and was welcomed by birds perched on the branches above him where only few leaves remained as it undergoes a change for the season, but other than that, his eyes looked passed that and saw the sun hovering at its top point. That indicated it was lunch.

Apparently, Mamoru had slept through the morning period and that was not something new really. He took up a sitting position as he leaned on the trunk behind him and noticed that he was not alone as he had assumed. Stray cats, squirrels and even dogs were around him in a quiet circle. This as well was not something new to him as ever since his childhood days, animals gather around him as if he was a magnetic pole for them to attach to. It was a good thing that they do not do anything annoying and so he tolerates them as long as his personal space is kept intact. Just like so, he gazed at a far off distance and heard distant voices of something relevant to bread and wars. That has nothing to do with him, so he didn't bother thinking about it as well, though he's aware of the idiotic affair that happens at the cafeteria.

The thought of a fight was entertaining to him, however the whole affair making it about bread was not enthralling to him or the fact, there would be a lot of people present which he does not like. Crowding of herbivores is distasteful for him. That's why overall, he does not participate. In any case, it is time for him to leave as there are people even if they are at a great distance, he does not like the idea of his presence overlapping with anyone. He then felt a weight that landed on his shoulder which made his contemplation halt for a moment. "Mamoru! Mamoru! Mamoru!" It was the only voice that he does not find irritating as it came from the notable yellow canary that had been dubbed, Hibird. In actuality, this canary had become a symbol among the Hibari Family, as it is a constant companion of the Father and even the Son.

He looked at Hibird who instantly sang the tune of Namimori in tandem with the playing from his phone. That was enough for him to relax even further as he finally stood from his position. The animals that were there raised their heads to look at him in curiosity as to what he was about to do. Well basically, he was simply going to look for another location where he would be away from everyone and sleep once more. Like so, he began to walk away as he turned off the music from his phone, Hibird continued singing for him, while the animals present also calmly dispersed themselves. That is how his daily routine work really. There were at times some idiots who would challenge him outright, believing that numbers can beat him, and he proved to them that weaklings will always be weaklings. As of now, he had never been beaten and had become a prominent icon among Namimori as someone with absolute strength and someone not to be messed with at all or even be bothered with the social hierarchy present within the school. As long as, no one does get in his way or heaven forbid crossover his personal territory, everything is rather peaceful with him.

Though, there would still be some students who are ignorant and would unfortunately suffer under his annoyance, because of it. They do provide good examples not to cross paths with Mamoru and stay far away from him, though there are those limited few that managed to go unscathed, such as the one who had been tasked in giving him the schoolwork, that certain presence allowed to linger at a distance with him or the occasional interactions with his known twin. Speaking of which, there was one earlier with his twin and now, apparently another at this moment. He had caught within his peripheral vision of that Witch through the hallway window as he walked by. She seemed to be entranced by something and that was the only observation he allowed himself to have, before a voice filtered through his inner consciousness.

"Please forgive me, Nii-chan! If I was--- This is--- Sorry, Nii-chan, fault is mi---"

The words were all mumbled in his head and it annoyed him as the meaning of it was lost on him. "Mamoru! Mamoru! Mamoru! Wake up!" He looked back at Hibird who was flapping its wings as if aware of what's happening to him. That gave Mamoru a sense of bearing again. What was the purpose of those voices, he could well live without. He took a moment to look back where he saw the Witch only to find she was gone. "Tch." That was all he could comment about that. He did not want to ponder on anything that could irritate him. For now, he went on his way to find a place where he could sleep in peace while Hibird departed from his shoulder and followed him while flying above him, resuming its singing, causing the Hibari scion to fall at ease again.

Things exploded into action immediately, with everyone jumping recklessly into a fray centered over the little boxes at the back of the room. Even Damien raced off, carving a path through some poor students and disappearing into the commotion. Ieyoshi simply stared, bewildered by his own past actions.

Why had he changed his mind so suddenly? He still didn't feel like being here, but...

Ieyoshi brought his thumb to his lips, kneading them as he engaged in a deeper level of introspection. What he'd just agreed to wasn't really logical. It didn't line up with his current goal of going back home. So why had he agreed to participate? What had derailed his train of thought? Was it Damien's prodding? Nah. He was fairly confident he wasn't susceptible to peer pressure, and he made sure to keep an eye out for that. Was it his brother?

Ieyoshi glanced sideways at Ieharu, whom simultaneously glanced at him. They met eyes for a moment, but Ieyoshi looked away before anything meaningful could be exchanged. Ieharu had a way of seeing through his twin brother like no one else, and that's not the type of exposure he desired right now.

Or maybe... hmm... maybe it was Yume?

Thinking of Yume-senpai always made Ieyoshi feel strange. She brought back into the forefront of his consciousness the precarious position is was in, the constant balancing act he was forced to play, and the delicate mask he was required to maintain. Not that he particularly minded, it was just—

A firm grip on his forearm pulled Ieyoshi back to reality. Snapping his head to the right, he noticed that Ieharu had snatched his forearm out of the air and was gripping it rather ferociously.

Ieyoshi raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused. "What?" He almost hissed, his tone indicating slight annoyance.

"Get out of your head, Yoh," Ieharu chided, looking his brother in the eye. "I know I f-ed up yesterday," he began, slowly casting his eyes downward as he did, "and I know you're mad at me for yesterday and I'm sorry, but don't just stand there." Ieharu flashed his brother one of his toothy grins. "Didn't you say you were gonna go get one? You're missing the fun!"

Ieyoshi twisted his way out of his brother's grip. Something seemed to shift in his demeanor, his aura, after coming into physical contact with Ieharu. His shoulders slumped slightly, his stance becoming less tense. With a sigh, Ieyoshi closed his eyes briefly. Yeah, his brother could see right through him sometimes. Kept him grounded. "I'm not mad, dummy." That was the truth. He wasn't mad at Ieharu. How could he be? None of it was his fault. "Anyone that messes with us gets their ass kicked. Period. Even upperclassmen. Even Godot." They hadn't seen much of Godot since yesterday's events. Ieyoshi still wanted to have some, er, words with that gun-slinging douche bag.

Ieyoshi swept his eyes over the scene before him a second time. The twins must've been standing there for a while, because the scene was already different. One or more of the so-called Godbreads had already been taken.

Interesting.

Ieyoshi wasn't particularly tall, so he couldn't see to the core of what amounted to the giant mosh pit, but relying on his intuition (and pointers from the familiar voices shouting out announcements), he was able to pinpoint several different people of interest.

The first thing he noticed was Erin. Initially, he'd mistaken her for an older male classmate, with the way she was throwing people around and—was she spitting at people?

"Eeww," Ieyoshi muttered under his breath.

Rosa's goons were to be avoided. He'd already had his fill of them yesterday.

Next he noticed Shou, leaning against the wall off to the side. Ieyoshi half-way wanted to join him, but... if Shou was here, that meant his brother was too. Enn. The bounce-off-the-walls one that would talk your ear off. Ieyoshi sighed again. Great.

Suddenly, Ieyoshi activated, moving forward at an expedient yet measured pace. Ieharu lagged behind for but a second before catching up to walk beside his twin.

"So you're gonna do it? You're fight for the bread?" Ieharu asked, voice filled to the brim with an otherworldly exuberance. His brother was excited for reasons Ieyoshi could only imagine.

Ieyoshi shrugged. "I guess."

As they walked forward, the crowd parted before them like the red sea. Those that were fighting in the immediate vicinity paused to gawk as they passed.

"Mad Hatter, however, is putting up a fight just as good," Came a familiar voice. It seemed to be projected over a loud speaker system of some kind. "As seen by the impossibly fast roundhouse kick to the face with his other leg, using her iron grip on his leg as an anchor to carry out the blow. But oh - The Spitter let go of him and he fell to the ground!"

"What is a 'Mad Hatter'?" Ieyoshi asked, curious.

"Damien tells me that's Ryuu!" Ieharu responded, grinning. "And Damien's the Hokage!"

Ieyoshi grunted in response, which amounted to an effective eye roll. "And if I get this bread, do you have the money to pay for it?"

Ieharu halted immediately, as if his feet had turned to stone. "What? Yoh! No! That's not fair!"

Ieyoshi turned to face his brother. Those that had paused their own battle to eye the twins tensed. Were they about to fight one-another?! "If I do the work, you pay for it." Ieyoshi pointed at his brother as he spoke.

Ieharu pointed a thumb at his chest. "I'll pay half."

"You pay all of it," Ieyoshi corrected, "and you can get..." He chewed a number over in his mouth for a moment. "20% of the bread."

"50. Half!"

"25. 40% of it goes to Yume."

"Then 30! Don't be unfair!"

Ieyoshi eyed his brother for a moment before cracking a short-lived smile. "Fine. We'll split it. But you're paying for it." Ieyoshi looked up towards the ceiling, scratching the side of his head. "I, uh, actually didn't bring my wallet anyway."

Ieharu shook his head, feigning a hurt expression. "So this was your plan all along?!"

"No," Ieyoshi responded, stepping closer to his brother and grabbing the boy's arm. "This was." Like a ringside announcer at a boxing match, Ieyoshi raised his brother's arm into the air and proudly declared in an eerily calm voice to all those watching: "This is my brother, Ieharu Sawada. He's the guy you saw kicking ass yesterday morning before school. You losers better not mess with him or he'll take all the Godbread, so watch out."

Mortified is not a strong enough word to describe the look on Ieharu's face. His eyes grew wide as he noticed everyone hone in on him like hungry wolves. "Wait, what?"

"You're gonna be the bait," Ieyoshi muttered offhandedly, as if his intentions were as clear as day.

"B-b-but—!"

Ieyoshi dropped his brother's hand and began walking away. "I'll catch you later."

"Wait!"

But it was too late. Ieyoshi had already melted away into the crowd, and though Ieharu tried to follow, his path was cut off by those around him. One tall and particularly portly fellow stepped out from the crowd to confront the younger twin.

"They call me B.O." The guy declared both to Ieharu and to all those around him.

"Yeah, cause you smell like shit!" Someone in the crowd laughed. Another student, a lanky blond girl, took that as an opportunity to attack, and lunged at another nearby student. Suddenly, the all-out brawl resumed in earnest, with Ieharu in the middle of it. He immediately raised his hands as if surrounded by police, the universal sign of surrender.

That's when B.O. stepped forward, literally bowling over several fighters like a bowling ball would a set of pins. Most of them slid across the floor to collide with others. Many held their noses, eyes scrunched. It seemed that there was something more terrible than his size: his odor!

B.O. turned his attention towards Ieharu, leveling him with an icy stare.

Ieharu scrunched his nose a bit, taking an unsteady step backwards, his hands still up. "Uh... um... I'm not, uh, playing this game. You see, I'm just a, er, well, I don't want any bread or anything so—"

As Ieharu stumbled backwards, B.O. pressed forward, matching the Sawada twin step for step. "You're that kid from yesterday, right? The one queen Rosa marked for death."

"Marked for what?!" Ieharu squeezed between two brawling first-years, hoping to escape his pursuer, but B.O. plowed through them, too. Was this guy unstoppable? And what was he even talking about? "I told you I'm not playing!"

"Then fight me, ya lil' bitch!"

Okay, this guy wasn't getting it. With a panicked squeal, Ieharu turned on his heels and began running through the crowd, though in which direction he wasn't quite sure. He just wanted to find the cashiers, the exit, and the relative safety they would give him. Several others noticed him and assumed he was making a play for one of the Godbreads. Though he was surprisingly agile and quick on his feet, it didn't take long for him to collect a gaggle of pursuers, and they were closing in fast. He knew B.O. was among them, thanks to the burning sensation that attacked his nose and eyes.

Dammit, Ieyoshi! Dammit dammit dammit!

Elsewhere, Ieyoshi walked with purpose, dodging and weaving through what amounted to different battlefields. Some people were slapping each other. Others were rolling around, laughing. Others still were in "serious-business" mode, engaging in epic combat with one another.

This whole thing seemed so chaotic and unorganized. It was surprising that a school would even allow something like this to occur... but then, this was Namimori High. Not only had crazier things happened, but they'd already happened within the last 24 hours.

Following his intuition alone, Ieyoshi slithered his way through the vortex of fists and kicks and shouts until his target came within view: one of the Godbread statues. It was the Hera statue, which held the "Herabread," or, rather, it used to. Someone had already nabbed that Godbread. Oh well.

Maybe it'd be fun to chase after the person who had the Herabread? For a moment, he seriously considered it, but then Ieyoshi slumped his shoulders, losing interest. Again, he wasn't quite sure why he was even participating in this thing. Plus, he wasn't really in the mood to work for his food. He'd already brought a lunch from home, after all. Ieyoshi sighed. "Whatever," he muttered, turning away from the Hera statue and resolving himself to leave the area. He'd fulfilled his piece of the social contract, right? This was enough interaction for today. Maybe he'd just ditch and go home early.

As he began walking away, Ieyoshi felt something—someone—lay their hand on his head. For a moment, just a split second, it felt like... well, like his father. Like Tsunayoshi.

Ieyoshi whipped his head to the side, eyes wide, his expression unusually animate, but when he swiveled on his heel in search of the source, there was no one there. No one was close enough to have done that.

Did he just imagine it? Blehk. Physical contact itself was already annoying enough, but he absolutely hated when people touched his hair!

Though the person that had laid their palm on his head was nowhere to be found, Ieyoshi noticed a familiar face in the distance over by one of the other Godbread statues. Without turning as he did, he would have missed it. Missed him.

It was Damien. He was single-handedly holding off what looked to be an entire army of zombie-like bodies reaching for the Godbread he protected.

Ieyoshi smirked, clenching and unclenching his fists a few times, as if testing them. That's right, Damien was in this game too. And when was the last time they'd gotten to spar one another? Ieyoshi couldn't stop his smirk from growing wider and wider until it overtook the entire bottom portion of his face. Those within the elder Sawada twin's vicinity noted the shift in atmosphere instantaneously and began putting distance between themselves and the enigmatic first-year.

News of what Ieyoshi had done to that one kid yesterday morning had spread like wildfire, and few in the vicinity wanted a piece of that action. This was supposed to be a game, after all, not a serious fight...

With re-purposed resolve, Ieyoshi stuffed his hands into his pockets and began walking towards Damien. Maybe this thing would turn out to be fun. But if anyone touched his head again, he'd kill them.

He wasn't sure if he was being serious or not.