"I'm home." I said as I closed the door behind me. Ami was busy chopping up some vegetables as she turned her head to welcome me back home.
"Welcome back dear! How was your first day of school?" She asked with a smile as she turned around to face me with a large knife in her hand. I backed away from her, not wanting for her to cut me up. Ami noticed the knife and laughed.
"Sorry. I forgot I held a knife. And to think I was going to throw it in your direction." She placed her free hand onto her cheek as she laughed cheerfully. I was frozen on the spot. If she killed someone, she wouldn't even notice it! She continued to slice up some carrots on the counter, watching me from the corner of her eye.
"So?"
"So what?" I began to say as I placed (more like slammed) my face on the surface of the kitchen table.
"How was your first day? Did you enjoy yourself with the other students? Don't tell me you didn't make any friends. Your father would be unhappy to hear that." Ami complained. "Oh I made friends alright…" I replied sarcastically. "That's good to hear! I'm so happy for you!"
Didn't she hear the sarcastic tone in my voice?
"Are you kidding me? I met this guy who runs to school in his underwear, another one who hates my guts just cause I hang out with the first one, a baseball nut who keeps grinning like an idiot, and to top it all off, I almost got my ass handed to me on a silver platter by this raven-haired kid who's the leader of the Discipline Committee, just because I threw away a plastic bottle!" I ranted loudly.
"Sasagawa Kyoko is the only normal student in that school."
"That's great honey."
"You're not even listening to me!" I yelled out in dismay as I cried a waterfall. "I can't believe this. Why didn't Dad send me to Africa? I would have been better of there than here. Japan is lame." I grumbled under my breath.
"Why don't you go out? You don't have anything better to do anyway." Ami suggested. "No thank you. I don't want to bump into any more weirdos." "That's a good idea! You really should go to explore like the brave little warrior that you are!" Ami cut me off as she pushed me up the stairs, without holding the knife of course.
"You're not listening to me again!" I roared with my arms flailing about in the air.
"Get dressed into something more comfortable." Ami ordered, leaving me alone in my room. I sighed. "I guess I should. She won't be done with making dinner for another hour or so." With a heavy sigh, I got dressed. After a while, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
I was wearing a purple zip hoodie with a black spaghetti strapped shirt underneath and light blue jeans, completed with a pair of converse shoes and a blue hood covering my head. My long blond hair was freed from the usual scrunches, letting it flow down my back.
"I think people will be impressed when they see me in these clothes." I grinned, followed with a wink as I ran out the door. "I'm out Ami!" I shouted to let her know. "I'll call you on your cell to let you know when to come home, young lady!" She retorted, making me grin even more, if it were possible.
----------
"You look like an idiot." Hayato commented dully with that blank expression on his face. Steam was making its way out of my ears as I bit my lower lip to contain myself. I just had to run into him today! "What the hell is your problem? I didn't ask for your opinion!" I spat out as I crossed my arms. He simply shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the bench.
"Go home, idiot." He insulted me, making my blood boil again.
"I just came from home!" I retorted. "I was talking about your country, America. Go and catch the next flight back home." Came his rude reply. "It's not like I want to be here in the first place! Japan is an odd place to be! Everything is so different from what I'm used to." I said as Hayato remained silent. I'm surprised to see him sitting on a bench, staring into the distance as if he were thinking about something deep. I found myself staring at the little kids who were playing in the park before us. Happily laughing and running around as if their life depended on it.
"You never seemed like the type of guy who would space out and think clearly, for once." I commented with a silly grin, messing up Hayato's hair in the progress. Hayato jumped up at my touch and glared at me.
"Are you calling me stupid?"
"You're calling yourself stupid." I retorted with a cheeky grin.
"Only idiots call themselves stupid!"
"You doubted before, so you called yourself stupid. And apparently, you also call yourself an idiot."
Hayato ignored me as a vein popped up on his forehead, gazing in front of him again. "Say Hayato…" I said as I scooted next to him. He moved a few centimeters away from me. "Hayato," "Stop calling me by my first name! It creeps the hell out of me!" He spat as his right eye twitched in irritation.
"Call me Gokudera! We're not on a friendly basis, you know!"
"That only applies to Japanese people. I'm American, so it's okay for me to call everyone by their first name." I explained as Hayato almost received a heart attack at how stupid I just sounded.
"It doesn't matter whether you're Japanese, American or Russian! You're supposed to adapt to your surroundings! It's the only way for you to fit it, Babyface." I grew annoyed at hearing that stupid nickname again. "Don't call me that! Are you friends with that Disciplinary kid?" I pointed at him without showing any traces of shame for yelling so loud.
The children in the park must have heard me.
Hayato leaned back in amusement, placing his arms over the bench. "That ass-wipe ain't a friend of mine. But I did enjoy the scenery back at school. It was quite a show when you were forced to pick up that plastic bottle." He retorted with a smirk.
"Y-you were there?" I spat out in disbelief.
"I happened to be standing in the corner. Hibari probably noticed my presence, but he's the kind of guy who doesn't care." I was burning up as he laughed. "W-well… Just to let you know, I was about to kick his butt! That's not how I handle things back in America!" I commented as I looked away in shame. "They called me the Black Racer back in America." I replied with pride as I held my head high. "Why is that?" "Because I'm pretty fast when I strike back, just like a Black Racer snake!" Again, Hayato laughed at me, the happiness and joy he felt by doing just that was very clear on his face.
"I think you should stick with Babyface. That name suits you better!"
I stared at him with a blank expression gracing my face. "I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself." I muttered under my breath. Suddenly, I felt the bench lean back, giving me the shock of my life. The bench crashed down onto the grass as I kept my usual position with my eyes shut.
I squealed loudly as the darkness swept over me.
"Alice? You okay?" A familiar voice asked. I opened my eyes to see none other than Yamamoto Takeshi, the baseball nut. His face was inches away from mine, not to mention upside down, and his hands were placed next to my head. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked him as I gave him the glare of death. He simply laughed and helped me up from my position.
"Looks like you're okay!" Hayato got back up on his feet and glared Takeshi down. "What the hell was all that about, baseball nut? Are you trying to kill us?" He yelled. His happy mood from before was gone. Seems like he's always in a bad mood whenever Takeshi is around.
"Oh Gokudera. I didn't see you there." Takeshi scratched the back of his head.
"That's it! Let's fight this out, you blockhead!" Hayato roared as his eyes turned into tiny flames, burning with rage. A loud crash could be heard, along with a painful cry. "Could you guys help me out here?" I turned my head to see Tsuna lying on the grass with the bench on his back. It looked like he tried to fix it. But he slipped due to his clumsiness.
"Tenth! Are you alright! Here, let me help you!" Hayato's rage switched into worry as he removed the bench from the boy's back. Tsuna accepted Hayato's hand and allowed for him to pull Tsuna up. "Thanks." Tsuna replied with a cheeky grin. "So, what are the two of you doing here, all by yourself?" Takeshi asked as he pulled me and Hayato close to him in a loving embrace. "Is this a date?" He laughed cheerfully.
"Hell no!" Hayato fumed as he untangled himself from Takeshi's grip.
"You're such a child. You're getting embarrassed about something that's clearly not true." I retorted with a blank expression as I stared Hayato down. "Shut up! It's a natural reaction to be embarrassed if anyone's being set up with the likes of you, Babyface!" Hayato pointed his index-finger directly at me.
"Oh yeah! It's a natural reaction for you to feel threatened with my presence because I'm superior to you!" I replied loudly. I'm not gonna let him get under my skin so easily. "I'm not threatened by your presence! What makes you say that!"
"You keep protecting Tsuna whenever I'm around, so that only means you're scared of me." I pointed out as Hayato stood before Tsuna in a fighting stance, determined to protect him.
"As the Tenth's right-hand man, I have to protect him from the horror that is you!"
"O-okay. There's no need to turn to violence. Let's all take a deep breath and calm down." Tsuna commented as he stood between us. I took a hold of Tsuna's arm, dismissing his advice.
"H-hey! How dare you hold onto the Tenth like that! You really have no manners!" Hayato held onto Tsuna's left arm in a quick reflex. Tsuna felt himself getting torn apart when Hayato began to pull violently, as did I. "Don't worry Tenth! I'll rescue you from her evil clutches!" "Hah! The only thing he needs to be rescued from is your stupidity!" I held onto Tsuna's arm, determined not to lose this fight. "You, becoming his right-hand man? I don't think so. You're more suited to be his yes-man to me!" I barked at him.
"That's it! Bomb-!"
"Knock it off!" Tsuna protested at the top of his lungs. He turned to Hayato with a frown. "Gokudera-kun… Don't blow her up just because you don't like her!" Hayato seemed to pout at Tsuna's reaction towards him. He dosed the fuses of his… Ummm… Dynamite sticks and put them away. Maybe I should be careful with what I say to him.
"Pierce-san. Gokudera-kun didn't mean what he said just now. He's a nice guy once you get to know him better." Tsuna commented, making Hayato glow brightly because of the compliment.
"Whatever. I meant every word I said." I crossed my arms as I glanced over at Hayato's furious form. Tsuna laughed at my words as he scratched the back of his head. "You didn't mean it, I can tell. You tend to bite the inside of your cheek when you don't mean what you say." Tsuna retorted with a bright smile.
I frowned at this. This boy doesn't even know me, and he's already figured me out just by looking at me.
"W-well… You're right. But I meant the part about Hayato being a yes-man." I retorted with one eye closed. "It's Gokudera! Call me Gokudera, you stupid American!" Hayato exploded in anger. Takeshi's laughter dramatically lightened up the mood, making me smile faintly.
"H-hey…" I stuttered out, feeling embarrassed for what I'm about to ask them. "What is it, Pierce-san?" Tsuna asked. I glanced at the ground, kicking some of the dirt away. "Do you guys have anything to do?" I mumbled softly. "No… Not really. I'm free." Takeshi piped in. "Same goes with me." Tsuna replied. Hayato remained silent. "I don't know my way in this town, like, at all. And I was thinking… Could you guys show me around?" I lifted my head and faced my three classmates. "You don't have to. It's alright to decline. I won't hate you for it." I grinned, feeling kind of pathetic. Tsuna, Takeshi and Hayato shared glances at each other, followed with a sigh.
"No problem! After our little tour is done, you'll forget about America and you'll never want to leave Japan!" Takeshi retorted as his face beamed in his excitement. I sighed, feeling relieved. Hayato slapped the back of my head, making me glare at him.
"However… We won't be held responsible for any damage you will sustain. With you being a ditz and all, I doubt you'll come out of this tour alive." Hayato explained as he shoved his hands in his pockets. I guess this is as friendly as he can get with me. Whatever. "I'm tougher than I look! I'm the Black Racer!" I laughed, causing for Tsuna to sweat-drop. "So you like cars, huh? You amuse me to no end!" Takeshi joined in on the laughter as I stopped laughing altogether. He doesn't get it at all!
"At any rate, let's get a move on. We don't have much time, so we'll just show you the important things." Tsuna began to say as I nodded in agreement.
For the next hour or so, I was dragged to one place after another. I did my best to take everything in, since I'll be staying here for God knows how long. I found myself surrounded by several shops that sell traditional Japanese sweets. The smell of sugary sweets was too much for me to handle, causing for me to drool instantly.
"Smells good..."
"Here, I don't want to see you drool all over the place. It's disgusting." Hayato offered me a tissue, which I accepted. "It's hard to resist, isn't it?" Takeshi spoke as he patted me on the head, making me feel like a kid. "We can't visit all of the shops, because we simply don't have enough time. But it certainly would be a fun experience for you to get your first snack at a place as lively as this one." Takeshi finished off with a grin. I felt the excitement take over my body and soul as I drooled even more.
"S-stop drooling like a retard, you retard!" Hayato snapped at me. "Let's try out the dango stand." Tsuna suggested as he walked towards one of the good smelling stands. "Four please." He ordered cheerfully, but his cheerfulness disappeared like snow before the sun once he recognized the person running the little shop. "B-Bianchi?" A woman appeared as if out of nowhere, causing for Hayato to hold onto his stomach in pain. He wasn't looking so well.
"Here you go." The woman handed the four snacks over to Tsuna, but he refused to take them. I felt rather hungry, so I took them in Tsuna's place. "They look so good." I licked my lips as I was about to take a bite out of mine, but Tsuna managed to smack them on the ground, making me glare in his direction.
"Tsuna! What's the matter with you! You can't waste food like that!" I complained. "T-there was a bug on it! Let's go to another shop!" Tsuna began to push me in a hurry. Takeshi dragged Hayato along with us to the next stand. "We'll have four please!"
Again, Tsuna was shocked out of his mind. This time, two toddlers seemed to be handling the stand all by themselves. The first one was wearing a cow patterned getup with horns to match, and the other one was wearing a flashy Chinese outfit.
"Lambo? I-Pin too!"
Another kid appeared from the shadows, holding onto a box of snacks. "Tsuna-nii! You're here!" He exclaimed happily. "Fuuta… Not you too." Tsuna retorted with a depressed expression. "Tsuna! You won't get anything! This is all reserved for Lambo-san!" The cowboy retorted as he filled his mouth with snacks.
"Lambo mean! Scare customers away!" The Chinese kid argued back. Before I knew it, the two of them were engulfed in a big fight. The Chinese kid kicked the cowboy hard as he held his stomach in pain. "To-le-rate." The boy whimpered as tears were making their way down.
"Wahhhhh!" He cried loudly, letting everyone hear him loud and clear. Before I knew it, he took out a bazooka from his afro hairdo and jumped inside the thing, followed by a loud bang. "What's going on here?" I asked myself in wonder. Tsuna pulled on his hair in frustration. "We have to get out of here!" He dragged me to another stand, being cautious about it this time. "Tsuna! Why do we keep running like this? I'm hungry!" I complained.
"Urgh… I didn't expect for my sister to show up here." Hayato seemed to have recovered. "That Bianchi lady at the stand was your sister?" I questioned him. "Don't remind me." His face turned a little pale again, resisting the urge to throw up at the mention of her name. "Four of whatever." Tsuna told the storekeeper, not even trying anymore.
"Coming right up." Tsuna recognized the voice, freezing up instantly.
"Reborn!" He yelled out in cheer horror. I rubbed my eyes carefully, not believing what I was seeing. A baby, dressed up in a black suit, a black hat decorating his head, completed with a yellow pacifier hanging below his neck.
"Ciaossu." He greeted me with a small nod. "Hi?" I spoke up, not knowing what to say to the kid. "We gotta go!" Tsuna took a hold of my arm and pulled me along with him.
"It looks like we lost them." Tsuna panted as he settled down onto a bench. "That was fun." Takeshi grinned. "You're such a kid." Hayato retorted as he rolled his eyes. "Okay. What was all that about? I thought we were going to get us some sweets!" A vein popped up on my forehead as I faced the three of them. Tsuna merely laughed nervously. "Come on! I'm hungry! My stomach has been growling non-stop!" I held onto Tsuna's shoulders and shook him like crazy.
"If you're that hungry, we can just go to my old man's sushi restaurant." Takeshi suggested. I placed a finger on my chin, thinking it over. My stomach was growling loudly again.
"Okay!" I exclaimed happily as I took a hold of Takeshi's arm. He didn't mind the gesture and laughed at my enthusiasm. "Alright! Let's get us some food!" He pumped his fist in the air as the two of us were on our way to the restaurant. Tsuna and Hayato got back on their feet and followed us in a slow pace.
"What a bunch of goofy blockheads." Hayato mumbled under his breath, referring to me and Takeshi as Tsuna laughed at Hayato's comment. Soon enough, we stood before a small restaurant. It looked like a typical Japanese building, but still cozy. Another floor was added above the restaurant.
"Do you live here?" I asked Takeshi, in which he nodded. "Come on. I'll show you around." I followed him into the restaurant.
"Oh Takeshi! Done with practicing your swing?"
A black-haired man spoke up from behind the counter, chopping a fish with skilled precision and speed. "Practice?" That moment, I noticed the baseball bat Takeshi was carrying around. He didn't get to practice at all! I started to panic immediately. "Not really. I didn't have the time to do so." Takeshi muttered out, still with that goofy grin planted on his face.
"That's not like you Takeshi. If you didn't feel like practicing, you could have helped me out in the restaurant. This place ain't gonna run by itself, you know." The man walked over to us from the counter. He still held onto the knife from earlier, causing for me to hide behind Takeshi. He doesn't mind. Tsuna and Hayato arrived shortly after. "Sorry about that. It won't happen again. I just got preoccupied at the moment, that's all." Takeshi explained.
"This is Alice. She's a new classmate starting today. It's her first trip to Japan and we wanted to show her around." Takeshi placed his hand onto my back and softly pushed me forward. "First trip to Japan, huh? So you're not from around here, are you? You do look cute, though. Just be careful. It's not always safe, you know. People get pick pocketed all day through." The man conversed as if I were a close friend.
"Just stay close to Takeshi. You'll be safe with him around!" The man grinned as I nodded amusingly. I won't need his protection either way. "Where are you from anyway? Germany, France?" "America." I answered, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I'm from California, to be more precise. America is a big country after all." I explained.
"California? I thought you were from America?" Takeshi asked innocently, even though he was acting like a total idiot right now.
"California is one of the many states of America." I stated dully while Takeshi laughed, truly embarrassed. "Dad, can she have a full serving of sushi here? After all, that is what she came here for." I jammed my elbow in his stomach as a warning.
"Don't make me look like a greedy little brat, Takeshi. You came up with the idea to come here!" Takeshi rubbed his stomach in pain as he laughed. Geez, he laughs a lot. Would he still laugh if he were being tortured, or something? He probably would!
"No problem! Takeshi, escort your friends to the finest table we have!" "But all the tables look the same to me." I piped in after looking around a bit. "It's the thought that counts, little lady!" I laughed softly at the man's response, finding him rather amusing. Takeshi does take after him a lot. Makes me wonder how his mother is like.
Soon enough, the four of us sat down at one of the many charming tables. Since Hayato doesn't find it appealing to sit next to me, I chose to sit next to Takeshi. There's no way Hayato is going to sit next to Takeshi. They don't get along, I know that much already.
Across from me was Tsuna who leaned back against the chair with a tired expression. Hayato sat next to him, not even bothering with reading the menu. "So Alice! What do you want to try out first? There are different types of sushi, and you can pick out whichever one you like." Takeshi said sweetly, making me look up at him. "Okay… I think I'll start with… Some Makizushi rolls."
"That's it? I thought you were hungry?"
I frowned at Takeshi's statement, but decided to order something extra. Takeshi knows more about sushi than I ever will. So does everyone else here... I remained silent for a while, gazing at the menu in my hands. No matter how hard I try, I'll never fit in. I feel like a newborn baby. Having to learn how to crawl, walk and talk all over again.
"Pierce-san? Are you alright? You've been quiet for a while now." Tsuna broke my train of thoughts. "I'm fine. I'd also like a bowl of cooked Gomokuzushi... Please." I told the waiter. He scribbled my order on a piece of paper. Tsuna, Hayato and Takeshi ordered their dish, in which the waiter walked off. I felt three pairs of eyes on me, making me feel more insecure and nervous. "What is it? I'm fine." I told them as I played around with a salt and pepper shaker I found on the table.
"What's the point in coming here if you clearly don't want to be here?" Hayato commented with his gaze fixed on me. "Hey! I'm hungry! I'll eat whatever I ordered, so you should stop complaining. You're not my Dad, so I can do whatever I want." I retorted as I focused on Mister Pepper and Miss Salt.
"You little brat! That's not what I meant!" Hayato took out a bundle of dynamite sticks, about to throw it at me when Tsuna held him back. Hayato calmed down after that, looking away in the other direction with a few grumbles now and then.
"What Gokudera-kun meant to say was; why you came to Japan. Don't take it the wrong way, Pierce-san." Tsuna retorted a he scratched the back of his head.
"Now that I think about it, Japan isn't exactly around the corner when you come from America." Takeshi said with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "The distance between California and Namimori is approximately 5, 133. 13 miles." Hayato corrected Takeshi. "That's enough about that already! Like I said before, I'm here to enjoy myself." I interrupted them rather harshly.
There's no way I'm telling them about my bad reputation back in California. Shoplifting at the mall, threatening and frightening people for no reason, breaking, damaging or destroying things… I'll scare them away by telling them I committed those crimes. They don't need to know about my situation at home. Sure, Mom and Dad getting divorced wasn't my fault. They just didn't get along that well anymore. And since Mom took my brother under custody, I haven't been able to see him at all.
To top it all off, she just had to move to Italy because of her work. It's like she's doing it on purpose…
I can't believe it's been eight years already since I last saw him. I did all those stuff because I wanted for him to be there for me. I wanted for him to come and take me home. Our home. The house we used to live in before Mom and Dad got divorced.
"Ah! Look! The food is here!"
I dismissed my thoughts and turned to the food placed before us. "Here you go, little lady. A bowl of steaming Gomokuzushi, and of course, the Makuzushi rolls." The waiter grinned at me. I didn't pay him any attention and started on the rolls, instantly stuffing my mouth with the food. Everyone had their eyes on me.
"Whut?" I asked with my mouth full. Before I knew it, I was choking like crazy. Takeshi pat me on the back, saving me from any more embarrassment. "Let your taste buds work for a while before you cram the entire dish in your face!" Hayato snapped at me.
Just now, I noticed that neither of them hasn't even touched their meal yet, making my cheeks grow a dark red out of embarrassment.
"Itadakimasu." Tsuna began to say as he placed his hands in a praying manner. Takeshi and Hayato followed soon after. "Itadakimasu!" Tsuna took out a pair of chopsticks and was about to start his meal when he glanced over at me. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked in horror.
"You're supposed to say it too, idiot!" Hayato yelled at me. "She doesn't need to, Gokudera-kun. Don't force her. She's doing the best she can." Tsuna defended me, which I was grateful for. "Tsuna's right. Just enjoy the food for what it is. You'll pick up on our table manners in no time." Takeshi grinned at me.
I felt relieved. I really thought they were going to chew me out for my rude table manners, much like Hayato keeps doing. But I'm glad Tsuna and Takeshi aren't forcing anything on me.
"Could you guys teach me how to eat properly?" I asked them. "Keh! That's like teaching you how to fly, which is impossible!" I ignored Hayato's rude comment as I rolled my eyes. "Sure! Let's review the rules first!" Takeshi announced. "Number one! Never blow your nose in public, especially at the table! It's very rude." He began to say. I just nodded, showing that I understood. "Number two! Empty your dishes to the last grain of rice. If you do that, you have good manners." "Takeshi. You can eat now-" "Number three!" He interrupted. "You can stop now!" I yelled.
"Let's just… Focus on eating, okay?" I calmed down instantly as I held onto a pair of chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!" Tsuna and Takeshi repeated, only this time, it was clear to see that they were waiting for me to say it as well.
"Itadakimasu…" I muttered with a laugh to follow. Tsuna and Takeshi joined in on the laughter. Hayato sighed deeply as he ate in a slow pace. "Continuance is power and strength." Tsuna turned to me with a smile. I grew confused at his words.
"It's a Japanese proverb. It means not to give up. If you keep at it like this, you will reveal your true strength and power." Tsuna explained as Hayato and Takeshi glanced up at him in wonder where all that came from. "Y-you just reminded me of those words! I just thought… It would be appropriate if I gave you, some advice." He replied in a shy matter.
"You'd better remember those words for the rest of your life! Every piece of advice that comes from the Tenth is a big compliment!" Hayato shook his fist in my direction as he practically crawled his way onto the table. "I get it. Can you please sit down now?" I asked him, accompanied with a bored stare in his direction.
Takeshi started a conversation with Tsuna, leaving for Hayato to glare intensely at the baseball nut. As I heard Takeshi laugh because of something Hayato said, I felt at peace and allowed for my muscles to relax, even though they were being quite loud. Besides… I have a feeling that the following days, weeks and months will be loud.
"I should get some earplugs." I muttered under my breath. Re
