Convincing everyone to go eat dinner at a restaurant took some work, but nobody could deny that a break could only do them good. Tsuna managed to have all ten of them in agreement and ready by the time evening arrived.
Of course, not everyone was elated at having to interrupt their research and the methodical destruction of every Momokyokai base they found, but the Sky had put his foot down, and even Kyoya had relented with only a few grunts.
Tsuna had been more than a little worried about informing Kurokawa-san, but the girl was thankfully sensible and could see the necessity of a break. The rest folded without much of a fight.
Now, all ten of them had arrived inside the restaurant – a quaint little establishment called Takesushi. The smell that reached them had Tsuna droll before they had even entered.
"Welcome to Takesushi!" Greeted a man with a jovial smile, probably the owner. He didn't blink at seeing a bunch a kids, and didn't take the patronizing tone some people had in that case. "Did you book a table? I'm afraid you're a bit too many for the little room we have left if not."
"We have an appointment. Nine people, under the name Hibari." Cut in Kurokawa-san before Tsuna had a chance to answer.
(Skull was too small to have a place booked for him – one of the few perks of being the size of a toddler.)
Hayato shot the girl a dark look, and Mukuro's face took on a vaguely murderous cast; a mix of disdain, spite and hatred that Chrome must have learned to recognize for she placed a hand on his arm. Tsuna could have sworn Kyoya's fingers twitched towards the place he hid his tonfas.
It was flattering, but the Sky didn't want to make a scene. "Let's go." He prompted his friends when the owner took them to the closed room he had booked.
Ryohei-nii and Kyoko-chan didn't seem to have caught the tension that Kurokawa-san's actions had created, but Haru was not quite as oblivious. "This restaurant looks good. I've seen it from afar a few times, but I never tried it." She chirruped, but her voice oozed nerves.
For something that should have helped them unwind, it was not a good start...
()()()()()()
Takeshi didn't often help his dad in the restaurant, but the college student that always attended to the clients was on vacation abroad, and the additional waiter sometimes hired for big groups was sick, so he had volunteered.
His dad said the customers had sounded about his age on the phone, so he would not be faced with adults or be made to handle alcohol. Takeshi was not an excellent waiter, but he knew the basics and could charm about anyone with his friendly disposition and his bright smile. He knew he would be fine.
Another group of clients – grown-ups, this time – had arrived at the same time, so his father had given him the responsibility of taking care of the party of kids his age from the beginning to the end of the meal, with no help. Given how much liquor the adults had already ordered, and the smell of alcohol surrounding them even before they entered, Takeshi preferred it this way.
He fixed his usual smile on his face as he entered the separate room. "Good afternoon! I'm Takeshi, and I'll be your waiter today. Have you already decided what you want to order?"
"I have." Announced a blue-haired boy with a strange hairdo. Next to him, a girl with a similar haircut and an eyepatch (his sister?) nodded shyly.
