The Not So Oblivious Flower

Sturdy Sapling

Rue had turned 7 some months ago, making Tsuna reach double digits as his tenth year came by and passed, when Nana had expressed concern about her daughter's eyesight to Iemitsu on the phone. "I'm worried, dear, Rue-chan doesn't seem to understand the difference in colours,"

"Maybe she doesn't have a favourite colour?" Iemitsu suggested helpfully, but he didn't seem to like the uneasy feeling he got.

"That's not it," Nana's voice betrayed her frustration. "just last week, when I had taken her and Tsu-kun out shopping, she brought over a bright blue ball asking if she could have one,"

"And?" Iemitsu urged his wife.

"I told her she could have one, but to pick out the pretty lavender coloured one," Nana's shoulders slumped. "and she told me that they all looked the same,"

Iemitsu's heart nearly stopped, but he remained calm. "Nana, I want you to listen,"

Nana remained quiet as her husband's voice flowed through the receiver. "I want you take Rue to the Optometrist in Namimori Square, they should still be open, and take an examination, call me again when you get the results,"

Nana sighed. Her husband was right, there was no point in making a fuss with incomplete facts. "Alright, I love you,"

"I love you too,"

Ending the call, Nana took a deep breath before turning to face her daughter with a smile. "Rue-chan, let's go out today!"

Rue scrunched her nose. "But didn't we go yesterday, Mama?"

"Today is somewhere special!" Nana beamed at her daughter's excellent vocabulary. It seemed like just yesterday when she had begun pronouncing words with so many mistakes. She went to grab her jacket and Rue followed her towards the entrance. Nana handed her daughter her coat and shoes, while she slipped on her own shoes. "Let's pick up Tsu-kun on our way out,"

Her eldest had asked to go play outside, and she had allowed him, seeing as he wanted to go out so badly.

"Nii-chan?" Rue brightened, jumping so she could get her shoes on right. "Nii-chan's going to come with us?"

"Yes, of course," Nana smiled fondly. "I can't leave him alone, so let's go pick him up, are you ready?"

"Yes~" Rue cheered, grabbing hold of her mom's hand. "Let's find Nii-chan!"

They both headed outside, with Nana locking the door behind them, and proceeded to look for the unruly haired boy. Passing by the usual park that Nana often took her children to play in, they spotted the said child running around with some other neighbourhood kids. Rue had immediately run off to greet her brother with a hug, nearly crashing into him. "Nii-chan!"

Tsuna turned his attention from the kid he was chasing to his sister that smiled happily up at him. He returned her smile, reciprocating her hug. "Rue-chan! What are you doing outside?"

"Mama says that we are going out!" Rue chimed in cheerfully. "She says that it's somewhere special, and that we should pick up Nii-chan!"

Looking up, Tsuna had now taken notice of their mother waiting patiently near the entrance of the park. He wasted no time in saying goodbye to his playmates and heading to where his mother was with Rue in tow. Nana made sure that her son was dressed properly before they resumed their trek towards the residential Optometrist in Namimori Square. The said building wasn't all too extravagant or shabby. It was the basic building structure with glass windows allowing anyone who passed by to see what was the daily appointments were like. A few frames were out on display, to show what merchandise they had in store. Rue, being a young child, was enraptured with the all the reflective surfaces in one area.