Even If The World Turns Against You

How Blunt Could You Get

The first time Reborn received the mission to train the next Vongola boss, he was exhilarated.

More so, after last year when he and his fellow Arcobalenos regained their adult forms, Reborn was simply rearing to rush to the frontlines.

It would be another epic tale and adventure down his resume, raising the price on his head, and making his bank accounts grow in happiness.

Also, he'd get to see the scowl on Skull and Colonello's faces when they happen to have their bragging rights game, he'd surely declare himself as the winner again.

He could imagine how the rest of the mafia would tremble upon hearing his name when this kid rises to the throne. He could taste the victory and the bags of coffee beans that he would reward himself afterwards.

He could fully guarantee that his services would be at full capacity now since he isn't stuck with his previous infantile form.

The kid might have been raised as a civilian and have a reputation of failure, but those are only a few obstacles on his path. Just look at the Cavallone famiglia and you could already see how he'd whip the kid to shape, quite literally on some cases.

Well, at least, that's how he saw it before he found out what really happened since the idiot Iemitsu's last visit to his family.

"You say he's suffering from cancer?" Reborn was stunned at how Nana appears nonchalant of the information she gave.

Nana, the sweet housewife that she is, cordially nodded her head and sipped her tea with a smile. "Mmm. Tsu-kun was diagnosed with it a year ago. It was a shock even to us."

The confirmation of his student's condition made Reborn think back to how tired and pale Tsuna looked like when he scouted around the town earlier. 'So that's why he frequently stopped at random points to rest.'

He hadn't managed to perfectly scope out the condition of his student's flames earlier, but he could remember that the orange flames surrounding Tsuna was as languid as a cat.

There wasn't any sign of sickness when he saw the kid's flames but that must mean that Tsuna's will is stronger than what he'd encounter before. And isn't that such a weird notion for a civilian raised child.

But a sky? Sick? Defenseless? That's just wrong in all sense!

"What about his education?" Reborn nudged Nana for her input as he calmed his own flames' rising hackles at what it could feel from the house's saturation from prolonged sky exposure. "Does he still go to school?"

Nana's eyes flashed with hurt at the remembrance of past memories. She could still remember how lacking she had been as a mother to a growing teen. She was part of the blame for her child's condition.

"No. Tsu-kun doesn't go to school anymore. He can't catch up with the others," she murmured with sadness yet an underlying determination that Reborn immediately sensed that what she said isn't the full story.

Reborn was just about to ask for clarification when the door opened followed by his student's announcement of his arrival. "Kaa-san, I'm home," a silky voice hovered in the air, clearly that of his student.

"Ah, Tsu-kun, I'm in the kitchen. We have a visitor here," Nana called out as she stood up and rummage through the cupboard, reaching in and picking out a striped black and orange mug and set it on the table, filling it with warm milk.

The soft padding of feet made Reborn crane his neck, his fedora pulled down to hide his watchful gaze, as he looked in anticipation of how his student would look like since he hadn't been able to properly look at the kid before.