25. New Year

"Happy New Year!"

Of course, the moment I get down from the freaking stairs, I get tackled to the ground by my dear, sweet little baby sisters.

"Happy New Year, Sae, Sui..." I groaned, nursing a bump on my head. "Man, it's cold. I'm still sleepy." The girls got off me and I made my way to the living room. And sure enough, Dad's enjoying some tea, talking with--

"Happy New Year." I greeted them with a smile.

"Oh, Happy New Year, Rei!" Tsuyoshi greets me, a bright smile on his face, "I'll be intruding!"

"Yo, Rei! Did you just wake up?" Takeshi laughed.

"Good morning, Rei." Dad greets me.

They were all gathered at the kotatsu, chatting. Well yeah, it was cold out. I yawned. The cold always made me more sleepy than I usually was.

-----

"The cold's not good for my lungs, Takeshi..." I whined.

"It's not that cold, Rei!" Takeshi chuckled, "It's just nice!"

Well, yes, it's not as cold as when it snowed, but a little bit of cold meant cold air entering my lungs and that's like breathing into an air conditioner.

I sighed. I wore a black hoodie with green linings, my hands stuffed into the pockets as I stuck close to Takeshi. This guy's a natural heat insulator. It is necessary that I use it.

In the next junction, we meet Gokudera.

"Geh," he frowns, "Baseball Idiot." was supposed to be a greeting? He then notices me hiding behind Takeshi and his face mellows down to a neutral face, "...And Green. Good morning."

"You make me sound weird," I had to comment, "But good morning, Gokudera-kun."

"You're just a colour to him, Rei!" Takeshi joked.

"Shut up, Baseball Idiot." I reply.

"Are you headed to the Tenth's house too?' Gokudera asked, half in disgust.

------

"Someone give Lambo-san New Years' Money!" I heard a familiar voice demand. In the distance, I see the cow child on the wall of the Sawada House, yelling at a passer-by, an innocent grin on his face.

He was then dragged down by Tsuna, who put a hand over the child's mouth and started scolding him about how he shouldn't do that. I chuckle.

In front of the house before us was Kyoko, who wore a stunningly adorable Yukata. Ryohei was right behind her, dressed in festivity as well. Haru was right by us, in a pretty Yukata of her own. When they all gathered, quarrels immediately began occurring between Octopus and Lawn. The girls greeted each other cheerfully, and Takeshi greeted Tsuna casually.

"Hi, Tsuna." I greeted.

Immediately, Lambo jumped to my shoulder. "Rei, New Years Money!" he greeted me cheerfully, a bright smile on his face. "Look, Mama gave me New Years Money!"

"Good for you, Lambo-kun." I said. I reached into my pocket and picked out a small, bulging envelope, "And this is from me, to you."

Lambo's eyes sparkled, "New Year's Moneyyy!!" he celebrated, giving me a thanks and running off to show Mama.

I chuckled, turning to I-pin who was right by my feet. I picked another envelop out and handed it to her, "here, I-pin."

She thanked me in Chinese and rushed off to show Mama too.

"Rei-san, you really don't need to-!" Tsuna cut in, worriedly.

I chuckle. "It's alright, it's alright!" I assured him, "It's just candy and a hair pin," I explained, "I'm doing this of my own accord, so no need to worry!"

"Eh-"

"Tsuna's right, Rei." Reborn emerged from nowhere, dressed in a-- what even is he dressed as? A samurai? I think it's a samurai. "You might spoil the brats." he reprimanded me.

"I have one for you too, Reborn-kun." I handed him an envelope.

"Ah, then that's fine."

"REBORN!" Tsuna yelled.

-------

"A New Year's battle, huh..." I mumbled, "So we're playing the classic New Year's Games against Dino-san's Family?" I inquired.

"Pretty much. The loser will be fined One Million Yen." Reborn said. He feigned innocence, an ever present baby smile on his face.

"That's just as crazy as the previous games!" Tsuna retorted. He had lost the meager amount of hope he had that this would be, in any way, normal.

"Geez, Tsuna," Takeshi chuckled, thinking that punishment was a joke, "You always get too angry at the kid's games." he laughed.

"One million yen would be such a fascinating dream!" Kyoko beamed.

"This event has such a fresh New-Year feel to it! It sounds so fun!" Haru agreed.

"Well, it doesn't matter as long as we win, does it?" I said, standing next to Takeshi again. Takeshi, seeing me, slung an arm around my neck.

"Yeap! Takeshi grinned, "what he said!"

------

Let's just say that the Vongola Family is losing horribly right now. And the next event was Calligraphy Writing, Kakizome.

Hm? I don't remember this event in the manga, at least. I'm not sure if it was in the anime--

"The rules are simple. One member of each Family will have to write down a Chinese Proverb, and the one I deem best will win the round." Reborn explained.

"Romario, please!" Dino put his hand together towards his subordinate.

Meanwhile, in the Vongola Family...

"I'm sorry, Tenth! I have never held a brush confidently enough to please you!" Gokudera was on his knees, "I can't fail you again after disappointing you in the previous round!"

"Sorry, Tsuna! I suck at this!" Takeshi laughed.

"Do I look like I've ever held a brush before?!" Ryohei yelled out extremely, as if he was proud of the fact.

"Sorry, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko sounded guilty, "Writing is fine for me, but the kanji Reborn-chan just presented is... too difficult."

"I-pin's hands are too small to hold a brush well enough to write complicated words." I translated for the girl.

"Oh no, now what!" Tsuna despaired, "Our last hope was I-pin!"

But I-pin didn't agree. "Tsuna-san!" she called out in her accented Japanese, tugging at Tsuna's pant leg. "Rei!" she pointed at me. "Rei-nii!"

"Me?" I pointed at myself.

------

I observed the Chinese Proverb.

"Well, I guess I can manage this one." I said, turning back to the others, "It's actually quite simple. It just has a lot of strokes." I explain.

Seriously, they're too intimidated by the complicated writing.

Maybe it's just because I've learned Chinese in my past life. Drew wrote these all the time. She loved any form of art, and calligraphy writing took first place. Be it in English or in Chinese, she dedicated what little she had of her free time to her hobby.

"That's a relief! Rei-san, could you, please?" Tsuna held his hands together in a beg, "Please participate in this round for us!"

I scratched the back of my head.

------

The both of us on our knees, facing each other, with the calligraphy tools in front of us. I bowed first. Seeing that, Romario did so as well.

"Nice meeting you," I put on a smile.

"Same here." he agreed.

When Reborn called for the writing to begin, I took a deep breath. In, and out.

Hey, Drew. How did you feel when you used to do this?

Calm. She felt calm. Calm, collected. Clear your mind. Calligraphy was a form of meditation, just like traditional archery- inner peace.

It was kind of funny.

But I focused. It wouldn't hurt to relieve the past for a moment. Remember the times. The time where you would write these, and when Mother and Father- Drew's- would compliment her- would praise me.

Stroke after stroke came more than naturally to me. It was as if I was watching a movie, because my hand was moving on instinct. I felt like I wasn't the one writing.

At that moment, if only for a moment, I felt like Drew Cite again.

Before I knew it, I was at the last stroke of the final word. My hand stalled for half a second before I lifted up the brush and placed it back down at the side. I breathed out.

I lifted my head, to see Romario had his eyes wide and his mouth agape. Dino was the same, staring right at me, speechless and in awe.

I turned to Tsuna and the others. They were the same, except Takeshi who was smiling in pride. Kyoko and Haru seemed more fascinated than shocked.

"Uh," I scratched my cheek nervously, "Did I do something?"

------

"A close battle, but the winner of this round is Rei!" Reborn declared.

"That's so cool! You're awesome at this, Rei-san!" Haru said excitedly, eyeing me with those shining, amazed eyes as a child would have when they saw cotton candy being made.

"Rei-kun, is there anything you can't do?" Kyoko asked me, "that was amazing!"

I chuckle bashfully. "Thanks, guys. But that one game didn't really help our situation. I mean, I only managed to close 20 marks off the gap."

"No, considering Onii-san lost us that many points, it's an incredible feat." Tsuna sighed. "What do we do, we might have to pay one million yen..."

"It's okay, Tsuna-kun!" I assured him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure things will work out just fine!"

Tsuna eyed me skeptically, but he sighed. "Well," he seemed just the littlest bit relieved now, "If you say so, Rei-san."

I went back to where Takeshi was, warming my cold, cold hands with my breath and tucking them into my jacket.

Happy New Year, huh.

Yeah, I'm really, really happy. I actually couldn't be having more fun right now. I have friends and I have a great family. I have a dream and I live doing things I enjoy.

All or nothing. Drew loved that line. It was simple but it meant many things to her. She was one that gave her all to do things. She was one that took everything she did seriously.

Live in the present and live life to the fullest. That was how Ninomiya Rei did things. It's how I am supposed to do things and how I will always do things. It's the only reason Ninomiya Rei can keep on smiling.

It's the reason. Why Ninomiya Rei can live on, not worried for the day his life would suddenly come to an end.

I am one that lives to enjoy life, and I won't cease until Death stops me again.