44. Recovered

"Have a safe trip home." Amano waved, a warm smile on his face as he bid me goodbye. "I really hope you don't come back anytime soon."

"Wow, Amano-sensei, do you hate me that much?" I acted hurt.

"Oh, how'd you figure?" was the delightedly sarcastic reply from the doctor.

Dad rolled his eyes, "I swear, Amano," he groaned, slinging a shoulder over me and tugging me closer. He scowled at Amano, "Act your age, dammit."

And Amano pouted, "Don't act so snobby just cause you're young," he whined childishly, despite being the oldest in us all. "At the very least-" he glared, "I stayed in school, unlike a certain college dropout I know."

"Hey, I didn't drop outta college!" dad retorted.

"Who's the genius that knocked up a woman when he was eighteen?"

"Who's the moron that failed his degree twice??"

"Hey, at least I have a stable job!"

"Well, you're still single!"

------

The two adult were bickering like children, and although their quarrel sounded interesting I decided to just take my bag and walk on ahead towards the car.

It took a month for my injuries to heal enough so the doctors let me out. I was definitely not back in top condition yet, but I was well enough to continue on with my life. My arm was no longer in a cast, but I had to wear a support at my wrist. 

When I settled down in the passenger seat, a pair of arms wrapped around my neck from behind.

I jumped in surprise, but breathed out in relief when I realized it was just Sui.

"Rei-chan," she spoke up softly. Her voice, as it always was, rang in a soothing, calming tone-- it reminded me of soft, gentle water ripples.

"Hm?" I asked, closing my eyes and leaning back, a hand at her arm. "What is it, Sui?"

Sui rested her chin at the crook of my neck. "Welcome Home, Rei-chan." she whispered.

I smiled.

"I'm Home, Sui."

-------

"Welcome Home!" Sae greeted me with a bright smile when I got back. She stood at the front door, having been waiting there for a while now.

"I'm Ho-" I started, but was interrupted but the loud crash of our front door flying open.

Everyone just spilled out, toppling over in a mess of limbs and crashing into a flurry of tangles. Then, Takeshi laughed. "Welcome Home, Rei!" he said.

"Welcome Home, Rei-san!" Haru added. Tsuna followed with his own greeting, and soon enough it was a cacophony of 'welcome home's from everyone.

I chuckled.

"I'm Home!"

------

Haru clears her throat.

"So this party is in celebration of Rei-san's recovery," Haru announces, "And to all the best for Yamamoto-san's baseball competitions tomorrow!"

I smiled in response, while Takeshi chuckled bashfully.

Haru raises her glass and declares, "Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

-

I slouched lazily at the couch. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I sipped on my glass of iced tea.

It was chaotic. People were shrieking something about Bianchi in the kitchen, and explosions were occurring, but I dismissed them all. It was chaotic, but the messy atmosphere gave me a sense of peace.

I turned to my glass of ice tea.

"And to think Drew was half a year away from alcohol." I joked under my breath.

"Typically speaking," someone cut in, "You can drink if it's just a sip or two."

I jumped. Reborn was beside me now, on the armrest of the couch, eyeing me with those innocent, pure eyes of a baby.

I sighed. "Sadly, I would prefer not to risk my health any further." I told him, acting unfazed. "Also, I'm still recovering."

"Heh," Reborn mused. "I thought you said something about half a year?"

I tensed, but my poker face was solid. "What about half a year?" I feigned oblivion. I'm terrible at keeping secrets, but this was the moment my mind blanked out. I couldn't come up with an excuse on the spot.

Reborn pointed a gun at me. "I don't like long-winded people," he threatened.

I sighed. "Alright, alright, down with the gun," I pushed the infant's hand down carefully as if I would towards a child messing around.

Reborn said nothing. He was obviously unamused, but he seemed to realize empty threats did not work on me. And so, he jumped onto my lap.

I put down my iced tea. "Hey, Reborn," I leaned down, resting my chin on Reborn's fedora, "Why did you approach me?" I asked. "Why me?"

Reborn was silent.

"Hey, Reborn," I spoke up again, "If we hadn't met at that crosswalk last year-- would you have even noticed my existence?"

I lay down on the couch. My head resting on the armrest, Reborn cuddled in my arms like a plush toy, I continued speaking.

"Hey, Reborn,"At this point, I wasn't even sure if Reborn was listening, but I continued anyways. "What made you notice that I wasn't just a random side character in this story?"

We spent a long moment in comfortable, comfortable silence. My eyes closed as I enjoyed the stale, stoned moment of tension--

(That was incredible contradictory, heh.)

Reborn turned to me as I cracked open my eyes.

"Obviously," he simpered, "It's because you're terrible at lying, Rei."

------

------

------

"I'm off, Rei!"

"Do your best, Takeshi." I told him.

Takeshi and I bumped fists. "Cheer me on, alright?" Takeshi grinned, beaming brightly in a mix of excitement and nervousness, more the former than the latter.

"I'll be watching from the stands," I assured him, "Get that gold medal, alright?" I smiled back.

"You bet I will!"

And as Takeshi turned away, the serious look back on his face as he headed into battle-- I felt a swell of pride rise in my chest.

My Takeshi's pretty cool, I thought, giggling.

---

Sae and Sui

Sae and Sui were a mischievous pair, although they may not look it.

It all began when Sui's ribbon hair tie came loose.

Thinking of something fun, Sae pulled out her hair tie as well.

"Hey, Big Sister," Sae spoke up to a stranger, a teen girl around Rei's age. She used a deliberately fearful and panicked tone, her face stuck in (fake) desperation, "Have you seen someone that looks just like me?" she pointed at herself.

The girl, Eri, looked at Sae as many kind girls would've looked at younger children- a friendly, approachable look- then it just fell into a 'huh?' as she registered the question.

"Uhm, I'm sorry, I don't think I have." Eri replied as gently as she could, trying not to sound too mortified.

"Then," Sae spoke up again, "If you see her, could you tell me? She's- I think she's my doppleganger!" she freaked out, "I'm scared that I'll-"

The girl was shocked now, "Doppleganger?" Eri questioned, "As in the myth that when you see your doppleganger, you'd die?"

"Yes! I'm so scared- I'm going to- I'm going to run that way!" Sae told her quickly. She then dashed off into that direction, quickly disappearing from sight.

Eri was taken aback. Of course, she wasn't stupid enough to believe that immediately. I mean- what on earth? That was so weird. Well, I guess she'll get tired of that after a while-

But Eri froze as another child approached her.

A child that looked exactly like the one before.

Sui approached Eri calmly, donning the a blank, stony face she was born with, wearing the dull eyes she usually sported--

"Hey, Big Sister," her voice was eeriely cold and toneless, "Have you seen someone that looks just like me?" she pointed at herself.

Eri shrieked.

------

(Later on, Rei caught the twins and made them apologize.)

------

Rei

I sigh. "Seriously, I should've never told them about that myth!"

I told the girls many myths from Drew's world. About birthmarks, about dopplegangers-- even about Greek and Roman mythology. Sae and Sui loved them all.

Holding three cans of coffee back from my trip to the vending machine, I turned briefly to the match. They were in a moment of intermission for now, and the last round would happen in ten minutes' time.

Deep down, Drew's memories told me that the end of this tournament would only be the beginning. The beginning of more troubles than I went through last month.

But I guess I didn't really mind.

Suddenly, something bumped into me. A young boy had crashed into my knee as he wasn't looking where he went, and fell back with a yelp.

Snapping back, I panicked. "Oh no," I worried, "Are you alright?"

It was a young boy, a very young boy- my guess was that he was only slightly younger than Fuuta. He giggled, laug off his crash with an apology.

"Sorry, Mister!" he said, "I wasn't looking where I was going." The polite child bowed in apology.

Oh, this child is-

I held the cans on the arm I had my cast on, and extended my uninjured arm towards the boy, helping him up.

"Thank you!" he smiled at me. But as he looked closer, he realized something- "Ahh! Are you that online Clown person?" he asked me, pointing at me, his eyes sparkling brightly.

I smiled back. "Yes, I am." I told him, "What's your name, kid?" I asked, chuckling.

"Me?" he inquired, "I'm Mitsuru!"

"Mitsuru? Oh, that's a cool name." I told him.

"Cool?" he seemed adorably pleased at that, "Really? Thank you!"

I chuckled. Oh, how I loved children. "Then, you should go back to your mommy now, Mitsuru." I smiled at him, "The online clown can't do magic tricks today." I gave him a sad look, "But my next show will be awesome!"

And with a few more excited cheers and compliments and praise, Mitsuru scampered off delightfully.

"See ya, Online Clown-san!" he bid me.

"See ya," I chuckle, but instead of a friendly smile, my eyes narrowed in hostility. I held my expressions in a coy grin for half a second.

"See ya, Mukuro-kun." I told him.

And Mitsuru looked back with a smile that mirrored mine.

"See ya." he replies with a wave.