58. Lull

Before I know it, a fragment of loneliness that was supposed to be extinguished closes up before my eyes and sneers at me.  

...

By turning myself into something so humble, what did I think I was protecting? I'm but a clown lost in a forest of confusion.  

-Swear to (Oz Vessalius, Pandora Hearts)

-

"Ninomiya Sae, here!" chirped the red-eyed girl, raising a hand in a salute, her tone loud and confident and maybe a tad obnoxious.

"Ninomiya Sui, here." came the soft, mellow tone of the blue-eyed girl. The voice that probably no one believed could ever sound sharp and stern.

"Fujimiya Rururi, here!" the third voice was sharp and serious, the girl with dark hazel eyes was completely absorbed into the role of a soldier.

"At ease!" I declared, and with one synchronized huff their hands shot back down to their sides.

I chuckle.

Handing them each a large bag corresponding their their colours, I watched their eyes sparkle in amazement as Sae wondered out loud if she could actually fit a puppy in there if she found one.

"The shopping list is inside the bag, along with the amount of cash needed. I've also put in some extra in case you need more. I trust you know what to do?" I instructed them calmly, bringing my smile to my face.

They nodded in unison. "Of course!" Sae and Rururi cheered.

And so my girls left for their errands by themselves.

It was quiet again in the Ninomiya Household.

-

"Hey, Rei, have you seen the kid anywhere?" 

Takeshi's phone call was a surprising thing to receive in the middle of the day, especially when it was a boring day off where there was no school and nothing up.

"The kid?" I had to ask, trying to reach for a box of cereal at the back of the high cabinet.

"Y'know, the one that wear a black hat? The one always with Tsuna?"

"Oh, Reborn-kun." I recalled, "Why? did something happen?"

"Apparently he's gone missing or something. We're all pretty worried and are searching for him at the moment." Takeshi explained. At this point he didn't exactly sound any different from his usual tone. He must be believing that they were playing hide and seek. 

"Sorry, Takeshi." tucking the phone between my cheek and my shoulder, I gathered empty boxes in my hands, "I haven't seen him around. I'm sure he's fine though. He's Reborn, after all."

"Alright. Sorry for bothering you. Are you busy?" 

"Oh, not at all-" right then, one box tucked under my arm slipped, and as I tried to catch it the rest of the boxes slid out too-- the phone dropped and-- "Huh-uh-- wah- UWAAh!"

With a loud clutter and sounds of boxes clattering and clashing and hitting furniture, I tripped over one and fell forward.

"What? wait, Rei what was that sound? Is everything alright over there?"

Plucking myself up from the flooring and nursing a bump on my forehead, I searched around for my phone and picked it up.

"Nothing, nothing!" I quickly laughed, "oh, but thankfully my phone's alright."

"You're really worrying, Rei."

"Ahaha."

-

-

I returned to my room to grab my jacket.

Passing by my desk, I pick up the black box under my desk. My hairclips-- although now they were broken-- lay there where it belonged, and I found myself smiling a little sadly as I closed it and pushed it to the corners of my closet.

Right now, Ninomiya Rei needs none of that.

Throwing on my jacket, I rubbed my Void Ring-- oops, did it become a habit? Regardless, I picked up my phone and my wallet and headed out.

I didn't forget the stupid capsule of pills either.

-

"It's been a while since you've had a show, Rei-kun." Hanae the florist spoke to me, handing me a small bouquet of flowers. "All the kids in the neighborhood miss you a lot."

Taking the flowers, I chuckle a little sadly. "Sorry about that," I looked down solemnly. 

"It's alright!" she assures me, "Everyone understands, Rei-kun." she spoke confidently, a bright, reassuring smile on her face, "All you need to focus on is getting yourself healed up!"

Hanae looked around the potted plants to her left-- seemed to remember something and grinned at me. "Give me a moment."

She rushed to the back, where the greenhouse was-- and after a long while, she emerged from the back with something in her hands.

"Someone shipped these over just this morning!" she sounded absolutely and adorably excited, "They're fake flowers."

It was a long plant. Thin and long-- pale green calyces made up most of the plant, but upon closer look there were tiny white flowers within each bud.

"Bells of Ireland," Drew recalled. "Also known as a Shellflower."

"You're knowledgeable!" Hanae praised, "the Bells of Ireland-- do you know what it means in flower language?" 

I nodded. "[Luck], right?"

"Correct!" Hanae giggled and picked out a stem, then handed it to me. "Here you are?"

"Huh?" I was confused but I took it.

"I wish you luck on all your journeys ahead, Rei." she smiled at me, "May luck be with you always."

Blushing a little bashfully, I gratefully accepted her blessing.

-

"Who're those flowers for?" Hanae had asked before I left.

And I had given her a light chuckle. "It's my older brother's birthday," I told her.

"But," Hanae was confused now, "...you don't have an older brother."

Holding red carnations in my hand, I simply smiled at her without giving her an answer. I waved a silent goodbye to her-- and for some reason she didn't seem to pry for more answers. 

"Carnations," I heard her mumbling to herself, "...[Admiration], and [I Miss You]."

-

"Admiration and Missing Another, ey?" I chuckle to myself, sitting down on the bench in the park. It was breezy, and I really had bought these little things on a whim.

Eyeing the pretty carnations in my hand and enjoying the mellow sweetness of its fragrance--

"You were always such a sappy little thing, Eve." I joked, "Your favorite flowers were incredibly girly, after all."

-

-

-

9YL (POV: Third Person)

"Russo!" 

Russo was a tall man. Tall, quite muscled, and was in fact an Information Broker and Spy who was most well known for his strength and skills in martial arts. He wore clothes too casual for a Mafioso, and sat in a freaking cafe drinking tea.

"Shouichi!" he turned to the one who called him-- a redheaded, glasses-wearing man. They had agreed to meet up in a cafe, it seemed.

Settling down, Irie Shouichi calls for a cup of coffee. "Sorry to call you out all of a sudden."

"Don't mind it!" Russo assures him. "So, what did you want?"

"It's about what will happen ten months from now." and he went straight to the point, without hesitation. His eyes sharpened in a form of seriousness he rarely showed-- and Russo took note of that. "I want you to tell me all I need to know."

Taking a calm sip of his tea, Russo smiled.

"Ten months from now, eh." Russo sounded heavily amused. "How time flies. It's already that time of the decade?" he joked.

"Please?" Irie sounded a little wimpy now.

Russo's red eyes softened. "Sure, I'll tell you all I can remember." 

"Remember?" Irie pointed out, but receive nothing more than a smile in response.