Secretary Day was a day that probably half of the people dislike it so much with reasons. They said that it was not enough to appreciate the secretaries' hard work in the administration aside from giving some gifts or treating them for meals. The boss takes you out for lunch or dinner just for that day and it was the most awkward moment of the day.
However, according to Reborn, the Secretary Day in mafia world was as important as the New Year's Day. Secretaries in the mafia world were not only serving as secretaries, but they also could be their boss' right-hand, most trusted servant and so on. They also had an important task, which was not breaking their family's secret to anyone and this part was the one that determined their loyalty to their bosses.
In other words, I was told to attend this event in Naples. Each of the mafia families was taking turns to be the host of the Secretary Day event and it was Tomaso Famiglia's turn to be the host. Gokudera was giving his annoyed look when he knew who was the next host for the upcoming event. The silver-haired was supposed to come with me since he was Tsuna's right-hand man but he could not join as he would need to assist Tsuna for an important meeting. He only helped me by telling what I should or should not do during that event.
"You don't need to wear anything so fancy. Just pick any clothes that make you comfortable enough to wear."
"I'm not going to wear any dresses, especially if that reveals some of my body parts," I said flatly as I was busy choosing some dress shirt and long pants.
"Pftt, as if you actually can wear dresses," Gokudera snickered.
"I know how flat is my chest and how small I am, so you do not need to laugh at me," I growled in annoyance.
"Oh, sorry for hurting your feelings."
I rolled my eyes away from him as I knew that did not sound so sincere. I kept on looking for the clothes and when I found a polka-dot dress shirt that caught my attention, I grabbed it. Someone else did grab the same shirt I was trying to take. A young woman with wavy long hair was glaring at me and I think she was about my age. She roughly tried to take the dress shirt away from me but I did not let it go. I was the one found it first.
"Give it to me, it's mine," she hissed with her deep Italian accent.
"My hand landed it first before you, so I should take it!" I snapped back and I still did not let go of it.
"Oh really??" she snarled. "Even if you take it, I can pay much higher than the original price of this shirt."
"I don't care, and I'll take it what's mine," I tugged that dress shirt away from her hands and stormed off to look for Gokudera.
Within a few milliseconds, I was grabbed from behind and I was being slapped hard across my cheek. I grew so angry that I yelled back at that woman.
"Che cazzo vuoi (What the f*ck do you want)?!"
"I'll keep on stopping you until you give back that dress shirt!" the woman almost screamed with dissatisfaction and was grabbing my hair harshly. I shrieked with pain and I tried to pull her hands away from my hair.
"Clelia Federigo!"
The woman froze in shock when she heard someone calling out her name. I quickly pulled my hair away from her hands and glaring back at that woman. Gokudera was walking towards us and he was giving a murderous stare at Clelia.
Did he and this woman know each other?
"O-oh, Signor Gokudera..." Clelia smiled nervously. "P-piacere di conoscerti (P-pleased to meet you)..."
"Piacere mio (Nice to meet you too)," the silver-haired replied coldly. "As far I know, you're not supposed to come back to Italy after that incident years ago. Why are you here?"
"W-well...I'm back here to attend the upcoming event, of course..." Clelia tried to remain calm and smiled back at him. "Ever since that incident, my family and I were struggling to find a place to stay. All of a sudden, a kind Russian man pitied us and gave us a proper shelter with a condition that I must work as his secretary. I quickly agreed and with his power, I can go anywhere I like."
Gokudera was still suspicious at her past encounter. When she mentioned about a Russian man who helped her and eventually giving her special permission to travel around Italy, he knew this man could be from the mafia family. Somehow, I could not believe that Clelia Federigo was Tsuna's former secretary who broke the omerta and endangered most of his friends.
"Right, I'm glad that you're leading a better life. Care to explain to me why are you fighting with a young woman here?"
"That poor b*tch is taking away that dress shirt and I want it back!" Clelia screeched.
"What is your problem, *arschloch?! I get it first and you are acting like there are no more clothes left to buy in the world!!" I snapped back at her angrily.
"Why you-!"
"ENOUGH!!"
The Storm's voice was so deadly loud that the people in the boutique went silent. He was getting a slight headache since he never expected to deal with two women fighting each other over for a piece of clothing. He turned to look at me and pointing that shirt I was holding, telling me to just give it back to Clelia. I frowned back to him.
"Believe me, Miss Minoru. That design of the shirt is not going to suit you. Just let her have it and I'll find a better one for you."
I stared back at him and this time, he was serious about it. My eyes then looked at Clelia who was giving the most disgusting smile that I ever saw. I deeply sighed and threw the shirt back in her arms. Without waiting for her damned response ("You should have to give it to me earlier, poor little girl~"), I walked out from the boutique and I sat one of the benches where it was the furthest from that shop so that I would not see her again.
I was often being verbally harassed by the perfectionist girls during my school days. These kinds of girls would do anything to become pretty and perfect in front of the boys' eyes. Makeups, sexy school uniforms, and even push up bras. They laughed at me for being so imperfect but when I was the one much easily mixed up with boys because I was a tomboy, they nearly tried to 'kill' me off. I was not that stupid to let them get me, but I warned them that I had many ways to 'destroy' their beauty within only milliseconds. It was the most victorious win I ever made.
Until I met Clelia Federigo, I had never felt so insulted in my life. I thought that lead female servant at the headquarters was bad but Clelia was the worst person I had met. No wonder Gokudera and Reborn wanted her dead for breaking the Vongola's omerta.
I was into my deep thoughts when Gokudera sat beside me and offered me a cup of hot cappuccino. I slowly held out my hand and took it, thanking him. We did not say anything at first and I guess it was the wisest way by apologising to him for what happened in the boutique earlier.
"I'm sorry for troubling you, Gokudera."
"For what?" he simply asked before he sipped his beverage.
"Well, for making you getting involved with the ladies' fight."
"It's not a big deal. I often get myself involved with this kind of scene," the silver-haired sighed. "But at least because of it, I can inform to the Tenth about Clelia Federigo's presence in Italy."
"I don't get it. If it is true that Tsuna does not allow her to enter Italy, why she can make it?"
"Clelia Federigo is free to return to Italy but she would be in deep trouble if the mafia members see her around. Breaking the omerta is considered as a crime," Gokudera took another sip and he seemed to analyze some possibilities. "That Russian man she is talking about, he could have been surprisingly famous if he could tell any mafia members not to try to hurt her."
"Could he be a mafia boss like Tsuna, Dino and others?"
"You're right this time. Russian mafioso are quite dangerous. My only advice to you is that you must not get near with Clelia during the special event at Naples."
I nodded and I finally took some sip of my beverage. I must keep in mind that I should try to stay away from that woman once I went to Naples.
I was again being reminded that I should not get too friendly to Naito Longchamp, the current boss of Tomaso Famiglia who would be hosting the upcoming event.
Was he an enemy too?
*****************************************
I arrived back to the headquarters and I was about to return to my room when I saw Chrome was talking to someone I did not know. That man was quite tall and his bluish hair was so long that he had to tie it up. Both of his eyes were red and blue and I could see some kanji in his red eye. It was strange that I could feel the hostile aura from that man. Chrome noticed my presence and waved at me. I waved back as I walked towards them.
"Nagi, who's this young lady? Is she someone new in this place?" the man asked with his sly look at me.
"Oh, she is the boss's new secretary. Her alias name is Minoru Ayano," Chrome turned to look at me. "Miss Ayano, this is Rokudo Mukuro. He is the official Vongola's Mist Guardian."
"Rokudo Mukuro? The one who saved your life ten years ago??"
Chrome nodded while smiling back at me. Mukuro was still staring at me and his lips formed into a small smirk. He went near to me and lifted my chin to have a closer look at my face. I was completely numb when he did that and I still could feel the hostility from him.
"I must say, from all of the women out there, Sawada Tsunayoshi has decided to pick you as his secretary. I wonder what is in his mind but at least you're much trustworthy than his previous one."
I did not know if I should respond to him or not. At the same time, Hibari was passing by and his eyes shot a sharp glare straight to Mukuro. The illusionist gave a light sigh and moved his hand away from my chin before leaving both me and Chrome in the hallway. That skylark was leaving as well. I felt like as if they wanted to settle their old debts.
"Chrome, you sure that he was the one gave you the chance to live much longer?" I asked curiously.
"Indeed, yes," she answered. "Mukuro-sama is a great illusionist and his skills can deceive lots of people's eyes. He used his powers to create some illusionary organs that I've lost during the accident. So my life sometimes depends on him until I started to learn to create it on my own."
"You mean, if anything bad happens to Mukuro...you will die too?" I went pale after hearing her story. Chrome simply nodded and gave her a grateful smile.
"That was past, and even if I can stand with my strength, I will still follow him."
I was thinking in my mind that Chrome was a strong woman. She was inches away to death after the accident and when Mukuro once lost to Byakuran but she wanted to stay alive no matter what happens. She then grabbed my hand and was bringing me to another place. I did ask where was she bringing me to and she said that there will be a surprise waiting for me. She simply gave me a hint by saying, her good friends had just arrived. I shrugged my shoulders and I just let her lead the way.
"Chrome, why is Hibari-san looking at Mukuro like he wanted to settle up their old debts?"
"Oh, they are always like that. Whenever they meet, they will fight each other. It's their way to settle that such 'old debt'."
I raised my eyebrows. Their 'old debt' started ten years ago. I mentally think of why I missed so much of things when Tsuna and others were in school?
I was not even with them during that time.
END OF CHAPTER 16
*arschloch = a German swear word.