Chrome was bringing me to a guest room and when she opened the door, I could see some unfamiliar people inside there. The only ones I could recognise was I-Pin and Miura Haru, the talented tailor who made some formal attire for me after I started to work for Tsuna. There were few other people whom I never met before. I saw a young woman with long, golden-brown hair and another woman (she looked a little older than Haru) with long, light pink hair. Then, there was a younger male with short, light brown hair who was seen having a casual talk with I-Pin. Once Chrome introduced me to them, they turned to look at me and smiled pleasantly.
"Hello, [Name]! It's nice to see you again!" Haru greeted me with delight.
"H-Haru, we're not supposed to call by her real name..." said Chrome with her nervous tone.
Haru gasped with shock and tried to apologise when the woman with light pink hair suddenly spoke up.
"It's fine, Chrome. We're inside the headquarters and no one will know about her real identity. Though I think we must start calling by her fake name so that we don't easily slip out."
"Well then, maybe we should introduce ourselves to Miss Minoru, shall we?" the younger male said politely. "My name is Fuuta de la Stella, just call by my first name."
"De la Stella? Is that supposed to sound like 'of the stars'?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, you're right," Fuuta smiled warmly.
"He's a special fortune-teller. If you want to ask anything especially about love, he can tell you more," the woman with pink hair smirked lightly and I smiled awkwardly, listening to her comment. I blinked when I noticed that she had similar green eyes.
"Wait, are you Gokudera's older sister?"
"Older half-sister, to be exact," she smiled. "I guess the Vongola boss had chosen a perfect woman to be his secretary. You have a sharp eye on every detail you see."
"I'm not that great..." I gave an awkward laugh. "I mean, your eyes look the same as his eyes."
"Don't be too modest, Miss Minoru. By the way, I'm Bianchi. Poison cooking is my ultimate talent," she introduced while offering me a plate of rotten biscuits.
I politely decline her food and I told her that I had eaten for lunch. Her cooking was the real reason why Gokudera fell ill and that made him unable to assist Tsuna to meet Pietro Inverno. I turned to look at the young woman with golden brown hair and she was smiling sweetly at me.
"I'm Sasagawa Kyoko. Nice to meet you."
"Sasagawa.? You're Ryohei's younger sister??"
"Ah, yes! That's my big brother," she chuckled lightly. "I hope that he doesn't bother you by telling you to join his boxing club."
"Well, I don't think he ever mentioned that but he loves to talk about boxing stuff when he trained me."
That was the first time I met Kyoko and she was the one that almost got killed in the ambush attack during her brother's birthday years ago. Haru the spoke up to me with her excited look.
"Hey, you want to know why we are here? I heard that you and Chrome are going to attend the Secretary Day event in Naples, so I've made some nice attires for both of you to wear."
"But, I never ask for that."
"Boss is the one asking for Haru's favour to make one for you. Didn't the Storm Guardian tell you about it?" Chrome commented.
"Tsuna is the one telling Haru to make one for me? No wonder Gokudera said he would pick better clothes for me."
"Eh, what is that supposed to mean?" asked I-Pin with her confused look.
"I got into a fight with another woman who tried to snatch the dress shirt that I've picked. She was the one started it, and it was lucky that he came in to stop both of us. He even told me to just give it back to Clelia after telling me that he will get a better one for me," I explained and I gave an annoyed look when I thought of that Italian woman.
"Clelia? You mean Tsuna's former secretary?" asked Fuuta.
"Wow, she even dared to return to Italy after that incident," added Bianchi with slight dislike.
"It's going to be a long story, so I think you should hear from Gokudera later on."
Bianchi nodded her head and Haru went on to give the paper-bag to me, saying that this was the one I would be wearing for that event. I slowly open the paper-bag and the outfit design was quite a surprise. There was a light yellow blouse with ruffles matching with black blazer and pants. I also found a pair of black low heels shoes as well inside the paper bag. As far as I had realised, my outfit was getting much feminine despite my dislike of skirts.
"I...I've never thought of wearing something different," I spoke up.
"I think it's perfect, Ayano," Kyoko added. "Tsuna asked for our thoughts and opinions while thinking of a better outfit for you."
"He did?"
"Of course he did!" Haru replied. "He knows that you hate skirts, so he is finding a better design outfit to match your looks and your personality."
I went speechless. I could not believe that Tsuna would do this just for me.
"Ah, Ayano," I-Pin spoke up. "Did you keep your hair a little longer?"
"How did you know?"
"Your hair was so short like boy's hair when I first met you. But now, your hair grows even longer than usual."
"I...I don't know. Tsuna mentioned that I would look cuter if I grow my hair a little longer," I mumbled.
"Wow, did he say that??" Haru exclaimed with surprise.
"Boss surely likes a girl with short hair," Chrome commented as she smiled.
"Indeed, since Kyoko used to have short hair years ago. He had a huge crush on her back then," said Bianchi coolly.
Her statement had finally hit my head with realisation. Kyoko was that girl whom Tsuna fell for her. She was such a sweet person. Maybe he preferred a cute and kind woman like her.
"Ayano, is there anything wrong?"
"Huh?" I looked up and Haru was giving her a curious look at me. "Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking to reschedule the timetable for Tsuna."
I looked a little disappointed. Kyoko noticed my facial expression as she stood up and look at us.
"Excuse me, I want to go to the washroom," she then stared at me. "Ayano, would you please take me there? I kinda forget where it is located."
"Sure, let me lead you there," I stood up and we then both leave the guest room together.
We did not talk as we walk and I did not find it wrong to lead her to the washroom. Sure, the headquarters was so huge and I sometimes got myself lost in certain rooms. Luckily, I knew how the washroom and bathroom looked like or I might end up bumping into other guys inside.
I reached another corner and I opened the washroom door for Kyoko. We went in and that was when she suddenly spoke to me.
"Ayano, do you really like Tsuna?"
"H-huh?? Why are you asking that?"
"You give that sad look when Bianchi mention that Tsuna used to have a huge crush on me. So, I'm wondering if it is true that you like him or not."
"It's...it's not like that..." I answered nervously. "It's just that, Tsuna is kind to me...and I could not help it but..."
"You like his kindness, right?" Kyoko snickered. "I can't deny but to agree. He's kind to anyone."
"Um, Kyoko, why did you reject him?"
She was silent and she turned back to look in the mirror.
"I know that he had the feelings towards me. But alas, I could not feel the same way as he was. I treated him as my good friend and I was glad that he made my brother happy."
"He made your brother happy?"
"My brother often got into fights with other boys and sometimes ended up getting injured. I was so worried about him even after now. But after becoming friends with Tsuna, he had changed and that makes me feel so glad."
"I see..."
"He's quite disappointed as well, but until the end, he understood that we would not be happy after he took over his family's business. Besides, I've already met someone I like."
She gently touched my hair and gave a light smirk at me.
"If you do like Tsuna, I suggest that you should express your feelings to him. He's been nice to you, so I'm wondering if he had the same feelings as you do."
"W-wait! You don't understand! I'm just his-!"
Before I could even finish my sentences, Kyoko had already left the bathroom. My face turned so red as she was expecting me to tell Tsuna that I love him??
N-no way! That was way too impossible!
*************************************************
It was about time that I would be going to Naples for the Secretary Day event. I felt much better because Chrome was following me as well since she had been Mukuro's loyal assistant. I was being told that Tsuna and Gokudera were supposed to come along (the boss and the secretary) but he ended up having an important meeting. I checked his schedule and it was a meeting that he could not avoid.
Though I felt something was not right.
The current boss of Tomaso Famiglia, Naito Longchamp was hosting the important event, so he rented an exquisite villa and it seemed that he was doing well.
I mentioned that because Gokudera once told me that Naito was a very eccentric guy as they were studying in the same school together. Not only eccentric but also an apparent pervert and a womanizer. It was not that bad that he went along with many girls until the silver-haired told me that most of his former girlfriends were ninety-nine times uglier than any other normal women. His subordinates never get along so well that they often had frequent internal disputes.
Right after ten years, Naito had probably taken his duty as a boss quite seriously and had been an ally to Tsuna.
More guests were coming and most of the suppose secretaries came along with their bosses. I could see Kozato Enma was walking with Adelheid Suzuki and some other familiar faces. Chrome was wearing a violet coat long jacket scarf that matched her long black boots. I was wearing the blouse with ruffles, black blazer and pants and a pair of black low heels shoes. Chrome's appearance gained lots of attention from other bosses and I could not blame them. She looked stunning with any dresses or clothes she was wearing.
I felt like I was being recognised as a woman instead of being a guy thanks to the outfit given by Tsuna.
Both me and Chrome introduced ourselves to other guests and we explained to them that our boss (Vongola Decimo) was unable to attend due to his important meeting. They did understand but they kept on talking to us as if they were trying to flirt with us. I was going to step into their shoes when Dino Cavallone called out to us.
"Ciao, Ayano, Chrome," Don Cavallone greeted us with his confident look.
"Hello, how are you, Don Cavallone?" I replied.
"There's no need to be so formal, Ayano. Just call me Dino, okay?"
"I don't think I can do that. You're the mafia boss, aren't you?"
"That's not going to stop you from calling me that way," Dino grinned. "So, how's your leg? Feeling much better?"
"Much better. Thanks for your concern," I smiled back.
"Well, I should thank you too for protecting me. I'm so sorry for trying to kill you off. I'm a little overprotective towards Tsuna ever since his former secretary made a huge mess years ago."
"Oh, don't mention that. I understand. I would do the same if I were you," I smirked. "But not at the level by taking advantage of my weakness and petrified my right arm."
"Hey, you're teasing me, aren't you?" Dino smirked as well before he laughed it off. "But why only you and Chrome? I thought Tsuna and his right-hand man are supposed to attend this event."
"Oh, both of them are having an avoidable meeting," I answered. "Gokudera only told me not to get too close with Clelia Federigo as she would be attending this event."
"Wait, Clelia Federigo?" Dino's look darkened. "Why is she here? Didn't Tsuna already tell her not to return to Italy after that incident?"
Don Cavallone was shocked by her sudden return. I could only give him an answer that the silver-haired and I could agree with.
"It's all because of a Russian mafia boss's help."
END OF CHAPTER 17