Trial Of Yoshimune

Chapter 18. the Boy And the Mafia

Sawada "Dame" Tsunayoshi was a child with failing grades and very sad life. He was a victim of bullying of all kinds available; he was beaten by other children, called names, rumours were spread of him and his incompetence with academics, and the silent people who watched it all happen.

The silent observers were the worst. He could see that they weren't doing anything to help or stop it, he could see the looks in their eyes, the empty stares. As if there was nothing behind them. Staring, but not seeing.

The teachers weren't much better, they usually joined the bullies, added their own knowledge of him into it, using the most hurtful words, making each word pierce right through his being. Like a burning hot metal pipe.

It burned, it was inhumanely painful.

He couldn't understand why it was like that, he didn't know the reason for their actions.

He kept skipping school because it hurt so much, he started to avoid his own mother, fearing that she'd, too, have that soulless look in her eyes. Afraid that she'd say hurtful words to him with intent. He distanced himself from the only family he'd ever had.

He was aware that his mother wasn't exactly aware of her surroundings, wasn't aware of the fact that he was growing up.

During the days he skipped school, he'd go to the hill, unsure of the reason why, and sit there in the silence. It was peaceful. It was healing. It was silent.

Sadly, it didn't silence the echo of the bullies within him. He'd already gotten himself too damaged mentally to carry on alone, traumatised and afraid of crowds.

Sometimes, he'd see a small family down there, in the forest clearing, having fun and laughing. He wanted to go to them and ask why they weren't at school, but that'd blow off his cover and the adults he saw might take him to school. So he'd just watch from his hiding place.

He learned that the children were being taught in the forest by the adults, but he had the feeling that they weren't exactly what they seemed to be. First of all they flickered. Like a projected picture.

By listening to the family, as he sometimes crept closer to be able to hear them, he learned a lot more about things that school didn't bother teaching well enough to the likes of him, like cooking. By listening to a man with flaming hair, he'd learn a lot about seasoning and how to do the needed preparations for the dishes. Albeit the methods the man spoke of were very out dated, but he could understand them.

The more he saw the odd family, the more he wished to be part of it, the happy and kind atmosphere, the smiles, and the love. Acceptance. He yearned for it more than anything.

The morning when his life turned upside down wasn't much different from the rest. He woke up late, with no intention of going to school, asked for his mother to give him money for eating out, and then... Everything went to hell.

His mother had hired a home tutor for him who was to arrive that morning. And he did.

And he was a baby. In a suit. With weird formality.

Internally, Tsuna groaned, having a tutor would mean that he couldn't skip anymore, he'd have to face the school. And his bullies. He wouldn't be able to see that odd family, that could easily put him in ease and erase the pain for a short period of time, again.

The infant made him run to school, glad in nothing but his boxers. The infant made him confess to his long time crush, Sasagawa Kyoko, resulting in frightening her away and causing him to be punched in the gut by Mochida-senpai. More rumours spread. He became known as a pervert.