169 ♪ Vongola Christmas Party

[paxmundana]

“One, two, three, four, five…”

Byakuran dropped the marshmallows into his mug of hot cocoa one by one until they were spilling over the rim and onto the black marble counter. He was seated cross-legged on top of a stool at the bar where the Vongola Christmas party was being hosted. A bag of the white spongy confections was placed between his legs as he plucked them out faithfully. Originally, he had no intention of attending the annual event since his connection with the Vongola was brittle at best, but then Yuni-chan had come to him personally and how could he possibly have had the heart to deny her?

A few weeks before he was due for Japan, Byakuran had ordered a few dozen bushels of gooseberry flowers to be delivered to one Rokudo Mukuro’s residence from Italy. It was purely on a whim. After all, it had been some time since he’d last seen the Mist. Three months, to be exact. A smile transpired on his lips as he thought of the man, imagined his reaction to his gift. It must have brought back fond memories. As he continued to stack the marshmallows together, he listened to the conversations of the ones around him – Yama-kun and Goku-kun joking with each other nearby, Yuni-chan playing catch up with Reborn at one of the tables, Kikyo scolding Zakuro behind him. Most of the Vongola and Tsunayoshi-kun’s immediate friends were here.

But no sign of the Mist yet. Of course, he had arrived relatively early alongside Yuni and the rest of the Giglio Nero Famiglia. He had planned it that way. As he reached into the bag for another marshmallow, his fingers paused midway from dropping it into the cup, his posture straightening all of a sudden. A delighted little “♪” could be heard before the sound of a chair clattering to the floor.

“Mukuro-kun~”