Would you all prefer if I use the Japanese honorifics to make it more like the anime, or should I stick to using names without honorifics? Just let me know by commenting!
---
After the intense tryout, the students headed home. Some felt a tinge of jealousy towards those who made it to the first string, but it also fueled their determination to train harder. Tsuna also didn't forget to bring up the issue of his name to Nijimura before heading home. It was easily resolved as they hadn't submitted the final list to the school administration.
As Tsuna stepped out of the gym, Aomine approached him with a cheerful proposal, "Hey, wanna have a 1v1 right now?"
Before Tsuna could respond, Momoi intervened, playfully jabbing Aomine's stomach.
"Not now, silly," she scolded him. Aomine protested, "Why?"
"It's just not the right time," Momoi explained, crossing her arms. Then, she turned to Tsuna, offering a sincere bow of apology. "I'm sorry, Minayoshi!"
But Tsuna playfully flicked her forehead in response, making her exclaim, "Ouch! Why!?"
He had almost let it slide, thinking it was an innocent mistake, but her continued teasing revealed her true intentions.
"Stop making fun of me," Tsuna said, shaking his head with a smile, and they all walked together toward the school gate.
Tsuna smiled at Aomine, "Let's have our 1v1 tomorrow instead. I have a meeting tonight."
"A meeting? What's that?" Aomine asked, looking puzzled. He wasn't familiar with such adult-like responsibilities, muttering, "Sounds like something grown-ups do..."
Having a meeting would be unusual for normal teenagers, but Tsuna came from a wealthy family with business interests in Japan. His father had tasked him with assisting in managing some of their affairs here. Tsuna didn't mind, as it gave him valuable insights into their Japanese operations.
As they reached the school gate, a crowd had gathered around a foreigner dressed as a butler.
"Wow! Daiki, look over there!" Momoi exclaimed, pointing at the butler. Aomine was equally amazed, saying, "Is that a real-life butler? I've never seen one before!"
Tsuna walked towards the car where the foreign butler was waiting, unfazed by the crowd's attention.
"Eh! Tsunayoshi, where are you going?"
Momoi couldn't contain her surprise, asking Tsuna where he was going. She was astonished to see the butler open the car door for him.
"Tsuna, are you a rich kid?"
Aomine was taken aback and wondered if Tsuna came from a wealthy family.
With a calm demeanor, Tsuna calmly told them both farewells, "As you can see, my ride is here. See you both tomorrow!"
He waved goodbye to Momoi and Satsuki, leaving them in shock. As Tsuna entered the car, the butler, Sebas, closed the door gently and took the driver's seat.
As the car drove away, the onlookers continued to murmur, intrigued by the sights of Tsuna welcomed by the butler they'd been talking about.
"I had no idea Tsuna came from such a wealthy background," Aomine commented, surprised by the revelation.
While Teiko High School was filled with elite students, Tsuna's level of affluence seemed exceptional even among them. Aomine and Momoi also came from well-off families, but Tsuna's status appeared to be on a whole different level.
"That is obvious, especially knowing his family name."
Just then, they were interrupted by another student with spiky red-maroon hair and striking eyes with vertical pupils. It was Seijuro Akashi, who was one of the few freshmen who had been placed in the first string.
Momoi recognized Akashi, saying, "Hey, you're Seijuro Akashi, right? What do you mean by that?"
Akashi merely smiled and closed his eyes before answering, "Let's just say that his family is part of a prominent international conglomerate. They are widely renowned."
"Huh, really?" Aomine's curiosity was piqued, but his straightforward nature quickly brushed it off, focusing on Tsuna's basketball skills instead. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. What does matter is he loves basketball as much as l do."
As they continued their conversation, another luxurious car pulled up, opening the door for Akashi. This unexpected sight left Aomine and Momoi even more astonished.
"Nice to meet you both," Akashi bid farewell as he entered the car.
"Seriously, how many kids from conglomerates are here in our school?" Momoi whispered to herself, still amazed by the revelation.
---
The next day, Tsuna went to school after attending a gathering of influential families and business leaders in Japan. He was a bit surprised to find that no others his age were at the event.
After some inquiries, he learned there was a separate gathering called Summer Gathering for the younger generation, typically including those between 14 and 19 years old.
Although it was an unusual experience, Tsuna didn't let it bother him much. He had grown accustomed to such gatherings due to his family's status, where many people sought his attention. Some approached with good intentions, while others had ulterior motives, trying to leverage his family's influence.
Handling these situations came easily to Tsuna, and he left a positive impression on the people he interacted with. The gathering allowed him to meet and get to know various important figures in Japan.
Among the attendees, one person stood out to Tsuna - Jiro Akashi, whom he recognized as Akashi's father. Despite the flattery and business talk that filled the event, Tsuna found Jiro Akashi's approach to be quite different.
Akashi's father treated Tsuna like an elder, greeting a younger family member, which struck a chord with Tsuna. It helped him understand the strict upbringing Akashi had received, as his father seemed to be a man of pride and traditional values.
"...You seem to be in a good mood, Young Master," Sebas, the butler, remarked, glancing at Tsuna through the rearview mirror.
"...I am," Tsuna replied calmly. As they neared the school gate, he requested, "Sebas, could you drop me off a bit further away from the gate? I'll walk the rest of the way."
Sebas looked concerned and hesitated, "That may not be wise, Young Master."
"Just drop me there. I don't want to attract too much attention like yesterday," Tsuna insisted, closing his eyes to indicate his decision was final.
With a sigh, Sebas finally agreed, knowing that Tsuna was resolute in his choice. "...Understood."
As they reached the school, Tsuna met up with Momoi on the way, and they walked together to their class building.
The lessons for the day were uneventful, and Tsuna quietly read an advanced book for college students while the classes went on. When the final school bell rang, signaling the end of classes, Tsuna joined Midorima and Murasakibara as they headed to the gym building.
They were making their way to the basketball club practice.
On the way, they were greeted by a fellow student, who was the son of someone who had left a strong impression on Tsuna during the gathering the night before.
---
Do you wanna read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast