There was a red mark on the kitchen

There was a red mark on the kitchen calendar today. Tsuna had favored it with half a glance before deciding that it had nothing to do with him.

He couldn't recall if anyone had mentioned any particular event that was happening that day, or if he had a scheduled appointment. Reborn wasn't the type to circle dates or give Tsuna any sort of forewarning before jetting him off to some distant location for training. At best, he figured it was something his mother had done, to remember a sale or something.

Even still, as he trotted his way to school between his ever-present schoolmates and Guardians, the curiosity of the marked date remained.

"Is there anything going on today?" He mused aloud, after a few minutes of listening to Gokudera's bickering and Yamamoto's good natured laughing.

His two friends paused to turn their attention to him.

"Dunno, but my pop's having a dinnertime special and a sale price for today." Yamamoto offered helpfully. "Wanna come check it out after school?"

Gokudera's answer took a more scholarly approach. "Mathematically, today is a unique day dealing with the number nine. Wednesday and September both have nine letters in their names, and the ninth of September is the 252nd day of the year. Taken as single digits, two plus five plus two equal nine." He rattled off effortlessly.

"Er, thanks." Tsuna replied, a bit confused. Neither answer really solved his question, but he appreciated the effort. "Dinner sounds good though, Yamamoto. Would it be alright if a few others came long too?"

"Sure." The baseball player said easily.

The short brunette turned to his grey-haired friend. "Would you like to join us for sushi tonight?" He asked.

"Of course Juudaime!" Was the instantaneous reply. "I'd be honored!"

Tsuna could almost see the wagging tail. He smiled with a light blush. "Thanks."

Gokoudera's enthusiasm would always have a belittling effect on him, no matter how earnest the half-Italian was. It made Tsuna feel like he didn't deserve the foolishly honest eagerness that Gokudera so readily displayed to his selective honoree of Tsuna and Reborn.

For the moment, Tsuna let it go in favor of smiling and walking peacefully beside his friends even as a new argument rose between them.

At the school gates, the three split for their individual lockers, but not before Gokudera and Yamamoto stopped as if just remembering something.

"Oh, almost forgot. Here ya go." Yamamoto said, grinning as he handed Tsuna a slip of folded white paper.

"Juudaime, a message for you!" Gokudera pronounced, presenting the note carefully.

"Thanks." Tsuna took the slips with some curiosity. The baseball player left for the practice fields after patting him on the back, and Gokudera regretfully announced that he had some "business" he needed to take care of.

Nodding in understanding, Tsuna waved a quick farewell to his friends, knowing that he'd see them soon in class. In the meantime, he made his way slowly to homeroom, unfolding the notes as he did so.

On the slips was only the number nine and the initials of the one who had given it to him. Confused, Tsuna was about to toss them into the nearest wastebin when he figured that there must be some other meaning to it he was missing. He pocketed them instead, and continued walking.

To his surprise, he found Kyoko and her friend Hana already seated. The dark haired girl sent him a strange look as he walked in. Whispering something to the oblivious auburn-haired girl she stood and excused herself with hardly a second look in Tsuna's direction.

"Oh, Tsuna!" Kyoko called out brightly when her eyes lit upon him. "I was waiting for you!"

Something in Tsuna's heart fluttered and for a moment he dared to believe that it might be hope.

"My brother was looking for you." She continued blithely.

All his hopes came crashing down.

"But he wandered off on a jog a few minutes ago. He should be back soon."

"Oh, ok." He said quietly, failing at hiding his disappointment. He stood around, resisting the urge to twiddle his thumbs as he waiting. Knowing Sasagawa-san's personality, the boxing club member was most likely running around the school with all his might. That meant he would probably be left waiting a while.

Desperate for something to talk about to ease the awkwardness, he stared into Kyoko's cutely smiling face and said the first thing that came to mind. "Today's the ninth, isn't it?"

"Yep." Kyoko answered cheerily.

"It's a special date, right?" Tsuna pushed on, hoping for some kind of conversational reciprocation.

"Yep." Came the quick and simple answer.

"Doesn't it have some kind of meaning?" The brunette pressed once more.

"According to Chinese language and fortune telling, today would be a good day for marriage." A seductive voice purred from behind him