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CHAPTER ONE: BEGINNINGS

It all started when I was a little child.

HA! That's bullshit!

Well obviously it would start when I was a kid, but to me it wasn't. Everything was dull; everything was the same old routine. Wake up in the morning, do exercises; if not home schooled I go to a private school, and then come straight home. Then, there were the bodyguards; bodyguards here, bodyguards there, they were everywhere watching everything I do. I couldn't even get decent friends or wander off somewhere without them watching me.
It's tiring and dry being born in a family who was involved in a society of Triads; Triads are well known in China, like the Yakuza in Japan and Mafia in Italy. One would think that a life in the triad would be exciting, I laugh at that, it's not very exciting, just dangerous; with all the illegal things we're involved in, Counterfeiting money, smuggling drugs, weapons…you get the picture.

It's not exactly a happy family.

All I wanted was a normal life where I can have normal friends and a normal love life… tch! Maybe. But all of it was taken away by my own family, thinking that being normal isn't a good thing. That being born in the criminal life is important as breathing air and eating food.

It's bullshit, that's what I think.

Mŭqīn once said I should be grateful for Fŭqīn's hard work; that everything he does was for the sake of the family's survival. I just nodded and agreed so there wouldn't be any arguments.

So if I had said it all started when I was a little child, don't believe me, there's nothing there but me growing up rebellious and stubborn; when really, it all started when That Man came to our house.
Quite dramatic eh? That man! Haha…tch!

***
It was a summer after noon when all servants of the house started to get busy, it was like they were in rush with all their scurrying in and out of the kitchen. I watched them from upstairs, looking down from the railing. It was one of those boring days when there's nothing else to do other than people watching. It's actually quite a sport to do, though no one would really consider people watching as a sport. It's sport enough to me.
Suyin, one of the younger maids, came out of the kitchen pushing a large cart full of food; but I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't our typical 'Chinese' food, instead they were Japanese. I stood there wondering why; then not long after that, Suyin came back out of the dining room and it was a perfect time to ask her.

"Hey Suyin!" I called out, loud enough for her to hear. At first she didn't know where to look, she looked around thinking that she might be hearing things, then she eventually looked up to me.

I waved at her then smiled; Suyin was just one of the rare friends I made in the house, though Fŭqīn had always scolded me for it, I still kept talking to her. The head maid knows that when Suyin disappears from her duty, then it means that she's with me.
Head maid Jiayi was a good woman; she cared for me after my Mŭqīn ran away and eloped with father's right-hand man, very typical huh? Who would have thought that a respectable woman like my mother would even consider eloping with father's most trusted man? Ever since then, father had always been hunting them down.

Suyin ran up to me, with a smile yet tired eyes.

"What's going on Suyin? Do we have a visitor?" I asked her right away. She nodded as we started to walk towards my room.

"Yes…your father has a very important guest; he's Japanese so we were ordered to make Japanese Cuisine."

My room was big, too big for my taste. A king size canopy bed stood in the center of the room, with red velvet curtains hanging down on all sides. The room itself was painted in black and red with different Chinese symbols, a large flat screen T.V. hangs on the wall, a couch, a vanity dresser and all the lovely things that rich people have. I don't really want them; father insisted I put them in my room.

The thing that I loved the most in this room was the veranda; to get out there was through the sliding doors, covered by the black silk curtains. It over looked the country, away from the main city and it was wonderful scenery to wake up to.

As we entered my room, we headed towards the bed; Suyin sat on the edge of the bed, while I casually plopped, face down on the soft cushion.

Suyin giggled as she bounced up from my body hitting the bed.

"Hey, Suyin…describe to me what the man looked like." I asked her, she shrugged at the question, making a slight noise that almost sound like I don't know.

"I didn't exactly look at him, I was too busy serving the food, but I do know this, there was a cute little boy with him." She smiled.

I looked up to her then smiled with her. Now I'm really curious who it was, I fiddled with my fingers anxious to know. Suyin saw this and knew right away.

"Just be patient Jun…I'm sure your father will call you soon." She calmly stated.
"I know."

She laughed; it was music to my ears, it sounded like little chime bells the way she laughed and it soothes me. And I always loved it.

We talked for what seemed like hours, but it didn't last long as my room echoed with the loud knocking sound. Suyin fell silent, and immediately, she ducked underneath my bed. The door opened, father came walking in with his always serious look on his face. Big heavy bags were clear under his light dark brown eyes –doesn't quite complement his square face and sharp jaws– His dark hair sleeked back with his home made herbal oil, and he looked good with his foreign white suit and a dark red tie.

"Fŭqīn, what can I do for you?" I formally asked as I straighten my posture. He sat next to me on my bed and held my hand.

"Yuanjun…did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" this is how my dear father start a conversation, especially if there was something he wanted me to do, a favor or an order, whatever you want to call it.

"Is there something you wish for me to do, Fŭqīn?" my voice plain and calm. He smiled and squeezed my hand tighter.

"There's a man downstairs that I want you to meet…he's a friend of the family." Despite my father strict and firm appearance, he's quite a softy and kind. He just always put the triad first before his family, maybe that's why mother left.
"So will you come down stairs and join us?" I nodded; I figured that it was very important since he took the liberty of coming up here to get me. I left the room with father leaving Suyin underneath the bed; I'm pretty sure Suyin can handle herself and sneak away from the watchful eyes of the bodyguards.

My feet felt like lead, dragging heavily on the carpeted floor; I didn't really want to meet the man father was talking about but I didn't have any choice,
I followed father towards the main room, it appears that they had finished their meal and now sitting somewhere in the house. The main room was empty, but father kept on walking towards his home office; I followed him.

The visitor was sitting in front of father's desk, his lazy eyes stares at me, his hair unkempt –despite him dressed very professionally— and the boy that Suyin talked about sat next to him. His dirty blonde hair meticulously combed, and his big blue eyes looked away from me. I smiled thinking he was too adorable.

Father sat on his chair in front of his guest while I stood next to him greeting them with my eyes.

"Iemitsu…this here is my daughter, Yuanjun. And of course you met my son, but he had some errands to do and won't be present in this small meeting." Father looked my way, his hand gesturing at the man.

"Yuanjun, this is Iemitsu Sawada and his little companion is Basilicum." I bowed at them, greeting with politeness and grace. I hated it.

I looked at the little boy, he looked shy and he'd always look away every time our eyes meet. It was actually quite adorable in a way.

"So father…what's so important that you wanted me to meet this respectable man?" I spoke with utter displeasure and a slight rudeness to it, but father didn't seem fazed by it.
"Iemitsu here is a friend of our family's greatest ally, the Vongola 9th. You remember him right?" he smiled.

I paused to think, and then looked at him.

"You're talking about Grandpa Timoteo, right?" I only call him grandpa since father and he insisted I call him that. Just a formal name for him I guess, not that I'm complaining; he was really nice to me when we first met.

"Yes Yuanjun, he wished for you to visit him in Italy."

"A visit?"

"Yes…Iemitsu and I were just talking about it; maybe you could try for the Foreign
Exchange Student Program?" he suggested, but it was more of an order than anything.

"That's right Yuanjun-chan…the 9th would be very please if you do come to Italy, you could also meet the 9th's son." Iemitsu smiled.

I sighed heavily, with this kind of matter; I won't have any choice but to obey. Father wouldn't be too please with it, he might even punish me for disobeying his orders or favors as he likes to call it.

I nodded silently; I know there was something more to it than what they were telling me. Probably some kind of plot the both of them made, and the 9th probably has something to do with this too. I mean, why the heck would father agree to the exchange student crap? He wouldn't even let me out of his sight let alone the country.

I smell something fishy…

Iemitsu and the boy with him, decided to stay in the mansion, father insisted they should than spend their money in some shabby hotel. I on the other hand, locked myself in my room; I was too into thinking to even walk out and bid my father goodnight; but I think father had already suspected why.

That night, Suyin snuck into my room for a little girl chat between best friends. She suddenly felt sad when I told her that I was going away for god-knows how long. It couldn't be help, but I told her than I would constantly write to her and even call her –through head maid Jiayi of course- After that, I didn't give much thought to it; the more I'm reminded of it, the more depressed I get.

Suyin comforted me that night; I suspected that she didn't leave until I fell asleep. I woke up in the morning in a quiet and empty room. The clock says 9 AM, time to go downstairs and have a little breakfast. I made a quick change and headed downstairs.
But damn…my head hurts so much.

I walked into the dining hall, and to my surprise, it was empty. I stood there confused, the long table should be filled with food and father would be sitting on the very head. But instead there was nothing. My stomach grumbled, demanding for food; it kept at it as I walked out of there, hungry.

I looked around and saw Ping, Suyin's older brother carrying a small tray of food. I called out to him and stopped.

"Where's everybody?" I asked him. Ping pointing the backyard with his lips and rushed off soon after. I followed him, with my stomach still grumbling.
The yard was big, with different kinds of flowers. It was my mother's garden that she took care of since she came here. Mŭqīn, loved her plants and treated them as if they were they were her own child. Father and Iemitsu sat by the table underneath the black-colored gazebo.

He saw me and gestured for me to come, they were eating breakfast outside –explains why the dining room was empty- I sat next to father, Iemitsu was eating bacon and eggs, while the boy Basilicum was struggling to eat his eggs and toast.

My stomach grumbled again before I could even take a bite out of my food. I turned red that's for sure, Iemitsu laughed at me, and he was just about to say something when his cell phone rang in his pocket, and then excuse himself from the table.

I stared at Basilicum who was now staring back at me, I smiled at him then he smiled back. Something I didn't expect since yesterday he was just very shy towards me.

"Hey Basilicum, how old are you?" I asked just to start a small conversation with him. He looked at me, thinking.

Then with his fingers, he counted up to six and showed it to me.
"Basil is now six." He stated. "How about you Yuanjun…dono?" I looked at him and smiled.
"I'm thirteen!" not long after that, Iemitsu came back his phone in his left hand. He sat back at the chair he was sitting on and smiled at my father.

"Sorry about that Wei-san…that was the 9th and there was an urgent matter I need to attend to. Basil and I are going back today…and with Yuanjun-chan if it was already decided.

"Wait!" I protested, "I thought I was going to be put in the exchange student program? Wouldn't that take a while to process?"

Iemitsu smiled.

"That's true, but then we could just put you as a transfer student, and we can just process the paper works while we're in Italy."

"Oh…"

I soon said my goodbyes to Suyin and head maid Jiayi, it was a hard goodbye, and I thought I would have enough time to spend some of time with Suyin and the others. But everything was rushed, Jiayi helped me packed and Suyin, Suyin didn't show after I said goodbye to her.

We left China that night

Description
CHAPTER ONE: BEGINNINGS

It all started when I was a little child.

HA! That's bullshit!

Well obviously it would start when I was a kid, but to me it wasn't. Everything was dull; everything was the same old routine. Wake up in the morning, do exercises; if not home schooled I go to a private school, and then come straight home. Then, there were the bodyguards; bodyguards here, bodyguards there, they were everywhere watching everything I do. I couldn't even get decent friends or wander off somewhere without them watching me.
It's tiring and dry being born in a family who was involved in a society of Triads; Triads are well known in China, like the Yakuza in Japan and Mafia in Italy. One would think that a life in the triad would be exciting, I laugh at that, it's not very exciting, just dangerous; with all the illegal things we're involved in, Counterfeiting money, smuggling drugs, weapons…you get the picture.

It's not exactly a happy family.

All I wanted was a normal life where I can have normal friends and a normal love life… tch! Maybe. But all of it was taken away by my own family, thinking that being normal isn't a good thing. That being born in the criminal life is important as breathing air and eating food.

It's bullshit, that's what I think.

Mŭqīn once said I should be grateful for Fŭqīn's hard work; that everything he does was for the sake of the family's survival. I just nodded and agreed so there wouldn't be any arguments.

So if I had said it all started when I was a little child, don't believe me, there's nothing there but me growing up rebellious and stubborn; when really, it all started when That Man came to our house.
Quite dramatic eh? That man! Haha…tch!

***
It was a summer after noon when all servants of the house started to get busy, it was like they were in rush with all their scurrying in and out of the kitchen. I watched them from upstairs, looking down from the railing. It was one of those boring days when there's nothing else to do other than people watching. It's actually quite a sport to do, though no one would really consider people watching as a sport. It's sport enough to me.
Suyin, one of the younger maids, came out of the kitchen pushing a large cart full of food; but I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't our typical 'Chinese' food, instead they were Japanese. I stood there wondering why; then not long after that, Suyin came back out of the dining room and it was a perfect time to ask her.

"Hey Suyin!" I called out, loud enough for her to hear. At first she didn't know where to look, she looked around thinking that she might be hearing things, then she eventually looked up to me.

I waved at her then smiled; Suyin was just one of the rare friends I made in the house, though Fŭqīn had always scolded me for it, I still kept talking to her. The head maid knows that when Suyin disappears from her duty, then it means that she's with me.
Head maid Jiayi was a good woman; she cared for me after my Mŭqīn ran away and eloped with father's right-hand man, very typical huh? Who would have thought that a respectable woman like my mother would even consider eloping with father's most trusted man? Ever since then, father had always been hunting them down.

Suyin ran up to me, with a smile yet tired eyes.

"What's going on Suyin? Do we have a visitor?" I asked her right away. She nodded as we started to walk towards my room.

"Yes…your father has a very important guest; he's Japanese so we were ordered to make Japanese Cuisine."

My room was big, too big for my taste. A king size canopy bed stood in the center of the room, with red velvet curtains hanging down on all sides. The room itself was painted in black and red with different Chinese symbols, a large flat screen T.V. hangs on the wall, a couch, a vanity dresser and all the lovely things that rich people have. I don't really want them; father insisted I put them in my room.

The thing that I loved the most in this room was the veranda; to get out there was through the sliding doors, covered by the black silk curtains. It over looked the country, away from the main city and it was wonderful scenery to wake up to.

As we entered my room, we headed towards the bed; Suyin sat on the edge of the bed, while I casually plopped, face down on the soft cushion.

Suyin giggled as she bounced up from my body hitting the bed.

"Hey, Suyin…describe to me what the man looked like." I asked her, she shrugged at the question, making a slight noise that almost sound like I don't know.

"I didn't exactly look at him, I was too busy serving the food, but I do know this, there was a cute little boy with him." She smiled.

I looked up to her then smiled with her. Now I'm really curious who it was, I fiddled with my fingers anxious to know. Suyin saw this and knew right away.

"Just be patient Jun…I'm sure your father will call you soon." She calmly stated.
"I know."

She laughed; it was music to my ears, it sounded like little chime bells the way she laughed and it soothes me. And I always loved it.

We talked for what seemed like hours, but it didn't last long as my room echoed with the loud knocking sound. Suyin fell silent, and immediately, she ducked underneath my bed. The door opened, father came walking in with his always serious look on his face. Big heavy bags were clear under his light dark brown eyes –doesn't quite complement his square face and sharp jaws– His dark hair sleeked back with his home made herbal oil, and he looked good with his foreign white suit and a dark red tie.

"Fŭqīn, what can I do for you?" I formally asked as I straighten my posture. He sat next to me on my bed and held my hand.

"Yuanjun…did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" this is how my dear father start a conversation, especially if there was something he wanted me to do, a favor or an order, whatever you want to call it.

"Is there something you wish for me to do, Fŭqīn?" my voice plain and calm. He smiled and squeezed my hand tighter.

"There's a man downstairs that I want you to meet…he's a friend of the family." Despite my father strict and firm appearance, he's quite a softy and kind. He just always put the triad first before his family, maybe that's why mother left.
"So will you come down stairs and join us?" I nodded; I figured that it was very important since he took the liberty of coming up here to get me. I left the room with father leaving Suyin underneath the bed; I'm pretty sure Suyin can handle herself and sneak away from the watchful eyes of the bodyguards.

My feet felt like lead, dragging heavily on the carpeted floor; I didn't really want to meet the man father was talking about but I didn't have any choice,
I followed father towards the main room, it appears that they had finished their meal and now sitting somewhere in the house. The main room was empty, but father kept on walking towards his home office; I followed him.

The visitor was sitting in front of father's desk, his lazy eyes stares at me, his hair unkempt –despite him dressed very professionally— and the boy that Suyin talked about sat next to him. His dirty blonde hair meticulously combed, and his big blue eyes looked away from me. I smiled thinking he was too adorable.

Father sat on his chair in front of his guest while I stood next to him greeting them with my eyes.

"Iemitsu…this here is my daughter, Yuanjun. And of course you met my son, but he had some errands to do and won't be present in this small meeting." Father looked my way, his hand gesturing at the man.

"Yuanjun, this is Iemitsu Sawada and his little companion is Basilicum." I bowed at them, greeting with politeness and grace. I hated it.

I looked at the little boy, he looked shy and he'd always look away every time our eyes meet. It was actually quite adorable in a way.

"So father…what's so important that you wanted me to meet this respectable man?" I spoke with utter displeasure and a slight rudeness to it, but father didn't seem fazed by it.
"Iemitsu here is a friend of our family's greatest ally, the Vongola 9th. You remember him right?" he smiled.

I paused to think, and then looked at him.

"You're talking about Grandpa Timoteo, right?" I only call him grandpa since father and he insisted I call him that. Just a formal name for him I guess, not that I'm complaining; he was really nice to me when we first met.

"Yes Yuanjun, he wished for you to visit him in Italy."

"A visit?"

"Yes…Iemitsu and I were just talking about it; maybe you could try for the Foreign
Exchange Student Program?" he suggested, but it was more of an order than anything.

"That's right Yuanjun-chan…the 9th would be very please if you do come to Italy, you could also meet the 9th's son." Iemitsu smiled.

I sighed heavily, with this kind of matter; I won't have any choice but to obey. Father wouldn't be too please with it, he might even punish me for disobeying his orders or favors as he likes to call it.

I nodded silently; I know there was something more to it than what they were telling me. Probably some kind of plot the both of them made, and the 9th probably has something to do with this too. I mean, why the heck would father agree to the exchange student crap? He wouldn't even let me out of his sight let alone the country.

I smell something fishy…

Iemitsu and the boy with him, decided to stay in the mansion, father insisted they should than spend their money in some shabby hotel. I on the other hand, locked myself in my room; I was too into thinking to even walk out and bid my father goodnight; but I think father had already suspected why.

That night, Suyin snuck into my room for a little girl chat between best friends. She suddenly felt sad when I told her that I was going away for god-knows how long. It couldn't be help, but I told her than I would constantly write to her and even call her –through head maid Jiayi of course- After that, I didn't give much thought to it; the more I'm reminded of it, the more depressed I get.

Suyin comforted me that night; I suspected that she didn't leave until I fell asleep. I woke up in the morning in a quiet and empty room. The clock says 9 AM, time to go downstairs and have a little breakfast. I made a quick change and headed downstairs.
But damn…my head hurts so much.

I walked into the dining hall, and to my surprise, it was empty. I stood there confused, the long table should be filled with food and father would be sitting on the very head. But instead there was nothing. My stomach grumbled, demanding for food; it kept at it as I walked out of there, hungry.

I looked around and saw Ping, Suyin's older brother carrying a small tray of food. I called out to him and stopped.

"Where's everybody?" I asked him. Ping pointing the backyard with his lips and rushed off soon after. I followed him, with my stomach still grumbling.
The yard was big, with different kinds of flowers. It was my mother's garden that she took care of since she came here. Mŭqīn, loved her plants and treated them as if they were they were her own child. Father and Iemitsu sat by the table underneath the black-colored gazebo.

He saw me and gestured for me to come, they were eating breakfast outside –explains why the dining room was empty- I sat next to father, Iemitsu was eating bacon and eggs, while the boy Basilicum was struggling to eat his eggs and toast.

My stomach grumbled again before I could even take a bite out of my food. I turned red that's for sure, Iemitsu laughed at me, and he was just about to say something when his cell phone rang in his pocket, and then excuse himself from the table.

I stared at Basilicum who was now staring back at me, I smiled at him then he smiled back. Something I didn't expect since yesterday he was just very shy towards me.

"Hey Basilicum, how old are you?" I asked just to start a small conversation with him. He looked at me, thinking.

Then with his fingers, he counted up to six and showed it to me.
"Basil is now six." He stated. "How about you Yuanjun…dono?" I looked at him and smiled.
"I'm thirteen!" not long after that, Iemitsu came back his phone in his left hand. He sat back at the chair he was sitting on and smiled at my father.

"Sorry about that Wei-san…that was the 9th and there was an urgent matter I need to attend to. Basil and I are going back today…and with Yuanjun-chan if it was already decided.

"Wait!" I protested, "I thought I was going to be put in the exchange student program? Wouldn't that take a while to process?"

Iemitsu smiled.

"That's true, but then we could just put you as a transfer student, and we can just process the paper works while we're in Italy."

"Oh…"

I soon said my goodbyes to Suyin and head maid Jiayi, it was a hard goodbye, and I thought I would have enough time to spend some of time with Suyin and the others. But everything was rushed, Jiayi helped me packed and Suyin, Suyin didn't show after I said goodbye to her.

We left China that night