Chapter 54: Familiar face

Two years back, Tsuna had made a trip to visit his grandparents in Shizuoka.

As was their tradition during his visits, they took Tsuna on a city tour. This time, they had a special plan in store.

They were headed to a restaurant owned by their family, where Tsuna would have the chance to meet some influential government figures. His grandpa, a man with considerable connections and power, wanted to introduce Tsuna to these important individuals.

Upon arriving at the restaurant and stepping out of the car, Tsuna spotted an unexpected figure strolling across the crosswalk. The individual eventually made their way to a nearby park, sitting and gazing up at the sky.

Observing this, Tsuna told his grandparents he intended to say hello to a middle-school acquaintance.

He approached the person with a slight frown, noticing that the guy held a can of beer in hand. The person's flushed face indicated that he was clearly inebriated.

"What on earth are you up to, Nijimura?" Tsuna inquired as he settled down beside Nijimura. He continued, "You're not old enough to be drinking. Where did you even get that beer?"

Hearing someone scolding him, Nijimura was on the verge of getting upset when he noticed an unexpected face in front of him.

Nijimura burst into laughter. "Hahaha, I might've had a bit too much today if I'm seeing Tsunayoshi here."

Tsuna shook his head at Nijimura, who seemed to think he was hallucinating and smacked him on the head. The impact was enough to send Nijimura tumbling to the ground.

"...Why does my head hurt?"

Nijimura mumbled in his drunken state, his words slurred.

He staggered to his feet and found himself face to face with Tsuna, who maintained the same calm expression Nijimura recalled.

Nijimura shook his head, dismissing the bizarre encounter. "Forget it. This is probably just a weird dream. That guy was a nightmare, right?"

"Hehehe," Suddenly laughing like a lunatic, Nijimura lunged at Tsuna, seemingly intent on ending his 'nightmare'.

Sebas, who had been watching from the sidelines, grew alarmed and rushed toward Tsuna.

But Tsuna signaled for him to hold back, and he evaded Nijimura's punches with surprising agility.

As Sebas observed the scuffle, he couldn't help but be taken aback by Nijimura's efficient punches. It was clear that Nijimura had some natural talent in hand-to-hand combat, even though his form was rough and untrained.

Sebas had to concede that Nijimura might have been a skilled martial artist in his own right, but unfortunately for him, he was up against a true monster.

When Tsuna had just returned to the States, he got into a fight in the streetball court with a random nobody who had a Chihuahua Beast Instinct after he disrespected him too much.

His mother almost grounded him the entire year and prevented him from going out to implement his plan, always worried he'd be in a dangerous situation.

But Tsuna had found a way around it.

He proved his ability to defend himself by enlisting the help of Sebas, a former underworld heavyweight with a background in special forces. Tsuna had mastered these techniques in just a few months, leaving Sebas dumbfounded.

When Tsuna had exhausted Sebas' knowledge, he even emphasized the importance of diversifying his martial arts skills and taught Sebas different forms.

Of course, Sebas was unaware that Tsuna's skills weren't confined to this life alone; he had trained in martial arts not only in this life but also in his previous one.

Remembering those memories, Sebas shook his head and closely watched the situation, ready to step in if needed.

Nijimura continued his barrage of punches and kicks, growing increasingly frustrated. He shouted, "Fight back, you impostor! How dare you pretend to be someone I know..."

Still dodging the attacks, Tsuna shook his head in response, letting Nijimura vent his emotions. Nijimura's shouts grew more and more incomprehensible.

"...Young Master, your grandparents might start to worry if you don't return soon," Sebas reminded Tsuna, his voice audible over the commotion.

"I understand. Let me wrap this up, Sebas," Tsuna said with a sigh as he carefully observed another kick coming his way.

Swiftly sidestepping, he closed the gap between them and unleashed a powerful punch, landing squarely on Nijimura's face. The force sent Nijimura crashing to the ground, where he groaned in pain.

Feeling somewhat regretful about the situation, Tsuna began to walk away from Nijimura.

Unfortunately, their meeting had taken such a turn, especially when Tsuna had an important appointment with some influential figures, and Nijimura clearly wasn't in the right state of mind.

However, Tsuna's steps came to an abrupt halt as Nijimura suddenly broke into uncontrollable tears, screaming and wailing. Turning back to look at Nijimura's distraught state, Tsuna sighed. Nijimura appeared utterly broken and heartbroken, a pitiful sight to behold.

Tsuna shook his head with a heavy heart as he sat beside the weeping Nijimura. He turned to Sebas, standing nearby, and said, "Sebas, come up with some excuse for me..."

"Understood," Sebas replied quietly, understanding the situation. He nodded to Tsuna and then informed Tsuna's grandparents of the delay.

Tsuna remained seated, gazing up at the beautiful Shizuoka prefecture night sky.

He let Nijimura release his pent-up emotions, allowing him to cry and scream his heart out. Nearly an hour passed before Nijimura's sobs began to subside, and he sat up, his face stained with tears.

Nijimura continued to cry as he shared his story with Tsuna.

His father had been diagnosed with lung cancer, but they caught it early enough for treatment to be effective. The problem was that they didn't have much money, and the treatment costs were exorbitant.

Despite his father's insistence that it was okay, he continued to work tirelessly to secure Nijimura's future.

Teiko, the elite school he attended, had steep tuition fees, even with an athlete scholarship Nijimura had obtained. To help out, Nijimura took any job he could find, mostly those that didn't require identification as he was still underage.

Things took a tragic turn when his father broke his legs in a truck accident.

Their financial situation worsened.

They struggled to make ends meet in Tokyo, their insurance barely covering medical bills. Nijimura had to work more to support them, jeopardizing his club training and risking the loss of his scholarship.

In these dire circumstances, with no clear solutions in sight, Nijimura's father made a heart-wrenching decision. He urged Nijimura to return to their hometown, Shizuoka, knowing it was the best chance for his son's future.

Nijimura accepted this choice without hesitation, prioritizing his father's health above all else. They left everything behind in Tokyo and relocated to Shizuoka.

Just last week, Nijimura accidentally overheard the doctor revealing the grim truth: if his father's cancer wasn't treated urgently, he might not have more than a couple of years, possibly just one, left to live.

Devastated by this revelation, Nijimura stormed into the room, demanding to know why he hadn't shared this dire prognosis earlier. Overwhelmed by emotions, he left home impulsively and hasn't returned since.

Listening to Nijimura's heartbreaking story, Tsuna couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of empathy. He sighed, sharing in Nijimura's pain.

Nijimura fell silent, no longer shedding tears, but the weight of his troubles still hung over him. He stared at the night sky, lost in thought.

Tsuna decided it was time to act. He rose from where he was sitting and turned to Nijimura. "Stand up."

Nijimura, puzzled, asked, "Why?"

Tsuna checked his wristwatch before replying, "Just trust me, okay?"

Still somewhat dazed and wondering if he was merely hallucinating due to the alcohol, Nijimura obeyed and got to his feet.

"Your story was tough. I honestly can't imagine what you went through..."

Tsuna, after hearing Nijimura's story, offered his sympathy.

He approached Nijimura swiftly and without warning.

In an instant, Tsuna's punch connected, and Nijimura crashed to the ground, knocked unconscious.

Tsuna scolded the downed Nijimura. "But you've been causing your dad so much worry, you idiot!"

Afterward, Tsuna shook his head and walked away from Nijimura, who lay unconscious.

"Sebas, handle this and find his dad's contact. His father must be frantic," Tsuna instructed.

"Of course, Young Master," Sebas replied with a bow as Tsuna headed towards the restaurant, running late for his important meeting.

---

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