A promise before a farewell

"You got your stuff ready?" asked Angelo to his son, Shinabaru nodded, "Just… sorry about this."

"No father, it's okay. They need me to come there, I already told everyone," Shinabaru replied, his voice had a hint of sadness in them.

"...Chris is waiting for you son, be sure to look presentable," Angelo added while walking away, Shinabaru was confused at what he just said.

"W-what does that mean?" he asked, Angelo looked at Shinabaru with a grin.

"She invited you on a date, be sure to wear your best clothes. I've already given Chris over one-hundred thousand yen," this was the last thing Angelo said as he exited the room.

"...Fine then," Shinabaru found the best tuxedo in his suitcase. But when he was about to wear it, he found something else.

"Shinabaru sure takes a while," Christian commented, but Yashiro silenced him. After a few minutes they heard someone going down from the stairs, "Alright, everyone go to their positions."

"Chris? sorry I'm lat-'' before Shinabaru could finish his line, confetti was fired, "AIIIIII!!!" Shinabaru screamed like a little girl.

"Happy leaving Shinabaru," Samuel said with a smile.

"H-HAPPY LEAVING, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS WANT ME TO LEAVE!!!"

"We're very sad that you're going to leave us," Npc exclaimed with the biggest smile on his face.

"AT LEAST ACT SAD!!!"

"So we're going to give you goodbye gifts," Christian announced with his usual emotionless tone.

"Ah, at least that's going to be good," Shinabaru said while Christian gave him his gift, "Let's see Christian. W-what is this?"

"That's what you call, a trumpet."

"WHAT THE- WHY DO I NEED A TRUMPET!!!" Samuel then stepped in and gave his present to Shinabaru, "Ah, something sensible, a book, let's see the titl- WHY DO I NEED A COPY OF 'HOW TO BECOME AN ESCAPED CONVICT!!?!?!"

"Dunno, I just expected you to go to prison."

"Like what the heck dude? Ight next, Npc… why is your gift a condom?"

"Remember the 'condom incident' yeah that's what it was supposed to be," everyone just ignored what Npc said, for they do not want to remember the incident.

"Next, Yashiro? Oh thanks, a scarf… WHY DO I NEED A SCARF IN THE PHILIPPINES WHERE THE CITIES' TEMPERATURE ARE HOT!!!" Christian slapped Shinabaru for what he said.

"Appreciate my girlfriend's gift, golden boy."

"Psh, shut up... Thanks tho. Anyway, next Tsuyuki? Okay, a book… 'how to commit a war crime secretly" Shinabaru looked at Tsuyuki with judging eyes, "Why?"

"Me~ next," Jemuzu announced, he confidently gave Shinabaru a wrapped present.

"Okay, let's see what's inside… let's just ignore that," Shinabaru threw the present away as he saw the slightest bit of an anime body pillow, "That's for later."

"Ight mine next," Kurapa gave a standard-looking gift to Shinabaru.

"I bet it's going to be something bad," when Shinabaru opened it, he saw a normal t-shirt, "...That's too normal," he exclaimed with absolute confusion.

"Alright alright, everyone, let's make them two talk now, she does have a present for him," Sora announced while spectating the entire spectacle.

"Us two?" Shinabaru pondered at what Sora meant by 'us two' but he got what it when Chris appeared from the crowd. She was wearing a beautiful blue outfit with a certain bracelet.

"How do you like my o-outfit?" she asked the golden boy. Shinabaru blushed, not at the outfit, it's from the bracelet.

Shinabaru scratched his hair, thinking of an answer, "B-beautiful," Shinabaru hid his cheeks as everyone in the room began laughing, "C-C'MON, WE HAVE A DATE DON'T WE!?" Shinabaru shouted while angrily walking to Chris who was blushing at Shinabaru's compliments.

"Uhh, uhh, I-I guess I'll show y-you my g-g-gift o-outside," Chris stuttered in embarrassment, she took Shinabaru's hand and rushed to the front door, "We're leaving."

"Alright, be sure to take care of yourselves," Sora said while Chris stuck out her tongue, "Time sure flies by."

"I know right?" Alessia nodded her head.

"I should be saying that, since I took care of Shinabaru more than you," Angelo commented while his eyes wandered around, "Can everyone please leave me and mister Tsunade alone, I want to have a private talk with him," Angelo declared, Sora was a little surprised but accepted it.

"You heard him, go to Christian's room for something," Sora announced, everyone supported this idea except for Christian himself.

"WOO, LET'S GO TO CHRISTIAN'S ROOM!!!" Jemuzu yelled out with excitement.

"Don't you dare," Christian warned everyone but they just ignored it and rushed to Christian's room.

"Well, since it's a talk about fathers, I'm going to play with the dogs okay honey," Alessia remarked while calling out for the dogs, Angelo nodded at this.

"Okay, what is that you want to talk about?" Sora questioned, "So I'm one-hundred percent sure that you know that we are part of the crime family known as the Arawans," Angelo spoke in a calm and collected voice.

"Yes, I know that, what? You're going to kill or tell me to keep quiet?" Sora asked in a semi-threatening voice.

"Keeping quiet? Precisely, we would want that. But killing you, that's what we don't want. Actually, we're not here to threaten you Sora, we're here to help you," Angelo declared, his voice was soft and welcoming, he had a faint smile on his face.

"Help me? What are you talking about?" Sora wondered what the monster of the Arawan family was up to.

"Every month we will give you a salary of a million yen for twenty years, which should give you and your children a comfortable life to live until Christian and Christina grow old enough to get their own job," Angelo stated, Sora was confused at this.

"Why are you doing this?" Sora asked, but he was silenced by Angelo.

"We do have two demands though," Angelo declared, his voice had power on them, it made Sora anticipate for an answer, "First demand, no matter what situation he is, if Shinabaru asks to live in your house, you will accept," Sora was a little surprised at the first demand, "Second demand… Christina Tsunade will become Shinabaru's bride," at this demand, Sora got up from his chair.

"W-what? That's Chris's decision, she gets to choose who she'll marry… plus, I don't want you to take my little girl away from me," Sora declared, his voice was commanding but also collected.

"I did not ask for Chris to come with us, I asked if she could be Shinabaru's bride," when Angelo said this, Sora began to wonder about the demands.

"Why these sorts of demands though? It's a little weird for you to ask me if the heir to a crime family can marry my daughter and live in my house. What are you up to?" Sora demanded an answer, this was for the sake of his daughter's future.

Angelo was silent for a few seconds. Then from his pockets, he pulled out a photo and gave it to Sora. It was a picture of a kid Shinabaru, he was smiling the most sincere smile Sora had ever seen Shinabaru give, "Lucifer Arawan, my son. This picture was when he ate watermelon for the first time, it was also his fifth birthday. He was begging his grandfather for watermelon because his papa won't give him some, so with grandpa's help, Lucifer was able to convince papa to give him watermelon," said Angelo, the smile on his face was showing how much he cared for his son.

"I see, why did you tell me this story?" Sora asked, he was a little shocked at Shinabaru's true name, but it was nothing compared to how curious he was on why Angelo told him this.

"Luc- Shinabaru isn't meant to live the life of a gang boss, I want to tell him to throw away this life and live with you guys, because… because when he spends time with Chris, his smiles and laughs are all real. A father would sacrifice everything he has for his children. Everyone in the Arawan family also agrees, but no one tells him because he always thinks of it as a joke. Shinabaru is living this life because it was said that when the Arawans reach their peak, the leader should bring the world into chaos, to unite the world against this one person, then that person will die for the world to celebrate as one," Angelo explained, his hands turn into fists, Sora could see the frustration of Angelo's face.

"Fine then, I will accept that offer," Sora declared, Angelo's face lit up like a light bulb, "As a father myself, I can relate with you. Ever since her mother died, Chris had been trying to become the most responsible one in the family, but when she met Shinabaru, she became more violent, more energetic, more like herself," Sora smiled, his memories recalling flashbacks of a younger Chris, "Yeah, more like herself."

Meanwhile, outside the house, two people were walking together, a few feet apart, "U-uh, n-nice weather we're having, hehe," Shinabaru awkwardly giggled, Chris saw how awkward it was and kissed Shinabaru on the cheek.

"Geez, let's stop this act shall we, let's go back to our old dynamic," a smile formed on Chris's face while hugging Shinabaru, Shinabaru blushed at the reaction to the kiss.

"I-I can't go back t-to our old d-dynamic i-if you ke-keep doing t-that," he stuttered while trying to escape the hug

"Just act like how you used to act, but instead of being best friends, we're girlfriend and boyfriend now," Chris uttered something that made Shinabaru stop in his tracks.

"W-wait what? We're a c-c-couple now?" he blurted out as Chris smirked.

"What? You're telling me all that 'I love you' you told me was all a lie?" she replied, her face was full of smug essence.

"Damn smug essence," Shinabaru said to himself, he grabbed Chris' hand and began to walk, "O-of course it wasn't a lie, let's go we have a date to attend," he admitted while turning his face away for Chris not to see his face.

"Okay, boyfriend~" she teased him while they held hands to the nearest shop.

30 minutes later…

"Hey mama?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"What are those two doing?"

"They're just fighting, it's normal for couples."

"I told you Chris, I don't want my veggies," Shinabaru angrily said while Chris grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard.

"That's not very respectful, boyfriend," a scary grin was painted on the face of Chris, she got Shinabaru's chopsticks and forcefully made him eat some vegetables, "This is the reason why you're shorter than anyone in our class."

"It's not my fault that I don't like veggies," Shinabaru pouted while Chris fed him, "Oh yeah, you've been staring at my chest area for a while now."

"Of course," Chris said, she was hiding her cheeks while Shinabaru pondered about what the 'of course' meant, "That was the shirt I bought you on our first date," she said, her face was fully red at this point.

"Really, you blushed for that?" Shinabaru was on the verge of dying of laughter, "Aww~ you're so~ cute Chris, I just wanna eat you up," he taunted, but Chris got more vegetables and forced Shinabaru to eat it.

"How about eating your vegetables first," she said, her cheeks were still red, but she didn't hide them, "How about my bracelet?" Chris asked while Shinabaru blushed.

"Y-yeah, the 'hot dawg' bracelet from that one weird hot dog stall," Shinabaru mentioned that one hot dog stand they saw in the forest, Chris smiled at this.

"That was an eventful first date don't you say?" she stated while holding Shinabaru's hand, "That was when we were just friends, but now it's different."

"Yeah… b-by the w-way Chris, what was y-your gift to me?" said an embarrassed Shinabaru, "I can't believe a few months ago we were just friends, but now we're a couple… but it is my last day here," Shinabaru said to himself while regretting not telling Chris sooner. Chris was shaking, Shinabaru observed this, "You alright?" he asked.

"I-I-I c-can't s-s-show you the g-gift r-right now, when the d-date is almost d-done I'll sh-show yo-you," Chris stuttered, Shinabaru became more curious at what the gift was.

"Is it that embarrassing that you need to hide it?" he asked.

"W-well it's not embarrassing, it's just… I think it's illegal," Chris whispered in the last part, but Shinabaru heard it.

He leaned to the ear of Chris, "I may be a gangster, but I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, I don't have underaged se-"

"I-it's not that, you'll see," she stated, Shinabaru sighed relief at this.

"Are you sure it's illegal?" he asked, but Chris just stood up and grabbed Shinabaru's hand.

"THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD!!!" she shouted at the chef who gave a thumbs up at them, "Can we talk about this when the time comes, cause I don't really feel like talking about it right now."

"Fine, whatever you say, girlfriend," Shinabaru intertwined their fingers and smiled at Chris, "Let's have a good time shall we?"

"Alright then, arcade first, be sure to not lose to my empress again."

Shinabaru and Chris played at the arcade for one and a half hours. Chris won every game she played with Shinabaru except for whack-a-mole. After playing in the arcade, they walked together to their favorite park. Slowly they realized why in the past, a lot of people thought they were dating. When they were still friends, they acted the same as when they were dating. Chris was more than happy with her time with Shinabaru, he felt the same also, but there was something that hurt him. He knew he would leave Chris alone.

While walking home, Shinabaru built up the courage to ask the question he was thinking the entire date, "Hey Chris?" he called out for the girl who was clinging to his arm.

"Yeah?" she replied, Shinabaru walked forwards a little bit, this made Chris let go of Shinabaru's arm. With his back turned against Chris, Shinabaru began to speak.

"Chris, I love you… but I have to leave, I know that you'll move on from me, I know you'll find a man to replace me with, I know you'll have children and I know eventually… you'll forget about me," Shinabaru emotionally said, tears began flowing from his eyes, "I just want you to know that I support you, I don't wanna weigh you down, I wanna lift you… so let's end this girlfriend and boyfriend relationship we have, and let's just be acquaintances from now on," he exclaimed, but as he turned around to see Chris' face, he was embraced by her.

"S-shut up dummy," Chris exclaimed, her whole body was trembling, "Like I'll able to forget about you, and I don't intend to replace anyone with you… since it's the end of our date, I'm going to show you my gift," as Chris said this, she went down on one knee.

"Eh?" Shinabaru was confused.

"I know this might be illegal since we need to be eighteen with our parent's permission, but do I care about the rules," Chris said while pulling out a small box from her pocket, "Lucifer Arawan, will you marry me, Christina Tsunade, and promise to share our hardships and our success," Chris opened the box to reveal an engagement ring.

"WAHAAAAAAAAAAH!?!??!!!?!??!" Shinabaru panicked and began to breathe fast, "W-WHAT THE HELL, I-IS THIS A P-P-PROPOSAL!!!" he exclaimed, Chris stood up and got the ring.

"Wear it, it will show anyone that you've been taken… it will also remind you of a promise," Chris said while putting the ring on Shinabaru's hand, Shinabaru didn't resist.

"P-promise?" he asked, his hands still trembling.

"Yes, a promise," Chris kissed Shinabaru, when she was done she hugged him, "A promise that you'll come back to me," she said, Shinabaru froze.

"...At least make me do the proposal, I'm the h-husband so I need to be the one kneeling."

"Yeah but I'm Chris, I will be the head of the family."

"H-head of the family? D-do you at least have your own ring?"

"Yeah, I do, it matches yours."

After coming back home, Shinabaru and Chris demanded a private talk with their parents, they hid their hands to hide the rings "Okay, so what do you guys wanna talk about?" Angelo asked.

"I-it's about something important," Shinabaru exclaimed while his whole body was trembling.

"Yeah, what is it?" Sora demanded, he was also ready to tell Shinabaru to marry his daughter.

"Make sure to make this a secret to everyone, I don't wanna make a huge ruckus," Chris demanded while elbowing Shinabaru.

Shinabaru took in a huge breath, his body was trembling like crazy, but he had memorized what he needed to say by saying it a thousand times, "Chris proposed and I accepted, so we're engaged."

"WAAAAAH!!!?!?!!" both Sora and Angelo yelled out as Alessia covered her mouth.

"We're asking for permission from the parents, Mister Angelo, Miss Alessia, can I please marry your son," Chris bowed as Angelo panicked and Alessia gave a wide smile.

Just like Chris, Shinabaru turned to Sora, "Mister Sora, I can please have your daughter?" Shinabaru bowed, his whole body was shaking waiting for an answer.

Sora smiled at Shinabaru, "Shinabaru, I fully trust you to give Chris nothing but happiness, I am proud to be called your father-in-law. Yes, you shall marry my daughter," Sora declared while lifting Shinabaru's face, Shinabaru had a face of awe, "There's my son-in-law's face."

"As for you Christina," Chris was a little scared at the tone of Angelo's voice, but it was all removed when Angelo bowed, "We will give you our son, please punish him when he's doing something you don't like, please assist him when he needs help, please take care of him in every day of his life, and always love him, that is all as parents we ask for you," Angelo exclaimed, Alessia also bowed.

"But…" Shinabaru stated, "I need to go home first, I need to take out the Aquinos, so for a few years, I need to be away," Shinabaru said with a sad tone.

But Sora grabbed his shoulder, "Then I will take care of Chris in those years, they will be the last few years I shall take care of my daughter, then I will give her to you. Please take care of her when I do," Sora stated, Shinabaru smiled and embraced Sora.

After a few hours, Shinabaru was about to leave the Tsunade household, "It sure has been a while," he said to himself, "I guess they're waiting for me," Shinabaru began to walk through the corridor where Samuel used to chase him, then down the stairs where Npc accidentally threw him, then the living room where he and Christian used to talk about manga, then the front door, where he first saw his beloved Christina Tsunade, "Ah, the memories, I'm going to miss this house," he exclaimed while taking in a huge breath. He opened the door to see everyone waiting for him, "Guys?"

"Don't think you're leaving without giving us a goodbye hug," Christian declared while opening up his arms, "come here golden boy."

"You beast," Shinabaru said while he and Christian embraced as bros.

"Don't forget about me," Samuel joined the hugging.

"And me also," Npc picked everyone up, "Ah, my back."

"Be careful," Samuel said, "We're going to miss you buddy, fist-bump?"

"Fist-bump," Samuel and Shinabaru did the bro fist-bump as they began laughing, "Ahh, that was good, you next big ma- AHH!!"

Npc hugged Shinabaru so hard that Shinabaru thought his ribs were going to break, "I'm going to miss you man," Npc said, he was about to tear up.

"Aww, Shinabaru made Npc cry," Christian tauntingly said while going to Npc, "C'mon man, we're supposed to send him off with a smile," he said to Npc who stood up straight immediately.

"SEE YOU, BUDDY!!!" Npc yelled out.

"See you guys," said Shinabaru, but when he turned, he saw his fiance, "Ah Chris," Chris hugged Shinabaru as he did the same.

"Be sure to take care of yourself out there okay?"

"Okay."

"Don't do overly dangerous stuff okay?"

"Okay."

"Always make sure to look at the ring so you don't forget about our promise."

"Like I'd ever."

"And most importantly," Chris lifted her hand and met Shinabaru in the eyes, "Be a good man."

"I'll try my best."

At this, Shinabaru entered a car that was waiting for him, "Goodbye everyone," he yelled out.

"Cye golden boy."

"Goodbye, dear friend."

"BYE BYE SHINABARU!!"

Shinabaru smiled at them as the car started to go, "I love you Chris."

"I love you, Shinabaru."