1

Ieyoshi didn't know what to think. The strange Italian transfer student was kneeling in front of him calling him Tenth, when no less than five minutes ago he'd been throwing explosives in order to kill him.

"Hurry up, Ieyoshi-baka. Let Gokudera join your Familigia" devil baby Reborn just stood there waiting Ieyoshi make a decision. What kind of decision? Concerning what? How is anyone supposed to trust someone when they'd tried to kill your person just now?

Gokudera Hayato also known as 'Smoking Bomb Hayato' was one of the new and coming mafioso, with no Familigia or anything behind him. Just him and his prowess with dynamite and explosive temper. And Reborn was expecting him to let him join his 'Familigia'. As if Ieyoshi even had one!

So here he was standing and looking dumb when Gokudera just knelt there twitching with nerves, and Reborn expected him to make a decision concerning his and someone else's future.

Ieyoshi didn't notice his little brother Tsunayoshi watching everything behind the corner.

In the end Ieyoshi would say that he would think about it and leave the bomber to his own devices. A week later and Gokudera-san was enjoying breakfast as 'Tsu-kun's friend'. Ieyoshi would then feel relief when he wouldn't need to make any kind of decision after all.

2

Sawada Ieyoshi was according to his mother a 'perfect man'.

He got good grades. He was brilliant at sports. He was a kind and honorable person. He was a good son, a good friend and altogether pleasant person to be with. Also according to quite a few classmates of his, Ieyoshi was also very handsome. With his dandelion yellow hair, big dewy blue eyes, and pleasant smile it was hard to disagree.

Everything Ieyoshi did he did with grace and class. People trusted him and his input on when he was asked for help. Everything he did was perfect.

Not perfect. Not at all. I'm a horrible older brother.

People often would wonder though when they were told that Ieyoshi had a younger twin brother.

3

The crazy baby came with blazing guns and frightening smile to the Sawada family's life. Ieyoshi didn't know what to do with him, when the baby came and told him (and indirectly Tsuna) that they were related to the first boss of the most powerful mafia family in the world. The baby talked about everything and somethings that didn't make sense to Ieyoshi. He was scared and wanted to run away.

Only reason he didn't was because Tsuna would die if left with the little devil incarnate alone. After all he was Dame-Tsuna, he needed all the help there was.

From the first impressions Reborn would note how Ieyoshi would be unable to look him in the eye, same with everyone else, the chosen heir would come across, it was like he was scared of something. Sometime later he would notice that no matter how scared, Tsunayoshi on the other hand would always look you in the eyes when talking to you. Reborn will only think Dame-Tsuna is just that stupid.

4

When Ooji-san from 2-2 would come and scream that 'Yamamoto is going to jump off the roof!' Ieyoshi would feel regret more than fear. Regret that he hadn't been able to help Yamamoto Takeshi in any way. When everyone ran off to stop him, Ieyoshi knew there would be nothing he could do to stop the suicidal idiot. He'd cry a couple of tears and mourn over the loss of a life today, and next time, maybe next time he'd be able to help someone else in same kind of situation. So he sat there and waited.

Later Ieyoshi would hear what happened. Did Dame-Tsuna really save that suicidal idiot? He'd then close his eyes and chastise himself silently for referring to his little brother and Yamamoto Takeshi like that. Again. Even if it was inside his own head.

5

Reborn had never seen such a weak Dying Will Flame before. It almost made him consider the possibility that maybe Ieyoshi didn't want to live. It wouldn't matter either way. Reborn was here to train the next Vongola Boss and that he would do.

It was a shame though that Nono hadn't chosen Tsunayoshi as his successor. His Dying Will was enchantingly vivid.

6

Ieyoshi's first crush was a girl named Sasagawa Kyoko. She was pretty, sweet and popular. Ieyoshi never moved on those feelings or confessed to her, though. Mostly because her older brother scared him too much. How could anyone be so crude and pushy and loud?

So in the end Ieyoshi got over her, without ever breaking his heart, or feeling inadequate. That's how Ieyoshi would continue when it came to the matters of heart. He would find a pretty girl, convince himself she wasn't worth the effort and get over her. His heart never feeling any pain.

Tsunayoshi on the other hand would never get over his first crush, first love, first everything. He'd feel like he was the inadequate one and try and fail in improving himself, his heart breaking hundred times every day. His heart growing scarred, but impossibly strong. Only making it so much more easier tell the difference between him and Ieyoshi.

7

Ieyoshi only ever heard rumors of Hibari Kyouya. The demon of Namimori. He would never meet him though, never breaking any rules, never getting into trouble. Some nights though Ieyoshi would hear Dame-Tsuna moaning in pain from the numerous injuries caused by the head of Disciplinary Committee. Why did his brother keep going against such a beast?

8

Reborn was furious. He didn't know was it directed as his student or himself. Ieyoshi certainly was a brilliant mind and he had good grasp in fighting, but that was it. Hell, it was like that from the beginning!

Ieyoshi had always been good at everything and now his inability to face up with adversity was showing. Instead of getting his hands dirty and improving himself, Ieyoshi would instead go and avoid the problem altogether. He didn't care about changing anything either, since he had always been above average and he had no ambition to be the very best.

Boy was never going to be anything other than adequate.

It was becoming more and more obvious that if Ieyoshi ever was going to become Vongola Decimo, within one generation the Family would fall. No questions about it. The stupidly placated boy didn't care about anything enough for him to do anything! Boy was just dragging himself through life towards his grave.

And that just didn't do at all, least of all to the Boss of the most powerful mafia Family in the world.

Then Reborn one evening in a particularly foul mood would tell Ieyoshi that even his No-Good brother would make a better boss for Vongola than him, hoping to get some kind of reaction from the blond. Ieyoshi would only think of all the crazy people that were gathering around Tsunayoshi. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he would agreed with the Demon Tutor.

9

When Bovino Lambo came Ieyoshi took a page from Reborn's book and ignored the five year old cow suited hitman.

He would then months later just wonder who the loud little brat running around the house was. Mama would then give him that disappointed look and tell him not to bully Lambo-kun anymore.

10

Reborn had Ieyoshi take a kind of psychoanalytic test to see whether there was something wrong with him. Much to the hitman's dismay but not for his surprise, the results came back as entire list of flaws on his person. Reborn didn't know whether to laugh or not. Ieyoshi truly is his father's son then.

When Reborn then was reading through Ieyoshi's medical files, wondering if this really would change anything. If Ninth would still listen Iemitsu over him. He couldn't but hope that the papers he held had power on the decision, Tsunayoshi would be the greatest boss the family could ever have. Possibly overcoming the Primo's still overhanging shadow.

11

Ten years later Sawada Ieyoshi will have a misty memory of The Demon Tutor who taught him how to multiply and solve mathematical formula's. But he won't remember how the same Tutor had him learn how to take care of himself and how to command troops like an army leader. How the little demon would tear him a new one for not trying 'hard enough'.

But he will remember that day in the hospital, better than any other day in his life, when his father gave him a box full of rings and the look on the useless bastard of a father's face - man who left Mama - and when in turn Ieyoshi handed the damn box to Tsunayoshi.

Ieyoshi remembers that as the happiest moment in his life. The face of dumbfounded confusion. Because Ieyoshi kept laughing well into the night.

So when ten years later Ieyoshi's wife gives birth to their oldest son, he demands they name the little boy Tsunayoshi, in honor of Ieyoshi's deceased little brother.

"I didn't know you had a brother" she would say.

Fin.