New A/N (9/8/2013): Apparently, this series is written on 2012, in which I'm still a 13 years old no experience writer. When I re-read all 13 chapters of this story, I can't help but want to kill myself.

'Ugh, this series is a mess.' - is what I've in my thought. So yeah, this is another series story in my 're-write list' and there might be a little change in this new version 'Never Again'.

Never Again

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn fan-fic

By KawaiiNekoNami

Chapter #1: Reunion

She was running with all she could. She didn't even bother to stop and let herself to catch her breath as tears started to drown her pale cheeks. She watched as the man she loves and those peoples she seen as her friends turned their backs at her. She remembered how she was been insulted from those peoples she had fought in her past. They kept telling her that she was weak and unworthy for him, and they called her to give up on him since he would forever be unreachable for her. However, she had always shut her ears and tried to ignore those venomous words that were the truth of this cruel reality.

"M-Mukuro-sama!" she called out his name as she pulled her hand out, trying to reach him. However, she failed to do so as the blue haired illusionist simply ignored her and he walked even further away from her before slowly disappearing from her sight.

"Please don't do this to me! P-Please don't leave me!" she cried out pleadingly. Her vision was slowly becoming a blur from those tears that refused to stop forming in her violet eye. However, her cries did not affect the other as Mukuro walked even further and further until he was completely gone from her sight.

"Mukuro-sama… d-don't leave me…" she called out hoarsely, collapsing down on the hard ground as she could no longer felt his presence or seeing him. Tears gently streamed her face as no one can ever knew how painful she is to watch the persons she loved and trusted to abandon her behind as if she was just a used-tool.

Perhaps… she is a used-tool of Mukuro.

"I-I love you…" she whispered as she slowly hugged her knees tightly against her chest, seeking for the warm comfort of the man who used to tell her how much she mean to his life… and how much he need her in his life.

Is this all a lie? Does this mean her feelings was been played all these times?

"Why… do you have to leave me like this…?" she whimpered softly as hot tears continue to slowly soaking her damp cheeks. "I love you… I love you so much. So why… why do you have to treat me like this…? Answer me… Mukuro-sama…"

The twenty-four year old illusionist startled awake as she quickly shot her eyes open and let out a gasp of surprise. It took her a few seconds to realize that everything she had just seen was just a mere nightmare that was supposed to have long forgotten in her memory.

'… A dream…? Yeah, what am I thinking? Of course all of those are just a dream… it's not like I would have to experience such horrible experience in my life ever again…' the purple haired woman thought to herself as she let out a sigh of relief. She lightly massaged her throbbing temple before a series of knocks came from her bedroom door.

"Who's there?" the woman asked as she quickly get out from her bed and went to open the door for whoever that is knocking her room door.

"Chrome-chan, have you finally awake?" a familiar gentle voice came from the door as Chrome opened the door, revealing a beautiful woman with long orange locks that reached around her waist. The orange haired woman smiled her signature bright smile at the purple haired illusionist and Chrome smiled back in relief as it was just Sasagawa Kyoko, her boss's beloved fiancée and at the same time, her best friend.

"Tsu-kun is wondering if you have finished the report he had requested you to finish by today." the orange haired woman said politely as she helped her best friend to push back a few strands of her messy purple locks.

Chrome blushed lightly at how caring the other was before she quickly walked towards her messy working desk and picked up a few papers with various details written neatly on them. She checked those papers for the last time before stacking them in an orderly manner. The purple haired woman grabbed on her nearest suit jacket and worn it before she walked back to her boss's fiancée. Kyoko gave a heart-warming chuckle as she help the other to straighten her loosen tie. Different shades of red painted the illusionist's face as she just realized how messy she might probably look like since she was too busy finishing her report yesterday that she didn't even bother to change her clothes before collapsing on her comfortable bed.

"It's okay, Chrome-chan." Kyoko assured the uneasy illusionist, giving a gentle smile. "Tsu-kun understand that you had work hard on your report." She told the other before they proceeded to Tsuna's office together.

Tsuna had a pleasant smile plastered on his face as he checked the report that Chrome had just handed to him. Meanwhile, the purple haired girl was standing in front of him while staring down on the floor patiently, waiting for her boss to criticize about the report she had written.

"This report is really nice written." The Vongola Decimo grinned contently as he placed the stack of papers on his office table and smiled thankfully at his mist guardian who was surprised by his sudden compliment.

"R-Really? I'm glad that my efforts had paid off." Chrome said with a timid smile as she fumbled her thumbs together in nervous.

The brunet gave out a relieved sigh as he leaned back against his leathered sofa. "Lucky for me, among all of those stubborn guardians of mine, I still have someone like you and Gokudera-kun who are responsible enough to finish your jobs right on time. Thank god…"

The Vongola Decimo said as a swear drop formed on his forehead while his fiancée is giggling at his statement. The brunet would never forget how hard it is to ask the other guardians, aside from Gokudera and Chrome, to pass up their reports without been ignored or worse, bite to death if it's a certain skylark.

"A-Ah… please don't compliment me… bossu. Y-You're making me really embarrassed now…" the illusionist murmured shyly as she quickly covered her flushing red face with her palms. Tsuna chuckled lightly as he realized how memorable the scene in front of him is. Chrome had changed a lot during these ten years. It was getting rare for the Mafioso to see the purple haired girl to blush like the shy teenager she once was ten years ago.

"Oh right. I almost forgot again." The brunet suddenly said as he opened his desk drawer before he pulled out a white, fancy looking envelope with Chrome's name written on it.

"One of our allied families had invited us to a ball tonight. I should have given you this letter a week ago. However, due to those paperwork Hibari-san had caused for me during his latest mission…" Tsuna shivered slightly when he remembered the hellish week he had to go through without seeing a tinge of sunlight or even manage to close his eyes for a second due to the overly huge amount of paperwork filled with the bills based on the damage Hibari had caused to him during his mission on Mexico. Ever since then, Tsuna had learned that giving Hibari a long mission is a bad idea. "I-I attempt to forgot about this letter that had been placed in my drawer." The brunet laughed nervously as he scratched his cheeks sheepishly before handing the envelope to his mist guardian.

Chrome took the envelope from her boss before she smiled reassuring to him. "Well, it's okay, boss. I will just have to borrow one of Kyoko-chan's dresses for the ball tonight if she don't mind-"

"Well, that won't do, Chrome." Tsuna waved his hand in disagreement as he smiled gently to the other. "As your boss, I've decided that you will be having your day off today as a reward for always working hard for the Vongola family. I personally think that it's time for you to get some fresh air and some fun after all those hard works you have done." The Vongola Decimo suggested and Chrome looked at her boss in surprise.

"E-Eh? Is it okay?" Chrome asked out, excitement twinkled in her purple hues because she really does want to place her work aside and have fun since it has been months ever since she goes on a proper shopping with the girls.

"Just relax your mind and have fun, Chrome. I'm planning on forcing the other guardians to finish their paperwork by today so it's better you don't get involved with it." Tsuna chirped happily. However, Chrome swore that she saw the sentence; 'Time to punish some lazy asses' bolded on her innocently smiling boss's face.

"Thank you so much, bossu." The illusionist smiled happily before she pecked Tsuna on his left cheek. No matter how many years had passed, behind the cool mask of Vongola Decimo is still the same clumsy Sawada Tsunayoshi who would always get easily flustered whenever his mist guardian kissed him out of sudden.

"HIEEE!" the brunet screeched like he would always do during his past before he clumsily fall down from his chair from the illusionist's sudden action.

"Moouu… Tsu-kun." Kyoko sighed at her fiancée whose left leg twitched slightly to show that he is still conscious.

"B-Boss…?" Chrome called out worriedly at the brunet.

"A-Ah… before you leave with Kyoko-chan, can you please call Gokudera-kun to get the first-aid-kid for me?"

The purple haired woman exited from the fitting room and the others started to stare at her in awe. The dress they had just picked for the illusionist fitted her too well and she looked incredible beautiful in it. The dress was lavender colored and strapless with the length reaching down 'till her knees, finishing right above them in a smooth cut that revealed the rest of Chrome's slender legs to the world. Moreover, the fabric of the dress is made out from silk. The mist guardian can feel how soft, and comfortable it is to wear.

One look on the purple haired girl and anyone would just have to agree that the dress suited her way too perfectly.

"Hahi! Chrome-chan, you looked so beautiful! Haru is so jealous over you now!" the brunet commented excitingly as she clasped her hands together. The calm orange haired woman who stood beside the brunet giggled lightly at her friend's sudden outburst of excitement.

"Well, Haru-chan is right! Now, why don't you turn around so we can see the whole thing, Chrome-chan?" Kyoko suggested kindly and Chrome smiled in return as an agreement. She does a light spin to let the other girls to admire the back part of her dress that fluttered along her movement smoothly.

"Chrome-chan is too beautiful! Haru swear that Chrome-chan is going to get most of the men's attentions on tonight's ball again!" the overexcited brunet giggled lightly at the mere thought of her friend who got crowded by those men who tried to propose to her. It happened too often in most of the balls they attended since no one can ever resist the Vongola mist guardian's beauty.

Chrome blushed at Haru's compliment as Kyoko helped her to fix her dress properly. "But Chrome-chan doesn't have to worry! It's not like Tsu-kun and those overprotective boys would ever let a man laid his hand on you without their permission." Kyoko chuckled as she remembered how her fiancé and the other guardians often sent a dead glare to whoever that tried to flirt with their only female guardian during those balls.

"Well… boss and the others are always overacting." Chrome gave out a sigh. Thanks to her overprotective boss and companions, the purple haired woman can never get a chance to dance with the men who just wanted to have a friendly dance with her. It's not like every men in this world are perverts, for god sake.

Tsuna had to admit that Chrome is the most stunning one out of all of the other girls. The lavender purple dress she had just bought this afternoon with the other girls is eye-catching and it wrapped around her body perfectly, showing off the curves of her slim body. Kyoko and Haru had even insisted the mist guardian to put on light make-up although the illusionist tried to reject them kindly. However, for once, Tsuna can't help but felt amazed how some light make-up could make his usually innocent looking mist guardian to look so gorgeous.

"I-I already told Kyoko-chan and Haru-chan that it's unnecessary to put make-up… b-but they kept insist me to. D-Do I look weird, boss…?" Chrome asked as she twirled her purple locks nervously. Maybe this is the reason why peoples kept staring at her whenever she passed by…

"N-No, Chrome! You looked beautiful! There's nothing to be worried about!" The Vongola Decimo eagerly corrected the shy girl while he made a mental thought at the back of his mind to torture some pass-by perverts who kept staring at his female guardian with their dirty eyes. Pushing the sadistic thought aside, the brunet quickly glanced at his fiancée who stood next to him, silently asking the orange haired girl to make Chrome felt better.

Kyoko tilted her head to aside as she giggle lightly. "Well, Chrome-chan. Tsu-kun is right, you shouldn't be worried. You look gorgeous in that dress. I'm sure that even a cold person like Hibari-san is going to blush when he saw you in this dress."

"E-Eh? Kyoya?" Chrome's voice rose when the skylark's name was been mentioned. The mist guardian had to admit that the infamous cloud guardian is very close to her ever since ten years ago. He might be cold, but sometimes… he could be really gentle as well.

"K-Kyoko-chan! You know that K-Kyoya and I are just-" the illusionist was about to protest that she didn't have a thing against the cloud guardian (although her flushing red face isn't helping at all), but her words were cut off by the very person they had been talking about, who had just entered the room without any of them noticing.

"Herbivores, how long do you plan on crowding at here."

It wasn't a question, but a statement as the skylark pretended that he didn't hear the conversation about his relationship with the purple haired illusionist just now.

"The ball is going to start soon. So stop crowding at here before I decided to bite all of you to death." The cold blooded carnivore threatened lowly as his steel-gray eyes fixed a death glare at the man who he would never called as his 'boss'. Tsuna shivered under the skylark's glare before he quickly make his way out of the guest room with his fiancée who was been dragged along with him, followed next by his other guardians who tried to avoid the dangerous man who seemed to be in a very bad mood since he was being forced to attend such a crowding ball. Chrome, unlike the others, wasn't really afraid over Hibari. She was used to his glares since she had been together with the dangerous man for ten years.

However, just before she could make her way out from the room, an arm suddenly pulled hers from behind lightly.

"This dress suited you."

Hibari whispered lightly into her ear before he pulled away and walked off back to the ball, leaving the illusionist behind with a rosy scarlet painting her pale cheeks.

The ball is grand, just like any Mafia balls she had went before. There were countless of infamous Mafia peoples walking round and chattering in their expensive suits and dresses. Chrome walked through the huge crowds, trying her best to ignore the weird stares she get from some of the men and she give out a relieved sigh when she finally reached a corner with less peoples.

"Would you like to have a glass of wine with me, milady?" a smooth voice asked from behind. The illusionist whirled around and found a man in a neat dark blue suit wearing a silver mask with gold glittering around the edges of it offered her a glass of red wine in his left hand. Chrome stupidly blinked her eyes twice before she accepted the glass of wine from his hand.

"Thanks, I need it anyway." Chrome said politely as she sipped the wine in silence while enjoying the soft music playing at the background. Unlike the other guardians and her friends, the illusionist can hardly find a dance partner in most of the balls she went… and it's all thanks to her sadistic boss and overprotective colleagues who seen her as a precious little sister. Way too precious, if you ask her.

The stranger who stood next to her suddenly bowed in front of her, with his right arm in front of his torso while the other extended behind his back. "If you don't mind, I can be your dance partner." The masked man suggested as if he could read her mind.

Chrome glanced from her left to her right, cautiously looking around her surrounding just in case one of those overreacting elder 'brothers' of hers is around. However, much to her delight, she could not see any familiar faces around and with a sweet smile plastered on her face, the illusionist pulled her hand out and accepted the stranger's kind order.

"Gladly." The mist guardian said as she wrapped one of her hands around the stranger's neck.

Chrome didn't understand why, but something about the stranger she was dancing with made her felt like she had knew the man from somewhere. Besides, she never accepted a dance from a stranger so easily. In the back of her mind, there's a mere thought that keep bothering her. Her intuition was telling her that she knew this mystery masked man as she realized how familiar his eyes were to her. It gave off a different feeling though, but there were something reflected in those crimson red and sapphire blue hues that seemed to attract her.

It was the strange emotion named as 'love'.

There was a tinged of affection reflected in the other's eyes. Chrome can't help but felt that those eyes were looking at her with so much care and longing. However, that's not all. The way he held her in his arms protectively was as if he was claiming her as his. He gazed at her as if she is the only one in the huge hall and he didn't seemed to care about all those envy stares that were thrown at him by the other men in the room.

When the music ended, both the illusionist and the masked man stayed still in their positions. Chrome tried to pull herself from the other's firm grip, and to the mist guardian's surprise, the man leaned so close towards her 'till he closed the gap between their lips. Chrome tried to push the man away when she finally had recovered from her shock, but she failed miserably as the other hold her waist firmly and pulled her even closer towards him. He nibbled her lips softly and Chrome give out a gasp of surprise when she tasted the faint bitterness of the red wine the other had drunk before their dance.

SLAP!

The masked man flinched when a stinging pain came across his right cheek while Chrome tried to catch her breath. The illusionist gritted her teeth as her bangs covered her eyes, making it hard for the other to read her expression.

"Y-You kiss-stealer pervert…" the purple haired girl murmured as she snapped her head up to face the masked man with a fierce glare before she stomp away and make her way towards the outside. Chrome could hear her friends calling out for her, but she ignored their calls since she couldn't hold back her embarrassment and her legs started to take her as fast as they could.

The illusionist ran out from the huge mansion and she could felt the cold air slapping her bare shoulders, reminding her about how little she was wearing. Chrome was glad that she could get a dance partner in the ball, but she surely dislike the idea of being harass by a stranger who she thought was a kind gentleman a few minutes ago.

The purple haired girl squeaked when she clumsily tripped as one of her high heels snapped and detached itself from the sole of her heels. She could only give out a yelp before she stumbled down onto the ground, staining her new dress with mud and dead leaves.

"You shouldn't have run when you're wearing high heels." A familiar voice said.

Chorme looked up and frowned when the masked pervert man squatted down in front of her. She glared hatefully at the other, but the way his eyes showed the sincere worry he held for her managed to make the illusionist to soften her heart. The man's mix-matched eyes trailed off towards her sprained foot before he carefully helped her to undone the strap of her broken high heel.

A faint blush painted the mist guardian's pale cheeks when the man placed a soft kiss on her sprained feet. He lightly massaged her feet, trying to help her easing the sore pain she felt.

And it made Chrome felt like she is being treated like a princess.

"It's nice… that you didn't change much in these ten years…" the masked man murmured, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"Huh?" Chrome blinked her eyes before she looked at the other in question. "Pardon me, but have we ever met before…?"

The other looked up at her with disbelief eyes, seemingly to be shock by her words. "You… don't recognize me…?" he asked, tinged of pain and sadness can hear from his calm tone.

"… sorry if I sounded rude. But no. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever meet someone like you." She replied, holding back the last sentence; 'Besides, I don't think I knew any perverted man like you.' that almost escaped from her lips.

"First time huh…?" the masked man whispered but loud enough for Chrome to hear. A playful smirk curved on the thin line of his mouth as he gently caressed her face. "How can you be so sure…?"

The purple haired girl didn't have the time to answer when the man pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, surprising her as she stood frozen in place. Chrome tried to break away from the other's firm hold, but no avail as the stranger was obviously stronger than her. However, the woman managed to muster up her strength and pushed the man harshly away from her.

"What the hell is wrong with you, pervert?!" the illusionist hissed out dangerously, taking a few steps backwards as she tried to create some distance away from this 'fake' gentleman who is a pervert under his charming face.

"You… really have changed. You are so much sweeter when you were younger." The man gave an amused smirk as he lightly caressed the other's pale cheek.

"Seriously… I'm now starting to think that you are a mad man running out from a mental hospital…" Chrome murmured annoyingly as she swatted the man's hand away. Slowly, she stood up and turned around, ready to leave. But a deeper voice stopped her on her track.

"Why… haven't you noticed that it was me all along? … Nagi…" the masked man asked as the familiar name drifted out from his mouth.

At the mention of her real name, Chrome quickly turned around and looked at the stranger in disbelief. Her mind went blank as she could only think of one person who knew her real name and she was inwardly screaming deep inside herself, assuring that there's no way it could be that… that man! However, when the mystery man finally decided that it's the time he show his true self by taking his eye mask away from his face, Chrome's purple hues widened in shock.

"Kufufu… it's been a really long time, don't you think so? …Nagi?"

She can't find her voice. The man standing right in front of her is no one but the one and only Mukuro Rokudo, the man who is the cause of her every pains during all these years.

Suddenly, the older illusionist pulled her into his arms again. Chrome was in too much shock that she didn't know what she should she do as she just stared back at the other's mix-matched eyes speechlessly while Mukuro gently caressed her hair. The man brought up a handful of her purple locks up to his lips and kissed them gently.

"Nagi… I missed you so much…"

'Don't…'

"You can never realize how much I wanted to see you during these ten hellish years." His eyes fluttered open, reflecting the pure longing he held for her as he gazed into her violets.

'D-Don't act like you care for me…! Stop looking at me with that kind of eyes!'

"I'm so happy… that I could finally meet you again after all those hellish days." He used his index finger to tilt her head up, smoothly caressing her cheek as he did so.

"Sorry that I had made you waited for me in these ten years… But I swore to you that I still love you just like always." His lips slowly made their ways towards hers.

Their lips were just inches away from brushing against each other when Chrome finally managed to break from her trance and pushed the blue haired man away from her. Without hesitating, the younger illusionist brought her hand up and a sharp stinging pain came across the other's cheek.

"You sure have some nerve to come back after you abandoned me!" Chrome yelled out in frustration as she glared at the other in hatred.

Mukuro furrowed his brows together before he slowly reached his hand out to the other. "Nagi, I-"

"NO!" her eyes held the rage and anger she felt for the man who stood in front of her as she slapped the hand away.

"There is no use of sweet-talking after all those horrible things you have once done to me!" tears were slowly forming at the edges of her violets as she remembered all those painful days she had to go through by herself without the man she used to depend on. Where was he when she needed him the most? He was never there. NEVER! So how can he just come back, appeared in front of her as a stranger and tried to approach her just like that? He certainly don't have the right to come back to her again after all those pains he had caused to her fragile young self.

"You can never change the fact that you are the every cause of my pain in my past!" she exclaimed out venomously. Her teary eyes glared at him with rage and anger as she could never forgive him… no matter how much she had once really loved him before!

"Chrome-chan!"

Chrome snapped around and saw a certain orange head running towards her. She quickly rubbed her tears away and glared at Mukuro who had purple mist enveloping around him.

"Chrome… please let me explain everything next time, would you? You seemed to have some misunderstood with me." With that, Mukuro disappeared from her sight along with the traces of purple mist.

"Chrome-chan, are you alright?" Kyoko asked as she knelt down in front of her friend. The Vongola lady looked at her friend with her caramel eyes filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Kyoko. I'm alright… just sprained my leg." A forced smile slowly formed on Chrome's lips.

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

The orange haired girl was shocked when she saw tears slowly dripped out from the edges of the other's violets. Chrome brought a hand up to her eyes and rubbed off the tears that threatened to flow out from her eyes.

"I…I probably had caught dust in my eyes… h-hahaha…" Once again, Chrome tried to laugh out bitterly as more droplets of tears streamed down her reddening cheeks.

"Sasagawa Kyoko." A cold voice called out. "It's better you get back to the ball before the omnivore realize you are missing and go panic over your sudden disappearance."

His strict steel gray eyes glared at the woman sharply, simply giving off the clue for her to go back. Kyoko glanced back at her best friend, who had a smile plastered on her face, although the tears that threatened to stream down from her eyes weren't helping at all. The Vongola lady took a deep breath and give Hibari a look that seemed to tell him to take good care of her best friend before she walked back to the ball.

Once the orange haired woman was gone, Hibari kneeled down in front of Chrome and gently patted her head.

"He… was here, wasn't he?" The skylark asked softly, a tone in which he had, and would only be used for the illusionist. Chrome nodded her head silently, and Hibari frowned when he noticed the tears were now freely drowning her damp cheeks.

Without any hesitation, the skylark pulled her by her wrist not-so-gently, causing the purple head to fell and drop into his comforting embrace while the ex-prefect wrapped his arms securely around her.

"I would never let him get a chance to hurt you again. I swear." The skylark uttered as he closed his eyes and held her even closer towards him.

Chrome slowly buried her face into his chest and fisted the fabric of the other's black tuxedo before she finally gave out and cried freely in his arms. She had once promised the skylark she won't cry like the weak girl she used to be, but on some special occasion like this, she will still let herself to drop off her mask and cry out in his arms. The cloud guardian won't mind, as long as she will only drop her strong mask in front of him, and no others, especially not the pineapple head who is the cause of her every pain.

Mukuro stared at the crimson red carpet of his hotel room before he gently pulled his hand up to touch his bruised cheek. He managed to let a grunt of pain to slip through his mouth, and his hand moved upwards towards his hair, clenching a fistful of his long blue locks. A painful smile spread across his lips as he laughed out bitterly.

"My dear Nagi… she really changed…" he muttered out, a single tear threatened to slip out from his eyes. "… so much that it hurts…"

To be continued.

Ending note: So… how is it? Good? Bad? …Weird? Or perhaps too cheesy? Anyway, please leave a review telling us how you think about the story. Of course, even favorite and alerting the story make me happy. :) I'm not a greedy person who only wants reviews, but still, if you don't wanna review, how about sent a message telling me how ya think about the story? :D