'Till now… I always got by on my own...
It is a midafternoon day in Namimori, Japan… Hibari Kyoya, head of the Disciplinary Committee at the local middle school, sighs, gazing at the streets from atop an orange-scaled roof. Surprisingly, he has not seen a singular person walk down any of the nearby pedestrian streets. He frowns, disappointed no one has dared play victim to his death sentence yet. Suddenly… a car rolls by, carrying in it a small family. He heeds attentively it's destination, up until he notices a postcard fly from on of the open vehicle windows.
"Hm… odd…", he thinks, leaping off the roof gracefully. "Nonetheless, it is liter… I shall bite it to death…" Hibari lands on the street, holding the postcard he has just caught in his hand. He finds no interest in the contents written on the back, or even the picture. He gazes at the car driving away. Immediately, he notices many cardboard boxes packed neatly in the trunk. He smiles. "Hm… I have never seen this vehicle before, and those packages imply a new resident of Namimori… they obviously do not know the strict rules of my town… hm… I will have to make it very clear to them who is in charge…" Hibari, just barely glancing at the postcard, tucks it into his pant pocket, and walks in the opposite direction of the car. He does not wish to deal with trivial matters now… school is in the morning…
It is the next day, a Monday, to be precise… dozens of children head for Namimori Middle, including one no one has ever laid eyes on before…
The morning bell rings. Everyone is in their classrooms, preparing for the day to start. Hibari is making his rounds in the school's hallways, closely followed by the Committee members.
"Hibari-sama, do you want us to check and see if everyone is in class?", asks one of the Committee members questionably. Hibari stops. Saying nothing, the members quickly receive the answer. They split up, leaving Hibari to walk down the hallway… alone…
All is quiet, until someone exclaims, "HIBARI-SAMA! SOMEONE IS IN THE COURTYARD!" Hibari stops. He turns around, and quickly runs in the direction of his subordinates. They wait for him by the window.
Without saying a word, Hibari looks out the window, to see a young girl sitting beside a tree outside. Only the back of her head is visible.
"Oh, it's a girl this time!"
"Does it matter?", retorts Hibari, glancing at the member.
"N-No! It's… just that… male students are usually to blame for cutting class!", stutters the subordinate, holding his hands in front of his chest in defense. Hibari smirks.
"Hmph… shows how little you know…"
"What are we gonna do, Hibari-sama?"
"What we usually do to violators of our school's rules…" Hibari takes out his tonfas from behind his dark coat, smiling sadistically. All five subordinates jump back in shock.
"H-H-Hibari-sama! You're gonna beat up a girl?!", the members say in unison. Hibari looks at them, frowning.
"I wouldn't spare her the mercy of a beating… death is more fitting…" The subordinates, completely mesmerized by Hibari's conduct, run away quickly, leaving Hibari alone once more, to do what he deemed…
Fitting…
"He-... Hello… my… m-my association… n-no… m-my… c-c-cat… um…" The girl sitting by the tree… you... is struggling with her words. You look down at your notebook, and read off the first sentence to yourself out loud. "Hello, my name is _ _. I am a senior year student. Do you happen to know where my classroom is? Aw, damn it!", you say, banging your head with your palm, and closing your eyes. You open them, and look forward again. You take a deep breath in an out to calm your nerves. "H-H-Hello… my n-n-name is…" You focus your eyes on the shadow before you. You slowly look up to see Hibari standing in front of you. You jump back, scared out of your mind. "Uh… um…"
"Proceed, please…"
"W-W-What?" Hibari takes out one of his sticks from behind his coat. It shines in the sunlight.
"I want to hear the name of my prey before I bite it to death…" You blink a few times, not understanding the threat entirely. You move the notebook closer to your chest. Hibari notices it, and snatches it from your hands. He looks at the name label on the cover, frowning.
"Hm… _ _... an American name…"
"Yes, I'm American, so what?!", you exclaim, taking the notebook from his hands. You look down at it with a frown. "I… just moved here… my dad's working in Tokyo, so… mom and I are living here while he works… I would have lived in the city, but mom thinks I will be better off in a town until my Japanese improves… I'm… sorry… I didn't quite understand everything you said…", you say, embarrassed. After a few seconds of analyzing the situation, Hibari puts his weapon away. He turns around, preparing to leave you alone. You grab on to his pant sleeve, just as he is about to walk away. "WAIT!" Hibari glances over his shoulder. "Please… I need someone to help me… I can't find anyone else now!", you say, in tears. Hibari looks forward, and starts to think.
"Hm… if I leave this girl here, other students will think I did not discipline her for her actions… and if I assist her… they will not take my discipline serious anymore… hm…" Hibari glances at you again. "Obviously, she is unknown to the students and staff… perhaps I could… NO! OUT OF THE QUESTION!" He looks at your teary, helpless eyes. "But… I cannot have my reputation diminished because of this… this… filth…" He remembers something from the day before. He faces you, and pulls out the postcard from his pant pocket. He quickly glances at the name on it, and immediately hands it to you, kneeling down. "Here." You look at the postcard and take it, recognizing it immediately as yours. You smile, holding it close to your chest, eyes closed.
"Oh, my God! I thought this was gone forever!" Hibari starts to stand, but you… give him a hug around his neck, holding him tenderly and tightly in your arms. "Thank you, um…"
"Hibari Kyoya."
"Why, Hibari! You're body's tight as a drum!"
"Uh-… huh…" Hibari has never been "hugged" by anyone before. To him, it seems more shocking than pleasant. A few seconds pass before you let go of Hibari. He immediately stands up, gaining a formal position again. You look up, somewhat confused by his action.
"Kyoya..."
"Hmph… do not call me that…"
"Why not? It is your name, right? First names come second in Japan, right?"
"Yes… but when referring to someone you hardly even know, you respect their name by calling them properly by their last name…" You sit back, placing your hands on either side of your legs.
"See? I wouldn't know something as simple as that, Hibari… huh… I'm bound to be lost at this school now... I can hardly keep track of this language!", you say, crossing your arms. Hibari turns around, and walks towards the school. You stretch your arm out to him. "Wait… Hibari!" Hibari stops.
"If you want a teacher, you know where to look…" Hibari leaps onto the roof of the building with ease. You watch as he disappears rapidly from your sight…
It is near evening… you walk up the stairs of a building, to the roof of it slowly… you open the door leading to the roof… in front of you, directly in your sight, is a familiar face… he notices your presence there, too…
"You left the Namimori Middle afterwards…"
"Yes… after you left…" Hibari looks to the side, trying to find displeasure in your answer.
"Hmph… and you didn't get caught…"
"No… I made sure I was alone before I left…" Hibari recalls your departure, for, only he knew. He places his head on his arms, which are residing on his knees. The sunset reflects an orange glow on his cheek. You close the door, and walk over to him. You stand behind him before finding it safe to sit next to him, separated a few feet between each other generously. You look at him, and then at the lovely sunset. You smile, holding your knees in your arms. "My… it certainly is beautiful…"
"The sunset…"
"Namimori…" Hibari looks at the town he loves dearly fro his current abode. He frowns. You breathe in the wonderful air from atop the roof residence. "Ah… isn't it pleasant? You are very fortunate, Hibari… admiring such a spectacular town from here, on a roof!"
"Hmph… you make it sound like it is something out of the ordinary…"
"Oh, but it is! Namimori is the grandest town I have ever been to! The people are so nice, and the food is excellent!" Hibari closes his eyes, and smiles.
"Hm… you must be the only person in this town who thinks as much… it is rather amusing…" You look at Hibari with a smile.
"Oh, I don't believe I am the only one who loves Namimori… don't you love it, too, Hibari?" Hibari opens his eyes, looking forward again.
"I don't love anything… not even this town… I do, however, have my reasons for appreciating the necessity of Namimori in coherence with the rest of the world… I can care less about the food, or it's residents… hmph…" Hibari smiles. He knows you cannot understand everything he has said.
"Really? You seem so devoted to this town, Hibari, an action only expressive of love…" Hibari frowns.
"How did you… understand?" I look up at the sky, and smile.
"Well, I needed some excuse to talk to you… didn't I? Everyone told me to watch out for you, because you were mean... I don't like to judge people if I have never met them, so… I came up with something good! And it worked, didn't it? Anyway… I'm so happy to know you now, Hibari… you aren't as bad as everyone thought!" Hibari glances at you.
"Didn't you consider the consequences of your lying?" I look down.
"Oh… you mean… how you would feel… Hibari… I'm… so sorry… I tend to go towards danger, without considering the feelings of others… I'm… just so fortunate that you aren't to be feared…" you say, closing your eyes. Hibari looks down.
"People care about you… right?" You bury you head in your arms. Hibari stands up, and walks over to you. Standing behind you, he removes his coat, and places it over your shoulders gently. He walks to the door, and opens it. "Think about them before you leap into something, you hardly even understand…" You open your eyes and turn around to see a closed door… and no Hibari…
The next day, you return to the very same roof, at the same time… Hibari is there… again, he notices your presence…
"You didn't attend school again…" You walk up to him, carrying his coat in my hands.
"No… I… really don't know anyone there yet, so…"
"You think you can avoid school forever?"
"No… it's… just that…" You look down. "Your coat… you're from the Disciplinary Committee, the head, in fact... and… well…"
"You think I will treat you different, if you are a student?"
"Yes… or you might punish me…" Hibari stands, and walks up to you.
"You have been a student of Namimori Middle since you became a Namimori resident… and the only punishment you have received… is the burden of making up missed work, as well as possible detention."
"And… that is the worst consequence?"
"No…" Hibari walks to the edge of the roof. "If you are in detention, and have to make up missed work at home… you will not have as much of this, free time, as you do now... and you, of course, wouldn't want that…", responds Hibari, saying the last part to himself. You look at the coat, realizing what you had come here for.
"Hibari, I have your…" He is gone again. "Coat…" You sigh, sitting down gently. You hold the coat in your hands, reflecting upon the wonderful scent of sea-like cotton in it's threads…
You return to school, and nearly everyday (after serving your punishment), you meet Hibari on the roof. You and he do not discuss much, and, yet, the meeting is always rather pleasant… perhaps for him, too… and the excuse is always the same… you never did get the chance to return his coat…
At school, you have made friends. One day, a girl invites you to something spectacular, and you decide to ask Hibari…
"Will you go to a concert with me?" Hibari looks up at you from his personal seclusion on the roof.
"With… you?"
"And some girls…"
"Oh…" Hibari looks forward, frowning. "No, thanks…"
"But… they aren't really my friends, and I need someone to talk to!"
"And you think I would suit your pleasure?" You look down.
"Um… yes… you're… my friend... Kyoya…" Hibari opens his eyes wide. He… has never been called someone's friend before. He frowns, refusing to acknowledge this so-called "friendship."
"Hmph… make some new friends… don't be afraid of those girls… go on your own…" You look up, and nod in agreement. You walk over to the door, and open it, leaving Hibari to regret those words. They did not express, exactly what he wanted to say…
It is tonight, at the concert… you are standing with a group of girls, near the front row towards the stage. The girls start talking to you excitedly.
"Oh, this is gonna be so fantastic! Who do you like from the band, _?" You look up at the stage drum. Written on it is LSD*C, the name of the band you are going to watch.
"I don't know… who are they?" One of the girls slaps you on the back of the head.
"You don't know LSD*C? Well, I will point out each member to you as they walk onstage!" The band members walk onstage, and everyone screams. A guy wearing a tight black tank top heads for the drums. "There… that's Lussuria… he adds the LS to the band's name, because he is the lead singer's closest friend! And there, walking on stage now! That is Squalo, the lead guitarist! And there… oh, there!" A guy walks on stage, wearing a tight black t-shirt and skinny jeans. He has tattoos marking the left side of his neck, partially extending to his face. His hair is shoulder-length blonde. All the girls scream. "That's Dino… Dino Cavallone! He's the D*C in LSD*C! Isn't he gorgeous?" You look up at him. He starts to sing the lyrics to a rock song. You smile.
"Yes… he's sexy… handsome as all hell…"
"Okay, okay, okay… I wanna sing a song about the girl of my dreams… can you dig it? Yeah… there's only one girl out there for me, and she's in this audience, right?" Everyone screams. "Right…" The guitar plays a soft melody with the drums in the back. Dino starts to sing.
I knew this girl… she was the pride of my world… and if she didn't care… hell, I'd still be there… 'cause when you love somebody… and your love is true… there's only one damn thing you can do!
There's only one girl. One girl!
It may seem obsurd, but I love her! Love her!
The pride of my world!
She's a lovely! Lovely!
Hell of a girl!
And I can't help from lovin' her!
Now, you may think, I'm simply insane
But the truth is, I could be the perfect gain
In her life blood, baby
It's just a matter of t-i-ime! (Yeah)
I'm so, complicated
And yet, to her, that is outdated
So, why not take a shot
At a piece of me? Girl?
'Cause only one girl! One girl!
It may seem obscured, but I love ya! Love ya!
The pride of my world!
You're a lovely! Lovely!
Hell of a girl!
And I can't stop from lovin' you!
No, I can't stop from lovin' you!
Yeah, I can't stop! (guitar instrumental)
Yeah, I can't stop! (guitar instrumental)
Yeah, I can't stop! (guitar instrumental)
Yeah, I can't stop! (guitar instrumental)
Yeah!
Everyone applauds. Dino walks near the drums to get a drink of water. His drummer looks at him with a frown.
"Dino, maybe you should try singing that ballad you came up with…"
"What? Luss, that was never meant to leave the pages of my diary, 'till you found it!"
"Yeah, but it's good! And maybe you'll feel for this crowd more so than the one in Tokyo. This one's more intimate, and you could probably pick out one of the girls to sing to." Dino looks at the crowd. He looks at his drummer again.
"Oh… okay… not like it will do any harm, anyway!" Dino walks up to the microphone, and picks it up. "Ladies…" The crowd screams. Dino frowns. "I'm gonna sing a song I wrote, and it's dedicated to the lovely town of Namimori…" Upon hearing these words, a faithful observer watches the concert from his place on a hillside nearby...
"There's a small town girl... somewhere in life…" Dino walks to the front of the stage. "She's not looking for romance… 'cause of personal strife… but I'm sure, if, I… could find her, she would know, what's, right… and I could help, her, see… she's the right… one… for…" Dino glances at the crowd, trying to find the perfect girl to sing to. He stops, at a loss of words. "Me…" He is looking directly…
At you…
Music starts to play in the background. Dino drops his arms to his sides, still looking at you. The drummer glances at Dino.
"Hey… Dean! Dean! Sing!" Dino returns to normal, and starts to sing again…
"Hmph... such bad music… I will have to condemn these fiends for ever setting foot in Namimori…", says Hibari, smiling...
It is an hour after the concert... most of the crowd has left... only you and your friends remain…
"Hey, why are we staying here, anyway? It's getting late, and I really need to go home!", you exclaim, arms crossed. Your friend looks at you, frowning.
"Wait just a bit more! _'s gonna try to get Dino's autograph!" You sulk, falling to the grass underneath a tree, and look up at her.
"Hmph, good luck! No celebrity is ever, EVER gonna talk to us, especially one as popular as… Dino… Cava-… Cavallone… yeah… something like that…"
"Um… _..."
"And what's more is, she thinks she's gonna get his autograph… HIS AUTOGRAPH! No singer is gonna give a fan an autograph without expecting, some of this!", you say, twiddling your fingers in representation of money.
"Uh… _..."
"She's moronic! She's insulting! What's more offensive than having a crazy fan wait one hour after your concert, just to have you sign a little notepad? Honestly!" You start to get up. "All she wants is to see how good of a kisser he is! She might as well get up off the ground, lower her lips to his, and see for her-… -self?" Immediately after standing and without notice, you are directly in front of him, Dino Cavallone. Hardly a centimeter separates your face from his. He smiles, his left hand pressed against the tree. You blush madly. "Um… um… um… um…"
"AH, DINO CAVALLONE!", one of the girls scream, holding her chest. Dino pauses for a few seconds, looking at you. He brings his mouth up to your ear.
"Just one second…", he whispers to you. Immediately after, Dino turns towards the girls. You feel the soft brush of his hair over your face. He looks at the girls tenderly. "Ah, is it you who wanted an autograph?" A girl nods, handing him her notepad and pen shyly. Dino accepts it, opening it to a fresh new page. He signs his name, in bold letters, and hands the notepad back to the girl with her pen. The girl nods again, and quickly runs away. Dino waves goodbye to her. Meanwhile, you are leaning against the tree, hyperventilating quietly. You do not notice Dino turning around, facing you again. "Are you okay?"
"Who? What? Me?", you exclaim, instantly looking at him.
"Yes, you! It's not like I'm talking to the tree or anything…", he says with a laugh, left hand on the tree again.
"Well… um… ha, ha…", you respond, feeling very scared. Dino gently places his hand on your cheek, gazing at you tenderly.
"Are you nervous?"
"Nervous?! Ha, ha! Why… why would I be n-n-nervous?", you say, looking down.
"Oh, I don't know... meeting a money-grabbing celebrity and all…", says Dino, looking down. You look up, frowning.
"N-N-No! That isn't what I meant, I mean, to call you, 'cause you're a… um… you're a, um…" Dino looks up.
"Good kisser?"
"Um, NO! No, I don't know that! I don't mean that! I mean, I thought when you came up to me and that was unexpected that you would I don't know kiss me and that was really scary and I didn't know what to do I don't want to go through that again so if you don't mind how it happened or why it happened please excuse me I'm talking gibberish a-… -gain…", you say… but he has just kissed you, and you are now locked in his embrace…
A few days pass… Hibari returns to the rooftop…
But you are not there…
A week passes… suddenly, there is a sign of your presence on the rooftop...
Hibari's coat…
Returned…
Two weeks later, while making his rounds on the streets of Namimori… Hibari finally knows…
What happened…
A motorcycle flies past Hibari, nearly hitting him. He stops, gazing directly at the vehicle in front of him in the distance. The two-wheeler stops, about five yards on the street from Hibari. One f the two passengers on the motorcycle turns his or her head around. He or she takes off the helmet, and runs immediately towards him.
"KYOYA!", you exclaim, holding your helmet to the side. You stop in front of him, frowning, and near tears.
"Hmph… _..." You bow your head, very ashamed.
"I'm… so sorry…"
"Good… she is going to apologize for ignoring me…"
"I didn't mean to nearly run you over with that bike! I'm so ashamed!", you exclaim, looking at Hibari. He looks at you, obviously surprised. The person still on the motorcycle walks up to you both. You look at him, smiling. "Oh, Hibari... this is Dino Cavallone…" Dino takes off the helmet, revealing his smile. "Dino, this is Hibari Kyoya…" You look at Hibari. "Dino's my boyfriend." Hibari, reacting only inside, feels immediate pain at this response. Dino, smiling, places his hand on Hibari's left shoulder.
"Ah… hello, Squirt…" Hibari, even more agitated then before, throws Dino's hand from touch by lifting his shoulder, and tossing it to the side forcefully. He glares at Dino with the most hate-filled eyes imaginable. "Oh, um… okay... kinda unfriendly there, aren't ya, Squirt?", says Dino, hand lifted in the air, after being pushed off. Hibari lifts a tonfa underneath his coat, but, for some reason… restricts himself from hitting Dino… instead, he turns around, and starts walking in the opposite direction of you and Dino diligently…
"Hey… Kyoya… KYOYA!"
"Aw, let him go, _... he seems like a pain in the neck, anyway…", says Dino, looking at him with disgust. You watch as Hibari leaves, very concernedly…
Kyoya... Kyoya… KYOYA!
Hibari awakes from a dream after repetitively tossing and turning. He gets up from his bed and looks outside his window.
"Hmph… I must…"
"We must do something about this… vermin… of Namimori…"
"Vermin? Who are you referring to, Hibari-sama?", asks one of his subordinates the next day. Hibari, one arm on a ledge at the school, gazes at his town quietly.
"Namimori… does not need the atrocity of a foreign music group in it's borders…"
"But… Hibari-sama…"
"Hmph… do as I say… dispose of the band known as LSD*C… threaten them…"
"Ensure to me the result of never having to concern myself with thoughts of her again..."
"DINO, DINO! Squalo's been hit!"
"Aw, damn!" Lussuria drags Squalo into the band room, where LSD*C is staying. You are there, too, with Dino.
"What do ya mean, he's been hit?", says Dino, standing up and frowning. Lussuria shakes his head in misery.
"Oh, it was awful! One minute, we were resting our bones, getting the coffee… the next, BOOM!"
"An explosion?!"
"Nah, just a few thugs… they attacked us… stole our coffee and everything…", says Lussuria, placing Squalo on the sofa. You cover your mouth.
"Oh, that's awful! How come Squalo's hurt, and not you?"
"Oh, him? Lack of caffine… it gets to him…" Dino laughs.
"Ha, ha! Really? Is that all? Damn… I thought he was really injured!"
"Yeah, but now we haven't any coffee!" Dino walks to a guitar, and picks it up. He begins to strum it.
"Oh, get over it! We don't need all that caffine, anyway…"
"But, Squalo…"
"He'll be okay… just leave him alone…"
"Dino!" You are now standing in front of him. Dino looks up at you and smiles.
"Yes, Baby?"
"Um… I'll get the coffee for Squalo…", you say, looking at the helpless victim of a caffine hangover on the couch. Dino glances outside with a frown.
"Oh? But, it's raining outside! I wouldn't want you to catch a cold!"
"That's okay… I'll be alright…", you respond, holding his head in your hands and moving his head against your body tenderly.
"You sure?" You give him a kiss on the head, and walk over to the door. You wrap a scarf over your head, and button your jacket. After placing it's hood over the scarf, you blow a kiss to the band members, waving goodbye as you leave…
An hour later, you return… to see the instruments smashed, and a note saying, "Leave now!"…
You drop the coffee…
"No… NO QUESTION ABOUT IT! WE'RE LEAVING!"
"But… DINO!" Dino paces back and forth, trying to pick up the pieces of smashed instrument from the floor. He stops momentarily to look at you, anger in his eyes.
"Don't you get it? These damn instruments are history! Some… IDIOT, trashed the band room, nearly broke all my instruments, and expects to get away with it? No… no, I'll find out who did this…" Lussuria, frowning, walks up to his friend.
"Dean, how do you expect to find the perpetrator, if we leave?"
"Luss… I… don't wanna report this to the police… so… rather… if we wait it out someplace new, we could… I could… come back… AND BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF HIM!"
"DINO!" You hold his arm. He glances at you. He falls into a chair, holding his head in his hands.
"Oh… damn… what are we gonna do? All my instruments are… t-t-totaled!"
"Oh… Dino… we'll think of something…", you say, holding Dino in your arms reassuringly. A few seconds later, Dino looks up at you.
"Hey… and you… what's gonna happen to us if we… leave?" You sigh, and look out the door with a frown...
"Hey… Kyoya…"
Hibari, sitting on top of the roof, watches his town in the rain. He does not look at you. He does not answer. He just…
Frowns…
You approach him cautiously, hearing only the sounds of the rain, and your rubbers squeaking on the ground… you pause halfway.
"Kyoya… I've… come to say goodbye…" He does not look at you. He does not answer. You sigh timidly, looking down. Suddenly… you cry… uncontrollably...
"You… were my only friend… and… I think I was your only friend... too… to me… to me, you've always appeared so fragile… and weak… I guess… what I'm trying to say… is... that maybe… maybe, you can't live without me… I know… I know I will find difficulty… in living without you…"
No look…
No answer…
There is a pause…
"Good-… G-Goodbye, Hibari Kyoya!" You reach your hand out to him, wanting desperately to give him a hug, but…
He gives you no look…
Nor an answer…
"I…" You bring your hand back to you, and look down.
"I will never forget you!"
The only look is one to the door, the only sounds are rain and squeaking rubbers… and the only thought, perhaps, besides the ones racing in your mind… are…
"_ _... hmph… I will never forget that name…"