Hello~! Here's another story and as stated in the summary, it is the sequel to "Bittersweet Love". If you have read that, I just want you to know I had added some details to it and you can read back if you like. To those who haven't read it yet, it is better to read it before reading this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

P.S: I might actually suggest listening to a sad song while reading this.

Thank you~ Enjoy~!

That particular morning was of unrest and quietness. At least, that's how Kyoko remembered it. She didn't know why she didn't notice earlier nor had ever wondered why.

But she did at a later date.

She remembered having been drunk the previous night and had been walked home the same guy who was the reason for it. The guy who broken her heart.

"I'm sorry, Sasagawa-san. It's just that I… I don't look at you that way. That's why I, uhm… I'm sorry…"

Takeshi had been brutally honest about it, she remembered thinking back then. And though she knew of his intentions to make it less painful, it still hurt. She laughed it off, accepting his rejection with a smile. He didn't look convinced then, looking at her with a concerned glance but let it slide, biding her goodbye. And it was then after he had left that she allowed her trembling knees to give in to gravity and fall.

She cried…cried until there were no tears left. It hurt…so much.

But then someone came, comforting her with the same warmth she had known over the years. That is why, a small rejection like that was nothing compared to the reality the world was making her accept...

Sawada Tsunayoshi is dead.

He had always been there. Smiling kindly, comforting her when she needed it the most. He stayed by her side, reassuring her with a kind smile. It meant so much to her. And it took her so long to realize…

The reason he always smiles so widely… he didn't want her to see his eyes. She had no ways of knowing which is genuine and which is fake.

Too bad it's too late.

The funeral was simple and a secret.

His parents, Sawada Nana and Sawada Iemitsu were in front of his coffin, the former crying at her husband's chest. Iemitsu stood still, comforting his wife as he himself held unshed tears in his eyes. All of the guardians: Hayato, Takeshi, Ryohei, Lambo, Hibari and Chrome, were present as well at his funeral.

One thing she noticed was that Hayato didn't cry.

But his eyes were red and puffy.

Takeshi had his eyes downcast and didn't dare smile.

His eyes looked empty.

Ryohei had his arms wrapped around a teenager Lambo and I-pin who were crying in his chest. His eyes were trained at the coffin.

He looked tired.

Chrome cried quietly in the arms of Bianchi. Hibari stood stoically at the side, face blank.

She cries her heart out quietly.

He grips his fists too tight.

Haru and she stood by the sidelines. Hana was shedding her own tears and Kyoko…

Stared at the coffin…

It cannot be, was her first thought as she looked at the peaceful visage of her friend inside the coffin. It was unbelievable. But all of their looks told her otherwise. All their cries and grief had told her otherwise. But it still didn't sink in for her because he was there. He was there that night.

Yet why?

Why is he lying there in the coffin all of a sudden?

She had the impulse to kneel down and beg for it not to be true. Because despite all that she could remember that day, one vivid memory remained. One memory she recalled in great detail.

"I hate seeing you cry, Kyoko. So don't cry." He said. "But…I also don't want to force you to smile. So… cry it out instead. I'd hate it more if you tried to smile when inside…you're hurt."

That's why she tried. To offer anything, anything at all, just for them not to tell her it's not true. That he's not dead. But no one would listen.

"He's dead." They kept on telling her.

No one would believe her.

She stayed inside her room for the days that followed. The first night, she had screamed in utter agony, uttering the same words over and over against the walls confining her…

How can you be gone, Tsu-kun?

Her brother would often visit, and she would greet him with a tired smile. He would lend an ear, listening to her as she narrated the events again, what happened that night, showing him the blue gem on her bracelet. He was skeptical and she knew he had a hard time accepting it but she didn't push further. Haru would also come accompany her most of the time, claiming to share her belief that no matter what, he would always be there. Hana would come occasionally, but Kyoko had gone distant that her visits would be reduced to simple talks. Unlike Haru, Hana tried to keep the discussion from going to him. The both of them would be going out at times, including Haru at times, randomly visiting pastry shops, looking at the cakes. Even then, she had lost interest.

The both of them had done a good job keeping her company but for the greater part of her every day, she stayed in her room, sifting through photographs where he would be there. Smiling… with her and everyone.

Over the time, it grew painful for her to simply look at his picture. To look at the smile she loved on the face she would never see again. She was again reminded. Pictures are only memories she can't go back to. And realizing this made it even more painful.

And so, she stopped.

I-pin came often too, offering to cook together and telling her stories about her part-time work as a delivery girl or of the children at the orphanage she visits when she had the time. Had Kyoko had been herself that time; she would've wanted to go with her… to visit this children and forget.

But she held on to her pain, smiling and telling the girl she would want to go to some other time. She liked to suffer… for the pain she gave him all those times when she didn't notice his feelings for her. Maybe she did notice. His affections were rather obvious as day but she thought it was impolite to return the sentiment when she had no romantic feelings for him.

But I still hurt him…

One day, when she didn't have the energy to keep on smiling anymore, she went to visit his grave, carrying white chrysanthemums. Haru, of course, had gone with her. Together, they sat in front of his coffin. It still puzzled her on why would it be on the surface, not buried underground but she didn't dwell on it much. For the idea of him being buried underground just justifies the fact that he is dead and will never come back. And she didn't like it.

She liked to lay a hand on the coffin and speak for hours on how she was doing, imagining he was listening to her. Her friend likewise would do the same but she knew it was for her sake.

.

.

.

Or so she thought until Haru started to cry. She smiled sadly, patting her friend on the back.

'Of course.' She mused, 'How conceited would I be if I believe I'm the only one who's suffering.'

Since that day, it had become a routine for the both of them to visit his grave at least once a week. The florist of the flower shop they always buy flowers from, had already become acquainted with them, seeing the same costumer for weeks. Often times too, they would meet up with Hayato who had also frequently visited his grave. At the beginning, they would often sit in silence, giving the man privacy which overtime grew a routine until slowly, Hayato opened up, talking with them about how they spend their day or simply reminiscing their days as students, pretending at least that he would be listening.

At times, Takeshi would be there as well. By then, Kyoko had already come in terms with her feelings. They became friends again. It was also by that time that Kyoko had become aware of the look that passed through her friend and Hayato even though she knew neither of them noticed. Haru's formal way of calling Hayato had been settled for a simple 'Gokudera-kun' instead of 'Gokudera-san'

But then, none of them would notice now, she thought to herself sadly, not looking at the coffin near her. Not when the wound is still fresh.

Often times too, she would simply stare at the blue gem on her wrist, wondering. It was the gem she frequently saw on his ring. She had known it was from him. However despite the many questions she had about it, she kept it close to her heart. Because in place of him, it's the only one she had.

I want to see you…

They were visiting again that day when they were met with an open and empty coffin. Confusion immediately took over but they didn't have time to analyze the situation further when I-pin and Lambo came running to them, telling them to escape. Kyoko didn't say anything else as the two teenagers dragged them away and not a moment later, two people in black started chasing them. Fear came upon her as she focused on running away. Right then, a hand quickly found hers, squeezing them in an effort to reassure her. Haru smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Kyoko-chan! Tsuna-san will definitely come for us. He even rose up from his grave to do so, right?"

Kyoko only looked at her in surprise before she laughed, her determination renewed. "Yes. He will definitely come."

Kyoko ended up inside a rundown building, sitting on the ground as the last explosion left her ankle sprained. She can't walk or run. She silently closed her eyes, hoping against hope that when she opens them again, she would see him again.

"But what if doesn't?" a voice inside her mind questioned. Kyoko flinched, wrapping her arms around herself. It was a stupid hope but…

"He will come." She answered firmly, believing it with all her might. "He will definitely come."

"But he's dead, isn't he?"the voice laughs, "You've been denying it for so long but…isn't he dead? Or would you rather believe he actually rose from his grave just to save you?"

"Shut up."

"Oh poor, poor Kyoko. He's never coming you know?"

"Shut up."

The voice laughed again. "But isn't it true? You smelled the blood on him that time but you didn't do anything. . ."

"SHUT UP!"

The voice laughed again. She covered her ears, tears gathering at the edges of her eyes.

"I…"

"You killed him."

"I…"

"It's your fault he's dead."

"I…"

"He's dea—"

"Kyoko-chan!"

Her eyes snapped open, surprise overcoming her features. On the doorway, a young boy with the familiar fluff of chocolate brown hair appeared, panting. As chocolate eyes met hers, she choked out a sob at the back of her throat.

"Kyoko…chan…"

The two stared at each other for a while before the boy reddened and turned around quickly, wiping away the tears she saw. Kyoko bit her lip, trying hard not to cry. He's alive…Oh thank God, he's alive… they repeated like a mantra inside her head and if her ankle wasn't sprained, she could just jump for joy and hug him. Finding her voice, she called out the name she hasn't uttered in a while.

"Tsu-kun." The effect was immediate on the boy as he whirled around, surprised. Kyoko smiled again, "Thank you. You came for us, Tsu-kun."

Thank you for being here. Thank you for coming back.

Tsuna averted his eyes from her, looking like a tomato with his red face. Kyoko inwardly smiled at this. "Sorry." She continued to say. I'm sorry for hurting you... I'm sorry for being selfish… I'm sorry… I just… "I sprained my ankle." She added lamely, looking down at her foot.

…miss you.

"Eh?" Tsuna immediately ran to her side, kneeling. "Are you alright?" his hands hovered to her ankle and Kyoko saw he was trying to think on what to do. Worried and clueless but determined. She stared at him.

Such an innocent concern… did she really deserve it?

She leaned forward, trying to remember the face she had unconsciously tried to push at the back of her mind, "What could it be?" she said to herself. What could drive him to show such care for her when she's always hurting him…?

"My friends…my family… they are what gives me strength."

Kyoko smiled. "You seem kind of younger, and sweeter." She concluded. Tsuna shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, well…"

Just then, a man in black appeared, threatening them. Tsuna stood up, shielding her. He tried to reassure her, even when she noticed he was shaking. This was the man who always comforted her and stood by her. Such a small back, she thought sadly. She reached out to him but then a puff of pink smoke covered her vision.

And then all was black.

The next time Kyoko woke up was the light. Honey colored eyes scanned her surroundings, slightly confused. During her time in the circular machine she had understood the whole picture, for she had heard. And now…

"Hey, looks like now that the kids have gone back to the past these guys have woken up."

Kyoko looked around, looking for the man she had desperately wanted to see.

"Are you okay?" Kyoko whirled around, meeting Haru's concerned look. Kyoko closed her eyes, nodding.

"I'll see him soon, right?" she asked quietly, deflating when she didn't find him. Haru squeezed her hand gently.

"Of course you will." She smiled.

"Tsuna already went up." Shouichi pointed, making Kyoko look at him. Shouichi caught her look and smiled at her gently as if encouraging her. Kyoko smiled in return, giving him a small bow, muttering a small thank you. Without another word, she dashed for the exit.

She ran. Ran as if her life depended on it. As she reached the surface, the familiar warmth of the sun hit her. She lifted a hand to cover her eyes, blinded for a moment before she took off again. The leaves cluttered, the long grasses swayed and the scenery seemed to blur as she passed by. Instinctively, her feet took her to a familiar clearing where she used to sit for hours, talking to nothing but a coffin.

As the clearing came in sight, a man stood with his back turned to her. The familiar spiky, unkempt strand of brown hair was uncanny. She stopped a few feet away from him.

The man turned around, chocolate brown eyes meeting hers.

"Kyoko…?"

Kyoko smiled, tears of joy falling from her eyes as ran up to him.

"Tsu-kun!"

A/N:

And there goes the sequel. It's short but I hope you liked it. I was planning to lead this until the two had met up and Kyoko confesses or something but I don't actually like fast development like that. Well, you might hate me for not ending it like that but it doesn't really sit well with me with the too sappy scenes especially when she suddenly confesses out of the blue. She had been focused on Yamamoto before Tsuna's staged death so love realized on a mourning period might actually be…biased? I dunno. It's just don't sit well with me.

5986 actually looks cute to me though I haven't actually noticed the hints in the manga or in the anime until my friend pointed it out to me. And I'm absolutely taken in by the idea of them together. Though 2786 is also fine, I love 2795 better!

Thank you for reading~!