Disclaimer: I don't any of these characters in this story.

Attention!

This is my ever first Mermaid Melody fanfic. Basically this story would be one shot. So I hope I can write a longer chappie for the next MMPPP fanfic. Well hope you guys enjoy this story.

Jap word 4 u

Itsumademo – Forever

Nothing in return

Hippo looked down to Yuuri with hurt and grief. He clutched his hand as he mumbled dully, "If I hadn't been too late." He brought all his force to his firm knuckle as he punched hard onto the ground. Fool... I'm such a fool! He brought his tarnished hands to his hair and ruffled it wildly. A painful memory played back in his mind.

(Flashback)

An evil smirk flickered across Gaito's face, "So what would it be Hippo? Would you choose to be ever so loyal to your mistress?" He tightened his grip around Luchia's neck. Hippo could see that Luchia was suffering from the grip and was grasping for air. Gaito loosened his grip as soon as Luchia lost conscious and brought his attention to Yuuri, "Or would you pick your true love instead."

He tightened his seize around Yuuri's neck as he whispered bitterly close to her ear, "You've made the biggest mistake of your life." Yuuri struggled and fought for air, she managed to form Hippo's name on her lips but with anxiety and pain, "Hi..hi...ppo...sa...ma..." Gaito loosened his grip on Yuuri and let out a ghastly laughter, "So now the hero is vacillating? Can't make up your mind? Let me make it easier for you." His piercing eyes focused on a bronze key that Hippo was holding.

Hippo looked at the key and turned back to Gaito. He shook his head contemptuously, "No..." Gaito glared at him fiercely, "Don't test my patients." His chilly and shrilled voice set an electric wave running through Hippo's spine. Luchia spoke up with courage, "No Hippo-sama. Don't!" Gaito tightened his seize again but this time tighter than before, "Silence Yuuri. Don't make me kill you even before Hippo could save you." he snarled at her.

Hippo snapped at his action, "Released your grip or I swear I'll destroy this key here." Gaito gave Hippo a wicked grin, "Ah... I see... trying to tempt me, huh. Fine for your key I'll return these two to you." Hippo replied firmly, "Firstly you must swear you wouldn't hurt them and they are in good condition." Gaito raised an eyebrow, "Fine I promise you not a single scratch."

"Release them first and the key is yours." Gaito released both Luchia and Yuuri at the same time. Hippo hurried towards Luchia and Yuuri and managed to get hold of both of them. He placed them on the surface safely. He knelt down beside Yuuri and gently brushed her hair away from her eyes. He was about to stand up but was distracted when he felt a firm grip on his hand. He looked back down to Yuuri and saw Yuuri feebly pushing herself up, giving him a disapproving look.

Hippo took her hand away from his arm as he caressed her soft smooth cheeks, "I made a promise and I have to fulfill it. It doesn't matter what happens to me. I'm happy enough that you and Luchia-san are safe." He smiled at her trying to cheer her up. He stood up and confronted Gaito boldly, "Here." he took the key from his pocket and threw it to Gaito.

Gaito caught it and clutched it in his hand. He shot Hippo a sardonic smile, "I have something else for you. This." A hostile dark violet orb formed above his palm and he threw it towards Hippo. Hippo didn't bother he just stood there firm and bravely – not fearing death at all. A vision of Yuuri smiling at him sweetly with her glimmering green eyes looking at him so innocently and her smooth translucent skin under the bright round moon. Yuuri-san..

Before the orb hit him, Yuuri jumped out in front of him unexpectedly. Instead of hitting him, the orb hit hard onto Yuuri that brought her meeting the hard surface ground and she was sent slithering backwards. "Yuuri-san!" Hippo felt his body burning up with heat. He turned to Gaito and glared at him, "You're not getting away with this."

Gaito laughed revoltingly with pride, "She deserved it..." Dark aura clouded around him as his voice started to fade, "Spent your last moment with her. That's all you need."

(End flashback)

Why am I such an idiot? He pounded both his hands on the ground. He went on till he was satisfied. He panted heavily, releasing his anger and calming himself down. He saw taints of bloods on his knuckles but didn't bother to think about it nor even care about himself for the moment. All he ever cared for was what hurt him the most. He felt like there was a dagger teasing him as it pierced through his heart.

Tears poured down his cheeks and some of his tears drop landed on Yuuri's cheeks. Yuuri's eyelids fluttered. Her eyes glanced dully at him before sliding out of focus again. She shut her eyes and won back her focus. Her lips formed his name. "Hippo-sama?" Hippo wiped his tears away brought his hand to her cheeks, "Yuuri-san." He got her upper body up but her lower part of the body lay comfortably on the soft grass beds and embraced her in his arms. Tears flooded his eyes once more, "I thought I had lost you." said Hippo as he brought Yuuri's face few inches away from his.

Yuuri looked sadly at Hippo, she could see agony and twinge written all over his face. She said his name stiffly, "Hippo-sama." She brought her hand to his cheek and brushed the tears off his eyes. She smiled sweetly at him, "I'm fine now." Suddenly she felt as if a sharp blade pierced through her stomach, she bit her lips in pain. Hippo looked at her apprehensively as he cursed beneath his breath, "Damn Gaito." Yuuri covered her mouth as soon as she coughed. Both of them were astonished when she took her hand away. Yuuri looked down to her hand and saw that her hand was mottled with grimy somber blood.

Tears filled her eyes. Hippo shook his head incredulously, "No..no.. Yuuri there has to be a way to save you. Don't give up on me." He embraced her warmly once more, "I can't loose you." Yuuri spoke up shakily, "Hippo-sama..." He replied her as he wiped away all his tears, "Yes, Yuuri-san?" She let out a cough, "Before I go can we just have our last moments in the shed where we first met?"

Hippo said nothing but nodded. Yuuri closed her eyes tight and shifted both of them inside the shed. She opened her eyes, pushed herself about few inches away from Hippo's body weakly and looked around, a smile came across her face just thinking about the first time they met. Hippo supported her petite body with his left arm as he looked around the shed.

He brought his eyes back to Yuuri. She looked up to Hippo with those tender green eyes of hers that he longed to gaze. To him no stars could shine as bright as her eyes, no silk can ever be as smooth as her silky green hair and no moon was ever so beautiful like her at night .

"Yuu.." he was interrupted when he felt a soft tender finger laid on his lips. Yuuri brought her finger away, "Hippo-sama, I know I wouldn't last long. I had always dreamt of us living a happily ever after…" her cheeks flushed as she went on, "I'll give you my world, my life, my heart and ask for nothing in return but you always by my…" her sentence broke off when she felt soft gentle lips met upon hers. She closed her eyes and return his kiss with acquiesce as she brought her hand to his cheek and stroke his cheek gently.

Their kiss broke off when Yuuri coughed arduously once more. Tears flooded his eyes as he faltered and agony overthrown his emotions. How am I to save her? He said with great ascetic, "Yuuri-san, I can never let you leave me, don't you give up on me…don't…" Yuuri hushed him as she wiped his tears off with a white hankie trimmed with lace, "Hippo-sama, if you really love me, I need you to let me go. If we were meant to be, I'm sure someday fate will bring us back together again."

He reached out his hand to her hand that was holding the white hankie. He brought both their hands in front of him as he observed the white hankie. This look like… His thoughts disrupted when Yuuri spoke up, "I'm sure you would recognize it somehow." He looked down at her and saw her smiling sweetly at him, "I just fixed it up by stitching some lace around it."

He answered with amazement, "It's the cloth I wrapped around your feet." Yuuri nodded bashfully, "I've kept it and cherished it with me all along. I could never forget your kindness Hippo-sama. You can see it if you like." She handed the hankie to him. He took it from her hand and unfolded it. He scrutinized the hankie and was surprised to see his first initial and Yuuri's first initial was sewn with yellowish-golden thread on the right end corner of the hankie. Below both initials was a Japanese word, he looked at it closely as he read it out loud, "Itsumademo."

Yuuri nodded and said softly, "Itsumademo…" he looked at her as she went on, "Itsu..ma.." she lost her focus as her everything around started to become fuzzy. She tried to battle over her focus but she had failed. Hippo looked at her heartbrokenly as her body forced her to lie back heavily on his arm. That was when Hippo knew she had gone into deep sleep. He held her tight around his arms and agonizingly said her name, "Yuuri-san!"

Well here you go… Not really sure what to write at first but phew. Managed to get an idea. Well hope you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for reading. And oh yes if you guys don't know what ITSUMADEMO means just scroll up to the top page. I've written it there. Once again thanks for reading.