The girl was gone before he noticed Dino. Her body lay on his bed as if in sleep. Only five minutes ago, she had been alive. Before her face became covered, she had been beautiful. Big eyes. A small, rounded nose. Crooked teeth and long dark hair. His type if she hadn't been his target. Even so, Hibari Kyoya still saw her as a job well done. For the last hour, he had tracked her in public. Then her life became his the moment he asserted to the lobby man he was her father. After all, they did look somewhat alike. They walked hand in hand down the hallway to the room where he would be staying for the night. Room 101, 1984's room of everyone's worst nightmare. Once inside, he knocked her out. Drugged her so she couldn't wake back up. He found a clean plastic bag in his bathroom to place over her head. She passed away in minutes, gone before she even thought of resisting. A classic case. Far too easy for someone like him.

The whip when he heard it seemed to whirl in air before falling limp. Twisting around, he knew then Dino had come to visit him at his hotel. It was too late though. Kyoya had already unbuttoned her dress down to her midriff. Beyond there, he saw no point. She did not have the Millefiore ring.

"Tsuna..." Dino began and then he stopped. Seeing the girl, he swallowed and slipped one hand inside his pocket. Kyoya knew he had a gun. There was a long moment in which they stared at one another in silence. After two months apart, it was almost unbelievable how much they had changed. Before this, they had been together for six years. Kyoya loved him more than he loved himself. But then, Dino betrayed him. When he came home one evening, he reeked of perfume. Kyoya wanted to kill him right there and then. He deserved it. But it wouldn't be right. Once outside, he walked to his car, drove home, and cried on his couch until he had no tears left. Then he drove to school and didn't sleep for three days. Looking back, he couldn't recall much of what he had done then. But he must have been scary. During that time, he'd noticed how even Kusakabe kept his distance from him. Kusakabe, who had served him for more than ten years. Kyoya wasn't sure what had made him stay for so long. Kusakabe was smart. He could've gone places. Ugly as a pig though.

"Come and tell me what you think of her," he said at last. They could discuss their relationship later if time allowed.

Dino frowned at him. He looked as if he wanted to say something. A moment passed though and he gave up. Removing Kyoya's scalpel from his nightstand, he came to join him on the carpet. He looked at the dead girl for a moment. Then, breathing in, he made a small incision using his blade. Blood pooled on her cheek. At first glance, all appeared normal. But Kyoya remained suspicious. After all, mere appearance was easy to imitate. Then he remembered something. He dipped his finger into her injury and brought it to his mouth. To his surprise, he tasted nothing. Her blood was like air.

"She isn't real," he said. He watched Dino as he likewise sampled blood, letting it stream down his palm.

"Weird. Something, I can't say..." Dino murmured, more to himself than to Kyoya. Focusing on his palm. Avoiding eye contact. But it didn't matter. Kyoya checked his watch. 18:40. He had captured the girl almost two hours ago. Whoever the illusionist was, their mission had succeeded. The ring could be en route to another safe house even now. Either way, he needed to report back to his boss as soon as possible. Dino, then...

Kyoya turned to him. He considered Dino for a moment. The easiest thing for him to do would be to call Sawada and leave the hotel straightaway. Forget the matter of them. He never intended to get back together with Dino anyway. But ever since they had broken up, Kyoya had matured somewhat. If nothing else, Dino Cavallone had been an inspiring mentor. What did he used to say to him? "Don't run from your battles. Face your fear - and your opponent - head on." He knew now was one of those times.

Dino was afraid of him. That much he knew. Back then, as soon as he caught whiff of Dino's scent, he decided Dino had to die for his sin. He saw his own hand reach for him, ready to squeeze his neck until all was over. But then, something changed over the course of a mere second. Kyoya realized: to kill Dino now would be suicidal. For by then, he had come to value Dino more than he did his own life. Thus to have to live in a world after his death... Thinking this, the possibility alone shattered him to pieces. That. That was why he let go of Dino at last. And anyhow - he later smiled to himself - this way really had been better. What he had done instead was to leave a final mark upon Dino. A death mark - like all his bites. This done, he refused to take back what he had done. He was certain: once they talked, today would be the day of their final parting. Their true end, so to speak.

The question now was how to start.