Ritsu: It's finally happening, everyone.

It's finally here.

To anyone who hasn't read the first 40 chapters of The Spirit of Shimon, this story is probably going to be REALLY confusing. So I suggest you go read it for backstory purposes.

Now then… please enjoy the very first chapter of The Spirit of Kokuyo!

"The whole time… you've been lying to me…"

The look on Enma's face was absolutely heartbreaking.

"I knew you hadn't been completely honest with me… but… everyone has secrets…"

I regretted it.

"I honestly didn't care if you lied! I figured you were just… trying to do what you thought was best for me…"

My heart clenched painfully.

"But you're telling me you knew Mami would die and you just let it happen?"

I flinched.

I had honestly let it slip my mind at the time. And I had wanted to save her-

"… I'm sorry…" was all I could manage, meeting Enma's gaze. What made it even worse was the look on his face. He didn't look angry. Upset, yes, but he didn't look angry.

Just heartbroken.

Betrayed.

Something glimmered in his hand before it hit the ground.

Enma turned around, running off.

I could swear he was crying.

I felt… hollow. Empty. Guilty.

I wasn't surprised. He had been justified in his actions. I had expected it.

So why did it hurt so much?

I stared at my hands, a small silver ring resting on my palms. Something wet hit the ring.

"Rain..?"

Another drop hit my hands. Another one, and another and another.

I came to the realization I was crying.

Enma had thrown away the ring.

He had thrown away me.

He had a right to be angry. I lied to him for so long, kept him in the dark. And I had expected him to be angry, to yell at me and to tell me to leave and never come back. But then he'd simply sent me that look.

That heartbroken look, that betrayed look.

And then he'd simply dropped the ring onto the pavement, before running off.

What am I… supposed to do now..?

I could've gone to Tsuna, or Yamamoto, or even Sasagawa, but they interacted with the Shimon before the fighting. Chances were they'd gladly do so afterwards too. I didn't want to see them. Not now.

If Enma told the others, I had no doubts that they too would be angry with me. And I didn't doubt he would tell them. They deserved to know.

A sudden warmth enveloped me, arms circling my shoulders, pulling me backwards into a hug. A familiar scent washed over me.

"… What are you doing here..?"

"Come to Kokuyo. Your talents will be of use there."

It wasn't a request, it was an order.

But I found that, at that moment…

I didn't particularly care.

Instead, I merely followed Mukuro silently, my eyes downcast the entire time. My head was pounding, and while my tears had dried I couldn't rid myself of the frown on my lips. I wasn't sure if Chrome was still in Kokuyo, and if she wasn't, there definitely wasn't any need to. I already knew no matter what first impression I made on Chikusa and Ken they probably wouldn't like me. And I couldn't bring myself to care.

When we reached Kokuyo, Mukuro exchanged words with said two males quietly before Chikusa more or less dragged me off to a somewhat decent room, compared to the condition of most of Kokuyo. He didn't say a word and simply left me there.

There was a bed located to the left of the door, but apart from that the room was fairly empty. A nightstand was next to the bed, a small lamp placed on it. It looked ready to collapse. On the opposite side of the room, the right side, there was a worn window. The view wasn't anything special, just more of the rather desolate remains of the park, but I found myself in front of the glass, one hand placed against it.

And I remained in that spot up until the moment Mukuro entered the room.

Watching her stare out of the window was oddly unsettling, Mukuro thought. She seemed out of it, almost as if she could disappear at any moment. Had the rejection from the Shimon brat hit her that hard? Was she truly that close to him?

And was the brat so weak that he couldn't handle the truth?

Mukuro had heard it all, not patient enough to wait until she decided to fulfill her promise. While he certainly wasn't too happy with the fact that she had known a lot of things and refrained from telling him, it was something he had suspected for a long time now. To him, it wasn't too terrible of a surprise, if he was to be honest with himself.

And while it would certainly take him a while to accept it all, he saw no reason to shun her for such a reason.

And if you abandon her for a single thing when she's spent seven years at your side…

Then you're not worthy of her.

After all, she could've spent those seven years by his side-

Mukuro interrupted his thoughts before they went out of his control. Instead, he took a few steps closer to Tomo, watching her with calculating eyes.

"What am I… supposed to do now?" Tomo spoke, her voice wavering.

"What do you want to do?"

At that, she turned around, sending Mukuro a wide-eyed look.

"What… what do I want to do..?"

She truly made it sound like a foreign concept, Mukuro mused to himself with a nod.

"A trait of yours I've always loathed is your insistence of doing what you're supposed to, ignoring what you actually want to do."

"But I… I have to save-"

"Enma? Why is that? Because someone told you to?" he asked her, a scowl on his face.

Her silence was all the answer he needed.

"Tell me, when was the last time you did something because you wanted to?"

I found myself quiet, pondering his question. I had followed Daemon around of my own will- but it was for the sake of protecting Enma – and I had gone to the island-

I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

Any major decisions I had made all came back to Enma in the end. I had done them because I wanted to, but not for my own sake so much as it was for Enma. True, I wanted to protect him because I cared for him, but-

It's like I've been babysitting him… holding us both back from our true potential… After all… Enma is… stronger than me, isn't he..? In the end… while I did protect him… in the end, I was the one who was saved, wasn't I?

Meeting Mukuro's piercing stare, I managed a bitter smile.

"I… see your point."

He nodded, seemingly pleased with my answer. But something struck me as odd.

"You lecture me for not doing what I want… but what others tell me I'm supposed to… but aren't you doing the same thing? Asking me to come here-"

He chuckled, his lips tugging into his typical smirk.

"Ah, but you see… I am not forcing anyone. You are free to leave whenever you wish. You're the one who chose to follow me and the one who chose not to leave. I've no interest in caged birds. They are far too naïve and weak, you see. All those who follow me, do so because they want to. And what you choose to do from here on is up to you, no one else. If you wish to leave…" he trailed off, motioning towards the door. "The exit is right there."

I blinked, unsure of what to say. While he had certainly ordered me to go with him to Kokuyo earlier, something about his eyes told me that he was actually telling the truth now. That I was free to choose for myself whether I stayed or not. I fidgeted with my hands, staring at the silver ring in my now open palm.

"Do you think… he'll ever forgive me?" I mumbled, eyes set on the ring. I heard him step closer, before a hand landed on my head. I blinked in surprise, looking up to meet Mukuro's gaze.

"Oh? And what am I, a mind reader?"

I cracked a small smile at his joke, considering he technically could be considered as such. A frown soon replaced the smile however, and I thought I saw his eyes soften.

"Some things are never forgiven," he spoke, his tone serious. I nodded slowly, my frown growing deeper.

"But if he truly considers you a friend, then he'll forgive you with time."

It was odd, hearing him say such a comforting thing. It sounded so out of character for him, and I almost wanted to laugh. In fact, I think I did laugh.

And then I cried along with the sky, hiding myself away in the mist. I wailed and sobbed, clutching onto Mukuro for dear life. And while I think it bothered him, he didn't move. Even when I heard Ken's obnoxious whining about my own obnoxious crying, neither I nor Mukuro moved.

Eventually I quieted down, face buried in the crook of his neck.

"I'll stay…" I mumbled softly, my voice sounding strange to my own ears.

"… Because I want to…"

I felt him nod.

"But I… still want to find out the truth… about this existence of mine… I want to know why I… was told to save him."

Another nod.

"… Thank you, Mukuro…"

That was when I passed out.

When I woke up in the bed - my bed, I realized - gently tucked in beneath the covers I swore I saw a familiar pair of eyes. But before I could ponder it further, I allowed sleep to claim me once more.

Ritsu: So, a rather slow start, but we'll delve into deeper stuff soon. So… I am by no means trying to make Enma seem like a total baddie here. But something drastic had to happen to separate them, and thus this did.

So, Mukuro is apparently a therapist now? Wha?

Who knows! I just write what pops into my head! So… Look forward to the next chapter!