Chapter 1
ASAMI
"Good Morning!" I smile at Kyouya for the first time in days. He sits on a peach Victorian tufted loveseat which compliments the lush laced – curtains and its golden brown rug underneath. Both ends have a dark brown arm rest, enhancing its peach upholstery color. His legs crossed while silently sipping his cup of Japanese green tea. He hasn't spoken a word to me, much less eye contact, since the meeting with my father and I couldn't bring myself to talk to him after hearing the news. It has been the longest days yet.
Three days ago, we – Kyouya, Yukio, and I – had a lunch meeting with my father in Namimori Hotel just south from where we currently live, and east from where Kyouya resides. The meeting was short-lived however, resulting by me walking away angry and betrayed.
It was Monday, during lunch break where Kyouya and I fetch Yukio from school and went directly to the said hotel. It felt like the slowest ride I had ever experienced. To not know what my father was going to talk about left my nerves completely jolted up. I expected something like moving to another country and live there forever. That would have been even more acceptable. But what happened next was unmistakably unexpected.
"You look surprisingly well." He says in the most fathomable tone he could come up with, tilting his head up in a slow fashion, bringing me back from my reverie. He unhurriedly raises his eyes and steadies it to mine. We stare at each other for what it feels like a long time until I avert my eyes from him.
He must have assumed I'd be crying on my bed now after hearing the news. The news wasn't that bad; not if you're not in love with someone else for the past twenty years though.
"Of course I am." I say nonchalantly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Later that night after the meeting, I stayed up late trying to find a solution to my problem. After being told that I was to be married to some rich, famous man from Italy I have yet to meet, my initial instinct was to run away. I could not bear the thought of marrying a random person I have no feelings for. Then again, words from my father flow down on me like rain: The fate of those who succeed the fruits of the Minamoto Group must sacrifice their own desires for the betterment of the company, as my father would iterate. It left me no choice.
"So," I continue, clearing my throat. "Are we going to finalize the research papers we did yesterday?" I can feel his eyes on me as I slowly walk my way to the loveseat to sit beside him; carefully caressing the back of my A-line skirt to not crease it and start to reach for a cup when suddenly the entrance door bursts open. We both look up to see who it is.
"Kyou-san!" Kusakabe says, his voice full of emergency. "Yukio… Yukio-kun is in trouble!"
I stop reaching for the cup midway and begin to panic. Horrid thoughts start to creep in on my mind. My eyes immediately search for Kyouya's, wide from fear and anxiety. If anything happens to Yukio, I would not know what to do. He grabs my hand softly and looks me intently on the eyes, calming my racing heart.
Hibari Kyouya always had the reputation of a devil ever since the beginning of his childhood and a delinquent as growing up. Ruling the whole city with fear alone was enough to earn him such status. Not only was he rumored to have descended from a prominent family, but also rumored to have owned the very land we stand on. But this Hibari Kyouya here, holding my hand ever so gently, the person whom I've always known, is far from the devil he is label from.
"Why is Yukio out of this mansion so early in the morning?!" I ask Kusakabe, without taking my eyes off of Kyouya.
"He wanted to talk to your father about the arranged marriage, hoping he'd changed his mind but your father won't even listen to him. So he…"
"Speak up, Kusakabe." Kyouya says impatiently, his eyes not leaving mine too.
"He followed his car to his office alone on foot. But some gang bikers gagged him on the way and kidnapped him presumably for ransom."
He hands a wrinkled folded paper to Kyouya.
"Why didn't you stop him then?!" My voice shakes, and this time, I look at him.
His forehead creases from worry. I can tell how deeply he cares for Yukio and how he blames himself for taking things so lightly. He went on his knees and prostrates himself, fists clench ever so rooted on the ground, and his well-shaped pompadour dishevels: showing his utmost apology. Instead of faulting him, my heart sinks six feet below.
"Yukio has been asking your father to reconsider the proposal for the past three days." He states. "He said it's unfair to let others decide who you want to marry with. That it's your right to choose who you want to spend your life with. Those words he used to convince your father to change his mind. But your father didn't as much look at him." He says the last sentence with disgust.
I try to ignore his distaste.
I didn't realize how these decisions had affected Yukio as much as it had affected me. I didn't stop and think what the possible results would have been to my inner circle just to satisfy the benefit of the many. It failed to educate me that these decisions my father made comes with great consequences and the outcome would most likely diminish the trust of the people I care most about.
Then it hit me. I can now totally understand my father's indifference towards Yukio. He may have adopted me, considered me as the sole successor of his domain but that is only because I can easily be dispensable… like marrying me off to a foreigner investor or whatever. Just to extend his power across the world. Yukio however, technically speaking, is a male: a perfect candidate as heir for his well-built empire. That was why he agreed adopting him immediately.
As unfortunate as it sounds, that is a reality I must accept.
I close my eyes and as I open them, water starts to surface.
As if on cue, Kyouya lets go of my hand and stands up abruptly. He always has a soft spot for kids and animals alike. Take Hibird for example, keeping him around was well proof of that.
I grip his arm and stand up as well. "I'm coming with you!"
"No." He yanks his arm away from me and heads straight towards the door.
I catch a glimpse of his eyes: it is cold and unrelenting; the kind of eyes with blood-thirsty and murderous intent.
Caught off guard, I stumble hard on the floor, accidentally hitting the tea kettle on the coffee table, trying to hurriedly catch up to them. The green tea spills over, dropping bit by bit from the side of the table. Only then I saw the wrinkled paper slowly descending on the ground. I sluggishly pick it up.
It reads:
Minamoto Yukio.
Hibari Kyouya.
Namimori Junior High.
Rooftop.
We'll be waiting.
Below the letter are the initials K.J.H.G.
To my horror and dismay, I crumple the paper and ran towards the door. All these trouble just to fulfill an old grudge against Kyouya. All these trouble! Trying to hurt someone he cares for will truly keep his blood burning but it's a sick way to do it.
Kokuyo Junior High Gang. It has been ten years. I heard they have been disbanded and some members were imprisoned in Vendicare Prison. It's impossible to break free from that well-guarded place. So who is behind all of this? It's possible that the gang's name was used just to easily lure Kyouya out. And it worked.
I suddenly stop short. What would I do if I am there? Would I be of any help? Would I just be in the way? These thoughts are circling on my mind.
But Yukio's face flashes in my head. I have to be there. To make sure he is okay.
I arrive in Namimori High a beat too late, sweat insanely dripping on my forehead. I wipe them off with the back of my hands, grasping tightly for air. I clutch the nearest column I could reach, resting my legs that are shaking from running too far. My heart aches for the thought Yukio might get hurt or worse, die. I immediately throw that idea out of the window. Kyou-kun is with him so it's going to be okay, I thought to myself.
The bell rings loud enough for a 3 meter radius to hear indicating that morning classes are about to begin. The gates automatically move its way to its other end, slowly but surely, signaling students to hurry entering the school grounds, as the school gates are closing in.
Rooftop. That was what's in the letter.
I abruptly regain my posture as new motivation builds up within me and begin to take long, wide strides then dash my way to the rooftop. I enter the hallway, ignoring all sets of eyes that see my perplexed face, let alone ignoring also the fact about changing shoes upon entering the school building. I went straight upward, covering two stairs at a time, leaving no time to respite every now and then to grasp for air. All turn their heads on me as I push student after student just to reach my destination. I even heard someone yells, "Hey! Stop right there!" A teacher probably but who cares?
As I near the top most of the building, I can clearly hear the clangs of metal against metal. I couldn't hear my own heart beating, just a loud stretching uproar that tears my eardrum. I turn the knob as fast as I can, and the sun's bright rays greet me diligently with a smile. I instantly shield my eyes from the sudden light, squinting to allow my eyes to adjust only to find Kusakabe securing Yukio in his arms, unconscious. It put some relief on my chest.
"Tetsu-kun!" I run towards him. He stares at me stunned, as if I magically appear in front of him, questioning his own eyes.
"Asami-san?"
"Obviously, yes." I raise an eyebrow.
"What are you doing here?" Bewildered pair of eyes looks at me.
"Why are you asking me stupid questions? How is he?" I nod towards the unconscious Yukio.
"I'm sorry." He shakes his head. "He's fine. It's just that…" He hesitates, then shrugs.
"What?"
"You're trapped here with us now. Unless Kyou-san will be able to defeat that thing." He points towards a giant squid's many arms, gashing in every angle Kyouya moves but vehemently misses.
It is only then I noticed the whole floor is wet. Where did the water come from? It's mostly sunny so why is the floor wet?
"Trapped? But I just opened the door just now." I ask, overlooking the weird setup.
"We're locked from the inside."
Oh is the only word I could come up with but I still didn't get it.
"Box Weapon." He clarifies, as if reading my mind. "Rain Flame ring-user." He added, seeing my confused face, as if to explain everything.
I sigh. "I get it." Ring a bell? is what Kusakabe's face is saying. I don't know if I should be annoyed or not.
The Box Weapon… it's a little box contraption where deadly weapons are stored and sometimes accompanied by an animal that matches the owners personality due to the unique trait of the owner's Dying Will Flames which can only be transmitted and opened with the use of the Rings. Researching the box weapons and the rings around the world for the past decade and seeing Kyouya fight every single one he encountered made me immune to the impossible.
When the Foundation – Kyouya's Research Institute – was researching, we discovered that it was a blueprint conducted by Geppetto Lorenzini four centuries ago but somewhat unable to further the experiment due to the lack of technological materials in their time.
So now that it has been perfected, that is how the Mafia Organizations move the world. Our fate lies through this little boxy devices.
"So what do we do now?"
"What do we do…?" Kusakabe sounds confused. "We wait."
Well of course.
I crouch beside Kusakabe and watch as Kyuoya fight the grotesque squid, but the head is nowhere to be found. It must be a difficult battle for Kyouya, seeing he didn't use Roll (a hedgehog in his Box Weapon) when he deemed his opponents as weak, I thought, but considering how his eyes look, it made me think he's just toying with the enemy, like he's buying time.
On the opposite corner from where we are, three young delinquent boys, wearing the Kokuyo Junior High uniform, lying on the floor unconscious. The faces are unfamiliar seemingly the instinct I got earlier was correct: they were pretending to be the Kokuyo Junior High Gang. They must have been responsible for Yukio's abduction and Kyouya must have had knock them down earlier. I loom over to see who the owner of the Box Weapon is only to be scooped by Kusakabe on the way.
"What are you doing, Asami-san?!" He barks his voice full annoyance.
"I…"
It seems to have caught the squid's attention – the attacker's attention – and in the spur of the moment, its one large tentacle tries to attack us, enough to squish us underneath. I instinctively cover Yukio with my whole body without thinking about my own safety.
"Didn't I tell you not to come?" Kyouya irks, barely glancing at me. He singlehandedly shove the giant tentacle with his right arm clutching his tonfa without any sweat. We both gape at him, unable to utter a single word. "Enough of this already." He says to no one in particular.
The way he says it sends shiver down my spine. It feels like he got bored while waiting for something that is about to happen.
And then, we heard a loud eerie sneer just below the ten tentacles sprawling everywhere.
"So the captain of the ship has finally decided to appear." Kyouya says in a low voice, enough for all of us to hear. He smirks.
"Ho. Ho." He says. "No one has yet to see Kraken di Pioggia and lived to tell the tale." He laughs in a very disturbing way. "You're the first."
"And better be the last." I say to myself.
"The 10th Vongola's Cloud Guardian, Hibari Kyouya, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." He says a-matter-of-factly and gestures a bow, with one arm on the stomach and the other on its opposite end, as if to mock him. "My name is Glo Xinia, member of the Six Funeral Wreaths. I heard you're the strongest of them all."
Six funeral wreaths? I heard about them. They are the counterparts for Vongalia Guardians and each carries a ring, called the Mare Ring, the same with the Vongolia Rings, the one of which Kyouya possess.
"And what if I am?"
Him and his condescending tone. I roll my eyes at him silently. Even in the midst of battle, his pride reeks out like it's a scent that is hard to remove. It sets like a charm to seduce stronger and more challenging opponents. It also might get him into trouble but evidently he wins in the end.
"If I'll get rid of you," He says in a dark sneer while carefully pushes his glasses on the bridge of his nose, the sun reflects its light slightly above it. "It'll be easier for me to get rid of the rest of the 10th's guardians."
"That's very unlikely." I say, not in a loud voice intentionally, both brows creases in an odd fashion.
Glo Xinia gives his attention to me and presents me a perverted smile. I shudder by the intensity and hug Yukio's lifeless body closer to me. Now that was uncalled for.
"I love to see cute girls like you squeal with fear painted on their eyes. Once this is over, I'll come and get you."
"We'll see." Kyouya returned the smile in his most evil and twisted way. The look he usually gives his enemies when he loves to see them be destroyed. And right now, he certainly wants this person to perish.
In a blink of an eye, Kyouya disappears in front of my eyes and the battle begins.