A bloodcurdling shriek jerked me out of my slumber, only to realise that it came from me.

My eye was wide enough to be at risk of popping out of my head, tears of consternation pouring out at an alarming rate. My hands clasped the sides of my head, and deafening screams escaped from my mouth as my legs shuffled under the thick blanket.

Just then my bedroom door burst open sending a riled woman in a white nightgown yelling at me, "Nagi! What do you think you are doing?! Screaming in the middle of the night! I'm trying to sleep, you know!"

However, her shouts only caused me to break into heavier sobs and my rapid breathing worsened as she stormed to my bedside and tried to pry my body off the bed to make me aware of her conniption due to my disturbing screams. "Nagi, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you know that it's 4a.m. in the morning? Stop crying and answer me!" Okasan yanked painfully at my hair but my pleas for her to let go fell on deaf ears. The commotion lured Auntie Suki with unkempt hair and wrinkled pajamas and Kyoya to the scene, where they spotted Okasan chiding at me without even trying to understand the reason for my petrified behaviour.

"Amechi, what's wrong? Why is Nagi-chan crying?" Auntie asked sleepily, rubbing her sore eyes and yawning, showing little care about me as well.

"I don't know! She's crazy! I'm tired and I have work tomorrow! Can't you even let me have uninterrupted sleep, Nagi?" Okasan slapped my back querulously and kicked my bed when she got impatient of waiting to hear my explanation. "Kyo-kun, you are her fiancé. Stay here and take care of her. Come, Amechi. Let's go back to bed," Auntie and Okasan stormed out of the room, their complaints disappearing from hearing range only after a minute.

I hugged my legs to my chest and I calmed down upon Kyoya's gentle pats to my head. I subconsciously snuggled to Kyoya and snaked my arms around his waist while he waited quietly for my sobs to completely fade before he inquired, "what happened? Why were you screaming?" I nuzzled my face to the crook of his neck, and stuttered, "I-I had a n-nightmare….." I knew that it was such a lame thing for me to act like a mentally unstable person and readied myself for Kyoya's nagging but he surprised me yet again by holding my hands which were stained with my tears and nodded, "go on. I'm listening".

I clung to him for my dear life and relayed the incidents that occurred in my dream which perturbed me so much.


"Kyaaaa! No! Stay away from me!" I flung another plate at the approaching man, this time successfully grazing his leg with the shattered pieces. "You dare run away from me?!" he dashed forward and grasped my shoulders, overpowering me even when I punched his chest with my fists in hard resistance. "Go away, you pervert!" I did not waste any time in hesitating and smashed my iron-like knee into his stomach, causing him to groan in pain. I took this chance to escape and hid myself behind a couch in the living room.

I was not going to let my stepfather, who my mother married to after my real father passed away, harass me again. He was always craving to touch me and looked sadistically contented whenever he accomplished in making me cry and afraid.

I was not going to allow him to treat me like a toy he could play with anymore. I was determined to run, far from his harsh control.

Why oh why did my foolish mother marry such a dirty man who only had the idea of cheating her of her wealth and sexually abusing his stepdaughter? I hated the possibility of being open to be raped by him any time, although he had failed to do so. But being molested was more than enough already.

'Otosan… My real Otosan… I don't want you to go. I want you back. Save me, Otosan. Life is terrible without you. Life is hell…'

My stepfather found me easily and to my utmost horror a sharp shiny knife gleamed under the light in his hand. I screamed and scurried backward, fearing that he might kill me. He grabbed my arm with the strength of a giant octopus trapping its prey in its tentacles to restrain me, and without warning, he swung the knife down.

Down into my right eye.

I shrieked. I cried. All I could see was red. Bloody red.


Kyoya stared off into space in total shock. "You had a nightmare…about your stepfather…stabbing your eye?"

I nodded, the memory of experiencing that excruciating pain setting me into a terrified mode. I wished that I had the power to erase such awful incidents from my mind. That horrible man ruined my peaceful life, the life I once thought I could live without fears and hurt haunting me. He destroyed my life to be an ordinary person, with a complete set of beautiful eyes. He left me with a broken soul.

"What did that useless mother of yours do?" Kyoya said, tracing my eye patch amiably.

"She requested the police to arrest my mad stepfather and dumped me at the hospital. When I was receiving treatment, I heard her quarrel with my auntie. They blamed each other about not taking responsibility of my welfare and letting such a shameful thing happen".

Kyoya suddenly gripped the back of my head and stuffed my face against his shoulder. "If you need a shoulder to cry on, just say so," he whispered, his hands soothing my hair and rubbing my back with such affection that I clutched onto his sleeve and bawled my puffy eye out, the droplets of water flowing with the force of a humongous, rough waterfall.

Kyoya said almost the exact same sentence as the only two other people I cherished with my entire heart.

'Nagi, my daughter, if ever you're feeling down, just look for me and cry on my shoulder for all I care'.

'Kufufufu… To all my fans out there, especially the young ladies, you may like to consider this policy of mine: find a source of warmth when it is necessary to comfort your anguish spirit'.

'Otosan… Mukuro-sama…'

I rewarded Kyoya with a peck of heartfelt gratitude on his cheek for selflessly sacrificing his sleep by never leaving my side and lending me his shoulder to relieve my grief until twilight, when I finally found enough tranquility to fall back to wonderland. I would always remember Kyoya's kind consolation and assurance for me that required no words to emphasize on its depth of effect, which he would never admit even if I pointed a pistol at his forehead.


"All right, attention, class. This is your weekend assignment. If I don't have everyone's work handed in on Monday, the whole class will do detention! I mean it, okay!" Reiko-sensei dismissed the students for break after ensuring all of us had received the homework and giving her warning.

I examined the title of the composition, 'what do you live for?'

'I had no idea' was my immediate answer.


"For me?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow when I presented him a bento set filled with onigiri, katsu and broccoli. "Hai, it's for you, Kyoya," I grinned and sat opposite him, watching in anticipation for his comments as he chewed slowly on the food. "It's good, Nagi. You don't have to worry," I blushed at his compliment and decided to make him a lunch box every day, hoping he would provide me with remarks or advices that could help me improve on my culinary skills.

"Ne, Kyoya, I have a question for you," I showed him my essay homework with the weird topic which I had no clue about how to answer and write.

"Interesting," Kyoya murmured as he rested his head on his palm, "what do you live for, hm? In other words, it means the reason for your existence, I guess".

"You're saying it in a way that makes it more confusing. It means what is my purpose in life, right? It can be my aimed achievements or goals, can't it?"

"You got it," Kyoya slid the paper across the table toward me, "now write".

"Eh? No, Kyoya. I still don't know what to write. Can you give me an example, please?" I attacked him with my charismatic adorable puppy eyes, knowing he would resign and assist me even if his name was Hibari Kyoya, "the reason for my existence is for my pride. My pride isn't just any ordinary one. It is the Disciplinary Committee of Namimori Middle School, and the iron hammer for those who disturbs its order. I live for the sake of maintaining my pride, something I can never surrender".

I glanced down at my twitching hands on my lap, trying to absorb Kyoya's explanation and figuring out the content of my essay. This topic reminded me that I had yet to discover my reason for living, why I had been tolerating or submitting to burdens in my path all this while.

"Who or what do I live for?" I tugged my hair behind my ear and leant my chin on my crossed fingers. Kyoya smirked and reached out to poke my cheek, "just write that you live to cook for your fiancé, massage your fiancé's shoulders, help with your fiancé's paperwork, entertain your fiancé, let your fiancé poke your soft cheeks, listen to your fiancé's commands and basically be your fiancé's loyal slave".

I chuckled sarcastically and huffed, "Kyoya".

"Hn? Nice idea, isn't it, Nagi?"

"I'm gonna fail if I write all those crap".

"It's perfect. You won't. Just do it".

"No way".

Kyoya mischievously stretched my cheeks as though he was playing with dough, smirking even more when he saw me pout and I pinched him as revenge. "I forbid you from attempting plastic surgery. I do not want these cheeks to be altered," I laughed in amusement at Kyoya's ability to say such a jocular thing with a straight face.

"Kyoya, have you ever heard of Rokudo Mukuro?" I enquired, slapping away his itchy hands that were almost cupping my face. "The idol who plays the guitar in an Italian boy band?" Kyoya went back to munching on the onigiri. "Yes! That's right. My, I didn't expect you to keep up with the musical idol trend. He's such a cool guy," I smiled ecstatically, noticing Kyoya frown at how clear my fondness for Mukuro-sama was.

"Aww…don't be jealous, Kyoya. He's just someone I admire," I giggled with my fist to my lips.

He snorted, folding his arms and insisting he was anything but jealous.

"I want to attend his upcoming concert in Japan but my mother won't allow me to," I gloomily felt that all my wishes that were never too selfish came deteriorating beneath my feet. "You should be longing for your fiancé's autograph and not his," Kyoya said with creased eyebrows.

When I was about to tease him again, he seized the side of my neck and drew nearer to press his lips to my cheek. Our gaze met, my face blushing in bewilderment while Kyoya's expression remained indifferent. Without needing me to ask him, he explained calmly, "repayment for your kiss last night".

"E-Eh? T-That was…just a greeting. No! It was a sign of g-gratitude…" I stammered as I covered my scarlet face with my hands, cursing at my genes from my mother that caused me to blush so easily.

"By the way…"

"?"

"I like your name. It's short and sweet, easy to remember. Somehow it sounds really nice and calming".

"O-Oh… Thank you, Kyoya".

Kyoya smirked, "you've started to become more fascinating, Nagi".


Vague voices tingled in the air as though traveling from a far distance, luring me to walk in its direction to check for the fountainheads and wondering which Namimori Chuu students had enough guts to loiter in the school compounds without valid reasons. Were they not afraid of being bitten to death by the school-obsessed prefect named Hibari Kyoya? They had better thanked me for saving their heads.

The noises became louder as I approached classroom 2-B, and somehow my intuition urged me to stay out of sight, so I hid my presence behind the back door and that was enough for me to hear every single word of the students' conversation, despite my guilt of committing eavesdropping. My body suddenly turned rigid when I recognised the unfriendly voice of Julia Misagochi. She was assumedly discussing a subject that pissed her off with her clique.

"I don't want to get caught again. I order you girls to bully her on my behalf," Misagochi's authoritative, grave tone and the possible reference to me cut my very soul and I leant my ear against the door to listen more, hoping to hear their plans and avoid their pranks on me.

"I can't believe I'm this unlucky. First she pushed me off my academic throne and now she stole my Hibari away from me!" I froze at the furious pounds and crashes of the flipping of tables and chairs, hearing the anxious begging from the other girls for Misagochi to chill. However what stunned me most was the revelation of Misagochi's crush for Kyoya!

I clenched my fists and zipped my lips together, resolution to ensure Kyoya did not fall into the ugly hands of Julia Misagochi stirring strongly within me. I did not agree that a petty bully like her deserved a man like Kyoya. Not only did I not see any compatibility between them, but I also wanted to protect my fiancé.

Did I just accept our engagement? Why did I experience a doubtful feeling for Kyoya's care for me which lacked in all my existing family members? Was I upset that Kyoya might not like me? Was that why my poor heart was aching right now?

"Oh dear… Am I falling for Kyoya?"


"No way! How can I for liking someone like Kyoya? The nerve of him to order me to carry these stacks of paperwork to the teachers' pigeon holes while he sits in his so-called office shaking his legs!" I complained to no one particular as my feet led me to the staffroom and stuff the papers into their lockers.

I had the habit of thinking and musing to myself whenever I took a stroll alone, and this time I reminded my short-term memory that Okasan and Auntie Suki were not coming home for dinner due to extra duties at the studio which they regarded as the opportunity to earn more money. In other words, I had the responsibility to cook for Kyoya and I. But the problem was I had absolutely no idea what kind of food Kyoya adored or detested. "Let's just ask him," I decided and switched my random stroll to a walk with the goal of reaching the Reception Room.

At the staircase that linked to the third floor, my path was blocked by a group of four girls who I recognised belonged to Julia Misagochi's clique!

'Oh no! I fell into their trap!' my lips and arms quivered as my eye darted from one smirking girl to a grouching one. According to their conversation earlier, they did not disclose any hints about a surprise counterattack! I had taken wary notes that they were planning to spoil the soles of my shoes, hide caterpillars in my bag (how on earth did they find out that those disgusting bugs were my greatest phobia?), dismantle my classroom chair, spread rumors about I seducing Kyoya into our engagement, tear out the pages of my books that were in perfect conditions, deliberately spill ink onto my sports attire and carry out many other harmful schemes.

"W-What do y-you want from m-me?" I asked meekly like a terrified small animal. 'Kyoya, you fool, why aren't you here when I need you?'

"Our young mistress, Julia-sama, ordered us to eliminate you," I was now trapped in the middle of a circle with the girls forming the border.

"You underestimated our boss too much, silly girl. Do you think our queen hawk wouldn't notice your presence behind the back door? That was why we didn't mention about this surprise attack," the thugs each delivered a punch to my back and shoulders or a kick to my legs, and I could imagine Misagochi hollering with evil laughter in the background. "S-Stop! Don't hurt me!" I flung my arms in defense and managed to retreat until I was out of the circle, away from the ruthless bullies.

My blood had boiled to a high peak. Julia Misagochi…what the hell did you want from me? Was it my fault that your crush and I were engaged? Why did you keep creating trouble for me? I was innocent! How could you be so mean to me? You had friends, I did not. You were popular, I was not. You were beautiful, I was not and never would be. So what if I robbed you of your top student position? So what if my family had more wealth in its possession than yours? Your life could not possibly suck as much as mine.

These negative thoughts were enough to trigger my parcels of tears that I had been containing since the girls started hitting me to burst. I ignored the jeers of the bullies about my crybaby nature as I sank to my knees and endured the physical and emotional pain of being cruelly beaten, yanked and spat at. No one was going to rescue me this time. Haru was not a student of Namimori Middle, in addition Tsuna, Kyoko and the others had returned home.

'Kyoya….'

I left for home with wobbling legs, throbbing blue black blots all over my skin, a nosebleed that spent twenty minutes to subside, a hazy mind and a desolated heart.

Were you happy now, Julia Misagochi? Sending your underlings to beat me to a pulp was cowardly of you, but this assault did a wonderful job leaving a huge impact on me. They even broke my expensive watch. It was going to be your fault that I had to face the music when my mother came back from over-time work. I fished out my mobile phone from my pocket to check the time and what surprised me was a text message from my fiancé.

'Nagi, where are you? Watch out for Julia Misagochi's gang. They're coming for you!'

I gasped as I scrolled down the bar on top of the screen and realised I had missed five of Kyoya's urgent calls of warning! I then jumped when I heard a familiar voice that I missed so much calling out to me although only a mere half an hour had passed since I left Kyoya.

"Nagi!"

My eye sparkled with awfully relieved tears when I spotted him running toward me down the pavement.

"Kyoya!" I dropped my bag and dashed forward to his open arms of warmth, the sole reason for my sense of safety and security.