The Missing Piece
Chapter 6
Christmas Eve?
Disclaimer: I don't own the original KHR characters and the main mafia plot. Just Rin and few my own chapters, this time is purely inspired by a manga I read :P
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'Sometimes I wonder what a friend is…'
Rin nearly slap herself at the sudden stupid thought passing through her mind, it's hardly sudden but it's unusual. It was rare for her to think about this kind of thought, she accept things because it's there. That is that. She never mind much about this family and friend matter, people go people come. That is the nature of the world isn't it? How come it's troubling her so much then?
"Rin, it's lunch now," Tsuna called smiling cheerfully. Rin and Hibari's absent for one whole week seemed to lift the whole school's mood, though the male population still miss Rin, they look quite free without the merciless prefect. Not that Rin mind, that's human. Then again, Tsuna was grinning ear to ear for a totally other reason. He got a date later on, Christmas date to be exact, with his idol Sasagawa Kyoko.
"Oh yeah, let's go to the school's canteen. I forgot to pack lunch," Rin smiled back sheepishly. As Rin stood up, Gokudera and Yamamoto turn to them. She knew what they going to ask and as the only female she'll get to choose. 'Why and how did you know what they are going to say?' Rin push the echoing thought to the back of her head whilst maintaining her smile.
"Where are we eating today? We miss your company the whole week you know, the school feels quiet without you and Hibari around last whole week," typical Yamamoto saying meaningful word with cheerful and easy going tone.
"Hurry up you stupid girl! You are making Juudaime wait too long!" always the hot headed and short tempered Gokudera. She knew the two so well, too well actually, just in a few months time. 'How come it's so fast?' Rin laughed while she wondered to herself what's really wrong with her head that day. These kinds of thought, this kind of feeling, the sensation is new to her and she didn't know what it is.
"It's winter you know, I think it's better to stay in class today. But I need to buy something for lunch. I was so tired yesterday to make anything," Rin sighed pouting a bit at her answer. She really did exhaust herself just from keeping Hibari out of his seat.
"You okay? I can accompany you if you want," Yamamoto offered looking concerned. The worrywart big brother figure in her life, despite having two brothers though one is dead and the other is merciless, she love it when she can really act spoiled to Yamamoto. 'Only acting?' is what she asked herself.
"Nah, I'll manage thanks though. You should learn from Takeshi, Hayato-kun!" Rin teased with her big evil smirk adoring her face. It's easy to figure out what button to push on Gokudera now. 'Only now? Why is that?' Rin nearly frown at her somehow lively mind. She admitted that she thought about stupid ridiculous things sometimes but not this often in a day.
"I don't care about that you stupid woman!" Rin sighed as she pulled out her small knife to cut the coming bombs before closing the class door while laughing. It amazed Rin herself to understand others that deep, understanding what other things and predicting other movement is required for her missions. There was this feeling though. She didn't know what to call it. Pleasure? Satisfaction? Pride? 'What is this feeling?'
"3 A meal please," Rin said in that high pitch cute voice that work for middle school boys with equally bright smile. Like this was different, she is purely acting. She wondered why it's different from her acting around Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, and the others. It doesn't even sound right to call her actions an act around them.
"Here young lady, I'll give such an energetic girl like you a discount too," the old woman laughed giving her order with a friendly smile. Rin wondered whether the old woman's smile an act or not, people always act differently to one another. She never understands what it means to be sincere and free. She never had freedom in the first place. All she considered special always got hurt as well. So she didn't know how sincere people can be over something precious to them.
"How is your day?" she got that question everyday and answered them the same thing in the same manner every time, but why did they always ask? Don't they see that her answer will never change? She wondered why she felt this tightening feeling inside her when she thought about everybody around her like that. 'Guilt?'
'This is complicated…'
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"You herbivore, come with me," that's how the precious disciplinary committee dismiss Rin from class and summon her to the reception room or roof top, Hibari's choice. She was not in a good mood really, though she didn't look any different with her smile still plastered on her face. She hadn't sort her mind and found the answer for her questions. Spending the cheerful lunch with the three boys really lifted her mood but her thoughts never stop bugging her.
"You are quiet herbivore," Hibari stated as they walked to roof top. Not that he said anything about wanting to go there, that means showing weakness to Hibari after all. Rin knows just from where they were heading to.
"I have something in mind," Rin answered honestly. She always felt that she can be honest to Hibari, the reason is unknown but she feel comfortable around him. Though the torturous and exhausting spar time is not what she was looking for, there is this solitude and observant way of Hibari that make her feel calm and warm, despite the fact that it's winter with minus two temperature.
"That is rare herbivore," Hibari answered as if giving the cue that he wanted to know the reason of her thoughtful state. Rin looked up, not even shivering as the cold air stab her warm skin. She enjoys the cold. It felt like her overworking mind was being cooled by the icy air.
"Somehow I was wondering what 'friend' and 'family' is…" Rin approached the wired fence and hook her fingers as she lean back with her eyes closed. "I knew well what they are but at the same time, I feel at loss. It's like walking around a thing that I was looking for," Rin explained softly, her smile long gone from her face.
"What is the difference of what you are asking?" Hibari inquired curiously as he lay down on the slightly frozen floor, looking up at the cloudy sky. It was just an hour after lunch which ended on one sharp and yet the sun's where about is unknown.
"Eh?" that is Rin's soft surprised response, she turn to the laying prefect with the eye of wonder and amazement. She didn't know why but the short statement Hibari said surprised her and it looks like it's what Rin wanted to hear.
"A friend is people who you categorized as dear, they are practically your family as well," Hibari said clearly. Rin's eyes widen slightly as she walked and lay beside the prefect, observing the cloudy winter sky as well. Her previous questions swarming inside her head slowly lining one and one as they were answered by the cold –self proclaimed- carnivore.
'Why and how did you know what they are going to say?'
"You herbivores are always observing one another unknowingly as long as you care about them. You are weak and easily attach yourself to one another with bonds," Hibari stated unknowingly answer the girl's problem.
'How come it's so fast?
"You have mutual emotion, making it easier for you herbivores to understand one another. Time doesn't matter for your kind," Hibari smiled softly as if holding back a laugh at his own words. Rare for the head prefect to talk this much but he is not stopping yet.
'Only acting?'
"You can't act and brush our action with the simple word messing around. It's in your nature to show your true emotion whether you notice or not," Hibari continued cracking his eyes a bit to glance at the intently listening girl with this look of curiosity and understanding. Like a kid that didn't know the world outside despite seeing so many things.
'Only now? Why is that?'
"One will hardly find out what matters the most for them until they lose it. You might not even understand yourself even though you can read other people like an open book," Hibari smirked, showing that his words were clearly pointed toward the red haired girl who was smiling at his last remark.
'What is this feeling?'
"You and your herd share that weak dependant feeling. One needing the other, like people hungry of affection. That is herbivores mental," Hibari closed his eyes, wondering about his action. It wasn't like him at all to talk this much, he could even bet that he already spoke thrice more than usual, but he didn't feel bad. It felt okay for not to talk, even though it was about things he hardly cared.
'Guilt?'
"Then again, you care only about people you knew best. Herbivores are selfish and conceited being. Never fail to think about themselves and their surrounding but hardly care about other things than what they treasure," Hibari yawned a bit, starting to lose interest in this small stupid game.
"Your so called family and friend were merely names used to control other anyway."
"That doesn't mean herbivores are weak physically. You always found a way to survive, to live longer than can be achieved with little opportunity you had. Sacrificing whatever needed with doubt, trying to protect the fragile hope of survival. That's okay, that is why I'm a carnivore," Hibari sat up with a smirk, his tonfa out.
"I will seize every chance I had to enjoy my destructive path, fighting every acknowledged strong herbivore with no hesitation," he stood up straight. Seeing the sign, Rin followed suit, knowing she will have to fight as the price to make the solitude prefect talk.
"Now, I'll bite you to death."
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"Hibari, are you okay?" Rin called when she saw the sleeping –fainted actually- prefect stirred from his slumber. The match ended shortly, one attack from Rin, since Rin had the urge to get serious and show him her strength. Due to her proper training, beating Hibari were merely as easy as blinking an eye.
"Mitsuyuki…?" Hibari blinked unconsciously calling the girl's name. Rin noticed this but decided not to comment, he smiled and nodded to assure the head prefect that it wasn't some unknown person. She stare at her senior's dazed eyes for a bit until she saw his victorious smirk.
"I knew it, you are no ordinary herbivore Mitsuyuki. Hey, from now on, fight me," Hibari stated with somehow a pleased childish near-smile-a-like smirk. Considering her fragile traits, she doubted she'd accept the offer. It wasn't for the fact that her weak endurance was really a problem since birth but she merely forgot to eat often, especially when she was too engrossed to her work and experiment.
"I'll stop when you are tired and bring you to the reception room," Hibari compromised with high enthusiasm. His look was like a kid when opening his Christmas present, how cute.
"I'll decide when to fight, and accompany me today Hibari," Rin added the rules in a slightly challenging tone. She knew the head prefect well enough to know that Hibari hates being ordered around and crowd but the word just slip out without any thoughts.
"Give me a reason why I should crowd with you? I will decide when to fight," Hibari stated ignoring the fact that he was the one in the disadvantaging situation. Rin sighed with her smile still glued on her face. Her gut feeling told her that Hibari will say that.
"You want to fight me, isn't that the whole meaning in our talk now? Besides, it's Christmas," Rin answered smoothly with satisfied smile when Hibari finally accept that he was in disadvantage situation. The girl never lost a debate before –minus against Reborn who simply couldn't understand rationalize thought- and she didn't intend to start her defeat record anytime soon.
"Fine, I'll tolerate you this time."
Rin smiled victoriously at the favorable answer.
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"Can we fight now?" that question was starting to test the red-hair's patience. Rin considered herself as one of the most patience girl in the universe but when one got the same question for at least fifty times in a minute and they have start walking for only about ten minutes, it was quite a hard task to accomplished.
"Can we stay in peace and enjoy the walk for a bit?" Rin finally sighed, not showing her annoyance much but nobody could miss her exasperation. Hibari seemed to notice this and decided that he kind of won something so he stayed quiet. They decided to walk across the park and back to the school. It was winter so not a single soul was found, which was good for Hibari.
"Thank you," Rin muttered softly with a small smile. That seemed to catch the prefect's attention as he turned to the girl with questioning stare. She walked a bit faster before starting to walk backward, still maintaining her smile all the while.
"You explained to me what I contemplate for these days. I lost my sight on my goal here for a while there," Rin beamed, enjoying the sight of the satisfied and calm Hibari for the first time. Hibari never showed other his emotion most of the time but that seemed to falter around her nowadays.
"Say, I'll do all the things you want for today since I'm in a good mood. Anything at all, even fighting if you want," Rin said with her serene look. She didn't like owing other a favor and it felt like she was indebted to Hibari so she wanted to pay him back as soon as possible.
"Sing," the order seemed to left Rin flabbergasted with her mouth wide open as a sign of her disbelieve. Just a few minutes ago, the prefect was demanding a fight and when she gave him the opportunity to do so, he asked for something else. "Sing," Hibari repeated sternly, confirming Rin doubts.
Rin nodded while thinking of a song, she was considering Namimori anthem but then something cold touched her cheek softly. A snow, the cold beautiful white snow started to fall around them. That gave her the idea.
"Hoshi ni Yuuki ni Kioku ni, Kimi no ashiato sagasu."
Rin knew that Hibari love something that is soothing and slow, a complete opposite of his nature that is fierce and ruthless. She knew it was the perfect song with her voice sounding sweeter than how it used to be, more calming.
"Douka towa no yasuragi, koko wa yume no tochuu de."
Hibari let himself to smile slightly at the song and voice that was filling the empty gate of his beloved Namimori. He stared at the girl with her fair complexion and fiery red hair blending with the white snow. She smile the one smile Hibari admit that he like as she dance around along with the song's imaginary beat.
"Osanai, Tsubasa de, Sakamichi kaketeku. Michi kara hagurete kono me o tojiteku."
Rin closed her eyes, closing her ruby eyes from the white filled world around her. She stopped her dance as she slowly opened her eyes, her arm out stretched with her trying to catch the snow. She paused like that, her soft gaze toward the silvery rain of snow and her smile remain as she paused the song.
"Yume ni, ai ni, Kokoro ni. Kimi no ashiato sagasu."
Rin continued softly as she spread her arm to both side, letting the piling up snow scatter around into the blissful surrounding. She beamed to Hibari who was still walking to the school toward her. She noticed the small smile across the usually cold prefect's face.
"Towa no, hikari, nokoshite. Yurugi no nai Tsubasa de."
Her voice started to sound softer as she went to the last verse. She twirled around one like a kid before she beamed to Hibari who is still staring. Passionately, smoothly, Rin sang the last verse.
"Towa no, ai o anata ni."
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"Wow, I never knew you have a big house," Rin awed at the sight in front of her. There stand an old fashioned but well taken care of Japanese style mansion. She had researched all the houses and residents in Namimori and to think she had just miss this one big house was unexpected.
"Hurry up, herbivore," Hibari called not liking the coldness. The cold temperature from the snow seemed to start giving effect when they entered the reception room before –the heater was broken too- then Hibari suddenly demand a warm dinner. Rin wondered slightly whether her decision to obey whatever Hibari want was good or not.
"Make me something warm and tea," Hibari demanded sitting down on the Japanese styled floor beside the kotatsu. If he didn't look so elegant and fit to the background –despite his clothing- then Rin would have protest something about whose the guest was and all that. Rin was hungry too anyway.
"Say, are you living here alone?" Rin asked starting a conversation while cooking some soup and hot pot. She really did a researched on what Japanese usually eat, just never test it for real. It shouldn't be that bad, she is a good cook at least.
"Why do you want to know?" Hibari asked back uncaringly as he drank the tea that Rin served him before cooking. Rin took a quick glance to the garden where a cherry blossom tree stood beautifully before she visualized the house in whole, it was big. Still, won't it be lonely being alone in a big house?
"I'm curious, isn't it lonely being alone?" 'Though it is in your nature,' Rin nearly added but decide against it when her eyes met Hibari's sharp amethyst eyes. Rin smiled softly when she took note on how Hibari's eyes harden and his body tensed.
"They are dead," Hibari answered shortly with a sign of annoyance. Rin thought she should apologize but then she saw that look across the head prefect's face, so she smiled instead. Hibari Kyoya doesn't need sympathy. He is a solitude warrior with little emotion.
"Hmm, I see," Rin nodded, pausing to taste the soup, "Here come your dinner as well," Rin announced after she was satisfied by the taste. It ended up quite great for a first time trying, and she knew what to do to make it better next time too.
"Is it good? Do you like it?" Rin inquired looking quite worried. Despite knowing it's not bad, Rin knew well that Hibari is a picky guy just by staying with him for a week. She fell silent as Hibari drink down the soup, trying to gauge the head of disciplinary committee's reaction. He was putting down the small bowl slowly with no sound at all –Rin's foods were already inside her bottomless pit- before he looked up at her.
"I don't dislike it, maybe I'll ask you to cook again some other time," Hibari stated knowing that the red-haired brunet was still waiting for his answer. Rin sighed relieved as she beamed her brightest smile which made Hibari's posture soften.
"Your house is beautiful really. Are you the one taking care of the garden?" Rin questioned the still silently eating prefect softly. Rin still wondered on Japanese's cultures, though Tsuna's house will be so noisy anytime, but with Hibari who is full of Japanese culture one must know better.
"Why should I? It's one of the disciplinary committee's responsibilities," Hibari said after taking a sip from the tea. Still admiring the garden outside, Rin giggled at the image of gangster a-like members of disciplinary committee watering the garden.
"That will be one thing I remember about this place," Rin commented looking up to the darkening horizon, enjoying the peacefulness and soothing atmosphere there. She smiled, "I hope one day I could live in a place like this. Out of danger, noise, and trouble," Rin continued.
The two enjoyed the silence until the sun melted away into the endless darkness of the night and the silvery snow.
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This is it for this chap…
I actually rewrite everything because I think it'll make more sense this way.
I think this one is quite emotional and cute, seriously.
I hadn't really explain how Rin's life before meeting the group huh?
Maybe I could use it as a chapter material, just wait for the explanation. Hope you guys get the story, confused about something then just asked.
Nothing much to say except that I'm sleepy…
I'll go and finished the new chap for 'Time', my persona fanfic.
Good night~
R&R!