Ikinaide.

The day prior to Hibari's challenge to his tutor, he requested a meeting with the baby.

"He asked me to give you this," he said as he thrusted a sack full of Mapo Tofu, bigger than what Reborn's body could handle. Reborn landed on the floor just to save them.

"Thanks," said the baby, unsure of what else to say. He opened his hand and lets his pet chameleon land on it. After a short burst of unexplainable light effects, the beast opens its mouth and regurgitates what seems to be a black velvet box four times wider than his hand. "Here's my end of the bargain too." He hesitated. "Where do you intend to put him to rest?"

"There's a meadow at the outskirts of Namimori Middle School," Hibari said as he hid the box on one of the inside pockets of his gakuran. "There's someone there waiting to meet him."

"That's good to know," Reborn took off his hat and spun it around. "Fon never talked about you, or even about himself. I always thought no one cared about him."

Hibari began his exit. He did not like the heavy atmosphere that clung like film on their bodies. He already had enough weight to carry. More and he would not be able to be the cloud any longer. "You were wrong."

It was a wrong Reborn was grateful of making. He gave a quick smile at the boy before he closed the door.

-18-

"Someone came here," said Kusakabe, a basket full of sayuri and red tiger lilies on his lap when he noticed a large white rose on top of a mossy rock in front of a short pine tree.

Hibari merely hummed as he continued to violently push Kusakabe's wheelchair, making the vice-chairman surer that there's a sinister reason why he was chosen to accompany him there. This may be his resting place, fitting for his failure of going with Hibari's orders of staying out of his personal issues. Lost and forgotten, his corpse bared for the earth to decompose.

Hibari stomped on the rose and kicked it aside before he came to get the flowers.

"Those are not the usual flowers you give her," noted the vice chair as Hibari lay the basket in front of the rock.

"They mean goodbye," Hibari said, standing up slowly, hands fastened on his sides. "I won't be coming here again." He circled Kusakabe's wheelchair and seizes a small spade on a bag behind him. He paces a yard from the rock and promptly begins to dig.

"You won't visit your sister again? But you promised-"

"I'm leaving Namimori," said Hibari, eyes transfixed on his work, hacking and digging his way through the dirt and critters and other filthy things.

"What? W-Wait Kyo-san, your hand-"

"You don't seem happy," he said softly. "I'm setting you free. You can finally see your family again."

"You don't understand, Kyo-san. They're no longer my family. This is my home now. You are-" he couldn't say anything else and bit his lip, trying to hold back the shock and the tears that were fighting to come out.

"Oh, but they are. Just like my flesh and blood. I can try to deny it, but it still won't change a thing," he continued to say in the quietest voice he ever heard from him.

"Is that the reason why you're leaving? To avenge Namimori? To avenge your sister? T-That won't change a thing too."

"It won't," Hibari agreed. He threw his spade in front of him and examined the hole he made. "However, you also don't understand that-" he said taking out a thin black box and dropping it to the bottom without a sound. "This is my duty as a Hibari. This was what my uncle set out to do… what my sister failed to accomplish." He then began to cover the grave. "You did not heed my warning and lost your limbs and your position. Pride was your downfall, Tetsu. The next stop will be death if you continue to defy me."

You needed protection. You refused. The chairman rarely said such sentiments out loud.

"Then let me stay here. Please, Kyo-san. I'll help rebuild Namimori. I'll stay then and wait for your return, as your sister will always-" by then his functioning hand made its way to his mouth, aghast at saying what could potentially be a taboo word.

"Hanging with those herbivores have changed you," Hibari said, plucking a red tiger lily from the pile and dropping it in the freshly-dug grave he fashioned. "I would have bitten you to death if you ever mentioned her then."

Kusakabe understood. They changed you too. "Is that the true reason why you're leaving?"

"I think my rule no longer suits this town." He began dusting off his hands. "They need a new leader. Will you not defy me this time?"

He bowed his head and shouted a reverberating yes. Hibari could only look back at the dead he was leaving behind before pushing his friend forward back to the land of the living.

"You'll do well, Tetsu," Hibari said before closing his eyes.

-18-

If something good came out of this week it would be the Mapo Tofu. No thanks to the events of three days ago, despite the invitation of free food (and overflowing champagne!), only Dino and Reborn lapped it up in a hospital room they reserved. If only the staff knew.

Lambo's appearance would have counted if not for the bite he took that burned a hole in his tongue. It sent him into a champagne drinking frenzy that ended with him half-naked and reeling outside the door, hiccupping incessantly (Reborn assured Dino that Tsuna would think of getting him back to Haru's room just two floors below).

"Even the free drinks didn't make anyone come!" Dino deliberately ignored the Thunder guardian's appearance. "The souvenir he gave was good too!"

Reborn continued chewing his tofu even though it melted already three bites earlier. He was getting a little dizzy with the wine. His infant body was getting the better of him, unfortunately. But the slight mention of Fon made him take another shot.

He opted to change the subject. "Shouldn't you be preparing for your duel with your student instead of drinking?"

Dino shot a wild look at Reborn. "Shouldn't you be used to Kyoya's incurable fighting mania?"

Reborn hummed. "He looked serious."

"Had you seen him 'smiling from his heart' then? He always knows the best way to rile us up. Thinks he's a sanctimonious bastard, but still acts like a total child, always wanting and wanting," Dino said absently, pouring another glass. They had two bottles to go. A pang shot through him. He forgot most of the Namimori citizens were underage. He should have laced fruit punches instead and served those.

"You're at fault for spoiling him rotten," Reborn interjected, making Dino nearly spill his champagne. "When will you ever learn as well?"

He snickered, ruffling his hair. "You really know when to hit it hardest."

"I'll hit you for real if you keep accepting his challenges. He was barely moving his left arm. He still hasn't fully recovered."

The Chiavarone head ate another bite before talking back. It had been awhile since Reborn and he had a moment like this. "It will be the last duel I'll have with him for awhile. My men are beseeching me to return to Italy. Said I spent too much fun playing with Tsuna and you." He tittered half-heartedly.

"When will you be leaving?" Reborn asked, staring at his glass. Throughout their talk, he never once shot a glance at his former student.

"Later, broken bones and all," he winked, now forecasting his injuries. "I've already reserved a plane."

"Fuck you too," Reborn deadpanned, making Dino fully burst into mad laughter. "You really have to show off, don't you?"

"Don't worry, I'll give a decent parting gift," he said, standing up, almost dancing as he skidded past his men, who earlier were drinking in a corner but immediately rushed to his aid, who made sure he did not trip on his boots again. "I'll make sure Kyoya stays." With that, he then fell down garishly, already drunk before hitting the floor.

His ex-student downed three bottles by himself. Jesus. Reborn shook his head, half-mockingly, half-wistfully at his leftover tofu. He wanted to call Tsuna, but given his current state, he wouldn't be a match against even a single-handed Hibari. He really had no choice but to rely on his erstwhile student. He grabbed his first glass of alcohol.

Dino never broke his promises. This might be the first.

-18-

If Tsuyoshi's hands were still functional, he would have ripped these papers to shreds.

This was the first time he had seen his son again. His injuries seemed to have miraculously disappeared, but it was still difficult for him to stand. He was supported by his silver-haired friend, whom Tsuyoshi wanted to thank. All of his young guests wore expressions that were unfitting for their age. They looked tired. There was barely any light in their eyes, like his son had originally back when he still tucked him to bed and told him stories.

He beckons Tsuna to scatter the photographs on his lap. They lie within his sight quite accusingly.

"I," he starts before laughing lightly. He did not break the tension in the room at all. "Please sit down," he said first, motioning his head to the three chairs near the window. All of them obeyed without any fuss and encircled him; his son by his right and the Sawada kid and the silver-haired kid on the foot of his bed and on his left respectively. His eyes lingered on the oldest photo in the pile again.

"This was a week after my first mission with the Hibari children at that time." He paused. Takeshi's eyes were still fixated on the picture.

"What was the mission?" It was the Sawada kid who asked in a soft voice.

"To wipe out a certain family in Namimori. That was the primary mission of the Hibaris. To maintain discipline while being clandestine about their executions. I was the one who took this picture," he points at the picture with Saito's three children, the one where his youngest daughter's back was turned. "Their mission was the same as ours."

"Hibari-san's not doing a good job on the clandestine part."

This comment from the brunette made Tsuyoshi laugh.

"Yeah, I guess he made a terrible effort on that part. And on the killing thing," he boomed heartily. "Overall though, he really did a good job in keeping Namimori safe. Especially by himself."

"Hibari-san is amazing, isn't he?" Tsuna looked at his two friends. Even his son tried to soothe his statement with a quick smile.

Looking at this kind of interaction from the three youngsters made him wish he was their age again eating grilled meat outside his best friend's house. There were plenty of mistakes he still did not make. Hitomi and he were not even together then. Saito and his elder brother were still in good terms.

Pictures can only do so much.

"Saito introduced me to his family. I was just like the lot of you once, an unassuming first year from Nami-chuu. Was never into sports, but I liked lounging around on the rooftop. That was where I met Saito. That was also the time I let him ruin my life."

"Ruin…?"

He smiled disarmingly at Sawada. "Yes. But I only realized it too late. Because of this mistake, I could not save the woman I loved."

-18-

Hibari Kyoya looked on impassively as the Bucking horse and the baby, entered. None of them were bearing the same insipid looks his subordinates and other herbivores gave as he proceeded to bite them dead. They looked aware of the danger, fully intent on taking in the bait he offered earlier.

Perhaps another morsel of truth would make things more exciting.

"Before we begin," he said, taking out the piece of paper he carelessly ripped from the keepsake she kept in a perlite box in her room. How long has it been since he entered it? Did that melancholic thought matter even? "I have three elder siblings. I am the youngest, Yuu is the eldest, and Kei followed her two years later. I care for neither of them."

"Then…" It was the baby who said something first, his voice hushed. "You tore that from a picture didn't you?"

He hummed. "This… was from the first family photo I was allowed to participate in." He pointed at his younger self, a herbivore with bright eyes and a smile that made him inwardly shudder. He nearly cooed at how docile he looked, a small animal who grew into a fitting beast. Father must be proud. "My sister forced my father and mother to let me be part of it. That is why we were almost out of the frame."

"Your sister… who is not Yuu?" the baby asked again.

They are nibbling the crumbs. He wanted to try tugging it, to see if they will follow.

"Her name was Nami. My family killed her, nine years ago," he looked at the picture of his sister, whose hair had been long and lustrous the day before the picture was taken. It was the price she had to pay for having him sit on her lap. He hid the photo once more inside his weapon and took a step forward. "If you defeat me, I will tell you the rest."

It had been a long time since he was the one who raised the stakes. If they wanted to play, then they play by his rules. He was the dealer. Let the games begin.

-18-

"The Hibaris never allowed strangers inside their manor. But Saito was of different stock from his parents and his ancestors. It was there that I met Hitomi, Takeshi's mother."

"She… had the same eyes and looks as your son," said Gokudera, peering at his son. On cue, Takeshi gave a quick laugh.

"I guess you'd say it was love at first sight," Tsuyoshi wanted to scratch his nose, but he leans back on the pillows instead. "We passed her by on the way, training. I was by then asking Saito a lot of questions. What was her name? Her age? Her likes and dislikes? Typical slambook stuff. Saito was in stitches by then. It was dang obvious that I had a crush on her. When I was about to go home, I plucked enough courage to talk to her. Told her she was pretty. She nearly had my head offed."

By then, his son began to laugh along with his friends.

"She was the reason why I looked forward to going to Saito's place. I even became a disciple with her on Saito's endorsement. Was the only one pleased with the arrangement. It turned out that she was from a long line of people dedicated to serving the Hibari household. And I guess all of them disliked the idea of an outsider learning the Shigure Soen Style, and eventually surpassing them."

"You really have to brag, don't you, old man?" His son spoke.

"Well I was a dang good swordsman then!" Tsuyoshi huffed. "Christ, shishou will laugh at the state I am in now."

He grinned when his son scratched the nape of his neck in reply.

"During that time, I was able to meet Saito's other siblings. He was the middle child. Fon was the eldest while Akari was the youngest. They were wary of me at first. It was unheard of for a Hibari to make friends. They eventually accepted me when I served under them during their missions. Plus they always made sure that I was the cook! Fon loved my Mapo Tofu and asked for the recipe." He looked at their young faces once again. He couldn't deny that he had some happy years there.

"Do grandma and grandpa know about your missions?"

"Of course they didn't. Saito warned me beforehand to never share personal stuff with him or with his family," Tsuyoshi replied. "I thought those days would last."

"But they didn't."

His son's eyes were downcast as he uttered those words.

He frowned. "No, they didn't. I thought Saito was the only rebel of the family. Fon was worse."

"What happened, Yamamoto-san?"

"Fon was more vocal against his family's traditions than Saito ever was," his eyes flitted at their old picture again. "He was also the desired heir of their clan. He was the prime candidate in terms of skill and bloodlust. Those two aspects did not mix well. Saito's parents wanted to make him pay. 'No' was not a part of the Hibari auditory vocabulary, so they started a war. My friend was stuck in the middle of it all."

-18-

Their first encounter was peppered with contradictions. Hibari Kyoya, who despised complications, would rank that fight with Dino as one of his worst. He had severely underestimated his then-future tutor and costed him extra duties as part of a family he had no lingering attachment to.

For one, he thought that Dino was foolish in choosing a whip as his go-to weapon. It was unpractical and costly for a whip practitioner to use it, especially in one-on-one combat.

Secondly, he misjudged the whip's speed and overestimated his. He had forgotten that he was fighting the baby's former pupil and even when Sawada Tsunayoshi was armed with nothing more than a pair of bathroom slippers he was still able to land a clean hit on him.

During their fourth encounter he had greatly overestimated his capacity to take damage. Though it wasn't as painful like most weapons he encountered, in the long run of getting knocked down by the tail end countless times made him winded enough for an opening in close quarters. He learned in their sixth encounter that Dino was also proficient enough four feet below the whip's danger zone, hiding a stiletto knife within his left sleeve.

"Reborn handed me to one of his masters when I was getting insufferable," Dino then said afterwards as he let him nurse his wounds. "Paranza Corta. Nearly got killed too. He was better than Reborn in the sink-or-swim method."

"Teach me," said Hibari and that was that.

He lunged before Dino had any chance to extend his whip. By then, he smirked as Dino gritted his teeth for the expected blow, but of course, that was not how Hibari did things. He struck where it hits the hardest, and where they least expect it.

So he hit his left wrist. He immediately lets go of his knife.

"Now it's a fair fight," he said with a sadistic smile as he dashes for the kill.

-18-

"The Hibari family practiced this custom for generations. They always bore three children. Two boys and a girl. Saito, Fon, and Akari were the products of that practice. It was intended to keep the Hibari blood pure and strong."

"What do you mean by that, Yamamoto-san?"

"One son will smite the other and then marry his sister."

"What?"

"Can you repeat that, old man?"

"Fon was the black sheep of the family. He was never obedient to the family code, but he was without doubt the strongest. Saito even said his parents hailed him as the best Hibari child the clan had ever produced. But he was not much a team player, quite standoffish in school, and there were times I felt like he was manipulating us. But I guess for all his flaws... he still cared a lot about Saito. He left so Saito could ascend the title and live."

"But you said there was a war."

"Saito… was not a Hibari in the best definition of the name. He was too kind. He had no great ambitions, like his parents and ancestors did. He wanted nothing more than to uphold the discipline in Namimori. Fon visited from time to time. He was present at their wedding and during some family outings with Saito and Akari's children. He was fond of Nami, their third child. This picture was taken when Nami was five, three days before it happened," he pointed with his lips the picture of Fon and Saito's offspring. "Fon had a way with people. It turned out he had built an army strong enough to hold us back. The battle lasted for ten weeks. It destroyed Namimori.

"I created the ninth form during our encounter. Fon was at the helm. Hitomi was out. She lost a lot of blood. Saito was no match for him. Akari was in another unit. I was the only one who could fight from our unit then. He was about to strike Saito down when I kept him away with the form I made. I tried engaging him so Saito could get away, but I got defeated as well.

"His men wiped a lot of our clansmen. We were fully crushed. He was about to kill his parents too when Saito surrendered. He requested an armistice. He would let Fon leave Namimori for good. Fon agreed and that was the end of it. I have never seen him since."

"Why did we never know about this? Did a lot of people die?"

"I already told you," Tsuyoshi laughed. "The Hibaris uphold the discipline in Namimori. Silencing the population who survived was a piece of cake. And you're right, there was a lot of lives lost. The Hibaris were nearly wiped out from both sides."

"Was that the reason why everyone left except Hibari-san?" asked the Sawada kid.

Tsuyoshi shook his head slowly. "I had left the Hibaris by then. I have no answer to that."

"Did you leave… because of me?"

He turned at his son, his mouth a small, thin line of confusion.

He shook his head again, angry at being unable to embrace his son.

"No. It was because of Kyoya. He was three years old when he tried to kill you."

-18-

Hibari was starting to feel his vulnerability, and he was sensible enough to know that was not a good sign.

Dino was able to maintain his distance even with a fractured wrist and evaded most the Cloud guardian's critical strikes, sans the one near the base of the throat. He wasn't able to exploit the opening when Dino gagged on reflex because the Chiavarone boss made sure to strike his left forearm to get away and catch his breath.

It wasn't the same evasive tactic as last time. His tutor always had a way with mixing old and new movements. His hands were deft and made up for his subpar footwork. He was not as good in hand-to-hand combat as Kei and Fon were, he may have been slower, but he was still more skilled than him.

Then there it was again, that right sidearm and that overhand flick. It was the same move that helped maintain Dino's distance several times, ripping his uniform in the process. Always in vertical and diagonal planes, never leaving room for horizontal angles, always intimidating with a defensive screen of fast moving leather.

He would always try looking for that blind spot, would let himself get surface cuts on the way before meeting Dino's dagger or the loop for the chokehold. He had trained himself again and again to move past this, most of the time he succeeded.

Still, this fucker, he thought detachedly as he raised his functioning arm to shield one side of his face.

The outcome was always the same. He always lost.

How many battles did he had again with Dino? He could not bother counting as he begins to charge, his protected side in front. In all those encounters, had he learned something from them? He wanted to be outside Dino's shadow, and yet, no matter how strong his desire was, he could never win against him. Can he not graduate from this cycle of obsession? Or… whatever his answer may be, yes or no, was this cold hard fact, not something he forced himself to believe?

So many questions… coming from this man… it was pissing him off.

"Why…" the Chiavarone boss added another, and he was sure he was being forced to explain himself this time. "…would you want to leave? Does your family really motivate you that much to die?"

He was itching to get his Vongola gear from the Bucking horse's herbivore to finish the fight already, but of course, the last thing he needed was to be dependent on the Vongola even when he was about to leave.

"My family had always upheld the discipline in Namimori. I failed my duty due to Vongola interference. Without you and Namimori to tether me, I can do what I want."

"You might die," Dino paused. By then, Hibari seized an opening and made his way to strike him again. Unfortunately, he used the thong and reversed the handle on his whip to block his tonfa.

"I'm aware," he said flatly before lunging again. Dino retaliates by hitting his injured shoulder tendon with the hard handle. Their blows and parries were in his favour. Dino said otherwise by hitting his base pelvis and slipping away again. "Your worries don't concern me. When I bite you to death, nothing you say will matter."

It was getting more and more difficult to stand. He was chipping away his defences, slowly but surely. More visible wounds for him, but the damage he was doing was becoming significant.

His body was not used to long fights. This was the price he had to pay for winning quickly all the time. The Bucking horse had to adapt with his weapon by having a strong stamina. He was used to dragging out his clashes.

"If you had met with Reborn and me none of that would have happened. Namimori might have been saved."

Hibari's eyes narrowed. "You are still naïve. The sole reason why the Vongola herbivores are still alive is because you were absent. They will not kill herbivores, but if they find someone like you… and if you did attempt to save my hide from my brother… you would willingly die in my stead," he checked his damage again. He can still go on. His functional arm was still barely damaged. "That is just who you are." By that, he stands up again.

His smile was insufferable. "You know me so well now, don't you?" He then fastened the stiletto at the end of his handle through a ripped cloth he was hiding. "Are you still this arrogant? Do you think that by leaving us to our own devices, you can protect us from your family? You know that there are consequences for leaving the Mafia, Kyoya. It's-"

"Ah," he laughed, with Dino and the rest shuddering as he did. "You misunderstood me, Bucking horse. I chose to fight you because you were the first human who wanted to be my mentor. Therefore, if I defeat you, I am right: I don't need you."

He detested those eyes. They looked at him pitifully. Always looking at him like there's something beyond him, like they have seen the world already. Those were the same eyes she also had. "It's always the same arguments, Kyoya. Do you know why I keep up with this charade? Why I keep accepting your challenges, even though we already know who will win?" He began recoiling his whip again with his free arm. This time, however, his bemused expression was gone. "Because I believe that in one way, or another, you'll learn to accept the blessings of loss. It's how you learn. It's how you become a better person."

"You only say that because you win," said Kyoya, still impassive as he began his steps toward the danger zone again. "I've been living like this ever since I was a child. You did not matter if you lost. It will get you killed."

"Kyoya-" there was that attempt to soothe him. He did not understand why Dino reminded him of an irksome fly, always hovering above him, ready to land his appendages on his shoulder-

"My dad lost, and sister told me he was never the same. That's why I was even born. So what do you know?" He covered his tonfa with spikes by then. He checked his unused arm if it will move. Good, a few minutes will be enough. He could hear his bird twittering mournfully just above them. He could not look up. "You know nothing," he said with such clarity and contempt, savouring each syllable as he readied his arms. That arm still hurt sharply, but it had to do. He was banking it all in this last attack.

Dino shifted his weight again and began looping his bullwhip carefully. The danger zone will end up in four to six feet, and he was ready for close-quarters. Hibari took a mental note of this.

"Reborn taught me to choose my battles," he was wearing the same tired smile she gave him before she died. It made him lose his balance a little. "And then there are battles you can't ignore, that you will find yourself losing. Yet you still fight. Not to prove you're right, not to win. You fight because these battles must be fought. Maybe after this, you'll understand why I kept up with you, Kyoya."

"You regret it then?" he smirked as he extended a chain from his tonfa, hitting the thong as he readied himself for this short yet potent burst of energy from both sides. It was time to close the curtains of what could possibly be their final show.

-18-

Dino can still recall the first time he and Hibari crossed arms. It felt like a long time ago now. He can still recall that sour expression and that glint of malice in his grey eyes, tonfas bared.

"If I win in a serious fight," he said, brandishing his whip in response. "You will join Tsuna's family."

He simpered as he felt cool metal steadily pressing against his throat. He closed his eyes, his knees then giving way as he continued facing forward, unable to face his tutee behind him.

"You were right then," the victor said coolly. "There was virtue in defeat."

The Chiavarone Boss let out a joyless laugh. "Well, you did have a point. Losing definitely sucks."

-18-

He looked at the pictures again. There was the torn picture hidden from the rest. He asked Tsuna to get it.

"I only learned of their three-child policy when Saito's children were born. Hitomi and I were thinking of getting children too, by then. The aftermath of the war though, made us push back the date a couple of times.

"Kyoya was born three years after Fon left. He… being the unexpected fourth child in a long tradition of three children changed everything."

"Have you asked Saito-san why he wanted to change tradition?"

He swallowed. "No. Saito… was never the same after the war. He couldn't stomach seeing the people he grew up with dead, and his brother being the culprit. I- I guess you won't understand. You guys are young-"

"We'll try old man," He could feel his son's hand on his shoulder. He must be shaking again, just like that time when Takeshi asked about Hitomi's whereabouts. He gasped.

"I guess, you can say he couldn't move on with his life. And… he wasn't able to make sound decisions. To cut the long story short… Kyoya was born and, uh, his presence was not welcome."

He waited for the questions that would sprout. None came. All of them seemed to understand Hibari to know why he would say something like that.

"Kyoya… wasn't an ordinary child. He was like… the undesirable code in the human gene pool. He- I don't know if this is too strong a word, but, Kyoya was insane. He was almost two years old when he choked our first child to death, your older brother," he paused as he looked at everyone's expressions. "Saito, that son of a bitch, commended it. Said he might be the successor they were waiting for. Hitomi never cried when she found out. She agreed with Saito and was willing to produce another child for his pleasure. It was only then that I woke up. I was able to see the true colors of the Hibari household. I never really understood them. And when you were born, I decided that I did not want to. I left."

Tsuna excused himself as his phone vibrated. None spoke. Takeshi looked at his hands. Gokudera Hayato's eyes were focused on the window behind his son.

"I thought that they would chase after me for my treachery. I think it was Saito's doing that I'm still alive. I tried to stay. I loved Hitomi, but who was I- to believe she wanted to be saved? She was the last successor aside from me. Shishou died in the war. I never was on top of her list. She… we… we were already over before it even started."

-18-

Tsuna's heart was going to burst. Life really did not want to give him even a day break to decide on how he will go on. Just when he finally thought things would go his way this happens. He opened the door just in time to see Dino scoff, hands on the dirty floor, the metal tonfa on his neck.

He knew that one day or another, the Vongola would begin falling apart. He never imagined it to happen like this. He expected a major cataclysm that would destroy them. Not like this. Definitely not this.

"This would be the part where you kill me," Dino said sardonically. "You've become softer. Did we get to you?"

Hibari smirked. "You don't deserve to be killed by my hand."

But Tsuna understood why as Hibari walked away. He could barely move both of his arms. He used the last of his brute strength to make his tutor grovel to the ground.

"And I know about your arrangements. You'll be leaving, and with my victory, there is a high chance of us never crossing paths again."

"What-" Tsuna found his voice, and everyone's eyes were on him again. Instead of shrinking, he found his feet walking on their own, straight to his Cloud guardian's direction. "What do you mean, Hibari-san?"

His malicious grin began to fade. His tone was softer, less imposing now. "I'm leaving the Vongola, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna wanted to ask why, but of course he knew better after listening to Yamamoto's father. Instead, he asked, "Is it because of Nami-san?"

There was an ugly pause.

"You no longer have the power to make me answer your question," he said dismissively. Hibird fluttered to his shoulder. "As you," he said, his voice becoming softer still as he turned to Hibird's direction. "Have no more reason to stay with me. I'm leaving Namimori for good."

"Hibari-san… can I ask you another question then?" Tsuna then asked as Hibird began to chirp uncontrollably before viciously nipping Hibari's ear. "As a final request?"

Hibari looked at him.

"Were we good friends to you?"

He stared before giving an empty and cruel laugh.

"You kept me in check. I did not like it. Three nights ago was the final straw."

Tsuna continued looking at Hibari, absently biting his lip. By then, he procures the velvet box and takes out the robes and throws it to his direction.

"Then go. But-" he said hesitantly. "If you want a place to come back to…"

He knew that no matter what he would say, Hibari was as stubborn as he was, perhaps more greatly so.

His outgoing guardian stares at the black clothes in his arms for a moment before walking past his direction. He thought he will receive a response.

There was none.

-18-

Dino waited for Hibari to close the door to the rooftop before staggering up. Everyone looked shaken, especially his little brother, who did not even turn to follow his ex-guardian's back.

He glanced at his hands. Kyoya made sure to expose his wrists to damage. It might be difficult for him to even climb the plane or walk. The family wouldn't tolerate absence due to wilful injury however, so he can use his flight to rest.

Reborn was wearing his usual poker face. He could barely say anything as he handed Romario a small parcel in exchange for the Cloud bracelet. He returned a weary expression when his black eyes met his.

"You idiot student of mine," he said, kicking him squarely in the face, sending him sprawling on the floor again. "You've grown weak."

Dino let out a weak chuckle. "No. Kyoya just found his resolve." Yes, Kyoya has begun to follow his own path to his destruction. It's easy for him to see now why he did not try walking that path.

"I'll kill you if I see your face again," said Reborn, just in time for them to cover their eyes and ears to the tornado of helicopter blades.

Dino was the second one to climb after Romario. Tsuna by then was walking at his direction with glassy eyes.

He tried thinking of a good comeback, a quick fixer-upper to prevent Tsuna from wiping his eyes, but he couldn't think of a genuinely optimistic way to console him.

He places a hand lightly on his shoulder, just enough for his right wrist to stop tingling too much.

"Believe in Kyoya. He'll come back," he said as Tsuna tried to laugh while rapidly wiping his face.

"Maybe if I was a better friend, he would have stayed. If I was stronger then-"

Dino wanted to say it was his failure as a worthier opponent that made Hibari leave.

"Tsuna, listen to me." By then, he let go of his shoulder and removed his mangled parka, covering Tsuna with it. "Kyoya has been used to fighting the world since he was a child. I am sure you can see it in his eyes. By this moment onwards, the world will be much harsher and more uncontrollable than we'll ever imagine but-" He patted Tsuna's head. Just a year ago, it was easier to ruffle it due to the wide height difference. Oh how he had grown. The burden will be heavy, but compared to when he assisted Tsuna during the Ring Scramble, he was sure Tsuna is more prepared this time. "No matter how difficult it will be, I hope you won't let him battle it alone. You have your friends, Reborn, your family to rely on. Believe in Kyoya, and believe in yourself too."

You'll get through this. He said silently, raising a hand at Tsuna's direction before letting Romario carry him up the ladder. He knew, and Reborn knew, that this would be the push needed for Tsuna to shatter the glass ceiling he set on himself. Maybe he'll embrace his role as the boss, maybe he won't. Either way, he'll be forced to make a decision with consequences not extending beyond himself. You fight differently for those you love, isn't that right, Reborn?

He cursed himself for failing to help. Hibari was still too young to walk off to his doom.

He really did care too much.

-18-

There was a ramen place two blocks away from the hospital. Tsuna invited Yamamoto and Gokudera to eat their worries away there after hearing Tsuyoshi's tale.

"You know," Tsuna said as he finished his ninth bowl and ordered a tenth, to the surprise of his friends. "I never imagined that things will change so much in a single night. That things would happen like this, that our family will fall apart like this."

Tsuna noticed Yamamoto's mouth curling ever so slightly but pretended to have not noticed as he sipped more noodles. None of his friends spoke.

"And here we are, eating ramen. What the hell…" Tsuna said as he pretended his eyes were not wet. "What the actual hell are we doing…"

"At least the ramen's good," Gokudera said, as he bit on his egg. Yamamoto continued to plough through his bowl.

"Yeah, worth our walking here, right? Let's go see the stars after. There's a park a couple of minutes away."

"You sure we'll be able to see anything though?" Gokudera scoffed. "We're in the city, baseball freak. This is not Namimori anymore."

"Geez, Gokudera-kun don't be too mean on Yamamoto, ok?" Tsuna said, his spirits peaking up again at seeing their normal squabbles.

"Ehehe, but Gokudera has a right to be mean while I'm here though," grinned Yamamoto after emptying his bowl. "I'm coming with Hibari-san."

Gokudera looked away. Tsuna understood. He knew about this.

Yamamoto's earnest eyes continued to pierce at him. "I'm sorry Tsuna. I also wanted things to be ok, but they're not. They won't be if I stay."

"Honestly, baseball freak," Gokudera said, putting his hand on Yamamoto's shoulder just as the sky's eyes began to rain. "Let's go to the park. There might be stars. I want to see them with you guys." Let's just live this lie for a moment.

The drama was killing him. He could use a puff right now.


Sayuri/orange lily: Signifies hatred/revenge. Quite heavy-handed tbh lmao
Red Spider lily: Flower commonly associated with death (if you watched Jigoku Shoujo back in the day you get what I mean). This is associated with never meeting again/lost memory/abandonment. The Japanese generally believe they bloom near graves or in places you last said goodbye to someone.

I changed the Tetsu/Kyo-san meeting from the original fic. It's shorter and less centred on their relationship because I've highlighted it in the Kusakabe-centric chapter.

I went overboard with the word count again; sorry about that. And yes, things will continue to get angstier from here on out.