"The calm before the storm set it off, and the sun burnt out tonight. A reception less than warm set it off. The sun burnt out tonight. This is me, standing in the arch of the door, hating that look that's on your face that says there's another fool like me…dead and gone…"

Out of all the other Vongola Guardians, you liked Gokudera and Tsuna the best. Tsuna didn't really count, for he was the boss of the family, but you didn't really see him as a boss of anything and though that sounded offensive, the brunette preferred it that way.

You put up with Gokudera's attitudes and somewhat soft interior underneath that impossibly-hard-to-crack exterior. And you liked having Tsuna around. He was like a cute little brother.

The others weren't that bad, once you thought about it. Ryohei was fun and passionate about practically everything he did. Lambo was his little childish self. Hibari was, well, Hibari and he scared you but you tried not to show it. You had only spoken to Mukuro once or twice but you had gathered that he was a handsome master of illusions. Creepy, but handsome.

When it came to humanity levels, Hibari's were an all-time record low. He seemed to have no compassion under that cold face of his. Well, that wasn't true—you had seen him interact with his fluffy little bird and it was like a whole different person. Not that you would ever tell him what you'd seen. He would bite you to death for spying or something like that.

So you were surprised when he approached you during school.

"Herbivore," he said, and all the students around you froze up in the hallway. All of the heads whipped to the black-haired prefect to see just who he was talking about this time. When you looked, you found that his sharp, gray eyes were focused on you.

Everyone zipped out of that hallway and before you could even blink, they were all gone. Now it was just you and Hibari and a bunch of scattered papers and lockers left open in haste.

"What's up, Hibari-san?" you asked. He only narrowed his eyes at you and when he refused to say anything, you sighed. "I'm going to be late to class, you know. Sensei will kill me."

"Murder is not allowed on school grounds," he said dismissively and you almost snorted in amusement. You managed to muffle it with a cough.

Hibari continued staring at you for a minute. You didn't dare look away. His gaze was rather intimidating and your heart was pounding from anticipation. Was he going to attack first, or would you be able to run off?

"I'm not going to attack you, herbivore," he said, as if he could read your thoughts. "Relax." To reassure you, he twisted his lips upward into a smile but all it did was scare you even more.

"Then what is it?"

"Yamamoto Takeshi," he said bluntly. "His usual vigor was lacking poorly when we sparred this morning."

The Guardians had met before school to spar with one another. It was another one of Reborn's techniques for Tsuna, as well as the others, to improve. You were surprised to hear that Hibari had gone. Usually he skipped out on the activities that involved the others.

"Maybe he was tired." You shrugged. So Yamamoto wasn't energetic? Big deal. "He's been working hard for baseball."

Hibari shook his head. "No. He seemed about ready to pass out."

"Maybe he didn't get enough sleep," you countered.

"No," Hibari said again.

You bit the inside of your lip. The head prefect was beginning to annoy you. You were already late to class and all he was doing was holding you up for useless things about Yamamoto—

But lately, the male had seemed exhausted. Almost as though he were in pain. Agony was a better word for it, actually; lately he had looked like he was in agony. Each time you questioned him about it, though, Yamamoto just waved it off with a, "Gotta stay in shape for baseball. Those weeks that I was out for really took their toll. Don't worry about it."

And yet here you were, worrying about it.

You ducked your head down in a respectful nod. "Thanks for telling me, Hibari-san," you said. "Thank you for bringing it to my attention."

He only frowned. "I do not wish to spar with a half-dead partner."

For Hibari to be concerned about Yamamoto, of all people, was alarming. Now your heart raced in terror. "I'll try and see why Yama-kun is—"

"Inappropriate relationships between students are not permitted, herbivore." He raised a hand; a tonfa was gripped in one and he stepped toward you menacingly. "That includes name-calling."

"Right," you responded quickly, moving back as he kept coming closer. "Well, now, if you'll excuse me—I, um, I have to get to class, so yeah—Hibari-san, p-please put that down—!"

You squeaked in fear when he swung his arm in a wide arc but all he did was bop his tonfa to your shoulder, in a light, almost joking manner. "You're dismissed." Then, giving you a curt nod, he was gone as mysteriously as he had come, and you rubbed your shoulder absently, lapsing into thought.