It was late at night when I went to the hospital. Visitor hours were over, but Shamal would let me in. I brought the letters and the journal with me to read. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with dad. Knowing he wouldn't be waking up hurt, but at least he can't feel any pain. Someone was walking behind me, keeping their distance. This wasn't what I wanted to deal with right now. I let out a sigh and kept walking.

"Stop." It was Kyoya. I stopped in my track. He walked closer to me. "You're out late without an adult."

"I'm sorry. The only adult I know is in the hospital thanks to your father."

"How's your hand?" I guess his father was a subject he wanted to ignore.

"It's completely healed. Not even a scar is left." There was a small silence between us. "I know it's out of my place to say, but what gives you a right to punish me for breaking the same law you're also breaking. Does your father's name give you a reason to act above the law?" I asked. He didn't answer me. I put my hands out. "Oh well. I broke the law. Go ahead and punish me, Hibari. It's what your father wants, right?" I waited for the incoming pain. When no pain came, I put my hands down. Why wasn't he going to punish me?

"Why is my father obsessed with you?" He asked.

"He's obsessed with me? That's the first I've heard that."

"Don't give me that." Kyoya said with a cold tone. "You know he's obsessed with you. I want to know why."

"I have no idea, Hibari. You're his son. Ask him." I said.

"He said you broke the law and made him mad."

I let out a small laugh. "I'm glad." Knowing I made him mad filled me with pleasure.

"What?"

I turned and faced Kyoya. "Your uncle said I wouldn't be able to escape Kyoto, but I did. They told me I wouldn't escape their men and yet I'm still here. They won't get their end goal. I won't allow it." I said with a dark expression.

"They destroyed your family and put your father in a coma he'll never wake from. Are you not bothered? Do you feel anything about what's happening to you?"

I smiled brightly. "Do you think tearing my family apart would bother me? That makes me laugh. I'm only hurt over my father's impending death. Once he's gone, I have no one in this world. I'd rather kill myself than let your family capture me. I know your father wants to see me struggle with pain, but I won't allow him to get that satisfaction." I've done it once. I won't hesitate to do it again.

"You're a coward." He said. He thought I was like everyone else in this town.

"Didn't I already prove I'm not one?" I questioned.

"You only cut yourself. There's no way you'd give up your life."

I walked to him, keeping the same smile. He immediately tensed up. "I'm not going to hurt you, Hibari. I have no reason to. Plus, I'm not too keen on hurting people that don't deserve it."

"That nature of yours makes you an herbivore. That's why you'll fail in this world."

"That's cute." He didn't like that. "You think I'm a coward, an herbivore. You say I wouldn't kill myself. I just can't help but want to laugh." I held my hand out the same way Kanade did to me that fateful day. "Would you like to escape this world together? After all, suffering in hell is better together." I added the last part there just for an extra something. It was quite effective.

Kyoya didn't know what to do. I got even closer where our bodies were pressed together. "I've already jumped once and survived." I admitted in a soft whisper. I heard him gasp. "I'm friends with the grim reaper. He's made me suffer a lot more than whatever your family is capable of." I wrapped my hands around his waist and let my hands wander over his back, my nails tickling him. He was terrified to the point he wouldn't move.

"When the time comes, you'll see how beautifully my blood will splatter everywhere. It'll cover the entire floor. And if you're lucky, it'll get on all the walls and ceiling. I might even get on you, Hibari. Isn't that just wonderful? I'll stain you, your uncle, and your father with my ugly blood. I hope my body will be destroyed where I'm no longer recognizable. That'll be a wish come true." His breath was uneven. Good. "What do you think, Hibari? Doesn't that sound absolutely wonderful?" He went to speak, but all that came out was his breath. Poor guy didn't have a reaction.

When I let go, he dropped to the ground. "Let's keep this between us, alright? I know what would happen if you tell anyone and I'm sure you don't want to know. As long as you just do this one little thing for me, we won't have a little run in."

He looked at me with wide eyes. His body was shaking. I probably went a little over board, but it was nice to see him all shaken up. I let out an airy laugh. "You look like an herbivore, Hibari. I can see why your family likes to be the ones in control. It's fun. Well, I need to get going. You've wasted precious time."

I left him on the ground. My lips contorted into a sadistic smile. I could feel myself start to bubble with happiness. I'm not quite sure what that emotion I felt is, but it felt good. I welcomed it. At the hospital, dad was still sleeping peacefully. I sat down and stared at him.

"I'm back, dad." I took a hold of his hand. "I'm sorry for everything. It's my fault. If I didn't survive the accident, you'd be awake and happier with mom." I took a deep breath. "I'm…starting to feel strange again. I feel like screaming and laughing at the top of my lungs with madness. I want to hurt people again. I want to hear them scream. Soon, I'm afraid I won't have control of myself." The only response I got was his soft breathing.

"I saw Kanade. I'm finally facing it. I'm sure you'd be proud of me. You were the one that encouraged me to see her grave before we left Kyoto. I was stubborn and refused. I didn't want to see her like that. My classmates wrote me apology letters and put them in my old shoe locker. They were hoping I'd go back."

I sighed and gripped his hand tighter. "It took a few years, but I went back. I met up with two of them. They said I changed and how I'm the opposite of how I used to be. I'm not sure how or if I even changed. You were the only one that believed me when I told you I didn't push her. You knew I wanted to perish that day. I'm sorry for worrying you and making you sad. I'm sorry I couldn't come to you when I should have. I saw it broke you and mom when you both saw me. I just felt safe with Kanade at the time. We were both facing different hells. The pain stopped when we were together. We wanted to permanently stop the pain together."

I leaned on the bed and put my head on dad's arm. It felt good to be like this. It reminded me when I was a kid. We'd go stargazing until I fell asleep in his arms. I smiled and took in his scent. He still smelled of the cologne he always wore. I didn't want him to die. I didn't want to be alone. I hated it, but it's something I'd never admit. I really broke after Kanade died. Dad knew and always helped whether it was by letting me cry on his shoulder or keeping his distance. He'd always make sure I ate and went outside. He knew me being in my room the entire time would be psychologically bad. I'd say my life is full of tragedy, but there were some good things that came along the way. I had everyone in Tokyo, even Nikita and her men. Then, there was Xanxus and his friends. I even made amends with some people from my previous school. I also had all these adventures in different countries. I'm not sure if the good outweighs the bad. Especially now, I can't tell the difference between good and evil. I just wanted this nightmare to end.

Shamal went to the hospital and did his daily routine of checking on his patients. When he entered his special patient's room, he saw Shiori sleeping, using her father's arm as a pillow. Despite her being calm about her father's condition, she was hurting inside. Shamal got a blanket and covered her up. He checked Shiori's father. There was no change in his health. It was good, but it wasn't getting better. At least it wasn't getting worse. It'd be too much on Shiori's mental health right now if her father took a turn for the worse. The door opened. Shamal turned and was surprised to see Dino.

"You know Shiori?" Shamal asked him.

"Who's that?" Dino asked.

Shamal narrowed his eyes. "Dino, you entered the room. Plus, Squalo was here a few nights ago. I shouldn't be that surprised you know her."

Dino shut the door behind him. "I only came to see if she was alright. She didn't come home last night."

"You're staying with her?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow, but when I'm in Japan, I stay with Shiori. I've known what's been going on for a while. Squalo told me to protect her with me life or else he'd kill me." Dino was too happy about that. Dino walked over to Shiori and wrapped the blanket around her tighter than Shamal did. "She'll get sick if her stomach is cold. She may not voice it, but she loves the warmth."

"You know an awful lot about her. Are you taking advantage of her?" Shamal asked.

"I like life, Shamal. I just know because it's what she and Squalo told me."

"Is Squalo taking advantage of her?"

Dino let out a small laugh. "He also likes to live, Shamal."

"Who's threatening all of you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Kyoya woke up in a panic. His heart wouldn't stop pounding. Did he have a nightmare? How did he even get home? "It's about time." He turned to his uncle.

"Uncle?"

"You passed out in the street. You felt like you were running a fever. Have you been neglecting your health? Your immune system isn't as strong as your body." Kyoya never quite understood his uncle. One minute he tortured people, and another minute, he's worrying about everything. However, he got along with his uncle more than his father.

"I don't know. I can't remember what happened." Kyoya said. He knew Shiori talked to him. It was the longest he's ever heard her speak, but he couldn't exactly remember what was said. The look in her eyes was maddening. It made him feel uneasy thinking about it.

"You should take the day off and rest."

"I'm fine."

Kyoya's uncle put a hand on his forehead. "You're too warm. Stay and I won't tell your father about you letting Shiori go last night."

"You were watching?"

"I was. If your father didn't hate her, I'd invite her for tea. She's wonderful to have a conversation with." Kyoya's uncle replied with a smile.

"Why is he obsessed with her?" Kyoya asked.

"She's a bird that sings a tune he doesn't like. I know you don't agree with your father. If this was a different situation, I'd tell him to knock it off. I'm not too keen on what he's doing either."

"You were the one that gave the order to torture her father." Kyoya grimaced with distaste. Sure, he was cruel, but he saw Shiori as someone harmless. Her father should still be awake and not in a coma. He was an innocent bystander.

"I did. He pissed me off with his words. I see where Shiori got that habit of hers."

"You didn't have to take it that far." Kyoya said.

"You do realize that she's an active threat to the family, right? For that, she needs to be punished. She stabbed one of our men and severely bruised more. She isn't what you think, Kyoya." He didn't want to believe it, but that look in her eyes last night told him she could do it. "I know you're confused. Just trust me when I say Shiori isn't a good person. Sure, your father is taking things a little too far, but it can't be helped." Kyoya's uncle felt stuck in the middle.

"And if she kills someone? What then?" Kyoya asked.

"We kill her."

Kyoya knew it was useless. She was willing and prepared to kill herself if they went for her. How did she survive from jumping? It should be impossible. Kyoya laid back down. His head was starting to hurt.

"See? Just thinking about her is enough for your head to hurt. Rest. I'll have someone cover your shift. A maid should be here to give you tea and soup later on. Stop thinking about her. Your father's word is absolute. Remember that. Going against him in any way is a death sentence. It doesn't matter if you are his son and only heir."

Kyoya saw his uncle leave the room. This whole situation was a headache. However, he knew better than to go against his father's word. Kyoya still remembered his mother being slapped for speaking her opinion. It terrified Kyoya and made him instantly listen to his father's word. If his father wanted Shiori killed and sent him, he'd do it without hesitation.

It's been almost a month. I've only read the apology letters and refused to touch Kanade's journal. I'd take glimpses of a couple of words, but I wouldn't actually take the time to read it. I was still scared for what I'd end up reading. It was the end of class. Everyone was leaving school in pairs. Kanade would hold my hand and drag me to the roof to watch everyone leave. I left the classroom and saw Kyoya. He just stared at me, keeping his distance. He must be uneasy about me. I walked right passed him and left. At the gate, a woman with long hair who wore a Chinese dress with a white jacket was leaning against the concrete wall. My stomach instantly curdled. Keeping my calm, I walked right by her. That's when I felt rope being tied around my body, keeping me constrained. I fell to the ground and looked up at the woman. She held a large, curved knife in her hand.

"You help me now with information." She said in broken Japanese.

"I'm not part of it anymore."

"Bullshit. You come with me." She started dragging me. I groaned at the situation but was thankful no one from school saw me. Unfortunately, one of my classmates saw me. It was Tsuna. His mouth just dropped to the floor.

"Shiori!" We stopped and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"W-what's happening?" He asked.

"Oh, puny Japanese boy wants to die. She's my helper." Tsuna paled and took three steps back.

"Leave him be, Chinglish." I said with slight irritation.

She clicked her tongue. "This is why I hate that bitch." She started to walk again. I just had to accept my fate and go along with her. There wasn't much I could do anyway.

Tsuna watched as Shiori was dragged down the road. That woman who was dragging her seemed more dangerous than anyone he's met. She could rival Reborn's presence when he was angry and she didn't seem to look angry at all. How did Shiori know her?

"Tsuna."

"Ah! Reborn, what are you doing?"

"Don't ever talk to that woman." Reborn warned.

"Why?"

"She's one of China's best assassins."

"What?!"

"The Hibari family must have hired her to take Shiori out."

"She's going to die?" Tsuna said with disbelief.

"You can't do anything to stop her. She won't hesitate to kill you." Tsuna was terrified. Why was Shiori being targeted? "I know you want to save her, but it's too late."

"Reborn…"

"There are times when things like this will happen. Shiori's fate has been sealed."

"And if she survives?"

"No one survives her, Tsuna. Even I make sure to keep my distance from her at all costs." If Reborn was scared of her, she's worse than what Tsuna initially thought. "I'm not scared of her. I'm cautious." Reborn said, reading Tsuna's mind like usual.

"If you knew she was so dangerous, why didn't you stop me from talking to her?" Tsuna asked.

"She knows me and wants to kill me for fun since no one has been able to yet." Tsuna paled and yelled. He couldn't think straight.

"She said she needed Shiori to be her helper. She won't die!" Tsuna tried to reason.

"She will. She uses that line all the time when she's making someone disappear." Reborn said. He wasn't joking either.

"Reborn!"

The building I was being dragged into was dark. My eyes adjusted just fine after a few minutes. "So, who paid you to take me out?" I asked.

"Take you out? You're stupid like that bitch. I wouldn't do that to Nikita."

You see, Chen here was hired by Nikita a bunch of times to see what she could do. She and Yuko would always butt heads. Calling her Chinglish distracted her from what she was doing for a split second. This is her only weakness. I was thrown into a bright room. "My eyes." I groaned.

"Good job on retrieving her, Chen."

I shot up and saw Nikita smoking one of her cigars on the couch. "Nikita?"

"You're probably wondering why I sent Chen to retrieve you."

"Am I in trouble?" I asked.

"In a sense, yes." She took a puff. "The people who kidnapped you as a kid are back and kicking like never before." Nikita explained.

My eyes widened. Panic started to "I…I thought they were all killed."

"We thought the same. There's only a few alive, but none of that is anyone's fault. They haven't made a move towards you in particular, but we don't want another episode to happen. We're only going to stop the fire before it starts." Chen undid the rope around me. I noticed some of Nikita's men just sitting there. "Make yourself comfortable. You'll be here for forty-eight hours."

"That sounds boring."

She laughed quietly. "Don't be too pessimistic. I have some fun activities for you."

Nikita had all these 'fun activities' for me. Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised what these activities were. On the table were four guns of different types. She made me do the same thing she taught me when I was a kid. I took them apart, cleaned it, and put it together. My muscles remembered everything, even to the smallest of details to the screws.

"Good. Now, modify them." Nikita ordered.

One of Nikita's men put a few pieces of metal on the table. To any regular person, they'd see it as just pieces of metal. She was the one that taught me how to take these pieces and make a super gun of sort. When they fire the handgun in my hand, it would have some destructive power. When it's modified, however, it can blow someone's brains out with ease.

"You haven't lost your touch. You always surprise me, Shiori."

"I'm sorry." I apologized out of habit.

She took another drag of her cigar. The smoke burned my lungs, making me cough. "How's Kanade?" Nikita asked.

I looked at her and then the gun in my hands. I shouldn't be surprised. She always has tabs on me everywhere I go. "She's resting, peacefully I hope."

"I hope she is as well. Have you talked to Xanxus lately?" She asked me.

"No. Why?"

"I'm just wondering."

"You won't hurt him, right?"

She smiled at me. "I'd never do that to you. I must say though, you looked rather tense when I mentioned him. Did something happen between you two?"

I sighed and looked back at the gun in my hand. I leaned against the couch. "Your intuition never ceases to amaze me." I commented.

"I'm a former soldier. I needed to have strong intuition to stay alive. Now, tell me what's wrong."

"I left in the very early morning without anyone knowing. Squalo visited me when I wasn't home and I guess he doesn't hate me since he left me chocolate. I'm not sure about everyone else." I explained.

"Was that man going to hurt you?" She asked in a low tone. The men in the room with us sat up in their seats. They were ready to get an assassination order.

"No. I-I'm trying to face myself and what happened to me."

"If you can't face yourself, you wouldn't be able to face him." I nodded, putting the gun on the table. "You're doing a good job at facing your past, Shiori. Once you face the Tokyo incident, there's nothing in the world that'll scar you."

"You think so?" I asked, looking up at her.

"I know so. We're similar, remember? We're both scarred and have faced the true evils of the world. I faced everything and now look at me. I put terror in everyone with a single look."

This is why Nikita made me feel comfortable. She could understand me because she was tortured the same way I was. She reassured me everything would be just fine. In those instances, she was a mother to me. She's even said something similar in the past about me being her only child.

"I want to be there the day you get over your past. I want to see what kind of woman you'll be. I'm hoping you'll be like me but a bit kinder." Nikita commented.

"I'm not even sure what kind of woman I'll be. I never thought about it before."

By the next day, I was bored with everything Nikita brought to entertain me. We couldn't make unnecessary noise or else we'd be found. There were times where Nikita would hide me underneath the ground in a trap door before the main door opened. The lights would be out for hours and Nikita wouldn't be able to smoke. This made her irritated with everything. She sure did love her tobacco. By the final day, I was able to leave. Apparently, the threat has been contained. I wonder if Nikita will give whoever she captured a painful or painless death.

"Shiori."

I looked back at Nikita. "Yes?"

"When your father passes, tell me." She said seriously. She knew it affected me and this was the only way she knew how to comfort me. She never hugged anyone and hated physical contact with anyone.

"I will."

"We'll give him a funeral worthy of a king."

"Thank you."

"Don't worry about anything, alright? If you have money problems, tell me. If you killed a man and need to hide it, call the usual garbage man." Nikita reassured me.

"If I do end up killing someone and I'm targeted, what then?" I questioned quietly.

"When I'm by your side, only idiots would come after you."

"What about the Hibari?"

She chuckled. "I give you full permission to do whatever it takes for you to stay alive."

That's all I needed to hear from her. "Thank you, Nikita."

She chuckled. "You're going to be a handful, aren't you?"

"It's the only thing I know. After all, everyone taught me how to be one."