Disclaimer: I don't own Yami no Matsuei! I do own Sophia though, and her cat, Ariel. Steal them…and you'll die as horribly as the girls in my fic had! :evil laughter:

Free talk: My thanks to those who reviewed. You inspire me to continue. I do hope you'll like this.

Special thanks to: Elle-Fate2x1-2: Thank you. Things will get more exciting because Muraki is back in their lives once again! XD

Maritama: Well, here is the update! Hope you enjoy this!

Amasaki Reyoko: Thank you. I checked your profile and you don't seem to like yaoi. I hope you'll be able to enjoy this one, though!

Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85:P: Yes, violet eyes are cool! I love every shade of violet…or purple!

Alka Iris: Thank you. And about Ukyo-sensei, you'll find your answer on this chapter.

Word dreamer 999: Tsuzuki's like that with sweets. He's a bit childish when it comes to sweets…and whatever makes you think Sou-chan's the bad guy? :grin:

Risukii: Thank you. Yes, poor, poor Tsuzuki. Heh. I hope you'll like this chapter.

Vyvy: Thank you. Here's the next chapter, and I hope you like it.

Chapter III: Coincidences…or not

You have been mine before,--

How long ago I may not know

-Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Hisoka stared at Tsuzuki. So that was what it was all about. The girl's violet eyes. Hisoka noticed it, but he didn't give it much attention. "I see," Hisoka said slowly. He remembered the time in Kyoto, when Tsuzuki tried to gouge his eyes out with a sharp stone. Demon eyes, the people in Tsuzuki's time had said of Tsuzuki's amethyst orbs. He had been persecuted for his eyes, maybe even driven mad by them. He tried not to think of what happened after that incident.

Suddenly, Tsuzuki snapped off his melancholic mood and said in a serious voice, "Well, at least we learned something about the girls from Sou-chan. It's weird, because the way she talked about them, it's as if they're just missing and not…dead. Maybe she doesn't know their dead yet."

Hisoka nodded. "She also mentioned something about the girls having disappeared from time to time." He narrowed his eyes as he thought of the girl. Was it truly a coincidence the girl just bumped into Tsuzuki? The girl had left abruptly when the talk turned to the girls that were killed. He tried to scan the girl, but for some strange reason, he wasn't able to. That disturbed him greatly.

"Maybe we should drop by the school tomorrow," Tsuzuki mused. "Try to get some information about the girls. Meanwhile, let's get the GuShoShin check out Sou-chan's and see what they'll turn up."

"Do you think it was wise for you to have introduced yourself? They would be suspicious." The one who spoke was a man with dark hair and yellow eyes, hidden in the shadows of the dim room. He was leaning against the wall, eyes trained on the young woman sitting on the bed, whose own eyes were lost in thought.

The girl turned to the man and gave him a small smile. "I know, but I don't care. Besides, what could they do?" She frowned at the worried look at the man's eyes. "I just wanted to meet them. Those two are EnmaCho's best, and now I know why." The two were so powerful, the older one already a legend as the master of the Twelve Divine Commanders. The younger was full of potential, his power just starting to grow and develop. But would the young man be able to handle his gifts? Empathy was a double-edged sword, one that could not be wielded lightly.

"They'd probably go to the school."

She nodded. "Yes. I expect things will be interesting. He's going to be there tomorrow, too."

"The older one seems to be interested in you." He shoved out of the wall, then stood in front of her, hand touching her cheek, fingertips dancing over her soft skin.

She smiled. "Jealous? Don't deny it! It was all I could do to control you. I thought you were going to claw his eyes out."

"I nearly did." He leaned slightly, so that their faces were centimeters away from each other.

"That would be a shame. He has nice eyes. Violet, same as mine." She closed her eyes as he kissed her softly on the lips.

"You're wrong," he murmured as his lips traveled down the side of her neck, making her breath hitch in her throat. "Yours are prettier." She let out a husky laugh at the remark.

"Flatterer."

"So, what did you guys turn up?" Tsuzuki asked as the GuShoShin went over their files at their laptop. He sat on the hotel bed, munching on a donut, while Hisoka sat on the chair, flipping through the girls' profiles again, looking for a clue.

The older of the GuShoShin looked up from the laptop. "Well, everything about her checks out, Tsuzuki-san. She is Sophia Sabrina Stanton and she is enrolled in the school. She also has an older brother and a father. They're living in the US. According to this, her mother recently died, about five months ago."

"Oh?" That bit perked Tsuzuki's interest. The girl didn't look like she had been grieving. "Why did her mother die? Sickness? Accident?"

"I'm looking it up now." The older GuShoShin typed a few words. "Eh? What's this?" he exclaimed. "I can't access the files."

Glancing at the screen, Tsuzuki could see a red 'restricted' sign flashing across the screen. "Oh? I thought you guys could access everything."

"Well, it says this is a restricted file, and it says we can't access this." The GuShoShin frowned. "I think you'll have to ask Konoe-kachou's permission for this one, Tsuzuki-san. And I think this also requires the chief of the American branch's approval before we could open it."

"Ah. So that means we have to go back to EnmaCho."

"There's no need Tsuzuki." Hisoka rose from his seat. "You could go back to EnmaCho. I could stay here and do the investigation."

Tsuzuki blinked. "Are you sure about that? I mean, I don't want to leave you alone–"

"I'll be fine, Tsuzuki." Hisoka puffed out a breath. "We've done this before."

Yes, Tsuzuki thought, but I still don't like leaving you alone. He mentally shook himself. Hisoka would not appreciate words like that. He smiled at the younger man. "All right. I'll go to EnmaCho to ask permission while you investigate at the school. Be careful, all right?"

Hisoka nodded, though his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. "Then it's agreed." He yawned. "I'm going to bed. Good night, everyone." He gave Tsuzuki a brief glare before entering his room. "Baka," he muttered.

Tsuzuki watched Hisoka leave with a worried look. The boy was maturing before his very eyes, asserting his independence every day. How long would Hisoka stay with him, he often wondered. Though Hisoka had somewhat promised to stay with him, Tsuzuki wasn't so sure. Everyone he had cared for had left him after some time–his sister, his partners, Tatsumi–they had left him, alone, in his darkness.

Hisoka stayed, even braved through Tohda's black flames to be with him in the moment of his deepest despair. "Then exist for me!" Hisoka had cried out as he embraced Tsuzuki tightly as the world around them burst into flames. Live, Tsuzuki, live…for me…

And Tsuzuki did continue to live, his darkness held at bay by Hisoka's words. But how long would the boy stay with him? How long would the darkness stay away? Tsuzuki tried hard not to think about that. Hisoka leaving him would be more than he could bear.

Tsuzuki smiled to himself. When have he come to regard the boy this way? In Kyoto, or was it before that? Almost without knowing it, to Tsuzuki, Hisoka had become an important person. Maybe he shouldn't really be surprised. He loved everyone around him–Tatsumi, Watari, Konoe-kachou, Saya and Yuma, the GuShoShin, Wakaba and even Tera–okay, maybe not really Terazuma. Therefore, it was just natural that he would eventually come to love Hisoka. Hisoka, with his emerald eyes that saw through everything and his sharp tongue that broke through Tsuzuki's foolish thoughts.

"Tsuzuki-san?" The older GuShoShin said, breaking through Tsuzuki's reverie.

"Ah, sorry. Did I doze off?" He smiled at the GuShoShin. "Why don't we all go to sleep?"

Hisoka frowned as the sunlight filtered through the tree branches. It was early morning, but the sun shone like it was high noon already. Sighing, Hisoka rubbed his forehead. He prayed he wouldn't get a headache today. He had an investigation to do at the school.

Tsuzuki had already left for EnmaCho, but not before hugging Hisoka, ruffling his hair, and telling him to be careful. Really, Tsuzuki could be annoying at times. But it felt good to know someone cared for him.

As Hisoka made his way to the performing arts school, he made a few sweeps of the people. Again, there was the lack of any…negative emotion about the girls. Hisoka shook his head and picked up his pace.

The St. Gabriel's School of Performing Arts was located in a low hill several meters from the town. He easily slipped past the guards, and as Hisoka made his way up the tree-lined cobbled pathway that led to the school, he noticed that the place was unusually quiet.

Finally, he reached the school itself; the silence was replaced by the sound of music and of laughter. Men and women, some carrying their musical instruments, strolled down the hall. They scarcely gave Hisoka a glanced. Hisoka noted that many of the students were of foreign descent. He wondered if he would meet the girl, Sou-chan, today.

As Hisoka walked about, he found himself in an empty corridor. Glancing around, a white-clad arm enclosed him in vice-like grip while a hand clamped over his mouth to keep him from shouting. Before he could make a move, he found himself in an empty classroom. Looking up, he found himself staring at a pair of silver eyes. Hisoka's eyes widened.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Muraki Kazutaka drawled as he met Hisoka's emerald gaze. He smiled at Hisoka. "If it isn't my precious doll. It's been a long time."

Hisoka gave a muffled scream as his curse seals flared to life, branding him again, plunging him in excruciating pain. Hot tears of pain fell down to his cheeks as Muraki drew him closer to him. He gave an involuntary shudder as Muraki whispered behind his ear, the doctor's hot breath brushing the sensitive flesh. "I'm looking forward to renewing our acquaintance, my doll."

T.B.C.

Free talk, part 2: Ah! I updated as fast as I can! I hope everyone liked this chapter! Not much shonen-ai between Hisoka and Tsuzuki today, but at least Tsuzuki was thoughtful. And in case you were wondering, the earlier hetero scene was NOT the lime. I had to postpone it. XD I'm cruel, I know.

Hisoka's BGM: Has anyone heard the YnM song/BGM HisokaNorowareta Tsukiyo no Kioku? What do you think? It's pretty eerie, and the lyrics just suit Hisoka's character. It evokes what happened under the sakura trees. The lines are the second stanza of the poem where the lyrics of Norowareta were apparently lifted. I got it from the FAQ of a YnM ML I'm in. Much thanks to whomever researched this. Please don't sue.

Hisoka and Muraki: Hey, I did say this would be a bit of M x H, didn't I? Hehehe…besides, it's waaay so much fun to torture Hisoka than Tsuzuki. I'm a big Hisoka x Muraki fan…ooh! Shota-con! The curse seals are probably one of the best defense Muraki has against Hisoka (other than Muraki's expert psychological manipulations). Hisoka would be in too much pain to actually use empathy or any of his other skills.

Next chapter: Muraki and Hisoka face off. Tsuzuki finds something odd about Sou-chan's mom, and an another girl is killed. XD I promise, the citrusy parts are on the way.

Thanks for reading!