Another Chance

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Yami no Matsuei. This story takes place in between the King of Swords arc and the Kyoto arc. Enjoy!
The cherry blossom petals fell all around Hisoka as he waited. He was standing at the entrance of the land of the dead, where all the recently deceased had to pass through. He had received special permission to speak with one of them for just a few brief minutes.

Hisoka stared intently at the faceless crowd. Where was she? Had she already passed through? Maybe Hisoka was just wasting his time. If he did see her again, what would he say?

"Hisoka, is that you?"

The voice rang out like a beautiful chime. She was the single ray of light in that dreary crowd; Hisoka could see her clearly now. "Tsubaki," he said quietly as she ran up to him.

Tsubaki smiled brightly. She was dressed in the simple white nightgown she had died in, but the red camellia was gone. "Were you waiting for me?" she asked.

Hisoka nodded. "I've been allowed a few minutes to talk with you," he explained. "Let's head over there." He lightly gripped Tsubaki's hand and led her underneath an unusually large cherry blossom tree. She was both happy and nervous to see him again, he noticed.

The two sat down on the grass, their shoulders almost touching. "I haven't thanked you for what you did for me, have I?" Tsubaki said, ending the awkward silence.

"There's no need to," Hisoka replied, his voice impassive. "I killed you."

Tsubaki shook her head. "I was going to die, no matter what you did. You just ended the pain sooner. Thank you, Hisoka."

Hisoka brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around them. "I-I'm not like that," he mumbled, his whole body quivering. "I don't want to become like Muraki…"

"You won't," Tsubaki assured kindly, lightly touching Hisoka's hand. Somehow, it comforted him. "You have a special friend who'll make sure that will never happen," she continued.

She was referring to Tsuzuki, and Hisoka knew that she was right. But murder was a slippery slope, and there was also Muraki's curse to consider. No, Hisoka was going to break that curse and get revenge. That was why he had become a shinigami. "Tsubaki, do you have any regrets?" he asked, trying to get his mind off his potential bloodlust.

Tsubaki's fingers intertwined with Hisoka. "Not anymore," she answered, a melancholy expression on her face. "I was able to see you one last time. Maybe if things had been different, we could truly have loved each other. But I'm happy just to have met you."

Her grip tightened. Hisoka noticed a little bit of regret in the back of her mind, but it wasn't enough. He was thankful for that; while they could be together if she became a shinigami, the guilt would just be too much to bear. He didn't want to see her suffer, and he brave eternal separation from her from her to ensure that.

Tsubaki laid her head on Hisoka's shoulder. "Hisoka, let's rest here, just the two of us," she requested in a quiet voice. "I'd really like that."

"So would I," Hisoka agreed, also whispering. He rested his chin on Tsubaki's head and closed his eyes.

Without words, without actions. It was almost like a dream. Hisoka wanted to remain in this peaceful state with Tsubaki. She felt calm and content, and those emotions flowed over to him. If only they could stay together…

"Kurosaki Hisoka, Kakyoin Tsubaki, your time is up."

That voice, while not unexpected, was nearly as painful as Muraki's curse. Hisoka and Tsubaki slowly stood up, still holding hands. "Don't be sad," she said, smiling softly. "Maybe someday we'll see each other again."

Hisoka also smiled. "That would be nice."

Another moment passed, and their lips touched briefly. It lasted only a second, but it would remain with Hisoka for the rest of his existence.

Tears began to form in Tsubaki's eyes. "Goodbye, Hisoka." With a painful effort, she released Hisoka's hand and merged into the crowd of those crossing over. Although he could no longer see her, Hisoka knew that she had fought back the urge to cry.

And now it was Hisoka's turn to be strong. He couldn't cry either. "Goodbye, Tsubaki!" he yelled. "I won't forget you!" While he still wished that he and Tsubaki could always be together, he knew that he had to move on and attain his revenge on Muraki. For both himself and Tsubaki.