well, it's been a while (it's been a while everytime) here's the continuation.

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Chapter 6 Locked Heart

'Tsuzuki, what is it that you have to be so afraid to tell me.

But… just remember, no matter what happens, I'll always still be here.'

Hisoka laid on his bed, staring at the white ceilings. He had left Tsuzuki with those words before he got out of Tsuzuki's house. He only hoped Tsuzuki would give a time to think about his words

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However, Tsuzuki had not. He hasn't think about Hisoka's words, or so Hisoka thought. For the next day, he acted as if everything was normal. Everyone, especially Hisoka, noticed Tszuuki wasn't fine at all. It was obvious. When lunch time came, Tatsumi, Watari, and Hisoka

"No lunch for you if you won't talk." Tatsumi stated.

"What?" Tsuzuki asked naively.

"Stop fooling around Tsuzuki, we know that you know what we're talking about." Watari spoke moodily. He too was frustrated like Tatsumi by Tsuzuki not talking.

Tsuzuki looked at the scientist then to the secretary, and lastly at his partner who hasn't speak a word. Hisoka just kept his glare on Tsuzuki, crossing his arms over his chest, looking moodily.

It took a while. No matter how Tatsumi and Watari insisted Tsuzuki to them what was wrong, Tsuzuki wouldn't say about what was bothering him. Until Hisoka sighed, and started to cross for the doorway. Tsuzuki, trying to look for some way out from the conversation, asked. "Where're you going, Hisoka?"

Tatsumi and Watari turned and noticed the boy's leaving. Hisoka didn't turn; he had his hand on the doorknob. "Tatsumi-san, Watari-san. Maybe we should just leave him be. I think I'm hungry. If you'll excuse me." He swung the door opened.

"Hisoka, I'm hungry too." Tsuzuki wanted to leave, so did he want to eat.

"Tsuzuki. I was wondering. Have you thought about what I said earlier?" He spoke in monotonous voice, still had his back to the three.

The man was confused. "Umm…Yes I did."

Hisoka turned his face to Tsuzuki; his face showed no signs of emotion. "Liar. You really find my word hard to believe, don't you?" With that, the boy turned to leave but not before Tsuzuki caught a glimpse of Hisoka's face before he left.

A hint of sadness.

Tsuzuki was speechless.

"Tsuzuki-san, may I remind you that back then, you've mentioned that after the death of Tsubaki's princess. Kurosaki-kun talked lesser. You said so yourself that…when you just watch him without being able to do anything…is a pain." Tatsumi put up.

"If something happened to you, we might lose you. You know who would be the first one to cry." Watari this time chose to spoke frankly.

Tsuzuki only gazed at them nervously.

"Tsuzuki-san. Is this the way you want things to be? Not telling us what's wrong?" Tatsumi repeated.

For a moment Tsuzuki closed his eyes, contemplating his thoughts. Then he looked at the two, his eyes steady. "Honestly, nothing's wrong. You guys worry too much and got the wrong idea. It's just that memory that happened in Kyoto." He paused, turning away. "Please don't ask anymore. I want to forget it."

There was silence. Until Tatsumi shifted his position, pushing glasses up his nose. "So be it. We're sorry to bother you."

"Tatsumi?" Watari exclaimed softly as the conversation were to be given up so easily. And what was bothering Tsuzuki will continue to be unknown.

"We will talk no more of this, Watari-san." He sent a slight glare to stop the scientist, and then turned away. "Well, how about some lunch?" He said changing the subject.

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Castle of Candles

One late afternoon of one fine day in Meifu, the JuOhCho's staffs got an invitation from the Count to join the Fancy Mask Party at the Castle of Candle. Tatsumi arranged the order in renting some outfits for the guys to wear for the party.

It was this day too that Hisoka met and get to know the two elder women from the HenCho, Ministry of Defence, Kazuma and Nonomiya, as they will also accompany them to the said party.

At 6:30PM, the party began, with the Count in some outrageous fancy outfit and a little fight over conversation between him and Tatsumi. Still, they all managed to stay for some food, wine, and dancing.

Hisoka saw that Tsuzuki was having fun. He felt somewhat very better, watching Tsuzuki gobbled down all the food, drank the wine, and danced with Wakaba. Hisoka just watched.

'He seems to be fine now. I hope he is.' He sighed, almost smiling inside.

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An hour had passed.

"U…urg. What a party." In the lobby with no people around, Hisoka sat on one of the chair, clutching his forehead. It was his empathy, happens everytime in a crowded place. He heard laughter and joyful screaming behind the hall closed door. "It's gonna be a long party. Urg. I wanna leave."

By chance, he saw Watsan looking suspicious at the corner of the room. As he called the little valet and have some conversation. A loud scream suddenly broke out…

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG"

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"My mask! Someone stole my mask!" the Count announced, covering his face when Tsuzuki and the others burst into one of the room he was occupying.

A little chaos of blaming for the lost of the mask has been going on but at last they decided to form three groups and go separately in search of the mask.

Tsuzuki, as bad luck as it could be, got paired up with the Count and Terazuma. When they started searching, they went over a little fight all along the way. There are too many rooms still to be search. They agreed to separate again to end up all the troubles they were having with each other.

As Tsuzuki was now alone, in one of the luxurious guest room. He found something that shouldn't be there. The last thing he ever wanted to see.

"Are you looking for something, Tsuzuki-san?" A deep cold voice came. And there he stood, in a white coat, smiling maliciously as ever. Tsuzuki gasped.

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Not far from there, another group: Watari, Kazuma, and Hisoka were doing there task as well. Abruptly, Hisoka stopped; he stood frozen for a while, green eyes widened.

Watari, noticed the boy, asked. "What's wrong, Bon?

Hisoka just clutched his head. "…zuki"

"What?" Kazuma asked not hearing quite clear.

"Tsuzuki…!" Hisoka suddenly started to panic out.

"What's with Tsuzuki?" Watari asked again out of confusion.

"He's in danger! We must find him, immediately! Please!" He shouted, despite the headache he had.

Although they didn't really have any idea about what's going on, but knowing the boy's empathy was never wrong, the two elders got the situation. They separated on Hisoka's confirmation that he'll be fine by himself.

As for Hisoka, he tried to quicken his pace. But the headache worsened holding him back; he stumbled along the lonely hallway, coming across one of the room. He felt that something was there. Something. He hoped it was his partner while he paced around the large room.

Candles are everywhere.

"Looking for something? Demon child."

Green eyes widened in realization of the voice as he slowly turned to the side. He knew that voice. A woman's voice that used to curse him all the time when he was still a child. His eyes finally set on the shadowy figure in the dark corner of the room

Black, curly hair in a red kimono, was all Hisoka could made out. Her face remained hidden in the shadow. But Hisoka knew by that voice, by that look, something he was very familiar to back then.

"Mo…Mother?" His lips trembled; he spoke the word without thinking.

The figure then slowly moved towards him. The figure came into view. Her face showed no signs of emotion, she was the way Hisoka had remembered 5 years ago. Once before, a beautiful woman; then later turned into a lady with the eyes filled with hatred.

"What could be possibly lost from you?"

Hisoka froze.

"When you don't own anything in the first place…"

Hisoka took a step backward when "his mother" came closer. He then bumped into another figure behind him.

"You don't own him." Came the voice, Hisoka swiftly turne,.his eyes widening once again.

A figure stood there as familiar as if he were looking into a mirror. Green emerald eyes and blondish hair.

"…Father?" Now all the strength he had left disappeared from his body. He stumbled sideways towards the floor.

The two figures moved closer to him as he tried to back off. "No…don't come…any closer…"

All the horrible memories had flooded back. The boy clutched his head. It hurts and he was scared. He can't stop trembling all over.

"Demon child…" the two won't stop calling him that. Hisoka found himself against the wall. He still had his hands over his face, not daring to look at "his parents"

"Demon child…"

"No! Go Away!" Hisoka shook his head, trying to suppress the sobs. When he knew his words won't make them leave, he could only think of one thing. "…Help…Tsuzuki…"

The two figures stopped for a moment, leaving some little space between them and the boy. Hisoka noticed it for when he slowly looked up, hoping they were gone.

But they were still there. Their blank face was still looking down at him, then his father again spoke again.

"He can't come save you all the time."

Hisoka's heart clenched, but he got to realize it.

'Why don't Tsuzuki come?'

The mother's hand began to reach for Hisoka. With the two backed him against the corner he have no where to escape. He have his arm around himself as if to protect from whatever the two will do but his thoughts haven't stop rumbling as he shut his eyes tight.

'Why…why Tsuzuki's not coming.' His eyes widened before the thought about it.'But wait. Tsuzuki's lost, I surely felt that something's wrong with him. He might probably be in danger. Maybe a more serious than mine. That's why he can't come…that's why I should…"

Before a hand could reach him. The boy slapped it away, as hard as he could. Physically, he didn't feel that he had touched it. His hand merely moved through the lady's hand.

An illusion.

Hisoka opened his eyes, recalling of what Tatsumi had told him back then about the unwanted image that will be created by the lights of the candles here.

Gradually, Hisoka forced himself to look up at the two. Green eyes still held fear but they were steadier this time.

'Tsuzuki's in danger. I should…be there and help him.'

His mother retreated her hand. "Such a real demon, are you? Acting aggressive against your parent." She spoke in a cold voice.

Hisoka glared at them. His eyes not altered away as the mother's expression changed. From the emotionless to the vicious one. "Such a demon, are you?" She yelled, now reaching fiercely to grab Hisoka's throat. Hisoka was caught off guard when his mother strangled him. Her face became the resemblance of an angry monster.

He could hardly breath, struggling to get the hands off of him. 'This can't be. They…they're just an illusion. But this pain…!" He could barely see his father still standing there, whispering. "This is your grave." The boy struggle violently, trying to get his mother's hands off of him.

'No…no…I have to go…Tsuzuki…This is not my grave!'

Hisoka have one of his hand loose from his mother's and grabbed for whatever was close to him. He got the candles stand in his hand and hit it forcefully at his attacker. Again, it went through her body, she backed off. Hisoka grasped for breath and saw that the woman began to fade, slightly.

When he got himself up, he didn't wait to snatch another candle stand and threw it to the two, with all his might.

'Illusion. It's just an illusion.' He kept telling himself as he closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he spoke in a cold and forceful voice emphasizing each and every word. "You're not my parents. Now…leave."

For a moment, the two figures faded, and dissolved away. Hisoka watched them leave for a while. When he was sure they were certainly gone, the cold look disappeared from his face, replaced by the expression of vulnerable. He staggered out of the room and leaned himself against the closed door, breathing heavily.

"Tsuzuki…" he urged out as he started stumbling through the hallway. When he was about to fall out of exhaustion, an arms caught him and supported him to stands up right.

It was Watari who was about to say something but the boy cut in.

"Did you find Tsuzuki? Is he all right?" He hurriedly asked.

"He's fine. Bon. He's fine…by now. Kazuma found him." Watari decided not to give more information on what Tsuzuki had faced with, and studied the boy as he sigh in relief. "What happened to you? You've worn out this much because of the empathy? About Tsuzuki?" He asked concernedly.

Hisoka nodded, lying. Watari, not actually believe in his words, looked at him. As Hisoka noticed it, he starts striding off. "Let's just go, they're waiting, are they?"

Watari's eyes followed the boy, he sighed. 'Not only Tsuzuki that kept his problem inside and worried us. You too, Bon.'

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thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing, people!