This is a one sad chapter, trust me.

Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn is a canon anime and manga made by Ms. Akira Amano with ArtLand. The plot is owned by the owner and it is not her responsibility if there is any coincidences with either the real life or other fanfictions inside the site.

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2 - in - 1 ID Game

Chapter 18

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"Fate sure is too tricky, huh."

This is the first sentence she emitted after the incident. The man holding her hands suddenly looked up, surprised.

"Huh?"

Haha... What does he mean by 'huh?' Is this eevn the correct expression at times like this?... Hm... He sounds like that person... Oh, yeah. I saw his face, didn't I?

Finally snapping back to reality, Haru looked around swiftly, hair whiplashed everywhere. Then they landed on the person she hated to see the most.

To think he had the gall to touch her casually as if they are acquainted even though they were not. It was just a string of bad luck last night when both of them were called on the stage. Actually, it would have been fine for her if she declined the offer immediately. But a lot of people were telling her to keep it because it is one of the rarest events ever happened. If it weren't for Reborn, the suspicious raffle should have been left out two seconds earlier.

Hibari, on the other hand, was beyond happy when he heard her spoke. Her head wasn't hurt, though there was a bump on her forehead. Her angelic voice was a plus, of course.

However, like what happened on the day they first met, the Ice Queen was still the same; as haughty as ever.

The brunette slapped those vile things called his hands ever so hardly, then she patted her shoulders clean rapidly. She was too disgusted, she hastily pulled a full pack of Kleenex tissues to wipe herself off. It was as if she was just trapped with a year supply of Ebola virus. Hibari himself couldn't react at her immediate behaviour.

"W - What are you doing?! Viling my honor and that?! Why DO YOU HAVE TO TOUCH ME YOU SICKO?!"

Well, in order for me to snap you out to reality, I have to touch you. That was what Hibari almost said, but he knew he couldn't. Why waste his saliva, his breath, and his pent-up frustration when he couldn't retort back? Well, she's beautiful, for one...

" - First, you let your avian flu pest to steal my hat, now this?! Where are the generation of stupidity went to, anyway?"

... but seeing her eyes furiously kindle with anger wanted him him to stare at her... more...

"Hey."

... ow.

The ravenhead went back to consciousness when he felt a twitch of pain from the gash he currently sported. He saw the woman's finger prodding it like she was dipping her finger in a salsa - now that he noticed it, he was gushing blood.

"Finished fantasising me, huh?" The brown-eyed woman queried while having her eyebrows twitching and her angry mark appearing as well.

Finally getting the woman's implication, he blushed tremendously while nervously flailing his left arm - the one which was bleeding. "Hahaha! No! I'm not, I'm not! It looks like it, but I do not! Haha! By the way... " He then held her left shoulder while looking at her with sincere eyes. "Are you hurt somewhere?"

As a response, the lawyer gripped the bloody arm as hard as she could. Hibari visibly flinched, obviously hurt of this new kind of physical abuse.

"Hey... idiot... do you have ears? Or are you deaf. I have told you once and only once. Don't you dare touch me again. Unless you are not enough with just maliciously molesting me with your perverted eyes, you dirty pig."

Her words stung, for one. But that was not where his attention lie at.

From his wound, where his skin was most sensitive, its nerves were getting haywire. He, of course, could feel the gash pinching him in lot terrible and agonising degrees. But... her touch, there was something to it. He knew that women needed to take care of their bodies, so obviously their skin must be well-taken care of too. Right?

Hers was like, papery?

Then, he looked at the hand holding his bloodied arm. There was her hand. There was a paper tissue from her hand as well. Shocked to see it, he looked back.

"Don't sweat it." She said, muting him of his thoughts and went out of her car to inspect the damage to the front. There was a short thin black line behind her car, which is not made by the tracks of their wheels. The end of that line was a nothing. Only two answers came out from her mind, either it was destroyed and under her car, or the professor successfully dodged and discarded it somewhere.

The car was not damaged, save from the bumper scratch. There was an abrasive mark scraping the metal part of it. That burst a steam.

"M - My car... " She half-whispered while walking slowly towards it. She then gently felt the abrasive part. Her shoulders visibly twitched. "You... " She walked towards him with furious eyes.

"Look at what you did!" She gestured to her car. "Did you purposefully almost ran over just to piss me off?! You didn't care how would I react once this... thing appears!"

"If you just calm down - " He stated, but she cut him off.

"Calm down?! How should I calm down after seeing my self-gift being in this... damaging state?! Is my current suffering with you just enough?! Being chosen in that stupid island game is already unbearable - but no! Apparently, you still have to show up to be my white elephant! Do you know how hard it is for me to stomach it?!"

"I - I'm sorry I - "

"No! Don't be sorry when in fact you're not!"

The professor had just exclaimed while he listened intently to the woman's rant. This unraveling of her new character was too refreshing. He never knew she had this side. Dare say she was... cute? But not in the sadistic way, of course.

Then, a new sound disturbed their - her - one-sided argument. A silvery-pink buggy had picked up beside them.

"Hey! What happened?! Are you okay?!"

"Haru?!"

The car doors opened, first revealed the spiked brown-head man on a pin-striped business suit. He was followed by the woman with an indigo-coloured hair wearing a moss-coloured dress.

Tsuna?

Chrome?

The mentioned names went briskly towards them with worry-looking view on their eyes. Tsuna, seeing Haru's bleeding forehead, immediately went towards her to inspect her state. On the other hand, Chrome went back inside her car to grab two ashen blankets and a medical kit. She passed the first to the awaiting hand of Tsuna, then she went to the ravenhead to drape it along, but not before sharing a brief look on the eye.

This didn't go unnoticed by the other two, though.

"Are you okay, Haru-chan?" Tsuna went in to attend to her aide. He checked her hand for any injuries. He removed the stray hairs from her face to check her head. After that, he touched her shoulders and he cupped her face. But to his surprise, instead of happy and hopeful brown eyes, he received a cold stare and a slap to her hands. She then stood up briskly and walked to her car.

When she went to the driver's side, her ex stopped her and spoke. "I'll drive you to the hospital." It was obvious that she was still distraught based from the dilating pupils of her eyes. He then guided her to the passenger's side by a hand to her left hip and another to her right hand. When he got in, he faced the other two. Particularly, to the indigo-haired woman.

"I'll go ahead. See you, Chrome."

That statement did not go well with Hibari. Specially, that look they shared. As far as he could remember, that's the kind of look he shared with Kyoko. Now, he couldn't help to be suspicious of those two. It was so obvious, he couldn't look at them straight-eye anymore.

The hummer revved to life, then it swerved away from the incident. Luckily, the street is not full-packed yet, as the people were close like stacked sticks from the urban business town nearby.

Back to the other pair, Kyoya stared at the moving vehicle while being tended by his former love interest. He was pulled to reality by minute stings from her aide. He then looked back at what she was doing, and he saw an unusual thing, which has never been on her person. It was a golden locket with words, Il Mio Amore Eterno, Da T. S.

My Eternal Love, From T. S.

It was engraved on the front of the locket. It was written on Italian, so it was hard to understand. Good thing he was a linguistics professor, and humanities as well, he knew the beautifully-arranged words on a nice cursive style. The locket was simply decorated with a small topaz gem from the opening's side, it was the same colour as Kyoko's engagement ring decors.

Surprisingly, those engravement were the same, too.

Keeping a calm and curious front, he asked her. "What a beautiful pendant you have, where did you find that?"

He thought he was imagining things, but when he looked at her, it was now imminent that she was hiding a big secret. She tensely turned her back towards him, hiding that cause of her distraught, and when she turned back, the locket was not there anymore.

"It was just... nothing. Just a gift from a friend - a close friend."

There were no more words exchanged afterwards.

The silence lover did not respond back. Instead, he glanced to the blanket he was being covered with a deep thought.

This is very questionable. Why does she have blankets with her? It's not as if she was having a camping trip, right? Well, staying in a friend's house is counted as legit...

A certain face of Kyoko's fiance suddenly popped in his mind.

Being nosey is not his forte, but he couldn't help but to infer with this situation as too malicious and very scandal-like threat that will surely ruin not only Tsuna's reputation as a lawyer, but also Chrome's dignity and morality as well. Not to mention, the down-to-earth female best friend of his will surely be broken by spirit.

Still, he had kept mum, despite of his desire to face the truth out of her. It was not his business, anyway.

Plus, what he has in his mind right then was the way the block of ice behaved from the other. All physical encounters and her reactions were all cold-like. But how she had briefly changed her facial expression to a solemnly sad one, and how she let him hold her like that... she was all-too-womanly like to him, and he never saw her act like that before.

This had made his heart feel like a hundred and one arrows shot through his heart, and a sudden feel of the flame... of rage.

Which was strange, because they were not lovers yet, neither he had come in terms of his feelings. This still angered him, because his beliefs and the reality kept on clashing their ideals. He still couldn't decide if what he harbors to the Ice Queen was the feeling of admiration, infatuation, or passionate love.

And with the island game getting closer, he couldn't help the lilt the corners of his lips curling upwards because of his fear of being agonisingly alone in the island being despicable, instead was changed to nervously jumpy and extremely excited to be with his potential woman of dreams for fifty days.

This is well worth giving a try.

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The atmosphere inside Haru's car was too heavy. It seems like they no longer breathe air, instead, was sand. Neither one within the opposing party wanted to start a conversation. Since the incident months ago, Haru avoided crossing paths with him, stayed away from the places they had their dates, stashed all the clothes she used when they were still together and gave them to charity, and even started dating more men without feeling any attraction. She never smiled genuinely anymore, as per Bianchi.

She had started her alcohol addiction. From one bottle to fifteen per nights, greeting her employees with a cold facade and a very grumpy mood. Starting unnecessary fights with random people, and even innocent celebrities were being harassed by her status and threats of reducing their popularity to ashes and dust. The population of their lawyers were dropping drastically due from her incessant anger and alcohol intake. She almost sought her solace to a piece of LSD, but she has always been on constant watch by her father. She is a dignified woman, and she refused to tarnish her profession to a single moment of happiness just to get away from the real world. That was not her style.

She even faked her smiles when she was with Kyoko, because even if she hated to admit it, they were still best friends. She was trying her best to hate the auburn-haired lady, but she couldn't get to it because of the deep bond they shared.

However, among the things she knew what is hardest to do is to move on.

Her attempts of burning their love letters, Valentine's cards, silly pictures from random booths, all of them were always stopped. She tried to douse his gifts to her with gasoline, but when she was in the middle of it, she always changed her mind, threw the bottle away, then slump on the floor, crying hours to sleep. She also attempted to stab the stuffed teddy bear he gave her as a prize from one of the arcade games in the mall the last date they had months before he broke up with her, saying he had already been with someone he trully loved, in which she already knew.

She saw that proposal before he decided to troll her and called it quits.

How it hurt so bad, she felt her world rip into pieces, burned, slapped. Her heart clenched hard.

Finally, we are all alone. No Kyoko, no breakups, no engagement rings... Now what?

"Haru... " He called her, using some kind of somber-like, somewhat sad, tone. "... I have something to tell you... "

Seemingly skeptical, the brunette glanced to him. He, on the other hand, was seriously gripping the steering wheel as he sighed deeply like he was on a deep thought.

"I was thinking about this... for a long time... " He then deeply inhaled. "... Even before we become an ex-couple, we have been working as partners. I have never been thankful to be a part of your partnership... Your company had developed me to be a fully-matured person... Thank you for giving me the opportunity to grow... I can never repay you... "

The lawyer did not speak, the seatbelt she was gripping on, tightened. Her lips enclosing to a thin line. This is not what she thinks it is, right?

He bit his lower lip, then continued like a steel of resolve. "This is to be expected, but I can't help to miss all of you... "

Oh, please... please...

"I will take over the company my dad owns, the VII. You know that, right?"

"Hm... " She blinked swiftly multiple times to steer clear of the salty liquids flowing almost. "That's not at least expected, you've been working hard... Congratulations for your promotion... " She smiled, but she was fairly aware that it had only reached her eyes for its level of falseness. She mentally grimaced, it sounded horrible and bitter to her throat, she thought she'll throw up.

But at least she smiled, even if it made her cheeks hurt by the force she has to exert to make it genuine.

Her brunette companion already knew she was not putting a big effort to be trully happy, but he just let it flow like a wind and kept up with her hoax.

"No, I have to thank you... No one but you helped me to be molded to a new person... Oh, wait! As thanks for your wholeheartedness and for being fully supportive to my relationship all this time... " He pulled something inside of his blazer's inside pocket. She knew what was inside of it. A small piece of cardboard folded to a size of a credit card, painted with pink and tangerine streaks and blue thin swirls. She grabbed it and unraveled what was written inside.

You are invited to witness the union of Atty. Sawada Tsunayoshi, and his wife-to-be, Sawada Kyoko, to a holy ceremony of matrimony on the fourth of May, in Imperial Hotel, Tokyo...

Her eyes blurred while trying to pretend reading the rest of the words from the wedding invitation. Still, even her mighty effort couldn't quell the deep gash to her beating heart.

A hand patted her shoulder, then gripped it gently. She looked back at the amber eyes of the male.

"Only three months... "

He nodded.

"Oh my... " She mouthed, then embraced him. "I'm too happy for you!"

Even if she said those words, and even if he reciprocated her hug, they both knew that this was not a congratulatory hug.

Hey... even if I asked you to cancel your wedding, you would still defy my wish, right?

... I love her. So please, move on?...

Hm... Let's seal the hurt so you can be at peace.

Still a naive boy... How can I move on when I've been in love with you this long...

Still, I have to try.

So... friends?

No... This is goodbye...

The drive to the hospital was still heavy. One finally calmed after conveying his feelings to the other, but she was still left hanging.

Guess it was the end of their relationship.

... Don't leave me.

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Hi, peeps. Just to let you know that this already is the rising action, alright. We are not revealing secrets yet, save it for the climax.

Please let me know how did you feel to this chapter. Haru was OOC, I know. But I wanted to explore her character in literary analysis, so that my plot is not just gibberish like those stories I recently had read with the same easy pattern as Disney movies, like Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid. Ugh, weren't they just about love at the first sight, Prince Charming saving the damsel in distress, kiss and happily ever after. I rather watch Code Geass a hundred times getting angry for Lelouch not giving any moves to C. C., than to watch this baseless excuse for being a movie.

Enough of my rant, please let me know what you think, thanks.

P. S.: The titles mentioned were unintentional, discretion applied.

Just to let you know, buggy is a Volkswagen mini, and it is still in use today :)