Part 2.1

PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE! THANK YOU.

AN:Okay, so this is not part 3 of To Live Again, I'm still working on it and hit sort of a writer's block at the point I'm at, at the moment. So, I decided to write this, which can be considered an alternative continuation to part 1. Ya'll don't have to consider this really part of the story at all - I just didn't think it would be a good idea to repost part 1 with this added to it, especially since this is rather short. This was based on a review from myriad-souls. I hope ya'll enjoy, and if you don't - feel free to ignore this part's existence, or consider it an AU one-shot - whatever. This part is complete as is. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors it was mostly typed on my phone and the spell check is horrible on it.

*I promise that this part does not contain any spoilers for part 3, nor will anything in this part be relevant or foreshadowing to part 3.

61.1

" I'm sorry. There is nothing more I can do for him. He has no flames and his body is unable to produce them. He's not going to last much longer. A year at the most if he's careful; only months if he's not." Shamal sighed, bad news was always difficult to deliver, even if it was to a male patient's family.

" The best I can tell you is to enjoy the time you've got left with him."

And with that Shamal left Squalo Superbi and Yamamoto Tsuyoshi alone in their grief - he was selfishly glad that he didn't have to tell Inoue-san ' s younger brother the news, thank god the kid didn't know about Dying Will Flames because even he wasn't heartless enough to want to break a kid's heart.

62.1

When the doctor left the room Tsuyoshi barely noticed. All he could here were the words " There is nothing more to do...a year left...months." Keep repeating in his head, taunting him, and making an knot of anguish fill his gut, and the threat of tears sting his eyes. He couldn't be bothered to try and hold them back, so soon he had trails streaming down his cheeks.

When Squalo began destroying the furniture in the room - which only consisted of a table and a few chairs - he just buried his face in his hands.

He had failed his beautiful Tomoko. He ha promised, swore to her that he would take care of Kazumi no matter what if something were to happen to her. And he failed - failed her and Kazumi!

He wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all! There was nothing he could do! He hadn't known anything was even wrong and now it was far too late and far out of his power to do anything!

Oh god, how was he going to tell Takeshi his brother was dying.

Tsuyoshi wept as Squalo smashed the window in rage.

63.1

It took an hour for Tsuyoshi to pull himself together after Dr. Shamal had broken the news. Squalo had long since turned the formerly sterile conference room into a war zone. With broken pieces of furniture strewn everywhere that were so mangled that they were unidentifiable.

Tsuyoshi slowly stood up, feeling twenty years older than when he had sat down.

He placed his hand gently on Squalo's shoulder, the teen had - when he had run out of inanimate objects to destroy - had collapsed on the cold tile floor and stared blankly at a spot on the wall.

"Come on, get up Squalo-kun. We don't have time to be wasting."

Squalo scowled, interpreting the words as Tsuyoshi had meant them: that they didn't have enough time with Kazumi still alive to waste any of it breaking down.

The teen jerked himself off the floor and the pair headed out the door.

64.1

Squalo went into Kazumi's hospital room and sat and stared at his best friend's sleeping face. Yamamoto had pulled Take-chan out of the room to break the news to him in private, and so that the kid wouldn't wake Kazumi up in the aftermath.

He noted every line and curve on Kazumi's face, and he noted the needles and machine that they hooked his friend up to with disgust. This frail, ill form laying prone on sterile sheets wasn't his best friend. His Kazumi was lively, loved to dance, play catch with his baby brother, tease Squalo, watch Squalo make dango, cook...not...not lie in this fucking room in this fucking hospital attached to these fucking machines and die in this bland place that reeked of cleaning supplies and decay.

Squalo gently, with more care than he had ever touched anything before, placed Kazumi's hand between his own. Inspecting them, he found the skin paper thin, veins shining clear through. His fingers were long and painfully thin, a thinness that generally spoke of only age or illness. Squalo darkly contemplated that it was illness that had his friend's (who was so fucking young - who the hell had a terminal illness at fucking sixteen!) hands in such a state.

Then he felt eyes on him. Squalo scowled still looking at Kazumi's hand.

"Hn. Nails that bad, huh? I knew I should have repainted them yesterday." Kazumi teased.

"Fuck you, Kazumi." Squalo said, with more exhaustion than any real heat.

"Only if you get me some dango."

And that was only something that Kazumi would say, the fucking bastard.

Squalo's grip tightened on Kazumi's hand, not allowing himself to fall into the normal pattern of their banter. "Yamamoto, the elder, is telling your br - Take-chan the news. Congrats its fucking terminal."

"Hn." Kazumi nodded.

Squalo's temper exploded. "VOI! You goddamn bastard! What the hell were you thinking!? Hiding this from me! What the in that messed up brain of yours made you think that it was a fucking good idea to hide that you're sick! Really fucking sick - hell! Dying!" Squalo couldn't believe that he had actually managed to say the 'd' word but he didn't stop there, he had some things he need to vent.

"My best friend is fucking dying! And if that isn't a hell of a note by itself, the fucker's known for for years and didn't say a fucking word about it! Not one fucking word! There may have been some kind of treatment, dammit! Maybe if it was caught early enough something could have been done! You asshole! Did you ever even think about telling me?!"

Kazumi reached out to touch Squalo on the forehead, but he pulled away. He couldn't stay in this room with Kazumi right now - he had to get out. He had some arrangements to make.

(He didn't see the sadness in Kazumi's eyes as he watched Squalo leave, hand still weakly outstretched.)

65.1

"You're lying!" Takeshi yelled at his father, ignoring the pained expression his Otou-san had on his face. No. All Takeshi could feel was anger at the awful lies that his Otou-san was saying about Kazu-nii. He said Kazu-nii was dying! How could he say something so awful!

Takeshi ran to Kazu-nii's room to get his brother to deny his Otou-san's awful lies (he would feel much better hearing the truth - that Kazu-nii wasn't dying - from Kazu-nii himself).

Kazu-nii who played baseball with him, took him to baseball games, made all of his birthday cakes, sang him to sleep every night as he tucked him in - Kazu-nii could not be dying!

Takeshi slid past Squ-nii who was leaning on the wall outside Kazu-nii's door on the phone, and quickly backtracked into Kazu-nii's room slamming the door behind him. He climbed into the bed with Kazu-nii and buried his head into his big brother's chest. A soft touch was on the back of his head in seconds as Kazu-nii petted his hair.

"What's wrong Take-chan?"

"Otou-san's lying!" Takeshi yelled into Kazu-nii's chest, making it come out muffled but still understandable.

"Hn?" Kazu-nii prompted.

"He's lying!" Takeshi reiterated. "He said you were dying! Why would he say something like that?!" Takeshi demanded to know.

Instead of the quick reassurance that Kazu-nii was not dying and that Otou-san was indeed lying like Takeshi had expected, there was a tense pause. So long that Takeshi fearfully looked up into his brother's dark eyes.

In Kazu-nii's eyes Takeshi found the hard truth.

Takeshi's eyes filled with tears. He clung to Kazu-nii and wailed.

66.1

"Shishishi. This is the Prince speaking and he will hunt you down and kill you should you waste the Prince's time. Speak now, peasant."

"I won't be back to Headquarters for the next few months. Don't destroy the fucking castle or kill each other. Don't disturb me. And change that damn answering machine recording."

67.1

It had taken a few hours and a lot of money to speed up the process, but Squalo had everything planned out and ready.

Now all he had to do was get Kazumi to agree. And hell, if he didn't Squalo would gust grab him and sling him over his shoulder and drag him along, it's not like Kazumi was in any shape to protest or fight him.


" Hn?"

" Don't you 'hn' me! If you think I'm going to let my best friend die in this goddamn hospital you've got another fucking thing coming!" Squalo yelled at a startled Kazumi. He grabbed Kazumi and carried him out of the room in a princess tote.

A car, train, and boat and several hours later Squalo and Kazumi, along with Yamamoto and Take-chan arrived at a private island. It was home to a traditional Japanese inn with hot springs, and an array of exotic and native flora were grown on the island. It had taken some arm twisting and money, but Squalo had secured the use of the island for their own personal use for a year

It exactly the kind of place that he knew Kazumi would love, traditinal with a shit - ton of flowers...and most importantly, everyone Kazumi cared for the most in one place.

Yamamoto had closed the restaurant and taken Take-chan out of school - stating a family emergency as the reason.

Everything so that Kazumi would ...pass in a place surrounded by everything and everyone he loved.

God.

Kazumi had smiled and thanked Squalo, but Kazumi's smile had been all the thanks Squalo had needed.

68.1

The next few months were spent in a predictable pattern. Everyone would get up and take a stroll around the island, always taking time to stop and admire the flowers. Some days, Take-chan would go up to Kazumi smiling, and place a crown of flowers on his head.

(The walks continued even when Kazumi had grown so weak that Squalo had to carry him everywhere.)

(Yamamoto constantly carried around a camera, making it rare not to hear the sound of the shutter going off. He took pictures; so many pictures of Kazumi. (Squalo would make certain to get copies of every one.))

Then Squalo and Yamamoto would be in the kitchen preparing lunch. During this time Kazumi and Take-chan would spend some quality time together. (Lunch always consisted of some variations of Kazumi's favorite foods, and dango, there was always all the dango Kazumi could want.)

Then they would spend a few hours talking, laughing, and dancing. (At first it had been Squalo and Kazumi dancing as they always had - a whirlwind of grace and beauty - every second caught on film. Then it was Kazumi in Squalo's arms as the white-haired teen twirled Kazumi around -every second of them caught on film bantering back and forth as Squalo moved them across the floor.)

Dinner and more dango before a relaxing dip in the hot springs. Then they would lay out under the stars on the wooden walkway ouside their rooms until they all fell asleep wrapped in blankets. Occasionally they would make it back to their respective rooms. ( When the cold made Kazumi's coughing worse they made it a point to head back inside.)

(Once during this did Katarina and Squalo's father come to visit. They fit in semlessly into the routine that had been established. Katarina gave Yamamoto a much needed break from the camera and video recorder.)

And the months passed leisurely but with swiftness that no one desired, eventually arriving at the close.

69.1

Takeshi woke up one morning to the sound of Squalo.

Sceaming.

Takeshi ran out of his room, slipping and sliding in his haste terror filling him. His father running right behind him.

Immediately they went to the room Kazu-nii and Squ-nii shared.

Upon arrival at the room Takeshi's knees collapsed from under him, he heard the pained gasp of 'no!' from his Otou-san behind him. He vaguely wondered where the hot wetness that had appeared on his face had come from before he realized he was crying.

He was crying. Otou-san was crying. Squ-nii was crying ( he had never before seen Squ-nii cry - it was horrifying to watch - Takeshi would remember thinking later). And outside, rain poured down as the whole world cried.


(It took five hours for Takeshi and Tsuyoshi to pry Squalo off of Kazumi, who's body had long been cold and stiff with death. The whole while Squalo had been clinging to the body of his dearest friend, an endless stream of tears, denial, and confessions of love poured out from Squalo on ears that would never hear it. Kisses pressed on lips that would never fell them.)

70.1

The day after Kazumi's funeral, Yamamoto opened up Takesushi again ( he had to have something to keep himself occupied and so he worked, just as he had done after Tomoko's death).

Takeshi went to a shop with the only recording he had of Kazu-nii singing his lullaby and had twenty copies made (later when Ipods and electronic portable music players became available he had a copy transferred on to one as well) . (Katarina-oba-Chan had already promised to make multiple copies of every picture and recording of Kazu-nii ever made, and even going so as to plan on putting a complete set of copies in a lock box in a bank in Italy).

Squalo spent the whole day yelling at Kazumi's grave until Take-chan came and joined him. Together they sat listening to Kazumi sing on a portable stereo that could play CD's that Take-chan had brought with him.

71.1

Squalo went back to Italy a week after Kazumi's funeral and threw himself into missions - taking one right after the other, never slowing down or taking a break. Even when there were no mission for him to participate in he tormented the Varia's Rain Squad constantly drilling and training them and just overall making their lives hell.

(Belphagor made the mistake of asking him to make dango - just once - and the fake prince never dared to do that again. Squalo had had to be pulled off of Bel by Lussuria and Leviathan to get him to stop attacking the storm guardian.)

Time passed but it never took the pain of the loss away.


Takeshi returned to school. All his peers greeted him happily, always telling them that they had missed him and were so excited for him to be back on the baseball team - the team could really use him. (Takeshi smiled and played happy to see them also - all the while he seethed every time someone said 'Yo, Yamamoto - missed you man!' - they didn't know what it was like to really miss someone and the empty expression boiled his blood. He always smiled though - because Kazu-nii had loved to see him smile.)

He did return to the baseball team - much to the delight of the entire student body, and it became a passion bordering on an obsession.

Anything to forget that each day that passed, each week, and each month, and each game was one more that Kazu-nii was never going to see.

Takeshi visited his grave everyday and still had trouble sleeping at night without listening to his brother's lullaby,


On the year anniversary of Kazumi's death Squalo flew to Japan. He, Take-chan, and Yamamoto spent the whole day watching videos of Kazumi's dance recitals, before taking the stereo and picnic basket full of all of Kazumi's favorites (including the first dango Squalo had made since his best friend's death) and visited Kazumi.

It became a yearly ritual to do this twice a year - once on Kazumi's birthday and once on the day he died.

72.1

Years passed.

Squalo made sure to keep in contact with Take-chan and hear about all he was doing. When he was on a job in Japan sometimes he would even stop by and cheer Take-chan on at one of his baseball games.

Squalo made sure to keep in touch with the Yamamotos; Kazumi would come back from the beyond to kill him otherwise.

73.1

Saying that Hibari Kyoya didn't like crowds was a vast understatement. Crowds were loud, annoying, and he just couldn't stand having multiple people gather around him. Usually he could control it and assure that the weaklings that he went to school with ( he had just started his second year at Namimori Elementary , and was had already satisfactorily trained the students to adhere to his command - offenders would be bitten to death) didn't crowd around him.

Unfortunately he couldn't just start attacking every group of people that walked by him on th street (though he was sorely tempted to do so, even if he did the police wouldn't be able to hold him), so instead to avoid the crowds, every chance he got he cut through the Namimori Cemetery.

One day when he was making such a cut through on one of his paroles of Namimori, he was disturbed by the sound of violent curses. Pulling out his tonfas, he skulked in the direction he heard the yelling coming from. There was a teenager with long white hair cursing like a madman ... in front a a new gravestone... Hibari hesitated. Grief, he was aware, made human beings act out and he debated whether or not he should ignore this disruption of Namimori's peace.

He was about to choose to attack - an offense was an offense after all, no excuses- when the cursing came to a halt as a boy with short black hair and amber eyes walked down the cemetery path with a portable stereo and sat down next to the older teen, who had stopped cursing the second he noticed the younger boy was present.

Hibari watched as the two sat, not speaking, as an English singer with a nice voice played on the stereo. The song played over and over.

Hibari left. Leaving the two to grieve without an audience.


Hibari made many trips through the cemetery in the following months. Every time he went by the cemetery in the evening, there that boy would be. Sitting in front of that stone listening to that same son over and over, sometimes however, there would be no music, and the boy would just sit there talking to the stone.

On the former days Hibari would observe the amber eyed boy and listen to the music for awhile before leaving, on the latter days he would make sure no one was causing a disturbance in the area, and then quickly leave.


One day Hibari decided to approach the amber eyed boy (who he had learned was named Yamamoto Takeshi.) He decided to do this because Hibari had been walking past the local baseball field one day and saw Yamamoto playing. He had stopped to observe and had been intrigued by the act the younger boy had put on in front of the people that crowded around him. Out of everything Hibari observed about the interactions Yamamoto had with his teammates - the fake smile the boy constantly sported around them was by far the thing that irritated Hibari the most.

And he wasn't quite sure why.

So, he made up his mind to approach Yamamoto.

74.1

"Ah! Hello!" Yamamoto greeted Hibari with that fake smile, causing Hibari's frown to deepen. "It's nice of you to come out and greet me. I was wondering if you were ever going to talk to me instead of watching me from afar all the time."

It was irksome to be told that Hibari hadn't gone as unnoticed as he had believed himself to be.

"Hn." Was Hibari's reply - one that caused a flash of pain to flash through Yamamoto's eyes briefly, and his fake smile became strained. "It's annoying. If you do not cease it, I will bite you to death."

Yamamoto laughed, his expression amused and slightly confused. "I can't imagine that human flesh would taste good going down, but whatever. What exactly do you want me to stop that's annoying you so much, stalker-kun?"

Hibari growled in offence at what Yamamoto had called him, but didn't pull his tonfas just yet - he wanted answers first. "Smiling. It's fake and it's irritating me. Cease at once."

Yamamoto finally stopped smiling. "What?"

"Hn." Hibari said, refusing to explain himself twice - he thought his first explanation had been more than exceptionable.

Yamamoto nodded, and was quite for a moment in thought. Hibari was beginning to think that this conversation was going to go on for longer than he had anticipated and gracefully sat down on the ground and began to inspect the grave that Yamamoto was always visiting. He noted the date of death and realized that the anniversary of this 'Inoue Kazumi's ' death was about to come around ( he vaguely wondered if the loud white- haired teen was going to show up to curse at the grave like he had done last year) and then noted the date of birth... this Inoue had died very young - just a few days shy of his seventeenth birthday - Hibari wondered briefly how Inoue had died. Another thing he was curious about was exactly how Yamamoto Takeshi was related to this Inoue.

"I smiled because it always made him so happy." Yamamoto said after a long pause in the conversation.

Hibari tipped his head to the grave. "Him?"

"Yeah." Yamamoto confirmed with a watery smile. "Kazu-nii loved to see me smile. He was always trying to make me happy and smile for him, and I always loved to smile because Kazu-nii would smile when ai did and he had the most gentle, loving smile. It made me feel like everything was right with the world when he smiled. He was the best big brother anyone could have asked for." Yamamoto rubbed hard at his eyes, but as far as Hibari could tell, no tears fell.

"Kazu-nii?" Hibari asked feeling like it was the appropriate thing to do. He was beginning to wish he hadn't been so damned curious about the younger boy - he did not deal well with crying people, at all - he didn't even deal well with people when they weren't crying.

"Yeah, Kazu-nii." Yamamoto said, really smiling sincerely for the first time Hibari had seen - it pleased him for some reason. "He was amazing. Seven years older than me and from Okaa-san's previous relationship - so we were only half siblings. Okaa-san died the day I was born due to complications from childbirth, but Kazu-nii didn't hold it against me or blame me for her death like some people would have done. Kazu-nii doted on me, and basically raised me for the most part 'cause dad was really busy with the restaurant after I was born. He sang me to sleep every night, and it even got to the point that I couldn't go to sleep without hearing that song first."

Yamamoto laughed. "Once when Kazu-nii was visiting his best friend in Italy, Otou-san was trying to put me to sleep but I just wouldn't. He had to call Kazu-nii and get him to sing me the song over the phone - Otou-san said I was out like a light after that. So, when Kazu-nii got back he went to the trouble of singing my lullaby and recording it so I could listen to it even when he wasn't there."

"Hn? That song you always play here?" Hibari asked curiously.

"Yeah, that's Kazu-nii singing my lullaby." Yamamoto went on to talk more about his brother, and Hibari patiently and attentively listened (this Inoue had been a most impressive person, it was a pity Hibari hadn't been able to meet him before he passed on).

"Kazu-nii was the best dancer! He and Squ-nii could just capture a room's attention - and it'd be near impossible to look away. I kind of wish I could dance, I think it would be a nice way to remember nii-san. Plus, since Kazu-nii died, Squ-nii's sworn never to dance again, said ' I'm not dancing with some incompetent fuck, Kazumi was the best there was and dancing with someone else would just be a damned insult to him.' I wish I had someone to take lessons with." Yamamoto said with a sigh.

Hibari looked at the younger boy. Yamamoto had become much more genuinely happy since he had started to speak of his brother. It was interesting. Before he knew it he blurted out.

"I'll be your partner."

The smile Hibari received made him start to believe that he understood why Yamamoto's brother had always tried so hard to get his brother to always smile.

75.1

" VOI! So, let me get this fucking straight. You and this guy who's been watching you visit Kazumi's grave for months are taking dance lessons together." Squalo asked even more loudly than usual. Takeshi had called him and even though Squ-nii had picked up Takeshi could tell he was busy with something if the loud noises in the background was any indication.

" Yep!" Takeshi chirped happily.

"Sometimes I wonder how you and Kazumi are related, and then you go and do crazy shit like this, and remind me."

Takeshi easily ignored that remark. "You'll come to our first recital won't you? And stay for the baseball game I have the day after?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the fucking world."

76.1

"You're stepping on my feet again, Kyoya!"

" Hn. You're leading, so you obviously don't mind that I'm stepping on your toes, or you'd do better."

"Shut up. How's middle school so far?"

"Everyone is pathetic. By the time you're at Namimori Junior High I'll have total control of the school."

"I'd be ashamed to know you if you didn't." Takeshi teased.

77.1

Hibari was seething. He had gone off campus to investigate some rumors, only to hear that Yamamoto Takeshi had pulled a stunt on the roof for 'suicide awareness'.

How ridiculous.

He pulled out his phone and punched in a number.

"VOI! The hell are you calling for stalking scum?!"

Hibari's eyebrow twitched at the word ' skalking', but somehow managed to ignore the desire to strangle the older man on the telephone.

"Takeshi almost jumped off the school roof today. Thought you should know, shark." Hibari said and then hung up.

He was not going to listen to that loud mouth shark yell anymore that he absolutely had to.

78.1

" What the fucking hell were you thinking!" Squalo yelled through the phone.

Not giving Take-chan the chance to answer he continued to rant. " Oh, wait I know. You fucking weren't! Because the is no damned way that you would have even considered goddamn suicide if you had used that brain of yours for one fucking second!"

" How do you think Yamamoto would have taken you dying, huh?! First this wife dies, then his eldest son, and his only remaining family nearly jumps off a fucking roof! Did you even think about what it would have done to him!...What it would have done to me?" Squalo said his voice falling softer in pain.

"I'm sorry Squ-nii." Take-chan said, shame and remorse clear in his voice.

Squalo softened slightly, but said, " Voi! You better be glad I can't leave Italy right now! But promise me that you won't do anything that damned stupid again. Kazumi would come back to haunt me if anything happened to you!"

Take-chan paused for a minute before saying, " Well, when you put it like that I might do something stupid again. Think about it, you would be able to see Kazu-nii again." Take-chan joked.

"VOI! Don't even fucking joke about that! He'd kill me!"

79.1

"Voi! I forfeit." Squalo announced much to the rest of the Varia's fury and to everyone else's surpise.

When Squalo made it over to Xanxus, his boss glared dangerously at him, and then punched Squalo in the face. It drew blood, which Squalo calmly spit out to the side.

"What the hell was that trash." It wasn't a question.

"There is no way in fucking hell am I fighting Kazumi's precious baby brother. Knowing him he'd come back just to murder me."

Xanxus and the rest of the Varia, who were listening in, turned to Take-chan - Squalo saw their evaluating looks.

"Ah~ ! So that's Kazu-kun's brother? How darling~!" Lussuria cooed.

" Mou-, how interesting." Mammon said from their perch on Belphegor's shoulder.

"The Prince wants to know if the shark-whipping-peasant's brother can command Squalo to make dango for the Prince. Shishishi."

"I can't believe you cost the boss the match because of that." Leviathan grunted.

However, Boss's reaction was the most interesting and confusing to Squalo. " That trash ' s brother, huh? I understand. That scum was fucking dangerous."

Dangerous? Kazumi? Squalo wondered how his best friend had left that impression on Xanxus.

He probably didn't want to know.

80.1

Time moved forward (and at some points moved forward and then back and then forward again). Battles were fought and curses were lifted. Years passed and things changed, and yet, some things managed to always stay the same.

81.1

"Everyone, I called this meeting to inform everyone that one of our allied Families is going to be hosting an event and has invited the Vongola Family to attend. I feel that all of us should attend - and yes, Hibari-san and Mukuro, I must insist you come as well." Tsuna announced as everyone was gathered around the large table they used for conferences at Vongola mansion. Reborn towering behind Tsuna as he sat.

" EXTREMELY UNDERSTOOD, SAWADA!" Roared Ryohei.

" Of course, anything for Juudaime."

"How annoying." Complained Mukuro.

" Hn." Hibari scowled.

" Sure, Tsuna-nii."

Takeshi felt as if everyone was waiting to hear him confirm that he was going as well, after all Tsuna hadn't made it sound optional.

" Ugh. Hey, Tsuna, what day is this on exactly?" Takeshi asked.

Tsuna looked at him curiously. "June the ninth. Does that matter? I really need everyone to come, Takeshi."

Takeshi rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly, but his voice came out firm. "Sorry, Tsuna but I can't go. I've got something important that day."

"Oi! What are doing refusing Juudaime's request?! You stupid baseball -" Gokudera yelled, but was cut off when Hibari thew a tonfa at his head.

Tsuna sighed and shook his head before turning back to Takeshi. "I know you usually take off that day every year, but can't you just not go this year, or go a week later?"

Takeshi's face was unusually serious as he answered, "No, Tsuna I can't. I'm sorry."


"Hn." Hibari greeted as he entered Takeshi's room.

"Hey, Kyoya. What happened after I walked out of the meeting?" Takeshi asked.

"Hn. Yelling, conspiracy theories about what you were hiding and why you refused to come, and an agreement for everyone to skip the event - send the Varia to represent the Vongola instead, and to follow you to see what you are going to be up to on the ninth of June." Hibari reported as he laid down on Takeshi's bed.

"Wow, that's possibly the most I've ever hear you say at one time." Takeshi commented to which Hibari growled.

Takeshi laughed. "But they're going to follow me? Really?"

" Idiots."

"They aren't." Takeshi defended, Hibari just shrugged. "But I can't understand why they don't asked me if they want to know."

" These are the people that haven't figured out we're dating, and have been for years. They're idiots."

82.1

Tsuna was beginning to wish he had vetoed following Takeshi or at least have chosen not to participate like Hibari and Mukuro had. They had taken a private Vongola plane to Japan first, as they had dug up where Takeshi had bought a ticket to Japan. They followed him to Namimori, which was really to be as expected, considering Yamamoto-san still lived in Namimori. However, if Takeshi was just visiting his father then there was no reason for him to have been adamant that it had to be on the ninth.

They all watched from a distance as Yamamoto-san stepped out of Takesushi with a large picnic basket and an even larger metal case witch the older man quickly handed over to Takeshi. And they carefully followed them - so that they wouldn't be caught - to Namimori Cemetery.

They all glanced around at each other, not having ecpected to end up at a cemetery. However, they had already come this far so they followed the Yamamotos inside.

They were very surprised to see Takeshi and his father greet Squalo, who was already sitting in front of a grave.

Yamamoto-san started setting up a blanket and preparing to set out the what was in the picnic basket he had brought, while Takeshi and Squalo were putting together a portable screen and projector. Luckily, the way they had placed the screen allowed them to see what was being watched.

Video after video all focused in on a single person. And the group watched as the years progressed on film, watching the boy grow into a teen on the screen. They watched as the boy danced with a white haired child, who had to have been the Varia's Rain Guardian, and watched as that same dark haired child played catch with who was obviously a younger Takeshi.

Later videos showed the same dark haired person looking ill with Squalo carrying him around. And at the end of the videos a song came on, the words were in English, but they could tell it was the person in the videos' singing.

They had been so absorbed in watching and listening, that they were surprised and a little horrified to look up and notice that Squalo Superbi was crying.

Tsuna really wished they hasn't followed Takeshi and witnessed this horribly private moment.


"Ah, Squalo-kun. You tear up every time we visit Kazumi, what would he say if he knew you still cried over his grave?" Yamamoto-san teased, though he was sniffling too.

" VOI ! Shut the hell up, old man." Squalo yelled.

Take-chan laughed, his eyes and smile sad as it always was on Kazumi's birthday. " You really loved him, didn't you, Squ-nii?"

"Damn right I did, and that bastard probably knew long before I did."

Take-chan smiled and nodded.

Kazumi had truly been one of a kind.

Please tell me what you think.