By the time Dino had arrived back at his hotel room, he could barely control his thoughts. He was horrified to have realised the truth behind the boy's cold nature, unable to understand how someone could abuse their child in such ways; as someone who would love to have kids of his own, he never had been able to understand why there were so many children out there whose parents were like Kyouya's.

The blond paced the expansive floor, not knowing what to do; as Hibari's teacher, he felt it was his job to try and protect the younger and to get him out of that situation. He knew what it was like to be in the skylark's shoes; while Dino had had a fairly good childhood, he, too, had suffered at the hands of an unloving step-father. Though he had never been abused as badly as he could only guess Kyouya was, it still hurt knowing his mother had replaced his late father with a man who had a cruel tongue and an angry heart.

If there was anything at all he could do to help Kyouya, he would do it – not just because he was the boy's teacher, but because he understood.

Dino's right-hand man, Romario, watched his boss from the couch he was sitting on with worry in his eyes. He frowned, not knowing what had brought this act of anxiety on; the Chiavarone boss was such a strong, caring man and nothing fazed him. Had something happened on the blond's outing? Was there a reason he had been asked to stay behind at the hotel room while Dino went out?

"Boss?" Romario called out, hoping to still the younger male's pacing. He raised an eyebrow when the other didn't even acknowledge his words.

Getting to his feet, the right-hand man approached the smaller male and reached out to grab Dino's shoulders. He spoke once the other stopped moving and was looking at him.

"Boss, are you okay?" The raven-haired man bit his lip in concern; he adored his boss, just like all the other subordinates – they were lucky to have someone as caring as Dino in charge of them. "Can I help with anything?"

Dino's blue eyes flicked from side-to-side, not knowing what he should say; he didn't want to reveal Kyouya's situation, knowing he himself wouldn't appreciate such personal information being spread about himself behind himself. But at the same time, he felt he really needed someone to talk to about what had happened at his student's house because it was bothering him more than he thought it would, stirring up old emotions he thought he had long-since gotten over.

Sometimes Dino wondered what he would have turned out like if his mother had never left that man.

"...Romario?" Dino reached up and rubbed at his hair as he shook his head slightly. "...Can I hear your opinion on something?"

"Of course, boss. What is it?"

"...If you knew someone you cared about was being mistreated, what would you do?"

Romario didn't want to pry into his boss' affairs too deeply, knowing it wasn't his place to enquire. Instead, he tried to help as best as he could while trying not to be too nosy.

"Well, I guess that depends on how severely they're being mistreated, boss. Have you spoken to them about it?" Dino shook his head. "...I guess you should try and talk to them about what's happening and see what they want you to do."

Dino sighed before he answered. "...I don't think he'll tell me anything, nor want my help."

"Is there a particular reason for that?"

"...I don't think he trusts me – or anyone, for that matter." It hurt Dino to admit this, but he knew it was true. "...I wish he did, but... I think I will make things worse if I try and talk to him about it..."

Without missing a beat, Romario replied with all the heart he could muster; he truly felt this was the right course of action – a course his adored boss would certainly be able to handle. "Then you have to show him you can be trusted, sir. There's nothing you can't do; I know you can help him."

Smiling softly, Dino nodded, glad to have gotten such things off his chest. He felt touched by his subordinate's words, but if that was the way Romario felt...

"You're right. Thank you for listening, Romario." Patting his subordinate on the shoulder, Dino left the hotel room, needing to get some air to clear his thoughts.

Whatever he could do to help Kyouya, he would do it; that much Dino was sure of.

~~ With Hibari ~~

Hibari was in a foul mood. He was sitting on the couch in the Disciplinary Committee, glaring at nothing in particular. As much pain as he was feeling, the skylark just didn't want to stay at home – not while the police had arrived to his house to investigate a domestic violence report from their neighbours.

The raven-haired boy was glad to be alone; he needed the time to think. He didn't think he could do this anymore. He couldn't handle the abuse, the pain, or the fact that everyone but him was happy in their own lives with their own loving family while he was on the outside looking in. It wasn't fair that he was the only one who suffered like this, and as much as he liked his solitude and the feeling of being feared by those weaker than him, it just wasn't enough; was it so bad he wished he had someone he could trust?

Hibari's reputation as a blood-thirsty bully was known all throughout the town, and no one in their right mind would pick a fight with him unless they were either stupid or brave. It was nice to not be the only one living in fear, to be someone who was feared in return, and he felt he could somewhat understand why his parents were the way they were; did they enjoy their only child fearing them?

The skylark couldn't imagine what life would be like if he had a good family; seeing the way everyone else enjoyed life while he wished for death to claim him on a regular basis was painful, no matter how deep he would lock his emotions away and act as if he didn't have any.

But what would death be like? Was it really his only salvation? His only way out? What would happen if he died? Would anyone miss him? Or would they be happy he was gone? Would... would his parents... even notice he was gone...?

Hibari closed his eyes. His body tensed as he felt himself becoming overwhelmed with emotion. The thought that his family wouldn't even realise he was dead felt like someone forcing a dagger through his heart.

Looking out of the window of the Disciplinary Committee office, the briefest thought of how painful it would be to throw himself out of the window crossed his mind before he flinched and forced his train of thoughts to change direction.

Whether or not death was his only alternative, Hibari wasn't ready to lower himself to a herbivore's standards of committing suicide – not yet, anyway.