Hello, I'm sorry for the (usual) delay. Really…. I feel like I need my break again TT_TT So moving on, just for precautions, this chapter will include some Japanese words so it will be explained at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
A gust of wind ruffled the cherry blossoms, picking up a few loose petals off the branch and sending them into an open window. The light pink petals twirled around the room as it made its way to land on top of the sleeping form of a girl.
Hibari sighed. Sakura was his favorite flower and it eased him a little of his disrupted mood. The lives of these flowers were short and fleeting yet it was fraught with poignant emotion filling the hearts of people. It was worthy to be called the country's blossom.
"W-where am I?"
He shifted his eyes from the fallen petals to the girl's, now open, eyes. It closed for a second and opened again. As if, she was trying to wake from some illusion. Alice shifted her position from the couch and tried to make herself more presentable towards the stranger in front of her.
Hibari took out his tonfa and swiftly brought it close to Alice's throat, "You're in the Disciplinary Committee Room." The brunette's small form flinched in reaction. Hibari continued to coolly observe her expression as he saw fear and confusion in her eyes.
Gulping a little, Alice opened her mouth, "Um-."
"Just cough up the reason why you came to this school," the cold black orbs narrowed into slits, threatening the foreigner to spit out the truth.
Alice shivered at the glare. Something about this man told her that he was dangerous. She didn't want to try his patience, "I-." A deep growling sound rumbled from her stomach. There was a long silence until Alice's face turned bright red. Noticing the temperature going up on her face, she quickly tried to cover it with her hand and mumbled embarrassingly, "I'm sorry…."
Hibari was surprised by the girl's odd behavior. A few minutes ago she seemed like she was scared of him and now she is embarrassed, probably even forgetting the fact that he was threatening her a while a go. Amused, he lowered his tonfa and turned his head to the man beside the door, "Kusakabe, get something for her to eat."
A large man with a regent style hairdo bowed his head once before replying to his boss, "Yes sir."
Dead silence spread over the room as Alice nervously fidgeted under the man's piercing gaze. This man, Hibari, had a strict expression as his well formed posture was stiff and austere. It made her feel unsettled and wary. Why was she in the Disciplinary Committee room? Did she do something wrong? Oh…right she was there when the glass window broke (even though it was not her fault) and she kind of trespassed into a school. Plus, she made a fool out of herself in front of him. She was not surprised about Hibari being suspicious about her and even decides to attack or punish her.
"Hibari-san, I brought the food," Kusakabe knocked the door before entering the room. A tray filled with food was set on the table.
Alice immediately sucked in the delicious scent and smiled at the big man, "Thank you."
It was a traditional Japanese food; containing clam miso soup, white rice, salted grilled salmon topped with grated radish, and Narazuke*. Hibari couldn't stand eating school bread which was, apparently, the only food sold in the cafeteria. Thankfully, he had some connections with the teachers to let the cafeteria prepare his preferred menu.
Kusakabe set two yunomi* and brought over a kyusu* to pour the steaming hot green tea. He placed the cup in front of Hibari and Alice and bowed his head once more before he walked out of the room. Nodding once to his subordinate, Hibari took a sip of the tea and let out a small sigh. It was just the right drink he needed. The hot liquid seeped into his slightly chilly form. Although it was spring, the weather was still a bit cold to walk around with short sleeves. That being mentally said, Hibari looked at the girl once more. She wore a short sleeve blue apron dress with frills lacing the hem of the skirt. Was she….not cold? Frowning at the unnecessary question, the man noticed what Alice was doing.
She seemed to have a hard time using the chopstick. Stabbing the food viciously like a barbarian, Alice stuffed the food in her mouth. The taste was unique and unusual, but anything tasted delicious when she was famished.
Hibari looked at the ill mannered girl as if he just ate a bitter bug, "You do not know how to use the hashi*?"
Stopping her movements at once, she looked confused for a while until she finally understood what hashi was and smiled sheepishly, forming a slight tint of redness in her cheek, "Well…. I'm ashamed to admit that this is my first time using this sort of tool."
Hibari shook his head and muttered, "This is why foreign herbivores…." Alice couldn't help, but lower her head down. Ever since she woke up, she had done nothing but do embarrassing things. Sure, some of things she just couldn't help, but if her sister looked at her now she would be disappointed.
"Give me those," the man abruptly snatched the chopstick in Alice's hand and held it naturally. He looked straight at the brunette and spoke monotonously, "This is how you hold the hashi." He watched her blink several times in pure shock. It could not be helped; even he was wondering why he was giving a lesson on food etiquette to a girl even more a stranger.
He raised the chopstick accordingly so Alice could watch him hold in a uniformed way. Moving his fingers, he adeptly moved the tool in random direction. While Alice was trying to absorb the information, Hibari stared at the stranger. He may have a nonchalant façade; he could not help but be curious as to why he was even spending this much time with the foreigner. By now, if it was any other people, he would either ignore them or beat them up. Although he did not feel any threat from the girl to make him have the need to bring out his tonfa, he was still puzzled as to why he would even speak to her.
Noticing her food for a moment, he picked up a portion of Narazuke and ate it. Narazuke was one of his favorite Japanese foods. Besides the crunching sound of him slowly devouring the pickled food, he heard a quiet gulp from Alice and smirked. He knew she was starving and he was tempting her to eat the food.
After enjoying the last bit of Narazuke in his mouth, he handed the chopstick to Alice. He watched her take the chopstick and somewhat fiddled with it a little before holding it in a correct way.
Alice broke a nervous smile at Hibari and spoke, "Thank you."
She, then, proceeded to eat her meal. Hibari just mutely stared at her eat as Alice tried her best to ignore him and act in a lady-like manner which her sister tried to teach her many moons ago. When she was finally finished with her food, Alice once again smiled at the man, "Each of these dishes was so unique and unusual. It was very delicious. Thank you very much Hibari-san."
Hibari just shrugged in nonchalance, "Just call me Hibari. And anymore unnecessary talking and I will bite you to death." The last sentence was laced with hidden threat and Alice suppressed her urge to shiver. Even though he was kind enough to teach her how to use the chopstick, he never failed to make her uncomfortable and anxious.
Alice nodded her head and replied, "Yes Hibari. Um, my name is Alice."
Ignoring the introduction, Hibari went straight to the point, "Why did you come to this school?"
Alice knew this question was coming as she thought for a while before answering, "Well I am actually looking for something…. It's a heart-shaped golden key, but have you seen it?" After all, she have been looking for the damn key for many hours. She didn't expect Hibari to have it, but she at least wanted some clue.
Hibari's onyx eyes instantly closed half way in boredom, "No, I have not." He was silent for a while and thought deeply before placing a frown on his face, "Is that the only reason why you came to this school?" Besides boredom, his eyes held disappointment as well as puzzled.
Alice was confused at the man's behavior and tilted her head to the side, "Yes…"
Sighing, Hibari relaxed on the couch and closed his eyes while mumbling, "So much for disrupting my peace…" He should have expected that this feeble looking girl was no threat for him. Yet, he was somewhat interested in her and unconsciously expected something exciting to come forth. How strange he was acting today. In days like these, he should just sleep under the cherry blossom tree and feel the wind sweep past the grasses.
As he thought of this, his companion, Hibird, entered from the window and landed right on his shoulder. Just when he was about to look at his partner, a loud crash was heard from one of the nearby windows. The sharp pieces from the broken window flew towards Hibari's way as he swiftly took out his tonfa and deflected the shards that came by. He, then, looked up to see the culprit who broke the window; the familiar looking cow brat.
Lambo stood a few feet away from Hibari and laughed triumphantly, "Lambo-san will definitely be the first one to get the bird!"
From the broken window, Tsuna also entered the room and worriedly exclaimed "Wait, Lambo! How many times have I told you! You have to stay in the house." As soon as he stepped inside the room, Tsuna froze at the sight in front of him. There, the head of the Disciplinary Committee as well as the strongest Vongola guardian was looking at him as if he was going to massacre any living being at sight.
"Weak herbivores…I'll bite you guys to death," the words seethed out of his gritted teeth. Hibari activated his power as the Vongola ring glowed in deep shade of purple. He was no doubt going to kill them; not only did they try to chase his companion, but they also disrupted his peace TWICE. Plus, the cow brat was probably the culprit, who was breaking all the windows in the school. Hibari was not as merciful as to forgive people who disrupted his peace and destroy his school.
Noticing the deadly aura exuding from the frightening man, Tsuna squeaked in tremor, "H-Hibari!" As if to react to his name, Hibari lunged in to attack Tsuna. He will used his tonfa to break Vongola boss' jaw so he would not talk anymore and slowly break every bone in his body.
Just when he was about to touch Tsuna's jaw, Reborn flew in from the broken window and head butted Tsuna. Pushed back by the sudden force and momentum, Tsuna fell to the floor and dodged Hibari's attack, "Ouch!" Landing on his butt, Tsuna looked up to where Reborn was and glared at him for head butting him.
Reborn stood right beside Alice, who was just looking at the whole situation with wide eyes, and scoffed, "Stupid Tsuna. If you are hit by that thing, you're dead."
Tsuna stood up immediately and retorted timorously, "But, but Hibari is our friend. He can't really kill me!"
Hibari flinched at Tsuna's comment, ultimately releasing more of his dark lethal aura, "….Did you call me a 'friend'?" He glared at the Vongola boss with killing intent. Hibari Kyouya was a lone wolf; he neither bow down to anybody nor does he stick around with other people like bunch of filthy ants. In addition, (unintentionally) calling him an insect was one of the most degrading things anybody could say to him.
Tsuna yelped at the increasing pressure and took a step back before asking fearfully, "U-um aren't we?"
Hibari narrowed his eyes into slits, "I'll rip you into pieces." He, once again, dashed towards Tsuna to attack.
"Nooooooo!"
Horrified, Tsuna shut his eyes and tensed his body to anticipate for the incoming attack when he felt a bullet go right in to his temple as Reborn said with his usual nonchalant smile, "Time to start getting into the fight!"
In a flash, the ring on his necklace burned in bright orange, and the glove-like weapon appeared. The fear in his brown eyes calmed down and was in a more courageous gaze. Tsuna's hand glowed with dying will flames as he stood in a fighting position, "….Sorry but I'm not willing to die just yet."
Hibari quirked a slight smirk, maybe he just needed a fight. After all, these days it was just too boring and he was getting a little bit strange. Raising his tonfa, he uttered, "Well you never know."
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
White clouds floated freely in the peaceful blue sky. The violet eyes wandered to the clouds and soon and closed in boredom. "Hey stupid fish," Elliot called out sleepily. He was under a big cherry blossom tree and relaxing himself by lying down on his back.
Jimmy similarly lie down a few feet away from Elliot and replied, "What jacka** rabbit?"
Elliot ignored the whale's insult and spoke in deep thought, "Why do you think Alice was angry at us?" That was the question he needed to know. For that was what he kept on thinking for the past hours ever since Alice left him and Jimmy to find the key. In fact, he was originally walking and looking around as Alice told them to do, but the piling thoughts was just too overbearing for him so he decided to rest.
Jimmy snorted, "Never know and never care. What, ya have a thing for her?"
Elliot turned beet red and abruptly sat up from his position, "No! I'm just worried because she's my friend!" He would be lying if he said that he did not completely have a liking to the girl, but he knew she was the next important person to protect besides Blood. Moreover, if he did not protect her, then Blood would be pretty angry at him.
Despite Elliot's immediate reply, Jimmy just snickered, "Oh really? Cute bunny worried about his dear friend. Oh how nice."
"Shut up before I make you into fish fillet," Elliot clenched his teeth and glared at his companion. He just hated the damn whale. Why did Alice have to bring him along? If it wasn't for the beloved foreigner, the number two would have already shot the stupid fish.
Jimmy admonished, "I would rather have some rabbit stew."
The last ignominy broke Elliot's remaining patience as he took out his gun and yelled, "YOU-." Suddenly a loud booming sound was heard not so far away. Elliot and Jimmy, both, looked at the direction which the noise was heard and saw dust collected on the area.
Elliot continued to look at the area and saw two men, who were engulfed in weird colored flames of orange and purple, fighting each other. Scrutinizing his eyes even more he saw a distorted figure of a girl much similar to Alice. After looking at the blurry sight for a while, he spoke aloud, "Hey is that Alice?"
Jimmy stood next to him shaking his head to say that he did not know. Nevertheless, Elliot continued to observe the situation until he saw Alice running towards the fight. Instant panic threatened the blonde as he locked his gaze on the figure and sprint towards the spot.
What was she doing there? Judging from the abilities of the two men, Alice would be dead or would be severely injured if she went near them. Whatever the reason was, he needed to save her no matter what.
Elliot kept on looking at what Alice was doing and soon widened his eyes in trepidation as he yelled out the girl's name.
A slight change of mood to an oriental style because I know Hibari likes Japanese style ^u^ And since I like Hibari so much I practically wrote mostly about him in this chapter….I'm not too sure if he was a little OOC, I didn't read KHR for so long, but I still like him!
*Narazuke – also known as vegetable kasuzuke orshiru-kasu-zuke. It is a type of pickles thatwas originally made with white melon, but later withcucumbers,eggplants,uri, andpickling melons.
*yunomi – a form of tea cup made from ceramic material and used for daily (informal) tea drinking.
*kyusu – traditional Japanese teapot, mainly to brew green tea.
*hashi – chopstick
Source: Wikipedia, washokufood . blogspot, and myself
Just a few things so explain:
Please don't mind about the language barrier that Alice and Hibari or anybody else supposed to have. I'm sure Alice speaks in English and other people from KHR probably speaks in….whatever language they speak (probably Japanese but some people are Italians and etc.)
Spring in Japan is only a little chilly. Not that cold. So I figured that Alice can survive with her usual apron dress. Plus, in the manga of Joker no Kuni no Alice short chapter, she looked kind of normal even when the Clover Tower/ Clock Tower was in winter.
People who are reading my other story Time Bomb (or if you just don't know then skip this) I'm sorry for the delay. I know the update is longer than this chapter. And I'm not dead yet. Still alive. So plz wait patiently for the next chapter
Well all that said…..Happy Valentine's day! :3