Dino arrived home after the grueling mission, his mind still clouded by frustration. The mission had been far from smooth—the enemy's forces had managed to slip away before Dino could close in on them. This was only the first wave of their involvement in the ongoing conflict, and Dino knew this was just the beginning. He was drained, both physically and mentally, but there was something that kept gnawing at him—the absence of Hibari.
He had missed him, no doubt about it. But that nagging feeling of doubt, of being ignored and left out, crept into his thoughts. Hibari had always been a puzzle to Dino, but recently, it felt like the puzzle pieces were more scattered than ever. They hadn't spoken after their argument, and Dino's thoughts had been consumed by their last exchange.
Would Hibari be there? How would he react? Would they pick up where they left off, or had things changed between them? Would Hibari... shut himself off completely?
The entire journey home had been a blur of these thoughts. The flight and the car ride felt like an eternity, and Dino had no idea what he would face when he finally arrived.
Arriving home, Dino entered the passcode—their anniversary date—his fingers pressing the numbers in rhythm, as if it was second nature. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He was home. But something felt off.
The window to the living room was wide open, the evening air cool and unsettling as it wafted in. The television was on, a channel playing in the background, but the room felt emptier than usual. Dino frowned. "Kyoya?" he called out, but there was no answer. "Why would you leave the window open?" He stepped inside, slipping off his shoes and jacket as he continued speaking. "At least turn off the TV if you're not watching..."
He waited for a response, but the silence stretched on far too long. His stomach tightened with unease.
"Kyoya?" Dino's voice wavered, now laced with a tinge of worry. The house felt too quiet, too still. He took a few steps further into the living room, his gaze landing on a cup on the table. Tea, most likely Hibari's, still sat there, abandoned, as if left mid-sip.
Dino sighed and grabbed the remote to turn off the television.
"Kyoya? Hey..." he called again, frustration creeping into his tone. Still no response.
A knot of unease formed in his chest. Maybe Hibari had gone out? No, that didn't make sense. Hibari always made sure everything was in order before leaving, always took care of the little things. So why hadn't he?
Dino's irritation simmered, frustration mixing with confusion. Was this some sort of avoidance? Was Hibari upset because Dino left without informing? It was a petty thought, but it gnawed at him, the uncertainty sinking deeper.
He headed toward the bedroom, hoping Hibari might be there. The room was empty. No sign of him, and no sign of where he could have gone. But the desk light was still on.
Dino sighed again. Why wasn't Hibari turning everything off if he was leaving?
His frustration deepened, and he muttered under his breath. "What is his problem, really?"
As he continued his search through the house, something didn't feel right. The more he looked, the more unsettled he became. When he entered the kitchen, it was the last place he expected to feel a sinking dread—but there it was.
The counter was a mess. Apples had been cut, but there was no sign of Hibari anywhere nearby. All the pieces were starting to rot, left abandoned for too long. A strange sense of unease crawled over Dino as he tried to make sense of it.
His eyes then fell on the floor. Something caught his attention. He stepped forward, his breath catching in his throat. At first, he thought it was just his mind playing tricks on him—but it wasn't. A knife, half-embedded into the wooden floor, lay discarded. But it wasn't just the knife—it was the dry bloodstain next to it.
Dino's breath caught, and his pulse quickened. The blood was old, but it still made his stomach turn. His mind raced with a dozen thoughts at once. What the hell had happened here? Where was Hibari?
Hands shaking, Dino knelt down, his eyes scanning the bloodstain, the trail of it leading toward the window. Something inside him screamed that this wasn't an accident. Something had gone horribly wrong, and Hibari—his Kyoya—wasn't here to explain it.
"Kyoya!" Dino's voice cracked as panic began to set in. He stood quickly, his heart pounding in his chest, before grabbing his phone. He dialed Hibari's number with trembling fingers. The phone rang, but there was no answer.
He heard it—the ringtone. It was coming from the other room.
Dino rushed toward the sound of the phone ringing, only to find Hibari's phone lying on the bed. He picked it up and saw that the battery was about to die.
Where was Hibari? What had happened to him?
The house felt suffocating now, the air thick with tension. Dino's mind was racing, a hundred questions swirling in his head. He couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was still to come.