Disclaimer : I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! KHR! belongs to its rightful owner, Akira Amano.

Title : I'll Wait

Summary : "Ne, Hibari-sensei, can I like you?" "No," "Why not?" "I hate whiny children. Especially those who doesn't listen and is stubborn." Ten years ago, he got rejected and thrown away his love for him, not knowing that there are things that can never be rid of. Ten years later, he discovers the truth behind his cold and harsh words. But...it was too late. [Angst] [One-shot] [6918/1869] [6996] [Complete]

Pairings : 6918/1869 and 6996.

A/N Merry Christmas to all of you~ Enjoy this one-shot and have a blessed Christmas! :D

"Ne, Hibari-sensei," He gently places his mathematics exercise book in front of the raven. On the cover of the book was the name, Rokudo Mukuro in cursive writing. "Can I like you?" He smiled at him with his mismatched eyes.

"No," The answer came out firm and immediate. Hibari's gaze never left the book on his table, refusing to look at him with the cold, steel eyes Mukuro loves.

"Why not?" Mukuro asked with a frown as disappointment washed over him.

"You're too young," Hibari took his book and started correcting it. Swift ticks and he flipped. "You'd realize it and thank me one day."

"I will not!" He objected. "Sensei, I said I love you, why can't you love me back?"

"I said, you're too yo-"

"Age doesn't matter!"

"It does." His voice came out soft yet sharp, like razors in folded clothes. "I hate whiny children. Especially those who doesn't listen and is stubborn."

"Tch.." He frowned as he felt a stab to his heart. "I-"

"Your book," He finally looked up and Mukuro's book was right in front of him. "You've gotten a perfect score. Well done." The teen gritted his teeth and turned red from frustration. He snatched it and stomped out of the room after realizing the unshaken look he carries.

Hibari let out a small sigh at the teen that ran out. No one knew why, but a smile tugged on his lips.

The book was crumpled and thrown to the side of the room after being used as an anger-releasing tool by Mukuro.

It was painful to be rejected again. And he was told off at the same time too. Tears were rolling down and his heart felt squeezed. Hurts, it hurts. Maybe he really should forget about this. They were impossible after all, isn't it?

His love for him was soon forgotten and its existence slowly faded, just like the book that was nowhere to be found.

Six years later. At Hibari Kyoya's house.

"Mail, mail," A yellow tuff chirped its way to its owner and landed on his head. "New mail!" The raven patted the bird as it nuzzled its soft head against his fingers.

He lowered his hand and reached out to his mailbox and took out the light purple envelope.

To : Hibari Kyoya-Sensei.

It was written by hand, in neat but a little wild writing that was alike to his.

Now, he has a gist of who the writer is. He walked in back to his house with small and graceful steps, his yukata attire was shifting a little. A little expectant with slight amusement grew inside him.

Slowly unfolding the envelope, he found a letter with an invitation card together in it. He placed the envelope down along with the invitation card and started reading along the lines of words.

"To Hibari-sensei, I'm getting married and I hope you can attend my wedding ceremony. It would be an honour if you could come.

And thank you for bringing me back to the right path six years ago. I should have realized it was a mistake.

I look forward to meeting you again."

-Rokudo Mukuro.

Hibari's expression remained unchanged like a rock. He scanned through the wedding invitation.

One month from now...

Hibari placed the letter down and took out his cell phone. He hesitated for a few seconds before selecting one of his few contacts. It rang a few times before someone picked it up.

"Tetsu," He said. "I need a favour."

One month later.

The wedding went well and Mukuro was there with his bride, smiling from ear to ear, brimming with happiness.

But all along, he didn't see his respected teacher. And it did bug him a little. It was until the ceremony ended then another teacher appeared.

"Congratulations, Rokudo." He smiled. "Kyo-san couldn't make it so I came in his stead. I hope you don't mind."

"Ah, is that so?" He silently wondered why. "And of course not, Tetsu-sensei," Mukuro said with a polite smile. "It's great to see you. Thank you for coming."

"Here's a gift from us." He handed him a beautifully wrapped present box.

"Thank you."

They chatted a little about their lives, occasionally bringing up Hibari but they both didn't talk too much about him. When Tetsu had to leave, Mukuro asked him to send his regards to Hibari.

"Hmm, it's just too bad then." The man with mismatched eyes let out a small sigh of disappointment. True he no longer held any feelings for him, yet, he couldn't help but feeling a desire to see him.

Is he doing well?

Mukuro let out a sigh and put an end to his trains of thoughts.

He was just a teacher, and he's just one of the thousands of students he had. Six years went by; they no longer had much of a reason to remember each other, right?

It didn't matter anymore.

He walked towards his bride, ignoring the small stinging pain in his heart.

Two years later.

Mukuro held his daughter in his arms and smiled, before lifting her up high in the air, earning a small giggle. His wife was watching and gave off a small warning to be careful. He was going to reply but his phone rang and he let his daughter down.

"Hello?" He picked up the call and answered. The person on the line started talking and he blew him away with the news. Shock was apparent on his face as it slowly turned into sadness and… regret. "…I see. Mhmm. Thank you for informing me."

Chrome looked at her husband's solemn expression and knew something was up. She held her daughter tight and silently waited for the phone call to end.

"I'll see you then. Goodbye." He ended the call and fell into a daze until her wife spoke.

"Dear, are you okay?" She said. "What's wrong?"

"My high school sensei passed away."

"Was it Hibari Kyoya sensei?" She said softly, knowing the said teacher was once important to his husband.

He nodded. "They said it's an incurable disease. I'll be attending his funeral in a week time."

Mukuro couldn't stop thinking. He had kept something to himself; they said he died single and silently wondered why.

One year later.

Flipping through the old albums that held the pictures of his past, a nostalgic air surrounded him. It's been so many years now. He even has his own happy family with two children.

Taking the stack of books out of the box, he patted off the dust on the surface before looking at the contents of the exercise book he used nine years ago. He wondered why it was here, considering he had thrown away all the books he used in high school.

He flipped through the pages a little absentmindedly, with eyes scanning his work back then, and remembering how he pestered his sensei about loving him and confessing. He really did love him then, when the teen was lonely from a broken family and the raven had given him the care and company he wanted.

Well, he did reject him after all. It was for his own good too, right? The thought was still haunting him; why did sensei died single? Was he too busy? Mukuro thought finding a partner with such good looks and personality was definitely an easy feat.

His train of thoughts was stopped when his eyes glued to a certain page he was sure he had never stumbled across. His unrealized widened eyes blinked as his fingers slowly reach out to touch the letters written across the surface of the page.

He froze as realization hit him hard. He let out a shaky sigh.

Why hadn't he seen it back then? Tears rolled down his cheeks as grief ripped through him.

Written in neat cursive writing, which he had copied off him back then, were a beautiful sentence now filled with regret,

"But I'm willing to wait."

His lips were quivering and the book was dropped. It hit his feet but the pain didn't bother him at all. His heart was aching more.

Why didn't he realize this?

He...waited for his whole life. He was waiting all along.

For him.

Thanks for reading and I hope you can leave a review on your way out! :D Merry Christmas once again! May you be filled with joy and happiness for the year to come, continue to be blessed by the people around you and be a blessing to others which I'm sure you already are :D

-Kazue