A/N : My new D18 fic (: I will go working on the fic depending on the poll on my profile page! :D Thanks for picking up this fic! ((:
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Moment
Hibari sat on the chair in front of the blonde, listening to what he had to say about the girl he met on the streets while taking a break in Russia. He had been going on about the girl non-stop ever since he stepped into the house.
"Well, she told me she will be coming over here, Italy, in three days' time! Kyoya, what should I do when I see her? It has been awhile since we've seen each other face to face..."
Hibari looked at Dino, and sighed.
It was all about her; the girl that he met in Russia. Dino described her to him in great detail; from the way she looked right down to her personality. It made Hibari wonder if Dino could describe him just as well as he could describe the girl.
"We've been talking through phone calls, and I really can't wait to see her again. Should I take her out or talk to her at home over a cup of coffee?"
Dino's face... It was full of anticipation.
"Kyoya...?"
It was something Hibari had seen for the first time since Dino returned from Russia. And after he returned, he changed.
He became happier. And...
"Kyoya, are you sick?"
Hibari looked up immediately at that, then shook his head lightly. He could see Dino smiling in relief. "Only herbivores fall sick," he muttered under his breath as his hands reached out for the warm coffee cup.
"Perhaps you are tired... How about taking a nap first? I'll go out and buy some light supper." Dino ruffled his raven hair gently.
Hibari pushed away Dino's hand, glaring at the blonde.
"Touch me again and I will bite you to death." He saw the warm grin on the Italian's face as the blonde nodded his head. Perhaps Dino knew he didn't mean it. Or should he say, Dino just knew. After all, they were buddies, like Dino had said.
Though Hibari had never agreed with Dino on that statement.
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"I'll be right back." Dino opened the door and the sound of keys jangling could be heard.
It was then that Hibari remembered how else Dino had changed besides becoming more happy.
Dino, he...
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Fell in love.
"Ah, Kyoya. I thought you told me that you are not coming?"
Hibari saw the surprised look on the blonde's face as soon as he stepped into the cafe that the Cavallone Don had reserved for the whole afternoon. It was the day, the day that the girl was coming over to Italy. It was during supper when Dino asked him to come along with them.
He wanted to introduce his... buddy, to the girl he fell in love with.
Hibari rejected this almost instantly, but when he remembered how disappointed Dino looked when he did that, he changed his mind.
"Just wanted to see how a herbivore's lover looks like."
He lied.
Dino smiled brightly at Hibari as he put a bunch of white lilies into a translucent vase. "Kyoya, I decorated the cafe myself. How does it look like?"
Hibari looked around the cafe at that. It was then that he realized Dino really put in a lot of effort into this.
If Hibari remembered correctly, the girl's favourite colour is white. And she really likes the sunlight, just like Dino.
The cafe's furniture were all in the colour of pure white, and there were a lot of windows, allowing sunlight to stream into the cafe. Everything looked pretty.
"... You barely passed."
Dino chuckled at Hibari's harsh comment as he looked at the clock that hung on the wall.
"Ah... Kyoya! I'm going to the airport to fetch her. You want to come along or stay here?" Dino asked as he hurried to take his car keys that were on the table.
Hibari sat on the white chair as he shook his head lightly.
"Alright, wait for us over here. We will be right back!" Dino grinned brightly as he ran to the door that had a mirror fixed onto it. He straightened his clothes out and finger-combed his golden locks slightly before rushing to his polished white car.
He could see how much Dino was smiling as he drove the car away through the window.
It was then that Hibari realized... Dino's smile... he really liked it.
Even though it was not meant for him, he still liked that smile.
He liked how happy Dino looked.
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And he too, realized something about himself.
He...
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Had fallen in love as well.
Throughout lunch, Dino was really attentive and caring towards the girl who introduced herself as Layne. Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her blue eyes were what Dino described as striking.
Dino said she was pretty, and soft-spoken. That was very true; he could see that now. And he could remember clearly how surprised and how sweetly she smiled when she entered the cafe. Dino was then standing behind her, grinning brightly.
The both of them looked compatible, and Dino even specially dressed himself in white to match with her white strapless summer dress.
"Kyoya, the ice-cream is melting."
Hibari snapped out of his thoughts as he looked at the ice-cream which had melted slightly. He sighed as he took the spoon up, then noticed something.
He stopped.
"Kyoya, you don't like the ice cream? I thought vanilla is your favourite flavour...?"
Dino had his own favourite cup of pistachio ice-cream placed on the glass table.
"... Kyoya?"
They were sitting side by side, close to each other.
"Kyoya, are you alright?"
Dino was holding her hand gently.
"... I'm alright." Hibari looked away as he dipped the spoon into the slightly melted vanilla ice-cream, biting his bottom lip hard.
He could hear Dino sighing in relief. Perhaps he had gotten the Cavallone worried.
"You have been spacing out a lot lately, I was worried." Dino smiled slightly when he was sure that Hibari was alright.
Hibari held the spoon tighter as he nodded his head lightly, pretending not to notice the stares coming from the couple. He knew even the girl was worried about him.
Wait.
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Couple...?
"I thought you were assigned to the Vongola's headquarters in Italy, but surprisingly, I have been seeing you here for months. Homesick?"
Hibari ignored the illusionist as he drank the soup that had turned cold. It was true that he had been staying here, back in Japan. No one questioned his actions, except for Dino, and currently, this illusionist.
It was then that suddenly, his phone vibrated and both pairs of eyes were fixed onto it. It was Dino; he was calling again.
Pushing his phone aside, Hibari's hand ran through his raven hair lightly before stirring the soup, deep in his thoughts again.
He left after that day, when they were in the cafe. He didn't know why, but perhaps he thought that was the best decision. Dino had been calling him ever since then, and some of the messages he sent were in the form of an apology, in case he did anything wrong.
But Dino didn't do anything wrong, Hibari knew that. So apologizing didn't help, not a single bit.
The reason was about himself.
"He has a girlfriend now, right? And that has to do with your return to Japan," Mukuro stated bluntly, waking Hibari up from his thoughts.
"Herbivore, it's none of your business."
But it was true.
The reason was very simple.
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He, himself...
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Didn't want to stay after seeing them become a couple.
"Ah, Hibari. Are you going out?"
Hibari turned to see the Rain Guardian exiting the headquarters with a bunch of fresh Helenium. Nodding his head lightly, he turned to look at the clouds in the sky. It covered the sun, and the day was really windy.
"I see. Where are you going to?" Yamamoto smiled as he walked to his side. He could smell the faint scent of Helenium. And right, where was he going to...? Hibari avoided Yamamoto's stare as he closed his hands slightly.
He didn't have a single idea. He just didn't want to continue staying in that house, listening to the illusionist.
Yamamoto's smile got wider at the sight of that as he held the flowers closer to himself.
"Hibari, come along with me."
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Yamamoto wiped the dust away from the marble carefully before placing the bunch of Helenium onto the ground.
"Sorry, I brought you here." Yamamoto smiled apologetically as he sat down, picking the cloth up from his side, cleaning the carved words on the marble.
Hibari shook his head lightly, and earned a chuckle from the Rain Guardian.
"Sit here, it's alright." Yamamoto looked to his other side as he patted the empty space beside him.
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Hibari sat on the floor, and looked at the place which he knew was taken care of attentively everyday by the baseball-lover. The fallen leaves and snow would be swept to the side, and any signs of dirt would be cleaned away.
Shifting his vision onto the white marble which had words carved on it, he read the name that was carved on it.
The person of this name was exactly why Yamamoto Takeshi took the effort to do this every day.
Gokudera Hayato.
He was taken away from this world, from Yamamoto five years ago. Hibari was in Italy during that period of time, but from what Dino said, he knew that the usually smiling Rain Guardian became devastated and cried.
Then, he looked at Yamamoto who was smiling slightly as his fingers ran through the colourful Heleniums on the ground.
"We all know the reason you came back, Hibari. It's only him that doesn't know."
Hibari made no response at that. He just... didn't know it was that obvious, and how oblivious the Cavallone was.
"Ever tried telling what you truly feel to him? It might be worth a try, you know." Yamamoto took the bouquet of Heleniums up, his smile getting wider.
Hibari closed his hands tightly. It was impossible.
He couldn't say that to Dino. It was just, not possible.
"Maybe you don't know but, it really makes a difference if you try. Just before-" Yamamoto's fingers stopped at one of the yellow Heleniums "-It's too late."
"I went to the funeral, and I seriously nearly cried. Yamamoto just stood there, not moving as tears kept falling. And then I learned from the Vongola people that Yamamoto had always loved Gokudera, just that he didn't have the courage to say."
Dino's voice just came into his mind immediately.
"It's already too late." Hibari's eyes widened slightly when he heard himself saying those words. He actually said it out loud.
Yamamoto chuckled as he pulled out a stalk of yellow Helenium, breathing in the scent before handing it to Hibari.
"I'm not asking you to snatch him away from the girl but, just make your feelings known. Leave no regrets, and the burdens you will be carrying at that moment will lessen."
It was then that Hibari felt the stalk of yellow Helenium being held firmly in his cold hands.
"Go back to Italy and look for him."
Hibari looked at Yamamoto who was looking at the bouquet of Helenium he had bought, and something just clicked in his mind.
"You didn't see him for months already, right? Giving this flower will be suitable."
Certainly.
"Mark my words, don't leave any place in your life with regrets." Yamamoto smiled, and at that very instant, Hibari left.
He ran.
He was going to find him, Dino.
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Yamamoto traced the carved words as he leaned his forehead against the marble. He smiled brighter than before, knowing that the silver-haired male liked seeing him smile.
"I did a good deed, didn't I? Gokudera, I..."
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Hibari opened the door and saw Tsuna, who was surprised at his presence.
"Hibari-san! What brings you here?"
"I'm going to Italy. You have no problems with it, right?"
No reasons were needed; Dino was probably the only one that Hibari would ever look for in such a rush.
"I have no problem with it." Tsuna smiled.
The Helenium that was held carefully in his hands... Hibari had a firmer grasp on it before hurrying out of the house, to where he knew the Vongola's private helicopter was located at.
The flower's meaning, the long duration he hadn't seen Dino.
He...
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"I... miss you."
The Helenium's beautiful meaning.
Hibari missed him.
Dino was someone bright, someone cheerful. The first time they met, Hibari troubled him a lot and yet, Dino would always have that smile whenever he saw him.
"Kyoya!" Dino smiled brightly.
The voice that he hadn't heard for so long, the smile that he hadn't seen for so long. It had been months.
It had been months since he saw Cavallone.
"Kyo-san, we are reaching."
Hibari opened his eyes and saw the familiar place around him that calls out the name,
Italy.
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Walking up the stairs was nostalgic. It had been so long since he was here, walking on the red carpet and looking at the framed photographs of Dino since he was a baby hung on the wall.
Sighing, he pushed the door open lightly-
"Layne, I've something to tell you."
Hibari stopped at the seriousness Dino's voice held; the door was left half-opened as Hibari stood outside of Dino's room.
The former prefect saw the blonde pulling out a small, red box as he held Layne's pale hands lightly.
Hibari's grip on the doorknob tightened at that.
"What is it...?"
"Layne, urm..." Dino smiled awkwardly as he opened the box nervously, revealing its content.
A ring.
"Marry me, Layne." Dino put on his brightest smile as he tried not to show signs of his nervousness.
Hibari wondered if that was what Yamamoto felt when Gokudera was gone.
The feeling of loss.
"I'm not asking you to snatch him away from the girl, but just make your feelings known. Leave no regrets, and the burdens you will be carrying at that moment will lessen."
This was the moment Yamamoto was probably talking about. The feeling of carrying a heavy burden. The burden that perhaps Hibari would have to carry for the rest of his life.
His pale fingers ran through his raven hair lightly as he turned to leave. He left the yellow Helenium lying on the red carpet.
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It was then that he realized something so clear.
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"Yes." She smiled.
The wedding bells were rung, the promises of the bride and groom were made, the photographs were taken, the cheers were heard, and... Cavallone became the husband of Layne.
This is exactly why he hates crowds so much.
"You never said it...?"
Hibari turned and saw Yamamoto sitting beside him.
He was right, Hibari never said it. At the final moment, he backed out.
The words were never said, and the burden was really heavy.
"It's heavy," Hibari mumbled very softly. Yamamoto was right; the burden you would be carrying was really heavy.
Yamamoto smiled apologetically once again as he looked at the two rings he was wearing on his fourth finger. "Perhaps I should have told you to do that earlier. My bad... Ah, I guess I shall leave you two alone."
Hibari looked up upon seeing the Rain Guardian standing up to leave and saw the newlywed.
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"Thanks for being the best man, I appreciate it a lot." Dino grinned brightly as he scratched the back of his neck apologetically. "You even came, though you dislike crowds so much."
Hibari remained silent as Dino sat on the empty seat beside him, the smile not leaving his face.
"I thought you were angry... But luckily, I was just thinking too much. Kyoya, we are good friends, right?"
Good friends.
"You've been spacing out a lot lately. If you have any problems, feel free to tell me! I'll be there." Dino's smile got wider as he patted the back of the raven-haired guardian.
Not wanting to hear anymore of the good friends talk, Hibari changed the topic as he sighed deeply. "Layne, where is she?"
"She's talking to her friends, and getting along pretty well with the Vongola people." Dino grinned happily at that; it was really good to see his wife being on good terms with the Vongola.
"It was really the sweetest moment in my life when she said yes to my proposal."
He was again reminded of what he realized clearly that day when Dino proposed to Layne.
Dino smiled sheepishly as he looked at his wedding ring.
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Hibari said nothing at that, he just looked at Cavallone.
His sweetest smile... sweetest moment made him realise something so clear.
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"Dino, I..."
"What is it?"
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"... Nothing."
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The cruellest moment could be the sweetest moment.
A/N (2) : Hopefully this fic was alright! Reviews are well appreciated and wanted ! ((: