FINALLY! Sorry this took so long T^T It's been over a month?? June was really busy for me, I had my final exams which are reaaaallly important to I had no life while I was revising. Then I just couldn't find the time after that because I've had lots of parties and stuff (haha). But without further ado… the final chapter!

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What've I done… what've I done?

I didn't really know where I was going. My legs carried me down vaguely familiar roads without any real sense of direction. All I knew was that I had to get away from there as soon as possible.

Horror, combined with, but not lessened by sadness and pain seemed to numb my vital senses. I couldn't concentrate on getting home or deciding what to do next; just carrying on seemed like impossibility.

Why had I tried to kiss him like that? So suddenly? I couldn't really believe it – was I really in love with him?

Maybe I don't, maybe it was just the heat of the moment--

A snide, cynical voice at the back of my head interrupted.

Don't love him? Of course I do. It would be stupid to ignore that now!

My features rearranged into a grimace as I unwillingly accepted the glaringly obvious truth.

But why him? Why Hibari? My enemy, my rival?

Why did I think he would love me back? How could such a cold person love anyone?

But I remembered what he'd been like in the future – he didn't love anyone else, and for that reason it was as though every particle of affection he had was directed at me. And I'd liked it. I still liked it. I wanted that feeling again, to be uniquely so special to someone.

But it seemed that the future had changed, like I'd wanted it to – except, that wasn't what I wanted anymore.

Like it was a short movie clip stuck on replay, my mind went over and over the moment I'd kissed him; his lips momentarily moving passionately over mine , our mouths fitting together like a lock and key. But then the rejection would jump back, no less painful than the first time, leaving me once again shocked and saddened. It was ridiculous to imagine that I would be able to get him out of my head anytime soon.

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I contemplated not going back to school, but common sense reminded me that it wasn't a good idea, and wouldn't work – after all, I would only be able to fake ill for a week at most and what after that? I'd be forced to attend by Dad or Kaito at some point or other.

It was like old times again; the old game –'try not to run into Hibari Kyouya even though you'll see him around school all the time'. I recalled back to when I'd first met him; when I'd avoided him so I didn't have to be a victim of his loathing due to my position as the 'other' head prefect. Why did it seem so different? Was it because really, deep down I longed to see him?

Being asked to deliver things to the reception room was, every time, a moment of dread. Several times I stood outside, preparing myself for the chance that he was in there, but it seemed like a waste that I braced myself so scrupulously each time there was a possibility of coming into contact with him, for I hadn't come across him once during the entire duration of the first week.

Maybe I was just lucky; or maybe he was avoiding me too?

It seemed I'd spoken to soon; as, the following week, his presence was suddenly shoved upon me in a cruel and brutal manner.

I was on my way out of school, taking a convoluted path around the side of the building to reach the exit, when I encountered him. I stopped in my tracks, completely frozen due to being taken so off guard. Our eyes met; I seemed to be unable to tear them from him.

I stared.

He stared blankly back.

Then, on a spur-of-the-moment decision, I ran away.

It seemed like the best solution – once I had regained feeling in my limbs I was off like a shot.

It had worked the first time – after the kiss – and I knew he wouldn't come running after me. So I kept running.

I ran away every time.

Each time I could hear a voice in the back of my mind that told me what I was doing was stupid, but I ignored it – what other option was there? I couldn't face him.

*

"I'll see you later guys – I have some student council things to do." We split off at the end of the corridor, Tsuna and Yamamoto taking the opposite path to me.

"So much to do… so little time…" I muttered the cliché phrase under my breath as I hurried down the passageway. I flipped out my phone, keying in the letters to a text telling my father I'd be home late. I approached the end of the corridor as I hit send, shutting the phone once again and attempting to stow it in my bag. At that moment, however, someone travelling in the opposite direction turned the corner and appeared right in front of me. I'd already travelled too far when I realised – I hit him solidly, nearly falling backwards had it not been for the hand that reached out and steadied me.

My face was blank as comprehension slowly, unpleasantly, trickled over me like cold water.

I'd actually bumped into him – the worst possible scenario in such a situation.

I looked up at Hibari without thinking, becoming transfixed on his expressionless face momentarily, and I felt a sudden, overwhelming desire to tell him. I needed to say it, to tell him I loved him, to put it out in the open.

I needed to tell him… I needed to have closure…

"I-ah-sorry!" My cheeks burned unwillingly scarlet as a small movement made me come to my senses. The coward in me won and I almost tripped over my own feet as I darted off in the opposite direction, all duties that I needed to fulfil forgotten.

I made it halfway back to my house within a few minutes at the speed I was running. I slowed down as I ascertained that I'd got away safely.

Why hadn't I just told him? Was I that much of a wimp?

My habit of distractedly watching my feet whilst deep in thought had the disadvantage of not allowing me to see where I was going. It didn't seem to prevent me from travelling along the correct rout, but I failed to look up in ample time to avoid the approaching figure in front of me; for the second time in the space of ten minutes I managed to collide with someone.

"Oh-Sorry--" I mumbled apologetically, making to step around the stranger.

"Aren't I supposed to be the clumsy one?" The figure laughed in a familiar fashion, prompting me to take a closer look.

"Dino!"

I hugged the blonde mafia boss affectionately – it was the first time I'd seen him since we'd returned from the future.

"How are you?" I asked as I released him. "What have you been doing the whole time we were in the future?"

"Oh the usual." He grinned. "Mafia boss stuff. Sending a search party out for you all."

"It must have been awful not knowing where we'd all disappeared to…"

"Well at least you won, right?"

"Oh so you know all about what happened, the battle with Byakuran and the Millefiore?"

"Reborn explained it all – apparently my future self played a part in the final battle too – good to know that I wasn't left out!" He joked.

"I wasn't privileged enough to meet the future you," I rolled my eyes. "Though I did meet a ten-year-older Ryohei; that was certainly an experience."

I wasn't going to mention the other future friend that I'd met – it was difficult to even think about it.

"So, how are things going with Kyouya?" A shrewd grin accompanied the words that took me completely off guard. It was as though he'd read my mind.

"Wha..what? Y-you…?"

Dino laughed at my horrified expression. "Yeah, I know about that too."

My mouth twisted into an embarrassed grimace that said 'Oh no – I didn't think anyone else had noticed!' I realised for the first time how naïve I had been – could it really have been any more obvious? Just because I had been blinded to the truth, it was not to say that anyone else was.

"So Kyouya's a bit easier to get on with when he's all grown up, huh?" He teased.

I flinched. That was the second time Dino had said his name.

I managed to keep my composure, despite the exaggerated effect that simple word seemed to have on me.

"Ky-- we have no business with each other any longer." I said, though a little too formally to be believable. I couldn't bring myself to say Hibari's name; it was as though the word was filtered out before it left my mouth.

"Some things are inevitable you know." Dino said audaciously, though there was gentleness to his tone that suggested he understood my denials. "You'll soon realise how much you love him."

And words suddenly shot out of my mouth, desperate to be heard.

"B-But--I-I do love him! I really do! B-but…" My voice cracked, powerful cries threatening to turn to wails of anguish. "B-but he doesn't love me back!"

The simple statement turned into an outburst; a question that I didn't expect to be answered by Dino, but to be simply removed from my system such that I would have a chance with getting on with my life.

"If it was supposed to happen this way why does he not love me back?!"

It was as though that was the question Dino had been waiting for all along.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" He answered with a smug, victorious expression.

"Wh-what?"

I whirled around, following Dino's eye line as he looked at something directly behind me, and I was horrified to see the subject of my torment standing there, looking at me blankly, as if he had been summoned specially to deny everything I wanted.

I looked to Dino for help. For anything. A distraction? An explanation? But I was left stranded as he grinned cheekily at the two of us. "I'll just leave you two to it."

I'll get you for this Dino…

I could just run away again. I should just run away – that was the easiest option right? But how long could I keep up such a task? I decided to pay attention to the voice in my mind that was quietly calling me a coward. I had to face him – I had to have an end to it.

"Kyouya… I… I"

"You what?" He replied sharply, irritated by my stuttering.

"…I…"

I knew that if I didn't say it now I never would, but all the same it was an incredible task to force the string of words out that were hanging onto my tongue for dear life. I gritted my teeth and screwed up my eyes before blurting it out, not in the eloquent manner I had been hoping for.

"…I love you Kyouya."

But at least I'd said it.

Prepared from the moment the phrase had left my lips, my body twisted in the opposite direction in the beginnings of a swift getaway. I couldn't stand to be in his presence any longer. I wasn't expecting a reply. I didn't want a reply.

But of course I wasn't allowed the simple, silent escape that I wanted; a strong hand and a lightning-fast reaction hampered my efforts.

I tried to pull away from his unfairly strong grip, not daring to look him in the eyes. I had to get away; I didn't want to hear him to say he didn't love me.

I could manage if I didn't have to hear that; because if he said it I knew it would break my heart.

I felt a strong hand close around my jaw - turning my face towards him, dragging my line of vision to the place where I most did not want it to go.

No…no, no, no, no… My mind babbled incoherently.

And all of a sudden, too abruptly, I was staring into his expressionless eyes, that seemed to bore back into mine with twice the strength.

"Fool." I saw his mouth move but barely registered the words, too numbed by the horror of what was going to happen next.

"D-Don't say it…" My words were marred by the crumpling of my face that accompanied the haphazard blossoming of tears in my eyes. "Don't…" I looked down, away from his face, trying to pull my own away.

"Fool." He repeated, drawing me closer with a slight movement of his arm.

"The one who kept running away, was you."

"Wha--"

My words were silenced and immediately forgotten as the soft curves of Hibari's lips pressed down on my mouth. His kiss was almost nothing like what I'd experience with him in the future – he was infinitely more passionate; almost as if his future self had been holding back. I kissed him back just as furiously, all the denied feelings bursting forth in one moment.

What?

I stared at him, blankly, as he broke the kiss.

Now what was going on?

"I… But… I thought… last time… you…" My mouth opened and closed pointlessly, a result of my failed attempts to string together a coherent sentence. "You… when you pushed me away--"

"What of it?" Hibari responded impatiently. "I was merely trying to take control."

I was confused by the smirk that danced across his lips for a mere moment.

"But I thought--"

Hibari folded his arms with irritation. "You thought wrong."

And as if just to prove it to me, he drew me into another startling kiss, shorter than before but no less astonishing.

So this was it? He really did love me? I had what I wanted.

I was at loss of what to say – what exactly is there to say at moments such as that? Instead my actions spoke for me as I wrapped my arms around his middle. The side of my cheek pressed against his warm chest as I crushed him in my grip with as much strength as I could manage. I noticed his briefly startled expression before his unruffled, indifferent demeanour returned, but he didn't push me away; I stayed temporarily glued to him as he placed a hand on my head, weaving his slender fingers through each strand of my hair.

I knew the cliché thing to do would be to cry with happiness, and sure enough the gradually swelling delight I felt suddenly provoked tears in my eyes. It was a strange sensation, but not an unpleasant one.

I sniffed fiercely, knowing he wouldn't be impressed by such a sign of weakness.

"So pathetic."

But to my surprise, as he looked down at me with his slanted brows ever so slightly raised, his hand reached up to gently brush away the droplets of moisture, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He drooped an arm across my shoulder coolly.

"You're mine."

I rolled my eyes at his use of language, but I couldn't stop a smile forming.

"…I love you too Kyouya."

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THE END

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Hkjsahfjh Ahh! I can't believe it's over! T^T I've had those last three lines written since like, chapter 20 XD I kinda hate parts of this chapter but that's probably because it's been in progress for a whole month and I'm sick of looking at it. I hope it lived up to you expectations! *Fails* OTL

I wanted to have a moment where Hibari acted sweet XD I think at the end he was as sweet as he ever would be :3

Thank you soooo much to everyone who has read my story, I couldn't have done it without all the reviews, faves and alerts you gave me, thank youuu! I don't deserve it!

Thank you so much to Grenouille-85 who has beta'd from early on, you'll definitely be my beta for the sequel and I've really enjoyed all our chats about random stuff! XD

I love you all! *Accepts oscar*

Jokes. But seriously, this story has definitely been a learning experience for me, (it started off pretty badly) I think my writing has improved as I've become more experienced and I've finally got this story that I've had in my head for over a year down on paper!

This won't be the end of my fanficing; another chapter of Revolutions will be on the way soon I promise! I've rewritten the first chapter so hopefully that will amuse you while you wait? :$

I can't say exactly when the sequel will come out because I don't know – I've got the basic story line but I haven't planned it out much or anything. Keep your eyes peeled, 'Kay?

Um… so I hope you liked it. *Tonfa'd*