I wrote this before the first part, actually… but it just took forever to find the time to type it! Gomen!

I don't own it; please enjoy.

Unnoticed

Chikusa sat alone in a dark room. Dusky light filtered through holes in the tattered curtain, casting patterns in shadow on the dusty floor. Thick dust covered some of the broken furniture and the top of the curtain, and cobwebs filled the corners.

The nineteen year old was on the sagging, ripped couch, elbows resting on his knees. He sighed, removing his glasses, then put his face in his hands. One question was prominent in his mind, the question he whispered to no one, yet wanted to shout to the world, begging for an answer.

"How could she?"

Did he mean nothing to her? Her, who meant the world to him? All of the times she had run to him for comfort when she was sad or lonely, did they mean nothing? Every time she had come to him, he had taken her into his arms until her tears were stopped and all negativity had left her.

When she was happy or just wanted to talk, it was he she would come to. But apparently, that meant

nothing to her, not now in any case.

The times they had shared, looking up at the clouds or moon or stars. The embraces, the soft kisses, the lingering kisses. Those memories were the highlights of his life. They would laugh together, talk together, cry together, and he had thought they would be together. That it would always be that way.

But she had ruined it; ruined his hopes, his dreams; ruined everything he thought they had had. Now, it was only memories, and Chikusa doubted he could ever smile again, especially around she who had so thoughtlessly destroyed it all, or the man who had unknowingly ruined his best friend's life.

She had come to him, only earlier that day, seeming excited about something.

---

"What is it, Chrome?" he asked, a smile beginning to tug at the edges of his lips. "What's got you so happy?"

The blue haired girl laughed, placing a gentle finger to his lips. "No, I can't tell you yet. It's a surprise."

"You can tell me." He urged. "You know you can tell me anything."

"No, no, Kaki-chan! Mukuro-sama will tell you tonight!"

Chikusa frowned, feigning hurt. "You can tell him but not me?"

Chrome laughed again. "Don't be silly. If it wasn't a surprise, I would have told you right away." She turned and began to walk away, ecstasy etched into her every feature.

That's when he had seen it. The light caught it, and it glinted. At first, he thought it was the Mist ring, but then he saw it was different. More beautiful.

Deadlier.

Dread began to rise as he stared, dumbfounded, at the little glitter on her left hand. "Chrome… what…" he searched for words.

The girl stopped, then looked back at him, her loose blue hair bouncing around her shoulders. "Hm?"

"…Who?" was all he could ask, pointing at the ring, all of the color drained out of his face.

Chrome glanced at her hand, then blushed the way he always loved her to. "Well, you noticed… so much for surprise." With another cute laugh, she flashed an excited grin and held out her hand so Chikusa could see the diamond clearer. It was horrifyingly real, not illusion. "I'm engaged to my Mukuro-sama! It was so sweet!"

The black haired young man stared at Chrome, horrified, as the bottom of his world fell out and the rest crumbled around him.

"He brought me the ring hidden in the center of a lovely flower." She held her hands next to her collarbone. "When I asked him what it was, he went on one knee and proposed!" Chrome frowned suddenly. "Well… please don't tell him that I told you. Act surprised for him, okay?" She looked at Chikusa hopefully.

All he could do was nod dumbly, with a slight plastic smile. He wanted to be happy for her, but…

"Thanks so much, Kaki-chan~!" Chrome jumped forwards and wrapped her arms around Chikusa's neck, having to stand on tiptoe to be at about eye-level. She kissed his cheek lightly, then turned and walked bouncily away.

Bile rose in Chikusa's throat. He looked at his trembling hands, then left for a room where no one would bother him.

---

And that was right where he was. Sitting alone, despair consuming his soul. Whether she had meant to or not, she had used him and discarded him when she no longer needed him, when someone "better" came along. What she might not have known was that he needed her, and this would be the time when he would have gone to her for comfort.

A tear slid down his cheek, then hit the floor, leaving a tiny wet spot next to his foot. Another followed, then another, until the tears were flowing uncontrollably down his face. He sat there, crying silently. Finally, he knew what he would have to do.

Chikusa stood and headed to a corner. He knelt and lifted up a floorboard, revealing a small storage space. Lying at the bottom was a small handgun, stored there just in case, for any reason, it was needed. The black haired teenager reached in and picked it up. Then, he rummaged through some drawers to find a piece of paper and something to write with. Using the wall to bear down on, he began to compose a letter to Chrome.

Several things he knew as he wrote, tears slowed but still coming, the knife in his heart already plunged in deep and twisted. His soul was bleeding, and there was no way the pain could ever stop. He had lost Chrome, never to have another chance with her. And he could not live that way.

Signing the bottom of the letter with "I'll always love you," he folded it several times. His breathing began to even out, and the tears had nearly dried with his resolve. Grasping the letter tightly in his hand, he pressed the cold end of the handgun to his temple. He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "I love you, Chrome." He whispered. "Goodbye." He tightened his grip on the trigger, then hesitated as her laughing face appeared in his mind. She would never want it this way. Chikusa's finger trembled, still tightened but unsure whether or not to pull.

The door behind him opened, as an all-too-familiar voice called his name.

"Chikusa! I've been looking all over for you!" It was Mukuro. Chikusa heard him gasp. "… What are you doing?!" Mukuro lunged for his friend, reaching for the gun.

Chikusa turned partially, looking shocked at Mukuro. "I…" His finger slipped ever so slightly.

A gunshot.

Mukuro looked on in shock and horror as the body of one of the three people most dear to him fell limply to the ground The gun slipped from Chikusa's hand and clattered to the floor.

"Mukuro-sama! What was that noise?!" Chrome's worried voice echoed down the hall as she ran in. Her eyes rested on Chikusa's blood-splattered body, and she gasped, her eye wide. "Kaki-chan!" She fell to her knees at his side, throwing her arms around his limp corpse. The girl cried, rocking back and forth, and Mukuro stared dumbfounded.

A few moments later, Chrome noticed the letter still clutched in Chikusa's hand. She gently took it and unfolded it. As she read it, color drained from her face and a look of horror took over.

"I-I should have known!" she cried. "I should have stopped him!"

Mukuro walked slowly over to his fiancée and knelt next to her, wrapping his arms around her shaking form. "I'm sorry, Chrome… If I had known, I wouldn't have…"

Chrome shook her head and cried on Mukuro's shoulder, her eyes resting on that fatal last line. She could almost hear him saying it, whispering it in her ear:

I'll always love you, Chrome. No matter what. Just… be happy.

She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on Mukuro. 'I'll try. And I'll miss you.'

I hoped you enjoyed it!

YES!! A complete, multi-chapter! WEWT.