Declaimer: I don't own anything that isn't mine. PERIOD.

"Katekyo Hitman Reborn" and all related characters © Akira Amano.

25 minutes too late, Bel.

{After some time I've finally made up my mind
she is the girl and I really want to make her mine
I'm searching everywhere to find her again
to tell her I love her
and I'm sorry 'bout the things I've done}

"Bel… It's too late now…"

No.
No way you stupid girl!

I refuse to believe that everything we've been through…

…Meant little to nothing to you.

Because …

…Those memories mean more to me than anything else.

"Arzel…"

{I find her standing in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn't search
She looks so happy in her wedding dress
but she's crying while she's saying this}

I ran through the crowded streets of Sicily, not even bothering to look back.
People complained, but who cares what they think?

I was, after all, a Prince.

I had no time for petty complaints from some pheasants!

All that mattered now…

…Was that I had to find her.

{Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty-five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are
twenty-five minutes too late}

I ran and ran.
Not even bothering to stop and think where I was going.

I had no clue where she was, or how much time I had left before…

No!
I will make it in time.

You better wait for me Aki…!

Just then, another set of footsteps echoed from behind me.
I took out a few of my knives, turned around, then…

-STAB-

"Bel-senpai~ It's me~!"

Of course, I'd know that voice anywhere…
Grinning; I quickly turned around… Only to have two big frog-like eyes staring back at me.

"Ushishishi~ … What are you doing here Froggy?"

"I'm here to see to it that Bel-senpai doesn't get lost like the idiot he is."

-STAB-

"Senpai~…! That hurts~…! Please stop~"

"Go home Froggy, the prince has more important things to do than to babysit you."

"Ah, I think you got it backwards Senpai… I'm babysitting you—"

-STAB-

-STAB-

"I'm telling Mama Luss and Arzel-san on you~"

-STAB-

{Against the wind I'm going home again
wishing me back to the time when we were more than friends

But still I see her in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn't search
She looked so happy in her wedding dress
but she cried while she was saying this}

"Bel-senpai, are you sure we're going the right way?"

-STAB-

"Ushishishi~… Shut up Froggy. The Prince's sense of direction is flawless~!"

That was a lie.
I completely had no idea where we were going.

My mind was filled with panic, and my thoughts only revolved around her.

I had—No, I needed to find her.

I needed to see her.

I…needed…

"Arzel…"

"Whatever you say stupid fake prince…"

-STAB-

"Senpai~…! That hurts!"

"Shut up, it's Froggy's fault for asking too many questions!"

-STAB-

"Bel-senpai… Don't you start blaming me for your mistake…"

I stopped, a few of my knives still caught between my fingers.

M-Mistake…?

I stuttered, not being able to process what Froggy had just said to me.
I, for the first time in my life, had nothing to say.

"Mistake…? The Prince does not make mistakes!"

…Right?

I stood there in silence. Watching him as he pulled out some of my knives from his hat, bent them, then finally facing me with the same stoic expression he always had on.

"Bel-senpai really is an idiot… Everyone makes mistakes… That's what makes us human. At least, that's what Arzel-san taught me…"

"Oie… You better shut up now."

My voice was barely a whisper, but luckily that stupid Frog was able to hear it.
I glared at him from behind my bangs, but that I know he couldn't see.

"Bel-senpai isn't the Boss of me…~ "

-STAB-

"Listen here Frog. I'm a Prince. And a Prince does not make mistakes."

Three knives were now caught in between my fingers, ready to be thrown if necessary.
My mind was now focused on ridding the world of this annoying, emotionless little frog.

Just then; reality had caught up with me.
It didn't take long for me to realize…

… I was wasting time.

"SHIT!" I cursed, not even bothering to hold back for the Frog's sake.

Heck, as if I needed to hold back.
Damn kid insults like there's no tomorrow.

"Bel-senpai… Have you realized your mistake yet?"

-STAB-

"Stupid Frog… I already told you-!"

-SLAP!-

I fell back from the impact.
I didn't understand how I was feeling at that exact moment, my emotions were a mixture of anger and surprise…

But, more surprise than anger.

This was the first time this runt had hit me.
And, it had actually hurt.

{Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty-five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are
twenty-five minutes too late}

"What the hell…?"

"Senpai… You really are… the biggest idiot I've ever met."

Anger took over again.
I quickly got up and grabbed the little brat by the collar of his shirt, lifting him slightly off the ground.

"Bastard…!"

I was stunned.
Froggy was…

…crying?

His expression was still as emotionless as usual.
But his eyes, told a whole different story.

Tears had begun to fall, and soft sobs were slowly being held back (unsuccessfully I may add).

"Arzel-san… has been suffering all this time… because of you…!"

{Out in the streets
places where hungry hearts have nothing to eat
inside my head
still I can hear the words she said}

I continued to run.
That was the only thing I could do right now.

High, low, left, right…
No matter how hard I searched; I just couldn't find any trace of her.

Damn it.

It can't end this way.

I won't let it…!

"Arzel…!"

I had finally stopped, breathing in and out rapidly due to the lack of oxygen from all the running.

"The last place I didn't search…" I whispered, feeling a bit nervous for the first time in my life.

I just stood there, right in front of the church.
By the looks of it, a ceremony had taken place here…

…A wedding ceremony.

I bit my bottom lip before pushing open the grand doors of the church.

I was greeted by silence, empty halls, and…

…Her.

She had her back turned, but I knew it was her.
I could feel it.

She had grown up so much in the past ten years, but she was still her old self.

Arzel… was still Arzel.

A bright, victorious grin graced my lips as I slowly made my way towards her.
But, deep down inside, I felt something was not right…

I didn't know why…
…And I didn't care.

All that mattered to me now…

…Was her.

{Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty-five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry you are
twenty-five minutes too late}

"Ushishishi~ It seems the Princess has been waiting for her Prince for a while now~!"

"Bel…"

"…I'm here now, you can stop waiting my Princess~!"

"Bel…"

I was about to embrace her from behind, but she quickly turned around.
Her lips collided with mine in an instant, both of her hands gripped mine tightly.

There was something different about her kiss…

It wasn't sweet.
It wasn't romantic.

It felt like… a goodbye kiss.

Just then; Arzel slowly pulled away, creating a small distance between us.
I watch as her tears continued to fall.

"Bel… This is goodbye."

Her grip on my hands loosened, dropping to her sides as she continued to cry.
I tried to embrace her again, only to have her pull back.

I felt a familiar pain stab my heart, the same pain I felt when we thought we had lost her for good the first time.

But this time I knew…

She was never coming back…

…To me.

"I better go… Boss is waiting."

"Boss…?"

"Xanxus, my husband…"

I could hear the faint sound of my heart shattering.
It was all over now.

I had arrived a little too late.

I had failed her.

"You… and… Boss…?"

"Bel, this is the last time we will ever see each other… So please, forget about me." Arzel's tone sounded… different somehow.

I could hear pain and sorrow in her tone of voice.
So, I wasn't the only one hurting then.

I watched as she slowly turned around, gracing me with her rare smile one last time.
She was like an angel, something not even time itself can easily break.

She was my Princess, my one true love…

… And I never really realized it until now.

"Arzel… I-I…!"

"Bel, it's too late now…"

I watch as she walked away, not once looking back.
She had moved on, this was it.

It's over.

I dropped to my knees, grinning one last time as my tears had finally begun to betray me.

I was a Prince…

…Who had lost his Princess.

{I can still hear her say...}

"Bel, it's too late now…"

A/N: This was my first time writing for one of my favorite OC pairings made by a friend. So I may not have been able to portray the characters very well since I've been watching the Tagalog Adaptation of "Katekyo Hitman Reborn", and so some things aren't that accurate. But, hey, I tried. And sorry to my friend Shin if I didn't portray Arzel very well, this is my first time working with Bel and Arzel. Hopefully I'll do better next time.

FACT: Arzel's nickname, that the Varia members gave her, is Aki.