A/N: Seriously… I caught a heart-attack (nearly) from Chapter #407… seriously; it's just felt SO WRONG for me. Being a 2786 hater myself, the scene when Tsuna blushed at her is just… just… too much for me… ==" Sawada Tsunayoshi, you better be careful yourself from now on. Because if you didn't confess to Kyoko properly in the next chapter… kufufufufufu~ you'll lose your head, you hear me? +w+

Unlock My Heart

A Katekyo Hitman Reborn Fan-Fic

By KawaiiNekoNami

Prologue: Her Resolve

Fear gripped in her gut as she watched him fall to the ground with a loud 'THUD'. The fear of losing her most precious friends was just too much for her to tolerate as she watched him choked out a mouthful of blood; his arms quivering as he struggle to stood up.

"T-Tsuna-san…" her best friend whispered out and she held her trembling body closer to her before turning her head to the unconscious and injured body that was a few meters away from her. "Onii-san…" she couldn't take it anymore… she wanted to cry out too… she wanted to cry out all her pain right now… but…

"There's no use crying, little girl." The cloaked man said sarcastically to her. He is right… she knew he is right. That's why, she detests herself for being weak. Why isn't she strong enough to protect them? Why didn't she learn how to fight so she can fight alongside her brother and friends? If only she could do something… even if it is sacrificing her own life… she will do it right now; just to protect her most beloved family and friends.

"Are you really that brave enough to sacrifice your own life for them?" he interrupted her thoughts once again. Her small, smooth hands balled into fists and she looked up at him with narrowed orange orbs. Those honey browns that always held so much warmth and care for her loved ones... is now filled with strong determination.

The resolve to die for the ones she love.

"If it is to protect all of my friends and family, I..." The orange head bit her lips but her words didn't stutter in the slightest. "am willing to die without any regrets for them."

The cloaked man chuckled to himself before pulling out a gun from his jacket. Kyoko immediately placed Haru down as the brown head let out a small 'Hahi' in surprise. The orangenette felt her body trembled in fear as well but she didn't want to see her friends getting hurt anymore…

"Choose. Your friends and family or..." The man stated, a sly smirk creeping up his lips under the cloak. "...your own life."

Kyoko stood up without hesitation and was about to face the man when a hand stopped her wrist weakly. She didn't dare to turn around and see her best friend's plead.

"K-Kyoko-chan? D-Don't do anything reckless o-okay?" A shaky voice said.

The orange head merely bit her lips as she couldn't reply her best friend. The brown head's lips quivered as she knew...

That her best friend had already made her decision.

"W-We'll go back to Namimori s-soon..." Haru choked as tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks in fear of her best friend's resolve. "T-Tsuna-san and the others won't lose-"

"Thank you...Haru-chan." The orangenette cut off as she merely smiled back at her before slowly removing her hand, "I'm happy to be your best friend..."

"K-Kyoko-chan!" The orange head moved towards the cloaked man, ignoring Haru's calls for her as she finally stood before him.

"Very nice choice, Sasagawa Kyoko." He said.

However, much to his surprise, Kyoko kicked the gun away from his hand. The orangenette flinched when she felt the muscles in her leg cramped. Being her usual self that had never fight or took up martial arts before, it was really painful to suddenly force her leg to do such stunts. Even so, she'd watched her brother practised at home countless times; Kyoko then silently thanked her brother.

As she watched the gun flew away from his hand, Kyoko immediately caught it while ignoring the pain on her leg. She wasted no time to point the gun at the cloaked man as she held her breath.

The man just watched her and laughed out amusedly. Kyoko looked at questioningly as the enemy's grin grew wider.

"You won't even dare to shoot me." He said in a cold tone. She bite her lips once again as her thumb moved to the hammer of the gun, her hand trembling slightly when the gun gave out a 'click' sound, telling her that it's ready to do its work.

"Will your really… let my friends and brother live..." her bangs covered her eyes as she asked the man. "... If I exchange my life for theirs?"

"I...will keep my word, Kyoko Sasagawa." The cloaked man assured her. Finally, Kyoko let out one last shaky breath before holding the weapon up to her forehead.

"Don't break your promise." She repeated as her index finger curled over the trigger and slowly squeezed on the lever.

"S-Stop…Kyoko-chan…Don't!" Kyoko glanced towards the wounded brunette who was struggling to stand up. However, Kyoko ignored his call. She turned his gaze at the brunette and smiled sincerely at him as she felt tears streaming down her face once again.

"Tsuna-kun… don't worry… onii-san…everyone will be alright…no one can hurt you anymore…" she whispered. However, Tsuna didn't believe in her words.

She...is afraid to die.

He could see it clearly as her hands were trembling, her tears refusing to stop escaping from her honey brown orbs. Yet, he couldn't even protect her…

"K-Kyoko-chan, I will stand up again in a while s-so.." The brunette said as he used his all to get to his knees, not caring about the pain that shot up his injured body. The orange head's smile faltered as she watched the young mafioso moved weakly. He was trying to protect his family and friends, he always do.

"Don't do something so foolish!" he yelled out, however, Kyoko shook her head.

"I want to protect you, Tsuna-kun. Even if it's only for this one last time…" Kyoko grinned at the brunette just like she always do.

"N-No..." Tsuna muttered out, his tone filled with fear and desperation. The orange head gripped on the gun as she whispered the words that she'd been holding back. Maybe it was the fact that her life would end soon that she finally feel that she could utter those words...

"I love you... Tsu... kun..."

She'd always wanted to try calling him with his nickname. Kyoko thought that if she would have just one regret...it would be that she could never hear his brunette widened his eyes as he heard her clearly.

"Goodbye... Tsu... kun... onii-san... everyone..."

All was silent as the only sound that rang through the room was a single gunshot and a body falling to the cold ground. The brunette was left to helplessly watch as she stayed unmoving on the floor. Tsuna gathered all his strength to slowly made his way to the orangenette; pools of crimson present under her body.

"Kyo...ko...?" He muttered as his blood ran cold.

Silence.

He could not hear anything, he could not hear Haru's screams, neither could he see her held up both her palms over hers ears and cried. He could not hear Ryohei's yells over his precious sister as he was finally concious but too late to save her, neither could he saw the shocked expression on his guardians' face. All he could see was her; her body lay motionless on the cold floor. The tears that run down from her closed eyes that will never open anymore, the lips that sealed tightly and will never smiled to him ever again… no more…

His sun…will never come back to him...

The cloacked man watched the whole thingplayed out before him before he stifled a laugh.

"What a foolish woman!" he roared out in laughter, clutching his stomach before suddenly, he saw a sky flame returning back on Tsuna's forehead in its highest purities; flickering with rage and mourn. The brunette slowly stood up and gritted his teeth in anger as he regretted not being able to protect the girl he loved dearly, tears streaming down his face as he turned around to look at their enemy with glowing orange orbs.

"I will NEVER forgive you!" The brunette screamed as tears continued to slipped over his bad guy narrowed his eyes at the brunette but was caught off guard as he appeared in front of him in a second. Though, he manage to block his fist with a hand. The cloaked man clicked his tongue as he noticed the confused brunette driven by rage and despair continue attempting to hit him to no avail. He blocked all of them but the brunette didn't falter as he gritted his teeth and only attacked faster with the help of his flame.

"Young Vongola, do not waste the chance she had given you to live." He simply stated but it only angered the brunette more.

"You… You KILLED HER!" The brunette roared as he used his all to land a punch on the bad guy. The sound of bones breaking could be heard as the bad guy jumped back to avoid the brunette, a trail of red present on the corner of his lips. Even so, he could see that the brunette was out of breath, he was hurt badly after all.

"Foolish boy..." The bad guy teleported behind him and before he knew it, Tsuna's back was met with the wall as he was thrown off with a blow to his side, making him cough out more blood.

"I could let you follow after her if I want to but..." He glanced at the orangenette on the ground before closing his eyes. "I will keep my end of the promise and let you live, young Vongola."

The cloaked man said as he raised his arms and a dark portal appeared behind him as he disappeared into it. Tsuna fell to the ground as his eyelids grew heavy, his body finishing no strength to even lift a finger as the last thing he saw was her body before him.

She died...for him.

But if only she knew how much it hurts...he'd rather wish to die with her...

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you...Kyoko." The brunette muttered as a tear slipped down from his chocolate browns before darkness enveloped him. He could hear a whisper as he closed his eyes. That voice filled with warmth.

'Tsuna-kun...please...live on...'

Kyoko-chan… don't go… don't die… no… don't… d-don't aim the gun to yourself… Kyoko… we can always find another way! Don't do something stupid… no… why do you give a sincere smile? No… no…

'Tsu-kun...I love you...Goodbye.'

"KYOKO-CHAN!" the unconscious brunette yelled out as his chocolate brown orbs flickered open. He panted a few times and looked around his surroundings. White… no, it wasn't important for him now. There's only one person that he wanted to see right now, and he meant now.

"Kyoko… Kyoko-chan…" He tried to move his finger, but he felt his whole body refusing to move. He gritted his teeth and cursed to himself.

"She's dead." a voice said. Tsuna looked at the person and saw his tutor leaning against the wall, his hat covering his eyes.

"N-No…" he said, his voice broken and shaking. He simply couldn't accept the truth… she didn't die! His Kyoko… she couldn't die!

"You're lying… she didn't die! SHE DIDN'T DIE!" Tsuna yelled out, and suddenly, using all his energy, he slammed the vase that was on the night stand next to him as it shattered on ground. The vase crashed into pieces, and he scream out with all he could.

He does not want to believe it… but he knew it's the truth… his sun… is no longer here…

Cold.

That was all the orangenette could describe the feeling around her as she couldn't even lift her finger. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't.

'Am I...really dead now?' she told herself in her mind. Still, she didn't feel any regrets in dying for her friends and brother. 'If only I could have protected them much sooner...maybe it wouldn't end this way."

'Do you...want a second chance then?'

A voice suddenly said, causing the girl to slowly open her eyes. She could see darkness around her but she never thought that there was someone here with her. A brown haired woman who looked alike with her appeared before her with a sweet smile.

'I finally found you, Sasagawa Kyoko...' the figure said with a cheery voice. A sun flame flickered on her index finger as it touched her forehead.

To be continued.

Ending Note: Thank you to Chelle-chan who help me beta-read my story. You're the best, Chelle-chan! :D I hope you enjoy this chapter and yes, indeed, it's a sad prologue but there's something surprise happening in the next chapter! Please review! :3