Eh D: I never really wrote angst before _ And this is my first time writing Hibari...hope I got it right lulz I would so write about Mukuro (cause he's one sexy beast) but Hibari suited this better _;

I watched as Hibari pulled the sliding doors open, before turning around to regard me when I called his name.

"Hibari-kun…"

"…"

"Will you be gone long?"

I knew he would not answer directly. He never did. He came as he liked and went as he liked.

Just like the clouds.

But I'd always patiently wait for the day that he would come back from his task, heart thumping wildly as I meet his cool eyes.

I never once worried about not seeing him again. Because Hibari was invincible.

Like the clouds, he'd change depending on the situation. So I knew that he would always come back.

Hibari regarded me silently for a moment, black eyes running over my features as I sat on the mat, green tea long cooled.

"Don't wait for me."

And he left.

But I knew that was what he was going to say.

I stared weakly up into the face of Shamal and Bianchi, their faces all a blur. But I knew they were worried….and scared.

"Get me the-!" Shamal's voice drowned out from my mind, as my eyes drifted close; the piercing pain fading into a dull throb as I slipped into unconsciousness.

'Hibari-kun…'

The next time I woke, I was met with a white ceiling. My breathing ragged.

I could hear voices around me, most of the time it was Shamal's voice. It sounded angry, frustrated…scared even.

I didn't know why….I was still alive and breathing fine (it felt fine to me), and yet, I found it so hard to stay awake. I felt like going into a deep sleep; never to wake again.

For some reason, tears pooled around at my eyes as I struggled to take in another breath, despite the oxygen mask on me.

A hazy brown entered my bleary vision, and Tsuna's voice registered within my wrecked mind.

"Kumiko-chan?"

He sounded worried. Sweet Tsuna…always worrying.

"Tsuna-kun…"

I was surprised to hear my own voice. I didn't recognize it. It was so soft and weak…so dry.

I felt something warm on my hands, and I realized later that it was Tsuna's gentle grip.

"You'll be okay…We're going to save you."

I wanted to ask why his voice was cracking. I wanted to ask why he was here and not in the office, doing his work as the Vongola boss.

But I didn't. I was too lethargic to ask those.

"Where's Hibari-kun…?"

I asked that instead.

With my hazy vision, I made out a frown coming onto his kind face. But it soon disappeared and was replaced by a smile.

"He's coming."

"How long…?" I wanted to know when he would arrive. How long I would have to wait to see him again.

But I didn't get any answer. Mostly because I fell back into unconsciousness.

"Hibari, she's in critical condition."

That herbivore's voice drifted into his ear over the line.

"You should come back now. She -"

Hibari shut the phone off. He placed it back into his pockets before restoring his tonfas. He took in the scene about him, the scattered files and unconscious bodies on the floor.

He walked up to a desk, and clicked on a button on the keyboard. The screen flashed with words, and Hibari went over them.

But before they even finished loading, he turned and left.

My chest rose and fell painfully, as I found breathing becoming a hard task to accomplish, despite the mask continuously pushing oxygen into me.

The air that was supposed to sustain my life…it was starting to suffocate me.

My lids slipped close, before I opened them again, weakly glancing to the side.

2:54 am.

82 hours. 4920 minutes. 295200 seconds.

It's only been 3 days since I last saw Hibari.

And yet, why does my body, my mind, feel like its been ages?

I took in another breath and I felt as if I had been pierced by spears in my stomach.

It was so painful…

Oh so painful.

'Hibari-kun…it hurts…'

I expected to hear his voice scold me, calling me a stupid herbivore and telling me to keep quiet. But I didn't.

I only received silence.

A silence so much like Hibari and yet, so not like Hibari.

Tears slid down my eyes as I closed them for awhile, needing to rest them. Faintly, I heard a machine generated sound that sounded so foreboding.

It was only minutes later that I woke again, although it felt like hours.

I wanted to go back to sleep, but I wanted to stay awake as much as possible. I wanted to catch the time that Hibari would return. I felt so tired that I was afraid I might enter a deep slumber and not catch the moment Hibari came back.

So I wanted to stay awake and wait for him.

I heard voices again.

Shamal's voice was once again amongst them. Louder this time.

His voice throbbed in my ear, like pans and pots beating inside by my eardrums.

I squeezed my eyes closed and winced, a gasp escaping me as my body lurched from a sudden pain.

"Kumiko-chan!"

I saw Bianchi's and Tsuna's face hovering above mine suddenly.

"H-How l-…." My throat stung and hurt me.

But Tsuna understood. He always did.

"He's on the way Kumiko-chan! He'll be back soon!" Tsuna near screamed. But when a hand was placed on his shoulders, he relaxed, though worry still creased his forehead. "J-just…hang on…okay?"

I did not reply. I just tried to breathe, but the air was starting to feel like poison.

"It hurts…" I rasped out. I felt my breathing quicken, the poisonous air filling my lungs.

Tsuna and Bianchi's eyes widened in alarm, as the latter quickly went to get a doctor.

A hand gripped mine firmly, and my eyes shifted over to Tsuna's. "You'll be alright, okay? Hibari-san's on the way. Just wait for him."

Wait…

Wasn't that what I had been doing for a better part of my life? Despite him telling me not to every single time he left?

Waiting?

I liked waiting for Hibari. Because whenever I saw him again, the emotions that I felt were worth the trouble I endured beforehand. That's why I never listened to him, and never stopped waiting.

I wanted to keep waiting for him.

"Don't wait for me."

His words echoed in my mind. And I felt tears prick at my eyes.

Stupid Hibari…telling me not to wait. Didn't he know that I was always going to?

Yet…Hibari was always right, one way or another, in the end.

And so, I stopped waiting.

Hibari stood tall and proud, cool eyes scanning the view in front of him.

The wind played with his hair as he lifted a hand up to brush the stray locks back into place.

"She waited till the end you know."

Hibari did not turn around to regard the person, despite his higher ranking position.

Tsuna merely frowned at his back, sadly.

"3:05am."

Hibari's expression did not change, neither did his posture.

But Tsuna knew, like he always did, that in his pockets, there were clenched fists.

Tsuna spoke no more, and merely turned and left. He did not need to because Hibari understood.

Understood his mistake.

Hibari looked down at the gravestone placidly, running a hand over its smooth surface before producing a single hydrangea bud from his pocket and placing it by the stone.

If he had not given in to his whims and lingered a moment longer at the area-

If he had not spent that millisecond clicking the computer and seconds reading its contents-

If he had not given in to his dignity and persevered in searching for his objective-

If he had not made you wait...and told you not to wait...

….Then maybe, he wouldn't be here now.

A hydrangea flower means "Perseverance," and for Hibari to place the bud of a Hydrangea flower, meant that Kumiko's perseverance has now died out; after having long sat through months and days waiting for him.

It also meant that he was childish, letting his perseverance get in the way and hence, costing him that few minutes that might have allowed him to reach back in time to see Kumiko; and maybe give her strength. As a bud meant it has yet to bloom, and Hibari has yet learnt to apply his perseverance properly. It might be good in some situations, but sometimes, they just need to know when not to.

Reviews~