Note: This takes place when Alex's 5 and she first meets Kuroro. It's a sub-story for My Decision.
I clung to mum's jacket tightly, scared that she would leave me.
"Alex, don't be scared. Mummy's just going to go shopping with daddy. Don't worry." Mum said.
How couldn't I worry? Mummy was going to leave me alone again. I clung to mummy tightly, tears glistening in my eyes.
"Dear, maybe another time?" Daddy's voice came and I looked at him. His light brown eyes were full of concern, and I clung to daddy's leg. He would convince mummy.
Mummy shook her head. "Carl, she's too attached to us! How can she be a hunter in the future?" Her black eyes were full of worry, and her black hair tied in a ponytail was coming out. She looked messy.
Daddy started objecting. " Suze, she's too young!" I nodded, even though I didn't know what they were talking about. What was young? What was a hunter?
Mummy pushed me to the doorsteps. " Alex, ring the doorbell." Mummy said, even though I didn't want to.
When she saw I wasn't going to move, she rung the doorbell.
Ding-dong. It was loud, and I clung to mummy tightly, crying again.
The door opened and a young boy about 9 said. "Mrs. and Mr. Shadow! Mum has been expecting you!" He looked at me, and smiled. "Hello!"
I cried harder and ran to daddy. "Monster!" Daddy laughed and patted me. "He's not a monster, Alex."
"Really?" I said, looking at the boy. He had black hair and black eyes. He looked like one.
Mummy laughed and went inside. "Come on, Carl. Mrs. Lucilfer is waiting for us." Daddy sighed and carried me inside.
The house didn't look monster-like. It was a normal house. Daddy put me down and said. "Alex, he's Kuroro Lucilfer. Be nice to him!"
I stared at the boy. "Kuro…" I couldn't say his name. It was too long!
He smiled at me gently. "I'm Kuroro. Nice to meet you, Alex!" I bit my bottom lip to prevent me from crying.
"Kuroro?" I said his name, trembling. Kuroro smiled happily.
"Yes, Alex?" He smiled, and it made me feel all-warm inside. I grinned, and clung to him.
"Aw, it's so cute." A woman came out of the room and took out a cemoora. "Cemoora!" I yelled, clinging to Kuroro. This cemoora was such an exciting thing!
The woman looked confused. "Cemoora?" She repeated. Did she not know what a cemoora was?
Mummy and Daddy laughed. "She means a camera, Mrs. Lucilfer. She can't say it properly." The woman laughed at me, and I buried my head into Kuroro's shoulder. What were they laughing about?
She took a picture and laughed again. "They're so cute! I must print the picture out!" I smiled at her happily. What was print? Was print a type of sweet?
Kuroro scowled. "Mum, don't. This is an invasion of privacy. What happens if she grows up and sees this? She wouldn't like this at all." What was he saying? What was an invasion? A sweet?
I brightened up. " I want invasion!" Kuroro looked at me and ruffled my hair.
"You want her to invade your privacy?" Kuroro looked shocked. What was wrong with him? I wanted to eat invasion!
"Eat invasion! I want to eat invasion!" I said, jumping up and down in Kuroro's arms. The adults laughed and Mrs. Lucilfer took another picture.
Mummy laughed and kissed me gently. "Bye, Alex." She said. She and daddy left the house, footsteps fading. Where were they going?
Mummy? Mummy! I started crying. Mummy doesn't want me! I jumped out of Kuroro's arms and ran forward. "Mummy!" Where was she going? Why did she leave me?
I didn't see the rug below me and I slipped. Thud. I looked up tearfully. "Mummy…" I said, tears coming down. Mummy didn't want me…
Mrs. Lucilfer ran towards me and ruffled my hair. "Do you want sweets?" I looked at her.
"Sweets?" I repeated. The pink sweet showed up in my mind. Which was more important? Mummy or eating the sweet?
Kuroro bent down and waved a sweet in front of me. I grabbed the sweet. Sweet is more important than mummy. I can't eat mummy. Mummy doesn't taste nice.
After eating the sweet, Kuroro carried me. "Let's have a bath!" Kuroro said, carrying me to the second storey. I started struggling. "No bath! No bath!"
Kuroro held on to me tightly. "Why? Do you hate baths?" He smoothed my air, calming me down.
I nodded. "Hate. Hate baths." I sniffled, clinging to Kuroro. Mrs. Lucilfer giggled. Why was she giggling? Mummy didn't giggle. She laughed. Mrs. Lucilfer giggling was nice.
"Then, what about Kuroro bathing with you?" Mrs. Lucilfer said, opening the bathroom door. The bathroom was big, and it smelled nice. I liked it a lot. Mummy always said that we should switch of all those lights, but Mrs. Lucilfer didn't.
Kuroro looked shocked for a moment before agreeing. "I don't mind." He turned to me and pinched my cheeks. "I'm going to bath with you. Go and get your clothes, Alex."
I ran to the living room and quickly got all of my clothes. Then, I rushed to Kuroro. He was carrying his clothes, which was bigger than mine. I grinned at him, and said. "Your clothes are big!" Kuroro laughed and nodded.
[Bath time]
I was in the tub, playing with my rubber ducky. Kuroro was washing himself with soap and water. I was about to eat those bubbles floating on the surface of the tub when Kuroro turned pale and carried me up instantly.
"Don't! Don't you know bubbles are poisonous?" He said, looking really worried. I smiled at him and waved my hands.
"Rubber ducky's fun! Play with rubber ducky! Kuroro, play with me!" I said, holding the rubber ducky and pushing it into Kuroro's face.
Kuroro sweat dropped. "Are you even listening to me?" He mumbled, seeing me not even being affected by his scolding. I laughed, smearing bubbles onto Kuroro's face. He shook his head, and the bubbles were still there. I laughed again, and started smearing more bubbles onto his shoulders and chest.
Kuroro groaned. "Come on, Alex. I just bathed." I took no notice of him but continued decorating him with bubbles. His neck, shoulders, stomach and legs were soon full of bubbles, and Kuroro looked like he was about to burst into laughter.
"All right. Bath time for both of us!" Kuroro shouted, and used warm water to wash him and me. My black hair was limp with water and my black eyes were filled with water from laughing too hard. Bath time in Mrs. Lucilfer's house was as fun as mummy and daddy's bath time with me!
He dressed me and dried my hair gently. He pulled a t-shirt on himself and jeans were then added. I watched in fascination, as I had never seen someone wear clothes that fast. Except for that time when I saw aunt Kelly and her husband Jack in bed. Mummy had told me to forget all about that, saying it was unhealthy for me.
[End Bath time]
"Alex, it's time for you to go home." Mrs. Lucilfer said, drying my hair with a hair-dryer. It felt really nice and I almost fell asleep.
I pouted. "I don't want to go home that quickly." Going home was really boring. Kuroro wouldn't be there, either.
Kuroro smiled. "Who was the one that started crying when her mummy left her here?" I thought about it.
"I like you, Kuroro." I said, clinging to him. Kuroro's face grew red. He looked away, embarrassed.
Mrs. Lucilfer smiled. "What do you say now, Kuroro? What did I teach you?" Her smile reminded me of a vampire's smile. I shivered upon seeing it.
Kuroro's face turned even redder. "I…I also like you." He looked so red I wondered if he was sick. I stared at him, and he quickly turned away again. I giggled and hugged him tightly. He smelled like sweets, and I could feel my eyelids getting heavy. I closed my eyes, and darkness took me.
When I woke up, mummy and daddy were smiling at me. I was happy they were here, but I wanted Kuroro.
"Mummy, daddy, where's Kuroro?" I asked clinging to daddy's neck. Daddy kissed my forehead, and mummy smoothed my messy hair with a comb.
"Kuroro's asleep. When we came to pick you up, he was already asleep." Mummy said, and smiled at daddy. Daddy smiled back and chuckled.
"You're amazing, Alex. Just 5 and you already have a boyfriend." He said, swinging me around and around. "Mrs. Lucilfer, aka Adriana, told us what happened."
"Umm." I wasn't really listening. My eyelids were fluttering, and I felt really tired. My body wanted to sleep, but I didn't want to.
"Carl, she's going to fall asleep. Put her in bed." Mummy said. Daddy put me back in bed and mummy pulled the covers up. "Let mummy sing you a song, shall I?" She said. I nodded, loving mummy's voice.
She took a deep breath and started singing. I was so sleepy I didn't notice daddy switching off the lights.
My sweet honey, go to sleep.
Don't worry, my sweet baby.
I won't let anyone hurt you,
And I will make sure you have a good dream.
That's why, my sweet honey, go to sleep.
And leave your sorrows in your dreams.
I slowly fell asleep, dreaming of Kuroro and I playing with each other. The day tomorrow would bring me sweet dreams and a happy day again.