Accident #4: Dressed Up To Mess Up
When Leorio went back from the left counter with a large white "Retrieve/Claim Your Gadgets Here" sign hanging overhead, he settled back on the customer seats and held out a phone in his hand.
"There 'ya go," Leorio said, holding it out for Erena who was sitting beside him. "The Samsung clerk said that everything's all fixed now, some inner wires were just grounded by water that's why it won't switch on before."
Sighing out loud, he said, "Bah! Like I know and care what are those itty-bitty parts and thingies he discussed to me about. How lucky that the water didn't frazzle this inner chip, what could have happened if your phone was dropped at a higher rate with no protective case on…as long as the phone is fixed, right? That's what matters!"
Leorio scrunched his face into one of his usual (hilarious) facial expressions. "Damn, I'm not even sure if a phone has a chip or not! What do you think, Erena?"
When the woman in question didn't answer (when being the chatterbox that she is, she usually WILL answer), Leorio scratched the back of his head.
"Oi. Oi! Erena~chan, Samsung Repair Shop to Erena~chan?"
When Erena still didn't answer, Leorio sighed out loud again and took a good look at his good buddy-slash-work companion.
Well, shit, son. If this isn't what the word "fucked-up" looks like, then Leorio doesn't know anymore.
Erena's black hair was loosely tied up in a bun, strands sticking out in all directions as if she didn't even bother looking at the mirror or picking up a hairbrush while doing it. Her hands were clutching weakly at her Chuckie chocolate milk drink. Her sweater was wrinkled, as if it was stepped on and ran over many times before being worn. And if Leorio looked closer, he could see some sort of stain on the sweater.
"That's because I did," Erena's fake cheerful voice responded to Leorio's observations.
"Huh?" Leorio's face wrinkled in confusion. "You did what?"
"Hehehe," Erena laughed weakly. "I definitely know what you were going to say, Leo~kun. To answer all of those, yep!" Turning her head to look at him, Erena said, "I did step and stomp all over this sweater before wearing it."
"What?" Leorio's disbelieving voice came out louder than expected, making some of the other seated customers look their way.
"Tch," Leorio remarked, voice a little softer this time. "Seriously, why would you do that? Is this because I got promoted to the other department already and you weren't? Look, I'm sorry about that night but I really tried to-"
When Erena made eye contact with him this time, Leorio felt something funny and weird stir inside as the dark brown pools that were staring at him became filled with unshed tears.
Oh, come on. Of course! She still hasn't gotten over the back-to-back incident two weeks ago. Like who would be able to, really? Your "my love" cheated on you, with an indecent woman nonetheless, and then you lose a major shot at your job right after that. And every single day, surely all the hurt, pain, disappointment sinks in.
No wonder Erena was giving off vibes creepier than Ai Enma from Jigoku Shoujo these days.
Shit, really. SHIT. Sometimes Leorio just wanted to smack himself for his tactless mouth and insensitivity to issues like these.
Two weeks ago, Leorio and Erena were supposed to be promoted together to a better department. Leorio knew that they'd pass whatever Ma'am Bisky and the others had in store for them, especially Erena, being the dedicated little thing she is when it comes to anything journalism-related. Leorio could even admit to himself that the longer they work together, the more he gets awed by Erena's determination and optimism on and off job. Raising her little brother all alone in a cramped apartment and making him finish grade school with flying colors was no joke. And while she may not be the prettiest in a field that requires attractiveness, which caused their other female co-workers to try intimidating and taunting her, to Leorio Erena's blemished olive skin, never-been-colored wavy hair and medium built was more beautiful than those (dare he say it?) mannequin bitches.
I would have thought her child-like looks only made her more awesome.
So nothing, really, affected or was hindering the way to promotion. Leorio was even planning discreetly to invite Erena in celebrating their promotion that Valentines' night. However, when it was already time to interview the CEO of the Genei Ryodan Inc., Erena was a no-show. And no matter how many times Leorio tried to phone her, plead to Miss Bisky to wait and to catch up with the elusive man that was their shot at the promotion-ALL at the SAME time, Erena was nowhere to be seen.
I was so stressed that time, I even imagined Erena's phone ringing in the hotel's bathroom while I was washing up.
And just when shit couldn't get any worse, Leorio found out from Miss Bisky that Genei Ryodan CEO went MIA (Missing In Action) on them as well, apparently figuring out that Leorio and company weren't your usual journalists, not yet, but papparazzis that were itching for promotion. Miss Bisky had no choice but shout at him all over the phone, saying, "Screw Erena~chan for one damned moment and help us remedy this! N O W!"
Leorio and the others were able to conduct an interview with a so-called female representative from the company. However, all the blonde woman in a sexy, dark purple business suit did was cross her long legs, file her nails even if they already looked perfectly manicured and raise a skeptical eyebrow every now and then. Answers came out about how the Genei Ryodan works, clipped and short as the woman's responses were,but when Miss Bisky signaled the others that it was time to ask about the main man behind the successful business the woman stopped filing her nails, looked at all of them dead-straight in the eyes and coldly said, "I will not tell you anything about Danchou. And no, you are not allowed to take any photographs or any kind of keepsakes too as proof of this conversation. Dismissed."
With a slight wrinkle on her aquiline nose, the woman's blue-grey eyes went back to her nails, scrutinizing them like nobody else existed in the room.
One-sided and unsatisfying: two things a papparazzi's interview totally SHOULDN'T be.
It was only pure (and strange, yes) luck that Leorio was still able to catch up with the woman who tipped the CEO's quick appearance at the hotel, Miss Sakaamoto. And while it wasn't what the information their team was hoping for, what Miss Kaya eagerly divulged to them was juicy enough to make headlines.
I've heard this-Mr. Chrollo, is it?-is a powerful, sought-after bachelor. In addition to that, although the huge media companies get official statements from him and he attends private gatherings with business tycoons, THIS would be the first time a paparazzi squeezed some juicy information out of him.
Leorio felt victorious, despite his momentary difficulty in understanding how that Mr. Chrollo evades on-lookers, papparazzis and local photographers like an adept thief in the night. What Miss Kaya shared to them, although unconfirmed, was enough to shed the lights on him though, in a way.
Because in a job like this, news isn't what people really want. People would watch news every day, most claiming it as a necessity, but it's not verified information they crave-it's gossip. The unknown source of the unknown, the what-ifs, could-haves and maybes. It's GOSSIP that makes the world go round, and then money.
After the second chance given by the heavens, the job promotion was granted to Leorio and the others for being "impressively flexible and acting like a true journalist should in an unexpected sitch". And it would have been a perfect moment, cue sparkles of light and celebration music effects, if Erena haven't appeared-or rather, dragged her soaked, trembling self in front of Miss Bisky who was about to high-five Leorio.
"Mother of God!" Miss Bisky shouted, surprised at Erena's sudden appearance. "Wh-wh-what the…Erena~chan, is that…YOU? Why the HELL do you look like you crawled out of a WELL? What HAPPENED?"
Echoes of "Yeah, where have you been the whole time" and "You missed the interview" and "Leorio was looking for you everywhere" came from the other groupmates, Leorio being the loudest and nearest to Erena.
"This night is VERY important to you, right? Then how come you didn't show up even at the last second?" Miss Bisky now had her "boss face" on. "Was that event you went to MORE important than this PROMOTION which will benefit you and little Killua~kun? Answer me, Erena Shimabukuro."
Instead of an answer, what Miss Bisky and the others got in response was an emotional outburst.
"And was that woman MORE important than me, when I was the one who stuck with him through thick and thin?" Erena clutched at her chest as if she was wounded deeply, eyes unseeing behind the continuous flow of tears. "Oh yeah, yeah, you guys don't answer THAT. Of course she IS more important, since she's prettier, sexier and more MATURE. AREN'T THEY ALWAYS?"
Erena's sobbing rants were already catching the attention of random passer-bys, Miss Bisky had no choice but to hug the poor woman tightly, disperse their group and hail the nearest cab to take Erena home and calm her livid nerves down.
And Leorio was with them the whole time Miss Bisky took Erena home and Killua opened the door. Erena was a mess, both physically and emotionally, pouring her heart out over Shai.
The bastard doesn't even deserve her, Leorio thought as they watched Erena cry herself to sleep. His chest tightened as if he was the one who was cheated on and lied to.
It was a usual feeling for Leorio. Whenever Erena was near, his chest would tighten. No big deal, really, since he learned to identify it as a sign that his friendship with Erena runs very deep. He was grateful for it.
Like right now.
Erena began leaning her head on Leorio's shoulders, still looking down. Leorio's chest tightened, but the flutter and heartbeat increase he felt was WAY out of what usually happens to him. In surprise, he squeaked out a "Crap!", getting up and pushing Erena away like his seat was on fire.
Wh-what in the world was that-
Erena looked up in a somewhat groggy manner, as if she woke up from a deep slumber when she was only staring down at her worn-out Converse sneakers. "Oh, my best friend doesn't like me now too? I guess I'll just…show myself out then and cease to exist."
Leorio grimaced at Erena's lifeless, drunk-like tone of speaking. He didn't like this recent version of Erena. Nope, not one bit. Ignoring his chest problems (I'm really getting older, aren't I), Leorio slung a casual arm around Erena's shoulders like he usually does and led her out of the Samsung Repair Shop.
"Aw, come on! Stop being down in the dumps, Erena~chan. Let's just go see Miss Bisky and hope that she will let us tag along with her weekend partying adventures! 6 PM sharp, I'll pick you up, okay? You'll feel so MUCH better afterwards, I assure you."
And hopefully after a drink or two, I will too, Leorio silently thought.
~O~O~O~O~
Wide, emotionless black eyes stared at me through the screen of our old junk laptop. I grabbed another handful of tissue and blew my nose into it, sniffling and swallowing for th time.
"En, you can't stay sobbing desperately like that for the rest of your life," Illumi Onii-sama, in his usual flat tone, said.
"Watch me," I replied sulkily, still sniffling.
"There is no point in crying for the ones who left. People make their own choices. They have a right to it. We all have a right to choose. If the man I was warning you about countless times before chose another over you, you cannot take away and monopolize his right to choose and live with his choices, regardless of what you feel about the matter." He paused then, flipping his long jet-black hair. Absent-mindedly, I glared at Illu Onii-sama's hair, envying how that darn hair is flowing smoother than my whole life at the moment. "Just like how he cannot take away and monopolize your right to put him, and this, all behind you and start anew."
"Move on, yeah, sure," I grumbled, leaning my elbows on both sides of the laptop and putting my hands over my head in a frustrated manner. "So easy for you guys to say, not so easy-peasy for me to do."
"But that's what makes it worth doing, doesn't it," Illumi Onii-sama responded matter-of-factly, as if he has this kind of conversation with random strangers every day. "The harder it is to do, the more worth it to do and get over with."
"Gah, stop, just stop right there," I grumbled further. "You usually get me with your awesome, deep-dug wisdom that makes wonder if I'm really the journalist in the house but," I sighed. "Not today, Nii-sama. I can't talk about it anymore. I just…can't anymore. My head's aching just thinking about it. I'm sorry, but...I just want to be alone for a while." My voice wobbled weakly at the last words I spoke.
Illumi Onii-sama stared at me with one of his unreadable poker faces again, but I caught a quick flicker of emotion in his eyes.
Now don't tell me he's been in this same situation before-that's impossible since he, along with Killua, are the ones who always gets the girls fawning like-
Nobody really understands. Why even pretend they can, when they can't.
"I understand, En. We'll talk some other time then."
I nodded lightly, ending the Skype video call and closing the windows altogether. The way Illumi Onii-sama said the words "I understand" still echoed in my mind though.
While I may not be relieved out of this post-heartbreak and post-missed promotion misery, I can't help but think that my older half-brother really has his own strange ways to comfort me.
"Tadaiima," Kill's blue eyes met my wandering ones as he closed the door behind him and began taking off his usual blue boots.
I opened my mouth to say something back, but Kill stopped right then and there. "Nope," he said, shaking his head in a way that made him look even younger. "Say no more, Baka Nee-chan. There's no need for you to talk about it. Your bloodshot eyes are telling me it would be months before you get over this jerk." Kill set aside his yellow skateboard and began making his way to the small cushion in front of the television set "Five months, in my estimation. Maybe speeded up, since you, Old Man and your manager are going out tonight, right?"
With Old Man he means Leorio again, I silently thought to myself, almost facepalming at my little brother's tendency to give rude nicknames to anyone and everyone else.
I sighed. "I told you already before you went on your morning skate right? I am SO not going ANYWHERE tonight. Let Ma'am Bisky and Leorio party all-out or whatever, but NO, I am not going with them."
Kill fished out his blue PSP from his long, baggy shorts 'pockets and switched it on. "Eh…so what are you going to do on this boring Saturday? Because if ever you do again what you did the last time Shai canceled your date, I'm getting out Nee-chan. Deal with the angry neighbors, I'm out."
Oh. The solo karaoke night I had when years ago in our previous apartment, when Shai and I were still together. He called me that our "Thursdate" would just be continued some other day, since he's got lots of work to do. I let him off the hook, like my usual naïve self does with everyone, but deep inside I was already screaming out. It was almost the th time he canceled on me and who in their right mind would feel good after that, anyway? Hence my debut that night as a frustrated singer, belting out all her emotions for everyone to hear. Apparently, I've overdone it, since the apartment owner stormed inside our room, shouted for me to stop, slammed the monthly apartment bill in front of me and cursed her way out of the door like a female sailor. Kill took away all the karaoke DVDs and microphone I had while I was busy checking the bill, though something tells me he hid it really well and he doesn't want to find me ever again.
Of course you won't find it ever AGAIN, idiot, I thought to myself. There's no more relationship, no more Shai.
Shai. Just the memory of his name makes me want to get down on my knees and beg for him back while at the same time I want to drag him down to this living hell I'm currently experiencing.
I was tearing up again before I even noticed.
"Shit," Kill cursed under his breath, as he alternately looked down at his PSP, back to my crying face, then back to his PSP's screen again. "You're more messed up than I realize, Ena-nii. Usually you'd answer back and we'd spend the rest of the afternoon arguing about stuff that don't really matter but now you're just…letting me tease you and you're even crying about it…"
I sniffed. Because those were the good, old Shai-ful days.
"Don't pretend to understand, Kill. Even Illu Onii-sama tried doing that, and it makes me feel more horrible. Nobody gets it. Nobody was left by her significant other. Or at least, not in the way I was left. Not like…THIS. "
Before the past weeks' memories could assault my brain, I buried my face in our laptop's keyboard and bawled my eyes out without thinking.
"Shit!" I heard Kill drop his PSP on the cushion, ignoring the announcer-like voice from his game saying, "You Lose. Continue?" and walked up right beside me.
"If you're going to pull another chair prank on me with the hopes of making me laugh, it's not gonna work, I tell you," I told him miserably, putting my hands over my head and slumping even further. "Nothing's gonna work anymore, because he's gone. The promotion's gone. It's all GONE."
"But your family isn't!" Killua replied in a rush. "We aren't gone. Aniki isn't gone, and so am I. In fact,we're always here. We'll always be here!" Kill furiously wiped at his now reddening face. "So…uh…don't you dare act like you're all alone or…something!"
Killua awkwardly held out his arms to me, as if I should know what to do.
I stared at him confusedly, still crying.
Kill turned his head to the side as he stomped his foot impatiently. "Geez, baka Ena-nii! Do you want a hug or NOT?" He kept on furiously wiping his face, making it appear redder than before.
I stared at my bashful little brother who was trying to appear tough at the moment. I found myself reaching out, and for some reason, I wasn't crying anymore.
I was sobbing.
Although a bit hesitant at first, Killua hugged me back, resting his chin above my head.
"Oi, easy on the crying," Kill whispered. "You're wetting one of my favorite shirts, baka."
"A-Arigatou K-killua," I hiccupped in between sobs. "Y-you and Nii-sama were right. I-I shouldn't be p-pushing everyone away like I'm n-not-"
"It's okay, Ena-nii. No need to explain things to me. I get it."
"B-but," I protested, my shoulders still shaking from my sobbing outburst. "I've b-been treating everyone like d-dirt and being self-centered when all you guys want to do i-is help me…I'm sorry I-"
"Stop talking and just let out what you want to let out, okay?" Kill snapped, lightly flicking me on the forehead. Huffing to the side, he softly muttered,
"And don't…thank me or whatever. This ain't free. I demand a box of Chocolate Balls before I go to our Grad Practice as payment for…uh…this wet shirt."
~O~O~O~O~
"Wakey, wakey, Erena~chan!" Miss Bisky's voice all-too-energetic voice chirped in my ears. It felt like cold water being splashed on my face, making me yelp and sit upright in my sleeping futon.
"There she goes. I told you, 'ne? You just have to shout into a sleeping person's ears, especially when it's a deep sleeper like Erena," Ma'am Bisky explained, as if satisfied to see me in my haggard, just-woken-up state.
"Still, that's rude, Miss Bisky," Leorio, who was sitting beside my futon, piped up. "Why didn't you just shake her senseless instead of blasting her deaf in both ears? My poor Erena-chan's still rubbing her ears, see!"
Was I, I wanted to reply, but I stopped short when I took note of how the two people in my room were dressed up.
"And miss out on the opening of the most talked about club in town, Delirium's Den?" Ma'am Bisky was retorting to Leorio with a smirk. "No chances of that happening!"
Oh, so that explains why Ma'am Bisky and Leorio looked like they just stepped out of Forever 21. Before I could even ask them if they actually DID SHOP at Forever 21 or exclusive clothing stores like that, Ma'am Bisky was already hauling me up to my feet.
"Wait, what the heck are you two even DOING HERE?" I glared at Ma'am Bisky through sleepy eyelids as she started rummaging through my closet and started throwing clothes in different directions. "Hey, WHAT THE HECK? Don't mess with my already-messed up closet!"
Leorio switched on the light in my room, making me groan in annoyance. "Listen up, lady. Didn't I tell you I'll pick you up at 6 PM SHARP? 6 in the evening SHARP?" Leorio sighed and made an exasperated face. "But here you are, almost 6 PM and still drooling away on your pillow as if I didn't say anything at ALL!"
"Good thing your little bro was just about to leave for his Grad Prac when we came bursting in," Miss Bisky was mumbling through the pile of clothes she was currently searching through. "Noticed he was also running late with that adorable skateboard of his. Heh, like older sister, like little brother!"
I huffed in response. "I've already texted you three times this morning, Leorio! I told you I'm not going, right? You guys know I don't like dance clubs, clubs and dancing for the most part. I never liked it! So I suggest you guys head to this Deli-whatever without me."
I let myself fall on the futon. "Give this little heartbroken kid a rest for a while, please."
Ma'am Bisky suddenly emerged from the piles and piles of clothes scattered about, looking at me as if she just found a national treasure. "Nah-uh, no more self-pity party for you tonight, Missy." She then shoved Leorio out the room and closed the door so quickly Leorio didn't even have time to protest. "Wear this! You are coming with us. Because I'm sure you'll like it, anyway." With a wink, she threw a short black dress at me that I've never worn even once because I never liked wearing anything this short and this fitted.
"Remember that?" Miss Bisky grinned at me as she put her hands over her hips. "I gave that to you as a birthday gift two years ago. Maybe now's the time to dust off all the cobwebs that accumulated on that dress and actually wear it, because honestly, I know it will suit you perfectly."
"Negative," I frowned, waving the dress as if it was an insignificant piece of paper. "I'm chubby. Something this fitted would make me look like a whale bound in tight ropes. Besides," I glared at Ma'am Bisky. "I never said I'd come with you guys. And I won't…ever, you know!"
"Oh, you will," Ma'am Bisky assured me with a mischievous glint in her eyes, making me sweatdrop. "Because you're not just there to party. You're on a mission, a generous chance I'm sure you won't miss this time around!"
My mouth dropped open in shock. Did I hear Ma'am Bisky right or was I still hung-over from my afternoon nap that did nothing to my body but make me feel more drained? "Are you…are you saying there's another promotion chance for me? Another group interview for the same person?"
Ma'am Bisky smirked knowingly at me. "Yes and no. I'll explain on the way there. But first things first." She raised an eyebrow at me. "Coming now or not?"
I looked at Ma'am Bisky's eager eyes, trying to think what I might end up getting into this time. Besides the fact that I've never been to a club of any kind before, I'm actually doing an important task in a place I am so unfamiliar of. That, and my first impressions of what a club is were bothering me.
What if they ask me to strip like in those television shows I usually cringe at while watching? What if it was…an underground meeting place for mafia syndicates? What if…someone slips something into my drink and I end up getting drugged? Or worse…PREGNANT?
I sighed in defeat as I looked down at the black dress in my arms.
"Fine. But I am SO wearing a sweater over this one."
Author's Corner:
Hisoka: My,my~ *pouts playfully* What an unsatisfactory chapter that was~ Here I was, trying to get more action going but you publish this as the official fourth chapter~
Author: *facepalming* Oh yes, I've read your 'full-of-action' version of this chapter you gave me...and let me just say, throwing it in the trash and burning it won't bring my innocence back any time now. *groaning* MYGAD, my eyes...
Hisoka: *chuckles lightly* So I should take your blushing face and nosebleeding as signs that you didn't like my version then, Author-chan~?
Author: *screaming her lungs out* GAWDDAMMIT HISOKA, JUST BETA THIS CHAPTER AND GET THIS SHT OVER WITH!
Sorry, guys. Just having a little spat with my beta reader here and there, and a recurring writer's block as well, but I'm trying to get my rusty ass back on track so here you go, the fourth chapter which took me a week to finish, lol. Arigatou gozaimasu to everyone who Favorited and Followed this story as well as my profile. Although, I find it hard to believe that anyone would like my author's profile when I just scrambled for random words to put in ! XD
Anyway, answering my lovely anon Reviewers(Make an FF account please. PLEASE. PLEEEEASE. x):
Happy kitty =I tried changing the sentences' structure for this chapter so you could read everything easier and I hope it's to your liking! You know, I edit the sentences and paragraph structures correctly, but FF just messes it all up the second I save it at times and you , this site is sometimes really frustrating. But I'm still here so...that makes my complaints invalid. HAHAHA. And oh, Chrollo-kun didn't take her 'whole virginity'...YET. *winks* He just slapped the bill insultingly inside Erena's pants, like how men do it with money-hungry hookers. Sorry if I confused you...but I have a thing for being vague and letting readers' imaginations run wild that's why I wrote it like that! XD
Guest= Hmm, you're sunlightxiii , right? What happened, why aren't you logged in your account? Aaaahhh! *panicks like crazy* xD Anyway, thank you very much for the consistent Reviews! Am VERY glad to know that you're keeping up with this story and that you actually listen to the theme song for each chapter. I love you so much, bruh! I wish I could hug you out of gratitude right at this moment, goooosh. :")))
Theme song for this chapter is: "Say Anything" by Ashley Nite. Favorites, Follows and REVIEWS especially, are highly encouraged. Tell me what'cha think, Hunters!
Hisoka: I look forward to seeing the ripening of these fruits in the next chapters,ah~ *licks lips* For now, we're schwinging off~
Author: *waving cheerfully* See 'ya, guys! I'm schwinging off as we-wait, WHAT THE FVCK? I meant, I'm SIGNING OFF! HISOKA, YOU-!