Hello, everyone! First of all, I am extremely sorry for the confusion with the missing Chapter 25! The truth is, I really uploaded a new chapter. Then, the next morning, I received a review from DMshipper saying that it wasn't that good. And so I read it again, and lo and behold, I hated it as well! So I took it down and worked on a new one. Thanks DMshipper! I fixed it and it's now completely different – and I love it even more!

So without further ado…here it is!

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You Disrupt Me

Chapter 24: Lifeline

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"Giving you one of my eyes aids in your control of your power, ensuring your survival," Kurapika said, his voice resolute.

There was a long pause, and Leorio turned away. Kurapika drew closer and planted a soft kiss on Natsumi's lips.

"Besides," he said, drawing back. "This makes it certain that the clown can never look at you again, because whenever he does, he'll be looking at me. You are already mine in body, and soon I'll have your heart."

---

It was already eight in the morning and many students were beginning to settle down for class. While the main building of her school was being reconstructed because of the explosion, most classes had been moved to the second building where music classes were usually held. Natsumi waited outside, next to the door, for the face she wanted to see. After a few more minutes, there it was.

"Miyuki!" she yelled, running towards her best friend, who was equally happy to see her. The pair hugged each other, tears stinging their eyes.

"I'm so glad that you're safe!" Natsumi said as she let her go. "I've been worrying constantly. I thought… I really thought…"

Miyuki gave her a sheepish grin and pointed to a man in a black suit behind her. He looked tough and dangerous.

"This guy has been assigned to be my bodyguard from now on," she said, sighing loudly. "My father wanted Milluki Zaoldyeck to be put in jail, but apparently the government got to him first. It seems that he conspired with that Alphonse person. Your dad, right? But it seems like no Zaoldyeck is jail-able, if that's even a word."

Natsumi nodded. It somehow felt awkward talking to Miyuki about these things. Of course, from an outsider's perspective, it seemed as though it was a simple father-daughter struggle, except that the father was a wanted crime lord whom everyone was afraid of. Pair it up with a Zaoldyeck son, and an explosion was the result.

"Yeah," Natsumi replied, forgetting, for a second, that she really was bound to the criminal by blood. "I guess everyone knows the story."

"Not really," Miyuki said as she sat on the floor. "What most people know is that Milluki just went overboard with his obsession over you and decided to take you with him. When you refused to go with him, he got so angry that he decided to blow up the school."

There was a long pause.

"That's… not exactly right," Natsumi said, her eye twitching erratically. "Although I think it's quite clever."

Miyuki's grin widened. "And who do you think came up with it?"

Natsumi smiled widely and playfully nudged her friend's shoulder. "You're a genius!"

The two girls giggled softly. Then silence. Natsumi glanced at the girl beside her, wondering why her overly chatty friend was now being so glum.

"Hisoka-san saved me, by the way," Miyuki said, burying her face on her knees as she pulled them closer.

Natsumi automatically tensed upon hearing his name. No, she wasn't being dramatic about it. His name had been actively revolving around her head, so hearing someone say it out loud had jolted her senses. She put on a grin and looked at the ground.

"So he told you his real name," she said, pretending to be engrossed with the wooden pattern of the floor.

Miyuki nodded. "I guess he had to in order to explain how we survived."

Natsumi glanced at her friend, who was visibly trying to relive what had happened. Just what did Hisoka do? Of course, surviving such an ordeal would send goosebumps to the victim, but why was she… so unhappy?

"I was conscious a few seconds before the bomb exploded," she said, lowering her voice so as not to let her bodyguard hear. "I tried calling for you. Only later did I realize that the ticking noise was an explosive. I heard somebody else shouting… something like, 'Princess, princess!' Then somebody grabbed me… and we were moving so fast that I couldn't really see anything. And then we stopped… and I looked up to see that I was in the arms of Kiho-sensei. But he suddenly hunched down, covering me completely, and then there was a deafening sound, followed by extreme heat… Later, I woke up to find that I was safely outside of the school's gates. I couldn't hear anything except a loud ringing in my ears that made my head hurt. I looked to the left and saw Kiho-sensei walking away. His shirt was completely incinerated, and his back had been burnt to a crisp. He was bleeding, too…"

Natsumi had involuntarily set her hand on her mouth. Her eyes welled up. Though it's happened a few times before, it was difficult for her to imagine Hisoka getting hurt or shedding blood for another person's sake. Did he know that Miyuki was one of the most important people in her life that he'd actually risk his life by going back and saving her?

Miyuki seemed to be silently crying, and Natsumi took her in her arms and patted her back. Seeing other people cry always made her want to cry even more, but somehow she couldn't right now. The tears in her eyes didn't brim over.

"He came over a few days ago and told me…" she said in between short sobs. "…that his real name is Hisoka and that he lost you… because… there was somebody else you needed the most."

Natsumi gritted her teeth as she imagined how Hisoka probably looked as he said those painful words to Miyuki. Did he look serious or was he being his joking self? After all, hiding the painful truth behind dumb jokes was the highlight of his personality. She wanted to ask Miyuki how he was, but she hesitated. Why was she crying in the first place? She had a wild guess, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to face it.

"Miyuki…" Natsumi whispered, looking at the floor. She didn't want to believe it. "Hisoka… told you what Kurapika did for me, didn't he?"

There was a pause for a while, and Miyuki nodded, never letting go of her tight grip on her.

Natsumi clenched her fist and closed her eyes. The tears that had collected now brimmed over, forming a single stream down to her chin.

"Hisoka's decision… you-"

"He's the one for you!" Miyuki cut her off, pushing her back. She wiped her tears on her sleeve and stopped her sobbing

"Hisoka-san should be with you!" she continued to shout. "He should! You belong together! But then… but then… I'm not a good friend if I tell you to go ahead and be with someone who can't take care of you! I want you to be happy, but this world is too dangerous for you! And so… and so…"

"You agree with him," Natsumi finished her words. "You agree with his decision to stay away from me because Kurapika is the reason I am still alive and breathing. You agree."

There was another long pause. Miyuki seemed defeated. Her shoulders slumped forward as she nodded her head slowly.

"To wish that you never get hurt again is asking for too much," Miyuki whispered. "So the next best thing is to wish that somebody will be able to take care of you when you do get hurt…"

The bell rang a sweet chime, although Natsumi noticed that the timing interval in between the notes was a little off by 0.5 seconds. The explosion was really that powerful to have reached the administrative area where the audiotape containing the melody was located. She sighed.

"Let's get to class, Miyuki," she said, patting the girl's back to comfort her. "You are the best friend I've always wanted to have. So don't cry… because you're probably right."

---

Cradle me like I am yours

Into your arms,

That's the only place

I really belong

---

"Sneaky wisecracker!" Natsumi yelled to herself, throwing her empty bottle of orange juice on the floor as she walked in the street. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming herself down. Then, bending over, she picked it up again and threw it in the nearby garbage bin.

'Great,' she thought to herself. 'I can't even litter when I'm upset. I'm so eccentric.'

"But not as eccentric as that sneaky, sneaky nincompoop," she said aloud as she began walking again. "Telling Miyuki stuff like that when she doesn't need to know anything! Just because he gets my friend to agree with him doesn't mean I'll adhere to it! Ugh!"

She sighed. Hisoka was alive, Miyuki was alive, and Itsuki, after having been attacked by the clown, was alive. That was good, but they got unnecessarily involved, and for what? She didn't like it. Not one bit. She was going to find Hisoka and make him take his words back.

"I'll make him eat his words!" she shouted, causing people to look back at her. She ignored them and continued walking. "But I don't know where he is…"

She bit her lip in order to stop herself from crying. Wow, there was no limit to her incompetence. Nen hadn't changed that. Thinking about her new power, she raised her hands and stared at them. Actually, nothing had really changed. She was as slow as ever, still susceptible to bruises and random cuts, and to fainting. She was still so far from Kurapika and Hisoka. Weren't they supposed to be the same now? So why was there still a world of difference between them?

Loud laughter from across the street caught her attention. She would've usually ignored it, but somehow, she just… had to look. And when she did, her blood boiled. There, stepping out of a really flashy red sports car was Hisoka! Then, walking to the other side of his car, he opened the door… for a lovely young lady dressed in a revealing backless, pink dress!

Natsumi gritted her teeth as she watched the two link arms and walk gaily.

"That buffoon!" she yelled, taking a step forward towards them.

Suddenly, a car whizzed by, nearly running her over if not for someone grabbing her back to the sidewalk. She paused as her heart skipped multiple beats. That probably wasn't healthy, especially since it happened too often. She turned to the person who had saved her.

"Thank you…" she said, eyeing the fairly handsome man who still had her by her arm. He had light brown hair and almond-shaped green eyes. He was wearing a purple long-sleeved shirt and a white tie, along with expensive-looking tailored white slacks.

'Why am I always being saved by Adonis?' she thought to herself, thinking about the good-looking men she knew well. She hated her hormones. Why did it have to be acting up all the time?

"You're very welcome," he said, his voice and tone revealing that he spoke with practiced fluidity. "It's not everyday that I get to save a maiden from impending death."

"Right…" she said, blinking at him for quite some time.

"You seem like the shy type. I like shy girls. Why don't you come with me to where I work?"

He reached for her arm and she let him, but she didn't budge when he tried to walk with her. He turned around and looked at her, confused.

"You don't want to have fun with a good-looking guy? I can tell that you find me attractive."

Natsumi's eye twitched erratically. She gritted her teeth as she balled her hands into fists.

"You might want to work on your skills in picking up women," she hissed. "You won't do well if you reek of host club material!"

The man raised his brows in peaking interest. "Wow, I'd usually be offended. I'm the top-selling host in the most popular host club in this city! How'd you know?"

Natsumi rolled her eyes. "For starters, you have such a fake way of speaking – the type one usually hears from a man flattering his way out of an affair. Your clothes might be tailored, but they weren't meant to fit you, which means it was either personally rented or loaned to you by the host club you work for. Finally, I can smell a mixture of both men's cologne and a certain woman's perfume, the latter which probably rubbed off on you while you were 'working.'"

There was a short pause, and then a chuckle. He slung his arm around her neck and leaned close.

"You're a smart one, aren't you? That's not very cute. But I'll reconsider, since I'd want to be the first one to 'break you in,' if you know what I mean."

Natsumi inaudibly gasped and pushed him away. "You're disgusting!"

He laughed again. "I knew you'd say that! So come on. Why miss the opportunity when we know each other so well?"

He grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled her along with him, refusing to give her any chance of escape.

"Unhand me, you mutant! Your hands are so greasy!"

The man chuckled loudly. "What did you say? 'Unhand me?' It's like you're from those 18th century novels! I like it!"

Wow. If Hisoka saw how she was being manhandled, he'd probably lose it.

'But noooooo,' she said, rolling her eyes, surprised that she wasn't even panicking. 'He's too busy playing with his new toy to notice! She's so pretty and sparkly too! Everyone wants Glam-girl Barbie!'

"Excuse me."

Natsumi turned around. Of course, it was Hisoka. Not a second sooner, he raised his hand and hit the man straight on the forehead. He fell to the floor, the impact of Hisoka's strike causing his nose to bleed.

"You bastard!" the man yelled. "My face is my greatest asset! You'll pay for this!"

Hisoka glanced at him condescendingly.

"That is the ugliest asset I have ever had the horror of seeing."

He grabbed him by his hair and pulled him up to his level. The man groaned in pain.

"Speaking of faces," Hisoka continued. "I would advise you to remember mine because I will be sure to remember yours. And if I ever see you again even a hundred yards away from this young lady, you will never have a face to speak of again."

He dropped the man like a rat in a snake's cage. He immediately scampered away, fearing for his life.

There was a long moment of silence. Hisoka stood there, his back turned to her. She could see that his fingers were twitching the slightest bit. Did he want to reach for her? She didn't think that it'd be this easy to find him. She took a small step forward.

"My honey!" a high-pitched voice broke the silence.

The girl from before had clacked her way towards him with her high heels. Natsumi observed her effortless movements. Her pumps were probably around six inches high! Was that even comfortable to walk in? But this girl made it seem so graceful.

"That was so brave of you! So courageous! So manly and heroic!" she said, clinging on to Hisoka's arm like a deranged stalker. "I always knew you were the knight of my dreams!"

That sure hit a nerve.

"What did you say?" Natsumi asked in between her teeth.

The girl glanced at her with a face of arrogance and elitism. Natsumi realized that she was just wearing an old faded pink sweatshirt, jeans, and dirty white sneakers. She didn't change her wardrobe much even after her mom's crazy shopping spree. Next to this elegant woman, she looked like a street kid.

"Eww," the girl said in her girly manner. "Don't be falling in love with him now just because he saved you! Say your thanks and leave my boyfriend alone!"

Natsumi's eye twitched again. Her blood was boiling. Her ears were steaming. This girl… this girl…

"Shut up, you ghastly overdone showgirl!" she yelled, causing Hisoka to look her way. "The knight of your dreams, huh? I'll make it nighttime for you with my fist!"

The girl shrieked and hid behind Hisoka. "Eww! She's threatening to hit me, Kiho-san! Such a savage!"

Natsumi trudged towards her and pushed Hisoka away. He was too taken aback by Natsumi's lashing out to do anything.

"Savage?!" Natsumi yelled. "Did daddy teach you that word?! Stay away from him, airhead!"

"You fashion loser!"

"Incorrigible rascal!"

"Fat donut!"

"Insipid monstrosity!"

"Pimply goose!"

"Flatulent reptile!"

The girl stopped and gasped as disbelief clouded her features.

"You… you did not just call me a cow!"

Natsumi slapped her own face. "Cows aren't reptiles, you idiot! Even a kid in third grade knows that!"

The girl growled and slapped Natsumi in the face. Natsumi's eyes widened in shock, but her entire expression soon turned into a devilish form.

"You…just…hit…my…FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Natsumi roared out loud and the girl shrieked in terror. Natsumi was about to jump and hit the girl back, but suddenly, Hisoka intervened. He held on to Natsumi's shoulder so as not to let her advance. And then, facing the other girl, he scowled deeply. Both girls froze. He was scary.

"You are fortunate that you are a woman," he said, grabbing her neck and squeezing it ever so lightly. "Had you been a man, the hand you used to hit my precious princess would be long gone by now. But woman or man, nobody gets away with striking her like that."

And with those words, he threw her aside roughly, ignoring his earlier sentiment about women. Her heels broke and her dress tore. Tears ran down her cheeks, ruining her make-up. Hisoka glared at her.

"I hope you didn't get the wrong idea," he said suddenly. "I was never listening to what you were saying. I was only laughing because you sounded so stupid."

And with that, he walked away, pulling Natsumi along.

---

Quickly, take me with you

Don't dare leave me behind

Lest I never see daylight

Lest I lose sight of you

---

Hisoka wasn't stopping. He just kept on walking. And she was getting tired. He hadn't said a word since the confrontation and neither did she. She already knew that he was taking her home, though. It was safe there. The silence dragged on as the night was settling in. They hadn't really walked together in a while. Hisoka had her by her wrist and was walking ahead. He really didn't want to look at her, did he?

Natsumi stopped. Hisoka complied, but he didn't turn around. She glanced up at him and watched his movements. He was stiff and unresponsive, and she knew it was because he was trying to stop himself from undoing everything that had been accomplished.

"Kurapika told me that he loved me," she said.

She felt Hisoka's grip tighten ever so slightly, but he didn't move an inch. She looked at the ground.

"What do you have to say to that?" she asked, her voice almost breaking.

He didn't respond. It was like that for a long time. She fixed her gaze on his muscled arm. There were signs of Machi's handiwork, although it looked hurriedly done than usual. There were two patches of uneven skin, which she assumed was the part that hadn't healed well after being burnt by Milluki's explosive. She traced her fingers over it, and Hisoka visibly tensed even more.

"Please say something!" Natsumi shouted.

He still didn't say a word. She was crying again. She was amazed how other people weren't tired of her tears, because she really was tired of them. So weak… She had to shape up! But she couldn't… not if Hisoka was refusing to say anything.

"I'm your princess, right?" she asked, wiping her tears and nose on her sleeve. "You just said so earlier! You can't lie to me! I'm smart, so I know if you're lying!"

"I've tried…" he said, sounding pained. "I've tried to call you anything else… and I succeeded once. But I cannot call you anything else but my princess… because that is what you are. It is universal."

Natsumi smiled, her hopes rising.

"And you are my knight, Hisoka! I hate cheesiness, but that's the truth!"

"It is the truth…" he repeated. "However, the knight cannot be with the princess, because she must be with the prince. While the knight has the sword, the prince has the scarlet pendant. And so she must be with the prince, who can give her all that she needs. That is how the fairytale ends."

He immediately let go of her wrist. His arm fell limply to his side. Natsumi threw herself towards him and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Being noble doesn't suit you at all!" she yelled, burying her face in his rigid back. "You're supposed to be selfish and possessive, stealing and keeping things for yourself! You aren't supposed to give them away! You can't give me away!"

And like that, she cried and soaked the back of his shirt as the night wore away. There was nothing else that she wanted. There was nobody else. This crazy fool that she was holding… was all she wanted.

"Please don't push me away anymore," she said, closing her eyes. "I don't know how much more of it I can handle…"

Hisoka lowered his head. He touched Natsumi's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"My princess," he said. There was so much despair in his voice. "You do not understand… I have planned this so that it has permanence."

Natsumi let him go and took a step back. "What do you mean by… permanence?"

Hisoka turned around, revealing a very exhausted expression. It was as though he was starving, almost at the brink of death. He fell on one knee, breathing deeply like there was a lack of oxygen.

"Hisoka!" she shouted, falling next to him. "What do you mean by permanence!?"

He gazed at her and smiled.

"He and I made it so that… whenever I am within two feet of you," he said, suddenly coughing out blood. "I lose a fraction of my lifespan. How much time I spend with you…is the amount of time that is taken away. And so… the two hours I have held your hand today… has taken two hours off of my life."

Natsumi shook her head, afraid to say it out loud. "Kurapika… There's no way…"

"I have…" Hisoka coughed again. "The Judgement Chain wrapped around my heart."

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End of Chapter!

How was it? I'm really glad that I fixed it up. See what feedback does? Lol. I've been studying way too hard lately so I just had to write. Stress reliever!

Thank you for reading and hoping for more of your feedback!