A/N: My writer's block is so bad, I managed to snag a whole chapter out of it. Also, I have no idea how security details agency works (never had a chance to hire a bodyguard nor met one, and I'm lazy to research) so the interview part was just made up. I apologize for the inaccuracies, if there are any.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HXH
BETA: Aesclapia
Chapter 30: A Lonely Songwriter
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"Sir?" A call and a soft knock on his office's door disrupted Kurapika while re-rereading an email on his laptop. His brows knitted slightly in mild annoyance, but he responded anyway.
"Come in," he minimized the active, incognito tab containing an email about a potential lead to a pair of Kuruta eyes, complete with its current owner and location. It took him a bit of time and money to get this information so he wanted to examine it more thoroughly, but duty called.
He had memorized the details of the owner's location, though; the person was presently residing in a far, secluded island in the province of Akharin. Kurapika was unfamiliar with the place and was worried that if he chose to pursue this lead, he might have to leave the headquarters for a long time, which wasn't a good idea at the moment, because it had been just two months since they established the company. He couldn't just go into a trip to somewhere faraway, even if being allowed to go after a lead to Kuruta eyes was included in the deal he agreed with Nostrad, unless he accepted an actual bodyguard job. It irked him that he might need to put this pair on hold, all the while thinking of extending the clue to Kuroro so he could pay it a visit in his stead.
In that grueling two months of founding their security details agency, Kurapika and Linssen had to combine forces to process all the necessary documentations and licenses to operate, recruiting and screening bodyguard applicants, and introducing the company to the market. Despite this, Kurapika kept his word and oftentimes contacted Kuroro for updates. The man seemed to understand and had been behaving so far as he hadn't raised nor insisted on the subject of meeting up and only had given timid replies, but Kurapika knew better. He should set the next session soon, before Kuroro got 'antsy' again. He figured this could be a good chance to do so.
"Pardon the intrusion, sir. But there's a walk-in client waiting at the lounge," a newbie recruit with a huge built and tattoos covering his arms stepped inside the office.
"Where's Linssen?" Linssen was in charge of accounts and therefore was stationed at the receiving counter in the lounge. He was suited for attending clients, anyway.
"He's on a coffee break and has yet to return," the guy responded. "I've thought of asking the client if he can wait for a while, but I hesitated because he's quite old so..."
"Alright," Kurapika got on his feet. "I'll be there in a moment. You go ahead," he said as he put his laptop to sleep.
Grabbing a clipboard and a pen from the counter on his way to the lounge, he walked to the couch where a man holding a cane sat. Kurapika estimated that he must be around his seventies, with graying hair, wrinkled eyes and slouched posture.
"Good day, sir. I apologize for the wait," Kurapika sat across the man who greeted him back with a small smile. Strangely, he could perceive the forlorn look behind his spectacled, brown eyes. "I'm Kurapika. How may I help you today?"
"It's alright," the man easily dismissed the apology in a hoarse voice. "I'm Linos Escheria. I'd like to hire a bodyguard to accompany me to my trip to Akharin for two days." Kurapika's heart leapt in anticipation at the mention of the man's destination. What an eerie coincidence.
"I see," Kurapika wrote the stated information on the request form clipped on the board. "How old are you and what do you do for a living?"
"Seventy-one. I'm a retired songwriter."
"Are you going alone on this trip, sir?" By the looks of it, the man went on his own to the agency instead of sending a representative or just giving them a call.
"Yes."
"Okay. How many guards would you like to hire?"
"Only one. I want a male guard, a quiet type if possible."
"Understood," Kurapika nodded. It seemed the man was kind of a loner. "The next batch of questions are a little more personal, but they are important so I hope you don't mind."
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Why are you in need of a bodyguard? Do you have a stalker or is there someone out there trying to hurt you? We won't press you to tell us all the details, but we'd like to know if there are particular individuals we need to watch out for."
"Not really. Just that the route to Akharin is pretty dangerous, with bandits and robbers around. My son won't let me travel alone and insisted for me to get a bodyguard. Oh, and it'll be a one-way travel. I originally lived in Akharin and I'll stay there for good with my son. I'll take care of the travel arrangements and expenses, too, including the guard's plane ticket back here."
Kurapika took down the notes, thinking that it was a bit alarming how the situation was going very accordingly to his favor. "Do you have any sort of symptomatic ailments such as asthma, heart disease or seizure? Also, are you under any medication? This is for the guard to know what to do should an emergency arise since you will not bring a caregiver or chaperon."
"I have high blood pressure, but I always carry my medicines with me so there's no need to worry. I have a bit of trouble walking, though."
"Alright, sir," Kurapika computed the estimate fee to be paid on the lower right side of the request form and showed it to the client. "This is the total fee you need to pay, food and travel expenses excluded. If this is okay, you may pay it in cash or through direct deposit to our bank account. Credit card payment is also acceptable."
"Hmm, reasonable amount so far. But I'd like to see the bodyguard first; that's why I personally went here."
"As of now, all of our bodyguards are on duty and the only one available who matches your preference is me," he would need to ask for approval from Nostrad first, though, but that shouldn't be a problem.
"That's good. I actually wanted to specifically request you. For some reason, I can feel that you're a reliable and silent type of person."
Kurapika smiled a little at that. "That is very perceptive of you, sir. Well then. Once we received the payment, I will pick you up on your preferred time and date."
"Alright," Linos-san pulled out his wallet. "I'll pay upfront, then. I'll see you on Monday at 8 o'clock sharp."
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"Kurapika?" Linssen called out as Kurapika stepped out of his office. The secretary was holding the clipboard containing Linos-san's request form. "Do you recognize Escheria-san?
"No," Kurapika went to the counter to face Linssen. "Is there a problem about him?"
Linssen read the request form aloud. "Linos Escheria, seventy-one years old. Retired songwriter. Does that ring a bell to you, Senritsu?"
"Certainly," Senritsu answered. She just got back from the mall after accompanying Neon Nostrad with her soul-numbing shopping. "He's considered a living legend for writing the most phenomenal songs of this century. I'm not much of a fan, but he writes moving songs and is renowned as a master songwriter. But he retired some time ago."
"You took a job from a celebrity without knowing, Kurapika?"
"Well, he's pretty low-key. He didn't even bring a chaperon along and was wearing simple clothes. He's very down-to-earth, too. You can't blame me. Thanks for the heads up, anyway."
"Alright, here's his address," he gave Kurapika a piece of paper next. "Maybe he fears riding on airships because he has booked train and ship tickets instead of going for the easier travel means. Pick him up at 8 o'clock AM."
"Thank you," Kurapika perused the information then pocketed the paper.
"Sure thing. Good luck and have a safe trip."
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Linos-san let out a groan of contentment and slumped on the seat as they got into a private cabin of the train. He settled comfortably next to the window, looking somewhat excited like a child. "It has been a while since I last rode a train."
"So did I, sir," Kurapika timidly responded. The last time he took a train ride was when he was on his way to York Shin for the first time. That was where he met Senritsu for the first time, too.
According to their itinerary, they would take a five-hour long travel via train to get to Akharin's mainland, then they would transfer to a bus that would bring them to the port to take another ride on a ferry in order to reach the island where Linos-san's residence was located. It was going to be a one-day long journey, so just like Linssen, Kurapika couldn't help but wonder why Linos-san chose this tiring roundabout instead of riding on an airship.
"Ah, give me that small bag here," Kurapika was placing their luggage on the upper compartment of the cabin and was about to line up a small bag when Linos-san stopped him. He pulled back the bag and gave it to the man as instructed, then sat down across him.
About ten more minutes of silence between them had passed, and the train finally started to move. Linos-san put down the book he was reading and watched as the train left the station and continued to stare out the window as the scenery changed from the bustling view of the city into the green plains of crop fields.
"Nothing has changed that much since the last time I went here," Linos-san mumbled as if saying it to himself. "Hey, feel free to read something or play on your phone if you want. I don't think bad guys can infiltrate us in here, unless someone hijacked the train," the man turned to him and smiled at his own little joke. "The view is beautiful but you'll surely grow bored in thirty minutes."
"Thank you for your consideration, but I won't risk it," Kurapika declined. "And I do not mean to scare you, but I'll mention that a small group of burglars attempted to rob and attack me the last time I rode on a train. So it's important to be wary of the surroundings at all times."
"R-Really?" Linos-san looked spooked and bothered at his story. "Suit yourself, then."
After that brief exchange, both of them remained silent for more than half an hour, until Linos-san stopped reading and placed a bookmark on his book. He reached for the small bag again, tucked in the book back then pulled out a hard-bound notebook and a pen.
Like a child working on his homework, Kurapika watched as the man spun on his seat, leaned against the wall of the cabin then placed his bare feet on the unoccupied side of his seat. He put his notebook on his thigh and used it as a makeshift table. The blond kept his mouth shut, but he couldn't help but stare at the strange act of his client.
Reminding himself that he was accompanying a songwriter (and that some writers have weird and unusual habits when doing their job), he paid it no mind and tore away his gaze from the man to look back at the window.
An hour had passed, the train had already stopped at two stations, but Kurapika noticed that the man hadn't written a single word on his notebook. He had stared dazedly in the air, had twirled his pen between his fingers, and had pressed the pen's tip on the blank page several times only to pull back, seemingly changing his mind. Linos-san had sighed repeatedly and had scratched his head in frustration, but had refused to pack-up and give up his attempt to work.
A food cart had passed and they had bought a couple of delicacies and bread for snack. Linos-san had explained to him the specialties he had chosen and cited their ingredients while still holding onto his pen, his the other hand holding the cream-filled biscuit he had favored. They had reached the third station, which was forty-five minutes away from the second one, when Kurapika risked to give a little comment.
"Are you having a mental block, sir?" he asked, wondering if it was his presence that was disrupting the man's concentration. Linos-san looked up from his staring contest with the notebook. "Should I guard outside and give you some space?"
"Yeah, but it has nothing to do with you being around. I'm currently suffering from the worst writer's block I've ever had," at that, Linos-san closed his notebook and sat properly on his seat. He looked out on the window and let out another sigh.
"I don't mean to pry, but I heard from a co-worker that you were a famous songwriter. Is your writer's block the reason why you retired?"
Linos-san gave a hearty laugh. "I know I requested for a quiet guard, and I thought you were seriously just going to sit there with your lips tightly zipped, but I'm actually relieved that you're finally talking. Yes, I retired just a couple months ago, and I quitted because just like what you assumed, I can't write anymore. But what I'm trying to write now is not for the audience or a desperate attempt to get back on the limelight. It's for my late wife, Lani. My last masterpiece. My goodbye song for her, you may call."
"I see. I'm sorry for bringing it up," Kurapika softly apologized.
"It's okay. I'm over it now. It's been almost a year since she lost her battle to an illness," contrary to what Linos-san said, Kurapika could see longing and sadness behind those spectacled eyes. He could distinguish it because he would have the same look in his eyes sometimes. "Nah, who am I fooling? I still miss her, so here I am, trying to bid goodbye my way. But as you can see, I'm struggling to do it. I can't find the right words no matter what I try. I even chose to travel on land instead of getting on an airship in hopes that it will help me recall some memories we spent together when we went into the city for the first time, taking this exact route, and maybe whip out a word or two from it, but..." he left the sentence hanging and shrugged.
"My son begged me to give it a rest and just go home, saying that Lani's soul won't find peace if I don't move on," Linos-san resumed. "But I just... can't. I can't give up on her just yet. Heh, I'm sorry if I'm making you listen to an old man's blabbering. I know it isn't part of our contract, but I just can't help it."
"I understand your feeling of loss and not being able to easily move on, Linos-san," 'more than anyone,' Kurapika mentally added. The man might have been in despair for almost a year over the loss of a single loved one, but Kurapika had been carrying it for more than five years. Linos-san still had his son and a home to return to; Kurapika had none.
"Really? Did you lose a loved one, too?" Linos-san asked sympathetically.
"Something like that," Kurapika vaguely answered, implicitly hinting to the man that he didn't want to talk about it.
"I see," Linos-san knowingly understood it. "How long did it take for you to forget and move on?"
"I have not forgotten nor moved on, sir. I never will. It's wrong to forcibly let go on the first place, if you ask me."
Linos-san let out a breathy laugh. "Finally, someone who truly understands what I'm going through."
Kurapika continued to give a piece of his mind. "They can all say that they will never come back no matter what we do, and that we must move forward and go on living, but I believe that clinging to their memories and will is important for us to stay alive. You can never forget that you loved someone, and that person will always be a part of you. It's stupid to just throw it away." It kind of felt ironic for him to talk about the death of his loved ones like this since the memories of his fallen clan brought wrath to him most of the time, but what he had said to the man was what he truly believed. It was their memories that pushed him forward and helped him continue living.
"Yeah, but... somehow, they have a point, too. I can't wallow in sadness forever. That's self-destruction, and I'm sure Lani wouldn't like that. That's why I'm trying to get myself together, and I can confidently say that I'm fine now. Just that... I just want to do this. This is going to be our closure. For me to be happy even if she's not with me anymore is her last wish before she died. I'll fulfill that this way. It's going to be my precious gift for her, but I..." at that, Linos-san paused. Kurapika caught a small crack in his voice, indicating that the man was getting emotional.
"Don't you think it's because you're hurrying too much that you can't write anything at all?" Kurapika mindlessly suggested. Linos-san looked at him questioningly with slightly watery eyes.
"Hurrying too much? Is that how I look like?"
"By the looks of it, yes."
"Really?" Linos-san trailed off, raised a brow and frowned as if assessing what Kurapika concluded "Well, I tended to write hastily with the deadline in mind while working as a songwriter. Nevertheless, the finished products still came as great hits so I guess it's not bad."
"And why do you think it was that way? Isn't it because Lani-san was still with you? Isn't it because you found inspiration in what you did because she was by your side?" Kurapika pointed out. "We tend to do our best when we do it for someone we cherish and the people who inspire and cheer us up."
Linos-san fell into a gloomy silence. Perhaps what Kurapika said brought back bitter-sweet memories to him.
"You're still recovering from your loss, sir. So don't expect yourself to be back to normal in just a measly couple of months, or even years. Take you time. Maybe you'll wake up someday and suddenly, you'll be completely over it. You'll be able to reminisce about your past and it won't hurt anymore. Go at your own pace. It's not like you have a deadline to meet and an audience to please this time," Kurapika finished his comment on a cliff hang, feeling like he was being a complete hypocrite with every word he spewed. Seriously, who was he to tell someone to go easy when he was in such a hurry himself that he even put his very life on the line just to accomplish his goals?
Well, he guessed he shouldn't promote being negative to others just because he was miserable.
"Yeah," Linos-san dismissively nodded. "Maybe that's what I really should do. Thanks. That cleared my head a bit."
"You're welcome, sir." At that, Linos-san packed up his things and settled on his seat with a peaceful expression on his face. Subconsciously, the man fell into sleep and was surprised that he had slept all throughout the train ride three hours later.
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P.S.: After five years, I finally had the guts to resign from my work (lol, I think it's more like I went AWOL since my boss didn't want to let me go and err, some shit happened and here we are). Also, I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm procrastinating from writing for like, 3 months, since I stopped going to the office. Been trying to work on original stuffs to submit to the publishing but blah blah blah. Anyway, I'll try my best to work on the next chapter. Till next time!