Author's Notes:
Hi all! Sorry, this chapter was late ^^; Anyway, I posted your answers to your reviews here.
enigma: Hello! ^^ I wish you could watch the OVA soon and thanks for reviewing.
PrincessFlorea: Thanks for reviewing! Umm…it is KurapicaXNeon, I swear! ^^ You'll see.
ShizukaNoHime: Yeah. I would be glad to have the site my K/N fics. And yes, Neon is Kuroro's partner.
RurikoSakura: I am so glad you liked the fic ^^ Anyway, I'll keep my promise and finish this. Don't worry, I just got busy and was unable to continue for a while, but I swear, I'll try to finish this before the year ends. ^^ Gomen ^^
Rizzy: I do not know if you read my review already, but I reviewed your fic. I was a nice one for a beginner. You should read my very first fic, it sucked…hehehehe…
Ekai Ungson: You wrote a KuraXNeon a while back…hmm…are you the fanficcer who was taking Creative Writing? I really cannot remember but if you are not that one (sorry!) then you must have names very near to each other. Thanks for the constructive criticism. I really appreciated it so much ^^
Jaa, hope you like this next chapter. ^^
KUSABI NO UNMEI
By: nikki hiiragizawa
Chapter 3: Jealousy
"Here you are." The driver screeched to a stop at front of the Nostrad mansion. "That would be 50 jenis."
Kurapica glanced at the house through the glass window of the cab. How long has it been since he went here for the first time, looking for a job. It had been just a short time when he didn't care for anything except to capture the Ryodan. And now everything has changed.
Everything.
"Thanks," Kurapica finally said, handing the driver his payment. He opened the door of the cab and stepped out. He went up to the gate and pressed the intercom. "This is Kurapica, one of the bodyguards at York Shin. I came to request an audience with Miss Neon Nostrad."
A long pause came. Kurapica tapped his foot impatiently. At last his long-awaited answer arrived. "Mr. Nostrad will see to you, Kurapica-san. Please enter." The gate slid open slightly, allowing only one person to go through it. After Kurapica entered it, the gate slid shut.
The front door automatically opened the moment he approached it. This time, no butler welcomed him. Walking around, he let himself in to the receiving room.
A man was sitting on one of the sofas in the room. Paying his respects, Kurapica walked closer and bowed.
"It is good to see you again, Kurapica," the man greeted him. "I see you have come to take your payment for being a useful bodyguard to my daughter."
The young man bowed his head. "It was far from my intentions, sir."
"Then, you want to continue serving me?" the head of the Nostrad family asked, reviewing the young man in front of him meticulously.
Kurapica laid a palm on each of his thigh and looked up to his master. "I came here to pay my respects to boss Neon, sir."
"Neon?"
"Yes, sir." A servant entered and served them tea. Kurapica found himself being seriously stared at. "I wish to visit her and see if she is all right, after all those things that happened in York Shin."
Nostrad looked at the black eyes staring back at him. The young man seemed to be sincere with his intentions. Sighing, he rang for a servant. "Where is my daughter?" he asked.
"Oh, you must have forgotten, sir," the servant replied. "She went shopping with Elisa about an hour ago."
The middle-aged man bowed slightly to his guest. "I am sorry. I have forgotten that she is out today. She did some fortune telling for me a while ago so I allowed her to go out for a while."
Kurapica nodded. He was surprised, though, that Neon didn't seem stunned by the happenings in York Shin and had recovered in such a short while. "Would you mind if I wait for her here, sir?"
"Oh no. Please, stay as you please. In fact, I have to request you to stay here for a while."
"Why is that?"
Neon's father stood up from his armchair and picked a sheaf of papers from a nearby desk. Promptly, he handed Kurapica the papers. "What do you make of those," he said as he sat down once more.
Dark eyes skimmed over the papers, one by one, reviewing them. "They seem to be fortunes in the form of a poem, sir."
"You are right. Those are Neon's prophecies." The man sighed as he leaned on his backrest. "But it seems she had had some problems with her powers all of a sudden."
"Why is that?" Kurapica sat at the edge of his seat.
"Well, the poems she wrote were rather different from those she used to write." Neon's father thoughtfully sat in silence for a while before continuing. "I am very sure of the difference of Neon's written warnings before and now. Could it be possible that….her powers are gone?"
Kurapica reviewed the papers once more. On the papers were dates and as his master had said, substantial differences could be seen on the sentence structure and presentation of the poems. "No, sir. Her power is controlled by her Nen. It is not possible that someone would just forget his Nen…except…" Red hue pooled beneath the black contact lenses he was wearing. His grip on the papers tightened and his shoulders shook with rage.
"What is is, Kurapica-san?" Neon's father wanted to know. "If you are sure that Nen cannot be removed that easily from the user, why is it that my Neon is writing prophecies like these?"
The young man looked at his master straight to the eye. "We could deduce two things, sir. One, it could be that she was trying to hide her Nen in an attempt to attract your attention. We are very familiar with how your daughter behaves. Two, it could be that her Nen was stolen."
"Stolen?" Neon's father was shocked.
Yes, and I know the only person who can do it, Kurapica added to himself, his fury burning inside him. "Where is Neon-sama right now?"
"She's in town, shopping with Elisa." The man looked anxious. "Do you think something bad had happened to her?"
"No, sir." Kurapica bowed and headed for the door. "But we can never be so sure. I'll check up on her and take her home immediately."
Neon's father looked at the closing door, eyebrows meeting in worry. "Please, boy," he murmured. "Bring my Neon back safely."
+++
Kuroro smiled at the young woman in front of him as she gulped down a big bite of apple pie. He turned his gaze on the woman sitting beside Neon, who was deliberately escaping from his gaze. It seems that Neon's attendant is wary of him. He had to make her comfortable somehow. "How is my princess doing?" he asked Neon with affection.
The girl turned pink as her hair and suddenly became conscious of how she was eating. "Umm, okay, I guess."
"You guess?" the young man said. "That doesn't seem to be a nice answer." He gently smiled at Neon, who suddenly found her ice cream rather interesting. "Is there something you are not telling me?"
Neon bit her lip. Can she trust this man? Can she tell him her secret? After all, she had found him to be a jovial, kind fellow. Clearing her throat, she turned to Elisa. "Elisa, you better check our things at the car."
"But Neon-sa…"
"Elisa, please? I promise to come out after a while." Elisa shot the stranger across them with a suspicious look, before bowing to Neon and going out.
Kuroro laid his chin on one hand. "Is it so serious that even your attendant cannot stay?"
"Ssh!" Neon hissed. "I'm going to tell this to you, only you. Please do not tell anyone about this ok?"
The young man raised his right hand. "I swear by all the pretty girls like you, I won't."
Neon seemed to be satisfied with his promise and started. "You see, Kuroro-san. I cannot seem to use my Lovely Ghostwriter anymore."
"Lovely Ghostwriter?" Kuroro knew this was coming but did not react so suddenly. "you mean you cannot read people's futures anymore?"
Neon sadly nodded. "I can't seem to use it. I know Father would be really mad when he learns of this but, I cannot tell him…"
A warm hand cradled hers and Kuroro leaned forward. "It's all right. I am sure your father loves you more than anything. He'll understand."
Neon almost melted. Kuroro was so compassionate, so kind.
He was almost perfect.
Just like…
Neon withdrew her hand suddenly and laid back to her seat. "Is something wrong?" Kuroro said.
"No, nothing." Neon finished her pie in one bite. "Maybe we should go now. Where are you staying by the way?"
The dark-eyed man shook his head. "I am still looking for hotels that would accommodate me…"
"Then please stay at my house," Neon said. "The manor has lots of guest houses. You could stay there for a while."
Kuroro smiled inwardly, but not letting his glee be felt by his friend. "But what about your father?'
"Oh he'll understand," Neon replied. "Besides, you've been very kind to me. I need to pay it back."
"You don't need to," Kuroro said as he escorted Neon outside the restaurant. "I like pleasing you. A smile suits you better."
"Really…now…" Neon giggled. "I guess that would be…"
Kuroro wondered why Neon suddenly stopped walking and talking and followed the young woman's gaze. "Bull's eye," he muttered.
Neon could hardly believe her eyes. She dropped her purse in surprise and opened her mouth in silent talk. Slowly, she breathed and managed to speak.
"Kurapica?"
+++
Kurapica could heel his tense knuckles hitting his thighs as he walked briskly towards the shopping area. It just had to be Kuroro. That damn Genei Ryodan leader managed to ensnare Neon before he could stop him with the Judgment chain.
He kicked a pebble out of the way. How could he be so naïve, so careless? How could it be that the one he was protecting was practically controlled by the enemy. Cursing himself and vowing not to forgive himself if something happened to Neon, he walked on until he saw a familiar figure standing on the sidewalk.
"Elisa," he breathlessly said, rings of mist puffing out of his mouth as he spoke. It was starting to get really cold. "I thought you were supposed to be with Neon-sama?"
"Elisa smiled at him before answering. "Yes, but she dismissed me for a while to talk to the young man we met on the street."
Young man? Kurapica winced. It was his broken promise that made Neon sad.
It was his broken promise that made her talk to some guy and driving Elisa away.
It was his broken promise that was now hurting him as he heard Elisa's report.
How painful it is to hear that someone you had been searching for was happy with others.
Still, Kurapica refrained from showing anything to Elisa and nodded. "I'll pick her up inside," he said, opening the glass doors of the restaurant.
If there was one thing he could do now, that is to hunt Kuroro down and make him pay once more for hurting Neon.
He'll make sure it would be as payment Kuroro would not forget.
Even if it will cost his guilty thoughts to flood in and make him sick again.
Clenching his fists, Kurapica headed inside when a familiar voice wafted through him.
And he saw her. Neon's eyes were wide as saucers and she let her purse fall to the ground. Behind her, a young man was standing, and was watching every move.
The long changed blue eyes turned red once more, as Neon managed to speak.
"Kurapica…"
Kurapica did not bother to answer. Beside Neon…his Neon…was the very human he was hunting.
Kuroro.
-TBC-
Author's Notes: Yeah, I got a lot of flames for not continuing this. Gomen nasai. I am currently revamping my site, attending to the Bishounen Cult, and finishing about a dozen fic requests so I do not know hoe to finish them all without making anyone unsatisfied. I will try my best to update soon! *lies prostrate on the ground.* Kami-sama help meeee!!!!!!!
Yosha!
Reviews make me type faster, you know. *wink*