2nd Chapter. This kinda showcases a bit more on Kurapika's morbid personality...read on!

Chapter II:

"Neon-sama, I don't think it's such a good idea. My room is a mess and…"

"So's mine. Papa always said my room's like a pigsty. Your's will probably be a hotel suite compared to mine." Neon pulled on Kurapika's resisting arm, dragging him towards their destination.

"But…"

"Kurapka! I'm your boss and you should do whatever I say!" they stopped in front of huge oak door lined with gold at the borders. It was Daltzorne's room, now, Kurapika's. The Kuruta survivor bent his head down, his eyes blazing read beneath his lenses. This girl could infuriate him so.

"Fine. And my name's Kurapika."

"Okay, Krapika. Open the door."

"It's Ku-ra-pi-ka," the young man spoke through his barred teeth as he opened the door. Neon peered in. She gasped. Even her room had been better off. The bed was messy and unmade. Pocketbooks lined unorganized on the desk. Crumpled papers scattered across the floor, mostly of newspapers. On the walls, clippings of the Genei Ryodan's attacks in York Shin were either pasted or taped on. By the looks of it, it seemed Kurapika just sleeps and goes, never caring for the room. Perhaps he had prevented house help from coming in here too.

"I told you my room was a mess…" Kurapika started to pull the door to a close, coldness present in his voice.

"Oh no you don't," Neon pressed her hands on the door, after immediately regaining her composure. "I'm gonna pick your clothes whether you like it or not so move it!" she pushed past Kurapika and gingerly walked inside the room. She shivered. The room was dim and gloomy…she almost expected Daltzorne's ghost to pop out of thin air.

"You should open the curtains you know," Neon suggested. "I've got a feeling that the view behind 'em is gonna make you feel at ease." She headed toward Kurapika's closet and without permission, opened them. The chain-user shifted his feet, both from nervousness and anger.

"Oooh…" Neon pulled out a red Chinese-like suit with long sleeves and gray cuffs. She pressed it against herself and preened in front of the mirror. Against her small, petite form, it looked like a nightshirt, reaching just above her knees.

"Can I borrow these sometime…Hey!" Kurapika took the suit from Neon and put it back on the hanger.

"I think I can dress for myself, thanks. Please leave. I'll meet you downstairs shortly," he gruffed. Something in his voice made Neon uneasy. Meekly, she obeyed.

"Just as long as you wear something casual…" she started to walk out of the room. Then, one of the newspaper articles caught her eye. It was a clipping, on how Kururo, had "supposedly" saved her when in fact, he had stolen her nen. Neon's breathing began to get heavy as she closed her eyes. She didn't want to remember that night. He had been nice to her. She even admitted to herself that she had quite a crush on him…but he had just fooled her into thinking he was a trustworthy person. Neon looked back at the article again and was surprised at what had been done to it. Kururo's face had been scratched up with a pen so badly, that the whole picture was practically covered with cuts and holes... all except for Neon's face, hanging upside down from Kururo's back. Why hadn't it been scratched too? As she looked more closely, she realized that whoever scratched the picture was careful not to scratch any part of her.

"Didn't I tell you to wait downstairs?" Kurapika's stern voice scared Neon from her thoughts but just as quickly as before, she regained her composure.

"Hmp! Fine!" and with that, she stomped out of the room, slamming the door along the way. Kurapika was alone once more. No one…not even Senrithsu, had ever set foot inside his room. And yet, he had tolerated Neon, of all persons, to invade his domain. He really didn't understand why he hadn't resisted but something she said got to him.

"You should open the curtains you know. I've got a feeling that the view behind 'em is gonna make you feel at ease."

The Kuruta reached out and opened the curtains wide. Bright sunlight blinded him for a moment, but soon, his eyes adjusted and when it did, he was awestruck. He never realized that his room faced the Nostrad's beautiful garden 'til then. Flowers were all a bloom. The birds were chirping in courtship. Petals fell softly from the blooming Sakura tree. He smiled…for the first time in months it seemed. He then turned back to what he was supposed to do.