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Chapter III:

"Wait downstairs he says…puh! What's with him?!" Neon thought angrily, as she sat on the bottom of the stairs. She hadn't been there for long. In fact, it was just seconds ago before she sat down but it took almost five minutes for her to reach that spot. That's how big the mansion is.

"I'm ready. Let's go."

"Finally. I've been waiting for…" Neon's words hung in the air as her jaw dropped. "K…Krapika?!"

"Ku-ra-pi-ka," the chain-user corrected again. The Nostrad girl could barely believe her eyes. She thought Kuroro was the hottest guy she had ever seen…considering how few she had met. But Kurapika…he looked as if he had stepped out of the cover of a magazine. He was wearing a white t-shirt under an orange-checkered polo shirt and a pair of faded jeans together with white sneakers. His chain was not present, as what always happens whenever he doesn't want for it to appear. But it wasn't his clothes that made him look more appealing than he had before…it was the slight smile he wore and those bright green eyes that shone with so much life.

"Neon-sama?"

"Krapi…I mean…Kurapika…I didn't know you had green eyes."

"Oh…" he shifted his feet. "I was wearing contacts…"

"Huh? Why'd you take them off? What if you can't see where you're going?"

"I don't have any eye disorders…"

"Then what do you need contacts for?"

"Look at the time. We need to go now if we want to come back early," Kurapika cut in, obviously trying to avoid the subject. Now he regretted ever taking off the contacts. He didn't know why he had taken them off in the first place. Did he do it because it just irritated him? Or did he do it to impress his boss? However, it was evident that the latter was successful. He never saw Neon look at him the way she was now. It made him quite uncomfortable.

"Oh, Kurapika!" Neon cried, her arms around Kurapika's right arm, almost making him jump. "We're gonna have the bestest time ever!" the pink-haired girl pulled her escort towards the open door.

"Kurapika! Stop!" a hoarse whisper came. Kurapika turned to the direction of the voice. Neon didn't seem to hear anything. She was too excited either because of the trip or because she has such a handsome chaperone. The blonde craned his head, to see Senrithsu, hiding behind the bushes outside.

"Kurapika! There's still a chance! Don't go!" she whispered in a panicky voice. "It's not worth it!"

"C'mon!" Neon pulled Kurapika inside the car. As they sped away, Kurapika could only turn to look at Senrithsu, wondering why she had tried to stop him. How hard could one little shopping spree with the boss be?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Neon was the first to step out of the limo. Immediately, she dashed inside the revolving door, leaving Kurapika in hot pursuit.

"What took you so long?" the ghost writer-user smiled charmingly at the panting Kuruta. Irritated by the way the boss had made him chase after her, Kurapika put a tight grip on Neon's arm.

"Never…ever…make me chase after you…again," he said gruffly. Upon seeing Neon's frightened eyes, his anger flickered away. He quickly let go of her arm.

"I…forgive me, Neon-sama."

"No, no, you're right. I shouldn't have made you tire up so easily. We've still got lots to do! Let's go to Complexions first! I need to buy more make up!"

Kurapika soon found himself dragged from one cosmetics store to another. While Neon tested the products and haggled with the salesladies, Kurapika would just stand and watch at one corner. It was well over an hour before the girl finally made a decision: one chenille lipstick and one foundation. Next stop was at Heaven Scent, a perfume store. Neon kept on dabbing perfume on her wrists, inhaling the scent of each before shaking her head and turning to sample another scent. The mixture of perfumes invaded Kurapika's lungs making him a bit giddy for a moment.

"Jasmine. What do you think, Kurapika?" Neon held out her wrist for Kurapika to sniff.

"Uh…"

"Great! I'll take it!" the girl cried out, confusing the Kuruta even more. Anyway, it did smell quite pleasant.

When they finally got out of that store, Kurapika inhaled the fresh air to rid his lungs of the perfume that permeated the stores. However, he couldn't get rid of the strong scent of F.L.I.R.T perfume that Neon had sprayed on herself, and accidentally, on him. It didn't strike him as silly until they reached The Jewelry Box. He was trailing behind his boss, carrying a bag of cosmetics and perfume. Neon was busy trying on earrings, hair gems, necklaces, and bracelets.

"Uhm, miss, you should try these on. It matches your eyes…" a young almond eyed man with curly brown hair and a few inches taller than Kurapika whispered, holding a long silver necklace with an emerald pendant.

"Oh wow. You're not only sweet smelling…you're pretty too!" he added. Veins started popping out of Kurapika's temple. His face flushed and contorted.

"Why don't you stuff that necklace in your a--"

"Let's go, Kurapika! Time's a wastin'!" Neon grabbed the chain-user's arm and whisked him away before he could finish his sentence, leaving the brown-haired man bewildered at the discovery of Kurapika's gender. Their next stop was at Footfalls, a shoe store. Neon was having the time of her life. As she slipped on one shoe after the other, she began to wonder why she hadn't enjoyed shopping like this with the others before. Kurapika didn't oooh and ahhh over the products like her maids did; nor does he have the taste for these feminine things. Maybe that's one of the reasons she enjoyed his company. Mostly, he left her alone but still, he was at her side…never complaining or whining like the others do, never bossing her around and never reminding her of the strict orders of her father. He was just there…watching…keeping a close eye for danger. But in some ways, this annoyed Neon a bit. She didn't really want him to come as her bodyguard. She wanted him to come as her…

"Oh God! What am I thinking!?" Neon blushed as she put on a pair of red sandals. "He'd never care for me beyond duty calls..." she sighed and looked up, startled by the way Kurapika was looking at her. She blushed some more and put her dainty feet forward for him to see.

"What do you think, Kurapika? Does it look good?"

"It suits you fine."

Neon pouted her lips. She had wanted the sandals to more than suit her just fine…at least, in the eyes of her chaperone.

"Yeesh! Would it kill you to make a compliment?!" Neon hurried to the counter, carrying the box of red sandals and ten more boxes of other shoes she had tried on for the past hour and a half. After paying, she struggled with the stack of boxes and stopped. Standing together with her bodyguard, were two girls. Kurapika had his back turned so he didn't see his boss. The girls talked animatedly with him before finally waving a kiss goodbye and giggling all the way. Suddenly, Neon felt her whole body quiver…in anger.

"KURAPIKA!" she yelled, stomping toward him. "WHAT WERE YOU DOING STANDING THERE AND TALKING TO THOSE…THOSE…GIRLS?!"

"I…I…I…"

"CARRY THESE!" she shoved the boxes to Kurapika's arm, causing some to fall over. Without looking back, Neon stormed out of the store, leaving Kurapika with a confused look on his face.

"They were just asking for directions," he called, but it seemed Neon had gone deaf. Quickly, he gathered the purchases.

"Man, you're girlfriend has some temper," the saleslady commented. "I'd be mad to if I was her."

"Huh?! She doesn't…I mean…sh-she's not my girlfriend," Kurapika stammered, his face flushed with red as he struggled with the boxes. He was able to catch up with Neon…mostly because she had just waited for him outside the store. She had her back towards him, her arms crossed, and her right foot patting the ground impatiently.

"Neon-sama…I…"

"Don't explain," Neon held out her hand. "So what'd they do? D'you get their phone numbers?"

"Phone numbers?"

"Or maybe you gave them YOURS? I don't tolerate over talking on the phone you know!"

"They were just asking for directions to Complexions," Kurapika said calmly, quite confused as to why Neon was making such a fuss about it. It had just been an innocent little conversation.

"Oh…that's…different…" Neon's face was almost as pink as her hair. She chewed on her fingernail, embarrassed to look at her bodyguard now.

"Darn! Why'd I go and shout at him!? Ooooh! I'm such an idiot!"

"N-neon-sama…can we go now?" Kurapika asked shakily, still struggling with the bags he was carrying.

"Oh! Of course! Last stop is Posh Kosh Department Store. I'd like to buy some new clothes."

"R-right…behind…you…" the blonde bodyguard called, as he tried to maintain some dignity while awkwardly carrying the several packages. Now he knew what Senrithsu and Basho had to go through every weekend. He had never felt so tired as he did at that very moment. Hours of walking, standing and carrying heavy loads have taken its toll on his body. Sweat starts pouring from his temples, his knees buckling together as he struggled inside the store, relieved to see a bench near where Neon rummaged through the racks of clothes. He carefully set his burden aside and sat heavily on the bench. He closed his eyes, now, wishing he hadn't come along. He rested his head against the bench, looking up at the ceiling with minimum interest. After awhile, everything started to swim away from his view…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The loud crash of steel clothes rack startled the Kuruta, waking him up from his slumber.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said a stout woman wearing a synthetic fur coat.

"That's okay, ma'am," the salesman sighed as he began to straighten up the rack. Kurapika turned to his wristwatch. It was 6:30 pm. His eyes flew all over the store…then, his heart raced. Neon was nowhere to be seen.

"Neon-sama?" he stood up and started to look frantically for his boss.

"Neon-sama!" he ran through the racks of clothes, through the counters and through the many people coming and going, some, looking disapprovingly at him. Kurapika was distraught. How was he ever going to find her in a huge mall? She could've gone anywhere by now.

"Excuse me," Kurapika walked over to a saleslady, desperate to find Neon. "Did you see a pink-haired girl about my age around here?"

"I'm sorry, but…I had a lot of teenage customers with pink hair today. Is it a fad or something?" the saleslady snorted. "Perhaps you could give me a more specific description?"

"She has green eyes…darker than mine. Forest green eyes. And she's wearing a white bonnet that matches her skirt. She's also in a long-sleeved pink blouse with a yellow blazer."

"Is she beautiful?" the saleslady asked innocently. Kurapika was quite taken aback by the question. He didn't really know how to respond. Yes, Neon was pretty. Though he didn't admit it to anyone, he had admired his boss's looks.

"What's that got to do with anything?" he finally blurted out. Then, he felt foolish. By saying that, he felt like he had just told everyone he had a crush on his boss.

"It's just a description," the saleslady looked awkwardly at him.

"Yes," the chain user finally breathed out. "She's beautiful." Heat rose up to redden Kurapika's cheeks. It was more like admitting this fact to himself rather than to this stranger. He had denied it before…and being forced to say it now was more humiliating than he could ever imagine…at least to himself.

"Hmmm…is that her over there?" the saleslady pointed out behind Kurapika. He turned to look.

"There you are, Kurapika! Why'd you leave the stuff on the bench?!" came Neon's shrill voice. But Kurapika was barely listening to her. He looked up and down at his boss, staring disbelievingly at her. Was this really the same girl who had dragged him from store to store, squealing and giggling incessantly? Neon had just changed into more casual teenage attire, which matches Kurapika's style perfectly. She had on an orange striped white sleeveless blouse under a peach blazer with fitting faded jeans trimmed just below her knees and on her feet, were the pair of red sandals she had chosen earlier. She also had her hair down and on each side of her head, was an orange hairclip. All in all, she looked more mature…from a Nikki doll to a Barbie doll. Kurapika never saw the curves of Neon's body look more attractive as it did when she hid her figure behind those huge billowing skirts. Neon looked down on her sandals, hiding her flushed face from her bodyguard while covering a smile behind her small hand. She was affecting him. She could tell by the way he was looking at her. She had purposely chosen an outfit that can somehow match Kurapika's. She spun around.

"What do you think of my new clothes?"

"Y-you…you look…" the Kuruta struggled to find the words. He really didn't know what to say. He wasn't exactly the best in making compliments of sorts. Should he say she looked absolutely breathtaking? Would that reveal too much? Yes it would. If he said it suited her fine, he would be lying…for she was beyond that. Neon tilted her head and crossed her arms beneath her bosom, still waiting for an answer, a frown starting to form on her lips.

"Say something! Are you trying to tell me I got through all this trouble trying to impress you just to end up without a single syllable from your mouth?!"

"Awww…isn't that cute?! He's speechless!" the saleslady, whom Kurapika had forgotten for a moment, cooed and stepped closer to them. She turned to Neon.

"Don't worry, honey. I've seen these situation loads of times before. Boys tend to go speechless when their girlfriends go and pretty themselves up. But when you dress badly, their mouths never stop flapping about it," she rolled her eyes.

"H-huh?!" Neon blushed. "He's…we're not…"

"You're such a handsome looking couple! Look at you!" she shoved Kurapika closer to Neon. "I just love it when couples dress alike!"

"C-couple?" the blonde young man snapped out of his reverie, his face red. "There's nothing…"

"You know, you remind me of me and my long-time boyfriend," the saleslady stared out dreamily, interrupting both Kurapika and Neon's attempts of telling her they weren't a couple. She then began to talk incessantly about her love life. Both teenagers were bewildered. Neon then felt a tug on her hand.

"Let's go, Neon-sama…" Kurapika whispered, tightening his grip on her hand. Slowly, they slipped away from the saleslady's view.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm…so sorry about that, Neon-sama," Kurapika apologized on their way to the limo. Neon had decided to help out a little so the bodyguard's burden was lightened. The pink-haired girl bent her head down.

"There's nothing to apologize about. That woman might've been wacko for all we know," she brought her packages to her chauffeur, who immediately put them inside the trunk. When all purchases have been safely stuffed inside, the chain user opened the door for his boss and waited for her to enter. Neon didn't budge from where she stood.

"Neon-sama, we have to go home now."

"Kurapika, what do you really think about my clothes?" the girl finally blurted out.

"Your clothes?" Kurapika gulped. "They're plentiful and expensive and I'm sure they will suit you well."

"Don't play dumb with me!" Neon shot him a look. "You know very well what I'm talking about!"

"Oh…" the blonde Kuruta fidgeted with his fingers. He knew what the boss had meant by then. He had tried desperately to avoid answering that question but it seems all his efforts were in vain. Finally, he sighed.

"I…I think you look…" he looked straight into those forest green eyes, the lights, making them shimmer. Her pearl-complexioned oval face tilted slightly towards the side, her heart-shaped pink lips quivering. She truly looked like an angel this way. Without hesitation, he breathed out, "…very beautiful."

Neon's face seemed to glow making her more breathtaking than ever, with a smile that showed a row of perfect white teeth. Heat rose up from her face making her cheeks rosy. Kurapika blushed heavily but somehow, he felt lighter…as if a heavy load had been taken away from his chest after he made that compliment.

"Do you really think so?" Neon asked, almost in a whisper as she desperately tries to cover her wide smile by bending her head down.

"Yes…I…guess I do," Kurapika smiled back.

"Wait a sec," the fortuneteller ran up to where he chauffeur stood and whispered something. The chauffeur nodded, got in the car and sped away, much to the Kuruta's surprise.

"Hey! He's leaving!"

"That's coz I told him to."

"Huh?"

"Kurapika, there's this new food joint in the mall that I'd like to try out and a new movie I'd like to see. D'you mind if…you'd accompany me to those?"

The chain user stared at his boss, who smiled winningly at him.

"I don't think I have any other choice," he stated. "But I wouldn't mind. I'd be happy to do so," he quickly added, when Neon started to look somewhat disappointed. Immediately, she came back to her jolly self. Happily, she walked over to her bodyguard. The reason she did this was because she felt that she had to thank him somehow…and treating him to dinner and a movie would be pretty nice. On the other hand, she felt as if she were forcing him to go on a date with her. But she wasn't, was she? He said he had wanted to come with her right? Suddenly, Neon was full of trepidation. Was Kurapika just giving in to her wants just like her father? She bit her lower lip and turned to ask him that question. However, it was answered the moment she set her eyes on him. Kurapika had his arm ready for Neon's to slip through. But that wasn't the only thing. For the first time ever, the Nostrad heiress saw a real smile dancing not only on her bodyguard's lips but in his eyes as well, making them glow with so much life. She was both disturbed and thrilled by the sudden pit pat of her heart and the burst of butterflies flapping around in her stomach. Neon threaded her arm through Kurapika's and said nothing more as they walked past the crowds of people coming and going. Some stopped to admire the two young and jovial teenagers, strolling along, oblivious to everyone as if they were encased in their own little world. The young man turned to look at the girl walking merrily beside him. She turned to flash a sweet smile at him. He smiled back and thought of what had happened for the past several hours.

"You're wrong Senrithsu…this is truly worth it…"

~*ThE eNd*~

Whew! Finally! I'm done! Sorry for the slow progress. Had to keep up with my class schedules and all. Hope you liked that and please tell me what you think, OK? Remember to visit , my Kurapika and Neon site! A sequel? I dunno. Maybe. If I'd do a sequel, it'd be about what happens on their date or something. Suggestions? Please e-mail me at Sakura_Rose@hotmail.com