"The daughter of one of the most powerful families in the York New City?!" Aunt Mito was astounded, to put it mildly. "So then…why is she here with you?"
"She has nowhere to go," replied Gon. "Kurapika, on the other hand, feels that she is too young to fend off for herself, so he continued his bodyguard duties for her."
"But someone like her who grew up in a place where people wait on her…are you sure that she would adjust well in our home?" asked the woman.
Leorio sighed. "We tried telling Kurapika that, but he was adamant. Ah well, it is he who will baby-sit the kid, not us, right?"
"Speaking of babysitter, where is Kurapika?" asked Killua, looking around the room.
"I think he brought Neon-san a blanket," said Gon.
"Great! Now Kurapika was promoted to being her personal slave!" Leorio rolled his eyes.
***
"Neon-sama."
She blinked and turned around. Kurapika was standing behind her, holding a maroon blanket.
"You shouldn't be outside when it is this cold," he gently admonished her.
"I don't feel cold!" She raised her chin in defiance. "Besides, I am enjoying the night here."
"Why?" he asked. "Don't we have the night sky in York New City too?"
"It's different here," she replied thoughtfully. "It feels much more peaceful here, you know. The breeze is kind and intends not to freeze me. The branches of the tree sway and dance with the wind for me. The stars twinkle more brightly than they used to just to delight me." Her eyes softened. "Everything feels…yummy."
"Yummy?" He failed to suppress a chuckle. For all her poetic words awhile ago, that came as a surprise.
"Yes, yummy." Neon nodded solemnly. "I think that the whole world may stop revolving at this place."
Silence.
"I would love to take Papa here. It would relax him, don't you think so, Kurapika?" she turned to him, eyes asking.
"Y-Yes, Neon-sama."
"But I'm glad you came here," she continued. "Because aside from Papa, I think you are the one who needs to see this too."
His forehead creased. "Really?"
She smiled tenderly. "You were frightening the first time…the first time I saw you up close. Your eyes were lifeless…like looking at dead swamp. Murky and indiscernible, dull and blank. I've seen so many eyes…greedy eyes, bloodlusty eyes, eyes unseeing…"
"But your eyes are different. They're not evil, but they're not good. They're just…well, empty. And that was the most cruel one I've ever known."
"You…you see it that way?" he asked quietly.
She nodded, then looked down. "You really…think I don't care much about others, ne?"
"Neon-sama…"
Her eyes welled up with tears, but she quickly wiped them away. "Ah well, past is past!"
"Neon-sama, when you agreed to leave with Eliza…wasn't that proof enough that you cared?" he asked gently. "Or that you ran away, searching for your father that one rainy night?"
She looked at him doubtfully.
He squeezed her shoulders fondly. "Now that you've told me how you see my eyes, let me describe yours. Your eyes are those of a little girl trapped in a young woman's body. Those eyes tell of so much love in your heart that you are afraid to release and reveal. Your eyes can make miracles happen, especially when you smile."
She blinked, then beamed. "My eyes must be very beautiful."
He nodded. "Don't be afraid to show what your eyes can do."
"Right! But you must do that yourself too," she said. "Your eyes are like mine…they need release too, don't you think?"
He was speechless.
"Good night, Kurapika!" With that, she ran back into her room, leaving her bodyguard stunned.
***
The next morning, Neon woke up, expecting Eliza to appear in the door with her neatly pressed outfit ready to wear, as well as a breakfast tray on her lamp table.
Her eyes fell on the wooden ceiling, and it was then that she realized that there was no Eliza in this place.
She scowled, her good mood disappearing. After running her fingers through her rose-colored mane, she left the room and gracefully went down the stairs.
"Kurapika?" she called.
"Kurapika is out with his friends," said an old woman's voice. She turned and saw a plump woman in her eighties smiling at her kindly. "Now won't you take breakfast with us?"
"Um…" She stopped herself from asking for breakfast in bed. After her talk with Kurapika last night, she had resolved to herself that she would try to please the people around her as much as possible, just so they would care for her back…just like what Kurapika did.
"Y-Yes!" she replied and followed the old lady into the dining room. "Where is Aunt Mito?"
"Oh, she's out in the parlor, serving breakfast."
"To whom?"
"You'll see in a little while."
***
"Your eyes can tell so much love springs forth from your heart," recited Leorio solemnly, raising his arms for emphasis. "Your eyes can make miracles happen, especially when you—"
"Knock it off, Leorio," said Kurapika, rolling his eyes. The four of them were asked by Aunt Mito to catch fishes for today's lunch, but it seemed only the three of them were actually doing work. The doctor had opted to serve as an entertainer to them, and to his dismay, Leorio had oh-so-cheerfully decided to focus his antics on HIM.
"Yeah, knock it off, Leorio," agreed Killua. "Kurapika is nearing his boiling point—"
Gon squealed. "I caught a big one!!! Wow, Aunt Mito will be so happy!"
"Anyway," said Kurapika smoothly, trying to hide the annoyance in his voice. It would only motivate Leorio further. "I want to reprimand you for spying on Neon-sama and I. That is a shameful thing for a respectable man like you to do."
"Respectable?" Killua looked astonished. "Do you need a dictionary to understand how you just described Leorio?"
Gon grinned. "And another fish! Yes!!! What a hearty lunch for us, yes siree!!"
The man rolled his sleeves up his elbow. "You know, you shouldn't be so defensive if it doesn't mean much."
"Neon-sama is in the lowest point of her life now," the Kuruta lad explained through gritted teeth. "So you see, she needs all the encouragement she can get."
"Encouragement like 'your eyes are very beautiful'?" teased the doctor.
"Yes. Now please shut up. I am concentrating on catching a fish." He turned his attention back to the water.
"You guys are chasing away the fishes!" complained Gon. "You have to be really quiet if you guys want to catch them!"
Killua sighed. "My arm hurts already, and no fish wants to get caught and be eaten. Why can't I just use my nen?"
The olive green-clad boy laughed. "Because it's fun not use your nen once in a while."
"A painful arm is not my idea of fun," said the Zordick dryly.
***
"Ah!! A restaurant!" Neon looked excited.
Aunt Mito nodded. "The people in this town come by our place to eat and chat." She turned her attention to the eggs she was frying. "We lead a simple life here, so you must understand why people drop by frequently here."
Her eyes shone. "I love this place! Ah, the smiles here are so warm and friendly…" She looked at Gon's aunt pleadingly. "Can I help out here?"
Mito blinked, then laughed. "Oh, don't bother to help. We can still manage."
"But I want to help! I want, I want, I WANT!" She stomped her feet on the floor, ready to blow her fuse.
Mito calmly placed the fried eggs on the plate and served it to the customers as Neon watched her intently. When Mito made it back to the counter, Neon finally asked, "Well, aren't you going to do anything?"
Mito smiled and shook her head. "No."
"B-But why?" Back in her mansion, her maids would have already freaked out and tried to console her with the best that they could do, just so she would not cry. So how come this woman wasn't doing the same?
"Just because," said the woman.
"TELL ME!!" she screeched.
Mito paused, then sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you why." She stomped her feet on the floor, just as Neon did awhile ago. "BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO!!!"
Neon sweatdropped along with the people.
Mito smiled. "Now do you understand?"
Neon slowly shook her head. "Y-You looked a little…silly awhile ago."
The woman laughed. "I *knew* you understood."
The young girl's eyes widened, comprehension finally dawning on her.
***
That night, Kurapika visited her in her room. She was once more out in the balcony, looking up at the stars.
"Kurapika?" she said, not glancing at him.
He paused. He knew that her nen was taken already, and yet she could sense him. He had to smile. "Yes, Neon-sama?"
"Today was fun," she said. "I think I'm starting to like it here. And I like Aunt Mito very much."
He nodded slowly. A young girl yearning for a mother figure.
"Do I have to go home soon?' she asked sadly. "Because that's what Eliza and I do. We move frequently from place to place just when I start to get comfortable. We won't do that, would we, Kurapika?"
He shook his head. "No, Neon-sama."
"I'm glad." She leaned on the wall. "Thanks for bringing me here."
"You're welcome, Neon-sama." He turned to leave, but not without throwing his shoe on the moving figure behind the bushes placed beneath Neon's balcony. A vague "ouch" was heard, making Kurapika grin.
***
to be continued