I don't own H X H.

Chapter 3: Memories X Secrets X Truth

"Hey Leorio! Remember this place?" Gon asked his older friend.

"How can I forget? This is where we met."

"Yep. And I gave you an apple."

"And then you followed me around like a lost puppy."

"But then you saved me from that man who was going to sell me."

"Please. I only did that because I don't like those kinds of guys."

As Gon and Leorio were having this conversation, Kurapica and Killua were watching them.

"I wish I knew what they were talking about." Killua said.

"Me too. I didn't meet them until the ship." Kurapica stated. "Now that I think about it, I did pass by them a few times, but I didn't pay too much attention. I was only focused on getting to the exam."

"I know that feeling. HEY YOU TWO!"

"Huh?" asked Leorio

"What Killua?" Gon asked of his best friend.

"Let's eat." He said pointing to the restaurant that Kurapica ate at the last time he was in that city.

"ALRIGHT!" Leorio and Gon raced to the door.

Kurapica and Killua shook their heads.

0000

"So Kara? What happened back there? Did I upset you?"

"Oh no Keitaro. Nothing like that."

Kara and Keitaro were sitting in a restaurant eating and celebrating the six months they've been together.

"Ok."

"Keitaro. We've been together for six months now right?"

"Yes."

"I think it's about time we started to tell secrets."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok. I'll go first. Hehem. I, Keitaro, sleep with a teddy bear."

"Actually, I already knew that courtesy of Kaida."

"I'm going to kill her."

"I have a twin brother."

"Why is THAT a deep dark secret Kara? And why haven't I met him?"

"He is dead."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot about your family."

"It's ok. Your turn."

"Ok. I want to take the Hunter's Exam."

"Who doesn't?"

"Geez. You have all the good secrets."

"Thank you. Now let me see. I'm really a…"

Just as Kara was about to say the key word, two boys came running in the door. Kara and her boyfriend looked up to see who was in a hurry. One of the runners looked to be in his 30's, but was actually in his early 20's. The other runner was about 14. The older guy wore a blue suit. How he ran in it she'll never know. The teenager wore a green outfit and had a fishing pole poking out of his backpack.

"TABLE FOR FOUR PLEASE!" The two boys yelled at the greeter.

"Four?" Keitaro asked half to himself and half to Kara.

Just then two other boys came into the restaurant. One was a silver-haired kid about the same age as the younger sprinter. The other one was a blond boy about the same age as Kara and Keitaro.

"Could it…Nah." Kara said to herself. "Wishful thinking again"

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Where were we?"

"You were saying that you were really."

"Oh yeah. Oh my gosh! Look at the time. How about I tell you on the way back to the hotel?"

"Sounds fine."

The two lovebirds left with one last glance at the runners and their friends.

0000

"Never make us chase you two like that again." Kurapica scolded the two sprinters.

"What's wrong Kura?" Leorio joked. "I thought you'd be able to run that short distance after the Hunter's Exam."

"NEVER call me Kura." Kurapica threatened. Underneath his contacts, his eyes glowed a bright crimson.

"Ok. Ok." Leorio held up his hands in defense.

"What's wrong with Kurapica?" Gon asked.

"Must have something to do about the past." Killua pointed out, "Let's not ask."

"Why not?"

Killua only looked at Kurapica who was pointing a finger at Leorio and telling him off. Eyes almost a dark black due to the contacts.

"Oh."

0000

"YOU'RE OF THE MMMPPHH!" Keitaro asked his girlfriend after she told him her secret just as they entered the hotel.

"Yes. Now shut up. I don't want anyone to know." She said as she pulled her hand away from his mouth.

"You told him I assume." Anna asked from behind the desk.

"Yeah. Just now. Sorry I'm late. We saw an interesting group of people."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You know, I could have sworn one of them looked like my brother. But that could be because I was missing him at the time."

"What makes you say that?" Keitaro asked her.

"Tomorrow is the anniversary of the massacre."

"REALLY!"

"Yes." She answered as she took her spot behind the desk and placed a hand on the briefcase.

"I'm sorry." Keitaro apologized.

"It's not your fault." Kara told him.

"Kara. If it's not too much trouble, may I see you without the wig and contacts?" Keitaro asked her.

"I don't see why not." She said as she went to the room that she and Anna shared.

Keitaro followed her.

"Don't do anything inappropriate." Anna called

"ANNA!"

"Just kidding."

0000

Inside the room, Kara pulled off her black wig and let her blond hair fall to her neck and her bangs in her face. As Keitaro gaped at his now even more beautiful girlfriend, she brought her hand to her eyes and took out her contacts. She gave them to him before telling him,

"Please don't freak."

"I won't"

She then lifted her head to reveal that her eyes were red instead of blue.

"What color are you seeing?" She asked him nervously.

"Red."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again.

"Now they're a beautiful shade of blue."

Just then he remembered something.

"Kara. I am so sorry. I didn't know. I just remembered that you loathed the Phantom Brigade and I thought you would be interested in knowing of the disbanding. I didn't even consider the last sentence in the article."

"I've said it before, it's not your fault." She told him before kissing him.

TBC

Next time on Karapica:

Wow! We're actually staying in a hotel! At first I didn't want to, but these rooms are huge. And the clerk is nice too. I wonder who she and her friend are. Next time on Karapica: Hotel X Customers X Names. Hey Killua! Look at this! (Points at the drinking bird in the room)