Chapter 6: Cupid and Pumpkin

"I hate and love. And why, perhaps you'll ask.I don't know: but I feel, and I'm tormented."―Catullus

It was Sunday, and it's been two weeks Aoi made at their home. The rule of the house was simple, at the dawn; Illumi will get to the kitchen, making foods and lunch for everyone, Feitan, Leorio and Chrollo leave early; then Hisoka, Kite and Omokage, after them the kids; Killua, Aoi, Gon, Kurapika, and Shalnark for school, Milluki for University then after getting everybody out, finally at 10.45 am, Illumi will leave for the hunter commission. The kids, Gon, Killua and Aoi would return home at 2:30, Gon will buy the ingredients for dinner, which is also now shared by Aoi, then within 5 in the afternoon everyone will return and Aoi and Illumi will take turn making dinners for everyone, and to Aoi, her most favourite time in the home was dinner time, where everyone would share their daily lives and sometimes even the solutions of some difficult problems are sought out there; Aoi could clearly remember, of course it was just three days ago, that what Shalnark playfully suggested that to get the attention of the Lady Doctor at the ENT department Leorio likes, he should start wearing a slim-framed rimless specks, instead of his douche-like shades, and voila, the next day Leorio got asked out! And that day Leorio was so flustered that he knocked porridges all over... Aoi still smiled when she is alone... having brothers are so much fun!

Today was Sunday, and after having Crepes and maple syrup for breakfast, Aoi hadn't particularly anything to do. So she was loitering around after 9 am, as she done her studies. Chrollo was usually in his library in the south wing, and Gon was doing the chores in the garden, as Aoi looked from the window from the third floor corridor, and saw he was quite having fun with the squirrels and stray leaves around. Aoi left the window side, humming her favourite song 'once upon a dream', and happily twirled around the stairs, as she did back home, while cleaning her room with a mop. But her song suddenly pulled stop when she found someone standing in front of her; the brother she dearly dreaded...

'Feitan-san! Good morning,' Aoi bowed 'have you taken a break from the college?'

'How dumb could you get?' Feitan added sarcastically 'today is Sunday!'

'Oh... I forgot...' but before Aoi could make amends, he was already gone... muttering something which oddly sounded like 'sleepy brains'

Aoi was kind of turned down, and then she convinced herself those two weeks perhaps not a long time to sink into this kind of relationship... Aoi took a step down and now she was in the third floor landing. Aoi had some times in the house, but this place was so huge, that she didn't have enough time to know it. Chrollo once told her that this house is more than three-hundred years old, established by someone named George Fitzwilliam De Bourgh, around the late 17th century. This place was reconstructed again in the early 19th century to give a Gothic structure and it's been maintained thus since. The Matsuhashi line were living in it, since the mid-19th century, and through the ages, a lot of souvenirs had been added in this house. The Matsuhashi family was fairly good at trading with the Anglican (British) people, and their favourites were spices, exotic fabrics, woods and gems. In their archive room, (Aoi had yet to visit that) there was kept a blood emerald, as a Souvenir from the Norman King Francis Antoine XIV, for the extraordinary invention of meddling with the Xian Silk with Jute; the brothers still believe that talent is passed directly to Omokage.

Aoi was thus taking a detour in the house, passing rooms by rooms, some locked, some unlocked, and finally at the ground floor, she walked through the front passage of the veranda and found a large door at the end of the passage. She opened it without hesitation; it was huge and the English oak door creaked slightly open. The glaring white of the mid-day of May blinded Aoi instantly, and taking a step or two forwards she realised that she had entered a huge room furnished with everything virgin white and pleasing gold and the pride of the place was at the ceiling; a 4 feet diameter of a vintage crystal chandelier that was glittering the room with surreal silver glow. The Ceiling of the room and the floors that surrounded it, Aoi counted was twelve, so she guessed it to be a ballroom. She roamed across the room and in the opposite wall of the floor length Gothic windows, was painting, life size portraits of the Matsuhashi family; she saw her would-be-stepmother, Palm, with her black hair down and her neck bent with a graceful air, sporting a large sapphire necklace and beside her, stood a handsome man with eyes of Chrollo, graceful wavy red hair of Hisoka, but without the ducktail which was simply brushed back, making the waves really pretty, complexion of Gon, lips of Kite and a quizzical expression like Leorio, Aoi suspected him to be late Mr. Matsuhashi. She was skimming the portraits but another creak of the door startled her to death.

'Who are you and what are you doing here? This is a private property and you're breaking an entry!'

Aoi shot her glance backwards and saw there a ginger guy who is famous worldwide for his famous arching skill, Pokkle Nigel Matsuhashi, who is famous among his fellow athletes with the ominous name of 'Caeli Sagittarius'. Aoi quickly bowed to him without any delay and noted he wasn't as short as he appeared in TV; he was a good 5'7" and his head was not coroneted with his usual pink beanie, instead, his chin length messy bob brushed his top part of his neck and his bangs were pinned away from his forehead like those of the K-pop stars. He wore a denim vest over his full-sleeve white t-shirt and khaki Capri, and his hands were sunk in his pockets and his olive eyes frowned at Aoi.

'I am sorry, I haven't introduced myself... I am-'

'Oh! McGee's Alice! I know you!' Pokkle cracked a smile and waved 'you must be our new sister... Feitan told me all about you!' he swung his fingers towards her, and he took a step forward, his eyes was now less intimidating and severe and he gave a close-eyed smile again 'hi, I am Pokkle... but you can call me nii-san,' he said easily and walked around 'I will be here for a couple of days and be off after the wedding's over... got a new tour to go... you know... crazy celeb athlete regime'

Aoi noted a thing that he was all the way talking all by himself, and didn't bother to ask her name as such, referring her as 'McGee's Alice' which painfully remembered her of her school and which she did not like. She was always conscious of her appearance, she was born with hypo-pigmented skin and eyes, or less and albino, and her dark black hair so starkly contrasted with it, that she was often teased of it in school, and when she was in about second-grade, some girls were pulling her cheeks bullying her, calling 'ghost', 'pasty' and other names, and then Menchi was the one who rescued her, and named her 'blueberry' for she thought she looked quite pretty in blue. But later she got over it, for partly Menchi's support and partly for people seemed to notice how beautiful she actually was. It was actually hard for her to admit that she didn't like Pokkle as much as others.

'Hey... are you even listening to me?' Pokkle demanded 'Hey...'

Suddenly another creak of the door followed and Leorio hastily entered with a haphazard undone hair and a white shirt.

'Pokkle, where have you been-oh? Good morning Aoi-chan' he smiled and waved...

'A-O-I?! Her name is actually Aoi?' Pokkle exclaimed, 'I thought she was Alice! I mean-whoa!' Pokkle scratched his head, 'are you two sure?' he pointed indeterminately.

Aoi's bows frowned again, she took a curt bow and bit her lips 'I apologise... I didn't get to introduce myself...' and without any other word she left through the door, leaving behind a very puzzled Pokkle and distressed Leorio.

Aoi quietly walked on the hallway, and near the drawing room she passed Kite who was eager to greet him, but it was left unnoticed. Aoi was at the end of the corridor and about to open the door to the drawing room, but suddenly a sound of running motion stopped her.

'Gon, what happened? What brings you here?' Aoi asked to Gon who just finished sweeping the garden.

'Nee-san, a call arrived five minutes ago, and it's for you...' Gon said.

'What, is everything all right?' Aoi asked anxious.

'Dunno... It's someone called Menchi.'

Aoi was surprised that Menchi called so early at Sunday, for she rarely gets up before twelve pm in those days, she hurried towards the drawing room where Hisoka handed her the receiver.

'Hello, Chi-chan, everything's fine? Are you okay?' Aoi asked anxiously, her pale face flustered and so Hisoka and Gon.

'Did you just forget about what day is it?' Menchi complained from the other side 'no matter how busy are you at the wedding, you promised to come...'

'What are we talking about Chi-chan? It's still 23rd may and your birthday doesn't come until 22nd July.' Aoi asked.

'You promised to meet me at the airport, the flight is arriving in about 15 minutes.'

...

As soon as Menchi hung up, Aoi took permission from Hisoka and set her foot for York Shin airport, but Hisoka didn't let her go alone, for safety and comfort purpose, he had called Shalnark to accompany Aoi, to which Aoi was a bit uncomfortable with him, not for him, but for his friends who might pull dexterous comments on him and her. Anyway, it was great having a free bicycle ride with Shalnark to the airport; he was sure a strong guy.

'Ne, imoto-chan, who are you meeting today? And who is Menchi?' Shalnark asked as he descended from the bicycle and so did Aoi, 'my best friend, I know her since forever' Aoi said 'and a few friends of mine are arriving today... I am sure they will be glad to meet you.' Aoi said and waved at Menchi who stood at the terminal, Aoi was about to introduce her with Shalnark, but she held her out.

'Not want to sound rude, but do this intro later with everyone, that would be nicer' Menchi said a rushed towards the front and jumped up and down while finally a grin across her face was spread.

'Here they come! HEY GUYS OVER HERE!' Menchi waved at them.

Pushing the crowd along with their trolley over the terminal, two very dissimilar looking boys came at the front, the tall one was pale with dark messy hair and wearing stylish nerd glasses, with his partly tucked college shirt paired with casual jeans and converse, his neighbour was about reaching his shoulder with cropped out brown hair along with tanned skin and bright eyes with a murky gray hoodie and jeans. Both looked happy at the very sight to Menchi and Aoi and they soon, bowed to them, but the taller one was almost over the floor with an affectionate back-slap of Menchi.

'Yah, don't need to be formal now, we know you for ages... How was your trip?'

'Good actually... University of Seoul is fine!' the taller one replied quietly

'You study at SU...? Wow man, that must be good!'

All of them turned towards Shalnark's voice and the newcomers cracked an embarrassed laugh, 'Sorry, but who are you? You look quite new, are you new at Aoi's class?'

'No, no... I am her elder brother, hello I am Shalnark Matsuhashi...' Shalnark bowed to them, and the taller guy questionable looked from Aoi to Menchi, and Menchi cleared up all the confusion.

'Okay now... We need a formal introduction right now... people, this is Shalnark, Shalnark-san? And he is the son of Mrs Palm Siberia, the lady Mr. Tanaka is going to marry, and Aoi is currently living at her place with him and his twelve other siblings' Menchi waved at Shalnark 'and Shalnark-san, this is Wing Hyuk' she pointed at the bespecled guy 'and Kim Zushi, these guys are maternal cousins and Zushi is our classmate, they are both Hangul (my version of Korean) and Wing is studying mechanical engineering... They went at Seoul, their hometown and also for Wing's application for leaving and are for brief break in York shin to attend the wedding, Zushi will stay here and Wing will go back.' Menchi explained.

'Yo...' Shalnark waved and they waved back.

'Okay... now we are done... Wing!' Menchi turned to Wing with her hands in the hips... 'Where is my Kimchi?'

'Don't worry... I have bought that... And your favourite Dongchimi also...' Wing smiled and patted Menchi, who stood almost at his shoulder, and then she smiled 'good... 'Cause it felt like forever since I had your Kimchi-jjigae'

Note: Kimchi is a fermented cabbage pickle with lots of pepper, eaten as side dish in Korea, and Kimchi-jjigae is a red soup made with Kimchi. Dongchimi is another type of Kimchi, but it's made of radish and immersed and fermented in Radish water.

'Let's leave them alone shall we...' Zushi winked at them and they went towards the airport cafe and it seemed like Shalnark and Zushi was getting really along. Shalnark smiled couple of times at Zushi's Hangul accent and Aoi was happy for him too.

'So, from when you know Aoi-chan Zushi-san?' Shalnark asked blissfully, 'Please Shalnark-san... skip the 'san' will ya... makes me sound like a lot older than I am' Zushi scratched his head and sat at a random stool 'well it's a funny story, I know Aoi since middle school, alright! Now there was a thing that Hyung went to high school that time and then-' Zushi looked meaningfully at Aoi and from then Aoi caught up.

'Actually Shalnark-san, his Hyung, means his brother, Wing used to go the neighbouring high school and he grew quite attracted towards Menchi... but he was too shy to approach her, and he made Zushi transfer at our school, just to get close to Menchi...' Aoi smiled cutely.

'So that means they are going out... wow!' Shalnark said with awestruck eyes 'that's kinda... unexpected... cuz don't mind me, but they look totally different persons,' Shalnark reckoned 'I have done also quite bit errands like that for my brothers... and sometimes it turned out a bit embarrassing... '

'I totally got you there, and you're right in a sense... they aren't going out... Menchi rejected him at the moment he proposed... Said she wouldn't fancy holding hands, going at dates and stuff all couples do...' Zushi said 'but turned out, they became like really close friends... and Hyung doesn't even mention that kind of feelings for her-'

'Not saying unnecessary things are you?' Menchi sternly said from their back and they jumped from their seats and turned towards her, and saw she was already holding two glass jars filled with orange-red cabbage pieces, while in the other hand white radish cubes were floating in transparent spiced-brine in a box, 'here, Aoi... help me put this into my bag... Ooh! Gotta feast on that for three months...'

Before Aoi could reach that, Shalnark stood up 'here... let me help you... Menchi-chan' he made room in a jute tote. 'oooh! I really like you aniki... Aoi, you must be living like a princess' Menchi smiled,

'Why she shouldn't be... after all she is a princess' Shalnark commented on Menchi and to his response, Menchi's lightened expression grimed a little bit, but she didn't let them see it.

'Yeah... we know that... Aoi's the Princess and I am the Witch...' and everyone broke into laughter. 'Oh, Menchi-chan, your sense of humour is great...' Shalnark laughed and handed her the tote and bowed. 'So should I leave you friends together or should I escort Aoi home... 'Cause my brother is preparing for lunch and you could all be invited there!' Shalnark offered.

'No thank you aniki, we appreciate it.' Wing apologised 'but Menchi had already has plans for us, and we will all be meeting for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding!'

'Point... So Aoi, will you be staying with them or you would go home?' Shalnark's green eyes twinkled, which Menchi did not took quite well but recovered again 'please aniki, let her stay till afternoon at my place, it's rare that we four gather together ... she will call you when she wants to get home... okay...' Menchi said and Shouldered with Aoi.

'Okay... fine by me... Aoi-chan, call me okay... I have put my number in your phone.' And Shalnark left slowly in his bicycle, leaving Aoi and friends.

...

Aoi had a lot of fun with Wing and Zushi. Menchi made a delicious Hangul meal: Kimchi dumpling, Kimchi fried rice, Black bean noodles, fried potato starch noodles, fish-cakes and in dessert; their all time favourite, she ordered toffee and dulce de lech ice cream. But Aoi noted something which struck her very oddly: the other three were exchanging meaningful glances while eating and they weren't smiling at all. Aoi did not press the matter and continued to eat the Kimchi. At the evening, when the time came, Shalnark came to escort Aoi home.

'Good god aniki! ' Menchi exclaimed while opening the door and letting him in 'you actually manage to remember my home just from Aoi's direction... impressive!' Menchi said 'it's hot outside, you must be sweaty... come inside, have something to cool down...' Menchi made gesture to Wing and Zushi to scoot over so that Shalnark could sit, but to Menchi's surprise, Shalnark took his seat beside Aoi.

'So... did you have a good time together...' Shalnark asked them.

'Yes we did...' Zushi answered 'and Menchi cooked great...' he looked at Menchi as she served everyone icy smoothies. 'How 'bout you aniki?' Menchi asked in such a tone which Aoi was quite unfamiliar with

'well... it was okay... It's our first Sunday lunch with Aoi, and everyone was asking about her... then I had to go to gym, got some training goin' on-'

'Wait... that's a odd time for going to gym' Menchi said.

'Actually Chi-chan, Shalnark-nii-san plays for the high school basketball team and he had been picking me up from there...' Aoi said.

'But I am not as good as I need to be yet!' Shalnark huffed 'they want a lot for the YSIU, plus if I get in I could manage to train with the scholarship money... I am so stupid; I am bragging and all in front of you-'

'No it's cool... beside, Zushi is trying for the same thing with the Taekwondo' Menchi said, 'oh... look at the time, it's nearly sundown... you might wanna get going Aoi...'

'Good thinking... God I lost track of time completely... c'mon Aoi, let's get going.' Shalnark lead Aoi out of the door on to his bicycle while Menchi standing the threshold while waving them till they are at the curve of the block. Then quite unexpectedly she rushed in, picking up her bag and throwing herself a sneaker.

'Are you going somewhere?' Zushi asked, 'cuz you're like-'

'As you should!' Menchi exclaimed 'Wing, Zushi... I don't care what you're gonna think, but you better get up the buns of yours and get going...'

'Why?' Wing was totally out of clue what she was doing, while she almost seized Zushi by his collar...

'We are gonna spy on Aoi...'

...

Aoi was on Shalnark's bicycle and they were gliding past the Avenue, but the St. Hudson River was nowhere to be seen.

'Shalnark-san... It isn't the road we took while we came...' Aoi asked curiously leaning slightly on Shalnark's back and frowned her eyebrows, but the reply was surprisingly light-hearted 'Don't worry, it's a shortcut... it's Sunday evening time and the streets will be frigging crowded soon, so we will take small alley... don't worry we'll get there before dark.'

But as soon as he turned away, the whole bicycle had an unhealthy vibrating motion and suddenly Shalnark broke stop.

'Sorry Aoi-chan, it's my phone... yes speaking... oh Cupid-nii'

Little did they know that, three teens were having three pairs of eyes set earnestly on them, behind a hotdog vendor and peeking occasionally on them.

'Did you hear what Aoi's brother is speaking on the phone?' Menchi whispered to Zushi, to which he disgustingly scooted 'I don't know Menchi... I don't have radar ears...' Zushi shoved a small opera glass in her hands 'Why don't you try!'

'Eomni... Biana da... Oh mom I am so sorry!' Wing facepalmed and Menchi hit his hipbone with her crouched knee 'Khuma na Seikkya... shut up punk, we are doing this for Aoi's own good... That dude is acting really suspicious and I will go at the end of it... If you whine one more time, I swear your junk is next...'

'Oh look he is done with the phone...' Zushi pointed out and they all straightened up.

'Sorry Aoi-chan, but I think Gummie-nii has a bit of a pesticide accident in the house' Shalnark shrugged and Aoi's face instantly tensed up.

'Is everything all right, I mean... Is everyone fine?' Aoi asked anxiously.

'Yeah, but the pesticide is all over the house and they have called the emergency. Cupid-nii called and told that not to come home for half-an-hour... They'll sort everything out eventually...' Shalnark put his phone in his pocket, 'We'll have to wait somewhere until they sort everything out...' Shalnark said and scratched his head furiously... 'I am sorry Aoi-chan-'

'For what he's sorry for? He looks as if he did all the mischief' Zushi said confusingly.

'Baka! That's a dumb trick for guys getting the girls off-guard...' Menchi slapped Zushi's back and ignored the Vendor's lingering look.

'It's okay Shalnark-san, but what are we gonna do for this half an hour?' Aoi asked fidgeting all over, which Menchi knew correctly that it's the very sign of Aoi being anxious or disturbed, but she carried on and surprised to see the look in Shalnark's face, sporting an unusual smile for a guy like him 'it's okay... We could roam around... there's a nice cafe out there in the next block!'

'Gomen Shalnark-san, but I am not hungry' Aoi bowed apologetically.

'You slick punk, can't you see you're distressing Aoi...' Menchi irritably exclaimed under her breath.

'More like you're distressing us, Menchi' the guys thought.

'Anyway... We could always have a nice swing at the park... C'mon there's a one nearby... I will walk you there...' Shalnark smiled sweetly and Aoi walked beside him.

'What's he up to?' Menchi whispered and walked out of the vendor and quite discreetly they walked behind them, to follow. Aoi was looking a bit flustered and not to mention she was quite uncomfortable with him, but she did not seemed to protest his gestures and quietly walked with him and Menchi could see how Aoi's neck that peeped from the lock of her ponytail was reddening swiftly.

'I don't feel good about this Menchi...' Zushi said anxiously while hiding behind a broken billboard, scared about they will be discovered, but Menchi's face was tightening around her jawline more and more 'neither do I idiot... I am not a fucking Kardashian... ' Menchi huffed.

Shalnark and Aoi entered a nearby park and they sat on separate swings and Aoi leaned her head on the handle, while Shalnark looked at her with a quizzical expression.

'Are you sick... Aoi-chan... ' Shalnark said; his face was barely visible while the sun dived in the west and the sky melted with the sombre gray and purple tones...

'No I am fine... it's just... A place where I used to come when I was a kid...' Aoi mumbled and blinked her feline eyes, 'Up there... Where the sand pitch is, neat the sea-saw, that's where I met Menchi... I was then just a timid dark haired girl who was scared to stand up for herself... Menchi made me realize how important can someone be... she is more than sister than a friend...'

'Sounds like you love her!' Shalnark replied quitely.

'Of course I do... It's hard to describe our relationship... Sometimes we are buddies, sometimes like sister; even sometimes like mother and daughter... she always made me feel at home' Aoi said.

'Wow... I wish I had a friend like that' Shalnark slowly replied 'it was always me alone... it was hard for me to choose what suited me first... I tried and tried experimented a lot... I had a lot of inferiority complex... I am kinda clumsy, my grades are not so good, I get guardian call so often and I am just a normal kid in front of my brothers... even Killua and Apples are better than me... And when I used to look at Kurapika playing concertos at school... I was always sad' Shalnark let out all his repressions.

'I don't think so Shalnark-san... The trophies, the achievements, how you push yourself for your achievements and goals... it always inspires me Shalnark-san.' Aoi smiled bleakly, the queer feeling which was there with here couple of minutes ago, was fading away...

'Thank you Aoi...' a metallic noise chimed nearby as the swing jerked and Shalnark was now standing in front of her. The lights of the roads flickered and a silhouette of a well-built athlete was now in front of Aoi's eyes.

'After you came... I feel like I can pursue what I want to pursue... you changed the vey viewpoint of my life... I want to thank you Aoi...'

Aoi shrivelled at his address and her feet scrunched tight in the ground as she felt his breath on her neck as he bent forward on her face, with his eyes closed, a small peck landed on her soft lips as his lemon scented breath filled her mouth.

'Please don't ever leave me Aoi... I will not be able to take it!'

No one knew that their little affair was locked within the three pairs of prying eyes which were silently protesting their gestures.

Not much to say just returned from a wedding and the plot id holding better I guess...

Special thanks to guest-san, who gave suggestions for applying the characters, so do you have something in mind? Let me know!

As you knew...

Shalnark is a high school Basketball player and Kurapika plays piano... I thought to give Kurapika a bit classy air.

Wing's surname was inspired by the Korean actor Choi Jin Hyuk, who is my current favourite and the first thing that popped in my mind about Zushi was Kim... when's the 'Kim' too much!

Also I am dividing the brothers up into three categories: Introverts, Omniverts and Extroverts, to make my job easy... and please leave some suggestions for applying more characters... It's just fun to hear you guys out!

R&R&R