Chapter 12: The Loser

"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are."

-Dean Winchester, Supernatural TV series

Menchi and Aoi didn't spoke a word when they walked past the shady lane. People were throwing voyeuristic gazes upon them, as they were dressed in their uniform, loitering around suspicious places, but none of them had a mind to take that into account. As the alley ended and the first streetlight threw an epiphanic light on their stupefied faces, like the Third Day, Menchi's lips animated her first words.

'Wow!' Menchi huffed the word like she had been forced to keep that in for a long time. She looked at Aoi's colour-drained face and she shook her by the shoulders, 'are you okay?'

'Am I?' Aoi retorted heatedly, 'we heard the most horrific secret in the history of my life! It's—it's like I have seen the Grande Grimoire and I need to take a bath in Holy Water and sit in the confession box for a week-' she hypervinated.

'What's a Grande Grimoire?' Menchi asked light-heartedly, her mind almost out of the problems for the time being, 'it's... it's a book of sort' Aoi answered with a confused tone, 'like... dark tombstone of a book, which cannot be burned or scorched, and it has all the Satanic Rituals written on it and this book is so scary it is locked up in Vatican—Menchi, my life is going to shits and you care about a dumb book?'

Menchi stopped dead on her tracks, and looked at her like she was a miracle.

'What did you say?' she asked with a surprised tone.

'I said... my life is in ruins and all you care about-'

'No, no... the unedited version Aoi... you said shit... and called a book dumb' Menchi started to howl with laughter, 'Aoi—Aoi—Aoi—dear missy... Now that's the spirit you should show.'

Aoi looked at her dumbfounded, and followed her as she entered the nearest Louisiana fried chicken joint and called out the waiter, 'the special please... my friend swore for the first time today...'

Aoi smiled helplessly as the owner hollered back 'your meal is on the house girl!'

No matter what happens, Menchi always knows how to make Aoi feel better.

As they dug in, and gratefully nobody spoke for the first five minutes, Aoi felt herself more relaxed and easy. She sipped her coke and looked at Menchi: she was eating like there is no tomorrow, and she snickered at her. 'What? Never saw someone eating FC before?' Menchi answered, half amused half annoyed, 'no Chi-chan... I just remembered something.'

'Like what?' Menchi asked and made a mess with the mustard, mayo and ketchup to make an orange topping and slathered it onto hers and Aoi's, and mumbled 'you're welcome, you'll thank me later and shower rose petals wherever I go... now, what you got?'

'Remember when Wing graduated and we went to the Jewish Deli to celebrate?' Aoi said, 'you and Wing started to stuff your faces so hard that it looked like Maisie's Day Balloons?' Menchi put down her chicken and smiled fondly, 'yeah, I remember... then some prick decided to crack jokes at the side and I spewed food all over the waiter and they had to remove us from the premises. Ah! Salad days... before this disaster happened.'

Aoi sat quietly, she couldn't decide whether to be offended or embarrassed. 'You're right. The Matsuhashis seemed nice at first and now I know all about them, it seems I was better all alone... no one to answer to except my dad. Everything was so simple: school, you guys, home, dinner, study and sleep...'

'And now it's manners, manners, assprick, manners, school, more assholing, attitude, French cooking, uptight dining manners, sleeping like your V-card is about to be stolen...' Menchi rumbled and Aoi slapped her arm, 'Menchi... shh, don't speak like that...' and then they both started to laugh. 'alright... you are kind of right okay... but not that much.'

...

It was nearly nine when Aoi reached her the Matsuhashi mansion. And at the moment, realisation dawned upon her. She switched off her cell before meeting Pokkle, and now as she turned it on again, it blared with 52 text messages and 11 missed called ranging from 3:30 to 8:55 PM. She was a well-behaved girl and never got trouble in her home, so it was hard for her to imagine what was going to happen with them. Aoi was relaxed, because there is no way they would—

The entire entrance was dark.

Aoi gulped slowly, it wasn't like she hasn't got a hostile behaviour from the brothers—although it was mostly Feitan, but she had to give him props for not crossing her path too often like other clingy brothers. But now, this darkness hit her with more fear than anything she ever felt. She didn't know what to expect, she didn't know what to say... studying with Menchi, because her tests are coming us? Shoot, they will just ask Chrollo and things will be over... then what—

She slightly creaked the door open, and even the lights in the living room were shut! She was sure she messed up big time. She entered the room as quietly as possible, but with a squeak of her uwabaki, the lamp on the side of the front table clicked into light, which traced the contours of the face of Chrollo, who didn't look very pleased.

'You're late...'he growled. 'Chrollo-san, I am so sorry... I couldn't-'

'What were you thinking?' he sounded exasperated, like he sounds when he talks to Feitan and Killua; apparently the two black horses of the family. He rubbed his temples, and looked square at Aoi's face, and without breaking the eye contact, he stood up, and he looked down at her with the shallow light of the lamp creating a huge silhouette of him on her, which made him more intimidating that he always is. 'You have to understand that despite it is an all men home, we have rules...' Chrollo said in a cold voice, 'I would not allow this rule to be broken at any cost, no matter how old or new the members of the family are.'

'Yes Chrollo-san, I understand' Aoi hung her head in shame, his voice was seeping into her skin and setting as dark spots; she had always been this perfect little girl everyone always liked, but now things were all going south. 'Do you have any idea how worried we were?' Chrollo's voice rose and for some reason Aoi felt a little relived, 'eleven times, I have called you eleven times young lady! I have never, ever expected this from you.' He pointed at the clock, 'it is nine in a Friday night what were you doing?'

'I-um...' Aoi was surely in trouble as Chrollo approached her slowly to grab her shoulders. This time, her face wasn't heating up, but her skin was cringing as she remembered what Pokkle told her this afternoon, she took a mini step back and as she spoke, she prayed her voice would not shake, 'I was... in a blind date. With Menchi and some boys...'

'Some boys...' Chrollo repeated her with suspicions, 'do I know them? Are they from Minami High?' Aoi could sense that Chrollo was beyond annoyed, but he was fighting not to get his emotions getting better of him, 'no... they-um...' Aoi mumbled and tried to keep eye contact with him. Don't blink too much, relax your jaw, look straight towards his eyes, Golden Rules of Lying, she was thankful how Zushi taught her a year ago. 'They were from a different school... didn't like them too much.' Aoi breathed slowly.

'Are you alright?' Chrollo looked convinced, and Aoi picked up a little courage from it, 'I don't know Chrollo-san. I mean I broke the curfew which I never did, and one of the guys was a little too handsy for my taste-' Aoi this time was telling the truth and she could sense that Chrollo was affected by this, 'guys should know their boundaries... don't you think that Chrollo-san?'

'Ye-yes yes, of course.' Chrollo cleared his throat and started to scratch his neck awkwardly after withdrawing his arms, 'Menchi was merely keeping me company because she does some things better than I do...' Aoi smiled and walked past him as politely as possible, her improv was getting better. She mentally praised herself for that.

'wait... come down and dine with me!' Chrollo tried to call her down, as Aoi was already at the first landing, 'no I'm good... I ate at the group date-'

'I insist...' Chrollo said with an oddly platonic tone, 'I cannot let you sleep unfed...'

Aoi smiled at his tone and promised Chrollo that she will come down after changing.

A few moments later when she descended in a blush colour frill-trimmed dressing gown, she could feel Chrollo was looking away from her, lighting only the kitchen counter with two plates. She sat down as Chrollo heat up the meals, consisting of mashed potato, curriwurst soup, rice and fillet-mignion steaks. He lay them down quietly, trying not to look at her, and then it was Aoi who spoke up first.

'Chrollo-san, have I offended you in some way? I mean other than breaking rules?' Aoi asked softly, taking a bite in the sausage, Chrollo shook his head softly, 'no... Not at all...'

'Then why are you avoiding my gaze all of a sudden?'

An awkward silence followed, but what came along was completely unexpected, 'I am sorry Aoi... for everything. I either treat you improperly or too harshly and now—I don't feel great.' He said clearly, 'and I have no excuse to add.' He said, 'what I thought about you... till this time was, improper. I was influenced, if you can please forgive me.'

'Chrollo-san, please' Aoi put down her cutlery, 'you are double my age and now you are my step brother. You are the eldest in the family and I am the newest member here, and you have every right to discipline me. You don't need to feel sorry for that.' Aoi looked at him square, 'but that does not mean that some things may or may not upset me. I have been on my own all my life and I like things in a different way that might not be your taste, but then we should keep our communication lane open and talk about it. I am willing to keep my word as you guys give me some space. I hope I am making myself clear?' Aoi asked, and Chrollo knew exactly what she was talking about.

'Yes of course...'

'Good...' Aoi smiled and dug in again. But she didn't know that Chrollo was looking at her in an impressed manner.

...

The alarm went off a little late than usual in the Monday morning. After two days of a sudden loss of stress, it seemed Aoi slept a little too long for her Nine O' clock class. As she hurried away through the front door, barely grabbing the sweet brioche toast, she could not imagine what was going to happen with her next.

The entrance gate looked solemn under the bright sun, as if waiting for something incredible. It was deserted as Aoi truly knew that she was super late for the class, but as she entered the hallway, she saw every single student standing there with their eyes jammed to the home screen at the entrance hall, reserved for the official announcement only. Aoi quietly cut through the mob to get a place where she can get a good view of the screen.

It was a montage of her and Menchi walking through the stinky alley with Pokkle, and the recording showed upto the moment when she and Menchi walked up to the house with Pokkle. Again it started on at the restaurant where they spoke about Aoi's brothers and their 'tendencies'. The crowd filled with buzzing of rumours and assumptions of things she could not imagine to include herself into. The buzzing grew with a uniform excitement of sharing hot, new, gossip that included most of Aoi...

Aoi's feet went heavy. It wasn't like she would be embarrassed with that video (which she is now) but what scared her most was that now her brother was teaching in this school, and one of them was her classmate, they could find about this scandalous piece of recording anytime now, and they would think her as the worst person ever! Maybe they will kick her out of the house... and legitimately, they can... and she will have nowhere to live!

But there was one worse thing to worry about! Their meeting with Pokkle... given to Chrollo and Illumi's keen investigative nature, they will soon find out where they had been and then—

The world started to spin around her, and started to blur every second with it. No... no, I can't do that... I can't lose, for dad... for Menchi... if things are found out Menchi will too be in trouble, since her dad Mr. Morel was a Lieutenant working under Hunter Commission.

Menchi...

She hasn't seen her yet, if she was here, this ruckus wouldn't be this standstill. She would hustle everyone back to their holes to make sure nobody bothers her or her best friend anymore. Where is she when I need her the most!

'Oh look, there she is...' some random student pointed at Aoi and the rest of the student body started to jeer at her. Their voices pierced through her skin like needles and the place where her diaphragm was felt like contracting continuously, making her harder to breath each time. The innards of her throats started to rub together painfully, obstructing her breathing even more. She tried to loosen her tie as a painful nausea tried to force out of her throat, but before she could feel anything, or do anything... everything went dark.

...

Aoi's eyes opened into a bright room, where a uniform beeping sound continued near her ear. She tried to look down, but couldn't as she was being reclined in her bed. Pains spread in her hand as soon as she was awake, and tracing her pain, she looked that her left hand was connected with the IV with three French tubes. The back of her head was throbbing endlessly, but otherwise she felt good, well enough not to be in the health cabin.

'Oh... you're conscious...' a professional yet very familiar voice called her. Aoi turned her head towards the door and found a patient, symmetrical face, framed with sharp blond bob looking at her.

'Pakunoda-san... I didn't know you worked in our school?' Aoi spoke and her voice came out wheezy, to which she must have made a face. 'It's just the meds Aoi-chan, you'll be fine in no time.' Pakunoda said with a small, closed smile; it was really hard to recognise her in her professional outfit from her clear-cut, classy, plunge neck puce jumpsuit which she was wearing at the rehearsal dinner.

'Now that you're awake... would you care to tell me how did you end up in the ER?'

Aoi was shocked! She wasn't in her school, but in the ER! She was so baffled herself that she couldn't even answer. 'I-I... didn't know... But if I am not in my school, where am I?'

'Yorkshin City Hospital.' Pakunoda said in a matter of fact voice, 'you were admitted an hour ago, I haven't told Leorio yet... and wasn't until I made sure you were fine.' She said in an authoritative tone, 'we do a lot in ER, and he deserves some pressures off his shoulder—doesn't he?' Aoi felt a dig in her voice as she spoke and prepped herself with torch and a stethoscope... 'So, tell me the last thing you remember.'

Aoi hesitated, but she was a doctor and there is a saying there is no chance of lying and getting away with it with a doctor, so she reminded herself the cardinal rules of lying again: relax your jaw, eye contact, firm voice... c'mon, 'I-uh... I was walking up in the hallway, and then I found myself short of breath and then everything went blank.'

Pakunoda took her time to take her answer in and then started to check her, pulling her clipboard, 'do you feeling anything other than numbness... like light-headedness, nausea, pain?'

'Not in particular... no.'

'Did you experience such sudden faint before?' she was now noting everything the machine said about her heart-rate, 'not that I can remember...' Aoi replied, as she felt very uncomfortable with Pakunoda's sharp eyes veering everywhere.

'Okay... now, I am going to check your lower abdomen... Since you are not on your period-'

'I am not pregnant-' Aoi almost panicked, to which Pakunoda laughed softly, 'sweetheart, abdominal examination—excuse me-' Pakunoda said after she lifted her sheets and pressed her fingers firmly but lightly on her abdomen, '—is done for many reasons... for a young girl like you we need to make sure that you...' she lifted her hand and rearranged the sheet, 'and your body have enough to function properly...'

'I am not anorexic either.' Aoi was now starting to get a little offended, she was making all sorts of assumptions about her which she didn't like a bit, 'I eat five, full meals every day. I love eating but I never overfeed myself.'

'Of course you aren't.' Pakunoda said, 'But I have unconscious schoolgirls in ER quite many at this time of year—in exam seasons! Bulimia, anorexia, stress disorder are top of the charts, so I am making sure you are not one of them...' Pakunoda added and typed something in her phone 'because then I will personally seek Leorio and give him a good one-two at the back of the alley.' She added with a smile and patted her head, 'your brother is coming to visit you shortly.' And then she started to walk towards the door...

'Pakunoda-san' Aoi called her, 'who brought me here?'

Before she could answer, Leorio barged in the room and almost crashed on the bedside tool, trying to keep as calm as possible. 'How are you feeling?' he asked earnestly, giving Aoi a comforting pat on the head. 'Pretty good since I woke up...' Aoi smiled; there was something about him that always made her smile, he along with Milluki and Pokkle gave vibes like they were actually related by blood: there was an indescribable feeling that came off them; fatherly, friendly, caring and protective.

'Did you eat this morning...?'

'Yeah I did... I actually finished a mini brioche loaf with PB and J' Aoi added and saw Leorio's face relaxing with her words. 'I heard you fainting in school... thought the exams are getting to you, and it freaked me out.' Leorio grazed her head again, and gasped again 'I think I should bring in a psychologist and check if you have any panic disorder-'

'No... Leorio-san, I don't have panic disorder-' although she was unsure about that information, but she had to lie. Leorio was really trying to fill in her father's shoes. He didn't stay home for much, but Aoi wished he did; which was a first.

A silence between them ensued. Leorio thoughtfully looked around Aoi and then the dreaded question followed.

'Aoi-chan... What exactly happened with you when you fainted?'

Aoi gulped slowly so that Leorio could not see her larynx bob. She took a small breath and hesitantly answered, 'in the home screen people were seeing something insulting about me and Menchi... I swear we didn't do what it seemed, but people- people' she automatically sniffed, but swallowed the tears because if she cries, Leorio will get into trouble, 'I'm sorry I don't wanna talk about that...'

'Okay, okay... calm down. I am sure things will be okay. I will call Lolo-nii to sort things schoolwise-'

'NO-no... please,' Aoi implored fearfully, 'I don't want this... I don't want Chrollo-san involved, or any of you involved in this... or the bullying will never end!' Aoi said, 'Please don't worry about me... I am fine now.'

'glad you're fine, but... you'll have to be here overnight for observation-'

'That really isn't necessary... Leorio-san, I am feeling fine!' Aoi protested.

'Not till I do Aoi-chan... In here, you're my responsibility.'

...

Aoi had a simple dinner in the hospital and light anti-depressant was administered by the night nurse s she could have a trouble less sleep. However it seemed that the night habit of visiting washroom in the middle of sleep was too strong for the meds, so Aoi decided to take her IV on the wheels to the road and relieve herself. however as she was returning from the bathroom, she heard two hushed voice angrily whispering to each other on the other side of the closed door of the broom closet.

'Why did you ask Aoi if she's pregnant... she is barely 15, she is not like that!' it was clearly Leorio's voice.

'I didn't, but the way she answered me looked way too familiar. I have checked a couple of sexually abused little girls and she sounded like that! What am I supposed to conclude from this?' Pakunoda answered, 'I was so surprised that the daughter of your mother's husband was allowed to live under your roof so many days before the formalities-'

'Are you jealous of Aoi, Paku? Are you implying that she shouldn't be there?'

'Yes... I am implying that she shouldn't be there... because of her own good. Remember what happened to Machi? Pitou? Your stuck up brothers never allowed any one of their brothers' girlfriends under their roof—not even once and won't approve our relationship at all? why? Because we are normal people? Nothing to offer?' Pakunoda's voice was rising 'Aoi Tanaka is the famous daughter of Knov Tanaka, everyone knows it, and I know it that your brothers are trying to scandalise that poor girl so that they break off your mother's marriage. The reason we are not allowed to be is that I know too much about you.' Pakunoda's voice was now shaking.

'I won't stand it Pakunoda, I won't stand if you brew shitstorms of insults about my brothers. They are my blood, they are my family...'

'O honey!' Pakunoda added with a sarcastic anger, 'come out of your ivory tower and see the reality... you could have easily inherited the business but you couldn't... you know why? Because the three brothers before you made sure you never do... because your rule would have been fair and good for all and no hedonism for them... listen to me, send off Killua, Aoi and Gon separately in remote places before they hurt themselves...'

'Paku-'

'Don't shit me Leo... we all know what's Killu is going through, what Fei had undergone and god bless Pokkun he made a choice that mattered to him... that rule that makes all of you suffer like this—I get it, it's your family business but as Aoi's wellwisher'

'PAKU STOP IT, NO MORE... STOP TALKING INTO OUR FAMILY MATTER...'

'AS AOI'S DOCTOR... I think she is better off someplace else. That's my word.'

Aoi was stunned to even move her legs. She slid herself into the shadowy corridor as Leorio and Pakunoda came out of the broom closet.

...

Aoi was discharged the next afternoon; it took several procedures to discharge her as the person who admitted her in the first place wasn't present. She was dressed in her school uniform, and she stepped outside, swinging her bagpack. Leorio was on duty and she asked directions from Pakunoda for home, who didn't listen to her and called a taxi. Aoi felt like everything was finally over.

The moment she stepped inside the property, she sensed something was off. The door opened before she could knock, and in the living room was sitting some of the older heads in the family, and they weren't attempting to greet, to comfort her after a night in the hospital. So she bent first and greeted everyone, which was returned with a curt nod.

'I'll just go in my room then-' Aoi tried to nudge, but Hisoka stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

'Matte... Aoi-chan, we have something to discuss...' he made her sit on the couch in front of the brothers. 'Okay... about what?'

'About everything apparently, and what you exactly think about us...' Chrollo replied coldly, and with his words Aoi remembered instantly what he was speaking about, obviously he had seen the video. 'Did I offend you in anyway...?' Aoi asked with a serious tone.

'I do not know how to answer your question anymore, after what I have seen and heard in the school. You did not only disrespect us, but ours ways as well... I didn't expect that from you.' Chrollo's voice made Aoi's spine crawl.

'I don't certainly remember what I have-' Aoi was almost at the verge of tears, as far she could remember, it was Menchi making fun of them, not her... she may have playfully nudged a little, but that was it.

'Maybe our ways have been too overwhelming for you?' Illumi said with his stoic voice, 'maybe you need to be somewhere else, some place where you can live comfortably until we figure out how to think about it...'

'You're kicking me out?' Aoi stood up in incredulity, her voice was rising, 'you are kicking me out for some video in school, where I have faced a nervous breakdown for the insult I have faced and caused you... spend a night in hospital... and you have no compassion for me?'

'I am sorry Aoi-san, but it is what it is... it is family protocol-' Hisoka said, and with the word, Aoi's floodgates crashed, she looked her in the eye and said 'I am sorry but I don't share the idea of family you tend to harbour Hisoka-san... fine' she looked at others, 'if this is what you want... so be it.'

Aoi ran upstairs in tears and packed her clothes and school supply in haste and thundered downstairs in front of everyone, and her heart was filled with anger where no one tried to stop her. She was storming off the gates and almost came face to face with Feitan, who was returning from his college... he seemed to look quite taken aback with the tears in her eyes.

'I am sure you're happy now... I am finally out the equation.' Aoi said and pushing him to the side and went off with a taxi.

'To where Miss?' the taxi driver was very taken aback to see a crying, 14 year old with baggages, boarding from a very big house.

'No 225, CC Block, Upper North Side.' Aoi told as straightly as possible without sounding weepy.

The taxi cut through the Yorkshin traffic in a blur, and with the evening purple sky darkening with each moment, Aoi felt herself submerge into an unavoidable gloom. The taxi driver had to call her several times, only then she heard that she was finally in No 225. The compassionate taxi driver helped her with the baggage and led her through the porch, which felt like a slight warmth of comfort in this cold situation. However after several knocks, no one came to open the door.

Aoi sat down on the porch, bolting her knee to her chest, burying her head into the cleave between the knee. Her trance was broken when she heard crunching footsteps approaching the walk-through. The footsteps stopped after a while and a painful silence followed, after which it rushed and crashed on Aoi's shoulder.

'Aoi-chan... what happened to you...?'

'They kicked me out Chi-chan... they kicked me out.'

Another chapter ended. OOH... things are getting dramatic. I really had a lot of fun writing this. So tell me how it is in the review. Salut!