Wednesday, 6:19 p.m.
"Kurapika, hi! It's Gon! I guess you're not next to your phone right now, but that's okay. I just wanted to tell you I kind of…dropped my phone in the lake, so I'm using Aunt Mito's to call you! I didn't want you to get worried if you tried my old number and didn't get an answer. Oh hey, Killua's here—hey, Ki—wagh—!"
[vague scuffling and cursing]
"Kurapika, hey. It's Killua. Gon didn't drop his phone in the lake. He threw it. Like an idiot."
"Killua, let go of me!"
"He said the bugs we were using weren't big enough to lure out the really awesome fish, so he used his phone as bait. Like an idiot."
[more scuffling, a pained grunt, then Gon, breathless]
"It's shaped like a beetle!"
"Yeah, dummy, but what kind of beetle just sinks to the bottom of the lake?"
[…]
"A heavy one."
"Anyway, you have to call back at this number to explain to Gon why cell phones aren't bait."
[brief pause as Gon silently wrestles the phone back from Killua]
"And you have to tell Killua that he can't get mad at me just because he was using my phone to play Fortnite."
[Killua, quietly sobbing]
"I lost everything!"
End of message. To save this message, press 1. To delete, press 2.
[1]
Message saved.
Wednesday, 11:43 a.m.
It's Mizai. Please return this call when you get a chance, Kurapika. It is important. Please do not delete this message and ignore my texts for eighteen hours like last time.
End of message. To save this—
[2]
Message deleted.
Tuesday, 3:07 a.m.
[sung] Hellooo, Hisoka here. I don't usually like to leave voicemails, but—
[2]
Message deleted.
Monday, 4:51 p.m.
Kurapika. It's Leorio. You're probably not getting these, but…I'll try again. Last time, your inbox was full. So you must at least be emptying it. Would you check your texts from Cheadle? She's getting, um. I guess…impatient is as good a word as any. And I know you don't have to deal with the fallout of that, but I would really appreciate it.
[…]
Anyway. I…hope you're listening to this. I guess I won't know if you don't. That's…it's probably better that way.
End of message. To save this message, press 1. To delete, press 2.
[…]
To save this message, press 1. To delete, press—
[1]
Message saved.
Monday, 8:36 a.m.
Hello, it's Senritsu. I wanted to check in on you this morning. You didn't seem quite yourself yesterday. Don't worry. I don't believe anyone else noticed. It's only because I know how your heart sounds when…well.
[soft laughter]
Maybe that's something you don't really want to hear.
[…]
You have friends, still, Kurapika. Please do not forget that.
End of message. To save this message, press 1. To delete, press 2.
[2]
Message deleted.
You have no new messages. To review saved messages, press *.
[*]
To skip saved messages, press 1. To delete, press 2.
First saved message.
Kurapika! What the hell? September first, right?! I've been making excuses to Killua and Gon, but there's only so much I can bullshit!
[…]
Damn, I could practically hear you contradicting me. See, this is why you need to get your ass over here, because if I start hearing you in my head, that means I'm gonna start sounding like you, and that would be…that would just be hell.
[…]
God, I hope this is the right number.
Second saved message.
Hey. I just wanted to make sure you got back okay to…wherever it is you're working. Y'know, you could stand to release a little more information about shit like that. Are you a mob boss now? A contract killer? A really fancy babysitter? All three?! Hell if I know!
[muttered] Why did I call?
Oh. Right. I like your friend…Senritsu? She seems very nice, and she's taken a liking to you for—god, who even knows what reason. But…you should stick around her. And she at least doesn't seem the type to get into contract killing, so maybe I can write that one off.
[…]
Okay. I already know you're not gonna call me back, but could you send a text? Oh! I got an idea. Send "A" if you're alive, and…I guess "D" if you're not, haha.
[…]
Shit, what a bad joke. Well, at least you probably deleted this message without listening. And if you did, then that's what you get for letting me leave voicemails instead of just…y'know, picking up. You should do that, by the way. Just in case. N-not for me! But if Gon or Killua calls, you…you should answer, if you can. Okay?
[…]
Um. Sorry, this got…kinda long. Bye.
Third saved message.
Kurapika! I got in! I just got the letter—right now, actually. Holy shit.
[papers faintly rustling]
I…got in. It's—it's a really good school. Really expensive too, but...anyway. I'll worry about that later. Damn, I really got in. I didn't think...fuck, I was so nervous during the tests and the interviews. You know I don't even really get nervous like that, haha. I think I ralphed after the last interview. Yeah, I...definitely did. Really hope none of the panelists used that restroom.
[…]
Okay. That's it. I just thought I'd, uh, let you know. Whatever. You don't need to congratulate me or anything, I just...wanted to tell you first.
[…]
[muttered] Stupid…
Fourth saved message.
Eyyy…Kuruhp-[hic]-ah…
[there are voices and music in the background, and the creak of a door opening, followed by a loud, irritated exclamation]
Oh fuck! Sorrysorrysorry!
[door slamming]
Shit…just…wanted to find somewhere quiet. I guess they did too. Haha. Oh, I dunno if you heard all that, but I walked in on some people just going to town on each other. I'm at this party. Uh…Zepile told me to come out and celebrate getting accepted into med school but I don't think this is…really my scene. Kind of over the whole rager part of my life, right?
[…]
Oh yeah, but I did get um…totally shit-faced, haha. I just think…you'd be giving me the nastiest look right about now, and probably thinking, "This guy's gonna be a doctor someday. He's gonna handle scalpels." And then you'd storm out! I've been kinda…doing this thing where I try to figure out what you'd be saying if you were here, and I think I'm getting [hic]…pretty good at it.
[…]
Don't really have any point of reference, though. Because you're not here.
[…]
Obviously.
[very, very long silence, broken by heavy, staggering breaths]
You ever kissed anyone, Kurapika?
[…]
That's a stupid question. You've probably kissed a lot of people. Who wouldn't want to kiss you? You've got this mouth, and it's just…it was like kissing was invented because of your mouth. …That make sense?
And I've always thought that—uh—kissing is mostly just the introduction. The…appetizer, haha. I've just been way more interested in what's next. But, y'know…Kurapika…I really wouldn't be thinking that if I got to kiss you. I wouldn't be thinking about what's next. I think I'd just be…just be losing my mind that I got to touch you at all, and…and that you weren't disappearing.
[…]
I'd just…keep kissing you, I think. And that would be it. And…and that would be perfect.
[Leorio chuckles. He starts humming. After about twenty seconds, the humming slips into snores.]
Fifth saved message.
Kurapika, if you're listening to your messages, Gon is in the hospital.
[…]
It looks bad.
[…]
I hope whatever you're doing is fucking important.
Sixth saved message.
Okay, do you know how pissed you sound in your voicemail greeting? "You have reached Kurapika. Please leave a message if the nature of your call is urgent." Who talks like that?
[…]
Damn…I guess I thought that since you actually called me back last time you might start picking up. Clearly that was delusional. Haha. Anyway. You ever see the footage of the election speeches? Killua told me it went viral, but I figured you've been too busy to stay on top of all that. You better be sleeping sometimes, though. Or else.
[…]
Well, I guess that was all I got. I need to call Cheadle now…she said it was important, and I really don't feel like getting barked at all afternoon. Bye!
Seventh saved message.
I've called fourteen times in the last half hour, and I will keep it up until you answer, dipshit. Leorio out.
Eighth saved message.
[silence, broken by soft hiccuping]
Kurapika…I miss you. I really miss you. I think about you…too much, and I can't stop. I know I can't stop, because I've tried to stop and I—I'm thinking about…how your neck would smell. Weird shit like that. Your ears, I…I think about those too, how they look so soft, like fucking…flower petals. You're the prettiest goddamn person in the world, and I don't know what to do with that, because you're also the…the fucking most infuriating bastard I've ever met.
[Leorio's voice is low and wet, he's crying]
I-I don't know what you want me to do, except leave you alone, but I can't do that either, you know I can't do that…
[quiet rustling, like someone turning over in bed]
You're not gonna listen to this. You probably just delete all these as soon as you see them. You're probably like, "God, him again."
[chuckles, sniffling]
That's fine. I guess it would make it um, awkward, if you see me again and you're just, "Yo, what was all that about my neck and ears, pervert?" And then I'd have to explain that I'm in love with you, and…well. I guess that really wouldn't make it better. Listen, I'm…shit, I'm drunk as hell, haha. Don't worry…about any of this. Okay? If you're listening. You're not, though. You won't.
That's good.
[long pause, broken by quiet, irregular breathing]
Goodnight, Kurapika.
End of saved messages.