Episode 26: Bringing Everlasting Memories Back
Senritsu laid her friend down on the bed gently. She touched her palm to his forehead. It was true, he was burning up with fever. The woman could barely hear the boy's heartbeat at all.
" Kurapica, stay strong. Hikari's bringing you the herbs, " she told him while placing a damp washcloth on his brow.
Oh, dear Hikari…
Please hurry…!
All of a sudden, Kurapica jerked straight up.
" K-Kurapica? " Senritsu gasped, her hands instinctively going around his shoulders, supporting his weight, the wash cloth now fallen from his temple.
" Kurapica, you have to rest, " the woman advised him. " You have a fever. "
He raised his eyes to meet hers in a glare, the normal blue gone.
" K-Kurapica? "
" Take your filthy hands of me, " he spoke up quietly, his voice low and dangerous.
" Kurapica, what's wrong with you? " Senritsu demanded.
Instead of replying her, the seventeen-year-old roughly shoved her away.
Senritsu landed onto the carpeted floor with a loud thud.
" I told you to take your hands of me, didn't I? "
He towered over her, threateningly.
There's still time before he undergoes these hallucinations…
Wasn't that what Hikari had told me…?
He's hallucinating…!
" Kurapica! It's me, Senritsu! I'm your friend, remember? " she cried out.
Kurapica smirked.
" Yeah, right, as if I will make a mistake in making friends with the Spiders like you, Machi, " he sneered.
" Kurapica… " she pleaded. " You have to believe me. "
I have to calm him down before he does something rash…
Senritsu took out her flute to play the music piece, Spring In The Fields, in order to calm him down but Kurapica simply brushed it away from her grasp. The flute flew out of her hands and rolled away from her, a few feet away.
" Kurapica – " she began but the boy interrupted her.
" Don't even speak my name…you are nothing but a murderer and now you'll pay for it! "
" Senritsu, Senritsu! I found the – "
My elation was short-lived when I saw the whole hotel room. It was in disarray. Everything was either broken or thrown in a corner. And in the middle of the room were Kurapica and Senritsu.
" What's going on here? " I demanded, looking at them in disbelief. " What happened? "
" No, Hikari! " Senritsu shouted. " Get out of here! Kurapica, he - "
Her warning came too late as the seventeen-year-old turned to glare at me. His eyes were not the standard blue but instead the proverbial red. I took a step back as I stared at him fearfully.
" K-Kurapica-san? " I called out apprehensively.
" Kuroro Lucifer! " he screamed and lunged at me.
Losing my balance, I fell and landed badly on my back with him on top of me.
" Kurapica-san! " I cried out, losing my grip on those herbs.
" Hikari! " Senritsu gasped.
I struggled and tried to push him away but he overpowered me within a few seconds.
Those herbs…!
I've got to give him those herbs before he kills me…!
" Kurapica-san, it's me, Hikari! " I told him, tears running down my face. " Please, you've got to remember me! "
Without warning, he slapped my cheek, hard. The impact caused my head to swing to the side as my teeth bit down hard on my tongue. I could taste the coppery and tangy taste of blood.
" Listen here, Kuroro, " he said, leaning down until his face was inches away form mine.
" You are not fit to even utter the Tribal Chief's daughter's name. "
I looked up at him, fearfully and shook my head.
" No, " I gasped. " Kurapica-san, I'm telling you the truth! "
" Just shut up! " he shouted and slapped me again.
I whimpered at the stinging pain as it seared my already swollen and blotchy cheek.
" Kurapica! " Senritsu exclaimed and tried to restraint him back but he pushed her away roughly.
" Senritsu! " I cried out in alarm as I watched her fall, helplessly, unable to do anything.
Then, Kurapica grabbed me by my shoulders and forced me back roughly onto my feet and shoved me against the wall.
" You killed them all mercilessly, didn't you? " he accused me, his hand now extended in front of him with a chain dangling.
I noticed that this chain was different from the last one he had used during that festival. This one had a blade at the end.
" No! " Senritsu cried out. " Hikari, you have to get away from him! If he kills you then he will also die from it! "
What…?!
" Die, Kuroro! " he yelled and the chain was sent flying towards me.
" HIKARI! " Senritsu screamed.
I could not help it as memories of Kurapica and I flashed through my mind.
" Kurapica, dear, would you do the honour of naming her? " Mito-san asked him.
" Hikari… " he mumbled, so softly that only I could hear since I was sitting right beside him.
He named me for who I am…
" Go! " Kurapica commanded. " And leave her alone! "
He saved those men from being killed…
He saved me as well…
From being tainted as a murderer with bloodstained hands…
During that time, at the festival…
" HIKARI! "
I looked at Kurapica who was kneeling in front of me with a worried look on his face.
He was worried about me…
" Hikari, it's okay now. You are not there. Most importantly, you are not alone anymore. You have all of us here with you, " Kurapica told me, trying his best to comfort me. "So, please don't cry. "
He was always there for me…
Comforting me…
Kurapica-san,
I would like to thank you for the handkerchief as well as for buying me the candy apple. I did not know that you knew about my favourite. Also, for hearing me out last night. You are a really good listener. Maybe, sometime you could tell me about your own problems. I would be really glad to be your confidant. But all the same, thank you so much for everything!
Hikari.
And there was that letter, I wrote to him…
I heard chuckling coming from Kurapica.
However, when he saw me watching him, he quickly hid his face behind the newspaper.
I knew that he was laughing at that time…
I wasn't imagining things…
" Spiders, also known as Genei Ryodan or the Phantom Brigade. They are members who use Nen for dire purposes in order to achieve their dark goals, " Kurapica spoke up suddenly. " They are the ones who killed the Kuruta Tribe in order to get their hands on the Scarlet Eyes that our people were eminent for. "
He was the one who wanted me to come along with him…
Although it was my decision to go or not…
" Okay, I'll go with him, " I agreed.
" Do you want to come along? " I asked him ingenuously.
" If you don't mind, I would like to see those flowers. "
I turned back to face him, walking backwards.
" Hikari, you are going to trip over something and fall, "he warned me. " Don't do that. "
He was there to keep me safe…
" Kurapica-san? " I called. " Why didn't you tell me about your departure when we were talking two nights ago? "
" I guess I forgot about it, " he mumbled, loud enough for me to hear.
" Hikari, don't keep asking me questions which I don't want to answer. "
As if reading my mind, Kurapica said, " You don't have to repay me. "
He bought me that mobile phone…
Without even asking me for any money…
" You are a really strange girl, Hikari, did you know that? "
He laughed at that time…
It was the first time I had seen him laugh like that…
" I'm not someone who fears death, Hikari, " he murmured softly.
He's really brave too…
" Hikari, go on in. I'll wait for you outside, " Kurapica told me quietly, his eyes never leaving those men.
He was there…
To keep danger at bay…
" I'll wait for you to sleep. "
He watched over me…
He walked down the plank onto firm ground and then reached out for my hand to help me down just like what a gentleman should do.
He was always there, all along…
Beside me…
No…
I don't want to die…
At least not yet…
I want to live…
Even if it's fleeting…
I want to treasure the moments that I share together with Kurapica-san…
And my friends…
Gon…
Killua…
Leorio…
Mito-san…
The promise that she made to me…
" Do you promise that you will return here to Whale Island and visit me? " Mito-san asked me, unshed tears in her eyes.
I nodded.
" Yes, I promise, " I answered firmly.
I intend to keep to it…
And not forgetting her mother…
They are the reasons why I want to live…
Most of all, Kurapica-san…
He must not die…
I will not allow it to happen…
I'm sorry…
Kurapica-san…