It was late afternoon when I woke up. I touched the side of the bed where my nii-san had slept but nobody was there. My eyes flew open. Where is he? Did he leave me again as he had left me in this very bed seven years ago?
I sat up as the bloodied rays of the setting sun stabbed the glass windows. There was no aura in my room. Drops of tears fell from my eyes. He left me. Did he find me too aggressive? Or am I too gentle?
For sure he was not satisfied. I'm not a very good lover. I remained celibate since I lost my purity with him when I was nine.
My silent cry turned into a sob. How could he be so cruel! I waited for him. Longed to have him back. And when he finally showed up, he flew away again. He was so –
"My child?"
"Nii-san..?" I called. I knew it. He hid his aura like what I was doing.
He sat down on my side. "Why are you crying, my dear?" he asked wiping my tears away. I tried to open my lips to speak, but I just can't. The joy inside me prohibited me to talk. "Na...Hush, my child... Did you dream of something horrible?" he asked again caressing my back.
I threw my arms around him. I found no words to say. He embraced me back.
"Do you want me to sing to you, ne?" he asked.
I nodded.
I felt like flying when I heard that lullaby again...the same one he sang to me that fateful night of long ago. Ah... He is my heaven...my paradise...
I wonder why I developed this liking to him. I don't understand why my heart beats so fast whenever I am with him and why it breaks apart when he disappears from my sight. Even a memory of him makes me forget the essence of being the assassin that I was before. I even forgot to contact my family.
The sweet melody of his voice stopped. "Are you okay now?" he asked cupping my cheeks with his palms. I nodded. He stood up. "Now you have to get up and eat. I prepared some food for you downstairs."
I blinked looking at his lovely face. He never changed except for his hair. He was the same one I have wistfully longed to see and touch through the years. Seven long years... I waited for so long... And now he is here, coming back to my reality.
"Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that?"he asked raising an eyebrow.
I smiled at him. His clothes remained so intact as if it was not torn. I wonder how he mended it so perfectly.
He smiled back at me. "Oh, I know. Well, I took your clothes in the laundry. They are too crumpled to be worn again. Well, my child, it seems like you have never learned to take good care of yourself. Wait for a while and I'll get some new clothes for you." He walked towards the open aparador and took some garments. Then he went back to the bed where I was sitting. "Hands up." I obeyed him.
Ah, Viento. Nobody have ever taken care of me like this before. Even my mother never displayed such concern for me.
My family... They must be looking for me. They may even punish me for not establishing any sort of contact with them. But I have proven my prowess as a fighter in the real world. Many obstacles came on my way as I scoured the world to look for my nii-san, and I overcame all of it. I became a Hunter. That was the exact explanation on how I got the chance to claim this building as my own including the thick forest at its back fifty kilometers in diameter. All this because of him.. He is my sole inspiration for staying alive. And if I would ever go home, I will take him there with me...
My nii-san... My brother yet not my brother... I don't know why am I calling him that way. Well, maybe I just got used calling every man older than me like that. I have many brothers, you know, three of them are elder siblings. Like Illumi nii-san, Milluki nii-san, Killua nii-san...
"Now that you have completely worn your clothes, you must follow me downstairs," he said. "Even the strongest fighters need food, you know. Our energy comes from what we digest..."
I smiled in amusement upon hearing him speak to me. Hay... I felt so fortunate for having him beside me. What a foolish creature was I for not trusting him a while ago. Well, if he did really leave me, my hands would be very eager to cut my own head off my neck.
We walked together along the corners of this home till we reached the dining room. I felt like crying as he served me as if I was the most precious thing to exist on this cruel world.
Oh, Viento.. Could you hear my heart beating? It beats for him... only him...
He pulled a chair and sat beside me. "Did you like it, my child?" he asked.
"Oh, I do, nii-san!" I replied.
He just smiled watching me eat my fill. And he was a very good cook. I have never tasted a adobo as delicious as this one.
"Well, my dear, I need to go to the market. You don't have enough food stock in your fridge."
"Ai! I want to go with you, nii-san," I said. Ah, Viento, I don't want to lose sight of him. I feel like I would die without him by my side.
He smiled at me once more. "Alright. But finish that first."
I winked at him. He made me feel so at home.
...
...
...
Good evening, Yue.
I see your crescent face smiling mischievously at the stars of the twilight sky. I bet you are still blushing at the story I have told you a while ago. Da... Blush as you wish. It doesn't matter at all.
I was busy walking with my child in the corners of a noisy public market to buy something for us to cook for dinner. I looked at him and I can't help be astounded. He had grown really big. He became much, much taller than I, approximately five feet nine inches in height. To think that he was much younger than me. I don't care at all. He will always remain a child to me. Someone to be given the love and care that was deprived of me when I was young.
Halt! I sense the aura of the Kuruta in a distance. I looked into his direction. Fiery red eyes met my gaze. He is here to take my life now. How about my dear child? Who would take care of him? I haven't cooked his dinner yet.
My thoughts went stopped as chains went rushing towards me. I closed my eyes releasing my own aura to defend me.
This night could be the end of my existence. And if ever I die now, I hope that my beloved will forgive me for dying without giving him a warning. I hope he will be stronger for the years to come even though I may not stay beside him...
Hey. Where are the chains supposed to attack me?
I opened my eyes. And I saw my child between me and the Kuruta, his arms grasping those ropes of metal with a firm grip. "Who are you?" he asked my supposed-to-be slayer.
"Let me go," the Kuruta commanded.
"I will let you go if you promise me that you won't hurt nii-san," he compromised with a childish look on his face.
"Don't play with me. If you have made an alliance with that Spider, I don't care. Let me finish him," Kurapika said.
"Spider? The Genei Ryodan?" my child asked with uttermost innocence.
"Yes. The Ryodan," my enemy replied glaring at me with his scarlet eyes.
"You are a Spider, nii-san?" my child asked looking at me.
I nodded. I don't need to conceal anything from him.
"Then?" he asked looking back at the Kuruta.
"Then what? Let me finish my business with him now, Illumi."
"I am not Illumi nii-san. I'm Alluka."
I patted my child's shoulder. "My dear, let me talk to him, ne." Their conversation was getting heated. I am the enemy of this red-eyed freak, not my beloved. I faced Kurapika. "I won't surrender even if you torture me. I will fight you to death as my comrades did. But don't you dare hurt this young man beside me. Even if I die, I will rise from my grave to kill you."
The Kuruta looked back at me, trying to calm himself. "I'm not as ruthless as you."
I gave him a laugh. "Really? Then let's get it on," I said. We must end this battle once and for all.
I gazed at my dearest. A pleading look in his eyes told me not to continue the flame of rage I started. But I must fight now. I have given my word. I can take it back if I want to. I am no protagonist to think of the welfare of my name's honor. But for the sake of the Ryodan, I am more than ready to offer my life.
"Nii-san..." I heard his faint whisper.
"Go now, my child. Run away from here. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."
"I won't leave you, nii-san."
My heart was torn to pieces. I needed no explanation for me to realize that he loves me too. But I need to fight just the same. For the glory of the Spider. My hailed Genei Ryodan.
I positioned myself in my usual calm fighting stance, inserting my hands in my pocket like one happy-go-lucky kid as I walked towards my opponent. A passing wind played with the long edges of the usual black attire clinging on my skin.
"Nii-san..." His voice melted me like butter tossed in a heated frying pan.
Kurapika's chains rushed towards me. A careful move yet a lethal one. I managed to evade his attack. My eyes looked for an opening.
I heard the market people shouting with fright. Now it's time for them to get out.
"Nii-san.."
"My child, you really need to go now. This is a personal matter. I don't want you to get involved."
He remained unmoved, still trying to convince me to stop my insanity. Even Kurapika got distracted by his presence. But we fought on. He gave me a jab which sent me flying. But I landed on the ground gracefully as I used to. Attack me as you like, I thought. You'll regret it later.
I was not mistaken. He really attacked and attacked me, sending blood to spill out the corners of my mouth. Good, Kurapika. Just hit as you want. Physically, he did hurt me. But I played so smoothly evading his chains. My plan was going so well. My body got bruised and wounded just like my opponent.
I jumped upwards. My turn. Pain packer. The nen armor went closed all over my body, but it was too late before I noticed the chain coming from Kurapika's middle finger. The Jail Chain.
"Nii-san!" I was shocked at my child's loud scream. But I was even more shocked by the sudden burst of a blinding white nen coming from behind me. Even my enemy tried to save me by pulling me away from that energy of destruction. But he was unsuccessful. I became totally wrapped with that bright glow which stabbed my vision.
I will die for sure, I thought. How about my child's dinner? Oh, what a stupid creature am I! How could I let myself die now?! My poor child will surely get hungry.
But I was alive. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was inside a round defense barrier. How about my dear child?
"My child? Where are you?" I was getting hysterical. The glass-like hatsu went shattered as I broke it with my fists. Damn the smoke! It only made me even more nervous. Ah! If something happened to my beloved, I'd kill myself I swear!
"Nii-san..?" I heard his faint whisper. My heart was overjoyed when the mist cleared up. I perceived his aura coming close to me. I wanted to touch him so badly. Console him that everything will be alright.
But I saw no innocent purple-gray eyes. Instead, I beheld a pair of glowing ones without irises. I ran to him. His hair went floating in that blinding whiteness. "My child? Are you alright?"
He blinked. "Nii-san." His face returned back to its original form the moment I touched his cheeks. He embraced me so tight.
"Are you hurt, child?" I asked wrapping my arms around him.
"Not at all," he replied burying his face on a side of my neck. I fondled his hair and touched those silken tresses with my lips. "Nii-san?"
"Yes, my child?"
"I ruined the market now. Where are we going to buy the lobster?"
I laughed heartily at such silly question. "Uh... Seems like we need to go to the supermarket."
"I'm hungry now."
"Again? Wow. No wonder you have grown so big." But I do wonder how he maintained to have such gorgeous body while eating large amounts of food.
"Nii-san.."
"Yeah, right."
We walked hand on hand away from the once noisy market. Well, I do say once because not a thing remained of it, not even a little bit of its cornerstones, much more like a place dropped with an atomic bomb.
Our feet took us to a restaurant where we sat down facing each other. The waiter handed us the menu.
"Choose what you like, my child."
He pointed to the lobster one. "Hmm.. I could clearly sense that you are craving for seafoods," I said.
"I really do, nii-san," he affirmed.
A confused look formed on the waiter's face. "Excuse me, sir. Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" I said looking at the uniformed man.
"Don't get me wrong, but is he really your son or your younger brother?"
I smiled in amusement. "We're not blood related," I replied.
"Oh," he said nodding. "No wonder you look really younger than him. Right." Then he left taking our order.
Well, Yue, I didn't care about that waiter anyway. What I cared about is my child playing the table napkins with his fingers. Ah. Even that simple gesture mesmerized me so much. I haven't fully understood why I am so in love with him. Psychology said that one could not give what he does not possess. I grew up not knowing what love is. I have never experienced any intimate relations other than this one with him.
Ah, Yue. I can't just explain it. But one thing is for sure. I am giving myself fully to him before death takes my life away.
Our order arrived as the rain began to pour outside the clear glass walls of the restaurant.
Hmm..Good night to you, Yue.
Feitan