Hello again, my fellow Kuraneo fans! I apologize for my late update. This chapter turned to be longer than I expected, so I have decided to separate them and leave the supposedly (exciting) last part of this chapter to the next. Anyway, I wanted to say, thank you so much for the reviews. I am touched and am crying a river of happiness because you like my story so far!
Now, on to the reading!
Chapter 5: Smile
Since that incident in the dining hall, the Boss demanded Kurapika to spend at least a couple of hours a day with her, as her 'company' she'd said, which somehow, -for some absurd reason- most of the Nostrade's employees had seemed to miss-interpreted as 'boyfriend'. Kurapika didn't even bother to correct that statement or did anything to clear his name from their series of false accusations and outrageous rumors, despite the fact that he did lost his temper with one of his colleagues on a certain morning. Neon Nostrade had treated him with the so called 'special attention', and the fact that he could not deny her of anything, he found himself playing the role of her boyfriend, rather involuntarily. Might he add, it was entirely new to him and overbearing in a sense.
It only got worse.
Day one, the very same day after the breakfast spectacle, the Boss was waiting for Kurapika in her room and as he arrived he found her waiting for him alone, on her bed, inviting him to play poker with her, on her bed. His attempt to retreat, or at least to call for her handmaidens, was put to a halt as she jumped off her bed and rushed past him to lock the door behind them. It all happened too fast, and at that very moment, he felt as if he was a raw human meat, left in a tigress den, trapped with no way to escape and to make things worse, his mind was flashing series of dirty thoughts from the way she stared at him; with light shades of red on her cheeks as she was biting at her lower lip, so was the fact that he was alone with a girl in her bedroom, for the first - no second time (including the time he comforted Neon as she cried about losing her ability, which was partly his fault for yelling at her.) in his life. Not to mention, an attractive one, who was wearing a very revealing combination of top and skirt that rivaled even a pair of a bikini.
Day three. Despite of his warning about the Nostrade household's limited income, they went shopping again and this time, it was just the two of them. Miss Neon had unexpectedly circled an arm around his and when he shoved her away, which in his defense was as gentle as he could manage, the hurt in her face was apparent, tears formed in her eyes and when she started sobbing, it was the auction night all over again. The people around them were shooting him dirty looks, whispering words that accused him as her bully. By the Gods! He was innocent and it was this 'poor girl' who had been harassing him. Needless to say, he had no choice but to compile to her desire by gesturing his arm for her, which served as an invitation to clung on to him. To his surprise, she flung herself at him for an embrace, and as they started walking, her fingers intrude his and they walked hand in hand. It was an awkward moment for Kurapika who had his hand held by a girl for the first time. The blush on his face was as red as the dress she wore that day. He would do as she said because she was his Boss, and that was all there is to it. At the end of the day, there was only one thing in his mind; Neon Nostrade's hand was small and soft.
Day six, Miss Neon wanted to watch a movie at the theater. So they bought tickets for two, of course her company was none other than Kurapika and so they went, just the two of them. Before they took off, the teasing looks his colleagues were giving him caused him a great discomfort. It was about fifteen minutes into the movie, when he felt something rested on his right shoulder and an arm snaked its way around his. When he stared down, surprise-surprise, it was the boss and he was already frozen stiff in his seat. He did not push her away, for he knew if he did, she would disrupt everyone in the theater and even if they were to get kicked out, she would throw a fit. Nobody wants to be there when she did. To his relief, the movie they had watched that day was of the action genre. He feared what could happen if it was a romance. Then again, he found it strange that he felt more at ease as time passed by until the movie ended and thought of how sweet her scent was; wondering if that was the smell of her shampoo or her natural scent.
Days went by until two weeks had passed. He was relieved she didn't go further to the next level of a male and female physical advances. However, it was unknown to him when exactly it happened; whenever he was with her, he did not even had a chance to think of all the terrible things that had happened to him, not his revenge, not of everything and everyone he had lost. It was as if he was with Gon and the others once more and the weirdest thing was, for the last couple of nights, her gentle smile had been the last thing he thought of before he slumber.
One thing he would never admit to himself or to anyone else was the fact that he was actually enjoying her company, even if it was just for the slightest bit. It felt good.
It was Sunday after they had lunch, that the Boss suggested they go somewhere new and she had kept the place a secret. Instead of wearing his usual tabard or his black suit, he was forced to change into something casual. A pair of jeans and a navy blue hoodie over a white shirt, they were the only casuals he owned.
As he was waiting for Neon by the car with Karl, he stared at his own reflection on the car window. How long ago did he last dressed in casuals? Despite his outstanding capabilities to memorize every single thing he had ever read and encountered, he could barely remember the most mundane events in his life. He was too preoccupied with his desire for revenge and the Scarlet eyes, that he had never gotten to consider living as a normal teenage boy and explore the world at his will. No, he could not let these things get in his way. This was merely a job, he was to please his employer, the Boss and his daughter. Kurapika was afterall, a man who would do anything to achieve his dream.
No, it wasn't a dream. It was a duty, his duty to avenge the Kurta, his family, his friends, and to return their eyes, so they could rest in peace.
"Kurapika, are you alright?" Karl snapped the young head bodyguard out of his trance. "Something wrong?" Kurapika followed his pair of brown eyes to his hands, which were apparently knuckling tight on his sides.
In response, he quickly rubbed in between his eyebrows and looked away. Afraid his colleague may notice the change in his eyes. "I'm fine. He uttered hoarsely, before he cleared his throat.
"Well if you say so. Because your date is here." The older man grinned at him.
Kurapika gave him a look. "Will you stop? I am just guarding her that's all."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Karl waved him off. "So you want me to get the door or…?"
"Kurapika!" a familiar voice called out to him in the sweetest of tone.
Karl stifled his laugh and Kurapika narrowed his eyes in response before clearing his throat. "I'll do it."
The Little Miss ran on her heels and wrapped her arms around Kurapika and squeezed him so tight that he found it difficult to breathe. "You look so cool in casual! But you know, I like you in everything so-"
With just enough force, he grabbed her hands and untangled them from his body. "Yeah-um-well, we better go."
"Yes!" Neon answered gleefully. She had been in an especially high spirit lately, and today was no exception. The change of her style was still an obstacle of Kurapika, but he had grown more accustomed to it for a while now, that is if he overlooked her weird tendency to press herself against him.
Kurapika wondered where she was taking them. She refused to tell and neither will Karl.
Guess he'll just have to wait and see.
It was a marvel.
One of the places he had longed to visit ever since he was just a child; reading about them in books and here he stood, about to enter the world he had always dreamed of.
The Hunter Theme Park. It was one of the most famous theme parks in the world.
The crowds, possibly hundreds and thousands of people crowding the place with joyous looks on their faces and boisterous laughter, screams from some; looking as if they have no worries or care for what was happening to the world. The sight of the many amusement rides around him, the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, all the food they were selling, to the sun above them that warmed his entirety; send thrills that put a smile to his face.
He felt as if he had encroached upon another world, and 'heaven' was the word he would describe the place.
If only his friends were here with him; Gon, Leorio, Killua, Pairo… especially Pairo.
"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Neon unceremoniously pulled on Kurapika's hand and started their journey around the amusement park.
They tried most of the rides, from the innocent child ride Merry-Go-Round to the stomach-churning Roller Coaster, Kurapika cannot ask for a better place to be. It had been a while since he last laughed so freely and completely enjoyed a day away from all his worries. He had never been so happy to be in Neon's company, and in that place, he had actually forgotten he was actually a bodyguard and the fact that she's the annoying Boss he wished would stop bothering him.
It heightened Neon's spirit to see Kurapika laughed for the first time since she first met him. Thanks to Melody and a little research she did on the Kurta clan, she learned more of his past than she did before. The female bodyguard wouldn't say much, but Neon had figured Kurapika must have always wanted to re-live his childhood, and to experience the world he had never been to. She had never been so proud of herself when she saw how elated her usually-sour-faced bodyguard had been since they first arrived.
Neon saved the best ride for the last; to get on the Ferris wheel with Kurapika by sunset and with that perfect setting, she'll make sure he'd make the first move to— Oh, just thinking about it makes my heart melt like a ball of snow under the intensely hot sun.
"Hey, look at him, isn't he cute?" a girl, no older than Neon whispered to her friend.
"Who?"
"That blonde guy by the ice-cream cart." Neon gaped her mouth in disbelief, realizing the stranger was talking about Kurapika who had gone to buy ice cream for her.
"Oh my, you are right! Gyaa, I wonder which school he's from."
"Let's go ask him-"
Face painted red in anger, Neon yelled on top of her lungs. "KURAPIKA!" She stomped her way towards her man.
After handing over some money to the ice cream man, Kurapika who heard his name turned to face a very enraged Neon, huffing like an angry baboon. He quirked a brow as he mouthed "Huh?" holding on to Neon's strawberry ice-cream on one hand.
Neon pulled on Kurapika's free arm and purposefully snuggled into him. "What took you so long?" her questioned sounded more like the growling of an angry girlfriend and Kurapika, who overlooked the fact that she was actually intimidating the two girls who was about to flirt with him, peek at his watch and pointed out bluntly. "Boss, it's only been two minutes." At this point, he didn't even see the need to push her away, knowing he'll just upset her even more than she already was, even though he had absolutely no idea why she was so angry.
Apparently, she flared up worse than before and he could practically see fire emitting from her body.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Neon!" she put an emphasized to the last three words, yelling them in his face.
What the hell is her problem?
Kurapika decided to handle her with his level headedness. "Okay Neon. I'm sorry." He bowed respectfully, like a proper bodyguard would to their master.
"Oh my, what a poor guy, to have such terrible girlfriend with a queen complex." One of the girls who tried to flirt with Kurapika whispered in a loud voice, as if she wanted Neon to be heard on purpose.
"No way, he called her 'Boss' just now. He's probably her underlings or something." The other girl replied in the same manner, giving Neon a dirty look. "If I was her boyfriend, I would have dumped her."
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't even want to date her!"
"True, she's probably the daughter of some rich old guy, spoiled to the core. The useless type of girl I'd say. Man will use her for her money and leave her broke."
"You are so bad!"
The two girls laughed at their own amusement and Neon, despite being angry, tried to suppress her emotion, but her tears were threatening to fall, because deep down inside she knew they were right and it hurt. That must be what Kurapika is thinking…
"Apologize." Kurapika's voice was deep and filled with warning.
"E-Excuse me?" one of the girls almost choked on her own words and took a step back as Kurapika approached her purposefully.
Neon could only stare at his back, unaware of the dark and intimidating expression her bodyguard had on.
"Apologize to the Boss right now." Though he didn't raise his voice, the two strangers found themselves speechless and finally gave in to his demand. The moment they bowed their heads in apology to Neon; they scurried away as if to get away from a ghost.
Neon stared in amazement, at the forms of the two girls as they disappeared into the crowd. She then averted her gaze back to the Kurta, as he turned around and walked over to her with her ice cream in hand; slightly melting, but unspoiled. His expression was calm as he offered her the ice cream and a hand for her to hold on to. "Shall we move on?"
Light sparked in her eyes as she saw his half smile; his expression was gentle and genuine. "Uhn!" she nodded and walked hand in hand with him. The strawberry ice cream tasted sweeter than usual and so was the smile that she offered him, thanking him for the happiness he'd brought upon her that day.