..="=..="=..="=..="=..="=..Chapter 4: Name..="=..="=..="=..="=.. ="=..

Kurapika woke up and found herself lying on a white-sheeted bed mattress. She sat up and instantly clutched her head—she felt woozy. What happened? She recalled ending up in a city after three days of travelling east on foot, then she remembered going to a restaurant with this man . . . ah! Kurapika immediately looked at her clothes and sighed in relief when she recognized her own outfit. At least he didn't try to strip me off, she thought.

"Le-leorio . . .?" she called, trying to get out of bed.

Kurapika stood up, ignoring the throbbing pain she felt in her head when she moved her body, and scanned the room. It really wasn't much. Aside from the bed where she slept, there was only a cabinet, a 2 seater sofa, and a few decorative hanging on the wall. The door suddenly opened as she made her way to the window to look at the view.

"Hey, you're awake!" he exclaimed, making her jump a little in surprise. "Thank God, you've been unconscious for four days you know!"

"Four . . .?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, you woke up for about an hour on the second day but you fell asleep again after eating the food I bought."

"Oh . . ."

"So, how do you feel?"

Not used to being asked how she's feeling, Kurapika only managed to say 'fine' and went to sit herself on the couch. Leorio, completely unconvinced, followed and sat down beside her. She kept silent for several seconds, gazing at the tiled floor with both hands on her lap. Finally she spoke.

"What happened to me?" she asked, not leaving her eyes off the floor. "I remember going to a restaurant with you and after that . . . nothing. I have no idea anymore."

"You fainted."

Leorio explained to Kurapika how she ran out of the diner after the two of them argued about something and accidentally got her head hit by a stranger coming in from the door.

"Okay, so I passed out. But why would I be unconscious for four days? You didn't drug me . . ." she paused, diverting her gaze from the floor to Leorio. "Did you?"

"Even if I'm capable of doing so, I would never do such a thing."

"Really?" she asked, hint of suspiciousness evident in her tone.

"Really!" Leorio snapped, making no effort to hide his now building up irritation. "I already told you, I'm a good man! Why is it so hard for you to believe that?"

She remained silent.

"Sure, I know it's not easy—given the fact that we're both strangers to each other and all that," he continued. "But trying to put a little trust in someone who just helped you out wouldn't hurt, you know."

"Trust?"

"Yes, trust," he smiled. "Or faith. Yeah, I think faith sounds better."

She pondered what he said for a couple of seconds and twitched her lips. "Trust, Faith, whatever you call it, has made my life so unfathomably miserable that it once drove me to the extent of ending my own existence just so I could be free," she paused to look at Leorio only to find out that he was no longer sitting beside her.

Kurapika saw him by the window, with his back facing her, and his left hand holding a cellphone which was glued to his ear. After a few minutes, he returned.

"Sorry, it was my younger brother, Killua," he apologized and smiled a bit goofily. "He's coming over right now together with his friend. Uh, so what are we talking about again?"

She sighed. "Nothing."

She looked away and redirected her eyes toward the floor. Leorio just watched her in silence. Awkward, he thought. She seemed to be brooding over something again; just like that night when they first met. He closed his eyes and contemplated. If it was another person, would he have done the same thing? Sure, he was like a Good Samaritan and all that but usually he'd just help the people with the same condition as her by giving them something to eat or treating them for free if they're sick and nothing more. That's all he ever does. But now, this girl . . . why does this girl feel so special to him? Deep within himself, he wanted her to be by his side; to protect her from any harm. He wanted to make her smile; to make her happy. But the question is . . . why? They just met a few days ago, didn't they? And for heaven's sake, he doesn't even know her name! So why does he feel so strangely fond of her? Completely baffled by his emotions, Leorio shook his head and groaned.

"I'll go prepare something to eat," he sighed, as he stood up and made his way to leave the room. Leorio stopped, however, when the girl unexpectedly grabbed hold of his arms.

"Wait."

His eyes widened. When she touched him, his body felt something he couldn't explain. It was like being electrified . . . but not. It's something else. It's . . . Ugh! I'm thinking too much! He took a deep breath and turned to face her.

"W-What?"

"I remembered something . . ." she said slowly. "You said we were arguing, right?"

"Uh . . . yeah?" he answered, puzzled.

"About what?"

"Oh. You want to know?"

"If I didn't, would I have asked?"

"Oh yeah," he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. It was your name."

"My name? What about my name?" she arched her brow.

"You wouldn't tell me what your name is."

"That was what we were arguing about?" she said, repelled. "That sounds so childish."

"I know. But you're really stubborn. So will you tell me your name now?" he asked, as a happy yet annoying expression formed in his face.

"Fine," she mumbled.

"Great!" he exclaimed. "So? What's your name?"

She gave him a warm smile and spoke softly.

"Kurapika."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh well, that was all I could write. ._. I'm losing it haha. The ideas in my head just keeps on changing and changing every time! Argh.