Scarlet Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own HxH

Reminiscence 06 –A deal

'Could you really be the one I am looking for? The companion that was mentioned in the prediction? If that is the case, would you accept to be my new companion, Kurapika? Seriously, fate is playing games with us, don't you think?'

Looking at the sleeping Kurapika, Kuroro cannot help but to be amazed by the girl's beautiful appearance. She has a petite body with pale white skin like a porcelain doll, long lashes that curtained her eyes perfectly and pinkish thin lips.

Kuroro even observed that Kurapika's already beautiful appearance was enhanced after the change. So he can say that Kurapika can be described as a perfect 'little' doll model.

"Hm?" He saw her hand moves. 'She is waking up.'

Truth to be told, Kurapika has woken up as she slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Kuroro's smile with a sign of relief on his face. Was he glad to see her awake? But for what reason?

"Kuroro Lucifer?" she asked softly with her more feminine voice.

"Yes," Kuroro answered as he helped the girl to sit up and rest her back at the wooden wall, putting a pillow in between.

Kurapika blink, slightly taken aback at the man's action. She was silent. She doesn't know what to think or what to say. Looking at the man's eye made her wonder if he is really the Kuroro Lucifer that she knew. Not that she really knew him, but the Kuroro she is seeing now is somewhat different.

"Are you ok?" Kuroro asked to make sure if she's alright upon realizing that the girl was being silent.

"Y-yes," she answered hesitantly, "I'm fine."

"Are you hungry?"

Kurapika looked at the man's eyes as she contemplated for a while. "A little," she answered afterward.

Kuroro nodded to her as he stood up. "Wait here," he said then walked toward the door. But upon reaching the door, he suddenly stopped then turned to face the girl again.

"If you're wondering about me, then, we have the same thought. I am also wondering about you," he said, then turned again to the door and left, leaving the confused Kurapika.

'Well, you are right,' she thought when the man got out of the room. 'It's normal, considering what had happened. I just returned into a girl anyway and you are acting like … like we're not enemies?' She signed.

"Just what are you thinking, Kuroro?" she asked, looking at the door where the man disappeared. She averted her gaze to her palm as she raised them in front of her. She looked at them, as if seeing them for the first time. After that, she closed her eyes and let her hands rest on her lap.

"Wait," she suddenly opened her eyes again as realization took her and looked around the room. 'This room…' she thought as she felt a strong familiarity.

The room is simple. All the furniture's are made from wood. In one corner is a single bed which she is using right now. To her left, not far away from the bed is a table in front of a window with a lamp and her baggage on the top. 'Thank goodness, they are still whole,' she thought.

Next to the table is a bookshelf full of different kinds of books. The door is at the corner opposite the window. Next to the door and in front of Kurapka's bed is a wardrobe. And lastly, is a chair beside the bed which is supposed to be in front of the table.

It was a very simple room indeed, but holds a lot of memories; it was her room after all. The room where she used to sleep, to read or study, the room where her mother used to tell her stories and sing her lullabies. Kurapika cannot help but sigh upon the memory. She won't be able to hear her mother's beautiful voice ever again.

The door opened, cutting Kurapika's train of thoughts as she looked over upon hearing it. She saw Kuroro entered the room and walked toward her bringing with him a bowl of wild berries which he probably got from the forest and a glass of water which must be from the stream.

"Here," Kuroro said as he handed the bowl to Kurapika.

"Thanks," Kurapika said and begun eating the wild berries as Kuroro returned from his previous position (sitting at the chair) and contented himself on watching her. "Are you not hungry? She asked, a little bit embarrassed, seeing that the man gave her all the fruits that he brought.

"No," Kuroro answered.

"Is that so?" He must have eaten while she was asleep.

Kurapika continued on eating. After a few minutes, Kuroro stood up then walked toward the bookshelf to get a book and immediately get back to his chair. He then started to read the book that he picked as he waited for Kurapika to finish her food.

000

A while ago, when Kurapika was still sleeping, he decided to find some food and water. The forest is not that far away from the village so he did not take a second thought to wonder on. And there, he found a lot of fruit bearing trees, but not all of those fruits are edible.

In a place like that forest, one must be knowledgeable to know which of those fruit are poisonous and which are not. Fortunately Kuroro bear that knowledge. He had read some books about survival before which are very useful to him until now.

After he got the fruits he wanted, he continued to wonder the forest to look for the stream that he knew it was somewhere out there. Not long after, he found the stream that he was looking for. The stream has cool and clear water, perfect for drinking. It is like an oasis inside a forest.

000

After Kuapika finished her food, Kuroro immediately closed his book to get the water which he had placed beside his chair and gave it to Kurapika.

"Thanks," Kurapika acknowledged as she took the water from Kuroro and drunk it without a single hesitation. Seeing no bad intentions from the man's eyes, Kurapika willingly accepted the water, knowing where it came from. The same with the wild berries, she knows them very well, the forest was her play ground after all.

"Let's make a deal," Kuroro said after Kurapika finished drinking the water.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at the man's eyes.

"You will answer all my questions, and I will do the same with yours."

Kurapika contemplated for a while then nodded after a few seconds. She doesn't have anything to hide anyway, and she also wanted to ask something to the man.

"Then," Kuroro started, "What happened and who did that to you?"

The expected question came first; the question about her becoming a male. But considering the question, does Kuroro know she's originally a girl? Well, he would not ask if he doesn't, 'maybe', Kurapika thought.

As for Kuroro, he knows very well that the Kuruta tribe values the virtue of honesty greatly, so they do not lie. 'It is better to keep silent than lie,' is one of their principles. And no, he doesn't know that Kurapika is originally a girl. He never had guessed that Kurapika might be the little girl he had met, before the massacre occurred.

Understanding the man's question, Kurapika went silent for a while, thinking on what she should tell to Kuroro. She leaned her head to the pillow, closing her eyes as memories started flashing in her mind.

After a few seconds she opened her eyes again. "Since you're the one who released me, I will tell you everything," she said and Kuroro waited for her to continue.

"You might have known him; he's also from Ryusei Gai."

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