Chapter 10

Master and the Zoldyck Family

"Hello?"

"Did my daughter have fun at the Hunter Exam?" The voice asked.

A chill ran down the girl's back to the masculine voice. Even though she knew who was calling her, the sound of his voice made her panic.

How did he find out?!

"I... I'm sorry Master... I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She lowered her voice into a whisper.

"You didn't answer my question." Her Master calmly stated. "Did you have fun?"

The girl gulped, "Y-yes sir, I did... And I passed."

"Good job. Why haven't you returned to my side yet? You have no need to go anywhere else."

"Um..." She started, trying to figure out whether or not to tell the man the truth. "I'm helping some of my friends."

"Friends?" The man asked and Nozomi stuttered out a yes in response. "I see... I will yet you go with your friends for the time being. But at September 1st you must come back and forget about your 'friends', understand?"

Stunned by the news, Nozomi stared at the bathroom door as she listened to Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon's voices in the background.

Slowly composing herself she responded, "Yes sir."

"...Good... I will notify someone to remind you or I will call you again later..." Her Master trailed off as if he was reconsidering his orders. "Goodnight Nozomi."

"Goodnight... Master."

Both of them ended their call and still held their phones in their hands, staring at the device and lost in thought. Those who knew the child and the young man knew that their actions and thinking process were similar, but of course, not exactly the same. With a sigh, Nozomi shoved the phone back into her jacket and gazed up to her reflection right in front of her. A sudden image of her future self flashed in the mirror before returning to her normal self.

What am I going to do? Should I accept my fate or challenge it?

A cheerful voice of a certain black hair boy echoed throughout the household, causing the girl to lightly shake her head and smile.

For now, I'll just go along with it. Besides I want to see Killua before I have to forget everyone.

The crisp midnight air brushed against Nozomi's skin and made her dark hair slightly move along with it. A ghost of a smile played upon her lips as she inhaled the fresh air into her lungs. Recently she had not been smiling, let alone showing any of her emotions to anyone. In her mind, it was the best way to separate herself from the others without hurting anyone.

It has only been several of minutes since she went outside, but she knew that there was someone stalking her ever since she and her friends arrived.

"Hey! Are you going to come out, go to bed, or just keep stalking me?" Nozomi called out to the hidden person.

Several more minutes passed and nobody was revealed, which caused the girl to sigh. "I know you're still there. If you want to know something just ask."

At last, a ten year old boy cautiously stepped out of the bushes and in front of the twelve year old girl. The boy had a shoulder length black hair, sharp violet eyes and a noticeable mole near the side of his mouth. He was also dressed a long red kimono with a yellow obi tied around his waist. To most people, he looked more like girl than a boy.

"Hey," Nozomi greeted with a warm smile. "So, what is it that you want?"

"Who are you and how long have you known my presence?" The boy demanded

Nozomi chuckled, "I'm pretty sure you've heard the others say my name but if you must know, my name is Nozomi and I knew you were here for about two weeks now or, more specifically, ever since me and my friends came here."

The boy's eyes widened before he turned his gaze to the ground, deep in thought.

"Don't worry. You're use of Zetsu is perfect." Nozomi stated and the boy looked back her in shock and disbelief. "If you don't believe me the others are proof for you. They haven't noticed you at all."

"Then... How come you've noticed me?" He asked

The twelve year old tapped her chin in thought then shrugged.

"I don't know, I must have a really good teacher." The girl chuckled, "Anyway, since you know my name. What's yours?"

"... Kalluto... Kalluto Zoldyck."

Zoldyck huh... So he must be Killua's little brother, figures.

"Well, it's nice to meet you and you should probably get your rest instead of stalking me. You can continue tomorrow if you want to continue."

Kalluto stared at Nozomi with wide eyes when a voice called out for the girl. Immediately, the girl shooed the young boy away with her hand as she called back to the voice. Kalluto quickly rushed back to the bushes, but before he disappeared, he snuck one last glance at the dark hair girl.

"You're one weird person... But in a good way." He whispered to himself.

Little did he know that Nozomi had heard him and was softly smiling as the person who called her reached the area.

"Nozomi is smiling?" Gon murmured as he lessened his speed and continued to approach the girl. It was the first of two weeks since he saw her warm smile that he grew fond of.

"Gon, What's up?" Nozomi asked, trying to force her smile to fade.

"You weren't in bed so..." He trailed off, remembering that Kurapika told him not to question the girl since she might be going through her own problems. He continued to remind himself that but at last he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Why have you stopped smiling and everything?"

Nozomi sighed, "It's... Nothing really. Just a lot to think about." she glanced back to meet Gon's gaze. "I'll start smiling and showing my emotions more, okay?"

Despite her assurance, the green clad boy still held a determined look in his eyes.

"Promise me one more thing..." He started and the girl tilted her head in confusion. "Promise me that you will stick around until the end."

The twelve year old girl gaped at her friend, wondering why he would say such a thing and how would she respond to it. After composing herself, she opened her mouth to respond when another voice interrupted.

"Gon isn't that a lot to ask for?" The voice asked as he revealed himself.

"Kurapika..." The two kid murmured as the teen stepped forward.

Kurapika pulled Gon aside to speak to while Nozomi remained in the same spot, watching the two converse. After a while, the twelve year old boy turned his gaze over to Nozomi, but once they met eye contact a blush exploded on the boy's face and quickly snapped his head back towards the blonde teen who was smiling in amusement.

Um... Did I do something wrong? She thought as she observed the flustered twelve year old.

After the four met Killua's mother and Kalluto revealed himself to the other three, a fouteen year old girl named Canary brought them to a large house where they were able to directly call the Zoldyck's phone. Once they arrived, five tall men in black suits bowed and invited all of them in.

"Please forgive us for the incident a short while ago." A man named Gotoh apologized after treating Gon's wounds. "Madam called us a while ago and asked us to welcome you as official guests. Make yourself at home."

Straight after he finished, their phone rang and he quickly signaled one of the men behind him to answer it.

"We aren't in the Zoldycks' residence?" Kurapika whispered to Canary and she sadly shook her head.

Soon, the man who answered the phone came back and whispered something into Gotoh's ear. Gotoh's eyes widened with disbelief and asked the man to repeat what he just said. The man complied and repeated what he just said.

Gotoh signed before locking eyes with Nozomi, "Master Silva would like to have a word with you."

Nozomi silently gulped as she followed one of the men to the phone. When they arrived, the man handed her the phone and left, leaving the girl staring at the device held in her hand.

Killua's father... I only met him once with Master but he won't recognize me... Right?

Finally bringing the phone up to her ear, she spoke.

"Hello?"

"So, your the one called Nozomi that my son has been talking about." Silva stated, "... Who would have thought that my son would have connections with your organization. Even after I told him to stay away from you people."

Nozomi knitted her brows in annoyance but she kept her voice calm and soothing.

"You don't have to worry... I'm not going to stay by your son's side too long. He will spend most of his time with Gon."

Right as she finished, she could hear Killua calling out hers and Gon's names. Meanwhile, on the phone, she heard Silva murmur one last threat before hanging up. However, the girl did not pay attention to the assassin's threat and rushed out to the main room.

There, she was a certain silver hair boy greeting the others. His entire body were covered in scares, burns, and bruises, but luckily his injuries were not as bad as Gon's.

"Nozomi!" Gon shouted enthusiastically. He rushed towards the girl in black held her hand. "Now Nozomi's back, lets go!"

The twelve year old girl gazed at their connected hands in confusion then looked up to see Gon's flush cheeks. Does he have a fever?

She then turned her attention to the group in before them. Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua were already walking towards the door, but strangely once her eyes met Killua's, he immediately turned his head to the other way and quicken his steps.

Did I do something wrong... She thought as she felt her chest tighten and her heart drop.

That's it for this chapter and once again I'm sorry for the delay. Hope you like the chapter though. :)