Chapter Three
I push open the doors to the library. This time, rather than just two people, there is a man, sitting next to Kurapika. He wears small rounded glasses and has dark spiky hair, that kind of reminds me of Gon's. I nervously walk up to the table.
"Hello, Kou," Kurapika greets upon noticing me, "Have a seat."
I smile, and set my things down. The man looks at me, and smirks.
"Oi, who's this, Kurapika?" he loudly asks. The librarian quickly shushes him, to which he makes a rude face.
"Shut up. Leorio, this is Kou, a first year. Kou, this is Leorio, a third year."
"Hi. Nice to meet you," I shyly say, anxiously smiling.
"First year? Didn't know you went for little kids, Kurapika," Leorio snickers, sitting back in his seat. Kurapika swiftly pinches his cheek.
"Shut. Up. You make too much noise," Kurapika snaps without hesitation.
Awkwardly, I speak up.
"Um, Leorio... Are you really a third year? You look like at least a college student..."
"He failed last year and had to repeat," Kurapika explains, still tightly grasping Leorio's skin despite his cries of struggling and discomfort. I can't help but laugh a little.
"Only 'cause I played hooky too much," Leorio mutters, rubbing his cheek after breaking free.
"And because you're an idiot."
Leorio scowls at him, "Tsk."
"So, Kou," Kurapika says, turning to me, "Have you progressed in A Silent Spark?"
I quickly dig the book out of my bag and hold it up, my bookmark sticking out.
"Halfway through it. I would've finished if I wasn't occupied by chores."
"What do you think so far?"
"I really like it. I've never read a book where the narration is done by an inanimate object."
"Yes, I do like that aspect of it. It oddly makes sense."
Leorio lets out a loud sigh.
"I'm going to head out. Can't handle this much nerd talk," he says, jumping out of his seat. Kurapika rolls his eyes.
"Will you be present next class, or do I have to lie to Ms. Mizushima again?"
Leorio pauses for a minute.
"Maybe," he laughs with a wink, turning away with his hands in his pockets. I look back to Kurapika.
"That fool..." he mutters, shaking his head.
"You two have a pretty nice dynamic, I'd say," I smile, flipping through the pages of my book. Kurapika chuckles.
"Would you? We're usually at each other's necks."
"Really? Why is that?"
"Because he is an idiot."
The clock is very quietly ticking, and the sound of the librarian swiftly typing on her laptop emits from behind me.
"He wants to be a doctor," Kurapika begins, "But he doesn't try in school. He rarely shows up, and when he does, he never does anything in class. It's a wonder he's even made it this far."
He sits up in his seat, and slides his book to the side.
"At first, I tried pushing him as much possible, trying to get him to see that if he really wants to be a doctor, he needs to study hard and show up to school. But after numerous failed attempts, I stopped."
I started chewing on my bottom lip. I never would've thought Leorio wanted to be a doctor.
"There's only so much you can do. If the person doesn't respond to your help, there's no point in wasting your time and energy. Now I just let him do as he pleases."
"Doesn't it make you sad, though? Knowing that at this rate, he won't be able to be a doctor?" I ask, leaning forward. He looks at me, and sighs.
"I suppose. It has been a childhood dream of his."
He pauses.
"...That being said, it's his dream. Not mine."
"Why does he even want to become a doctor, anyway?"
Kurapika lets out a breath, and begins tapping his index finger on the tabletop.
"It's a complicated story. But, a friend of his contracted a disease, one that was quite curable. However, the family lacked the funds to afford the surgery, and he, well... died."
"That's so sad..."
"Yes, it is. Leorio may seem like a narcissistic idiot, which, in some ways he is, but he's genuine. He wishes to become a doctor to help the poor."
"How noble of him. I never would've guessed..."
"No one would've," Kurapika says with a chuckle. He picks up Akira's Principles again, and flips to a page.
"May I continue reading?"
"Oh, am I boring you?" I joke, reaching for A Silent Spark.
"No, of course not. But I've just been itching to finish."
"Go ahead. Me too."
We read for the rest of the duration of lunch. When the bell rings, we quickly pack up our things.
"Where's your next class?" Kurapika asks as we walk out of the library into the sea of students.
"Um, room 6A. Algebra."
"I'll walk you there."
My heart starts pounding for some reason.
"But you're a third year. Won't you feel weird going into a hall full of first years?" I mumble while we dodge bodies.
"Not as long as you don't feel weird about being seen with a third year," he laughs. I giggle, tightly holding on to my bag.
Kurapika holds open the doors to the first year hall, and gestures for me to enter. As we walk together, eyes are on us, and people begin to whisper. I spot Gon and Killua ahead, and awkwardly look away.
"Look out."
Kurapika pulls me away by the waist, just as I'm about to run in to someone.
"Oh," I nervously mumble, "Um, thanks."
"No problem."
We continue walking to my classroom. Gon notices me, and waves.
"Kou! Oh, who's this?" he asks, his smile fading a little as he notices Kurapika.
"Oh, uh, Gon, this is Kurapika," I quickly introduce, my eyes shifting to and from Gon and Killua. Snow White just turns away and trudges into the classroom. The bell rings a second time.
"Nice to meet you," Kurapika says. They shake hands, and I can tell Gon is a little awestruck.
"Nice to meet you!"
The bell rings a third time, and I wave to Kurapika.
"See you tomorrow, Kurapika."
"See you tomorrow, Kou," he says with a sweet smile. He pauses, and then walks away. I hurry into the classroom, with my face hot and my heart pounding. Gon moves his bag as I sit in the desk next to him.
"Kurapika seems nice," he whispers as the teacher goes over the lesson plan for today.
I nod, "He really is."
I look at Killua, who's looking back. He turns away.
When the last bell rings, I meet up with Gon. Of course, his new little friend is there.
"Kou, Kou!" Gon calls, "Guess what?"
"What?" I ask, walking up to them. Killua starts fiddling with his skateboard, clearly uninterested.
"Everyone's talking about you! About you and Kurapika," Gon explains as other people walk past. The sun is already beginning to set.
"What? Why?"
But of course I know.
"Because you were walking with him, and he's a third year!"
"Ugh, I knew it would cause a commotion. But I don't get why. It's not that big of a deal. We're just friends."
"It's generally unheard of."
I meet eyes with Killua. He's suddenly decided to be somewhat interested in what I have to say.
"What? Being friends with a third year? I don't see why it has to matter."
"Kurapika's really popular! Everyone knows him," Gon chimes in. Killua turns away again.
"...Really? I didn't think he was," I mumble, pushing my hair back behind my shoulders.
If he's so popular, why does he sit alone in the library? Shouldn't he be surrounded by people?
"He's the top student of his class. Along with his intelligence, he's pretty handsome," Killua says.
"Why are you suddenly talking to me? I thought you hated me," I scoff, making a face. He doesn't reply, but looks away. Gon checks his watch.
"We should start heading home, Kou," he tells me. I nod in agreement. He says his goodbyes to Snow White, and we begin the short walk back home. My thoughts wander to him.
"Gon, do you think that maybe I won't have to go back with him, when he gets out?" I quietly ask. I can see him looking at me.
"...I hope not."
"Mito-san won't let him, right?"
He stops walking. I look back at him, and his face is ridden with sadness.
"I don't know," he whispers. His lip starts quivering.
"It's okay," I mumble, picking at my fingernails, "It's kind of funny. We both have parent issues."
The sky is bronze and bright.
Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!