Fake Smiles (Killugon)

Chapter 12

I heard a faint beeping in the background. It's sort of comforting, like letting me know I'm not completely alone.

My eyes slowly open, half expecting to be woken up back in the basement of my own home.

But instead, I'm woken up to the voices of Mito and Abe. 

Mito and Abe?!

I shoot up from whatever position I was in and quickly look around, taking in my surroundings. Then it hits me, there I was. Inside my room. For the first time in years.

I'm so lost. So so lost. Like always. I'll forever be lost, lost in my own misery. Just searching desperately for someone who will help me be found. For somewhere that'll help me be found. A normal life is just something so foreign to me. And if whatever goddamn evil being that watches over me wants to take away my life so bad, I'll just let them have it. 

I just want to rest easy. Rest easy in this nice bed that's back in my nice simple room. Rest easy to the muffled sound of Abe and Mito having their morning coffee. Rest easy to the warmth of the blaring sun through the mesh curtains. Just rest. Refresh. Start over. If such things like being reborn are actually true, I'll meet you again, evil god. We'll once more battle it out. I'll be a new me and win that time. I won't be a dumb, naïve kid again and let everyone I love slip right through my fingers. 

I slowly close my eyes, wanting to enjoy this moment. This moment of peace, and tranquility, that I haven't felt in years. Just rest. And before I knew it, there I was. Drifting off. To the sound of mitos voice, slowly dying out. 

'Atleast I know she's safe.' I think to myself.

I then wake up once more. This time on a roof. 

'A roof?' I think to myself. I look around. Wait. I know this roof all to well. This is the roof...

..I look over. Next to me, teary eyed, sits Kurapika. My best friend Kurapika. He's saying something that I can't make out. I can't make out a single word. It's as if my ears are stuffed with cotton. I narrow my eyes, looking at his moving mouth. Finally, I can manage to make out two words. "Thank you." I see him mouth. Huh..? Why are you thanking me? I do not deserve to be praised. All I do is start problems. Start problems that hurt the ones around me, so why thank me?

He hugs me. Hugs me tight. And I find myself hugging him back. Hugging him so hard, harder then I ever have. I feel something weird, something strange on my face. I touch my cheek with my hand and feel hot tears streaming down my face. 'Im crying' I think to myself. 'Oh.' 

I return my hand back to my best friends back. It's as if I never want to move from this spot. This hug, it's so warm, so comforting. I never want to be released. I sit there, enjoying the moment. Praying it'll never end. I would spend the rest of my life in that position if I had the choice. Feeling the comforting touch of one you love. And holding them so tight, so tight to yourself that not even the evil god can peel them away from you. Not this time.

I doze off in the arms of my friend. Just enjoying it. Enjoying being there. Until I feel the tight embrace of my friend slowly fade away. I open my eyes to check, to call after him to come back. Where must he go so soon? Hug me a little longer, please. 

But instead I'm met with the gaze of a face. A face I've grown to adore. The face of a man I always know I could lean on for support. I smile at Leorio. For he looks so happy, so content. It puts me at ease. I look around once more, where am I now? 

I see all my friends. They're all smiling, they look so happy. All singing something in sync. Are they singing to me? But why? I look down and see a cake. One that has "happy birthday Gon!" Written neatly on the top. Two candles side by side. A one and a five. Oh. My 15th birthday. What an amazing day. I'll never forget the moment I was startled by all the ones I loved yelling surprise in unison, jumping out quickly from their places of hiding. Leorio banging his head on the table and yelping, causing everyone else to break into a fit of laughter. I smile and giggle to myself recalling the event. What a good day it was. Not a single worry in the world crossed my mind that day. I just enjoyed it. Enjoyed being there. Enjoyed the moment.