I woke up to the bright light of the sun rushing into the room. I reluctantly opened my eyes, not wanting to get up from the comfy warm bed. It was oddly warm.
It was then I realized arms wrapped around me. I tensed as I rolled over to meet bright blue eyes. My eyes widened as my face burned when I saw Killua staring at me.
"What are you doing!?" I panicked as I tried to push away from him. His grip only grew tighter around me and he stared blankly at me.
"Oh, you're finally awake." He casually stated. I continued to try and escape his arms, but no avail.
"Quit moving. You're not going to get out." Killua calmly spoke and I looked at him like he was crazy.
"Let me go! What do you want?!" I didn't stop squirming in his grasp. He tensed against my moving body as he continued to trap me.
"Answers." He replied and I groaned.
"Aw come on! Would you just give up?!" I said between struggles.
"No. Now I'm not letting go until you answer my questions. Truthfully this time, I know when you're lying since you suck at it." He insulted me and I scoffed.
"Fine." I hesitently stated, relaxing in his arms. Killua practically held me to his chest as his arms wrapped around me. It would be considered cute cuddling if I wasn't being held captive.
"Who's Jiroku?" He asked and I tensed at the name. Killua observed my reaction and stared at me. It took me several seconds to respond since the last time I told somebody about Jiroku was when Mr. Shiro found me.
"He's... uh... He was my "master" you could say." I replied quietly. I didn't know how to answer the question honestly while also not giving the whole truth.
"Your master? What do you mean?" Killua questioned as he stared at me. I only averted my gaze, seeing as I was kinda stuck in his arms.
"I worked under him, I guess." I replied and he nodded slowly.
"So were you a butler like Canary or Gotoh?" He asked and I shook my head. I knew he was confused by my vauge responses, but I just couldn't bring myself to say it.
"Come on, Korudo. What were you?" Killua urged me to tell him and I refused to look at him. I shook my head again.
I felt Killua's arm move swiftly and grab my arm. I had little time to react as he pulled my glove off. I let out a gasp as he held my glove in his hand. I immediately hid my bare arm between us.
"He did this, didn't he." Killja spoke up as he reached for my arm between us. One of his arms was still around me so I couldn't escape. He placed my glove behind him so I couldn't get it back. He gently picked up my bare arm as he saw the scars once again.
"I'll give your glove back when you answer my question." He spoke as he examined my arm.
"That's mean." I pouted and he said nothing. I let him touch my scarred skin as he saw it for the second time. I closed my eyes as I lied down, trying to forget my situation.
"Korudo. I'm just trying to help." I heard Killua speak up. Part of me knew that. He was trying to understand what happened to me, and I was being difficult.
I wanted to trust Killua, but that wretched man ripped that privilege from me. But I refused to let Jiroku win. He won't control me anymore.
"I-I..." I choked out as I opened my eyes. I saw Killua perk up as I began to speak.
"I was a s-slave." I quietly confessed, and I felt Killua's grip on me tighten.
"What?" He breathed out, and I closed my eyes again, not wanting to look at him. I told him. I told him. What the hell. What if he turns on me? What if he tells everyone? What if he hates me now?
A hand on my head pulled me out of my thoughts as I opened my eyes in suprise. My eyes were met with worried blue ones. I gasped as I realized Killua was petting my head in some sort of comfort.
He stopped petting my head and wrapped his arm around me again. We lied on the blankets and said nothing.
"Thank you... for telling me." I heard Killua whisper. I looked away in embarrassment.
"Do you want me to, uh... let go?" Killua asked, referring to his arms wrapped protectively around me.
"No..." I mumbled and I felt Killua tense in suprise.
"There's no way I just told you that." I covered my face as I groaned. I heard Killua chuckle.
"You totally did." He teased and I peaked at him through my fingers.
"You're so annoying." I whined and I saw him smirk.
"Sure. That's why you want me to stay." He sarcastically stated and I uncovered my face.
"S-Shut up! Get that stupid smirk off your face!" I yelled, flustered, and pinched Killua's cheeks.
He swatted my hand away in annoyance, and my bare hand brushed against his hair. My eyes widened as I stared at him.
"What?" Killua's annoyed attitude immediately changed as he saw my shocked face.
"Y-Your hair..." I gasped and he brought a hand up to his hair, patting it self consciously.
"W-What about it?" He nervously asked and I only stared at him. I brought my hand back up to his head, and touched his hair.
"It's so soft!" I exclaimed and Killua's face quickly grew red.
"Huh?" His eyes widened as I started running my fingers through his fluffy white hair.
"It's like a cloud!" I beamed as I pulled Killua closer. I continued to play with his hair as he was frozen in shock.
"What are you doing?!" He yelled due to his flustered state. I said nothing and continued to play with his hair. He soon gave in, and let me touch his hair.
"I've never actually felt it before since I'm always wearing gloves! Woah, maybe you really are a snowball!" I laughed as I touched his hair.
"Sh-Shut up! I'm not a snowball!" He childishly yelled as his cheeks grew red. I laughed at his reaction.
"Hey you two! Somebody is here-" Aunt Mito stared at us as she opened the door.
Killua and I immediately sat up, our faces burning. I saw Killua grab my glove as he moved in front of my arm, blocking it from Aunt Mito.
"Um, anyways. There's somebody here for you, Korudo." She finished, and I perked up.
"For me?" I questioned as we stood up. Aunt Mito walked off, leaving Killua and I alone.
"Here. Sorry for taking it." Killua sheepishly stated as he handed me my glove.
I nodded and took it, quickly sliding it on. We walked downstairs to see a familiar man standing in the kitchen.
"Huh? Mr. Shiro? How'd you find us here?" I stared at the childish man as he examined Aunt Mito's dishes. He put the plate down as he saw me.
"Korudo! How's it going!" He ignored my question as he ran to me, dramatically scooping me into a hug.
"Ew! Knock it off!" I yelled as I pushed Mr. Shiro away. He laughed at my reaction, straightening back up.
"I know you're here because Wing told me. Gon told him he was going back to Whale Island, so I decided to go there too, since we technically live here now." Mr. Shiro explained as he grinned at us. Killua stood there just staring at the man blankly.
"How'd you find this house?" I raised a brow at him and crossed my arms.
"I just knocked on every door until I found this one!" He proudly stated, laughing.
"Huh?!" Killua and I exclaimed at the same time, looking at the man incrediously.
"Yup! It's good to see you two! I already talked to Gon, he's somewhere outside." Mr. Shiro sat down at the table as he spoke.
"So, what were you two doing up in that room all alone?" Mr. Shiro wiggled his eyebrows at us, and we jumped in shock.
"Nothing!" I quickly shrieked at him while he smirked at us.
"Yeah, we weren't doing anything! You're a weird old man!" Killua insulted the man, and he sulked.
"Old? Who are you calling old?! You're so mean!" He cried at Killua's comment and I sighed.
"Oh! Allow me to make you some tea!" Aunt Mito offered Mr. Shiro as she walked into the room.
"No thanks, lovely. You're all I need right now." Mr. Shiro hit on Aunt Mito and I nearly choked.
"What?" Aunt Mito raised a brow at the man as he smirked at her.
"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" He continued to flirt. I facepalmed at the cheesy pick up line.
"Excuse me?! You're in my home-" Aunt Mito started to scold Mr. Shiro before I cut her off.
"Aunt Mito! Relax! He doesn't mean it! He's just annoying." I frantically tried to defuse the situation.
"He plays for the other team anyways." I added as I crossed my arms at the snickering man. Her eyes widened in realization as she looked back at the man quizzically.
"I apologize ma'am, it was a poor joke." Mr. Shiro sheepishly apologized to the woman and she slowly nodded.
"Okay..." She narrowed her eyes at him and he nervously chuckled.
"Like I said, he's one weird old man." I heard Killua whisper to me and I nodded, still staring at the two adults.
○●○
Gon Killua and I sat in Gon's room. Gon gave us a box he said his father left him for when he became a Hunter.
"Oh? I see. So this is the box." Killua stated as he held the box in his hands.
"How do you open it?" He asked as he examined it.
"I tried a bunch of methods, but it wouldn't open." Gon replied and I tilted my head in confusion.
"There has to be a way. Or else he wouldn't have given you the box." I stated and Gon nodded.
"Mind if I use force?" Killua spoke up as he placed another hand on the box.
"Go ahead." Gon replied.
"Okay..." Killua mumbled as he gripped the box. He struggled to open it as he used all of his strength.
"It's no use. This is no ordinary box. I should be able to twist open an ordinary steel box. And since we don't know what's inside, we can't break the box. It's not making a sound." Killua spoke in defeat as he shook the box.
I tried to keep in my laughter at his failure, and his head snapped towards me.
"Shut up, Korudo! I'd like to see you try!" Killua yelled at me, irritated by my small laughs.
"Wait, why don't you try freezing it, Korudo!" Gon suggested and I looked at him.
"I don't think I should. I might freeze whatever is inside." I stated, looking at the box in Killua's hands.
"Oh. I guess you're right." Gon replied.
"That's it! There's one thing we haven't tried yet!" Killua exclaimed as Gon and I looked at him in confusion.
"Huh?" Gon tilted his head at the boy.
"Something you have as a Hunter
that you didn't have before. Korudo's ice reminded me." Killua explained and I perked up in realiztion.
"Ohh..." I exhaled as I figured it out.
"Oh, I know! My Hunter License! But there isn't an opening for the card..." Gon spoke up, and I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh again.
"No, that isn't it. I meant Nen." Killua sighed, and Gon laughed sheepishly.
Gon grabbed the box as he focused his nen on it. It started glowing, then shattered to pieces. A small box fell onto the floor along with the metal pieces.
"There's another box inside." Gon pointed to the box sitting on the floor.
"That's stupid. Why can't your dad just stick with one." I crossed my arms as I grumbled about Gon's dad.
"These are just steel plates. It appears nothing was connecting them." Killua suddenly tensed as he examined a piece. I hummed in interest as I noticed his reaction.
"What's wrong?" Gon asked, and Killua tossed one of the metal plates to him.
"Doesn't that design look familiar?" Killua pointed to the blue markings running along the metal. I leaned closer to Killua, looking at the design in the piece we was holding.
"This is... I know! This is like the pattern on the promise thread Mr. Wing gave me!" Gon exclaimed in realization.
"Wasn't that designed to snap if Nen was used?" Killua asked and Gon nodded.
"I bet this pattern holds a power similar to Nen. It would makes sense, since the designs are similar." I spoke up and the boys thought about my words.
"Maybe we're supposed to put the card in here now." Gon picked up his Hunters License and inserted it into the box.
"It worked!" He beamed as the box opened.
"Bingo!" Killua smirked as we leaned over to the box.
"A ring, and a cassette tape..." Gon listed the things inside the box.
"And a memory card?" Killua stated as he picked up the memory card.
"That's weird..." I mumbled as we stared at it.
"Look. That pattern is on the back of this ring. You should be careful before you put it on." Killua picked up the ring.
"Really? You think that Ging might try to hurt me?" Gon asked and I shrugged.
"Just be careful, Nen is weird, so you've got to think twice before messing around with it." I stated and Gon nodded.
"Well, we can start by listening to the tape." Gon stood up and walked to his closet.
"I guess. Oh, can you copy it?" Killua turned to Gon as he rummaged through his closet.
"Sure, why?" Gon replied.
"Just to be safe." Killua answered, and Gon sat down with us, ready to play the tape.
I stared at the floor in thought. What is Ging going to say? If I'm feeling nervous to hear his father, I wonder how nervous Gon feels. I sighed as they were about to play the tape. Ging better not pull anything stupid.