𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬 | 𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦! 𝘬𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘬𝘢 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

11 | 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭

2/14/22 special chapter (?)

I sleepily walked into class, dropping my bag at the side of my desk and laying my head down dramatically.

"What's wrong with you?" Gon asked, as he leaned back in his chair.

"A lot of things, actually. It Monday, I'm tired, I skipped breakfast because I woke up late, I crave sleep, and it's Valentine's Day. Do you know how many weird couples I walked past doing PDA in the hallway? Honestly, I thought I was still asleep in a gross nightmare."

"Don't worry about it, just a few more months until summer vacation. About the Valentine's thing...it's not that important to me either but it's really sweet. I mean look at this, you can have one if you want."

I look past his shoulder to see a corner of his desk littered with various gifts. From chocolate, to tiny bears, to flowers.

"How in the hell did you get so many?!" He shrugged and started to put some away, only for another girl from a different class to come in and gift him another heart shaped chocolate box.

The teacher walked in, meaning an hour of really boring stuff.

❦

I noticed that whenever I walked in the hallway, I felt like I was being watched. It was creeping me out, it was a shame I had to rely on corners to keep me safe. Every time I turnt a corner, the eyes disappeared. Only for a short minute that is. They would follow me everywhere.

I wasn't sure if it was random people staring at you in the halls. Maybe you were on your period and you didn't know, or maybe it was your scent? Pretending to run a hand through you hair, you smell yourself and per usual, you smelt very nice. Maybe vanilla?

Silently running to the back of the school, I make my way up the familiar hill and slump against the tree. Going through my bad, I take out my book that I've currently been reading.

Soaking into the words of the current chapter, I didn't even notice someone had come up the hill.

"Oh, I didn't know anyone was up here." You looked up to see your favorite blonde friend.

"Oh. Sorry, I can leave."

"No, please don't. Why would I ever want you to leave?" He walks over and takes a seat next to me.

I smile to myself, he wants to sit with me. I'm glad I could be friends with such a character like Kurapika.

"So, what were your plans? Where were you gonna do up here?"

He reaches in his bag and takes out a book, coincidentally being the same book I had been reading.

He let out a surprised noise, I switched back and forth from my book cover to his.

"Aha, what a coincidence!" I smile.

"Yeah. Oh, I wasn't planning on doing anything really. I just wanted somewhere to peacefully relax before next period."

I nod, knowing we had to same intentions. After a few minutes of silence, I decide to break the silence.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, how's life been? Not like school or friends, just you in general. How have you been holding up?"

He stays quiet and looks up from his book. Sadly staring at the sky.

"You don't have to answer, you are not obliged to."

"No, it's fine. Honestly, I don't know where I stand. Yeah I have you and the others but I still can't help but feel lonely. They say your loved ones are always with you but it sure as hell doesn't feel like it. Everyday I wake up in the same white, boring, square room, hoping when I open my bedroom door someone would be there to greet and hug me. Feed me and wave as I head off to school. I wake up to the same horrid reality, just me in my apartment. So to answer your question, in reality I just want somewhere to be with me. You know, like be the mother I lost or the sister I never had. Or simply, just someone to love."

My heart felt heavy, the cold air picking up, creating a harsh breeze that flipped my pages, losing my spot. Of course I knew what happened to him, but he never told me how he truly felt.

He turns his attention to me and immediately looks away.

"Sorry. I had to get it off my chest."

Placing my book down, I scoot over and hug him tightly. Surprised, he awkwardly hugs me back. The hug started off a little odd, but eventually we got used to each other's warmth and sunk into a dream of comfort. 

Kurapika wished this could last forever, but the bell had rang.

"Already?" He groans.

I let go and smile.

"It's fine, how about this. We see each other everyday after school just to check up on each other and stay if the other wants to. I don't want you getting all sad on me." I scoot away and put my book back in my bag.

Standing up, I wipe away anything that was on my knees and help Kurapika get back up. Together, we walk back to the school building. I noticed he had started acting a little weird. In the corner of my eye I saw him shuffling in his bag.

"Wait just a moment please." I turn around to see him holding a heart shaped box.

"This isn't supposed to be romantic or anything, just saying. I didn't know how to repay you for being just a good friend. Giving you a gift on any normal day would've looked like I was desperate, like how I gave you that bracelet. So here, I noticed that on this day people usually give gifts to those who they feel fond of and you're definitely one of those people. Sorry if this was a little out of the blue, I spent all day trying to figure out how to give this to you and I guess date brought us together at that tree."

Again, that feeling in my stomach started to rise.

My neck and face felt warm and my eyes got watery. I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

"Thank you, Kurapika. You really didn't have to. I appreciate you on the same level so I feel bad I didn't get you anything!" I start to freak out.

"It's fine, your presence and friendship alone is a gift to me." He exhales a low chuckle.

I rush over and hug him once again. He hands me the chocolate and we walk back into the school together. Glad we were both in each other's presence.