Part 63: After X A X Year

The morning came and it's also the day for our departure. I couldn't believe that I'll be leaving this island after a year of staying here. It's been my second home.

But I knew that I won't be staying for too long. I have to find my father and return to my real home in Yorknew City. Now that I finally removed my arm, I could live a normal life and protect those I loved.

"Did you bring everything?" Mito said as she was just standing beside the door with one of her hands resting in her waist. She plastered a smile on her face, saying goodbye.

We also smiled at her for a farewell. Gon was also coming since we'll be meeting with Killua and Alluka at Zaban City. Come to think of it, that's the first place where we all meet up together. Time really flies.

"Yes!" Gon answered as we both started to grab our backpacks, ready for the departure. Just like Gon who was wearing his green shorts and sweater, I also wore the waitress outfit that the Captain gave me. I just couldn't leave it behind.

"Then... good luck." She said, now crossing her arms, as she leaned to the door.

We stepped outside the house and took a last good look at Mito. Gon raised his hand and waved.

"Bye, Aunt Mito!" He yelled as he was still continued to wave his hand to her.

"Thank you very much!" I bowed down to her as a gesture of my thanks for letting me stay. Then, I looked at my friend that was standing beside me and nodded.

We started walking towards the port and rode the gigantic ship, just like how we first met. I was once a ship worker at that time, cleaning the deck, and sneakily helping with lifting the cargoes.

After remembering those times, I started wishing to see Captain and my co-workers again. It's been three years since I left them to go on a journey in finding out about my arm and now, I missed them.

Finally, we made it to Zaban City, where we all planned to meet up. I could still remember the time where I decided to join the Hunter exam and trying to catch up on Gon and the others. It's really a funny moment, but at the same time, a sad one. I have to leave the Captain for it.

As both of us were running towards the bulletin board, where we all decided to meet up, I saw two figures waiting for us in a far distance. We got a closer look and I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the sight.

A boy with silver messy hair, wearing the same outfit as before, and a girl with long black hair in somewhat a kimono outfit, except for her skirt with frills.

I couldn't be wrong. That was Killua and Alluka, standing right there, waiting for us. I increased my speed and ran faster than before until I reached their position.

Because of my effort, I started panting and begging for air. I know that it's just a year since I've seen them but it feels like it's almost an eternity.

"You really came back, just like you promised me," I said to Killua with a warm smile at him. It's been a year since I've seen his face. His blue eyes are like that of a sapphire gem, and his presence both intimidating and comfortable.

'I like you too, Secco.'

As soon as I remembered his confession that answered mine, I couldn't help but combust. My cheeks started to get warmer than usual, so I covered my whole face by lowering my head.

"Yeah, just as I–"

Killua was about to say anything, so I raised my head up. Then, his cheeks became rosy like a tomato, and his eyes widened. It seems like he's embarrassed by something.

"W-Wait! D-Don't get the wrong idea, okay?!" He yelled all of a sudden, averting his eyes away from me, still with his red cheeks. "I never missed you... or anything!"

After what he said, my thoughts about his confession faded, and I started to get confused about what he said.

"But... I never said that." I tried to correct him, but it looks like he was too busy thinking about many things by himself. He probably didn't hear what I said.

"Let's go eat first!" Reading the whole atmosphere, Alluka shouted with her cheerful attitude and a cute smile.

"Yeah!" Gon agreed. Killua and I didn't have a choice but to follow their lead and walked to find a nearby cafe.

We ordered a bunch of food and sweets, and as always, we're assaulting the table like we're lions that caught prey in the wild. I was too excited to meet my friends that I didn't notice I was so hungry.

And as usual, I ordered a lemon cake and ate all of its pieces, never leaving anything. But then, I realized that I have Gon and others around me and not just me, eating. So I ordered another for them.

"It's been a year since we all had fun like this," I uttered out of the blue, in which they turned around to see me. I gave them all a huge warm smile. "I'm glad that we are all together again."

They also gave me a smile from each of them, and I couldn't help but be happy. Now that I don't have my arm anymore, I can have fun and live without any worries.

Come to think of it, now that I don't have my arm anymore, I wonder if they were still treating me like how they used to be when I have my arm. I knew that without it, they wouldn't be interested in me, now that I'm just a little girl, not an arm monster. I'm scared that they might leave me behind.

I wish I still have my arm.

I immediately shook my head, trying to remove the bad thoughts from my mind.

Why do I have that kind of thinking? I should be glad that it disappeared since there's nothing that would hurt my friends anymore. And besides, I can protect them freely without worrying. Why would I think about that?

"But..."

I had been brought back to reality as I heard Gon's voice that started to speak after a while. I raised my head and saw him lowering his, full of dismay.

"Kurapika and Leorio aren't here." He said with a hint of sadness.

Come to think of it, I haven't heard about them after a year. I wonder what they were doing right now.

I know that once I'll see Kurapika with the Nostrade family, I'll consider him as an enemy, but he's still my friend. And I expected Leorio to come over to a meeting like this, but right now, he wasn't present.

"I heard they joined the Zodiacs and went to the Dark Continent," Killua answered his concern along with a sip of his drink.

If I remembered correctly, the Zodiacs were the hunters under Chairman Netero. And one of them was Gon's father, Ging Freeccs. After Netero's death, the group became chaotic and started to fall.

"Dark Continent..." Gon muttered, but loud enough for all of us to hear it. I turned around to see his face full of more concern. Cold sweat poured from his forehead as he heard that place.

"What is it?" I asked Killua instead since my friend was still in a state of anxiety, which is unlike him. Is the Dark Continent that big of a deal?

"It's a whole new world outside the map. They said that no one came out of the place alive." He answered, which after hearing it, made my body hair stood up on its own. I didn't know that there's still a world than the map we're seeing.

And he said that no one came out of there, alive, so there might be a high chance that there are some large and dangerous creatures residing there. Could it be that the Chimera Ants also came from that world?

"W-Will they be okay going there?" I asked, worried about my friends.

"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not." Killua said, which made me lowered my head, more concerned.

I didn't know what Leorio's motives was, but Kurapika might be looking for the remaining Kurta Eyes. He really tried to risk everything to retrieve those.

"I'm sure..." Gon spoke after a short time of silence from him, in which we turned around to see him. His sad face had now turned into a bright smile. "...they can go back. We'll just have to wait."

"Yeah." I agreed, also smiling back at him. If he was confident that nothing will happen to them, then I should do the same. "There's nothing to worry about!"

But still... if that's how dangerous the place that they were heading right now, all I can do for them was to pray they'll make it out alive. I hope their own mind won't play over them.

"Speaking of no worries..." Killua stood up from his seat, which caught our attention. We turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. "Let's go to the amusement park!"

"Yay!" Alluka cheered with both of her hands raised, obviously excited about what she heard.

I can't believe that Killua had planned this reunion all this time. I thought he wouldn't care much about it. Maybe since his sister was involved, he made such an effort.

Somehow, that made me...

Once again, I shook my head to remove any ridiculous idea from my mind and faced the present.

We finally finished eating and paying the bills, which really is a huge amount of money if not for our Hunter license, and now traveling towards the amusement park. It doesn't take that long to go to our destination by taxi.

We made it to the place and couldn't help but be excited about the rides and stalls that were surrounding us. It's been years since I went to the amusement park. I remembered being too scared of the Ferris wheel even though it's not that dangerous and fast. I guess I have too many phobias.

We tried several rides, and the others weren't that scary anymore, unlike what I felt when I was a kid. I started to feel proud of myself.

"Roller coaster! Roller coaster!" Alluka cheered, as Gon also followed by like some little kindergarten students. But when I understood what they were trying to say, my cold sweat started dripping and my body shivered.

I haven't tried going into the roller coaster when I was a child since I was still prohibited to try it. But by the looks of it, it seemed scary and thrilling.

"I-I don't think I can... keep up with the ride..." I stuttered, then gave them a fake laugh. They all turned around to see me, which made me jumped.

I averted my eyes away from them. I don't want them to know that I'm too scared of the roller coaster.

"Come on, Secco! It will be fun!" Gon insisted with his warm innocent smile and his golden eyes that sparkled.

"T-Then... if you say so..."

I let him pulled me to the ride, don't have any choice. I don't know but every time I see those eyes of his, shining like that, it felt that I should follow everything he said.

With a sigh of depression, I went on the ride with them. My heart started pounding as the vehicle went up to the highest track. I filled it when we finally reached it.

Then, the scariest thing of all.

The vehicle, where we were settling, went into a big drop. It's so big that my body hairs started to stand on their own.

"Ahhh!"

I screamed without knowing I was doing it and desperately closed my eyes. I shouldn't have declined in riding this thing with them.

I reached for the arm that was nearest to me, didn't even know whose it is. Tears started to form from my eyes. It seemed like only this roller coaster will scare me.