Hey, minna! Sorry for my inconsistency of updating. I got a lot going on. But you know, I always try my best to write for you guys. Speaking of writing for you guys, this chapter is dedicated to @Nobody0920, the one who asked for an update & why you guys have this chapter before you. Of course, I haven't forgotten about the rest of you lovelies who have voted. Remember to vote & comment, & next chapter will probably be dedicated to you. Hope you guys will enjoy!

P.S. I do not own that painting. All rights go to the real painter.

I found myself in a dark place. A vast, black void. Where am I? It feels like I'm dreaming. Am I dreaming?

Somewhere in the far distance, I could see blurry shapes. As I walked closer to it, the blurry image took form of two figures. One was lying motionlessly on the ground, while the other was standing over him. He wore a purple jacket with his hood up, concealing his identity. The man on the ground was lying in his own pool of blood. His chest was pierced, the blood draining out of his shirt. He was dead.

"Y-you killed him," I croaked, so afraid that I could barely speak. When the ominous figure turned around, I was stunned. His clothes were stained with red, and his hands were dripping with blood. In his clutch was a beatless human heart. The shadow castes by his hood covered his eyes, but he was smiling. Right when he was lifting his arm to pull down his hood, I screamed.

There was a loud alarm going off in the air that was bursting my ears. I jolted up from my sheets and slammed my hand on the alarm clock hard. My face was moist as I was gasping for air. I tried to hold my heart back from beating so fast. What dream did I just had that scared me so much?

I slumped back on my pillow to take a minute to calm down. For some reason, the minute I woke up was the minute I forgot that dream. How could I forget such a horrifying nightmare?

I turned to my clock to see that five minutes have already passed. I forced myself up and dragged myself to the bathroom to get ready for school.

***

When I hurried down stairs, mom was just getting started on cooking eggs. Did she wake up late or something?

"Oh, good morning, Yuki!" She greeted surprised when she turned around.

"Morning mom," I greeted back. There was no time to toast bread. I opened the fridge and pulled out a half bagel instead.

"You're not going to stir for breakfast?" she asked, looking at me oddly.

"No. Can't you see that I might run late if I don't go now?" I said before placing the bagel in between my teeth as I headed for the door.

"But it's only 6:20."

I paused for two seconds before turning around confused. I pulled out my bagel to answer. "What? No way. When I woke up my clock definitely said 6:10." I pulled out my cell phone to make sure I was right. I was shocked to see that what my mother said was true. How could my clock have been wrong?

I looked up and turned to the hallway due to the sound of a devious snicker. Hiding behind the corridor was the culprit. "Rin!" I yelled furiously, my voice filling up the whole room. Rin ran away cowardly with a grin on his face, taking refuge in his room. "That annoying little weasel." My little brother actually snuck into my room and set up my clock's time twenty minutes early.

"Yuki, be nice," my mother eyed me sternly. "I think you should be thanking your brother. For once you've actually woken up early. Now you can sit down to enjoy a nice breakfast with your mother."

I groaned as I took a seat at the kitchen table. As I waited for my mom to finish cooking the eggs, I spread some cream cheese on my bagel and ate it as an appetizer.

"Hey, Yuki," my mother began. "Remember about that art show I told you about this week?"

The one that's scheduled at the same night as the Firework Festival which is the reason I had to babysit the munchkin that made me wake up early? I must've missed the memo! "Yeah," I blankly replied.

"Well, due to a very famous artist showcasing in the exhibit, the art show has been moved to tomorrow instead of this weekend." This caught my attention.

"Wait, so does this mean that you'll be taking Rin and his friends to the festival, and I can go alone with my friends?" I asked excitedly with my hopes in the hands of her response.

"Wow, I'm telling you something exciting about my work and that's all you're thinking about?" she said sarcastically.

"Sorry," I giggled. "That sounds amazing, mom. Who's the artist?"

"Simon Ore," she answered.

"Simon Ore? Wow, that's so cool mom!" I said with convincing enthusiasm, because I had no idea who that was. "What is he, a painter?"

"A sculpter. Anyway, I'm really excited about showcasing my most recent painting." My mother began to get all giddily. She settled a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me and lightly marched into her art studio.

"You mean the one you've been painting for the past month?" I asked.

She walked out of the room while carrying an 8X8 square canvas. "Yup, that's right!" She placed it on the table facing me, completely separating me from my eggs. "So what do you think? Do you like it?"

"Heh, what's there not to like?" As always, my mom has made another masterpiece. This time it was a captured image of a curb of a street with vintage style buildings on one side and a river canal on the other. At the top of the street laid a bridge that crossed over that river. I liked the way how the colors were blended together, and the lights of the lamps reflect off of the wet streets, and that single person walking up the road with an umbrella with his back turned. So mysterious. "It's beautiful, mom," I commented. "So what's the story behind this one?"

"Well, this was my point of view when I first met your father." I nearly gasped when I looked at her. She gazed at the painting with mesmerizing, calm eyes as she faintly smiled. Mom never made a painting related to dad before. "I don't know why, but I wouldn't stop thinking about it, so I just thought, might as well take it out of my mind and just look at it for real."

"Wow mom..." I wondered if this was her real perspective when she met dad for the first time. Although it might have been a damp evening, it still looked so warm and lively.

"It was quite hilarious, really," she giggled. "I was only trying to paint the scenery of the town while it was still raining, then out of nowhere, an umbrella flew in and knocked down my canvas into the cold puddle. When your father came to apologize, I was so angry. I yelled out 'my painting is ruined!' So he told me that he would like to make up for it some day. When he walked away with his umbrella, that was an image I would never forget."

"Was it because it was the first time you met dad, or you wanted to remember the guy who screwed up your painting."

"Both." My mom and I soon broke out laughing. After laughing my heart out, I gave a deep sigh. "The painting's great, mom. People are gonna love it."

"Hey, if you're not too busy, you can come by at the art show. I have some extra tickets if you want to bring your friends."

"Hm... I don't know, mom," I said unsure. I wasn't sure if my friends were the kind who appreciate art.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. There's free food, and how often do you get to meet famous artists." My mother was becoming really persuasive. This must meant a lot to her to have many people to come.

"I'll ask them if they're interested."

***

"An art show?" Killua asked as I presented the two tickets to him and his sister. It was the end of the day at school, and we were discussing my mom's art show at the school court yard under that tree we met up in last week.

"Yeah. It'll be hosted at the Clarence Hotel tomorrow night. It would be great if you guys come."

"Oniichan, can we go?" Alluka asked, already decided to be on board.

Killua leisurely held his hands behind his head. "I don't know. Art really isn't my thing." As expected from him.

"Oh... I guess I won't go either," Alluka pouted, sounding a little sad.

"What? How come?" I asked. She looked so excited to go earlier. Don't tells me her decision changed because of her brother.

"You know why she can't go without me," Killua replied back with arms crossed.

It took me a second to process. "Oh, right. I forgot." Killua's super protective over his sister. Even if it's just me, he can't let Alluka go alone to a place with a lot of people.

"If Oniichan's not going, then I'm not going too!" Alluka stated, regaining her smile. As always so loyal to her brother. "Sorry, Yuki-chan."

"No, it's okay. It's your decision. I'm not forcing you guys," I looked down disappointed, knowing that I'll have to be alone at another art show where I don't know anyone. It would really be nice to enjoy art with friends for once.

Suddenly, I felt the two papers slipping away from my fingers. I looked up to see Killua holding them. "But we'll think about it," he said, shoving them inside his pocket.

"Really?" I asked, my excitement firing up again.

"I guess it would be a good experience for me, but there's no guarantee that we'll go. What about Lizz. Didn't you ask her?" Killua asked in interest.

"I already did," I replied in partial disappointment. "She told me that her grandmother is visiting and is spending time with her."

"I see. So I take it you really like art?" Killua inquired.

"Um, yeah, of course I love art. I guess it rubs off from my mom." I replied bashfully.

"Ooh, are you artistic as well?" Alluka asked with glimmering eyes.

I blushed and hesitated to speak at first. It was true that I like art, but sketching has been a secret passion of mine. Only my family and Lizz knows about it. I've heard from time to time that my drawings were good, but I've always felt insecure about showing them to anyone. "Um... I just doodle for a hobby."

"Ooh, I would like to see Yuki-chan's drawings-"

"No!" I suddenly blurted out without thinking. Alluka flinched back with a startled expression. "Sorry, I mean... They're not that good."

"Oh... Okay." Alluka tried to bring another smile, but I could tell that she felt guilty about bringing it up.

"I'm sorry, Alluka. It's just that I don't like showing my drawings to anyone."

Alluka held up her hand for me to stop. "It's all right. We'll see you tomorrow. Let's go, Oniichan." As they walked away, I noticed Killua's concerned look at me. I felt bad losing control like that, but I just wasn't ready to show anyone else my pictures yet.

***

Tonight's the night of the art show. Only an hour and a half until the doors open and the people start pouring in. Since my mother and I arrived early, we helped set up the chairs and tables. In the dining room, each round table was clothed with a white table sheet, decorated with a single candle in a glass bowl and plastic flowers. I wasn't sure what the cheff would be cooking, but hopefully something with meat. I'm in a good mood for meat.

The director, the lady holding the clipboard, was giving orders to the people carrying the trays and plates.

"Hey, mom. Can I go walk around?" I asked, feeling a little bored.

"Oh sure, honey," my mother said.

When I walked out of the door and walked down the hallway, I opened the door of the room next door. Inside of the square room, four walls had about four or five paintings, and three sculptures in the middle of the room. I wanted to get a good look at all of the art work before the rooms get crowded. I took the time to casually observe each project that was conjured by the artist's soul. Some of them I found very interesting, others I have failed to see the meaning behind their mystery.

I decided to also check out the other room where mom hung her painting. As I walked out of the room to walk down to the next, I spotted a lady with glasses and short black hair, stepping out of the other gallery room with a roller vacuum cleaner. She must've cleaned it up. As she continued walking down the call, I proceeded inside the she was previously in and was taken by surprise. I ran inside the room to make sure what I was seeing was real.

The gallery was empty. Not a trace of a single painting, statue, or anything. Just the blank walls and floors. "Where did everything go?!" Mom's painting should be here; I saw her hang it up myself. What about that janitor lady? Did she know about this? Does she know if the projects were moved to a different room or something?

I dashed out of the room to confront the women, but she was already gone. Does anyone else know about this? Should I tell them? I don't want to cause a panic, especially right before the art show starts. I had to find that woman to find out myself.

My first thought was since she was carrying a vacuum cleaner, she must be heading toward the back where the staff kept the supplies. I wasn't entirely familiar with the building, but I found my way to the staff maintenance room.

I kept wandering deeper and deeper into the hotel, disregarding the door that said no entry, to find whom I assumed was the thief. If not, then the only lead I have into finding what ever happened to the other paintings.

Eventually, I found myself in the garage room at the back of the hotel, my last resort. At the load off area, there was a blue truck outside of an opened garage with its engine running. There were people loading frames of paintings in the trunk.

I quickly hid myself behind the corner of the wall and gasped. "Thieves!" I whispered to myself. Art thieves actually came here. What should I do?! I gotta get help, but I can't let them go! What if they're long gone with mom's painting? It's way too precious to lose. "No! Don't be a hero, Yuki!" I quietly muttered to myself. "Just go find an adult and let them handle this."

I peeked my head out to check if they were still there. I discovered the woman with short layered hair with them, shaking the tube of her vacuum cleaner. "I think there's one more," I managed to hear her say.

"Oi! Hurry and cough it up. I sense people nearby," a man with a long black ponytail and prickly chin said. Crap! Did he hear me? I thought I was being really stealthy too! How could he tell from all the way over there?

He hasn't turned toward my way yet, so maybe he hasn't found out about my location yet.

"Come on, Blinky," the women spoke softly to her vacuum cleaner. Why was she speaking to a house cleaning device? Suddenly, the machine spit out a small, square canvas. From a distance, I could recognize the familiar colors. That's mom's!

"There we go," she said in a monotone, picking the canvas up and placing it carefully with the rest, pulling a sheet over the trunk to conceal the evidence. Everyone else was already inside the car waiting for her. She opened the back door, stepped in, and closed it shut. The headlights turned on, And the wheels began rolling.

For some reason, my feet began moving on their own. There were no thoughts speaking inside of my head, only instinct taking control. My mother worked hard on that painting and was looking forward to presenting it tonight. Not only that, but it was a remembrance of my father. It's valuable; it's not only important to her, but to me too. I paced faster which gradually turned into a dash. Right before the truck picked up the speed, I stepped over the bumper and swiftly climbed over the trunk door, flopping underneath the blanket. Stacks of canvases somewhat cushioned the impact.

After five seconds of realizing where I was, I began to panic. "What the heck did I just do?!" I whispered to the top of my lungs. I couldn't believe I was crazy enough to high Jack a thieves' car! That's it, I'm calling for help.

I dialed 911, and just as it began ringing, the sound was cut off. I looked at the screen to see no signal. Outside of the box I was in, I could hear the echoes of cars inside a tunnel. Well that's just great. We were probably inside Treston Tunnel. Wait a second. If we're in Treston Tunnel, then that means I'll be stuck in here for ten minutes until we hit the ghetto in the Westside of town.

I curled up in a ball, shivering with fear. I'm doomed! I'm doomed I'm doomed I'm doomed, I am so doomed. Once they find out I'm here, they're probably going to kill me, or worse. Then a glimmer of hope lit up inside my head. We're going to Westside, which would mean Killua would be close by. Maybe, once we drive out of this tunnel, I can call him for help. He's a strong Hunter, so he'll definitely save me, right?

For now, I'll have to put my hopes on that. Until then, I'll just have to wait. What have I gotten myself into?