Hey, minna! Surprise surprise. I'm still alive. My Thanksgiving break has started giving me the opportunity to write, and allowing me to start off your break (to those who live in America) with an update. I'm glad to see my book found by new readers and still being read by loyal old readers. This chapter is dedicated to @Arisa_Zicara. Hopefully I'll write another chapter in time before break ends, but I'll definitely update again this winter break. Also, expect a new cover soon. Enough said, let's get reading!

I anxiously waited, retracing and deepening my tracks in the snow as I paced around in a circle.

"Hello?" She picked up.

"Shiki!" I yelled in the phone without thinking. The thought now occurred to me that I needed to get my story straight. What should I tell her? How can I explain what's happening? Would she understand? Heck, even I don't understand it myself.

"Hey, girl! So how did it go?" Before I could open my mouth? She quickly cut me off. "Oh! You know what? Surprise me when I pick you up." I could hear her giggling on the other end. She sounded so happy that it made me feel bad that I'm about to disappoint her, or worse.

"Oh, it's gonna be a surprise all right..." I commented awkwardly. She'll be excited that Kaito asked me out and I said yes, but soon disappointed and confused when I tell her that I turned him down. "Listen, can I ask you something?"

"What is it? Need to borrow one of my shoes?"

"No, it's not that. Actually... I'm not going to the dance."

"WHAT?!" Her scream pierced my ear so hard that I quickly retracted my phone away. "Why? What happened? That jerk Kaito didn't say anything mean to you, did he?"

"No no no! It's nothing like that. Something just came up, which is why I called. I need a favor."

"Okay, sure. What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "You have your driver's license. Do you think you could drop me off somewhere?"

"Uh... sure. Do you mind telling me where you're going?"

"I'll fill you in on the way. Just pick me up from my house as soon as you can." I hung up without another word. I felt that if we had continued the conversation, she would just be more confused and ask more questions. I needed time to think to myself.

I gathered my thoughts on my walk home. Think, Yuki. What do you remember? I met a boy named Killua. We met about three months ago. He saved me in an alleyway. He and his sister go to our school. My best friend's name is Lizz. She likes wearing hats for some reason. That boy Gon is also friends with us. We were... at a party one night. Was it the festival or something? The festival... Killua was the one who turned on the carousel. The memory of his thoughtful act for my sake warmed my heart. That memory soon lead to our first kiss. My cheeks began to heat up. Am I blushing?

"Hey!"

"Huh?" I looked to my side to find Shiki parked in the street next to me in her nice black car. I didn't even realize I was about to walk past my own house. "Shiki."

"Need a lift?" She asked, unlocking the car. I rubbed my cheeks as I got in the passenger seat. Hopefully she didn't notice. "You're lucky I was already out to buy makeup, which I'm probably not gonna use anyways."

She didn't have to miss the dance in my account. "That's okay. I just need you to drop me off somewhere."

"Where?" She asked as I fastened my seatbelt.

"Take me to the docks on the West Side district."

"Say, what?! You want to go there alone?!" She set the car on park and pulled the keys out of the ignition. "Nuh-uh. I am not moving this car until you tell me what's going on."

"If I tell you, you might not believe me." I was also afraid that if I told her I was going on this dangerous mission, she wouldn't give me a ride. Worst of all, I wouldn't want her to get involved into something dangerous. She didn't seem to remember her actual life, and it was probably best if it stayed that way.

"Try me!" She demanded.

"All right! But I'm only gonna talk as long as you drive."

Shiki grumbled, but she turned the keys back in the ignition and the engine roared. The car began moving again.

***

"So let me get this straight. You and I aren't actually best friends, but rivals. There's this weird Hunter hired by an assassin, who has manipulated our memories to change our past and forget our real friends, and the reason the assassin is doing this is because your boyfriend is his brother?"

"Yep. Pretty much," I replied after she summed my story up. At this time, we were driving at the outskirts of the West Side of town, so we should be getting closer to the docks. I've never gone this far in this part of town before. Abandoned buildings were redecorated with graffiti art, and their windows boarded up. A few local homeless people we've driven past kept warm by the fire-lit trash cans. The kind of sketchy neighborhood I always tried to keep away from.

"Yuki... you do realize that you could get mugged here," Shiki pointed out.

"I can see that," I said, staring out the window, holding my seatbelt tight, as if someone might grab me and pull me out of the car.

"Then why go here instead of the dance?!"

"Because I have to know who these people are before I lose them." I felt a twinge in my chest. Hearing myself say that made me feel scared of that possibility.

"That doesn't make any sense! These people could be lying to you, " she yelled furiously.

"No, I don't think so. Just today, I'm slowly retaining memories that I never knew I had, and it feels like everything in my life is a lot more clear. That and... these people feel important to me the more I remember."

"Yuki, look around. This is insane. The story is insane. All these memories and feelings are just in your head."

"But, Shiki-"

"No. I'm sorry, Yuki, but I'm turning this car around." She turned on her blinker and started making a careful U-turn on the snow-covered road. This place felt so deserted that even the snow plows don't even bother sweeping these streets.

"This car..." My head shot up in revelation. "Shiki, where did you even get this car?"

"My parents lent it to me. Duh. So that I could be on my own while studying abroad in high school."

"You see? I lived in this town my whole life. How could we possibly be lifelong friends if you only just moved into town two years ago?"

"Well that's because... I moved when... we met at..." Shiki couldn't finish a single sentence, drifting off into deep thought. Finally, her eyes widened. "Holy crap... you're right. My memories are hazy, and the events I do remember in my life don't connect at all."

Shiki stared at the open road in shock, her hands frozen on the wheel. I felt concerned that she was so mind-blown that she was now simply driving straight in blank space. "Do you wanna pull over?"

"No, no. I-it's fine. You said we're in a hurry, right? So, I'll just keep driving."

"Shiki, if this is too much to take in, we can slow-"

"I'm not stopping!"

A loud horn drummed our ears. Cutting the corner of our peripheral vision was a plow truck driving through the intersection. Shiki stopped on the breaks, causing our shoulders and heads to jolt forward, caught by our seatbelts. The front of the car was nearly inches away from being plowed. When our backs slammed back to our seats, Shiki and I were heaving deep breaths, shocked that we were so close to meeting death.

"Shiki!" I yelled in frustration as I turned to her. I then noticed her hands shaking. This really was too much for her to take in at once. "Shiki, I'm sorry. You've been put under too much pressure. I shouldn't have gotten you involved. Just drop me off at-"

"I-I remember," she quivered with her head down.

"What?"

She looked up with teary eyes. "My life flashed before my eyes. I remember... everything."

I sat up straight and leaned in closer with interest and concern. This could be it. The answers I've been searching for. "What do you remember?"

Shiki faced forward at the clear windshield. "I... I remember my family, I remember my siblings..." She choked on her tears before continuing. "I remember my childhood with Killua, and I remember how we met. I remember Lizz, Alluka, Gon. I remember... that I was so engulfed in jealousy that I tried to kill you. Like, actually kill you. I was so envious and desperate for Killua's attention that I made a stupid, horrible mistake. I should've done something to stop it, but it's too late. I've lost all of my friends. All of this is my fault. Yuki, I... I am so sorry." She pressed her forehead on the steering wheel and didn't hold back any tears and wails.

I was stunned and too numb to know how to react or respond. Half of what Shiki said made me believe her, and the other half didn't want to. According to her, my relationship with the three strangers and Killua are confirmed. However, the price for answers came with the hard truth. Shiki WAS an assassin. My assassin, formally. My best friend tried to kill me for Killua's love, a boy I barely know. Should I even call her my best friend? Based on her testimony, does she even deserve my forgiveness?

"I deserve this.." Shiki hugged her knees close as she wept. "I don't deserve friends like you. You guys were the only real friends I've ever had. You're my best friend, and even that is a lie. My whole life has been a lie."

I didn't know what to believe anymore. Were my mom and brother really my family at all? What was real anymore? I felt my chest tighten. All of this pain was too imbarable. I looked at Shiki and it tightened even more. Wait a minute. I'm not feeling sad about myself... I'm feeling sad for Shiki. But why? I should hate her for messing with my memories and toying my mind more with the truth. But if she was a bad person as she said she was, then why is she crying?

"Shiki..." I warmly rested my hand on her shoulder. "When you told me that friendship isn't based on history, was that a lie too?"

She sniffed before she could answer. "I don't know... I really did mean what I said, but what does that matter? It's not like it's true."

"It does matter. It's true to you and to true me. You may not be my best friend, but you're the closest one I got right now." Shiki wiped her tears and shifted her gaze toward me. "Our memories may be fake, and I'm not happy with the lies or the truth, but even after what you told me, I don't feel any resentment toward you. And the fact that you're crying shows that you do care about me, which means somewhere in there, you do see me as a friend. None of that is a lie."

Shiki sat straight astonished, crying out the last of her tears. "I don't care about what happened between us before. None of that matters. I choose for us to be friends, because that's what my heart is telling me."

There was a brief period of silence before Shiki burst into laughter. "Oh, Yuki. Always so cheesy with your speeches. And that statement is backed up by real memories."

"My cheesy speech which once again
has proven to be effective," I grinned. "But I can't really take your absolute word for it until I can remember myself, so there's only one way to find out."

Suddenly remembering what was at stake, Shiki sighed. "So you're serious? We're about to enter some big showdown with no plan?"

I shrugged. "Not a single clue."

Shiki sighed again and started driving the car. "If we die, I'm gonna blame you."

***

(Lizz's P.O.V.)

"This is the right place?" I asked as my eyes wandered around the outside of the rusty building and the deserted docks.

"I hope so," Gon replied. The wooden decks were coated with ice. The boats bound to the posts were covered with their own outer layer of snow. All but one large one at the other side of the warehouse. That must be Illumi's.

"Come on," Gon gestured his hand to move quietly in pursuit. The large, metal door was partially open, the gap wide enough for us to squeeze through. Before entering, Gon peaked inside first. Gon then turned to me and placed his index ginger over his lips, indicating someone was in there.

I creeped my gaze around the edge and spotted that cheeky, four-eyed liar standing in front of a tall man with long black hair. I wanted to ask Gon if he was Illumi, but making any sound now would risk us getting caught. I faced one ear toward them to listen to their conversation.

"I check my bank account, " Ienzo said, looking at his phone. "And I can't help but notice that I was only paid half of what we negotiated."

"That is because only half of the job is completed. You'll receive the rest when we reach home."

"Why? There's nothing to worry about," he scoffed. "I wiped the memories of Shiki and Yuki."

"But failed to alter the memories of Gon and that ant."

"No need to. They're both broken and out of the picture. It won't matter to them if Killua and Alluka are gone. We don't need to worry about them." I wanted to punch that punk right there and then. My jaw tightened and my muscles tensed, fighting the urge to dash over there to tear him to shreds. How dare he underestimate our friendship? He has no idea who he's dealing with.

"No need to worry about them? I wouldn't be so overconfident." He paused before speaking again, but louder. "I can feel your hostility."

My heart dropped. How did he already notice us. He didn't even turn his head toward the door once. Could he really sense our auras from all the way over there? No, wait. Not our auras. Only mine. I didn't even notice it because I couldn't feel it, but Gon has masked his presence with zetsu, where I, on the other hand, let my guard down for just a moment. Crap!

To be continued...

Once again, thank you minna for helping this book make 3rd place on the Hunter X Hunter Watty Awards this year. Your support is what keeps me going. Thank you so much for understanding. Until the next update, remain awesome, just as you've always been. Trouble out.