Hi, minna. So I forgot the name of Yuki's mom and I couldn't find the spot where her name was mentioned the ONE and ONLY time in the entire book. If anyone could drop her name in the comments, that would be super, and I'll edit it later. This chapter is dedicated to @Dove_Morrow. Sorry it took so long to update. More information will follow shortly after.

Dear diary,

Where do I begin? Well, to start, my friends and I almost died two weeks ago. It all started when that fake classmate of mine, Ienzo, pretended to be our friend and brainwashed Killua to take Alluka away and hurt us. I still get mad just thinking about him. Not to mention he threw away my old diary! Probably to prevent me from remembering the things he tried to erase from my memories. Now I have to start a brand new diary. I'm glad that he got arrested and got the justice he deserved. We didn't call any cops, though, just a few professional Hunters who did a swift and quiet arrest under Killua's request. I was afraid that if this was made public, too many people, especially my mom, would ask too many questions that would be hard to explain.

As for Illumi... they sent his body back home. I don't think his family will be too happy about it. Killua hasn't said another word about it. It's probably best to leave it at that until he's ready to talk about it.

Meanwhile, I received an email from Shiki recently that she had successfully applied to the next Hunter Exam, which she'll take in the spring. She said she'll be training until then. No, I don't mean training for herself. I'm confident she's already good enough to pass easily. I'm talking about her training someone else.

After Lizz's secret got revealed, of course, parents of students were going to cause an uproar, but Lizz didn't care anymore. Instead, she decided to drop out of high school and continue her training on Nen. I was shocked, but Lizz seemed determined about this, and her parents supported her on it, so I guess it was okay. If this is the future she chooses, then I fully support her. I think it's pretty cool. I am going to miss her a lot, though, but I'm not too worried. She won't be alone. She's got a good friend and trainer with her.

Gon left as soon as he got a new lead on his father's whereabouts. It's still crazy that he's still playing this game, but I guess that's just their way of bonding, even if it's distant.

Alluka is still the same. Killua never officially withdrew themselves from the school's registrar, so returning to classes wasn't an issue. They just have some absences. I miss Lizz a lot, but Alluka and I often hang out after school, sometimes with our other friends. She's certainly gained a lot more confidence since the first time we met.

As for Killua, he's facing his most challenging obstacle yet, and that's earning his high school diploma. He says it's just so that he would never have to say, "I didn't finish high school." For whatever reason, I'm glad he's sticking around. School wouldn't be as exciting without him.

This year has definitely been the craziest one I've experienced, and I can't wait to write down more adventures to come in my new diary.

I lay down my pen and stretched my arms after completing the final paragraph, popping the joints between my shoulders. I checked my clock. Even though the hour was not that late, tonight felt like a good night to hit the hay early. Plus, tomorrow is Christmas. I want to be well-rested when we open presents tomorrow.

Once I turned off my lights, I crawled under my soft, warm sheets, burying my face in my cotton pillow, questioning at the last minute whether I've brushed my teeth or not. I simply closed my eyes, not caring. Eh, skipping one night won't do any harm.

Just as I reached maximum comfort, there was a quick knocking at my window. I groaned. This could only mean one thing. Reluctantly throwing my blankets in the air, I charged to my window, already seeing that stupid cheeky grin. Frost coated around the edges of the glass so the frame must be frozen shut. As I tried to lift open the window, Killua did his best to open it from the other side. Finally, the window slid up, welcoming a burst of cold air. I rubbed my bare toes together as I hugged myself tightly, shivering from the frosty wind. "Killua, you better have a good reason to wake me up." My teeth jittered.

"You were asleep this early? What are you, a grandma."

"Killua..."

"Merry Christmas Eve, Yuki!" he smiled.

A pause of silence. "I know you didn't come all this way just to say that."

"You got that right. Put on a nice dress. I'm taking you out, tonight."

"Right now? You couldn't tell me before? Or wait for another day at a better time?"

"I had to get approval first. Plus, I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Wait... approval? Where exactly are you taking me?"

"Just put on the best dress and pair of shoes you have and come out from the front door, okay?" Without waiting for her to oppose, he let go of the window sill and landed on the snow pillow below in my backyard.

"Killua..." I don't know which was more aggravating: the fact that he was making me leave my house on a cold winter night or that he won't tell me where we're going. Well, he has never given me a reason not to trust him, so I guess I'll play along for now. It's Christmas Eve, so it can't be anything bad... can it?

I turned my closet light on, scanning my options. It would be a lot easier to choose what to wear if Killua told me what the occasion was. He said to put on my best dress and shoes. I doubt he bought opera tickets. Maybe he'll take me out to dinner? It's way too cold for a picnic, so perhaps a fancy restaurant that's open this late. If that's the case, I'll wear the dress I intended to wear for the school's winter dance. I never had the chance to wear it, so now might be a good time to put it to good use. Once I've changed, I put on a jacket and tugged my phone away in a clutch purse. Just as I was about to walk out of my room, I took one last glance at my desk, catching a glimpse of the white, paper-wrapped box tied in a scarlet ribbon with a bow. Should I wait until tomorrow or give it tonight? It's pretty much already Christmas, so what does that matter? But... tradition. After much contemplation, I hesitated and grabbed the present before quietly treading downstairs.

Should I let my mom know? It's way too late and last minute to ask. She would most likely say no and Killua's enthusiasm would turn into disappointment. Just for tonight, I'll sneak out. I've already gotten into so much trouble lately. Hopefully, by some Christmas miracle, she doesn't catch on to me.

While slowly closing the front door behind me and locking it, Killua was waiting at the end of my front yard with his air blimp parked on the street, the hatch open. With him standing under the streetlamp light, I can see clearly that he was wearing a black tux. This was the first time I've seen him so well dressed and cleaned. "Milady. Your chariot awaits." He bowed with his hand extended to the entryway.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked.

"I'll tell you the closer we get there," he said with a hidden grin. He was definitely up to something.

I let out a slightly nervous sigh and walked in. The inside was dimly lit with only the kitchen counter light on. The room was quiet like nobody was home. "Where's Alluka?"

"She's in her room, probably reading or something. I told her about the surprise I have planned so she won't be bothering us." Killua seemed to have put a lot of thought into this. How romantic that he wants tonight to just be us. It would be a shame if the surprise doesn't live up to the hype.

Killua led me into the airship's cockpit. While I strapped myself to the co-pilot's seat, Killua worked his instruments, flipping switches and turning dials as lights began turning on, the motor running, causing the entire aircraft to purr. I was very impressed by how quick and diligent Killua managed the controls of the ship. He would obviously be a professional at this point since he and his sister pretty much traveled all around the world. That one reminder made me wonder if he misses traveling and if he'll regret the choice of staying in this town to finish school for the next two years. Would he change his mind to go traveling again? Would he visit often?

"Prepare for liftoff," he said with pilot headphones on. As he slowly pulled a lever back, the ground in the windshield view began to recede. My fingers immediately curled under my seat. Even though it was not too long ago I traveled on a plane, the first time riding in an air blimp excited me. The ship floated into the air smoothly, but rather as quickly as a plane. My heart had a false sense of alarm at first, but it didn't take long for it to calm down as the flight turned into a gentle sail across the clouds.

"You sure it's safe to fly out tonight?" I asked.

"No worries. No snow storm tonight. Just moderately cloudy. We should reach our destination in fifteen minutes or so."

"Fifteen minutes, huh?" I turned to Killua, resting my chin on my hand with my elbow propped on the armchair. "So are you going to wait fifteen minutes to tell me where we're going or will you tell me now that we're airborne."

"I guess I could tell you now." Finally! "We're going to a place called West Phillis Manor. It's just close to the mountains of the estate."

"Where? I've never heard of it."

"It's like one of those big rental mansions people use for private parties or weddings. Tonight, we're heading there for the Hunter Association's 58th Winter Ball. As a licensed Pro Hunter, I, of course, received an invitation, and you will be my plus one."

I nodded slowly in agreement as I processed this information. "Come again?"

"The chairman throws a fancy ball like this every year. I've never really gone, but since we missed our dance, I'm hoping that'll make up for it. I know it won't be the same, but I just don't want your hopes and dreams of a 'magical winter night' go to waste."

"Are you kidding? Killua, I'm not prepared for this! What if I'm underdressed?! I didn't even put on makeup! Will we be the only teenagers there? Is someone going to announce our names as we walk down the staircase or-"

"Yuki, calm down. It's not like you're going to meet my family again. You can relax. Remember that these people are Hunters. They're cool, so just chill.

"Chill... right..." Nothing wrong with going to a formal event with a bunch of adults I don't know.

As thoughtful as the sentiment was, I wasn't sure how to feel about this. I mostly feel uncomfortable. A formal ball for business isn't exactly the same as a high school dance. There will be no friends i would recognize. I'll most likely be awkward, shy, and quiet the whole night. I turned to Killua to see him scratching the back of his neck. Is he feeling nervous too? He claimed that he's never gone to this type of thing before, and the only reason he's doing it is because of me. At least he was being thoughtful, and he's doing this to makeup for what happened two weeks ago when our original plans for the dance turned into a catastrophe.Maybe I'll just play along and see how this goes.

After almost twenty minutes of silence and nightly cloud watching, a faint glow came into view. As we got closer, the clouds cleared up and I was finally able to see the ground below. Near the base of a mountain was a mansion bigger than the size of my school. All the windows on each floor were lit up. At the front was a garden of artistically trimmed hedges sparkling with Christmas lights. For almost a mile, cars were parked around the layout of the property. In front of the entrance was even a roundabout for valet parking.

"We're here," Killua said. My heart was still beating out of nervousness, but maybe something exciting might come out of this. One thing's for sure, if this party is going to be as extravagant as I expect it to be, then the food must be as expensive and amazing.

***

The mansion was much bigger in person. Standing in front of it now at the base of the steps, I nearly fell back just by looking up. Most of the people around us were in black suits, some escorting beautiful women in mature dresses to the grand double doors, which you can hear the live string quartet playing from the inside. Yep, this place definitely spells mature and fancy. I wondered how out of place I'll look. Would anyone notice?

"Hey." I turned my gaze to Killua who was smiling at me with content in his eyes. "You look beautiful."

My face heated. "Thank you. And you look like a million bucks," I laughed.

Killua blushed, turning his cheek the other way. "S-shut up!" We held hands and walked inside together.

Upon entering the atrium was a grand double staircase that spread to both sides of the room with a crystal chandelier dangling at the center of the ceiling, illuminating the room. Each potted plant was decorated with Christmas ornaments and ribbons in celebration of the occasion. We followed the signs and other guests into the ballroom, which instantly took my breath away. It was an image taken straight out of a princess book. A large, spacious room with a marble floor reflected the lights of the chandelier which was five times bigger than the one in the atrium. The room was round with half of it covered by a glass window in every square inch. At one corner, professional musicians played classical music, and next to them was a long buffet table.

"Oh, wooooow!" I said in astonishment. Suddenly, most of my worries left my system. I've never been to a fancy party like this. What was a scary thought at first became excitement. Mostly for the food.

"Come on. I'll introduce you to some of my friends," Killua said, still holding my hand as he led me through the crowd.

So all of these people are Hunters? There's so many, and these are just the ones who decided to show up.

"Hmmm... Oh! Oi!" Killua shouted, waving his arm.

"Shhh! Killua, not so loud!" I immediately felt shy and embarrassed again. Yes, I was at ease, but only before Killua decided to draw attention to ourselves. He could at least show some manners at a formal party like this.

"Yo! Killua!" Someone replied but louder. That voice sounded familiar. I turned to the voice to see an arm waving frantically above the sea of heads. Once he got closer, Leorio and Kurapika came into view.

"Hey, I remember you," I said.

"You've already let Leorio and Kurapika before," Killua stated.

"Oh! It's you. Unno... Milki, right?" Leorio grinned.

"It's Yuki," Killua scowled, glowering at Leorio. "Get it right."

"Hey, I'm just joking," Leorio said as he patted Killua on the back. "Can't you take a joke?"

"Yuki-san." I turned to Kurapika. He smiled softly at me. "It's good to see you again."

He seemed well, compared to the last time we met. I hope he's been okay since then. "It's good to see you too. How have you been?"

"I've been well. How are you and Killua? Has he been treating you well?"

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Well..."

"Well?"

Well, we did run into some trouble with Killua's brother, had my memory manipulated by a criminal, nearly got killed by my boyfriend and his brother, had to enter two of my friends' minds, and my boyfriend killed his brother. Yeah, things have gotten pretty messed up since the last time we chat. "Well, Killua and I kinda had our first fight a while back, but things worked out and our relationship is a lot stronger."

Kurapika sighed in relief, pressing his hand over his chest. "That's great to hear."

I honestly didn't know what else to say to the guy. Things were getting awkward fast. Thankfully, the buffet table came into view. "Hey, I'm going to grab something to eat. Do you want to come with? Need something to drink?"

"I'm fine. Thank you," Kurapika politely included.

I turned my head to Killua, who was getting his hair ruffled by Leorio. "Killua, I'm gonna get some food."

"All right. I'll catch up to you," he said, pushing Leorio's arms away.

Once to the sheet-covered table, I couldn't believe my eyes. This is not your average buffet table you would see at prom, like pigs in a blanket and a cheese and cracker platter. They have wagyu steaks, diced baked potatoes, fundu, caviar, and the biggest shrimps I've ever seen in a bowl of ice. Are these shrimps freaking GMOs?! Just imagine what the desert section would look like. Just by staring at the end of the table, I could already see a chocolate fountain.

I walked to the end of the aisle, grabbed a plate, and started grabbing one of each thing I'll probably never eat again in my lifetime.

As I loaded my plate, I looked around and noticed that there was nobody as near as Killua and Gon's age. They really were young prodigies. There's nobody here but adults.

"Excuse, me." I turned around to see a young girl with a golden, curly ponytail, wearing a red dress with white frills and white gloves. "I just want the cream puffs."

"Huh? Oh! Sure." I politely stepped aside, allowing her access to her treat. I was shocked to see someone at this party who seemed almost my brother's age. Maybe she's a bit older than she looks, like fifteen or sixteen years old.

"Thank you."

"Wow."

"Hm?"

I shook my head. I must've been staring without realizing it. "Sorry, it's just that you look so young and cute."

The girl blinked, then smiled. "Why, thank you. It's a beauty secret."

"Bisky-san!"

"Ah, Killua. Long time no see."

"Oh, you two know each other."

"Bisky-san, this is my girlfriend, Yuki."

With her hands cupped to her cheeks, Bisky gasped in wide eyes. "My my! Killua, look how much you have grown! And such a beautiful gem you found."

"Yeah yeah," Killua looked away, scratching the back of his head, then turned to me. "Yuki, this is Bisky. One of my old Nen teachers."

My eyebrows raised in surprise. Someone as young as she was his master? "Whoa! Teacher? She must be very powerful."

Killua leaned close to my ear and whispered. "And very old-"

Bisky chopped her hand into his stomach before he could end his sentence. How did she even move fast enough to get this close? With the wind knocked out of him, Bisky caught him before he could fall to his knees.

"I'm going to find a chair where he can catch his breath, if you don't mind." I shook my head vigorously. I did not want to mess with her. She was cute, but dangerous, probably scarier than Shiki.

Bisky lugged him over her shoulder. Despite her small, girly stature, she was handling him surprisingly well with no effort. "If you're Killua's girlfriend, then you must be very well-acquainted with his best friend." She pointed at the far end of the buffet table. I turned my head. Behind a line of men picking out food from the table, I could hear the animal-like slobbering and munching several paces down. I leaned my head back to get a clearer view of someone with spiky black hair, stuffing his mouth with food senselessly with his bare hands.

"Gon?"

Gon leaned back to see me, his cheeks puffed like a gerbil. "Yuki-san?" he muffled, still chewing.

"Gon!" Gon wiped his mouth as we got close together and shared a hug. "I am so glad to see you!"

"Let me guess. You came here as Killua's date, right?" he smirked.

"I mean, how else could I have gotten access here. I didn't even think I would see you here tonight."

I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Not even me?"

"Don't tell me..." I slowly turned around to see Lizz in a long, emerald green dress with a white fur coat over her shoulders. Her hair was tied to a bun, wearing her cat ears proudly.

"What? Not happy to see me?" she joked as I just gawked and stared in shock like an idiot.

"Oh, my gosh!" I shrieked all giddily-like as I threw my arms around my best friend, both of us hopping in joy. "I'm so glad you're here! I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too, girl!"

"You didn't tell me you were coming."

"Apparently, you didn't tell me either!"

We both laughed at the sheer ridiculousness. "Still, I thought this party was Hunter exclusive, so how did..." I looked at Gon, then back at Lizz, the corners of my mouth curling up. "Oh, I see~" I bounced my eyebrows suggestively.

Lizz blinked. It didn't take long for her to process, her cheeks glowing red from ear-to-ear. "H-hey, don't read too into it! I-i-it's not like that."

"Sure," I said, sarcastically."

Gon placed his hand on Lizz's shoulder, turning her face into a tomato. As always, he was oblivious to the effect he had on her. "I invited Lizz to come with me because I wanted her to meet some of our friends." He pointed to a group of people sitting on chairs circling a coffee table with several wine glasses and a pot of poinsettias at the center. Upon closer inspection, I noticed something odd about that group compared to everyone else. A slender woman with pale skin had a purple orb on her forehead. Standing next to her was a lizard-looking man with green scales and blond hair on his scalp, wearing a clean suit like every gentleman in this party. Sitting next to the purple woman was a woman with long, raspberry pink hair and freckles under her eyes. Next to that woman was Iago the octo- the squid.

"Are they...?"

"They're Chimera Ants, like me," Lizz finished. "A couple of them also happen to be Pro Hunters. You also remember Iago, right?"

"Hah! How could I forget? Speaking of which, how's Shiki? Is she here too?"

"Ehh no. She said she didn't feel like going. Quote-on-quote, not exactly her scene. Plus the whole thing about being a rogue assassin and whatnot."

"I see." Seeing Lizz and Gon again felt like a reunion, so of course, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that Shiki wasn't here. It wouldn't feel the same without her. "Let her know that I said hi."

"I'll be sure to deliver the message," Lizz winked. "By the way, I'm pretty sure YOU didn't simply walk in here by yourself. Where's Killua?"

"Oh, well, Miss Bisky kinda dragged him away after... you know."

"Oh, you met Bisky-san!" Gon exclaimed. "That's great!"

"We were just going to head over to the Chimeras Gon wanted to introduce me to. Do you want to come with?"

As much as I wanted to catch up with the friends I haven't seen in a while, I can't help but remember that I came to this event with Killua first. He didn't want to come to this party alone and I would feel bad to simply ditch him. I should go find him first, and then all four of us can catch up and hang together like we used to.

"I think I need to find my date first. I'll catch up to you guys in a bit."

"Okay." Lizz gave me another hug. "Don't take too long." With that, Gon took Lizz's hand and walked away, smiling.

Right. Now I have to go find Killua. Sure, I may be in a big room with probably over a hundred people, but Killua couldn't have gotten too far. Oh, right! I pulled out my cell phone and started texting him.

"Excuse me, miss. Are you Yuki Sazuka?" I turned around and lowered my phone. A brunette man with sideburns who appeared to be in his mid-forties approached me. Immediately, I felt weird about this stranger talking to me, yet he knew my name. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear your name, but when I look at you... are you Kurt and Aya's daughter?"

I cocked my head back in surprise. "Huh? You know my mom and dad?"

The man smiled and nodded. "Mhm. You look just like your parents. Your father's eyes and your mother's beauty. My name is Leo. You and I have never met, but your father used to be my mentor. He would talk non-stop about you and would always show me pictures of you. You've grown up so much."

This was my first time meeting another Hunter who knew my father, and one who was so close. "Wow, that's amazing. What was he like?"

"Oh, well, let's see... he was a stubborn, yet determined fellow. He was also a good friend. Everything he taught me, I take it to stride."

I nodded as I listened. Pretending to scratch my eyes when in actuality, I was wiping a tear. It was a good thing I didn't put makeup on, otherwise, it would have been ruined.

"He was a very good man," Leo said with content.

"I know. I miss him."

Leo stuck out his hand. "It was an honor meeting you." I gladly shook his firm. I stood in place like a tree as I watched him disappear in the crowd. As soon as he was gone, I looked down at my phone in my hand. What was I doing again?"

"There you are." I turned around to see Killua walking to me.

"Oh, Killua! I was just about to text you."

"Sorry about earlier. Bisky can sometimes be... a handful."

"It's fine. The night is still young. By the way, I ran into Gon and Lizz earlier. We should-"

"Attention everyone." The music stopped and everyone in the room hushed as their gazes turned to the balcony above the entrance. The speaker was a woman with dog-like features, such as dog ears protruding out of her green hair. She was also dressed elegantly for the occasion, as well as ten other people standing by her side. "Thank you all for coming to our 58th annual Hunter Christmas Eve Ball."

"That's the chairman and the Zodiac," Killua quietly explained next to my ear.

The Chairman continued her announcement. "We hope you are all having a wonderful evening. To celebrate this holiday of togetherness and giving, let us remember those who..."

"Ugh, come on," Killua said as he grabbed my hand, pulling me away."

"W-wait, don't you want to stay to listen?"

"She's just gonna give a ten-minute speech and end it with Christmas carols. Besides, I got something to show you."

We walked out of the ballroom and navigated through the narrow, empty hallways of the mansion, drawing further away from the party. "Where are you taking me this time? Killua!"

"Don't worry. We're almost there." As we walked down a long corridor, I looked outside to see that it started snowing. I hope this will not affect our flight back home.

The wandering journey came to a halt when Killua stopped in front of a wooden door. "Close your eyes," he said. I gave him a skeptical look before humoring him. Still holding my hand, I heard the creak of the door opening as he slowly pulled me into the unknown. I couldn't tell where we were, but my nose tickled as I smelled this floral aroma. Killua stopped walking and let go of my hand. "Wait here." Soon, he left me in the middle of, what I imagine, an empty room covered in flowers as I listened to the click of the door closing and his footsteps walking to the other side of the room. Suddenly, I could see this hazy yellow glow through my eyelids and hear the trickling of water.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"I don't know. Can you?"

"Killua!" I whined, opening my eyes anyways, which soon widened into saucers as I gaped my mouth open. I was standing inside a greenhouse filled with a variety of flowers. Every bush, pot, branch and tree trunk was lined with Christmas lights, giving the room a fireplace-like glow. At one side of the room was an artificial waterfall over a small stone pond, probably electrical powered. The ivory and vines clung to the sides of the glass walls while the outside was coated with a fresh sheet of fallen snow. The room was beautiful, like standing in a forest of fireflies.

"Killua... did you do all of this?"

"For once, I can actually take all the credit. But it probably wouldn't have been possible if they hadn't permitted me to use the greenhouse for just the two of us."

My heart swelled up so much that it felt like it might roll out of my chest. I assumed the surprise was simply the Hunter ball, but what he really had planned for me was this private space between the two of us in this beautiful garden. Standing alone in this place with Killua felt like we were the only two people in the world. "So what now?"

Killua bent down to a stereo that has been sitting next to his feet and pressed the play button. Slow hip hop music came out of its speakers. Killua stood in front of me and slightly bowed with his hand on his stomach, the other hand reaching out to me. "Shall I have this dance?"

I laughed at his gentleman-like behavior. Never would I have expected this from Killua from when we first met. "We shall," I said as I took him by the hand.

Normally, I would be too shy to dance at school dances, but since it was just the two of us, I felt no shame in front of the boy I love. I can be myself around him. I have no part of me I have to hide. I could also tell he was nervous by the way his hand was awkwardly holding my shoulder. I giggled. "Killua, it's okay." In a swift movement, I guided his hands to my waists and wrapped my hands to the back of his neck. Once we both got the sense of the rhythm, we swayed from side-to-side, following the beat. His hold on my sides was with the most gentle care. I didn't know how else we're supposed to dance, so I simply just looked into his eyes for guidance. All I could read from his alluring gaze was to keep your eyes on me.

"You look very beautiful tonight," Killua complimented. Idiot. You already told me that tonight. Why are you trying to make me blush more?

"Thanks. That means a lot, considering I didn't put on any makeup."

"You're not wearing any makeup? My god, you're gorgeous."

"Killua!" I pulled him closer, hiding my red face in his shoulder. "You're too nice. You even went out of your way to plan this surprise for me. You really shouldn't have."

"Well, how else was I supposed to give you my first Christmas present to you?" I pulled back a little to look at his face. "Sorry that it's no necklace or stuffed toy. I hope this counts as a gift if that's okay."

"Okay? It's more than okay. It's wonderful! It's like that time you turned on that carousel for me. The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. In fact... I have something for you too."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

"Then... is it okay if you wait for me? I'll go get it real quick." I broke away from his arms and started heading for the door, but Killua held on to my hand.

"You don't have to."

"No, it has to be right here. I'll be quick!"

"Ahem!" We both whipped our heads to the open door of the room. It was Alluka, standing behind the door frame.

"Alluka?" Killua tilted his head. "What are you doing here? I told you to... you're not supposed to be here."

"Onii-chan, it's okay. Besides..." She pulled her hand from behind her back, holding my present for Killua. "You'll thank me later."

I walked over to her. As I held the present, I looked at Alluka with a smile. "Thank you."

She smiled even wider. "Go get him." She hugged me before turning away, telling her brother that she'll meet him back at the airship as she slowly closed the door behind her.

I returned to my spot, holding my gift forward. "This is for you. Merry Christmas, Killua. My heart was racing fast as I prayed please please like it.

Killua inspected the present curiously before untying the bow and shredding the wrapper apart, revealing a framed pencil sketch I drew of him. "Yuki..." He let all the gift wrapping contents fall to the floor as he gazed into the portrait. "You drew this?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you're seeing it for the first time since I know how much you love snooping through my stuff. When I didn't know what to get you, I figured that the best kind of gift is a homemade gift, because it's a gift from the heart. When you craft a gift for someone, they'll know you've been thinking of them the entire time. So I hope you like it."

A small drop of water dripped on the glass of the picture frame. To my surprise, Killua was crying. I began to panic. Was my gift so thoughtful that he was moved to tears or did he hate it so much that it made him cry? "Whoa, Killua! I know I can draw, but I didn't think I was this talented," I tried to joke to see what his reaction would be.

The hand that was holding the portrait dropped to his side as he tried his best to wipe the tears with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry... I love it. Truly! It's the best drawing I've ever seen." He took a deep breath, his gaze downward.

"Killua, are you okay?" I took his hand. It squeezed back, trembling. "Babe, what's wrong?

Killua kept his eyes glued to the ground. "While I was gaining permission to RSVP you as a guest, the chairman board gave me a warning."

"For what?"

"Well, according to Hunter Bylaws Article 1, 'a Hunter must always hunt for something.' It's a dumb rule. It's been a long time since my last hunt. I never found it to be a problem because finding something new to hunt for is usually easy to come by when you're traveling to different places, but..."

In that instant, I was able to put the pieces together, regretfully. "You need a new target to hunt for, therefore, you're leaving."

Killua still hasn't looked at me. "Yeah... I have to leave as soon as I can before winter break is over. The sooner the better."

I let go of his hand, pacing slowly in a circle as I gathered my thoughts and feelings. Killua is leaving? For how long? I remember waiting for weeks to months for my dad to return home from his missions. Would he even come back when the semester starts in the new year? He sounds reluctant about leaving, but what if he's actually excited to go? What if he's been so tired and bored of school that he's been itching for the next adventure?

"Do you already have a job?

"Yeah, but I don't know how long it'll take. That's why I have to leave soon." He already had this planned yet he took this long to tell me.

"So you planned this nice evening with me so that we could have this one magical memory before you leave? Is that it?"

"Yuki, I... I wanted to tell you before, but I didn't know how. I was afraid of how you were going to take it."

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "It's okay. I knew it was a happiness that wouldn't last." A lump formed in the back of my throat as I balled my hands into fists.

Finally, Killua lifted his face and looked at me. "What are you saying?"

"I'm letting you go."

"Wait... are you breaking up with me?"

"Are you breaking up with ME?! I'm just saying, if you need to go, then just go! Go and walk out of that door, just like my dad!" I gasped and covered my mouth as soon as I said that. I didn't even know where it came from. I guess the memory of my dad resurfaced a sense of deja vu where someone I love who is a Hunter is leaving, and he might not ever come back again. I don't want that to happen again.

Killua's expression softened. "Are you afraid of me leaving you?"

"I'm afraid of losing you. So much has happened in such a short amount of time, and I almost lost you. I don't... the thought of losing you I can't bear to go through. Not again..."

[Press Play]

As I wiped the tears from my eyes, Killua turned off the stereo and left the framed portrait leaning against it. He gently held both of my hands in his and softly smiled.

"Yuki, you're not going to lose me. Not ever." He pulled me into a warm embrace, my hands pressed against his chest. "It's not like I'll be gone forever. As soon as I'm done, I'll come back to you, and I'll stay as long as I can before I go hunting again. As long as I have you in my life, I'll always have a home to return to."

Killua... will come back. Is there any real guarantee that he will keep that promise? Even if he does mean it, there will probably be a lot of dangers that might prevent him from returning. Sometimes, with the moments we have with each other, we have it so good that I forget that we come from two different worlds. It's like he's an adult now, heading to work while I'm still at school. Even though he has this occupation, he still chooses to stay with me. He still chooses me. "Pfft! That almost sounded like a proposal."

"Eh?!" Killua stiffened, gazing down at me nervously. "Wait! N-no! I didn't-"

I stood on my toes and kissed him on the lips. He stopped stuttering and closed his eyes, sinking deeper into the long kiss. Once I broke away, I wrapped my arms around his waist, locking my fingers behind his back, my head resting on his chest. "It's okay. I'm sorry for overreacting a bit there. I was thinking a bit too selfishly. If you have to go, I understand. Just don't make me wait too long, okay?"

With his strong, yet kind and gentle arms, Killua held me back, tighter. "I will. You can count on that."

"For now, let's cherish this moment. I want to cherish every minute. Every second."

Killua began to gently pat my head. "Thank you, Yuki. I love you."

"I love you too. Merry Christmas."