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Kalluto was 13 when he finally saw the world for the first time.
Being the youngest of the Zoldyck siblings and not having any noteworthy talents meant he was mostly overlooked. Staying in the shadow of his mother seemed to fit him best. At least she spared him some of the attention he craved. She would buy him beautiful kimonos and dress him up however she liked. It didn't matter, at least she was looking at him.
After hearing that Killua left and took Alluka with him, Kalluto began to wonder when Killua would return for him. It had been a year since then. Was he not worth the trouble? He decided that Killua must've overlooked him. It would be okay. It happens all the time. Maybe Killua would remember someday— like a stray thought. Maybe he would think, 'I left behind my little brother!' and come rushing back to Kalluto's aid. Kalluto would forgive him. Mistakes happen to the best of them, even Zoldycks.
For now, he would stick to the shadows, following whoever— or whatever— took him in, until that fateful day.
Kalluto folded the paper again and it made a nice rhombus. It was a peaceful and quiet activity; he wouldn't be too noticeable while doing it.
He folded the paper again and again and again and it turned into a butterfly. He smiled to himself and placed it on the table in front of him. It was one of the few moments where he could indulge in himself. The other spiders were talking amongst themselves, leaving Kalluto to his own accord. They had finished a heist in some random country and started splitting the loot in the abandoned building they were in. Kalluto was fine with whatever was left for him.
Kalluto's self-indulgence was abruptly interrupted when one of the members, Nobunaga, promptly sat next to him. The older man picked up the butterfly and observed it.
" Nice , kid. You have a real talent for this," he said and set it back down. Not one to handle a compliment, Kalluto's cheeks heated up and he nodded his head. Nobunaga placed a hand on Kalluto's head and gave it a good-natured ruffle. "You're a good kid, y'know? I believe you can do anything you put your mind to," he spoke absent-mindedly.
"Thank you," Kalluto spoke softly, wondering where the sudden declaration came from.
"No need to thank me, just saying what's on my mind," he said as he removed his hand from the boy's head. "Say, do you have any plans after you receive your piece?"
Kalluto shook his head and grabbed the butterfly from the table. He hadn't really thought so far ahead. He was probably going to return home as always, waiting for the next assignment or Killua’s return. Whatever came first. Nobunaga hummed in understanding.
"It's alright if you don't have anything, but you should think about it. The world is a big place, you should go out and see it."
♡
The conversation didn’t last long after that. Kalluto received a simple, yet expensive, silver necklace with a gem attached and left shortly after. The small, heart shaped jewel was baby blue and had some sort of property to it. They weren’t too sure, but it had some sort of nen infused in it.
As he walked through the city, he kept his eyes to the ground, semi-aware of the environment around him. There were more people than usual, especially at this time of night.
If he was being honest with himself, he just wanted to be around less people—
There was a bright flash of green and a loud explosion from the sky. Kalluto flinched and looked up.
From behind a building, another firework exploded. This time, a red and orange. It looked as if the stars were raining from the sky themselves. Another and another went up, flashed and exploded. It formed a circle with a ring around it. More and more went up and let out its colorful glory.
It wasn’t as if Kalluto never saw fireworks— the boy stepped forward— they were never so close and so big. From his window at home, he could only barely see the show. They were like tiny sparkles in the distance.
He could hear people cheering at the ones they liked, but he was at a loss for words. Seeing them so close up made something appear in his heart. In his childish heart, he wished to be even closer to the fireworks. Yet, he could never be upset with seeing the stars so close.
The sky was filled with more loud booms and other colors. His eyes widened and his breath left him. The fireworks came in different shapes and sizes. One made a loud whistling noise and went extremely high above the ground. And with a loud noise, it exploded into a multitude of colors.
The oohs and ahs of the crowd brought him back down to earth. And suddenly Nobunaga’s words started to resonate with him.
The world really is a big place.
He finally looked around and realized that he was in the middle of what seemed to be a festival. Lights were strung up around merchant tables and wide smiles were plastered on everyone’s faces. Themed decorations were placed meticulously around the booths and stages. People on the stage wore beautiful costumes and face paint.
He couldn’t explain the feeling growing in his chest.
Kalluto found himself drawn to it and his legs seemed to move on their own. Once he was at a good viewing distance, he tuned in to their performance.
It was a dramatic retelling of an old folktale of the founding of their city. And Kalluto was mesmerized by all of it. Their precise movements, poses, and words. He found himself immersed in the story.
At the end of the performance, the crowd gave a round of applause as the actors bowed. Then something else caught his attention.
“Come get your faces painted over here!” a random girl spoke to her friends. There were people lined up in front of a colorful booth and Kalluto’s chest filled with want. He timidly made his way to one of the face painters and they smiled brightly at him.
“Hey there, kiddo! What would you like today?” He spoke in a cheerful voice and placed a book in his hand. He wore decorative facepaint of his own.
Kalluto opened the book and saw how the options varied. It was all themed around the festival, using bright oranges and yellows in their designs. Then he saw what he wanted and he pointed it out. “Coming right up!” the man spoke again.
Usually he would have a major problem with a stranger touching his face— or in general— but the cool paint and anticipation of the final result made him allow it. Once it was finished, the man held up a mirror and Kalluto lost his breath again.
There were yellow butterfly wings on the sides of his eyes. The wings were mixed with orange and white. His face held a swirl of reds, whites, and a tinge of black. He didn’t know why but the paint made him giddy with excitement.
Unfamiliar with the feeling, Kalluto gasped in astonishment. He handed the man back his mirror and thanked him profusely.
“You’re welcome, kiddo! Enjoy the festival!” The man waved as Kalluto practically bounced away.
It was a mystery why he was suddenly so excited, especially since he was alone . But the sight of the cotton candy didn’t allow him to dwell on it. He quickly made his way to the cotton candy and the lady handed him one. It seemed like the festival gave out everything for free, just for one night of celebration.
Kalluto took a piece of the candy and stuffed it into his mouth, it melted on his tongue. He couldn’t resist the happiness that filled his heart. It was strange, but not unwelcome. He took another piece, bigger this time, before someone with a camera stood in front of him.
“Would you like a free polaroid to commemorate this momentous occasion?” a teenage girl wore a bright smile of her own and motioned to her camera. Before he could even think about it, he nodded yes.
She held up the camera and Kalluto gave the best smile he could. With a click and a flash, it was done. The photo slid out the camera and she shook it and handed it to him. “Enjoy your night!” And she walked away to the next patron.
Kalluto looked at the photo and he could barely recognize himself. He wore a large smile and posed with his cotton candy. His face paint contrasted his eye color and— his eyes trailed down. The jewel was a bright yellow. Kalluto looked closer and realized that it wasn’t the reflection of something else.
He looked down to the necklace and it was, in fact, glowing yellow. He blinked in surprise and quickly took it off.
It was then his anxieties came back.
Why was he even here? Wearing ridiculous face paint and eating cotton candy?
His smile slowly fell and he frowned. There were too many people around him and it was suffocating. It wasn’t more suffocating than the disappointment of his feelings being fake. They must've been created by the necklace. Of course . Kalluto never received anything like this. The disappointment was too much to bear.
He promptly discarded the cotton candy in the nearest wastebasket and looked at the picture again. It looked like genuine happiness, didn’t it? Even though the want was still present, it was barely there. Kalluto tucked the photo and necklace away. Then, he left the festival.
♡
Sleep would not come to him. Due to how late it was, he had to get a hotel for the night. It was a simple room, it would hold him until morning. He had taken off his kimono, washed his face and hopped onto the bed.
The feelings that he experienced at that festival were… amazing. He rolled over.
Could he ever feel like that again? His mind wandered back to the necklace, but he shook his head. He wanted the feelings to be authentic, not created by a jewel.
Do people usually feel like that? The thought made him long for them again. He allowed himself to indulge in a stray feeling of hope. What if they were my actual feelings?
Fireworks started up again and filled the sky. Kalluto faced the window and watched as the sparkles danced through the sky.
Oh, how he wished for them to be his.
♡
It would probably take him weeks to head back home by foot, since he needed to go through multiple towns and cities, but he couldn’t bring himself to care too much . Of course, it would take only a couple days by airship, but— he kept walking, not wanting to address the foreign feelings he developed.
Under any normal circumstances, Kalluto would’ve chosen to return back to manor as soon as possible. Yet, these weren’t normal circumstances.
Kalluto had been traveling for three days, occasionally stopping to rest or get food. He was currently in a town close to the ocean. The breeze felt nice as it blew through his hair. He smiled softly, then he tensed up, checking the necklace in his pocket. The necklace had gone back to its normal baby blue after he took it off and hasn’t changed since.
He let out a sigh of relief and took a look around.
The boardwalk was filled with people talking casual strolls, talking, laughing, all of the above. Down the boardwalk, people were sitting along the beach or playing in the water. It was a hot day and Kalluto somewhat wished he could go in the water.
He paused and looked at the necklace again. Still blue. This was all him.
He looked down at his kimono and clicked his tongue. If he wanted to go to the beach, he would have to get supplies and while he was at it, he could get some new outfits. He shook his head, he was getting off topic. Getting home was his first and only priority. Plus, Mother would be upset for getting off track—
Mother didn’t know he was here. She couldn’t even contact him if he tried. They never really bothered with a phone since Kalluto was never one to dwell and was always there if he was needed.
However,
He was so easily overlooked.
Kalluto grinned and made his way into a shop. It was filled with different clothing items, accessories, supplies, and souvenirs. He made his way around with wide and observing eyes. First, he grabbed things he needed, like a bag, sunscreen, and some flip flops. He picked out a big floppy hat and black swim trunks. There were many types of towels, but he grabbed one with purple dolphins on it. He added a couple more items to his list and checked out.
Carefully, he placed the items into the dark purple backpack he purchased and looked for a place to change.
♡
Kalluto placed his bag down in a somewhat secluded place on the beach. He opened the umbrella that was there and set down his towel. The sun was still beaming down on the random sunbathers that were around him. He took out his sunscreen and put some on his arms and shoulders.
Once finished, he sat on his towel and watched the waves. It was then he realized— he felt free. He was on his own and actually exploring. He hummed to himself and grabbed the shovel and bucket he got. It wouldn’t hurt to grab some seashells while he was here.
And with childish glee, he ran down to the beach.
♡
He rinsed the sand off his feet at one of the outdoor showers along with his flip flops. The sun had set a while ago and Kalluto had watched as people set up bonfires and started partying. There were more adults than usual, so he took it as his sign to leave.
Surprisingly, he felt extremely content. He had never had so much fun playing with sand and getting wet. Kalluto smiled to himself. He had tripped and landed face first in the water when he ran down. A wave went over his head and he immediately came back up laughing.
He hadn’t expected himself to trip but it still made him laugh. He managed to find a variety of seashells, ranging from small and smooth to large and rough.
The water was nice and cold and so blue. He had kicked the water up and splashed everywhere. When he returned to his towel, he was drenched from head to toe.
He stretched and adjusted his backpack. His stomach grumbled as he made his way up to the boardwalk. Thankfully, there were tons of restaurants along the strip. The mix of smells made his mouth water. He looked around— a good distance from the large groups of people— and stumbled upon a hotdog stand.
It was definitely the kind he would see in the movies. Despite being popular in movies, the stand had a lack of customers, which made it perfect for Kalluto to make his way over.
There was an older woman standing behind it and stood to attention when she spotted Kalluto. A small smile appeared on her face, “Good evening, sir, what would you like on your hotdog?”
Kalluto looked at the options. “Can I have ketchup and mustard?” She nodded and put the condiments on. Kalluto handed her the amount needed and she took it nicely, handing him the hotdog. “Thank you, enjoy the rest of your night,” Kalluto found himself saying as she waved him goodbye.
He took a bite. The hotdog was… okay, but he accepted it anyway. He said more words than necessary to the lady. It was weird, especially coming from him. He would usually say the bare minimum and continue on with his life. But, he can’t say that he was upset with the development.
Once he made his way down the boardwalk, he moved closer into the city to find a place to stay for the night. He managed to find a cheap motel near the beach and checked in.
The room was smaller than his previous stays, but— he dropped his bag— it was his.
Carefully, opened his bag and took out some of the contents, including the photo and necklace. The two items hadn’t changed since he looked at them last. Then, he remembered something he bought. Kalluto dove into his bag until he pulled out a small journal and pen. He didn’t know why he wanted it at first, but he realized it not soon after he bought it.
He didn’t want to forget. And so he wrote and he wrote and he wrote until his wrist started to cramp. He placed the journal down and remembered that he needed to shower, so he did just that.
Afterwards, he wrote some more, every little emotion and thought he had during and after the festival. How free he felt and how he felt about the necklace. He made a couple doodles and slid the polaroid into the page.
It felt nice.
♡
A week after the visit to the beach, Kalluto had stumbled upon a man. He wore a shirt that said Free Wishes on it. His smile was filled with crooked teeth and a singular gold tooth. They were located in the heart of a large city and Kalluto was itching to get away. But, the man had insisted that he could grant wishes.
Honestly, he hadn’t felt his bloodlust in a long time. Yet, he stayed in zetsu and decided to make a wish to get rid of the man.
“Ya’ gotta’ say ya’ wish out loud!” The old man ushered.
On a whim, Kalluto replied with the first thing he could think of, “I wish to find what I want to do.”
The man grinned, bowed, and thanked him, “Wish granted.” And he disappeared into the crowd.
No matter how hard he tried, Kalluto couldn’t find the man again. It was strange, to say the least. But, he continued walking.
That night, he found a hotel that was surprisingly cheap for its quality. His room was large and the building was littered with huge windows. He sat his— now heavier— backpack down and flopped onto the bed.
The mattress was springy and somewhat stiff. He rolled around and let out a small squeal. There were a ton of plush pillows by the headrest and the comforters were so soft. Taking off his shoes— sneakers that he invested in, just for the walk , he settled—, he sat on his knees.
His bed at the manor was three times the size and more fitting to Kalluto’s style. Yet, he wasn’t able to do the one thing he wanted to do.
He stood up and made a small leap. The bed bounced him back up and Kalluto decided on his next goal. He jumped up, higher this time, and a strange delight filled him as he bounced again. He grabbed a pillow and jumped and jumped. Then, on the highest jump, he allowed himself to fall onto his back.
He let out a small woah as he bounced back up. Once he settled, he burst into a fit of giggles. He felt so unprofessional, but who was here to tell him he was? He wiggled his toes and let out a breath.
Every day that he wasn’t under someone’s command, he seemed to get a little more reckless. Rebellious, probably. Kalluto sat up. He wasn’t even wearing his kimono anymore. He hadn’t in a couple days. He reasoned that he wanted to blend in with the environment, wearing cargo shorts and a simple pink t-shirt.
Kalluto bit his lip. He even took up tying his hair back in a low, small ponytail.
If Mother could see him right now, he could imagine her outrage. Saying that he needed to wear modest and proper clothing. Usually, the thought would make him backtrack and regret his choices, but it didn’t.
There was a small thrill in doing something you weren’t supposed to do. He felt a small mischievous smirk grow on his face and he got the sudden impulse to taunt. Kalluto looked to his left and his right, making sure he was truly alone.
“Ha- ha, ” he whispered and glanced around again. Still alone.
Then he stuck out his tongue with a blep.
♡
When he went to sleep that night, Kalluto dreamt of large fireworks and hotdog stands. He dreamt about the weird man and his free wishes. There were smiles and laughter surrounding him. Origami butterflies fluttered in a tuneless dance around him and one had pulled out the necklace.
The necklace was bright yellow.
It sent everything into a spiral. The dream was sucked into the heart-shaped gem and Kalluto was left with darkness.
At once, he was placed in his mother’s shadow. She scrutinized him with judgemental and empty eyes. Not having to say a word, he knew what she meant. He could already hear her.
‘I do so much for you, yet you still leave me.’
‘Is this really appropriate, Kalluto?’
“You should come home already, Kalluto,” she said with a firm tone. “ You have been lollygagging for long enough.”
Kalluto had agreed with her and he was back in his kimono, with his hair down. She spun on her heel with a hmph and walked ahead, not looking back. He started to follow her, maneuvering through the thick brush of the forest. It was dark and cold.
But, something warm was around his neck. He glanced down and the necklace shined. The bright light from the necklace was nothing compared to the sudden flash of light behind him.
He stopped and turned around. Then, he was no longer in the mountain side forest. Instead, he stood along a cliff, staring at the sky. Fireworks danced along the night sky with the stars. They went up and exploded into many colors. One even spelled out his name.
It was glorious and warm.
He stepped closer to the cliff’s edge and looked down. Below him, there was a gorgeous city blossoming. Then, something shot up directly in front of him and he jumped back. What he saw made his heart race with excitement.
One of the firework’s stars danced in front of him. It created a staircase of stars, just for him. The golden star moved towards the stairs, beckoning Kalluto to follow. The boy did. He took an uneasy step onto one of the stars and they began to cheer for him.
‘You got this, Kalluto!’
‘Join us, Kalluto! ’
‘You can become a star too, Kalluto!’
So he did just that. With a large whoop, he ran up the staircase— star case— and leapt.
He never fell, instead he flew and danced with the other stars. When he looked down, the necklace was gone. But, the amazing feeling never left him.
♡
Kalluto didn’t want to go back home.
If he was being honest with himself, he had found more happiness in random places than he did at the manor. The shock with that realization had woken him up completely. He sat up in the bed and really thought to himself. What was waiting for him at home?
He knew that fireworks and beaches and hotdog carts weren’t there. He knew that the freedom— that he didn’t even know he desired— wasn’t there. Killua was definitely not there, even if a part of him wished he was.
He couldn’t even bring himself to be upset at the thought since he was constantly learning new things about himself. Kalluto loved it.
He wondered if Killua felt the same way. Maybe it was why he left in the first place. Maybe it was why Killua hadn’t returned for him yet. Kalluto didn’t blame him. If Kalluto had seen these things, he wouldn’t have come back for himself either. And with that, he jumped out of bed.
Kalluto wanted to wear something new. Something that Mother would absolutely punish him for. He dug into his bag and pulled out his newest clothing item.
A crop top.
It was a purple, long sleeved shirt with the word ‘Rebel’ posted on the front. It was pretty much a sweater with a bit of midriff exposed. There were black pants that went with it, along with a choker he saw one day.
He put on the outfit and checked himself out in the mirror. His jaw dropped as he struck different poses. He looked so freaking cool.
He realized that a phone would’ve been nice. The only image he had was from the festival and he completely treasured it. Maybe he should buy one.
Kalluto tapped his chin and nodded. He could decide who received his number and he had the privilege of free will. So it was decided.
He was going to buy a phone.
♡
The phone was a simple touch screen with a black case. Of course, he didn’t have any numbers saved since he didn’t really have anyone he wanted to call. However, he didn’t have a problem with that since he could finally take pictures.
He sat in a small library that the town offered and observed its functions. He tapped on the camera button and held it up in front of him. The screen showed the table he was at and the shelves of books around him. With a loud click, the photo was taken.
Kalluto’s heart began to race as he pulled it up. It was slightly blurry but— his heart began to race faster— he took a picture. Quickly, he grabbed his journal and wrote about it.
The picture was blurry, but now I won’t forget about this visit to a library! I wonder what Mother would think.
He continued on until he realized that he had access to the internet. He opened the phone and searched for events happening near him. The first one he saw blew his mind.
A candy tasting event.
In the town next to him, there were platters of every type of candy you could imagine. The admission was free as long as you bought some sort of candy from it. Kalluto’s mouth began to water at the thought of so much candy.
Collecting his things, he set off.
The walk to the event didn’t take too long, since the towns were so close together and small. It was a perfect and quiet place, meaning more candy to taste.
The event was located outside of a small candy store and had tables set up with all of the candies. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the whole town was participating. The tables seemed to stretch for miles, starting at the shop and ending somewhere off in the distance.
Kalluto didn’t really want to interact with such a large crowd of people, but…
There were children talking loudly at the candy they had in their mouth. His need for sweets took over his lack of socialization skills. Thus, he marched over to the first booth.
Kalluto had been walking and tasting candy for about an hour. He hadn’t imagined that candy could come in so many flavors. There were some that tasted absolutely mind-blowing and others that were simply good. He came to find out that there was no such thing as a nasty candy.
Some of them had different types of assorted nuts and others had fillings that he didn’t know could go together. He noted this eagerly.
Stopping at the next table, he read the label: Extra Fudge Azalea Chocolates. The candy was coated with pink dust and cut into squares.
Out of all the candies, chocolate was highly favored in his book.
He reached for one as his hand bumped into another. Startled, he retracted his hand and jumped to the side. He opened his mouth to apologize as he looked up at the person.
It was the one and only Killua Zoldyck, Kalluto would write in his journal later on.
The older boy just gaped at him, somehow in denial, before his face contorted in a scowl.
“What are you doing here?” Killua asked defensively. “How did you find us?”
Kalluto was in a complete state of shock. Find them? He didn’t even know where they were. Kalluto wanted to say something, but it was just too much.
His older brother, who he dreamed of seeing again, was standing here right in front of him. His hair had grown and he was taller than before. Then it finally registered. Killua was not happy to see him. This realization was not welcomed by Kalluto.
“Big Brother?” a voice came up behind Killua and Killua immediately stuck his arm out protectively. Which didn’t make sense, because Kalluto would’ve noticed if there was a threat around.
“ Don’t, Alluka,” he warned and Kalluto could finally see the face behind him. It was Alluka, of course. Killua still stared at him with scrutinizing and threatening eyes. Kalluto watched as Alluka’s gaze finally reached him and she looked at him with underlying fear.
At that moment, Kalluto didn’t know what he wanted anymore. Too many understandings filled him. Not only was Killua not happy to see him, but he was feared by his older sister as well. No wonder Killua didn’t come back for him.
Kalluto was the threat.
“I won’t ask again, why are you here? Who sent you?” Killua stepped forward intimidatingly. Immediately, Kalluto stepped back. His heart was racing, his palms were clammy, and he wanted to run away.
“I— uh— I just—,” Kalluto couldn’t seem to get the words out. He was so hurt and angry. He was glad that people weren’t really in this area, so this was between them. Kalluto shook his head and whispered harshly, “I came here to taste candies. That is all.”
“Do you really expect me to believe that? I’m not playing around—” It was then that Kalluto’s dam broke.
“ Well, neither am I! Do you want to know what I expected of you?” Kalluto shouted and Killua looked completely caught off guard. Kalluto was never one to yell at anyone, at most he would say a passive aggressive remark and go on with his life. Yet, “I thought you would’ve come for me too, Big Brother.”
Killua’s entire face fell. “What?”
“Did you forget about me? Did you ever plan to come back and help me?” It was enough to make him tear up. “I thought you would’ve been relieved to see my face. Maybe a little happy,” he started to choke up. “Why are you scared of me?!” He frowned as the tears started to fall down his face. He hastily looked to the ground and sniffed pathetically, he didn’t even want to see their faces.
“I just…” Killua trailed off and Kalluto refused to look up.
“I didn’t even really see the world until last week, Big Brother,” he sniffed and rubbed his eyes with his sleeves. “I’m literally wearing a crop top and this choker thing, because I decided to !” he threw his arms up in indignance. “I didn’t even know that was an option…” Kalluto went silent and could hear the debate his older siblings were having. All of his self-pity came forward. Maybe he was meant to be alone after all. He tugged at his sleeve and deflated.
A hand was placed on his shoulder and Kalluto jumped. He looked up and his older sister was looking at him with soft eyes. She was a couple inches taller than him, he noted. “I think your crop top looks really cool, Kalluto.” The boy gaped and more tears filled his eyes.
His voice wobbled as he said, “Thank you… I think it looks cool, too.” His hands shook as he slowly reached for her, wanting a hug. She gladly took the invitation and gathered him into her arms. It was strange, but in a good way.
Kalluto sobbed into her shirt as all of his bottled up emotions came forward.
“Hey, how about we go somewhere and talk this out, okay?” Alluka asked softly and Kalluto nodded. He didn’t hear any protests coming from Killua, so he assumed that he agreed.
♡
To say that things were awkward, would be an understatement.
They were sitting in a booth in the back of a restaurant, with Alluka and Killua sitting across from Kalluto. Killua hadn’t said much of anything after Kalluto’s outburst. They sat down, ordered from the menu and then, silence. Kalluto didn’t even know what to say, so he didn’t blame them for their silence.
Deciding that he needed to do something, Kalluto reached in his bag and pulled out his journal. A couple paragraphs wouldn’t hurt, plus, it wasn’t like he really had anything else. When he pulled it out, he realized that two pairs of eyes were on him.
“Oh… um— I just wanted to write a bit,” he mumbled. Killua nodded and pulled out his phone. Alluka tilted her head.
“You have a journal? What do you write about?” She asked, genuine interest laced in her tone. Kalluto wasn’t prepared for this line of questioning.
“Just… about my adventures and stuff,” Kalluto said, writing something down. “I— I also draw in it!” There was a sudden spark of wanting to share his drawings with her. Wanting her to like his stuff. “Wanna see?” She smiled and nodded.
He flipped to one of the pages and turned it around to show her. It was a drawing of Kalluto sitting at the beach and eating the mediocre hotdog he bought.
“Oh wow, you’re really good at this!” Her eyes brightened as she looked closer. “Did you go to the beach?” Kalluto eagerly nodded his head and explained how he wanted to play in the water and how he tripped and fell in. Alluka— and even Killua— let out a small laugh. His heart filled a little.
He withdrew the journal and his most prized possession fell out.
His photo.
It slid across the table and conveniently stopped in the middle of his older siblings. Killua glanced up from his phone while Alluka gawked at the image.
“Oh my goodness! Is that you, Kalluto?” she gushed and picked up the picture. Kalluto’s lips pressed into a fine line as a blush rushed up his cheeks. This was absolutely humiliating. “You look so adorable!” she continued and Kalluto wanted to disappear at that very moment.
Killua, whose curiosity was peaked, looked over and his eyes widened in surprise. “Is that really you? Where were you?” Killua asked, putting Kalluto under his gaze.
“I was… at a festival in one of the towns I visited,” he awkwardly tugged at his sleeve. “It was when I realized that— that I was missing out on something.” Kalluto wasn’t used to saying these types of things out loud. Killua had an unreadable expression on his face.
Alluka smiled and handed the picture back. “You looked like you were having a sugar rush with that cotton candy,” she teased. Kalluto smiled and realized that he didn’t have the heart to tell her that he never finished it. He tucked the photo back and looked up to see Killua watching him.
“So where are you headed now?” Killua asked with a curious expression. Kalluto paused and really thought about it. He didn’t have a location in mind. He just wanted to experience things.
“I… I don’t know. At first I was going to go home, but something changed,” Kalluto thought about the necklace he received. “I just want to see the world. I didn’t realize that freedom felt so nice.” He played with his thumbs and watched how Killua’s face softened.
Killua sighed and really looked at Kalluto. “I’m sorry, Kalluto,” Killua said earnestly with a remorseful look on his face. Kalluto’s heart dropped to its knees. He opened his mouth to say something but Killua continued. “I shouldn’t have left you in that house alone. I should’ve come back for you or at least attempted to find you. I lumped you in with the rest of the family as if you contributed to their wrongdoings. I thought you were too far gone, yet here you are.”
Kalluto wanted to say so many things at that moment, but he couldn’t form them into words. He wasn’t used to people apologizing to him, why would they? Kalluto was so many levels below them, but here they are.
“I’m not saying that you should forgive me or even let go of any resentment you have towards me,” Killua added, “but, will you allow me to make things right?”
Kalluto’s lip trembled and he nodded his head. He never really considered someone trying to make things up to him. He opened his mouth, but Alluka spoke.
“Are you completely sure, Kal? That would mean coming with us and completely cutting ties with the family,” Alluka spoke softly as Kalluto repeated the nickname in his head. While he knew that he didn’t plan on returning home, it would be set in stone.
He lifted his head and twiddled his thumbs. Mother would be furious at him. Then it hit him.
Mother would be furious.
Kalluto smiled and he knew his answer. “Of course, Big Sister. That would mean the world to me.”
Unbeknown to Kalluto, the necklace in his backpack glowed a vibrant pink.
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The Tranquility Necklace is known to bring out and enhance hidden qualities in a person. It is most effective while worn, however, having it nearby still brings in good fortune. While it does enhance certain emotions, it does not create them. If the wearer truly wants to feel said emotion, the necklace sets it free. The heart-shaped gem will turn colors depending on the emotion brought forth.
The necklace is also known for easing stress and healing the mind. For some unknown reason, it can bring in new opportunities to the owner.
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