Zoldyck Killua stood beside Fleeks Gon without saying anything for a while. Beyond the window, the morning of Krayna Hill spread out. The maple leaves were red. The sky was blue. It was the same view as yesterday and the day before, but Gon hadn't been looking at it. Zoldyck Killua checked Gon's profile. He wasn't smiling. For Zoldyck Killua, Gon not smiling was like something important was missing. He couldn't explain it well, but that's how it was. "[serious]Gon" Gon turned slightly. "[serious]It's not your fault" It was short. But clear. No excuses. No preamble. "[sad]But I called him——" "[serious]Morow got hungry and ate. That's all there is to it" Gon fell silent. "[serious]If he's hungry, he can go buy food. What's the problem" Saying that, Zoldyck Killua turned and walked toward the living room. Gon watched his back for a second. Then he laughed. That usual smile of his. Zoldyck Killua didn't turn around. But his walking pace slowed just a little. --- The living room was awkward. Morow was curled up in the corner of the sofa. Paradinight Leorio still looked like he had something to say, watching Morow. Biscuit was lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Kurapika stood by the window, facing outside. Chrollo had a book open. Hisoka was spinning playing cards. Illumi stood by the wall. Chairman Netero was drinking tea on the veranda. Zoldyck Killua walked into the middle of everyone. "[serious]If there's no food, we'll go buy some" Everyone looked at Zoldyck Killua. "[serious]Only those who want to come, follow me" Silence. Internally, Zoldyck Killua thought it would be one or two people. Gon would come. He would too. That was enough. Hisoka flicked his playing cards into his pocket. "[sarcastic]Shopping sounds fun too♠" He stood up smoothly. Zoldyck Killua's face said "huh?" Chrollo gently closed his book. "[cold]I'll go for a walk" Zoldyck Killua's face said "what?" Biscuit sat up and stretched. "[serious]Good exercise" Zoldyck Killua's face said "no." Chairman Netero poked his head out from the veranda. "[gentle]It's nice weather. I'll go too" Zoldyck Killua's face said "wait." Illumi slowly moved from the wall. "[cold]I want to walk with Killua" "[serious]I don't want that" Immediate answer. Illumi's expression didn't change. Still, he started looking for his shoes. Kurapika walked toward the entrance without saying anything. Paradinight Leorio stood up. "[excited]This time I'll make the best food! I'm picking the ingredients!" Morow raised his hand slightly. "[sad]……I'll carry the bags" His voice was small. Everyone's gaze gathered on Morow, then scattered in an instant. Zoldyck Killua looked at everyone's faces in turn. Hisoka. Chrollo. Biscuit. Chairman Netero. Illumi. Kurapika. Paradinight Leorio. Morow. And Gon. "[serious]……Why is everyone here" No one answered. Everyone was putting on their shoes. Gon said happily. "[excited]Everyone's coming!" Zoldyck Killua said with a tired face. "[serious]……Yeah" --- The gravel path of Krayna Hill was a gentle downward slope. Maple and oak trees lined both sides, their leaves dyed red and yellow. The morning air was cold, and their breath came out slightly white. The sound of footsteps on gravel continued steadily. Eleven people were walking down that path. Hunters. The leader of the Phantom Troupe. Brothers from an assassination family. A battle maniac. A sea hunter. A chairman over a hundred years old. All of them walking down the hill to buy ingredients. "[gentle]Can you cook, Hisoka" Somehow Hisoka had ended up walking beside Chairman Netero. "[sarcastic]I can shuffle cards, but I've never cut vegetables♣" Chairman Netero laughed out loud. Ha ha ha—a big laugh echoed across the hill. It passed through the trees and carried far away. Everyone glanced that way for a moment. After confirming what happened, they returned to their own directions. A little behind, Illumi was approaching Zoldyck Killua's side. Zoldyck Killua picked up his pace. Illumi matched it naturally. Zoldyck Killua slowed down a bit. Illumi matched again. Zoldyck Killua shifted slightly to the side. Illumi shifted sideways. Zoldyck Killua clicked his tongue. Paradinight Leorio watched this exchange from the corner of his eye. "[whispers]……That's rough" He said quietly to Kurapika. Kurapika nodded silently once. A little ahead, Morow was walking. As preparation to carry everyone's bags, he was doing goo-paa, goo-paa motions with both hands. The rhythm of his hand movements was steady, and somehow you couldn't look away. When Paradinight Leorio looked, Morow's face was serious. He was completely serious about it. That made it even funnier. --- Halfway down the path, Gon suddenly noticed something. A little ahead of the group, two people were walking side by side. Or rather, not exactly side by side. They were walking in the same direction while maintaining a distance of several meters. It was Chrollo and Kurapika. There was no conversation. Their eyes didn't meet. Kurapika walked silently, facing forward. Chrollo walked slowly, looking at the autumn leaves of the trees. Wind passed between the two of them. But there was no killing intent. It was different from the air when Kurapika and Chrollo were in the same place at first. That time the lodge's living room had frozen. Now——they were just walking down the same path at their own paces. Gon watched their backs and said quietly to Zoldyck Killua. "[whispers]I hope the day comes when those two can talk normally" Zoldyck Killua thought for a moment before answering. "[serious]I think that's impossible……probably" Gon's face said "really?" Zoldyck Killua was quiet for a moment again. The sound of footsteps on gravel continued. In the distance, Chairman Netero said something again, and Hisoka's voice came back. After a while, Zoldyck Killua spoke. "[serious]……But if days like today keep happening. Maybe" Gon looked at Zoldyck Killua. Zoldyck Killua noticed Gon's gaze and faced forward. "[serious]What" "[gentle]Yeah. That's right" Gon nodded with a smile. Zoldyck Killua started to say "That's not what I meant" but stopped. --- Just before reaching the bottom of the hill, Gon stopped. He turned around. Everyone was on the gravel path. At the front, Morow was walking while doing goo-paa motions. A little behind him, Paradinight Leorio was walking with the face of "I'll pick the perfect ingredients today." Kurapika was walking at a quiet pace. Chrollo was walking while looking at the autumn leaves. There was a distance of several meters between them. Hisoka was saying something to Chairman Netero, and the chairman was laughing. Biscuit was walking at her own pace, not rushing. Illumi was approaching Zoldyck Killua, and Zoldyck Killua was shifting sideways. Gon looked at all of them, from end to end. These were people who shouldn't normally be in the same place. Hunters and thieves. Geniuses and battle maniacs. An assassination family and their brother's friend. The person who ate all the food and the person who was angry. Yet all of them were walking in the same direction for just one purpose: to buy ingredients. A word from Gon's father, Jin, came to mind. What matters is who you're with. Gon laughed. "[serious]What are you doing" Zoldyck Killua came back. He'd temporarily stopped his exchange with Illumi. "[excited]Nothing!" Gon started walking. From between the trees on the hill, the roofs of the village began to appear. Red roofs. Small chimneys. Knocker Mart——the only shop on Krayna Hill——was almost there. The footsteps of eleven people continued down the gravel path.