Title: Making the Kill

Author: Tsubame Ongaku

Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura and HunterxHunter

Characters: Tomoyo Daidouji and Killua Zaoldyeck

Rating: T

Summary:.

AU. Killing was fun. Watching a prey breathe its last is satisfying. That was what he was trained for. Made for. But even though Killua could see her, his prey, clearly through the scope of his rifle, he found that this time it wasn't so easy to pull the trigger..

Notes:

I asked my brother if I should change my writing style. He suggested that I should make it easier. I never really thought of my writing style as complicated actually. Sure, it is long but not complicated. What do you think?

This pairing is very unconventional. And, at times, I know I go for the unconventional. Experimenting and randomness is my thing. I didn't get this idea myself, though. I read a Killua and Tomoyo fic somewhere. I think it was here, but I forgot the name. It was really good so I got inspired. It was cute actually.

Tomoyo and Killua are a bit older here. I hate messing with the Card Captor/ CLAMP fandom because it affects a lot of other fics. Such as: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and XXXHolic.

Disclaimer: The World you are about to Enter is Completely fictional. They belong to the Manga artists, CLAMP and Togashi Yoshihiro. Any events or characters resembling real people is purely coincidental… or I am just psychic. :D

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: Making the Kill :

By Tsubame Ongaku

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Killua introduced himself as, 'Killua Freecs,' taking the last name of his bestfriend when he took the job of bodyguard for the Daidouji family. He didn't think Gon would mind- and it wasn't like he would be telling him anyway. The person interviewing him was a woman named, Yuiko and she was the Daidouji family's Head of Security. It surprised him, certainly. It isn't often that he saw a woman as the Head of Security.

"Eighteen years old?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Just like the lady. Young."

Shrugging, he leaned back against his seat and crossed his legs, trying to make himself comfortable. "But I am very capable."

"I don't doubt that. Your resume and recommendations are impressive, Mr. Freecs," the woman muttered, her face still reading his resume. Despite the compliment, Killua didn't miss the hint of uncertainty and suspicion in her voice.

It wasn't that the young man looked suspicious. In fact, he was a very good-looking young man. He was a tall person with unusual silver hair and emerald green eyes. "It seems to me that with these credentials you could go anywhere. Even much bigger companies. Why would you want to apply for the job of being our lady's bodyguard?"

The young boy shrugged, not looking at all ruffled by the question. "I heard a lot of great things about the Daidouji family.

Yuiko still didn't look convinced. There was something about the young man. His eyes were mischievous and for all the innocence they read, she couldn't seem to read anything at all. What emotions the young man was displaying was what he wanted her to see. Nothing beyond that.

"I am sorry but, we usually employ only female bodyguards," she finally told him, closing his folder. "But I can forward your resume to another company you may be interested in."

At that time, Yuiko thought for sure that would be the last. But, he did not move. Just replied with a shake of his head.

"No. I want to work here."

"Did you not hear me? You can't. We only employ females."

"This is prejudice."

"We prefer to call it preference."

"I could sue you."

Yuiko slammed the folder on her desk angrily. "What I want to know is WHY? Why start trouble just to get this job. I cannot find one smudge on your resume. You can go to a bigger company with a bigger salary."

The scary face she was making failed to intimidate him. He still had that poker face on. "I am not here because I want to. I won't beat around the bush. I was tasked to keep an eye on her for the time being. My job right now is to keep that girl alive. I do a good job and I do what I am paid to do."

That took Yuiko by surprise. "Who are you?"

With another grin, he replied, "Killua Freecs. You read my resume, didn't you, auntie?"

"Hire him."

They bother turned. Killua was taken aback for split second but quickly reverted back to his poker face. It was the lady herself, Tomoyo Daidouji. He recognized her of course. He had seen plenty of pictures of her and seen her on television a few times. Those photos and videos didn't really do her justice. In person, Tomoyo Daidouji is a lot prettier.

Yuiko bowed respectfully, but shook her head at Tomoyo's request. "I cannot do that, Mistress. Your mother would never allow it."

Tomoyo was quiet for a moment and turned to Killua, who was watching them. "Miss Yuiko, may I ask? Please leave us for a moment. I wish to speak to him."

For a moment, it looked like Yuiko was about to protest- but seeing Tomoyo's pleading eyes, she bowed and excused herself.

Alone. The two young people just stared at each other, as if waiting for the first one to break the silence. Killua took the opportunity to observe her. She was lovely and very petite too, she was several inches shorter than him. He couldn't really say that he was partial to long hair, but it probably just suited her. It went well with her Daidouji princess title.

After a minute, still neither spoke. Not wanting to delay this game any longer, Killua was the first to speak. "Does that mean I am hired?"

"Who are you?"

Killua almost rolled his eyes. He hated repeating himself. "Killua Freecs. I thought I-"

"I mean who you are really." She tilts her head, giving a curious yet amused smile. "I know Mr. Jin Freecs. A delightful man and he did mention a son that would be around my age." To his surprise, she began to slowly move towards him. "But I believe his name is Gon. Are you related?"

At that, Killua cursed inwardly. He had not expected her to actually know his bestfriend's father. It was going to be tricky to respond. It would be trouble if she asked to have him investigated. His papers were fake after all and 'Killua Freecs' was just a made up identity.

Tomoyo just smiled and turned back to the desk and picked up his file. After a few minutes sifting through it, she turned to him. "You're hired. When can you start?"

Just like that?

She could see it on his face. He wanted to ask her why she had hired him so easily. He was male- and he had a suspicious background. It made her smile at his confusion. She had watched him and his Poker Face earlier. If not for that person, she might think that he was a truly frightening person.

Killua found his cool again and told her, "I can start tomorrow. I still need to get a few things from my apartment."

With another smile, she nods and motioned to walk him to the door. He could read curiosity in her eyes. It made Killua a bit uncomfortable to see it. Once outside the door, he did not look back and pretended not to notice her eyes following him as he walked out the gate.

Out of the Daidouji estate, he felt he could finally breathe. He quickly pulled out his cellphone and called Gon's number. He was spending some time with his foster mother, Mito, until their next assignment. It took a few tries to get a hold on him because Gon didn't really bring along his cellphone much to where he went. It was Mito who finally picked it up and gave it to him.

His friend's cheerful voice finally came, but before he could say anything Gon began talking, "Killua! You called! Killua, I caught a big fish this morning and Mito-san said that we're going to have it for dinner-"

"Oi, oi, Gon," Killua interrupted. He was used to it. "That is not why I called. I need a favor."

Gon blinked. It was unusual for Killua to ask for a favor unless-it was about money. "Killua, did you spend all your money on chocolates again? Do you need money?"

The fair-haired man sighed. They had been friends for more than half a decade, but in a lot of ways Gon had not really changed much. He did understand what made Gon think that. He often spent millions on just chocolate alone. Sometimes, he borrowed money from Gon who didn't really spent his money on much.

"No, Gon. I am not broke," he assured him. "In fact, I am in the middle of a job. It is just I want you to say something if some people ever ask you something."

"Ask what?"

"If people begin asking you about someone named, Killua Freecs, I want to say something like- he is your cousin twice removed or something. Or a distant relative."

"Eh? Killua, Why? What happened? You aren't in trouble, are you?"

"No, Gon. I am alright," He sighed. "Just do this for me, okay? Trust me."

Gon didn't reply immediately. He did trust his friend but there was really no telling what Killua was thinking. "Alright, Killua. But, I am really no good at lying," he said, sounding a bit worried. He really didn't like the idea of lying. "But, Killua- is this going to get me in trouble?"

Killua laughed nervously. "Let's hope it doesn't go there. I got to go. I'll see you in a few months."

"Wait! Killua-!"

But he had already put down the phone. At least that was taken care of at the time being. Now, he needed to get his things together and move into the Daidouji mansion. To be honest, he didn't have an idea what his real mission was. For now, his father told him to somehow get in. When Tomoyo Daidouji's regular bodyguard had to go on a maternity leave, he knew it was his only chance.

And dressing up like a girl was definitely out of the question. He didn't care if doing this job was a special request from his dad. Wearing a wig and a skirt was definitely where he would draw the line for favors. It would have helped a lot if had a bit more idea what he was being sent there to do. Instead of blindly jumping into this.

He never really cared much to look into the Daidouji family before. They were a wealthy family, true, but relatively harmless. They didn't step any political toes, nor have they ever been involved in anything illegal.

Meeting the lovely heiress now was a bit of a surprise. She was different from how he had first pictured she would did not simper, giggle or whine. In fact, she held her head confidently enough to exert authority, yet soft enough to give the illusion of fragility. It was weird- and downright scary. Killua had a feeling that there was more to the Daidouji Princess than she was letting on.

He looked back, remembering those dark intelligent eyes and frowned.

He was going to be definitely watching his step.

It was annoying.

It had been a couple of months since Tomoyo Daidouji had taken him as her bodyguard, but Miss Yuiko was still watching him like a hawk. Of course, he pretended not to notice… but he was sensitive enough to feel her eyes burning a hole on his back. It took every bit of his patience not to throw a kunai between her eyes.

Killua had quickly found that the princess didn't really spend as much time at the mall than he had first feared. Girls that were rich and young like her usually maxed out their credit cards as fast as lightning. Maybe even faster.

He discovered that the princess wasn't like that. She made her own clothes, so she merely bought materials for sewing. Sometimes, her friend, Sakura Kinomoto would visit with her boyfriend, Syaoran Li. Sometimes, out of boredom, they would leave the girls to their girl talk. The guys would take off to the pool room and play a few games until the girls were done.

Killua did know that Syaoran could sense that there was something dangerous about him. He looked at him very suspiciously during their game, but he never said anything. Sure, he was worried about Tomoyo's choice in protection… but she had proven many times that she could be trusted to handle anything. So, he could only trust her with her judgment- as dangerous as it was.

When she was not in school or with her friends, Tomoyo spent a lot more time in children's hospitals, bake sales and organizing fun raisers for projects for under privileged children. Later, he found that he didn't really mind being dragged into these affairs. They were certainly a lot more fun than going to the mall with squealing girls. He had to admit that he had always been a bit of a big kid.

Tomoyo usually asked him to carry boxes of donations or carts of food in. Usually, the curious kids would gather around him curiously and ask him to play with them. Unlike adults who are a bit more cautious and suspicious, children are mostly too innocent and trusting to sense the dangerous aura he exudes.

The kids would get him to play anything from Snakes and Ladders to softball. It was fun actually. As a kid, because people were mostly afraid of him he didn't really have a lot of people to play with. Gon had been an exception. He had not been afraid of him despite knowing his real occupation.

Sometimes, when Tomoyo was done with formalities and talked, she would go to watch them and see what they were up to. Always, Killua would sense when she was there and he would often look up. He would see her with the other kids cheering them on in whatever activity they happened to be doing at the moment.

She always had a pretty, soft smile as she watched them. Not being able to help himself, he would sometimes look away blushing and pretend not to see her. She was really a weird girl that he couldn't understand.

Finally, one night on their drive back home, he asked, "Why do you do all these things?"

"Is it so strange?"

"Yes. No- I don't know," he muttered, keeping his eyes on the road and his hands squeezing the stirring wheel tightly. "You're rich, cute and not a celebrity, so you really don't need to do all this. Shouldn't you be… having fun?"

Tomoyo looked genuinely surprised to hear him say that. "Killua, whatever made you believe that this life is not fun?" She smiled affectionately, staring into space. "I have a loving mother, wonderful friends and have the resources to help these people. Do you believe I can comfortably sit still in my castle, while so many people can't even feed themselves in the morning?"

Strangely, Killua couldn't bring himself to respond. He had always known he had a selfish streak. Yes, he could be counted on to fight to save a friend but he would never even turn his cheek to listen to a stranger. "I really don't understand your thinking at all."

Tomoyo laughed and nodded. "Not many people can."

Many more days followed, yet Killua still did not hear a word from his father. It was unusual really. By now, he usually had at least an idea who the target was. But, because of the fact that he was being watched like a hawk 24/7, he couldn't really contact him either. His mail and phone calls were being surveyed. He knew.

There came a day when Tomoyo found herself free. There were no visits or activities planned, nor were any of her friends free that afternoon because they all had their own engagements. The drive home was quiet. Too quiet… then suddenly-

"Let's go to the amusement park?" she suggested.

Killua made a face. He hadn't really been to one since he was a kid. It had been fun back then, but he was eighteen now. "Eh? Why so suddenly do you want to go to the amusement park?"

"Please? We have nothing to do today." Favoring him a very pretty smile that almost made him blush.

He pretended to cough and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it shouldn't be a problem. We need to get back before nightfall. Otherwise, your dragon lady bodyguard is going to talk me to death."

She eagerly nodded, the excitement of a child and not a young lady in her eyes. "I promise."

Killua grinned and sped up towards the hilltop Amusement Park.

It was like any amusement park really. It was filled with kids and their parents, some teenagers on an outing and some people their age on dates. Killua wasn't sure if she noticed, but it felt a bit like a date. Shaking his head, he forced himself not to think of it that way. It wasn't like he'd never been out on a date before.

When he was younger, he went out on a few dates before. Those girls were like him. They either belonged to his social stature or rich as his family was or had the same occupation as him. Going out with girls in his stature was boring, though. They wanted to go to the mall or buy something for them. Rich girls tended to not approve of his choice in clothing. Killua never dressed to impress. He is dressed for comfort and mobility.

Girls that had the same work as him were much more interesting. The knife play and shooting contests never get boring. But after the fun is over both parties tend to be very cautious around one another.

Killers like them, of course, were trained to not trust anyone other than themselves. That is their survival.

Tomoyo rushed to get off the car, but Killua grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Tickets-"

"I'll get them."

"But this is my idea," she argued. "It wouldn't be right to let you pay for them."

But he still shook his head. "I don't like the idea of letting a girl pay. It makes me feel cheap and it isn't like I can't afford it."

For a moment, Killua thought that she would protest some more. But then she sighed and finally nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Killua. This is the first time a boy actually offered to pay for the tickets."

"What? What about your other dates?"

"I don't usually go out with anyone as much as people believe, but when I do we usually pay for our own expenses," she admitted. "An unfortunate habit. Mother had taught me how important it is to be independent. My dates usually didn't mind…"

"You are pretty amazing," he laughed.

"Because I like to pay?"

"Something like that. Wait here. I'll go buy those tickets." Killua got off the car and walked over to the ticket counter. There, he observed a lot of couples holding hands and cuddling against each other. It embarrassed him a bit, but he kept telling himself that they weren't on a date. He was doing his job protecting Tomoyo Daidouji, and it just so happened that she wanted to go to the amusement park.

When he returned with the tickets, he found her just where he left her. She was in the car and humming a softly to herself. Without her notice, he paused a bit to listen. It was a familiar song, but he couldn't put his finger where he had heard it before.

She finally notices him when he knocked on the window to let her know that he was back. "Just two hours," he told her. In two hours it would be dark, so they had to return. He wasn't in the mood for more of Yuiko's lectures. They were infamously long.

"Yes, I know," she replied, stepping out of the car. Very naturally, she wound an arm around his and proceeded to pull him towards the entrance. "Then, we better get started."

He never thought much about it before, but going to the amusement park was pretty fun. Most dates he'd been in were to the movies, dinner or the occasional concert. Never the amusement parks. Tomoyo had wanted to ride everything and in the end, she did. The Merry-go-round, roller coaster, bumper cars and so much more.

He dared her to go in the horror house with him. She was very hesitant at first, but went anyway. All throughout it she fought to keep quiet, covering her mouth when she had the urge to scream when a ghost or two appeared. It was kind of cute actually. To help her through, Killua wrapped a hand around hers to let her know that he was there.

It was dark, so he was thankful that he had that to camouflage the blush on his cheeks.

"Lets go on the Ferris Wheel, please?" she said as they exited the Horror House.

"Eh? But it's getting dark."

"The last one. I promise. Then, we can go back at the house."

"Okay, okay. But this is the last one," he warned her, raking an unoccupied hand through his hair.

It wasn't until he began hearing the giggles and hushed voiced of the people around them that he realized that he was still holding her hand. It didn't look like she noticed either. Not wanting people to get the wrong idea, he slowly let go of her hand as they walked towards the Ferris Wheel.

Killua usually didn't like Ferris Wheels. They were boring since they only went one direction and only went up and down in a speed as slow as a snail. Strangely, he didn't find it boring now. The view was really not something he hadn't seen before, but he was appreciative of how lovely his companion looked in the orange glow of the setting sun.

"Thank you, Killua. I enjoyed myself today."

"Don't mention it," he shrugged. "I had fun too."

"You did?" she asked softly. "I'm glad."

For a moment, there was silence. Neither knew what to talk about to the other. Neither wanting to say the wrong thing. Suddenly, Tomoyo began humming- the song she had been humming in the car earlier. Killua closed his eyes and listened, finding himself liking the lovely voice she had.

"Does that song come with words?" he questioned when she finished.

"Eh?"

"That song."

"Oh." Curiously, for the first time he saw her blush. "No, not yet," she admitted. "But I am working on it."

"The tune sounds pretty good , so far. Let me listen when you are done?"

She nodded, looking back at the view again.

They were sitting at opposite sides of the booth. They weren't touching. They were very quiet. But, the two of them being there and watching the sun set felt surprisingly intimate.

It didn't end when the ride was over and they made their way towards the car. He avoided thinking it, but it did kind of feel like a date. It was normal, but it was still fun. He enjoyed teasing her and watching her act a bit out of character. He had never seen her act anything but proper in all his employment. It was… interesting to see another side of her.

He opened the car to let her in, but he froze. He sensed that something wasn't right. "Tomoyo! Get down!" He shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her down to the pavement. Seconds later, a shot rang from behind them- the bullet barely missing her as it hit the car's side door. "Stay down!"

There was no time to wait for her response. He was quickly off to the direction the shot was made. Because of his training, Killua was inhumanly quick. Whoever the shooter was though was quicker because by the time he reached the spot all he found was the rifle he left behind.

The shooter was a professional. He inspected the gun and it had no fingerprints, since he had no time to wipe them off. It was more likely that the shooter was wearing gloves. That wasn't all, he had used a silencer. If it had not been for his sharp senses, it would be unlikely that anyone would notice or hear before it was too late.

He returned to the car a few minutes later. Tomoyo had done as he had requested and stayed where he left her. One hand was holding the rifle, so he reached his other to help her up.

"Are you hurt?" she whispered, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek. Worry was all over her face.

Fighting a blush, he backed away from her touch and shook his head. "No. Whoever it was got away. But, I found this," he told her, showing her the rifle before carefully putting it into the back seat. He'll give it to the lab and see if they can find traces. Unfortunately, this would probably man a lecture from the dragon lady. "Until we find out who that guy is, you are not going anywhere for a while. That means, other than school and the manor you aren't going anywhere. Understood?"

She bit her lip uncertainly and nodded. "Yes."

"Let's go home, then," the playful and peaceful mood they had earlier, now completely gone. It saddened Tomoyo, but she couldn't mutter the words.

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"You seem to be enjoying your new job, brother."

It was one of his rare day-offs. Tomoyo's Yuiko took over his job by Tomoyo's side for the day. He was driving on his way to Gon's house when he received a call from one of his older brothers, Illumi.

"What are you talking about?" Killua growled, very annoyed. It was his first day off for a couple of weeks and the first day-off he had without Yuiko's goons following everything he was doing. He suspected that they even followed him when he went to the bathroom. "If you have nothing important to tell me, I am killing this call."

"How cold you are, Killua-kun. Is that any way to talk to your concerned brother?"

Killua sighed. Illumi's games were never fun, so he wasn't playing. "And why should you be concerned? I am doing my damn job."

"Part of the job anyway," Illumi retorted.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Now you are interested?"

The fair haired boy stopped his car when the traffic light turned red. "What do you mean part of the job? What is the rest of the half?" His hand clutching the steering wheel tighter. There was something wrong. Something was very wrong.

"Never mind that- did you read today's paper? By the sound of it, you haven't, have you?" Illumi was sounding more and more amused by the minute. It annoyed Killua, but he knew that with his current strength he could not go against his brother. "I will send you a clip, then. Enjoy."

Illumi hanged up before Killua could stop him. A few seconds later, a text from his brother arrived. It was an article with a photo attached to it. His jaw dropped when he saw that the photo was of him- and Tomoyo. It was a photo of them getting out of the Horror House with their hands held together.

The headline wasn't any better.

Is Love in the Air for Daidouji Heiress?

Where was our lovely Daidouji Heiress last weekend?

We know one thing. It wasn't with Momma Daidouji.

Last weekend, Lady Tomoyo was spotted at the Tomoeda Hilltop Amusement Park with her very good-looking and mysterious new bodyguard, whose name still remains unknown. From the intimate looks they were giving each other and the steamy atmosphere they give off, something tells this reporter that there is something more between these two beyond the professional relationship.

Resources tell us that this hunky guy goes to the same school and has been in every major event Lady Tomoyo has been these past few months.

Being so close to each other for such a long time, did sparks fly? Before now, there had been no reports of Lady Tomoyo being in a serious relationship. So, has our Piffle Princess finally fallen in love?

Send us your thoughts to this address.

Below the article was a P.O. Box for the readers' letters. He was almost tempted to write to tell them all to go to hell. If he did that, though that would drag them into more trouble. As frustrating as it was, he was going to have to stay quiet. It also meant that as soon as he returned to the manor he was going to be getting another lecture about propriety by Yuiko. That was not going to be fun at all.

Reaching Gon's house, finally, he found his friend already waiting for him at the gate with his fishing pole… and today's newspaper on the other hand. When he saw Killua's car up the driveway, he began waving it above him to get his attention.

"Killua! This is you, isn't it?"

Thankful that the next house was a few feet away, Killua got out of the car and conked his friend on the head. "Yeah, it is. Would you keep it down? You'll blow my cover." This was of the rare times that he was okay that Gon practically lived in the middle of nowhere. It took a copter ride and a drive to get there.

"Ow-ow-ow! You didn't need to do that!" Gon yelled, rubbing the bump on his head. "I was just wondering what you were doing on the paper. Is she your new girlfriend? She's really, really cute-"

"She isn't my girlfriend!"

"Eh? Really? Then why are you blushing, Killua?"

And, he was right. Killua was blushing. "She is my boss. She wanted to go to the amusement park after class. Inside the Horror House, she got a little scared so I held her hand so she wouldn't get lost."

Gon continued to stare at him when Killua was finished. His staring made Killua uncomfortable. "Hmnmm… so that's why? Okay. I get it."

"Eh? That's it?"

"Mnmm."

"You won't ask why friends are holding hands?"

"She was scared, wasn't she? It makes sense."

After that, Killua decided to stop pushing it. Gon was still very much the trusting kid he met at twelve years old. It was what kept them friends because it was what made Gon interesting. At times though, Killua just stopped trying to understand.

He finally just smiled, taking the newspaper and tearing it into pieces. "How is Miss Mito?"

"She is inside making dinner. In the meantime, let's go fishing, Killua!" Gon looked at what his friend was wearing. Killua was still in his formal black suit. The standard bodyguard uniform. "Maybe you should change first."

His friend nodded and began undoing his tie. He always disliked the uniforms, but bearing with them was much preferable to listening to more of the dragon lady's lectures of propriety. "No. This is alright," he replied, removing his jacket, socks and leather shoes. It wasn't a problem if he got dirty, he'll buy some more clothes on the way back. "I bet I can catch a bigger fish than you."

Gon grinned, and then laughed. "I'll take that bet."

All in all, it was a pleasant afternoon. Mito's home cooking was still as good as he remembered, even though she was trying to force him to eat the red peppers. In the end, neither could decide who won their bet. Both fish weighed and looked the same. It was a bit late in the afternoon when Killua told them that he had to get back to his work. He promised that he will try to visit again soon and made Gon promise not to forget that they had a job in a few months so he needed to get his passport ready.

He was in a good mood when he returned. The driver of his helicopter was even freaked to see his boss have such a pleased smile on his face. Most of the employees hired by the Zaoldyeck family were too used to Master Killua's solemn expression.

It was on that ride home that he received another call… this time it was from his grandfather. He knew that this was important. With a sigh, he answered the call, "Hello, grandfather. What is this about?"

"Killua, I am very glad we can finally reach you. Where have you been the whole day?"

"At a friend's."

"Ah. The young Freecs, I wager," the old man guessed. "But I am not calling because of that. This is about the younger Lady Daidouji. I hear wonderful things about you from your co-workers. They say you are doing quite well."

"Forgive me, grandfather, but I am sure this isn't a social call and neither do I believe you called because you want to congratulate me on how well I work well with others," Killua smirked. He just wanted to finish this mission and get it over with. In a couple of months, he had another job with Gon, Kurapica and Lerio. There was no way he was going to let them have all the fun without him.

"Quite true, Killua, quite true," his grandfather nodded. "Well then, I will be straight to the point… Your assignment- is to eliminate the Daidouji Heiress."

Killua was quiet. To those watching him, it would appear that he was simply deep at though. In truth, Killua was frozen in shock. Quietly, he was wishing that he had just heard his grandfather wrong. He did not just tell him that his mission was to kill Tomoyo.

But why?

He couldn't understand. The Daidouji family was harmless. What would be gained by killing their heiress? "Why?" he asked his grandfather, keeping his façade as stoic as he can. He couldn't show him his hesitation to do the job. It would only cause trouble. "After giving me an assignment to keep her safe, you suddenly give me an assignment to kill her? This does not make much sense."

"We don't understand either," the old man admitted. "The client suddenly changed his mind and wanted her killed as soon as possible- we can send someone else if this is much too difficult for you."

"No. It isn't necessary. I will do it."

"Good. Report to us when you are done."

"Yes, grandfather."

When the connection was cut, Killua stared outside the window for a while. But his reverie didn't last for long because in a minute he picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Oi, Kurapica? I need a favor. By the way, I need you to give Lerio a call too-" He paused as Kurapica responded. "Ohgod, not you too! She is not my girlfriend!"

It was a ribbon-cutting ceremony this time, for a Children's Wing at a new hospital. Tomoyo was asked to cut the ribbon to represent her mother, who was otherwise occupied and in China at the moment. Since she loved kids, she was only too happy to do it. Killua went with her of course and was never more than a few steps behind her.

During the press conference, he never said a word when she was bombarded with questions of not only about the new wing but also about her relationship with him. He was tempted to tell them all to get lives and mind their own business, but he didn't. He let her handle it, and she had handled it like a pro… knowing when to avoid the questions and when to answer.

With her quick and endearing wit, she made the whole incident sound like a fun and silly anecdote. She was adorable as she admitted her embarrassing fear of Horror Houses. Instead of a boyfriend in love, she made Killua sound like a tolerant protector.

The press laughed and were endeared by her. Again, Killua was amazed.

Later, they spoke as they walked on the way to the car. " I heard that you gave Miss Yuiko your two weeks notice," she told him when they were finally alone. "You are leaving?"

"Your regular bodyguard is already back," he answered her, watching her small back. He smirked teasingly. "Don't tell me you're going to miss me."

"I am," she admitted without hesitation. "I was hoping you could stay a little longer."

"I can't. I have another job coming up," he told her honestly. "This was always a temporary job. Just until you got your regular bodyguard back."

"I knew, but I still find it sad." She suddenly stopped and turned towards him. "Killua, can I ask for one more favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

She reached out to take his hand in his, then gave a small pleading smile. "Can we go to the Ferris Wheel one last time together?"

He was about to say no. It wasn't safe and after what happened the last time, Yuiko would never forgive him if a repeat of it happened. But, it would be the last time. "Alright. Just one last time," he said, softly. "But this time, we are going there disguised."

And, what was the best way to hide the identity of a famous, long-haired princess?

It is to make her look like a boy. Killua got a short-haired wig and somehow hid her hair under it. Next, he found some boy's clothes- the kind of clothes he wore when he was in his teens and told her to wear them. Last, but not least, he bought a pair of glasses to hide her pretty eyes.

It succeeded hiding her gender somewhat, but she now looks like a very pretty boy. For all their disguising, it was still a bit difficult to hide her prettiness.

"How do I look?" she asked when they were finished.

Killua grinned and gave a thumbs up. "You look great." That wasn't a lie. "Let's go through the back. Miss Yuiko is probably waiting for us at the front door." Leading her towards the back door, he wrapped one arm protectively around her waist.

From under the cover of her cap, Tomoyo felt her cheeks heat up.

It felt wonderful to be anonymous. While at the amusement park, people complimented Killua for having such a pretty brother. Tomoyo had trouble keeping herself from giggling. It seemed Killua didn't like having his macho image shattered. And it was because people found it sweet that he was taking his brother to the amusement park.

"We should get back," Killua whispered. They had to get back to the hotel so she could change for a ball to raise money for a new Children's hospital at another part of the city.

Tomoyo nodded. "Just one more ride? Please, Killua?"

He sighed, and scratched his head nervously. "Sure. What ride?"

The girl smiled and pointed to something behind him. "That."

He didn't need to turn to know what it was. "The Ferris Wheel?"

"The Ferris Wheel."

That was how they ended up on the Ferris Wheel again. Last time, she looked lovely under the light of the setting sun. This time, she looked like a pretty boy… but somehow her serene eyes and smile made her still very attractive. If Killua did not already know she was female, he would have been questioning his tastes.

"Killua."

"Mnm?"

"Can't you stay?"

There was an awkward silence that followed. How does he answer a question like that? Should he ignore it? "I couldn't even if I wanted to," he answered. "Trust me on this, princess."

"Please don't call me that."

"Call me princess."

"Do you prefer Lady Tomoyo?"

"Just Tomoyo is fine. We are friends now, aren't we?"

He laughed, "Yeah. I guess so."

When the ride was all finally over, they returned to the hotel. Killua excused himself to go to the bathroom, promising to catch up with them at the ballroom. There was going to be a ball later, so Tomoyo had to go to her hotel room and change out of her disguise.

But Killua didn't go to the bathroom. He went to the hotel next to theirs and asked for the room he booked earlier, using a different name. The hotel was not as great as the hotel they were staying in, but it had the view he was looking for. It had a good view of Tomoyo's bedroom and it hid him from the view of the people inside it. His luggage was already there- but instead of clothes there was a collapsible rifle inside. Every few seconds, he would turn to his cell phone worriedly.

He took his time assembling the weapon, watching the hotel room at the other side carefully. Tomoyo was already changed into her very pretty lavender gown. Killua could see her very clearly as they worked on her hair.

Turning to the clock-

5:12 PM.

Less than twenty minutes more. The contract said that he had to get rid of the target before 5:30 PM. This was seriously not looking good. His thoughts were interrupted by the ring on his cellphone.

His hand darted to answer it, "Hello?"

"That was pretty fast, brother. Were you expecting a call?"

"Put down the phone, Illumi. Don't bother me while I am working."

"You didn't answer my question. Were you expecting a call?"

Killua rolled his eyes and continued to set his rifle in place, watching the girl through the window. He could see her excitement. The day she bought that dress, he was with her. She had received the invitation to the ball very late, so there had been no time to make an original. It was really the only time that Killua had ever seen Tomoyo actually needing to go to the mall. With each boutique they visited, she was gracious and polite. Not demanding and rude like most teenage girls these days. They visited seven stores before she found a dress that she liked.

"Killu, are you still there? Is the princess pretty? Send me a picture."

"Brother, can you be quiet? I'm trying to do my job here."

"How very mean you are, little brother. I am just very concerned for you."

Somehow, Killua really doubted that but did not say anything. He knew that there was another reason Illumi was calling. Instincts told him that he knew more about this job than he was letting on. But, he also knew that Illumi enjoyed baiting him and he was determined not to bite.

5:15PM. Killua frowned, sweat dripping down his back. Fifteen minutes more. There was not a lot of time left.

"Killu, what is taking you so long?"

"I will call you back when it is done, brother. Goodbye." With that, he hung up and tossed the phone on the bed. As more time passed, the more nervous he became. His pent up frustration was so great that punched the wall beside him, ignoring the dark bruise and the biting pain that came after.

"What is wrong with you, Killua! Do your job!" He was shouting at himself.

This shouldn't be a problem. It wasn't like him. He'd shot, killed, murdered so many people before. He'd held a knife long before he even learned how to walk. Why was he hesitating now?

To prove to himself that he can finish this job, he went into position and aimed the rifle.

He was not Killua Freecs.

He was Killua Zaoldyeck of the Zaoldyeck Family, infamous professional assassins that never fail. Never run from the target. Zaoldyecks did no fail- and as the heir of the Zaoldyeck family he never should.

With his uncertainty gone, he looked through his scope. Much to his surprise, she was not by the mirror anymore.

Moving the scope around, searching for her- and he finally found her. She was standing on the balcony. Perfect, wasn't it? But the strangest part was she was looking straight at him. At first he thought he was imagining it. She couldn't really know he was there, could she?

As if to answer his question, she smiled at his direction.

His finger shook on the trigger. He could see it in her eyes. They said…

"Are you going to kill me?"

In his head, he answered her, "I have to…"

5:28… 5:29…

"I did like you, Tomoyo," Killua muttered, a sad smile on his face. "You're cute and different. But I can't- fail."

…5:30.

Through the scope, Killua saw Tomoyo close her eyes.

'RING!'

The phone went straight to voicemail and it answered the call for him. A familiar, desperate voice shouted, "Killua! Don't shoot! We took care of him! The contract is no invalid!"

His finger quickly left the trigger. It was Kurapica. On time. Just on time.

Killua pressed the button to put the phone on speaker. "Kurapica, you have no idea how great it is to hear you say that," he laughed.

"Hey! I'm here too! But Lerio had to rush back to class, though," The energetic voice from his bestfriend spoke up. "You were right, Killua! It was her father after all. Who would have thought that a cute girl like her would have a father that is that mean!"

"What did you guys find out, Gon?"

They began telling about what happened in their investigation after the call he made to them after his visit at Gon's. Kurapica started by calling all his connections, trying to find out anything about the Daidouji Toy Company. Lerio was in charge of looking for possible suspects of who wanted Tomoyo dead. Gon used his connections with friends of his father's who were very good in hacking. Hacking into the Zaoldyeck family client files was no joke.

"Killua, you will pay me back the 500,000,000 Zenies, right?"

"Sure, Gon. Uh- as soon as I can," the fair-haired assassin tried to assure him, but the nervous chuckle was less than reassuring.

"Well, we caught the father and had him arrested… and anonymously sent enough evidence to put him in jail for a long time," Kurapica continued. "Killua-kun, does she know about her father?"

"I am not sure. She never talks about her father. Until you told me, I assumed he was dead."

"It may be safe to assume she doesn't know, then. Mistress Daidouji had been very good at hiding her husband's identity. Records are sealed as tight as the pentagon. It took a bit of skill to hack into it."

They talked for a while more, but then Killua began putting away his weapons.

Gon could hear the shuffling in the background and guessed. "Are you really just gonna leave?"

"You know I have to. We have another job in weeks time and my job here is done," he answered cheerfully, almost finished putting away his things. "And… I am not really good with goodbyes."

"Couldn't you make an exception for me?"

At the door stood Tomoyo, smiling serenely as she waited for him to answer her. Killua didn't know what to say. How did she manage to get in? And without his noticing. It was not easy to be stealthy when you are wearing a full, ball gown. Was he that distracted?

"Killua, I hear someone else there! Who is there?"

"Quiet for a minute, Go-"

Her smile became wider as she turned towards the voice on the telephone. "You are Jin Freecs' son, then?"

It took a moment to understand who the feminine voice came from. "Ah! You're Lady Tomoyo!"

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Gon. Your father told me a bit about you."

"Father? You know my father?"

She takes a seat on the bed, pretending not to see Killua's cautious gaze. "Yes. He helped me a lot in an incident before." But she made no explanation more than that. "Gon, is it… alright if I could talk to Killua alone for a moment?"

Gon was really hesitant, not sure what to do. He knew that Killua didn't want to talk to her alone, but at the same time he knew that this was something Killua needed to do. Tomoyo was different. Killua would rather die than admit it , though. "I'll call you back later, Killua."

"Gon, wait! Don't hang-"

There was a sound of a click, and Gon was gone.

"-up."

Now they were completely alone. Trying to distract himself from her solemn gaze, he began putting his things away again. "I am not changing my mind, you know. I am still leaving now. And how did you know I was here?"

"I got an interesting call… he told me to look up my window. And- I know that," she admitted. "I won't stop you from leaving. I simply want a proper goodbye."

"Why?" Knowing almost immediately that the call may have came from Milluki who was a big fan of hers.

"I thought it was very obvious."

"It is because I like you."

Killua froze. It was not exactly the reply he was expecting. Or maybe it was but never expected her to really say it to him. "Don't say that. You don't know anything about me. There are things about me that will make you want to run away and never look at me again. I am not as good of a guy as you are imagining."

"I know who you are. You are more famous than you think, Killua Zaoldyeck."

Another surprise. "You knew?"

"I always knew."

"Yet you still gave me this job?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

She closed her eyes and smiled faintly. "I am not very sure myself. I am well aware that you were a very dangerous gamble, but when I looked at you… you did not have the eyes of a person that wanted to hurt me."

Killua sighed, finally turning to her. It was crazy. She was a lot like his bestfriend, Gon. "You are so naïve, Tomoyo. You trusted me because of that?" He pulled out a small pistol from his pocket and pointed it at her. "What if I kill you right now?"

"You won't do that."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because if you really wanted to kill me, you would have shot me when you had that rifle at the window."

For a second, neither moved. They stared at each other like two shooters at dawn. Except one of them was unarmed.

But, she was right. It would have been less trouble too if he had just done that then. Pulling back the pistol, he just shrugged and finished up putting away his things. "You're pretty smart princess." Snapping the last case shut, he carried the bags and turned to face her. "But this will be the last time I will be doing this favor for you. So don't be so trusting next time."

"We won't see each other again?" She sounded very disappointed.

He walked towards her and tipped her chin so she would be looking at him. "No. You wanted your goodbye. This is it." He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "You look great in that dress. Go, you have a ball to go to, don't forget princess. "

She didn't reply in words, but in a simple nod. It was goodbye.

Without another word, he walked out the door and didn't look back. He was a hunter and an assassin whose bounty was bigger than the earnings of a small country. Staying with her after the job would only bring her trouble.

Yes. This was the right thing to do.

§·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·§

6 Months later…

"Lady Tomoyo?"

The young lady turned around at the call of her name and smiled at the familiar face of her mother's secretary. Tomoyo had a checklist in her hands. She was helping the staff get ready for her mother's Christmas Party. "Yes, Miss Shouka? Is there a problem?"

Miss Shouka smiled back and shook her head. "About the party? None really. But you, young lady, are going to be late for your meeting with the members of the board. Most of them will love any excuse not to work for someone as young and inexperienced despite how talented you are."

Understanding the rush, she gave her clipboard to a nearby maid and told her to give it to the party planner hired for the event. And then, followed Shouka to the limousine waiting for them outside. She accidentally bumped into one of the younger chauffeurs as he was on his way back to the garage.

"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, pulling his chauffeur's hat lower over his face and walked away before she could give him a decent reply. For a moment, revealing silver hair shoved under his hat.

Tomoyo was confused but there was nothing she could do, Shouka was already gesturing for her to get into the car. She was going to be riding with her mother's driver, so Tomoyo was going to go ahead. She was curious about the unfamiliar young man. Had she imagined the hair color? When the door slammed shut and the driver began to start the car, she noticed something on the floor by her feet.

It was a Christmas shopping bag. It didn't have a card on it, so she did not know who it was from. Her curiosity won, so she carefully opened it. Her eyes softened when she found a Christmas snow globe of an amusement park with lovely details especially on the Ferris Wheel.

Her heart was pounding. She knew who this was from…

That younger chauffeur… it couldn't be, could it?

She found herself smiling before she could stop herself, admiring the lovely gift. "Next time," she whispered. "Lets go back on it together… next time."

Author: This is a oneshot! A very long one, but still a oneshot. I need to work on writing shorter ones. I know that people are probably not going to like this ending, but I really wanted to try writing something open-ended again. I wanted to try a different. I didn't really want romantic kisses and such. I wanted to write something romantic without it. Just another experiment. Hee~

It wasn't until after I finished this fic did I notice something. It resembled… Relena Peacecraft and Heero Yuuy from Gundam Wing. Especially the ending. I wanted to hit my head on the wall. I did not expect this when it was still in my head. Rar. Oh well.

Watch out for more experiments soon!

Listening to: Pray (Greed Island Opening), Magic Number (Kobato Opening) and Blaze (Tsubasa Chronicles Opening)

Mood: Worried.