Lila stared at the girl who was enticed by the orb that held all the answers to her future. "Up the stairs," Lila instructed Yasu and Saki. "Go through the rooms, take what you want."

The two girls wore smiles as they swiftly ran up the steps to ransack the rooms in the house. Or mansion according to Yasu. Lila sat in a chair, watching the young girl carefully.

She always wondered what was it about love that made this girl so willing to spend all her money to find one man. If there were years prior, Lila would've understood. Now, not so much. Lila would've told this girl that at some point, the man would break her heart. Nana told Lila the exact same thing, but Lila foolishly fell for the first guy that kept returning specifically for her.

"You're just a stu-" Lila stopped short when hearing muffled voices outside of the house. She jumped for the nearest window, seeing the figures of a man and woman. They looked similar to the same people Lila would see in pictures. The parents!

"No, no, no," Lila stumbled backwards, eyes trained on the door she would enter and leave through. The parents were back too early. Lila would be screwed if they saw her standing in their living room, with their daughter staring into an orb, like some fool.

"Lila!" Yasu and Saki! Lila had forgotten about them until she heard their stomping down the stairs. "We need to leave," Saki panted as she hurried down the last steps while Yasu threw herself over the railing.

Lila nodded her head, pushing the two girls towards the back of the house. There was a back door that they could leave through and make a run for it.

The girls hurried through the back door, Lila walking along the side and once near the sidewalk, she peered around to see where the parents were. She froze up, seeing the familiar red-haired man, stalling the parents from entering the house. He was messing around with cards, holding the attention of the parents.

"Ok," Lila glanced back to the two girls. She explained the route to take to the nearest alleyway, lightly sketching the route into the dirt. "You keep running and don't stop until you reach the alleyway. You stay there and wait for me."

Yasu and Saki nodded their heads, inching closer to Lila as she peered around again. "Saki, go. Now!"

Just like that, Saki took off running without hesitation. Yasu took off when given the command from Lila, leaving just Lila to wait for an opening. She met the honey eyes of Hisoka, breath hitching when he winked at her. Lila took a deep breath before she took off running, following the same route she had told the two girls.

Lila didn't know how Hisoka knew that she would be at that house with Yasu and Saki, but she was glad that he was out there, distracting the parents.

***

Yasu was barely panting when Lila skid to a stop in the alleyway. Lila brought the two girls into her, hugging them tightly before kissing their heads. "It's alright," she mumbled to them, bringing her hands to their heads and gently rubbing them. "We're alright."

"Lila," Yasu whispered. "Behind you."

Lila pushed the two girls away before pivoting around to protect them. She felt herself relax at the sight of Hisoka, standing up straighter at his presence. "Did you follow us?"

"Indeed I did, Darling." Hisoka smiled, stepping closer to the three. "And you are most very welcome."

"Thank you," Saki spoke up from behind Lila. She was squeezing Yasu's hand tightly to prevent herself from trembling from all of her nerves. "Can we go back?"

Lila looked away from Hisoka, noticing that at least Saki was shaken up. Lila nodded her head, gently pushing the girls further down the alleyway. This was the same route she took whenever Lila went back to the brothel, so she practically had the whole route memorized.

"I guess I should thank you," Lila told Hisoka, holding back to walk alongside him. "If you weren't there," Lila couldn't continue the thought. She felt a hand grab her arm to hold her back.

"Lila?" Yasu called out, instantly turning around. She had had this feeling that neither of them was following, and that feeling was proven to be right when she looked behind her.

Lila nodded her head. "Take a left and keep following the path down. You'll see the side entrance of the building." She watched as the girls hesitated before starting to walk again, Yasu hugging Saki close to her in a protecting manner. Lila turned to face Hisoka, stepping back for some space between them. "You followed us."

"I did," Hisoka smiled while gently dragging a card down Lila's cheek. "Are you happy that I did?"

Lila didn't want to admit it, but she was glad that he was out there when he was. Not responding, Lila looked away from Hisoka, staring down at the dirt ground. "Will it be an occurring thing?"

"My presence or me following?"

"Both."

"Most likely."

Lila wasn't sure why, but having that knowledge put her at ease. Something about him being there, or knowing that he would be there, was assuring. The idea of continuing her work could be safer, meaning that she didn't have to glance over her shoulder or look both ways before daring to enter or exit a home.

Lila nodded her head, wrapping her arms around herself as everything seemed to be crashing down on her.

"Darling?" Hisoka eased Lila into his arms, rubbing her back in comfort. "My darling," he mumbled quietly, a silent promise to be there for her.

It was much later when they arrived back at the work building. Lila was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug. The smell of salt and alcohol told her that it was Bancho and she returned the hug. "Yasu and Saki told us everything, but still." Lila could only imagine the fear he felt in the time span between the arrival of her and Hisoka, and Yasu and Saki.

Lila next hugged Mira, feeling comfort in the arms of the friend she grew up with. "If Hisoka wasn't there, we really would've been screwed." She spoke quietly. Just as she pulled away from Mira, to give Hisoka a proper "thank you", Bancho was already hugging the man. Lila couldn't help but smile at the startled look on Hisoka's face.

"It's hardly something to get this worked up over," Hisoka patted the man's back before stepping back from the man. "Just doing what I can to protect my darling." He smiled at Lila, amused by the eye roll she gave before heading to the bar.

"Look, I believe we all keep this away from Nana, alright?" Bancho looked at the other three. "Saki and Yasu already agreed to that, but I'm sure that was already determined between them before stepping foot in here."

"Then keep track of how much you drink," Lila commented while handing Hisoka a glass of his own. "You aren't a lightweight, but you won't deny a drink. Won't take much to get you talking." She eyed the older man. "I advise that you keep track of your alcohol or else you're dead, I'm dead, and Hisoka's dead."