♚ ¹ˢᵗ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ᵂᶤᶰᶰᵉʳ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵖʳᶤᶰᵍ ²⁰¹⁷ [ᴴᵘᶰᵗᵉʳˣᴴᵘᶰᵗᵉʳ ᵂᵃᵗᵗʸ ᴬʷᵃʳᵈˢ] [ᴼᵗʰᵉʳ/ᴹᶤˣᵉᵈ ᴹᵉᵈᶤᵃ]
♚ ¹ˢᵗ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ᵂᶤᶰᶰᵉʳ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᴬᶰᵍᵉˡᶤᶜᴬᶰᶤᵐᵉᴬʷᵃʳᵈˢ [ᴴᵘᶰᵗᵉʳˣᴴᵘᶰᵗᵉʳ ᶜᵃᵗᵉᵍᵒʳʸ]
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Anyone with a heart, with a family, or with friends had experienc...
Leorio stood at the center of the stage, surrounded by the hushed whispers of the voters casting their decisions. The weight of his realization bore down on him like an oppressive shadow, the truth sinking in with a chilling certainty. His friends, Gon, Rin, and Killua, had faced something dire, something he could have been a part of if only he hadn't been so wrapped up in his pursuits.
'Rin's dead... Gon's dying... Killua's risking his life right now... and Kurapika couldn't even be reached!'
Regret gnawed at him. Leorio clenched his fists, a surge of self-loathing coursing through him. How could he have been so blind, so oblivious to the struggles of Gon, Rin, and Killua?
The empty look in Killua's eyes during Rin's funeral already cemented his resolve. Thus, in a desperate attempt to rectify his mistakes, Leorio had thrown himself into the chaotic arena of the 13th Chairman selection. The room buzzed with tension as voters debated and argued over their choices.
Leorio could feel the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders, a burden he willingly bore if it meant he could make amends. He knew he couldn't do anything about Rin's death, but he still could do something to save Gon!
Just as the contest reached its boiling point, the door creaked open, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
"Leoriooooo!!!!!"
A figure in a hospital gown shuffled in, tears streaming down his weathered face... It was Morel with his thumbs were raised.
The room fell silent, anticipation thick in the air. Then, a new presence entered, a figure bathed in a radiant glow. Gon stood there, fit and healthy, his vibrant smile lighting up the room like a beacon of hope. The shock rippled through the crowd, and Leorio's heart pounded in his chest.
"...!"
The moment Leorio's eyes locked onto Gon, a torrent of emotions surged within him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably as he witnessed Gon's radiant smile, a sight he thought he might never see again. The weight of uncertainty, guilt, and fear lifted in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming flood of relief.
His voice caught in his throat, and with a choked cry, Leorio screamed Gon's name, the sound echoing through the amphitheater.
"GOOONNNNNN!!!!!!!" he tossed the microphone aside. Without a second thought, he sprinted towards Gon, disregarding the shocked stares of the onlookers.
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Snot and tears mingled on Leorio's face, but he cared little about appearances. All that mattered was reaching Gon, ensuring that he was real, that this reunion wasn't a figment of his imagination.
"LEORIOOO!!!"
Gon, with a joyous cry, leaped down the amphitheater steps, his exuberance matching Leorio's desperation. The gap closed rapidly, and as they collided.
"I'M GLAD!!! I AM SO GLADDD!!!" Leorio enveloped Gon in a tight, heartfelt embrace.
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The amphitheater reverberated with the sound of Leorio's continued cries, now muffled against Gon's shoulder.
"Was it that bad?" Gon asked as he still clung to Leorio's embrace.
"Bad doesn't even begin to describe it!" Leorio swung Gon around before putting him down.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The amphitheater erupted into a symphony of applause and cheers as Leorio and Gon's heartfelt reunion unfolded before their eyes. The sound echoed off the walls, a thunderous cacophony that mirrored the overwhelming emotions that filled the air.
Gon stared at the crowd with a perplexed gaze before Leorio explained the situation. "Everyone was worried about you."
The sea of appreciation from the crowd left him bashful, Gon's cheeks tinged with a faint blush. With a humble demeanor, Gon scratched the back of his head. His eyes sparkled with gratitude as he nodded in acknowledgment.
"Thank you... Thank you..."
The applause, if anything, intensified.
"Run for Chairman!"
"I'll vote for you!"
"Get on stage and say something!"
"Speech! Speech!"
"Man, I don't know what to do..." Gon scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
Gon's bashful demeanor quickly transformed into wide-eyed astonishment as his gaze swept across the cheering crowd and landed on a figure seated at the far end of the hall. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and the room fell into an anticipatory hush. It was a realization that sent shockwaves through Gon, a revelation that stirred the depths of his emotions.
"...!"
His eyes locked onto the man he had been searching for all this time, his father – Ging. The silence in the room became palpable, the cheers and applause replaced by an almost reverent quiet. The recognition, the connection, and the flood of emotions overwhelmed Gon, rendering him momentarily speechless.
In a hushed, almost reverent tone, Gon stuttered out his father's name, "G-Ging?"
The word hung in the air, a whisper that resonated through the hall. The crowd, now aware of the significance of this encounter, watched in collective anticipation, sensing the weight of the moment.
The silence that enveloped the hall spoke volumes, echoing the profound nature of this encounter. Ging, seated at the far end, met Gon's gaze with a mixture of dread and anxiety as the corner of his lips twitched.
'This is bad.... But, well... This was always going to happen...'
