Early January, 1999.
"Music Hunter" Melody and "Amateur Hunter" Kurapika arrived together in Dore Port, the town hosting this year's Professional Hunter Exam.
Melody was short and plump. Most of the hair on her head had fallen out, exposing her smooth scalp, and two buck teeth like a hamster's jutted out over her lips.
She certainly wasn't what anyone would call "beautiful," but she did have a voice that could be called "beautiful."
If you closed your eyes and listened to her voice alone, you'd think she was a mature, alluring beauty.
"Kurapika." Melody pointed to the inn not far away and said gently, "I'll stay there and wait for you while you take the exam."
Kurapika no longer wore the traditional clothes of the Kurta Clan. Instead, he wore an ordinary white shirt, making him look like a tourist visiting Dore Port.
He glanced at the inn, then looked at Melody and nodded.
"I don't know how many days the Professional Hunter Exam will last. Sorry for the trouble of waiting here for me."
Melody shook her head and smiled faintly.
"It's no trouble... Besides, it might be over very soon... After all, you're that Mr. Gelman's disciple."
Gelman had passed the previous year's Professional Hunter Exam in just a few days, and he had been the only examinee in that year's group to pass.
Melody was teasing him. As Gelman's disciple, Kurapika might pass the Professional Hunter Exam just as quickly.
Gelman had previously told Kurapika that he could invite Melody to Greed Island.
Since his teacher had said so, Kurapika had told Melody about his connection to Gelman and passed along his teacher's invitation.
To be honest, Melody had been astonished to hear that Kurapika was a disciple of Gelman, who had become famous over the past