This is the sequel to my story "As If You Never Existed" which can be found on my profile. It is also my entry for the #IchiRuki-Club contest on deviantart(dot)com
Disclaimer: I do not owe Bleach, no matter how much I want to . . . :(
Rukia's point of view:
They say that time heals all wounds.
But they never tell you about the scars that are left.
I was standing in your classroom with a small white box in my hands. Everyone was gone, eating lunch outside. Who wouldn't, it was so beautiful out today. Beside the point, I had chosen this time to come into the classroom for a reason. I don't think I would be able to stand seeing you after all this time. No matter how much I wanted to I couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to you.
As I make my way over to your desk I notice your book bag. It's so huge it looks like it's about to burst at any moment. Curiously, I walk over to it and notice that it has cards sticking out of it. Not just any cards, Valentine's Day cards.
"I wonder when you became so popular." I ask myself as I look at the small white box in my hands. My gift seems so insignificant all of a sudden.
Letting a sigh escape me, I make my way over to the window with your gift in my hand and as I'm about to jump out, I voice stops me.
"You should give it to him." A deep, low voice spoke from behind me.
I turn around to notice Sado standing at the door, with a neutral expression on his face. I get down from the window and look at the gift in my hand, sigh once again and look back at him. 'I can't face him yet' is what I want to say but that would be saying too much, so instead I tell him, "He has enough as it is."
"Yeah, but none of those are from you."
His words surprise me. He makes it sound like I actually mean more to you than anyone else. I shake my head as if that would make those thoughts leave me.
I watch as Sado makes his way over to Ochi-sensei's desk, leans against it and looks out the window. We remain quite for a few moments before he speaks again. "You know, ever since you said your goodbyes, Ichigo has been different."
My head shot up at hearing your name. It's been ages since I last heard it said out loud. Ever since the Winter War, everyone had always been careful when saying your name around me. I've always wondered why.
Sado continues. "Even though he pretends he's okay I know he's not. I notice the way he just gets lost in thought, in his own world. He's been keeping himself occupied with different jobs. Mizuiro and Keigo think it's because he's saving money so that he can move out, but I know he does it so he can keep his mind occupied. So he won't have to think of you." He takes a short pause and then looks back at me. "I've also noticed the sad look in his eyes. It's the exact same look you have in your eyes."
I can feel my eyes widen in surprise. Then I smile at him, a genuine fake smile. "I don't know what you're talking about."
A look of understanding washes over his face. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and lets it out. He opens his eyes and looks at me once more. "You're probably right. I may just be looking into things to much."
I'm open my mouth to say something, but I'm cut off by the bell. "I should get going." My voice sounds so distant.
"You're not going to wait for him?" Sado asks as he walks away from the table he was leaning on.
I walk over to your desk, open it and put my gift in the center of your things. "No, I have to go. I've overstayed my visit." I look back towards him as he begins to leave. "Sado?"
He turns to me, "Yeah?"
"Thank you, for everything." I paused a little before continuing again "Please don't tell him I was here."
He confirms my request with a thumbs up. Corny, but I'll accept it.
We both walk away, not knowing when we will see each other again.
They say that time heals all wounds.
But they never tell you about the scars that are left.
A hell butterfly flies by as I land on your desk.
It's the middle of the night and everyone is sound asleep, including you.
I jump down from your desk and land silently next to your bed. Slowly, I turn to face you. This will be the first time I will see you since the day we said goodbye.
I can feel myself smile. You haven't changed much, you're hair has grown out a bit, but it's hardly noticeable. It makes me glad that you haven't changed much. This way I don't feel like I don't know you anymore.
Suddenly my smile fades away.
"You wanna know why I haven't come to visit you?" I whisper into the night, knowing that you can't hear me. "It was because I kept telling myself that it wouldn't be fair to you. I would be able to see you but you wouldn't be able to see me. I tried to fool myself into believing that. But the truth is I was too much of a coward to come. I knew that if it hurt knowing that you couldn't see me then it would only be worse actually having you in front of me and not being able to see me." I took a step back from the bed. "I'm sorry for being a coward."
I turned my back to you. I didn't hurt as bad when I would see you like this, but it still hurt knowing that you couldn't see me.
I glance around your room. It's changed. You got a different desk, a new TV put in your room and I'm pretty sure you didn't have a guitar before. Then I make my way over to the closet. I wonder if that's has changed as well.
I slowly open the closet door, and with the little light that the moon provides, what I see before my eyes shocks me. It's all the same. It's the same way I left it all those months ago. The makeshift bed, the folded blankets, the pillow, everything. I thought you changed it when I moved in with your sisters.
I smile, as I crawl into what used to be my place. Even as I sit here, it feels more like home than Soul Society had ever felt since I've returned.
As I moved my hands around to feel the texture of the makeshift bed, one of my hands comes in contact with something soft. Grasping the source of softness, I bring it to my face for examination.
It's a white Chappy with an orange bow wrapped around its neck. On the bow is a note attached. It reads:
Don't say I didn't get you anything for White Day.
P.S. I didn't get sick or fat from all the chocolate.
As I smile at the note, I feel something warm and wet land on the hand that wasn't holding the Chappy.
It was a tear.
I bring my hand to my face only to realize that I'm crying. Becoming conscious of that, I hug Chappy as if it were my life line and curl into ball on what use to be my bed once upon a time and I let all the tears I've healed back for who know how long run free.
They say that time heals all wounds.
But they never tell you about the scars that are left.
But that's okay because even though time may heal all my wounds I still have the scars.
Scars that remind me of what we've been through together.
Scars that remind me of what you mean to me.
The next morning, Ichigo finds the white bunny he left in his closet the previous day gone.