Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, no mater how much I wish I did.
Ichigo's point of view:
The Winter War is over.
Life continues.
As if nothing ever happened.
As if you never existed.
Yesterday Keigo asked me if I missed you. I said no of course. Why would I miss someone who was a pain in my ass more than half of the time? Someone who constantly draws crappy drawing about stupid bunnies, who always left weird messages for me to decode, who always hit me! Someone who . . . always knew how to me cheer me up . . .
Of course I don't miss you. But it would be nice to see you even though I won't admit it to anyone, especially Keigo.
Whether I miss you or not, life continues.
I woke up this morning and everything was the same as always. My stupid, idiotic old man tried to kill me, as usual, Yuzu made breakfast and Karin argued with our old man.
My morning went on, not a single soul in sight as I walked to school that morning. Just the way I wanted it . . . I've become what I've always dreamed of.
Yet, every morning I always wake up feeling a little empty. I'm not sure what it could be though. I mean I should be happy right? I have the normal life I've worked 16 years to get. What more could I want?
"ICHIGO!" Keigo screamed as he made his way to attack me as soon as a reached the door to my classroom.
As if I'd let him.
With swift movements, I had him in a headlock and replay with a simple, "'Sup."
"K-Kurosaki-kun?" a soft voice asks.
I look up to see Inoue looking shyly at me. "Hey, what's up Inoue?"
"I . . . um . . . I made you these." She sticks out both hands and in them is a pink box neatly wrapped with a red bow. "I hope you like them." She quickly blurts out as she bows her head.
I left go of Keigo, who is gasping for air, and take the box Inoue hands me. "Um, thanks I guess." I scratch the back of my head, not knowing why I am getting a gift today. "Is there a particular reason why you are giving me these?" It's not like it's my birthday or anything, at least I don't think so.
Inoue looks at me, confusion written all over her face. "It's Valentine's Day." She replies shyly.
"Eh?" I stutter.
"Yeah," Keigo, who finally managed to get air back into his lungs, continues, "haven't you noticed all the posters around the school announcing it or the girls giving away chocolate when you came in this morning?"
I glance around, finally noticing my surroundings. There were posters plastered all over the hallway walls, each announcing something Valentine's Day related. And girls were handing out small boxes that were neatly wrapped, which one could assume contained chocolates.
"Not to mentions that your desk had a large pile of cards and chocolates on it." Tatsuki walked up behind Inoue. "Hey Orihime."
"Good morning Tatsuki." Inoue replies with a sweet smile.
I take a quick look at my desk, only to find out that Tatsuki was right. A mountain of pink, red, white, and brown was definitely sitting on my desk. "I guess I didn't notice 'til now." I lamely respond.
"Geez Ichigo, you really have lost track of time haven't you?" I know she meant it as a joke, but there was sympathy in her eyes. Sympathy from me.
I wanted to tell her that I didn't need her sympathy. There was no reason why I would need anyone to feel sympathetic towards me. But if I did, then I would be falling into her trap. So instead I reply with a simple, "I guess" and walk over to my deck.
When did I lose track of time? When did I start waking up every morning and living life out of habit? Why do the passed few months seem to blur together? Why are the only days I clearly remember the days you're in?
All these thoughts run through my head as I look at the pile of stuff that occupies my desk. Great, what am I suppose to do with all of these? How am I supposed to take them home? My wallet just hurts thinking about White Day.
When I finish stuffing everything into my book bag, it looks like it's about to burst at any moment. Feeling satisfied with myself in making everything fit in my bag, I let out a sigh and look to the front of the classroom and watch as Ochi-sensei walks in.
"Okay class," Ochi-sensei starts, "just because today is Valentine's Day doesn't mean that you get the day of from school work." Everyone in the room let out a whine. "You should know me by now. Okay then, take out your textbooks and turn to page 56."
Fuck.
I slam my head against my desk loudly. My textbook is in my book bag that is about to burst.
"Kurosaki? Is there a problem?" Ochi-sensei yells at me.
"Nope, no problem at all." I replay with a twitch in my eye and an incredibly fake smile.
Other than that, nothing interesting happened to me.
Life continues.
As if nothing ever happened.
As if you never existed.
As the day ends, I open my desk to put my stuff away only to notice a small white box with an orange ribbon carefully tied around it neatly sitting in the center. I thought I had gotten every single one of the gifts. Curiously, I grab the box, it's so small it fits in my palm, and pull on the ribbon to set it loose. I take of the top off the box and find a single strawberry covered in milk chocolate sitting by itself.
I pick up the strawberry, to examine it, and I notice a small folded paper underneath the strawberry. I take the paper out and set the chocolate covered strawberry back in the box. I unfold the paper and read:
Don't eat to much chocolate or you'll get a stomach ache and get fat.
Underneath that there's a crappy drawing of what seems to be an extremely over weight bunny version of me with a stomach ache. For the first time in what seems like years, I smile a genuine smile and the empty feeling dies down.
Life continues.
As if nothing ever happened.
As if you never existed.
But that's okay, because I continue to live.
Because something happened.
Because you exist.
My very first Bleach story. Please be sure to read Rukia's continuation of the story Time Heals All Wounds if you get a chance :)
Ja Ne!