Chapter One: Prologue
Kashino ran like the wind through the train station, bumping countless people but he didn't care. He just had to see her before she left.
How could she just leave like that? Ichigo… Don't you remember your love for sweets? How happy you made those people when they ate your sweets? How could you just forget all that?
Finally the platform where she was supposed to board her train came into view. He ran towards there faster than he thought possible for him but at the same time, holding the box he was carrying carefully. He couldn't have what was inside break after all.
Finally, he saw the train. It had already started moving forward slowly, going faster as it went along.
Shit! thought Kashino, running to the edge, "AMANO!"
He saw her face through the glass, standing just inside one of the doors. Her expression wasn't cheerful, wasn't happy like he was so used to seeing. Instead it was cold and emotionless.
It's not Ichigo, thought Kashino, how could she become like this?
"BAKA!" shouted Kashino at the cold face of Ichigo, "What the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten how much you love sweets? It was your dream, Amano!"
"Sweets…" said Ichigo, her voice deeper than what it had been before, "I don't enjoy making them anymore." She turned and walked away.
"Wait!" yelled Kashino.
Then the train went faster and the whole thing disappeared completely as it went into a tunnel.
Kashino dropped to his knees, his eyes staring into nothing. Then he dropped the box and fell down to his hands and knees, his tears dropping. They were falling rapidly by the time a tall blonde ran onto the platform, "Kashino! Oi, what happened?" he knelt beside him, "Come on, man, pull yourself together!"
"We were too late, Johnny," said Kashino as tears fell, hitting the floor with his fist, "Damn it!"
"We'll chase her right now," said Johnny, "Come on. Do you want to see her smile again or not?"
"She's not the same anymore!" shouted Kashino, "She's forgotten her love for sweets! She's forgotten everything! We've…" his voice broke slightly on the words, "We've lost her."
