A/ N: This story is the sequel to my other story "Rainbows". Please enjoy...
Disclaimer: I don't own TMM or the song "Stars" by Switchfoot...
◊ Stars ◊
But when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars I see someone else
when I look at the stars,
the stars, I feel like myself…
"Stars" by Switchfoot
◊
"Yawn…" Ichigo sat up and rubbed her eyes. She began to open her sealed, shut-eyes, and stared at the scene ahead of her. Ichigo opened her eyes to her room. She looked around seemed to be bewildered. Was this some sort of ruse? Ichigo scratched her head. All she saw was white; she was staring at the ceiling from her bed. Ichigo sat herself up and held the ends of her blanket within her grasp.
She looked over at the open window in her room that blew in the brisk, night air that clashed against her flesh and brought chills to her spine. Ichigo brought her hand to her forehead and let out a sigh. She let one hand go of the blanket and slowly pulled it off of her with the other; she stood up and balanced on her feet. She took baby steps over to the window and stared out at the glowing stars; they stared back at her while smiling.
The stars were so beautiful and so majestic-like; it gave Ichigo a warm feeling in her heart just watching them dance upon the night sky with their sparkles. It was very dark and night overcastted Tokyo with its deep color; because of its darkness, it made the stars look even brighter.
"Why was that all a dream? I mean, what if all of that really happened, nya? Would I— want it to?" Ichigo stepped down from her standing position and sat down on her knees while she leaned her top weight on the inside pane of the window.
-
"It's so quiet and so lifeless… I can't live like this— I'm alone…" Ichigo sat down on the cold, concrete, black top with her knees pushed against her bosom, begging for warmth. Ichigo had her chin rested upon her kneecaps while her arms stayed relaxed around her ankles in a loose hug. She seemed to be alone in an old alleyway in a big city. There was fog all around and the air was cold, making Ichigo shiver. "I— I just wish someone was here… I'm just all alone…" a tear streamed down Ichigo's nose and sat there off the tip, just waiting for the moment to drop. Ichigo wiped the tear away before it could fall.
Ichigo could feel the tears building up inside of her. Her throat became dry and her stomach felt empty, she wanted to just— not be alone…
"Huh?" Ichigo looked up in front of her as an individual appeared as a shadow through all of the deep fog. "Who's there?" though curious, Ichigo found that her voice was low and she couldn't talk very loud. "Hello?" she tried raising her voice but failed, because her throat was too dry…
Ichigo slowly brought her hands down from her knees and placed them down on the black top, using them to push her up from the ground. She rose up and stood with her back against the side of a brick building. An argument rose within her. Should she step forth towards this individual, or stay there away, where it's safe?
Before a decision was reached within herself, the shadowy figured began to grow closer and closer; the fog seemed to clear a little with each step that the figure would take.
'Who is this? I need to transform!' Ichigo thought and reached into her pocket. There was nothing. This made Ichigo's face turn aghast and anticipated their soon arrival.
"Ichigo… Ichigo-san…" the individual called.
"What?" Ichigo stepped away from the wall with her right hand grasping onto her left arm; "Kish?"
"Ichigo." The figure wasn't a shadow anymore as it stood before Ichigo, "— Ichigo… I don't want to ever leave you again… I want to take you back with me… Come." The shadowy figure revealed, was Kish. He held out his hand in a gesture. Ichigo stared down at his hand.
"Kish— don't do this, please." Ichigo's eyes watered up as she stood before him.
"Koneko." Before Ichigo could speak, Kish's arms were wrapped around her with pure comfort and warmth. A small tear dripped onto his shirtsleeve as they just stood there in the middle of the alley…
-
Ichigo wrapped her hands around both of her arms, hoping to imagine the warmth that she could be feeling… Her hands were cold and couldn't imitate his warmth— she didn't feel comforted at all; she still felt so alone…
"Kish…" Ichigo stared down at her carpet, deep in thought with her feelings.
The stars twinkled in the corners of her eyes, hoping to grasp her attention clear in their hands. It worked. Ichigo turned and stared back out at the stars. With every second of time, the sky would grow darker, and the stars would grow brighter in comparison. They were so bright, they almost looked as white as winter's blankets of snow.
"I wonder where the moon is." Ichigo asked herself without any reply. She changed her position and laid her elbows flat on the inside of the windowpane. She laid the side of her cheek against her left hand in a more comfortable position. She stared out through the trees in her front yard and stared out deeper into the night sky. She finally caught sight of the moon's ambiguous, shining glow. The shape and color was so clear and facile to see. It wasn't a crescent but a perfect sphere hanging down in the sky. It was a perfect beige color with gray craters carved into its surface. Each crater a uniquely different size than the other…
The moon looked down at her with a genuine smile of kindness. Ichigo's eyes jounced back over to the stars that seemed to be staring back at the moon with envy; soon their emotions changed to a morose frown that was too obvious to miss.
"I know why you're sad… you must feel all alone," Ichigo began, "you're drowned out by the moon's radiant shine and no one gives you any attention in comparison… so now you're all alone… I know how you feel, nya…" Ichigo lifted up her cheek from her hand, and instead, placed her chin gently against the surface of her right hand's skin…
-
"I'm so lost…" Ichigo stared up at the sky above her. Her surroundings were so tropical and beautiful. The sky was as blue as the ocean's water. Sand and palm trees with hills of green vegetation surrounded her. It looked like paradise… Ichigo stood there with her feet meshed against the rough sandpaper feel of the copious grains of sand beneath her. A fresh, sea breeze surpassed her and splashed strands of hair against her face. Her strands of hair grew damp from the tears that still stuck hold against her face.
Ichigo collapsed to her knees on the sand with her hands cupped over her eyes— crying.
"I wish someone were here— why do I feel so alone?" Ichigo sniffed and pushed her hair back behind her ears and out of the way of her flowing teardrops. "Hello?" she yelled out into the ocean. Nothing. There would be no reply because no one was out there; she was all alone…
"Ichigo-san!" – or was she?
"Kish?" Ichigo brought down her hands and away from her eyes, carefully placing them on her lap. She didn't turn her head to look behind her, fearing that the truth was— no one was really there. She closed her eyes shut and didn't want to open them.
"Koneko-chan…" the voice she heard seemed genuine; and it sounded from in front of her. Ichigo felt a touch on her right arm. Ichigo opened her eyes to see golden eyes staring back at her with compassion. "Ichigo…" Kish brought the back part of his hand up to her cheek; he slowly slid his hand down the side of her face with a smile across his face. "You'll never be alone Ichigo… I promise…" Kish gently placed his thumb against the back of his ear while his finger still lay against her cheek. He slowly brought his face up to hers as she stood there anticipating his lip's presence…
-
"Kish." Ichigo blushed the color of a fire hydrant. She touched her cheek with her hand and felt how warm she was just from her thoughts. "K— Kish." His name stuck to her lips like glue. "He almost—" Ichigo stopped her words and shook her head. Why am I thinking about him? I don't love him— I love Aoyama-kun… I— I can't kiss him… Ichigo thought.
She stared back out through the window and narrowed her eyes a little. Ichigo stood up from her knees. She stood there before the window. She turned around and walked up to her bed, grabbing her blanket. She walked up to her door and opened it shrewdly, careful not to wake her parents. She stepped out of her room and headed down the stairs, with her blanket grasped tightly in her hands.
Ichigo made it downstairs and she walked up to the front door, which was past both the kitchen and living room. She placed her hand around the doorknob and turned it slowly, opening it to the crisp, night air. She stepped outside and cracked the door behind her. She walked over near the tree in her front yard and stood before it. She spread out the blanket over the grass and got down on her knees to smooth out the wrinkles. She sat over on the blanket and laid her head against the woven cotton fibers. She sprawled out all over the blanket in a comfortable position with her knees pointed towards the sky and her arms touching both ends of the blanket.
She stared up at the stars, now with a better view of their overwhelming beauty…
-
Ichigo sat there under a dark brown tree filled with fully bloomed cherry blossoms. Her head lay against the tree's bark as she sat there with a hole through her heart. Her body felt so cold, even in the dead of spring. The grass around her was a full, luscious green. Little daises popped up around her pollen flying and gliding through the air, making the meek noses weak…
"I don't know what to do…" Ichigo's eyes looked like a river. Tears continually fell from her eyes. Her chocolate brown eyes looked almost hazel from all the crying she had done; but she just couldn't help it. No one was there with her and she felt so alone and so cold; no one was there to hold her and comfort her with their body.
"Koneko-chan… stop crying." A voice caught Ichigo's clear attention through all of the silence. Ichigo brought her head up from the tree and stared in front of her. Kish stood there with amorous eyes, glaring out at her. Ichigo sat up properly and used her first finger to wipe the tears from her face.
"Kish—" Kish walked over to Ichigo and pushed his finger against her lips, silencing her speech.
"I love you— Ichigo… I'll never leave you. I'll love you like no human could ever…" Kish bent down forcing his weight upon his ankles and forefeet. He swept her hair behind her ears and grasped her hands tight in his. He passionately caressed her hands with his fingers.
"Kish-kun…" Ichigo stared up at Kish with sparkling eyes— they looked like twinkling stars.
Kish leaned in towards Ichigo and closed his eyes. Ichigo did the same until the distance between their faces were closed. A wild, and loving sensation zipped through Ichigo's heart as he kissed her. Cherry blossoms fell from the trees and upon their heads and laps…
-
Ichigo opened her eyes and realized, it wasn't just a dream… Kish was there before her with his warm lips firm against hers. Ichigo grew warm and just closed her eyes, kissing him back as the nighttime stars watched over them…
OWARI
Another one of my Ichigo Series stories are complete. I hope you look into my next story in this series... Please review!!!