" Kaien-dono...? " Rukia asked the one who was in front of her
" Kuchiki-san, what's wrong? " The voice was Ishida.
'The voice was exactly Ishida's. But, why...? Why does he look exactly like Kaien-dono? I don't understand any of this. I closed my eyes tightly. What exactly happened?' Rukia covered her ears.
" Rukia, are you all right? " It was Ichigo.
Rukia turned around, hoping to see Ichigo's face, but no, it was Kaien-dono's. Why was it Kaien-donoo's face that she was seeing but a different voice that she was hearing? Was it that nightmare which she had a few nights ago coming to haunt her again?
It was raining heavily and Kaien-dono was leaning on my shoulders for support.
" Kaien-dono... "
" Kuchiki, arigato... "
" Kaien-dono, you purposely did this? "
" Arigato, taichou, for letting me handle that Hollow myself. "
" Aa... "
" Kuchiki, thanks to you, I can leave my heart here. "
"Rukia, exactly what's wrong? "
She looked at the voice once again. No, the looks was still Kaien-dono's. Why couldn't I shake him off my mind?
" Kuchiki-san, are you all right? "
Orihime? She looked up at her. Her voice was normal, but the looks... Miyako-dono?? What's happening??
" GET AWAY FROM ME!! " She shouted.
" Rukia... " Ichigo walked towards her.
" Please, Ichigo. You are not Ichigo. Get away from me. ALL OF YOU!! "
Just then, Isshin came from the door and saw everybody walking out of the house. He walked towards her.
" What's wrong, Rukia-chan? Why are they all leaving? " Isshin asked Rukia.
" I chased them away. " She replied.
Isshin sensed something was wrong and approached Rukia.
" All right, care to tell me what's wrong? " He made her sit on the sofa.
" Isshin? Can I call you this? "
" Anything you like. "
" Isshin, you were a Captain in Soul Society, right? "
" How did you know? "
" I sensed your reiatsu was different from the others. "
" Oh.. "
She timidly look up at Ichigo's Dad. Thankfully, he was neither Kaien-dono nor Miyako-dono.
" So, you do know Kaien-dono and Miyako-dono, am I right? "
" Yes, I know. Kaien was the vice-captain of your division and Miyako was Kaien's wife. "
Rukia looked down. So, Isshin did know everything.
" Do you still blame yourself for whatever you did to Kaien? "
She nodded my head.
" Then don't. Kaien was willing to do everything, even to sacrifice himself. "
" You know what? Just now, in Ichigo, Chad, Ishida and even Inoue's face, I saw... "
" Kaien and Miyako? "
She nodded my head.
" Rukia-chan, have you been having nightmares lately. "
" Yes, I dreamt of the night where I killed Kaien-dono. "
" That's why... "
" Huh? "
" The reason you saw Kaien in Ichigo, Ishida, and Chad's face was because you wanted to see him so much. "
" What about Miyako-dono? "
" You also wanted to see her, you wanted to apologize. "
Rukia then found out that Isshin was right. Just then, the door flew open and Ichigo and the others came in.
" Kaien-dono?? Miyako-dono?? "
" You know we are not, Kuchiki Rukia. Snap out of it. " Ichigo had anger in his voice.
" I... I... " Rukia went to the nearest bathroom and closed the door behind her. She couldn't bear to see either Kaien or Miyako's face for any longer.
" Ichigo, what were you doing when you barged in like that? It was very rude, don't you know that! "
" Well, I was just worried for her! "
Isshin smiled and said to Ichigo.
" Well, boy, give her some time to calm down. I guess she will see these images over and over again until the time she decides to tell you the truth. "
" All right, we got it. "