Chapter 1
This fic has been on my computer for a while now but I haven't written it further. So please review it if you like it, so that I can write the next chapter and update. Thanks. ^^
A girl with short raven colored hair stood in the front of the window. She had his beautiful eyes fixed on the garage outside and she bit her lip as she looked outside. The last rays of the sun filtered through the window and lit her pale face. Suddenly someone placed a hand over her shoulder.
She turned.
"Ichi nii is late again?" A little girl with blonde hair said.
"Oh yeah… never mind. You two better have your lunch." The girl with raven hair said.
Her name was Rukia, Kurosaki Rukia to be precise.
"It's dinner time already. Karin chan and I ate hours ago. I was worried about you." The little girl said.
"Yuzu, I know that you have grown up but you still are not old enough to worry about me." Rukia said with affection as she placed her hand over Yuzu's cheek.
"But…." Yuzu wanted to say something.
"I'm not hungry." Rukia said softly.
Yuzu looked at her and left the room without saying anything.
"Ichi nee, you better keep her happy." She mumbled.
Yuzu was Rukia's sister in law, as Rukia was the wife of Karin and Yuzu's only brother Ichigo.
Rukia lost her parents in an accident. Ichigo's mother, Masaki who was best friend of Rukia's mother, took Rukia in after the death of her parents. Rukia was just 7 years old then. Rukia always felt indebted to Masaki and respected her very much. She wanted to pay that debt one day in one way or the other.
When Rukia and Ichigo got 15 years old, Masaki died leaving behind two twin daughters who were just 6 years old then. She had a last wish. She wanted Ichigo and Rukia to marry each other when they got older.
Only Ichigo's father, Kurosaki Isshin knew about her last wish. Rukia never made the two little girls feel the absence of their mother. She looked after them very keenly as she wanted to pay her debt to Kurosaki family. After Masaki's death, Isshin also fell ill. Rukia and Ichigo had just entered the college then. Kurosaki family was surely under cloud.
Ichigo and Rukia had to work part time to meet the expenses.
One day, Isshin called both of them to his room and told them about Masaki's last wish. They were extremely shocked to hear it. They were best friends but never had thought that way about each other. Rukia had feelings for him when they were young but she got over them as they got older because she knew that Ichigo did not feel the same way about her. Ichigo used to tell everything to her and the day he told her about his crush on another girl, Rukia decided to let go of him.
"Masaki is dead and I feel I don't have much time either. If you two marry, I will be able to die in peace." Isshin said to them.
Ichigo and Rukia didn't know what to do or what to say.
"You feel indebted to us, right? If you marry our son, it will be us who will be indebted to you." He said to Rukia.
"What are you talking about? You can never be indebted to me. Don't you consider me as your daughter?" Rukia said with tears in her eyes holding Isshin's hand.
"For all you have done for my family, you have become dearer to me even than my real daughters." He said smiling feebly. "Just do one more favor to us. Marry Ichigo before I die. I know that no other girl can take care of him or understand him as well as you can…. It is not only Masaki's last wish. It's my last wish too."
Ichigo and Rukia did not find courage to refuse. Therefore, they married each other in the first week of December 2010 at the age of mere 19.
Isshin died after two months of their marriage. He left a letter especially for Rukia in which he had thanked her.
Rukia looked at the calendar on the wall. It was July 2011 then. Almost 7 months had passed since their marriage. With each passing day, the distance between them was increasing. Even the bond of friendship that they shared had weakened.
They never exchanged bad words or anything but the silence between them was even more taunting to Rukia.
Ichigo tried his best to keep her happy (or at least that was what he thought) but Rukia knew that what he felt for her was respect for what she had done for his family, not love. However, since the past few weeks, Rukia had been feeling that even that respect had vanished.
Ichigo had been skipping the lunch after college for many days. He directly went to the shop where he had a part time job. Then he came back home late at night and always said that he had already taken the meal. Breakfast time was the only time they had to spend together. Even then, Rukia always waited for him to return at lunch and dinner. Mostly, she had to eat alone after waiting for an hour or two but that day, she did not want to eat alone at any cost because it was a very special day for her and for Ichigo.
She had even called Ichigo and had asked him to come back home at lunch at any cost. She was sure that he would come.
Even the last rays of sun vanished and so did the ray of hope in Rukia's heart. She lowered the curtains and walked towards the bed with heavy steps. She gently moved her hand over the side of the bed where Ichigo used to sleep.
She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Just then, she heard the noise of the car outside.
"I knew he would come." Rukia said cheering up. She got up and went towards the door with lightening speed.
"Good evening." Ichigo said as she opened the door.
"You're late again." Rukia said smiling as Ichigo handed over his coat to Rukia.
"I'm sorry I got stuck in the traffic." Ichigo said.
"It's okay. Freshen up. I'll be waiting at the dining table." Rukia said.
"I…I have already had lunch….. But it's okay. I'll sit with you there and then you can tell me what you wanted to tell." Ichigo hurriedly completed his sentence.
"No, that's not fair. You promised that we'll eat together today." Rukia said grumpily. "Don't you like my cooking anymore?"
"It's nothing like that Rukia. It's just that some friends insisted to have lunch with them. Moreover I am getting late for the job. I just came home because you said you had an important thing to tell." Ichigo said.
"But I'm not going to tell you unless…." Rukia said pretending to be angry but Ichigo cut in.
"Okay, we'll have the dinner together, fine? Lunch time is over anyway." Ichigo said placing his hands over her shoulders.
"You are being selfish, Ichigo. I have not eaten anything just because of you and you know I cooked your favorite dish Manchurian." Rukia said.
"I don't like Manchurian and I am getting late for the job." Ichigo became a little rude.
"What are you talking about? You used to love it." Rukia said in disbelief.
"It is not necessary for our choices to remain the same whole life, is it?" Ichigo said casually.
"And your job is more important than me?" Rukia said.
"Please try to understand, Inoue." Ichigo said but within a moment, he understood that he had used the wrong name.
"I… I am extremely sorry, Rukia." He tried to make up for the blunder he had made but Rukia just stood there gazing at him. She felt as if someone had thrown a bomb on her.
"So that's the reason for his odd behavior. He hasn't forgotten Inoue yet." Rukia's mind was getting dizzy.
"It's okay. I'll tell you what I wanted to at dinner." Rukia finally said faking a smile.
"You're not mad at me, right?" Ichigo was feeling guilty for addressing her as Inoue.
"No, it's only natural. I can't ignore the fact that it was an arranged marriage after all. It takes time to forget someone… I know." Rukia said in a low voice.
"But you know that I love you, don't you?" Ichigo said holding her hand.
Rukia wanted desperately to believe that lie. She just kept quiet….
"See you at the dinner then." Ichigo said.
Just gonna stand there
And watch me burn
But that's alright
Because I like
The way it hurts
Just gonna stand there
And hear me cry
But that's alright
Because I love
The way you lie
I love the way you lie
I love the way you lie
Rukia pressed the clothes as she listened to the song playing on radio.
Suddenly the cell phone placed on the side table of the bed began to ring. Ichigo had forgotten to take the cell phone with him. Rukia couldn't decide whether she should attend the call or not.
"I'm his wife. There's nothing wrong with attending the call on his cell phone." She thought as she picked up the phone.
"Kurosaki kun, why were you not picking up my phone? Was Kuchiki san around? Anyways thank you for paying for the lunch today. It was the best date ever." A girl spoke at the other side. "I also wanted to thank you to help me get the job. I'll start coming at the shop from tomorrow. Will boss be okay with it?"
Rukia couldn't misjudge that voice. It was Orihime Inoue, Ichigo's first love.
She was more womanly and much more delicate than Rukia. Moreover, she was tall, had long hair and above everything, she was stupid. A typical sort of girl a teenager would fall for.
Ichigo was not the only person at the high school that wanted to date her but he was the only person to whom she returned the feelings.
Rukia could never forget the day when Ichigo told her that he loved Inoue. They were 15 back then. The funny thing was that Ichigo wanted Rukia to help him confess to Orihime. Rukia felt hurt at first because she had feelings for Ichigo. Then she decided to act as a true friend and sacrifice her love for the sake of his love.
However, the circumstances twisted and turned and fate made Ichigo give up Inoue and brought Ichigo and Rukia together. Although Ichigo's behavior was sometimes really frustrating for Rukia after marriage but she had faith that one day, everything would be all right. However, Inoue's call that day and what she said on phone made Rukia's heart sink.
Rukia couldn't say anything. There was nothing left to say. She just placed the phone back on the side table.
She walked towards the mirror and looked at her reflection into it.
"What was I thinking about? I was a fool to think I would be able to make him forget her. How could I? I am just an ordinary girl. I can never be as glamorous as Inoue. I'm just ruining Ichigo's life." She thought.
She stood there for a while as if in some kind of trance. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She had made the decision.
"Hey, I'm home." Ichigo said as he opened the bedroom door.
He looked here and there but couldn't find Rukia. It was 10 p.m. and Rukia should have been in the room for sure.
He felt a bit concerned. It was the first time Rukia hadn't welcomed him home with a smile. It felt odd. He went towards the bed and saw a folded piece of paper on the side table. He unfolded it. Something was written on it and Ichigo could easily recognize Rukia's writing.
Dear Ichigo,
I have written this just to tell you that I love you
and I can't see you in pain or misery.
"She could simply tell me that. What is the purpose of telling it in written form? We are married after all." Ichigo mumbled mockingly.
But he couldn't believe what was written further.
Thanks a lot for giving me a home and such a nice family
But I was probably not worth it.
That's why I am leaving your world so that you...
You may live your life on your own accord as
I sometimes feel nothing more than a burden on you
after all. I am sorry I couldn't keep the promise I made
to dad. Please take care of yourself and the two
little girls, sleep and eat on time as I won't be there
to force you to do so.
Ichigo just couldn't believe it. He read the whole letter and each word gave him a new wound. Rukia had also written that she was pregnant and it was what she wanted to tell him.
"No, it can't be. She can't leave me. It's certainly some kind of joke." Ichigo mumbled.
He had already begun to feel empty and lonely without her. For the first time in his life, he realized how special she was to him.
Just then he caught the sight of his cell phone and when he saw Inoue's cell number among received calls, he understood everything.
He couldn't sleep that night. It seemed to be the longest night ever, a night without her…
