Farewells in the Rain, a bleach fanfic

I'm so sorry that my latest work would be this late - half a year apart! I'm really crushed by my workload that my brain had no extra space for some imaginations.

Well, some little events did prompt me to write this: (1) I've always wanted to write a fic for TouRin. (2) I've got a new lovely iPad mini, and I can't wait to use it! (3) I was editting my playlists when I came across this song, and I felt like having some fun with it. (4) My Japanese teacher's teaching me the magics of Translation, and I want to test out my learnt knowledge. Putting these four reasons together means I tried to translate the lyrics of the song with my new iPad mini, and in turn wrote this TouRin fic.

In fact, I was working on another TouRin fic, but since its creation a year ago it's been driving me nuts by getting into dead ends! So I decided to take a break and in order to give my lovely readers something, I present to you this story:

Farewells in the Rain

The morning drizzle returned to the earth, and a solitary me tried to evade from it.
The moment I turned around in this familiar walk, I realized it's you behind me.
Our reunion happened in this old place as if in the movie, yet we weren't prepared.
It's all but a few sighs, a string of pleasantries and some casual praises.

The rain pelted lightly onto the ground, as well as drumming his umbrella. He didn't want to be here, but his subordinate insisted that he needed a rest and threw him out forcefully. Without a choice, he so got stuck in here. He immediately got an umbrella, but still tried to find a shelter so he wouldn't stay in the rain for long, even though it's just a small drizzle.

It's in the morning, but the grey clouds obscured the sky, reflecting the turmoil inside him. The more it rained, the more he tried to run away from it, and the more mind-wrenching for him.

He didn't realize that his legs have led him to a familiar place, but by the time he did, it's too late to run away from there.

A melodic female voice called out to him, and he swirled around to search for the speaker. He needn't do that, since the moment he stepped onto this ground, he had the hunch that he would meet her. Even though he didn't have that hunch, he could always sense her presence, like he had some sort of radar especially for her.

She didn't seem to have changed so much during the time. Her midnight black hair's grown longer to her waist, her body's getting more and more to that of a fully grown mature lady: slender, without any superfluous extras, and curvaceous at the right places. Such qualities were what every possible man wish to be found on their ideal woman. Of course, he knew that it's all thanks to the sports and matches.

Even though they've now met, words lingered in his vocal, unable to escape from it. She seemed the same, trying to say something but had her tongue tied. She muttered a simple greeting, eyes looking at the other direction. He grunted in reply, eyes also directed to somewhere else other than her.

So original, like the plots in the sappy movies, their reunion. In this same place, where they'd spent long hours, looking at the sceneries below them. Well, the only difference was that they're not actors who've prepared for the next phrases. Nothing rehearsed, they tried to think of something to say, yet not a word seemed good or proper to be said in this situation.

Her sigh's what broke the odd silence and asked about his well-being. He gave a short nonchalant reply. He tried to ask her, but on a second thought he sucked it back. The gears in his brain whirled at top speed for something else to say. He then noticed the clothes she's wearing and complimented on her. She smiled brightly and thanked him. They closed their mouths again, and silence reigned over once more, except the tapping of the raindrops on their umbrellas.

~/''''\~

Why your eyes changed not over the years?
Why the memories always look back to the past inevitably?
The night you said of leaving, it's a never-ending rain like today.

He judged her from head to toe, wanting to find out the differences he's missed over the last near-decade.

A decade's just a blink of time to him, but pretty long for humans like her. Other than the physical changes, he could sense that something's changed from the inside. She's getting more like an adult, more mature and more composed. However, what jinxed him must be her eyes.

Still the pure black obsidians they were, they're exactly the same as he's known for long, untainted by the pollutants of reality in her world. Spirited, unyielding, and full of inexpressible emotions for him—those were what he always noticed in her eyes from a decade ago, even now.

Those eyes seemed to have some special powers, and they dragged him back to the olden days, when they first met, their first date, their first fight…

And also when she hinted of her departure, the night sky's crying endlessly…

~/''''\~

We escape from the past on rainy days,
But the drops ironically merge such reunions.
We reminisce the old times on rainy days,
After which passed in wailing farewells and we never once meet again.

It's not just now, but since the past he's believed and tried to run in the rain, hoping that the pelting drops would wash away all the unbearable pain from his past. Nonetheless, he never learnt the lesson, and repeatedly he's forced to reunite with the things he wanted to forget the most. From such repeated reunions, he's forced to remember the heart-wrenching times.

It took him years to conceive that the rain could do nothing to erase the past; all it does is linking up people to the past they most wanted to run away from. It is a forger, merging people with the most hateful things, especially the old times.

Other than that, the rain's also a separator, segregating everything in its path, like the day when she proposed to break up. It rained rather heavily, like shards of blades cutting through their bonds. After their agreement on her quiet proposal, he left into the rain, not bothering to get himself an umbrella. He didn't mind soaking to his bones or getting sick afterwards, letting the heavy drops leave trails behind from the corners of his eyes to his cheeks and rolled down from his chin. He hardly cry a tear since he could remember anything, but that night, though it's not real tears, it's the thing closest to crying for him.

After that night, they've not met each other for nearly a decade until now.

~/''''\~

I steadily grew sick of any phrases, not knowing how to elude you.
Finally, I got to meet him, gazing at you silently in this familiar roadside.
You departed from this old place once more, and right before you left you closed up,
Sent me softly your sincere regards, echoing the same voice I last heard back then.

They talked quite a lot despite the lack of good topics, and the afternoon sun started to set behind the mountains. The grey rain clouds were painted with a stroke of pinkish orange.

By then, his mouth started to get dry and his words were running out to keep up with their conversation. However, he had no idea of how to escape from here, so he just kept on with nonchalant responds, making hollow comments or just "um" or "uh". He grew tired of it, searching for an opening to run away…

A new voice—a man's rich baritone voice—came into their ears. She peered at his back and smiled brightly. He felt his heart halted for a brief moment. It's the smile that's grudgingly branded "His Smile" by her overprotective elder brother, meaning he's the only one who'd see this brightness. He's thought that it'd always belong to him and only him, yet now…

When she met her new love, she's giving him his branded smile.

It's not out of the question that she'd find another one eventually; it's the most natural thing for a woman to look out for a man. He dared himself to look at him, and regretted most instantly as he peered through the shadowing umbrella.

He could be the most handsome human man he'd ever laid his eyes upon, with wavy black hair, soul-sucking molten-chocolate eyes that were gazing at her intently, a masculine face of a mature full-grown man, and a body that spelled how much he's trained and exercised for it. With his sense of fashion, it's everything a girl could ever dream of as a perfect boyfriend. It's something that he could never provide her, with his abnormal appearance and their status of a whale's difference.

Knowing what the newcomer's arrival meant, he took a step aback, furthering the distance between. On the other hand, she strode forward, closing the space even more. In a tone that only he could be heard in such an imminent gap, she murmured in the same delicate voice he's last heard ten years ago her sincerest regards.

With that, she gave him one last smile before merging herself into his robust arms. Unknown to her, he flashed him a poignant glare and a smirk, indicating he's the final winner. He understood very well that he deserved those, as he's the idiotic one to let her go away from his side. However, with his pride, he'd never let anyone look down on him. He returned them in the coldest manner he could muster, never once thinking of backing away from this arena. One last glare, he pulled her to go, sheltering her in his umbrella. His heart panged when she stole a glance at him as she walked away from the place…

~/''''\~

Why your eyes changed not over the years?
Why the memories always look back to the past inevitably?
The night you said of leaving, it's a never-ending rain like today.

Her eyes—he's noticed—had never changed after all.

They couldn't be more wrong when they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, as through them he could read her very being.

He understood that she's dedicated all of her heart to him right now, as she'd had to him in the past. The eyes reminded him of the bitter-sweet days they've spent together as two inseparable lovers.

He remembered the time when it's raining like today and they've both forgotten the umbrella, he held her in bridal style, dashing to her house before she'd caught a cold. Her brother nearly killed him that time, as he's thinking that he's made his baby sister cry, judging from her wet face and the wailing "cries", which were in fact uncontrollable laughter that were like music from Heaven.

That rain continued for days, and it's only after that period they broke up, and the shower turned into a heavy downpour.

~/''''\~

As he trod down the hillside, a wry smile crept onto his lips as he felt like being the ultimate loser. What's the point in being the prodigy, wielding one of the most potent powers ever found, and standing paramount when he couldn't even secure the things he most treasured that's always by his side?

On a whim, he closed his umbrella, letting the water drops to drench him wet. He's not afraid of the cold; he's coldness reincarnated. However, she's the one who's seen the fiery warmness within the icebergs. Merging these two opposite elements was the rain, and separating them again was the rain again. Tiresomely, it's still the rain to reunite them. Would this be a loop of the destiny between them? He had no idea.

The only things he had in his mind were the fragments of the days they spent together in passionate love. He stood up to his vow made to her angry brother, going furthest to a French Kiss. Of course, he'd never told any soul that he's given a nibble on her ear lobes, earning a moan. However, he had the intention of keeping her pure virginity, so needless to say—let along swear—he'd never make unneeded moves.

Now, he somehow regretted it. He'd probably be the one to claim this "prize". He smirked how she'd be fuming if she knew that she's the "prize".

~/''''\~

Years have passed since they last saw each other at the rainy hillside. Today, he stood in the rain yet again, choosing this deep part of the forest for its reclusiveness. The cold drops slid down his cheeks, imitating the tears he's unable to let out.

He wished that the precipitation could wash away the piercing pain in his heart, but always in great vain, as yet again it brought about another meeting.

Running up towards him were a loud group, screaming in merriment since they were having a good match. Even though it's raining and they're starting to get muddy everywhere, they didn't seem to mind it a bit. They're enjoying it even more than in the good sunny days.

Suddenly, one dodged the ball to reveal a female behind. His eyes widened in shock, unable to believe that he'd meet her in all the places but here. She seemed to have noticed being stared at, and gasped upon realizing his presence. She froze, still as a statue. Although the ball hit her, she didn't curse any angry retorts at her fellow players, since her full attention's placed on the man before her.

The others wondered her reaction, but upon seeing that the man's a Shinigami, nevertheless a Captain, they ran away out of terror, leaving the fragile girl behind.

Eyes locked, they seemed to have been dragged back to the old memories by their gazes. They remembered the matches they've shown perfect cooperation, the matches they've won beautifully, the matches they've enjoyed to the very end…

What's more, he also remembered the day after the vigorous tournament, she died in a terrible accident. He fumed; he's there when that happened, but he let her die by watching aside with frostier eyes than his. He's wanted to see his blood, if it's not by her request to forgive him.

He's heard from her brother to learn what's really happened. After the day the three have met, he's grown cold towards her gradually. She's explained toughly that she's thoroughly through with him, but it did almost nothing to settle his suspicion. Alien to everyone, she cried bitterly whenever she's alone until she wore herself out, and begged her brother—the only soul who knew it—not to tell him. On the day of the accident, she's won most beautifully in the tournament and saw him at the other side of the road. They've had a fight before, so she thought he's come to reconcile and dashed out for him, not noticing the truck…

The memory's vivid like yesterday: he rushed out to her immediately when he learnt of the accident, only just in time to hear in her last words and let her feel his scorching tears with her chilling skin, as she wheezed out her last breath…

~/''''\~

We escape from the past on rainy days,
But the drops ironically merge such reunions.
We reminisce the old times on rainy days,
Because of all your farewells in the rain…

Is two decades long enough for their punishment to him for letting her go? By the standards of his kith and kin, it's nothing for their imminent-to-eternal life; to him, it's the longest two decades he's ever spent in his lifetime until now.

He's grown tired of running away anymore. Sighing silently, he finally dared to take a small step forward—a step he couldn't bring himself to take ten years ago when they met by the hillside. One by one, he stepped carefully as if the earth under his feet would crumble, but steadily made his way towards her. He's relieved that she made no sign of running away; she just stood there wordlessly, watching him walk at her solemnly, as if in a wedding ceremony.

One step, and the moment of their first encounter gone. One more step, and the days of happiness gone. One more step, and all the crucifying bitterness and pain were left behind…

Those were all the past. He's let bygones be bygones, and he'll never again run away from the past. All he had in his mind were the future they'd create.

The last step, and she's there right in front of him, within the range of his arms that he could bring her back into his embrace…

An abrupt feral roar froze everything to a standstill. He's merely given the time of getting a glimpse of his enemy behind him. In the next second, he felt numbness in his chest after a sickening squelch. He finally registered that his enemy's carved out a hole through his body in his chest. Blood's steadily gushing from the gaping wound…

He gritted his teeth , hardened his mind, pulled out his sword and with a slash ended up the foe. However, that's the very last he could do in such a battered state. A stagger, and he expected to have a hard contact with the earth…

Only to comprehend that he's fallen into her arms, and she's been screaming out his name.

The light rain mutated into a full storm. In the coldness, his bare skin stung with splatters of heat. It's a rara avis for her to cry, something he could never see with his blurring sight. He reached his hand out to her face, imprinting the long-lost delicacy and warmth of her skin into his dimming heart, sighing his last words…

Itsumo omae o aishiteru, Karin…

She whimpered. As he fluttered his eyes close, she stuttered the same between her sobs. He smiled, glad to hear that. Just as he began to fade away to be part of the structure of his vast homeland, he caught her shattering heart in her fading voice…

Sayounara, Toushirou…

Translation:

Itsumo omae o aishiteru, Karin… (I've always loved you, Karin…)

Sayounara, Toushirou… (Goodbye, Toushirou…)

Now that I remember it, it's my second songfic and way much darker than my first one. Probably the darkest one I've ever written until now...=_= By the time I reached the ending, my throat clenched so hard that I had some difficulty in swallowing. Geez, I didn't mean to be so self-abusing when I wrote this! In fact, I didn't mean the story turning out into this, but the more I listen to the song, the more twisted my ideas got!

Oh well, if you'd like to listen to the original song - a Cantonese song by Jacky Cheung, here are the links (replace the "..." with the youtube link, 'kay?):

...watch?v=iMGIBJyTHD4 (the recorded version with high definition)
...watch?v=sjQtPPiek_c (the live version with the lyrics in Cantonese pronunciations and English translation, which I don't think is well-translated. It's up to you to choose whichever translation, though.)

If you still couldn't get it, you'll have to ask some Chinese for better translation or get help from dictionaries...

So, how do you think about it? Leaving some comments would be nice!

Hope to see you all again soon~~

Kuroi Kokoro 09