(待け)

Kurosaki Ichigo desperately tried not to groan out too loud as he attempted to sit up. He was in excruciating pain, but that did not mean he has to show it.

He deserved to be in pain due to how he has gotten the injuries.

His eyes clenched tightly shut, he fisted the material beneath him with his rough hands. Even breathing was not as simple and automatic as it should.

His breath came out short and rugged.

He would just have to bear with the pain till she...

"Oi! What are you trying to do?! Kill yourself?!" A loud irritating, but concerned voice bellowed at him. "Again?!" The voice stated incredulously.

Then he was help in his sorry endeavour to sit up.

Very slowly, he opened his eyes. A bright red head greeted his tired eyes.

It was not the color of red he loves.

Nor were those the brown eyes he has hoped will be gazing at him with concern and... love.

Nevertheless, he uttered weakly, "Thanks Renji."

"Tch. Whatever for? Shouldn't you be laying down and resting your beaten butt? And you most definitely do not want your wounds to worsen." Abarai Renji tried to act casual about Ichigo's almost fatal injuries. He looked at the scowling face which was trying to disguise the pain he must be going through. The older man was not fooled though. What had happened anyway?

Ichigo looked around his surrounding. He was on his bed, in his room, which meant his old man must have patched him up. He guessed his dad must have done his best till she...

Renji could not stand it anymore. He has to know.

"What the hell happened to you? When Rukia and I arrived on the scene, you were laying motionlessly on the ground, bleeding half-to-death. Rukia was frightened out of her wits." Renji told him in all seriousness.

Ichigo touched his injuries gingerly. He could feel the dampness of the blood seeping through the bandages. "Don't exaggerate, Renji. It was not that bad." He tried to play down the injuries and the burning pain he was currently experiencing.

Where in the world was she?

"Not that bad?!" Renji repeated, unbelievably. He frowned at Ichigo. "Said the one with blood on his fingers." He handed him something to wipe away the bright red blood on his hand.

"Thanks." Ichigo said absent-mindedly and automatically began to clean his fingers of his own blood.

Renji cocked an eyebrow. "When have you gotten so polite? All this refinement must have made you soft. Look how a mere hollow did to your sorry arse. Must be the company you have been keeping. Her, maybe?"

"I guess. Speaking of her? Where is she anyway?" Ichigo asked in an unemotional way.

Shouldn't she be here already?

Was she still with him?

She must really, really love him.

How about... him?

He gave out a long sigh, unwillingly.

"What's wrong?" The tattooed shinigami asked, even though deep inside he already knew the answer.

"Nothing. How long was I out?"

"Round fifteen minutes, give or take a few minutes?"

"And she is not here yet? Does she even knows I am injured?" Ichigo has always thought she could sense him no matter where he was. Was not he, her everything? No wait, that was before... he came along.

Now she did not even know if he is dead or alive.

"Rukia has gone to inform her. I guess she must be busy." Renji answered with a shrug.

"With him, I supposed." Ichigo looked at his hand wiped clean and still she was not here yet.

How would she react to him losing so much blood?

Will she care?

Renji saw the gloomy expression on his face as Ichigo's eyes were staring at the blood-stained fabric. The eyes might be fixed on it but Renji will bet anything and everything that his mind sure was not focusing on the objection right in front of his eyes.

"Here, let me have it." Renji took the soiled piece of fabric from him and threw it into the dustbin. He looked at a disappointed Ichigo turning his attention elsewhere as he began to stare blankly out of his window.

The furrowed brows wrinkled deeply. He appeared to be contemplating about something or someone?

"Ichigo, are you jealous?" Renji asked pointedly. He did not have to elaborate as to what the injured orange-haired scowling one was jealous about.

They both knew.

Ichigo continued to keep his deep brown eyes' gaze at the window. He gave out another long, deep sigh.

"I know I shouldn't but... but I just can't help myself from having such childish, unwanted thoughts." Ichigo confessed, half-ashamed of himself for his irrational feelings.

"Was that why you have gotten yourself injured? You wanted her away from him so she will be here for you for even for a little while, without him?"

"Yes and no. I didn't deliberately get myself hurt just so I can be alone with her, but she was the cause of my injuries." Ichigo stopped halfway through his explanation and his eyes looked sadly out of the window.

He was not blaming her and... him.

But...

Renji stayed quiet and just waited for Ichigo to get what has been bothering him off his chest. He was just glad Ichigo was comfortable in sharing his woes with him.

That kid sure has changed.

Must be her.

"I was thinking about her and him when I was caught off guard by the hollow's last attempt at trying to cause me some 'damage'. it certainly did, didn't it?" He scoffed at his own recklessness.

"Have you talk to her about how you feel?" Renji asked.

"What's the use? She loves him and in his own funny way, he is starting to show he loves her too." Ichigo admitted grudgingly.

"And what about you? Don't you love her as well?"

"You know I do. I love her so very much and him too." Ichigo said truthfully.

"You love them both. They love each other. So, what's the problem?"

"There shouldn't be one, should it?" Ichigo asked hopefully of his older friend. He wanted reassurance that everything was fine and nothing was wrong.

"You tell me." Renji threw back the question at him.

There really should not be any problem.

Ichigo continued to look out of the window.

No words was spoken.

There was silence as the mind wandered helplessly back to her and him.

It was always about her and him.

But which 'him'?

Ichigo's sorrowful eyes went from the window to his bedroom door. Unblinking, he stared forlornly at it. He was hoping she was going to burst through at any minute, all energetic-liked and fussing over him before 'he' came along.

Are those days of caring truly gone, forever?

"Ichigo..."

"Love changes everything. Do you know that, Renji?" He cut in on his friend's concern for him. He forced himself to look away from the door.

It was not as if he could will it... her to happen.

He really was pathetic.

Love has indeed changed him.

And her too.

(降る)

To Be Concluded...

Or... Not.