Chapter One: Not The Reunion I Hoped For
Whenever you told me that you loved the way I smiled, it made me so happy then...and alittle scared. It was back then that when I heard your name, your call, I just smiled so incredibly. But now...
"Ishida-kun! Ishida-kuuuuunnn~!" A small, seven-year old me had screamed so happily, skipping my way towards Ishida-kun's way. Even from as far as I was from him at that point, I could've easily seen Ishida-kun's big and bright blue eyes looking my way. "...Hana-san?" He had said with such bewilderment; my God, he was too adorable when he acted so innocent at that time. And every time I even took a short glimpse at him, I would smile and just tackle him down into such a bone-cracking hug. Ishida-kun always told me how strong I was from that, but I never believed him. To this day, I still don't.
We've done practically everything there ever was together; just me and him. Him and I. The both of us. We were just inseparatable. I just loved him, in every possible way there was to love someone. And I knew that he must've loved me too; he must've. But, I never did live in Karakura-cho my entire life. It was thanks to my father's promotion that we had to leave our lovely home in Vancouver and move to Japan. I opposed of course, since I could never find it in my heart to leave all of my good friends, and that one person whom I had kept in my heart.
Who knew that I would find someone so much more better?
I met him at my first day of being in a Japanese school; he thought that I looked kind of lost and he helped me with, well, everything: where my classes were, what I needed for each class, and even where my locker was. I know what you're thinking: 'it was love at first sight!' Ha ha, no. No it was not. In actuality, my first impression of him was: he's a dork, but I guess he's okay. I probably wouldn't say this now, but back then, I didn't know a thing about stereotypes. It was just what I thought of him, at first. And ever since we met on that day, I never left his side, and vice versa.
Why did this have to happen?
That day; that dreadful day that I can never forget. I could still feel the hard droplets of rain falling over my face, and in my sticky hair. The hybrid starting up in a soft, rumming sound, but it still frightened me. And he was infront of me, as I was to him. 'I swear we'll meet again,' he'd promised; who would've known that he didn't mean it? And yet, not knowing what was about to come, I believed him. I believed everything he ever said to me. Ha, he even told me that he loved my name. He actually said that it should've been more like, 'Hanahime.' Was that a lie also? What was the truth, and a lie? Did he even mean it when he said that he'd loved me?
I believed the lies all began with just a simple, 'Hello.'
Uryu Ishida and I were never more, even when I came back, with just one last year of high school. I have never forgotten him, but I know that he has forgotten me. Once I walked into that classroom on that day, when the teacher introduced me, and when I looked over at my audience...I took a glimpse of him. He was there, in the second seat, from the second row to the left. But he never looked up; all he did was intently read a book that he held in his hand. He had changed so drastically from when I last saw him eleven years ago.
My God, he was drop-dead gorgeous! He was so tall now, I could tell, and he had broad shoulders, and those beautiful muscles that perfectly framed his body. Those beautiful, amazing night-blue eyes of his were more shifted this time, and it seemed that his hair had grown out, somehow: his coal black bangs now went down to just inches under his jawline. Ha, and it looks like he still did that index and middle finger thing: I saw him push his glasses back up with just his index and middle finger, just as he always did. And I knew that it was just the school uniform, everyone was wearing it: but with that white shirt and blue and yellow tie, Uryu Ishida-kun just looked too perfect; I believe that only he could make it look so undeniably sexy.
"Uryu..." I whispered softly under my breath; it was meant to just stay in my thoughts, but it spilled out of my mouth before I could stop it. Since Ishida-kun didn't look away from his book for a second, he probably did not hear me; I was saved, thankfully. But, being close to me, I heard the teacher say, "Oh? Do you know Ishida? Well, you can sit in the seat behind him; Soremachi sits there, but being a delinquent, he's never here, so it's alright. Go on." Shit, I hope he didn't hear that; the teacher didn't exactly say it in a whisper-like tone.
I dared to look over at Ishida-kun to find out, and-crap, I should not have looked. I found both of our eyes lock into each others; God, he still had those magical, beautiful blue eyes that I always loved. He also raised a thin eyebrow my way, probably wondering how I may know him. Boy, would he be happy to know who I really was...or not. Blocking out of my thoughts again, I took a tight hold of my satchel and slowly walked towards my seat behind Ishida-kun.
And when I made a complete pass behind him-my God, I had almost forgotten how incredibly intoxicatingly he smelled. Ishida-kun still had that wonderful aroma of peppermints and caramel. If I hadn't dropped myself in my seat right then, then I know that I probably would've fallen on the floor. As the teacher continued to teach the lesson, and every one of the students started to take notes, all I did was just stare at the back of Ishida-kun's head...just stared at it. I wanted to so badly to just tap his shoulder and just spill out everything about who I was, and how I knew him-but, I couldn't, in such a public place. Maybe if I could just get him in an isolated place...
Right when the bell rang, I had my plan made up: I would wait until all of the students left the classroom, and that is where I would tell him. But, my plan backfired quickly; I would have never guessed that Ishida-kun would be one of the first people leaving. I cursed under my breath from that, as I knew I probably would have to wait until after school to talk to him. Erasing away my thoughts, I packed up my things and headed for my next class-which I have no idea where it is.
I walked out of the slide-in door and-ha, what a stupid thought I just had! To think that I would have known that Ishida-kun would be right there, waiting for me, wanting to help me find my classes, my locker, and everything just like he did before. I should have known: this isn't middle school, and we're not little kids anymore. But, something deep inside of me told me that he just might turn around and come to me, automatically remembering-everything. He'll come around soon, I just know it.
"Hey, you lost? Need any help with finding anything?" And just like that, my heart thumped faster than ever. All I wanted to do now was just to turn around and give him a bone-crushing hug like I used to. But, I had gotten my hopes up too soon, I should have known. Once I did turn around to face him, my face instantly fell in disappointment to find someone else. All my life here in Karakura, the only person that I did know was Ishida-kun, and no one else. (Me and Orihime had talked from time to time, but I barely knew her.) But this guy before me was kind of strange: he had the most brightest of orange shade of hair I have ever seen that it actually hurt my eyes abit. That, and his uniform was way different than how Ishida-kun wore his. This guy wasn't even wearing the traditional blue and yellow tie, he had the collar out, and I could tell he was wearing a normal black tee underneath it.
"Um..." Was all I could ever think of saying; I saw him look at me with a hard face, a frown and furrowed eyebrows. That facial expression of his kind of frightened me so, that I uneasily said, "Well, I-I guess so.." With that sort of perma-frown of his, he plainly said, "Let's see your schedule, then." Ah, maybe that was why I was lost-I never even thought about looking at my yellow papered schedule that the receptionist gave me this morning. Remembering that, I scruffled through my shoulder bag, while I pulled out the folded paper infront of this kind stranger before me.
Whenever he was done scanning over the classes I have, he looked back down at me, "Okay, so you have Japanese IV next, which is what I have too; I'll walk you there." I had no choice but to agree with him, as we walked down a long hallway, and I started to think and to hope that Ishida-kun would be there. "So," The spikey-haired guy began, as we walked toward the class; I felt, somehow, kind of awkward talking to this guy, I don't know why. "I heard Miss Ochi say that you knew Ishida. How does that work? Are you close friends or something?"
Firstly, how do you know Ishida-kun? I wanted to ask him, but I decided to keep it shut tight in my thoughts. "Well, yeah, kind of. We've actually been friends since I was, like, seven." I don't know why, but the guy seemed kind of solemn now, "Wow. You two really are close. I bet Ishida's gonna be pretty happy to see you." ...If he remembers me, that is. I suddenly found myself thinking, and realizing that it may be true. It's been eleven years, after all; can't blame him if he doesn't, but once I tell him about everything we've done, I know he'll come around in no time. "Yeah. We're kind of like...exes, believe it or not. Saying that I've come to 'get him back' sounds kind of corny doesn't it?" I had to chuckle by that, because it did.
"Heh, yeah it d-What?" He stopped in his tracks then, as did I from that, while I looked at him in confusion: his brown eyes widened at me, as if I just told him I was really a serial killer or something. "So, you're telling me that Ishida actually had a girlfriend? ." Oh, great. He was one of them. One of them that always underestimated Ishida-kun; one of them that always talked down to him just for being different, which was what I thought as 'perfect.' I could already tell that I wasn't going to like this guy at all.
"Don't say that." I said plain and simple, but with a hard tone; I was hoping to give him a message to never speak of Ishida-kun in such a way. Something in my mind told me, message recieved from how he looked at me. Ignoring that, I continued, "You don't know Ishida-kun like I do. I know that you've never seen that sweet and gentle side that I've seen, so you can't make that accusation so quickly. So, just stop there." He seemed frozen, carved in stone, from my explanation, so I just simply left him where he was, and walked inside the classroom.
Sadly, Ishida-kun was not in this classroom with me.
And not quite soon as I hoped for, school was over with, as the last school bell echoed throughout the hallways. I was in the Art IV classroom, seated with some students who didn't bother to tell me their names. Of course, I knew Ishida-kun wouldn't be in this room either, but in the sewing room instead. I knew, very well, of Ishida-kun's wonderful, beautiful sewing ability, ever since he made me a small teddy bear for me on Valentine's day in seventh grade; he was just too cute for words, back then. Oh, how much I missed that big, cheeky smile of his...
But, I couldn't relish on fond memories now! I would have the time to do so with Ishida-kun, when I tell him of us. But now, it was the time I have been yearning for for almost eleven years now; it was finally my chance. Pacing myself, I packed up everything I left out and put it in my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and speedily made my way outside and find my beloved Ishida-kun. As I made it outside of the school, the sinking sun in the horizon was just over my head, and the sky was painted with pinks and yellows and oranges; too beautiful for words, actually. But, I couldn't let that daze me. I scanned my eyes over everything around, quickly, searching.
It didn't take me long to find him. I saw his long and tall silouette walking opposite of where I was, just a few yards ahead of me. I took not a second to dreamily gaze at him from behind, as I speedily ran my way to him. I hesitatingly called when I was near him, "I...Ishida-kun!" Infront of me, I saw him stop in his tracks, as I felt my heart also stop. He slowly turned his head around to look at me as that one bang flowed with the wind, behind him, so I could see his face perfectly. And those blue eyes looking at me-I could have tripped and fell like an idiot in an instant. But I didn't, thankfully, as I stopped infront of him, and hear him simply say, "You're the new girl, aren't you?"
"I am!" I said with a small grin, as I saw Ishida-kun just give me a blank look...but it wouldn't be like that for long, I hoped. "What do you want?" Ishida-kun asked me in the most coldest tone I've never heard him speak in; it actually made me shiver. Looking away from that scary gaze of his, I said as sharply as I could, "It's...It's me, Ishida-kun...I've...I've come back, Ishida-kun!"
When I looked back up at Ishida-kun, he still had that blank look on his face, "...Excuse me? I don't believe I know you at all."