Chapter 2
Thoughts=Italics
Ikumi took the dog back to the owners the next day. She was on her way back still trying to contemplate everything that had happened the other night. She had been saved by her assistant Ichigo from a mugger. He had been stabbed, but it didn't faze him because of what seems like a lot of experience in that area. Not only that but she felt something toward the kid. Was it just because he had saved her? Or was it more? She had never thought of him that way before since he was just some high school employee but when his dad made that idiotic comment the other night it got her thinking. And it's the only thing she could think about for the last 2 days.
None of that matters though until she finds out who this kid really is. If he is into something bad she would want to help, but with Kaoru she can't get involved.
She was mulling this all over when she walked by the river and saw the familiar mop of orange hair. Ichigo? What was he doing here? He wanted off work and she thought it was to recover but if he is out why isn't he in his school uniform. Class just ended about 20 minutes went to walk up to him when she heard something she never thought she would hear from the teenager with the infinite scowl. Her hero. He was crying and it scared her. What made him cry? She was about to go up to him when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun around.
Standing behind her was a girl in a school uniform from the same school as Ichigo. She had short black hair and a tough look about her. She shook her head at Ikumi and tugged on her shoulder trying to quietly tell her to leave and walk away.
She is probably a friend of his and knows what's going on. This is the perfect opportunity to figure out what is up with him.
She followed the girl down the road to a café. They both ordered coffee and sat down at a table. "So, girl. Tell me who you are and why you stopped me." Ikumi was never one to beat around the bush.
The girl smiled a little. "Tatsuki Arisawa, and I am Ichigo's oldest friend. I have known him since he was 4." She said it with a smile like she was proud of that fact.
Ikumi was excited because the source of information she was looking for had come to her. This girl might know more about Ichigo than anyone. The weird thing is instead of feeling happy she felt more of a pang in her gut. Now, since Ikumi wasn't some helpless school girl who couldn't sort out her feelings she immediately jumped to the obvious conclusion. Am I…. am I jealous?
"So why did you stop me from talking to Ichigo, Tatsuki?"
"Because today is a bad day for him and he should be left alone."
"Why is that?" Ikumi was getting a lot more interested in this conversation.
"Look I know you are Ichigo's boss since I have seen you around so probably should know about this, but you can't tell him I was the one who told you."
Ikumi could tell this was no laughing matter and based off the mood Ichigo was in it must be something serious. She didn't say anything and gave the high schooler a look that said go on.
"Ichigo and I met when we were four. We were in the same karate class together. That brat was such a weakling." Tatsuki gave a quick smile and took a sip of her coffee. "He would come into class and face me and I would beat him until he was crying."
"That's great!" Ikumi was laughing so hard imagining Ichigo getting beat up and crying. "He was a little crybaby. Poor Ichigo getting picked on by girls."
"Hey! I am the second strongest girl in the country so it's not like it was just any girl." She paused until they were both done laughing about that. "Anyway Ichigo would cry and then at the end of class everyday his mom would show up. He would instantly stopped crying and have the dopiest grin on his face and go running to her. He was such a momma's boy."
This is when it hit Ikumi. This story wasn't about Ichigo. It was about how he was around his mom. She remembered when she was over at the clinic she only ever saw his dad and something in the pit of her stomach hit her. She knew where this story was going and she was dreading hearing the end of it.
"One day when he was nine it was raining out and she came to pick him up. On their way home Ichigo thought he saw someone down by the river."
Shit. The river he was sitting and crying at before.
"She ran after him to try and stop him but then something attacked him. No one knows what or who. All Ichigo remembers from is that when he woke up his mother's corpse was on top of him. From the reports it sounds like she protected him against whatever it was and saved his life." (Of course Tatsuki knows at this point it was a hollow but in the police reports it is assumed to be a mugger or attacker.)
"That was on June 17th 8 years ago. Every year on that day he skips school and their family visits her grave and then Ichigo just sits by the river. He still blames himself, that idiot."
Ikumi was just taking it all in. The horror this boy had to grow up through. Seeing his mother killed and blaming yourself. She knew why. She wasn't an idiot. He thinks it's his fault since he ran off.
Ikumi finally got the nerve to talk after the story. "What about all his scars? Did he get those from that night?"
"Scars? No he was relatively unhurt after that. He got those scars later, but that night his mom died is the reason why he has them. Everyone thinks Ichigo is some delinquent or a knight in shining armor. But it's neither. He is a guy haunted by the past and has sworn to never let anyone else die if he can help it. He gets in fights all the time, but it's always to protect someone. He doesn't care about himself anymore, only others."
That night came back to Ikumi. The boy had turned around and gave her look of relief that she was ok, but he wasn't at all worried about the fact that he had been stabbed. Every other one of those wounds was someone else he had saved. She was nobody special. Just another scar on his body.
"Thanks for conversation. I had been wondering about him. He seemed a bit different than the other kids."
Tatsuki almost laughed at this. "Do you like Ichigo?"
Ikumi was shocked. Her mouth went agape at such a question coming from a high schooler. "Wha…What are you talking about he is in high school. I am 10 years older than him and a mother at that!"
Tatsuki again looked up at the woman across from her and smiled. Being around Orihime so much she knew the signs of an Ichigo crush. That idiot goes around and saves all these women and doesn't realize the affect he has on them. "It's interesting that in that whole response you didn't deny it. You only came up with stupid excuses to not be with him." She paused for affect. "Ichigo stopped being a kid when he was 9. When his mom died he grew up quickly and raised his two younger sisters by himself." She scoffed a little. "I mean, have you met his dad?" She took another drink of coffee and looked out the window to the street. "Ichigo is more mature and grown up than almost any adult you will meet. And he is great with kids. If the only thing stopping you is age then you are an idiot. Plus the only time I see Ichigo smile anymore is when he is getting chased by you."
Tatsuki got up and walked out of the café leaving the stunned shop owner sitting there still staring at the place where the girl had been.
Ikumi sat there and mulled over her juniors words. It's true that age was a dumb excuse. Ichigo did act older and more mature than most people. Was she really this obvious?
I am not some love sick school girl. How can everyone else already see this when I didn't?
She got up and walked back to the river. On her way over she thought about what he must have gone through. She thought back to when she got attacked. If she had died what would Kaoru do? She had only been 18 when she was pregnant with Kaoru and the father ran away scared. She had to raise the boy on her own. She was everything to him and if Ichigo hadnt saved her Kaoru would have ended up just like Ichigo. A permanent scowl on his face.
She got back to the river where Ichigo was. The girl that knew him his whole life knew to leave him alone. His friends and family knew to leave him alone. This is what he does every year. He sits and wallows in his pain and guilt all alone. And his friends and family are all idiots.
She walked up behind Ichigo and did the first thing that came to her mind. She grabbed Ichigo and turned him around and put her arms around him. She heard a gasp of surprise.
"Ikumi-san?" He tried to push free but she just held him closer.
"Shut up and just accept it kid." He stopped struggling and leaned into the embrace.
Ichigo sobbed into her shoulder for more than two hours by the side of the river. He escaped from her embrace and looked up at her. "Sorry about that. I think I ruined your shirt."
She looked at him with a smile.
Smack!
Ichigo looked up in shock at the woman who had embraced and comforted him for two hours only to turn around and slap him across the face. "What the hell was that for!?"
"For being an idiot!" Ichigo was taken aback. He was used to the angry Ikumi but this was on a different level. "You think I wouldn't do the same thing? I would have protect Kaoru without second thought! I know it sucks but she would be proud. You should tell her about how you saved and protected me. I am sure she would much rather hear about that than see you sitting and crying. So suck it up and keep going." He was staring at her with wide eyes. She was on the verge of tears too. Before anything could get any weirder between them she turned around and left. "I expect you to be at work tomorrow. And you better not be late." She went home leaving a speechless high schooler by the river.
After a minute Ichigo came to his senses and a small smile crept up on his face. "Your right. She would have liked you." There was no one around to hear him as he walked home with a one of the first real smile he has had since losing his powers.
He got to his house and walked up the stairs to his bedroom. The orange haired teenager didn't even notice his family sitting in the living room completely silent.
"Was Onii-chan smiling?" The blonde haired girl looked up at her dad with hope.
"Yes Yuzu. I think he was."
AN: I do really like this pairing. I never liked pairing Ichigo up with Orihime. I always thought that after everything Ichigo went through he needed someone more mature and understanding. Ichigo went through a war and lost his mother. He may still be young in age but I dont think he could ever have been paired with a high schooler living normal lives. It would have to be a soul reaper or Ikumi. I think she works because of the fact she has a son and has gone through hardships herself.
Well I just figured I should share my thoughts on why I like this pairing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and patiently wait for the next one! Thank you for your support R&R
