Title: Starless Nights in Karakura Town
Characters: Nana Komatsu & Ichigo Kurosaki
Disclaimer: All rights to Nana and Bleach belong to Ai Yazawa and Tite Kubo, unfortunately, not me.
Hmm, I wonder who that could be...
Nana wondered as she heard thumping outside her room. "Ichigo...?" she called out,
The door peered open to reveal a tall boy in the shadows, carrying two cups of hot tea. "Haha, yeah, I couldn't sleep and I figured you'd still be up" he smiled.
"You know me so well, don't you?" she replied as she gestured for him to come sit with her on her bed.
Ichigo handed her a cup of tea as he went to sit down at the far side of the bed. "Say, Nana..." he said hesitantly.
"Who was that you were talking to...?" he said, sounding concerned.
"Oh, that was my daughter, Sachiko!" she chuckled, "she's two years old now. I left her with a friend back in Tokyo, she'll be fine"
Ichigo's heart felt at ease, he knew she was telling the truth. Besides, Nana was a very honest person but he still felt weird that Nana had a child. It seems as if he's still nine and she's thirteen when they're together, but no, Nana has a life, a family for that matter and Ichigo has college to worry about.
"Haha, forgot you had a kid" he said, trying to suppress his thoughts.
"So, why'd you come visit me?" Nana asked.
"I guess I got too excited to talk to you one on one" he chuckled.
"Aww, how sweet of you!" she smiled.
They talked for hours, not realizing how much time had passed them by. They talked about life, how school had been going, about love and fate.
"Crap, the sun's coming up," Ichigo exclaimed.
"Oh goodness, I forgot, it's Thursday today! Don't you have school?!" Nana said, panicking.
"Shit, I was so caught up talking to you that I forgot, ha"
"It's alright, now, you go get ready for school, Ichigo" she smiled.
Nana went downstairs to find a note from Isshin on the countertop.
Nana-chaaan ~^o^
I hope my son didn't keep you up too long!
I know how important beauty sleep is for yooou~
Here's some emergency money, just in case.
I'll call you every now and then,
tell the girls I love them! Ichigo too.
Thanks Nana!
Love, Uncle Isshin
Wow, what a generous amount, Nana thought as she was preparing breakfast for the kids. I've missed doing this so much, she remembered the days when she didn't have a maid to cook for her and do everything else in the house, she liked cooking for Nana, Takumi and the rest and standing by the countertop, cutting up vegetables and slaving over the stove, was very nostalgic for her.
"Oh, Nana, you've beat me to breakfast" Yuzu said as she descended from the stairs in her pajamas.
"I hope you don't mind, Yuzu" Nana smiled, "now, why don't you go ahead and get ready for school? I'll have breakfast ready in a bit"
"Hai, Nana-chan" Yuzu said, going back up the stairs, "and thank you"
Nana smiled in response.
Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu crowded around the table in awe of their breakfast, "Wow, Nana. This looks great, especially for breakfast on a school day" Karin said, wide-eyed.
"Haha, it's nothing" Nana chuckled.
"By the way, Ichigo, did you hear about that big rock band performing here?" Karin asked. Nana's face immediately lit up, could it be Trapnest.
"Yeah, Keigo wants to drag me down to it with the rest but it's a waste of money" he replied plainly.
"I thought Miuzuro got the tickets for everyone?" Yuzu asked.
"Yeah but, you know, concerts aren't really my thing" Ichigo said coldly.
"Oh, well, Toshiro asked me if I wanted to go, since Rangiku got tickets" she said.
"You know, Karin, I don't like you hanging about that Toshiro kid" Ichigo exclaimed, "he doesn't give off the right vibes"
"Haha, he just looks angry all the time!" she giggled, "and it's probably because Rangiku-san is always messing around with him"
"Well, she does have the right to, I mean, she is his legal guardian" Yuzu said as she glanced over to Nana, noticing that she looked very worried.
"Hey, Nana. You alright?" Yuzu asked, "you haven't eaten"
Nana was awaken from her daydream, "No no, it's nothing. I'm not hungry" she smiled.
"Wow, you are so much LIKE her" Karin said.
"Like who?" Nana asked.
"Orihime!" the twins exclaimed as Ichigo's face flushed to the brightest shade of pink.
"I'M GOING TO SCHOOL NOW!" Ichigo yelled as he got out of his seat and flung his bag over his shoulder, hurrying to the door.
"Okay, have fun, Ichigo!" Nana said.
"We'll be off too, Nana-chan!" the twins said, hugging their beloved cousin then heading for the door.
Nana smiled as she watched her now grown up cousins walk away, but the thought of the concert Karin and Ichigo were talking about was still lingering in her mind. She looked around the house and saw it as a big chore, let's get to work now, she decided that it would be best to clean her worries away but all the scrubbing, polishing, washing, drying, and dusting couldn't get the lingering thought of a big rock band coming to a small town like Karakura off her mind.
The clock struck three and Nana decided that she would go to pick up Karin and Yuzu from school, on her way there, she was thinking of taking them to a small cafe to get some tea or maybe to the mall to take them shopping. Maybe shopping would get her mind off her worries.
By the time Nana got to Mashiba Middle School, it was already dismissal. She went to the school doors, anticipating her cousins. After a good three minutes of waiting, Yuzu came out.
"Nana! What a surprise" she smiled
"Yeah, I came here to pick you two up!" Nana said excitedly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Nana..." Yuzu said softly as she saw Nana's face flush pale, "but I have volunteer work at the soup kitchen until 4:30 and Karin is going to be at the dojo..."
"Oh, it's alright," Nana said with a strangled smile, "I figured if you two were busy, I'd just go off to the market to do some shopping"
"Great then! I'll be off now, see you at dinner!" Yuzu said as she hurried towards the community center.
Nana walked down the block, looking for something to do or somewhere to go, not minding where she was going. I wonder where the market is, hmmm, she wondered then suddenly, at the corner of the side walk, she bumped into a high school girl with long, auburn hair.
"I'm so sorry, Miss!" the girl said, "I can be such a klutz sometimes" the girl stood up and offered a hand to Nana.
Nana noticed that this girl was beautiful, she looked like she went to the same school as Ichigo.
"Is everything alright, Miss?" she asked as she caught Nana staring at her face.
"Oh yes! Everything's good" Nana smiled, "by the way, which way to the market?"
"Oh, it's that way" the girl said, pointing towards the direction she was headed for, "I was actually on the way there now, we could go together, if you don't mind" Nana nodded in response.
"What's your name, by the way?" Nana asked.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Orihime Inoue" she said, "and you are...?"
"Nana Komatsu," Nana smiled as Orihime's face lit up, she knew who she was.
"I read about you in a magazine once!" Orihime said excitedly, "You're, um, Takumi Ichinose's wife, aren't you?!"
"That's right, haha" she smiled, this girl, her name is so familiar but I just can't pinpoint where I've heard it...
"I can't believe I'm off to the market with a celebrity, wow!" Orihime said
"Say, Orhime..." Nana said hesitantly, "do you know about a concert...? Next Friday?"
"Yeah! One of my friends from school got tickets for all of us," she smiled, "can you believe him? He got us VIP seats!"
"What concert is it?" she asked.
"That, well, I'm not actually sure" Orihime smiled, "But I'm just happy going. Are you going, Ms. Komatsu?"
"Haha, no. But my cousin who I'm staying with is probably going" she said, "and you can call me, Nana"
"Alright, Nana" Orihime smiled.
They got to the market and Nana was so overwhelmed, she hasn't done grocery shopping in a long time. She was sure that she bought almost one of everything because she wasn't sure what to make for dinner.
"That will be 14800 Yen"
"Here" Nana smiled, "Hey, Orihime, I'll pay for that!" she said, noticing Orihime only got red bean paste and two loaves of sweet bread.
"Thank you, Nana" Orihime said, "You're so kind!"
"Aw, it's nothing" Nana replied, "by the way, do you want to join us for dinner? I tend to make a lot of food and I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot of left overs"
"Are you sure?" Orihime said, "I don't want to be too much of a burden to you"
"I'm sure, as long as your parents don't mind" Nana smiled.
"It's okay, I haven't seen my parents since I was two" Orihime said, smilingly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Nana said, she immediately regretted what she said, "don't you have any other family?"
"Well, my brother took care of me but he died a couple years back" Nana felt like her heart drop, she was so sensitive to these kinds of things, even though she had never experienced this. She didn't want to bring it up again.
"Oh no, Nana!" Orihime exclaimed, "Don't feel bad about it"
Nana smiled back at Orihime, "Let's hurry back home now, Orihime"
Chez Kurosaki
Nana is... Ichigo's cousin?! Orihime thought to herself, Wow, I can't believe I'm back at Ichigo's house...
"You can put the groceries down over here, Orihime!" Nana said as Orihime was still in awe at the doorway.
"Nana, where were you? It's already 6pm, don't tell me-" Ichigo was startled at the sight of Orihime. Ichigo then hurried over to the kitchen where Nana was. "Why is she here?" he tried to whisper the best he could.
"I invited her for dinner" she smiled, "why, is there a problem?"
"No, it's nothing." Ichigo said, trying to suppress his feelings.
"Alright! Well, be nice to our guest now" she smiled.
Ichigo went over to the living room where Karin and Yuzu were watching TV.
"Your girlfriend's finally over for dinner" Karin teased.
"Shut up, Karin." Ichigo replied, "We'll invite Toshiro next time"
Karin then gave Ichigo a well deserved slap at the back of the head.
Back in the kitchen, Nana was cooking chicken while she let Orihime chop up vegetables.
Calm down, Orihime, this isn't your first time around Ichigo, Orihime thought to herself, trying to calm her nerves.
DIING-DONGDIING-DONGDIING-DONG
"Get the door, Ichi-nii!" Karin said.
DIING-DONGDIING-DONGDIING-DONGDIING-DONGDIING-DONG DIING-DONG
"Gosh, some people..." Ichigo said, "calm down, will ya?!" he said as he approached the door.
He opened the door and...
Is Nana Komatsu here...?
WHO COULD THAT BE AT THE DOOR?!
Find out next week.
Sorry, there was an IchiHime moment for the fans, haha.
But she'll only be significant in this chapter.
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