Disclaimer: Not mine. Ever.

Chapter 2: To Somewhere New

Seven months later...

Ichigo played the piano flawlessly, playing 'The Heart Asks Pleasure First' by Nightwish along with her other music club teammates. Her ears drowned in all the melody combined at once to make a peaceful but powerful song.

Even though all of her body was focused on finishing the song, her mind was focused on something else. Someone else.

The man who saved her, she never forgot him. She may not have gotten his name, but she never once forgot what he looked like. And while thinking about the day, she sadly thought if they were ever going to meet again.

"Seriously, Ichigo. Just give up on that guy. I mean, it's a great thing that he saved you, but you can't always wait for him forever." Renji said, brushing his recently cut hair back. "I'm just saying, since you would always act lost in space whenever you would think about the guy. It's not creepy or anything, but you get what I mean."

Ichigo looked at him, her eyes trailing the tattoos on his arms that were actually birthmarks even if it seemed unbelievable, and she wasn't mad.

Waiting for seven months for one man whose name she didn't even know sounded ridiculous, but her heart wouldn't be able to rest if she won't see him for a second time.

"I know, Renji. But I can't help it. I need to see him again, no matter how much I sound like a silly lovestruck girl."

Renji scoffed, chuckling a little as he downed half a bottle of Sprite. "Heh, honestly, you are a silly lovestruck girl. No offense."

"None taken." Ichigo sighed and the bell rang, and they went back to their classroom with Renji rolling back down the sleeves of his jacket to hide his 'birthmarks'.

"Class trip?"

"Where?"

"When?"

Questions and questions came out the class' mouths, until the teacher raised out a hand.

"We'll leave by next Friday and we'll be staying in New York two to three weeks. I suggest you better use your English lessons to use now. And the departure of the plane is at 10:00, so I'm sure none of you would be late. If you have a reason not to go next week, please state them now."

No one did. Everyone had a free schedule. And Ichigo seemed thrilled too. She hadn't gone outside Japan, ever and being in a different country would be nice. She sighed with content as class resumed after the announcement.

And all the while, images of the man would appear in her mind often, distracting her from her lessons.

"How is she?"

"She's getting better, but she hasn't shown any signs of gaining consciousness yet. I'll contact you again should she wake up. Then you can finally speak to her."

"I see, that's a relief. Okay, until next time then."

He hang up after, looking at the window and at the sky covered with white clouds. He wished rather that it was cloudy so that there won't be any of the sun, but not to the point that it would rain. He always felt uncomfortable with the rain. it would always disturb him with the noise it would make, as well as making everything hazy and difficult to see.

That exactly was why that young girl almost got killed, that girl from seven months ago. She was extremely pure and flawless, like a porcelain doll that's polished and taken care of everyday.

A week later...

Ichigo packed all her clothes and everything else that she needed, and started to bring all her luggage downstairs.

Karin and Yuzu helped her with strolling all her bags to the first floor and their Ford Ranger was ready and revving, with her dad already at the front seat. Ichigo gave her sisters a tight hug before leaving the door which she would go in again in two or three weeks.

Propping herself at the front seat she belted herself and listened to the folk music on the radio, all the while reading an English manual while they headed for the airport where the other students would be going to.

"Hello... My name is... Nice to meet you..."

Reading each and every basic foreign-language sentence on every page, she sounded funny but the words were not unintelligible. And she stopped at the fifteenth page when she saw a large building where airplanes are landing and departing.

Finding something new to replace the vase of the now-withered flowers, he remembered that lilies were her favorite and picked up a bouquet of them.

He bought them with ease and went to his car, placing the lilies on the other front seat before starting the engine and heading for something he'd occasionally visit for a while now.

"At least, she's getting better. I can talk to her again."

"Okay, so New York is also called the Big Apple. God, and it's way larger than Karakura Town. This will be difficult, since I'm not an outdoor girl myself."

Ichigo constantly studied about their venue as they rode on the plane, and eventually she felt like she got deaf that she forced herself to yawn.

"Ichigo, cut that out. Yes, we'll be touring around the place but it's not like we'll go investigate the place or something."

The orange head frowned, closing the book that belonged to her dad and looked out the window, away from Renji's sight. "Whatever. I want to know more about New York so what's it to you?"

"Just acting concerned, that's all." he shrugged, sighing and resting his back.

"I appreciate it. God, when will we land? It's been hours." she sighed in an exasperated manner. No one answered her, and they all took a rest as evening set in.

Ignoring the radio voice of 'Welcome' as they finally reached the airport, Ichigo dragged her two bags with her and stayed in the line.

Other people were there too, and they were speaking in a language which she could understand only a little. They all had bright red, or light brown or blonde hair. But comparing her hair color to theirs, she had to be honest, hers stood out more.

She moved her head right and left around the massive place, and when she looked at her right again she gasped, letting go of the handles of her bags and her eyes widened with complete awe.

He was there. He was there, talking to somebody who she couldn't see because his back was facing her.

But she would never forget that face. He still looked as handsome as ever, and her heart raced nonstop, that blood rushed to her ears and clouded her sense of clarity over everything.

After seven months of wanting to see him again, she got what she wished for with all her heart.