Author's Note: Well looky what we got here, girls and boys, an update. I wasn't actually planning on updating this soon, but here we are. Now I can't say for sure when this story will be updated. A couple of days, weeks, months? I honestly don't know at the moment, but I guess this is now a multi-chapter fic...Sweet lord save me now...Well, anyway, read, review, or stalk creepily from afar. Read and review if you wish!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach~
Chapter 2
Yuzu woke up that morning feeling the same exhaustion she had been feeling for the past few days. Everything had begun to slow down ever since her diagnoses, or rather lack of diagnoses had been made known.
Despite her new condition she knew she needed to continue with her daily chores. She needed to keep as much normalcy in their household while she still could. There were moments when she would have to think for a while before finally remembering what she was doing, or what ingredients she needed to add to her dish. Sometimes that ended with something being slightly burned, but her family never complained.
She heard the door open and looked over to see her brother walking in. They locked eyes and he looked away slightly, before walking into the kitchen and ruffling her hair like he usually did. His hand lingered there for a moment, and she looked up at him through her bangs.
"Onii-chan?" she said, a bit confused. His hand dropped and she reached out to clasp his hand with her smaller one. He froze instantly, but didn't pull away. What a wonderful time to forget what she was going to say! Ah, she shouldn't be freaking out so much, he didn't look grumpy, so that meant that his day at school probably went off well. She missed going to school herself…Shaking her head she suddenly remembered what she was going to ask him. "Um…would you mind helping me out? You don't have to, especially if you're busy, but I could really use the help."
"Uh, sure," he said, and she released his hand.
"Thank you! Could you chop up the vegetables, please?" she requested, as she turned to grab the knife she had been planning to use for the process. Handing it to him carefully she set to work on making a broth. Some stock with salt and pepper to start off. She checked off the ingredients mentally, glad that she was still able to, and put them into the broth which had been brought to a boil.
Turning to look she beamed as she saw her brother's finished work. It wasn't half bad at all, and to think he often talked negatively about his cooking abilities.
"Thank you!"
Picking up the chopped vegetables she used the knife to scrap the veggies into the boiling pot. Once that was finished she placed the lid on top. Now it was just a waiting game.
Washing her hands and drying them she decided to try and strike up a conversation. It had felt like ages since she had been able to talk with him. He certainly had a lot of "after school activities" and was hardly home these days.
"How was school?" she asked, making sure that everything that was no longer being used was put back in its proper place.
"Fine…" she looked up at him and gave him her best knowing look.
"Ah, is onii-chan having girl troubles?" she asked, and smiled impishly as he sputtered. She was her father's daughter. Her sister and brother probably inwardly groaned every time she exhibited some of their father's goofy traits.
"That's not…" he trailed off, face on fire. "There isn't really…"
She nodded sympathetically.
"No need to explain anything to me, onii-chan." Her question was mostly to get that sad look off his face, and since that had worked she wasn't about to prod him any more on the subject. Her siblings were a lot alike, they would speak on subjects when they were ready and not before.
After her brother calmed down from his embarrassment a steady silence passed between them before Ichigo spoke.
"How are you feeling?"
She paused in her stirring of their dinner to look at him. Tell the truth and worry her brother, or lie and feel like a terrible person for the rest of her life…?
"I'm alright, onii-chan," she said, forcing as much cheer as she could. She added so she wouldn't feel so guilty for lying. "About as good as you could expect, I guess?"
Another pregnant pause.
"We'll figure out what's going on," she blinked as he spoke up. She looked at him and smiled gently. Both of her siblings often liked to shoulder things by themselves, so hearing him say "we" was a nice change. She believed with her whole heart that so long as they worked together the Kurosaki family could overcome anything. Even if that sounded so very childish to her own ears. "And we'll fix it, okay?"
"Of course!" she said, and she knew that her brother meant what he said. They would show this memory loss bug not to mess with the Kurosaki family for sure!
Suddenly a sensation not unlike an ice pick being smashed through a watermelon lanced through the back of her head. She choked on air in shock and felt her legs buckle beneath her.
"Yuzu!" Was that the floor? She was on the floor…That wasn't good. She needed to get up and remove the pot from the stove before dinner burned or caused a fire.
Someone turned her over. Who…who were they?
Fear clenched her heart. She didn't know who this person was! Orange hair…brown eyes. She should…She should know them. That feeling had her heart pounding. She should know them, but she could not place a name to the face. Why?
She needed to calm down and think. Taking in a shuttering breath she tried to compose herself. Closing her eyes, she began to think as hard as she could despite the dull pain in her head growing slightly worse at the effort.
Ichi…Ichigo? Yes, Ichigo, her…her brother.
"Onii-chan…?" she questioned, voice warbling near the end.
"Yuzu, can you hear me?" he sounded worried. She should say something to put his fears to rest, but her head was pounding. That was a symptom and she needed to let him know what was going on. Their father could use that information.
"Head hurts…" she managed between clenched teeth as another sharp pain stabbed through her head. The pain was growing steadily worse, and that did not sit well.
Her vision was beginning to grow fuzzy around the edges. She needed to stay awake, and that was becoming increasingly difficult. She felt that if she passed out then she would lose even more of her memory and that was truly frightening.
My name is Kurosaki Yuzu, my brother's name is Ichigo, my twin sister's name is Karin, and Isshin is our father…My name is Kurosaki Yuzu, my brother's name is Ichigo, my twin sister's name is Karin, and Isshin is our father…
Tears bubbled up but she forced down her hysterics by taking in another shuddering breath. The girl tried to continue her mantra once more.
My name is Kurosaki Yuzu…my brother's name is Ichigo…my twin sister's name is…Karin? Our father…?
My name…
What…what is my name?
To be continued...
