Disclaimer: Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo.

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The Kuchikis and the Kurosakis: two families of great wealth and influence. It's ironic that no matter how much money was at our disposal, no matter how much power was in our hands; we…I couldn't do anything. She's not here anymore.

It's been seventeen months since she was taken away from me. I haven't heard any news about her; no body found or even leads of the incident. For months and months we searched and waited for any information; just anything but there was none. After a year, the police had declared her officially dead. It was devastating, for her family, for my family.

But most of all, for me.

Right now, I live my life in an endless cycle. I really don't know what to do with myself. I was living, breathing but lifeless. Everything to me is now black and white.

"Onni-chan!" Yuzu greeted me, trying to liven me up. "Good morning." She smiled at me.

I sat across her at the dining table and faked a smile. "Good morning Yuzu."

I looked down at the food served to me. It looked mouthwatering and delectable. The smell can make a starving man go to heaven. All that, but still I did not find my appetite, like any usual day.

Karin had just entered the dining room. She quietly took her seat and glanced at me." You look dead." She told me before munching her food.

"Karin-chan!" I hear Yuzu reprimanding her twin. "Onii-chan, the chef made it a little salty, just how you like it." She tried to brighten up and looked at me expectantly.

I forced myself to take a bite, not wanting to disappoint my sister more. "Yeah. Tell the chef it's really delicious." I lied. I was not able to taste anything. "I'm leaving now."

I stood up and hastily left, not wanting Yuzu to stop me. Along the hallway towards the front door, I caught a glimpse of my reflection on the window. I stared at it.

"You've lost so much weight. Your sisters are worried sick about you." I didn't notice my father approaching. He was now standing beside me. "Rukia-chan will be sad if she saw you like this."

My head hung low. Hearing her name makes me feel so down. I miss her.

My dad patted my head. "We all do, son." I must have spoken the last statement aloud. "But we all have to move on. It would make her happy to see you lively and moving on."

I remembered the times I spent together with her. I chuckled. "She would have kicked me hard if she saw me like this." In times like this, I can have a serious conversation with my father. I'm really thankful of him. I heaved a sigh. "I'll get going now."

"Where to?" He let go of my head and looked out of the window.

I inhaled before answering.

"Byakuya."

He looked surprised for a moment but grinned widely nonetheless.

"Send my regards to him." He turned his back on me and waved as he made his way towards the dining room.

I saw our driver around the corner and called out to him. "Sasakibe-san! I'm going out." Both of us went out of the house and towards the car.

"Where to sir?" He asked as he fastened his seatbelt in the driver's seat.

I made myself comfortable at the backseat. Looking out the car window, I answered. "Kuchiki Manor."

The travel towards the Kuchiki Manor seemed to be long and endless though in truth it was only half an hour. After seventeen months, I have mustered the courage to come back in here. I looked around. It was still the same grandiose manor. I see people going back and forth doing errands. When I stepped out of the car, a servant cordially welcomed me and led me towards the garden pavilion.

"Master Byakuya will be down soon." She served me tea and went away.

I looked around and saw Cherry Blossom trees all around. They looked full of vitality and life. Rukia would have loved this. Everything I saw reminded me of Rukia, of her smile, of her laugh. I must be going crazy. I shook my head slightly at the notion.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya acknowledged my presence as he took the seat across mine. A servant served him a cup of tea and left the two of us alone. He took a sip of his tea, then silence prevailed.

I occasionally glanced at him. It seemed that he didn't mind me barging in here unannounced. He used to hate seeing me here by surprise.

"I…" I really didn't know what to say.

"You seem to have finished mopping upon yourself." Byakuya told me in his monotonous tone. "What brings you here?" He looked at me with his stoic expression, making his thoughts unreadable.

I was baffled inside. I gaped like a fish, opening and closing my mouth several times. In the end, I opted for silence.

"Rukia would not enjoy seeing you like that because of her."

My eyes widened as I looked at Byakuya gravely. How can he speak about her with such ease? I opened my mouth to say something but he beat me to it.

"Even if I dwell in the past, nothing will happen. You need to learn to let go and embrace what future has prepared for you." Byakuya sipped his tea and walked out of the pavilion towards a cherry blossom tree. "She is smiling brightly at us. You better pull yourself together, boy." With that said, he walked back inside the house.

I slapped a hand on my forehead and looked up the sky. "Am I really the only one who hasn't let go of you yet?"

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" I-chiigoooo!" Dad was going towards me, planning to jump on me. I evaded effectively. Face planted on the wall, he managed to give me thumbs up. "I have trained you well, my son!" He said proudly despite his circumstances, shame on him.

Karin and Yuzu were smiling at me. "You look neat, Ichi-nii. Going on a date?" It was Karin, grinning coyly at my direction.

It has been two days since I've visited Byakuya and I still dwell on what he said to me. "Shut up!" I scowled at them as I made my way outside where the car was waiting for me. "Let's stop by a flower shop first."

A few minutes of travel and we arrived at a flower shop owned by a good friend, Inoue Orihime. The door bell chimed as I entered.

"Welcome…" Inoue greeted though her back was turned on me. "How may I help—Kurosaki-kun!" Surprise was on her face when she saw me at last. She was flushed and flustered. "I'm so happy to see you. Do you need anything?" She smiled widely.

She's a really attractive woman and I would have gone for her as well. Too bad my heart was stolen already. I wandered my eyes for a moment. There were lots of assorted flowers to choose from.

"Are they for your sisters?" Inoue inquired. "I'm sure Yuzu will love those Carnations." She pointed at a bundle of the said flower. "Or some roses and daisies perhaps?" She was ecstatic at choosing for me.

"Actually, they're not for the twins." I told her.

Her smile faltered as she said. "Oh. I'm sorry." She must have guessed already for whom the flowers were intended. She hesitated to speak again.

I understand her. She must felt bad for me. I let my eyes wander at the flowers again when two flowers caught my attention. I read the tag with my eyes. "Please give me a dozen of those Lilacs and another of those Everlasting."

Inoue stared at me for a moment before getting my purchase. "Should I wrap them into a bouquet?" She asked me once she had returned into the counter.

"Yes please."

Inoue concentrated on wrapping them. "Everlasting stands for Immortal love. Is that what you want to say?" She asked me as she handed the flowers. I nodded in response. "And the Lilacs?" She probed.

I made a small smile before answering. "They somehow remind me of the colors of her eyes." I told her, longing evident in my voice. Then I left for my agenda today.

I arrived by the beach around mid-afternoon. There was no one in sight. Sasakibe-san stayed in the car as I stood by the sea, holding on the bouquet.

"You're so unfair, leaving me on my own!" I shouted as I threw the bouquet into the sea with full force. I did this every month, on this certain date. "You stupid midget! You're so…you're such a handful! Are you happy? I hope not! And what about me? I'm still suffering… I love you so much!" I ranted and almost ran out of breath.

I forcefully sat on the sand and took out my phone. "Until now, I call on you. When will we be connected again...neh, Rukia?" I asked the breeze that was blowing peacefully on my face as I dialed her number. This has been a ritual for me. I know, I already know how it would be answered by the operator but still I do it. This has been my last connection with her. I refuse to let go of it.

I turned my phone into loudspeak. It still says 'dialing'. I waited for the operator to answer and disconnect the call. When it started ringing on the other line, I almost lost grip of my phone. The call was answered when it said 'Connected.' I blinked several times and stared on my phone to make sure there really was a connection, that I wasn't loosing it yet.

No one was speaking on the other line. My heart started pounding hard. I swallowed several times before speaking. "Hello?" I asked in a hesitated tone.

"Connection established." A familiar voice on the other line spoke.

My eyes widened. "Rukia!" I shouted at my phone. My hands began to tremble. "It's you right, neh Rukia?!"

The chuckle she made on the other line was music to my ears. "You look pathetic right now, fool!"

I would have frowned but I'm really happy at the moment. I looked around and saw her a few meters away from me, holding her phone in her ears. She was smiling as she waved. "Ichigo!" She shouted my name.

"Rukia!"

I scrambled to stand up and ran towards her. I didn't know if it was a delusion or a dream or reality. I didn't care anymore as I was ready to throw anything. I immediately pulled her into an embrace the moment she was in front of me. I hugged her tightly, wanting to find out if she was real or a creation of my mind. If it were the latter, then it's official that I have lost my mind.

Any doubt that clouded me over reality was washed away when I felt a painful sensation on my shin. I let go of her and nursed on my throbbing body part.

"What the hell did you do that for midget?!" I yelled at her in reflex. I heard her snort. When realization dawned on me, I stared up at her in disbelief. Forgetting my hurt, I stood up immediately. Towering over her, I shook her shoulders. "Rukia! It's you. I'm…I'm not dreaming. I'm not insane!" I embraced her once more.

She chuckled. "It's been a while, Ichigo." She hugged me back.

We stayed like that for a long time until Rukia's phone began ringing. I let go of her and let her answer it. "Nii-sama…yes, I'm with Ichigo….talk to him?" She looked at me and handed the phone.

I took it without thinking. "Hello?"

"You must have looked pathetic in your reunion with my sister, Kurosaki Ichigo. That's why I told you to pull yourself together." He told me flatly, as if he was expecting this. Then without letting me answer, he dropped the call.

Several veins popped out of my forehead. This guy has been taunting me. I turned to Rukia. "How long has it been since your return?"

"A week?" She told me hesitantly.

I held on the phone tightly, wanting to crush it if I could. "Your brother is really…impossible." I controlled my temper and looked at Rukia.

"I missed you so much." She told me, sincerity etched in the totality of her profile. I wanted to sulk at her for not letting me know sooner but the face she was making, I couldn't resist giving in.

"What happened to you? How come you've never returned for so long?" My eyes softened at her. I was eager to know what had happened, for her to share with me those months we've been away from each other; those seventeen darkest months of my life.

Her lips curved as she thought. "I was lucky to survive that accident but I lost my memory and only recovered a while ago. During those days when I lost my memories, only two unfamiliar faces appeared on my mind every night, making me struggle to remember."

I looked at her with questioning eyes, urging her to continue. She gave me as smile that I had missed so much. "Nii-sama."

"And the other one?" I held her hands and squeezed them. It must be her sister.

She didn't answer immediately. She closed her eyes before speaking. "Even until now, that face still remains haunting me every night." She freed her hands from mine and cupped my face. Fluttering her eyes open, she looked at me intently. "This face, I had never forgotten even for a single second. I love you, Ichigo." She confessed.

I was really moved with what she said. "Rukia…" I placed my forehead on hers. "Promise me you'll never leave me again." I whispered, pleading at her. I sounded desperate and uncool at the moment but I don't mind showing those weakness to her.

She peaked on my lips and smiled. "Of course." Sticking out a pinky, she waited for me to do the same.

I entwined mine with hers. She then looked at me in the eyes with a promise of undying love. "Connection…"

I finished it for her. "…established."

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A/N: Last chapter will be up next... Hope you all will watch out for it :)

I would like to express my gratitude to 'hunterofcomed'y for the exemplary insights and advice.

Chill ICHIRUKI ^_^