Me: I'm back with another chapter! And... The three guys still hate me... T^T
Hanabusa: Why, of course! You shouldn't treat such a beautiful girl like that!
Andou: She's very precious to us, Hana!
Kashino: And she's my girlfriend! D:
Me: I KNOW! Jeez, she's only dead in the story!
Ichigo: Yeah, stop talking like I'm seriously gone, guys! I'm still here, you know!
Sweets Princes: Sorry...
Me: Anyway, on with the story! :D
Chapter 3: Undoing Is Impossible
Slowly, the rain fell from the sky, dripping on everything below. Drops of water slid down Kashino's hair and face, also soaking the fabric of his jacket. The blond's expression was sober and stone-like; his eyes were hollow and showed no life within them. He was silent and unable to speak.
"Kashino-kun?" Amano Shigeru glanced at the boy worriedly.
"I-I..." Kashino's pupils started to tremble uncontrollably. He stared at the tombstone gravely, face terribly pale. Ichigo... You're not dead... You just can't be!
"This must be too sudden. I'm sorry." The older man patted Kashino gently on the shoulder, trying to give him comfort.
"L-lie... This is all a mere lie..." Kashino whispered harshly, glaring menacingly at the grave. "She's not dead; this is all some stupid joke!"
"She's dead, Kashi-"
"No, she isn't! You're lying!"
"Ichigo's DEAD!" The father of the late pâtissière grabbed Kashino fiercely by the shoulders and shook him hard. "She's dead, okay? My daughter... Your girl... She's gone..." He fell to the ground and broke down in painful sobs.
Kashino bit his lip so forcefully, it started to bleed. She's not dead, she's not dead, he told himself. However, he knew she was, deep down inside his heart. And it's all my fault...
The chocolatier swallowed a lump that was growing in his throat and wailed, "I'm sorry."
The man took his hands off his face, looking up from his kneeling position. "F-for what?"
"For everything..." Kashino closed his eyes as a burden stabbed at his heart. "Everything I did."
~Flashback~
"You're so careless, wasting our money like that," Kashino shouted, throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Buying sweets is not wasting money," she retorted. "Who's the one who insisted we stay in such a magnificent house, huh?"
"You were the person who said that she was dreaming of owning a pâtisserie one day! And this house has a garden and an abundant kitchen," he hissed angrily. "I just wanted to make you happy-"
"Well, you're not, just look at you! You're yelling at me like it's all my fault!"
"It IS your fault!" His voice boomed, causing Ichigo to recoil in terror.
Shattered, she stared at the ground, fists clenched and shaking at her sides. "You... You're despicable."
"I'm fine with your image of me," Kashino whispered harshly, eyes turning into slits. Furious rage building up inside of him, he shot back, "I thought you were the one who saw good in everything?"
Ichigo gazed up at him, shocked, tears staining her eyes. "What?"
"You're supposed to be always cheerful and energetic, never putting conflict between you and another," Kashino stated coldly.
Silent tears slid down Ichigo's cheeks. "H-how dare you say such a thing... Don't expect me to be like that at all times!" She trembled with hurt and anger.
"What happened to the girl I fell in love with, the one who shared happiness with everyone?" Kashino scoffed. "I want her back."
"And what happened with the guy who was kind and caring on the inside, who acted so sweet to the ones he loved?" Ichigo sobbed.
Kashino pursed his lips, not looking at the brunette. "You know what? That high-pitched voice of yours is so annoying; stop talking."
Ichigo's mouth fell open in utter disbelief and fury. "Well, excuse me!"
"Actually, everything about you is annoying," Kashino spat. "You're a fat cake pig."
"You... You blunt sadist!" Ichigo shouted back.
"Pushy glutton!"
"Cold-hearted beast!"
"Conceited snob!" As soon as those words rolled off Kashino's tongue, Ichigo stared into his pupils with a pained expression.
Then, suddenly, she glared at the blond with hatred written on her face. "Heartless ogre."
That did it. Kashino couldn't take it anymore; the pain pierced him like a gleaming sword. "That's it. I'm sick and tired of you! I am leaving once and for all!" He raced out of the house, thoughts swirling. We're finished, Ichigo.
~End of Flashback~
The words he had said gnawed at his insides. I don't even remember how the fight started... Or why it had been so significant. He continued to stare aimlessly at the wet grass as his memories took over his brain. "What kind of cancer was it?" he asked quietly.
"Lung cancer," Amano Shigeru replied. "It came suddenly; she must have been exposed to secondhand smoke or something."
"The lungs, huh?" Kashino pondered over the fact. "Come to think of it..."
~Flashback~
"Ichigo! Come on, you slowpoke! This distance isn't too far for you to run!"
"M-Makoto... You're still such a meanie," Ichigo groaned as she breathed heavily. "I honestly can't go on!"
"Hurry!" Kashino scowled.
"I-I..." Suddenly, Ichigo collapsed. Horrified, Kashino frantically ran to the worn out brunette.
"Ichigo! Are you alright?" His pupils shook with worry.
The female opened her eyes and stared up at the blond, croaking, "M-my lungs... They burn..."
"They shouldn't. We haven't even run that much," Kashino remarked.
"Well, I have asthma." Ichigo slowly sat up on the rocky pavement.
"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Kashino's voice was filled with shock. "I shouldn't have pushed you, I'm so sorry..."
"It's okay. I want to keep running and get in shape. And it's fun to do it by your side," Ichigo smiled in response.
~End of Flashback~
"She was going to tell you about her condition sooner, but it seemed like you two weren't on good terms at the time..." The man ran a hand through his brown hair.
"Oh... I'm such a terrible person. I shouldn't have fought with her, or left her. If I'd listened to what she had intended to tell me, it could've changed everything..." Kashino felt huge pangs of regret within his being.
"No, it wouldn't have changed her dying," the older male told him. "The cancer was fatal, and you could've done nothing about it. Not even medical help."
"It's not that!" Kashino turned to face the other man. "It's the fact that I wasn't by her side to encourage her to fight the battle strongly. It's the fact that I never apologized and made up with her; I never got to say... g-goodbye. I could have changed those things if I hadn't been so selfish."
"Well, boy... It's too late now. We can't do anything about the past..."
"You're right. It's too late..." Kashino was enveloped by severe pain and sadness. "It's too late..."
The father stood up from the ground and patted Kashino's back. "You can still change the future, you know."
"I... I don't care about the future anymore. Ichigo - she WAS my future!"
The man paused slightly. "...I'll leave you alone now, so you can think everything through," the man said softly to Kashino before walking away towards the cemetery entrance. "Until next time."
Kashino said nothing as he faced the grave in silence. The rain was now pouring hard, and a harsh wind whipped through the trees surrounding him. However, the blond was unaffected by his surroundings.
He squatted down in front of the tombstone and ran a finger over the carved letters of Ichigo's name. His heartbeat was monotonous and his soul felt dead.
"Ichigo..." he whispered. Memories of making sweets with her flooded his brain. At school, Paris, and their condo; he recalled all the times and places.
"My Ichigo..." He remembered all the joyful moments they had shared together - all alone, just the two of them. Tears started to well up inside of him.
"My cute, little... strawberry..." After the bright, cheerful grin of Ichigo's flashed in Kashino's mind, he immediately fell to his knees. Ominous thunder boomed far away as a river of cold tears began to stream down the blond's face, not ceasing in its flow. He grasped the tombstone shakily, body heaving with ferocious sobs.
"Ichigo... Why did you have to die? I-I'm so sorry..." Kashino buried his face into his hands and wept nonstop. "I didn't deserve someone like you... I shouldn't have left you! But I can never change what I did!"
He gazed up at the dark clouds in the sky, glistening tears rolling down his cheeks. "K-Kami-sama... Why? Why did this have to happen?"
The thunder roared deafeningly in response.
Kashino: Hana... Why does it seem like I'm always the one to suffer in your stories?
Me: Hey, I made Ichigo accidentally send you that text! And you have no idea how amusing it is to torture you. Be prepared for my future fanfics! :3
Kashino: ...You infuriate me so much.
Ichigo: Kashino, at least she didn't make you die!
Me: RIGHT! Truthfully said, Ichigo!
Kashino: I have this horrible premonition, though...
Thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter! I'm grateful to you all! ^.^
1.) xXRoyal Mai and Miki HimeXx - PM
2.) Mikashimotaku - PM
3.) Princess Ageha - Sadly, as you can see, it really is true that Ichigo died. I hate to kill such a wonderful person, but my plot would be a bit strange if the character death was reversed. I love Ichigo, and I will most likely never write a story like this again... Unless my ideas get the better of me. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! :)
4.) Baka-bAkA Hui - PM
5.) teddybearcookies X3 - PM
Well, the next chapter is the last one! Yup, this isn't the end! I'll probably update faster than usual because of spring break. :)
Until we meet again~! Please review, too!