Strawberry Psyche
Part IV: Frantic Phase
Renji and I race through Northern Rukongai, searching for the 32nd division. When we arrive, we lower our pace to a walk scouring the street for people with orange hair. Spirits hide in the corners and shadows, scared and curious to why Soul Reapers have arrived in their village. Everyone in this part of the Rukongai was from the Asian area of the world of the living, so all the people were adorned with hair of either black or brown: not orange. Renji continues to glance over at me worriedly. I force a small smile to convince him I'm ok, though I'm nowhere near it. Suddenly I spot an array of arrange, like a fire on the horizon. I glance over to Renji, giving him a genuine smile before impatiently racing ahead. As I reach him I realize he is dressed in a simple brown kimono that is amazingly drab in contrast to his honey-orange hair. I skip in front of him quickly and embrace him; his body goes rigid in shock. I look up at his face and my gaze meets the familiar scowl and knitted brows, but his eyes relay confusion.
"Oh, Ichigo," I sigh in relief hugging him even tighter," I missed you …and I L-love you!"He harshly pushes me away obviously freaked out. What did I say? He looks around the street at the many people now staring at us, and then he turns his gaze back to me.
"Do I know you?" he asks. The new sobs rupturing from my chest bring me to my knees. Renji rushes to my side. But I continue to cry relentlessly, "ICHIGO!"