A/n: This probably sounds like an excuse but I'm really, really sorry for the delay! I have been having a bad week, but I'd like not to rant,,, all of you have been so supportive with the reviews and favs and follows, a BIG THANK YOU TO ALL! :D oh and, Rukia makes a cameo in Ichigo's thoughts!

2!.)$.!%

Chapter 4 : Remind me next time to check the calendar for dates and the year

Ichigo stared at the band-aid wrapper, bewildered.

"Ichigo-?" Masaki trailed off, a silent question for him to continue.

"Uhm," Ichigo said unintelligibly. Words died on his lips as he wondered what the mysterious message meant. It was obvious that no one other than him could see it, because the red, gaudy letters were sure to have caught somebody's eye by now.

Believe it or not, Ichigo was pretty much used to such surprises by now, what with Urahara and his outlandish ways of informing him of anything. He would have to thank hat-and-clogs for that, but only if he wasn't behind this, in which case Ichigo was totally ready to kick his butt. Ichigo knew a warning when he saw it, and writing on bandage wrappers (among throwing colour bombs on unsuspecting people or throwing them out on roads) is something Urahara would definitely do.

"Uhm…" Ichigo said again, "Would you mind showing me a calendar, please?" He had to say something to dispel the air of discomfort in the room because of his very, very bright responses, and somehow, checking a calendar came first in the list when there has been a time-skip.

(Ichigo knew he read a lot of children's comics and manga, but it was all because of a certain midget who refused to grow up. Besides, it's not like his taste in reading was that varied anyway, but he knew that calendars were important in dire times. He almost stifled a laugh at the thought of Rukia, what if she was here with him? Wait, he absolutely, positively, most certainly wasn't thinking about her just now, was he?! It would be stupid to!)

Masaki nodded and brought one from inside. The year 1999 was clearly marked on top of the page, which was open for June.

Ichigo's eyes widened, so he really had slipped back, and that too sixteen years!

"Today is the ninth." Masaki said, smiling brightly.

Ninth June… Mom's birthday…

Ichigo's eyes softened as he thought back to the times they had enjoyed and he just about said it outright, but then remembered the note. Don't, it had warned. And how probable is it that a boy from the street you decided to help turns out to be your son and knows your birth date?

"Do you have any more bandages?" he asked instead, eyes lowered, for he didn't want her to see that he was on the brink of tears.

Masaki pushed the box towards him and Ichigo examined all of them, his hands moving fast. Each of them had writing on them, that was for sure. On some of them, it was horribly sketched, almost indecipherable, like a smudged mark; others were printed with phrases. All that was left was to connect them to make some sense…

A/n: I have no idea what timeline Bleach currently follows, but I will take 2015 as the starting point. Ichigo remains eternally fifteen. XP