Natsume:
The cell phone that Matsumoto-san gave me earlier beeps, indicating that Inoue-chan texted me. I can't answer it; I am glued to the spot, staring at the beautiful man who reads in tranquility. His delicately slender fingers turn the page of his book, then rest on his upper thigh. Ishida-kun's outfit perfectly accentuates his slight build, his shirt decorated with a navy blue cross.
It is not until I yank my eyes away from the adolescent that I notice the tears spilling from my eyes. They don't stop, and I have no idea how to stop them from pouring. I sob into my palms, leaning my forehead against the shelf of shoujo manga.
He's…alive!...But how?! He most definitely died that day…How…How do I go talk to him like this? I'm an emotional wreck!
Suddenly, I feel a light tug at the hem of my white dress. Tears dripping, down my cheeks, I turn to see the two children looking up at me. They are twins, blond, of British descent. The girl has two curly pigtails trailing down her back, while her brother has short, spiky hair.
"Don't cry," the little girl comforts me, "it's okay."
"Yeah," the little boy plays with my frilly hem, "don't be sad…"
I smile at them, and my tears stop falling. I kneel down next to the twins, grasping the blond boy's hand which was playing with my dress.
"Thanks…I just haven't seen that boy over there for a really long time, and…I don't know if I can go talk to him. I don't even know if he remembers me." I let go of the boy's hands, dropping my gaze to the dark carpet.
"We'll take you! And it doesn't matter if he doesn't remember you! Uryuu-chan is a nice person!" the girl remarks, "I'm Ashley, by the way."
"And I'm Marcus…" the little boy tugs his own shirt.
I smile, "So you two know Ishida-kun, huh? I'm Natsume."
Ashley puts her hands on her tiny hips, puffing out her cheeks, "Of course we know him, Natsume-chan! He's always in here, reading one book or another. Now, are we gonna go talk to Uryuu-chan, or not?!"
Marcus takes my hand, and I stand up, "I guess so."
Ashley goes on ahead to Ishida-kun, her pigtails jumping up and down. Marcus pulls me behind, shyly, following his sister slowly.
"Uryuu-chan!" I can hear Ashley shout, "Look who we found!"
"Oh, Peterson-chan! What's that? You found someone?"
Definitely Ishida-kun.
"Yeah! Bring her out Marcus," Ashley grins at Ishida-kun, which I can now see because I have followed Marcus into the adolescent's view.
Again, I am staring at him, actually tearing up for the second time.
"I…uh…Ishi-" I blubber, unable to form a single word. I don't like this feeling, when I am speechless. It is just so unnatural for me to be this way.
Four small arms encircle my bare legs, and two faces bury themselves into my dress. I look down at Ashley and Marcus.
"It's okay, Natsume-chan, remember?" Ashley peers up at me, smiling since I have stopped crying again.
Marcus looks up, too, "See, you're not crying anymore. Say hi."
I look up and see a navy blue cross on a white background. Instantly, another pair of arms encircles me, his time from higher up. I am pulled into the muscular, warm chest of Ishida-kun. I smile into his shirt that smells of detergent, but am still very confused why he is hugging me. I mean, the kids got me to stop crying, so why?
"I've found you…" Ishida-kun breathes into my ear, "It's been two years, but…I haven't forgotten…"
I blush, "Really? I thought that you probably forgot me…Actually…I thought you died…"
The twins leave us alone, going back to reading their books. Ishida-kun pulls away from me, leading me to the couches. I perch on the edge of one. Ishida-kun sits next to me, pushing his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose, blushing.
"Sorry about the misunderstanding, Natsume…I didn't know that you thought I died," Ishida-kun states, awkwardly, realizing how much pain I had felt.
My hands tremble and my lip quivers, but I do not cry, "It's…all right…Thanks for the hug. I needed it."
Ishida-kun flushes, looking away "Ah, that's okay. No need to thank me!"
"But I must! You're just so nice, Ishida-kun…Nicer than anyone I've ever met…" I smile sweetly at the boy, placing a hand on his knee. He puts a hand on top of mine, rubbing my pale skin.
"Thank you, Natsume…Although, you remind me so much of a friend of mine…"
"Inoue-chan? I'm staying at her house with Matsumoto-san and Maki," I perk up.
"Oh, really? How many shinigami are here now?"
I count on my fingers, "Eight, counting me."
Ishida-kun sighs, taking his hand off of mine to place it over his eyes, "So many shinigami in Karakura…"
"Is there a problem with that? You'll be protected from any hollows," I question Ishida-kun, finally answering Inoue-chan's text. I say that I will meet that there after I catch up with Ishida-kun.
"Well…It's just that I, personally, don't really like you shinigami. My own grandfather was experimented on by one." Ishida-kun suddenly looks dark.
"Oh, I'm sorry…So, you don't like me either, huh?"
Ishida-kun waves his hands in an 'X', "No! I mean…Of course I like you! It's just…um…"
He sighs, at a loss for words.
"It's okay," I giggle at Ishida-kun. He smiles up at me, and starts laughing too.
It's moments like these that I want to stop time at. Remaining in my happiest memories, I will never have to see the bad sides of my decisions. If I had the choice, I would stop the clock just so that I could keep that beautiful smile on Ishida-kun's face.
Keigo:
"Shizuka ni Shizuka ni Maku wa kiri otoshi Kakusei no Yoake ni Aoi honoo ! (© SID "Ranbu no Melody")" I shriek into the mike.
I am singing karaoke with my sister, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. It's my turn and they are sitting on the couch watching me with disgusted faces. I press the pause button.
"You guys look constipated. What's wrong?" I whine.
They begin to laugh their butts off now.
"Wow! This is rich!" Yumichika states between howls of laughter.
"What's rich?" I ask miserably.
"Man, little bro! You can sing all right!" Mizuho jokes.
Ding~dong! The doorbell rings and I run to answer it. Anything but this embarrassment, please!
Mizuiro Kojima is loitering on my doorstep. He's listening to music, like usual.
"Karaoke, huh, Keigo?"
I've never been so happy to see the booger in my life!
"Mizuiro! They're making fun of me!" I whine.
I jump to Mizuiro for a needed comfort hug, but he weasels out of the way and I fall to the porch. Things aren't going my way today, are they? I didn't know that Ikkaku and Yumichika would pop in! And of course Mizuho wouldn't say no! She absolutely adores that sparkly-bald head of Ikkaku's!
Mizuiro sighs and helps me off of the floor, grasping my hand. "Why did you invite me over, anyway? You know that I can't sing," he states.
"I needed moral support, okay? You know, like, after a test!"
"But you fail at them anyway," Mizuiro finishes.
We walk back inside and find Mizuho singing to "Only My Railgun" by fripSide© and, I have to say, she is a much better singer than me. Ikkaku and Yumichika are clapping and rooting her.
"I see, so she gets the nice treatment. I get it…" I say sadly.
Mizuiro hands me his mp3 and he goes over to Mizuho. She stops singing, the music still blaring.
"Hey, Mizuiro. Want the mike?"
"Sure, thanks."
Mizuiro changes the song and says hi to Ikkaku and Yumichika. They're still lounging on the couch, not participating in the karaoke. I see that Mizuiro chooses "Yokan" by Heidi©. Mizuho comes past me and pats my head. We sit down next to Yumichika and he smiles at me. I frown back, annoyed, "You didn't even sing yet!" I yell, "Poor Mizuiro!"
"Oh, sorry. You see, I may be beautiful, but I don't sing," he says, the narcissist he is.
"What's that suppose-"
That's when Mizuiro starts singing. He's singing differently than usual, which is terrible (I have to admit). But now it's so clear and the syllables are so beautifully pronounced that I'm driven to tears. What did he do?
Then, the most amazing thing happens.
A blond babe with blue eyes appears at the still-open door, and she's not alone. But I remember her instantly.
She's the chick that kicked me in the face after I enjoyed taking in the view of her beautiful, flawless, flesh orbs.
"Hi Ikkaku, Yumichika, Asanos! We're bored!"