Authors Note:
Final chapter. Wow, it's painful to say goodbye to 101 Days of Kish. I really enjoyed the journey, and I hope you did too. I'm planning to release a sequel, perhaps, to this. Let me know whether you want a continuation of Kish and Ichigo's new life living in the Tomodoa estate together, or whether you'd prefer 101 Days of Ryou. Nice meeting you all
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'Stay In Touch'
Evening found Ichigo motionless on a park bench just outside theTomodoa estate. Despite the serenity of the park, Ichigo was unable to enjoy it. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, unshed fears. She didn't say anything for fear the moment would be broken, nor did she do anything at all. Finally, a voice interrupted her reverie.
"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here forever."
A jacket landed lightly on Ichigo's back, settling itself across her slight frame, but it did nothing to keep the chill out. After a moment or two, Kish leant back on the bench's back, the bench complaining slightly under his weight. Still, Ichigo said nothing. She couldn't think of anything to say; her vast store of words had miraculously dried up.
Kish paused.
"I...I'm sorry for the shock you've recieved."
Shock? Ichigo thought, somewhat sarcastically. That was an understatement. Her breath caught in her chest, and refused to let her move normally. Ichigo couldn't even summon the idea of whacking him hard up without much effort. Instead, she closed her eyes, willing the numb confusion, the feelings of uncertainty away.
"Did nii-san tell you everything?"
The subtle reference to his older brother was refreshing, compare to the name 'ALIEN'. Ichigo didn't know what to say. Who had she been in love with – the man, or the boy behind the lyrics? She couldn't bring herself to meet Kish's eyes. There was another heavy silence in which a thousand responses flitted through Ichigo's mind.
Then Kish exhaled slowly, a sad sound, and he turned. His hand reached tentatively for her hair, and picked up a lock. He seemed to relish in the smooth, never-ending sensation of holding just the slightest piece of her. At once, a billion conflicting emotions burst from Ichigo's heart, and she inhaled sharply, stiffening. Fear darted across Kish's face, and he released her hair mechanically.
Then the look which Ichigo hoped not to see, the resigned one, took it's kingdom on Kish's face.
"You can go home, Ichigo. You don't have to stay here anymore."
Ichigo glanced up.
"I'm releasing you."
---
"I'm releasing you."
The moment rewound itself in Ichigo's head, and repeated itself in a frightening loop, the same words over and over and over ... he didn't want her anymore? Ichigo firmly locked her fears away; she wouldn't give into them. Of their own accord, her lips moved silently, the tiniest voice emerging from beneath her rosebud lips.
"Nani?"
Kish didn't hear her. He turned away, and as she watched, frozen to the spot, slowly trudged away. Everything about him was the appearance of a teenager brought down by life. There was nothing she could say ... nothing she could do ... Slowly, she watched as the one teenager she had shared a life with disappeared into the distance.
Kish was always there. Even though he wasn't by my side, even though he wasn't always a friend to me ... he brought excitement into my life. Joy, at times. That one time he left me ... could it possibly be ..? The reason wh he's kept his distance, the reason he only shows his happiness to be near me at times ...
And then she was racing, snagging a handful of Kish's shirt as he unlocked the heavy wood doors to his house. Kish turned back, surprised. Ichigo was surprised too. It seemed like her heart had just caught up with her, and it thudded painfully in her chest, emotions desiring to break free of their iron bars.
What appeared to be a tiny trace of hope flickered across Kish's face, but seconds later his face was blank once more.
"Ichigo, I told you you could go home."
"I'm not going home!"
This stumped even Kish. He remained silent, unable to reach for Ichigo, who was still clinging dully to his shirt material. After a moment or two, she glanced up, face flushed with healty exertion, eyes glimmering determinedly, and he was struck with one recollection; her appearance on the first day they'd met.
Ichigo held up his jacket dumbly. Now that she had gotten her words back, she didn't know quite what to say. Instead, she said the first things that came to mind; a simple, stupid sentence that made her cringe with shame.
"Your ja... cket. You left it behind."
The look in Kish's eyes was infinitely soft and warm, Ichigo felt that she could just stay there. She'd need nothing else but his presence, no food, no sleep, no school ... nothing but him. Nothing but him, she repeated silently, nothing at all but him. She'd never felt that way before, that burning need to have him and him alone, those feelings clogging up her chest and throat, making her eyes water, making her unable to do anything but gape blankly at him.
He took it from her gently; everything about him seemed gentle in those moments, his hand soft against hers, his skin warm, his back yielding to her touch.
"Thanks. But seriously, Ichigo ... I'll hurt you again. Go home."
"No, I can't." Ichigo whispered, mortified now as she pressed the crown of her head into his back, "My home's here. My life's here."
"Wha-"
"Don't you see, Kish?" Ichigo cried out in exasperation, eyes filling so quickly she was ashamed to duck her head in case her tears fell, "Everything I did centered around you. At kindergarten, you were the reason I kept going – to talk to you, to play with you. When you hated me, I hated you back. I loved arguing you. In fact ... I loved everything about you."
Kish started for a moment, the lyrics of his song returning to him. And then he chuckled lightly, a laugh that made Ichigo's heart stop for a moment. And before she knew it, she had been swept into a bone-crushing hug that very nearly suffocated her.
"Can't .. breathe!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kish apologized, still chuckling, "it's just ... I never thought I'd hear those words. I hated you, in primary school, for abandoning me. But I was so similar to you ... I just wanted to be near you."
I just wanted to be near you, Ichigo repeated to herself dumbly.
"In that case," she managed to murmur softly into his chest, "I'm staying right here."
Kish chuckled once more, and tilted her face to his. And this time, Ichigo didn't protest as his lips molded themself onto hers. It wasn't painful .. the only pain was the joy exploding from her chest. And now she finally had the reasons, the explanation to why she had hated Kish so much, had hated his fanclub for that matter. She had loved him. She had been jealous of his admirers, had wanted him for herself, had faked her desire with annoyance.
But none of that mattered. Here, in his arms, now, was all that mattered.
---
Morning came too soon for Ichigo. She stirred feebly, finding herself in her own make-shift bed that Kish had helped set up. She wouldn't have minded sleeping in his bed now, but any moment spent near Kish was one to savour. His warmth, his kindness, his awkward love ... she wanted it all. Ichigo blinked, and found herself staring into Kish's warm face, the sharp angles of his regal profile softened by his infinite love.
"Ohayo." Ichigo said softly.
A cheeky grin crept across Kish's face, and Ichigo watched him tentatively.
"Feel like going and making a documentary about how you love me in a bikini?"
Ichigo stopped dead. Had the whole thing just been a dream? But as their eyes met, she knew it wasn't. Instead, she got to her feet and chased him around the entire kitchen. The staff, newly awakened, watched good-humoredly. They had never seen such sparkling shining eyes such as those of people in love.
Kish caught her moments before he was caught, whirling on his heel and dipping her. Ichigo's heart stopped for a moment as she stared up at him; she wanted so badly for them to stay there together, so that she would melt into him, be part of him and one with him forever. But then, when she thought she could love him no more, he pressed his lips to hers once more, tracing the contours of her sweet, frozen mouth with his tongue.
Kish withdrew for a second, frowning.
"You're supposed to kiss back!"
Ichigo, grinning, forced her mouth onto his clumsily. The kiss was long, sweet; Kish's fingers tangled in her hair, tightening with desire, and in return, Ichigo wound her arms around his slender neck, tracing his hairline softly as their lips crashed against each other, eager for their taste. Then they disengaged, despite their unwillingness to at a soft cough from the butler.
"Breakfast, Sir and Lady Tomodoa?"
Ichigo's heart skipped a beat at the title, and then she squeaked as Kish hugged her bodily, dragging her after him.
"Lemme go, you pervert!"
"Once a pervert, always a pervert." Kish replied genially, dashing away.
It didn't matter that they were bickering. That was the way they were, the way they always would be. Ichigo shared a secret smile with the air, and found her lips crashing into Kish's in another hasty, stolen kiss. She didn't mind; she savored the sweet sensation for a moment, before pushing him away in mock indignation, although inwardly, she hated to lose his touch.
"Hey!?"
"That's what you get for daydreaming!"
THE END FOR NOW
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Well, there it is. The end. I'm thinking of writing up a sequel, or a different version; d'you want a continuation of this series aout Ichigo and Kish's life and difficulties after this happened, or 101 Days of Kish? Please R&R!
