Day 8 Summer and Skimming Stones:
Rikka Island, Chalet 015 — Day Eight
Onii-chan… we tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't budge. So we are out. Have fun. Love, Yuzu, Karin and Dad. :)
Ichigo pulled out the taped note stuck on the TV screen. Huh, it must be because he slept at three am last night. It was all because of his dad won't stop snoring. He needed to know whether his eardrums are still functional or not.
The three must be out to do more activities. Probably parasailing if not waterskiing. Isshin had been jabbering non-stop about it since yesterday. After dressing himself, he went out to the front veranda —grabbing Sphere Lotus from the table to read on the hammock.
He barely had a chance to read a paragraph before Orihime and Momo came by. "Kurosaki-kun," Momo said. "We're making a secret goodbye party for Rukia-chan tomorrow, can you come? I think she'll like it of you do."
Ichigo shrugged.
"Yeah, why not. I'll go."
"Bring Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan too, if you wanna," Orihime added with a smile.
"Erm… sure," he said. The twins were fine with him. But the problem is: Isshin. How can he bring the twins without getting Isshin to notice? He really did NOT want to bring the eccentric dad over.
"Good. It's tomorrow afternoon maybe around three-ish at the beach kay?" After saying that, Orihime and Momo left.
The reason that they told him was because they suspected something was up between the two of them. And it was deeper than friendship. Momo and Hime squealed at the thought. Kurosaki-kun and Rukia-chan are just so cute together!
Ichigo's thoughts strayed to the rabbit plush he bought on five days ago. He retrieved the plush from the built-in closet and put it in a plastic bag and placing it carefully back in the wardrobe.
If Isshin knew what happened, he would be teased forever…
Rikka Island, Chalet 015 — Day Eight
Isshin came into the chalet, sulking.
Karin and Yuzu abandoned him.
Karin went to a group of people playing football ("Yuzu cannot play the game, seriously," Karin said) Yuzu followed her to be the cheerleader.
The chalet was, too, abandoned. Ichigo had went out after being bored reading the book.
"THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY HOLIDAY! WHERE IS MY FAMILY?!"
Kurosaki Isshin was on a mission.
Isshin hummed the Mission Impossible theme song, "Dun… dun… dun… dunn," creeping around on tip-toes for good measure.
Now, where to start…?
Where else?
Dining Hall!
Yuzu loved that place! Of course, her hobby was cooking back at home. She'd probably made friends with the head chef and probably is learning a new secret recipe. But whatever! Isshin needed her with him now!
It's a family holiday trip!
Rikka Island, Resort Kitchen— Day Eight
"Now, Yuzu-chan, you add the lemon juice. Just a bit. Not too much; it'll overpower the whole flavour."
Yuzu nodded, grinning.
The head chef was teaching her on how to make the best dessert ever. It's a secret of course. The chef brought a small bottle filled with a type of reddish-brown powder. "Now, Yuzu-chan, this is the most important ingredient. You can make this all by yourself. It's sugar, cinnamon powder, and the most crucial ingredient of all—"
SLAM!
All the kitchen staff turned their heads towards the door. Isshin stood in front of the doors, grinning like mad. He pointed accusingly at the girl. "A-HAH! I KNEW IT, YUZU! YOU WERE LEARNING A NEW SECRET RECIPE!!"
"Otou-san…?"
Isshin ran over to Yuzu, avoiding all foodstuffs, chefs and staffs, pots and pans, and whatever was available in the five-star chalet/resort hotel's kitchen.
"YUZU! JOIN ME FOR MORE BONDING TIME!"
He grabbed her hand and pulled her out from the kitchen, all in a total of 3.7 seconds.
The chef piped up, "So this means you don't want to know?"
Yuzu never did learn that new recipe.
Rikka Island, Field— Day Eight
"C'mon Karin! Don't let the ball get in!" One of Karin's new football friend yelled, flailing his arms about.
"I know, dammit," she muttered. Karin was the goalkeeper. The score was tied and they were having a penalty kick for the opposing team. She had her eyes fixed on the ball, not wanting for it to get into the goal.
"KAAARIIINNN-CHAAANNN!!"
Distracted, Karin looked to the source of the sound. Isshin, of course. He ran over to her (Yuzu still attached on his left arm) and grabbed the twin with his right arm.
The opposing team's player nudged the ball into the goal. Then he looked at his fellow team mates. "So… we win?"
"Let. Me. GO!!"
Isshin ignored her. Instead he told them about getting Ichigo and then their bonding time. Spotting his only son, he hid behind a shrub and peered at Ichigo. Karin rolled her eyes and huffed. Even Yuzu pouted.
"Daddy… I was about to learn that—"
"Shush. Look." Isshin pointed at the pair who were Ichigo and Rukia talking animatedly. Karin and Yuzu looked over at them.
"So?" Karin said. "It's Rukia-nee. Arencha gonna haul Ichi-nii off too for our 'bonding time'?"
"Wait! Before that! I should have a talk with both of them!" Isshin stood up from the bush and smirked. Karin muttered, "Oh great, now he goes again…" She contemplated on leaving the shrubs but thought better of it. Who knows? Something interesting might happen. Kinda unlikely, but what the hey. Yuzu pulled on the hem of her dad's shirt.
"Daddy! Don't! Onii-chan is talking with Rukia-nee! Let's go!"
Isshin tut-tutted and jumped. He landed in front of Ichigo and Rukia. They shrieked and jumped a few feet back. Isshin wore a self-satisfied smirk and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"What are YOU doing here?" Ichigo frowned.
"I believe the question is: What are YOU"—Isshin pointed dramatically at his only son— "doing here with this beautiful girl! You're not trying to do anything weird at her, now are you, son?"— Ichigo reddened but scowled deeper as Rukia looked at him sharply— "AND you haven't introduced me to her yet!"
Isshin bowed with a fancy flourish. "Pleased to meet you, my dear, I am Kurosaki Isshin." Rukia laughed and curtsied back at him while introducing herself. Ichigo did not perform any formal gestures of respect to neither of them.
He scowled instead.
"Get out of here."
"Ah!" Isshin looked shocked and dejected. His hands cupped his face in mock-shock. "Is that how you talk to your loving father, Ichigo, my son!"
Karin and Yuzu were still in the bush watching their dad and brother. Isshin kept questioning back and forth from Ichigo and Rukia. The older twin felt embarrassed for her brother. At least Isshin didn't question her at the field about her friends. After several embarrassing questions, Ichigo was trying his best to not redden or scream out in frustration or to strangle someone.
Karin tut-tutted much like her father and shook her head.
"COME FORTH, Ichigo! We shall amuse ourselves with the water-related activities they have in this resort for family bonding causes! PARASAILING!" He grabbed Ichigo by the hand and dragged him away from Rukia.
"ACK! LET GO OF ME! NOW!!"
Rukia blinked.
And Ichigo was gone.
Rikka Island, Moonlight Beach — Night Eight
Ichigo went to out of the chalet.
His dad was finally, finally asleep. Even though Ichigo was pulled off to the beach for the parasailing activity, but nothing can coax him to actually play them. Isshin and Yuzu, however, parasailed twice and water-skied thrice. Even Karin had a chance on the water ski. Ichigo however just sat on the boat, annoyed.
He headed towards the beach in search of a certain amethyst-eyed, raven haired girl.
He was right. She was there.
He crept over to her, smirking slightly and placed his hands on her petite shoulders, yelling, "HAH!"
"AIEE!!" Rukia jumped forward in surprise and ended up sitting —eyes wide, expression surprised— in the icy sea water. "ICHIGO!" She fumed; he laughed. He totally interrupted her moment! And now her butt was freezing cold.
Ichigo laughed at her so hard till he needed to double over. "That was pricele— WAH!!"
Rukia splashed him a face full of water. And now she was having the last laugh. "Serves you right for sneaking up on me like that!" She smirked at him and splashed him some more water.
"Okay! Okay! I get it! No" —she splashed some more seawater, he sputtered— "No more sneaking up on you!"
"Smart boy."
Rukia crossed her arms across her chest and grinned triumphantly at him, before splashing him with water for the last time. Ichigo was fully awake now. Plus, the front of his shirt was wet.
"I'm wet!"
She glared and pushed him to the sand below. He gave a quick yelp of surprise. "Stupid idiot… " Ichigo clicked his tongue and sat up beside her. She gave him a sideways glance and promptly laughed out loud. The Kurosaki boy's hair was covered in sand. And since she splashed him with water just now, the sand was stuck to his bright orange hair.
Rukia giggled as Ichigo tried to dust off all of the sand from his hair. It's not coming out. Not much anyway… He poked her head.
"Oi. Oiii…"
He had no response.
"Heyyy, I'm talking to you, idiot."
Rukia glared at him. And in a blink of an eye and a quick fwoosh and thump! sound Ichigo was on his stomach with Rukia on his back pulling back his arm. "OW! OW! OW! LET GO!" Rukia smirked. She had the upper hand now. The girl bent down and whispered in his ear.
"Who's an idiot now…?"
"Ow! OW! Okay! Not you! LET ME GO NOW!"
Ah, such entertainment. Priceless.
"Not until you say you're an idiotic, perverted, psychopathic Strawberry. And that Rukia will rule over you forever."
"No way, midget." Rukia pulled back his arm. Hard. "Okay! OKAY! I'm an idiotic, perverted, psychopathic Strawberry and you will rule over me! LET GO!"
"You missed out 'forever'."
"Forever! OW!"
Satisfied, Rukia smirked and let go on him. Remind him never ever to call Rukia a midget again. "Ow… geez. You're so violent."
Rukia smirked at him. Then she looked back to the horizon with a smile on her face. He scowled then leaned back with his hands as support.
"Stupid, it hurts."
Either Rukia didn't hear that, or she just ignored him.
After a while Ichigo noticed a silence came between them. It was one of those calm silence where no one needed to say anything. It still felt odd, but hey, it's better than having your arm broken by the violent midget girl. Only the sounds of the wind blowing and the waves washing on the shores. Rukia placed her head on her knees, her fingers playing with the soft, slightly gritty sand.
Facing the water, she closed her eyes and soaked in the feeling of the wind, and the night time breeze. There was something very cleansing about being there. She could give up her thoughts, her problems, her soul to the power of Nature. Hisana-nee-san told her something about the beach before.
"Beach magic…" She breathed, eyes still closed.
"Huh?"
She didn't answer him instead she took a flat smooth stone from beside her. Then with her eyes closed, she held the stone tight. He looked at her quizzically, but didn't say anything. Rukia threw the stone to the sea. It skipped.
Once.
Twice.
Then it sank.
"What were you doing?" he asked, not able to contain the curiosity.
She opened her violet eyes and said, "Skimming stones, Strawberry. What else?"
"Not that." That was all he said, but she seemed to get it.
"Oh," she said, looking at her dainty feet. Then she turned her gaze to a stone nearby. She picked it up and put it in Ichigo's hand, and closed his hand in hers, making him grasp the stone.
She paused before continuing, "Think of a problem or a wish, while holding a small pebble or stone. The wish will pass over to it." Ichigo closed his eyes and did exactly that. She continued, "Then I throw my wish stone far into the water. It just may come true…"
Ichigo threw.
It sank.
"You think so?"
She didn't answer straightaway. After a few moments of silence from her she answered, "Hisana nee-san told me that when we went to the beach. I believe in magic. Don't you?"
He shrugged.
"My rock didn't skip. Eh, I can't skim stones."
She smirked. "Yup. You suck at it." He glared at her. She laughed "Hey, I'm agreeing with you aren't I? Here, it's all in the arm movement."
She demonstrated the technique and in fifteen minutes, then he got the hang of it. They skipped stones together.
"About the first stone you skipped… what did you wish for?"
"Something…I can't tell you… It won't come true…" Ichigo said, only realizing how stupid it sounded after the words escaped his mouth.
She laughed loudly. She said in an enthusiastic way that could match Orihime's, "Ichigo-kun! You believe in wishes?" The Kuchiki hovered her hand over her mouth. "And here I thought you didn't believe in wishes." She continued laughing.
"Shut it, Kuchiki," he growled.
The real reason that he didn't want to tell is because even he didn't want to admit it to himself. He glanced over at the girl beside him. She tucked in a wild lock of hair before skipping another rock toward the sea. She was so petite, but what she lacked in height, made up for her fun and energy.
Screw it…
He'd admit it… just to himself though.
He wished that this summer vacation never ended.
Looking up at the star-filled sky, she voiced out, "Hey, Ichigo?"
"What?"
"You wanna see something amazing?" Before he had any chance to reply, she had already grabbed his hand in hers and pulling him off somewhere…
Okie, guess where's she's bringing him to? :)
After this updates will, again, be slow, since my exams are coming again… and the national exam is coming in three months! (faint) D: Must… cram… brain…
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