05

To guard the gates of hell. It was its job. Its existence.

But how would life be, doing something else?

Being…

FREE

Ichigo would call herself a prideful girl. She was always doing everything to excellence. No matter the job, she would make sure anything she did was to the upmost perfection. She strived for greatness. It's why she immediately signed up for any clubs that screamed magnificence. Student council, NHS, volunteer groups. Anything that would decorate her life beautifully.

That's why, staring at the imperfect garbage that was laid out before her, she sighed in frustration. Irritation pulsed throughout her body, and she felt the sudden immature feeling to kick her legs and wail like a child.

"Okay, chill out Ichigo," She thought to herself, taking a few deep breaths. Once calm, she took another look over her work. It was a poster, adorned with various pictures of Hiro and the group. At the top left, a group picture that was taken approximately four years ago, in a park. Hiro sat in the middle, a wide grin stretched across his face while the rest of the group, consisting of Ichigo, Goro, Zorome, Miku, Futoshi, and Kokoro, posed, a nice photo.

The remaining photos bordered the poster, similar to the one she described, the only difference being they were individual pictures, meaning it was just Hiro and one other person. In the middle, a large message, calligraphic. It said "We love you Hiro!" and was outlined with comments from all of their friends.

It was nice. It was sentimental.

It was…

Imperfect. Ichigo found herself kicking her bed as she couldn't quite realize what was wrong with the gift. It had everything really. It was a remembrance to the past, and it would hopefully make the young teen happy. She wanted to do something nice for the boy, thus the creation of the poster.

She stared at all the pictures again, reminiscing to the times they were taken. She could remember each one, and all of them contained a very happy Hiro. The way his eyes lit up with joy, and he stretched his smile far wider than his mouth could possibly support. The adventurous glint in his electric eyes. The photos all screamed happiness, and Ichigo smiled fondly at them.

They were also all taken three or more years ago.

Ever since the accident which left Hiro an orphan, photos like these weren't replicable. He was still happy, don't get her wrong. But… it wasn't the same. The spark in his eyes disappeared, and it was like his happiness was almost forced. He would trudge around place to place, and it was like the group broke apart.

Nearly daily events together began to become weekly events, to monthly. Hiro would stop coming to some of them, stating he was busy. School became one of the only connections they could keep with him. They tried to get him to come to things with them, and on the rare occasions he did, it was like he was basically invisible.

That didn't stop Ichigo. She would still show up to his house, along with Goro, desperate to maintain his happiness. They would barge in and make their presence known. Once their middle school lives came to a close, they desperately made sure that Hiro would get into Mistilteinn.

The process of getting him in was the most lively she had seen him in a long time. He actually seemed astute, and a shred of his past seemed to come back to life. Since their high school lives began, he seemed to finally put his past behind him, and their time at the mall was a brief but cherished moment for her. But still, it was a far cry from his former self.

That's why she made this for him. A desperate attempt to bring her Hiro back, the one that the group knew and loved. But, deep down, she knew it wouldn't work. He needed something else. Something that the group couldn't provide. She knew he had other thoughts on his mind, and she painfully remembered the moment at the funeral.

It had only been three years ago that Hiro had been leading their class, easily acing every test with the respect of all their teachers. The way he talked. The way he led the entire class, each person eagerly listening, yearning to catch his attention. She was one of them.

Ichigo had greatly aspired to be like him. She studied hard, she did everything he did. At one point, she gave a try at following his exact schedule. But it never worked. He always beat her with just his inherent talent. He was pure genius, and his excellence brought the attention of all that knew him.

Then the accident happened.

She remembered it like it happened yesterday. She had been calmly studying in her room when her parents had collected her. It had been late, just about 8 PM. They told her something had happened and had taken her to the hospital.

She had been worried the entire ride, cautiously wondering who got hurt. Was it her grandmother? Hopefully not, as Ichigo was close with her. Maybe it was her uncle?

Never in a thousand years would she have been ready for the image that awaited her. She had entered the white room. She had been reveling at the cleanness of the hospital, a pristine place that she had always found herself wanting to work at. To be a doctor was prestigious, and perhaps if she were to accomplish such a feat, she might be able to match Hiro.

The doors opened as they entered the waiting lobby on the fifth floor, the emergency room. That scene was scarred in her mind, and she felt her very being drop to the ground.

Hiro was sitting down, slouched at one of the hospital chairs. Dried tears etched onto his face, and he looked dead. His eyes, his normally so electric blue, sparkling eyes. They were dimmed, like they were out of life. He was just dull, sitting there, not even noticing them. His hair loomed darkly down on his face, and Ichigo gasped.

Ichigo had run over while the adults talked to themselves. She grabbed his hand, tried to talk to him. Nothing. The boy didn't even acknowledge her. He just stared at the ground, like a lifeless doll. She shook him, anything to get him to look at her. Pain filled her body was she watched her friend just sit before her, unable to do anything.

"Hiro? Hiro? Please, Hiro, talk to me," She had desperately cried. No response.

The day finally ended with her parents taking her weeping self home, telling her it would be fine, that Hiro would be fine. She had initially refused, wanting to stay with the boy that she had so greatly looked up to. But they took her back, where she lied in bed for hours, that image etched onto her mind as she kept repeating Hiro would be fine. He would be.

Of course, that was a lie.

The day of the funeral came, and everyone was in attendance, somberly remembering the two adults. Eric Strell and Arya Strell. They were great people, and Ichigo remembered how nice they were, always having pleasant smiles. They got along with all the adults, and they seemed like perfect parents for Hiro. The former was an accomplished businessman, the latter a prestigious scientist. Their excellence in their fields was a large reason why she had believed Hiro had been so amazing.

However, when she thinks about that day, it is rarely for the remembrance of those two. Instead, it was for Hiro. He had been sitting in the front row, the same lifeless form she had seen at the hospital. When he had risen to pay his respects, the first to do so, he hadn't even cried. He just went up, then returned to his seat, his eyes a dull, dark blue. Adults talked among themselves, whispering about how sad it all was, how the lively boy was a shell of his former self.

She had sought him after the funeral, finding him sitting in a lone corner. She approached him, and nearly flinched as he looked up to her. He had actually acknowledged her. His eyes were still a dull color, empty. Devoid.

"Hiro, I'm so sorry," She had sobbed, grabbing him into a tight hug. He didn't respond, and she finally let him go, looking at the young boy she had looked up to for her entire life so far.

His eyes had suddenly come to life, a sight that had surprised her. But not with the usual liveliness, the usual sparks of joy that had marked his personality. No, it had come to life in a much darker way. Passion was eminent in those blue orbs as if he had been possessed, and his voice shook with intent as she spoke.

"It's okay, Ichigo," She remembered the way he spoke to this day, his voice dark, far too dark for someone of his age. It scared her at the time, as she watched the boy speak, his voice eminent with intent. "It'll be fine because they're still alive. It doesn't make sense, any of it. They never left in their car, and my dad's corpse was never found. No, they're still alive Ichigo, I assure you."

Ichigo could only stare at the young boy as he came to life, uncertain of what he was trying to get at. Alive? Was this a form of coping?

"Hiro…?" She had whispered, and the boy's eyes only seemed to grow.

"Yes, I'm certain of it. They're alive. I'll find them, I'll find out the answers. No, they're definitely not dead," He was ranting now, and his eyes seemed to be looking into nothing. His words were scaring her. She didn't know what he was trying to mean, none of what he was saying made sense. "I'm going to find them."

"Shut up, Hiro!" She had shouted at the young boy, crying as she said it. She wanted to drone out his disturbing words, and she snapped at the boy, an action she dreadfully regretted to this day. "They're dead, okay! I miss them too, Hiro! I miss them too. But they're dead. You have to accept it, okay? We both have to accept it."

She hugged him against her, hoping he understood. Instead, the boy seemed to remain lifeless in her arms. When she finally let go, his eyes were back to being lifeless, and his hands hung limply to his side. She felt instant remorse, but she was unable to speak again, transfixed by the look he was giving her.

"I see. That's how it is, Ichigo," He had said, his voice devoid of anything. He stood up, dusting his arms as he walked away from her, making one final remark. "I'm sorry, Ichigo."

But She had seen it as clear as day. The one emotion that had been left in those dark eyes of his, the one emotion that broke her. Betrayal. His words were spark full of it, and she turned to him.

She hadn't been strong enough at the time. She wanted to reach back out to him, to comfort him. But she couldn't. She was too weak. And she let him go.

She was sure she wouldn't make the same mistake now. She scowled as she remembered what had happened, shaking her head. No, Ichigo wasn't weak anymore. She was sure that if the time came again, she would be able to rectify her mistake. To show Hiro that she cared for him.

That's why she was making this. She wanted to show Hiro that she cared, that everyone cared. But the poster was just wrong somehow. Sighing once again in frustration, she got out her phone, texting Goro.

Goro? Can you come over soon? I need help with the gift. There's something wrong with it, but I don't know what. It's really annoying me. -Ichigo

Almost instantly her phone dinged as a response came through.

Yeah, I'll come over soon. -Goro

She smiled at her phone. Goro was always reliable. He was always there for her, and she really appreciated his presence. Plus, he cared equally as much for Hiro as her. He had been her main assistance in the creation of the poster, but clearly, they had done something wrong.

"Ichigo? Are you ready for dinner?" A warm voice called out for her, and Ichigo smiled fondly as she responded to her mother.

"Yes mother, I'll be down in a moment," She responded, before pausing. Goro would be here soon, right? "Wait! I invited Goro over to help me, and I think he'll be here soon. Could you ready a plate for him?"

"Gladly!" She heard her mother answer, and Ichigo scrambled out of her seat and left her room, heading downstairs.

"So, Goro," Ichigo's mother began as utensils clanked against plates, a quiet but homey ambience for their dinner. "How's school been?"

"It's been great ma'am," Goro respectfully answered to the laugh of her mother. He held an appreciative look on his face, and Ichigo knew that the teen was a big fan of her mother's cooking.

"Oh, please Goro. You know to call me Shelly," Ichigo's mother gave him a friendly smile, and Goro shook his head.

"Nonsense, ma'am," Goro gave her a cheeky smile as she laughed again, and Ichigo found herself twirling her food with her fork. The dinner was good, don't get her wrong. Ichigo's mother was an excellent cook. But her mind was stuck on other things. The memory of the funeral was stark in her head due to her sudden flashback, and it greatly disturbed her appetite.

"How's Hiro been?" Shelly asked, her voice a bit more serious now as she changed the topic. "Is he… better?"

Goro turned his eyes towards her, an uncertainty in them. Ichigo looked back, and she paused as she considered the question. He was certainly better than he had been previously, but…

"He's… better," Ichigo tactfully answered, still playing with her food as she spoke. "But he's still not the same."

"Speaking of Hiro," Ichigo's father began, coughing to clear his throat before continuing. "Hayato told me that he had seen Hiro with a girl outside his house."

"Kiri!" Shelly shushed her husband, shooting daggers at him. However, it was too late as Ichigo and Goro both perked up to the information. A girl? Hiro, with a girl? Just the word of it caused an unknown tightness to form around her chest as she opened her mouth to interrogate her father.

"A girl? What do you mean?" Ichigo demanded, her fork clattering to the table as she found herself suddenly interested. Kiri just shot his wife an apologetic look as he continued.

"Well, Hayato was on his way to work this morning when he saw Hiro outside his house, accompanied by a girl. Yeigh high, pink hair, supposedly plenty cute according to Hayato," Ichigo's father said, using his hands to gesture his words as he spoke and a smug smile entered his lips as he continued. "He claims they even kissed."

Bang. Her chair clattered to the ground as Ichigo shot up, an unknown feeling possessing her as she marched to the door, anger filling every cell of her body. That damn boy, Hiro. She would have his corpse.

"Ichigo honey, wait! Don't go!" Shelly cried out, hurrying out of her chair as well, trying to make her way to her daughter.

"I'll be back. I just have to visit Hiro," Ichigo said calmly, but her voice was clear with irritation and a dangerous undertone. She immediately left the house, leaving Goro and her parents in the house.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she's safe and we get something to eat," Goro apologized as he interrupted the brief silence that had taken over, bowing to the two adults. "Thank you for the dinner."

Goro quickly exited after the blue-haired teenager, leaving just Shelly and Kiri. Shelly turned to her husband, her eyes glowing in a furious fashion as she stared down the man.

"Kiri," Shelly growled, her voice dangerously low. "Why did you tell them? I thought we agreed not to tell them?"

"Well, I felt she deserved to know," Kiri shrugged, turning his gaze away from her. "Plus, maybe now she'll finally do something about that crush she's had on him."

"Ichigo," Goro found himself saying her name for the near thousandth time as they made their way to Hiro's house. It wasn't a long walk, only about 12 minutes, but Ichigo's speed walking would probably make it in 5. "Hey, Ichigo, slow down!"

"I can't," Ichigo stated, her voice heavy as she continued her march. "How could he?! That stupid little… Here we all are, spending these last three years worrying about him for so long, trying to make sure he's okay, and he's out here with girls?!"

Goro paused, and he admitted Ichigo had a point. But still, he had to calm her down, before she said some ugly things she wasn't trying to. After all, Hiro wasn't exactly in the best state either.

"Yeah, you're right Ichigo, but calm down. You don't know the whole story, right? Let's figure it out first, then react," Goro cautiously said, placing a hand atop the short girl's shoulder. She simply nodded, as if accepting his request, and Goro let out a relieved sigh.

However, the boiling blood that ran through Ichigo's body seemed to protest to such agreement, and her eyes only saw red as she angrily thought of her best friend. How could he? Her heart hurt, for reasons Ichigo wasn't even sure about.

A short walk led them outside Hiro's house. They both stopped, unsure of how to continue. Ichigo shot Goro an uncertain look, as if the fiery emotions that had driven her here were finally stopping to think. Goro just gave her a gesture to walk up and ring the doorbell, which the girl obliged.

Walking up the steps, Ichigo wasn't sure what to do anymore. She had been readying a whole speech, ready to burn Hiro to the ground with her words of fury. But now that she was outside, her entire plan fell to pieces, burning away. She didn't want to hurt the boy, but she felt betrayed. She had to confront him.

Her finger pressed the button, ringing the doorbell. She waited patiently, though internally she was ready to press the button again. Such was disrespectful though, and sure enough, the door eventually opened.

Hiro stood before her, his jet-black hair wet, drops of water still dripping. A towel hung from his neck, and he wore a simply white tee and black shorts. However, the sight of that wasn't what caught her eye. His blue eyes were shining, electrifying. The image nearly caused Ichigo to flinch, and she took a moment to drink it in.

The way he stood there, happiness so clearly reflecting from his eyes. It was startling. She hadn't seen his eyes like that in… well, forever. At least, since the accident happened. It made her chest tighten in weird ways, and she felt her heartbeat begin to uncontrollably accelerate. Why was he like that? What had happened?

"Ichigo? Goro?" Hiro called their names questioningly, giving both uncertain glances, before straightening up and gesturing them in. "Come in, come in. Don't just stand out there."

Ichigo walked in slowly to Hiro's home, and it was of its usual stature. Everything looked the same as it had been the last time she had been here. Still, her eyes scanned suspiciously around, looking for any discrepancy that caught her eye.

"So, what's up?" She heard Hiro ask Goro, and Ichigo whipped around, stomping over to the black-haired boy until she was right in front of him. She shot him an accusatory glare as she spoke.

"You want to know what's up? We heard you had a girl over," Her voice was hard as she spoke, but gradually softened as she noticed the look in his eyes. Why did he look so… happy? What was going on? It seemed to completely cool her anger, no matter how desperately she tried to maintain it.

An uncomfortable silence ensued between them as Hiro seemed to hesitate, his hand running through his messy wet hair.

"Yeah, I did," Hiro cautiously stated, and Ichigo felt her heart drop. So, it was true. A burning sensation filled her throat, and she felt small, unsure of what to do anymore. "But not like that… She's a friend and she was hurt, so I let her stay the night so she could rest."

Even with his explanation, she could feel her blood boiling in her veins, and it was like she had just been put in an oven. It was definitely getting hotter, and she could feel herself getting closer and closer to exploding. So a girl stayed the night at Hiro's? What had they done? What if… what if… they had…

"Who's the girl?" Goro asked, as if noticing the state that Ichigo was reaching. He quickly spoke, an attempt to continue the conversation before the inevitable occurred.

"It's a girl I met about last week," Hiro began, a statement that only added fuel to the fire. Last week?! And she was spending time over here?! Ichigo was so close to bursting, she could feel herself physically trembling. Boy, was Hiro about to get his ass completely kicked. "She calls herself Zero Two."

And just like that, it was like someone flicked the switch. Her blood froze, and her body with it. It was as if time froze for Ichigo as she stood there, unable to move, to even think. That name. Zero Two. She knew that name. It was the forbidden name.

Hiro sat idly on the couch, his fingers gently atop his lips as he waited, the sounds of a shower running making up the background. Zero Two was the one showering, and she had ferociously fought to bring him in there with her, to his vehement denial. After some teasing and physical contact, which may or may not have caused Hiro to turn crimson red, she eventually gave in and showered on her own, leaving him on his lonesome.

Hiro kept mindlessly feeling his lips, his mind wandering back to the moment on the couch, when her lips had come so agonizingly close to his, only to be interrupted by the delivery boy. His mind was eternally grateful for the boy's arrival, claiming that such interaction between him and Zero Two was definitely not approved. After all, it had only been their third meeting together.

His heart, on the other hand, was screaming for a different result. It had taken all the willpower in his body to prevent himself from not tipping the deliverer, which was what his heart had attempted to drive him to. And it still tried to take control, and even his mind seemed to give in a little as the thought of those tantalizing rose colored lips took over in every cell of his brain. The way their lips had brushed ever so gently, the way her green eyes were full of so much emotion as they were moments away from connecting.

With blood rapidly rising to his face, Hiro decided to take a deep breath to cool himself. She wasn't even his girlfriend or anything and he was thinking about her like this. She was just a friend, Hiro. Just a friend. He conveniently decided to ignore the words they had both spoken, the ones where they stated might just like each other. A lot.

Still, her presence had invigorated a sudden new energy within Hiro, something he hadn't felt in ages. It powered through him, giving him new life. It was why he had suddenly expressed his thoughts to her, things he had kept secret for so long. His need for answers, for closure. For something. Anything.

His emotions had never felt so clear to him. They were vibrant, and even the colors around the room seemed to glow just a bit brighter as he continued to think. It must be because of Zero Two, Hiro decided.

Still, it was strange for him to open up to someone like that. The only other time he had expressed his real thoughts towards his parents' death was to… Ichigo. And she hadn't taken it well. He had decided then that he was alone in this world now, and it was up to him to find it out. Independent.

Of course, this was all before he had met Zero Two. It was like she had flipped his entire world upside down, and now he was filled with purpose. Not only for himself. For her. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought about her situation, the way she was in a gang. Killing people.

But the way she was around him didn't indicate any of that. She was sweet, nice, flirting, fun. She cared for him, a sentiment he greatly appreciated. That's why he was determined to get her out of the gang. How, he wasn't sure yet. But it would happen, that was sure.

His silent brooding paused, however, when Hiro realized that there was no sound. The shower had stopped. When had it stopped? Suddenly, hands pulled at his chin and pulled his head sharply back, where he found himself face to face with Zero Two. Her long locks of pink hair were wet, and her green eyes glittered with positive tones as she stared down at him, a grin showcasing her canines.

Hiro found his eyes trailing down, looking at the clothes she was wearing. His mind thought back to the apology Hiro had said when he gave Zero Two his clothes, which she dismissed with a "Don't worry about it. Plus, if you had girls' clothes hanging around, I'd beat the shit out of you.". So, he had given her one of his shirts and shorts, to at least clothe her while she stayed around his house.

But he never knew it would look so hot on her. Perhaps it was the fact that it was his clothes on her body that was making him nearly drool, but he found himself unable to break his stare, the clothes hanging loosely. They were of similar height, so the shirt wasn't too large on her, but it was still baggier on her than him. The black shorts he had given here hung loosely down, barely attached to her hip as if she had purposely lowered it, and he swore he could see a bit of her underwear break through.

"I can't tell if you're turning red because of your position or because of me," Zero Two laughed as she said it, a playful smile dancing across her lips as Hiro suddenly became aware of the situation, where he whipped his head back forwards with a loud cough.

"It was the position," Hiro flatly lied as he kept his eyes glued to the wall, using breathing techniques to calm his red face. Zero Two hopped over the couch, landing next to him as she stretched out her limbs, shaking her head roughly to rid herself of the water in her hair.

"Mmhmm, I'm sure," Zero Two's voice was teasing as she spoke, and she curled up cutely next to the boy, resting her head lightly against his shoulder.

"Hey, Zero Two," Hiro began after a brief comfortable silence, and the girl in question raised her eyes innocently to his. "About your gang, -"

"Don't worry about it," Zero Two yawned as she spoke, an adorable action that Hiro found intensely cute, as she gave him a reassuring smile. "Plus… I can't leave, at least not yet. I have some… things I have to do."

Hiro raised an eyebrow, prompting her to explain further. However, the look she gave him indicated that the topic was over.

"Well, alright," Hiro sighed as he accepted her answer, deciding he would have to ask her at a later date. They had already shared a lot, perhaps too much for one night. "Anyways, it's getting late. You should probably get to bed."

"I'm content right here," Zero Two snuggled closer into Hiro's shoulder. It took everything within the boy to control himself as he considered the prospect, eventually shaking his head no.

"Sorry Zero Two, but you're my guest. I can't have you sleeping here," Hiro decidedly said, before getting off the couch, much to the girl's dismay. He lowered himself in front of her, offering his back. "Here, I'll even give you a piggyback ride up."

"Well, who can deny such a generous offer," Hiro heard the girl giggle behind her as her legs looped between his arms. Her hands lazily wrapped around his neck, and she felt her chin sit atop his. "Go, my steed!"

Hiro heeded her words as he stood, gently shifting to allow her legs to sink further in before walking his way to the stairs. She seemed to be examining his house as her head whipped from place to place.

"Hey, darling, where's all your photos?" The girl asked, and he could feel her curious green eyes burning through his head despite the fact he couldn't actually see them.

"I don't have any. I put them all away once my parents died," Hiro answered honestly, reaching the top of the stairs.

"Oh," Was all the girl atop him could say, and Hiro instantly regretted saying it so flatly, given her reaction. "It's okay. I just wanted to see if you had any baby pictures or anything."

"Nope. Definitely not," Hiro cringed his nose as they entered his room. He winced at the school uniform that had been left on the floor instead of being hung up properly. He had changed into a more comfortable outfit once Zero Two had entered the shower, and in his haste, he had forgotten to clean up properly. "Sorry for the mess."

"Pfft. The mess? Your room is so clean!" Zero Two hopped off Hiro's back, looking around in amazement. His room was minimalistic, mostly white with a lean black desk accompanied by a large dresser. His bed made the center piece, blue blankets atop his white pillows and mattress. "At least, a lot cleaner than mine."

Hiro just offered a shrug as he went over to his bed, straightening it a bit as he pulled his blankets down.

"You sleep here tonight," Hiro told her as he grabbed her hand, leading her to his bed. She sat on it, bouncing atop it before sending him a satisfied smile as she patted the area next to her.

"Sorry, no can do, Zero Two," Hiro gave her a sheepish smile as she scowled, her eyes narrowing. Her green eyes seemed to challenge his will, but he was determined to stand his ground, and the duo stared adamantly at each other until she finally broke the silence.

"Fine, but…" She slowed her words as she stood back up, latching her arms to his neck as she closed the distance between them, putting them chest to chest. He could feel his face heating up as she drew in closer, her vivid orbs deceivingly innocent as Hiro tingled at the way her breath brushed against his skin.

She was going to kiss him! He could only watch as the girl sauntered closer and closer, her intent clear as her lips came closer and closer, and Hiro just wanted to close the distance right then and there, but he was a prisoner under those caging eyes of hers.

Instead, Hiro yelped in surprise as she licked his cheek, savoring the taste on her lips before laughing and falling back onto the bed, leaving Hiro a blushing mess.

"What did you expect? Were you looking for…" Zero Two teased, giving him a carefree smile as she quoted his words from earlier that day on the street. "Perhaps… a kiss?"

Hiro had to stand his ground in some way. He couldn't let her control him like this. He was… was… an independent male! He was strong. So, Hiro took a deep breath, giving her a strong shake of his head.

"Nope, I wasn't," He stated, his voice cracking slightly. He winced. Nice one, Hiro. "Anyways, goodnight, Zero Two."

"Goodnight darling," He heard the girl say back, her tone indicating a clear genuine happiness. "And… thanks. For everything."

He just turned back, looking at her lying comfortably curled up in his blankets. His chest began to tighten, and he loved the way she looked right there, sprawled lazily against his bed, giving the boy an agonizingly cute smile.

"No, thank you, Zero Two," He flicked the switch, turning the lights off as he walked away, heading downstairs.

Zero Two had left earlier once they had woken up. He remembered the sight of her, sitting in the kitchen slathering honey over anything that was edible. They had conversed for a while, and many a red faces, mostly from Hiro, were made as they teased each other. She eventually left, painstakingly close to another kiss at their front door before she once again licked him instead, laughing as she took off, promising that he would finally receive one on their next meeting.

Hiro spent the rest of the day lazily, mostly taking the time to recollect himself after all he had done with the feisty girl. With the way they talked and messed around, he had to admit he did indeed have certain romantic feelings towards her, and she must have some towards him as well. However, the insecurities poked and prodded at him, and he wondered whether she was just like this naturally with everyone.

To get his mind off things, he eventually took to the internet to research gang activity in the area, but the search only left him as clueless as before. All he could find was something called Project Apus that had taken place but was disrupted by gang activity. However, no names or any details were given, leaving him empty.

He decided to research up on gang activity in general, wondering what the ins and outs of gangs were like. The way she wasn't completely covered up with brands and tattoos reassured him that perhaps this was one of the less excessive ones. However, with such little knowledge towards Zero Two and her own gang, he felt the research was ultimately useless.

After a bit more loitering around the house, he had decided he would take a shower. He took a long one, finally leaving the restroom. It was only minutes after he had finished that the doorbell rang. He opened the door, and to his surprise, there stood Ichigo and Goro.

They both seemed to be as surprised as he was to see them, which was strange given that they had come over to his house.

"Ichigo? Goro?" Hiro called their names out questioningly, before remembering his manners. "Come in, come in. Don't just stand out there."

They entered his home slowly, once again confusing him. Why were they there, and why were they acting so strangely? They weren't even saying anything, and Ichigo seemed to be completely washed over. Awkward silence befell the trio before Hiro coughed to clear his throat.

"So what's up?" Hiro asked uncomfortably, leaning against his house wall. His words seemed spur some reaction in Ichigo as the short-haired girl immediately spun around, marching over to him and placing her finger accusingly against his chest.

"You want to know what's up? We heard you had a girl over," She was clearly angry, and a guarded look held her eyes as Hiro froze. How did they know? He shot an uncertain glance at Goro, who seemed to be on the same side as Ichigo. Hiro decided to relent, given that they were his closest friends after all. Plus, it's not like he had anything to hide.

"Yeah, I did," Hiro began cautiously, running his hand through his hair as he paused before continuing, watching the reaction in his two friends. "But not like that… She's a friend and she was hurt, so I let her stay the night so she could rest."

It was the truth, technically. She was a friend and she had been hurt. Perhaps he skipped out on a few details, but they didn't need to know that. However, his carefully chosen words seemed to still incite a reaction within the duo, and he swore he could see steam begin to rise out of Ichigo's ears.

"Who's the girl?" Goro asked Hiro, clearly noticing the way Ichigo reacted. He too seemed uncertain, and he also held a guarded wall behind his eyes.

"It's a girl I met about last week," Hiro was quick to respond to Goro, nervously glancing at Ichigo as she only seemed to heat up further. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting up like that? "She calls herself Zero Two."

The air was unbearably thick as the two boys stood around, anxiously waiting for what would come out of the blue-haired girl who stood strangely still. Hiro swore he could hear the clock ticking in his head as he awaited what was to come, his body tense, ready.

"I see," Her calm voice surprised Hiro, and she seemed eerily still as she spoke, a stark contrast to the way she was before. "Well, that's fine, Hiro."

Hiro and Goro exchanged worried looks, unsure of what was going on. Goro seemed especially confused, and his mouth opened, as if to say something, then closed.

"Ichigo? Is something wrong?" Hiro began to ask, raising his hand slowly to the blue-haired girl's shoulder.

"Yeah," She was completely rigid, and her eyes were a cool green, hidden of any emotion. "We were just worried that something had happened to you. We'll be leaving now."

With her statement she walked towards the door, gesturing towards Goro to follow. The teenager nodded rapidly, his lips pursed.

"At least stay for dinner?" Hiro asked, catching up to her as they went to the entrance, wanting his friends to linger around for longer.

"Sorry, I can't. My mother has dinner ready at home," She stopped at the door, turning to Hiro with a sincere glint reflecting a happy tone. "It's nice seeing you this happy, Hiro."

Hiro could all but blink as he stood there, watching his two close friends exit, Goro exchanging a forgiving smile to him on his way out.

What was that all about? He wasn't sure why Ichigo and Goro had come in the first place, though he supposed that if he had heard Ichigo had a boy over Hiro didn't know about he would be curious. But their reactions were strange, especially on their way in. And a certain blowout that seemed inevitable in Ichigo was instead a calm comment and an abrupt departure.

What a strange encounter.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Goro repeated as he trailed past the rapid girl. Her erratic walking and head tilt indicated that she seemed to be deep in thought. He finally grabbed her, stopping her as he held onto her shoulders. "Tell me."

Her green eyes quivered before the blond-haired teenager, and Goro was once again left uncertain of how to proceed. Sadness was eminent in her eyes, something that seemed to bring a strange emotion in his heart, but also a glint of fear. She bit her lip as if to think, and her voice shook as she spoke, full of uncertainty.

"Goro… I know that name, Zero Two. It was the one thing he asked me to remember. It was also the one thing they told me to never tell him."

The Prince's Knights Enter

Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, because I sure enjoyed writing it. Thanks for all the kind words that have been sent my way, I appreciate every single one of them! As usual, please let me know if you find anything in the chapter you don't like, ranging from a simple grammatical error to an issue with my storytelling. I love reading all of your reviews, so thank you to those that have submitted them.