The Colour of Magenta

"Gin…"

"Hmmm?"

"Your name is weird."

"I know."

We were lying side by side looking up at the magenta sky. The sun was slowly descending into its horizon. It will be dark soon.

We laid there, silent. It was a comforting silence. Words were unnecessary as long as we had each other.

Personally, I knew very well that he never needed me. It was the other way around. I needed him. Not only for food, but for company. I loved being with him. However, I could never always be with him. Soon, when the morning came, he would disappear and I would just wait there for him to return. I never wandered off for fear that he could not find me. So, I would just sit at the same spot. Waiting…

He never told me where he was going. But I never asked.

We laid there, side by side, looking up at the magenta sky, waiting for life to pass us by.

"Rangiku."

"Hmmm?"

"Let's become shinigamis."

I did not answer him right away. I was thinking. Would life as a shinigami be better than the life I had now?

The answer would have been a yes. But if we became shinigamis, would we ever be able to lie like this, side by side, admiring the sky?

I never answered him that day.

The next morning, I did not see him when I woke up. I was not surprised for he was often gone in the mornings. So as usual, I just sat there. And waited.

It soon became noon and my stomach rumbled but he was nowhere in sight. I became worried but I did not move.

Noon soon became evening and he was still not anywhere within my sight. I almost lost hope. Perhaps he had gone to become a shingami without me. My heart sank at that very thought. I had never imagined what life would have been if he never came to me… but I refused to believe that he would leave me like this.

So, I continued sitting there. Waiting to see him come and greet me with his usual smile.

The sky became gloomy and grey. Soon, raindrops fell from the sky like bullets, pelting at me mercilessly. Still, I did not move. I knew he would come back.

My hair and clothes were drenched. I felt weak as I had not eaten for the entire day. My head felt heavy… But I tried to compose myself. I had to wait till he came back… I did not want him to find me unconscious.

I continued waiting…

And there, I saw a blurry figure walking towards me. I could not see clearly for I was too tired now. Fatigue was getting at me. The blur figure became sharpened as it approached me. It was him. Gin.

But for the first time ever, he stopped smiling when he saw me. Only for a second, but still…

I could see the worry in his eyes. However, he managed to regain his smile as he crept beside me and placed the basket he was holding onto the ground. He then lifted me from the ground with his small arms and carried me to a shady tree. I wished he had held me longer. He felt so warm… So safe…

My wish was not fulfilled as he placed me gently underneath the shady cherry blossoms tree. Then, he went back out into the rain to fetch his basket. He then removed some weird-looking food I had never tried before from the basket and offered it to me.

"What is it?" I whispered weakly.

"Rice balls. Try it, it's delicious," he answered.

Nodding weakly, I took a bite off it. Indeed, it was the most delicious food I had ever eaten. He watched me intently as I ate. I never knew what was going on in his head but that never mattered then. All it mattered was that he was there with me.

After I had finished eating, I felt a lot better but I was still shivering due to the cold. He must have noticed for he asked, "Cold?" I merely nodded.

Without a warning, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. My heart throbbed faster. I could have sworn that my face turned several shades redder. However, I gradually relaxed. It was indeed comfortable. How I wished that this would last forever.

We were still innocent kids no doubt. How I longed for things to be back like in the past.

The next day, he took me to the Shinigami academy. We became powerful shinigamis but our relationship grew apart.

I sighed as I recollected the memories of my past. How it seemed so long ago…

I was startled when I heard the door creak open from behind me. It was my young captain, Captain Hitsugaya.

He looked rather grim. As though something serious had happened. He looked at me as though he wanted to tell me something important but did not know how.

"Anything, captain?" I asked.

He sighed and said, "Hinamori just reported to me about the battle."

I nodded my head. I knew about the battle.

"Ichimaru was involved," he continued.

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrow quizzically. I pretended as though I did not give a damn about him but I did. I cared for him, very much.

"He escaped," continued Hitsugaya looking straight into my eyes. I did not know whether to feel disappointed or relieved. There was silence. I could not find any appropriate words to say.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked finally. Hitsugaya stared at me with a little sympathy in his eyes. "You have been ordered to aid in the capture and perhaps execution of Ichimaru," he announced in his serious tone.

My heart stopped beating for a moment. Time seemed to tick by.

"I understand."

The battle was fierce. Already, many of our team mates were wounded. I managed to fend off yet another hollow. My eyes continued searching… searching for him. Where was he?

I have to admit, even now, that I was careless. I did not notice the vizard which had crept silently behind me. When I finally realised its presence, it was already too late. It jumped from the roof of the building, his zanpaktou ready to strike. There was no way to avoid it. I could only watch.

I closed my eyes just when I heard the sound of the blade tearing into flesh. But it wasn't my flesh. I felt no pain. Slowly, I opened my eyes and gasped at the sight before me.

Gin…

He was still smiling when he collapsed. The vizard was already dead. Apparently, Gin managed to release his zanpaktou before being struck.

Gin…

I could not stop the tears flowing down my cheek as I fell on my knees beside his body. He smiled at me sadly and moved his hand slowly to wipe the tears away from my cheek. I could not find the voice to say anything.

"I don't think I can come back today, Rangiku," he said, his trademark smile still in place despite the situation.

"No, no… You'll be okay. The 4th division would be able to patch you up. You'll be okay," I forced myself to speak through my tears. However, we both knew that what I said was not going to come true. His wound was much too fatal.

"Rangiku…" he called out as I held his hand against my cheek, refusing to let him go.

"Hmmm?" I said. Teardrops kept flowing from my eyes… down my cheek…

"I'm sorry."

Those were the last words I heard from him. He closed his eyes and that was it. His smile was still there, his body was still there but Gin was gone.

He never once told me where he was going. And I never asked. But this time, I finally knew where he was going. But I swear I didn't want to know.

I mourned for him for many years. My life felt empty without him but time soon passed.

However, every evening, I made it a point to lie on my back in a quiet spot, watching the magenta sky as the sun descended. Sometimes, I swore I could feel Gin lying right next to me.