Dislaimer: I do not own any Bleach characters. They are the rightful property of Kubo Taito.
Live Once Again
Prologue: Turning Point
Rain, again.
It never seems to stop. The gloomy clouds in the sky seem to reflect my mood and the splatter of the raindrops feed my annoyance as they become frequent. Even under the protection of the leaves, I can still feel the occasional cool wetness on my skin.
I hate it.
Footsteps.
My ears follow the faint sound as it nears. It's Hinamori. I guess classes ended for the day.
"Shiro-chan!" She called. I told her not to call me that but she got into the habit and now can't get out of it.
I reluctantly leave my comfortable seat in the nook of the branches and jump down to meet her. The rain has gotten worse, escalating from a light drizzle to a summer shower. Hinamori's hair is dripping with wet droplets of water. It seems she forgot to bring an umbrella again. Typical.
"Shiro-chan! I brought some snacks from Seireitei for you! You said you liked these, right? Heehee!" She gave me a big smile and started rumbling through her bag.
"Idiot, look! You're soaked! What are you gonna do if you catch a cold again! You said you're already behind in class, right?" I half-dragged her into my house and threw her a dry cloth.
"Oh, it's okay! It's summer and only idiots catch colds in summer!"(1) She said sheepishly while drying off her hair. "Here! Have some confeito!"(2)
I took the small blue candy from her palm and savored the sweetness as it melted in my mouth.
"So Shiro-chan, have you been lonely without me?" Hinamori asked innocently. Even though I knew she meant no harm, I couldn't help but look away. "Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry about it… We can't revive the dead." I said solemnly.
I walked to the doorway and stared out into the rain. The sweet flavor of the confeito was not gone and was replaced by a bitter aftertaste. I couldn't help but think of the past 50 years I've lived in Rukongai and another 10 in the human world. I bring my hands up to eye level and stared at cracks in my skin. Life must be like that, so many paths going in different directions but lead to nowhere. But the few deep cracks leave a lasting impression. Perhaps it was time to take the first step.
"Hinamori…" I broke the uncomfortable silence. "俺は死神になる。"(3)
"Shi…ro-chan…?"
1. There's a saying in Japan that only idiots catch summer colds.
2. Confeito is a Japanese confectionary. It's like a sweet starchy candy that comes in different colors.
3. Translated: I'm going to become a Shinigami.