I know I said this before, but I HATE exams! But, at least I don't have any more lectures, so that means more free time! In between studying of course. Heh heh. Then again, the weather is getting pretty cold up here in Norway. And apparently, we're gonna have some light snow. For nearly a week. Is that good of bad? Meh. Okay, enough mindlessly type chatting, it's on with the chapter!
Chapter 18
Detective Shiro
"Uuuu…" Ren groaned, literally dragging her feet as she slowly walked into her study, dropped her bag by her sofa and collapsed face first on it. "I. Am. Knackered." Silence. Toshiro peered around the door frame, feeling a little uneasy about how still she was lying. He slowly edged himself towards Ren, looking down at the back of her head.
"Oi…You still alive?" Toshiro asked. No response. Frowning, Toshiro shook her shoulder a little. Ren finally responded by grumbling something and waving her arm at Toshiro, prompting him to back away. "Sorry, but you just look so exhausted."
"Yeah, well, I was restoring the powers of your friends, and it took out a little more than I thought." Ren said, turning her head so that she faced Toshiro. "That and the fact I escaped a huge fire and rescued two of my enemies."
"Will you be alright?"
"Yeah, I guess. I just need to stay here for a bit. I'm sure a good night's sleep will make me feel better. Either that, or a huge load of sugar."
"…" Toshiro slowly looked over at the box propped up on the highest shelf. The same box that he knocked over all those week ago, and the same box that contained pretty much everything about Ren.
"Don't even think about it." Ren said briskly, knowing that Toshiro was looking at the box.
"Um…I'll just…leave you alone." Toshiro said, briskly walking out of the study. He had forgotten how grouchy Ren could be when she's tired. Still pondering over this, Toshiro got to his bedroom and shut the door behind him, pulling off his necktie and tossing it on the ground. He won't need that for a while. With a sigh, he collapsed back first on his bed. He felt exhausted, and he wasn't the one in the burning building.
So, Dixie is no longer associated with White Raven. Toshiro thought. I guess she's technically an ally now. Nathan seems to have discarded his old ways, but I'm still going to keep my eye on him. The good news is that Ichigo and the others have their powers back. It'll take a while for them to be back fully, but at least now we have more fighting power. But…
Flashback
"Wooooow!" Rangiku exclaimed, looking at her hand with a beam.
"So? How do you feel?" Ren asked brightly with her usual smile.
"Pretty damn great." Renji responded with a smirk. "I haven't felt this good in years. You've gone good, kid!"
"Don't patronise me." Ren muttered with a glare.
"This is amazing. We can fight." Rukia said, looking at her hands, as though wondering whether the spiritual energy coursing through her right now was real or not.
"Yeah, but it'll be a while before you can exit your Gigai's." Ren warned. "And it'll take the same amount of time for you to adjust to using your powers here."
"How long will that be?" Ichigo asked.
"I'd say about a week. Or longer. 'Cos I have no clue on how you're gonna get out of those bodies."
"I have a solution to that." Dixie, with a swift movement, pulled her torn belt from around her waist, and waved it above her head in an arch shape. It glowed and split into four sections. Each one shrank into a teardrop shape, and when the white glow vanished, above Dixie's head were four Ambers.
"What're they?" Rangiku asked.
"These are called Ambers. They release a Cielvians potential by growing their powers. In your case, they can help increase your fighting power until you are back to normal. They can also be used to exit those bodies you inhabit, replacing it with a substitute soul that matches your own."
"Neat." Renji said, grabbing one of the Ambers without hesitation. Ichigo, with a shrug, also grabbed an Amber, followed by the two girls. Toshiro said nothing, having heard the same thing once before. His hand automatically went to his pocket, and he squeezed the edges together, as though trying to hide what was already hidden.
"With these, we can join the fight." Ichigo said, staring at his reflection in the gem.
"What about Shiro?" Ren asked, pointing at Toshiro.
"What about him?" Dixie asked rather rudely.
"I mean, I'm gonna restore his powers now, so how will he be able to fight if her can't exit his gigai without an Amber?"
Crap…Toshiro thought, knowing that he was going to be busted for hiding an Amber from them.
"Let's find out." Ren said, answering her own question. She approached Toshiro, bending her fingers back. "Right. This'll only take a few seconds." A white energy took over Ren's hands like gloves, and she brought them to Toshiro at his chest height, inches away from his body. Almost instantly, the glow went light blue. "What the-" Before Ren could finish, there was a miniature explosion between Toshiro and Ren that sent them flying back several metres.
"Doink!"
"Oof!"
"Ren!"
"Captain!"
"Are you alright?" Tom asked Ren, helping her sit up.
"I'm fine." Ren said, sitting cross legged. "What about you Shiro?"
"Ugh…" Toshiro groaned, rubbing his shoulder while sitting up. "What the hell happened?"
"I 'unno." Ren shrugged, bringing her hands up to shoulder height. "For some reason, it won't let me restore your powers."
"What? Why?"
"I believe I said "I 'unno"."
"I have a theory." Dixie spoke up. "It is possible that because of his link to Ryuki, his powers will come back on their own, and with them, Ryuki's own abilities will come, too. We just have to be patient."
"Uuuu!" Ren groaned. "I hate being patient! Patience is for wimps!"
"It's fine, Ren." Toshiro said with a sigh. He had to wait for his powers? Great.
"At any rate, I will provide him with an Amber for when he can exit his body. Luckily, I have a spare." Dixie walked up to Toshiro and kneeled down to face him. "Let me help you up." She leaned forward until she was in whispering distance from his ear. "I know you have one." She whispered.
"How?" Toshiro whispered.
"Does it matter?" Without warning, Dixie grabbed Toshiro's hand and yanked him off the ground, where he staggered back onto his feet. "There you go. Now you all have what you need." She said in a louder voice.
"Um…thanks." Toshiro said with hesitation, placing a hand in his pocket. He had to keep up the act that he only just got an Amber.
"Now, I shall be taking my leave." Dixie turned her back to the gang.
"What's going to happen to you?" Steph asked.
"I am not with White Raven anymore. I suppose I am your ally. But don't get me wrong. I do this not for you, but for Zena."
"Sure." Ren said with a smile. With a cringe, she realised that she was still on the ground, and hastily picked herself up.
"See you later." Dixie disappeared in a flash.
"Great. She's gone. Now can you tell me what's going on?! "Nathan exclaimed, waving his arms up and down.
"We'll take care of this." Steph said with a smile, already starting to lead Nathan away, along with Tom.
"Finally!"
"Thanks guys." Ren promptly turned to Toshiro. "Sorry about that, Shiro. I thought I could bring your powers back like you wanted, but I guess not."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for." Toshiro insisted.
"Sorry."
"Stop apologising."
"Sorry?" Ren said with a sheepish grin. Toshiro face palmed, sweat dropping.
"Never mind."
"We've got our powers back! We've got our powers back!" Rangiku sang, dancing in circles while holding hands with a reluctant and confused Rukia.
"Rangiku, cut it out!" Renji exclaimed, pulling Rukia away from Rangiku.
"Aaaaaw! You spoil sport. "Rangiku pouted, folding her arms.
"Don't you try that face with us. "Ren said sternly.
"You're siding with me?" Renji blinked, stunned.
"No. Yes. Maybe. Look, I just don't think Rangiku should sulk over every little thing."
"I don't sulk!"
"Pout, then."
"…" Toshiro took this opportunity to slip away. He had to go to Nathan and the others and see if he could help brief them about the situation. If he could just slip by…
"Where you going?" Ren asked.
Damn it! Toshiro cursed in his thoughts, wondering how Ren knows where he's going while her back is turned.
"I'm going to find your friends." He said flat out.
"Oh. Okay! "Ren said brightly.
"How does she do that?" Toshiro muttered to himself, walking away from Ren and towards the corner of the school building, where several fire engines still mingled around.
"So that's what's going on, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Does it make sense?"
"No, but I'll go along with it."
"There they are." Toshiro started to go around the corner, and sure enough, he saw Nathan, Tom and Steph just a few metres away, their backs turned, although he could faintly make out parts of their faces.
"And one more thing."
"Huh?"
"…" Toshiro walked back around the corner, listening in. For some reason, this sounded secretive, and something told him that he needed to know this.
"Remember, the anniversary is coming up."
"Already?"
"Yeah. March 7th, remember?"
"Oh. Right." Toshiro saw how Nathan's face went grave. "For some reason, that day seems to make sense now."
"Yeah. That's what I thought." Steph said sadly.
"I can't believe it's been six years already."
"Does Ren's friend know? What's his name? Toshiro?"
"I don't think so."
"Should we tell him?"
"No. He'll only try and interfere. And we don't want that to happen."
"I guess not."
"Remember Nathan. Not a word to either of them." Tom said sternly.
"Right." Nathan nodded.
Them? Toshiro thought. Could they mean Ren and me?
"It's at the usual place."
"Gotcha."
"There you are." Toshiro said, revealing himself after getting fed up with listening.
"Oh! Toshiro! "Steph gasped, trying and failing to look like they weren't talking about anything.
"Everyone's waiting for you."
"Right. Come on, Steph."
"Yeah." Tom and Steph briskly walked past Toshiro, and Toshiro shot them a suspicious glare while they weren't looking. Nathan was just about to walk past him, but Toshiro placed his arm in Nathan's path, preventing him from going anywhere.
"Eh?"
"You may have Ren's trust, but not mine. If you do anything to Ren…" Toshiro looked up into Nathan's eyes, shooting him a fierce stare. "You'll have me to answer to."
"Oooo, scary." Nathan said in a teasing tone. "Relax, I'm not interested in that sort of thing anymore."
"I'll believe it when I see it." Toshiro lowered his arm, allowing Nathan to pass. But, he could faintly hear Nathan mutter "Weirdo."
"They're hiding something from me." Toshiro said out loud. "And I am going to find out what. But first…" Toshiro sat up off his bed. "I need to find out more about Ren. She made a few phone calls on the way home. She's got a whole lot going on this week. It's the perfect chance for me to investigate." He stood up and went to the chest of drawers in his room. He opened one such draw and looked at the contents.
I'll have to go in something she hasn't seen me wear yet; otherwise she'll spot me right away. Toshiro concluded in his thoughts. It also has to be something that can cover me if I have to be in her line of sight. Toshiro reached in and pulled out a cream coloured button-up hoodie. Perfect! He didn't stop there and threw a black shirt behind him, along with a white necktie. Then, he opened up another drawer and got out the white trousers he often wore. Even though he knew Ren might recognise them, he tossed them behind him anyway, along with the hoodie. He didn't know why, but he just liked those trousers. He closed each of the drawers, turned around and surveyed the heap of clothes. There. Ren won't suspect a thing. But, something's missing. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something hanging on the door of the wardrobe. A maroon blazer with the school crest on one side. The blazer of Ren's school that he never wears, no matter how much Ren insists.
"That'll do." Toshiro said out loud.
"Hey, Shiro, you upstairs?"
"Damn…" Toshiro heard Ren's footsteps up the stairs. Quickly, he kicked the pile of clothes underneath his bed, and they were out of sight just as Ren opened the door.
"Ah, there you are. Listen, I've got some things to do tomorrow. And most of the week. You're welcome to come along if you want."
If I do, then she'll probably hold something back like she usually does. Toshiro glanced at the clothes he shoved under his bed. For a moment, he actually considered accepting Ren's invitation.
"I'll pass." Toshiro answered. "I um…I want to look around this village a little more. After all, I'm living in the house of the village head. It would be weird if I didn't know a thing about it."
"Oh! Okay!" Ren said with a smile. She then tossed Toshiro something that jangled, and Toshiro caught it in his hands. He looked at what Ren just threw. It was a key ring with smaller keys on it, along with a larger key. "Those are the spare keys to the main study. We all have a copy, but you can borrow mine. I use it for all my school stuff anyway."
"Thanks." Toshiro clenched the keys in his hand. These will definitely come in handy. But, it seemed to him like Ren knew he needed them. And it was almost as though she was inviting him to investigate. Toshiro quickly shrugged it off. He'll do the investigating much later. He had until March 7th to figure it out, anyway.
The next day, Tuesday, 9am
"I'm off!" Ren yelled up the stairs. No response. "Alright." Ren took a moment to look at herself in the mirror and check her hair. She wore a brown skirt with a blue checked shirt and a white top underneath it. She used her hand to flatten some stray hairs on her head. She gave a nod, picked up her handbag and made her way to the front door. "Mom and Dad won't be home until about six, so that gives me some time." She took out a sheet of paper as she opened the door, slipping on some brown ankle boots. "First stop, Oakworth Primary School. Then I've gotta get a few things for the folks at Woolfield Retirement Home." Ren continued talking as she tossed her handbag on the backseat of her red car and promptly got into the driving seat, starting the engine. "Then it's over to The Edge Youth Centre for a hangout and a performance with the band. God, I hope I'm not called up." Ren drove her car around the corner and out of her drive, ready for her tasks for the day. "But, at least the next few days aren't as tense as today. For starters, there's that movie night with Steph. It's so funny watching her get spooked over horror films! Hee hee hee! The best part? It's Paranormal Activity! Boy, she'll need Mr Pillow that night!"
"…" Meanwhile, in the backseat, Toshiro was hidden away in the shadows of Ren's seat, hiding under a blanket as a precaution. He lifted up one of the folds, just barely able to see the back of Ren's head. Who knew that Ren talked to herself this much? But, now that he lifted up part of the blanket, he could hear her much clearer. Toshiro secretly wondered if this behaviour made him a stalker or not.
"Oh yeah! Then there's the trip to the arcade with the others! Man, it sure has been a while since I saw Katelyn."
Katelyn? Toshiro thought, recognising the name. Isn't she that girl Ren attacked back in elementary school? Does this mean they're friends?
"Hm, I should ask the others if they wanna come, too. But, if they're too busy honing their skills, then that's fine. I could always help them out with my own tips 'n' tricks! If they can come though, then that's great. I'm gonna ask Nathan if he wants to come along, too. Break the ice a little."
"…" Toshiro scowled after hearing that name. He could not understand why Ren was so forgiving to people who have hurt her. After all, she accepted an offer of strengthening her powers from an enemy without even considering the possibility that it was a trick. There were levels to naivety, and Ren was at the very highest level!
"It would be nice if he and Shiro could get along."
What? Toshiro's eyes widened a little.
"I know that Shiro can't forgive Nathan for what he did, but it would be nice if he could even remotely get along with Nathan. Being friends is asking too much." Pause. "What am I thinking?!" Ren shook her head quickly. "Stop being selfish, Ren!" Ren tapped her head with her fist a couple times. "Whoops. There's the turning." Ren sharply turned the wheel to her left, and was soon up the concrete drive towards a singular large building with several rooms lining in front of the playground, as well as a large football pitch. The primary school.
Thunk!
"Hn?" Ren looked over at her back seat. Nothing. Just her handbag. "Huh." Ren turned back around, parking her car in an available space. "I could have sworn I heard something."
"…" Underneath the blanket, Toshiro was clutching his head with both hands. Even though he had worst injuries in the past, hitting his head really hurt. And it was on something metal to boot! It was a miracle that he was even able to supress a yell.
"Here I go." Toshiro snapped to his senses as soon as he heard Ren open her door. Quickly, he opened the door behind him and crept out, making the door open as little as possible, and staying down so that Ren couldn't see him. He timed closing the door as soon as Ren closed hers, and the sound of a car beep, and the prompt click, reassured Toshiro that he went undetected. The only evidence that he was there was the throbbing headache.
"Ah! Ren! So glad you're here!"
"Oh! Right!" Toshiro looked over the bonnet of Ren's car. Ren was already talking to another female adult wearing a blue apron, and they promptly walked into a mobile classroom. Despite loathing sneaking around, Toshiro went up to the classroom, looking for an opening. He spotted an open window. He stood underneath it. He could, sure enough, hear every sound going on.
"Hey, guys!" Ren said in a cheerful voice. "Who's up for some arts and crafts?" The response was several childish yells of "Me! Me! Me!"
It sounds like those kids know her. Toshiro concluded. That means she comes here regularly.
"Ren, Ren, look what I made?"
"Wow, great job, Sara."
"Look. I drew you! And there's me. See?"
"Aw, that's so sweet. You're a right angel, Luke, you know that?"
"Hee hee!"
Very regularly. Toshiro thought.
20 minutes later
"Okay, children! Playtime!" Ren opened the door for the children, and they all ran outside, shrieking. "Don't forget your coats. It's cold out." A couple minutes later, Toshiro heard the door close, concluding that Ren and the teacher were the only ones left in the classroom.
"Would you look at this mess?"
"I prefer to see it as art. The bigger the mess, the more creative the person is. So, I guess if it wasn't messy, we would have to worry."
"True. But it takes forever to clean up."
"Good thing you got me then!"
"Yes, it is!"
"Shall I wash the paint pots?"
"If you could, Ren."
"Alrighty." Toshiro heard footsteps, and realised that the open window was above the sink. Ren was literally right there! Toshiro flattened his back against the building, barely even breathing for fear of making a sound.
"So, Ren, I heard that there was a fire at your school."
"Yup. I'm out of school for a while."
"How long until it opens up again?"
"Who knows?"
"I wonder what caused it."
"Um…I heard it was a gas explosion." Ren lied, and Toshiro saw how Ren's eyes shifted left and right. As he thought, Ren was terrible at lying, even when her back was turned. Then again, the bullet did hit some gas canisters, so it wasn't really a lie. Technically.
"Oh dear. At least nobody got hurt."
"Hm."
"So, where's your friend?"
"Um, I'm afraid you'll need to be more specific."
"I mean that boy who lives with you."
"Ah! Shiro! He said he's got some stuff to do."
"So…Does he know much about the village?"
"?" Toshiro couldn't help but notice the suspicious tone to the teacher's voice when she asked Ren that question.
"Not really." Ren answered, not fazed at all, and apparently not noticing the tone to the teacher's voice.
"I see…"
"He's learning, though. I gave him the keys to my dad's study."
"Just make sure he doesn't know too much."
"Can't make any promises there. He's a smart person. He'll figure it out even if we don't leave clues lying around. He's a right Sherlock." Ren said with a giggle.
She's comparing me to a detective?! Toshio thought, a dumbfounded look on his face. Well, I am sneaking around like one…
"Well, I think that's enough for one day. I can handle the rest."
"You sure?"
"Of course Ren. I'm always grateful for your help. Could you get the juice from the back?"
"Sure." Toshiro heard footsteps as Ren left the room, and allowed himself to relax. Silence. Then there was the sound of beeps.
A phone? Toshiro thought.
"Hello? It's me…Don't worry, I'm alone…He doesn't know about the anniversary…Understood. I'll make sure to keep it that way. I just hope he doesn't stick his nose where it doesn't belong…I know he'll find out eventually, but if we can just get through the anniversary without any incidents, then we're safe…I understand. Bye." There was another beep noise, followed by footsteps.
"Couldn't find any orange juice, sorry. I brought apple juice instead. Is that alright?"
"As long as they have something to drink!" The teacher said in an upbeat tone. Toshiro folded his arms, thinking to himself. In that phone conversation, the teacher was gravely serious. And, what was this "anniversary" she was talking about? Whatever it was, it was big.
"Just what is going on?" Toshiro muttered to himself.
"Ah! Crappers! I need to run an errand for the retirement home!"
"Go on, Ren. Thank you for your help."
"Anytime, Mrs Applebee!" A door opened, and Toshiro saw Ren trot out of the classroom and towards her car.
"Damn." Toshiro cursed, realising how side-tracked he got. He quickly followed Ren, staying hidden behind cars. He was just two cars away, but Ren was already at her car. He wasn't going to make it! Then, he had an idea.
"Ah!" Ren stopped short of her car door when she heard her Caramelldansen ringtone. "It's Shiro." Ren answered her phone right away. "M'yellow?" Silence. "Hello?" While Ren was distracted, Toshiro slowly opened a car door and slipped inside the back seat, making sure to close the door behind him quietly. Ren didn't notice. "Huh." Ren hung up her phone. "He must have forgotten to lock his phone."
It worked. Toshiro thought, feeling a brief moment of triumph, and took out his phone to hang up the call. I swear, this sneaking around had better be worth it.
An uncomfortable drive later
"Here we are. Sainsbury's." Ren took out another sheet of paper and left her car before walking away. Toshiro also emerged from the back seat, rubbing his head.
"Alright, she did that on purpose." Toshiro grumbled, still a little ticked at hitting his head a second time.
"Oops. Forgot to lock." Toshiro flinched, expecting her to turn around. Instead, Ren snapped her fingers, and Toshiro heard the car lock.
"I didn't know she could do that." Toshiro said to himself, following Ren while keeping a safe distance. He looked up at the large building. There were parked cars everywhere, and there were numerous banners and posters telling of special offers on food and cleaning supplies. It was a supermarket.
"Why is she here?"
"Ah! Crappers! I need to run an errand for the retirement home!"
"Oh. Right." Toshiro realised that Ren had already entered the building, picking up a metal basket as she went.
"Let's see here…" Ren looked at her list again, while Toshiro made sure to keep her in his line of sight.
Ten minutes later
So far so good. Toshiro thought, watching Ren browse through an aisle full of snacks. It looks like most of her shopping is done. She goes to the retirement home to drop it off, and then she goes to the youth centre in town.
"Dang it! They moved the jelly! I'm gonna have to go back!"
"Crap!" Toshiro quickly ducked behind a pile of washing powder, just as Ren walked around the corner and in the opposite direction, humming to herself. Toshiro peered over the top, checking it was safe. Ren was just in the distance. Quickly, Toshiro left his hiding place and caught up.
I'm not sure I can handle another session in the back seat, though. My head still hurts. And I think all that hiding can't be easy for my back.
"I should probably get a newspaper, too." Ren turned around again, and went to the magazine stand. "Excuse me." She reached around a person with their hood up, who was reading one such newspaper. Ren grabbed one of them and placed it in the basket before walking off. The person lowered the newspaper. It was Toshiro with his hood up to hide his hair.
On top of that, she keeps getting my cover almost blown. Toshiro tossed the newspaper back on the rack, pulling down his hood and running a hand through the spikes. I'm going to have to be more careful.
"Eh?" Toshiro looked left and right. "Where'd she go? Damn it, she's slippery." Toshiro quickly went to the other end of the aisle. He couldn't see Ren anywhere. She was buried amongst the crowd of shoppers. "Great. I've lost her." Toshiro shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off, deciding to wait outside the store for Ren to come out. And, while he walked, nobody paid attention to how somebody had white hair and was wearing a school jacket. In fact, nobody seemed to notice him at all. Not that he cared. He finally got outside, and the sudden chill of the outdoors got to him. He wrapped his jacket around him and leaned on the wall of the supermarket, folding his arms.
From what I've gathered, Ren does a lot for the village community. Not surprising, considering she's the daughter of a village head. But, the way they talk to her makes it seem like she did it of her own will. Maybe the children of village heads aren't supposed to do things like that. Maybe this is out of Ren's generosity. That's worth remembering…But, I feel like everyone is keeping a secret. Something about an anniversary and the date March 7th. Toshiro checked his phone. The time was 12:45AM and the date read as February 13th. That's less than a month away now. I'll have to look into it. Maybe Ren knows something about it…
"Ah! Finally done!"
"Speaking of which…" Toshiro muttered, recognising Ren's voice. He was zoned out for that long? He was getting as bad as Ren. He turned his head…and saw that the basket had turned into a trolley.
How did it get like that?! Toshiro exclaimed mentally. There are so many bags…
"Taxi!" Toshiro yelled, waving an arm in the air. A bumped head, he could handle, but he was NOT going to get any broken bones!
The Edge Youth Centre, 1:15PM
"Finally, something comfortable." Toshiro collapsed back onto a sofa with a relieved sigh. He surveyed his surroundings. The youth centre was rather spacious, with a stage taking up one whole wall and various arcade games and a pool table taking up one side, and two food stalls and smaller table staking up the other. All around the huge room were teenagers of various ages, some playing games, others chatting and eating on the food area, and a few were setting up the stage for later. Toshiro himself was in the quietest place he could find. That would be the corner on the room that was taken over by shelves of books and comfy looking chairs and sofas. Toshiro rested his head on the back of the sofa and closed his eyes.
Well, at least no Feathers attacked today. That's all I need. Toshiro thought, looking on the bright side. On the other hand, his head still hurt a little, and he had cramps on his back from staying crouched behind Ren's seat for so long. He'd take the mysterious burning on his back any day.
"Rough day, huh?"
"Hm?" Toshiro opened one eye. A girl with black hair tied up in a high half ponytail was resting her arms on top of a low bookcase, smiling down at him. He could see through the empty spaced of the bookshelf that she had on blue denim cut-offs and a purple t-shirt with a yellow star on the front, along with a few bracelets on each arm and a necklace shaped like a peace sign. "You don't know the half of it."
"Try me."
"It's nothing for you to be concerned about." Toshiro brushed off the girl, closing his eyes again.
"Aw, come on." Toshiro heard footsteps and felt the sofa cushion lower a little, meaning that the girl sat next to him. "Say, I haven't seen you around here. You new?"
"I guess."
"I suppose you go to Kings, then."
"Eh?"
"Kings School? You're wearing their blazer?"
"Yeah?"
"That's the same school as Ren."
"Ren?" Toshiro opened his eyes after hearing that name.
"Yeah. I guess you don't know her, since you're new and all. Ren is a regular here, and she always manages to find a way to liven the place up."
"…" Toshiro said nothing. Yup. That sounded like Ren.
"So, what's your name?"
"I'm Toshiro Hitsugaya." Toshiro answered, concluding that Ren's strange spell didn't reach her. Ren really did forget some people, as she suspected.
"Toshiro? Wow, that's an interesting name." Toshiro saw the girl smile at him a smile that was cheerful, but it paled in comparison to one of Ren's. Wait, why was he comparing smiles?! "My name is Katelyn Doss."
"What?!" Toshiro bolted upright, staring at Katelyn. "YOU'RE Katelyn?!"
"Eh? You know me?" Katelyn asked, confused.
"Well…not exactly." Toshiro said, calming down. That was unexpected. From what he heard, he was expecting a totally different image of Katelyn, considering what Ren did to her. "I mean…I heard about you from Ren."
"You know Ren?"
"Know her? I live with her."
"Eeeeeh?" Katelyn said, astonished. "Tell me." Katelyn narrowed her eyes mysteriously, a smirk on her face. She shuffled closer to Toshiro. "Is she C-cup or D-cup?" Katelyn asked, lowing her voice to a whisper.
"Like I'd know!" Toshiro yelled, feeling his face flush.
"I'm kidding!"
"Good!" Toshiro cleared his throat, trying to keep at least some of his dignity. "I heard about you from a…an article."
"Oh…that." Katelyn's smile became a sad smile. "I must admit, that was the first time anybody did something like that in the villages."
"I figured."
"But…I don't really hold any resentment for it."
"Huh?" Toshiro looked over at Katelyn, who looked partially happy and partially sad.
"At first, I was a little afraid of Ren, but then, I realised that I had been walking the wrong path. Ren showed me that. She helped me. She might not know it…but it's like she has this ability to change people."
"…" Toshiro looked down at the ground, recognising those words.
"But, somehow, she finds a way to touch people deep inside without even realising it."
It looks like Ren has touched a lot of people in her life. Toshiro though. And, he knew full well that her uncanny ability was working on him, too. Bit by bit.
"Oh! Speak of the devil!" Katelyn looked to her left. "Ren! Hey!"
"!" Toshio jerked his head up. Sure enough, Ren was right there in the distance. She was back form the retirement home already?! Quickly, he almost jumped off the sofa and ran behind a bookshelf.
"Toshiro?"
"You didn't see me, okay?" Toshiro said rather forcefully, peering through a small gap between two books. He heard Ren coming. Deciding that a bookshelf wasn't a good enough hiding place, he quickly went to another sofa, leaping over it and peering over the top. Ren and Katelyn were just a couple feet away from him. Toshiro sat behind the sofa, his back leaning against it. He was safe. Katelyn, meanwhile, smiled to herself.
So he's spying on her, eh? Her eyes gleamed mischievously. This could be fun.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Katelyn."
"Me neither."
"Ahaaa! Fate plays a weird game!"
"It sure does!"
Okay…Toshiro thought, ignoring the mindless chatter of the two girls as they carried on talking. So, one person who seemed like an enemy is actually more of a friend. There goes the image I had of her. And, according to her, Ren actually helped change her into who she is today. Just what are you, Ren?
"…and I met this boy, too."
"Really? Where?"
What the… Toshiro thought, overhearing the conversation. Are they talking about me? Toshiro abandoned his train of thought, and, against his better judgment, decided to eavesdrop.
"It was just in passing. He says that he knows you, too."
"Who is he?"
"His name's Toshiro. Toshiro Hitsugaya."
"Ooooh! You mean Shiro!"
"Yeah. Apparently, he said that he lives with you." Katelyn continued, ignoring the nickname Ren just said.
"Yup. He goes to my school, too."
"So, why does he live with you? What gives?"
"Well, um…this and that happened." Ren said, trailing off into a mutter. Whoops! She forgot to cast her spell on Katelyn. Oh, well. One won't hurt.
"You don't say."
"I do say!"
"But, why?"
"Like I said, this and that happened."
"This and that being…" Katelyn waved her hand in circles, encouraging Ren to finish.
"Just…Just this and that. Look, he lives with me, and that's that."
"That's that?"
"That's that."
"Aw, that's boring."
"I know, but there's nothing more to tell."
"…" Toshiro momentarily felt relieved, fearing that Ren would have slipped up and spilled the beans on White Raven and the Feathers.
"So, do you like him?"
"Gack! "Toshiro almost fell over after hearing that. He looked over at the girls. Ren had her back turned to him, but Katelyn was smiling deviously at him, an evil glint in her eye.
You are so dead! Toshiro thought angrily.
"Well…"
She's actually going to answer?! Toshiro ducked behind the sofa, hiding the panicked look on his face.
"Of course I like him!" Ren said cheerfully, obviously misunderstanding the question.
"No…I mean the other like."
"Wha…You mean like…like like?" Ren said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yuuuuup." Katelyn said, slowly and deliberately.
"…" Toshiro felt his face grow hot. He was blushing again! Unbelievable!
"Um…Wow…That's a tricky question. I mean, uh…" There was a very long pause. That pause seemed to last forever to Toshiro, as he was listening very intently to what Ren would have to say about this subject.
"Sooooo?" Katelyn said with a smile, leaning closer to Ren.
"Okay. I have an answer."
"…" Toshiro resisted all of the temptations that told him to look over the sofa, no matter how much he wanted to know.
Alright, calm down. Toshiro thought, placing a hand over where his heart would be and closed his eyes.
"Shiro is…"
"…" Toshiro opened his eyes, ready to hear the answer. But, why did he care so much about how Ren felt about him? He didn't get it.
"Shiro is somebody who is totally mature for his age, and he always takes things really seriously. If he even so much as smiles, everybody stares at him like he just belched in a museum. He's pretty harsh and maybe even cold hearted. He is short tempered and gets mad at the tiniest of things, and I don't know how many things can tick him off. Sometimes, he just won't cut loose. A complete and utter stick-in-the-mud."
So cruel! Toshiro thought, taken aback by Ren's blunt comments. It felt like those words had just stabbed him.
"But…"
What? Toshiro carried on listening.
"I don't care about all that. That just makes Shiro who he is, and I would never ask him to change. In fact, a couple weeks ago, Shiro once said to me "Don't ever change". That's why I don't want him to change. If he does, then he might not be the same boy that I met. The same boy who is willing to and actually wants to stay with an eccentric weirdo like me. He's strong. He's loyal. And, he has a kind side of him that I don't think many people have seen in him. Most importantly, despite that cold attitude of his, I can tell that he cares about his friends from the bottom of his heart. Shiro would do anything in his power to protect them, and continue to grow stronger for the sake of his friends. And, underneath that tough shell is a sensitive soul that we all have. He has doubts and fears, and he never lets them show. I think I'm one of the few that has seen it, and he's seen my vulnerable side, too." Ren smiled warmly to herself. "In short…No, I don't like like him. But…if I did end up falling for him, then it might not be so bad. If it's with Shiro, then I'm happy."
"…" Toshiro was struck speechless at what Ren just said. In such a short amount of time, Ren was able to read him like a book. And, the most important part was that she genuinely sees him as her friend. That and the fact that she accepts him for all of his many faults. She probably knew more about him than Toshiro knew himself. Who knew that Ren was this deep? And, who knew that she would make the effort to understand her friends? Toshiro couldn't help but feel a tiny bit embarrassed. Ren had already got him figured out, yet here he was, spying on Ren with a sprained back and a nagging headache. She made it look so easy to understand others. But, just like that, she knew Toshiro better than he knew himself. Steph was right again. Ren really does pay close attention to her friends.
"Ren…" Toshiro said quietly, his hand clutching the place his heart would be as his eyes shone. Whether it was out of happiness or sadness, he did not know.
"Also…"
Creak
"Eh?" Toshiro blinked himself out of his trance. That creaking sound was very near…
"Why are you hiding behind the sofa, Shiro?" Ren asked cheerfully, wearing her usual smile while peering down at Toshiro.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Toshiro yelled, crawling back from the sofa, completely terror stricken. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What…What are you…?" He stammered stupidly.
"Well?" Ren asked, still smiling.
"How long did you know?" Toshiro asked.
"From the moment I first got in my car."
"!" Toshiro remembered back when Ren first went to her car. She was dumping her handbag in the backseat. He was hiding in that general area!
"You knew the whole time?!" Toshiro exclaimed.
"Yup!" Ren said happily.
"Why didn't you say anything?!"
"Then you wouldn't be following me. I thought I might as well have some fun with it." Ren said with a pouty face.
"Wait…" Toshiro raised an eyebrow. Why didn't he like that definition of "fun"? That means those times he hit his head, the washing of the paint pots, the leaving at the last minute, the sudden turning around… In less than one second, he had stood up and grabbed the front of Ren's shirt, but she still smiled.
"You did those on purpose, didn't you?" Toshiro grumbled
"I ain't sayin'. But I'm sorry you hit your head."
"You're not sorry at all!" Toshiro exclaimed. "That really hurt!"
"Well, you've done well. You sure have a knack for persistence." Ren tapped Toshiro's forehead with two of her fingers, making Toshiro let go of her shirt. "But, I'll let you off the hook. You had your reasons…" Ren winked at Toshiro. "Detective Shiro."
"What? Detective…" Toshiro couldn't finish his sentence, embarrassed. "Idiot!" He looked away huffily.
"Heh heh!" Katelyn giggled. "You were right, Ren. He really does have another side. Something that only you can see."
"Uuuu, you're talking like a character from shoujo manga."
"Yeah, yeah." Katelyn stood up and pointed towards the stage, smiling at Ren. "Come on. I hear you're performing today."
"Eh?" Ren blinked, her face blank.
"Performing?" Toshiro repeated. "I know you do theatre, but…"
"Oh, she does more than that. She's a great singer too. And just watch her shred a guitar!"
"!" Ren blushed.
"Is she?"
"No no no no, nothing like that." Ren said quickly, waving her arms up and down. "I'm not that good! I'm really not that good! I'm just called up occasionally to perform with the band!"
"And there's the Human Hummingbird." Katelyn said with folded arms. "You're too modest, Ren."
"But I'm really nothing special!" Ren insisted, spinning around to face Katelyn.
"Yes, you are. You're better at singing than me, that's for sure."
"I'm not better than anybody! I'm really not!"
"So, are you gonna perform?" Katelyn asked.
"Well, I guess. But…" Ren shifted her eyes to Toshiro quickly, but Toshiro quickly noticed this. "It's embarrassing."
Is it because I'm here? Toshiro thought. Heh. Toshiro gave a small smile. You're really something else, Ren.
"Ren…"
"Eh?" Ren looked over her shoulder at Toshiro.
"I'd like to see you on stage."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Let's see if you're as bad as you say you are." Toshiro said in a teasing tone.
"You know what? I'm gonna go up there. Let's do this thing!" Ren proclaimed, punching the air while dashing to the stage.
"One minute she's modest, and the next she's full of confidence. What's with her?" Toshiro wondered out loud.
"It's probably because you said it."
"Huh?"
"Ah, nothing. Let's grab a seat."
"Guys, come on!"
"Coming! Come on, Toshiro." Katelyn grabbed Toshiro's arm and ran over to the stage.
"Hey!" Toshiro protested. "I can run by myself, you know!"
"Testing, testing." A boy with spiky brown hair with hints of blonde said. He tapped at the microphone, and the sound echoed through the building. This prompted many more teenagers in the building to flock towards the stage. Katelyn squeezed through the crowd, and Toshiro got through just before the gap closed.
"Phew." Katelyn sighed. "Oh, lookie here. Ren saved a spot for us." Katelyn saw Ren just a few tables away, waving at them from another table.
"Over here!" Ren yelled.
"Thanks, Ren." Katelyn said, already making herself comfortable on the metal chair. "This place is getting pretty packed.
"I guess word got out that school was closed, so they moved the concert to earlier." Ren concluded.
"You sound like you've been here before."
"Oh, but I have, Shiro. The best part about this place is that there are hardly any people from the five villages here, so they have no idea who my dad is!"
"And that is good because…" Toshiro trailed off, letting Ren finish.
"They see me for me rather than the daughter of a village head!" Ren smiled brightly right after saying this.
"I see…"
"Take a seat, Toshiro." Katelyn pulled up another chair, patting the seat with her hand.
"This is a big turnout." Toshiro noted out loud, sitting down. "Are you nervous?"
"Shiro, I've been on the stage so many times, I don't even know the definition of nervous!" Ren said boldly. She leaned down to whisper level. "Seriously, what does it mean?"
"Eh?"
"Gotcha!" Ren grinned, prompting Toshiro to sigh. "Anyways, I know why you followed me today."
"You do?" Toshiro said, taken aback.
"Yup." Ren leaned closer to Toshiro. "Listen closely, and you'll understand." Ren moved away from Toshiro. "Well, catch ya later!" Ren trotted off towards the stage, and started to talk with the band.
What did she mean by that? Toshiro thought, resting his head on his hand.
"Hey, guys! What's up?" The teenager with brown blonde hair yelled into the microphone. The response was several cheers from the spectators. The teenager kept talking, but Toshiro tuned it out, thinking over what Ren said. She knew why he was following her? And listen to what?
"Hey!" Katelyn lightly punched Toshiro on the shoulder, bringing him out of his daydream. "Ren's on stage." Katelyn pointed at the stage subtly.
"Oh. Right." Toshiro looked at the stage. Sure enough, Ren was stepping up to the microphone, smiling and waving.
"Hey, guys." Ren said into the microphone. "This one goes out to a certain someone." Ren shifted her eyes to Toshiro and winked at him. Then, Toshiro suddenly got it. Ren was going to sing what she knew! She really can be creative.
"A song dedicated to you?" Katelyn said just as the band started to play. "How romantic."
"Oh, shut up." Toshiro retorted. But, his attention immediately went to Ren as she started to sing.
I'm an angel, I'm a devil
I am sometimes in between
I'm as bad as it can get
And good as it can be
Sometimes I'm a million colours
Sometimes I'm black and white
I am all extremes
Try figure me out you never can
There's so many things I am
I am special
I am beautiful
I am wonderful
And powerful
Unstoppable
Sometimes I'm miserable
Sometimes I'm pitiful
But that's so typical of all the things I am
I'm someone filled with self-belief
I'm haunted by self-doubt
I've got all the answers
I've got nothing figured out
I like to be by myself
I hate to be alone
I'm up and I am down
But that's part of the thrill
Part of the plan
Part of all of the things I am
I am special
I am beautiful
I am wonderful
And powerful
Unstoppable
Sometimes I'm miserable
Sometimes I'm pitiful
But that's so typical of all the things I am
I'm a million contradictions
Sometimes I make no sense
Sometimes I'm perfect
Sometimes I'm a mess
Sometimes I'm not sure who I am
But I am special
I am beautiful
I am wonderful
And powerful
Unstoppable
Sometimes I'm miserable
Sometimes I'm pitiful
But that's so typical of all the things I am
I am special
I am beautiful
I am wonderful
And powerful
Unstoppable
Sometimes I'm miserable
Sometimes I'm pitiful
But that's so typical of all the things I am
Of all the things I am
Sometimes I'm miserable
Sometimes I'm pitiful
But that's so typical of all the things I am
Of all the things I am
Right after the guitar player struck the final chord, the whole room erupted into cheers and applause. Katelyn herself was standing on her chair and yelling especially loudly. Ren just smiled shyly and waved. She certainly wasn't expecting this much applause. Her eyes scanned the room, and she stopped when she saw Toshiro. He was the only one not cheering or even clapping. Instead, he was staring straight at Ren with a look that Ren couldn't understand. Was it stunned? Shocked? Damn, she could never read faces!
"Thanks, guys! Have a nice day, now!" Ren yelled into the microphone, right before jumping down from the stage. She quickly thanked all of the teenagers complimenting her in passing as she went towards Katelyn.
"That was so great!" Katelyn yelled, wrapping her arm around Ren's shoulders. "You were amazing!"
"Aw, you don't have to go into all that." Ren said with a shrug.
"You're so modest, Ren. Take a damn compliment." Katelyn said in a teasing tone.
"Sorry, it's just the way I am." Ren looked over at Toshiro, who was still wearing that same expression. "Was I really that bad?"
"N-No." Toshiro shook his head. "I mean um…"
"It's a little noisy. Let's go someplace quiet." Ren took hold of Toshiro's hand, and he looked down at it, not sure how to react. "Come on."
"…" Toshiro managed a nod, and allowed Ren to lead him through the crowd. Katelyn watched them go, a smile on her face.
"Interesting…" She said, folding her arms.
…
"Ah! This'll do!" Ren got outside of the building along with Toshiro. Outside, there were a few parked cars on the pavement, and the street was full of buildings no higher than five storeys. Ren let go of Toshiro's hand, and some part of Ren wished she held it a little longer. "Well?" Ren looked at Toshiro.
"Well what?"
"My performance? What was wrong with it?" Ren asked, a worried look on her face.
"Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." Toshiro insisted. "Why are you asking this?"
"Because, you were the only one in the crowd not doing anything." Ren held her arms behind her back and looked away, scuffing the ground with her foot. "I thought that you didn't like it. I mean…that was the first time you saw me perform on a stage."
"Ren…were you trying to impress me?"
"Not exactly. I just wanted to know what you thought. That's all."
"Do you want to know what I honestly think?"
"Nn." Ren nodded.
"You're right. I've never seen you perform before. I had no idea what talents you had, and everything else I knew were just vague assumptions. But, seeing you singing on that stage…" Toshiro hesitated for a few seconds, trying to think of the right words. When they finally came, he looked directly at Ren as he spoke. "It had to be one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard."
"…" Ren beamed, her eyes shining. "Really?" Toshiro nodded. "Wow…Nobody ever said that to me before."
"They should. What I want to know is why you didn't say anything."
"Because you're only here for White Raven, aren't you? It's pointless if I tell you about myself." Ren started to fiddle with her hands, looking in different directions so that she didn't have to look at Toshiro. "But, over the past few days, you've actually started to look into me. I realised it today when I found out you were following me. It made me happy that you were actually trying to find out about me. So that's why I picked that song."
"Hm. It seems to fit you perfectly."
"That's what I thought." Ren placed a hand on Toshiro's shoulder. "Shiro…I know that you want to find out about me, but you'll just have to have a little patient. I'm not that easy to figure out. Even I can't figure myself out, and that's saying something. But, that's who I am. I appreciate what you're trying to do. Honest."
"I know. And, I admit that before this mess started, I was here solely for the mission, and I was determined not to make any attachments. But, before I knew it…" Toshiro thought back to the moment when he first called out Ren's name, when Ren saved him from Caleb, the conversation on Ren's roof and, most importantly, the promise they made after the Ryuki incident. "Before I knew it, I'd let you into my life. I actually wanted to stay with you. I wanted to know you. It had nothing to do with my duty as a Soul Reaper. It was a genuine feeling that I felt not as Captain of Squad Ten, but as Toshiro Hitsugaya." Toshiro placed his own hand on top of Ren's. "Ren…" He smiled up at her stunned face. "I'm glad that I am your friend."
"You're sweet." Ren smiled warmly at him. "I have nothing against you investigating me. It may take a while for you to know about me. But, someday…" Ren leaned forward, and before Toshiro could react, she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. She moved away, and smiled her happy smile. "You'll get there."
"…" Toshiro said nothing, placing his hand on his forehead. Did Ren just kiss him?
"Hey, are you cold?" Ren suddenly asked, her innocent blank look on her face.
"No. Why?"
"Your cheeks are pink." Ren pointed at his face.
"!" It didn't take Toshiro long to realise that he was blushing again. Damn it, what was going on?! "No! I'm not cold! And I'm not blushing either! I'm just um…uh…" Toshiro tried to think of an excuse, but nothing came up.
"Shiro, it's okay." Ren insisted, smiling at him. "You don't have to hide anything from me."
"Right. Yeah." Toshiro said slowly, finally getting the blush under control.
"You know…" Ren wrapped an arm around Toshiro's shoulders. "I have a few other fun things coming up. That invitation is still open if you want it."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Well, then…" Toshiro moved his arm and placed it around her back, since he was still not tall enough to place it on her shoulders. "I would love to."
"Yay!" Ren cheered, punching the air.
"…" Toshiro smiled. He was genuinely looking forward to spending more time with Ren. With his friend.
Well, that's that for that chapter. By the way, for the song that Ren sang, just type in "I Am by Hilary Duff". Listen to that so you know what Ren sang. And try to picture a different voice too, since I myself know that Ren doesn't sound like that. Ha ha! Next time, Toshiro gets to spend more time with Ren. How will he react to Paranormal Activity? Will he ace the arcade games? And, where I the suspiciously inactive White Raven group? Stick around to find out!