"Enter please."

The deep baritone called out to him. He couldn't stop the tears from trickling down. He pushed the door open and entered. He made sure to look at the opposite direction.

There was no answer. The doctor in front of him was sitting by his desk that was facing the wall, currently reviewing some papers. Ichigo studied every aspect of the medical room. Nothing major has changed except for the medication in the glass cabinets. There were definitely more.

He looked at the back of the doctor. Seeing the same black hair and the lab coat made his heart clench tightly, almost restricting his breath. There were more grey hairs now, it now filled almost all of his upper head. The man's beard also seemed greyer albeit still short and manicured like the clean doctor he was.

Ichigo walked silently behind the man, and then he saw the picture frames on top of the wall which was newly hung up. There were his medical certificates and family pictures.

There was a photo of their family during one of their trips to Thailand. It was the whole family, his dad was playfully rubbing his head while his mother was laughing at them. The twins, holding each of her hand, were so confused. It was the last trip they ever had, with everyone. And it was the best one.

There were other pictures on his desk, the twins, it seemed, during what looked to be their birthday party. Karin snarling while her twin smiling sweetly at the camera. He could already guess that his dad took the picture from their expressions.

And then there was the very picture of his mom and him. It was a picture of him hugging and carrying her. They were laughing while looking at the camera. He was in his taekwondo uniform, his padding still on but his helmet thrown aside. The exact same memory flash backed in his mind.

Kurosaki Ichigo managing to land a kick to the stomach. Dodging again, landing a kick on the head, 11 to 3.

The timer reaching 0.

KUROSAKI ICHIGO HAS WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP!

Immediately, music started playing and the crowd went wild. The stadium erupted in cheers.

He was exhilarated, he banged the floor and immediately jumped up. He saw his parents in the stands, his mother and father running towards him. He couldn't care less about his opponent. He took off the safety helmet, spitting out the mouth guard. The overwhelming win proved that his effort had paid off. His family and friends had provided him with so much love and support. He couldn't believe it was over.

He hugged his mother, savouring each second of the win, the adrenaline not yet fading. Her face was pushed right into his sweaty chest padding and his head in her shoulders. He squeezed her tight and twirled her around.

Both of them were laughing, they were so proud. In the background, he heard his dad hollering and cheering like a hooligan before shouting at them.

"Look here!" Both of them looking goat-face, who was holding the camera, and the camera lights flashed.

The moment he saw that very picture, his dad swivelled his chair and faced him. His expression initially smiling and then shocked.

Ichigo saw the very man before him and he couldn't hold it in anymore.

He slumped to the ground. His head bowed down, hugging his dad's stomach. He broke down, he cried and let it all out.

His father, recovering from the shock, hugged him back. He held him and he could hear his father also crying. The man now pushed himself on the ground, slipping off his rickety chair and embraced his son. Ichigo's head squeezed tight to his dad's chest, his arms around his dad's middle and his dad's around him. There was comfort in the embrace. Comfort that once held him when he was young and naïve.

Their longing and sadness was expressed through the moment that they were sharing. The daffodils laid on the floor beside them, the chair also laid forgotten where it fell.

"I'm so sorry dad. I'm so sorry." Ichigo sobbed out the words he can. His weeping wracking his body.

"I'm sorry too, son."

They spent almost an hour in their embrace. They were two grown men but their bond seceded that. The bond of a father and son transcended age and pride. Their crying ended quite some time ago but they didn't want to part with each other. Holding each other close, not wanting to let go; afraid that they will lose one another again. They didn't say a single thing, not even a word. The silence comfortable yet pressing. The sun was already down.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and entered. It was a petite teenager that stepped in. Her short blonde hair in the same hairstyle that her mom left it. She was adorned in a middle school uniform. It was Yuzu.

"Dad, are you fini- Ichigo? Ichigo, is that you?" She cupped her mouth in disbelief. Tears already falling from her eyes. Her sobbing wrecked her body as she went towards her brother whom she had not seen for the last eight years. The only fond memory of him was still a blur in her head but she couldn't forget the face that once smiled at her, next to her mother.

"ICHIGO! KARIN, HE'S BACK!" the little girl who he had always cherished, ran to him. She was no longer a little girl. It was a surprise that she even recognised her. He left them when they were still five. He had missed out a large part of their life and he was thankful that they even remembered him. He let go of his dad and hugged her.

Still on the ground, she joined him. She was crying this time, and Ichigo followed suit. Next thing he knew, another had joined their embrace. He hugged the other to his chest, already knowing who the other was. She had a ponytail and sweaty soccer uniform.

In another round of embrace, his father who had silently watched as his son and his daughters finally reunited, joined in. He cried again, this time embracing all his children. His family was back together again. Though not a whole piece, broken, it was still good. And, finally complete. He thanked everyone up there for giving in to his prayers.

All of them, in one embrace and all could feel a warm presence in the room enveloping them all. They knew she was there and watching.

Ichigo was back. Finally whole inside.

The night went on great. After a long time, they separated from each other, laughing when they heard someone's stomach growling.

"Come on, I cooked dinner. Will you stay, Ichigo?" Yuzu was the first one to stand up

Ichigo nodded his head. His throat was dry after all that crying. He picked himself up and helped his father up.

They sat at the dinner table while Yuzu cooked in the kitchen. Her mastery of the kitchen was amazing, a talent like her mother's. They took their usual spots around the table, instead of booster chairs the twins always used, they replaced it with proper dining chairs. He could still remember the twins atop those seats chair, their mother feeding them every bite. Looking at Karin and Yuzu all grown up made him realise that he missed a large part of their life, it was a bitter feeling despite the wonderful feelings of reuniting.

The girls talked about school. Both of them had good grades; Yuzu was head of the school's Cooking Club while Karin was on the soccer, swim and track and field team. Ichigo was amazed by the sheer amount of activities she partook in. And she excelled in every one of them, like her brother, she too wanted to be scouted for the Olympics. Both of them were cheerfully continuing the conversation, attempting very hard to fill in the six year gap for their brother. The goat-face just listened quietly, which was a new sight. Ichigo could always remember his dad being goofy and always making his mother laugh, and sometimes making the girls cry. But today he just listened in the background, eating Yuzu's cooking and occasionally, nodded.

The food was amazing, the flavours well balanced, all of it had a little hint of something like what Masaki always did with her food. Even eggs weren't just eggs, they had some basil and thyme in it to give a little 'umph'. And Yuzu did the same thing with her cooking.

After dinner, the whole family worked together to wash the dishes which was fun and hilarious when their dad slipped on some soap. It was a school night so the girls had to retire early to do their homework and sleep. They both bade him goodbye, looking a little sad when he said that he had to leave. However, they cheered up when he promised another meeting next week. He hugged them tight and kissed the top of their heads. The last time he hugged his sisters they could even barely reach his knee but now, both of them were in his chest.

"Ichigo, come to the clinic. I'll give you a check-up."

His dad was awfully silent and docile that night. It was an odd sight but he accepted it nonetheless. The years must have been different for him to have made him change his whole demeanour. He followed his dad into the clinic through the house entrance, into his main office where his dad immediately wore his coat and sanitized his hands.

"Stand here, Ichigo." His height and weight measured. His blood pressure, blood sugar levels were also checked. His dad was always thorough in his body checks for all his patients, not only him. Remembering 8 years ago, his dad went through the same routine. Checking and then writing down in his own personal file.

He was asked to strip his clothes and his dad went through the muscle reaction tests etcetera. When his dad found the nearly healed scars, he carefully asked Ichigo regarding what happened. His dad's expression was controlled, trying to hide his worry.

Ichigo told the truth, there was no point in lying. He wanted to return; he wanted to change and hiding anything wouldn't make that choice easier.

"Ichigo your body is in a bad condition, this is a body of an alcoholic," his dad said in his professional doctor voice. However, his expression was uncontrolled, an image of despair on his father's face.

Ichigo cried, and nodded his head. His habit to find and consume booze had been a part of him when he left home. He didn't have anyone to go to, then. In reality, he did have people but he pushed them away. He couldn't make the right decisions so he blamed everything around him. It was him the whole time. He made those mistakes.

He sobbed quietly, not answering his father. He looked down, avoiding eye contact with him. He couldn't repress the feelings of guilt that crashed into him like waves. His father, who continued to check on his body, also contributed to the silence. He could only look solemnly at his son who had once left and made his own choices.

As a father, he had his responsibilities to lead his son in the right direction. He reasoned to himself that by letting his son be free, he gave his son more choices. Realising that what his son has gone through - his addiction, his suffering, he too, had made mistakes. Every single day he prayed for his wife, his daughters and for his son.

Albeit late, his son finally returned and he could only be thankful to whoever that led him here.

When his father heard of the healing wounds on his shoulder, the man was immediately guilty. Ichigo explained what happened from what he could remember and what Grimmjow told him. While doing so, his dad prodded and pushed the scar tissue, commenting that it was healing nicely and there was no sign of infection. Ichigo told him everything that he had went through.

Lying down on the examination bed, he felt like he was at a therapist. And it felt like it really was therapy. He was finally able to talk to his father and it calmed him. The shackles he always felt that tied him finally broke loose. The man listened attentively, silently appreciating that his son was still alive and healthy despite little foibles here and there, they were still mendable.

After a while, his dad had pulled another patient bed, beside his, to lie on and told him what his family had went through, adding more to what his sisters had told him during dinner just now. They were mostly regarding the twins and the clinic. He went on and on and started talking about when he had hired the new assistant about the time Ichigo left.

He immediately talked fondly of Unohana, the 'new' assistant, who also functioned as a nanny even though she didn't have to. She did and she always said she wanted to have daughters but never married. So, she treated the twins like they were her very own. Isshin told his son of the times all of them even went out together and how the twins loved her. She would cook dinner sometimes and come by every single weekend.

Ichigo just watched to his father go on and on about Unohana and noticed how his eyes twinkled. There were even secretive smiles he did when the man told about certain events. He was happy for his dad. He knew that his dad liked this lady. Isshin deserved to have a relationship with her, for the twins' sake and for his own sake as well. He had lost his wife, suddenly having to deal with three growing children all by himself and a clinic to boot. The man should have been the one broken down and battered, but he didn't give up. The remarkable man who was his father, stood strong like the head of the family he was, and raised his daughters right. Ichigo was proud of the man, and I bet his mom would have been to. He deserved to be happy as much as anyone did.

"When Masaki passed, you didn't just lose a mother, I lost a wife. I didn't know what to do, with you and the twins, and the clinic. I tried my best Ichigo, then the next two years, you were suddenly quiet and isolated, I figured it was just puberty and depression but then you just disappeared. You were so unhappy so I had to let you go. You didn't deserve to go through this too. The twins always talked about a brother they couldn't remember but I showed them pictures. Sorry Ichigo for any mistakes I have made. I know I've done wrong somewhere so forgive me, son."

His dad was staring at the family picture, away from his son's gaze.

"I forgive you, dad. Both of us made mistakes. I'm glad I'm back here. I love you, dad."

They now looked at each other, smiling. His father reached out to hold his hand. And he gripped it back.

"I love you too, son."