A/N So as promised, here I am starting on chapter 24… is it really already chapter 24? Hot dayum, my imagination needs to calm down! Insanity, this is what this is. But yeah, so here we go with chapter 24! If you have any questions thus far on any of the going-ons in this story, do feel free to send me a PM as even I'm getting confused now, which is probably not a good thing… Dear me, not good at all…
Ichigo's POV
"What?!" I'm in his face in an instance, nostrils flaring and eyes wide as I still manage to glare at my manager, who is standing his ground, wearing that infuriating smile. "No, it's not happening. I refuse. Do you realize how dangerous it is for me to be spending time with him as Tensa when I know him as Ichigo?"
"It seems you are doing a fine job of hiding your identity already, Kurosaki-kun~," his eyes take on that odd gleam and I'm just a few seconds away from snarling in his face. "Please try to understand, this will be beneficial to both of you, despite what you might believe."
Taking a deep breathe, I begin to pace around the room, my thoughts buzzing around in my head like an angry swarm of bees. No good would come of this, besides maybe more publicity, which I definitely do not need. Scratch that, if I teamed up with Shiro, more publicity would more than definitely find me. With all the stress of keeping up a double identity, hiding my talents on this fucking school project, and finishing my album as Tensa I already have more than a full plate.
"Urahara," falling harshly back into a random chair, my head hangs down and the screeching sound of metal dragging on the ground fills the room before stopping in front of me, and I hear the sound of material swishing as my eccentric manager sits down. "You don't understand, I just can't handle it. I already have so much going on and, and," another deep breathe as a hand lands gently on my shoulder.
"I know that it feels like too much, Ichigo," I'm startled that he uses my actual first name, but he continues and I quickly forget such a minor detail," but I believe with all my heart that you can see this through to the end and survive and thrive. You have the potential to finish this and do much more, that's why I chose to be your manager over every other potential entertainer. Pull through this and get stronger, take on more, and conquer it," he squeezes my shoulder before he stands up and pulls me up with him. "Now, what's a good date to meet with Shirosaki~?"
Groaning, I steel my nerves and look him in the eyes. "After school we'll discuss it, alright? Besides, you're the one who plans my calendar," turning around swiftly, I wave over my shoulder and walk off, "so you handle it."
Grimmjow's POV
The classroom is quiet as everyone takes a seat. The performances, one in particular, has taken everyone's breathe away. Although I hide it well, I'm internally screaming on the inside, in rage and confusion, but most of all frustration. Who did that little punk, Ichigo, think he was to steal my spotlight like he did and then just run off afterwards? I have my pride and he just stomps all over it like he knows he's better. The image of his eyes looking down on me, me of all people, from his temporary pedestal up on the stage flashes in my mind and I almost snarl at thin air.
Then confusion sets in and my mind is full of unanswered questions. Where did he learn to sing like that? Since when has he been able to sing like that? If he had such a, although I loathe to admit it, fantastic voice as that why is he not already in the music industry? Someone, anyone, with that amount of talent doesn't just go undiscovered for such a long period of time. Well, that is unless they don't want to be found. But that makes no sense!
It's then that I realize there is definitely something more to one Ichigo Kurosaki, and I'm determined to find out what and sitting here in this fucking school isn't going to answer any of my questions. Not until that strawberry shows up, anyways. Resigning myself to silently wait for him to show his face and those fucking eyes, I slouch deeper into my chair as Aizen spouts out something about being more than disappointed, blah blah blah, and takes a seat to put grades into his computer.
After a few minutes I'm unable to hold myself back for even a second longer and I'm about to stand up, intent on marching out of the room, when I hear a soft snicker somewhere near me and I immediately recognize the culprit. As I peer over my shoulder, my suspicions are confirmed when I see Shiro, the pale bastard, send me a slight wave before he cackles lightly again and my hands curl into tight fists, yearning to punch that smug smirk right off his face.
It's then that the door opens and Ichigo smoothly walks in and hands Aizen a note, ignoring the stares focused on him. The teacher looks it over and smiles, pats the strawberry on the shoulder for a job well done, which results in me clenching my teeth to the point of pain, and sends him back to his seat. The orangette strolls to his seat and sits down as gently as he can and pointedly looks out the window, ignoring every single last person in the room. That's fine with me, I could wait until school was over to corner him and get my answers.
Shiro's POV
The rest of the day goes by relatively normal, the sadistic teacher, as I've come to believe wholeheartedly, gives us more math homework, causing me to grimace slightly. I've never loved math and I don't see that changing anytime soon. In the few minutes he gives us to work on the work before school is released, I'm once more left with my own thoughts, which isn't necessarily a good or bad thing. Not to my surprise, my eyes slide over to rest on King, who is actually bothering to try and finish up some of his math before school ends.
His voice once more fills my mind and I sigh lightly, leaning into my hand as I gaze at the wall. Ever since I had accidently found that video at his house of him singing from way back when he was a kid, I've had my suspicions that he has one hell of a voice, and today proved me right. Immediately as soon as his voice filled the room I had been in slight shock, as it was even more spectacular than I had imagined, but I was more in awe. I'm quite a proud person, but even I had to admit that if we went head to head and toe to toe, he had more than a good chance of winning over me with just his voice. Even stranger, this didn't really upset me. I accepted it.
As soon as this realization enters my mind, I frown. This is definitely not like me at all. Had it been anyone else, at any time, or any reason I would be furious. Hate would be all I would feel towards someone that threatened my spot on the leaderboard and my career, but with King it feels like everything is not as it should be. I've actually come to care about how he feels or what he things. Subconsciously I notice my frown deepening, but I'm too busy with my epiphany to realize it.
Taking a deep breathe, I attempt to sort out my thoughts, as messed up and unorganized as they may be. My initial purpose for getting close to the orangette was merely to piss Grimmjow off, and for my own selfish purposes. Now, the mere thought of anyone hurting King, not to mention myself, has me suppressing a flinch and a snarl. I know that I should realize what this means, but for some odd reason it just doesn't click in my mind.
Shaking myself out of my deep inner thoughts, I discreetly peer back over at Ichigo, who is concentrating whole-heartedly on his homework, no doubt attempting to ignore the whispers being thrown around the classroom. Biting back unkind words, I watch as everyone tries, and fails, to catch Ichigo's attention.
Then I notice Grimmjow.
I never thought it possible to lose my temper so quickly, but never before had I held so much hate for one individual. All in a mere time span of a measly few seconds, my blood has boiled, my vision has turned a scarlet red, and a growl threatens to emerge from somewhere in the back of my throat. How dare he glare with such hatred at Ichigo for something stupid, no doubt.
At this moment that I'm steaming in my seat, the bell rings and I'm almost shocked at how fast the orangette can make an exit. Deciding that Grimmjow is in no way worth the trouble I would go through to try to properly stick him in his place, although I do make a mental note to do that at a more convenient time, I gather my few school-related books and head in the general direction of Ichigo's house. It's probably much better to talk with him and figure out why he's been hiding that voice then to try and guess on my own and sneak around anymore than I already have.
Besides, it's not like my methods have been working very efficiently. Much to my disappointment, actually, I haven't been able to find out anything about King other than what I already hold as common knowledge. It does strike me though as he does seem to be a little bit too much under the radar to be completely normal.
As I walk out the building and begin to stroll to his house, my train of thought begins to wander back to my earlier musings of my feelings toward Ichigo. Maybe by the time I reach his house I'll be able to figure out at least a small portion of whatever these feelings are might be. And hopefully, learn how to control them. Sneering quietly to myself, I curse under my breathe. Since when has anything come easily to me, besides singing and even now my career is far from perfect.
Ichigo's POV
"ICHIGOOOO, MY SON! HOW WAS SCHOOL TOD—" I cut him off my slamming the door right in his face, quite literally, and had my day not been as disastrous as it had been I would have smirked in humor at the wail of pain I'm rewarded with on the other side of the door.
Falling, quite ungracefully at that, on my bed, I stare up at the ceiling, arms and legs splayed out all over the bed. I seem to be too much in a shock to really think of anything, as my mind is as blank as a newly bought canvas. The curtains are closed, and my room is dark, which only seems to depress me more as I'm too lazy and unmotivated to actually open them to let the bright sunlight to stream in through the window to cheer me up. I throw an arm over my eyes and moan silently in self-pity, wallowing in my inability to change what I really wish I could.
Suddenly I hear my phone start ringing and I sigh, but relent and pick up the phone, bracing myself for who I knew was on the other end thanks to the ringtone.
"Hello?" I venture carefully, and for a few seconds I'm convinced that they just dialed my number by accident.
"Are you a fucking idiot, Ichigo?!" A shrill voice shrieks over the phone and I flinch back although I'm fully aware the phone can't harm me.
"No, I'm not," I respond quietly, not eager to piss off the raven more so than she already was.
"Then were you drunk? No, no, nevermind. You may be a brilliant singer, but even you can't pull off that spectacular of a performance while drunk. High then?" She seems to want to believe that it was a stupid mistake, and I sigh, raking a hang through my bright orange hair.
"I wasn't drunk nor was I high. I was completely sane when I chose to showcase my talents for the whole school," I snap despite my desire to keep the conversation non-life threatening.
"Why?! Ichigo, damn it, why didn't you at least talk about it with us first?! Did you know how much of a shock it was for us!" I hear Renji shout not far from the phone before a muffled 'ouch' and a curse follow no doubt due to Rukia.
"I'm sorry, but it was kind of a split minute decision," rolling over on my stomach, I continue. "I originally had no plan to put so much effort into it, but you know how I get once I start singing. It's hard to stop."
"I know it is, but Ichigo, do you even realize what you might have done? With Grimmjow and Shiro on your tail, this could have been what broke the camel's back," at least she isn't yelling, I think ruefully, although the effect is the same.
It cuts me deep to know that I may have fucked everything up. After keeping up such a stupid charade for so long and keeping a double identity that took so much effort, for such a simple and idiotic mistake to fuck it all up, it hurts. It pains me even more to admit that I may be wrong, either in refusing to enter the industry as Ichigo, or in singing today to such an extreme.
"Look, if I could go back in time and fix what I did I would, but I can't, so can we just leave it be and try to figure out how the hell I'm gonna get out of this? Plus, I have to tell you the worst part," silence greets me on the other side before someone seems to take the initiative and grabs the phone.
"Speak, Kurosaki, and quit wasting everyone's time," I'm more than mildly surprised that it seems Ishida would be the one concerned enough to break the silence, but hey, who am I to complain?
"Well, to put it bluntly, Urahara pulled a stupid stunt and-"
"Onii-san! One of your friends is here to visit! I'm sending him up!" Yuzu shouts from downstairs and I freeze.
"I'm guessing it's not one of you?" I ask in a whisper.
"No, everyone is here. That means it's one of two people," Ishida responds in an unkind voice before hurrying on. "If it's Jaeggerjaques call back immediately, if it's the other one," he practically spits, the hate so much as to not even mention the name," do the same. But first, find out what the latter might want," there is a sound of shuffling before I hear Shinji's voice.
"Oh, and you better call back and tell us this dire news before I make it a point to come over there and kick your ass for hiding important information!"
I can't stop a chuckle at Shinji's outburst before schooling my features and responding with an affirmative, effectively ending the call. It's not ten seconds later that Shiro practically throws the door open, standing in the doorway with a straight back and his onyx eyes cold and unreadable. For unknown reasons, I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the inevitable questions that are sure to fill the silence, questions that I have no doubt I'm unable to answer.
The tense atmosphere seems to sit and steam, neither one of us daring to break it without good reason. I'm actually quite surprised that Shiro hasn't launched at me with a million accusations and theories, but like mentioned I'm not about to ask him that or anything else. Hopefully, he won't ask anything that I can't give a roundabout answer to.
With a slow blink, he crosses his arms and asks slowly, his slang uncomfortably gone. "Mind telling me what that was about today?"
"I would say I'm not quite sure what you're referring to, but I'm positive that I'm more than well aware. I guess the better question would be why you're so keen on knowing. It doesn't really involve you," his tone immediately sets me on edge, as it holds a slightly accusatory tone along with a bit of suspicion.
"Oh, it doesn't involve me, does it?" He scoffs, taking a step forward, causing me to sit up on my bed, back straight and taunt. "Cut tha' crap King," I'm not sure if I'm glad or unnerved that his slang is back. "We both know tha' yer hidin' something, something big, but fer tha' life a me I just can't figure out why."
"I'm not so sure if you're fully aware just what you're implying," I growl as I stand, ready to kick his ass out of my house if the need arises.
"I'm sure tha' I'm aware a wha' I'm implyin'. I also think it's time ya came ta terms wit tha' fact I'm here ta help ya, not ruin ya," I'm shocked, and I'm sure it shows since his face softens just a fraction.
"As true as that may be, I'm still not hiding anything," I cross my arms in defiance and at my statement his eyes harden again. "But, let's just say I did accept your offered help. What's in it for you anyways, besides me being in your debt in some form or another?" This seems to stun him for a bit, as his eyes take on a vacant look and it's a few seconds before he answers.
"I don't know," the honesty dripping from the statement is almost palpable, forcing me to believe him, to my surprise. "I really don't know."
A/N Alright, I'm sorry for the crappy second half of this… I'm sick while writing it, but it's been bothering me to leave you guys hanging for this long, so I stuck it out to finish it :) Feels great to accomplish something while I'm bedridden –grumblegrumble- But that doesn't mean I get to stay home tomorrow! Oh no~ I've got to go to school to get exempt from my semester finals -_- I'm so done with High School, I swear. I cannot wait until I graduate this year. I'm gonna spend my time reading fanfictions and enjoying sleeping in until 3 in the afternoon. Ah, what a life~
But, away from that there is the latest chapter. I hope to wrap this story up quickly, as I now have another finish I am positively dying to release, but I refuse to until this is done. Hopefully it's done quickly, but I also refuse to have this story suck near the end due to impatience. `
Anyways!~ Remember to read, review, repeat! Love all of you~ We're also reaching the 200 review mark! Tell me how exciting that is!