Breath of Life
Whip Lash
Something about the woman bothered him to the point he felt his throat tighten. Something also told him that he knew her, but he couldn't grasp a single memory of this person, which only added to the frustration he was feeling of having his niece make a move on him. The names Kaien heard her spout out caused him to feel worse as well, but her telling him that she would have to tell Isshin was the last straw. He had to get out of the house and think, particularly since what he had said to Toshiro had gone out the window.
There was also that look that she gave him, making him even more sure that she knew him and he should have been able to recognize her. As he left, he found himself saying something that was in his opinion horribly rude. "No... I don't know who you are, but the look you're giving me..."
He walked in no particular direction, his feet hitting the sidewalk as his hands remained in his pocket. The sound of children suddenly caught his attention and he found himself drawn to it, as if it was in some manner filling a missing void. No one was sitting on the swing set, so he choose there to sit down while looking up at the sky. "Isshin's lucky to have a family. That's something..." There came a pause then as he realized that something was yet again forgotten. "Something about 'family' was important, but I don't know what."
A sudden jarring kick in the shin caused his head to jerk up. A boy with black hair and brown eyes glared at him. Kaien quickly stood up, sticking his hands into his pocket. "Sorry. I'm guessing that you want this then?"
Before the man could speak up, the voice of a female spoke up lecturing the boy. "Kaoru-chan! Please apologize for mommy to this man."
The boy's eyes narrowed, telling the dark haired man that the boy didn't want to apologize. He watched as the boy looked away as well. "I'm sorry."
Kaien then stepped aside, watching as the boy bounced into the seat of the swing set and kick his legs out in earnest. He then shook his head and went to sit on the bench, the woman watching him the whole time. Not realizing that he was being watched he choose to simply continue watching the sky. He startled when someone came and sat at him. "What is a man doing hanging around a park? You don't have any kids of your own."
"No... I don't think so." Kaien's mouth twisted up into a frown. "Why the hell was saying that so painful?" He tilted his head to see the woman was looking at him. "Could we please change the subject?"
"Away from what a man is doing hanging around a park around kids? I don't think so."
"That's not what I meant." Another pang. "I don't want to talk about the fact I don't have any kids. Why did your demeanor change I might ask?"
"It..." The woman paused, frowning as she did so. "You wouldn't be against having kids of your own?"
An irritated sound came from the man's mouth as he turned to look away, his teeth grinding as he did. "I thought I asked to change the subject"
"Fine? Why are you hanging out in the park?"
"I don't know. I wanted to think and just ended up here."
The woman let out a sigh. "All right. Let me try something else. What is your name?"
"Kurosaki Kaien." The man watched as the children continued to play, then jerked his head back up and closed his eyes. The spot he had chosen wasn't allowing him to curb the depression that was setting in let alone think.
"So you're related to Ichigo?"
Kaien's eyes snapped open at the comment and he turned to look her in the face, frowning as he did. "He's my nephew."
The woman blinked a couple of times. While her tone of voice had a venom to it, she remained in the posture of a sweet little mother. "Ichigo actually works... sort of works at my place. It's hard to explain really other then the fact he doesn't always show up. You don't look old enough to be his Uncle."
The corners of the man's mouth turned down. "I guess there may be a major age gap between me and my older brother. Except... that doesn't feel right either."
"You're talking about Isshin. What's even more confusing is that you're talking weird. How can you not know if there is a major age gap between you two or not?" The woman's tone changed suddenly back to the way she was talking to the boy.
"The only memory I have right now is of my brother when we were younger."
The woman frowned. "So there is a chance that you may have a wife or girlfriend out there somewhere."
Kaien startled, chocking on his own spittle. The woman he had met hit him hard on the back to stop him from coughing, after which he hung his head low to the ground, frowning as he did so. "I hadn't thought about that and really don't want to think about that right now, considering..."
"Considering what?"
"The fact I really messed up." The man glanced at the ground. "The best way to put it is without my memories I don't know how to act around other people, particularly the people who knew me before I lost my memories."
"Who cares?" The woman's comment caused him to look up in time to see the motherly persona to falter a bit, only to bounce back when she realized her son was looking, waving at him with a cheerful face. "No, seriously... who cares if you act differently then your old self. Just be who you want to be, do what you feel needs being done. Well... except don't go around disobeying the law."
The man stared at her for a few minutes while she stared back in confusion. Finally he spoke up, his tone having lightened since he had gotten to the park. "Thank you. That advice helps me out a lot Miyako."
"Miyako... no, my name is Unagiya Ikumi. That was a weird thing to say."
Kaien quickly bowed to her. "Gomenasai, Unagiya-san."
"Just Ikumi is fine." The woman frowned.
"I best get going before I worry my family." The man stood up, noticing that the boy was glaring at him. A frown came across his face as he contemplated why.
"Well, at least that's something not like your nephew. He's really bad about worrying is family just to avoid worrying them. So keep an eye out for that why don't you?"
"Sure." Kaien found himself smiling, but as soon as he was out of the park the frown came, knowing what he had to do. He didn't notice the other female watching him from the side either, his mind being focused on going back home.
M
After class Karin went to the teacher's lounge to pick up the sheets to take home for her sister. As she left the school building, she found herself fidgeting with her lip as she worried about her sister. She arrived at the house to find that everything was quite and nobody seemed to be in site. This included her uncle who really had no where to go. "I guess he went for a walk."
"If you mean your uncle, he did." Toshiro's voice came from the other side of the door. "Your sister is also mad at me."
Karin walked over to glare at the boy. "Toshiro... why are you home even?"
"I got sent home because everybody thought I looked sick." The boy lay on the couch.
The girl noticed that his foot was bandaged up and she pointed her finger at it. "It isn't because of that injury?"
"I got that injury in the house." This comment caused her to look around in confusion, noticing as she did the drops of blood on the floor leading from the kitchen and up the stairs and then back down again.
Pushing her lips together she stepped over to the kitchen to see broken glass on the floor. "Why didn't Yuzu clean this up?"
"Sorry... I'll get it." Toshiro sat up, letting out a sound as he moved his foot.
Karin looked up and shook her head, his twisted up facial features telling her enough about the situation. "No... you stay there. I'll clean it up. I'm surprised you of all people stepped in the glass."
She went to work knowing full well that something was off about the situation but didn't push as Toshiro for some reason had chosen not to tell her, which meant he was only going to tell her what he felt she needed to know. She then looked at the blood spots as she dumped the shards into the trash, listening to the clinking sound as they hit the bottom. "I'll go and get Yuzu to clean up those blood stains."
Toshiro's mouth twisted up into a frown. "She's not in a good mood."
"Well, she's sick isn't she?"
"She's not sick Karin."
"Yuzu wouldn't..." The girl glanced up, noting the serious look on his face. "You used my first name."
"I apologize. It was a slip of the tongue and I won't be impolite like that again." The boy glanced away. "What ever she tells you please don't be mad at me."
"Toshiro... calling me by my first name is not a breach of etiquette." Karin let out deep sigh. "Actually, I would prefer if you would call me by my first name." She watched as he remained silent, looking away from her. Letting out a sigh she headed up stairs only to find the door to her room locked. She knocked on the door. "Come on Yuzu. It's my room as well."
The door opened up and two teary brown eyes surrounded by puff eye lids peeked through. "Karin!"
"Yuzu... what ever is the matter." Instead of getting an answer the brown haired female backed away from the door while Karin entered the room, frowning as she did so. "I need you to help me clean up the blood stains down stairs. Apparently Toshiro stepped on some glass and..."
"Toshiro's such a bully!" The other girl went and sat on her bed, bawling as she did so.
Karin frowned. "Come on. That doesn't sound like Toshiro."
"He's a bully and an absolute meanie."
"Yuzu... do you have a fever?" Karin's mouth twisted into a frown.
The other female hiccuped, her cheeks turning a bright red. "I think I'll go to bed now."
The dark haired female watched as her twin dived under the covers, hearing the sobs also continue. Letting out a deep sigh she went down the stairs. Toshiro was still sitting on the couch, frowning as he sat there. "I don't get it. Yuzu got upset when I asked her if she had a fever." The white haired boy's head jerked to look at her, his cheeks turning a deep red. Karin frowned. "What ever is the matter?"
"Nothing?'
"You didn't try to take Yuzu's temperature and she do something stupid like try and kiss you?" The dark haired female said as the boy's head jerked to look at her again, his cheeks turning an even deeper red. "They must have been teasing her about not having... a boyfriend. Toshiro..."
"Look, I think I'll go upstairs to rest in your dad's room."
"But there is no way she would..." Karin paused as the boy hobbled past her. When he was gone, she let out a deep sigh and flopped onto the couch.
