Hi! Chapter Four! It took me little time to get this done (though I must admit, it's also given me little time to sleep.) Even as I type this (which is what I do at the last minute after I'm done with the chapter), it's a couple of minutes to 3 in the morning.
For this chapter and the previous one, I have to give you a fair idea of the exchange rate between Yen and the Dollar (which I forgot to do in the previous one). I got this exchange rate from Ichigo 100 by the way, which being an outdated manga, is probably wrong presently. But it was roughly a 110 yen to a dollar.
If I'm wrong now I'm sorry. I could check and correct it, but that sorta takes the slight element of randomness I like in my stories. Besides, Bleach has no specific time line does it? Not like DeathNote (2002).
Sorry, I'm going on and on again aren't I?
Oh by the way, if you're reading this with the expectation of reading about the Shopping Trip, sorry to disappoint. That'll be in the next chapter. But feel free to sue me if not a single thing in this chapter makes you even smile. My guarantee.
Enjoy!
NOTE: In the chapter, I give the price of Ichigo's SUV in dollars because even outside the USA, cars are sometimes sold in that currency though they can be paid for with any other currency's equivalent. Okay. Now I'm really done. On with the show!
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4
December 21st
'I can't believe I'm doing this...I can't believe I'm doing this...I can't believe I'm doing this...'
That was Ichigo's mantra, toppling out of bed...
Into the shower...
Down the stairs...
Out into minus four degrees weather...
Into his SUV...
Unto the highway...
At 1:58 am.
Lights flashed incessantly at the corner of Ichigo's eye as he sped along the highway in nothing but a winter coat thrown over a cotton morning robe and two pairs of woolen socks. After about half an hour of dead silence, his windshield suddenly began to frost over. Then multiple flakes of ice began touching down on the glass. It was snowing.
Ichigo's mantra instantaneously switched to 'I will kill that fucking idiot...I will kill that fucking idiot...I will kill that fucking idiot...'.
Ichigo's reason for this undesirable journey had called earlier a little more than half an hour ago. Frankly now, Ichigo was sorry he had picked the phone. Heck, he was sorry he owned a phone. From the second he awoke to the rude shrill buzzing of the device, he should have known no normal person would call him at this time of the night and pitched the bloody thing out the window.
God, he shouldn't have let that smart-aleck salesman talk him into getting a cell phone.
"Hello..." Ichigo had breathed into the mouthpiece so weakly you'd think he died yesterday.
"ICHIGO? ICHIGO!!"
And Ichigo knew caller ID existed for a reason.
"Please..." Ichigo begged. "Please don't tell me you're..."
"THIS IS KEIGO!!"
Ichigo almost let the thing fall from his hand in defeat.
"ICHIGO!! WE'RE BUDDIES RIGHT!!"
"Keigo what d'you want?" he asked tiredly.
"ICHIGO!! BUDDY-OH-PAL!! HOMIE!! I REALLY NEED A FAVOUR!!"
"Quit screamin' at me, dammit!" Ichigo yelled into the phone.
"SORRY!! IS THIS BETTER!?"
It wasn't any better. Had he lost his mind?
"Where the hell are you?!"
"HIGHWAY UH...31!!"
"31!?" Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Keigo, that's over an hour from here!"
"I KNOW!! AND MY CARAVAN'S DEAD!!"
Ichigo was incredulous. "What?! Then how're you gonna get here?!"
"THAT'S THE FAVOUR!!" A pause, with slight static in the background. "I NEED YOU TO COME PICK ME UP!"
More static in the background as Keigo awaited his reply.
Ichigo began chuckling huskily.
"ICHIGO PLEEEEE..."
And the phone was off. Ichigo dropped it unto the carpeting below and turned over, snuggling deeper beneath the blankets. No sooner had he closed his eyes than metallic ringing broke out, this time coming from the landline telephone on his bedside cabinet. Ichigo's hand reached out to pick it up; the sound emanating from it as soon as it was answered: "...EEEAAAAAAAASSSSEEE ICHIGO!! DON'T LET ME FREEZE!!" The voice was loud, whiny and very irritating.
Now Ichigo regretted letting the phone company talk him into getting a line in his room.
"Keigo..." Ichigo's voice was gravelly with sleep but kind. "...I'm going to make this so simple even you can understand it. I'm supposed to be on leave from work and I still haven't had even six hours of uninterrupted sleep for the past 3 days. I am tired. You're an idiot...for trying to drive here in a fucking caravan. I don't know what you did with the plane ticket money I sent you...and-I-don't-care. I don't know how you're going to get here. But I do know this: I would rather soak my hair in lighter fluid and put it up in flames, than drive on the god-forsaken highway for over an hour in this god-forsaken weather." He paused. "Any questions?"
There was some rattling on the other end. And then. "JUST ONE!! ARE YOU STILL COMING FOR ME?? I'M RUNNING OUT OF ICECREAM."
Ichigo sighed. "Goodnight Keigo."
"WHY ARE YOU SO CRUUUEEELLL..."
A faint ding as the reciever was placed down. Then Ichigo yanked the telephone cable from the phone. Lastly he rolled over, already fully aware he would be unable to go back to sleep. He didn't even try.
Sigh. Damned Keigo. Was everyone determined to drive him batty by yanking him away from his bed at odd hours? And would they be terribly surprised if they found him dead in a blood filled bathtub with a note that condemned the evils of sleep depreciation (pretty stupid grounds for suicide if you thought about it. Then again to Ichigo, suicide itself was a stupid idea all together. Killing yourself because your boyfriend refused to switch from briefs to boxers... absurdity at its highest peak). Anyway, he'd blame it all on them if he eventually developed insomnia. Or dropped a scalpel into somebody's intestines during surgery assistance.
Good God, could somebody actually do that? Drop a scalpel into a patient's intestines? He needed sleep then! Now! But even as he shut his eyes, the question hit him. Honestly...would he really prefer soaking his head in lighter fluid and putting it up in flames to driving for a few measly hours?
Another sigh. 'Damned Keigo' Ichigo thought again, forcing himself out of bed and sitting on the edge. He rubbed at his temple slowly. Why him? Why not Chad? Or Ishida? Ishida'd probably do it. Why'd it have to be him?
Slowly he stood up to fetch his keys. To tell the truth, he'd have gone for the bastard whether or not he preferred torching his hair to midnight riding. Because that was Ichigo; very very (very) reluctant at times but trusted to come through for a friend anyway.
Besides, knowing Keigo, he'd probably been serious about the icecream thing. He only had Icecream. On a journey. In the winter. Yup, those were the kind of friends Ichigo owned.
000
Keigo's motor home was easy to spot. Small and cream coloured, it was sitting dejectedly on the side of the road, it's head lights on, faint and obviously near dying. As the weather had turned for the worse; almost a snow storm, it's tires were now surrounded by thick banks of snow.
Ichigo parked infront of the caravan. "You owe me big time for this Keigo." he muttered, reaching into the back and pulling out his winter boots. After quickly shoving his feet into them, he opened the door and got out.
Oh crap!! You see...this!! This!! was why he hadn't even wanted to step out of the damn house. It was freakin' freezing!! He felt his eyes get teary as the harsh wind got into them, his skin rise with goosebumps as the cold lashed out at it. He forced himself forward as the snow fought back; stinging his cheeks and messing his hair. His ears were unprotected. That fact could not be good for his brain.
He banged on the door of the caravan. "KEEIIGOOO!!"
He waited for a moment. No answer.
Wind toyed repeatedly with the hem of Ichigo's morning robe. Shit, his legs felt cold! He knew in about fifteen minutes, they'd be dead numb. And more than fifteen minutes? He could prepare to kiss them goodbye to frostbite.
"KEEEEIIIIGGOOOOO!!" Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! BANG!!
He waited for a moment. Still no answer. Shit.
Ichigo tried pulling on the handle. It was metal and freezing to the touch. Probably frozen to some extent. Nevertheless, Ichigo yanked and yanked at it. No luck.
"Shit, I better get back into the SUV." Ichigo muttered to himself, his teeth chattering like no one's business. At this rate, his testicles could freeze over, and he wanted to have kids someday!
Just as he turned around, he heard a familiar sound...a damning sound. A soft sort of -chwi chwi- that came with two flashes of his SUV's headlights.
He knew what that was. Auto lock. His car had just automatically locked intruders out. And just like fate to screw with Ichigo; he'd left the keys in the car.
Shit...shit..shit-shit-SHIT! Ichigo trudged over to the car as quickly as the thick banks of snow would let him. Repeatedly...frantically he pulled at the handle, trying to force-open it, all the while muttering almost deliriously. "Come'on-come'on-come'on-come'on-come'on-come'on-COME ON!!" But of course, just the way it was built (the very reason Ichigo had bought it:) it could not be forced open.
THUMP! THUMP!!
Ichigo's shoulder met with the pane glass again and again. "Break you stupid..." Again and again! He tried elbowing it open like you see in the movies. Not so much as a crack. You see, the problem lay not in Ichigo's strength per se, but in the speed at which his body met the glass. The cold slowed his movements considerably. If he was going break into his car, it would not be by use of any of his limbs.
"AUGGGHHH!!" Ichigo screamed in frustration. "You stupid piece of shit!" He kicked at a wheel.
The alarm was sudden; high pitched and loud, piercing the still of the night, crying out to the world that it's owner was trying to break into it. Not a very intelligent vehicle.
"Ugh!" Ichigo fell against his car, close to tears of frustration. How had this happened? How had he ended up on the deathlist; death by freezing into a human popsicle? And no one even liked orange flavour.
Ichigo slumped down against the front wheel of his car, hugging himself for warmth and ignoring the loud sirens emitting from the vehicle. It would cease in a moment. He was more concerned about his life. No one knew he was here, was the first depressing thought. He hadn't told anybody anything, hadn't left a note, hadn't recorded a message. Nothing.
And where the fuck was Keigo!? He should have told the idiot he was coming for him afterall. Now, he could be anywhere. Maybe he'd even hitched a ride to Karakura. Though that was unlikey. Ichigo hadn't met any other cars on his way here. It was also very unlikely he was trying to walk back to Karakura. Even Keigo wasn't that stupid.
So it was either Keigo was, infact, still in his caravan and asleep, still in his caravan but for some reason already dead from the cold (a result quickened by eating his frozen dessert), or...had hitched a ride with a psychotic serial killer who had knocked him out and driven off road into the grasslands to do...things...to him.
For morale sake, Ichigo was going to go with possibility A. The idiot was asleep.
Great. Just great.
Just then, the alarm ceased. Immediately, Ichigo wished it hadn't.
Dead silence.
It reminded Ichigo that he was alone. And quite possibly going to die. Should he try to restart the alarm? As comforting as it would be, he had to admit it would be a waste of energy. Energy he was gradually losing. Energy that once completely lost, would mean only one thing: death by popsicle. Besides, he doubted he could pick up enough velocity with a blow to start the alarm off again. His joints were, now, too rigid. So Ichigo stayed put, hugging his knees to himself and scanning the area forlornly, hoping to spot an approaching vehicle's headlights. There were none as of then.
There were only the howls of the wind; frigid and unforgiving. It nipped at him and teased him with threats of frostbite. And quite to Ichigo's surprise, he eventually found his life flashing before his eyes. Something he had formerly believed only happened in corny emo-films.
Actually, it was only one memory that flashed before him. It was the most important event in his life so far. The moment that, to Ichigo, had started it all; this miserable journey of attempts and regrets, and yet he wouldn't trade it for anything.
His first kiss.
It had been with, of course, Inoue, embarassingly at the age of 16 (two years above the average statistic). It had occured after his titanic battle with Yamamoto Ichigo; the boy who had tried to steal his life (literally) and his love (Inoue) from him. Half an hour after Inoue had healed his wounds from the fight, he had woken up to find Rukia and Tatsuki seated not too far from him, chatting.
"Where is she?" he had asked.
"Town circle." had been the reply.
So that was where he'd gone. She had been standing before the Silver Arc Memorial Fountain, an extravagant fountain with dozens of little nude marble angels spouting rainbow coloured water from their bugles. It had been Karakura's finest. Still was.
The weather had been windy that day; the clouds grey and unfriendly; thunder rumbling in the distance; the streets silent in anticipation, a heat wave just having recently ran its course. It was impossible to forget even the minutetest details: her rippling skirt, her hair; flippantly allowing the wind to toss it carelessly about. The tenderness of her mouth, the sweetness of her lips...the warmth of her breath as it met his. The torrents of rain that drenched them both, pulling them closer together.
Then she had pulled away, applying warm moist kisses to his jaw, trailing down his neck...his collar bone, each kiss to disorient Ichigo; to make him want to pinch himself and make sure his mind wasn't simply playing tricks on him. It wasn't.
Even now, he remembered the exact mixture of scents that made up the smell of her damp hair (apple scented shampoo, skin, wetness...) as she rested her head against his shoulder, slipping her arms around his neck and breathing him in. The only thing he couldn't rememebr is how long they'd stayed there, savouring the feel of their arms around each other. Minutes? Seconds? An eternity? It hadn't really mattered. Nothing had then. Those days were, by far, the best Ichigo had ever lived...possibly the best he would ever live...
Especially if he died here!! Argh!!
Ichigo gritted his teeth, anger boiling inside of him. This was all Keigo's fault! He and his fucking caravan!! Honestly, who travelled in one of them when they'd been practically given free tickets?!
No! He couldn't just sit here and freeze to death! He'd find a way into Keigo's caravan if it was the last thing he did (and it could be)! There had to be another way in. 'Cause there definitely wasn't one into the SUV! One of the reasons he'd paid 75,000 for the stupid thing!
He could hear his laboured breath as he plodded towards Keigo's caravan again. He would try to force it open. Or see if he could wake Keigo (if he was in there). And if Keigo believed in God, it was in his best interests to pray Ichigo didn't find him inside. Or there would be bloodshed tonight.
Suddenly, before Ichigo was even half-way towards it, there was a noisy squeak as the caravan's door swung open.
Ichigo stopped.
Gently the door swung, reaching the limit of its hinges. Then swinging back slightly. Then it stopped.
Ichigo stared at the open door. So Keigo was in there! Well why wouldn't he come out? Even with the now open door, no one exited the vehicle. The door merely squeaked some more as the wind swayed it a bit.
Maybe he doesn't want to get cold, Ichigo thought glumly, damn well determined to let Keigo know what he thought of that precaution as he began again towards the caravan.
"KEEIGOO!" Ichigo yelled as he reached the door and nudged it open with a frozen hand. "KEIGO!!" He stepped up into it, squinting at the darkness. No answer. The blackness just stared back at him; silent.
No one.
Then...who had opened the door? Now Ichigo felt chills crawl up his spine. And it wasn't the cold.
"Anyone here?" His nervous voice echoed in the seemingly empty motor home. He went further inside to inspect. Almost immediately, his eyes made out a small cylindrical tub on the driver's seat. A spoon was sticking out from inside of it, traces of creamy white and blue along its handle. Ichigo picked it up to inspect it. It read:
Winter Dale
Vanilla . Blueberry. Greek Yoghurt
a product of the Hime Consumer Division
MARBLE COMPANY
providing the essentials since '68
Vanilla-Blueberry-Greek Yoghurt? Hmmm...Inoue's tastes had improved over the years.
Hime Consumer Division was, as the name suggested, Inoue's company. Or to be precise: the division of the main company; Marble, that Inoue was head of.
Anyway, this had to belong to Keigo. And the scoops missing from inside it still looked fresh. Wait...could it be possible...
Suddenly Ichigo heard growling behind him.
"Hold it right there."
The voice was deep and ominous, thrusting Ichigo into a state of complete frigidity.
The voice came again. This time closer. "Don't even move. Don't even think about moving. Don't even think about thinking about moving!" The voice was getting higher now. The growling in the background got louder too. But Ichigo had already figured out what was going on. Only one idiot would give instructions so stupid they would be an embarassment to muggers everywhere around the world.
"Keigo, do you have any idea..." Ichigo began in anger, turning around. He would regret it.
KWANG!!
Cold metal met his temple, sending him spiralling. The ground upturned and swivelled around to meet the side of his face with a sickening thud. Liquid warmth flowed, blinding him as it dripped into his eyes.
As he slipped away, he was vaguely aware of the shadowy figure that stood over him.
"Uh-oh." he heard the shadow say. "Oh sh..."
And the darkness over took him.
000
As was much earlier stated, Ichigo was not the dreaming type. But truth be told, after the blow to the head, his brain took terrible advantage of the situation. Did it have a field day with him! The dreams were muddled. Totally unrelated. Dribbling paint down a painter's canvas, converging in the absurdest moments, diverging when he needed them together the most.
Clowns, blood, grass stains, wars, past, future, eternity...All that and more.
Oh...and nuns. Lots and lots of nuns.
For a moment, Ichigo believed he had finally lost it. Why, he was...
"Ichigo?"
The voice was distant and odd. A dream in a dream...
"Ichigo? Please wake up."
Then an earthquake. The elements of his dreams jumbled still further, bringing on the most aweful pain that seemed to surround him somehow...a pain he was not exactly sensitive too but aware existed. Like a disjoint hurt...
"ICHIGO!!"
Ichigo's eyes popped open. Somebody was shaking him and the disjoint hurt...Ow!...was now very much a part of him! It was coming from his head. And it hurt like shit!
Ichigo groaned.
"Ichigo, can you see me? How many fingers am I holding up?"
Above him, a blurry figure held up a number of sausage shaped things at him; twelve?
"Keigo?" Ichigo managed to whisper, his tongue feeling like lead.
"Oh thank God." He heard Keigo say, as he watched the man's blurry hand go up to wipe his forehead in relief. "I was so scared. I thought...you know...you were gonna die or something! D-don't do that to me!!"
"Keigo." Ichigo could see clearly now. "Will you do me a favour?"
"Sure Ichigo." Keigo said, looking worried.
"Do you have anything sharp and pointy?" Ichigo whispered.
Keigo suddenly looked nervous. "Um...yeah. I've got an ice pick in my freezer. Um...what do you want...it..." The question trailed off.
"Would you mind much if I could have it?" Ichigo asked, still very politely.
Keigo was very cautious here, his voice level to a minimum. "Why...?"
"SO I CAN POKE YOUR FUCKIN'!! EYES OUT!!" Ichigo screamed, all of a sudden on his feet and towering over Keigo, dark almost demonic aura filling the vehicle.
"Please don't hurt me." Keigo whimpered on his knees. "Much."
But there was no calming Ichigo down. "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!"
"I'm sorry!!" Keigo pleaded, shrinking back considerably. "I thought you were a serial killer! You said you weren't coming for me, how was I supposed to know?!"
Ichigo's fury dissolved almost immediately and a look of disbelief took over instead. "You idiot! You didn't really think I'd leave you here to..."
His protest was interrupted by snarls and barks. They were coming from deeper within the caravan.
"What the heck is that?" Ichigo asked, knowing full well what it was, and immediately apalled by it.
The barks got closer and stepping out of the darkness, a dog emerged. A large white hairy bangs-over-eyes-so-you-wonder-how-it-can-see-where-it's-going, straight-out-of-a-saturday-morning-cartoon sheepdog. In a jacket. And boots.
"Keigo..." Ichigo folded his arms like a cross parent. "Can you explain that?"
"What?" Keigo looked defensive.
"Why you're travelling with a mutt?"
Keigo frowned. "He's not a mutt! Don't say it to his hearing! You'll hurt his feelings!" He knelt down to the dog and began ruffling its hair. "He's Coco and I rescued him from some hooligans who were going to eat him!"
Ichigo was fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "And how much did they say to pay them to let him go?"
Keigo looked surprised. "How did you know I paid them?"
"How much Keigo?"
Keigo avoided his friend's eyes. "Uh...'bout 70,000 yen."
"70,000 yen!" Ichigo couldn't believe this idiot was his friend. "Why didn't you just report them to the police!! You could have claimed the mutt from them for free!! Idiot!!" Ichigo shook his head in disbelief. "Oh well, it's not my money so I guess..."
Silence except for a doggy whine from Coco.
"Wait a minute..." Ichigo realized, his eyes suddenly flaring with fury again. "That was the exact amount I sent you for a plane ticket!!"
"They were gonna eat'im!!" Keigo protested.
Ichigo's hand went to Keigo's throat. "Not if you'd reported to the police dammit!!"
Barking and howling from Coco. Apparently he didn't like the tension in the room.
Ichigo suddenly winced and let go off Keigo's collar, feeling the side of his head instead. There already, a massive swelling had developed; smooth and warm. He took a look at his hand to see a little blood smeared across his fingers. "I owe you one Keigo." he muttered darkly.
"Sorry Ichigo." was the forlorn reply.
"I'm just thankful you're such a wuss. You swing like a sissy." Ichigo said. "What's wrong with your caravan?"
Keigo brightened up with the prospect of discussing his problem. "I dunno! It just sputtered and..and...died! I've been tinkering at it the whole of yesterday afternoon and last night. Finally I gave up and got in. The radio was on for ages to keep us company. But I think we finally killed the battery a couple ours ago." He frowned and muttered: "Last time I ever buy anything from a hippie."
"Hmm." Ichigo walked up to the drivers seat. He glanced at the many dials and knobs behind the steering wheel, then tapped curiously on the glass protecting them.
After a few moments, he turned around. "Well..." he said, ready with a diagnosis. "...here's an interesting piece of information for you Keigo."
Ichigo's friend was incredulous. "You know what's wrong?"
"Of course." Ichigo said, shoving his cold hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You see Keigo, for a vehicle to run, it needs a little something called gas."
"My tank's empty?"
"Yes idiot, your tank's empty." Ichigo said. "And there isn't a gas station for miles. And since my stupid car doesn't like me anymore, looks like we'll have to call Tatsuki to come pick us up."
"Actually..." Keigo said holding up his cell. "My battery's dead too."
"Well then, I guess so are we." Ichigo concluded matter-of-factly, finally accepting that the universe was determined to kill him anyway.
For the first time since Ichigo had known Keigo, he didn't panic and start screaming hysterically, cursing the stars for his demise. Infact, contrary to his character, he merely sighed and sank into a sofa, pulling his dog to him and burying his face into the animal's excess hair. "Guess we'll have to wait and pray somebody comes along, huh?"
Ichigo smiled, relieved and yet disappointed that his friend had -opposed to his earlier belief- grown up a bit during the past decade. "Yeah...we'll have to wait."
Ichigo sat down in an opposite arm chair. Silence descended upon them, the only audible noise being the fuss the wind was making outside.
"What've you been up to?" Ichigo finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh you know..." Keigo replied gloomily. "This and that. A show here, a show there."
"Stardom must be tough, huh?" Ichigo said, a bit amused.
"Stardom?" Keigo repeated with a scoff. "Hah! You know, when I said I wanted to be a comedian, telling knock-knock jokes in rundown bars wasn't exactly what I meant."
"Quit the modesty. I even heard the Police Department in Tokyo had you perform for them."
Keigo's eyes expressed only boredom. "Only because they arrested me for making out with some girl in a public bathroom."
"But you performed for them?"
"Only because the girl made off with all my money and I had to do it to make bail."
"But you performed for them?"
"Yeah-yeah." Keigo finally admitted.
"So you're not doing badly." Ichigo said. "At least 50,000 yen a month.
"Yeah, in fact." Keigo said. "The run-down bar thing was a joke. I usually perform in Comedy Clubs and such. Sometimes 80,000, a 100,000. I can rake up close to 150,000 if I'm really lucky."
"See! That's close to what I get." Ichigo lied.
Keigo saw right through it. "Liar. That's not even close to a quarter of what you earn, is it?"
"How do you know?" Ichigo said. "You're not a doctor."
"Are you kidding me? Sending out all those fancy invitations. Flying everyone over. Paying hotel bills. Organizing parties and..." Keigo chuckled. "I'll bet if it weren't snowing you'd probably take us golfing or something."
Ichigo's smile was taut. He was still freezing, and was just beginning to wonder how much longer his poor legs could stand the cold.
Keigo grinned and reclined into the sofa. "But I guess on average, everyone's doing all right. It's almost scary to be frank. What are the odds that a gang of friends as large as ours would have each and everyone of them with a successful career? And not just successful...damned rich successful? You'd think at least one of us would have totally fucked up. But...guess not..."
Ichigo smiled, motivated by Keigo's analysis. "Yeah. What are the odds of that?"
Wow...this Keigo was different. He was deep...matured... With his clean shaven face and moderately cut hair he looked only like a slightly older version of his decade ago teenage self. But inside, there was a man. A man ready to be relied on. A man...
Keigo's timing was, as always, impeccable. "Anyway, pass me the icecream. I think Coco's getting kinda peckish. Aren't you boy!!" He exclaimed, turning over the dog and blowing on its tummy with exaggerated Brrrrrrrs. "Aren't we hungry? Yes we are! Yes...we...ARE!!"
Guess not.
"Hey." Ichigo said, suddenly having an idea. "What did you use to knock me out?"
Keigo looked aghast. "I said I was sorry!!"
Sometimes being infamous for throwing tantrums had its set-backs. "I'm not going to use it on you..." Ichigo replied, irritated. "I need something to smash my car's window. And if I can find it, it's alarm system too."
"Here." the comedian said, bending over to drag out a lengthy steel crow bar from underneath his sofa and handing it to an ecstatic Ichigo; he wasn't going to need leg amputation from frostbite afterall! Hurrah! "You're going to break into your own car?" Keigo asked in shock, eyes wide with innocence. "Isn't that illegal?"
Ichigo stared at him with a mixture of incredulity and pity. "I ought to give you that stupid car. You two deserve each other."
000
"So that's how I finally got the car open and...Ow!!"
"Hold still! Or this swelling will take forever to heal!"
Eight am and Ichigo and Keigo had finally made it home; Ichigo to be treated and pampered by his little sister before the Group Shop began at ten.
"Oh Nee-san, you look so aweful." Yuzu sympathized, refering more to the dark rings around her brother's eyes than to the swelling, though you could conclude that it was probably a combination of the two.
"I'm supposed to be back in the office on 2nd January." Ichigo muttered. "I'm going to be an exhausted wreck by then. Haven't had some descent sleep in- OW!!"
"Hold still!!" Yuzu nagged. "Honestly!" She applied the water-proof smiley plaster unto his temple with an accomplished look. "There, that ought to take care of the cut." She picked up a pack of ice and held it against the swelling. "Here, hold this there for about an hour. Hopefully you won't look like an exaggerated egg head by ten."
Ichigo smirked. "Egg head means I'm smart, Yuzu."
Yuzu blinked at him, feigning surprise that indicated he needn't have made the statement at all. "Of course it does. And you are. It would just make it more obvious if you didn't go around getting whacked with steel bars."
Ichigo gave up. Women. They had a retort for everything.
"ICHIGO!!"
Oh dear heaven, not again.
"Keigo...I'm begging you." Ichigo pleaded as his friend planted his butt on the coffee table beside him. "Leave me alone."
Keigo sported a cheesy grin. "I just wanted to say thanks for putting up in your dad's house. You know...giving me your old room and whatever. Now I don't need to worry about finding a hotel that'll accept Coco. Plus it's only ten minutes walk from here so I can be here everyday!!"
Whoop-dee-do-dee. Ichigo thought, a grim line formed by his lips. "Speaking of which, where is the damned mutt. Haven't seen him since we came back."
"He's not a mutt! Ichigo!" Keigo whined. "Chad came by and I let him take Coco out for a walk. Chad's really taken a liking to him."
Chad would. Behind that profusely masculine exterior lay a man hopelessly addicted to animals. Specifically, cute animals. Which, on second thought, made Ichigo wonder why Chad was walking the mutt in the first place. To Ichigo 'Coco', or whatever, was anything but cute.
"What's not to like about Coco!" Keigo could not understand Ichigo's misgivings.
Ichigo looked him in the eye. "Well, the phrase 'reeks of urine' comes to mind."
Keigo shook his head, disgusted. "You know...one day...you're gonna need some animal in your life. Someone cute and...and furry. And cuddly! And it's going to reject you! And you're going to be so dejected you'll stay at home...and watch soap operas. Eating cheap ice cream."
"Whilst cancer stricken and diabetic children die every week unattended in my hospital Keigo. Yeah. I'm sure." Ichigo replied sarcastically.
Keigo shook his head again and stood up. His voice wavered with emotion as he pointed accusingly at Ichigo. "I...am never speaking to you again you...you...you DOG HATER!!"
Ichigo sighed.
The indignant man began stomping off. Suddenly he turned around. "Hey, you wouldn't mind lending me a couple of bucks for the shopping thing, would you? I used all my saved money buying the caravan from some hippie dude fresh outta rehab."
"Sure." Ichigo said and mumbled. "Join the party."
"Thanks dude. I owe you." He left, opening the door and slamming it behind him.
There was some silence as Ichigo and his sister took the time to fully grasp all that had just happened.
"You know..." Ichigo grunted, "...my tolerance for that confused man baffles and disturbs me."
"Aww..." Yuzu said with a gleeful grin. "You've missed him, huh?"
Ichigo looked thoughtful. "Hmmm...the question here is 'Why?'"
"Maybe he holds a special place in your heart? Maybe for the shopping trip you'll pick his name from the box!"
"Or maybe this is finally my chance to murder him and stash him away -in- a box."
"Ichigo! That's not nice."
Ichigo, looking remarkably unconcerned, dropped his ice pack, snatched a newspaper off the table in front of him and whipped it open with a fluorish. "It's the spirit of Christmas."
--
--
And...Chapter 4 comes to an end. Not the most exciting chapter I know. But somehow I felt it wouldn't be the best to follow up Chapter 3 with the Shopping Event straight away. So I sorta diverted to this; just to give us a small glimpse of Keigo at late twenty-what-not years old.
By the way, I have never met a sheep dog that isn't cute. Have you? I love sheep dogs. With all the hair? And the bangs? You wonder how the heck they see!
Anyway, I enjoyed writing the beginning and the end. Some parts of the middle I suppose. I really really hope you enjoyed reading it too. PLEASE REVIEW to let me know what you think. Though I will cut all those who just HATE writing reviews a break today since this isn't so important a chapter. Then again, I'd still prefered if you would...(what writer wouldn't?)
Then again (again), SOME of you are OBLIGED to give me your opinion lest I wither and die (a certain Sage I'm so fond of (and being romanced by) included.
Oh by the way, Arwen, I saw your pics on your website, you're so pretty!
Hope to hear some good (and possibly harsh?) criticism (Oh, and some praise I hope)
From me to all of you, you who "guide" this "hand" to capture tales that would otherwise have remained unknown:
Thanks! Peace! I'm Out!