Ichigo walked out of his car contented. The stars in the sky made the night look iridescent. Ichigo couldn't stop looking up at the sky as he walks to his house. Nights like tonight gave him nostalgic memories of his mother. He breathed in the fresh night air and took out his phone, dialing Unohana's number.
"Yes Ichigo?" the voice on the other line said.
"Retsu-sensei, I think, I think that I'm feeling better."
"Are you finding excuses to avoid taking your medicine."
"Yeah," Ichigo looked up into the sky and back down quickly, "I'm not even going to deny it."
"You're getting better, but you won't fully recover if you won't take them."
"Is she up there?"
"Who?"
"I think we both know who I'm talking about." Ichigo smiled sadly as he looks up into the twinkling sky.
"Ichigo,"
"Honestly Retsu-sensei, I'm scared. I'm so scared of the outcome."
"Ichigo-chan, listen to me,"
"It's not going to go away is it? You say I'm getting better, but I won't overcome it, will I?"
"Ichigo-chan! You are getting better. Unless.. Ichigo-chan, you're not taking the medicine, are you?" her voice was shaky. There was a long silence between the two.
"No I'm not taking those meds."
"See, because of that you-"
"It's like my world is full of rain and those meds aren't helping. I give up on the fight, I'm so tired I don't want to fight it anymore!"
"Ichigo-chan, come into my office tomorrow."
"Goddammit old lady, are you trying to scrape money off of me again? I really don't want counseling."
"You don't want it, but you need it. Come by, since you're my best customer, I'll give you a discount." she chuckles. Ichigo smiles and looks down at his feet.
"I'll pay full price. I'd pay double if I want to. I was just joking."
"Okay Ichigo-chan. Did Kaien-chan stop by today?" he could feel the smile spread on his doctor's face.
"You told Kaien to come see me. Didn't you? I had to move because you told him my address last time and now I'll have to move again." he exaggerated the anger in his voice.
"Quit being so mean to Kaien-chan. He adores you. Did you know that?"
"Whatever, adores me my ass. Talking to him reeks of her. It's disgusting."
"You're really sounding like a whiny jealous teenage girl."
"After all, he did get my dream girl in the end."
"Get over it. Anyways, come by my office tomorrow at 2:30. I'll have to get back to work now."
With that being said, there was a click. Ichigo was left there to loathe and admire the glistening stars before heading towards his front door. When he opened his door he had on an expression of dread.
"What are you doing in my house?"
"Ah, your maids let me inside," Kaien grinned at Ichigo while uncrossing his legs and placing down the book, "I also got people to stalk where you live, but I'll be staying here for a while."
"W-what? That's absurd, but if you insist. I only charge $1,500 per night. Cheaper than most." Ichigo said nonchalantly while brushing off imaginary dust from his shoulders.
"C'mon Ichigo-chan."
"You're a singer, you can find the money. Besides you won't be staying here long anyways. Right?" Ichigo smirks and shrugs his shoulders.
"Yes, I have sold 100,000 tickets." Kaien smiled proudly, giving him a thumbs up. Ichigo scoffed at him and rolled his eyes.
"100,000?"
"W-well yeah."
"Are you sure? Is this the best you can do?" Ichigo asked ignoring the stunned Kaien and walking up his set of stairs.
"Don't tell me you're still not over it." Kaien said. That made Ichigo stop midway up the stairs and turn around slightly.
"Pardon?"
"You're still not over it. I can tell. Look, I'm not going to say sorry it's just-"
"It's been 5 years, I think I'd be over it by now."
"Really. You're really over it. Look me in the face and say it Ichigo."
"Besides, you didn't win her. I just let you have her." Ichigo shrugged his shoulders at Kaien and continued up the stairs.
"You don't have to act like that, little bastard." Kaien sighed.
"Ahh, this is so irresponsible of you Rukia-chan, you're lucky I'm still awake!" Momo hollered to her phone.
"Sorry."
"Stop apologizing you! You're making me feel bad now. I'll take your scooter and drive there as soon as possible."
"Don't call it a scooter! It sounds lame like that. It's a motorcycle. Motor. Cycle."
"Scooter, motorbike, motorcycle yada yada, same thing." Momo rolled her eyes and jammed the motorcycle key to the keyhole.
"Sorry again."
"Ahh really my poor Rukia-chan," Momo had dramatic tears streaming from her eyes, "I really didn't mean what I said earlier. Honestly, I just feel like a jerk now."
"Good. Don't you ever dare call me irresponsible again Momo."
"You're so cruel! I'll be there in a bit." Momo hung up and drove the motorcycle to Tomi.
"Woah," gawked Momo as she arrives to Getsuga, "I haven't been to the mall in such a long time."
She took off her helmet and proceeded to walk to the entrance. It was 1:10 a.m. and Rukia was too tired to walk home. Momo went out to the karaoke bar with Matsumoto that night and was lucky enough to hear Rukia's calls.
Right as Momo was about to enter the store, she bumped into the shoulders of a guy who was slightly shorter than she.
"Kyaaa, I'm so sorry." she apologized to the guy with snow white hair.
"It's ok." he said in an icy tone. Momo raised an eyebrow. She had heard that voice before.
"Wait.. um sir!" Momo cried out to the guy walking away. He turned back to her and Momo's face lit up.
"Shiro-chan!" she cried and ran to glomp him.
"Uaack, wait, who's,"
"It's me Shiro-chan, you've grown so tall!" squealed Momo. Toshiro pulled away from Momo's strong embrace to take a look at her face.
"M-momo?"
"Ahh, you still remember me. We lost touch ever since Souske and I got engaged."
"Yeah.." Toshiro awkwardly sweat dropped, "how has it been between you two? He got the balls to ask you, so are you a married woman now?"
"Hehe," Momo scratched her head a bit, "I broke off the engagement actually."
"You what?! Weren't you crazy about him?"
"Well, Souske... he's not what we all think he is," Momo smiled with her eyes closed, "well, hey I got to pick up my pal Rukia-chan. So let's catch up some time. Okay?"
"Y-yeah. Wait, did you just say Rukia? As in like Kuchiki Rukia?"
"Oh, did you guys know each other?"
"Well," Toshiro sweat dropped at the thought of Rukia with devil horns and making smart remarks to whatever he was saying, "in a way."
"Haha great! It's nice to see you again. It's been so long, I'll be back soon, bye Shiro-chan." Momo waved goodbye to the stunned Toshiro and walked inside the building.
"That... just happened." Toshiro slapped himself a couple of times. It did just happen.
"Stop staying out so late," Momo scolded Rukia as they both put on the helmets.
"Oh," Rukia said getting onto the seat, "so tell me, how do you know the vice-president of Getsuga Enterprise?"
"Kyaa! You're such stalker, you oddball." Momo playfully slapped Rukia's shoulder.
"Spill the beans or I'll drive at an inhumane speed that you won't be able to handle."
"You're such a sadist." Momo gave Rukia a look of fake disgust. Rukia laughed at Momo's response. Rukia revved the motorcycle.
"Okay, okay! He's one of my best friends! We were childhood friends and lost touch after high school."
"Just best friends?" Rukia asked as they started to drive along the roads towards Karakura.
"Yes."
"Nothing more?"
"Nothing more. Shiro-chan is like a brother to me."
"Someone's deep in the friendzone."
"He even agrees to be my brother."
"Woah, wayyy to deep." Rukia emphasized the word 'way'. Momo pinched Rukia's arm.
"He's not even an option, so he can't be friendzoned."
"That's a little mean Momo."
"Rukia-chan, we've known each other since forever. It's not like we like each other or anything."
"Okay, whatever you say Momo. Ah, the sky is so pretty tonight." Rukia slightly looked up to the sky.
"Yeah, you can see the stars so clearly. They're twinkling so brightly."
"I'd like to think that Hisana-chan makes the stars dance for me." Rukia smiled sadly.
"She loves you and this is how she shows her love to you." Momo rests her head on Rukia's back.
"I tried looking for him."
"Hisana's husband?"
"Yeah, him."
"Any luck?"
"He'll turn up one day. I will find him."
"Don't -yawn- push yourself Rukia-chan."
"Y-yeah," Rukia sighed. There was a small silence and then she heard Momo snore from the back, "Hey! Don't sleep on me yet! You're heavy!"
"Why are you wearing a khaki skirt?" Rukia asked Senna, who just entered the coffee shop right on time.
"Your jeans were ugly." Senna checked her nails and fixed her hair. She looked at Rukia and smiled sickly sweet, "does this annoy you Ku-chi-ki?"
"Not at all. I was just wondering." Rukia said and grabbed the coffee cups to prepare for the long day. Senna scoffs and crosses her arms.
"I clock out at 5:00 p.m., right?" Senna asked.
"I'll make it later if you don't work right now."
"Wait, I don't even know what to do!"
"Basically, you're the errand boy. We tell you to do something and you do it." Rukia took out the coffee beans, getting ready to grind them up.
"I didn't sign up for this! I want to be the cashier!" Senna puts her hands to her hips and defiantly stays put in front of Rukia.
"You're free to leave. Just hand over your uniform."
"Oh, oh ho, ho. Kuchiki Rukia-san, do I scare you that much?" Senna asks putting a hand to her mouth and laughing obnoxiously. Rukia raised an eyebrow at Senna and grinned.
"Yes, yes you do Kuroki."
"Good, I'll be sure to not quit. Now that I know I'm such a bother to you I will not quit this job no matter what." Senna smiles proudly and walks to the employee only gate to open and walk in.
"Aww that sucks. Kuroki is working here for real now." Rukia acts as if she's troubled and takes a big sigh. Senna smiled and skipped to the back room.
"I'll take out the chairs and set up the place."
She actually fell for it, Rukia fist pumps and quietly shouts with joy, we officially have another employee.
"Are you talking to yourself Kuchiki?" Senna walked out with three chairs stacked on top of each other. Startled, Rukia quickly went back and pretended to be engaged in the coffee bean grinding.
"Uh, yeah."
"Heh, you're so easy to mess with. This is going to be a fun job, tormenting you that is." Senna giggles out loud while setting the chairs up.
In walks Renji, surprised to see that Senna actually showed up. Senna glared at the manager and went back to get more chairs.
"She actually came."
"Well, it's her chance to get under my skin. Why wouldn't she take it?" Rukia gave Renji a half smirk.
"Excited about the Cayenne concert?"
"Yes, very! I mean.. thank you very much manager," Rukia bowed to Renji, "you really didn't have to."
"I wanted to. You don't have to thank me, it's from my own pocket because I wanted to reward you."
Right when he said that, Senna walked out of the back making gagging noises at Renji. She also pointed a finger to her tongue and continued the gagging noises. Rukia raises an eyebrow at Senna's actions.
"Hey, do you want to get fired?"
"Heh, me? Sorry, the only person with the power to decide that is Kuchiki." Senna gives Renji the stink eye and places the chairs down.
"I agree with whatever manager says." Rukia says as she grinds more coffee beans. Renji flashes Senna a winning smirk and Senna glared at Rukia.
"I can quit now, but I want to annoy Kuchiki-san, so I'm sorry Abarai. When she no longer is annoyed of my presence I will leave."
"I should've never hired you."
"She had the power to make you decide that. In my opinion she should be the manager instead." Senna smiled sickly sweet at him and spun to go back into the back room.
"Is she annoying you?" Renji asked Rukia. Rukia giggled and grinned at him.
"Seems more like you're the one annoyed." Rukia pointed out to Renji. He laughs at her remark and walks to the back.
"Ah, not going to work today Ichigo-chan?" Kaien asks as he walks into the kitchen seeing Ichigo wide awake staring at his breakfast, but not taking a bite.
"Not everyone has as much free time as you," Ichigo stabs his tamagoyaki with his chopstick and places it in his mouth, "I'll go in a bit. Don't you have a concert today?"
"Yeah, I'm about to head out in a bit."
"Good, I won't be seeing your face for a while."
"Jerk," Kaien sneered at Ichigo and took a seat next to his cousin," So, I wanted to talk today."
Ichigo looked at Kaien up and down with distaste. He took the bowl of miso and drank it.
"What is it?" he took another sip of the miso.
"I'm engaged." Ichigo choked on his miso when he heard what Kaien had say.
"Is it with her?"
"Y-yeah. With her. She... she wanted me to tell you."
"How lame." Ichigo rolled his eyes as he poked his chopsticks into his second piece of tamagoyaki.
"What do you mean lame? I popped the question! Do you know how nerve wrecking that was?"
"I don't know maybe about as nerve wrecking to see that your cousin has taken your girl."
"You're still not over it." Kaien sighed and rests his head on his hand.
"Oh, I'm over it. It's just you keep bringing it up."
"Well, any words for us?"
"What's her favorite flowers?" Ichigo stabs another piece of tamagoyaki and looks at Kaien menacingly. Kaien raises his eyebrows and scratches the top of his head.
"Hibiscus. She picked it out for the wedding."
"Wrong. It's lavender. Because lavender symbolizes being faithful and she wants to stay faithful to the person she loves." with that being said, Ichigo drops his chopsticks and got out of his seat.
"You should still come to my concert tonight."
"Yeah, I'll think about it."
"Sorry."
"I'm going to work now. If you want to come back, have one of the maids open the door for you."
"Yeah." Kaien awkwardly scratches the back of his head as Ichigo heads out the door.
"I'm working right now. If it's not about our plan then stop calling me Ichigo."
"We're not even that close and yet you're calling me by my first name." Ichigo said, his voice filled with anger.
"You're the one who forced it upon me, but if you want to go back to calling each other by our surnames then I'm more into that. Anyways, if you're here to pick a fight, we can have friendly debates after work."
"Friendly debates? Exactly," Ichigo made a sharp turn and cleared his throat, "who do you think I am, your friend?"
"Geez, what's wrong with you? Did someone shove a stick up your ass today?"
"Is that a way to speak to your boss? Please use a more appropriate tone when speaking to me."
"Sorry, but I won't be the one who you'll dump you anger to. I don't have time for this, okay? I'm hanging up. Goodbye." he heard the annoyance in her voice and the clicking of her phone. He chuckled bitterly.
Exactly, what are you doing to her Ichigo?
He stopped at a light, waiting for it to be his turn to drive. A woman shopping to his right made him stop in his tracks.
Is it her? No, it must be her. It's really her.
His heart race. The cars behind him honked, but he didn't budge because he couldn't believe his eyes. It was her. He was sure it was her. He made a u-turn to get to the street she was walking on. He heard the honking of the cars, but he didn't care. She was standing in front of him.
"Miyako." he breathed. The woman turned around. Her gorgeous fringe framing her face, and her hair up in a bun. What she wore was a simple white dress, but yet she made it seem so pretty in Ichigo's eyes.
"Hello Ichigo."
"Woah, big change. So we're delivering coffee now?" Rukia asked as she helped Renji load the coffee cups into his car.
"Yeah, I was trying to attract more customers. The vice president gave me permission to let us deliver coffee, so I thought we might try it out. It would be better if we had more workers though."
"Good idea manager, maybe I can incorporate my ideas into yours. Hey, Kuroki is working here too, so it won't be as bad." Rukia beams. He smiles at her slightly and secured the coffee cups into its cup holders.
"Yeah, we have another order, so if you don't mind would you please deliver that. I wrote it on a note on my desk, you can't miss it."
"Yes," Rukia gave him her notorious smirk, "let's do our best manager!"
"Take care of Kuroki-san."
"You can count on me!" Rukia waved him goodbye before entering the building again. Customers didn't come much to the shop, so times like these were a time to check all the appliances and dump out any old coffee.
"Say, I want to be a barista too." Senna crosses her arms, stopping Rukia from entering the employee only gate.
"You'll need training, although being a barista isn't everyone's cup of coffee." Rukia slightly moves Senna aside to enter through the gate.
"I see. You're making jokes, so trying to get chummy with me," Senna crosses her arms, "No use, you're my foe, so no amount of friendliness will change my thoughts. I'm a stubborn person."
"So am I, and I don't think you're suited for being a barista." Rukia turns to go into Renji's office. Senna gasps with anger and follows Rukia into the office and shuts the door.
"Kuchiki Rukia-san, I am so suited to be a barista. There isn't anything I am not suited for. I have graduated from Keio University, which is the best in our country. If anything is up for a challenge, it's me because I will be the best barista this tacky coffee shop will ever have."
"Wow," Rukia nods her head, takes the note from Renji's desk and steps towards Senna, "someone is determined."
"Well, I'm not a liar so I will admit that you make good coffee. As for me, I will train to make even better coffee than you."
"So, let's start out with this. Your fist barista pre-challenge, memorize the steps I do to make this coffee."
"Seems easy enough." Senna crosses her arms and storms out to the coffee counter.
Miyako and Ichigo stroll near the bridge crossing from Tomi and Karakura. In their hands both held coffee from Starbucks.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Miyako asked coming to a sudden stop to take a view at the lake before them.
"Yeah, it has."
"Is it safe to leave your car there? Aren't you afraid? You were more careful back then."
"Still careful today, but it's ok to be careless for right now." Ichigo says. Miyako smiles at him and holds onto the bridge's crossbar and places her coffee on top of there.
"I see, not much has changed has it?"
"It's been 5 years, I'm sure I have changed." He copies her motions and stays by her side.
"I see, you dyed your hair back to its original color."
"It was never really dyed anyways. That was just Halloween type of dye," Ichigo takes a sip of his iced coffee and turn to look at Miayko, "I see you have cut your fringe. Those bangs look nice on you."
"Oh this," Miyako slightly blushed and brushed her side fringe to the side, "I just wanted to try something new."
"Did you get tired of how you used to look?"
"Yeah, but that's just a bad habit of mine, getting tired of things too quickly."
"I see, you haven't changed drastically either." Ichigo slightly shrugs his shoulders and takes another sip at his drink, looking away from Miyako and admiring his side of the view. Miyako rolls her eyes at Ichigo and drinks her coffee.
"So, how'd it go with Daichi's daughter? I heard you two went on a blind date."
"You heard it from my old man didn't you?" Miyako smiled slightly at him.
"Yeah, I visited Kurosaki-sensei yesterday. He caught me up on things."
"I see, gossiping with my dad." he chuckles playfully and she graciously pushes his shoulder.
"You can say that. How's your romance then? Is she any good?"
"She's... she's no you," Ichigo turned to Miyako. She looks at him with a guilty face and turns to the side, "but either way, she's not my type of girl."
"You know... Kai-kun and I are engaged."
"Oh, I see, you call him Kai-kun now," Ichigo sarcastically chuckles as he looks away from Miyako, "times have changed hasn't it? Well, yeah, I've heard, Kaien wouldn't shut up about it."
"You and I, you know, shouldn't spend time alone like this from now on."
"Like what? Having a friendly chat? Is he so controlling that he won't let you see me?"
"No, Kai-kun didn't decide that, " she cups his face and shifts it towards hers, looking at him straight in the eye, "I did. I did it for my own self. Ichigo, I'm getting married to the man I love with my heart. Please, just stop whatever you're trying to do."
Ichigo takes her hands off of his cheeks and pulls her into an embrace.
"Yeah, just let me do this one last time."
"W-we can still be friends."
"Still be friends," Ichigo scoffs and leans to her ear, "that's like giving me bread when I'm dying of thirst for your love."
Miyako pushes him off in antipathy. He looks at her slightly sad and confused.
"Look, I'm sorry I cheated on you. Just please, stop doing this. I am getting married to your cousin, your blood cousin. I don't love you. I won't love you Ichigo. I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I'm sorry you're not over it. Kai-kun and I promised not to get married until you're over it. Let's... let's not see each other like this anymore." Miyako grabs her drink and walks away from Ichigo. He watched her walking away farther and farther until she was no longer in his sight.
You're so pitiful.
He knew that himself as he hopped onto the crossbar, looking down at the water.
The only girl you love, is in love with your cousin.
He angrily throws his drink into the water and watched it fall with a plop.
Why? Are you gonna jump now? Everything will be okay if you jump. There isn't much to miss is there? Who will miss you in the end, right?
He stands up on the crossbar, hearing the cars, feeling the breeze, and the clear blue underneath him. There wasn't much to lose if he jumped. Everything would be ok if he fell. There wasn't much to live for anymore.
"Ichigo what're you doing?!" Rukia's voice cried from behind him.
Ahh, I really am crazy. Even my imagination of her talks now. You're one crazy fucked up piece of shit Ichigo, and with that thought, Ichigo jumped off the bridge.
He felt the extreme coldness of the water fill up his lungs and he coughed it out. There were no splashing, no yelling, no nothing. He just wants to disappear in peace.
Is this how it feels before you die? I guess this is how my fate is.
Ichigo felt himself sink into the water instead of floating up, but that didn't scare him. He knew he couldn't swim, but that didn't bother him. Dying didn't scare him right now. He closed his eyes and embraced his life given to him. He was ready to let go. It was harder for him to breathe now.
SPLASH
He took in deep gasping breaths and coughed out as he felt the warm sun against him again.
"What the hell are you thinking?!" the familiar voice shouted at him as he gets dragged onto shore. He coughed and water ran down his nose.
"I didn't know you could talk." he managed to choke as he breathes in the air again.
"What do you mean you don't know I can talk? You talk to me all the goddamn time!"
"No, you're usually just there, I talk to you."
"Did the water get into your fucking brains too?" the sarcastic reply shocked him.
"Are you really Rukia? I'm not imagining this time right?" He felt her push him onto land as he looks at her. She was angry and wet, trying to control her anger.
"You can't fucking swim and you jump into the middle of the freaking lake! Are you insane?"
"How did you know I can't swim?"
"You didn't even float up after you jumped in! What the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted at him. Ichigo scoffs and turns his gaze away from her.
"Why did you save me?"
"Why did you fucking jump?!"
"I want to die okay," he shouts at her, making her become angrier, "I want to fucking die. I'm okay with killing myself. I just want to disappear and-"
SLAP
"That's for thinking of something so dumb," Rukia slapped him again, "that's for thinking of suicide," she pulled him by his hair to her face level and head butts him, "that's for being so goddamn selfish! Did you even think of the people you'll be hurting when you fucking die?!"
"No one will miss me when I die." Ichigo pushes her off and Rukia falls to her butt. Ichigo gets up and walks away from her. He then felt a kick at his shin and shouted in pain while falling down.
"No one will miss you? Are you sure no one will miss you? Don't make me regret saving you Ichigo."
"Yes, I'm sure nobody will miss me. You certainly won't miss me. I have no family to miss me."
"The coffee shop will perish without your help of promotion! You made a vow to go on with the plan! I made a vow to help you! You should be lucky you at least have a family you selfish prick. People like you have too much good stuff and you all take it for granted. If this is the guy I'm going to put Queen's Cup's life on the line for, then I quit." with that being said, Rukia walks away from Ichigo, going towards her motorcycle.
"It's because you're not seeing it in my shoe. You don't know my situation. You just show up out of nowhere and lecture me!"
"Knowing your situation or not, suicide is never the answer." Rukia said, without turning around. Ichigo, disgusted with himself, stood up and ran towards Rukia and grabbed her wrist.
"You've said your fair share of words, now listen to mine." He looked at her scowling face and drags her opposite from her motorcycle and near where he parked his car.
"I need to get back to the coffee shop! I have somewhere important to attend today!"
"Just, listen to me, hear me out, and I'll send you back before 5:00, I promise you." He looks at her with distraught, "I'll return your motorcycle too in safe condition, but for right now, I just want you to listen to me without interrupting me."
To be continued...
*AN: So.. I hoped you enjoyed this really long chapter (just longer than most). I was trying to show the more complicated side to Ichigo and Rukia's relationship. I also wanted to focus on the minor characters around them. Oh and I worked all day trying to incorporate my old ideas and new ideas and came out with this chapter.
Thank you to every single one of you who review my chapters. Your words of encouragement keeps me motivated. I like reading your opinions and how you like my writing, it makes me all fluffy inside cx
I honestly don't know when my next update will be, and I apologize for it. I just have to wait until the right ideas come to my mind and even when that happens, it's not something I usually stick to. Thank you for being patient with me!