well... i know this chapter is a bit short since i'm busy with my academics as usual... *shrugs*

especially when i got me semester exam next week *sigh*

but anyway, i'll do my best to keep on updating.

note: the conversation ichiru had with ray in this chapter are all done in english, which explains why ichiru didn't mess it up as he usually is when he was using japanese. (i know its kinda annoying but hey, give him some time to learn)

DISCLAIMER: I did not own bleach. all I own is the oc on this story.

Chapter 4, Silent Reunion

The orange haired teen was sleeping ever so peacefully. His stomachache seems to have subsided and his jet lag was almost non-existent. The pale light that shone over his lithe body did nothing to wake the teen up. It was a blissful sleep. Sadly though, his morning started with a heinous bang on his door as it was being opened rather disrespectfully.

"Wake up you lazy ass! Its morning already!"

The teen shifted, he rolled to the side trying to get more comfortable in his bed.

His action has successfully annoyed the other occupant in the house. A tick has formed on his head. If there is something that could annoyed him, it would be those lazy bastards that woke up much too late. He won't tolerate the laziness, not even to his own best friend.

The blonde pull his blanket away in one swoop, leaving the teen uncovered. Having his precious blanket taken, the morning cold seeped into his body since he wears nothing but an under cloth along with his white boxers. He shivered from the cold. That, however, was not the one that woke him up.

"WAKE UP YOU FREAKING LAZY BUM!" the blond screamed as he lifted his foot in preparation to slap the orange haired teen awake. When he did however, much to his surprise, ichiru was defending him self with his right hand as he hold his housemate's bare foot firmly so that it won't cause any more trouble.

"You.. What are you trying to do" ichiru said with a dangerous edge to the tone and a tick on his forehead. He was glaring at the blonde who was now showing a mischievous smile.

"You should be more gratefully you know" Ray said as he retreated his stretched leg "I had taken the liberty to wake you up"

"Waking me up! are you crazy! Look at the time!" ichiru exclaimed as he pointed to the electric clock beside him, it was showing 5:24 in bold neon green.

The blonde rolled his eyes "Sheesh, don't be such a child, it was late, you should be up at 5 o'clock straight"

The orange haired teen gritted his teeth, he knew this kind of thing was going to happen, one way or another.

"Hurry up and get clean will you, the food is going to get cold" said the blonde as he step out of the room.

Ichiru was surprised, mainly at the blond ability to cook. He never thought that he could cook. he looks more of a type to have someone to cook for him. Well, one more things to add on the blonde haired genius list of abilities. It was numerous, he gives you that, but another thing that he was surprised about is how his friend's morning assault didn't bother him to the slightest. It was as if it was the usual thing to do when you wake someone up, something that was more or less, a daily experience. He shuddered at that thought. It would be hell if he got assaulted every single morning like that... Either way, he got to get onto the shower now.

After he got him self clean and well dressed with his school uniform, he head to the living room where the dining table is. The moment he stepped on the room, he was sure that he was seeing some sparks of light at the beholding sight of culinary treat in front of him. Upon the sight of exquisite foods that looked so appealing and mouth watering, he gapped. How in the world did he manage to do all this... Then again he won't be called as Ray lightstone if he didn't surprise him with his abilities every now and then.

"You... You made all of this" ichiru staggered at him. Well, it was pretty unexpected after all.

"Yep, go and help your self" ray said as he smirked on triumph upon seeing ichiru's reaction. He bet that ichiru never expected him to be able to cook. And this was only the tip of his abilities. He could do so much more.

"Well... Uh... Okay" reluctantly, ichiru sat on the wooden dining chair as he took a bite of the exquisite food that was served in front of him. As he took a bite, he couldn't even fathom how anything could taste that good. The crispiness and the salty spice mixed well with the prawn.

"Whoa.. It's good" he said, he couldn't help but to praise the blonde troublemaker for the amazing food he had made him.

The blonde smiled from ichiru's kind comment as he felt a proud of what he has made. There is nothing better for a cook than to get praised for his cooking, not that he was a cook or anything but he still is the one who prepare all of those food. Now, for the lunch, he shall prepare a top class cuisine as well.

As he went half trough the process, immediately, his smile turned into a frown as he realized that he lacked the most important ingredients of all.

Ichiru noticed the frown on his housemate's face. He lifted an eyebrow on the sudden change of demeanor.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he placed his empty dish to the dish washer.

Ray shrugged "nothing" he said. After several second on pondering what to do, he continued reluctantly "actually, could you help me getting some ingredients from nearby shops? I need it for our lunch" he said as he gestured to the two lunch boxes on his right. It was black and blue in color respectively.

Ichiru was surprised. Not only did he prepare the breakfast, he also made lunch for the both of them. He snickered. "I never expect that you could do all this stuff..." he said. Noticing the annoyed look on his housemate, he presses on "you are one talented house wife"

Quickly, a tick has formed in the blonde's forehead. Soon after, a loud echoing clang of a frying pan being thrown was heard along with a train of sprite full threats.

In the end, ichiru was being given a list of groceries that he has to buy. He sighed as he took a peek at the long list of groceries that would drain him of every single one of his pennies. Also, with a list that long, he isn't sure that he could get to school on time. It was bad enough yesterday and he didn't really want a repeat of all of that. Still, maybe he could ditch school for the day with usual reasons like 'i'm not felling well' and proceed to loiter around the house, free of school duties. Nah...Ray won't let him do that, he was punctual type of person after all..

Rukia walked leisurely as she trod down the familiar street of karakura town. The morning sunlight started to shone even brighter. The birds chirp happily, welcoming the start of a new day. The fluffy white clouds passed leisurely on the great big blue sky with a hint of orange. It's two years already since that time... That time when he disappeared... It didn't felt right if she thought that he was killed, After all, no one kills him. She even doubted that he is capable of being killed… Hell, he was practically indestructible. He had triumph death so many times before. It's hard to believe that he is gone now. But, he wasn't killed by anyone.. She saw his moments of death, disintegrating, turned to dust, leaving nothing but emptiness and pain. She bit her lips as she was trying to force the painful memory down. It has happened and she can't do a thing about it. It's high time that she should move on. She can't change the past, all she could do is to prevent something like that will ever happen again.

She shakes her head, trying her best to be calm, forcing herself to concentrate to the current task at hand. She can't mope around all day and let the hollows run free. She lifted her head and walk tall and proud as her eyes locked to the intersection in front of her. Maybe she could visit them while she was here. It has been a while since she saw any of them.

As ichiru walked idly through the road, unaware to him, a petite shinigami has just spotted him as she emerges from the intersection a few steps behind him.

Her breath was hitched, her violet eyes widened on the sight of the orange haired teenager wearing the kakrakura high school grey school uniform. He was walking like nothing ever happened.

"Ichi.." she whispered. Her tightened wind pipe, however, stopped her from saying the name of a certain orange haired shinigami.

The petite shinigami froze, violet eyes still lock on to the teenager in front of her. It's him! It's him! It's him! There is no other person had that unruly orange hair, he's here! He is there in front of her, alive and well! It took all of her self control not to tackle him from the back for causing her so much grieve, it's not only her, the whole seireitei was practically mourns for him, even renji! Yet there he is, going to school as usual, like any other normal humans. Although, ichigo was far from normal.

Why didn't anyone told her? Was it because no one knows either? Nonetheless, the most important thing is that he is alive! She cant hold it, her body was screaming to embrace him, to fell him, just to check if this wasn't some kind of illusion her head created because of the nostalgia of being in karakura once more.

She took one small step towards him.

Her heart is beating fast, her eyes grown wide. How many times did she dreamed of this? She can't even count.

She lifted her hand as she increases her pace. Hesitantly, she reached out.

She was afraid, afraid that all of this is just an illusion, a dream. She was afraid that she couldn't reach him. She was afraid that once her hand was connected, he would disappear to dust yet again. Just like how her nightmare always ends.

This can't be a dream. She believes that this is not a nightmare that keeps haunting her for the past two years. This is reality, and he is there in front of her. Her hands will reach him.

And she ran. It's just a bit more, only a feet left between them.

Her hands were opened wide as she hugged him. She could feel him. This time, he didn't turn to dust. The warmth that she felt, she could cry out of happiness and relieve.

Ichiru froze as something has clutched his body. Out of instinct and reflex, he lashed out a kick to whoever behind him.

She never expected that the teen would retaliate. The kick hit her stomach, throwing her back for several meter behind.

The teen was cautious as he glared the empty road behind him. He was on a fighting stance, ready to defend himself. "whose there!" he shouted, waiting for someone to come out and answer. After a few second of glaring, he got nothing. No one, no sound, just the happily chirping birds on the electric pole. Ichiru lowered his guard. He was confused, he swear that something was here a moment before, holding him tight... Was that just his imagination, or probably, paranoia?

He sighed as he run his hand trough the mess of an orange spiky hair. Now, not only he was having lots of weird thoughts, he was being paranoid and possibly, getting weird illusion and stuff. Maybe he should go find a psychiatrist or something. These things that has been happening to him lately, it was so damn weird. Either way, he still has the grocery to buy, better get on it soon or he will be late.

Ichiru turned back, leaving the shocked and broken petite shinigami behind.

Rukia cant move from the spot she was now. Her body was shaking. Her gloved hands support her as she sat on the cold concrete of a road. She was shocked, utterly shocked. He just kicked her! And worse, why can't he see her? She's here, in front of him. Why? Isn't he ichigo? That unruly orange hair, that confident tone, that piercing blue eyes... Wait... Blue eyes? Wasn't it supposed to be brown? What in the world...

Her mind was racing, her shocked expression changed rapidly into a face of complete confusion. She was struggling to find a logical reason. His body frame, that pressure... Pressure?

Her eyes widened as the realization downed on her. Her body was shaking, trembling as her brain has given her the final verdict, the undeniable conclusion.

He has no reiatsu.

NO! She mentally screamed. There must be something wrong, she just can't felt his reiatsu. Yeah, that must be it. Maybe he was hiding him somehow? That's why the soul society didn't notice his return. Just she was about to calm down, the logical part of her came up with another heart piercing question. Why cant he saw her? If he has any and was suppressing it, he should be able so see her. But no, he didn't saw her, that's why he just walks away.

Another conflicting thoughts came to her. What if ichigo loses his spiritual powers? That's why he can't sense her nor see her. In return, she can't sense him either. That should be it! No... That's impossible. Ichigo got high reserve of spiritual pressure. There is no way he could lose it.

She gritted her teeth, frustrated from all of her thought. she clutched her hand into a knuckle as she push her self up from the hard concrete. Her violet eyes gazed longingly to the horizon. That's when she got the idea. Urahara! That cheap shop owner must know something about this, on a better thought, why not ask her friends? Inoue, Chad, ishida, and even tasuki, keigo or mizuiro, they must know him, after all, he was using the karakura high uniform, like the one she used to wear when she go to school with him...

She shakes her head. This is so not the time to get all bitter from the past. There is a possibility that the guy she just met is him.

With a push of her reiatsu, she flashed off to the distance, heading for the nearest place from where she is, inoue orihime's house.

Ichiru sighed as he came out of the 24 hours mini market that was owned by a kind fat man with an afro. When he was checking out it seems that the money he had brought with him isn't enough for all his groceries, he told the kind man of his situation and about to go back to take more money. What he didn't expect was how the man told him that there is no need for him to do that, the man had given it 50 % discount out of the bat. Ichiru was wondering if he was allowed to do it but he was told that, the fat man is the manager of the shop so it was fine. Still, ichiru isn't comfortable with the favor so he decided to pay him back later.

He looked to the grocery bag as he began his long walk home. It was full of spices, vegetables and meats. Also, it was draining his allowance. It did better last for a month or he will be out of cash. The prospect on living his adulthood without any money worries him. Since he only got the monetary help until he finished high school, he have to feed himself once he goes to college. They are only willing to pay his tuition fee. Yup, he definitely had a lot ahead of him.

A viciously hard blowing wind. That was the only thing that he felt before some kind of force smash him to the nearby wall, squishing his body like it was nothing. The groceries he had just bought was lying on the floor with it's content spilling from the grocery bag.

He doesn't even have time to think, let alone scream before it came contact to his body. At that moment his voice was lost. He was trying to find what in the world has crushed him but he find nothing. He can't see anything holding him, yet he was glued to the wall. The painful felling on his back told him that his back was fractured. Despite his current dire situation, he felt the pressure growing stronger, making him choke out his own blood.

Shit, shit, shit, shit! This is bad! He remembered thinking as his consciousness slowly slipping away. Am I going to die? He thought to himself. The pain on his chest started to rob him out of the much needed air. At this rate, he is going to die. Ichiru was a bit amazed by how calm he is on the verge of death. Then again, he got nothing to lose if he did. His one only father was gone, he didn't have any dreams in particular, and his future did looks bleak. As for Ray.. He could fend for him self. Inwardly he smirked. To think he was thinking about his future a second before this happens. They say there are one thousand and one weird ways to end your life but this one might be the weirdest. He was going to be by something invisible, how ridiculous.

His head bows down, his brilliant blue eyes are dulled as his life being sucked away, slowly, and painfully.

"you are not going to die!"

if ichiru are able to make noise, he would gasp. a moment before his death and he was hearing things. The voice was deep, but for some reason, that voice remind him of an old man with billowing black cloak. Well, people tend to get disarranged on their moment of death. So this might be one of the examples.

"I won't let you die!" the voice speaks again. And how exactly a voice is going to do that?

"open your eyes!"

Open his eyes? His eyes were open the entire time! What in the world is hw talking about..

His thought was halted as he looked at a masked monster in front of him. One of his huge hands was crushing his body as his claws dug deep to the hard wall behind him.

What the Fu-

The monster opened his huge mouth and roar right in front of his face. It's breath was crashing to his face like a storm. The next thing he know, he was thrown to the side, not before the dark red clawed hand dug deep to his flesh and inflicted lethal damage to his body.

His body was thrown uselessly like a rag doll, leaving a trail of blood with it.

In the last moment of his consciousness he vaguely heard a screaming sound, calling a name that he faintly aware off.

"ICHIGO!"

And he sunk to a deep dark oblivion.

and thats that.

well.. if anyone still interested on this story and waiting for the next chapter, please review for a fast update. (since I'm having a hard time lately...)