Ichigo was early to school today. Why should he stay at home when she wasn't there? It was the last period before lunch. After lunch, he got an appointment with Dr. Nakashima Ryou for another check-up.
From the first period until now, Kurosaki Ichigo couldn't remember anything what the teachers had thought them. His wasn't paying any attention since his mind was thinking about his diseases and Rukia. The school bell rang had awoke Ichigo from his thought. Lunch time!
"You all must send these papers tomorrow. And tomorrow is not the last day of school yet and remember that!" the teacher shouted. The second last day before summer holidays. School is going to be out for two months, he thought.
Ichigo stuffed his books into his dark blue bag and went out from his class. Several of his friends were calling him but he ignored it. Ichigo walked as fast as he could to the principal office. He will need a permission from the principal to leave the school during lunch.
Inside the principal office, he met his former teacher, Occhi-sensei. "Hey Kurosaki! Long time no see? What are you doing here? Getting into big trouble, eh?" Occhi-sensei looked at her orange haired student. Ichigo smiled. "Nope. Just wanna see the principal. See ya Occhi-sensei". Ichigo said and went into the principal's office.
The Karakura High School principal was talking to the phone when Ichigo knocked the door. The principal made a hand sign indicating for Ichigo to come in and sit. So the orange haired male did. A couple of minutes later, Mr. Ecaf Ryoma had done his talking on the phone.
"So Kurosaki-kun, what can I do for you?" the nice and fatherly principal asked.
"I need a permission not to be in class after lunch. I've an appointment at Karakura Medical Centre. Here's the note from the doctor" Ichigo handed a single page document to Mr. Ecaf Ryoma. The principal read it for awhile and nodded. "Wait for a minute" the principal said. Then the principal called his secretary, said something to her before the dark long haired woman went out from the room.
"Ms. Yamada-san will prepare the note for you…" Mr. Ecaf Ryoma said. He looked at the note on his desk again.
"Kurosaki-kun, what's wrong with you? You don't look sick or something…"
"I… well… Last week, Nakashima-sensei had dianogsised that I'm suffering from tuborculosis and there is a tumor growing inside my brain, sir" and that made three people knew about his diseases, including himself.
"Oh my. Well, I hope you get all the treatment you needed…" but before the principal could continue, Ms. Yamada entered the room. She handed the dark haired principal the paper and went out from the office.
Principal Ecaf Ryoma signed the note and gave it to Kurosaki Ichigo, along with his document. "Oh yeah Kurosaki-kun. Why it is not your dad to come here and take the excusse note?"
"He doesn't know…yet. Only you and the doctor knew about this and sir, please do not tell my dad, my family or anyone. Please…" Ichigo said.
"Why? Your family didn't know about this? You should tell your family. These are very serious diseaces!" he was concerned about his students and especially ones who have serious diseaces like Ichigo.
"I don't want them to be worry…Can I got now sir, or I'm gonna be late" Ichigo replied. The prinicipal nodded, "you may go now".
In Nakashima-sensei's office.
Dr. Nakashima had done several scans to Ichigo to get looks inside his skull. The tumor had grown a bit and Ichigo will going to need an operation to take the tumor out or he could endager himself.
"Kurosaki-kun, it is the only way for you to survive from this tumor…and you know that, right?" said the doctor.
Ichigo nodded but he didn't say anything. If he told his father and had the surgery, no one will know that he got brain cancer. But can he told his father? Can he bear that he will break his family's heart? Ichigo thought.
"Yeah. I…I'll talk to my family first. I come back here after I made the decision with my dad…" he said. Deep down inside his heart, he didn't know if he can told his family. Ichigo let out a sigh.
"Here are the medicines that you'll need for your t.b.." as the doctor wrote something on Ichigo's hospital card. "Eat these medicines everyday for six months time…The pharmacy is at the first level" NakashimaRyou-sensei handed Ichigo the card. Ichigo nodded again.
"Okay… So can I go now?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah… But remember to come here back tomorrow after you made up your mind. Please come with your dad…" the doctor said as Ichigo got on his feet. "And drink a lot of water, for your tubercolusis. It will help you…See you tomorrow" the doctor said.
"Thanks" as he walked out from the office.
He walked to wherever his legs led him to. After awhile, he stopped. He realised that he was at the road; where he fought Renji and Byakuya for the first time to save Rukia. He went to flight of stairs and sat on one of it. Memories of the night when Rukia was forced to be taken to Soul Society.
He was almost killed on that night just to save Rukia. He worked very hard to revive his Shinigami power for the girl that she only knew for two months. People asked, why he was trying so hard, so very hard to save the girl that he knew only for cauple months. The answer was because she saved my family and I he real answer was that because she's special and he loved her. Ichigo scooped his face with his hands.
Ichigo took a deep breathe. What if this operation went wrong and he died? If he died, he won't have the chance to tell her how he feel. Well, maybe he could tell her after he died at Soul Society…if he didn't turn to Hollow.
Ichigo got on his feet and started walking again. This time he had his destination in mind. His home. Few minutes later, he reached the front door of Kurosaki residence. As he entered the house, he was greeted by his dad usual kick. The carrot-top male managed to avoid the kick. Isshin was ready to receive the pay back from his son. But Ichigo entered the house without giving his dad a kick. The three Kurosakis felt weird. Something was wrong with the only son in Kurosaki family.
"Ichigo, is anything wrong?" Isshin asked his son. Ichigo shook his head. "No… I got something to tell you guys".
"What is it?" Isshin asked as the four of them went to the dining room. Karin, Isshin and Ichigo sat at the table while Yuzu went to the kitchen.
"What is it, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked since Ichigo didn't asnwer their dad's question. Yuzu entered the dining room with some beverages.
"Remember when I got home pretty late last week and always coughs?" the three nodded, "Well, I passed out when I was in the park. Ishida and Chad brought me to the hospital… The doctor ran some tests on me. I got the results few days back. And…it said that I got tubercolusis and there was tumor inside my brain" Ichigo finally told his family.
"You what!?" Isshin shouted; disbelieving.
"I got tuberculosis and brain cancer…" Ichigo said, again and clearer.
"But…why you didn't tell us earlier?" Karin asked. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Yuzu was almost crying but she kept quiet.
"Because I couldn't… It's just… I don't know. I just couldn't…" his voice was flat. After he had said it, his ear caught a sigh; released by his dad. The dinning room then went quiet for awhile.
"It's still small right? The tumor?" Isshin broke the silence.
Ichigo nodded. "Tomorrow, after school, you are coming with me to see the doctor. And Ichigo, next time if there is anything as serious or important as this; don't keep it from us… We are your family and we cared about you" Isshin said. He wanted Ichigo to know that he cared about him…they cared about him; more that anything.
Ichigo nodded again. All four of them, then, ate their dinner in silence. The three Kurosakis were thinking about Ichigo's health. They were worried, of course.
After the silnce dinner, Ichigo went upstairs with a bottle of water. Like Doctor Nakashima said, he needed a lot of water. He ate his medicines and lay on his bed. Many things played inside his brain. About Rukia, his health, friends, family and a question; will he survive from the tumor? Awhile later, Kurosaki Ichigo had fallen asleep.