It was a bright and peaceful day. Ichigo looked around him and realized that he was standing in a garden. The garden was quite big and had some colorful flowers planted in it. There was also a big, shady tree. Ichigo took a deep breath, it felt so good. Suddenly there was a voice, a little boy's voice.
"Papa!" Ichigo turned and saw a three-year-old boy who looks just like him. The toddler was holding a soccer ball in his little arms. The boy put the ball down and kicked it as hard as he could. The blue colored ball rolled and stopped few inches in front of Ichigo.
"Papa, kick the ball back to me!" the boy let out a smile as he shouted to his dumbstruck 'father'.
Ichigo took a quick glance at ball then he looked at the boy. The boy looked very excited and Ichigo didn't want to spoil the boy's mood. The strawberry kicked the ball. For a while, they played together. A smile formed on Ichigo's lips without him even noticing it. It was fun to play with the little boy.
The sky had turned crimson when a woman from inside the house called for both of them. "Ryuu! Ichigo! Come inside now. It's already late…" she was holding a bundle of cloth in her hands. Ryuu obediently followed the woman's instruction. He took the blue ball with his small hands and ran towards Ichigo. The small version of Ichigo then slipped his hand into Ichigo's and dragged Ichigo to the house.
Ichigo realized there was a newborn in the cloth the woman was holding. A very cute child with orange hair. The four of them entered the house. The raven-haired woman put her baby on a thick blanket across the living room while Ichigo went to one of the couch. Ryuu emerged from the kitchen with a glass of cold water. The boy ran towards his father and handed the glass to him. Then Ryuu jumped into his father's lap.
"Ryuu, you better go shower. It's already late, you'll catch a cold," the woman said, making an eye contact with Ichigo. Ichigo didn't know why but he nodded and brought Ryuu upstairs. Although Kurosaki Ichigo did not know where he is or who is Ryuu and that woman or anything about this double-storey house, he felt happy. Really happy.
"Papa, can I bathe with you tonight, like yesterday?" the boy looked straight into Ichigo's eyes. His eyes, they are the same with the woman downstairs. Exactly the same. Ichigo thought. "Papa!" Ryuu shook Ichigo's shoulder. The orange-haired man smiled and nodded. "Of course you can. Take your clothes off while papa get the towels okay?" Ryuu smiled from ear to ear.
"Ichigo! Ryuu! Dinner's ready! Come down here before they get cold" the woman shouted from downstairs. "Alright, wait for a second" Ichigo shouted back as he combed the boy's hair neatly. The both of them went downstairs. Ryuu quickly went to the thick blanket and planted half a dozen kisses to the baby's chubby cheeks.
"Ryuu, don't wake your sister, okay? Or mama is definitely going to get angry for waking Rei up" Ichigo said. 'Rei? Who is she? The baby? How did I know that the baby is a girl and the name? How did I know that Ryuu's mom going to get angry if he wakes the baby?' the questions played inside his mind. How could he say that if he didn't know anything about the baby and the woman?
"Ichigo, what are you waiting for? Ryuu's already waiting for you," the woman said; waking Ichigo from his world. Ichigo nodded and suddenly, the woman kissed him on his lips. He was stunned for a few seconds but he followed his instinct and kissed the woman back.
"Papa! Mama!" the shout had broken the kiss. The woman that Ichigo had just kissed smiled at him and took his hand. Both of them went to the dining room and they dined together with the three-year-old toddler. The three of them talked about loads of things and somehow, Ichigo knew what they were talking about. Including that their friends were ended up marrying each other just like them, about a woman named Hisana and a man named Byakuya-sama and about Soul Society which he knew nothing about. The answers and questions just slipped out from his lips without he realized.
After dinner, Ichigo went to the study room upstairs. Inside the study room, there were a lot of albums, pictures and, of course, books. Ichigo took a pink album and flicked through pages. Mostly, they were pictures of the woman and him. There were also pictures of his friends although he can't recognize certain people in the pictures.
Kurosaki Ichigo put the album back to its place. Then he went to the table inside the room. He pulled the drawers, trying to find anything that could make him remember. But there was nothing inside the drawers except for a few colouring papers, crayons and pencil colours. Ichigo took one of the drawings. The drawing looked very familiar to Ichigo. A childlike drawings of white bunnies, squirrels and birds.
Before he could think for an answer, he felt a small hand tugged his pants. Ichigo turned and saw Ryuu. The boy looked tired and really need some sleep. "Papa, you said you're going to tell me bedtime story," said the three-year-old. Ichigo smiled; he picked him up and said "Okay" to Ryuu.
Ichigo brought the kid into the master bedroom that consists of a king-sized bed, TV, make-up table, a couple of ceiling-to-floor wardrobe and a cot. Ichigo put Ryuu on the bed and lay next to him. "Well, once upon a time…" Ichigo started his bedtime story about princess and stable boy. Half way through the story, the woman entered with the baby in her arms.
She put the baby inside her cot, which was on the other side of the bed from where Ichigo laid. The woman kissed her sleeping baby. Then she went into the bathroom. Ryuu was already asleep when the woman came out from the bathroom. "Is Ryuu asleep?" the woman asked when he saw Ichigo kissed the boy's forehead and pulled the blanket. Ichigo nodded.
The woman then laid on the other side of Ryuu and looked at Ichigo. "You're a bit weird tonight. Are you okay?" she put her hand on Ichigo's forehead, checking his temperature. Ichigo nodded again. The woman then turned off her bedside lamp. "Ichigo… I love you," she murmured. "Love you too" Ichigo replied before he was lost in the slumber world.
-
The tumor had been safely removed a week ago but the young Kurosaki was still unconscious. Doctor said that Kurosaki Ichigo was perfectly fine. To awake from coma, it must come from the patient itself. Maybe, just maybe, something had happened to Ichigo, before he fell unconscious in his bedroom. Something that had made him want to run away from it. Something like a broken heart.
Yuzu tried to think what the problem was that had occurred to her brother. This problem must have been very big or it would never bug her stonehearted brother. Without the blonde Kurosaki realizing, she was already in front of her brother's ward. She knocked ward no 1412 door several times and entered the cold room.
Inside the ward, the temperature was a lot cooler than the temperature outside the ward. The ward was a private ward, which cost more than the shared wards. But Kurosaki Isshin didn't care. As long as they all have privacy to be with the only son in the family, Isshin didn't care how much he had to pay.
Yuzu walked to Rukia who was sleeping on a chair with her head on the bed. Gently she shook Rukia's shoulder. The dark haired shinigami slowly opened her heavy eyes. "Rukia-nee, it's morning already. Here, I brought you some clothes" Yuzu said and handed Rukia a dark blue paper bag. Rukia took the bag before she turned her gaze to Ichigo.
Nothing was changing about Ichigo. His body was still covered with tubes, cords and wires that were attached to machines around him. Rukia looked at his chest. The movements were weak and it was all depending on the oxygen machine. Without the machine, Ichigo probably won't be alive. He was too weak to breathe on his own. He also looked very pale and weak. These made Rukia's heart break into pieces. Rukia let out a sigh.
She stood and went into the bathroom while Yuzu placed a Tupperware of Rukia's breakfast. About twenty minutes later, Rukia had finished her morning shower and ate her breakfast. She walked towards Yuzu. Yuzu was sitting on the chair, holding her brother's pale hand. Tears were flooding at the corner of her eyes.
Rukia put her arm on Yuzu's shoulder and tried to calm the light yellow haired Kurosaki. "Yuzu, don't be so down. Your brother is strong. Maybe I've just known him for a year and half, but he saved me about three times already. He's strong. He also loved his family very much and I know that he won't have the heart to leave you, Karin-chan and your dad. He can survive this" by this time, Rukia was holding back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of Yuzu.
Yuzu smiled a bit. Rukia's words had brightened her hope a little. "I hope so" she replied then looked back to her brother.
-
Ichigo flicked his eyes. Where am I? The question popped into his mind. He was in a dark space. He tried to sit on the bed and looked around him, but his body felt heavy and weak. He couldn't even move his own hand. Ichigo turned his head to the right and left. Darkness. It was all he saw.
Suddenly there was a light. Right above his head and its light shown until his feet. Now he can see where he was lying. The bed was covered with white cloth and there was a gray colored blanket on top of him. He also saw there were cords, tubes and wires connected to his body from machines around him. Where am I? What are these wires? Questions began to dance in his brain.
He tried to think. But it wasn't a good thing to do. The more he tried to think about it, the more her forgot and pain came along with it. The confusion and pain all over his body made the orange haired teen sigh.
"Onii-chan!" a voice was captured by his ear. It was like a whisper.
"II…Ichigo!" a different voice but a bit louder than the last time.
"Onii-chan!!" he heard the first voice again and realized that the voice belongs to Yuzu.
'Yuzu…' he wanted to say, but somehow his voice was stuck at his throat.
He waited for the second voice to speak, but all he heard was his own breathing. He waited and waited. Nothing. The second voice and Yuzu's were gone. Left him all alone in the dark space. Kurosaki Ichigo shouted; calling them. There was no reply. Only the sound of his own breathing and beeping sounds from the machines.
Minutes later, figures of four persons appeared around him. His old man, Yuzu, Karin and…and that woman. The four of them looked very sad, especially the females. 'Why are they crying? Dad? Karin? Yuzu?' The three females' eyes were already swollen. 'They must've cried a lot. But why?'
Ichigo looked at the woman. 'Who is she? Why does he kept meeting her? First with Ryuu and Rei, now she is with my family. Who is she? What's her name and what is she doing here' the questions played inside his mind. However his brain contained no memory about her. Not a single data about her.
Suddenly, all three Kurosakis and that woman called him. Their voices and faces were in horror.
"Ichi-nii! Don't go!" Karin shouted.
"Onii-chan! Don't leave us!" Yuzu said with sobs.
"Son, be strong and please, survive this. Please. Don't leave your sisters and me," Isshin cried.
"Ich…Ichi…ichigo!" the voice sounded so distance.
Something must have happened to me. Ichigo wanted to reply but he could not. It was hard for Ichigo to see his family crying especially watching his old man. Isshin never cried in front of his kids, not even when Masaki died. It was the first time, Kurosaki Ichigo watched his dad crying so badly. Ichigo wanted to soothe his family but couldn't. No matter how badly he wanted too, he just can't. Watching and prayed that they will calm down were the things he could do.
After five minutes or so, the vision started to become blurry and the voices once again began to disappear. Thirty seconds later, the vision and the voices of his family were completely gone. Kurosaki Ichigo was alone again in the darkness. Then, he lost consciousness.
-
The doctor had detached the ventilator from Ichigo. Ichigo was strong enough to breathe for himself. It was good news for the Kurosakis and Rukia. Strong enough meaning that Ichigo can survived and will wake up in the nearest time.
Something had disturbed Kuchiki Rukia's heart. Something that made her felt uncomfortable. Rukia looked around her. Yuzu was reading a book right beside her coma brother. Nothing seemed to be wrong. Then Rukia looked to Ichigo. He was still the same. Nothing changed about him. Rukia sighed. When will he wake up? The raven-haired shinigami asked herself.
"Onii-chan!?" Yuzu's shout had made Kuchiki Rukia back into the ward. Rukia looked at Yuzu. She looked horrified.
"What's wrong?" Rukia said as she touched Ichigo's pale hand. It was stone cold. She turned her gaze to his chest. It was not moving. Kurosaki Ichigo didn't breathe. Rukia quickly press the emergency button. Couple of seconds later, a nurse entered.
"He's not breathing!" Yuzu cried loudly. The black haired nurse went to Ichigo. She checked his pulse and yes he was not breathing. She pressed the emergency button again for help. Nurses came seconds later. The surrounding had become tensed with all nurses moving around the ward and calling for the doctor in-charge. The doctor arrived in that room few minutes later. Yuzu and Rukia were asked to leave the ward.
Yuzu was crying and Rukia tried to hold her tears. She can't cry in front of Yuzu. She had to be strong. Yuzu went to the row of chairs outside the ward while Rukia called Kurosaki Isshin to inform him about Ichigo. Then she went to Yuzu. Both waiting patiently for any news from inside Ichigo's ward.
Half an hour later, the doctor in-charge, Dr. Kuroda, came out from the ward. Isshin, who arrived five minutes after Rukia's call, jumped on his feet. From the face of Dr. Kuroda, Isshin knew that the news for him was not good news.
"Sir, your son is stable, for now and we need to transfer him to the ICU ward. He had trouble breathing for himself since he is too weak. We had to continue using ventilator… " Dr. Kuroda said.
"Can we see our brother, doctor?" Karin asked. She'd been very worried about her brother, too worried, in fact.
Doctor Kuroda smiled; a small smile and shook his head. "You can't. Not for another twenty-four hours… I'm sorry" he stretched his hand and shook hands with Isshin before he was gone inside his office.
Two days had passed and the doctor had given permission for the Kurosakis (including Rukia) to visit Ichigo in his ICU but in one condition. Maximum two person at a time and must be Ichigo's family. Well, Isshin had considered Rukia as his family so she can also visit Ichigo.
Rukia was waiting outside while Karin and Isshin were inside the ICU. Yuzu was sitting beside her. The yellow haired Kurosaki looked a lot better. Yesterday, both Yuzu and Karin were in bad shape, especially Yuzu. Whenever Kurosaki Yuzu closed her eyes, the vision when she touched her stone cold brother came into view. But somehow Rukia managed to calm her down and finally, Yuzu can sleep without nightmares about her brother.
"Rukia-nee, let's go. Tousan and Karin-chan are coming out. Let's go". Rukia stood and walked behind Yuzu. They entered the cold ICU ward. There was Ichigo, lying on the white bed. He was breathing through a tube. There were cords all over his hands and on his chest. White bandages were covering his head and his abdomen area (where Aizen stabbed him).
Yuzu slowly walked to his brother and gave some kisses to him. Then she went into a chair on the other side of the bed; giving Rukia chance to talk or anything to Ichigo. Rukia walked towards the lifeless body of Kurosaki Ichigo. " Ichigo, please wake up. I'm waiting for you here and I'm not going anywhere. Not until you wake up. Ichigo, please don't go away. Your family needs you, I need you" whispered Rukia to his ear.
It was maybe looked stupid, but people said that someone who is in a coma could hear you but just couldn't reply and Rukia really hoped that Ichigo had heard what she said. Rukia then gave Ichigo a kiss on his cold cheek. A drop of tear (which Rukia had been hold when she was still outside) fell on Ichigo's cheek. "Ichigo, I really wish that you could hear me…I…I love you. I love you so much… I really hope you can" Rukia whispered again with drops of tears fell on his eyes. She gave Ichigo another kiss before she went beside Yuzu.
They sat together for a while, watching Kurosaki Ichigo breath with the help of a ventilator machine. Few minutes passed and both already wanted to get out from the ward. Suddenly Yuzu caught a movement. Ichigo's finger was twitching. "Rukia-nee, Onii-chan moved his finger!" she sounded so happy. Rukia quickly looked at Ichigo. Yup, his finger was twitching.
Rukia hold onto his hand, which Yuzu had done. Both of them wait patiently as Ichigo's eyelids began to move. A couple of minutes later, Kurosaki Ichigo had finally opened his eyes. Yuzu and Rukia were so happy to see the man that their love had finally woke up from his coma. Rukia went out to call Isshin and Karin while Yuzu was communicating with her brother.
Ichigo looked at her sister. Yuzu looked happy, really happy. Ichigo tried to hold his sister hand but he felt that his hand was still weak. "Yuzu… where's tousan and Karin?" his voice was slow but enough for Yuzu to hear. "They're coming…Onii-chan, I'm really happy that you awake. We thought that we'd lost you, two days ago. You were not breathing and you scared us!" Yuzu said and Ichigo only managed to give Yuzu a small smiled.
"Ichi-nii!"
"Son!"
Ichigo slowly turned his head and found his dad and dark haired sister were already beside him. Karin was crying and so was Isshin. Too happy that their Kurosaki Ichigo had awoke from his coma. Ichigo looked at his family. They all seemed really happy and it'd also made him happy. Then his eyes caught a figure standing behind Karin.
Rukia looked at Ichigo from behind Karin's back. The orange haired substituted shinigami looked happy enough. Their eyes met when Ichigo looked directly at her. Rukia gave Ichigo her usual smile but the orange haired teen continued looked at her. Isshin had noticed this and gave Rukia a way to Ichigo. Slowly, she walked to him.
"Hey, thank you for waking up Ichigo…" the only words that Kuchiki Rukia managed to say.
"Who…who are you?" Ichigo said and still looked puzzled.
The End