Chapter 3 - One Night's Mystery
Ichigo ignored the stares of her classmates, who were at awe with her new appearance. It was agitating to how people would make such a big deal about appearances nowadays. At least she had a reason to why she changed her hair: so that she won't be discovered by Byakuya.
She was still bothered by that night, but she tried not to let it show on her face. No matter how many attempts she made to try and get over it, her efforts were for waste. The memory always replayed in her mind nonstop.
After class, she walked back home going the usual road, but like a few times before a few men surrounded her, acting like perverts as their eyes scanned her body.
This was pretty common already for her that she didn't even feel irritated or disgusted and she already knew what to do whenever this would happen. She dropped her bag to the ground and immediately landed a blow on each one of them until they were on the ground, completely defeated.
Before she could pick up her bag, a voice stopped her, a voice she knew all too well. "You should know that fighting shows bad conduct for a student."
Her body was stiff except for her head, which turned to her back to see if it is who she thinks it is. The muscles in her chests were contracting that it felt like a real heart attack.
Though the man was a few feet afar from her, she could feel it for real. It wasn't her imagination. She quickly looked away from the fear that her face would burn should she look directly at him.
"They were lechers. I gave them a lesson." She scoffed but she tried not to sound too rude. "I understand, that's why I will let you off the hook." He said, his tone back to cold and dispassionate unlike before when there was a hint of softness in it. She sighed and thanked him quietly, before picking up her bag and leaving.
He watched her for a while, and he was surprised to how she carried her bag and how she walked, just like how a boy usually does. That already was more than enough for him to know that she is a boyish girl, especially just after seeing her beat up many guys so effortlessly.
"You don't see tomboys these days..." Just after that mental comment he saw something on the ground which must have dropped from the girl's bag.
He picked it up and saw an address card, but the picture of the girl was missing. He decided to give it back, and walked down the street that would lead to her home, all the while sending a message to Rukia that he'll be home a little late than usual.
Ichigo looked in her bag, again and again for her address book. After the fifth time of looking, she realized she dropped it at the road and was worried.
The worry was cast away when the doorbell rang, and she thought it was either her sisters or her dad. Her hand twisted the knob and pulled the door, and the first thing she saw were grey eyes and black hair with a hand holding the address book that she was looking for.
"You forgot this, Ichigo Kurosaki."
She removed the lock that kept the door half-open and reached out her hand, taking the address book gently. "Thanks." Before she could close the door, he asked her a question. "Your next-door neighbor is moving out?"
"I heard that new people will move in, but we don't know who they are yet."
Her eyes like before stared into space, trying to keep them from taking any glimpse of the man in front of her. There was nothing but the absence of sound around them for seconds that passed so slow.
And finally, the silence was gone when he spoke up. "If you have to know, those new people are me and my sister." He was unknowing to how much this was a complete and unwanted surprise for Ichigo.
The latter remained calm but inside her mind was a powerful storm of shock and dread. For him to say the most unexpected and the most unsought news that she wants to hear, she was already freaking out in her head.
"I didn't know that you would actually be my new neighbor." She said serenely despite how negatively alarmed she is right now. "Same went for me when I saw your address. I didn't expect a student to be my new neighbor either." He replied and again there was no noise between them for another while.
It was one hell of an awkward moment. At the most silent times, people would feel awkward and would have the loudest minds.
Ichigo couldn't find it now to say good day to him and close the door, though how much she wants to. And he couldn't find it in him to walk away either, and saw those large and almost soulless but beautiful sienna eyes look at him.
"You want to go inside for tea or at least a cup of anything to drink?" She invited. "It's the least I could do, after you gave me back my address book and assuring me that you won't tell anyone that I got myself into a fight with thugs."
Seeing her point he agreed even though he rarely goes in other people's houses for he would always be alone in his house with his sister.
It was a good sight to how her house is simple, neat and organized. He sat on a chair, peacefully waiting for her to prepare tea, which is actually sakura tea. He could tell from the scent.
She clutched her chest while her other hand held the counter tightly, trying not to lose control as the pain went back again. Nothing helped to calm her down, but her sheer will caused her to continue looking as if she is at ease. She couldn't understand why being around him would make her tense.
The sound of the whistling kettle brought her back to her senses and she poured two cups, giving one to him. They drank quietly, not looking at each other for once the whole time they drank, or even after both glasses were empty.
Byakuya looked at her after a minute, noticing her attire consisting of a loose blue shirt with knee-length shorts that is meant for boys to wear. Another evidence that she is a tomboy.
Though he is not that judgmental about other people, the fact that she's a tomboy was uncomfortable to him. He wondered if she is doing fine in her life outside or at home, but he didn't voice his opinion out.
In fact, he was also bothered that he would be this concerned about someone else, for it was extremely unlikely of him. "Awkward." She said out loud, and chuckled at herself halfheartedly. Looking at the time, he stood up.
"Thanks for the hospitality, but I'll be going now." He said, and before opening the door as Ichigo followed him from behind, he turned back and said something that was rather calming and also intense.
"I'll be back at the day when we'll move here. Then we'll introduce ourselves as we should." He said, not as a request or demand but rather just a suggestion. Ichigo acquiesced quietly as the door closed with a low creak.
Though he was already gone, the strange anguish in her heart didn't vanish. She could feel the discomfort getting even worse as her fist got a tight hold of her shirt that she could rip the cotton fabric in two.
Something about him really struck deep in her that she would always feel weird whenever she is around him. But she doesn't know why. She had to admit, she was afraid. Afraid of the consequences, the causes, everything.
Thankfully she stopped thinking about it even if it's only temporary when her sisters and her dad arrived home.
Finished with dinner, he volunteered to wash the dishes himself for Rukia to have time to finish her homework. In two days they'll be moving, and they will miss this house but he knew it was time for a change.
When he was done with the chore, he walked to his room and after cleaning himself up he prepared to sleep but the phone rang.
He took it and wanted to crush the mobile when he saw the number which he memorized from seeing it many times. It belonged to the people who he despised. Nonetheless he answered it, not without a deep scowl etched on his face.
"What do you want?"
Hearing their answer, he replied the same answer that he said to them again and again in the past. "I will not go back. You adopted Koga to take my place when I left and yet you don't want him to be the head, just because he is not related by blood." Before hanging up he added something, that he meant for real and will never take back.
"Remember, if you try involving Rukia in this, I will make sure that you will regret it." Saying all that to them quietly but coldly he hanged up and turned off the phone, and placed it in the drawer, where his 9x19mm handgun is, he closed the drawer afterwards.
He tried to distract himself by thinking of the girl he saw at the prom and the girl from a while ago, who act different, yet both are beautiful. He denied that they were the same person because of that.
But both their eyes gave him the same feel... which was odd. He still wanted to know who was the girl that he kissed, and just like the previous nights he dream
Ichigo and her family were already outside, just the moment they heard the sound of the truck, and she watched as Byakuya carried three boxes with ease while Rukia carried two with difficulty.
Sighing to how her friend isn't used to carrying heavy load she ran and offered to help, where her family tagged along and helped as well. Byakuya let them assist, as Rukia nearly dropped the boxes when she saw her friend.
"Ichigo! You're our new neighbor?"
The said girl nodded with a shrug of her shoulders and they carried all the baggage inside, placing the load on the living room. "I like this house." The petite raven head commented, breathing in the scent of the wooden walls and floors of the house and breathing out with comfort.
Ichigo merely sighed once more as Byakuya went to the living room, and he exchanged a nod of greetings with Ichigo as she did the same, and looked at her father introducing himself and her sisters, who looked delighted to see the man.
"And this is my firstborn daughter." As she was mentioned, she extended her hand while trying not to blush or show agony though her heart was giving powerful and painful beats again. Like what Byakuya said before, she introduced herself, like the way a boy does as usual but this time, she was formal.
As she held out her hand, he greeted her back and they shared a brief handshake. It was only brief for Ichigo knew that his touch set her on white-hot fire which made her quickly pull away in barely three seconds.
Though the fact that he'll be her neighbor was tense that it shocked her, as long as she acts normal, she could get past it.
But she was still afraid. She was panic-stricken of how she's feeling around him, just because of one event that took place in the evening. She vowed to herself to not get attached, but why is she getting attached to this man in a strange way?
That was exactly why she feared the outcome.
At the evening she still was awake, sitting on her bed as the muscles and veins continued to contract at such force. Every time when it came to him she would experience the same thing and the more she sees him the pain increases tenfold.
She was anxious to know why would she feel that about him? What word would fit it? As distressed as she was, she couldn't find a term for it.