Then this thing turned out so evil. . .

Ayame's PoV

Night settled in quickly, leaving me and Ichigo surrounded by a midnight blue horizon full of thousands of twinkling stars. Ichigo's arm hung around my shoulder loosely yet protectively as we walked through the darkly lit streets of Karakura.

"So that was seriously the first time you saw a spirit? You've never noticed them until then?" Ichigo asked.

"I guess, I mean, I get these strange feelings sometimes like someone's nearby. Other than that, no. . . How did you know?"

"How'd I know what?"

"That you were seeing ghosts. If it were me, I would have thought I was crazy; that I was just hallucinating or something."

"I don't know, I guess I just knew. . ."

"Ichigo, why now? Why couldn't I see them until now?"

"I'm not sure. I couldn't either until my mother died-" he stopped dead in his tracks. My cobalt blue eyes glanced up at him- I could see it. Tears were already forming in the corner of his teddy bear eyes. Without even thinking I reached down and squeezed his hand in reassurance. Sometimes just thinking about his mother makes him break down, he still carries that heavy burden everyday but keeps it well hidden, buried, deep inside. But it always there, no matter how deep he buries it. The least I could do is help him cope, and maybe one day that buried burden will become a flower.

"Ichigo?. . ." He cleared his throat.

"Yeah?" He hoarsely responded, I squeezed his hand again as we started walking. An awkward silence suffocated us for a few unbearable minutes. I had so many questions that I needed answered, but I didn't dare to break the silence. He needs this silence. I learned a long time ago that sometimes just being around a person in pain is the best thing you can do for them. We didn't speak for the rest of the way to his house. He opens the gate beside the clinic and I obediently follow him.

Don't know why I'm still surprised. . .

"I'm home." Ichigo was barely five seconds in the door when his crazy father runs up to him and kicks my boyfriend in the throat. I winced when I saw the awkward position he landed in.

"You let your guard down. Always stay alert when you enter a room and you're late for dinner again." Mr. Kurosaki said proudly.

Ichigo jumps up as that cute little vein popped out of his forehead, I couldn't help but laugh. It reminded me of the family I never really had growing up, and the way Ichigo and his father would fight was just so adorable.

"Come on! Is that any way to welcome your own son after he just risked his life to help a spirit find peace!?"

"Silence! Oh, so it's the ghost's fault now, is it? I suppose it was the ghosts that left your room a mess. When are you going to show some discipline? Just because you see ghosts and I don't doesn't make you the boss of this household. . ." I mentally sighed as I watched them fistfight. I decided to corner myself in the kitchen, I learned from being around Ichigo's family that it's just best to stay out of their way when they got like this. I swear, they're worse than children, but at least their relationship with each other is better than my family's.

"Hey- it's not my fault-"

"Hey- stop the fighting you two. Come over here and eat your dinner. You too (Y/N)," Ichigo's adorable baby sister Yuzu said, holding a spoon. I just love her, she's more of a mother to me than my own mother!

"Let them fight. More rice for me," Karin said, I pulled up a chair in my usual spot beside her and Yuzu made me a plate.

"Here you go. That wasn't very nice Karin," she said as she handed me my plate. I watched from the hazy corners of my eyes how the fight was going, as usual, his dad threw a punch and Ichigo counterattacks; sending his pops into the wall.

"I got to tell you Dad. For any normal, healthy, high school kid, a 7 o'clock curfew is totally uncool!" It was unfair, I got to admit, I thought as I picked up my chopsticks and began eating my rice. That's when I felt a stinging chilly sensation rush down my spine. A ghost?

"Ichigo, speaking of uncool, you have a new one." Karin said while taking a bite of rice. I glanced over my shoulder to see an invisible businessman floating above my boyfriend.

"Oh, how long have you been there? Take a hike, will you? You damn pest." Ichigo cursed as he flailed his arms around trying to shoo away the spirit. It was a pretty funny sight, I couldn't help but giggle. "Oh shut up."

"Hey there's no need to be grouchy." You playfully pouted as you finished your dinner.

Karin scowled, "I'm so done. Poor Ichigo. Dad, ghosts, or Ayame, it's always something."

"I think he's kind of lucky to be able to see ghosts. I sort of sense their presence sometimes, but that's about it." Yuzu said. Is everyone in Ichigo's family able to see, or sense, ghosts? Well-except for his dad I suppose. But what about his mom? Maybe that's where Ichigo and his sisters get their ghost-sensing abilities. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a sudden crash. I turned around in my chair to find Ichigo and his father punching each other in the face.

"Gotcha," Mr. Kurosaki grunted before falling to the floor. "No charge for the lesson. . ."

"Never mind dinner, come on Ayame. Let's go to my room." I briefly nodded before following him.

"Nice seeing you guys again!" I cheerfully shouted from his doorway before shutting the door.

"Boy, he better marry that girl," Karin murmured.

I turn around to see my carrot-top crash on his bed. I pouted before sitting on the edge of his bed.

"What's the matter baby?" I ask, slightly concerned. He adjusted himself so his head laid in my lap.

"I've just been having a rough time lately. I've been seeing more spirits than I usually do and my family doesn't exactly help the stress." I ran my fingers through his soft hair.

"It'll get better Ichigo. It always does," I pressed my lips against his forehead and his expression soften.

"How about we study for a bit, then I'll take all your stress away,"

A devious grin spread across his handsome features.

"I like the sound of that."

You know what happens next.