A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed at chapter 1. What I meant is that the anime of Bleach is really ending, which is officially announced on many anime sites. If you don't believe me, try and see by this coming Tuesday if there will ever be another episode of Bleach. Okay, now here comes the second chapter.
Class. Right now, they're speaking about their world and the Fortes world and the rule of that the two must not meet. Toshiro just tapped his pencil on the paper, but not so loudly to capture the teacher's attention.
He rolled his eyes but no one noticed him or they would think he's being disrespectful. He already broke that rule, but only partly, because even though he stepped in their world and saw a Forte (or rather two), they never saw him.
He doesn't feel so worried about getting caught, because it's extremely rare that people would go to the Borderline.
Before when he was born, people his age would go there and test their courage but later on security and the laws became stricter and tighter.
For the whole session he resisted the urge to raise his hand and ask questions about what started the law and so on, for the teachers would reprimand him for his disrespect. He sighed when the bell rang and everybody left, and he quickly checked if Inoue was there.
Toshiro let a small smirk cross his lips when Inoue was nowhere to be seen. It's the perfect opportunity to come back up there without anyone to apprehend him and scold him.
With a text containing an extremely valid excuse that he's going to the library due to his bookish side, he left the village and went to the Borderline.
He thought that the path like usual is, but much to his shock there are two older men there wearing black uniforms.
They're the Guards, the ones who act like the police and keep tight watch in the place they're assigned in.
Knowing that getting spotted by them would get him in trouble, he leaped to a bush where his small stature fits, and makes a small gap in the bundle of branched leaves to see what are they going to do next.
Neither of the two Guards say anything, but they turn their heads to see if there is a sign of anyone. Even from afar, Toshiro could see them clearly like a hawk. When they see nobody, they head back to the village and once they're near the bush, he silently blended into the shadows and waited until they're gone from sight.
"That was close." he sighed, before his feet got off the ground and rushed for the door. Like yesterday, there is still that light and he stepped in, to find the same room of that orange-haired teenager.
He quietly checks if there are any mice out there, or any Forte. But what only greets him is silence, so it's safe like before.
He sees the book from yesterday, and he got the interest to read it. Though it's large, he's strong enough to lift one page of paper without much difficulty.
"Whew, only a few pages to flip till I'm in page one." Good thing it wasn't that far, and he starts to read the first chapter through his head as fast as he can. Unbeknownst to him, as the door is not completely closed and is half-open, Ichigo walked in without making him notice.
The orange haired teen didn't notice him either, and quietly grabbed some clothes on his bed before leaving and going to the bathroom to shower.
"Lately, his condition is getting worse. I'm not sure if I can even go to school anymore. Even in his state, he does what he can to pay for my tuition. Without him, I..." She broke down once more, after remembering that sad, sickly smile he gave her before she left for school.
Ichigo's family did everything to cure him of his condition, but to no avail. But they were not to blame. Fate was just plainly cruel.
"Then, you can come here and live with us." She gasped at his offer, never expecting him to say that. He may have always been the tough boy with a heart of gold, but that... she did not see it coming.
"That... that... th... I-Ichigo..." she stammered while wiping her tears. "It's okay. Dad and my sisters see you as family, and they also feel very sympathetic about what's going with you. They would also want to take you in." he assured, and she couldn't say anything.
He thought about nothing but that conversation all day long while the water refreshed him, making the heat from the sun outside an illusion.
"I wish that for once, something good will happen to her. It pains me to see her cry." he said in his mind.
The sound of running water made Toshiro stop reading and turn his head, but he saw nobody and shrugged his shoulders, then he turned back and continued reading the book full of large letters.
"Whoa, their books here may be really big but this is nice. I've never read this before." Only when Ichigo came back, wearing a shirt and cargo pants while drying his hair with a towel, he noticed something small but definitely not a pest on his desk.
His eyes cocked up in wonder. "What is that?" he thought, knowing that making a little sound would scare it away, so he tried not to ask that question out loud. Silent steps. He took one slow step at a time, but he stopped when he was close enough but not too close to make a shadow which would be discovered easily.
"It's a boy." he realized, and seemed intrigued by his white hair. He reached out his hand, but quickly pulled back. "Okay. I don't know if I'm seeing things, if this little boy really does exist, but..." With a big gulp that wasn't heard, he poked the silverette on the head, just slightly, and that caught his complete attention.
He hoped it was just an imagination, while slowly turning his head to his back to know if he is seen. His eyes become the size of saucers when he saw the same orange-haired teenager from yesterday.
"Um... hello?" Ichigo said with an expression of disbelief, when he looked at him.
A/N: Oh yes, it is a cliffhanger. *giggles maliciously*