Mrs. Matsuko is an OC. Jinni is an OC. Nori Tama is an OC.
Chapter Fifteen
The Others…
"You haunt me like silence.
You're still like a flower
Breeze cold
Dark warmth," Huyu Mien finished reading from a crumpled paper he quickly stuffed in his back pocket and took his seat.
Huyu was the type of guy who was so overconfident it was nauseating. He was destined to be a star of some sort. No one even considered the opposite. He didn't study much and was an average student at best. Because of his magnetic personality he managed to coast through all his classes.
Jinni his new girlfriend just happened to be in this class and the poem was dedicated to her. All the girls surrounding her smiled with envy as he sauntered back to his seat. Even the teacher paused to allow the class to worship at his feet.
"All right any other volunteers," Mrs. Matsuko asked looking over the faces who suddenly avoided eye contact.
"Like silence," some voice in the class mocked.
Laughter followed shortly after and Ichigo looked around to see a few snickering classmates. Tatsuki leaned her head on the desk knowing exactly who the poem was meant for. Ichigo watched as Huyu looked over at Tatsuki and then down at the floor. Huyu looked mortified.
Another classmate stood up and recited their work and the class laughed.
"Apparently this class seems to find laughter in its work," Mrs. Matsuko said.
She started writing on the board and the entire class knew what was next. Everyone in the class had a reading and writing assignment except the lucky volunteers who were brave enough to recite their work.
Moments later Huyu smiled his annoying grin and class continued as if nothing happened.
The hour was up and class was over. Everyone filed out of the classroom. Murmurs and conversations filled the air as everyone headed on to their next class.
Tatsuki walked out of the classroom hoping to avoid any pursuit from Huyu.
"What was that about Tatsuki," Ichigo asked.
"Nothing that I feel like talking about," she said picking up the pace.
000
Mrs. Nori or Tama as all her students called her; stood in the back of the auditorium scribbling on a yellow notepad. She was Rukia's teacher whose name Ichigo could never remember. Maybe it was because she insisted on being called by her first name. She wanted to be seen as "hip" by everyone.
"Trouble is where I live," the brown-haired guy said in a bored monotone.
Ichigo recognized the guy. It must have been the day that Rukia returned. Before the meeting at Urahara shop; he saw Rukia with that guy. He didn't bother to face her about it yet so instead of bring it up now he took a seat in the auditorium to wait for her class to be over.
Rukia launched into her lines, "oh no please save me, save them."
Tama's heels clicked as she walked down the aisle. She paused beside the aisle Ichigo sat in and gave direction to the students.
"Then you stand back as you deliver the line. It should feel as if you really don't want to be saved," Tama said half acting the scene out.
Piece of cake, Ichigo thought.
"Again from the top," Rukia said.
"Trouble is where I live," brown-haired guy said almost exactly like the first time.
Rukia even further over the top, "oh no…please don't save me save them."
"I know we could have this scene at a pizza place," Orihime spoke up for the first time.
Orihime was the set designer for this production and Ichigo didn't even need to wonder what Uryû's role was.
"Geese you guys, can't you focus," Uryû said.
"No, I like this Ishida. Soda fountains and sox hopping' it will be neat," Tama grinned clasping her hands together, "I'll be back you all work on your lines alright."
Tama clicked her way out of the auditorium.
Ichigo came forward to the classroom. Everyone stopped working on lines. Cell phones snapped open and everyone gathered in groups of friends to talk.
"So what do you think of my acting," Rukia asked as she smiled at Ichigo.
"You can't be serious," he answered.
"What…I'm just getting involved in school activities," she said.
"Extra cheese-
"Orihime snap out of it. We have a lot of work to do," Uryû said.
"But what about the soda fountain scene," Orihime asked.
"You two are also taking this seriously," Ichigo said.
"That is the idea behind putting on a play," Uryû said.
Ichigo couldn't help but wonder about the brown-haired man who sat in the corner of the room listening to headphones. Stranger still the headphones weren't attached to anything as Ichigo noticed the dangling cord. Maybe he just didn't want to be bothered.
He couldn't shake the feeling that he knew this guy from somewhere. A Shinigami is the first thing that came to mind but how would he miss yet another Shinigami appearing in his town. After a couple of seconds he remembered. Hueco Mundo this was the Shinigami from Hueco Mundo.
000
"Did you talk to Ichigo," Orihime asked.
"We talked but I told him you should be the one to talk to him about it. Should I tell him about it," Rukia asked.
"Oh no. I should be the one to tell him. I made the mess," Orihime answered.
"Alright…since I've decided to be your roommate and all we should throw a house party for our new apartment," Rukia sang out.
"But I already have a roommate-
"The more the merrier," Rukia said.
"Wait so you're staying here in the human world," Orihime asked.
"There are things that I want to do here. Besides I am assigned to KarakuraTown for the moment," Rukia answered.
"Did Ichigo kick you out Rukia; because if he did I'll k-
"No nothing like that," Rukia's said crimson faced.
"Oh…ok I guess I'll tell the other girl the room is taken," Orihime said.
"You don't have to if you don't want to. I didn't mean to make a mess out of things," Rukia said.
"This is perfect. She probably would leave after a week of my seeing spirits and unexplained strange behavior," Orihime giggled.
"That is true," Rukia agreed.
"You know all about those things so it works out perfectly. Not only that, I'm not really moving out anyway," Orihime said.
"Then what why all the talk of moving," Rukia asked.
"The landlord is fixing the wall. She couldn't explain why there was a giant hole in the building…anyway the repairmen they hired are making a second bedroom for me and a laundry room in the extra space for the other tenants.
The landlord is willing to lose one apartment for the project but she said they needed a better laundry room. I was going to move to another apartment but I don't have to now, you can take over the extra room and I'll just tell the landlord I'll stay," Orihime said.
"Sounds like a plan but what about this other girl," Rukia asked.
"Even more perfect; she can move into the other apartment building that the landlord owns," Orihime said happily.