"Care to explain who that was?" A familiar masculine voice asks from behind her.
Hiromi gasps sharply. She stiffly turns to acknowledge them with tears prickling her vision.
Hiromi gazes at a rather strapping man whose features are like Grimmjow's but softer. His skin reminded her of beach sand, and his exhausted eyes were like charcoal yet held a bitter coldness, and a fury she knows too well. She doesn't see his hair from the hoodie covering him, but Hiromi knows his chocolate brown hair has grown out some and is a wild mess.
Her lips quivered into a grimace, whispering his name.
"Hisashi?"
Hisashi sneers with eyes burning with an intensity that made Hiromi shrink.
"Hello, Mimi," his voice is deep and smooth.
She says nothing, just stares at him while continuing to shrink under Hisashi's scrutinizing gaze. She didn't even like the tightness in his voice, either.
"Are you going to say something? Or keep staring at me?"
Hiromi blinks, gulps tightly, then acknowledges him like a timid mouse.
She clears her throat, gathering her courage. "I'm just … surprised you're here. It's been three years since you disappeared. I, I thought maybe you were dead."
"Really? That's a lame excuse."
"It's the truth!"
"I'm not buying it, Mimi. I've been gone three years and you go behind my back and sleep with other guys when you're technically still my girlfriend?"
Hiromi's eyes widen at first before her nostrils flared with pinched brows and got into his personal space.
"What the hell? Are you seriously accusing me of cheating here?"
"What the hell am I supposed to think? I mean, you were just with some guy, Hiromi. And a good-looking one at that. You know how I get whenever you're near another male besides me."
"How was I supposed to know you were alive and back in town? And you never acted like this whenever I was with Sōsuke."
"Because he was basically your brother. Now, who was that guy you were with?"
Hiromi's fingers curl into tight, trembling fists at her side.
"He's none of your concern. I only met him in passing, anyway."
"What about the other guys, hmm? More particularly that short-haired girly looking dude. Who the hell is he?"
A breath stalled in Hiromi's throat and eyes widened briefly. If he's aware of Yumichika and Ikkaku being around, then he must have arrived in town recently.
Hiromi's voice trembles with hurt and anger as she asks, "You've been back for three days and haven't bothered to come see me?"
"I would have if it weren't for that damned short-haired prick! He spent the night. Twice, to be exact. You slept with him, didn't you, you little slut?"
Hiromi's skin flushed, and lips pulled back in a vicious snarl.
"How dare you stand here and accuse me of infidelity when I have been nothing but faithful to you? You disappeared on me for three fucking years, Hisashi Nakamura."
"I disappeared because I left, you stupid broad. And the fact the damn cops would have arrested me for murdering my brother." Hisashi explains, his voice filled with bitterness.
"You … left? You left me behind to deal with the grief of losing our unborn child and friends, you fucking asshole."
Hisashi growls, closing the small space between them. He clutches her arm forcefully, leaving physical marks, and glares down at her with nostrils flared like a bull.
"Ow! Let go!"
"I never wanted the brat, anyway. Maybe if I had branded you, other men wouldn't chance a glance at you. Now answer my question, you ungrateful bitch."
Hiromi yanks her arm out of his grasp, stepping out of reach. In a fit of anger, her fist connects with his nose. The onlookers audibly gasps, and some made oohing sounds. One person uttered a damn, apparently impressed.
Hisashi staggered backwards, crying out with tears blinding his vision, and blood trickling down his nose.
"OW! What. The. FUCK!"
"How's that for branding? I'm not the type of person to strike anyone unless they deserve it. I won't tolerate that kind of talk anymore. And you have a lot of fucking nerve to accuse me of cheating when you have slept with women behind my back. Emi was one of those girls, too, you fucking hypocrite."
"Yeah, well … she might be one of the many girls I fucked."
"Many? How many girls have you slept with?"
"More than I can count on my two hands. Including_."
Hiromi prevents him from speaking. She has a finger pointing at him, and poking his chest hard.
"You know what? I don't want to know who else you slept with. They probably didn't enjoy it anyway, considering you are lousy in bed. I have been extremely patient with you and tolerated most of your bullshit. Even our 'enjoyable' times when you showered me with expensive gifts. I realize now they were really 'forgive and forget me' moments. And I refuse to let you waltz back into my life like nothing happened and think you can control me. I'm done being told of who I can and couldn't see. It is my life, my decision, not yours. And I will not suffer your abuse anymore, either." Hiromi asserts, her voice tinged with determined and rage.
"I wanted you to stay away from other guys for your own safety, and you know it."
Hiromi paused for a moment. She recalls the things her friends had pointed out about him.
"He sure gets jealous awfully quick. And controlling, girly. I wouldn't put up with that crap. I'd sucker punch him."
"Wait. He doesn't want you to be around other men? Only him and me. Sounds like a very possessive person to me, Romi."
"Be careful with him. Looks can be deceiving. I may look like a sadistic prick, and can be one too, but nothing compared to him. He's worse than me, darling. You better get out of it while you can."
Tatsuya's warning stuck out more than Kaori's and Sōsuke's. He knows more about Hisashi than anyone else. Hiromi should have listened to him, and asked what she could have done to get out of it. If he hadn't murdered her friends and tried killing her. Maybe then she wouldn't be standing here confronting Hisashi, and her friends would be alive.
"You know, Kaori and Sōsuke warned me about you. Even your sadistic brother told me you were worse than he was. I should have listened."
"And you were naïve enough to believe him, Mimi?"
"That's really telling, considering you wanted to brand me. Seems like he was spot on about that. At one point, I actually thought I would be glad to see you alive and come back for me. I was stupid to even think that. I have no desire to be with you. All you'll bring is trouble, something I don't need right now."
Hisashi stood there with mouth gapping and brows raised to his hairline.
"Wait, hold on, are you breaking up with me? After three years apart?"
"It certainly sounds like it," someone mutters loud enough for them to hear.
Hisashi whirls on them, baring teeth and clenched fists.
"You mind your damn business, old man!"
"Well, it's hard not to when you are out in public, young man. You should hash this out behind closed doors. Although, this is better than my wife's soap operas."
"I didn't ask for your opinion! And I'm not a source of your entertainment either! So, butt out!"
Hiromi scolds him as she stepped back and folded her arms while Hisashi and the older man argued.
"My apologizes for our ugly display, sir. And as for you, Hisashi Nakamura."
She turns her gaze on Hisashi, who is sporting a red mark on his left cheek.
"We're done," she trails off when she felt something familiar in the air.
Hisashi's tanned skin paled and lips trembled.
"You feel that, too, right?" He asks, his voice trembling.
Before Hiromi considered answering him, she, along with Hisashi, and a few regular citizens, heard a howl.
"What was that?" One of them questioned in concern.
She recognized the howl. It's him … again.
Hiromi's gut churned with a chilling realization, a taste of bitter revenge lingering in the air. The hollow is after her for a reason. It wants to kill her because of what she never intended to do, despite her efforts to save him.
With Hisashi here now, it will target him and her. Except, does she want to warn him he is in danger? Or should she leave him out of the loop and let him deal with his brother face to face? That will probably be more ideal since the two alpha brothers dragged her into their family vendetta. The victim can kill the murderer. Except, the last thing she wants is another hollow to tail after her.
The loud and eerie howl filled the air, getting louder and scarier, announcing the coming of a relentless predator. She thought it would emerge from a corner and destroy buildings, but it won't. Hiromi quickly remembered how it appeared last night. He crashed right outside her apartment, shattering the windows. If it crashes anywhere around her and Hisashi, a building is coming down on them and everyone else.
"What's happening?" someone asks, their voice trembling with terror.
"Hiromi," Hisashi tried calling to her, and reaching for her arm.
She didn't hear him. Her heart pounded in her ears like the beat of a tribal drum, drowning out all other sounds. Hiromi felt a surge of fear as she heard the tiger-like howl come nearer. Her wide gaze fixed ahead.
As Hiromi prepared to shout for everyone to take cover, the tiger-like howl echoed once more. Within seconds, a massive blur of white shot down from the sky and crashed onto the ground. The windows rattled before shattering, showering pedestrians, and Hiromi and Hisashi. Instinctively, they dropped to the ground as the explosive impact shook the very ground beneath them. People screamed and shouted from the explosion, ducking low or were thrown off their feet and slammed onto the concrete. Car horns blared along the semi-crowded street, even birds flew out of nearby trees to retreat some place safer.
Hiromi trembled as she glances over her shoulder. Her eyes widened, reflecting the realization that danger was in front of her now.
Tatsuya's hollow is just like she remembered.
His massive form dominated the roadway. The creature had a muscular upper body that resembled a human torso, with powerful arms, furry tufts at the wrists, and fringes around its neck and jaw. His legs, hunches really, are sinewy and powerful like a tiger, and massive paws for feet. His bone-white visage is a blend of animal and masculine human. He has tiger-like fangs and human-like teeth, and eyes sunk deep with a glint of menacing red.
Hiromi finally noticed one of his fangs was missing, along with a few others. She quickly realized Yumichika did manage to make contact with Tatsuya's hollow form. It may not be much from her vantage point, but she is unaware of the long scar on his back.
He always did like that tooth. It was gold at one point, after all, Hiromi thought to herself.
The hollow that is Tatsuya shifted his gaze from the murmuring crowd to Hiromi, then Hisashi.
An unwanted chill zipped down her spine when his grin somehow widened.
Without warning, he took a swing. His arm swiped at the café, topping its roof off.
An explosion of large slaps of concrete, metal, and splintered wood showered down on them.
Hiromi quickly ducked and fell sideways to avoid getting crushed by the debris. Hisashi had followed suit. Others weren't so lucky. Crimson stained the ground of which their bodies laid, crushed.
A cacophony of shouts erupted around them, along with blaring car horns and squealing tires. Amid the explosions surrounding them, a stampede of feet thundered on the pavement, desperate to escape. An abandoned car was knocked off its wheels and is hurled down the road in Hiromi and Hisashi's path.
Hiromi is grabbed from behind.
Hisashi's voice cracked with fear as he shouts, "It's her you're after! Not me!" He shoved her forwards before desperately throwing himself out of harm's way.
Hiromi stumbles, but eventually falls, landing harshly on the cracked pavement with a yelp. She caught sight of the flying car coming right at her as she collapsed, but is not fast enough to escape. Instinctively, Hiromi covers her head even though it was useless. She would have been crushed by the demolished vehicle if Tatsuya's hollow hadn't batted it away. It went soaring towards Hisashi, but he ducks out of the way. The car crashes onto the concrete, narrowly missing a couple of scrambling pedestrians.
Hisashi frantically claws his way to safety. He glared at the spot he once stood, then at the hollow with fire burning in his gaze.
"What the hell!? Are you trying to kill me?"
Tatsuya's powerful growl echoed through the air as he slammed his colossal hand onto the ground, shaking the earth. Hiromi had screamed from the impact, shielding herself tighter.
When he did nothing to harm her, she shakily sat up. She then glances up at the massive hollow. Tatsuya hovered over her as she trembled from his proximity. He grins, his menacing gaze fixated on Hiromi, a chilling reminder of the torment she had endured in the past, causing her to recoil in sheer terror. Hiromi didn't notice his muscular arm shifting, providing cover from Hisashi's livid, yet horrified gaze, as if protecting her from him.
He slipped his gaze off her to Hisashi, distaste crossing his visage.
"You are a coward."
"Excuse me!"
Tatsuya growls, gently shoving Hiromi away while slinking forward as Hisashi backed away with arms outstretched in front of him.
"No! Stay back!"
"You are a coward, brother. You were going to have her take the hit instead of you. Pathetic."
"I am no coward, nor am I pathetic, you fucking bastard! You want her dead, don't you? Well, have at her, you freak!"
"It's not her I'm after," he started. "Never was."
Hisashi's eyes widened in horror as Tatsuya's red gaze flashed and glared at him. While Hiromi stiffened, gasping sharply through her nose.
Wait, what?
"It's you, brother. You will die."
Hisashi recoiled. Desperately, he sprinted away from Tatsuya, fearing the punishment that awaited him, and leaving Hiromi behind.
"Running is futile," Tatsuya says as he reached for a nearby slab of concrete, crunching it to a moderate size chunk.
Hiromi's eyes widen in fear as she sees Tatsuya's arm ready to strike, realizing the harm that is about to come. She tried to get him to stop by calling out to him, but he ignored her plea. He hurls his ammo at Hisashi, making contact within a blink.
Hisashi's body jerks forward, collapses onto the unforgiving ground with a painful grunt and yelp.
Tatsuya lumbers over, leaving a fear-stricken Hiromi where she sat.
Despite the fear coursing through her veins, Hiromi knew she must move. In fact, she just realized something. An opportunity. Tatsuya's attention is on Hisashi, who is struggling to get away from his hollowfied brother that is advancing on him.
"No! Stay away! Please, I'm begging you," she heard him plea, but is going unheard.
Hiromi glances over at Hisashi, who is on his feet but is limping. The concrete slab may have contacted his back, which no doubt left a nasty bruise, but he twisted his ankle from the fall.
Her gaze hardens, sneering cruelly.
"I hope you die a painful and slow death," she says to herself.
Hiromi glances away, observing the chaos around her for an exit. Her gaze lands on Ikkaku's practice sword, still intact. She quickly stoops to grab it, then finds a clean getaway.
Tatsuya won't see her run off. In fact, he probably wants her to run. Why Hiromi thinks that is unknown. He said he was not after her. If that were the case, then why was Tatsuya's hollow form following her for three years? Was he sticking around to look after her? But what about the jump last year? What was that about? Hiromi can't think about that right now. She needs to get away and find Yumichika and Ikkaku. They will help her in a heartbeat. Because Hiromi doesn't doubt once Tatsuya is finished with Hisashi, he might come after her next.
With that in mind, Hiromi carefully stood to her feet to not be seen. She crept towards the street opposite of the hollow and Hisashi, who remained to scramble away and flinging whatever he can find to disorientate it.
"Please, don't kill me!"
Hiromi chanced a glance at him, sneering still as she approached slabs of concrete and an upturned vehicle. She watched Hisashi stumble to the ground, tossing a steel pipe at Tatsuya. He slapped it away as if it were a fly and zoomed in her direction. She ducks behind the demolished car, avoiding getting hit. When she did, her hard, icy gaze lands on a pedestrian … dead. Her façade crumbles. Her vision blurred slightly from the unshed tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Their blood soaked hair is molded to their skull, and deathly pale. Their lifeless eyes were staring right up at her, penetrating her soul.
For her, she doesn't see the innocent bystander. Hiromi envisioned her best friend, Kaori. In the washroom. Helping her prep for a first date. She will never forget her friend's beautiful smile or her lively laugh. She always made her days brighter.
Kaori.
~ flashback ~
It's her first date. Her first date! Hiromi has never been on a date before. And with a cute guy, no less!
I have to look perfect.
Hiromi's hand trembled trying to apply mascara. She had to redo her eye makeup three times already. Mostly because the color combos didn't work well for her. She eventually settled on a shimmery warm copper shade. It really made her gemstone-like blues pop.
"Hiromi," a sweet and bright feminine voice cooed from behind her.
Hiromi huffs. She finally settled the mascara back inside the tube and set it down.
"Ugh, you're distracting me, Kaori."
From behind her, Kaori smiled softly.
"I've been standing here for the last five minutes watching you put on damn makeup when you really don't need it, girly. Although, I love the shimmery eyeshadow."
Hiromi blinks furiously.
"You- you've been watching me the entire time?"
"Yep," Kaori answers brightly. "It was fun while it lasted."
Hiromi pouts.
"Glad to be a source of entertainment for you."
"Only because it's fun to get under your skin, Rom Rom."
Hiromi says nothing, only tapped her index fingers together.
"Can, can you maybe help me put on the mascara? I, I can't stop shaking."
"Because you're nervous?"
"Of course, I'm nervous. I've never been on a date before. I want to look pretty!"
"Hiromi, babe, you ARE pretty. You don't need makeup. Go ole natural."
Hiromi lightly groans.
"But Hisashi is taking me to a fancy restaurant, Kaori. I can't look … boring."
It was Kaori's turn to huff, then approached Hiromi. She drew a second chair over and sat down, forcing Hiromi to face her.
"You are not boring looking when you don't have makeup on, babe. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met."
Hiromi stares at the dusting of freckles on Kaori's nose, pink gracing her own cheeks.
"Really? Do you think I'm beautiful? No one has ever said that to me before."
"Really? Not even Hisashi?"
Hiromi thought about that for a moment. She doesn't recall him ever saying she was beautiful. Not even pretty. The only thing she remembers is Hisashi saying he likes her eyes. But her general appearance, never. Does he only admire her eyes and not anything else? What about her personality? Why is she questioning what he thinks about her?
"No," she eventually whispers.
Kaori stares at her for a moment, surprised that her date has said nothing to boost her friend's confidence. With a big grin, she snatches the mascara tube from the vanity and lightly tosses it in her palm.
"Well, we're going to change that. So, slide on over my new masterpiece. I'm going to make you shine like the freaking sun so he can say you are beautiful."
Hiromi softly smiles, bringing her chair closer to Kaori that their knees bumped. An electric jolt zipped up her leg from the contact, making her tremble.
"Okay, look up for me," she instructed.
Hiromi did as instructed while trying to contain the tremors in her body. The fibers of the brush contacted her lashes, tickling her. She wanted to blink, but knew what would happen. Hiromi does not want to look like a raccoon.
"I don't know why I'm so nervous, Kaori. I should be excited." Hiromi says to distract herself from quivering.
"Girl, it's normal to be nervous on a first date. I would know since I've been on many first dates."
"Yeah, because a lot of boys AND girls flocked towards you because of your bubbly personality."
Hiromi doesn't see it, but Kaori grins brightly.
"Bubbly or eccentric?"
"Well," Hiromi begun, smiling for the first time.
"You know what? Don't answer that. Word of advice, even though it sounds a little cliché, be yourself. Don't try too hard to impress this guy. He's apparently into you since you guys have been talking for nearly two months. Okay, there we go. Mascara, done. Now for some rouge and a little lip gloss, then you will be fit for a ball."
Hiromi chuckles.
"I really appreciate your help, Kaori."
Kaori beams brightly with a blush brush in hand.
"You know I would do anything for you, girlfriend. I mean, you ARE my very best friend and my sister."
"How can we be sisters? We don't even look a like."
Kaori laughs. It was boisterous, yet bright.
"Romi, dear, you are silly. We don't have to look a like to be sisters. I love you, Hiromi, like a sister. My best friend who is like a sister to me is family. And you ARE family."
Hiromi smiles that her uneven dimples showed.
"I love you, too, Kaori … like a sister."
… some months later
Tatsuya had forced his way into their home. Hiromi could tell he was not himself. He was a menace, out of his mind and in way over his head. He had a job to fulfill. One that he really didn't want to do.
He had already immobilized Hiromi. Her head was pounding from hitting her head on a table. She was shoved aside with a deep stab to her swollen, pregnant belly, bleeding.
Hiromi laid on the carpet, struggling to keep herself from falling unconscious. Her lower abdomen is painfully cramping, causing her to curve tightly in a fetal position, groaning.
"Get off me! Get off!"
Her gaze jerks in Kaori's direction, discovering Tatsuya manhandling and wrestling her to the floor.
Kaori.
"No, get off!"
Tatsuya straddled her, holding a bloody knife at her throat.
Kaori.
Hiromi needs to help, but the cramping was unbearably painful. She tried crawling to Kaori, leaving behind a trail of blood in her wake.
Kaori gone deathly silent now.
Hiromi didn't have to guess. She hesitantly glances at Kaori, who is staring at the ceiling wide-eyed, her mouth clamped shut by Tatsuya's hand, holding her down and exposing her neck.
"No…," Hiromi struggled. "Please, Tatsuya don't. You don't have to do this."
Tatsuya regarded her with a trembling sneer. His gaze sickened and filled with malice. Yet tears prickled the corners of his eyes.
"I don't have a choice."
"Yes, you do. Tatsuya please," Hiromi begs, crawling towards him and Kaori. "Don't kill her."
He just stared at her. His blade quivered at Kaori's throat.
"Please."
She reaches out, touching his blood covered wrist.
A crashing boom erupted in the deathly silent apartment, then thunderous footsteps rushing in their direction.
"Tatsuya!" Hisashi screamed at his brother, who came charging at him with a blade of his own.
"I'm so sorry, Hiromi," Tatsuya whispers to her, before engaging in a brawl with his brother.
Kaori was spared, but only briefly.
Hiromi remembers now it was Hisashi who murdered Kaori. Not Tatsuya. He did, however, still blamed Hiromi for what happened that night, and called her a bunch of demeaning names. Despite his best efforts to try warding off his brother, Hisashi ended up driving a hunter's knife into Tatsuya's stomach.
~ end flashback ~
"NO! Please, stay away!" Hisashi screams as he tumbles backwards onto the ground.
"Stop moving! You're just prolonging your death!" Tatsuya roars as he tried grabbing him.
Hiromi snaps out of the memory. She wasn't able to save Kaori from death, or Kaori's brother, Sōsuke. They were just as close, but nothing like her soul sister bond Hiromi had with Kaori.
She shook her head to rid herself of her memories to make a run for it, but stops from Hisashi screaming. Hiromi glances over at Hisashi's retreating form, who has tears streaming from his eyes.
"Please! No! Spare me!"
"Stay with me!"
Hiromi turns away to stare toward her escape. She's still clear to make a run for it and find Ikkaku if he's not already heading her way. She can meet him and Yumichika somewhere in the middle, rush into Ikkaku's arms, and beg them to help her. Hiromi knows they will protect her from the hollow. Yumichika promised he would. Even Ikkaku promised to keep her safe from it. They're coming her way. She just knows it.
Except why can't she move?
"Please! Leave me be! I don't want to die!" Hisashi screamed.
"Come on, stay with me! Don't you dare die on me now!"
She looks over in his direction again, seeing him being dragged by the tip of his collar.
"You should have thought about that before you took my life! You don't deserve to be breathing!"
Hiromi looks away again. She stares off in the direction to her freedom and leave behind Hisashi like he did to her. Except, why can't she make herself run?
"No! Please! Don't!"
Hisashi's screams echoed in her mind.
Hiromi shook her head to try ridding herself of his desperate pleas. She glances down at her feet, mentally telling them to start forward and run. They refused to move. Her gaze then shifts to the wooden sword clutched in her hand. She stared at it for a long moment, pondering what she should do.
That's when it dawned on her.
She may not have been able to save Kaori or Tatsuya from death, but she can try to save Hisashi. Why would she, though? He wanted her to take the hit. Hisashi tried to kill her. He should suffer the consequences, right?
His vision is getting blurry, and darkness crept into the corners of his eyes. He can vaguely see the shape of Tatsuya's hollow hovering over him, grinning madly. Hisashi tried to breathe, but they came in sharp gasps. With each passing second, the pressure from Tatsuya's hand sinks further onto his chest, crushing him. His fingers pinched around Hisashi's neck, making it increasingly difficult for him to draw in any air. His heart pounds loudly in his ears as he struggles to stay conscious under Tatsuya's hand. Fear courses through Hisashi's veins as his vision blurs further and his mind races to find a way out of this life-threatening situation.
As Hisashi gasps for breath, he doesn't doubt Hiromi has already fled and long gone by now. Hisashi doesn't blame her. He would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. He deserves this anyway. What he did to her was uncalled for, and he regrets it … a little. Well, maybe not at all. Why should he regret his decision to have Hiromi get killed first after she stood up to him? She's supposed to be submissive. Maybe it had something to do with the girly looking dude Hiromi has been seeing? Did their influence have a positive effect on her and motivated Hiromi to stand up for herself? It must be. It's the only probable reason for her asserting herself.
She'll get hers. I'll make sure of it, he says to himself.
As darkness prickled the corners of his eyes, and tunneled his vision, he heard a voice … an unrecognizable male voice.
"Hey, get out of there!"
Confused, Hisashi tried to avert his gaze. Except, Tatsuya's grip around his throat prevented him from looking around. The only thing he can see is his vision tunneling and darkening, his gasping breath slowing.
I'm going to die, he says to himself, resigned to his unwanted demise.
The last thing he expected to hear was a roaring screech. Hisashi thought maybe it was the sound of hell's gates opening, welcoming him with blazing heat and providing him with air. Fresh air. His chest expanded as if a weight was lifted off him, gasping like a deep-sea diver coming up from the surface. Hisashi can hear himself coughing, his throat scratchy and burning like fire, and wheezing. He wanted to move, but his limbs felt like lead and feared of them being paralyzed.
"Get up," someone screamed at him.
Hisashi felt small hands grasp his arm, urging him up with a struggling tug.
His injured body protested from their urgency, straining to stand on his feet.
"Come on, get up," they yell, panic and fear gripping their feminine voice.
Hisashi's body went rigid when he finally recognized the voice.
Wait, Hiromi?
His tired eyes and blurry vision made it difficult, but he can see Hiromi trying to help him stand.
"Come on, get your ass up," her voice is slightly distorted from the ringing in his ears.
Why is she here?
He stares at Hiromi as she tries pulling him up, and yet noticed the colossal hand coming at her.
Hisashi found it hard to speak from the soreness of his throat, but croaked out.
"Behind you."
She didn't have time to look over her shoulder. Tatsuya's hand was towering over her like a white shadow, ready to engulf her.
From behind her, Hisashi saw a blur of bright silver and black, then a loud roar followed by a startled yelp. Hiromi hunkered over him, shielding him from the crimson liquid spraying behind them.
The sound of thunderous footsteps stumbles on the pavement, cracking from the colossal weight.
"ARGH! What the fuck?" Tatsuya bellows.
"Back off!" The unrecognizable male voice yells.
Hisashi groans as Hiromi drags him up, draping an arm around her shoulder and hugging his muscular chest. She's not looking at him, but at someone else. And that someone else is the male that is in front of them.
"Ichigo," Hiromi says, her voice tinged with a mix of surprise and relief.
Ichigo looks over his shoulder at them, his brown eyes landing on Hiromi first, then on Hisashi.
"Are you alright? How is he?"
"I'm fine. He nearly got crushed and suffocated to death. How do you think he is?"
"Hey, I just saved your life, lady! How about being a little grateful here! And how the hell do you know my name?"
"That's something I would like to know," Hisashi mumbled bitterly.
He yelps when Hiromi slaps him upside his head.
"Don't you start your bullshit with me, Hisashi Nakamura. Just so you know, it's really difficult to sleep at my apartment complex when you and your shinigami friends are shouting and chasing after hollows. It's no wonder you're referred by a dandelion idiot!"
Hiromi makes an eek sound, cursing under her breath.
Confused, Hisashi glances up from the concrete to stare at this Ichigo person. He looked to be in his teens, which he now didn't have to worry about Hiromi sleeping around with a minor. His gaze lands on the kid's wide brown eyes, and vibrant gourd orange hair.
Eh, gourd boy seems better, Hisashi said to himself as he continued to stare at Ichigo.
"Hold on a minute! You know Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked, his toned laced with anger and realization. "Wait. You're the girl that is hiding him, aren't you?"
Hiromi curses under her breath again, urging Hisashi to move.
"We need to go," she said, whispering to him.
"Who the hell is this Grimmjow dude? Another guy you've been sleeping with?"
"Seriously now!"
With all the distraction and exchange of words, Tatsuya towers over the trio, fuming from the interference. His colossal hand came down on them, but Ichigo stops it single-handedly.
Ichigo glances up at the hollow before him, his gaze narrowing and an angry frown appeared.
"I don't know what kind of hollow you are, but I will not sit back and let you kill innocent people."
"How about you stay out of our family affairs, you punk?"
Ichigo continued to glare at the hollow, his features morphing into determination.
"Family, huh? You must really hate your siblings if you wanted to kill them. Either way, I'm going to protect them from you."
Tatsuya growls, then took a swing at Ichigo. Ichigo easily dodged his attack, propelling forward to engage himself in battle.
Behind him, Hiromi forced Hisashi to his feet, dragging him away from the fight raging in front of them.
"We need to go!" Hiromi shouts.
Hisashi turned to the fight behind him, confusion contorting his features, yet there was anger in his gaze. He wants to know how Hiromi knew of the kid, and who this Grimmjow person is. Except, he realized something then. An opportunity. He may not be in the best condition, but Hisashi feels it's time Hiromi knew the truth about the night he returned three years ago. Maybe then she will reconsider helping him and start worrying about herself like she should have done.
He stumbled to a stop, causing Hiromi teeter in her spot.
"What the hell are you doing? Get moving! We can't_."
"You should have died that night," Hisashi says, cutting Hiromi off.
Hiromi glances over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide and brows pinched in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
"The night I came back. You should have died!"
Hiromi stares at him, her eyes widening with each passing second and growing nervous.
"What, what are you saying?"
"I wanted you dead! You shouldn't be breathing!"
Hiromi was flung back to the moment Tatsuya died in her arms. His last breath and words replaying in her mind.
"You shouldn't be breathing," Tatsuya had rasped.
Was he quoting Hisashi?
"Y-you? Why?"
"You don't think I saw the life insurance policy you had? You shouldn't be worth that much."
She stares at him, fear gripping her features.
"What-how, how did you find out about that?"
"I have connections, remember?"
Hiromi stepped out of his reach, backing up as Hisashi advanced on her. He ends up snatching her bruised arm, making her yelp in pain. She tries pulling away, but he kept her grounded, twisting his grip for her to scream. Hiromi struggles to escape his harsh hold on her, stumbling forward.
"Ow! Let me go!"
"If you had died that night, I would have gotten that money to pay for the debts I owed!"
Hiromi grunts, yanking herself out of his death vice grip, falling backwards onto the cracked pavement. She crawled backwards as Hisashi lumbered after her, reaching behind him for his hunting knife.
Ikkaku's wooden sword caught the corner of her eye.
Find your opening, she can hear his voice whispering in her ear
"You put a hit on me?" She asked, her voice controlled yet quivered slightly.
"More like hiring my lunatic brother to do the job. He was supposed to kill you the night you met him."
Hiromi's features became grave, a sudden realization washing over her.
"Wait, you … you came … you came back? And you were going to watch me die? Why? Why would do this to me?"
"To be free of you and have your money. I even tried killing you last night. If it weren't for that damn shinigami, I would have done just that."
When Hiromi noticed his long knife, recognition glazed her vision. She remembered the blade gleaming in the moonlight. It was Hisashi's. Hiromi should have known. It's the same one he had murdered Kaori with.
And now he's trying again.
She quickly stood to her feet, snatching Ikkaku's wooden sword, and tried to run, but was grabbed from behind. Hiromi's survival instincts kicked in. With agility, she swiftly swiveled on her heel to kick him in the stomach, causing him to double over with a gasping puff. Using the height difference to her advantage, Hiromi lands a punch on his jaw and whacks his wrist, disarming him. The blade clattered to the pavement, but not far enough for her liking.
Despite being winded, Hisashi snatched the hilt once he returned to his feet, lunging at her.
Hiromi was swift to avoid his blade again, then sidestep around him to make a dash for it.
He reached for her, but misses her wrist.
"Get back here, bitch!"
Hiromi rushes away, trying her best to avoid the fallen debris and the bodies on the ground.
"Ikkaku. I must find him," she says in a panic.
Hisashi growls as he made chase, despite his sprained ankle. He's had plenty of sprains that Hisashi has grown accustomed to the pain and could run to escape rivals. This is no different. Except, this time, he is chasing after an expensive mouse that will get him out of debt and more.
Other than his lust for women, Hiromi never knew of his gambling addiction. He had gotten himself in deep when he gambled every cent he had on a lousy poker game. Hisashi even lost money that was supposed to pay for a partner gang, which then became rivals once word got out that he had pissed it away. Hiromi's life insurance policy would have repaid them and others, along with living peacefully without her whiny ass and the kid he never wanted. They both would have been dead if his lame brother didn't gain a conscious.
He still owes some people. Hisashi may have worked for three years doing odd jobs to repay his debts, but he's still short. His aim now is to kill the burden on his shoulders.
~ooo~
Hiromi makes a dash down the sidewalk, panting and breathing raggedly as she rushed to find her friends.
She should have remembered they had gone in the opposite direction. Except, her mind is focused on one thing. Getting away from Hisashi.
She can hear his rushing feet catching up to her … and fast.
"Stupid bitch! Come here!"
Despite the sinking feeling in her stomach and the exhaustion that weighed on her from her morning run, Hiromi pushes herself.
She must find the guys. They'll save her and protect her from him.
Ikkaku, where are you? She wanted to cry out.
Hiromi dug deep to continue running, but lost her footing from tripping over a chunk of concrete.
She stumbles forwards only to be grabbed from behind at the waist and thrown down, landing awkwardly on the ground. She felt her foot twist amongst the rubble, instantly feeling a searing heat bloom at her ankle. Hiromi had yelped from the collapse, alerting a certain someone.
Tatsuya heard her.
His livid gaze landed on Hisashi as he advanced on Hiromi with the same knife that killed him. Hiromi tried to defend herself by hitting Hisashi with the wooden sword, but he responded by aggressively pulling her hair, which made her scream.
"Let go! Get off!"
Despite Ichigo's barrage of attacks, Tatsuya abandons his fight. He zips past the kid's blade and darts towards Hisashi.
"Hey!" Ichigo shouts, dashing after him.
Tatsuya appears behind Hisashi, pulling his arm back to swat his brother away like a fly. Except, his advance was intercepted by Ichigo jumping in the way. He had blocked his arm with his sharp blade, causing Tatsuya to roar in pain and back away.
When Ichigo stood in front of Hisashi and Hiromi, he had kicked away Hisashi, who fell sideways, breaking them apart.
"Go on, get out of here!" Ichigo instructed towards Hiromi.
Without him telling her twice, Hiromi unsteadily stood to her feet. She snatched the wooden sword, gripping it tightly at her side. The searing pain in her ankle made it difficult for Hiromi to move. She stumbled and fell against the demolished building.
It just had to be the left ankle, Hiromi groaned.
She heaves a sigh from her lungs, pushing through the pain to find Ikkaku. He seems to be the only person on her mind right now. Hiromi could locate Starrk and get his help, but she has a feeling he won't lend a hand. The only other thing Hiromi could do was go to the police. There is a precinct near where she is. If she alerts the authorities of Hisashi being back and is trying to kill her, they can and will arrest him. In the back of her mind, though, Hiromi prefers if he were dead.
With that thought in mind, she stumbles forward. Hiromi doesn't even look back.
Hisashi returned to his feet and rushed after her.
Hearing his rushing feet, Hiromi breaks into a run, despite the limp.
Her feet pounded against the pavement. Her heart throbbed in her chest, burning with intensity. Hiromi pants, gasping sharply from the increasing pain in her left ankle. She can hear Hisashi's heavy feet rushing after her, stumbling every so often from his own injured ankle.
"Get back here!" He had screamed.
Hiromi rushes down the empty sidewalk, giving her plenty of room to dash towards freedom. She sees a clear shot to make it across the semi busy street where pedestrians are edging into her vision.
If I can get across the street, I can get to the police, Hiromi thought to herself.
That is her goal anyway. Get help.
Hiromi winces as her ankle burned from her mad dash. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, chest, and back. Strands of hair clung to the side of her face, and her bottom lip quivered. Her pulse drummed in her ears.
She then heard a sound. A howl. It reverberated in the air, causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end. Hiromi then felt its immense spirit energy.
Within a blink, a hollow plummets from the sky and crashes to the ground. Its massive weight caused the ground to crack, expelling chunks of pavement hurling in every direction and dust in its wake.
Hiromi grinds to a halt from the impact with a startled scream. She shields herself with her arms over her head from the slaps of concrete surrounding her. Sharper, smaller chunks lacerated at her shoulders, making her wince.
Once the debris settled and only the dust remained, the hollow slowly stood tall from which it landed. Its presence sent shivers down Hiromi's spine and prickled at her skin. She can feel her heart drumming within her ribcage, and breath becoming labored, standing frozen in her spot.
She can hear it moving beside her, but is petrified to glance at it. Hiromi doesn't want to draw attention to herself. It could just ignore her and go after someone else. But that's when she realized something. The hollow is staring at her, which meant one thing. The medallion on her hip is no longer there.
Shit, she cursed.
Hiromi hesitantly turns her terrified gaze on the massive being. Her whole body trembled at the sight of it. Her bottom lip quivered, and tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.
The hollow makes an intrigued growling sound.
"You must have incredible amounts of energy if you can sense me and see me." It speaks.
Hiromi uttered a whimper. She felt like a child again, cowering from her angry and fearful father, who always intimidated her and verbally abused her to tears.
"Are you going to answer? Or are you mute, little girl?" The hollow questions, which sounded a lot like Hiromi's father.
Hiromi whimpers, covering her ears to shut out the echoes of her past flooding her mind.
You are a freak!
Go away already, loser!
You are a worthless piece of trash!
Why can't you be normal?
We should have never had you!
Hiromi was unaware of her surroundings, … and herself. She unknowingly crumbled to her knees. Her hands covering her ears and eyes widening as flashes of her childhood filtered her vision like a broken film. Her mind warred between the sense of hopelessness of her past and the feelings of love and acceptance in the present. She can't see beyond the now of what could be her future. Hiromi desires companions and genuine friends, but deep down, she feels undeserving of their affections.
I'm not wanted, Hiromi thought sadly.
Amid her inner turmoil, the hollow's massive hand curled in a colossal fist and is aiming for her head.
Hiromi suddenly feels a pair of arms wrap around her chest, and her body jerking harshly. She lands roughly on the rough pavement with a sharp grunt, scrapping her shoulders. Hiromi didn't get enough time to process what had happened when she was yanked to her feet.
A booming voice erupted in her ears. And it wasn't the hollow.
"Stupid bitch, move!"
She instantly recognized it as Hisashi's. Why he pulled her out of the way, she wouldn't know. His harsh grip is worrisome enough, along with his ragged, wheezing breath. She has no qualms that Hisashi has fractured ribs, maybe even broken, and has punctured his lungs. Hiromi wanted to shove him away. She knows he's trying to kill her. Except, him being there despite his injury provided her support and momentum to propel them forward.
They must outrun the hollow. Especially when it made chase.
From behind them, they were unaware Tatsuya had abandoned his fight with Ichigo. The substitute shinigami gone after the hollow, only to be swatted away.
Ichigo hurls through the air, then collides against a building, grunting sharply from impact. His body crumbles to the pavement where he lays unconscious, and unaware of the events that are transpiring.
Hiromi pants as she ran beside Hisashi, who has her clutched to his right. She can feel the light brush of concrete on her arms as they dashed down the sidewalk. Why would he have her there? The only thing she can think of is maybe to prevent the hollow from grabbing her? Is he trying to protect her still despite the huge blowup? Or is he only doing this for his benefit? Hiromi wished she knew the answer to them. Maybe then it will calm the sudden queasiness in her belly.
When they neared the semi-busy intersection, another howl fills the air.
It made Hiromi stumble from the incoming spiritual energy she is sensing.
Seriously! Another?
She hears Hisashi growl beside her, stumbles, then falls sideways into the wall, pinning Hiromi.
"Why is it they are always after you?"
Hiromi sneers at him.
"Really, now? I know I'm not the only one they are attracted to, asshole. There is one coming after us. Now move it!"
She pushes him off, urging him to run as the hollow advanced on them. They deftly avoided the hollow's fist that swung at them, punching the building's wall.
Hiromi and Hisashi scramble down the sidewalk, gasping as the hollow continued its chase.
As they sprinted, Hiromi couldn't help but glance over her shoulder, catching glimpses of the monstrous hollow in pursuit. Its grotesque form twisted, its elongated limbs reaching out with a menacing hunger. The sight sent shivers down her spine.
Hisashi's grip tightened around her arm, his determination clear in the way his muscles strained with each stride. Despite their recent argument, she could see the fierce protectiveness in his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, he still cared.
The sidewalk blurred beneath their feet, the concrete passing in a blur of gray. Hiromi's senses heightened, every nerve on edge, as she felt the hollow's presence drawing closer. The air crackled with an electric energy, causing her hair to stand on end.
With a sudden burst of speed, they veered around a corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with a group of pedestrians.
"Watch it," someone yelled.
Neither Hiromi nor Hisashi could apologize for their rudeness. Not when the hollow thundered around the corner. Its presence and swinging grotesque arms knocked at nearby buildings.
The sound of screeching tires and blaring horns filled the air as panicked drivers swerved to avoid the chaos unfolding on the sidewalk. The acrid smell of burning rubber mixed with the metallic tang of fear. Hiromi's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Hiromi's legs burned, her body protesting at the relentless exertion. But she pushed on, fueled by adrenaline and the desperate need to outrun.
As they weaved through the crowded, panicked streets, Hiromi couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted. The hollow's howls reverberated in her ears, a chilling reminder of the danger lurking just behind them. She had to keep moving. Hiromi must survive.
With each step she took, the ground felt unsteady beneath her, as if it might give way at any moment. The familiar streets now looked distorted and confusing, with flashing lights and frightened faces. She could taste the metallic tang of fear on her tongue, a bitter reminder of the imminent danger that surrounded them.
Unaware of the impending catastrophe, Hisashi's grip on Hiromi tightened, his fingers digging into her arm. His eyes, wide with terror, reflected the horror of the scene unfolding before them. Time seemed to slow down as they both turned their gaze towards a bus hurtling through the air.
The bus, suspended in mid-flight, seemed frozen in time, its tires spinning endlessly, as if taunting them with their impending doom. Its sheer size and speed were overwhelming, and Hiromi's heart skipped a beat as the realization of the collision course sank in.
In that moment, the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only Hiromi, Hisashi, and the imminent threat. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to move, to evade the impending disaster, but her body froze, along with Hisashi's.
~ooo~
A crow's feathers ruffled in the gusts of wind, as the scent of burning rubber and gasoline permeated the air. Horns blared in a cacophony of panic, echoing through the chaos-filled street. The distant sirens of the approaching emergency vehicles grew louder, adding to the sense of urgency. The asphalt trembled beneath the weight of the commotion, sending vibrations up through the crow's perch. It felt the tension in the air, a palpable fear that hung like a heavy fog.
Nevertheless, the crow remained perched, its gaze unwavering, as if it held some secret knowledge of what was to come.
A/N: I'm sorry, it took me so long to get this chapter up. I had it all played out in my head, but it's hard to get it out into words that I was stuck on several scenes.
I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for your patience!