This is a collection of short side stories that either don't feature or they're placed at the end of each chapter of the main story. If these pique your interest, consider checking out the main story over on my profile or on the Bleach-Yakuza (Rated M) section of Fanfiction. These probably won't make sense to you unless you do.
Kay, enjoy.
"Wei-kun…"
My world was like a shoujo-inspired fantasy, a sparkly pink world of floating see-through bubbles surrounding my gaping face.
"Princess…" Wei-kun murmured huskily with an uncharacteristic confident tone that made me swoon. Wei-kun was normally shy, so shy he couldn't even look at me sometimes and that made him so cute. Still, an assured Wei-kun hanging off my door, the collar of his cool suit open was so sexy. A cool, small smile lit his chiselled cheeks and my legs felt like jelly, "Kept you coming, didn't I?"
I tried to reply, but words escaped me. I settled for my shaking head and warmth reached his beautiful chestnut eyes. He pushed himself off my door and wandered to me, delicately caressing a pigtail of my hair in his hand, admiring. My face boiled, stream pooling from my ears.
"Lemme make it up to you." His cool, handsome face then neared mine in slow motion and my heart stalled, resuming at 200 miles per hour.
"…Wei-kun." I really couldn't say anything else, feeling my crush's warm lovely breath breezing over my hot face like an air-conditioner. My eyes closed, lips puckering instinctively. "This is everything I've ever wanted."
"Yuzu," he said, "Yuzu." And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Each time it got progressively louder until the voice morphed into my sister's, changing the world around me.
"YUZU!"
"Huh?" I blinked, greeted by Karin's deadpan face. "Karin-chan, why did you wake me up?" I pouted. "I was having the best dream ever!"
An eye-roll ensued from her, "Then make your dream a reality." She said, brow raising. "You're telling Wei how you feel about him today, right?"
My cheek inflated further, "Well you can at least let me dream a bit longer to prepare." I insisted. "And call him Wei-kun."
"Yeah, I'm not gonna do that," Another roll of the eyes. "And you shouldn't either. I mean, we've known the guy since we were kids."
"Yeah, but."
"But nothing." Karin didn't want any of my excuses and that's what they were; excuses. Karin told me as much. "Save the excuses and get it over with already."
Once more my cheek ballooned for what felt like the fifth time already, "Ooh. You don't have to be so mean about it."
"I'll be mean as I need if it gives you the kick up the butt you need to quit twiddling your thumbs." She deadpanned, turning and heading for the door. It opened and closed with a thud, sagging my shoulders and deflating.
"She has a point," I exhaled, throwing my covers off myself, "I made a vow I would tell Wei-kun how I felt about him when we got to middle school." I held up a fist as if to reinforce my determination. The prospect of starting a new chapter in our lives together thrilled me. I've cherished our friendship since grade school, and the thought of it evolving excited me.
Gathering my courage, I stood up and began to get ready for the day. Today was the day I would finally tell Wei-kun how I felt, and no amount of dreamy fantasies or teasing from my sister would hold me back. The image of the confident Wei-kun from my dream lingered in my mind, inspiring me to face the day with newfound determination.
As I prepared for the day, the dreamy remnants of my shoujo-inspired fantasy lingered in my mind. The encouragement from Karin, despite her usual deadpan delivery, echoed in my thoughts. Today was the day I would finally confess my feelings to Wei-kun, just as I had vowed to do when we entered middle school.
The prospect of revealing my emotions to Wei-kun filled me with a mix of excitement and nervousness. As I cooked breakfast and stared at my reflection in the window's reflective surface, I took a deep breath. "You can do this, Yuzu. Today is the day."
"Hey, Yuzu." My brother's tepid voice brought me out of my musings. I turned to face his eyes warming in concern as he sat down next to Karin-chan on the kitchen table in his school uniform. "You okay? You've been muttering to yourself all morning."
"She's fine." Karin answered. A gentle chuckle bubbled from her lips. "Yuzu's just getting ready to confess to her beloved 'Wei-kun' today."
"Wei-kun?"
"Karin-chan!" I blushed.
"What? It's true, isn't it?"
Well, yes, but you didn't have to tell onii-chan! I wanted to blurt out but couldn't. I settled for glaring at her stupid smirk.
"Oh, yeah. That guy." Onii-chan's tone of recognition knocked my irritation away. "Sun Wei, right?"
"You know Wei-kun, onii-chan?" I blinked.
"Not directly," He admitted, leaning in his chair. "He went to the same karate class I used to go to way back went. Never met the guy, though. I ditched probably a week or two after he started." Memories of Mom rolled through my mind and I looked down. That must've been around the time when she died. "From what I heard, he and Tatsuki had a bit of a rivalry."
I perked up, "They did?"
A nod, "Yeah. Didn't last though. Tatsuki used to beat him all the time when he was little, but ever since he started growing he's blown past her in strength. Now she doesn't even get close to him." He scowled in a similar fashion to my beloved, "Which sucks for me because I get to hear her go on and on about how she can't beat the "twerp" for million times until school ends."
I giggled, "That sounds like Wei-kun. He's invincible." I felt bad for Tatsuki, but boys were just plain stronger than girls. No amount of extra training could make up for the testosterone advantage boys have over not just girls but women too. That was why teen boys usually become much stronger than their mothers by the time they hit puberty.
"Tell me about it." Poor onii-chan. It sounded like he had it rough listening to Tatsuki gripe on and on about Wei-kun's strength. "Anyway," he shook off his Tatsuki-annoyance, looking at me with an affectionate smile. "She seems cool with him, and if Tatsuki's cool with him I guess I'm too." I stared vacantly and he groused, caressing his neck. "Look, what I'm trying to say is, if Wei makes you happy, then don't hold back. Tell him how you feel."
"Onii-chan…"
"Real smooth, Ichi-nii." Karin quipped with a playful smirk.
He scowled at her, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes, "Shut up."
My brother's advice resonated with me, and I couldn't help but smile at his attempt to be supportive. Karin's teasing only added to the lighthearted atmosphere in the kitchen.
I appreciated the sincerity in his words. It was clear that he cared about my happiness, and his encouragement gave me the boost I needed. As I prepared to serve breakfast, I turned to him with gratitude. "Thanks, onii-chan. I'll keep that in mind."
He nodded.
The sun was shining brightly outside, casting a warm glow on everything. I took a deep breath, reminding myself to be confident. No matter the outcome, I was grateful for the support of my brother and Karin. Today was the day I would take a chance on love, and who knows, maybe Wei-kun felt the same way.
The tension in the kitchen escalated with the sudden entrance of our dad, wearing his trademark orange Hawaiian shirt and surgeon coat. His innocent demeanour clashed with the impending confrontation as he questioned my brother's statement.
"Tell who how you feel?" Dad's voice held a mixture of curiosity and concern, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. My brother, never one to back down, shot back with a hostile retort.
"None of your business, that's who, goat-face," he snapped, and I couldn't help but appreciate the rare display of defiance, even though clashes between Dad and my brother were usually something I dreaded.
Dad, however, was not one to be easily brushed off. He turned his attention toward my brother with a stern expression, clicking his teeth. "Of course it's my business, boy! I just overheard my little girl say she's gonna confess to some boy! What loving father wouldn't want to intervene?"
"You can't shield her forever, old man!" Onii-chan slammed his hands on the table and stormed to his feet.
"Wanna bet, Ichigo?!" Dad didn't back down, meeting onii-chan's intense stare. "Daddy'll protect his little girls from anyone!"
"What about when she gets married? You're seriously gonna try and stop her wedding!?" He roared, shoving Dad's forehead.
"Hell yeah! Over my dead body, I'll let some boy take one of my little girls! The little shit is gonna have to pry Yuzu-chan from my cold, dead, lifeless fingers!" He shouted and pushed back.
"That can be arranged, then." Karin's cool voice halted another one of their fights. Both onii-chan and Dad blinked at her eerie smug composure. "If you want Wei to 'prove' himself to you in a manly duel, he can do that."
"Seriously?" Dad said dumbly.
"Seriously?!" Onii-chan said, annoyed.
"Seriously," Karin confirmed.
"Who even does duels in this day and age anyway?" My brother's gripes were hugely unheard by Dad, who pried himself from him like a spirited shounen main character.
"Me, that's who, Ichigo!" He chortled. "Hahahaha! This Wei-kun won't know what hit 'em once I get my hands on him! I'll let no one take my girls until they're at least twenty-five!"
"We'll be Christmas cakes by then!" I protested.
"Exactly!" Dad responded, seemingly unfazed.
"Ugh!" I sighed, realizing that navigating the path of love in my family was bound to be more complicated than I had ever imagined.