Chapter 7: What Really Happened
"Kenpachi, that's you, isn't it?" asks Ichigo.
"Captain, are you okay having that thing on?" asks Ikkaku.
"Yeah," says Kenpachi.
"So it's you, Ichigo," he says, facing him squarely.
"Ahem. Kenpachi," Ichigo begins, "You need to take responsibility for what you did to Inoue."
"... You must be mistaken," says Kenpachi, returning to the inside.
"Hey, Kenpachi!" Ichigo comes inside, but he is shown a mask instead.
"Put it on," says Kenpachi.
"Are you for real?" asks Ichigo.
"Otherwise I'm not spittin a word to ya."
Having put on the mask, Ichigo now stands across Kenpachi as an equal.
"Tell me, Ichigo," he says. "You ever lose someone?"
Ichigo takes a moment, and then answers, "... Yeah."
"Why the long pause?" asks Kenpachi.
"This isn't really… a conversation I expected to have… with you. And not with this on," says Ichigo, pointing to the mask.
"No shit," says Kenpachi.
"You and I, we're better off squaring off in battle. That's the way I like it, and that's the way it ought to be."
"Kenpachi, it's been three years. Are you really… still grieving?" wonders Ichigo.
Kenpachi, removing his mask, simply shows him the scars on his chest.
"If you get it, then beat it before I find a reason to cut you up, too," says Kenpachi.
"Then, Inoue, she…"
"Leave," Kenpachi says, putting on his robes.
Ichigo, dropping his mask to the floor, decides to leave the room.
—
As Ichigo returns to the Kuchiki Manor, he is shocked to see Orihime getting her photo taken by the servants while wearing a traditional kimono. She spots Ichigo and waves at him, smiling, and he smiles back.
Just as the photo-taking is finished, she starts heading for Ichigo, tripping a bit, but she makes it in front of a surprised Ichigo.
"Sorry, Kurosaki-kun! I didn't mean to make you wait!" says Orihime. "I think we're nearly finished with the contents of the spread. We'll probably be able to head home by evening."
"It's alright, Inoue. Actually, just now, I went to go and speak with Kenpachi."
Orihime is shocked. "Kurosaki-kun…"
He gives an understanding look. "I… now have a feeling of what happened… and I feel bad for prying."
Orihime looks the other way.
"Zaraki-san was… almost nearly dead when he showed himself to Squad 11. Everyone knew that no one could have inflicted that kind of damage on him except himself."
Orihime looks troubled. "It was horrible, Kurosaki-kun. And I just… because of my abilities, he felt encouraged to continue and I…" She grips her hands into fists. "I didn't know what else to do but to help him cope."
"Inoue."
She looks up to him.
"Thank you for what you did for Kenpachi. From what I saw… it looks like he's snapped out of it."
Orihime looks at him imploringly: "Perhaps before we go back home, we should check up on him?"
"... I think it'd be better for us to just trust that he'll be alright. Even Kenpachi has his pride," says Ichigo.
"If you say so, Kurosaki-kun."
"It'll be fine now," Ichigo says, smiling. "You've done a good job, Inoue."
Orihime smiles, still a bit teary-eyed for Kenpachi: "Okay."