Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Knowing ❯ private ( Chapter 6 )

VI. Private

The door opened and closed with a bang as an anxious Orihime entered the hospital room and rushed to Ichigo’s side. She had received the call from Yuzu that her husband had met an accident just as she was about to go to her work.

Bandages were wrapped about his forehead and some on his arms. And he was sleeping.

“Orihime nee-san?” Yuzu sniffed.

“Yuzu? Is he–is he okay?”

“Yes, he is. Luckily for him, the driver, an old man, managed to slow down before hitting him, but still the impact was quite large given his injuries. The old man said that Ichi-nii had just appeared on the road as if he was saving someone, but I don’t believe that, maybe Ichi-nii had gone jogging as he used to.”

“J-jogging?”

“Well, he used to, for almost a year. And at odd times at night too. But that was many years ago, I don’t remember it that well.”

She slowly nodded her head, feeling apprehension lift from her heart. He was fine, well, maybe not totally, but he was still alive and breathing and he would be okay once he wakes up. He would be alright.

He would be alright.

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“Kisuke?”, a slightly shaking voice asked from the doorway of their humble little shop.

He turned around, and he didn’t expect the person standing there.

“Kuchiki-san?” he asked dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected her to come back after all these years, especially since the Soul Society’s decision. His mind racked itself for answers but he could only conclude that whatever happened to bring Rukia here, it has something to do with Byakuya’s ‘convincing manners’.

“Tenchou! Some new merchandise have arrived from the---” Tessai stopped in midsentence, like Kisuke, he hadn’t expected her arrival.

“Tessai, take Rukia inside.”

“Yes, Tenchou.”

“Um,no…I only wanted to ask you something.”

Tessai looked questioningly at him.

He unfolded his fan and covered half of his face with it, stating with a cheery voice,

“Oh, come on, now Kuchiki-san, you look quite pale to me. Met an accident?”

Rukia shot fearful eyes at him. So, something really did happen. But what? He knew the conditions Soul Society had set so it had something to do with Ichigo.

“Take her inside Tessai and prepare us some tea.”

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< br> She looked really pale. He really haven’t seen her as pale as she was now. Oh wait, there was once, a long time ago. Even the slender fingers holding the cup looked really fragile now. He sighed.

“Ah, Ru–”

“Kisuke, I came here to ask you something.”

He was silent for a few moments. Getting the feeling that he knew the answer to what she was asking. He savored it a little; noting that it has been a long, long time since he last felt that way.

“What is it?”

“Yoruichi. Do you know where she is?”

“Why, of course not, Kuchiki-san! She comes and goes as she pleases.”

The poor girl. She looked as if the world fell on her. Well, he knew just how to raise her spirit.

“But you could stay here until she arrives. You want a gigai? You get 50% discount.” He added with a smile.

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His eyelids fluttered slightly.

“Ichigo? Ichigo?”

“..ugh..”

He groaned, and those eyes opened, focused for a few moments before he met hers.

“Orihime? Why are you here?” his voice was a little hoarse, as if his vocal chords hadn’t been used for a long time. Tears lingered at her eyes.

“You’re alright.” She was filled with relief.

“Hn.” He grunted.

If he could grunt like that, then he was fine.

“Ichi-nii!”

Two voices said it at the same time. `

“...Yuzu?...Karin?”

Tears were still threatening to fall. He sounded a little weak and the Ichigo she knew was strong.

She stood by his side, listening to their conversation, reacting when necessary. Until Karin asked that question.

“Ichi-nii, what happened?” she asked solemnly before Yuzu could shush her.

He didn’t answer immediately. No matter how hard she tries to deny it, she was curious, it was also a part of her worry.

“I don’t know. I was taking a walk through town, I stopped when I arrived at the river…” his eyebrows furrowed deeper, “and then, I remember it now, she was there, a car was coming..”

She? Her heart skipped a beat. The twins didn’t even seem to notice that lapse.

He closed his eyes as if in pain. No, he really was in pain. Alarm bells sounded in her head. His bandaged hand raised to nurse his head, his eyes closed forcibly.

“Ichigo? Are you fine? Of course, you’re not. What a useless question.” Her heart was beating faster now. He did use to have these headaches, but not as intense as it was now, they didn’t even seem to recur since the past year.

“She…Orihime? Orihime?”

“Ichigo, its okay, I’m here.” She turned to face yuzu, “Yuzu, please call the doctor.”

“Yes, nee-san.”

“Orihime, nee-san, I’ll go with Yuzu.”

She nodded her assent.

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Yuzu closed the door after her. Feeling like a heavy cloak have been lifted off her shoulders. It was not that she didn’t like Orihime; it was that, for some odd reason, she never thought her brother would marry her.

“Karin?”

“Yuzu, what is it?”

“This morning…when I arrived, he was mentioning a name.”

“What was it?”

“I can’t remember, but, Karin-chan, do you think..?”

“No. Brother couldn’t do that.”

Yuzu walked off ahead, that little wrinkle on her brow gone, smoothed by some invisible hand. But hers only deepened a bit more. A name, huh? Back inside Ichi-nii’s room, she saw her eyes widen while he was relating what happened. Seems like she knows something.

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< br> Missiles aren’t aimed at me, aren’t they?

I have delayed the inevitable yet again.

But, what do you think? Review…review…intercostalspace, was it you in deathberry?

Review…review…review…