Night Rain [ Ichigo Kurosaki ]

here comes my black sun

| two |

A lot has happened while Ichigo was rescuing Rukia, Amaya's father had passed away one week before vacation ended.

A lot of people attended the funeral, Amaya's friends [ Keigo, Tatsuki etc; ], Ichigo's family minus the man himself and teachers from her high school and Akiro's school.

Amaya felt rather idiotic when the monk began his prayers, silently wishing her best friend was there to hold her tightly as if he was trying to bring back all of her shattered pieces together. Mr. Kurosaki mentioned something about beating up Ichigo when he comes back getting Karin all riled up because everyone knew his name was a taboo around Amaya's vulnerable self.

As Amaya held on to her little sibling who was crying the whole time she heard Keigo whispered to Tatsuki, oblivious to the fact that Amaya could hear him, "It isn't like Ichigo to not be here..."

Tatsuki sighed in frustration and cracked her knuckles, "Don't even mention his name, man I'm telling you, when I see that son of a b-..." Tatsuki stopped abruptly when she saw that Amaya's shoulders started to shake.

"Sister... don't cry." Akiro said to his shaking sister who had one hand on his shoulder and the other on her mouth trying to control her sobs.

Akiro turned himself around and hugged his big sister, crying even harder and louder than before. It was the first time he saw his sister cry in front of him and even though he was young, he knew that she was hurting and it tore him apart.

Tatsuki stared from behind the siblings and only thought about punching one guy in particular.

*

Ichigo had come back home and was terribly beaten up by his father and Karin, he was also neglected by his youngest sister Yuzu who would usually side with him.

He would've preferred it if they had warmly welcomed him but it seemed like they were all very mad at him.

He settled into his bedroom after the very uncomfortable dinner he had with his family all glaring at him and refusing to give him seconds.

The only one in the house who seemed really happy to see him was Kon who kept screaming and crying in happiness.

Whatever, he thought, I'll just ask them tomorrow, he then went to sleep.

*

It was the first day of school and Amaya was incredibly late, she had overslept big time, waking up at 8.37am instead of 6am [as she has to make breakfast for two and prepare lunch], her new part time job has been driving her nuts and last night her boss had forcefully demanded her to work another shift.

She arrived home and prepared her little brother and herself lunch for the next day, by the time she finally went to bed it was already morning.

She had managed to drop her brother to his elementary school and apologized to his teacher who happened to be very sweet and rushed to her high school.

The teachers let her off with only a warning, knowing that it was hard for a high school student to be balancing everything in life alone. She entered her classroom two periods late and immediately ran to her desk with her head down in embarrassment.

Raising her head slowly towards the blackboard, she met eyes with Inoue Orihime who seemed to be looking a lot bouncier than before [Amaya didn't really think it was possible until today].

Inoue waved happily at her and so Amaya shyly nodded back, the busty girl mouthed the word lunch and tilted her head to the left as asking a question, Amaya nodded again and smiled sweetly to Inoue.

*

"Ah! Kurosaki kun!" Amaya heard Inoue yelled out enthusiastically.

She lowered her head automatically, hoping that she would be able to hide away from Ichigo's wonderful features.

She didn't want to face him at all, having heard how better looking he had become after his vacation to wherever and him not calling to ask how she was.

"Os!" He greeted aloud from behind her.

Gee, even his voice changed. She thought with little irritation.

She focused greatly on her lunchbox, trying to convert her thoughts from Ichigo to how she cut the carrots into tiny bunnies.

"Oi Amaya." It was Ichigo.

She felt something hit the back of her head. She yelped in surprised and looked over to see her favorite apple juice box laying beside her.
She picked it up and found a small little note attached to it.

'Secret place in 5?

-Ichigo' it read.

She frowned as her heart kept beating faster and faster, so fast she felt it squeeze her chest.

She hated how he scribbled the little note, his handwriting, the stupid juice he knew she loved so much, how she didn't even have to see his face to know she'll just forgive him right away and she hated how much she loves him.

*