Breathe
Though our smiles are gone,
We will never drift apart,
Our hearts stay as one,
In our love melody
The future will shine... With your heart
-My rewrite of the original Yume no Tsubasa lyrics from Tsubasa R. Chronicles.
Ichigo's eyes fluttered open, and as they did, memories flooded back.
"Ruki...a?" He wheezed, his throat dry. A woman with dark hair and a warm smile handed him a glass, and he gratefully accepted it.
"Hello," She greeted, her voice soft. "I'm Dr. Retsu Unohana, Rukia's doctor." Ichigo perked up at the mention of the Kuchiki. "I thought something was wrong with Rukia, but I never imagined this... Miyako, another Doctor working with Rukia had her theories but I always pushed them aside. Now, though... judging by your wounds, I was wrong."
"Rukia. Where is she?" Ichigo said after Unohana was done. "Hm. You teenage boys are always the same, I suppose. Looking with your mouths instead of your eyes." She laughed quietly, almost sadly, and pointed across the room to the other bed. There was Rukia, her eyes closed peacefully, sleeping.
She was sleeping, right?
"Rukia..." Ichigo whispered, looking at the young girl. "I'm afraid she's gone into a comatose state. There's no telling when she'll wake up. She... she may never." Unohana said, getting ready to leave. "I'll send your friends and sisters in. They've all been waiting in the waiting room since yesterday. They're very anxious to see you. I think your father's down at the nurses' station. I'll go check." She said, and left.
Moments later, Orihime, Toshirou, Ishida, Tatsuki, Momo, Yuzu, Karin, and, suprisingly, Rangiku came in.
Yuzu started to cry; she had missed Ichigo all too much. Karin looked away, inwardly fearing that if she looked at her brother, she would start sobbing as well. Ishida was stoic, Orihime, Tatsuki, and Momo were all relived. Toshirou, however, was glaring, and Ichigo knew why. Rangiku kept glaring at Orihime for some reason, but the auburn-haired girl was oblivious.
An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room, and everything went silent, except for Yuzu's soft whimpering.
"Ichigo, I'm so glad your okay!" Momo, Tatsuki, and Orihime blurted out in unison. Ichigo smiled slightly at his friends; at least it took Hitsugaya's eyes away from Ichigo.
Ishida lifted his glasses away from his nose, placing them against his eyes. "I think Orihime has something to tell Ichigo," He looked at the auburn haired girl. "Right, Hime-chan?" Orihime blushed at the nickname, and nodded. "Could you...?" The rest of them, getting the message, walked out slowly.
"Orihime... Why did you-"
"It's about Kuchiki-san!" Ichigo blinked. "What about Rukia?" Orihime took a deep breath. "It's about... t-this." She said slowly, handing him a crumpled piece of paper.
"It's dated to Kuchiki-san from her sister, Mitsuki-san. But... I couldn't give it to her because I was worried. I w-was worried she'd be angry at me for keeping it from her. Or hurt... at what's in it." Orihime said, pushing the paper at Ichigo's chest. "Take it! Please." She smiled at him nervously.
Seeing his confused look, she quickly said, "You can read it." Ichigo looked down at the letter. The writing looked almost perfect. It was written in a royal blue ink, although it was smuged over the years.
January 14, 2005
Dear Ru-chan,
You probably haven't been called that in a while, neh? I assume, under the circumstances, Bya-kun and Hisa-chii have stopped calling you by that childish nickname. I would have as well, if I were still around. Still with you guys.
I'm sorry I'm not.
I know your life must be, (excuse my language) a living hell. Byakuya, I hope, or at the very least, Hisana, told you where I am. If not, this letter is going to be very confusing.
"I'm going to Tokyo," is what I should have told you that rainy December evening.
Sometimes, I lie awake at night, wondering what could have happened if I just told you. Told you those four simple words. You probably would have started shooting me with questions that never needed to be answered like, "Can I come, too?" or, "Is it my fault your leaving?" or even just "why?" That one little word could have broken me. I can just hear your sweet, little eight-year old voice repeating that one word. Over and over.
"Why?"
That night... exactly ten days after my birthday. December 22. It was raining that night. More like pouring, actually, and I was on a train with Yuuki. I'm sure you don't remember her. She's a cousin from my side, or rather, my mother's side of the family. You met her when you were five, I believe. She was the girl with the reddish-blond hair, remember?
You probably don't.
I was leaving for Tokyo. I'm sure Byakuya or Hisana said I wanted to take you along more than anyone, to save you from him. And that was true. But they kept telling me to stop worrying about them for once and to start worrying about myself. I knew that was true, so I left.
But I didn't have to. I didn't have to, but I did. I could have stayed, I would probably be dead now, but I could have stayed. I could have told those two off and forced you three to come with Yuuki and I, but I didn't. I just ran. I ran for the safety of a new city, and a new life.
Even if you hate me now, and you know, I would never blame you if you did, I just want you to remember these words.
From the lullaby we used to sing. Do you remember them? Remember the words of the Icarus?
"Even if a bird loses her wings, the wind won't vanish."
Remember those words, and promise that, even if you hate me, wish I would die, just not exist, you'll never forget me. I'll be alright.
After all, what kind of big sister would I be if I wasn't alright?
Goodbye for now,
Mitsuki
Ichigo closed his eyes.
"She... she left? Left all three of them?" Ichigo whispered, his voice raspy.
Orihime nodded slowly. "Mmmhm." She looked at Rukia. "Kuchiki-san... has been suffering for years now, hasn't she?" Ichigo nodded, his head down. Orihime smiled sadly. "If someone had asked me about Kuchiki-san a few years ago, I would have said 'She's a nice friend, with a good heart, but she's a little weird. Always keeping to the shadows.' Now... I know the true reason why." Orihime finished quietly.
Both orange-haired teens sat in silence, the only sound being the machines that kept Rukia's heart beating, and the slow ticking of the clock.
Toshirou sat outside of Mitsuki's room, face placed heavily in his hands. Momo was asleep in the chair next to him.
Suddenly he felt a presence occupate the chair on his left. He let his head move slightly, just enough to get a glimpse of the thirteen-year old girl sitting beside him. She had short, black hair, and a pained stare. Toshirou immediately recognized her.
"You're... Kurosaki Karin, right?" He asked, lifting his head. Karin nodded slowly. She turned to look at him, and he saw just how dull her eyes were. Her what he assumed brown eyes had dulled into a light gray. She nodded, and uttered a quiet, "yeah".
She cleared her throat, and asked, "So, is that Mitsuki chick your girlfriend or something?"
Toshirou almost choked on air.
"N-no, she's just a good friend."
Karin smirked. "Sure she is, kid."
Toshirou glared at the young Kurosaki. "It's true! And besides, I'm probably older than you." Karin took a deep breath, straightening herself in her chair. "I'm thirteen. You're... twelve?" Toshirou could've strangled her then and there. "I'm fifteen!" Sure Toshirou was a little short for his age. That didn't mean this brat could boss him around like that!
"You are?" Karin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes! I am!" Toshirou huffed. It was already bad enough Momo had picked up on the nickname 'Shirou-chan' from Mitsuki, but now this Kurosaki brat was giving him lip?
"So... Kurosaki's your brother, huh?" Karin nodded. "Yeah. I'm so happy he's awake; I wish I could say the same about Kuchiki-san. She's probably the only person who's made Ichi-nii smile since mom died."
"What about you?" Karin continued after a moment of silence. "Oh, Mitsuki? She... she's just Mitsuki. Pig-headed, idiotic, in desperate need of therapy. But... Ever since she found out about Rukia, Byakuya, even Hisana, she... she's been so serious. Not to mention if she had been any angrier these past few days, we would probably be dead."
Karin smiled slightly. "Well, it's probably best if you..."
"I'm sorry to interrupt," A voice broke Karin off from her sentence. "Oh, yes?" Karin asked. Toshirou felt a knot form in his stomach. This was Mitsuki's nurse.
"Kuchiki-san, Mitsuki, I mean, has woken up." Toshirou breathed a sigh of relief. But why did this woman sound so... depressed?
"But, I have some bad news. She... she won't make it, I'm afraid. She was already weak enough from her... illness, I'm sure you already know what it is, and along with the beating, plus all the jerking around the police and paramedics did when they found her, let's just say her body couldn't handle it. She can barely speak. At the most she has about an hour left. If you want, you can go see her."
"Thank you," Toshirou breathed out quickly, running to Mitsuki's room, Karin trailing close behind.
"Hey," Tatsuki said, walking in.
"Ohayou, Tatsuki-chan." Orihime said, smiling at her friend. "Kuchiki-san... hasn't woken up?" Orihime shook her head. "She's been making progress, though. She was mumbling in her sleep a few minutes ago." Tatsuki smiled slightly. "That's good. I just wish she was up. Mitsuki... they say she won't make it."
"WHAT?" Ichigo and Orihime yelled in unison.
"Yeah. Toshirou-san wanted me to see if Kuchiki was awake yet. You know, so Rukia could at least see the last sane person in her family alive." Tatsuki looked over at the sleeping Rukia. Ichigo had his head down, his fingers tightly clutching the fabric of the hospital blankets.
"Mit-chan?"
Mitsuki weakly turned her head to look at Toshirou in the eyes. "Ohayou." She said quietly. She smiled and took in a sharp breath.
"Wow... so... I'm not gonna make it, huh?" Toshirou shook his head. No.
"Heh... I figured as much. I was always the sickly one in the family. Always the first one to get the flu... was the only one to be plauged with something as horrible as this." She tried to sit up, but only succedded in propping herself up on her elbows.
Toshirou was just about to scold her, to tell her to rest, but thought better of it. Why spend her last moments arguing?
"Is... is Rukia awake yet?" Mitsuki asked, her voice a little too hopeful.
"No... no she isn't. She's in a comatose state. She may never wake up." Mitsuki closed her eyes, taking deep breaths.
It was becoming harder to breathe, to focus.
"I s-see." She felt her arms get weaker, and before she knew it, her head crashed against the pillow. She started coughing, and blood oozed from the hand she was covering her mouth with.
"I... have one more thing to ask, Shirou-chan."
Toshirou smiled sadly. Shirou-chan. The name that had cursed him for so many years actually sounded like music to him, for once.
"Tell Rukia..."Mitsuki leaned forward, and whispered, "I'm sorry"
Toshirou's eyes widened. "N-no. I won't. I never will. You know why? Because your going to tell her yourself. I'll make sure of it... I'll-" But the last part was cut off by Toshirou's dry mouth.
This was it.
She was gone.
A/N: I actually got a hold of a laptop in Paris! HAHA! It's my roommate's so I have to be quick on using it. I actually wrote half of it down before I left, and just finished writing the other half. In Paris. At 3:00 in the morning. Damn. My teacher will NOT be happy.
Yep... I killed my own OC.
Be lucky I didn't kill any of the major characters!
Mitsuki was just a character I put in to thicken the plot and add more drama.
So anyway, only a chapter or two more and we'll be done with Bleeding Love, and then on to the sequel, Omoide, which takes place three years after Bleeding Love.
And just so you guys know, "Omoide" means "Memories" In Japanese.
See you next time!
-Tsuki Meroko Uchiha
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