I arrived at a convenience store.
Shhhhk— the automatic door slid open.
Cold air hit my face. A little bell chimed.
I grabbed bandages. Antiseptic. Gauze. A cheap towel.
Put them on the counter.
The clerk — a middle-aged guy with a bored expression looked at my sleeve.
Then up at my face.
Oh, right.
I scratched the back of my head with my good hand. "Haha. Fell off my bike. Clumsy of me."
"...Mhm." He started scanning.
He didn't push.
I paid, grabbed the bag, and left.
***
Back on the road.
The sky was starting to get darker.
I was approaching home.
A kid ran past me on the sidewalk, laughing at something his mom said.
I didn't look…
Kept walking.
***
Door. Keys. Click.
"I'm home."
Silence.
Hikaru's parents returned to the office after having a family dinner yesterday.
Dropped the convenience store bag on the entry table. Kicked off my shoes.
The jacket sleeve was dark and tacky now. Stuck to the skin in places.
"..."
Bathroom.
***
The jacket peeled off slowly.
I hissed through my teeth.
"Ghh— Hurts."
Under the fluorescent light, the wound looked worse than I thought.
Long. Dirty. Rusted rebar was definitely not a clean blade.
I unscrewed the antiseptic.
As i was going to pour—
…
I paused.
"Haaah… What am I even doing."
DANG! I threw the antiseptic against the wall.
I'm just a no one, why am I scared of getting caught?
I can't even—
Haah…
I walked out of the bathroom.
Down the stairs
Out the front door.
The evening air hit my face.
The Kurosaki Clinic sign was lit. OPEN.
I walked up to the door. Slid it open.
A little bell rang.
"Coming, coming~!" — a cheerful, loud man's voice came from somewhere inside.
I stood in the small entryway and took a breath.
I smiled.
A man came out from the back, drying his hands on a towel.
Ichigo's father.
I'd planned to never come here.
Haha, plans.
"Hi, Kurosaki-san."
"Oh? Oh ho ho, a new face! What can I do for you, young man?"
I scratched the back of my head with my good hand.
"Haha. I cut my arm. Pretty bad. I was gonna patch it up myself but…"
I shrugged.
"That seemed… not wise."
His eyes flicked to my left arm.
To the dark wet patch on my sleeve.
Back to my face.
"…Mm. Smart of you, kid. Come on back. Let's take a look."
"Thank you."
I followed him in.
He patted the exam table.
"Hop up, kid. Let me see the damage."
I hopped up.
"What's your name?"
"...Hikaru Hinata."
"Alright, Hinata-kun. Sleeve up. Let's see."
Haha… Is it possible that he doesn't even know me?
I rolled my sleeve up slowly.
"Mm. May I?"
I nodded.
He peeled the fabric back gently.
I didn't even flinch.
Geez… I was going to torture myself.
While he was working on my hand, he asked.
"Kid. How did this happen?"
"Fell off my bike and… then fell on a piece of rusty fence."
"Woah?! you should be more careful."
"Haha, yeah. My bad."
"When did this happen?"
"I don't remember… Maybe one hour ago."
"This is gonna need a tetanus shot, kid. And I'm gonna need to clean it properly first. It's gonna hurt."
"Okay."
He turned to get the kit.
"Alright, Hinata-kun! Big breath in! Doctor Kurosaki is gonna fix you up! AHAHA!"
"Haha… yes, sensei."
He started cleaning the wound.
He worked in silence for a minute.
Then, very casually —
"So, Hinata-kun. Are you living close to here? I didn't see you before."
Is he lying? Or was I that successful at hiding?
Probably lies?
Yeah, he lies.
If even Isshin is like this…
I don't even wanna know how Urahara or… Aizen is like.
Haha, Ichigo you've a difficult life.
"We just moved into the house next door."
"WHAAAAT?!! They had a child?!!"
"Haha."
"Did you meet with my son? He's about your age."
"...Of course. I was about to join them before I fell off my bike."
"OH?! So you were going out with Ichigo?!"
"Yes, with three other boys from our class."
"WAHAHA!! Then you are truly welcome here, Hinata-kun!! Friend of my son is a friend of this household!!"
I smiled.
How can you act this well?
I want to be bright like him.
Maybe I should be a little louder like him?
"Does it hurt here?"
"...A little."
"Mm. You're tough, kid."
He continued working quietly for a moment.
Then—
"You said you were gonna patch it yourself?"
"...Yeah."
"Mm."
He didn't say anything else about it.
Eh???
He just kept working.
This felt bad.
"Almost done. Hold still."
"Okay."
He wrapped the bandage carefully.
Tight. Clean. Professional.
"There." He stepped back. "How's that feel?"
I flexed my fingers slowly.
"Good. Thank you, Kurosaki-sensei."
"WAHAHA!! Of course!! That's what I'm here for!!" He crossed his arms proudly.
Then he pointed at me.
"Tetanus shot. Don't forget."
"I won't."
"I'm serious, kid."
"I know. I won't forget."
He studied my face for a second.
Then nodded, satisfied.
"Good."
A pause.
He leaned against the counter.
"Next time… don't wait an hour."
"...Yeah."
"Come sooner."
I looked at him.
His expression wasn't dramatic for once.
"Okay." I said quietly. "I will."
He nodded once.
Then immediately ruined it—
"NOW THEN!! Let me call Ichigo and tell him his new friend came to visit his father before him!! WAHAHA—"
"Please don't."
"WHAT?! Why not?!"
"..."
"WHAHA!! Don't worry, don't worry!! I'll praise you a lot!"
"Thank you…"
I hopped off the table carefully.
"How much do I owe you?"
He waved his hand. "Neighbors don't pay."
"I can't—"
"Neighbors. Don't. Pay." He crossed his arms again. Final.
I scratched the back of my head.
"...Thank you. Really."
"WAHAHA!! Come back anytime, Hinata-kun!! The door is always open!!"
I bowed slightly and turned toward the exit.
Behind me I heard him already calling Ichigo—
"Ichigo!! Guess who just walked into my clinic!! Your classmate!! AND he came to see me before you did!! WAHAHA—"
I escaped outside before I could hear the rest.
The street was quiet.
The sky above fading dark.
I stood there for a second.
Left arm wrapped clean and tight.
…
I exhaled.
"..."
I started walking home.
The street was quiet.
Just the sound of my footsteps.
And the wind.
And… somewhere behind me, faintly—
A mother's voice.
Still saying the same name.
Over and over.
I walked a little faster.
***
***
Morning came fast.
I pulled the door shut behind me and turned—
"Ichigo?"
Ichigo was leaning against the front of his house.
Arms crossed.
Waiting.
His eyes found me immediately.
He didn't say anything.
Just pushed off the wall and walked over.
Stopped in front of me.
Looked at the bandage.
"...Dad?"
"Yeah."
Silence.
"How was bowling?"
"Keigo cried."
"Because I didn't come?"
"Because he lost."
"Ah."
We stood there for a moment.
The sky above the street was deep blue.
"Does it hurt?" He asked. Not looking at me.
"...A little."
He nodded once.
Shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Be more careful."
"Mm, sorry."
Ichigo started walking to school.
And I followed him on his side.
Just the sound of shoes on the pavement. Somewhere, a bird.
"Keigo's going to make a scene when he sees you."
"...How bad."
"Bad."
I exhaled.
"I'll survive."
***
We turned off the small street onto the main road.
More students now. Uniforms. Bags.
A few glanced at us.
A few glanced at Ichigo and immediately looked somewhere else.
Same as always.
I tilted my head slightly.
"Do you ever get tired of it?"
"Of what."
"The staring."
He shrugged once. "Stopped noticing."
"Woah, really?"
"No."
I almost laughed.
Managed not to.
We walked on.
The school gate came into view.
Ichigo slowed slightly as we reached the entrance.
Hm?
"Oi."
I looked up.
Keigo was already sprinting across the school yard toward us at full speed, arms wide, face crumbling.
Oh…
"HIKARU—!!!"
Ichigo stepped to the side.
I had nowhere to go.
Keigo hit me like a wall.
"You missed it!! You MISSED it!! Do you have any idea—!!"
"I know, I know—"
"Ichigo said you had an accident!! What accident?? Were you DYING??"
"I wasn't dying—"
"YOUR FACE SAYS OTHERWISE—"
"That's just my face..."
Haah… It will be a long day.