My eyes opened.
The ceiling.
…
I sat up.
Outside the window a bird was on the fence. Chirping.
I watched it for a second.
Then I got up.
***
The bathroom mirror.
A fifteen-year-old. Hair a mess. Eyes tired.
I looked at him for a second.
Smiled.
"…Morning."
He smiled back.
…
I turned on the tap.
Washed my face.
The water was cold.
***
Downstairs, the kitchen was empty.
A note rested on the counter.
Hikaru — we're out today. Back tomorrow. Eat well. There's food in the fridge. Just heat it. Love, Mom.
"…What a timing."
I smiled.
Took the food out. Set it on the counter.
…
Looked at it.
Not hungry.
I left it there.
…
By the door, the candy dish. Next to it, an apple Mom left out.
I took the apple.
Dropped it in my bag.
The house was very quiet.
It would be quiet all day.
…
Legs sore from the morning. Ribs sore from after.
Both faded by the time I reached the door.
Click.
***
"Morning, Ichigo."
"Morning."
We walked.
A petal blew past my foot.
…
Three white flowers in his hand.
The wrapping crinkled when his arm moved.
"You brought them."
"Said I would."
"Mm."
"How're your sisters?"
"…Karin kicked a kid yesterday."
"Mm …wait, what?"
"Sat in her spot."
"…In trouble?"
"He didn't tell."
"Why."
"She asked him not to."
"Woah."
"Mm."
I looked at the flowers again.
…
"…Sensei?"
He glanced at me.
"Meeting tonight. Won't be home."
"I see."
…
The crosswalk chime two streets up. A woman talking on a phone.
…
"Ichigo."
"What."
"Is there something you want to be in the future?"
"Huh?"
"Like. A job. Or—"
"What's with that out of nowhere."
"Just asking."
"…"
"It's a normal question."
"It's a weird question."
"Haha~"
"…"
We walked a little.
"…I don't know."
"Really?"
"Never thought about it."
"You're fifteen."
"So are you."
"I have one."
"…Of course you do."
"Wanna hear it?"
"No."
"Staying as your friend is fine. Haha~"
He stopped walking. Half a step.
The chime two streets up went again.
Then he kept going.
"…You're an idiot."
"Yeah. Unfortunately."
***
We walked toward the corner.
Empty.
Just the vase.
He crouched.
Set the new flowers in.
Stood.
"Where is she?"
"…"
He kept looking at the vase.
I kept looking at him.
…
Then —
Ichigo's head lifted.
Eyes narrowed.
Past me.
Past the corner.
I hadn't felt anything yet.
Then —
A girl's cry. Far.
GROOOOOAH—
"Hikaru, wait here." And he ran toward the sound.
I stood there. Watching his back.
…
I ran after him.
***
It was two blocks down.
People stopped. Some running.
BAANG—
A building's wall blew out. The ones who hadn't been running started. Screaming.
"Kyaaa—!"
"It's another explosion—!"
"Run— RUN—!"
They ran one way. We ran the other. Toward the source.
"Get back— get back—!"
The dust started to thin.
A mask came through.
White. Long-jawed. Wrong.
"W-what is that—?"
Then—
"Onii-chan!"
The soul girl. Running toward us. From the Hollow's side.
"Run!"
We ran. The Hollow chased.
"What is it?!"
"I don't know—!"
"Aah—"
The girl went down.
"Oi— hurry!" Ichigo turned back for her.
The Hollow came on.
And I—
…I looked at the empty corner.
Nothing there.
…
And then she was.
Slash—
The mask. Blood.
She landed, pushed off the ground, went up again.
"HAA—!"
Slash—
Down the middle. Two halves.
The Hollow broke into dust.
…
She landed a few steps from us.
Slid her blade back into its sheath.
Click.
Ichigo just stared at her. The soul girl too.
"O-oi—"
She glanced around. Once.
Then turned.
Walked off.
Step.
Step.
Sandals echoing down the empty street.
"Oi— you—" Ichigo took half a step after her.
She didn't stop. Didn't look back.
…
The crowd came back. Slow. Cautious.
"What was that—?"
"Another explosion?"
"What's going on—?"
A man picked his bicycle up off the ground.
A woman was still on her phone, frozen, not talking.
The street pretended to be a street again.
…
Ichigo hadn't moved.
Still looking at the corner she'd gone around.
…
"Ichigo."
"…"
"…You okay?"
"Did you see her."
"Yeah."
"…Onii-chan."
The soul girl. Behind us.
Ichigo turned.
"…You're okay?"
She nodded.
"…The big one. It's gone?"
"…Yeah." He crouched a little. "It's gone."
***
We walked.
…
"…Hikaru."
"Mm?"
"…That girl. With the sword."
…
"…Who was she."
…
…
...
"…A Shinigami."
"…A what."
…
"…How do you know that."
…
…
He looked at me.
…
"…You're not gonna tell me."
…
"…Sorry."
…
He held the look a second.
Then looked ahead. Hands in his pockets.
Didn't ask again.
…
We walked.
…
It went quiet between us.
…
"…Hey."
"…What."
"…We're okay?"
…
He looked at me.
The hands came out of his pockets.
"…Yeah. We're okay."
***
The teacher waved us in without stopping.
Ichigo dropped into his seat. Chin on his palm. Looking at the wall.
I took mine, two behind him.
…
The teacher talked. I copied some of it down.
Outside, a bird crossed the field.
Same as any other day.
***
Side road. Sky going orange.
Petals on the path. A bicycle bell, far.
Hands in his pockets.
Mine swinging.
…
We turned the corner.
Our street.
Lights on in his kitchen. Yuzu behind the glass.
He slowed at his gate. Hand on it.
…
"…Oi."
"Mm?"
…
"…Be careful."
…
I smiled.
Bright.
"You too."
I lifted my hand. Small.
He went in.
The door closed.
***
I stood at the gate.
…
Be careful.
…
Him.
…
I went to my own door.
Didn't look back.
Keys.
Click.
***
Inside.
Dark.
"…I'm home."
Nobody.
The food was still on the counter.
Where I'd left it.
Cold now.
…
I looked at it.
Didn't eat.
…
I went upstairs.
***
The ceiling.
A square of streetlight, sliding slow across the wall.
…
The apple. Still cold from the morning.
I tossed it up.
Tk.
Caught it.
Tossed it again.
Tk.
…
The house was quiet.
Just the apple.
Tk.
Tk.
…
The light moved across the wall.
The sun finished going.
***
The first sound came through the wall a little past eleven.
I caught the apple.
Held it.
…
A cry.
Yuzu.
…
I made myself toss it again.
Tk.
…
Karin now. Sharper.
The wall thudded once. The whole house felt it. Something on the dresser tipped. Didn't fall.
…
Tk.
The catch was bad.
…
Then Yuzu again.
…
I tossed it.
It went up.
I watched it come down.
Tk.
I was on my feet.
Don't remember deciding to.
…
Apple still in my hand.
The door was right there.
…
If I go, things change.
Tonight changes. Tomorrow changes. And I've never seen that tomorrow.
The one I know — the one where I do nothing — Ichigo lives.
Most of them live.
The world is fine.
…
I know that ending.
…
It's a good ending.
…
…
I want to go.
…
The wall thudded again. Harder.
…
I did the math one more time. The same math.
It always comes out the same.
…
I sat back down on the bed.
***
DAAAAAAGHHHGGH—
The reiatsu hit the room like a wave.
The window rattled in its frame.
The thing on the dresser went over the edge. Fell. Rolled somewhere.
Ichigo's.
Bright. Enormous. All over the place.
…
I sat there.
I let it wash over me and I did nothing.
…
Tk.
I tossed the apple.
My hand was shaking.
I caught it anyway.
…
Then — another pressure. Clean. A single line drawn through the air. Cutting the first one off at the root.
The bright reiatsu steadied.
The thudding stopped.
The screaming stopped.
…
Quiet.
…
It was done.
…
I lay back.
The square of light was long gone. Just dark.
…
I tossed the apple.
Caught it. Tk.
…
Tk.
…
Tk.
…
My eyes were heavy.
…
Tk.
…
I tossed the apple.
…
I couldn't catch it.
…
It came down on my chest. Rolled off. Hit the floor.
Tk.
Rolled.
Stopped against the dresser leg.
…
I didn't pick it up.