Death and Strawberry

Chapter 2: Death

She could still vividly remember when the door of the clinic swung open and a certain strawberry head, a boy her age, looked at her bloodied appearance with curiousity.

She was crying then. Her vision blurred by the nonstop pool of tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. Her nose red and puffy. She couldnt get the words out. The hiccups didnt help either. But as if understanding her predicament, the boy opened his mouth and uttered words she couldnt make out.

When a tall dark haired man in a pristine white lab coat came to the door only then did she realized the boy called out his father for help.

Orihime woke early today. She cooked and ate breakfast, then headed for the bath.

She decided to go for a purple blouse and a knee-length skirt. She looked herself up in the mirror and realized something was missing.

She opened up her drawer and took out her most valuable possesion.

She took one last glance at the mirror. With the pins neatly tucked at each side of her head, she was ready.

It had become her routine each and every year.

She had already prepared the usual items and packed them neatly in a dainty woven basket last night.

When she passed by the little shrine in the living room, she lit up the candles and  she paused for a short prayer.

"See you later, nii-chan."

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Waking up to the incessant ringing, Ichigo groggily scoured under his bed for the damn alarm clock.

He knocked it down the bedside table when he blindedly attempted to reach for it earlier, trying to turn it off.

Now he had no other choice but to haul ass and get out of bed.

He bent down and felt for the round object when he felt something familiar. He pulled out the plushie and dusted off the fabric.

Kon.

"How did you get in there?"

Yuzu had been looking for the damn toy. She may have left it here on one of her visits.

Speaking of which, he had to move ass if he plans on catching the morning train home. He promised Karin he'd be watching her football game this weekend.

She'd kill him if he missed this one out like the rest. Plus, it be a good time to return the stuffed animal to his other younger sister. Yuzu would stop calling him every now and then.

Way to go hit two birds with one stone. Hallelujah, he could finally get the twins off his back.

Ichigo was crossing the threshold to his bedroom when he spotted Inoue outside on the window.

He glanced back on the wall to where the calendar was and his thoughts were confirmed.

"It's today huh."

It was her routine. She had never missed a single year.

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Familiar yet all too new surroundings greeted Ichigo when the cab entered Karakura town. A lot has changed. But the small town remained the same.

A few more minutes and the car stopped infront of a medical clinic. When he looked up, the signage read: Kurosaki.

The house was unusually quiet.

He opened the front door with his own set of key, put down his bag and removed his shoes.