Sunset in Heaven

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Don't move!" An old woman was putting some bandages and disinfectants on a boy's left cheek.

"But oba-chan, it hurts." A boy of about twelve countered. It's been eight years since the boy came to the slums of Rukongai and even now he was still bullied by other kids of his age because of his strikingly orange hair. Though he was basically nine when he died, it was already eight years in the human world before he looked like he was twelve in Rukongai, for time passed slower here in the afterlife.

The old woman sighed as she finished. "This is for you to see that fighting isn't pleasurable." She scolded. "You always, always come back here scathed or together with some unknown people who have complaints!"

"But they're the ones who keep on trying to fight against me." Ichigo mumbled. "Just because my hair is a little different than theirs..."

"I know, Ichigo." She patted his head with her fragile hand. "But that doesn't mean you can just show up here after knocking out some teens and sporting a swollen cheek!" Ichigo scowled. "Anyway, you better eat." His expression brightened and she knew she just couldn't resist this little strawberry of hers.

Ichigo moved onto the table and started digging in without waiting for his grandmother, or at least that's how he saw her. She had no reiatsu and thus didn't need to consume any kind of food. Ichigo was the only reason she was working – to buy food for him. The twelve-year old boy had grown up so much since then.

She remembered how she found him on the road one morning beside her house, lying on his side and clearly dying of hunger. It seemed the boy was far too innocent to actually think of stealing anything. She realized that the boy must be a well-bred child before he died. But if he wouldn't leave his innocence behind, the place called Rukongai would eat him alive and without any remorse. And thus, she gave a piece of bread that she had, though she didn't need it. It was only because she was used to eating during the time when she was alive and the habit didn't die together with her. She, like almost everyone, had their memories vanished when they died. But somehow, she just felt that she used to eat bread as main dish when she was alive.

The boy looked at her with scared eyes and she smiled as he eyed the bread with longing. She said that he could have it and he was very surprised, like it was impossible for anyone in Rukongai to actually give food to someone they didn't know. Maybe he came from the higher district, the poorest and most slum part of Soul Society, where people thought of no one but themselves.

Afterwards, Ichigo became attached to her and though she was annoyed of his clingy attitude at first, she now wished he was still like that, innocent and sweet. Now, Ichigo was having fights everywhere and always wore a scowl that made other people wary of him. Only she understood that behind that scowl, behind that mask of strength and brusque attitude, Ichigo was a lovely and sweet child who missed his family so much. He tried to hide it from her, but she could see it surfacing every time the boy looked at mother and child walking in the streets of Rukongai. He would unconsciously grab her clothes, as if trying to borrow her strength. He was such a sweet young boy... even though he didn't show it.

"Baa-chan, I hear that there will be a celebration in the 8th district today." Ichigo voiced as he finished his meal. The old woman knew he had no interest in such occasions, but he still told her because she liked watching noble families parading in the streets of Rukongai. She liked to watch and admire these higher class souls who had another pair of hands that held their spoons, who didn't need to wake up very early and go to work just to earn something. She knew Ichigo despised them but she didn't. The boy still didn't know that hierarchy would always be present as long as there were people.