Morning light through the curtains.
I blinked.
Stared at the ceiling.
Same ceiling.
"..."
I flexed my left arm slowly.
The bandage felt lighter today. Isshin had changed it yesterday after school.
I sat up.
"What was I… ah, right.
School.
I holded my forehead
I got used to it so fast. It feels so boring to sit there all day.
If Ichigo wasn't there I wouldn't even go there.
Anyway—It's FRIDAY!!
No more school for TWO days!
Yay…
Isn't that worse?
Aghh.
***
Breakfast. Shoes. Door.
Ichigo was leaning on his wall again.
"Morning, Ichigo-san."
"Morning."
We walked.
The street was cool. Sakura petals on the ground.
"How's the arm."
"Great."
"Mm."
"Plans for the weekend?"
"Nothing."
"Same."
He paused.
"Karin has a match tomorrow."
"Oh?"
"Have to go."
"Forced?"
"...Kind of."
I laughed. "She drags you?"
"Dad does. She doesn't even care if I show up."
Aww~
"Does Yuzu go too?"
"Everyone goes. Full family thing."
"Sounds fun."
"It's not."
I smiled.
We walked a little.
"...What about you."
"Hm?"
"Weekend."
"Nothing, probably. My parents are at the office Saturday."
"Again?"
"Haha, yeah."
"Tch."
A small silence.
"...If you're bored, come watch."
"?!"
I glanced at him.
He wasn't looking at me. Just walking straight ahead.
"Is that an invitation, Ichigo-san?"
"It's not."
"It sounds like one."
"It's not."
"Mm~."
"Shut up."
"Haha~"
***
We turned onto the main road.
More students now. Uniforms. Bags. The usual morning noise.
"Ichigo-san."
"What now."
"Does Yuzu cook every day?"
"...Why."
"Just curious."
"Yeah. Every day."
"Woah."
"She's eleven."
"…WOAH."
"Mm."
"Your dad doesn't cook?"
"...He 'helps.'"
"Helps?"
"He burns things and yells about it."
I choked on air.
"Don't laugh." Ichigo said flatly. "You haven't eaten it."
"Haha— I'm sorry— I'm sorry—"
"...Idiot."
***
School gate came into view.
"HIKARUUUU—!!"
Haaah… here we go again.
Keigo came sprinting across the yard, bag flailing behind him.
Ichigo stepped aside. Smoothly. Like he'd done it a hundred times.
…Traitor.
BAM.
Keigo crashed into me.
"MY FRIEND!! You came!! You're ALIVE!!"
"I was here yesterday too—"
"MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY DAY!!"
Mizuiro walked over at a normal pace, phone in hand.
"Morning, Hikaru-kun."
"Morning, Mizuiro-san."
"Don't mind him. He's just happy because Ochi-sensei is out today."
"Huh?"
"Substitute. First period's basically free."
Oh.
OH.
I turned to Ichigo. "Did you know?"
"No."
"Free period."
"...Nice."
Keigo was vibrating. "ROOFTOP!! ROOFTOP!!"
"Class hasn't even started."
"SO?? MORE REASON!!"
Ichigo sighed.
I laughed.
Too loud for this early.
But~
It was nice.
***
Rooftop.
The door banged open. Keigo leading the charge.
"FREEDOM!!"
"You're in school." — Mizuiro
"FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT!!"
Chad was there this time. Just nodded once at me.
I nodded back.
Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Ichigo walked past him and dropped down against the fence.
I sat next to him.
The sky was clear. A little wind.
Haah. Nice.
"Hikaru-kun." Mizuiro sat across from us. "Is your arm really okay?"
"Yeah. It's nothing."
"Kurosaki-kun's dad patched it up?"
"Yeah."
"...How was that."
I paused.
"Loud."
"Ha."
Ichigo snorted.
Mizuiro smiled a little. "That sounds about right."
"You've been there?"
"Once. Kurosaki-kun's dad tried to feed me."
"...Tried?"
"I ran."
"Haha"
Ichigo muttered, "Smart."
Mizuiro unwrapped his lunch calmly. Neat. Small portions. Everything arranged.
Of course his bento looks like that.
"Hikaru-kun."
"Yeah?"
"You're quieter than Asano-san."
"...That's not hard."
"Ha. True."
He took a bite. Chewed. Swallowed.
"But you're quieter than most people, too."
Hm?
Am I?
If I'm quiet now too… then I didn't exist in my first life.
I glanced at him.
He wasn't looking at me. Just eating. Calm.
"Am I?"
"Mm. A little."
"...Is that bad?"
"No. It's nice."
Oh.
I didn't know what to say to that.
Ichigo cracked one eye open next to me. Glanced at Mizuiro.
Closed it again.
Mizuiro smiled like he noticed. Didn't say anything.
He's sharp.
"Mizuiro-san."
"Yes?"
"What do you usually do on weekends?"
"Depends."
"On?"
"Who's asking me out."
I paused.
"...Girls?"
"Mm."
"Like… classmates?"
"No."
"..."
"Older."
Ichigo sighed without opening his eyes. "Don't encourage him."
"I'm not…."
"You'll get used to it."
"Kurosaki-kun makes it sound worse than it is."
"It's exactly as bad as it sounds."
Mizuiro smiled. Didn't deny it.
I…
I don't have a comment.
***
Classes came and went.
Math was math.
English was english.
The history teacher walked in.
Everyone scrambled to their seats.
"Alright, open page thirty-two."
Pages flipped.
I opened mine too.
Sensei started reading out loud, voice flat.
"...The Meiji Restoration began in 1868, marking the end of the Tokugawa shogunate..."
Haaah… kill me.
I wrote it down.
"Meiji. 1868. Tokugawa end."
My eyes drifted.
Ichigo was two desks ahead of me.
Chin on his palm. Scowling at the textbook.
Not really reading.
Tatsuki in front of him turned around and whispered something.
Ichigo whispered back.
She flicked his forehead and turned back.
"…"
Next to her…
Orihime.
She was drawing something in the margin of her notebook.
I tilted my head slightly.
Looked like… a fish?
With… legs.
"—the abolition of the han system redistributed political power to the new central government—"
I wrote "han system. central government."
Eyes drifting again.
Ishida…
He was writing.
Actually writing.
Clean handwriting. Straight lines. Not a single scribble.
Model student.
He didn't look up once.
He probably already knows that I can see souls.
I didn't talk to him. Didn't even try.
"—the samurai class was officially dissolved, and many found themselves without income or purpose—"
"samurai… dissolved."
I glanced left.
Keigo.
Head on the desk.
Haha.
Eyes closed.
Drooling a little.
Mizuiro was beside him.
Phone under the desk.
Typing.
Smiling faintly.
How is he not getting caught??!
"—the new government also implemented compulsory education, which—"
"compulsory education."
I sighed quietly and rested my chin on my good hand.
Everyone.
Right here.
In one classroom.
It was weird.
Normal for them.
But…
***
Break.
I was stretching my arms at my desk
"Hinata-san!!"
Bright voice.
Inoue bounced over with her bento held out in both hands.
"Wanna try? I made a new recipe!"
Again…
I glanced down.
Rice. Some kind of sauce. Something green. Something… purple?
"...What's the purple?"
"Grape jam! It goes well with the wasabi!"
"…"
Tatsuki walked up behind her, already looking tired.
"Orihime. We talked about this."
"But Tatsuki-chan it's really good—"
"Hinata, don't eat it."
"...I wasn't going to."
"Ehh?! Hinata-san, you're supposed to be nicer to me!!"
"Haha. Sorry, Inoue-san."
Tatsuki knocked her shoulder gently. "Come on."
Then — to me:
"Don't forget to let me know if Ichigo's sisters start acting weird."
"I will, I will."
"Good."
She dragged Inoue off by the sleeve.
Inoue waved back over her shoulder. "See you at lunch Hinata-saaaan!"
I watched them go.
Tatsuki wanted me to report if Ichigo's sisters started acting weird.
I said I would.
***
DING DANG DONG—
End of day.
Students pouring out of the gate.
Ichigo and I walked back alone.
The sky was turning that soft orange again.
Shadows long on the pavement.
"Oi."
"Hm?"
"Tomorrow."
"...Yeah?"
"Field's near the riverbank. 10."
"Okay."
He didn't say anything else.
Neither did I.
Just walked.
***
We reached our street.
"See you tomorrow, Ichigo-san."
"Mm."
He walked up to his door.
Paused.
"Oi."
"Yeah?"
"Don't be late."
I smiled~
"I won't."
He disappeared inside.
…
I stood there for a second.
Looked up.
The sky was darkening at the edges.
First star showing already.
These days…
In the anime — she comes soon, doesn't she.
I lowered my eyes.
Haaah…
I wish she never comes.