Chapter eighteen: June 17.

Chapter eighteen.

"... Then she told me if there was a problem with the Mod Soul, they would be responsible." Haru finished, proudly making shit up as he spoke. "I think that just about covers everything … Yeah, that should be all."

"Hm…" Urahara waved his fan in front of his face, humming as he gave the situation some thought. "Is that so? Well, I suppose if trouble comes knocking, we can simply play dumb."

"Alright!" Haru pumped his fist in the air, celebrating his success, all he needed was for Urahara to forget about the Mod Soul.

"Is something the matter?" Urahara asked, noticing his celebration. "You look quite happy with this sudden turn of events."

"U-Uh, I mean…" Haru stuttered, thinking as fast as he could for an excuse. "I just… Um, I'm celebrating the three month discount I earned?"

"Oh, but you see…" Urahara smiled, sounding more than a little amused. "We can hardly call this task a success, now can we? You failed to retrieve the Mod Soul, after all."

'Fuck…' Haru thought. 'I really wanted that discount.'

"Tch, fine then." He replied, despite his thoughts. "I didn't even want that discount."

Haru did in fact want that discount.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"What a day…" Haru fell on his bed, wrapping himself around his sheets as he felt all the stress leaving his body.

His phone, still in his hands, illuminated his face through the darkness claiming the room.

"..." He texted Ikumi, Orihime, and of course, Ishida.

The first message was of little consequence, nothing more than his usual flirting with a woman twice his age.

The second message though, that one was a little more important to him on a personal level, he was feeling quite stressed after all.

And, when stressed, what better than the goddess of bread herself to cheer him up? He would love to have dinner with her tomorrow, but sadly, he had too much work to do.

The third and last message was more complex, and in contrast to the others, he had been rewriting it time and time again.

'No, too direct…' Haru sighed, deleting the message again, he had been meaning to ask Ishida a little more about his circumstances.

"The last of his kind…" Haru whispered.

Once upon a time, before meeting Xcution, he had also believed himself to be all alone in the world, with no one resembling him.

However, life had proved him wrong, there were several Fullbringers like him in this very city, so he wasn't so alone after all.

Following that logic, could Ishida be wrong as well? That's what he had been meaning to ask him. If, perhaps, there was a chance that there were other quincys still alive.

Speaking about Xcution… Their new meeting was scheduled for Sunday, so sooner rather than later, he would be seeing them all again.

"Fuck it…" Haru threw his phone on top of his desk, he wasn't about to stress himself more than he needed to. "I'll give it some more thought tomorrow."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Rise and shine!" Himari, again, woke her son up from bed. This time though, he had learned his lesson. No more cold water buckets for him.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Haru replied, panicking as he rolled around the bed, almost like a reflex to dodge a possible water bucket.

And so he kept rolling, right until he fell out of bed, his back meeting the floor as he abruptly collided against it.

"Aw…" Haru complained, rubbing his back. "That hurt."

"..." Himari merely stared at him.

"What is it?" Haru asked, sitting on the carpet on his floor, noticing Himari just staring at him, contemplating something.

"Nothing." Himari replied. "I'm just disappointed. You actually woke up without the need to threaten you."

"Well, no shit." Haru replied venomously. "If I didn't, then you would have left to grab some… water… buckets…"

Haru trailed off, noticing two buckets filled to the brim with water in his door, the occasional cube of ice floating on top of the water.

"..."

"You had them prepared already!?" Haru asked, horrified.

"Well, you know what they say…" Himari said innocently. A little too innocently, even. "If one bucket doesn't do the trick, two will!"

"No one has ever said that, you sadistic bitch!"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Morning…"

"Morning…" One after the other, every student in class 1-3 began slowly but surely filling the empty classroom.

One student in particular, tall, orange haired, sat on his seat in silence, his trademark scowl even more prominent than usual.

'It's tomorrow…' Ichigo, lost in his thoughts, couldn't help but feel a familiar sadness present in his heart.

It was that time of the year again, the time where he, his father and two sisters would visit his mother's grave.

'June 17.' Ichigo thought, just one more day until then, and as always, memories of that dreaded day assaulted him.

The day his mother died.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime's voice, even so early in the morning, remained as upbeat as ever. "Are you alright? You have been staring at Kurosaki-kun for the past three minutes!"

Tatsuki turned to face her best friend in panic, she hadn't been exactly discrete when speaking after all.

"Keep it down, Orihime." Tatsuki whispered to her friend, elbowing her as lightly and carefully as she could.

"Aw, aw…" Orihime complained teary eyed, rubbing her ribs. "Tatsuki-chan, that hurt."

More than a few curious classmates had turned around due to the commotion, all their gazes focused on the two girls.

"Do I have something on my face, huh!?" Tatsuki bared her teeth at them, not feeling particularly generous with her classmates.

And just like that, all the prying eyes turned away from them as she successfully intimidated all of their classmates.

Having a reputation for being a short-tempered, hot-headed tomboy could prove to be rather useful from time to time.

"Tatsuki-chan…" Orihime spoke again, having recovered from the sudden jab at her ribs.

"Sigh…" Tatsuki gave her friend a pat on the head, controlling her quick temper at last. "Sorry about that, Orihime…"

For a second time, Tatsuki's worried gaze landed on Ichigo, who was just about the only person who still had his eyes glued to the desk.

"Is everything alright?" Orihime asked, her eyes following Tatsuki's own as the two of them found themselves staring at Ichigo.

"..." Tatsuki frowned at the sight, Ichigo's behavior alone was more than enough of a reminder for her. "I'll tell you after school, we can meet at my house…"

"Unless, of course…" Tatsuki began, smiling as she faced her friend. "... You happen to have some plans again, hmh? Plans with a certain someone, perhaps?"

"T-Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime turned scarlet, they never spoke about 'him' at school, not with their other friends around.

"Ah, sorry, sorry… I forgot." Tatsuki apologized, but her words didn't feel particularly heartfelt. "But I'll take that as a no."

"No, he's…" Orihime whispered, lowering her voice as much as she possibly could. "He told me he'd be working all day, so he can't."

"Seriously?" Tatsuki asked. "... Still, that means you are free for tonight, so how about you come home after school?"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Ichigo." Rukia called Ichigo's name, quickening her pace, she followed his steps as they left school. "Ichigo!"

"...?" Ichigo didn't stop, but he did glance back towards her, meeting her gaze for a brief moment. "What is it, Rukia?"

"Did something happen?" The black haired girl asked, catching up with him at last. "You have been acting strange all day."

"I have…?" Ichigo asked, the question directed more to himself than to her. "Sorry. Did I make you worry?"

"I wasn't worried!" Rukia denied. "I was… I was merely thinking about how you would be no help at all if a hollow showed up right now, with you being this distracted."

"... About that…" Ichigo said. "You think it would be alright if I took a break from my soul reaper work tomorrow?"

"What are you talking about!?" Ichigo was met with an instantaneous response from Rukia, her tone alone making her answer clear. "Of course it's not possible…!"

"I see." He replied, coming to a halt. Rukia, who was still not done talking, failed to see him stop and collided head first against him.

"Aw!" The girl complained, taking a few steps back. "What's the big idea, Ichigo? Don't just randomly st…"

"Sorry, Rukia." Ichigo apologized to the girl, and for some reason, she had a feeling there was more to this sudden apology. "I'll explain later. You go on ahead, there's something I need to do first."

Before Rukia could even come up with an answer, Ichigo broke into a sprint, leaving her there, no explanation provided.

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"This week is full." Haru sat on the desk next to the entrance of the parlor, speaking with one of their clients. "Next week though… Tuesday, maybe? I have a couple of hours I could schedule for us."

The client nodded, and so with his assent, he scheduled the appointment of the tattoo for next tuesday.

"..." He fell back on the chair, a sigh of relief escaping his mouth as he realized the store was empty at long last.

"Haru." Himari's voice called for him. "Do you have a minute to spare? I need something from you."

"Sure thing." Haru replied, rolling around the parlor in his swivel chair as he reached his mother on the other side of the shop. "Shoot."

"Do you think you could take care of the parlor tomorrow?" Himari asked. "I know your schedule is full. I just need you to..."

"Oh, is it that time of the year again?" Haru inquired. It was always the same, every year on June 17, his mom would take one day off, without fail. "Sure, I can do that."

"You are a lifesaver, Haru." Himari told her son, ruffling his hair and making a mess out of it, as per usual. "Thanks, it means a lot to me."

"Yeah, yeah…" Haru replied, doing his absolute best to try and fix the mess his hair had suddenly become. "No problem."

Without another word exchanged between mother and son, Himari left the parlor through the door in the back, leaving him alone to close down the shop.

'Man, I need to get a haircut…' He thought, noticing just how long his hair had gotten, raining down his face, barely able to see.

The sound of a new client entering the parlor through the door got his thoughts off his hair, making him turn to face the entrance.

"One second! I'll be right…" Haru's words never left his mouth, as he found himself staring at a mane of unmistakable orange coloured hair. "Ichigo?"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"I must say." Haru sat on his swivel chair next to his desk, drinking from his cup of coffee as he stared at Ichigo. "I didn't think I would see you again so soon."

"Sorry." Ichigo apologized, standing on the other side of the desk. "I didn't expect you to be at work."

"Eh, don't sweat it." Haru waved him off. "I was about to close the parlor anyway. Now that you are here though, I have been meaning to ask… How is he doing?"

'He?' Ichigo thought, the sudden question leaving him at a loss for words. But then it hit him, just who that 'he' was.

"You mean Kon?" Ichigo asked, sounding a little irritated all of sudden. "The little fucker is doing just fine, he's been having the time of his life in that stuffed lion."

"Kon? Stuffed lion?" Haru chuckled a little, both at the name and at the destiny of his brother-in-arms, stuck inside a stuffed lion. "... Well, I guess that's good enough until I find him a more permanent, proper body to inhabit."

Haru had been looking for dead animals around town for Kon to use as a temporary body, a dog, a cat… but so far no luck.

"... But I think that's enough of that." Haru quickly added, shifting around the chair so as to get himself comfortable. "Why are you here, Ichigo?"

"I…" Ichigo hesitated a little. "Could you, by any chance, take care of the hollows in town tomorrow?"

"..." Haru took another sip of his coffee. "Why?"

"Tomorrow is…" The orange haired teenager paused, hesitating for a second time. "It's an important day for my family."

"Hm…" Haru hummed, that didn't tell him much, but then again, it's not like it was any of his damn business. "Well, sorry to disappoint but I promised…"

The sheer disappointment in Ichigo's face before Haru had even finished speaking was enough to give him pause.

'Ugh… Great, now I feel like a dipshit.' He thought. 'I guess I could ask Ishida or someone from Xcution to take care of the hollows…'

"…?" Ichigo stared at him, waiting for Haru to finish his sentence after he had randomly stopped mid-talk.

"Sorry, I zoned out there." Haru replied, shaking his head around. "... Yeah, I can take care of it, no worries."

"Seriously?" Ichigo asked, his sudden change of heart taking him by surprise. He decided not to question it. "Thanks, it means a lot to me."

"You know…" Haru mumbled. "Oddly enough, it's not the first time I hear that today."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

[Year 2001, June 17]

"Fuwaaaa." Yuzu complained, holding onto her twin sister's shirt as the entire Kurosaki family climbed up a road. "This is such a tough hill."

"Really?" Karin asked, moving onwards despite the added weight from her sister's hold on her. "It's nothing to me."

"Do your best, Yuzu! Don't give in, Yuzu!" Isshin cheered from behind. "Daddy's with you!"

"Ignore him, Yuzu." Karin stated blankly as Isshin suddenly decided climbing up the hills while standing on his hands was a good idea. "Encourage people like that and it will never end."

"Haah…" Ichigo breathed out, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he did his absolute best to ignore his family. "Man, it's so hot…"

"... Even though it's June." He thought out loud. "It's completely different from that day."

Ichigo could recall almost every little detail about that day so vividly, the rain pouring down on him, his mother rushing towards him…

'And yet…' He thought, frowning. 'I still can't remember what happened to her.'

"Huh, there's someone there." Karin noted, her sudden comment catching Ichigo's attention.

"You are right." Yuzu said. "Is that person visiting a grave too?"

"You think?" Karin asked. "Ah… She's turning this way."

Ichigo saw her, Rukia, standing there mere meters apart from his sisters, wearing a white dress and a sun hat, waving at them.

'Is she stupid!?' Ichigo thought. 'What is she doing here!?'

"Ah… Is she waving at us?"

Before Yuzu or Karin could even attempt to make sense of the situation, Ichigo took the initiative and sprinted towards Rukia.

"It's a classmate from my middle-school days!" Ichigo yelled, yanking Rukia to the side of the path as he spoke to his sisters. "Oh no, I'm feeling so nostalgic I wanna talk to her alone immediately! You go to mom's grave ahead of me!"

"..." Karin silently stared at her brother disappearing into the distance. "What just happened?"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"It's about damn time…" Haru didn't finish his sentence as he watched someone walk inside the parlor, someone who he hadn't been expecting. "Wait... Tsukishima?"

Haru had been expecting it to be one of his clients, one who had asked for a consultation appointment for a custom piece.

Tsukishima entered the shop, his book in hand as he slowly walked past the desk.

"I take it you were expecting someone else?" Tsukishima asked, his calm, soothing voice bouncing around the parlor.

"Sort of." Haru replied, standing up from his chair to greet his friend. "I don't think he's coming though… He probably chickened out."

"Is that so? I wouldn't have minded seeing you work." Tsukishima replied. "You always seem so determined when drawing. It's a shame that you are not as dedicated to reading books."

"Yeah, well…" Haru began. "Maybe if you find me a book that's actually interesting, I'll give it a shot."

"I'm sure I could do that." Tsukishima replied, his unreadable smile irking Haru like nothing else could.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Haru countered, he hated books with a passion after all. "... So, what is it? You have got some news, right?"

"I do." Tsukishima stated, it seemed like Haru hated chattering about pointless things, as per usual. "The meeting has been postponed."

"...?" That got Haru's attention, and as far as he could remember, not a single one of their meetings had ever been postponed. "Postponed? What for? There's a lot we…"

"Well, according to Ginjō…" Tsukishima replied, making a short, but dramatic pause. "Don Kanonji's show just happens to be the same day of our meeting, so he's canceling it until further notice."

"..."

"You are joking, right?"

"I wish I was."

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"Why did you follow me!?" Ichigo screamed at Rukia, who just stood still, frowning, with her arms crossed below her chest.

"Fool, what would you do if a hollow attacks and I'm not nearby?" Rukia countered, her frown still present.

"... Just because of that…?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. "You could have been a little more subtle if that was the idea! You weren't even hiding!"

"Sorry about that." Rukia replied, again, still frowning. "I wasn't aware I should have been more covert."

"Tch." It was Ichigo's turn to cross his arms. "What are you so angry about, anyway?"

"I'm not." Rukia denied immediately. "I'm just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"Last night, when I asked what was wrong with you…" Rukia began, deep in thought. "You mentioned your mother had been killed."

"Did I?" Ichigo replied casually, turning his gaze away. "You must have misheard then. Forget it."

"You told me you have always been able to see spirits for as long as you can remember." Rukia ignored his denial. "If so, answer just this one question for me."

"Wasn't the thing…" Rukia made a short pause, almost as if making up her mind on whether she should or shouldn't press the issue. "Wasn't the thing that killed your mother a hollow?"

[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

"You have been rather quiet, Kisuke." Yoruichi noted, sitting on her four paws as she stared at the blond. "Is something bothering you?"

"My… You are as sharp as always, Yoruichi-san." Urahara replied to her question, rearranging some of the merchandise around the shelves as he spoke.

"Out with it, then." Yoruichi replied. "What's the problem?"

"I never actually said there was a problem." Urahara pointed out. "... But there is one thing I have been thinking about."

"Kuchiki-san has remained undetected so far, all thanks to the untraceable gigai I gave her." Urahara began. "If things progress as they have been doing, she will remain that way for the foreseeable future."

"However…" Urahara spoke without pause. "In the unlikely event that she is, at some point, detected…"

"Then I expect a retrieval team to be dispatched." Urahara said, his mind tracing countless scenarios.

"If and when that happens, she shall be brought back to Soul Society, and we will have to send a retrieval team of our own to get her back, hopefully baiting 'him' out in the process."

"This retrieval team would be composed, ideally, of…" The shopkeeper pointed towards the cat. "You as the guide, Ichigo Kurosaki -once he progresses enough-, and Miyagawa-san as well."

"Thing is…" Urahara added. "I'm not so sure he would find the thought of blindly infiltrating the Soul Society particularly appealing."

"I see." Yoruichi commented casually, she had been more or less able to guess what he was thinking. "So then, what will you do?"

"Oh, nothing much!" Urahara replied, a devious smile suddenly present on his lips. "You on the other hand…"

"Me?" Yoruichi narrowed her orbs at him. "What are you…"

"From what I have seen from him, I don't think he would infiltrate the Soul Society for a girl he barely knows." Urahara explained to the cat, his tone doing little to hide his amusement. " But for a woman? That might be another story."

End of chapter eighteen.