Longer than Forever [ BLEACH FANFIC SEQUEL]

Unwanted Memento

When I was in the human world, far back when I was still in healthy state, I used to woke up by the maid's knock and the golden light of sunshine creeping through the curtain.

When I was still in the human world, yet living as if dying at the same time, I used to woke up with tremendous headache from the anesthesia and uncertainty of time.

Yesterday, I spent the night under this wooden plank ceiling. After the first night in this world, I started my new day by waking up with tears running down my cheeks— without apparent reason.

Did I have a nightmare? Certainly not. How can I be so sure? Because I woke up with felling bliss and blue, equanimity and compassion. Truly, such feeling cannot be associated with nightmare.

I don't exactly remember what was it, but I can still get the gist of those words.

It was something like...

"... Thank you, for staying safe. "

How peculiar it is. No, not the sentence, but what I feel deeply about it.
.

.

.

" Here's your breakfast, Hasu. I hope you like it. "

I didn't realize how long have I been daydreaming while staring at the Japanese style garden outside, but when I came to my sense, I'm pretty surprised by the warm breakfast Nanao-San prepared for me.

" Oh wow, it look fantastic. Thank you very much, Nanao-San. "
I smiled at the woman who's sitting across me.

" Don't mention it. "
She smiled back.

It has been exactly 2 years since I eat something with my mouth. Even if I did at some point, it was only salt water—which supposed to be the soup from the hospital.

The first dish I'm going to try is the salted mackerel fish with a bowl of warm white rice. I can even still feel the heat under the bowl.

How I missed this sensation. Even when I was in my healthy state, this is a rare thing for me to have.

" Thank you for the food. "

I put the rice and a flake of the fish in my mouth. Not to be dramatic, but I can seriously taste the ocean here. And when I close my eyes, I can imagine rice field yellowed just before my eyes.

I was in pure bliss until I try to gulp it down.

All of those beautiful imaginary quickly turned into rocky mountain and cactus fields.

" Ahk! Ack! Cough cough... U-ugh... "

" H-Hasu, are you alright?! Wait, I'll rub your back! "
Nanao-San hurriedly run to my side. A few times, she pats my back lightly and rub my back until I calmed down.

After my throat feels better, I glance at Nanao-San who's looking at me with worried expression—she kind of look scared as well.

" Huf... Huf... Cough cough... T-thank you, Nanao-San. "

" Here, drink some water. "