Belonging

Ch.8 Continuing My Search

"Emiko~, slow down."

"I have to get home before Mr. Isshin gets worried. It's almost midnight."

"I know but, at least walk at my paste."

"Slow?"

"Rude!"

I stop and wait for to catch up. She was breathing a bit hard.

"Aren't you a ghost? Why are you so winded?"

"Shut up! Ghosts get winded too!"

"...Thank you, Nagi."

"Huh? For what?"

"For finding that old lady for me, idiot. With the information she provided me, it's going to make my search a bit easier. So I thank you."

Nagi smiles as she throws her arm around my shoulders.

"Well, of course! What are friends for, if not to help each other out when we need it."

Taking her arm off, I take a step back and bow.

"I really mean it. I owe you a huge debt."

Nagi scratches the back of her head as she nervously laughs.

"Can you chill with that, Emiko? You know I find it weird when you say things like that to me."

"But, I do owe-"

"Okay, if you feel like you owe me so much, then do this request of mine."

"Request?"

Nagi nods with a big smile on her face.

"You have to not ignore me for a whole month."

"...I don't think I can do that."

"What!? But you said-"

"Emiko!"

I turn to find Ichigo, in his soul reaper form, running towards us with Rukia, in pajamas.

"Hey, why are you beat up a bit? Was it a Hollow?"

"We just saved Orihime from getting killed by a Hollow." Rukia answered.

"What? Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. She's resting right now. When she wakes up tomorrow, her memories will be replaced."

"Replaced...? Is that what you did to our family the night the Hollow attacked?"

"Yes."

"I see..."

"Anyway, why are you coming home so late?"

I look towards my brother.

"Don't start sounding like dad. I got a bit of info on my birth family from an elderly ghost."

"You did?! That's great!" Ichigo smiles.

I smile a bit too.

"It is..."

"Anyway, come on. Let's sneak back into the house before dad flips."

"Okay. See ya, Nagi."

"Bye you guys."

As fast as our legs could carry us, Ichigo, Rukia, and I head home.

~~~~Time Skip~~~~

Two days has gone by. It's currently lunch time. Rukia, Ichigo, and I were eating lunch on the roof of the school. I had to sneak up here, though.

"Hey, how do I drink this?" Rukia asks me as she holds out her juice box.

"Hmm? They don't have something like that in the Soul Society?"

"Us soul reapers don't ever really have to eat anything there."

"I see. Here."

I take the box and show her how to poke the straw through the hole.

"Thank you."

"Welcome. Oh, Ichigo told me about you sleeping in his closet."

"And?"

"You don't have to sleep there, you know. If you're going to stay with us, you can stay in my room. It's big enough for the both of us."

"Thank you, I just might take you up on that offer. Your brother snores really loud."

"You're the one who chose my closet." Ichigo simply replied.

"Wow, together again? You must be in love or something. Oh, and Emiko is here too."

Ichigo and I look towards the voice to find a small teenage boy with black hair and dark eyes.

"Mizuiro, you moron. Does this look like love to you? My sister is here after all." Ichigo replies as the boy made his way over and sat next to him.

"I can see that. Anyway, deny it all you want. People are gonna talk, though."

"Whatever. If I cared what people thought, I'd have dyed my hair black a long time ago."

"I guess so. Then you would match Emiko over there."

"Hello, Mizuiro. And this is my hair's natural color."

"I know. Though, I don't know why people think you dyed it. Hi, Rukia."

"Hello, um...Mizuiro?"

"Correct. Look at that, you remembered my name. And we weren't even introduced. My full name is Mizuiro Kojima, 15 years old. My hobby is-"

"Picking up chicks." Ichigo interrupts.

"What?! N-No, not that!"

"Watch out, Rukia. He looks like a dork, but he's a real player. He's been after Emiko a few times as well."

"Stop! You're ruining my rep. And I have never even looked at Emiko like that. Yes, her beauty defies all logic, but I only go for the older women. Making me harmless to her and other girls our age."

"Like I said, watch out."

"Huh?"

Right, Rukia is so much older than the rest of us.

"Mind if I join you guys?"

"Hey, Keigo." Ichigo greets another one of his friends.

"Chad's not here?" Keigo asks as he approached us.

"No." Ichigo answers.

"I haven't seen him." Mizuiro adds.

"Weird, where could he be?"

While looking around, Keigo's eyes lands on Rukia and I.

"The beautiful new girl?! And the goddess of all beauty?! Sitting together with us?! What's going on here?!"

"Ichigo picked Rukia up and brought her here. Emiko came for a visit." Mizuiro answers.

"What? Shut up." Ichigo simply replies.

Being just as dramatic as Isshin, Keigo places his hand on Ichigo's shoulder as the tears of happiness leave his eyes.

"Good job!"

"Uh...sure man..."

Keigo walks up to the both of us.

"Um... Hello." Rukia greets him.

"You don't have to be nice to him, Rukia."

"Ah, the goddess is as cold as ever. I've missed you so much, Emiko. Anyway, I'm Keigo Asano! Welcome to this garden of manliness, Rukia!"

"...I'm leaving."

"Don't leave, my goddess!"

Before I could get up, Keigo is suddenly kicked from behind and lands on the ground.