" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

*That's the reason... I decided, I... Would protect them till I die. That's... The real reason.*

Morning in the Kurosaki clinic, a plushie was currently shaking Ichigo awake.

Plush: Hey !! Wake up, Ichigo ! It's morning ! Morning ! You hear ?! If you don't get your butt out of bed, I'll climb into your book bag and go to school with you, and all the girls will say 'Ha ha ! Wittle Ichigo got a teddy bear ! Freak !!'

Not happy with that, for the understandable reason that he's a human being, and that he don't like being waken up by a talking plushie, threw it away, and it hit the wall.

Ichigo: You've gotta act like stuffed animal, Kon !! They don't walk around, or nag !

Well, at least normal ones don't. Now, Ichigo would never treat a REAL plushie toy like that. After the incident with the Mod, we needed to find a body for him, so the three of us looked around. The problem was if we put him into a living thing, the original soul would be forced out, like Ichigo's was, not to mention we had no intention of putting him into a human to begin with.

But fresh corpses are harder to find than you'd think, we passed hours near the roads, waiting for some cat to get run over. So, at a last resort, we tried putting him in a castoff teddy bear w found on the street. The results were mixed.

Kon: Ow ! I told you to be gentle with me.

We were quite surprised to see that it doesn't needed to be in an organic body to begin with. By the way, Ichigo decided to name him 'Kon', because he is a Kaizo Konpaku (Mod Soul). We considered 'Kai', but according to Ichigo, who said it was 'Way too cool' for him, he goes with 'Kon' now.

Rukia: Are you trying to wake up the neighbors ?! Can't a shinigami get dressed in peace ?!

Getting out of the closet, she stepped on something, and soon felt a pair of eyes fixed on what was under her skirt.

Kon: You're okay... Stand right there !!! OW OW OW OW !! STOP! My stuffing's coming out !!

Ichigo: Moron...

Yuzu: Ichigo !! Can I come in ?

Ichigo: Whoa ?! 'H... Hide, hide !!' Um, sure !

Yuzu: Ichigo... Like, what are you doing ?

Ichigo: N-Nothing ! Nothing suspicious !! What do you want, Yuzu ?! It's early !!

Yuzu: It's not THAT early ! Mizuiro and Y/n are waiting for you !

Ichigo: Really ? What time is it ? CRAP !!

Yuzu: Yeah, so hurry and get ready. And apologize to Mizuiro from dad's bedroom window. You're making him and Y/n wait.

Ichigo: Mizuiro! Sorry, I just woke up ! Come in for a minute, okay ? Y/n must be ready to go !

The memories of he last incident, all that trouble Kon caused, were erased from the guys at school at least.

Ichigo: 'Rukia says that Mr.Hat-and-clogs (told me his name but I forgot it somehow) She said he'd get in big trouble if it became known that he let Kon go. Anyway, I'm glad I can't remember it. He'll just have to go on Mr.Hat-and-clogs.'

Ichigo: Who cares ?! I've got to get to school !!

Rukia: Bye, Ichigo ! See you at school !

Ichigo: yeah. Ah man, why didn't dad wake me up ?! He usually busts in and...

He stopped complaining, and started looking pensively at his watch, where the hour and date were displayed.

Rukia: What ? Why the look ?

Ichigo: nothing. Wow... It's tomorrow...

Rukia: Ichigo ?

Michiru: Tatsuki ! You're in art too, right ?! Did you do the 'My future' assignment ?

Tatsuki: yeah, why ?

Michiru: Can I see it ? Mine's not very good.

Michiru: Wow ! That's great !!

Tatsuki: I'm gonna be a female Vale Tudo champ !

Michiru: Mine's so bad I don't even want to show you... You draw so well, wouldn't you rather be an artist ? What about you, Orihime ? What did you draw ?

Orihime: Hee hee ! I'm GLAD you asked ! I'm secretly proud of it !

Michiru: Hmm, I wonder what she...

Orihime: Maximum velocity: 240 miles per hour ! 20,000 degree Celsius flames shoot from my mouth, and my eyes project destruction beams !

Michiru: No, Orihime ! That's not the assignment !!

Tatsuki: You'll get detention for that !! Maybe jail time !!

Orihime: Huh ? Hey Ichigo !!

Ichigo: Hi ! How's it going, Orihime ?

Michiru: W... What's he on ?! Ichigo's like, being friendly ? Huh, Orihime ?!

Orihime: What's... The matter with Ichigo ?

"So you noticed it too ? He's not in his normal state today, and it started when he saw what day it was. And not only him, but his whole family was acting weird"

Michiru: The date ? What do you mean ? Today's a June 16th, but what does it mean for him ?

Tatsuki: Thanks. Y/n, Orihime... You're both really perceptive. It took me three years to pick up on that. If you have any urgent business with him, take care of it today. Because Ichigo... Won't be at school tomorrow.

Later that night, they was a sign on the Kurosaki's cleaning door.

*Regretfully, this facility will be closed tomorrow, June 17. A minimal service will be ensured in the form of magical sunlight lightning, however, we apologize for any inconvenience or loss of life. -Management Kurosaki clinic.-*

Isshin: Okay ! Let's have a meeting and go over everybody's job for tomorrow !! And remember ! As chairman, I hold all the decision-making power !!

Karin: As if ! What kind of meeting is this ?!

Isshin: Hey ! Raise your hand if you wish to speak, chief of staff !!

Karin: Oh... Chief of staff ? 'That's pretty cool...'

Isshin: Yuzu, you'll be in charge of lunch, as usual.

Yuzu: Okay.

Isshin: Karin, you'll load the packs.

Karin: Huh ?!

Isshin: Y/n, you'll ensure that no one dies in the clinic, it'll give us a bad rep !

"Roger that."

Isshin: And the last item of business... I got a haircut for the occasion. How do I look ?

Karin: Exactly the same !!

Rukia: that looked like fun.

Ichigo: What ?

Rukia: You know... the family meeting. So... You're skipping school tomorrow and going on a picnic or something, right ?

Ichigo: Look, Rukia... About my shinigami duties... Could I maybe take... Tomorrow off ?

Rukia: What ? Take a DAY OFF ?! Of course not !! Are you crazy ?! You've been acting strange all day.

Ichigo: It's the anniversary... Of the day my mother died. No... Actually... Not the day she died... The day she was killed.

Meanwhile, in the next room, I was sitting against the wall, quietly listening.

*When was it... That he stopped smiling ?*

Tatsuki: I met him when we were four, at the dojo we used to go to. He had the brightest hair... And the brightest smile. And the most beautiful mother, whom he always held the hand.

Tatsuki: He was scrawny, and smiled all the time, a total wimp. He was really weak too, and when he lost, he'd start crying. In fact... I was the first one in the dojo to make him cry. Just one high kick ! It took me less than ten seconds !

Tatsuki: But... As soon as he saw his mother when she came to pick him up... he'd get this big grin on his face. I hated that... I mean, what kind of boy smiles when he loses ? I'd see that grin... And think... What a baby, clinging to his mommy. But, he seemed so happy. His smile was sweet. That's how he was... In the beginning.

The next day:

Yuzu: Ugh ! This hill is hard !

Karin: Hmph, not for me.

Isshin: C'mon, Yuzu ! You can do it ! Let daddy show you how !! Look ! I'll walk the rest of the way on my hands !

Karin: Do not make eye contact. Attention will only encourage him.

Isshin: Not true... I don't need attention, I'm self-motivated !!

Karin: Run !!

Isshin: Take this, Daddy's special attack, the Slidin' daddy !! Dotted pantie !!

Karin: Vanish ! To the ends of the Earth !! Hat kick !!!

Isshin: WIPEOUT !! Due to Daddy's wipeout, there will be great volatility in the Tokyo stock market !!!

Karin: Go back to listed stocks !!

Ichigo: geez... Phew, it's June, but it's already scorching. This day... Another June 17th... But so different from that one.

Karin: hey, there's another visitor.

Yuzu: For real ? Is she here to see mommy, too ?

Karin: maybe. Hey, she's turning this way.

Ichigo: 'What in the name of all that's magical is she doing here ?!!'

Yuzu: She's waving. A friend of yours, Ichigo ?

Ichigo: NO ! Never seen her before !! Not ever ! Never !!

Karin: Hmm... She looks kinda familiar...

Ichigo: Oh, now I remember !! We were best friends in Junior High !! Like brother and sister !! It's been so long ! Give us a moment to reminisce alone !! I'll just go set her straight !! You guys go ahead to mom's grave !!

Yuzu: Set her straight ?

Karin: Aha !

Yuzu: Aha ?! 'Aha' what ?!

Karin: Well... He's getting to that age.

Yuzu: What ?! What age ?! Karin ?! NO !!

Karin: Hee hee hee... Maybe we need to give him some personal space.

Ichigo: What are you doing here ?!

Rukia: Relax ! You'll need our help if a hollow shows up.

Ichigo: But you didn't have to... Couldn't you have been a little sneakier ?!

Rukia: Sorry. I didn't think.

Ichigo: Wait... Did you just said, 'Our' help ?

"It was time for you to notice it. I was standing right here the whole time."

Ichigo: The hell are you doing here ?!! What about the clinic ?!

"It's okay, I put another paper on the door. And I'll be back before you guys."

"And to answer your first question... I heard everything, last night."

Ichigo: And so what ? You can't understand-

"Understand what ? The pain of losing someone you deeply cared about ? That empty feeling of being the cause of their death ? Or the guilt of not being able to save them ? I understand that way too well, I already experienced every single one of these."

Rukia: Ichigo, I'm not mad, I'm curious. 'She was killed.' Right ? You said your mother was...

Ichigo: No, I didn't.

Rukia: Who killed her ?

Ichigo: I didn't say that. Just drop it.

Rukia: You told me you saw spirits from a young age. So answer one question for me. Could your mother have been killed by... A hollow ?

"Rukia, have you ever heard about that thing called 'The tact' ?"

Rukia: It is possible ! If you had enough spiritual energy to be able to see ghosts as a little child, a hollow that came after you might have accidentally...

Ichigo: NO WAY !!! You don't know. Why's everyone have to be about hollows with you ? That's ridiculous. To blame it on a... that's not what happened ! There was no freakin' hollow, okay ! So just leave it alone !

He froze stiff after that, his eyes fixated on something above us.

Ichigo: No... No way ! What's SHE doing here ?

Rukia: Who ? Ichig-Ichigo ?!

He sprinted away, out of our view, but when we looked up, there was nothing.

Rukia: 'There's no one there... Did she run away ? Or...' Ichigo !

Tatsuki: His mother died, when he was nine. I was only nine myself, I didn't understand. Anyway, he was nine, but still clinging to mommy like a baby chimp. Then she died. He didn't show up at school for a while, so I went looking for him. I found him by the river where his mother died, walking around with his little backpack, from morning to night. Like he was looking for her.

Tatsuki: When he got tired, he'd squat down for a while, then he'd get up and continue his search. Everyday, from morning to night... I couldn't stand up to see Ichigo like that..

Rukia: Huf... Huff... Wh... Why'd you run ! What...

Ichigo: It wasn't... A hollow... that killed my mom... It was me.