NOTAKING
patreon
Chapter 29
🕑 Added 2025-04-07 05:20:09 +0000 UTCA few days passed, and today marked the eve of his mother’s death anniversary.
Ichigo and Rukia walked to school side by side, the morning air crisp yet heavy with an unspoken weight. She glanced at him, noticing the unnatural silence. Even for him, this was odd. Ichigo wasn’t the type to start conversations, but today, his quietness felt different.
She knew why.
He had told her about his mother’s death before, but it was still hard to wrap her head around. A Hollow taking the life of a human—his mother—was a cruel twist of fate. Even now, she wasn’t sure what to say, so she simply walked beside him, letting the silence stretch between them.
When they arrived at school, the day carried on as usual. Classes, lunch, the occasional chaos from Keigo. Ichigo played the part well, acting like his normal self—gruff, slightly annoyed, rolling his eyes at whatever dumb thing his friends did.
But they weren’t idiots.
They could tell something was off.
When they asked him about it, he gave them a straight answer. He told them what day it was. But that was all he gave them, and they could tell it ran deeper than that. There was something he wasn’t saying.
The day dragged, but eventually, school ended.
Ichigo returned home, stepping inside to find his dad and sisters at the dinner table, discussing plans for tomorrow. Who was bringing what, when they’d visit the grave, and all the small details in between.
He stood there for a moment, just watching them.
As his sisters talked, Yuzu’s voice carried warmth, making sure everything was perfect. Karin, on the other hand, was quieter, nodding along but keeping her emotions tucked away, like she always did.
Isshin—his old man—was still himself, acting dramatic, loud, trying to keep the atmosphere light. But Ichigo knew the truth. Beneath all that energy was a man who had suffered, who had lost just as much as they had.
And yet, even after losing the glue that held their family together, his dad had stepped up.
Ichigo wasn’t sure how he did it, but Isshin made sure none of them ever fell apart. He kept them smiling, even when it must have hurt. Even when they were kids, too young to understand, he had been the one to hold everything together.
Ichigo never said it. Probably never would.
But he appreciated it.
Sitting back, he let his thoughts wander.
He knew very well that he was the reason his mother died. Even if others told him otherwise, a part of him still carried that guilt. He had been a kid, naïve, and that Hollow had used him as bait. And because of that, she was gone.
'I just wish I could go back and stop it from happening. But the past is the past, you know? What matters now is what I can do to change my future… and I’ll make sure no Hollows—or anything else in this damn world—will hurt the people I love.'
He exhaled, shaking his head.
'Damn, that was kinda cringe. Gotta keep it nonchalant. Type shit.'
He turned his gaze to his family again. Yuzu was smiling, talking about what flowers to bring. Karin just nodded, pretending she wasn’t as invested.
Ichigo leaned back, clenching his fists.
‘Tomorrow, I’m facing that piece of crap myself. Even though I won’t kill him, I’ll make damn sure to scar that fucker. He’ll have PTSD the second I’m done with him.’
....
The next day, Ichigo and his sisters didn’t go to school. Instead, they walked together toward Masaki’s grave, the sky a soft, muted blue overhead.
Though they were visiting their deceased mother, none of them wore a frown. That was because Isshin—like always—was doing the absolute most.
He made a spectacle of their walk, throwing his arms around them dramatically, wailing about how much he loved Masaki while pulling them into bone-crushing embraces. People passing by turned to stare, some whispering, others snickering.
Ichigo gritted his teeth, glancing around.
‘Never mind, I take back everything I said.’
He shoved his hands into his pockets and ducked his head, hoping none of the cute girls walking by would recognize him.
Eventually, they made it up the hill, and there, standing near the grave, was Rukia. She turned at the sound of their footsteps, giving them a small wave.
"Big brother, is she a friend of yours?" Yuzu asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Karin, however, simply stared at Rukia, eyes sharp with silent scrutiny.
"Yeah, she's a friend from school," Ichigo said quickly. "Let me go talk to her real quick, I'll see you guys there."
Yuzu nodded, while Karin gave him a look but said nothing. The two continued walking ahead, leaving Ichigo to approach Rukia, who was still smiling at him.
He sighed. "What's up?"
"Oh, you know, just here to say my condolences is all," she said casually.
He gave her a flat look. "Doubt it."
"I'm serious," she insisted, holding a hand to her chest. "I'm here for that."
A long silence stretched between them.
"…And just in case a Hollow appea—"
"There it is," Ichigo muttered, deadpan.
"Look, I'm being serious! You're at a gravesite, who knows how many lingering souls are around here? You'll thank me later."
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But don’t be weird around my family. Be good, like you're meeting them for the first time and actually planning to marry me—good."
Rukia blinked before nodding. "Fine, I'll do that."
As they walked, her mind wandered.
‘Marriage… I wonder if I would ever marry Ichigo. From the books I’ve read, this would be called forbidden love. Since I’m technically a ghost in his world, and he’s a human… Hmm, who knows.’
They walked toward the grave in silence, the air around them carrying a somber weight. Ichigo had nothing to say—there was nothing he could say. He simply stood there, watching his family.
Yuzu, ever the cheerful one, tried her best to keep smiling. She always did. But even she had her limits. As the weight of the moment settled in, her small shoulders trembled, and before she could stop herself, she hurried forward, burying her face against Isshin’s chest.
For once, Isshin didn’t crack a joke or act like a fool. He simply wrapped his arms around her, his usual playful demeanor melting away. His voice, steady and warm, carried through the quiet air.
“Everything’s gonna be fine,” he murmured, rubbing small circles on her back. “I promise.”
Karin, standing a few steps away, clenched her fists. Unlike Yuzu, she refused to cry. She hadn’t shed a single tear since that day, stubbornly telling herself she had to be strong—for their mom, for Yuzu, for all of them.
And it worked.
Or at least, it seemed like it worked.
In reality, all it did was bury the emotions deeper. They sat there, coiled inside her chest, tightening like a spring. But still, she stood firm, staring at the gravestone with a blank expression, as if willing herself not to break.
'Man, I cannot watch this,' Ichigo thought, glancing away from his family. The weight in his chest grew heavier with every second.
As if mirroring the shift in his mood, the sky darkened. Heavy clouds gathered overhead, blocking out the sunlight. A cold breeze swept through the hilltop, rustling the grass. Then, with a soft patter, raindrops began to fall.
Yuzu shivered, clinging tighter to Isshin, while Karin scowled up at the sky.
“Tch. Just great,” she muttered.
With the rain growing heavier by the second, they had no choice but to retreat. Nearby, an old wooden shack stood just off the path, probably meant for sheltering visitors during bad weather. It wasn’t much, but it was better than standing out in the rain.
They hurried inside, shaking off the dampness. The scent of wet earth and old wood filled the space.
Then, suddenly—
A pulse.
Ichigo’s body stiffened as a sharp, familiar sensation rippled through his senses. A powerful Hollow. Close. Too close.
His lips curled into a small, knowing smile.
As if on cue, Rukia’s phone let out a sharp beep, the screen lighting up with an alert.
They locked eyes, understanding passing between them without a word.
Kon barely had time to process what was happening before Ichigo yanked him out of his pocket and shoved him into his body.
“Wha—Oi, wait a second—!”
Too late.
In the next moment, his body jerked to life, now under Kon’s control, while Ichigo, in his Soul Reaper form, stood beside Rukia.
No more waiting.
Without hesitation, they dashed into the storm, heading straight for the Hollow lurking at the edge of the forest.
TO BE CONTINUED
