Chapter 9: Tatsuki
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The next day, Kai and Orihime walked into their classroom, both a little more subdued than usual. As they entered, they overheard their classmates discussing the shocking news about a truck crashing into the Kurosaki household. Miraculously, no one had been injured, but the students were still abuzz with talk of the accident. Orihime and Kai exchanged a knowing glance, aware that things were not as simple as they seemed. Their growing spiritual powers had allowed them to resist the effects of the damage control spell that Soul Society had used to cover up the incident.
Orihime took her seat at her desk, her thoughts wandering as she tried to make sense of everything that had happened. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice her best friend, Tatsuki Arisawa, approach her.
"Hey, Orihime," Tatsuki said teasingly, "who are you daydreaming about?"
Startled, Orihime's gaze flitted over to Kai, who was staring out the window with a troubled expression on his face. Tatsuki followed her friend's gaze and looked at Orihime in shock, unable to believe that her best friend had fallen for the quiet boy who always seemed to avoid any kind of conversation.
Taking a closer look at Kai for the first time in months, Tatsuki had to admit that Kai became quite handsome. His black hair and blue eyes made for a striking combination, and his face was a blend of cute and masculine features. She looked at him with a sigh, remembering old days.
"Tatsuki, it's not like that," Orihime stammered, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "I'm just worried about him. He seems so...troubled lately."
Tatsuki raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Really? What's going on with him?"
Orihime hesitated, unsure of how much she could say without revealing their secret. "He's...been going through some tough times, and I've been trying to help him."
Tatsuki crossed her arms, a small frown creasing her forehead. "Well, that's very kind of you, Orihime. Just make sure you don't get too wrapped up in his problems, okay? He has habit of leaving people behind."
Orihime nodded, touched by her friend's concern. "I'll be careful, Tatsuki. Thank you."
As the day went on, Kai and Orihime couldn't help but steal glances at each other, both worried about what the events of the previous night might mean for them and their mission. Their concerns were further fueled by the whispers and gossip that continued to circulate among their classmates, the mystery surrounding the Kurosaki household crash only growing with each retelling.
During lunch break, Kai and Orihime found themselves sitting together on the school rooftop, their usual spot for catching a moment of peace and quiet. With the wind blowing gently around them, they finally had a chance to talk about what had happened.
"Kai," Orihime began, her voice soft and worried, "do you think that the truck crash had anything to do with what we've been doing? With the Hollows and helping souls cross over?"
Kai glanced over at Orihime, his blue eyes filled with concern. "Hime-chan, I think it was definitely a Hollow attack. Soul Society must have dealt with the problem. Remember the Hollow I mentioned last night? Its scream was incredibly powerful. It must have gone to the Kurosaki household and damaged their house, but the Shinigami in charge resolved the issue and used some sort of spell to alter the memories of the people. However, since our spiritual power is higher, we weren't affected."
Orihime bit her lip, still worried. "But if Soul Society knows about us, won't they come after us? I mean, we're not supposed to be doing any of this, right?"
Kai sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Hime-chan. But we have to be prepared for anything."
Their conversation was interrupted when Ichigo Kurosaki and a girl with short black hair appeared in front of them. Both of them were wearing their school uniforms but had an air of authority that made it clear they were involved with the spiritual world.
"Who are you?" the girl demanded, looking at Kai with suspicion.
Kai looking annoyed asks back. "Who the hell are you?"
The girl, Rukia, narrowed her eyes. "I didn't ask for your life story. I asked who you are, as in, how can you be a Shinigami? I've never seen you before."
Kai delved into his memories, trying to find any trace of recognition for the girl standing before him, but Zennosuke's memories held no answers. His annoyance grew as the girl continued to stare at him with suspicion. He was just about to lash out when a beeping sound interrupted the tense atmosphere.
"Hollow," the girl muttered, her eyes narrowing as she pulled a small device from her pocket. Without hesitation, she slipped a white glove onto her hand and touched Ichigo's forehead. A bright light emanated from the point of contact, and Ichigo's Shinigami form emerged from his body.
"Go, Ichigo," Rukia ordered, pointing in the direction the Hollow had been detected. "I need to talk to this kid." Her gaze returned to Kai, the suspicion in her eyes undiminished.
Ichigo nodded, giving Kai and Orihime one last glance before racing off to confront the Hollow.
Kai, his irritation reaching its boiling point, swiftly closed the distance between himself and Rukia. He stared into her eyes, his own blue orbs filled with anger and defiance. Instinctively, he placed his hand on Rukia's forehead, mimicking the action he had done for Orihime when he helped her awaken her spiritual powers to see her brother. A sudden surge of energy passed between them, and Rukia's eyes glazed over for a brief moment.
When she regained focus, her demeanor had changed entirely. She stood at attention, her eyes now filled with respect and recognition as she saluted Kai. "Kai-sama, I apologize for not recognizing you earlier."
Kai stared at her, his anger dissipating as quickly as it had come. "I don't want Soul Society to know I'm here. You know what to do, right?" he asked, his voice firm yet quiet.
Rukia nodded, her expression solemn. "Yes, Kai-sama." She picked up Ichigo's lifeless body, cradling it carefully in her arms, before turning to leave.
As she disappeared from sight, Orihime looked at Kai, her eyes wide with confusion and concern. "Kai, what just happened?"
Kai sighed, looking at Orihime with a mixture of concern and determination. "When I touched Rukia's forehead, I was able to alter her memories. I added memories about myself into her mind, so now she thinks I'm some kind of big shot from Soul Society, and she has to follow my orders. For now, they won't trouble us."
Orihime's eyes widened in shock. "Kai, that's... that's incredible. But is it okay to mess with someone's memories like that?"
Kai frowned, his gaze shifting to the ground. "I don't know, Hime-chan. I didn't want to do it, but it seemed like the only way to keep us safe from Soul Society's interference. I wanted to remove the information about myself from her mind, but when I touched her, I felt it would be easier to just add information."
Orihime bit her lip, her worry evident. "But won't Soul Society come after you if they find out about this power?"
Kai clenched his fists, anger briefly flashing in his eyes. "I don't care about what Soul Society thinks. All I care about is protecting you and the others. I won't let them hurt any of you."
Orihime's cheeks flushed pink as she looked down, touched by Kai's fierce protectiveness. "Thank you, Kai," she murmured softly.
For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of their shared secret and their uncertain future hanging heavily between them. The wind whispered around them, a gentle reminder that life continued to move forward, despite the challenges they faced.
Finally, Kai broke the silence, his voice hesitant but determined. "Hime-chan, I need you to promise me something."
Orihime looked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. "What is it?"
Kai swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving hers. "Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll stay safe. Don't put yourself in danger for my sake, okay?"
Orihime's eyes widened, her heart swelling with emotion. She nodded solemnly, her voice filled with conviction. "I promise, Kai. But you have to promise me the same thing. We're in this together, right?"
Kai couldn't help but smile, warmth spreading through his chest at her words. "Yeah, Hime-chan. We're in this together."
Orihime looked at Kai with a mixture of concern and curiosity, her brow furrowing as she asked the question that had been plaguing her since Rukia's departure. "Kai, why haven't you done the same thing to Kurosaki? I mean, it was him who brought Rukia to us in the first place. Wouldn't it be better to alter his memories too?"
Kai's expression grew serious as he contemplated her question. He hesitated for a moment, clearly weighing his words carefully before responding. "Hime-chan, there are some very powerful people guarding the Kurosaki household. Even with my abilities, I can't get close to them. I don't want to deal with them, and if possible, I don't even want to enter their radar."
Orihime's eyes widened as she processed his explanation, her mind racing with the implications of his words. "So, you're saying that there's someone even stronger than you who's watching over Kurosaki?"
Kai nodded, his eyes darkening with frustration. "Yes, and it's not just one person. There are several of them, and they're all formidable in their own right. If I were to confront them, it would only lead to trouble for both of us. We need to be cautious and not attract their attention."
Orihime bit her lip, her worry for Kai's safety intensifying. "But if they're that powerful, won't they eventually find out what you did to Rukia? And if they do, won't they come after you?"
Kai sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words to reassure her. "It's possible that they might find out, but I'm hoping that by altering Rukia's memories, I've bought us some time. We'll just have to be extra careful and make sure we don't do anything that might arouse their suspicion."
Orihime nodded, her determination shining through her concern. "Okay, then. We'll be careful, and we'll stick together, no matter what."
Kai smiled softly at her, his own determination mirrored in his eyes. "Right. We're in this together, Hime-chan."
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