Chapter 2 – The substitute shinigami
Six years later…
The date is July 14th. A 21-year old Kurosaki Ichigo has recovered from his coma and is on his way to becoming the top doctor in Japan. The destruction of the hospital Ichigo was stationed in was kept from Ichigo to ensure a steady recovery – his powers and role in Soul Society were also buried out of the fear that Ichigo would react by falling into insanity as a response to his amnesia. After a few years, Inoue, Chad, and Ishida have regained Ichigo’s trust and friendship, and each are on different roads. Chad helps out a sushi restaurant; Inoue is a reporter on a local television network; Ishida is studying to become a surgeon. But the “other world” isn’t done with Kurosaki Ichigo quite yet…
“All right, all right I’m on my way!” Ichigo yelled into the cell before snapping it shut with an irritated look.
“Who was that?” Inoue questioned with a pout. The coffee shop was bustling with activity and the intoxicating aroma of coffee wafted around the air.
“Probably his boss,” Ishida replied for Ichigo.
“Damn right, that lazy ass wants me to work again. To think I just finished a seven-hour shift too! I think I’ll go murder him. Be back in a few minutes,” Ichigo growled as he snatched his coat off the back of the chair.
“So is that still an espresso?” the waitress -a pretty seventeen year old girl- asked.
“No! Gimme a frappuccino!” Ichigo yelled as he exited the coffee shop.
The girl scribbled on the notepad and leaned down beside Chad.
“Is he really going to kill his boss?”
“No – I think he likes her too much,” Chad replied solemnly.
“Wasn’t his boss a guy?” the girl shot back, confused.
“Well, he has two…” Ishida answered for Chad. Perplexed, the waitress moved on to another table.
“Hey, do you think Ichigo will ever remember?” Inoue suddenly asked.
Chad shook his head.
“Six years is a long time. If he hasn’t remembered anything about Soul Society or his powers, then I don’t think he will now. Remember it was hard enough becoming his friends again?” Ishida explained.
Tatsuki smirked. “Hey, four-eyes, did you say friends? I thought you hated Ichigo.”
Ishida blushed a faint pink and glared at the girl.
“I was speaking strictly for Inoue and Chad – I do not regard Ichigo as a friend, and now he doesn’t remember anything, I can hardly call him a rival.”
“Yeah…and Rukia hasn’t come back either. I wonder why she suddenly stopped visiting. Even Urahara doesn’t know…” Inoue sighed.
Chad pulled out Ichigo’s substitute shinigami badge.
“I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to give this back…Isshin only told me to safe-keep it after all.”
The reflection in the passing window panes of a man with bright orange hair flickered as Ichigo ran up the street. Over the years he had grown taller and his hair curled around the nape of his neck. Ever since the car accident ten years ago, Ichigo suddenly focused in school and began getting top grades. He couldn’t really remember why he had gotten into an accident, or how he had spent the last year of his life prior to the incident. They said he had been in a coma for five months, and maybe his recovery was what had set on this path. He’d decided on becoming a doctor. But first-
“My god, for a twenty-one year old, you’re terrible at getting here on time.”
“And for a boss, you’re terribly needy,” Ichigo shot back, “Anyway, when am I going to get my own hospital?”
“Point taken, as for your hospital, I think you forgot that that’s completely up to me, you’ little punk,” His boss grinned at him. She was tall, slim, and dark-haired with ocean blue eyes. Ichigo smirked and stepped into the hospital.
“You better stop flirtin’ with my wife, kid,” a deep voice boomed. Ichigo turned his head to see a broad man lumber towards him. Ken Itsuyo was a wide-set man, but fairly handsome. He had chestnut brown hair and the same color eyes, but the most distinguishing feature was probably his French-like mustache.
“I just finished a seven-hour shift – you’ve gotta have someone else for the job!” Ichigo protested, ignoring the jibe.
“Calm down kiddo, this’ll be easy for you, trust me.” Ichigo scoffed but reluctantly followed the man into a patient’s room.
“She needs a check-up. It should be no problem, everything’s straight out the textbook, Ichigo. You’re free to go after this,” The door clicked shut and Ichigo sighed, looking up at his patient as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Hi, my name is Kurosaki Ichigo and I’ll be performing your check-up today. So how you feeling…” Ichigo glanced at his clipboard.
“…Ms. Kuchiki?”
He looked up to find the slim, black-haired girl with violet eyes staring at him with an unreadable expression.
Confused, Ichigo raised his eyebrows.
“Something wrong?”
The girl opened her mouth, but no sound came out for a few moments. Then she whispered a few words.
“I-I don’t know.”
Chapter 3 – Why don’t you remember me?
To be continued....
