Bleach 349,5 The Hidden Chapter

Omake – Heart Beyond The Mask

Several months have passed since their return from Las Noches. The war against Aizen wasn't over, but the need for recovery from the losses and hazards of the last open confrontation forced both sides to retreat, regroup, regain strength and prepare for the next move.

It was White Day in the real world, and Ichigo was packing the few white chocolate boxes he was going to bring to school to repay the girls who gave them chocolates on Valentine's, when Rukia entered his room without knocking and started searching his bag.

"Which one is mine?"

"You could try knocking, you know…"

"Nonsense, I used to sleep here."

"Exactly. I knocked before opening the closet doors back then. ... And what the hell do you want from my bag?!" He lifted it out from her reach.

"Chocolates! It's White Day, your turn to give them."

Ichigo sighed and scratched his head, slightly uncomfortable. "None of these are yours."

"Where are they then?" she asked unfazed. "You already brought Yuzu's and Karin's down to the kitchen, so mine have to still be here somewhere."

"Rukia, I have no chocolates for you…"

She eyed him slightly disappointed, then crossed her arms across the chest, with a good old fashioned Kuchiki authority in her tone. "Then you should have. If it wasn't for me to get involved in earthly customs, you should have advised me not to part take on Valentine's traditions neither."

Ichigo sat on the bed. "It's not that… It's White Day, not only chocolates can be offered on White Day, there are a lot of items people can offer, mostly white in color."

"So you're basically saying you bought me something white instead of white chocolate?"

"Yeah, well, no, I mean, I didn't buy it." He scratched his head again, with both hands this time. "Oh hell, I knew this was a bad idea, I should have just bought you the chocolates!"

Rukia sat on the bed beside him. "Why? What is it?"

Ichigo looked at her by the corners of his eyes, sighed and released his head for his hands to reach a medium sized oval box tied with a red ribbon from underneath his bed. He handed it to Rukia, watching her, wary and expectant, biting his lower lip while waiting for her reaction.

Rukia slowly unwrapped the ribbon, cautious over Ichigo's uneasiness about this particular gift. When she removed the top of the box, she widened her eyes at what was inside, taking a while to reply. "… Ichigo… this is…" He was already clenching his teeth and shutting his eyes with regret at her surprise. "… your hollow mask?!..."

"I knew it was a bad idea! I'm sorry! You don't have to accept it! I should have bought you chocolates! I WILL buy you chocolates!"

"No, no." Rukia interrupted him. "It's fine. Just… why are you giving me this?"

He dragged himself away to the head of the bed, supporting his back against it and flexing his legs to grab his knees. "Because you're the only one who can take it." He nervously watched his hands, avoiding her gaze. "It's the mask I ripped out from myself back in Las Noches… You're the only one who really knows what's behind it. You can always still see me behind it. And accept and understand…" He took a deep breath and looked out the window. "You make me trust myself when I wear it… It just… it doesn't feel so bad anymore." He met her gaze briefly before looking down again to proceed. "So, given it's White Day, instead of just giving you something white, I felt like giving you the one white thing I can't give anyone else. That I hardly like to show to anyone else to begin with." Ichigo scratched his head again. "I'm sorry, it was a bad idea, I'll buy you chocolates on our way to-"

"No." Rukia was smiling at him. The soft expression on her eyes alone was enough to soothe all his worries. "This is fine… Thank you, I'm very honored."

Ichigo smiled, happy and relieved. "… Well then… Happy White Day?..."

"It is." She stated back with confidence.

"Even if the white is a hollow mask…"

"No… because the white is your mask."