"So, you'll come?" said the brightly-colored haired boy.

"Yeah, sure thing. As long as you promise to come to mine." The black-haired girl said in response.

"Okay, then!" he said.

They both shook hands on it.

Little did they know, that one of those promises was about to be broken.

Shortly after all of the festivities, the boy lead the girl to his front door.

"Thanks for coming." He said.

"Of course. You can always count on me!" she beamed back.

"I'll be there kind of late, mommy's going to take me somewhere."

"Okay, I'll tell my parents."

"Goodbye." The boy waved.

"See you later." The girl walked out the door.

The boy and his mother had just walked out of the store into the rain.

A car splashed him. His mother wiped his face.

"Oh no, that mean old truck! Are you okay?" she asked him, squatting to his eye level.

"I'm sorry honey. Let's switch sides. Let mommy walk next to the road."

"No!" he responded. "My raincoat keeps me dry! I'll protect you from stuff like that!"

"Oh, what a brave boy!" she said happily while drying off the rest of the water.

"But I'm happy the gift didn't get wet!" the boy looked down into the package he was holding.

"Here," she said. "Let me hold it."

He held onto it protectively.

She laughed. "If I'm holding onto it, then that means that you're protecting it, since you're protecting me, right?"

He thought about this for a moment. Then he gave her the gift.

"See? Now let's hurry back. She's waiting." She smiled.

He was quiet for a bit. "Mommy…"

"Yes?"

"Hold my hand."

"Okay."

After walking for a while, the boy noticed something.

A girl. Standing by the side of the riverbank. As if she was deciding whether or not to jump.

"Wait here, mommy!" the boy said while he started climbing over the railing.

"What?"

He ran to the girl. He heard his mother shout his name. He was about to grab the girl, then something moved quickly, and he blacked out.

Few moments later he came to.

His mother was on top of him. And beneath him was a pool of blood.

"M-mommy?" he asked questioningly.

"Mommy?"

He looked around his environment.

The girl who had been at the bank was not there.

And something else caught his eye.

On the road was a gift bag.

And in half a second, it disappeared under the wheels of a truck.

The girl sat patiently.

Waiting for her friend to arrive.

The only ones at the house were herself and her two parents.

She was starting to worry. He said he'd be late, but certainly not THIS late.

The phone suddenly rang.

Her mother picked it up.

She talked.

She hung up.

And she turned to her daughter telling her that Ichigo would not be arriving.

END.

I always thought how it was too much of a coincidence that Ichigo's mother died on the very day that Tatsuki's birthday is on.

So I thought about it.

Thought about it some more.

And came up with this one-shot.

Why do all my fanfics starring Tatsuki have to be so sad and angsty?

"Why?"

BECAUSE I LIKE MAKING MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS GET THE WORST THINGS TO HAPPEN TO THEM.

(I know, I'm evil…)

Oh yeah, and everything's in italics because it's supposed to be representing the past.

Some BLEACH dialogue (you know it when you read it) is taken directly from Chapter 19: 6/17 op. 3 memories in the rain.

EDIT: Aughh!! Dammit!!!

I have to thank a certain commentor for saying this, THANK YOU CIMER!

Why am I cursing and thanking this person at the same time?

That is because...

Ichigo's mom died on JUNE 17th. Tatsuki's Birthday is on JULY 17th.

..............................OH WELL!

Please ignore that little mistake and enjoy the fic! *cries in a corner*