Goodbye

"Mind if I tag along? I am kind of lost now"

"Sure we owe you one, it will be ungrateful of us to let you on your own"

"Geto's right, your name is Ichigo, right? Than you for saving me"

"No problem"

"Now we should go we have to see if Kuroi-san is okay too"

"that is right Kuroi! hurry we have to go"

"lead the way"

The three teens made their way to where Riko and Geto last saw Kuroi, they were in a hurry so Geto carry Riko to reach their destination faster

"We are almost there Kuroi-san should be around he...re"

They finally arrive to where Kuroi was but what they saw was not the scene they wanted to see

"Kuroi!!! No Kuroi! Please please"

Riko got her feet and run towards Kuroi, hoping just hoping that she wasn't dead that the women laying in the ground was unconscious but

"...Kuroi"

The moment se reached Kuroi checked for any signs of her being alive, trying to hear her heartbeat, feel her pulse, but Kuroi was not longer with them

"Riko"

Geto got closer to Riko hoping to be able to comfort her in any way

"Would you like to say your goodbyes to her?"

Ichigo looking at the crying girl wanted to help her but he couldn't bring the dead back so the least he could do was to let the ghost of the women say her final words to her

"Are you making fun of me? how can I say my goodbyes now?"

"No, of course not, but the ghost of your friend still here looking at you with sad expression on her face so the least I could de is convey her final words"

"What"

"Ghost"

Geto and Riko looked at Ichigo as if he was stupid for what he just said

"Hey don't look at me like that, I am being serious, so what about you something you want to say to her before you go?"

Ichigo was little annoy with the way they were looking at him but he understood why, so he just looked the other way and spoke to the air

"Who are you talking to?"

Geto asked Ichigo questing if it was a good choice to let this now looking crazy stranger with them 

"You can see me"

"I can"

"How"

"I am a shinigami, well a substitute one" 

"I see I guess I am really dead, aren't I?"

"Yes"

Ichigo wanted to say more to comfort the women but he didn't know her and he knew that the best thing he can do for her is to convey her final words

"You I don't know what are you trying to do, I am grateful you save me but there is a limit at how much you can mock me and my friend"

Riko losing her patient snapped at Ichigo, lookin at him with an angry expression 

"I'm not mocking you"

"Maybe she would believe you if I told you something about her only I know"

"That will help"

"Hey stop talking to the air and explain yourself, your rudeness is getting on my nerves here"

Riko getting closer to ichigo with her fist raised was about to hit Ichigo 

"When you were a kid, kuroi took you to an aquarium, you saw a fish with black stripes, Kuroi saw you looking at the fish and asked you if you like it... want me to continue or you want tom hit me?"

"Please continue"

"The answer you gave her was..... 'i don't like it just seem pitiful trap in a prison never beibg able to reach the ocean' some big words for a kid if you ask me"

Riko looked at Ichigo with her peeled not beliebing his words but she had to believe him now, and with the realization that kuroi was still here tears come out of her ayes once more

"Snif- is is K-Kuroi here"

"Yes"

"Where is she"

"In front of you waiting for you to speak to her"

The girl looked at the empty space in front of her but this time her eyes were clear of tears with a smile in her face, because at the very least she wanted to properly say goodbye

"Kuroi, I still can't believe you are dead, we spoke just a few moments ago but the reality of the situation is present before me, so I have to accepted"

"Riko"

Geto hearing those words from the sweet and innocent girl who was playing and smiling with all her heart just a day ago make him feel powerless, questing why did this happen, he wanted to go and confirm the situation with his friend but he knew he had to wait for Riko, that was the least he could do for failing her.

"But I don't want you worry about me even when you are dead, so I promise you that i will take care of myself, I will eat properly and not just eat sweets, i will study and just one lasting.... I love you Kuroi than you for always being there for me, than you for being my family"

Riko still with a smile in her face spoke to kuroi but you could see small tears filling in her eyes

"I am glad that you will take care of yourself Riko, I know you will and I too love you there wasn't a single day when I saw you and warmed my heart, the only regret I have is that I will not be able to see how you became a women, graduate from schoo, get a job, fall in love and may be make a family of your own but I am glad that you though of me as you gamily, bye bye Riko"

Slowly Kuroi began to fade away but she seem happy content even, the last smile on her face was that of a mother looking at her child

"Goodbye Kuroi"

Ichigo and Geto stood at the side in silence in respect for the girl and the now deceased Kuroi 

Riko took a deep breath and turn around 

"Come on Geto, Ichigo-san, we have to go and see if that idiot still kicking, right?"

"Yes, sorry we could stay a little longer"

"hhm hmm, don't worry I said my goodbyes plus Kuroi hated when I had a sad look on my face"

"Want me to carry your friends body"

"Please do so Ichigo-san" 

And so the group departed with Ichigo carrying the body of Kuroi but a small and weak whisper was heard by Ichigo

"Thank you, Substitute Shinigami-san"