shadow of nothingness

When they returned to Kurosaki's house, Yuko and Xia Li were having dinner in the living room, but Kurosaki's father was not there, probably because he went to see a doctor.

"Welcome back, Brother Ichigo."

The girl's crisp voice sounded, and there was a warm smile on her face.

Ichigo froze for a moment, then raised the corner of his mouth slightly, "Ah, I'm back."

The voice is soft, but the gentleness of the speaker can be felt through that voice.

"Then I'll go up first." Holding the JUMP that Ichigo just bought for herself, Qianqian walked upstairs with brisk steps.

Because ghosts don't need to eat anything at all, even if they want to eat, they can't eat it.So Qianqian is basically not present when eating at Kurosaki's house, because she is afraid that she will not be able to restrain herself.

"Oh." Waving to Qianqian, Ichigo pulled the chair in front of the dining table and sat down.

With one hand, he lifted the hem of the skirt that fell to the ground, and with the other he held JUMP.Qianqian walked up slowly like this, with a faint smile on her face.

When Ichigo returned to the room, what he saw was Qianqian lying on the floor of his room, smiling and reading comics.

"Really..." blurted out a slight sigh, although he seemed a little helpless on his face, but Ichigo didn't say anything, and he was used to Qianqian's appearance these days.

The book was placed in front of him, and the whole person just lay on the floor, his legs were shaking constantly.There was still something humming in his mouth, and the noise accompanied by the flipping of the paper became louder.

Pull open the chair in front of the desk, and take out the textbook for tomorrow's class from the bag.Ichigo read the book very seriously, occasionally frowning slightly, but soon relaxed.

Gently closing JUMP after reading, Qianqian changed from lying on the ground to sitting.Turning his head, what he saw was Ichigo concentrating on reading a book.Tilting his head, a smile was outlined.

Concerned about her feet, Qianqian left Ichigo's room without disturbing his reading.Of course the JUMP was placed in Ichigo's room.

"Xia Li Jiang~ what are you doing?" Xia Li who was sitting on the bed in a daze suddenly asked Qian Qian with a full smile.

"It's nothing..." Xia Li still had dead fish eyes, her voice was still faint, she pushed away Qianqian's holding her hand, "It's time to sleep!"

"Hi~"

When Qianqian woke up the next morning, only Ichigo was left in Kurosaki's house.

"I'll call Kurosaki-kun~"

Volunteering Qianqian bounced to the door of Ichigo's room on the second floor.

Enduring the discomfort and walking through the door, his cheeks puffed up slightly.

"Kurosaki-kun, it's time to wake up~ Aren't you going to school?"

The person lying on the bed did not move at all, and was soundly asleep.

"Really..." Sighing, he walked to the bedside, "Kurosaki-kun!"

Still no response.

Just when she wanted to call out to Ichigo more loudly, Qianqian stopped suddenly.

Tilting his head to look at Ichigo's sleeping face, even in his sleep, Ichigo's brows were still furrowed, not knowing what he was worrying about.

"Well……"

Her cheeks were bulging, Qianqian didn't know why she suddenly stared at the sleeping Ichigo.

"Get up, Kurosaki-kun." She reached out her hand to shake his hand, but unexpectedly passed through.

"Eh--"

The slender brows suddenly frowned, Qianqian slowly withdrew her hand, her eyes firmly locked on her hand.

She still had the same transparent arm as before, but for some reason, Qianqian suddenly felt as if...it was lighter than before.

"……what happened?"

"Hmm..." A low moan sounded, and Ichigo opened his eyes in a daze, but was stunned the next moment when he saw Qianqian squatting beside his bed.

"Why are you here!"

Putting her arms behind her back, Qianqian stood up slowly, looked at Ichigo with a smile, her tone was still so brisk, "Come and wake up Kurosaki-kun, aren't you going to class?"

"Oh..." Ichigo was still a little dazed, but then jumped off the bed suddenly when he glanced at the time on the alarm clock beside him, with a flustered expression, "Oops! We're going to be late soon! You go out first!"

"Hey hey~" Still in the same indifferent tone, Qianqian shook her head and left Ichigo's room and went back downstairs.

"Where did you go just now, Qianqian? Why didn't I see you when I woke up." She asked when she saw Xia Li.

"Hey..." Qianqian was a little stunned, her hands behind her were clenched into fists, but her smile remained unchanged, "I went out for a walk just now, is Xia Lijiang worried?"

"No." The decisive answer.

"Eh? It's too much~"

Immediately there was a crackling sound upstairs, and Ichigo ran down the stairs in a panic, grabbed a piece of bread from the dining table, and hurriedly put on his shoes and ran out the door, "I'm leaving—"

"Then, I'm leaving too~" He raised his hand and said to Xia Li and Youzi who was looking around.

"Xia Lijiang, where's Sister Qianqian?"

"Not in the house, probably went out with Brother Yihu."

"..." The smile on his face gradually subsided, and his voice was soft, "Xia Lijiang...what are you talking about, I'm right in front of you..."

The girl opposite did not respond at all.

……

She lowered her head and remained silent for a while, then Qianqian slowly turned around and came out of Herosaki's house.

"what happened……"

The spoken words dissipated in the air without being heard by anyone.

Slowly walking to his school along the path Ichigo used to walk with, hands clasped behind their backs.

She tiptoed lightly, her silver hair swaying slightly behind her.With her head lowered, the bangs on her forehead covered her expression, but she could still see the slight curve of her lips.

Although she deliberately slowed down her walking speed, Qianqian still walked quickly to Ichigo's school.

The convenience store I visited before was still the same as before, and the two old people still got along with each other as before, without any change.

The uneasiness in her heart gradually expanded, Qianqian glanced at the two old people again and walked into the school.

"Kurosaki-kun!" As if wanting to prove something, Qianqian stood beside Ichigo and shouted loudly.

But the young man who had always disliked him didn't respond this time, and he didn't even linger on her for a moment.As if standing here without her, Qianqian's eye sockets suddenly became moist thinking about it like this.

"Hmm..." As if sensing something, Ichigo turned his head slowly, then his expression changed, and he lowered his voice, "When did you come?"

"Aha, of course I came in when Kurosaki-kun didn't see~" Tilting his head and smiling, he looked very happy on the surface.

"That's it... Anyway, don't stand here, just stay behind."

【What are you talking about... Kurosaki-kun, I've been standing here for a long time...】

"I see~"

"Strange..." After school, Ichigo picked up his schoolbag and looked at the back of the classroom, but he didn't see anyone. "Where did that guy go, didn't he say to stay behind?"

"Ichigo, what are you talking about?" Chadu's voice came from behind, and Ichigo hurriedly turned his head and greeted him with a smile, "It's nothing, let's go back together, Chadu."

"Oh."

[Kurosaki-kun... I'm right here, why can't I see it...]

Qianqian who had been standing at the back of the classroom showed a bitter smile, followed Ichigo closely with his gaze, but that person didn't feel the gaze behind him at all.

"Am... am I going to disappear?"

"See you tomorrow, Chadu!" Ichigo said goodbye to his friends at the fork in the road, turned around in a good mood, and wanted to walk towards his home.

But then he suddenly frowned, "Hey, what did you do? Really, don't just run around."

"Kurosaki-kun..."

Standing in front of Ichigo, Qianqian smiled slowly, but Ichigo could clearly see the teardrops hanging from the corners of her eyes.

"What's wrong with you? Someone bullied you?" Ichigo asked with a frown, not understanding why she was crying again.He didn't bully her, it's just that his tone was not very nice...

Seeing that Qianqian didn't answer, Ichigo couldn't help softening his attitude, "What's the matter? Only by telling me can I help you."

"That's right..."

"That's it!"

He looked at Ichigo with a smile again, with an emotion that Ichigo couldn't understand in his shallow eyes, "Kurosaki-kun, can you take me to see that person again? Now!"

"Now??"