Chapter 5 - You Will Always be Unique

Chapter One:

You Will Always be Unique

“Here's your tea, Dad. Today's batch is chamomile.”
Ukitake gave a weary smile and slowly took the steaming cup of tea from his son's hands.
“Thank you, Hideki. Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you.”
The snowy-haired youth returned the friendly gesture and pulled the blankets over his father's frail body.
“So, uh, how's your throat today?”
Ukitake sipped his tea calmly. “It hasn't bothered me a bit,” he replied, setting the porcelain cup down on the wooden floor.
Hideki touched his father's hand. “A-are you sure?” he asked quietly. His father's health meant the world to him, much more than his own.
The Captain looked into his son's sorrowful eyes. “Yes, Hideki. There's nothing to worry about.”
Hideki paused, then nodded. “I'm gonna go out for a while. You stay put, and don't try anything sneaky!” he scolded, wagging a finger at his elder.
Ukitake, who was sitting up in bed, sighed and lay back down.
“It's for your own good, Dad. Remember what happened last time you were up and about?”
“No, don't make me relive that one again.”
The teenage boy grinned and slid the screen door shut. He sighed.

I just wish Dad would care about his health a little more...

Hideki looked out the window to see a single swallow ruffling its feathers. Funny, whenever he needed some cheering up, that swallow would appear, on that same spot, on that same branch. He had never given it much thought before, but now it seemed to intrigue him.
He reached out to touch it, and surprisingly, it didn't move an inch. All it did was turn its head towards him.
Hideki scratched the top of his head. Come to think of it, he had read something about spirits reincarnating themselves into bodies of animals... no, he was probably just imagining things.
Suddenly, the swallow spread its rusty brown wings and glided away, as if it were bored by Hideki's lack of speech and movement.
“Weird.” The boy muttered, then opened the screen door and stepped out of the house. He needed some fresh air.

- End of Chapter One-

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