Don't own bleach! Kubo-san better make it ichiruki or else…

Chapter 2

She notices the voices; it was Ichigo and Inoue talking. She could see them through a little crack of the door. "What's wrong Inoue?" Ichigo asked her. "Um… well…you see…Kurosaki-kun… I… I wanted to tell…you something that… I have always wanted to tell you." Inoue turned red as she tried conveying her feelings and moving closer to him. "It's taken me a year to tell you this because… I didn't know how to say it." She was right in front of Ichigo but through the door it looked as if they were hugging from the angle Rukia saw them in.

"I'm… I'm… well… Kurosaki-kun… I… L…Love Y…You." She confessed to him and as Rukia heard this, she couldn't help but feel as if something just pierced her heart. It also didn't help seeing them together and that hurt her even more. This pain that she never felt before until now and it was sharper than any blade.

Something wet fell from her eyes and when down to her rosy pink cheeks. "What the hell is this? Why am I crying? And why…why does this hurt so much?" She couldn't take anymore so she left with out a sound.

She walked by herself near the park, the one place she loved to go the most. The image of the two kept playing in her mind and the words that Inoue said to him shattered her heart into pieces. Rukia sat down near the lake looking at her reflection as the cold winter air blew her hair and making her cheeks a much brighter shade of pink.

"I'm so stupid! BAKA, BAKA!! I'm such an idiot! Of course he would of moved on. It has been a year since we saw each other so it was totally natural for him to forget all about me." She tried comforting herself.

"What did I expect from coming back here? Why did I come back?" Rukia's tears fell from her dark purple eyes and into the lake creating ripples on her reflection. "Your such a mess Kuchiki Rukia! How pathetic and weak of you! The Kuchiki's doesn't show weak emotions like this. These feelings you have shouldn't even exist and they aren't necessary for a shinigami. You're the 13th squad lieutenant and you mustn't show weakness." She told herself trying to dry off her tears. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bracelet that had a heart for a charm which had her name engraved on it. Rukia held on tightly to it, remembering that night.

(Flash back)

They had won the winter war against Aizen and every thing was at peace at the moment. Ichigo and Rukia were at the 13th division and they were outside sitting near the river. They both knew that they might not be seeing each other for a while so they spent their last day together.

"It a beautiful night specially with all the stars out and not a cloud in sight." Rukia stared at the dark blue sky. Ichigo looked at her and couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She was so beautiful in the moonlight. How her soft skin glowed, her eyes sparkled and how it reflected the stars. "Yeah, it is beautiful." He was lost in her dark purple eyes and it was like staring into her soul.

"Ah! Wait Rukia before I forget." Ichigo reached into his robe and pulled out a silver bracelet. "I know this isn't much but I thought of giving it to you." Ichigo was blushing and his whole face was pure red. Thankfully they were out side in the dark so it wasn't noticeable.

"No, Ichigo that was really sweet and thoughtful of you. Arigato." She smiled at him but Rukia didn't expect out of all the people she knew, she didn't think Kurosaki Ichigo would ever in a million years do something sweet for her.

After all it was Ichigo the guy who was always hot headed and the stubborn orange-haired shinigami that never listened to a word she ever said.

Ichigo placed it on her wrist and Rukia couldn't help but turn red as he gave it to her. "I wish you didn't have to go Ichigo." Ichigo looked at her with a sad look on his face because he too wished that he could be with her and not have to leave.

"Rukia… you see those stars up there?" She nodded. "Find that brightest star and when ever you feel lonely look at that star because I will be look at it too being reminded of you." Ichigo whispered to her softly.

He reached his arms out and hugged her. He tightened his embrace around her not wanting to let go. Rukia was in shock of what was happening but soon enough she too also wrapped her arms around him. "Rukia… I don't want to let go…"

(End of flash back)

"I can't believe that I was so foolish as to think he really cared. Maybe it's better this way." She started walking again and decided to return to Urahara's store for it was getting dark.

As Ichigo left the classroom he couldn't believe what just happened in there and he tried to put it all behind him. As he looked at the clock and it was getting late so he headed for home. Ichigo decided that after he washed up he would go to Urahara's place in hopes Rukia would still be there.

However right after he got cleaned up and was about to head for the door his father stopped him. "Where are you going Ichigo?" His father asked him. "Nowhere! And it's none of your business!" Ichigo hissed back. "Ahh! I know perfectly well were your going son!" His father smirked at him. "You're going to pick up some ladies aren't you?"

"WHAT THE HELL! I swear old mad you are so freaking perverted! What the hell makes you think that I'm going to do that! I'm not like you!" Ichigo shouted back at his father. "Ouch!! That hurts! Do you know how much that hurts me to hear my one and only son talk like that?" His father said dramatically with fake tears coming down his eyes. "Well I wouldn't have said that if you didn't mention it in the first place."

He looked away and said, "I'm going to see a friend that I haven't seen in over a year." His voice changed a little. "So I see. Is it your girlfriend?" his father replied back. "NO! NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ichigo was shouting again but this time Yuzu heard him. "What onii-chan has a girlfriend?" Yuzu looked surprised.

"No Yuzu you have it all wrong." Ichigo tried to explain but it was too late she was telling Karin. "Karin did you know onii-chan has a girlfriend and he's going to meet her!" "What? Something about Ichi-nii having a girlfriend? Well isn't this surprising." Karin came down stairs but it was no use because they were started asking him questions and Yuzu suggested that he should bring her over.

When Yuzu said that his father had that devious look again. Ichigo was going to leave when his father reminded him, "Ichigo don't forget to bring her back here. She must be really cute ne Ichigo?" "Shut up!" Ichigo was blushing. 'Of course she was cute.' He thought to himself.

'Wait what did I just say? Rukia c…cute? What the hell am I thinking?' Rukia was more than cute to Ichigo's eyes but he would never admit it not even to himself.

At Urahara's place, Rukia was sitting quietly drinking tea and not saying a word ever since she came back that afternoon. "What's wrong Kuchiki-san?" Kisuke asked. Her face was lifeless, emotionless, and deep in thought.

"Oi! Rukia can you hear me?" Yorouichi tried getting her attention. Rukia snapped out of it, "Oh… gomen was I spacing out?" She replied.

"What happened Rukia? Right after you came back you look so down. Did something happen between you and Ichigo?" Yorouichi asked. "No, cause I didn't see him and I'm fine, just thinking about work that's all." She tried reassuring them that nothing happened. Rukia got out of the gigai and was a shinigami once again.

Just then her cell rang, "Hello?" Rukia answered. It was her brother. "Yes Nii-sama?" Rukia stepped out side and nodded as she listened to Byakuya speak. "I understand. Yes Nii-sama I will." Rukia hanged up and went back to the store.

"I have to go because there will be a meeting for all captains and vice-captains tomorrow." Rukia explained to Kisuke and Yorouichi wondering what was going on. "That sucks. You're leaving so soon Rukia. Being fuku-taichou is a big responsibility and a lot of work." Yorouichi sympathized with her and Rukia headed out.

"What about Kurosaki? Are you going to leave with out a word to him." Urahara asked "Yorouichi-san, can you do some thing for me?" Rukia asked the longhaired woman. "Sure what is it?" "Can you make sure that Kisuke doesn't got blabbing to Ichigo that I was here and if he does come by tell him that I never came because I had too much work to do." Rukia asked Yorouichi. "That's kind cold Kuchiki-san. Leaving with out a word to him." Kisuke looked at her.

"I think it's for the best and promise me you aren't going to say a word to Ichigo." They both nodded reassuring her that they will do what she asked of them and she left right after that moving swiftly using shunpo.

10 minutes passed since Rukia left and someone was knocking on Urahara's door. Yorouichi opened it and surprisingly enough it was Ichigo. "YO!! Ichigo long time no see and what brings you here?" Yorouichi asks him. "Nothing really. Is Urahara-san here?" "Of course he is." "Ohh! Kurosaki-kun what brings you here at my store at this time at night?" Kisuke asks but both him and Yorouichi knew why he was there. "You know how you tolled me that Rukia will be coming on this day? Well is she here?" Ichigo looked away scratching his head as he started to blush.

"Ahhh! That's why you're here! To see R-U-K-I-A!! That's really sweet of you Ichigo. I never knew someone like you would go all the way here for a girl. Wait not just any girl, Rukia the LOVE OF YOUR LIFE!" Yorouichi teased him and Ichigo was bright red as a tomato. "Rukia is not the love of my life!"

"Sure she isn't! Its okay Kurosaki-kun you don't have to be shy about your feeling towards Kuchiki-san. You can hide it all you want but the fact is that you came all the way to see her proves that you must have feelings for her ne?" Kisuke was now the one joking with Ichigo.

"Not you too Urahara-san! Its true that I came here to see Rukia because it's just that I haven't seen her in a whole year that's all." Ichigo saying in his soft low voice. "So you're saying that you've missed her." They both said at the same time. "Ahhh! Just give me a freaking break will ya. So is she here?" Ichigo wanted to know anxiously.

Urahara gave out a sigh, "Well Kurosaki-kun… she send a message and she said that she couldn't come because she has too much work to do at her division for a day off." As Urahara explained, he noticed that Ichigo was a bit disappointed. "Ohh I see." Was all he could say.

"What is she doing over there that has her so busy all the time?" Ichigo pondered. "You don't know?" They asked him. "Know what?" "Well…" Yorouichi explained, "She was promoted to vice-captain. Now she's the 13th squad fuku-taichou. News of things going on in Soul Society have reached our ears so that's how we know." Ichigo seemed to be happy just being able to hear about her.

"She's gotten stronger in the last year hasn't she?" Ichigo stood up and headed out. "Arigato Yorouichi-san, Urahara-san. I'll be heading home now."

To be continued…