I guess this is set in some ridiculous time period after Hueco Mundo and before the Quincy War. Because obviously after Rukia comes back everyone would just go back to school. That makes perfect sense. Stop questioning me.
It happens before the ridiculous class that humans call physical education.
Rukia has absolutely nothing against staying fit; in fact, she believes it to be an important part of a healthy body and healthy psyche. She is just annoyed that she has to participate in such activities in impractically short shorts when she is obviously the poster child for health. Still, if she is to continue to impersonate a high school girl, it can't be helped.
It is when she is getting dressed for this mundane class that she happens to notice it. Inoue is laughing at something or another, tiny shorts in place but shirt still resting on the bench. For a second, she leans down to tie her shoe, and Rukia gets an eyeful of her barely-contained womanly chest—and it.
At first, she thinks it's a birthmark, but when she gets a good look at the small, neatly drawn 四 directly over the other girl's heart, the breath whooshes out of her.
Inoue, oblivious, slips her shirt on. She must see something on Rukia's face, because she stops fixing her long auburn hair into a ponytail and asks concernedly, "Are you okay, Kuchiki-san?"
She considers parroting the question back at her, pulling her aside and demanding an explanation. In her mind, she can see Inoue's smile break, see her try to paste it back together.
She clears her throat, forces a smile of her own. "Just hungry."
Inoue lights up, linking an arm through hers and leading her out of the locker room. "Me too! It's a good thing I made a big lunch today. You're welcome to share!"
A little green around the edges, Rukia listens as Inoue lists all of the things she brought to go along with her tuna and banana sandwiches. She decides to forget she ever saw it.
Matters of the heart shouldn't always be shared.
A/N: Well, I just depressed myself.