Aah. Snow.

It is cold. I can feel it through the two layers of my clothes. The thick shawl around my neck at least keeps me a little warmer.

I breathe out and a cloud forms in front of me. I hide my hands within the sleeves of opposite arms and then walk, following the footprints in the snow.

Ahead of me, Ichigo walks with his two sisters, Karin and Yuzu. The latter of the two twins is speaking cheerfully to her siblings, deciding what presents to buy for fellow family and friends.

"Do you think Midori-chan will like a mittens and scarf set?" Yuzu says, pondering.

"That'd be nice." Karin didn't sound too interested.

"How about Otô-san?"

"A shaver," Karin answers mercilessly.

Ichigo snorts and Yuzu giggles. I have to hold back laughter too.

"How about you, Ichi-nii? What do you want?" asks Karin.

"Nothing in particular." Ichigo looks to his sisters. "And anyway, a gift is supposed to be a surprise. It won't be fun if I knew what I was going to get."

"Oh, come on, Onii-chan! You must want something."

"I can't think of anything."

"Oh, really?" Karin mischievous smirk unsettles me a little.

Ichigo looks unsettled too. "What's with the face? You're creeping me out."

"Nothing." Karin shrugs.

The three walk on, oblivious to my presence, continuing to list down gifts for certain peoples. Ichigo gives some suggestions once in a while, but otherwise does not say much.

Soon, they (we) reach the shopping district. Everything is blanketed in a layer of white, from the buildings to the street to the trees around the place. The snow falls lightly from the dark sky, dusting more powder onto everything, including me. Some of the fine snow melt upon contact with my skin.

"Ne, ne, Onii-chan." Yuzu was pressed up against the glass window of a store, peering inside. "What are you going to get for Rukia-chan?"

I look at them and see the twins staring curiously at the their brother, who is scratching the back of his head.

"I-I don't know," he replies.

"Well, I think I'm going to get her that Chappy plush toy she was looking at the other day!" Yuzu says merrily.

"She's too old for that stuff," Ichigo mutters. I catch the emphasis he gives to the word 'too'.

But the girls appear not to have. "All girls can have plush toys till they grow old. It's one of the many wonders of being a female. She really loves Chappy the Bunny, so I'm going to get it for her," Yuzu says with conviction.

"Up to you," Ichigo says.

"Hm. Get Rukia-chan Chappy underwear, Ichi-nii," Karin suddenly says.

"W-what?" Ichigo turns red at the thought, so do I.

The black-haired twin grins at him cheekily. "Just a suggestion, Ichi-nii. Don't need to get all embarrassed." She flicks her wrist in a dismissive gesture, laughing.

"Karin-chan, that's mean!" But Yuzu is snickering too. She then links her arm with her sister and leads her into the store she had been looking at earlier.

Ichigo stands the quietly for a minute, standing among other people shuffling in the snowy night. He lets out a sigh, white vapor appearing in front of his face. Then, he follows his sisters in.

I rub my arms and flash-step up to the bough of a naked, winter tree and crouch there to wait.

I don't really know why I have followed Ichigo and his sisters. After patrolling Karakura and wanting to return home, I saw them leaving the house. I would have tagged along in a Gigai, but I abandoned the idea, instead following them with my soul form. I walked with them, close enough to hear them but far enough not to be seen if I was careful.

This festival, 'Christmas' it was called. I am curious as to what it is. Ichigo had explained it briefly a few days ago, something about a plump fellow in a red suit and about presents and reindeers, but I didn't understand much of it. He told me not to believe in most of the stories associated with this 'Christmas'. He also told me that people exchanged gifts during this celebration.

Hmm. Now that I think about it, I haven't gotten any gift for anyone. I wonder if it's too late for it, the celebration is tomorrow after all. And I will not be able to get any in this body right now. If I were to go back home to retrieve the Gigai and return here, it would take some time and I will lose sight of Ichigo.

Why am I trailing after him again?

Down below on the street, the shop's door open and the trio exit. Yuzu is carrying a bag in her arms and so is Karin. Ichigo holds nothing.

I jump down from my perch and follow them.

They go into many shops and just peering into the windows, many more. Soon, they are holding many bags, laden with gifts. Even Ichigo is getting presents. I become curious as to what he has gotten for me.

The number of people in the streets reduce as the night wears on. The siblings decide that they have bought enough and should return home. They turn around and walk back down the street from where they had come from.

I fall into step with Ichigo, although some fifty or a hundred paces behind him. He is talking with his sisters but the twins are mostly talking to themselves, discussing friends at school and the gifts that went with each of them. When asked a question, Ichigo will answer them.

Nearing the end of the shopping arcade was a small square where Ichigo stops for a moment. He was looking downwards, muttering in an annoyed tone. Yuzu asks what was wrong and he says that his shoes are untied. He tells them that he is going to redo them for a bit. The girls say that they will be waiting by the fountain in the centre of the square.

Ichigo agrees and move off to the side where he sits on a bench and begins to tie his shoelaces.

For a moment, I do not move and just look after the twins, then to Ichigo.

As I look away, a hand grips me around the forearm and begins dragging me.

"Eh?"

I turn to the assaulter and see Ichigo.

"Ichigo?"

He pulls me to where he had been sitting and pushes me onto the stone bench. "What are you doing here?" he asks.

I could only shrug. "I have no idea."

"You were following us, weren't you?" He glances around nervously, presumably afraid someone would catch him talking to thin air.

"Hmm." I stand up, disliking being sat down by someone. "Did you know?"

"Not really. Maybe a little just now, but not earlier, if you were there at all." He looks away, almost ashamed.

"You were always bad at detecting Spiritual Presence after all," I say, just slightly teasing. He scowls at me.

"Were you there the whole time?" He suddenly fidgets, his cheeks growing redder than it had already been.

Oh. Is it about Karin's suggestion early in the evening?

"Maybe," I answer. I know from his expression that it was a good-enough answer but I didn't continue.

"Well, whatever." He tries to shrug it off but I can tell that he is still uncomfortable. "Let's go." As he picks up his load, he looks up to the sky only to stiffen.

"Ichigo? Oi, what's wrong?"

"W-where did this tree come from? And where did that come from?"

I look at the tree that had always been there, up to the point in its branches that Ichigo is looking at. Something is dangling there.

"Hm? What's that?"

"Mi-mi-mi...! OW!"

"Don't stutter fool! What is that thing?"

Ichigo turns red again, eyes wide in shock, humiliation and...fear?

I sigh. This fool will not give me the answers.

I flash-step up the tree and reach for the thing that Ichigo is afraid of. I don't take it but merely bring it closer to inspect it better.

It is a plant with tiny leaves and flowers, all bunched together. They're mostly white and cream-colored. There are even small berries tucked within its folds.

"A plant?" I call out to Ichigo.

"Mm. A-a y-yeah..."

I go down next to Ichigo. "What's so scary about a tiny plant? And it's only one of them. What, they leak poison or something?"

"Don't make up stupid things," he says, looking anywhere but above.

"So, what is it?" I am getting annoyed now and I am on the verge of hitting him.

"F-fine! But don't hit me once you hear everything!" He takes in a deep, shuddering breath. Still scowling, he says, "That plant is called a Mistletoe. It's...When two people stand underneath it, it's...they're supposed to..to..."

"To?"

"Ki-Ki..."

"Yes, I'm waiting."

"...ss."

"-ss?"

"K-Kiss, idiot! Kiss!"

I blink at him. "Look who's making up stupid stuff."

"Don't blame me! Blame the people who came up with the stupid idea!" Ichigo is so flustered that he can't look at me.

"And if they don't?" I inquire.

"A-actually, I don't know. But I've heard some say that it brings bad luck if you walk away from it."

I raise my eyebrow at him. "Don't tell me you believe in that kind of superstition."

"I-I don't know!" He crosses his arms across his chest, huffing. "F-fine! Let's go!"

When he turns, I say teasingly, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were disappointed."

He turns on me then. "WHAT?"

I wave my hand carelessly in front of me. "Come on. The tone of your voice says it. Hah! You've been a Shinigami for a while now Ichigo. Superstition and bad luck is not part of the job. Our only bad luck is our failure to guard ourself well, don't you agree?

"We've already seen so many things to answer peoples superstitions, so you shouldn't be afraid of that plant. A plant! The fearsome Ryoka boy is afraid of a mere plant! Kiss or not, you won't be cursed by bad lu-"

I could have gone on but Ichigo had grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. I gasp when he bends down and gives me a kiss.

It is not a long, deep kiss like those I read in Shoujo mangas. It is brief but forceful, enough to shut my mouth from saying anything else after Ichigo pulls away. He glares at me but his mouth is quirked up at the corners.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were disappointed if I didn't give you this."

Then he lets go of me and begins to walk away. "Let's go home!"

I am embarrassed like never before; I can feel the heat in my cheeks, myself trembling slightly, the lingering light pressure on my lips from his kiss.

"I-Ichigo," I growl with venom.

When I hear his mocking laugh, I dash after him to let loose my rage.

XXX

A/N: Haha hello again! Oh my God, this was really rushed, the story I mean! Aah...I don't really know what to say. Except that I do not know what happens if you don't kiss under a mistletoe. Can someone tell me?

Oh! And because I've been reading loads of Ouran High Host Club and other various manga, I've sorta lost my BLEACH-ness feel? I don't know how to put this.. To put it simply, as I was writing this, I feel as if the characters are not really them. I haven't written BLEACH fics in a while now. So please excuse any OOCness.

Please review and tell me what you thought! Thanks! Merry X'mas!