The following stories were written for a Bleach Romance Contest. Here they will each reside, altogether as a set of one-shots. Please enjoy!

Jinta & Yuzu

'~**~'

The cold droplets of rain were hard to ignore. Short blond hair that normally would have played in the wind clung tightly to her small face. The yellow raincoat shielding the girl from the weather also kept a little basket, with its contents, safe. The little girl's feet lightly ascended a few stairs to the old shop door. There her slender fingers grasped a handle and the door flung open before her. She stopped, searching the room for both life and light. In the middle of the place hung a low lamp which brightened the place revealing the stores wondrous wares. Thunder sounded behind her and the girl jumped inside as the wind slammed the door after her.

"Hello?" she said meekly. Peering around on tip toe, she surveyed the room. In a corner stood a cash register, she glanced behind herself. "This must be a store," she thought, "if they haven't put up a closed sign then they must be open. The door wasn't locked."

She paused looking around the room again. Thunder roared and she cringed. Clutching the basket, she thought, "I'm not going back out there! Maybe the storekeeper just went out for a break."

With that the blond little girl perused the aisle. She fingered the wares with a delicate touch and looked everything over with a circumspect eye. The air was full of intrigue and she quickly lost track of time. There was so much to see in the little shop, that she did not hear the footsteps on the other side of the aisle. A red head stared over the rack of goods and grinned deviously. Feeling watched, the girl snapped her head up and looked around. She missed seeing the boy and went back to examining the object before her.

Suddenly there boomed a mad, villainous laugh. Jumping away the little girl looked on with terrified eyes and a pale face. The boy doubled over with laughter nearly falling to the floor. Furious the blond made her way to the boy and her face alone caused his laughing to cease. Hands on her hips, she glared at him. "How dare you!? I could have knocked something over! I could have died of fright!"

The boy looked at her and replied with a grin, "Well then you'da had to pay for it."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. Obviously he was obnoxious. "Where's the owner of the store anyway?"

The red head was about to retort. Instead he turned and walked away. "Owner in't here."

The little girl pondered the idea of the shop owner being gone. Were they the only living souls there? She followed the boy as new questions wandered into her mind. "So who is in charge of the shop?"

"I am."

She gagged. "You!? Your just a kid."

He turned around and got in her face. "Yeah, so what!? I'm responsible enough. I'm a boy I don't get all sidetracked and dreamy like some stupid little girl."

"Oh really."

"Yeah, really."

They stared at each other for a few seconds. The girl's mind engaging and working over the emotions displayed on the boys face and his chosen words. Thunder rolled and neither blinked. The boy simply stared at the blond, awaiting some snide remark that he would undoubtedly return with venom. In the silence rain softly filled the air. Then her face mellowed and she smiled.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He looked taken aback. "Jinta." He said warily.

She nodded, "My name is Yuzu. So you really think girls are… stupid?"

There was a pause. Both on his face and in the air, Jinta had expected something completely different. Not knowing what to say he finally collected himself and answered, "Yeah."

"And you're responsible for the place?"

"Yeah, what are you getting at?" He was growing impatient and almost afraid of the future words she would choose.

Yuzu nodded, crossing her arms, "So what about scaring possible customers?"

She had remembered. His eyes widened and he almost blushed. "Tha, that was for fun! I was… bored."

"Bored? Bored enough to scare a customer?"

"Yeah. What do you want?! Geez go BE a customer and buy something then! If you're a customer." The red head was flustered and quickly hurried his words, mumbling the last ones, as he turned away from her.

Jinta didn't see her smile as Yuzu turned on her heel and walked to the other side of the store. From afar he watched her continually. Then she turned around and saw him. Yuzu smiled angelically and Jinta's face burned red. "Could you reach something for me?" she asked politely.

Immediately he raced over to see her glance at him, still smiling, then point to an object up high. "It's up there see and I… I just cannot reach it."

Her wide eyes burned kindness into the boy and he nodded then left. Getting a ladder Jinta expertly climbed up and grabbed a jar labeled "Plum Sauce". Clapping her hands together Yuzu smiled in delight. "Oh! Thank you!" she exclaimed before lowering her voice and looking deep into his eyes.

Thunder rolled far away and the rain was falling lighter. Jinta nodded unable to say anything. Stepping forward he handed her the jar. As it slipped into her hand their fingers touched. Yuzu placed the jar in her basket yet, his hand remained in the air as if time held him captive. Then she lightly blushed and grasped his hand. Leaning forward she kissed his cheek softly.

Jinta was dumbfounded. She stepped back and smiled again before turning and leaving. He watched her go and a small smile crept unnoticed on his face. The sun, poured forth light in Yuzu's absence. Jinta didn't know how long he stood there staring at the door the little goddess had left by. Behind him a familiar voice fluttered into the room. "Did we have a customer today?"

Urahara's voice woke Jinta from his reverie. The boy unconsciously jumped and replied, "Yeah, nobody special though."

"Did they buy anything?"

"Yeah," he paused, staring at the door, "Plum Sauce." He pointed to a top shelf where there was a label marked "Plum Sauce". There were no more jars.

"Wonderful! So did she pay?" Uruhara could see Jinta's cheeks change tint. Then the boy went pale.

"No." He answered incredulously. In a way he couldn't believe it.

But then, neither could Uruhara. The stubble chinned man shook his head and chuckled before leaving the room. "I can't believe it; conned by a girl."

Jinta was unfazed though and a dream like appearance covered his face as he rubbed the cheek Yuzu had kissed. Today something more important had changed. He could no longer see girls as stupid. Especially a girl named Yuzu, and his last glance at the door she left by was unmistakable.

'~**~'

Thank you so much for reading. The next pairing is Ukitake & Kiyone.

Sincerely,
Anynymys1