(Ichigo/OC, IchiRuki-implied, Uryu/OC, Toshiro/OC) What if the one person who loves you the most is the only person who can save you now? She can give Ichigo the strength to save Rukia, but at what cost? Ichigo hardly knows her, but the Soul Society is about to send a deadly attacker to take her out, if Rukia hadn't gotten in the way! Now, Rukia's life dangles by two threads; the attacker's only human trait and a girl nobody knew existed until just then. Ichigo must decide between love and true friendship.

-Karakura High-

Ichigo slumped in his seat as the last bell for the day rang. He slid his bag off the hooks on the edge of his bed and started putting his books away. He had missed it, the whole day, because Hallows were attacking from everywhere. Kon had taken care of it and hadn't caused anymore troubles for Ichigo.

But Ichigo always noticed a bit of strange looks from some of his classmates.

He was just getting up when he noticed he'd missed his homework notebook and it had fallen. He went to pick it up when someone else did.

Ichigo wasn't shocked it was Mina Tezuka, the girl who sat behind him. Why her parents gave her a guys name was beyond anyone's idea. But Mina was a pretty girl, too. She had a blend of marigold and orange eyes. Her hair started out brown and faded to black towards the back and down. She always wore a silver chain with an empty locket that was quite small. Her socks were black and went under her skirt.

"Mina-san, arigato."

She nodded, a faint blush forming on her face.

Ichigo blinked and then remembered their height difference. She was only four-feet, nine-inches tall... and he was five-feet, nine-inches. The whole foot and the fact that she was more slender than other girls and the fact that Ichigo was more muscular made Mina look absolutely tiny beside him.

Something about Mina always made Ichigo feel welcome, no matter where he was. She cheered him up after so many little things that could've gone wrong. Mina seemed to blend into the background, though.

Ichigo could swear that Mina had a sixth sense, because he could feel an aura of some reiatsu coming off her. But she showed no signs of knowing Hallows were around the school at all when Kon would switch with him.

"Kurosaki?"

"Mm?" he replied, putting the notebook away.

She paused and waited for him to finish, like she always did. "What happened to Kuchiki-sama?"

Ichigo started and then looked at Mina. "What?"

"She's acting strange. She's normally docile and kind. Today she was... happy and out-there. Did something happen between you two?"

"No. What gave you that idea?"

"You're just so close to her, is all." She smiled and then turned away. "I need to go. ja ne, Kurosaki-kun." She ran out the door.

Ichigo watched her go and wondered if she could really tell the difference...

Something split the air and made it heavy and Ichigo knew it was a powerful hallow heading towards the school. But as suddenly and quickly as it rushed in, it vanished right before the main gates. It was as if it had just popped in and popped out. Ichigo grabbed up his school bag and bolted out the door, running to catch up with Chappy, Uryu, Orihime, and Chad. He knew Rukia had been injured and Urahara was taking care of her.

He nearly bumped into the back of Mina. Instead, he moved to the side and kept running.

Mina's orange eyes followed the back of his head. She never saw his face as often, now that he had a million and one friends. She was a wallflower and Rukia had beaten her to the one person she admired and wished to be with. Mina closed her eyes and started walking the opposite way that Ichigo was going. She lived not far from the school and was planning on retiring to her room quickly.

No point dawdling over Ichigo.

He already had a girlfriend.