Never in Ichigo's life did he actually dreamed of Rukia confessing her feelings for him. And never in a million years did he actually think he would turn her down.
"Hey! don't look at me that way! I'm just saying that coz it's becoming a pain in my ass!" Rukia said with an obvious blush on her face.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow "Pain in the ass, what is that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed, he was sure a minute ago she said she loved him, but now is she saying that loving him is actually a pain in the ass?
"I just want to tell you coz it's too damn hard hiding it anyway" she said as she crossed her arms on her chest.
"Normal girls were supposed to be sweet and embarrassed when they're confessing to the guy they like, can you at least try to do that too? you were more like scolding than confessing you know" Ichigo retorted
"I guess, I was never normal" she proudly said. Then they both chuckled to each other.
When their gaze met, the two fell into an awkward silence, they look away, blushing.
"Uhmmm, Rukia.. can we still be friends?" Ichigo asked.
'yah right, you're a total fool King, friends? don't make me laugh' his inner hollow said.
'friends, I think we're betteroff that way.. I don't regretconfessinganywayatleastforthefirstandlasttimeIwasabletosayhowmuchIloveyou' Rukia thought. She smiled genuinely at him.
"Of course moron" she answered with a smile.
Ichigo felt a pang of guilt, and anger at himself. Did he just turn her down? Why? Doesn't he feel the same about her? Whatever it is, this happening will surely result in another sleepless nights.
"hey Ichigo...Can I ask a favor?" Rukia said suddenly.
Ichigo gazed at her, she's looking outside, her face seems blank but it has a hint of sadness. He wondered why? is it because he turned her down? well he guessed it wasn't just that.
"what is it?" he asked curiously.
"can you please, take care of Sode no Shirayuki for me?"she smiled to him, but that alone gave him creeps.
"why where are you going?" he asked
"nothing really, I just want somebody who'll take care of her in my place." she said.
"why are you saying that?" he didn't like the point of it all. it's like she's making a last request.
"hmmm. nothing really. Anyway you're lazing off again. Strawberry carrot top." she insulted. Ichigo's worried face turned into a scowl.
"Says the one who's laying on my bed for what it seems like forever. and dn't call me that you midget." he insulted back.
She just rolled her eyes.
The whole day passed and Ichigo claimed that Rukia's been acting weird, not because of that confession thingy before but because of something he couldn't quite point his finger at.
It was around midnight when Rukia's soulpager rang, it surprised the pair to see thousands of hollows appearing in the whole Karakura.
"lieutenant Kuchiki, substitute shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, orders from above. the whole hueco mundo has lost it's balance and millions of hollows are charging against the human world and whole of soul society, this is an emergency, I repeat this an emergency. we have to put and end into this before this resulted into more casualties. please... help us save both our worlds." it was Captain ukitake relaying the message to both of them through a hell butterfly.
Both understood the situation. They both turned into their shinigami form and dashed out of the Kurosaki house. both were surprised to see that indeed thousands... no millions of hollows probably,
are wandering around the town.
"this sure is a disaster." ichigo claimed.
"let's go" rukia said, but before she shunpo'ed Ichigo took a glance at her, she look at him then she smiled. what Ichigo didn't expect was that, with that one smile, the feelings that he continued to burry deep within him poured out. it was then that he realized that he had always loved this girl. the same girl who was able to to stop the rain on his heart.
"Hey rukia"he called her. She just stared at him in return.
"don't die on me you midget." he said. She smirked.
"I was just about to say the same. don't die on me Ichigo." she said.
"Count on it." with that said, both shunpo'ed then do their duties as soul reaper.
After awhile. Ichigo faced the reason of the monstrous disaster. It turns out that this Shinsei has been a serious threat to soul society, he intended to collide both the soul society and the world of the living, in order to attain eternal life. which Ichigo thought as a stupid goal.
"why don't people like you dream big instead of those pointless dreams, you're a much more bigger fool than Aizen is." he said, whole charging at the enemy.
Knowing Ichigo he would finish off the battle no matter what it takes. And he did, now the only problem they had to face was how they're going to close the garganta that almost engulf half of the sky.
When suddenly a beautiful reiatsu in a form of ice together with cherry blossoms started to close the hole.
Ichigo first thought that it was Hitsugaya's hyourinmaru but realized that it was actually Rukia's reiatsu.
As their mission finally accomplished. Ichigo headed towards Rukia's direction, what susrprises him the most is that her enormous reiatsu he felt a minute ago just actually faded...
His eyed widened. At the sight of her falling down, bathing with her own blood, Byakuya surprised of what happened managed to overcome his shock charged into the last remaining enemy who stabbed Rukia.
"rukia!" ichigo called while carrying her on his arms.
"don't be so loud fool." she said then smirked at him.
"drop the act! come on let's get you healed." he brought her into Orihime who's currently staying at quarters of the 6th squad.
Orihime, intends to heal rukia's deep and serious wounds, but the petite shinigami only winced in pain.
"Stop! Inoue-san!" urahara shouted.
Orihime stopped healing Rukia, Ichigo stood up then grab him.
"why are you stopping Orihime? don't you see? rukia's wounds are very serious." he shouted.
"kurosaki.." urahara's voice turned soft, Ichigo could even see tears welling up in the corner of the blond man's eyes.
"The sword used by the enemy to stabbed was not an ordinary sword. it contains both flesh and reiatsu of a hollow a very dangerous hollow, it's way too poisonous for us.." he said, Ichigo doesn,t like where the talk is going.
"I'm afraid if we try to put on some of our reiatsu in order to heal Kuchiki-san, it'll only speed up the process of spreading the poison to her entire soul.I'm afraid... all we could do, is to... spend our very last moment with her..." with that Urahara let a tear slid down on his face. Those who were around gasps at the sudden surprise.
Ichigo's eyes widened, he we felt as if the rain started pouring inside once again.
"rukia..." he said.
After spending almost a couple of hours waiting for the others to bid their farewell to her, Byakuya allowed Ichigo to see her and let him say his goodbye to his bestfriend.
He entered her room with a sad face, he couldn't look at her. knowing that any minute by now, she would be gone.. again.. but this time he will lose her completely. He was about to say somethijng when Rukia threw a pillow at him.
"stop looking like you're the one who's about to die! idiot!"Rukia said with a smirk.
"rukia... it's never easy for me... I'm about to lose you.. again and again.." he sat beside her, his hair covering his eyes.
she didn't say a thing, she sat and hugged him, the substitute soul reaper was shocked at first but eventually hugged his best friend back.
"ichigo.."rukia said with a soft but weak voice which scares Ichigo.
"Can you please takeme outside, I... just want some fresh air please." she pleaded. Ichigo just nodded and carried her bridal style. They went out.
Most of those around, looked at the pair with sad eyes. Knowing that any moment by now, the Kuchiki heiress would die..
The Pair sat on a river side, rukia wanted to watch the sunset. Ichigo sat beside her and she leaned back on his shoulder, Ichigo placed his arm around her, protectively.
"hey Ichigo, can you please say goodbye to your family for me? I want to thank them personally but I guess I couldn't do it anymore." she softly said.
He didn't say a thing, he just stroked her hair and smell her jasmine scent,
"Ichigo" she faced him and cupped his face with her hands, then she smiled.
"thank you, for not letting me die alone. can I at least leave my heart to you?" she asked, Ichigo's tear fell, why did she have to leave him, she said she love him right? she said she'll always be there for him.. they promise that they'll always be together. but why is she leaving him now? that doesn't sound fair..
He held her hands on his cheeks and kissed it.
"you can, I'll hold on to it, and I promise I'll never let it go." he said.
"hey please stop crying, this doesn't suit you.. come on ichigo put on a scowl, this scene will ruin your reputation you know." she teased. Ichigo smiled a bit.
"It's okay just this one time. and besides I'm not happy with all of this.. My bestfriend is leaving me, am I not allowed to be sad?"
"fool, okay how about this, I promise to come back to be with you again
only is you stop it a deal?" Rukia said, leaning to his chest. her body is slowly turning numb and her vision is starting to blur.
"Deal. you better fulfill that promise.. you know what I'm capable of doing right?" he replied, putting his arms around her.
"Hmmm" rukia's getting tired and she's barely hearing and seeing anything now. she couldn't even see Ichigo's face anymore..
she guessed it's already time.
"ichigo, I'm getting sleepy.. can I get going now?
"will you stay if I say no?" Ichigo replied with a sad voice, he knew it's already time. it's just too fuck'n hard to accept it.
"no" she replied with a smile.
"thought so." he hugged her tighter, but rukia break free from his hug with all the force she could muster.
She cupped his face and leaned to to kiss him. it was soft, meaningful kiss.
"I love you.. Ichi..go" she said as she fell to his chest.
Ichigo's eyes widened, the time has come, she's gone.. already gone.
he embraced her lifeless body.
"rukia, sorry to break the deal, but just this one time." he cried to her.
"I love you so much" he whispered.
Silently praying that she could still hear his words, and she could still hug him bag to ease the pain.