Back from a looooong hiatus! I am not abandoning my other story, just don't have the inspiration for it at all. Hope you all will enjoy this story! Not the best first chapter... I didn't reallllllyyyyy like it, and I might - MIGHT - re-write this in the future. But for now, I'm happy!
Yes, English is my first language, but grammar... argh grammar. I try (:
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any characters in Bleach. Thank you for everything, Kubo-sensei.
Today is officially the worst day of Rukia's life.
Sure, she had bad days: like the time when she fell face first in a pool of mud after being wrongly accused of stealing someone's favourite unicorn plushie keychain (dude, that trinket was gross, why would anyone steal it), or when she found out that she had to leave her home and fend for herself at age 16, or when her very first boyfriend CHEATED on her, or when she met that insufferable man who deserved a special place in hell.
All of those were nothing as compared to today.
From the moment the clock struck twelve, Rukia knew – she just knew – that today was going to be a bad day.
She could literally feel and smell the ominous aura around her.
That, and the fact that this place was reeking of alcohol and gag inducing smoke, as she stood behind the counter of her new bartending job.
As if someone up there wanted to prove that Rukia can, in fact, tell the future and be better off as a fortune-teller, the next customer who walked in and towards the counter had striking blue hair, a huge smirk, a chain across his torn jeans, tattoos on his biceps… overall, a look that just spells trouble. He eyed Rukia from head to toe and back up again before smirking wider.
So wide, Rukia could swear she saw his molars despite the distance.
It really didn't help that the boss of this place requested – more like coerced – all his female workers (maybe some males too) to dress scantily for work. Rukia was already the most covered up with a tight button down shirt (with the top two buttons undone) and a black mini skirt.
She had spent the first day here pulling on her skirt, not used to its short length; but soon, she realized it only made the scumbags here drool further to whatever weird and lewd thoughts they were fantasizing over. Nevertheless, her outfit still attracted unwanted attention, Mr Blue Hair included, which was exactly what the boss wanted in the first place.
She smiled politely at his compliments and declined cordially to his advances. But still, he stayed at the counter, not even sparing another look at the other more eager girls in the bar. The wolf licked his lips and huge canines every time the petite black-hair woman leaned over the counter to pass some customers their drinks; her cleavage being in full view, that and how the position looked somewhat suggestive.
An hour and five drinks later, he decided to become a little bolder. It irked Rukia to no-end every time he would oh-so-accidentally lightly brush her butt; when she glared at him, he either look away, or worse, smirk right back at her. Rukia could feel her patience wearing thin.
That was why when the last brush of the butt was accompanied by an uninvited squeeze; she punched him square in the face without so much of a hesitation.
And that was how Rukia got fired from her job that paid well.
How was she to know that Mr Smurf Hair was a frequent and valued customer of the bar and pissing him off meant losing her job?
The day didn't get any better after that. Of course, the mother of all bad days wouldn't be letting Rukia go so easily.
After that rough night of getting groped, screaming at her boss (or ex-boss) and, then, getting no pay for her past week of work, all Rukia really wanted was to get at least some sleep before her next job.
But no. That ain't happening.
She walked up to her apartment door only to realize that her keys won't fit. At first, she thought that she was going crazy causing her to constantly pick out the wrong keys to slot into the keyhole. It wasn't until her landlord came up to her with her belongings in a box that she understood what was going on.
She tried begging, bawling, kneeling down and crying… Needless to say, those buckets of tears were wasted.
It was just three paltry months that she didn't pay her rent! He didn't have to make her homeless! Such heartless creatures.
So lugging on to the box and her luggage, Rukia wandered the streets towards her next workplace; looking at the time, she was about to start her shift at the café anyway.
And it started raining. Heavily.
Yes, at 6am in the freaking morning.
Let's face it: thunderstorms and mornings just don't go well together if you're not snuggled up in a comfy bed.
Also, her belongings, due to the flimsy material of a cardboard box and the lack of a good suitcase, were slowly getting soaked.
Just as she was about to turn the corner towards the direction of the café she worked at, Rukia found herself on the floor, and wetter than before. With her belongings scattered on the sidewalk.
Who did she bump into?
Yes. Her ex. The one who cheated on her? Yeah, that one. Together with his new girlfriend.
Seriously? Of all the times to bump into the absolute last person she wanted to see!? Why couldn't she have bumped into them when she was about to receive a Nobel Prize? Or when she was dating the most drop-dead gorgeous model? Or when she discovered a new innovation and was earning butt-loads of money? Or, at the very least, when she was wearing something that is not an over-sized hoodie with a stain from last night's soup?
No, she had to bump into them wearing said hoodie, when she just had the worst night of her life, when she was drenched from head to toe, when she was barely surviving college life and juggling with two low-paying part-time jobs, and was currently sitting in a puddle of water.
And that stupid girl had the cheek to offer her a handkerchief.
Please, like hell would she accept that polka-dotted handkerchief of sympathy.
Blame it on the deity of bad days or a full night without sleep as within minutes into her shift at the café, Rukia was involved in a kitchen mishap causing her to burn off some of her hair. Thankfully, her manager was kind enough to give her some time off to run to the nearest salon and get a quick fix on her uneven hair. But, you know, hairdressers; they just don't get lengths right somehow. And a quick trim turned out to be a major hair makeover and her previously long hair was brutally severed, and Rukia was now sporting a short bob cut.
Sighing, she thought that at least that's not the worst that could happen. Still, can this day get any worse?
And it could, as she spotted the insufferable man entering the café with a huge smile on his face.
-ooo-
Today was the best day of Ichigo's life.
Okay, so he did had a couple of good days like the day he led the school team to win the annual inter-school soccer championship, or the time he had his first kiss with his high school crush, or even his university graduation day where he came in second out of the whole cohort. Missing out on the valedictorian spot to that four-eyed Ishida. Ichigo will never forget that smug look he had on his face the entire time during the awards ceremony giving him the serious urge to walk up to him and punch him in the face. Okay, so that wasn't really a good day, now that he thought about it. BUT STILL, it didn't matter, because TODAY is officially the best day of his life.
Everything that could go right went right. And plus, he was really lucky too.
First, it was the meeting with his potential client. It didn't go really well initially. Just as he thought he was unable to seal the deal as his client decided to leave; there was a thunderstorm and the client's car was literally drowning. This bought Ichigo the extra time he needed to successfully convince his client into partnership with his company.
And suddenly, even though he had such bad experience with rains, Ichigo pronounced that he was officially a fan of morning rains, specifically thunderstorms in the morning.
Sealing such a deal with one of the most adamant yet key players of the economy was not an easy feat. It impressed Ichigo's father to no end, and he decided that perhaps his son was more than ready to take over the business. With a pat on Ichigo's back, Isshin told him that he was planning to announce the handover at tonight's annual company dinner.
But there's a catch.
Actually, with Isshin, there's always a catch. He wanted to see his son get married.
Which leads to the best thing that happened today.
The family had known that Ichigo was dating someone for the past 3 years now, but they didn't know anything about her. Not even her name. He was always very secretive about it, though they weren't sure why. But it wasn't really his fault; Senna was the one who did not want people to know about it. If he could, he'd like nothing more than to shout to the world that this wonderful woman was his. She would always say that she wasn't ready, that it wasn't time yet. So when Ichigo popped the question, out of the blue, he was anticipating rejection.
But she said yes.
He sealed the best deal, got the job he wanted and was now engaged to the love of his life.
The day couldn't get any better than this.
It was 3pm in the afternoon, and he still had time before picking Senna up for the party. So without a second thought, Ichigo walked through the doors of his favourite café. Inhaling in the aroma of fresh brewed coffee, he strolled towards the counter and immediately eyed the one thing that he had craved for ever since he started avoiding this place. "One double-shot espresso and that strawberry muffin please."
"You're in luck, sir! The last one!"
Ichigo smiled while he reached for his wallet at his back pocket.
"Usually the muffins would be all sold out by now, especially this one. But we had a little mishap in the kitchen earlier and all our pastries were delayed. You're really lucky."
"Oh? Thanks!" The man usually hates chatty service staffs, but today, he was just in such a good mood, he even said thanks with enthusiasm.
His eyes involuntarily wandered around as he took his seat at one of the booths by the window. The place hasn't changed much since six months ago and the coffee was still as good. He started to wonder why he even avoided this establishment in the first place. And as if answering his question, a certain black-haired girl came into his view.
"Ah, that's why." But she looked… different today. There was something about her that made somewhat… pretty.
Excuse.
Did he really say that.
Oh god, this happiness thing has blinded him to the extent that he thought that witch was pretty.
But she was still. Different.
She looked his way and he gave a little smile.
-ooo-
What.
Did that bastard actually smile at me? For some reason, it irked Rukia to no end that he was happy. As if laughing at her face for all the misfortunes she had experienced today.
Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.
The petite girl decided that she didn't need another reason to hate today and will put her irritation aside and just ignore him. What the hell was he doing here in the first place. IGNORE.
-ooo-
20 minutes later, he was out the door to pick up a call. And the next thing you know, he was standing right in front of her.
"Will you marry me?"
Am already writing the next one. No worries (:
Reviews are greatly appreciated :D
