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It Was Just A Kiss

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Rukia moved her head as she lifted her eyelids. She blinked twice. Suddenly, a dismay look appeared on her face as she heaved a sigh. She looked on the other view still blinking her eyes. She thought she saw something but found it impossible. It wasn't the person she was looking for.

"Where are you Ichigo?"

Scratching her head, she took a step forward and lifted her toe upward. Her eyes were still searching and hoping to have glimpse of that person. She wasn't sure where the idiot Ichigo had gone off. She actually had no idea where he went off.

Rukia wondered why the hell was she searching for him. It's not like her to search for a person without any definite reason. Looking up at the dark night sky, she thought maybe she was feeling lonely and that she needed some company. Besides, it was getting late so it wouldn't hurt if she will look for him and bring him home. She had her reasons, right? The reasons are well enough for her to do such thing as now.

Was it… really her reason?

She shook her head. Of course, she thought, I have to bring him home.

Rukia went back to reality and looked around. She didn't notice that her feet brought her to the park.

She smiled. The solitude atmosphere of the place aroused her being within. The cold wind swayed her dark hair away from her skin. She closed her eyes. As the continuous wind rolled over her whole body, she was being mesmerized. Somehow, she was feeling relaxed.

"Ichigo…"

Rukia opened her eyes. She turned around when she thought she heard someone calling for Ichigo's name.

Her eyes widened. Her lips opened. In her front stood two people very close to each other. One of them, in a figure of a woman, was holding her partner by wrapping her arms around her neck. The other person stood steadily without doing anything. That other figure was a man.

What really got her attention is the closeness of their faces. It's like… they're kissing.

She moved closer as she examined them. When she was close enough, she then realized who were these people. She put her hands on her mouth attempting not to make a noise. She felt her tears rolling from the sides of her eyes as she watched these couple.

The other figure was Ichigo… with that girl.

Rukia couldn't stand the sight and turned her head on the right. She closed her eyes letting more of tears to roll down. She didn't know why but her heart was feeling so much pain and it was killing her so deeply. She wanted to run… run as far as she could to get away. But her feet had gone weakened. She couldn't move from her spot.

"Rukia?"

Rukia quickly opened her eyes and lifted her head to face Ichigo.

Ichigo was looking at her with a serious frown written all over his face. He seemed shock. His mouth hung opened and his eyes turned round.

"Who is she, Ichigo?" the girl asked looking at Rukia and shifted to Ichigo.

"What are you doing here, Rukia?" Ichigo asked as he took a step forward completely ignoring the question of the girl.

Rukia got frightened and took a step backward. "I…"

Without saying further, Rukia took all of her strength and ran as fast as she could go.

OoO

Rukia bent her knees and pulled them towards her wet face. She cried silently over her knees.

"Stupid Ichigo… Stupid…"

She lifted her head. She lifted her arm and brushed it against her tears.

"I will never cry again. Besides, why would I cry? It was just a kiss! A stupid kiss!"

"It was just a kiss, eh?"

Rukia turned over her shoulder. She saw Ichigo standing not so far from where she was sitting. She saw him smiling but with the same frown he always have on his face.

Rukia hide her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be the one who must ask that? What are you doing sitting on this tree?"

Rukia heaved a scowl. "You were searching for me?"

"Yeah. Took me a lot of time to find you. Never thought you'd be here." Ichigo moved closer and sat beside her. "What were you saying a while ago?"

Rukia faced him unkindly. "I didn't say anything. You heard me wrong."

Ichigo smiled. "You said you didn't say anything but heard you. You're making speeches that are contradicting."

"Whatever…"

"You were there when-"

"When she kissed you? I don't care."

There was a moment of stillness. They both stared at the dark sky watching the stars as they shone brightly. Ichigo turned over his shoulder and watched Rukia. He noticed how puffy her eyes had become. She looked sad.

He was there when he heard her say 'it was just a kiss'. He wasn't sure if she was pertaining to him. He even wasn't sure if that's what he heard from her.

"Then why are you-"

"I was there because… it just so happened that I saw you. It was a coincidence."

Ichigo laughed a bit. "You are very defensive. I was just about to ask why you were crying."

Rukia stiffened. "Just letting you know in case you ask."

Ichigo beamed. "That was nothing. Actually we're not kissing."

"Don't talk dumb. It's very obvious."

"You don't believe me? What if I tell you that she's my cousin."

Rukia quickly looked at him. "Don't joke with me."

"Nope. She really is my cousin. And we're not kissing. We're hugging. It was a thanks for accompanying her in meeting her boyfriend. I was about to leave when I saw you."

Rukia stared at him. She wasn't sure what to believe. She knew she saw them kissing. It was a kiss!

"But… but wasn't that a kiss?"

"No. How can you be so sure that that was a kiss? The place was so dark and you were standing much farther from us."

"But…"

Ichigo sighed. "Why are you so pushy about this?"

Rukia smiled. She didn't know why but she was so relief. She looked down as her smile broadened. "I thought-"

"You thought it was a kiss. You thought I kissed someone, do you?"

Rukia felt his offense raged. She bit her lips and prayed silently. She had to think of a counter attack. What will she do now? She was panicking from her place.

"So what?" Rukia let go of her knees and put it freely on the air. She faced Ichigo with a strong feature. She raised a brow. "I don't care if you kiss someone. Go ahead and kiss them if you want. It isn't my concern if you will be kissed or not. Besides, I am not a person who will get excited just because of a kiss."

Out of nowhere, a hand suddenly appeared behind the back of her neck. It pulled her slowly towards something and it took so fast that she wasn't able to resist or react.

When she felt something warm and soft over her lips, she got excited. Her whole body became weak. Her face flamed and heated up. She closed her eyes when she felt 'it' moving slowly but urgently trying to explore every inch of her lips. It suddenly came to her mind that Ichigo was now kissing and holding her and caressing her neck.

Ichigo broke up. He lifted his eyes and looked at Rukia. He put his hand on her face and gently caressed it. He saw her smiling as she looked at him.

"'It was just a kiss', eh? Are you sure that kiss didn't affect you?"

Rukia shook her head. "I guess I lied."

Ichigo laughed. "Yes you did."

And then he kissed her again. But this time, there were no doubts about how they really feel. They don't need to put them on words… because they knew, in that simple kiss; their feelings were totally the same…

And that's love.

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