One moment, that is all it takes. Going from dark to light, where one swift moment can change your entire perspective. That is all it really took for me, a hint of happiness within a minute's time, to go completely insane.
~ My College Romance Disaster ~
Ticking, ticking, ticking; the watch around the boy's wrist wouldn't stop its insistent pounding against the glass containing it. His mind went blank, trapped inside the foreign land of his imagination. The students around him did nothing but keep their peace, listening to the lecture their professor was giving. Strawberry blonde brows furrowed as he searched within his soul for a single reason to hold back his frustration, to not let his anger get the best of him. His body was heating, his blood was boiling, and he was sluggishly drifting into the devious plots to tear his target to shreds. The beating of his rapid heart sounded loudly in his eardrums, sweat trickled off the top of his forehead, his teeth nipped violently at his soft pink lips, and he was growing impatient. Time slowed, bringing him into a prolonged silence, before his wish was granted. The harmony of their Academy's signature song sang beautifully to him, signaling the time to leave campus and go home. Right when he was a step away from being out the door, his teacher advised a little chat before he goes. Shakily, he made way back to his seat, flustered with the newly discovered information he had heard about mere minutes before the class started.
"Don't you have anything to say, Kurosaki?" There was a pause, the elder giving his student enough time to respond, but it grew weak as silence began to claw at his throat and his instructor chose to terminate the lack of conversation. "I know this is a lot to take in, and that you unmistakably hold a grudge against me, but you must understand that this wasn't my decision. If I don't see any improvement from you, I'm afraid the school board has thought of kicking you out. You can go."
Chapter 1
It was around the time frame of two in the morning when the orangette eagerly awaiting his refreshment from the blonde host. When he was only met with Jinta, a preteen who miraculously got a job at the liquor shop, he felt a little disappointed. It only took a few seconds after seating himself for his usual to slide toward him from the counter bar, leaving him to wonder if he really was that predictable. "Hey, have you seen Kisuke anywhere? I've been trying to get ahold of him for a couple of days now."
"He said he had paperwork to do," replied the shy voice of a seven year old girl, pointing to the house entrance that was connected to the joint, "He said that if you needed him you could go right up."
Ichigo couldn't help but smile at that, he always liked how the Urahara planned things out ahead of time. He couldn't believe four years have passed since they last seen each other, right before he studied abroad. A lot has happened since the teen left his home, vowing on his grave that one day he'd return. So here he is, keeping his promise while gulping down his drink before starting for the stairs. Each step taken was agonizingly slow, flustered at the thought of the elder's reaction upon seeing him, making him fidget nervously along the way. His heart pounding curiosity fled him as he reached the top, flinching when a loud crashing sound resonated from the other side of the bedroom door. "Oh my, it seems I have made a mess yet again. Yoruichi is sure to make fun of me." Ichigo couldn't help but burst out in laughter, bringing up the back of his hand in attempt to muffle the sounds. Although he was significantly older, Kisuke had a habit of being the clumsiest person ever when it came to work. The shop keeper was Ichigo's teacher back in his junior year of high school, besides his serious side, the little mistakes he made in class would quickly turn into a chaotic mess that the carrot top had to help clean. Basically, it was a deadly domino effect that had the students running for their lives; far from a job well done. "Kurosaki, are you going to stay out there, or let me know the reason for your visit?" 'Oops, I've been caught.' The teen pushed through the wooden barrier, welcoming the hilarious view of his sensei with a bowl of Ramon for a helmet, and leaned down next to him; giving him a questioning glance. "Kisuke, you can't go one minute without my help, can you?"
"Kurosaki, to what do I owe this pleasure? Here for dating advice for Kuchiki-san?" The bar host pried the meal off before taking a seat on his king sized bed, displaying a cute pout before it diminishing in thin air.
"There is no way that is happening! Rukia is too busy playing match maker to find someone of her own, let alone me."
"Match maker?'
"She has been trying to get me with random guys for weeks now! She'd rather have the real life experience of BL than go on a real date, though I can't really blame her, considering how stupid Renji is she made the right choice. I just wish she wouldn't use me as her guinea pig." He took place right beside his comrade, scratching the back of his neck like he always does when he lacks a topic for conversation.
"Kurosaki, what are your preferences? Don't you want to marry a nice girl, maybe even have children? I wish I had settled down, I was too focused on my career to even think about starting a family. Now look at me, twenty-seven with nothing but a shop to cater to."
"I don't know, really. Goat face has been on my tail, nagging about when I'm going to impregnate a one night stand so he could have grandchildren. I just, it just doesn't seem right."
"You didn't tell him, did you? The fact that you swing both ways is a crucial fact that will come out sooner or later, why not sooner? That way, there's less problems and it'll be easier to deal with." Surprisingly, that was some pretty good advice to be giving. Ichigo didn't think Urahara was even capable of saying that, it was a complete shock for him. It wasn't like the blonde was as much of a dumbass as Renji, but he was real dense when it came to certain things. For example, it has been four years and the adult doesn't have the slightest clue just who the strawberry was interested in. Strawberry, it was a nickname given to him their first meeting. The very second Kisuke set eyes on the teen's vibrant hair color, he blurted out the word. That was all he could think of while Rukia and Renji nearly died from hysterics, clinging to their stomach as they tried to keep their sanity. Ichigo had to ram that pineapple in the gut and bribe Rukia with chappy stuffed animals to get them to drop it. This is actually the first time remembering it in a while. These small moments actually make Ichigo ponder about his own feelings, it was no surprise to him that the shop keeper had no realization towards them, the boy couldn't even come to terms with them himself.
"Kurosaki, why the long face? If I had a nickel for every time you'd smile, I'd be homeless. I like living here, with Ururu, Jinta, and Tessai, so please don't make me a hobo before I reached my thirties."
"Hehe, don't worry, Kisuke…..don't you worry."
̴ SCHOOL COURTYARD THE NEXT MORNING ̴
"So, what? Quit being a pansy and tell him you have the hots for him! If you don't get off your ass and explain how badly you need his dick, then someone else would get it!" Rukia tried balancing on the school's railing, slipping and falling straight into Orihime's breasts. Apologizing as she bounced right back into the pole.
"Shut up, midget! I knew I shouldn't have come to you with this," claimed Ichigo, sitting with his circle of friends who are failingly trying to coach him. "I need to do something, I need him to notice my feelings, but, he just isn't."
"There is one thing you can do," suggested the petite sadist, picking herself up from the floor and dusting off her rainbow dress, "but you are going to have to keep an open mind about, basically, stop being a dumbass! Well, here is what we would do. Me, you, Uryuu, and Chad will meet up everyday after our classes for some special training." She finished sucking on her raspberry lolipop and threw it in the dumpster, getting straight to the point. "From now onwards, you will learn, and practice, the art of seduction."
Without knowing it, that is where my life started to change. That one moment of weakness is what caused the mess I am currently in. If I can go back in time, I would've changed my answer. Now, I might have just lost my real chance of winning over the person I fell in love with. Yeah, life sucks.
