Ping! The bullet ricocheted off the metal pipe with a bright orange spark. His heart lightly pounding against his ribcage, Ichigo crouched behind the wooden crate and yanked back the slide, ejecting the empty cartridge from his gun, before fluidly sliding in a new one. The resounding click felt nice and familiar. From behind him, several shouts echoed in the air and the thumping of running feet vibrated through the ground. Ichigo popped up and fired three times. BAM! BAM! BAM! Three bodies hit the floor, writhing in pain like unearthed worms before their bodies stilled. Someone shouted in dismay. Then Ichigo heard his name amidst a barrage of curses and smirked. In another instant though he was forced to duck as a storm of bullets pelted the wooden crate in front of him. Puffs of white dust exploded from the crate into the air, clouding the dark night. The orange street lamps gave the powder a strange glow. Well, thank god for flour bags, Ichigo thought dryly.

"Y-YOU PUNK! GET OUT HERE! FACE ME LIKE A MAN!" More gunshots. "The fuckin' fool thinks he can get away with this, huh? L-Like h-hell he can! I'll screw that s-son of a bitch over so bad he'll cry for his bitch. H-He'll regret shooting my boys!" The muttering continued on in that manner, though the man's frayed nerves was starting to cause him to stutter. Ichigo leaned back, head resting on hard wood. He let his eyes drift upwards and away from the alley into the starry night sky. He could almost forget his life was in danger. He could almost forget his mission. Almost. Ichigo sighed. Standing up, he turned around and raised his arm…

Bang.

It was quiet in the streets, save for the dripping of sewage water. Then it began to rain, full on and heavy. Maybe that was fortunate. Blood needed to be washed away and tonight, there was a lot of it.

I can't believe brother's making me do this. What could be so special about this Ichigo kid anyway? And worst of all, I have to – The door to Rukia's new dorm room finally swung open. A tall boy with black hair, brown eyes, and broad shoulders stood in front of her. She blinked for a few moments, then quickly bowed.

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Kuchiki Ryouta -" I began pleasantly. He grabbed me by my shoulders and forcibly straightened me. As he looked me up and down, I felt increasingly uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze. Did he know I was a girl? I held my breath. Why was he doing this?

"Hey, you're pretty cute," he muttered. "Slim waist, pretty boy face… interesting…"

My mouth dropped open.

He really was a pretty boy. Ichigo frowned and ruffled his hair. After a year of living in his own dorm room, he now had to share. At first, he thought it would be troublesome. But with that kid's looks, he could probably have some fun…girls loved the brother show some guys put on. And the new kid was perfect for the role. Short, fragile, yet intense violet-eyes, dark black hair, and a beautiful face. Ichigo smirked as he saw the boy – what was his name? Ryo? – drop his mouth in astonishment. Evidently, this guy didn't get out much. This'll be fun, Ichigo thought, something to pass the time anyway. I wonder what I should do.

I looked around in disgust. Ichigo lived in a pigsty. His room was littered with clothing, junk food, and discarded DVD's.

"Where's my bed?" I asked the boy lounging on the floor, eyes glued to the TV screen. Ichigo merely waved his hand, motioning for me to shut up. He was watching some reality show. I rolled my eyes and wandered back to the entrance just as the bell rang. A young-looking janitor came in pulling a cot as I opened the door.

"Hi! You must be Ichigo's new roommate. Welcome to Karakuren University! Here's your bed, I'll just set it over here?" I nodded, still processing the new personality. He was a good-looking kid, pretty tall too. He saw me looking at him and stuck out his hand.

"The name's Jake. I'm Ichigo's bud."

"Kuchiki Ryouta,"

"I'll call you Ryo, how's that sound?" I shrugged and Jake chuckled.

"Ryo it is. See you around, kid!" He waved over his shoulder and disappeared through the door.

"Hey Ryo, go get some beer. Let's have a drink – I'm so thirsty," Ichigo complained. He ripped open a bag of potato chips and began to eat noisily. I made a disgusted look. His self-confident smile and the playboy tilt of his head was excruciatingly infuriating… I stomped away to my bed and flopped onto it. He could get his own drink. Brother...why are you making me do this? The ominous reason hung in my mind, and I looked at Ichigo.

It was hard to believe that this cocky teenager could be of any interest to the police force. But…brother still sent me here, to an all-boys college. Just who was this Ichigo?

"HEY! WHERE'S MY BEER?"

I grabbed a pillow and threw at his head in frustration. Ichigo caught the pillow without looking and dropped it behind him. He stood up, stretched, loped over to the fridge, pulled out a root beer and a cherry coke. Popping the cap off the root bear, he took a swig and threw the coke over to me. It landed softly beside my head, and I nearly jumped in surprise. Before I could catch his eyes though, Ichigo had loped back to the T.V. and sat down. The silence continued for several minutes before I gave up and lay back down on the cot. I turned the cold soda in my hand, holding up to the ceiling for a few moments. My own violet eyes reflected back at me in the metal. Then a cool drop of water dripped of the can and fell onto my face. I blinked.

Guess he could be nice.

I woke early in the morning, when dawn cracked through the window. The chirping of birds was comforting. Stretching, I pulled up the blinds and looked out at the large green of the campus. The beautiful sun spilled rays of warmth across the trees and school buildings.

"Close….the….blinds…" a frightening voice growled. I whirled around to see a sunken-eyed monster glaring at me from his bed sheets. Then I noticed the scar. It was long, red, and jagged, beginning at the back of his left shoulder to the middle of his spine. Ichigo realized I was looking at it and immediately he leaped out of bed and dropped the blinds down so that total darkness descended on us. Both of Ichigo's hands extended past me. He leaned in.

"Forget what you saw," he growled. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. He stood glaring within an inch of me, almost seven feet of hulking muscle and threatening anger. Like a primitive beast. I could smell a musky scent on his skin. Though the shades cut off most the sunlight, a small glimmer of light trickled through and reflected in his brown irises, making them glow like dark fire. His warm breath reached the hairs on the back of my neck. He had me trapped.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," I said at last. Ichigo searched my eyes and then pulled away. He stalked to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. I heard the showerhead began to run and a few seconds later a steady stream of water hit the floor. Steam filed out from under the bathroom door.

"Is that scar…what brother is interested in? Does he think it's proof Ichigo is important enough to be of interest to them, the police?" I murmured to myself. Ichigo abruptly stepped out of the bathroom, shower still running. I jumped, startled. Had he heard? His angry eyes locked onto me. Water dripped down on his jaw and body, his black hair matted and stringy. Even without light, you could see his body was beautiful. I turned red and was suddenly glad for the darkness.

"I don't want you talking to anyone about my scar, okay? That's my business and mine alone," I nodded and he huffed, walking away.

At the breakfast table, I munched on my cereal gloomily as Ichigo wolfed down a sandwich.

"…No one's as smooth as Ichigo when it comes to ladies. And he always seems to know what a girl wants…for example, last time we went out to eat at a bar, we met this real hottie. We tried complimenting her, we tried buying her drinks, but nothing seemed to work. Then Ichigo came around, took one look at her and left without even greeting her. Boy was she mad! But Ichigo knew that if he treated her like a normal girl, he would instantly get her attention. He had her whipped! Man, I'm so jealous of this guy," Jake was saying.

I snorted without meaning to and suddenly the conversation stopped. Jake looked at me oddly. Oops. Well, I guess might as well say something.

"You shouldn't be. Guys like Ichigo will never be able to keep a girl," I spoke up.

"Wha-what? How could you say that so confidently?"

"Because he's a playboy! A sly fox! No girl wants a guys like that," I hissed back. Jake looked at me oddly.

"So…can you do better?" Crap, I thought. I'd forgotten I was a guy right now. I ran my hands through my shortened, choppy black hair.

"No…" I muttered. Jake laughed.

"That's interesting, Ryo! No one's challenged Ichigo before. And with your looks, it could be possible…how are you with the girls?"

I shook my head furiously.

"No no no, I'm not-"

"You're not what?" Ichigo put down his sandwich with a mysterious look.

"Not brave enough?" he finished with a grin, "It's all right, Ryouta, I understand. Not everyone can do what I can, after all."

I glared at him. "And what's that? Lying to girls? Playing with their hearts?"

He laughed. "You got it all wrong…I never lie. I don't talk intimately with more than one girl at a time, so you can't say I'm cheating."

"What he says is true. Because Ichigo is busy with his advanced classes, he doesn't usually go on dates with girls. He only promises them his service, acting like the good guy friend…leaving a lot of the girls wishing he liked them," Jake offered.

I stared in disbelief at the both of them. "You two are unbelievable!"

They looked me up and down with interest, then rapidly exchanged a few whispered words. Finally, they stepped apart and grinned at me.

"Wanna play a game?" they asked. I suspiciously shook my head.

"C'mon! If you win, Ichigo will stop winning girl's hearts the way he does," Jake baited with a smile.

"Right. But if you lose, you'll be my partner," Ichigo finished.

"Partner in what?" I asked.

"Fan service for the ladies," he winked. My eyes bugged out and I suddenly felt sick. But if I won…he would stop treating girls so cruelly. The dilemma struck my heart painfully. I sighed at last.

"What's the game?"

"Tomorrow, there's a concert downtown. A girl band is playing, and the lead singer is beautiful chick by the name of Orihime. Win her heart, and we'll admit defeat. Lose, and you're ours."

My heart sank. I had to win a girl's heart? When I myself was a girl?

"What do you say?" Ichigo prompted.

I gritted my teeth. "Fine."

Back in the dorm room, Ichigo was taking a nap before his classes. I crept towards him stealthily. In my hands was a can of orange hairspray.

"For acting like a fox with girls, you might as well look like one," I whispered.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Ichigo screamed as he stared into the mirror. He burst out of the bathroom.

"RYO, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?"

"What do you think?" the boy replied. "I dyed your hair orange."

"God damn you," he muttered as Ichigo stumbled into the bathroom again.

"My hair is freakin' orange!"

Jake entered the dorm room, his schoolbooks in hand.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Ichigo tore out of the restroom.

"Look." Jake studied Ichigo then glanced at Ryo's smirking face.

"Wow,"

"EXACTLY!"

"No…it actually suits you. Follow me. We're going to the barber."

"What?" Ichigo yelped. Jake dragged his friend out the room and yelled back at Ryo.

"Ryo, you come too!"

The finished image was actually…cool. And that pissed me off more than anything. Ichigo stood in front of the mirror, his scowl matching his bright orange spiky hair that reeked "don't-mess-with-me". He stepped closer to the mirror and cocked his head.

"Hmm…not bad,"

Jake grinned, and patted me on the back.

"I'm sure Ryo was just trying to help you," WHAT? I thought. My plan had absolutely and irrevocably backfired on me. I looked into the mirror. Three people. A tall, orange-haired playboy punk, a blonde-haired nice guy, and a short, disgruntled pretty boy stared back at me.

It was like a bad premonition of how crazy this year was going to be.

Oh nii-sama, why? I thought bitterly.

Saturday

Great, I thought. Where are they? I was standing in the middle of a crowd gathered around a small wood stage. It was 7:00, like I promised to arrive, but my roommate and his friend were nowhere to be seen. I wonder what this Orihime girl looks like, I thought.

In the shadows of a dark alleyway, my eyes suddenly noticed two shabby-looking guys surrounding a girl. I stepped closer, suspicious.

"…just buy the drugs! We need the money! If you don't do it, I'll make you regret it!" the guy was threatening.

"Hey, let's just rape her. She's not gonna buy 'em," his buddy complained.

"Good idea…let's get her over there," Shaggy-Hair replied with a nasty sneer as he cupped a hand over the girl's mouth and forcefully dragged her into the shadows.

Seriously? In like, broad daylight? Oh wait, it's 7… Oh god, what should I do?

Alarmed, I decided to rush after them. There was no time. Mop-top, Shaggy-Hair's buddy, was holding the shrieking girl while Shaggy-Hair sat on the girl's stomach.

"This is your own doing!" he reminded her.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yelled at them. They froze and glanced over at me. Then they relaxed and broke into fits of laughter.

"Hahaha! Look! It's a little pretty boy trying to play hero! What should we do with him?"

Bitter regret welled up in my throat.

"Don't call me that, you shaggy-haired buffoon!" I snapped and charged at the guys. With my right foot, I kicked Shaggy-Hair's stomach and swinging it upward, I caught him full on under the chin. He staggered back, coughing. Mop-top rushed at me, and I bent my knees, lifting him up and dumping him behind me with the help of his momentum.

"So…what were you saying about a pretty boy trying to play hero?" I snarled, the frustration of Ichigo and Jake's stupid idea of a bet and the stress of annoyingly loud rock music exploding out all at once.

"D…damn you!" Shaggy-Hair yelped and lunged towards me. With wide eyes, I recognized the shine of a blade.

Something warm and ropy hooked around my waist and yanked me away. Ichigo looked at the two druggies and laughed.

"So, this is where you wandered of to Ryo!"

"Oh, thank you for showing up now," I replied sarcastically, "And may I remind you, I was here at 7, as promised. Where were you?"

"Yeah, yeah, we told you we were gonna get drinks and that you should stay right there, but how did 'there' turn into a dark alleyway with these sleazebags?"

"Hey! Don't just ignore us!" interrupted Shaggy-Hair, the blade in his hand glinting. He gestured angrily in the air as he talked.

"You jump into my business, and now you can't even give me your full attention? I'm not someone you can treat like that!"

Ichigo scoffed.

"Business? Raping a girl is no 'business'. You don't have an ounce of self-respect in you, you slimy bastard, so it doesn't matter if I treat you like trash. Not to mention," Ichigo wrapped his long arms around me, "you dared to threaten my precious kouhai…any last words before I destroy you?"

"Cheh, just try it!" Shaggy-Hair shot back, but before he could react, Ichigo had charged forward. Like a bullet, his hand snapped out and crushed into the man's gut. Shaggy-Hair tumbled back and slid across the gravel pavement. His buddy aimed a kick at Ichigo's head, but Ichigo rotated his footing and grabbed the guy's foot. Twisting the ankle, Ichigo spun the guy around and dropped him on his face. A loud groan ripped out of the poor idiot's mouth. Blood trickled out. Shaggy-Hair got up, armed with his knife, but again, Ichigo moved so fast he didn't even have time to blink. Ichigo's fist plowed into the guy's cheek, then again on the other side, then Ichigo grabbed the neck and shoved him up against the wall.

"Agh….okay…okay…" Shaggy-Hair rasped out. Ichigo ignored him. I looked at the crying girl, who had been left out of the picture after everyone's arrival. Suddenly, Ichigo stopped. The guy slid down onto his knees, clutching his throat as if it was suddenly the most precious thing he had in the world.

"Run away. Now. If I still see you in three seconds, you'll regret it," Ichigo murmured in a low, solemn voice. I glanced at his eyes and was suddenly struck by how dark and angry they were. The two guys scrambled up and tore away down the alley. One of them tripped, landing in a puddle of mud, but he didn't even stop as he hurriedly picked himself up and ran again. They were scared shitless.

Ichigo suddenly turned to the girl."Ah, sorry. I was so engrossed in myself that I forgot my manners. You all right?" he asked. The girl looked up, her face streaked with tears.

"I-I….thank you,"

Ichigo smiled gently and gathered the girl in his arms and stood up.

"It's actually all thanks to Ryo. He got here first," The girl looked at me and blushed slightly.

"You're…a really pretty boy," she whispered.

Here we go again, I thought. Ichigo strode past us, the girl still in his arms, and as he did he called back to us.

"You guys go on ahead! I'm going to call her a cab,"

"You got it, Ichigo! Oh right, don't forget this!"

Jake threw something small and black through the air. In a wide arc, it spiraled downwards towards Ichigo. In a flash, he snatched the object from the air and winked at Jake.

"Thanks man! See ya after the concert!"

Jake waved and we watched his receding back vanish into the night.

"That player!" I muttered bitterly.

"Aw, come on, you got to admit that even you think he's seriously got charms. Ichigo was being completely sincere for that girl just now!"

I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure exactly what had just happened. Jake laughed and ruffled my hair. "You need to give Ichigo a chance, Ryo. He's a real good guy if you get to know him."

"Hi everybody! Thank you for coming out to hear ZERO PRINCE play! My name is Orihime!"

"I'm Matsumoto!"

"Arisawa Tatsuki!"

"And I'm Nel! Teehee!"

"Oh, looks like the concert is starting," Jake motioned to the stage, "Let's get going. Orihime and her band are pretty awesome."

Ichigo sat down on the bench beside the road, the girl comfortably resting in his arms.

"My friend…you know, she dates one of those dealers you beat up. I just really wish she would break up with him, but for some reason, she won't listen to me. I don't know what to tell her now that he tried to rape me."

Ichigo rocked her back and forth and leaned his cheek on her head.

"I wouldn't worry too much. If she still won't listen to you after you tell him everything you witnessed tonight, then you should give her this,"

Ichigo revealed a small audio recorder in the palm of his hand. The girl gasped.

"You recorded the conversation?"

"My friend did," Ichigo said. "It starts from when he was trying to get you to buy the drugs…"

"Oh, by the way, you passed the test," Jake yelled at me, trying to talk above the pop chords ringing in the air. Orihime and her group were amazing dancers and singers. I saw how difficult it was going to be to get her heart.

"What test?" I yelled back.

"The man test," Jake smiled, "Ichigo and I wanted to see if you had what it took to be gentleman! But Ichigo said that the girl was probably in more trouble than we could guess, so he slipped a recorder on you before we left! Then I took it back just a few minutes ago and gave it to Ichigo!"

So that was the black thing he threw to Ichigo.

"Congratulations! You passed the test!" Jake said again.

I blinked, then half-smiled.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," I told him and he grinned at me.

"I know,"

It was definitely a stupid test, but Ichigo and Jake were right; the girl would need that audio recording.

As Ichigo watched the girl get into the cab, she turned around.

"Thank you for everything. Tell your friends I said thank you as well."

"Of course," he replied. The cab door slammed shut and the girl rolled down the window.

"Oh, Ichigo? Don't be afraid of your emotions. You and that pretty boy are really cute," The cab then roared to life and sped away. The girl leaned out the window and waved goodbye. Ichigo's heart beat loudly in his ears as he stared after the car in shock.

"The fuck was that? What was she talking about?" Ichigo suddenly saw Ryo's face before him. He scowled angrily.

"What are you showing your face for, shrimp? No one would fall in love you,"

He ran his hand through his hair and walked back towards the concert.

No one! he repeated to himself, as if saying it again would make it more true.

As Orihime waved goodbye to her fans in the crowd, Jake dragged me forward.

"Come on! We got to go meet her!"

"Meet her? We can do that?" I asked, startled.

"Of course! Orihime treats Ichigo and I differently; we always get to go visit her after a concert!" Jake yelled back.

The throng of people started screaming and shrieking at Orihime, hands extended to the pop star as she descended the stage. Buff security guys immediately rushed to surround the girl.

"Okay, everyone, please back off!" A skinny police officer called into the mob, "Please let Ms. Orihime get to her destination!"

Suddenly, I lost my balance as a push sent me flying forwards. A hand grabbed my wrist and straightened me.

I looked up to meet eyes with a tall, lean boy. His smoldering black eyes stared into me like a wolf sizing up another animal. Then he straightened, and disappeared into the crowd.

"Whoa, I didn't expect Shuuhei to be here," Jake said, standing beside me.

"Shuuhei?" I asked, still slightly dazed.

"Yeah! He's pretty famous too. Shuuhei is the hottest guy from our college's rival college campus. He and Ichigo often go head to head, and in the end, it's never clear who's the winner. But while Ichigo likes his title, Shuuhei doesn't seem very into it. In fact, he's never interested in much of anything except kendo…"

I stared into the crowd, wondering if it was possible to glimpse him again.

"If Shuuhei is a wolf, Ichigo would be a lion, I think. That's the image I often get when I look at the two. Almost like fire and ice! They're quite a pair," Jake chuckled.

"Who's quite a pair?" Ichigo asked, popping up.

"Oh! We just saw Shuuhei here!" Immediately, Ichigo's face darkened.

"Huh? Where's that bastard?" I eyed Jake with raised eyebrows.

"Ah…um, Ichigo, perhaps we should get going and visit Orihime…"

Unable to locate his nemesis, Ichigo grunted and thrust his way through to the crowd to Orihime's backstage set.

"Wait up!" Jake cried.

Orihime was even more beautiful up close. She had long, distinct orange hair and dark black eyelashes. Her green irises stood out like exotic gems.

"Oh, Kurosaki-kun, Watami-kun, how nice of you to visit!" she exclaimed and hugged each of them. She hesitated slightly before hugging Ichigo, I noticed. Hm…

Jake laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"We brought a guest, Orihime-chan!"

Ichigo dragged me forward and patted my head.

"This is Kuchiki Ryouta!" he introduced with a sly grin, "Notice anything special?"

"WHOA, WHAT A PRETTY BOY!" Matsumoto cried as she grabbed me and spun me in the air. "Oh, and you're so light!"

Good grief.

"Heh, looks like Ichigo when he was younger," the girl known as Tatsuki remarked.

"Awww, it's like Ichi's lil' brother! So cute!" Nel squealed. Ichigo beamed and ruffled my hair.

"He does look like my brother, doesn't he?" Jake laughed and slapped Ichigo's back.

"Ichigo here thinks that Ryo'll help him get more girls with a brotherly affections act," he explained.

"Girls?" Orihime suddenly said hesitantly.

"Aw, Ichi, you don't need more girls! You gots us already," Nel protested.

"All right, all right, enough talk," Ichigo waved his hands, "I bet you girls are hungry. Let's go grab some dinner."

"SUSHI!" Nel shrieked happily, "It's Nel's choice this time!"

We ended up going to a restaurant by a river. Soft, rolling green hills surrounded the area, and the air smelled fresh and crispy. Inside, everyone was drinking saki. I had left as soon as Matsumoto pulled out the bottle, remembering from Nii-sama that some people were highly alcohol-intolerant. For some reason, Matsumoto-san struck me as that type of person. Loud, rambunctious laughter erupted from inside.

Suddenly, I felt another presence aside from my own. Turning around, I realized Orihime was standing a few feet away from me. She looked embarrassed.

Ah, this is perfect! I have a chance at the bet now, I thought.

"Ryo-kun…you seem really close to Kurosaki-kun," Orihime murmured with a blush.

I shook my head furiously.

"No, no, definitely not. I…disapprove of how Ichigo plays with girls,"

Orihime giggled, "Really? That's amazing. You're a real gentleman, aren't you, Ryo-kun?"

"Ah, I'm just his roommate," I explained. Orihime turned red again and I finally understood.

"Ah…so you live with him, and everything?"

"Hey Orihime, do you like Ichigo?" I asked. Her eyes shot up in surprise and she stared at me.

"Ryo-kun!"

"Oh, sorry! That was personal. You don't ne-"

"No, it's fine, it's just that you're incredibly perceptive for a boy," Orihime explained, "You even look too pretty to be a boy…"

For a second, Orihime studied me strangely, and fear that she guessed the truth raced through me.

"Can you help me with Ichigo?" she asked at last. I relaxed.

"I think I can. But first…" I told her about the bet.

It was midnight, and once Matsumoto, Tatsuki, Nel, and even Orihime were fairly drunk, Jake and I returned with Ichigo back to our dorms. We'd dropped the ZERO PRINCE band back with their security officers, who gave us dirty looks, as if believing their band's drunken state was our fault…and I guess it partially was.

Jake and I each had one of Ichigo's arms slung around our neck, and we dragged him to the dorm room.

"Ughh…." groaned Ichigo.

"I told you not to drink so much!" Jake scolded, "You've always got a weak spot for alcohol."

"Really?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Ichigo can drink a large amount of alcohol, but even if it's a sip, he always gets incredibly drunk an hour later. It's pretty weird," Jake explained.

We trailed through the messy room and dumped Ichigo onto his bed. Jake exhaled and rubbed his hands together.

"All right, I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow morning, Ryo!"

"Bye Jake," I said, waving to the blonde-haired boy as he disappeared behind the door.

"Ryo…"

"What?" I answered tiredly, as I rummaged through the pile of clothing in my luggage. I needed to find pajamas.

"Did you get it…? Did you win Orihime?" Ichigo mumbled.

Crap. Where's my corset? I still need to hide my identity as a girl at night, but the day one is too stiff.

"Ryo! Answer…me!" Ichigo muttered as he rolled onto his side.

"No, no! I don't know!" I replied without thinking, trying to get Ichigo to shut up.

He immediately propped himself up. His head rolled to the left, his eyes shifting sleepily.

"That's…not…good…"

I spotted it. It had slipped out of my luggage and was right on Ichigo's bed.

Oh shit. I hope he's drunk enough to miss it.

I slowly pushed the luggage back onto the shelf and stepped off the footstool.

"…you need to….learn…to seduce girls," Ichigo was saying. I inched slowly towards the foot of his bed. So close…!

"Ahuh…well…I don't think it's that important," I murmured as I snatched the corset from the bed and hid it behind my back.

"No! You won't stand a chance against me if you don't know how!" Ichigo insisted. "I'll show you."

Show me?

Ichigo lurched to his feet and approached me. Swiftly, he cornered me and pinned my wrist to the wall. Leaning in, his eyes neared mine.

"This is how you do it," I found my heart to be pounding. Get away, get away, I wished. My head began to spin…

Ichigo leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. His hot breath swept down my skin. I struggled against his grip but he shoved me against the wall and slid his hand around the nape of my neck.

"That's…how…you do it," Ichigo fainted backwards onto his bed.

My heart was racing a thousand times a minute, and whether it was from almost being discovered or from being kissed as a guy by a guy, I couldn't be sure.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck…. Thank god he didn't find out. I slid down against the wall to a sitting position and tried to return my breathing to normal.

"Ichigo, go die," I muttered as I finally gathered myself enough to stash the corset back in my luggage. I was too exhausted too even bother changing corsets now.