Disclaimer: If I ever own Bleach or Naruto, Rukia and Ichigo will be together and Orihime wouldn't even exist LOL :D And, Aizen would be the matchmaker of Rukia and Ichigo and Naruto would have been together with Sasuke. *Shrugs*

Warning: OOC-ness, angst, mystery, slight romance

A/N: This is the first chapter of 'Healing One's Heart'. Although it's just an introduction and the real drama starts on the second chapter, this is absically just an introduction to the two main characters, Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia and those who are around Ichigo and Rukia, that is.


The name 'Karakura High', if spoken, should give everyone goose bumps when hearing the school name because it's one of the most popular high schools in Japan. Every year, when it's time for registration to occur, a total of 10,000 students gave application to be enrolled into the school, yet, nobody except a few managed to get in. And, what's special about the school was, it was nowhere like Karakura which was all peace and quiet. In fact, what was happening to the school's teachers, right now, in the meeting room, would be one scene which nobody will imagine.

"What...?" A teacher dropped her jaws in shock. "Ukitake, what did you say?"

The principal of Karakura High, Ukitake Jushiro, sighed. He already knew this wouldn't be as easy as he expected. Seriously, was he expecting her to say 'okay'? "Close your jaw. A mosquito might fly in if you open it for a long period of time."

The said teacher only scoffed at Ukitake's comment and rolled her eyes, but, closing her jaw. "Glad that I'm such a joke for you to make fun of, Ukitake. But, could you as kindly as to repeat what you said earlier?"

Ukitake put his finger up and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Eh? I was sure I didn't stutter when making that announcement. Oh well, whatever. I just announced, from next year onwards, Kuchiki Rukia, you will be the homeroom teacher of Class 1-3."

Rukia, in anger, slammed her books down and glared at Ukitake, pointing a finger at him. "And, what I don't understand is, I have always been the homeroom teacher for higher levels!!! This time shouldn't be any different!!! Despite that, why 1-3???"

Ukitake seemed to sense Rukia's anger and poked her forehead, making Rukia look at Ukitake lamely and pressed her forehead. "I'm the principal, Rukia. That's that. Now, you will be transferred to 1-3 and that's final. Is that clear?"

"But..." Rukia started to protest but all failed when Ukitake pressed on the question.

"Is. That. Clear."

Knowing that there was no way she could have objected to Ukitake, she picked up her books which she slammed on the table just now before sighing. "Yes, Ukitake, I got it."

"Good. Now, Rukia, your teacher's table is moved too. Before you go... Where exactly do you think you are going, Rukia?"

She would have given Ukitake an explanation how she couldn't stand the stares of other teachers towards her, she would had given the explanation of how she got tired of her life. But, on that point, she gave Ukitake a word as her answer. "Home."

With that, she walked out of the meeting room, closing the door as she could still hear whispers of 'How rude was that?', 'What did you expect from the sole survivor of Kuchiki massacre?', 'She was bound to rebel somehow', 'She wouldn't even be here', 'She should go and perish somewhere, nobody would even pity her'. Not wanting to hear anymore, she walked away from the meeting room, away from the curious stares people were giving her. For once, she just wanted to be Kuchiki Rukia. Was that so wrong? Knowing that she couldn't find an answer to the question she just asked herself, she continued her journey towards home, cursing Ukitake and Kami-sama who hated her at the very moment.


Karakura High was the most popular high school ever, yet, for some people, they chose the popular high school ever not because it was the most popular high school ever, but, simply by the fact that it was near their house. And, it happened to Ichigo Kurosaki, a 17 high-school student who was enrolling into Karakura High the next day.

Sitting at the edge of his bed with his smaller sister, Yuzu Kurosaki accompany him, Yuzu curiously asked her brother. "Onii-chan, are you excited for school tomorrow?"

Instead of feeling excited like every high-school student would feel, Ichigo simply shrugged. "Not really, Yuzu. Why do you ask?"

Yuzu squealed. "Because I am!"

Ichigo rolled her eyes at Yuzu's enthusiasm. He already counted himself lucky if Oushima didn't enrol to the same school as him. "You are just interested at how handsome the boys are, aren't you?"

Yuzu stuck her tongue out at his own brother sheepishly before glancing at the watch. "Oh, I'm late for my date!"

Ichigo groaned. "With Jinta?"

Yuzu nodded her little head, bobbing up and down happily while Ichigo chuckled. "Let's hope he lasts further than a day."

Yuzu pouted when she heard Ichigo. "Onii-chan, we have been dating for a month now!!!"

Ichigo rolled her eyes as he ushered her out of the room. "All right, off you go. You won't want to be late for your 'date' with Jinta, right?" Ichigo grinned.

Yuzu realized what time it is, and ran out of the room, nearly tripping down on one of the staircases. And, she practically skipped out of the house. Being left alone with his thoughts, he laid back on the bed and thought about his life up till now. Every single matter which happened in his life had been satisfying, you could say. He had two sisters, Yuzu Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki, and a caring Mother, Masaki which he swore to protect all 3 of them, and a crazy father, Kurosaki Isshin. Yes, his life was satisfying. As he stirred to a more comfortable position, he couldn't help but remember what happened when he was 9 years old. He... Nearly lost his Mother. Yes, nearly being the word. Somebody saved him, yet, after that, he simply had no recollection of the whole incident, just blurry images.

Why am I thinking about the mysterious figure? Shouldn't I be more nervous about tomorrow? He thought.

Yet, just simply thinking about tomorrow made him groan. If Oushima enrols to the same school as him, then, he's dead as a piece of meat. Personally, he wouldn't want to get caught into detention just the first day of school. But, generally, he had wished the whole bunch of friends which he had been with throughout his previous school to be there. As the night approaches, he closed his eyes, drifting to a sleep.

Yet, his dream consist nothing of the name 'Karakura High' but consists of a mysterious black figure which had saved both him and his Mother that fateful day.


Rubbing her head as she groaned but sighed in relief as she had reached her own home, she took out her key and began to unlock the door when suddenly it was swung open. Rukia, knowing who it was, ducked her head and kicked the intruder's waist, making him fly to a nearby wall as Rukia landed gracefully.

Standing up, she immediately began shouting. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Urahara Kisuke???"

Said person stood up and began to inspect his hat before making a pouting face. "You got my hat dirty."

Rukia's eyebrow twitched. "You think I care about that idiotic hat of yours? Pray tell me, what are you doing in my house at night-time?"

"Have you forgotten?" A woman's voice spoke up. "We are your guardians, remember?"

Rukia groaned. She can't believe she forgot Urahara Kisuke and Youruichi Shihouin were her guardians for goodness' sake. "Okay, tell me, what did you bribe the authorities with for both of you, who are completely insane, to be my guardian?"

Kisuke's voice piped up at the insult that was going his way. "Rukia-san, you have hurt me here!" He pointed to the position of his heart for dramatic effects.

Rukia rolled her eyes at one of her guardians' antics before she played along with that sweet voice of hers which she knew would annoy the other guardian. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kisuke-san. Don't sue me, I beg you~~~!!!"

Youruichi's eyebrow twitched this time round. "The pot calling the kettle back, Rukia. At least I was sane enough to not play along with Urahara."

Rukia only smirked as she replied haughtily. "Only because I knew it would annoy the hell out of you, Youruichi."

Youruichi smacked Urahara to wake him up and both of them sat at the couch which both were planted a serious face expression. "Rukia."

Turning to face her, she noticed both Kisuke and her have taken a serious expression and both of them are sitting on the couch which was oh-so-conveniently placed there. "What?"

"Come on, sit down, we have something to talk to you about." Youruichi urged Rukia while Kisuke just watched the exchange out of the corner of his eyes.

Sadly, Urahara and Youruichi had picked a bad day for Rukia to talk. She stood at where she was, not making a move towards them at all. "Spill it out, what's the deal?"

"Ukitake called us today." Youruichi cut to the point.

Trust Youruichi to cut to the point while Kisuke is just being the lazy ass he is. "Oh, let me guess. He told you I had sorta 'manger management' issues?" Youruichi didn't even nod or speak but Rukia knew the answer. "Oh, please, Youruichi, I'm not having 'anger management' issues over here."

"But, it certainly does seem like that to me." Kisuke spoke this time. And, Youruichi was the one who gave him a glare.

"Oh, so, now what? Kisuke, you speak? I could have heard wrongly. But seriously, Youruichi, Kisuke, I was just..." Rukia halted when she was about to finish her sentence. At that time, she was feeling something. Yet, she knew she couldn't and wouldn't speak to anybody about it. She hated the feeling deep within her. She hated the feeling of being different from others.

"Just what, Rukia?" Youruichi taunted Rukia, daring her to finish the sentence which she started.

Closing her eyes, she refused to let her tears fall. Particularly, not in front of her guardians. Yet, the sentence was what she started after all. "I'm just... Tired... I'm going back to my room. See you tomorrow." With that, she went back to her room, closing the door behind her.

As she walked to the empty room of hers, she touched everything she could see. No matter is it the table, the ground or the chair she so comfortingly sat on when she was small. The ground when she saw her Dad and Mom being killed right in front of her eyes by none other than the only precious person she had held dearest to, the table where she had several meals with her Dad, Mom and brother and the chair which her brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, had taught her everything she needed to know in that particular place.

As she placed both her hands and her head on the table, she looked forward only to see a portrait of her only brother, Kuchiki Byakuya. A few tears uncontrollably flowed as she remembered the memory of when her parents had took the picture.

"Honey, come have a picture with your brother!!!" An orange-haired woman which had pale skin shouted to her daughter who was admiring the bunny which was on a display.

"But, Mom, I want this bunny!!!" Her daughter whined.

"Can't you buy that after we have finished the picture?" The mother now had a warning tone to her voice which the daughter knew had a joking tone to it and naturally, she didn't respond as she was still looking at the bunny.

"No." The daughter protested.

"Honey..." The tone was dangerous yet it had a joking tone to it, and as if on cue, the daughter's brother stepped in.

"Mother, don't worry yourself over such trivial matters. We can buy the bunny for Rukia, and then, we can have the picture. Wouldn't that be better? Everybody would be satisfied by that way. Furthermore, we are creating a din here." Rukia's Mother glanced around to see that they are being stared at.

Sighing, both of them walked over to Rukia. "Fine, honey, we will buy you the bunny. But, you have your brother to thank for that."

Rukia turned to looked at her brother with bright gleaming in her eyes and hugged Kuchiki Byakuya. "Yayiee~~~!!! Nii-sama is the best brother!!!"

With her small hands hugging his waist, Byakuya kneeled down and laid his head on Rukia's small shoulders. And, on that precious moment, he let out a rare smile.

SNAP!

That was when the picture was taken. Both of them blinked and looked up at their Mother. "Mom?" Both of them asked.

"Well, now I have the picture, I'm satisfied." Rukia's mother had a satisfied look and was walking away while Rukia giggled as Byakuya growled lowly.

"Mother, you are a cheaterbug!" Kuchiki Byakuya whined while running after his Mother.

Touching the portrait of her brother lightly, she covered the picture down and stood up, wiping her tears away while bending down to pick up the books which had dropped when she was remembering the flashback.

Just then, she heard a knock. "Rukia, is everything alright in there?"

Rukia groaned before she recognized the voice as Youruichi. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just preparing for tomorrow's schedule."

As Rukia was preparing to stand, a tear was splashed on the book before she widened her eyes. Even after wiping her tears, she didn't know she had been crying. Just then, something beeped as she took out her cellphone. Wondering why she was crying today out of all days where she was burdened with the past, she remembered to Ukitake's decision.

Perhaps, feeling different was the start of all these things. She thought to herself briefly as she took out her cellphone and checked the contents within it. Heaving a sigh, she stood up and took out an object which looked like a pill. Putting it in and swallowing it, she popped out of her body and appeared in a black robe, with a sword strapped to the sides.

"Pyon, take care of my body, all right?" Rukia asked.

"Hai, Rukia-sama!!!" Pyon saluted Rukia as Rukia sighed. Within a flash, she was out of the house and was on the skies of Karakura.

Hearing the ruckus downstairs, Kisuke knew what had happened as Youruichi began to walk down the stairs. "Do you think... She will ever recover...?"

"Met with such a past, do you think she will ever recover?" Youruichi spared Kisuke a glance while asking him.

"You are right. But, sometimes, I wish she had let go of the past already." Kisuke sighed.

"On the contrary, I wish my phone would start beeping in the day. There's practically nothing to do in the day, mind you." Youruichi rolled her eyes after saying, realizing how bored she just stated herself out to be.

"Itching for some actions, eh?" Kisuke smirked while asking Youruichi.

"Try to stay in the house for more than a day and I swear, you would get bored of it someday." Youruichi sighed.

"Well, we just have to continue hoping some would come out popping in the day, won't we?" Kisuke smirked while Youruichi returned the same gesture.