Chapter Two: The complications

The alarm clock goes off at 7:00 a.m, and that's usually when all hell breaks loose at the Kurosaki home.

"MORRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGGG ICHIIIGGGGGGGGOOOOO"

"INCOMING, DAD'S SUPER-DUPER FLYING KICKKKKK!"

"BASTARD, get away from me!"

And with a swift move, Ichigo dodges his dad's kick and sends his dad soaring out the door and tumbling down the stairs, with a loud enough thump to make Yuzu drop the pots and pans in her hands to come to his rescue. Indeed, it was just another 'routine' morning at the Kurosaki household.

"Honestly, the bastard never grows up," Ichigo states as he gets up off his bed for his morning stretch.

The closet door slowly slides open just as Ichigo finishes his sentence and then the little girl in his closet diligently steps out, right on cue Ichigo thinks, 7:10 a.m on the mark.

But unlike most mornings, Rukia seems alitle disheveled this morning.

"Ichigo, we're walking to school together today, I'll be waiting at the corner so hurry." And with that said, Rukia quickly slips out the window without even acknowledging the fact that it was 7:15, and school starts about an hour later.

Ichigo was left puzzled.

Rukia huffs impatiently at the corner as she waits for the orange hair boy. When she sees him dragging his feet in the distant, she crosses her arms and taps her foot against the pavement, signaling for him to hurry up.

Standing beside the much smaller girl now, Ichigo curiously asks, "Why do we have to walk to school together? we already walk home together damnit!"

For a moment, Rukia was angry at the boy's gesture, but after taking a deep breath, she informed herself that he was just inexperienced so she would just have to teach him...which was easier said then done.

"We're a couple now, it's what couples do, they walk together and hold hands, at all times... I think..."

Ichigo, with a worried look on his face was beginning to have second thoughts about this...

"No, I refuse! I definitely refuse to hold your hand! think about the looks that we'll get, think about my reputation, just think!"

"They'll point and whisper...and..and..."

Analyzing the situation, Rukia was beginning to understand their dilemma and thinks that maybe they shouldn't come out of the 'closet' just yet, the boy still has a lot to learn and Rukia wasn't exactly sure of her role as a 'girlfriend,' then she thinks, who's great idea was it anyways? the answer already slapping her in the face.

On the playground at lunch the next day, instead of catching up on the latest gossip with the girls, Rukia decides that she would observe the behaviours and routines of couples. She wasn't quite sure who was mingling with who, but she assumed that the ones making googly eyes at each other were dating. So she sits down on the bench with a notepad and pen in hand, all ready to joit down a series of notes.

"Kuchiki san?"

Startled by the noise, Rukia turns around to find Inoue cheerfully hovering over her, bouncing around.

"Hello, Orihime," Rukia looks up, forcing a smile as bright as the late afternoon sunshine.

"What are you doing here Kuchiki?"

"I'm...I'm... just observing the different types of relationships between males and females, it's for my chemistry class."

Rukia was always good at talking her way out of awkward situations, and a litle white lie never killed anyone.

"Oh!" Inoue happily nods in response, "May I help?"

"Um.. yeah, sure.." Why not?

"Kuchiki San, your assignment will be difficult to report on.."

This Inoue girl, though the definition of the perfect blonde according to most people, Rukia figures that she must be a lot more knowledgeable when it comes to relationships then she was.

"Why is that, Orihime?"

"Well," Inoue thinks, pacing back and forth with a hand on her hip, and Rukia thinks that if Inoue thinks too hard, she might hurt herself.

"Well, Kuchiki San, relationships are complicated, you can't categorize them into neat little piles like you want because every single one is unique and different, and ummm..also, you won't fully understand the scope of it all, until you're actually in a relationship, usually with the one that you love or care about."

For someone that Rukia considers really dense, Inoue was quite wise in the matter. Inoue, however, manages to spoil her moment of glory by gleefully stating, "OH, I just read that out of some teen magazine, it's what the boys would say to get the girls in the sack..."

At that moment, Rukia, then realizes that this was truly the case of a blind leading a blind...