Chapter 3
Thought Topic: Each Other
"Okay! It's twist, down, twist, down, side, side, hop, and back!" Senna instructed the two classes while demonstrating the move. "Think you guys can do it?" There were a few nods and some yeses and some didn't say anything at all but from the way they focused their attention, they seemed to get it. "Abarai-kun!" she called sweetly, motioning for him to come to the front of the class. He nodded and jogged to where she was at. "Count for them, please," she told him and left to find a certain stubborn boyfriend. She could hear Renji count while walking away, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight! Again! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight! That's good! One more time!"
They were practicing in an open field away from any bystanders. They needed to get the opening choreography done first. There was only one month left until the school festival, which meant only four weekends of practicing, but not even. They need at least the last week for prepping in the upcoming competition against each other. The prize was a free meal at Rei's Joint, a popular place for teens today, courtesy of class 3-B's own angel, Senna.
Ichigo lied down under a huge tree, shading him from the sun's bright rays. One arm he used as a pillow, the other he covered his eyes. He laid there with one knee up thinking about the stupid dance off which he now has to do. That Rukia! Ichigo cursed obscene words to himself, from the first time he met her she was always fighting with him. It was the summer before their first year in high school when they first met.
It was raining. Ichigo scowled more than ever each time it rained. He walked fast through the streets just to try to hurry home and out of the crying town. With hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, he practically jogged the route home.
"Yo! Carrot-top!" He whirled around to see which asshole wants a foot in his mouth, shocked to find a petite girl standing under an umbrella a few feet behind him.
"What d'ya want, midget?" he glared at her. He hated people calling him on his hair. It seemed like the world hated him. His name, his hair, and the fact that groups of thugs come up to him every now and then just to piss him off. He just wanted to be left alone. He noticed the girl now in front of him glared right back at him. She was probably more irate than he was. Why? He soon found out.
"I know it's raining, but think you could get to your destination without splashing water on people? You're hurrying home because you don't want to get wet, right? What makes you think others aren't trying to get out of the rain as well? You're not the only living person in the world, you know!" He was shocked! This little brat is giving him a scolding!?
"Why? Did I get you wet?" He asked her, still glaring, his scowl deepening.
"No! You didn't!" she said sweetly, placing a hand on her cheek. "The side of my dress is all muddy and suddenly I saw you rushing down the street. With your scowl and furrowed eyebrows I thought, 'Why don't I blame him! He has orange hair. Seem like he doesn't have enough trouble with that frown he displays for the world to see. He would be a perfect candidate for blaming on my now muddy dress!'" she answered sarcastically. He glared at her, probably trying to make her disappear with the rain, but to his unfortunate, neither vanished.
It was as if she was reading his thoughts. The reason she said she thought about blaming him was the same reason he thought why the rest of the world was blaming him. He looked at her dress. It was indeed muddy. Was it really his fault? Who cares!? She was being sarcastic to him, like hell will he apologize!
"Go find somebody else to blame, kiddo," he said and started to turn around. However, he felt himself being hauled around by his collar and found that he was now staring into a pair of violet eyes.
"Hey, buddy!" she snarled at him. He could feel her breath on his lips, they were that close. "Just because I'm short, don't think you're all high and mighty and start calling me a kiddo. I just wanted a decent 'sorry'. What? Is your ego that big that it will break in an instant when you apologize?" she asked him. Rain continued to pour. He wasn't glaring at her anymore, but he continued to scowl. "I guess I'll have to break that huge ego of yours if that what it takes for you to admit that you're wrong or at least apologize," she pulled on his collar tighter. "Well?" she asked staring at him dead in the eyes.
Now, he glared at her. So much for his plan to not apologize! Through gritted teeth, he mustered out a, "Sorry." She smiled and loosened her grip on his shirt. He shrugged out of her grasp.
"Thank you," she said and went off in her direction. He watched her leave. He met one hell of a weird person.
Ichigo smiled thinking back on the day they met. She is one tough bitch. His smile widened when he thought of their next encounter. It was a few weeks into his first year in high school at Karakura High.
A sudden opening of the classroom door brought everyone's attention from the lesson on the board to the person in the doorway. Ichigo's eyes widened as he recognized the scrawny figure. She walked up to the teacher and handed her the note. The class watched the teacher nod while reading the piece of paper. She then turned towards the class.
"Listen up! We have a new student!" she motioned for the new girl to introduce herself.
"Hello!" she said sweetly. "My name is Kuchiki Rukia," she bowed. "Please help me get around the school and I would love to get to know every one of you!" she said with a smile. Ichigo let out a mental 'Pftt!' her attitude towards the class is completely different to the way she spoke to him.
Rukia looked back at the teacher with a questionable look. The teacher understood and checked her roster for the list of names. Kuchiki, the only other K name would be Kurosaki. She looked back up to the class. Lucky there was an empty seat in front of him. The student who occupied the desk before has transferred out.
"You will be seating in front of Kurosaki Ichigo," she told Rukia. Rukia nodded. Ichigo ran a hand down his face. Great, he thought. "Kurosaki, raise your hand!" Ichigo slowly lifted his left hand while looking away. Rukia was shocked as she immediately recognized the scowl and orange hair. She wanted to glare but managed not to since she was still in front of the class. She only nodded and smiled. Ichigo turned to look at her just in time to see the smile on her face. He raised his brows at her and she only continued to smile. Maybe she forgot who I am, he wondered. "Kurosaki, I want you to help Kuchiki-san if she ever has a problem." Rukia walked up to the desk in front of him and turned to look his way.
"Please take care of me!" she tilted her head in a cute way, while still smiling. He only nodded in response. She did forget who I am, he thought to himself. However, she only proved him wrong when he caught that brief second of when she glared at him before she sat down in her seat.
After that, he introduced her to his friends and then they started to hang around each other constantly. Rumors then went around saying they were dating, which he denied every single time. The rumors only died when he found a girlfriend.
Senna, he met her at a park near his house. She seemed lost, so he went to help her out. They went through a flea market as they tried to find her home. He was amused at how she was intrigued at every little thing. Then a few months later, they started going out. The first person he wanted to tell was Rukia.
He looked all over for her that day. When he finally found her, she was sitting on the school roof watching the sunset. He didn't know why he wanted to tell her first or what kind of reaction he was expecting, but he thought as his closest person, he felt obliged to tell her. To be honest he was shocked that she smiled and congratulated him. What kind of reaction did he want to see? He didn't know. But he only smiled in return as she threatened that he better not make her cry. Ichigo felt a smile come across his face again, so typical of Rukia.
"What's this?" Ichigo lifted his arm to see Senna sit beside him. "I came looking for you thinking you would be in a corner, scowling at the world because you have to dance in front of a crowd, but then I find you smiling. What changed your mood?" she smiled looking at him. She lifted his head to place it on her lap and he helped her by moving himself, positioning himself comfortably.
"Just thinking," he answered.
"About?" she asked while running her fingers through his orange locks.
"Rukia," he replied nonchalantly, closing his eyes. Senna only smiled. But to be truthful, she felt a little jealous. How could anyone in her position not feel that green monster creeping up on her? She knew about Rukia before she started going out with Ichigo. She knew that they were closer than others. She knew. Although, she was jealous, she was also happy. At least, at present, right now, currently, she's the one going out with the orange hair looker.
"Hmm," was all she could muster at his answer. After a few minutes she spoke again. "You know, with you just being here you won't be able to win the bet if you don't practice the routine."
Ichigo looked up at her, scowling. She smiled at him. "There's no way I'm practicing in front of everyone."
"Then would you like me to teach you one on one?" she asked. "It'll only be us two and Nemu, only because she can dance better than me, but other than that nobody else." He thought about it. It was better than practicing in front of everyone, so he nodded. He turned his gaze to the two classes practicing. They were very good listeners to Renji. Maybe it was how he looked. But hell! He's going to make sure he kicks Rukia's ass at the upcoming school festival!
--
"So, Kuchiki-san, what color fabric are we going to use for our host outfits?" Orihime asked.
"I don't know," she answered scanning the fabrics. "What color do you want?"
"Pink, blue, yellow… I don't know," she shrugged.
"There's no way I'll where pink or yellow," Tatsuki said. "Blue is fine as long as it's dark."
Rukia smiled as she touched each fabric feeling its texture. She didn't want something heavy or something sheer. She didn't want silk or cotton. She didn't want any designs. She wanted something simple yet it screamed 'look at me!' And then, as if God was listening to her, she spotted a plain linen fabric draped in the color of darker shade of red, carmine was the name of the color. She loved it.
"How about this?" she asked the girls, wrapping it around herself.
"Ah! Rukia-chan! It's so pretty!" Hinamori exclaimed.
"Isn't it?" she admired the fabric.
"I could wear that," Tatsuki said.
Orihime nodded her head, "Mm-hmm. It's lovely! All we need to do now is tell Ishida-kun how we want our outfits cut."
So the girls bought the whole roll of fabric. They went to deliver it to Ishida and Kunieda, who was helping him since it would take a long time for just one person to do the job and she had experience in sewing. Granted she wasn't as talented as the bespectacled boy but she could help with minor things.
The color of the fabric reminded her something of Ichigo. She knows it had to do something where he got mad. But she couldn't figure it out just yet.
"How's everything going?" Rukia asked Shuuhei as they walked through the door to her house.
"Pretty smoothly," he answered as he munched on one of the cookies Rangiku, their college friend, set out for them. Rukia watched as Ishida and Kunieda worked intently on the designs. The math had to be right, measurements and all. Now all they need is the girls' choice of length they want their skirts to be cut.
"Ishida-kun!" Orihime called him. "What do you think of Kuchiki-san's choice? It's beautiful, right?" she smiled.
Ishida pushed up his glasses as he looked up to see the fabric in the long brown-haired girl's arms. "Yes, I agree with the choice." Rukia smiled. She was holding a small bag in her hands and realized that she needed to see her older brother.
"Rangiku-san, have you seen Nii-sama?" Rukia asked.
"I think he's in his study. Isn't he always there?" she answered.
"Okay, thanks!" and she turned to the hallway and walked down to the double doors that lead to her older brother's work place. "Byakuya-nii-sama?" she knocked before entering. He had his glasses on and was writing what might be an important letter. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at his younger sister.
"Yes?"
She walked up to his desk with the small bag in her hand. She placed it on his desk. "A gift for you. I immediately thought of you when I saw it."
"Uh, thank you," he replied with a confused look. Rukia smiled and walked out the door to join her friends that were getting ready for the school festival. Byakuya looked inside the small bag to see a long black velvet box. Inside was a white gold fountain pen. His style completely, it had small engravings of what looked like cherry blossoms. It shined by itself. He looked back in the bag to see if there were anything else and there was a flyer to her school festival. He would make sure that he went.
Rukia walked out the door to see nothing. Something wrapped around her eyes. "Guess who?" the voice by her ear asked. She smiled.
"Let's see… is it Renji?" she answered. Shuuhei frowned. "Wait wait… can't be Renji. He has practice with his class. Umm, I know it's Kensei." Shuuhei's frown deepened. "No? It's not Kensei?" She raised a brow, "Who then?"
"I can't believe my princess can't tell my voice from the others." He said loosening the fabric around her eyes. Her smile widened. She turned around to look at him expecting to see him frowning but saw a smile instead.
"From the looks of it, you knew I was playing," she said raising her brows.
"Did I?" he asked. He looked at the fabric that was now on her bare shoulder, she was wearing a spaghetti strap top. "You know, this color is really good on you."
She glanced at the piece of fabric she just bought on her right shoulder. "You think so? I just like it for the color and the feel," she stated.
"Mm-Hmm," he nodded. "It reflects off your skin and enhances the color of your eyes and hair." Rukia blushed. "Haha! And it matches the color of you blushing face." She shot a playful glare at him. Then she remembered what the color reminded her of Ichigo. He said the same thing Shuuhei did—wait, scratch that. He said the complete opposite.
Earlier that school year, they decided to spend a day at the beach. She wore a burgundy, close to carmine, two-piece bathing suit under a yellow sundress.
It was sometime in the evening and the water looked tempting as it reflected the orange sun. Listening to the urge to get in the blue ocean, Rukia slipped out of her dress. Then, when she was about to get in the water, Ichigo threw his t-shirt at her. She looked at him, confused. He wasn't looking at her but he was scowling.
"What do I do with this?" she asked looking at him, holding his shirt up.
"Put it on," he said through gritted teeth.
"What?" she asked. Did she hear him correctly? "Why?"
"Just put the goddamn t-shirt on!" He exclaimed.
"Why!?" she asked again, getting mad because he was mad. He turned to glare at her because she ignored his command. Not that that was anything new, though, but she also raised her voice. Ichigo then blushed as he looked at her. Rukia noticed his face turn red. Was he that mad?
"Because that frickin' color is horrible on you and everyone's talking about it!" Rukia's jaw dropped. What? She turned to look around.
"Liar!" she didn't see anybody talking about her. In fact she saw some guys smiling at her.
"Just put the stupid shirt on, will ya!" Rukia glared at him but decided to put his shirt on. Only because he will stop yelling at her and that she wanted to get in the water.
"Happy!?" she said while pulling it over her petite body. His shirt hung loosely on her. He smiled.
"Yeah," he replied.
"Good!" she kicked him in the shin. He glared at her while she stomped away to the water.
Rukia laughed as she recalled that moment. However, her smile disappeared. He practically told her she didn't look good in what she was wearing! Well, maybe not… but it sure sounded like it!
"Rukia?" the said girl snapped out of her daze. "You okay? First you smiled, then frowned, then laughed, then frowned again. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I was just thinking," she answered.
"About?" he asked raising a brow, curious to who's in her mind that can make her feel angry and happy at the same time.
"Ichigo," she said through gritted teeth. "You know, he said the complete opposite of what you said. He said this color looked horrible on me," she waved the piece of fabric.
Shuuhei laughed, "Then he better get his eyes checked."
"Hell yeah, he better!" she laughed as well. Suddenly, she was extra glad that she bought the fabric. It will turn to irritate Ichigo more, and she loved to irritate him.
"Let's get back to help the others so we could have fun sooner," Shuuhei suggested.
Rukia nodded her head, "Yeah."
