Summary: Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki were neighbours since they were 2 and 3. Suddenly, 6-year-old Rukia and her older brother-slash-guardian move away, leaving a hole in 7-year-old Ichigo's already broken heart where love should be. Now, after several years have passed, Ichigo notices that the apartment next from his has been bought. Will his new neighbour relight the old sparks of his past? How will he cope? AU IchiRuki

"Let's make videos of us singing, to remember this trip." Ichigo whispered, sitting down under a tree not too far from the campsite, still in sight but not in hearing.

"Cool. You first!" Rukia whispered gleefully, setting her camera on record. When it beeped to start the recording, Ichigo scowled.

"No fair, I wanted you to sing first." Ichigo made a move to grab the camera, but Rukia squealed with laughter and moved it out of reach.

"Go on, Strawberry, sing something for the camera!" Rukia sing-songed. He narrowed his eyes.

"Ok, Give's you Hell by The All-American Rejects," he smirked, and began strumming and singing, it was really hard to sing knowing full well he was being recorded, but if he made Rukia promise not to show anyone...then it was fine.

...

When you hear this song and sing along but you never tell,

then you're a fool its just as well, hope it gives you hell

when you hear this song I hope it gives you hell

you can sing along I hope that it will treat you well.

He finished the song and whipped his own camera out, setting it on record. "Now you Midget!"

Rukia made a sort of growl but set her camera next to Ichigo so that she recorded herself too.

"Firework by Katy Perry," she smiled at her camera. Her voice wasn't cut out for the really high notes yet, but she got it ok anyway.

...

baby you're a firework,

come and let your colours burst

make them go ah, ah, ah

you're gonna leave them going ah, ah, ah

boom, boom, boom

even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

boom, boom, boom

ever brighter than the moon, moon, moon.

They carried on taking turns with singing different songs. Ichigo even taught Rukia how to sing 'Allstar' by Smashmouth, which was really fast. Now that they had plenty of videos and pictures to keep as memories, they gave in to their sleepiness and headed back to the camp. Little did they know, all of hell was about to break out.

"WHERE THE HELL WHERE YOU TWO?" Isshin yelled. Karin and Yuzu came running up and hugging Ichigo, crying.

"We thought you got kidnapped!" cried Yuzu.

"Rukia, what is the meaning of this?" Byakuya's barely suppressed anger made his tone cold as ice.

"W-we just went and made a video. We weren't gone long." Rukia stammered, bowing her head.

"Yeah, we only played guitar over there," Ichigo pointed to the spot behind them.

"ONLY PLAYED GUITAR? WE WOKE ALL THE CAMPERS IN THE AREA TO GO LOOKING FOR YOU TWO AND YOU WERE ONLY OVER THERE?" Isshin screeched, scaring all of the kids. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Turning to Byakuya, he said in a much calmer voice. "I think this was a bad idea."

"I agree," Byakuya retorted. He grabbed Rukia's wrist. "Say goodbye, Rukia. This is the last time you'll ever see the Kurosaki family again."

"NO! Nii-sama, I don't want to go yet! And we will see them again, right?"

"No. I cannot trust a man who easily lets his son and my sister just wander off. Say your good byes while I pack our things in the car." With that, he stalked off.

"B-but, Nii-san!" Rukia cried. She turned and ran to Isshin. She hugged him quickly, surprising the hell out of him. He patted her back gently.

"Sorry I yelled." he whispered. Rukia nodded and said good bye formally to him, then went and offered herself to the twins, who jumped into her arms, crying.

"We're sorry!" Yuzu wailed. "I woke up and you weren't there so I woke Karin up and she checked for you too and we couldn't find you so we woke dad and he woke Kuchiki-sama - we're so sorry! This is our fault!"

"Shh, Yuzu, it's okay, I don't blame any of you," Rukia whispered. "I love you guys, you know. You're like another part of my family. We'll see each other again, no matter what my Nii-san says." she muttered fiercely. She kissed both of their foreheads. As she was getting up to go to Ichigo, who was watching her with such sadness, Byakuya's car drove up and honked once.

"Rukia, in, now." he shouted.

"One second!" she replied. As she turned to face Ichigo again she was surprised to be embraced by the tall boy. She felt her tears roll down her cheeks. She felt his lips graze the top of her forehead. When she looked up she could see he was crying silently.

"Don't ever forget me." he whispered.

Rukia bit her lip, wondering how to say goodbye to her long-time friend. Without thinking, she reached up on her toes and kissed him on the lips. Ichigo looked surprised at first, but then he closed his eyes and kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist as she held his face in her hands. When they broke apart, Rukia whispered, "A first kiss can never ber forgotten, this is how I'll always remember you." She smiled, still crying. "Goodbye, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Bye, Rukia Kuchiki." he mumbled, still crying. She kissed his cheeck quickly and ran to Byakuya's car. When the door shut, he started yelling at her; the Kurosaki's could even hear it from outside. Rukia was still crying, but she smiled out of the window at her friends.

For the last time.

AWWWW! Bye bye Rukia! :'( Next chapter will be mainly flashbacks, in first-person POVs from both of them. The chapter after will be time-skipped to adults!