As Ichigo and Rukia made their way out of the theater, moving as quickly as they could without drawing attention to themselves, the young man had to resist the urge to elbow people out of his way. His date with Rukia, which had been going so well up until that point, was effectively ruined. He was told he had one shot, and it seemed that it had been blown through no fault of his own.

They emerged onto the street, and briskly began walking in the direction they had come from. Rukia said nothing, keeping her arms folded firmly about her stomach, as though she were scared she might be sick.

All the while, Ichigo stole glances at the distraught soul reaper.

'Why won't she talk to me?' Ichigo wondered to himself, 'why won't she tell me what's wrong? Could it be she doesn't think I could handle it?'

That last thought put a twist in his gut. Somehow, it hurt him physically to think that she didn't have much faith in his abilities. After all they'd been through together, it seemed royally messed up that she would refuse to clue him in.

And as they made their way back to the clinic, the sinking feeling in the pit of Ichigo's gut worsened. Something told him that things were about to get worse. Much, much worse.

They arrived at the Kurosaki Clinic, keeping their eyes to the sky when Ichigo spotted it. The Senkaimon was still open, with white light pouring from the gate. Three silhouettes stood before it, their shihakushos billowing in the wind… but Ichigo didn't recognize any of them.

"They must be here for me," Ichigo muttered absently. "Why else would they come here, of all places?"

Rukia remained silent. She kept her eyes on the ground, fighting the chills that raked her body. More than ever, Ichigo wanted to wrap her in a hug and tell her things would be fine, but he knew she wouldn't let him, if the way she'd pulled away from him earlier was anything to go by.

"Alright, then. Looks like I've gotta get up there."

After utilizing his combat pass and dumping his body rather unceremoniously onto his bed, Ichigo leapt from his bedroom window and kicked off of thin air, shooting upward, towards the strangers. Rukia followed after him, still deathly silent as she made sure to keep her distance from Ichigo.

"Welcome to Karakura Town," Ichigo said, not sounding all that hospitable. "I'm substitute soul reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki. Would you three mind identifying yourselves?"

Normally, the redhead wasn't a fan of standing on such procedures, but ever since he'd declared his loyalty to the Soul Society after the Fullbring Incident, he'd done his best to act a little more professional. Perhaps, through his own actions, he could bring some measure of respect to the meaningless title of 'substitute soul reaper'. If nothing else, Jushiro Ukitake would have wanted him to make the best impression he could.

"Greetings, Ichigo Kurosaki," spoke the man in the center of the trio, "I am honored to finally make your acquaintance. I have heard much about you."

The man had long black hair that fell to his shoulders, but his bangs were braided along his temples to keep the hair out of his face.. His brow was graced with a thin silver circlet, and his skin was fair. Though he appeared to be of slim build, he radiated spiritual pressure, and was no doubt a competent fighter. His robes, unlike those of the standard soul reaper, were navy blue. Over this, he wore a long white coat that resembled that of a captain, though it bore no identifying markings or numbers. His eyes were a light shade of blue that almost seemed to glow, and at his hip hung a fine sword that looked almost too pretty to be used for violence.

Though the man's smile was warm, his icy blue eyes were cold and calculating, as if he were determining how best to take Ichigo down in a fight.

Ichigo immediately disliked the man, but he said nothing of it. Raising an eyebrow, he replied, "Is that right? Well, I'm afraid I know nothing about you. Mind telling me what you're doing here? This is my house you're floating over…"

"Of course. My name is Kenzou Kamisaigaiku, Viceroy to my esteemed uncle, Lord Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku. Together with my compatriots, we make up a task force dedicated to carrying out his will, and the will of the Kamisaigaiku family."

To the man's left was another man in a matching navy shihakusho. He also wore a stark, unmarked white captain's coat, with a large nodachi slung across his back. He stood a head taller than Ichigo, and looked to be least three times his weight in solid muscle. He had a bald head with a scar across his scalp, and permanent scowl, but he didn't look too interested in Ichigo. On the contrary, he looked quite bored.

To Kenzou's right stood another man. This one was about Ichigo's size, with the same slim build. He was obviously younger, and took no shame in showcasing it by keeping the sleeves of his shihakusho rolled up, exposing lean and muscled arms. He had an unruly crop of shaggy hair the color of straw, and eyes that were greener than a grassy meadow. A small, jagged scar ran from his ear down to his chin. Unlike his friends, the young blonde stood slouched, more interested in watching the people in the world of the living than he was in the conversation. A katana hung at his waist, with a circular tsuba in the shape of a serpent devouring its own tail… the Ouroboros.

"The name's Kazue," said the blonde man, "learn it."

Kenzou smiled before leaning over and flicking Kazue in the ear. The blonde man sucked in a breath, rubbing the sore spot.

"Manners." Kenzou muttered.

"My name Kenichi," grunted the large man on the left. "I am honored to be met by someone such as you."

He gave a very formal bow to Ichigo, almost as one would when sparring. Ichigo frowned but decided to let it slide. He could hardly account for all the weirdos in the Soul Society.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet ya," the high schooler said, "now could you guys please tell me what you're doing here? I have spiritually sensitive siblings who are probably freaking out right now."

"Apologies," Kenzou said, gently brushing his hair over his shoulder, "but my lord has tasked me to come here, to this address, to deliver a message."

"So… what is it?" Ichigo asked, balling his fists and putting them on his hips. He was about fed up of all the talking in circles. He was ready to draw his blade and beat some answers out of the emissaries when Rukia stepped by Ichigo.

"I'm here," Rukia said, looking resigned to defeat, "what is the message from Lord Hideyoshi?"

Kenzou pulled a scroll from within his sleeve. Unfurling it, he cleared his throat and began to read aloud.

"To my dearest Rukia, I pray your time away from the Seireitei is to your liking, and I hope it helps in your transition from a member of the Gotei 13. Your beauty and grace are shining beacons that I loathe to be without. I am glad that when you return, you will return to me. I anxiously await you, and look forward to the pleasure of your company. Writ this day, in the name of his majesty Lord Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku, on the third of October."

He carefully rolled up the scroll and tucked it safely away in his sleeve. Ichigo stood there, stunned and confused. His eyes bored into the back of Rukia's head, but she did not turn to face him.

"R-Rukia? What the hell was that?" he asked.

"You would dare to speak of his lordship's kindred words-" Kazue began, reaching for his sword.

Kenzou stopped him, gripping the young man's wrist as he glared at Ichigo.

"Miss Kuchiki… your friend seems… unaware of the situation. Am I correct in presuming you have not told him, yet?" he asked carefully.

Rukia nodded and said miserably, "I haven't had the chance."

"Tell me what, Rukia?!"

Ichigo wanted to spin her around, and force her to meet his eye. He wanted to understand what all this was about, and why some bigshot was sending Rukia love letters!

"Miss Rukia Kuchiki is betrothed to the Lord of the Kamisaigaiku clan," Kenzou noted dryly, "after this week's reprieve, she will no longer be acting as a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. She will become a lady in waiting for my master, and marry him soon thereafter."

Rukia slowly turned, glancing at Ichigo over her shoulder. His eyes were wide with disbelief. His mouth hung agape, and he looked as though his soul had just been pulled from his body. His breathing was ragged and hoarse.

"Rukia," he whispered to himself.

'Ichigo,' she thought sadly, blinking away tears as she turned her attention back to the nobles in front of her.

Ichigo sat on his bed. After hearing that Rukia was betrothed to some uppity noble, he had promptly excused himself from the conversation. He didn't trust himself not to lash out, verbally or physically. Those guys looked strong enough to take a punch, and Ichigo was scared that if he didn't act on his feelings, his hollow would do it for him.

He could feel it in his subconscious. The door to that part of his mind was usually locked tight, but the more he thought about Rukia, and her engagement, the more the door eroded and decayed. And from the other side someone, or something, pounded on the door furiously, seeking release.

Ichigo shook, feeling an icy chill in his bones. The look in Rukia's eye when she had turned to look at him was so sad, so heartbreaking, that he had very nearly forgotten about their kiss… or perhaps he only wished he could forget it.

It had seemed so sweet, in that glorious instance. He could still taste her lips, and his heart still remembered the feeling from before his world had been turned on its head. He wanted to go back, and undue the last half hour, but he couldn't.

A bitter chill blew in from his open window, and he heard two soft footsteps as someone came to land on the sill.

"Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

He said nothing. He wasn't sure what he could say. He licked his lips, still thinking about their kiss, but his mind felt numb, and sluggish. All of his senses seemed to have been stalled as he fell headlong into despair.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ichigo asked, ignoring Rukia. "Why the fuck wouldn't you tell me that you were betrothed? Why would you lie and tell me you care about me? How could you you lead me on like that?!"

By the end of his questions, he was shouting, tears flowing down his face. He rocked backward and forward, feeling his gut twist itself into knots. Nothing seemed real anymore. How could it, when all that he'd held dear was shattered in an instant?

"I tried to tell you, Ichigo-"

"NOT HARD ENOUGH! But I'm not even angry you didn't tell me. Hell, that isn't even the issue…" Ichigo stood from the bed, turning to face Rukia. His eyes were bloodshot and tear-filled, and perhaps it was a trick of the light, but for a moment, his irises glowed like molten gold. "Why did you say that you loved me? Why did you agree to go on a date? Why didn't you just…."

His anger washed over him like a tidal wave. His blue reiatsu appeared, like blue flames flickering over his body. Without thinking, Ichigo howled, grabbing his desk chair and hurling it across the room. It shattered into splinters, knocking pictures from his wall and leaving a hole in the plaster. He panted, swallowing the pain and anger as deep as he could as his eyes flared again, like miniature suns. Inky blackness slowly seeped from the corners of his eyes as he held his head.

"Ichigo, stop it!" Rukia stated, stepping inside and closing the window.

She put on her gigai, standing face to face with Ichigo, who looked absolutely devastated. The sound of someone racing up the stairs could be heard, and a knock at his door made him turn. Yuzu flung open the door, standing there with Karin. They both appeared out of breath.

"Thought we heard yelling, and a crash," Yuzu said, looking at the damage Ichigo had caused.

"Get out," he murmured, not looking at his sisters.

Karin felt lightning arc across her spine. Ichigo had been crying… he still was. Rukia looked as though she were about to cry, too. What was going on?

"Ichigo-"

"I said GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Ichigo roared, slamming the door shut on his sisters.

"Don't take this out on them, you're angry at me!" Rukia shouted.

"You're goddamn right I am!" Ichigo hollered back. "How could you do this to me?! Even if you don't really love me, we're supposed to be friends!"

"I never lied to you," Rukia said loudly, "I really do love you, Ichigo!"

"THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU MARRYING HIM?! WHY WOULD YOU GET MY HOPES UP IF YOU HAD NO INTENTIONS OF FOLLOWING THROUGH?!"

"I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP!" she shouted back, tears streaming from her eyes like waterfalls. "I THOUGHT THAT IF YOU HAD YOUR FUN, WE'D STILL BE ABLE TO PART WAYS AMICABLY!"

Ichigo balled his fists, feeling his anger reach new heights. He'd never yelled at someone quite like this. He was sure that his sisters could hear every word that was said through the door, but he didn't care. Just looking at Rukia's face seemed to cause him great discomfort, like a dagger twisting in his stomach.

"I WASN'T LOOKING FOR FUN, RUKIA! I WAS READY TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH YOU! I…"

Ichigo faltered. As quickly as his rage had climaxed, all the fight rushed out of him. He felt the world go wobbly as he took a hard seat on the floor at Rukia's feet. He held his head, which throbbed painfully.

"I really thought we had a shot at… something," Ichigo said, sounding more like he was speaking to himself than to Rukia. "I honestly believed we could make things work. I thought for sure that there was something there… that I wasn't just grasping at straws…."

"Listen to me, Ichigo," Rukia knelt in front of him, "I love you. You mean more to me than I can say. It was never my intention to cause you so much pain, but I have responsibilities that need to be upheld. Do you understand me? Ichigo?"

"Rukia, why?" Ichigo asked. "Why are you marrying him?"

She sniffled, stuffing her hands between her thighs. Every single fiber of her being wanted to comfort Ichigo, but he looked unhinged. If she tried to console him, it would only escalate things, and his reiatsu was growing stronger by the moment, as if his hollow were very nearly free.

"Who am I, Ichigo?"

The question caught him off guard. Ichigo was pulled from his internal pity party as he met Rukia's eyes, which were quite stern. She looked as though she were going to lecture him, but he had no interest in her games.

"You're Rukia."

"Exactly. That's how you know me. You know me as Rukia, your friend. To the Seireitei, I am a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. To the Kuchiki family, I am an adopted relative, with full blooded privileges. You're looking at me through a rose colored lens, Ichigo, but there is another side to me that you have completely neglected… so don't say that you really love me if you refuse to understand my obligations. I owe the Kuchiki family a debt that can never be repaid. They took me in out of the goodness of their hearts, and it would dishonor them and their kindness if I did not do everything in my power to comply with their wishes. Do I make myself clear?"

"None of that matters to me," Ichigo muttered coldly. "I've never put much stock in those traditions… if you did everything that's ever been asked of you by the Soul Society, you'd have been executed!"

"Dammit all, Ichigo! Why can't you accept this?!" Rukia was suddenly on her feet.

"Because I can see it in your eyes! This isn't what you want!" Ichigo snapped, standing up as well.

"What I want doesn't matter! How I feel about you is immaterial! Stop being so damned childish!"

She turned on her heel and made for the door, opening it to reveal Karin and Yuzu's pale faces. Ichigo caught Rukia's wrist, holding it gently but firmly. He didn't know why, but he got the distinct feeling that letting her leave his room was a mistake.

"We're not finished," Ichigo growled.

"I've said all I have to say," Rukia replied icily.

Ichigo scowled, keeping his grip on her wrist firm as she tried to pull away.

"Let go of me, Ichigo."

"But… Rukia-"

"I said LET GO!"

She whipped about, her cheeks red, anger etched in every fiber of her being. With a resounding CRACK, she slapped Ichigo across the face, sending him stumbling back and landing on the bed. Rukia flexed her hand, swearing under her breath as pins and needles worked their way from the tips of her fingers all the way up to her elbow. Ichigo felt his cheek gingerly, which was red and swollen. The tangy metallic taste of blood was heavy as he inspected the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

He looked at Rukia, only to find that her rage was gone. She covered her mouth with her hands, trying to stifle her sobbing, but it was no use. Her tears had returned, and she sobbed quietly to herself as she quickly turned about and fled the room. After a moment, Yuzu followed after her. From the living room, Ichigo could hear Rukia, crying loudly, and no doubt stuffing her face into a pillow. Karin stared at her brother, who fell back into his bed, so tired from the last few minutes that he felt he could just curl up and fall asleep then and there.

Of course, that wasn't the case. Ichigo couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. He found that his face was throbbing too painfully, keeping him awake. Every so often, he heard Rukia in the living room, still crying. Yuzu and Karin had spoken to Rukia, but had gone to bed shortly thereafter. Ichigo had closed his door, giving no response when someone lightly knocked on it.

The night passed slowly for Ichigo, and he felt as though his heart might just give out from strain. Rukia's bitter words about his love not being genuine cut him deeply. He heard the sound of a car's engine pull up in front of the house, and a minute later, the front door opened.

"I'm home," called a deep voice, "anyone alive out there?"

It was Isshin Kurosaki. The entire house was dark. No one was awake, which was odd. Normally, everyone was up pretty late. Isshin didn't mind, though. So long as his kids got good grades, they were free to do as they pleased.

Ichigo listened to his father fumble through the house. He turned over, feigning sleep as the hours ticked by, and he slowly dozed off.

He dreamt he was falling… or was he flying? It was hard to tell. In any case, he was floating, with absolutely no way of changing course. There was nothing to grab onto, and he only had one free hand. The other was holding onto Rukia, who looked beautiful and petrified all at once.

"I won't let go of you," Ichigo told her.

"You have to," she insisted.

"No, Rukia! We'll make it out of this! I promise!"

He tried to look through the inky darkness surrounding them, but he saw nothing. Gusts of wind tore at them from every direction.

"You have to let me go! You can't hold onto me anymore! Let go of me, Ichigo!"

But no matter how tightly he tried to hold her hand, she became harder and harder to keep hold of. Soon, they were only connected by the very tips of their fingers.

"NO!" he shouted.

Their connection broke, and Rukia spiraled off into the darkness.

"Rukia! Come back! Please! No, Rukia! RUKIAAAA!"

Ichigo found himself being shaken awake, still reeling from his nightmares. A shadow towered over him. The darkness of night was still absolute outside his window as Ichigo frowned up at the familiar sight of his father.

"Long time no see, dumbass."

"Dad," Ichigo muttered tiredly, falling back against his pillows.

"Long story short, I hear that you've been keeping things lively around here while I was gone. Your sisters both seem to think you've gone off the deep end. Care to explain?"

He took a seat on Ichigo's bed. Far from looking upset, Isshin Kurosaki looked bemused, as if the whole thing were a bad joke that had gotten out of hand.

"Not really," Ichigo said, "it's good to have you back. Karin was trying to get a hold of you there, for a while."

"Yeah, that was my fault. Getting to the conference was a breeze. Getting back here was difficult. First my plane was stalled by weather, and I got put up in a fancy hotel for the night… but that's not important. What the hell is happening between you and Rukia? From the sound of it, you two are-"

"There's nothing. I thought there was, but she's getting married to some noble from the Seireitei."

Isshin scratched his chin thoughtfully, and muttered to himself, "Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku…"

"You know him?"

"Heard of him. Leads one of the four noble families of the Soul Society. Apparently, his job description, and much of what his clan does is top secret. Why he's suddenly out and about in public is… beyond me."

Ichigo met his father's eye. The guy looked seriously tired, as if he hadn't slept in days. If he had to guess, it hadn't all been canceled flights and luxurious four star hotels. He'd probably ridden the bus at all hours of the night, slowly but surely winding his way home. It also explained why they hadn't been able to contact him. His phone had probably died and he hadn't had the chance to charge it.

"So, Yuzu and Karin said that you went on a date with Rukia… and when the two of you got back, you were both yelling and screaming… is that a hole in your wall?!"

Isshin Kurosaki leapt from the bed and carefully inspected the drywall. He tapped the shattered plaster with a finger, rubbing it around between his fingers before tasting it.

"Why the hell would you throw a chair at the wall?!" he asked incredulously.

"How the hell did you know I threw a chair at the wall just by eating plaster?"

"I can taste it," Isshin waved a hand impatiently. "And I don't give a damn about your relationships! No more holes in the wall, idiot!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Huh, that's odd. I figured you'd have some big spiel for me, like 'you two can't be together, you're too different.'"

"Seriously?" Isshin raised an eyebrow. "Ichigo, I gave up being a soul reaper and ended up living here in the world of the living because I fell in love with your mom. I'm the last person who'll tell you not to go for it."

"Right, I forgot that you don't really care what we do as long as we get good marks."

"As true as that may be, you're paying for the repairs to that wall… but I suppose that it's time you and I had a real talk, isn't it?"

The older man sat on the bed once more, looking deadly serious. Ichigo waited, but no words were forthcoming. Just before he could ask his father to get out of his room, Isshin launched into an explanation.

"When a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Shut the hell up," Ichigo snarled, driving his knee into his father's back as he forced him off the bed, "if you wanna talk the birds and the bees, go bother Yuzu and Karin."

"Well, at least I know you're listening… and that cuts out several minutes of explanation. Listen carefully, Ichigo. I have some things to tell you. Things that have been told to every young man of the Shiba bloodline." Isshin stood from the floor, brushing himself off.

"Shiba… now hold on just a second, what are you talking about?!"

"Before I was Isshin Kurosaki, I was Isshin Shiba… Captain of Squad Ten. Shiba was once a noble house in its own right, you know… back before we lost all of our prestige."

"Yeah- dad, listen, that's great but… you mean that… I'm related… to GANJU?!"

"Hahaha! Well, actually, yeah. Distantly, if at all. Different branches of the same tree, I guess you could say. In any case, I have some words of wisdom for you… four pieces of tried and true advice, passed down from father to son for generations… usually, after their very first heartbreak."

Ichigo's eye twitched. A part of him thought his father was just pulling his leg… but he looked dead serious. There was a strange look in his eye, like he knew exactly how Ichigo was feeling.

"My heart is fine," the high schooler scowled, "I went for a run just this morning."

"You can make whatever excuses you like… I won't stop you. I myself made a ton when my dad had this talk with me. The older I got, though, the more I realized his words rang true… I only wish I could've thanked him for his wisdom before he died."

His eyes were distant for a moment before they refocused on Ichigo. The young man frowned, crossing him arms. Why was his dad being so weird?

"My first piece of good, general advice is this," Isshin said, "there are plenty of fish in the sea."

For a moment, Ichigo felt fire in his chest as he shot a glare at his father. The tired man watched him carefully, still looking as if he knew exactly what Ichigo was going through.

"You almost told me to go fuck myself, didn't you?"

"…I thought about it."

"It's alright, Ichigo. Like I said, I felt the same thing. Maybe we all do, our first time hearing this. But that's why we do it this way… when the wounds are still fresh. Because when he hit our lowest point, we're open to the greatest changes."

"Just gimme the next piece of wisdom," Ichigo sighed.

"My second piece of advice is this… people must love themselves before they love you."

"How the hell is that even applicable?"

"No clue… remember, this advice is set in stone, but over the years, I've found that sooner or later, it all becomes applicable. Maybe this one isn't so much about Rukia as it is about you. The point is, people that aren't ready to love won't do it on command."

"Ok."

"Now, this third piece of advice is something you've actually figured out on your own," Isshin smirked proudly. "If you try hard enough, you can make it happen."

The redhead blinked. "Make what happen?"

"Aw, come on, Ichigo! You're telling me you don't get it?! That's ridiculous! You of all people should be able to tell me the importance of perseverance and follow through! Every fight you've been in has been a hopeless situation, until you turned it around. With enough willpower, you can do anything. Don't give up."

"And what's the next piece of advice?"

"I just told you. Never give up! No matter what, you can let being hurt or scared stop you from finding someone who cares about you. And if you think you truly love someone… never give up on them. Sometimes, all they need is someone who's willing to fight for them."

The high schooler could barely understand what his father was telling him. Was he supposed to pursue Rukia anyway? Was she just not ready to love? None of what he'd heard just now made any sense, and it only added to his headache.

"That's all the advice I have for now. Do with it what you will," summated Isshin.

"Well, thanks, I guess," Ichigo said. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to try and get some sleep."

"Same here. And no matter what happens, Ichigo, I want you to remember that your sisters and I all care about you and want you to be happy. So try not to be such an asshole to us, ok?"

Isshin gave Ichigo a wry smile before standing up and walking out of the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He'd been given so much to think about it wasn't even funny. His face still hurt, but somehow he found he wasn't angry at Rukia. She'd just watched him throw a chair through his wall… it would be stupid for her not to be scared when he'd grabbed her.

And to think that just a few short hours ago, they had been kissing passionately in that movie theater….

'I'll apologize when I wake up,' Ichigo decided, 'I'll fall on my knees and beg her to forgive me. I'll do my best to convince her not to go through with this.'

Ichigo knew it was likely no use. He knew it would only make him look weak, but he didn't care. He couldn't afford to lose Rukia's friendship, and he refused to watch her go through with something she didn't want to do.

When Ichigo woke up in the morning, he went down to the living room. The couch Rukia had slept on before sharing a bed with Ichigo was empty. The only thing left was a note, scrawled in kanji so carefully formed that whoever wrote it must have put a lot of thought into the words.

To my dearest friend, Ichigo,

I understand that what I did was unforgivable. Looking back on it, it might have been better if we'd never gotten involved as we did. It would have spared us the heart ache we both feel after last night, and I feel horrible knowing that I hurt you. You've been a steadfast and loyal friend, and it pains me to leave on such a sour note, but I can't stay here with you.

I'll always love you. No matter what happens, know that. If you can't find it in your heart to forgive me, I understand, but please don't hate me. I'll look back on our time together with fondness, and I don't regret any of the good times we shared.

So long, Ichigo. I wish you the best of luck in life.

Until our paths next cross…

-Rukia

Ichigo looked at the note, barely comprehending the letter. He stared at the script, unseeing as he imagined Rukia's soft words in his head. He was so very saddened, and so tired. It was as though Rukia had crept into his room in the middle of the night, and stolen his heart from his chest.

'I'll always love you….'

Ichigo gripped the note, tempted to tear it up into pieces. He was ready to shatter his combat pass, and throw its remains in the garbage.

"Never give up… if you think you truly love someone, never give up on them…"

Ichigo swallowed past the heartache that had risen to his throat, folding up the note carefully and putting it in his pocket.

"Looks like I gotta pay Urahara a visit," he muttered absently.

Author's Notes:

Again, shit gets heavy. Not gonna lie, writing these scene was challenging. I'm not the greatest when it comes to arguments, but I tried to keep it as realistic as possible. And I'm still not sure I like the plot for this story, so this may need a rewrite. In any case, I'll probably just follow it for now and see where it takes me. Also, if you see spelling/grammar mistakes in this chapter, you're a liar. I read through this like four times (and I only cried three times)

After all, who wouldn't cry? I had these guys on cloud 9 and then BANG! Hell in a handbasket!

Here's some sad music to listen to, because it's a sad chapter.

I'm Not Coming Home-Brennan Savage

Demons-Jacob Lee

broken hearts club-gnash

i don't wanna know her-timmies ft Shiloh

loosing interest-timmies ft. Shiloh

i never thought you'd be my enemy-vaboh

again-timmies ft. Shiloh

if i could i would feel nothing-blackbear

4u-blackbear (Renzyx remix)

Die Trying-Michl

Drowning-Eden

Forever Over-Eden

Goddamn, so many sad songs. I better slow down.

Thanks for reading. FYI. this story ain't done yet. Not by a longshot.