Disclaimer: Not mine. Ever.


Chapter 7: Maybe a Mistake

Ichigo couldn't bring herself to pull away and she even moaned briefly when their tongues clashed. But when a hand slid down her back, about to caress her curve, she flinched and gripped tightly on the man's shoulders.

"No... that's too far now." she breathed heavily and he moved away from her. He didn't know what came over him, and as an apologetic gesture he fixed her hair, entangling his fingers through the smooth locks. She understand the gentle act and sighed while trying to stop her face from reddening even more.

"It's okay, I'm not mad. It's just so... wild. But I'm not angry in any way."

He stood there, saying no word as he watched her pick up the shopping bag that contained her cloths. Looking up so their eyes would meet, Ichigo stood still for a while before stepping closer. She pecked him lightly near his lips before bowing.

"Good night."

With a nod from him she walked back to her room and so did he. Afterwards, everybody in the seventh floor was already asleep and waiting for tomorrow to come.


"This time class, we're going to visit a hospital. It's pretty near so don't worry."

Everyone calmly stepped into the several elevators in the hallway. Renji and Ichigo stepped into one elevator and both pressed one button and with a small dinging sound, the doors slid close and they felt the motion of the machine gradually going down.

"Ichigo, can I ask you a favor?" Renji asked, crossing his arms while leaning his back against the metal wall.

"Sure what is it?"

"When we go back to Karakura Town, once the trip is over, can we go hang out someplace?" he boldly said, and she flinched in surprise at the question. It sounded like he was asking her on a date, which is not what she needed because she just started dating somebody else.

"Hang out?"

"Yeah. I don't know, it's just the two of us, good friends, going out and enjoying the mall or a small meal." Renji hid his face under his bangs, which grew long again. Ichigo looked at him for a while, unable to make an answer for him but the redhead patiently waited. She wondered now if trying to go out with Aizen had anything important to do with her life.

People would question to how quickly they started to date if they knew about her secret. If he was just unforgettable in her memories, that was understandable. But she knew that she's acting slightly immature, selfish, and irrational.

She's dating a man almost twice her age. Even if she claims countless times that she's in love with him, what if he doesn't feel the same? She knew that Aizen's not just toying around with her, but he may be only agreeing to date her to spare her feelings and for some company, but he might not feel the same for her.

In reality, it's true. He does not love her, but he appreciates her affections a little, because she's so earnest and bold about it. He likes a lot about her, but he can't love her. And he wishes he won't. He also wishes that she would stop feeling that for him, because he knows she'll regret it sooner or later.

But she's innocently unaware of all that, because she can only think deep to why did she let her heart go to him. It kind of made things strange for her. At first, it seems all perfect but when one would give a good contemplation about that fact, it is indeed strange.


In the hospital, Ichigo felt glad that there were no deaths as she could hear from the gossips of the nurses, which were followed by those about her and her classmates. They look foreign, the nurses said, but Ichigo thought that they looked the same with a roll of her eyes.

Then Renji touches her shoulder from behind her and she calmly turns her head around.

"Well, what did you decide?" A pause afterwards.

"I'm not sure. I mean, it's the first time someone asked me out."

"Well technically, Aizen didn't ask me out but just allowed us to date. Wait, but nothing makes sense anymore when it comes to him..." From her friend immediately to her love, she grew frustrated but she didn't let it show. Last night was amazing, every moment of it. But nothing still made sense about the both of them together.


Aizen wondered if he was a man that would immediately change his mind. Two days ago, he told her he wouldn't mind dating her. Then yesterday, he had his first date which ended in an awkward way. And today, he gets the urge to tell her that they have to stop it.

In the eyes of other people, it would be like he's taking advantage of a girl who's still in high school. But he isn't, in that sick way. There are many things about her that he found nice and adorable and beautiful but they can't date again after what happened last night.

His actions whenever it would be towards her, are completely different from the person he really is. He wouldn't just act without thinking. So it has got to stop, even if it was barely a month or even a year.

But what if he might hurt her? He hurts people who deserve their retribution, but not young, innocent and pure people emotionally. That was why he considered going out with her, so that he wouldn't make her upset and also to let her understand that what she feels for him is just a huge infatuation that would pass.

And now he decided the other way around again; to break up with her. Technically, it's more like to quit dating once and for all. They kissed many times, but it's most likely the heat overtaking her... and him as well.

Right now, that's not what was important. He was sitting beside a young ten year-old girl lying on the bed with closed eyes and an oxygen mask connected to her nostrils and mouth. She may look like she's in a bad condition, but she's actually getting better soon.

"Soon, Hinamori. Soon enough." he said in a very low voice and then a gasp was heard. He raised his head and what met his sight was Ichigo who looked at him with surprise. Not the horrified kind of surprised, but just the plainly surprised look.

She left afterwards when her name was being called a few times, and he sighed. He couldn't tell her what he had to tell her, but he had as much time as he would once he goes back to the hotel.


A/N: Thanks to those who liked and reviewed the story. It's well-appreciated with all of my heart. :D