Soo...again I've been gone for almost a year, it's been a hard year, between getting into a postgrad Architecture program in NY. To moving almost six thousand miles away from my home. Lots of change and with it new horizons. So I wanted to apologize to those who read the previous and short chapter and thought it was the last one. In between moving and settling into this new city, it's been pretty tough, but I am back. I promise I will post a chapter every few weeks. I am working part-time at an architecture studio/firm (idk how they're call here in the US) and studying full time, sooo its gonna be a challenge, but this chapter has been cathartic. This story is really based on an extremely personal experience and as a potential vent for an extremely big amount of emotions and fears that have accumulated over the past year since I ended a pretty shitty relationship. This will be an insight into my inner self and I am happy share it. Since it makes for good writing material and it's pretty therapeutic. So on we go with life and the story. I feel my writing style has developed and you will see a change in it. Please as always I welcome and cherish each and every one of your criticisms and feedback. Let me know how and what you'd like to see in the story :D This chapter is a small development in the story and a big cliffhanger hehe You have been warned. Enjoy your reading!

He never understood the reason why she had left. Five years, five years of not seeing her face, of not listening to her laughter, of not touching her face. She never answered the e-mails, the Facebook messages, nothing. After stalking her on social media, though she wasn't active the last few years, she never answered back, going as far as blocking him on everything. He hated the feeling of having ruined his chance at his own version of a happy ending. Of having lost the one person he had opened up to. But dishonesty and karma, they were a pair of bitches, best friends actually.

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Rukia

As Rukia walked down the street from the old apartment complex a sigh left her mouth. She pulled a long the trolley from the supermarket, she never understood why mother had insisted on bringing this thing every time they went to the market, but it all made sense now. A top of ginger hair passed her, his brilliant smile warming her heart, his one blue eye stared back, "Come on mama! We need to get home!"

His long legs carried him farther away from her, she yelled back, "Jun! Jun! Wait a second, don't cross the street yet!" She watched as his blue/brown gaze stared back at her, his chubby cheeks deflating from an inaudible huff. Jun was stubborn, but then his face formed a large dimpled smile. Hands behind his back, he swung back and forth on his feet. She loved him, her baby, her own little reminder of him.

Rukia – Chicago, June 2012

Her smile faded as she watched the passing train, the pink line train that would take her to the Ashland station and then switch to the green line train back to Oak Park. Ichigo and her had moved to Oak Park back in January, she had finished college this month, graduating with honors and with Ichigo in the first row cheering and clapping. She hadn't stopped smiling since that day. But something was off with him the past two weeks. He would come in the room, take off his clothes and turn on his back, saying a dismissive "Goodnight" before turning off his lamp and settling into a fitful sleep. She had tried speaking to him in the morning before going to the art gallery, where she had started working, and question him on his behavior. But all he did was go out for his 5am run, take a shower, put on his ironed Oxford shirt, black chinos and shiny black shoes, looked her over and said "I'll be home late, got to finish some things in the office. Don't wait for me." Then promptly picked up his leather messenger bag and walked out the door. Tears had fallen into her coffee cup, slow trickles of sadness pouring from her soul, small pieces of her being dripping. She didn't understand why, didn't know the sudden chance in Bliss town. She wanted to understand, wanted to know why he was acting this way.

Picking up her phone from the countertop, she scrolled to get to the chat she had with him.

Rukia: Remember we have a dinner date tonight with the other curators and his wife. I'll meet you down by Randolph at 7.

Ichigo: Can't. Need to finish an article for tonight. Gonna stay late.

Rukia: But I told about this three weeks ago, you need to be there. Ichigo...this is my job. I get you need to finish things at work too, but can't you spare a couple of hours tonight and go into the office tomorrow early?

Ichigo: I can't. Sorry Rukia.

Rukia: You...ok Ichigo, I'll see you later tonight then. Good luck with the article.

Ichigo: Thanks. See you later.

Rukia dropped to the floor, her hand landing on her lower stomach, soothing the small bump forming. She was 5 weeks along at this point, she'd been planning to tell Ichigo as soon as she'd seen the plus sign on the test, but she hadn't been able to muster up the courage yet. They'd been together for a year and four months, she thought it was too soon to have a kid, but they loved each other, didn' t he? Tears fell down her cheeks, racing down to her black midi skirt. She couldn't do this if she didn't find out what was going on with him. She couldn't be in an unstable relationship and have her little peanut.

Rukia: Can we meet for lunch? I gotta tell you something.

Ichigo: Can't you just tell through here? I have a lunch meeting with the other editors, I can't.

Rukia: God! You can't do anything lately, can't, can't, can't. What is up with you Ichigo? What is going on?

Ichigo: Rukia, I can't deal with you right now. Ttyl.

Rukia: Ichigo, I need to talk to you. We need to get this cleared, we need to talk or I won't be able to do this anymore.

Rukia: Please, Ichigo. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong?

Rukia: Ichigo, please. Tell me what I've done wrong. Why are you acting like this? Why are you doing this?

Ichigo: Stop embarrassing yourself Rukia. I can't and won't deal with you right now, I'm going into a meeting. Ttyl.

Rukia: Ichigo, I can't do this anymore. I can't. Please meet me at lunch, we'll talk, get this sorted. I need to tell you something important.

Ichigo: Rukia...I gotta tell you something as well.

Rukia: Then meet me for lunch?

Ichigo: I can do a late lunch, around 2, meet you at the Caribou on Randolph.

Rukia: Ok. See you then. I love you to the moon, twice around and back.

Ichigo: See you then.

Rukia waited for another message, one telling her that he loved her to the moon, twice around and back...but he didn't text back after that. She picked herself up from her place on the floor and put on her pea-coat and black stilettos. Closing the door to their apartment she road the elevator down from the 13th floor. Putting on her Bose headphones, she switched to her regular playlist and let the slow house music fill her soul.

Later that day, 1:30pm

"I was wondering if you could stay tomorrow night and work an extra few hours to cover my time on the floor," said Marie, one the other curators at the art gallery.

"Tomorrow is fine, gives me an excuse to meet up with Ichigo after he gets out late, again," Rukia sighed as she looked around the new arrivals at the gallery, the canvas that adorned the walls were exquisite, she hoped soon that one of her own creations would grace the wall along the main corridor of the showroom.

"He's been pretty busy lately hasn't he?" Marie's questioned echoed around Rukia, as she herself pondered about how he had responded to her earlier that morning. How her tears hadn't been seen by him, but it felt as if he had been staring right at her face when his response had come through. She took out her cellphone from her skirt pocket and sent him a quick message.

Rukia: About to leave to meet you, you on your way?

Ichigo: I'm just getting out of the meeting, let me do something quick and I'll see you at around 2.

Rukia: Please don't be too late, I need to get back for a 4:30 appointment.

Ichigo: Fine. See you there.

Rukia: See you there :)!

Her brisk walk, echoed along the relatively empty street. She wondered what Ichigo had to tell her. She thought maybe work had been exhausting for him lately and that's why he had been acting weird but his treatment towards her wasn't justified. She'd been busy at work as well, right after graduation she'd been selected to be an apprentice curator at one of the biggest art galleries in Chicago. It was an excellent entry to the art business, but also it meant maybe having the chance to show her art work to some of the most prominent art collectors and buyers in the country and potentially the world. She had started renting a small art space after having moved from her studio and in with Ichigo. She liked living with him, he wasn't messy, he did the laundry without being asked, and he was one hell of a cook...were she lacked, he excelled and vice versa.

As she came closer to the Caribou cafe, she noticed Ichigo across the street looking at his phone, a solemn and happy expression on his face, a far cry from his usual and, what she thought, permanent scowl. He smiled as he typed quickly on his phone before looking up, as if feeling her gaze on him, and as quickly as the smile had come onto his handsome features it sashayed away. He raised his hand making a quick gestured, as she came up to the entrance, he crossed the street.

"Hey!" She said as she came up close going in for they're typical hello kiss. He instead moved and hugged her. She went still, they didn't usually hug unless there was something bad or maybe bad coming up or something had happened that wasn't all that positive. So she asked, "Is everything ok?"

"Let's get inside, yeah? We can talk while we eat."

They walked into the cafe, his hands in his pockets. After ordering they're tea and sandwiches, they walked over and sat at a table near the back. They ate silently for a few minutes, his gaze looking out onto the increasing downtown traffic, his features solemn, his eyes glazed over with a darkness that hadn't come over him since he'd told about his work and university situation. She put her tea down and grabbed his hand, which had been resting on the table. His gaze went over to her, searching her face as if mesmerized by her beauty.

"So what did you have to tell me?" He asked promptly while reaching for his tea.

"No, you tell me first, though I will say I'm worried about you, about us. I don't understand why you've acting strange lately...I was wondering if it was work or something happened back home?"

"I don't love you anymore, Rukia."

Her face fell, her heart kicked inside her chest, and her hand dropped his. Her gaze suddenly watery, her hands trembling, she hiccuped and brought one of her hands up to her face feeling the stream of tears coming down her cheeks.

"Rukia, please, don't cry. I-I can't lie to you anymore. Can't lie to myself, I-," he was suddenly cut off, a slap coming across his right cheek, the sound echoing across the small space, startling the few other people inside the cafe. Her hand rested in the air, suspended from the sudden action, the sudden outburst of hurt, deceit, sadness and disbelief that surged through her body. She stood, her body jerking from the sudden movement. Putting down her hand down, she grabbed her coat. Looking towards the door when a hand grabbed her forearm stopping her forward momentum.

"Stop, Rukia. Listen to me. Please, I can explain."

"I can't. I can't listen to you. I won't listen to you. I've been nothing, nothing but your wall for almost two years Ichigo. I've cried, I've laughed, I've held you after your nightmares, I've listened to you complain, shared every moment of my happiness with you. And, yet, you can't be human enough to tell me, you weren't in love with me anymore? Because Ichigo, you just don't suddenly fall out of love with someone, you just suddenly turn cold on them...you knew, you felt it. Why didn't you tell me? Why did you lie to me?"

"Rukia...I-I didn't lie. I-"

"Well you sure as hell didn't have the decency to tell me what was going on with you! You sure as hell didn't tell me ANYTHING! So it is lying, even when you don't tell the other person, you're significant other, the person you said you loved, but two weeks ago. YOU! You, Ichigo! Even if its omission, it's still lying, it's not being honest!"

Her chest puffed, her breath hitched as she felt she couldn't take it anymore. Shaking her arm out of his grasp, she walked to the door swiftly opening the door onto the late summer breeze, her face felt hot, her hands still trembled. But he didn't come after her. She didn't hear the scrape of a chair against the hardwood floors, or the heat of his body on her back. She felt cold. She felt desolate.

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Review my lovelies! :3