Disclaimer: Standard applied

Summary: Autumn last year I was rejected. My boyfriend fell in love with another girl. The man who rejected me is still my boyfriend even now, and the girl he loves is still my best friend. And even now they still love each other. AU.

Note:

Past/Thought

Present

-. This is an AU, so as expected from most AU, yes the character would be OOC. So don't bother to review about the OOCness-

edited: 4/27/10

Thanks for my LOVELY BETA: MiloMaxwell

and reviewers :)

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Disclaimer: Standard applied

BETA'D

Written for Jin-sama

(aku gak peduli kamu cewek atau cowok, aku suka kamu)

Chapter 6 —Rukia—

"Pretenders"

I looked outside of the window. There was nothing interesting behind the train's window, but I'd rather look at it than to see the couple who sat in front of me. I crossed my arms on my chest and rested my back, tried to act as casual as I could.

Thought it was kind of hard after what had been going on last night.

We were on our way to the onsen now. We had split into two groups, Renji and his friend had gone first by car to do reservation while I and the others used the train. I missed Renji, at least if he were here, it would not be this boring.

I looked at the girl with spiky black hair who sat next to me. I sighed when I saw the strongest girl in town was closing her eyes listening to her i-pod. I definitely couldn't talk with her now.

Ichigo and Orihime who sat in front of me were talking about something. Their voices were low, I could not catch what were they talking about, but I could hear Orihime giggled sometime when Ichigo said something. She laughed and he smirked when she laughed. I frowned and looked away; they both seemed like they were in a bright mood today.

I touched my forehead to the window.

Ichigo really did what he said.

I knew he was a man who would never take his own word. I should know that last night he was serious when he told me that.

I should have known.

I closed my eyes.

I remembered every word he said last night. I still remembered his expression when he said it.

I wanted to forget it but I could not.

-

"I hope Renji finds a nice inn for us!"

"I bet he will." Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked beside me, "It was his entire plan after all."

"I still wanted to go to the beach actually."

He did not say anything as we continued walking through the park. I walked a little faster, the park in the summer night always full of couples doing M-rated stuff. It made me uneasy. I did not know why Ichigo chose this route; there were so many other routes to get my house after all.

Maybe because it was the shortest route, I thought.

"I am sorry."

I startled a little when he suddenly apologized, did he read my mind?

I raised a brow, "Huh?"

"You want to go to the beach right?"

"Yeah… but…"

"And Orihime wants to go to the mountain…"

I understood now.

I looked away from him and smiled. This man might look and acted like a punk but he had such a soft side too. He apologized for something that was not his fault. It was just like something that Orihime would do. I almost laughed; I realized how lately Orihime had acted a little bit like him too.

It was so cute that it hurt me.

"It's okay… I want to go to the onsen too…"

He smiled, "Yeah."

I sighed.

After the kiss few days ago, I had not talk about it with him. I had told him that I love him, and I kissed him too, but he had not said anything about it.

"Err… Ichigo…"

Should I ask him?

"Hmm?" he did not look at me as we kept on walking.

After all he had said he loves me a year ago.

Did he still love me?

"What do you think…"

"Hmm?"

…about me?

I could not say it.

"…about Orihime?"

He scowled deeper, but he did not stop walking, "Why?"

I gulped, why? I did not know why I asked him that…

But he did not wait for me to answer.

"I want to protect her."

I nodded.

Everyone wanted to protect her, even me.

"I wanted to protect her no matter what."

The seriousness in his tone hurt me but I managed to keep my straight face. No… I should not show him that it hurt me. No… I should not be jealous.

"I see."

He nodded.

"I have decided, Rukia…"

I looked at him.

He did not look at me, "I would not leave her."

I did not say anything. I just looked away.

I understood what he meant.

"I am sorry, Rukia."

'No, you're not.'

-

"…ia"

I took a deep breath.

"Rukia!"

I was more than startled when a warm finger touched my cheek.

When I turned around to see whose finger was that, I saw the three of my friends had looked at me with such an amused look. Orihime, who poked my cheek just now, smiled when I finally gave them my attention.

"Are you okay?"

The auburn haired girl looked at me with a concerned look.

"Eh?" I blinked.

"You didn't respond to Orihime's question." Tatsuki who had turned off her i-pod raise an eyebrow, "What are you doing? Daydreaming?"

Yes.

"No!" I laughed; I looked at Orihime and rubbed the back of my head, "I am so sorry, I'm just so sleepy…"

"Oh… it's okay!" Orihime gave me one of her best smile, she clasped her hands together, "I am happy that you are okay… I already thought that the blue men have come and stole your brain…" she pouted, "Those little men are really annoying lately."

I laughed.

"What were you asking me again?"

"Oh, yeah that!" she was still smiling, "Do you have any idea who is Renji's friend who'll join us?"

I shrugged, "Eh, I don't know… I never asked him."

"I asked him." Ichigo leaned back, "But he said it was a secret."

The strawberry pinched the bridge of his nose, one of his gestures that I loved so much. I slapped my face mentally for thinking something like that. Ichigo had said it last night, he chose Orihime. Well he did not really say it like that, but I knew that what he meant.

"I hope he is a nice person!" Orihime said, "Well, but since he is Renji's friend he must be interesting."

"I just hoped that he is not a punk." Tatsuki crossed her legs. The karate girl eyed Ichigo lazily, "It would be quite a problem if all the guys who go with us are punks."

"I heard that, Tatsuki." Ichigo warned his neighbor.

"You're supposed to."

I smiled and leaned back to my seat and close my eyes. This was just how it supposed to be. Everything suddenly had been back to normal. Orihime giggled, Ichigo scowled, and we all teased each other. I should be happy that everything had been like before.

But I was not happy.

Call me egoist.

Call me selfish.

I wanted Ichigo.

I was jealous.

I wanted to scream.

"Are you sure, you're really okay, Rukia?"

I opened my eyes, "I'm fine Orihime." I forced a smile, "I was just so tired." I turned to Tatsuki, "How long until we'll be there?"

Tatsuki checked her watch, "About four hours more."

I hid a sigh.

"You can just sleep, Rukia…" Orihime told me sweetly, this girl was too kind for her own good, I could not hate her. I would never hate her, "We won't be noisy…" she gave me a wide smile, "And don't worry, I will watch over you so the little green men would not come to steal your brain!"

I smiled weakly.

If these little green men really existed, I wanted them to come and steal my heart.

That way, it would not be broken.

-

I was not sleeping, I was pretending to sleep. That way, nobody would disturb me and my thoughts. I curled into a ball, tried to hid my face, I was never good in pretending. I was never good in hiding anything. Including my feelings.

It had been almost a year.

My feeling must have been shown.

Ichigo wasn't stupid, he must know what I felt about him. I'd even kissed him; he should know how I felt about him.

Then why was he pretending like he didn't understand my feelings?

Then why had he said those words to me last night?

Does he not love me anymore?

"Tatsuki, would you go with me?"

I heard Orihime asked her friend.

"Sure."

I heard both of them stood up.

"Where are you going?"

Ichigo, clueless as usual, was asking.

"Idiot," Tatsuki scolded him, "We're going to the restroom."

"Tatsuki…" Orihime hissed.

"Oh… okay…"

I heard both girls left us. I tried not to open my eyes. It would be better if I kept pretending to sleep.

"I know you weren't sleeping."

I opened my eyes but I did not look at him.

I could feel him looking at me with his well-known scowl. I did not answer; after all he already knew that I was pretending. I was just curling there, waiting for him to continue talking. I waited but he did not say anything.

I swallowed, this was awkward.

Maybe, he was waiting for me to say something.

"Do you love her?"

I blurted.

"Huh?"

"Do you love Orihime?"

I still did not look at him.

"Rukia…"

"Or are you pretending to love her."

He did not answer.

"You pretend to love her so you won't hurt her."

"Rukia… I don't want to talk about it."

Then just say yes already!

"Answer me."

"You know the answer."

"No."

"Rukia… I just want to make it all less difficult for us, please don't make it complicated…" I knew he was frustrated that I refused to look at him.

"Then answer me."

"You know the answer."

No.

I pretended that I didn't.

------------------chapter 6—Rukia— "Pretenders" : end-------------------

Author's Note:

Sorry that I am late. I have exams this week until next week so I'm kind of busy. Oh, BTW I need a new BETA reader, I would be happy if any of you could help me. The previous beta could not work with me again for one and other reason :) PM me if you want to be my BETA. (I have rurouni kenshin's and nodame cantabile's fictions too, if you want to help me just tell me ;))

(EDIT APRIL27, i got a new BETA READER , :))