After returning home last night Ichigo's reaper badge was beeping constantly. So again he was forced into a nearly sleepless night.
He stretched across his school desk and let out a wide yawn.
"Didn't sleep well last night?" Akane asked as she approached her friend.
Ichigo lazily shook his head no.
She gave him a pitied look, "You really need to take care of yourself! What keeps you up so late?"
He sighed tiredly. He wished he could tell her the truth. Instead he told the same lie he'd been telling for months, "Too much homework is all."
"Hey, by the way, there was something I wanted to ask- " Akane began, but was cut off by Keigo and Mizuiro's entrance.
"ICHIGOOO~!" Keigo called out.
The orange-haired student groaned in reply.
"Damn, you look terrible!" Keigo announced loudly, leaning in close to Ichigo's face.
Ichigo raised his head, flashing an icy glare.
"Eek! I forgot that you're even scarier when tired!" Keigo noted fearfully.
"What were you up late doing?" Mizuiro asked, taking his seat.
"Studying."
"But, there's no tests coming up!" Keigo protested.
Ichigo shot another glare at him, "I like to be prepared."
"Oh hooo? You're not doing...other things are you?" Keigo questioned suggestively.
A dark expression crossed Ichigo's face. He grabbed Keigo by the collar and pulled him closer.
"What exactly are you insinuating?" Ichigo asked in a cold tone. His eyes flashed murderously.
"Haa haa, n-nothing at all!" Keigo answered, sweating nervously.
Suddenly the bell rang, and Ichigo felt the relief of not having to talk anymore. Then, he recalled Akane's previous question.
"What did you want to tell me?" He asked her before she went to sit down.
"Oh! I'll tell you later!" She replied and hurried to her desk.
Lunch
"So, Akane what was it you wanted to ask about?" Ichigo asked sipping his juice box.
"Right! I was wondering if-"
"AKANE!" Keigo cut her off, "You are looking as beautiful as ever."
Akane blushed, "Thank you, Keigo. You're very sweet."
"Anything for my favorite transfer student!"
"You mean our only transfer student," Ichigo muttered under his breath.
The rest of the lunch period Keigo continued to pull Akane's attention towards him with his usual flattery, and the rest of the group continued to move conversation around, causing Akane to continuously to forget to ask Ichigo her question. By the time lunch was over, Akane hadn't said a word of it to Ichigo.
"Ah! I'll tell you the thing in science! It's kind of a long story!" She called out as she gathered her stuff once the bell rang.
Science
"ALL RIGHT CLASS. Yoday we are switching partners!" Coach Honda said.
"Er...Coach, wheres miss Kisa?" Akane asked.
"She got sick in the middle of the day! So, I will be teaching her classes for the rest of the day. And I do NOT tolerate talking!"
Akane groaned.
After school
"Mizuiro!" Akane ran up to the familiar classmate.
"Hello, Akane."
Akane looked around frantically, "Where's Ichigo?"
"He left already."
Akane's happiness level suddenly dropped to 0.
"I-Is something wrong?" Mizuiro asked nervously noting the complete 180 in her mood.
"N...no I'm fine."
Guess I'll just have the drop the news when I get there, Akane thought sighing exasperatedly.
"ICHIGO!"
"AGH! WHAT THE HELL?" Ichigo yelled, waking from his nap and falling off his bed. He looked up and saw a familiar stuffed lion looming over him, snickering.
"Hehe, I just wanted to scare you," Kon laughed.
Ichigo glared darkly and grabbed the stuffed lion, squeezing tight, "Don't you DARE do that again you idiot lion."
"Ah...y-yes..o-okay," Kon said trying to free himself from Ichigo's grip.
"Serves you right," Ririn said arms folded.
"Shut up you stupid bird," Kon snapped at her, after Ichigo tossed him to the ground.
"Don't you tell a me to shut up!" Ririn fumed, "AND I'M A WOMAN NOT A BIRD!"
"Whatever girlie," Kon said smugly.
"YOU-!" Ririn jumped up and kicked Kon in the face.
"Would you too shut up?!" Rukia yelled opening her closet door and hitting Kon in the face with her Biology book, "SOME OF US ARE DOING HOMEWORK!"
A light knock interrupted the four's argument, "Ichigo?" A voice asked.
Ichigo jumped up and in one swift movement, threw Ririn and Kon in the closet with Rukia and slid the door shut.
Yuzu opened his bedroom door.
"What were you doing?" She asked slowly.
"Nothing! Just...studying!" Ichigo replied, picking up Rukia's textbook.
Yuzu looked around curiously, "I thought I heard voices...was someone in here?"
"Voices? Ah...No! I was just uh..er-.."
A loud ring echoed through the house.
"Oh! That's the doorbell! I'll go see who it is!" Ichigo sped past Yuzu, as if forgetting her question, and hurried downstairs.
The doorbell rang again.
"Hey, Ichigo. Get the door," Ichigo's dad said as he sat on the couch reading the paper.
"What do you THINK I'm doing?" Ichigo muttered angrily as he walked towards the door.
"Oi! I don't wanna hear your sass!" Their dad said turning to face Ichigo.
"I wasn't GIVING you sass!" Ichigo replied stopping and clenching his fists.
"OH! Mr. Know-It-all here thinks he can just say what he wants HUH?"
"I NEVER SAID THAT!"
Ichigo's dad jumped out of his seat and got into a fighting position.
"ALL RIGHT TIME TO SETTLE THIS THE MANLY WAY!" He announced.
"BRING IT ON OLD MAN!"
The two went into an all out brawl, both completely forgetting the door.
"Idiot men in this house, can't even do a simple task without fighting," Karin muttered irritably and went to answer the door herself.
It was Akane.
"Hi Karin. Is your dad here?"
"Oh! Hello AKANE," Karin replied, saying Akane's name loud enough for Ichigo and their dad to hear.
All the sudden the two broke apart immediately.
"Akane! My sweet child! Oh! How long it's been!" Ichigo's dad said reaching out his hands to hug her.
Ichigo grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the other side of the room.
"Idiot," he mumbled.
Then he looked up and noticed the load Akane had with her. She was carrying a sleeping bag and pillow under her arm, and a big duffle bag swung over her shoulder.
"Hey what's all that for?"
"Oh...um.." Akane looked down embarrassed.
"So, you need a place to stay because your parents are getting your house renovated," Ichigo summarized after Akane had explained herself.
Apparently, all day at school Akane had been trying to tell Ichigo everything, but kept getting interrupted.
"Where are your parents staying?" Karin asked, "Seems like a jerk move for them to just leave you to fend for yourself."
"Oh no, it's nothing like that!" Akane answered assuredly, "My dad is actually out of town on a business trip, and his company gave him the offer to bring someone along with him. I told my mother I'd be just fine on my own, so she could go. Plus, I didn't want to miss school so soon. Only, we had completely forgotten we had hired some workers to fix up the house this week. The whole house is under heavy reconstruction, so I told my mom I'd just stay with a friend for the time being."
The Kurosaki family all nodded understandingly.
"So...uhm...is it ok if I stay here for awhile?" She asked, "It'll only be week! And I PROMISE I won't break anything, or ruin the house! I'll even do some of the chores!" She added desperately.
"Of course you can stay Akane! We would never leave a pretty girl out in the rain!" Mr. Kurosaki said holding her hands in his.
"H-Hey wait! Don't go making decisions without thinking it over!" Ichigo exclaimed, "Where's she gonna sleep?"
"I could sleep on the floor! I'll do whatever it takes to not be a burden!" Akane said determinedly.
"Nonsense!" Mr. Kurosaki cut in, "We would never allow that!"
"We-well, what about the living room couch?" Akane suggested instead.
"Erm...well," Ichigo scratched his head, still unsure.
It was hard enough keeping his secret from his family, how would he manage with Akane here too? Then again, he wasn't going to just leave her without a place to stay.
"Come on Ichigo! She's like family!" Yuzu pleaded.
"Yeah, what's a week or so gonna do? She even said she'll help with chores!" Karin added.
"You don't mind sleeping on the couch?" Ichigo asked Akane.
"Not at all!" Akane answered confidently.
"Then I guess it's all right..." Ichigo concluded at last. He's been able to keep his secret up for this long, and it will only be a week, he assured himself. Surely, nothing major would occur.
"OH THANK YOU!" Akane cheered happily and jumped from her seat excitedly.
"YAY! Akane's staying over!" Karin and Yuzu cheered.
"Don't get any plans while she's sleeping by the way," Ichigo added glaring pointedly at his dad.
All his dad gave was two thumbs up and a big grin. That didn't really reassure Ichigo and he rolled his eyes. Well this is definitely going to be an interesting week...
Suddenly he remembered. Rukia! I better warn her.
He briefly excused himself and ran upstairs.
"Rukia! Rukia!"
She opened the closet door, "What is it?"
"Akane's staying over for the week. I wanted to make sure you were aware," Ichigo explained hurriedly.
Rukia's eyes got wide, "Akane is?"
"Yeah her parents are renovating their house, so be on guard."
Rukia paused for a moment. Then nodded, "Yeah...I just got a notice from the Soul Society anyway...So I will be gone too." Her voice sounded slightly dull and she didn't look at Ichigo when she spoke.
"Oh that's perfect!" Ichigo replied grinning.
"Mmhmm." Rukia agreed frowning.
"Is everything alright?" Ichigo asked noticing her annoyed look.
"...Yeah it's fine. Hey look I should go now. See ya." And with that she was out the window.
What's with her? She seemed irritated? Ichigo thought confused. Eventually he just shrugged it off and went back downstairs to help Akane get settled.
