Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

a/n: SO! The new Panic!At the Disco album is out, Vices & Virtues, I'M ABSOLUTELY STOKED C:

oh and...we're nearing the end here...erk. We'll probably have 1 or 2 more chapters.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it.


(Ichigo): so what's going on for today?

Life felt so good. Ichigo had never experienced happiness like this before, and he really did enjoy spending time with Rukia. It felt like nothing could possibly deter the good feelings he's been having. And to top that, the movie Inception just came out—and Ichigo was practically dying to see it.

(Rukia): (-_-) dunno…you pick this time.

(Ichigo): movies?

(Rukia): (o_o) 'kay.

Text conversation ends.

If his feelings were to be expressed in a physical concept, it would be equivalent to floating on clouds.

And if her feelings were to be expressed in a physical concept…well let's just leave it at floating 11 clouds above him.

How sweet.

They wouldn't be expecting what's coming, now would they?

Yikes.

x-x-x-x-x-x

It was morning of the next day.

Rukia lay in her bed, reminiscing on yesterday's events at the movies.

She remembered her heart beat aflutter and everything in sight in a dreamy pallor-pink haze. She was living in her thoughts, remembering the moment at the time in the movies where the van drove off the bridge for the kick that would bring every character out of their dream inside a dream inside a dream—and during those ten seconds prolonged throughout the film, Ichigo kissed her.

Flashback.

His lips brushed hers, and her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't been expecting Ichigo to kiss her again since that time on the roof…but this one felt different. It didn't feel so professional—it felt real, as if no longer devoid but filled with something.

Rukia grinned at the look on his face, it was so gentle and his eyes were so warm. Something like an orange puppy—vulnerable—something she'd never seen in him.

"You do know how cute you are right? If not, it would be a shame," Rukia teased.

"I think I should be the one saying that," Ichigo replied, ruffling her hair.

End Flashback.

Wow, she thought. The only word she could think of to express her lovely memory.

She peeked at the clock, and stood up. She was out the door after throwing on her uniform, brushing her teeth, combing her hair, packing her bag, and eating breakfast.

Just like any other morning.

Or so she'd pictured it.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Rukia was seated at her desk, absentmindedly doodling on her desk, thinking about her seat mate, who'd left to go hang out with his senior friends. Inoue and Tatsuki were chatting amiably with her about what Inoue had packed for lunch, staying away from Chizuru the pervert, and how Reiichi the faker got his ass kicked. Nothing new really.

It was quite an entertaining conversation with Inoue's jokes and Tatsuki's exaggerations.

It was pleasant.

x-x-x-x-x-x

A girl leaned over Keigo and Mizuiro's shoulders, listening to their conversations.

"Crap, we might actually have to buy him those 5 months of cocoa," Keigo whined.

"Shut up, idiot. What happens if somebody hears about that?" Mizuiro chided.

"Buuuut, who knew every girl would just, y'know, fall for his charms? I guess that transfer student is no different. Dammit!"

"Ichigo is going to kill you if anyone over hears about that bet."

"How do you know?"

"Intuition. Remember, Keigo, my young grasshopper, I have years of experience with ladies."

"Hmpf, shut up! I'm just waiting for my chance with Inoue. She'll realize she has the hots for me someday…"

Mizuiro laughed at that piteously.

The girl smirked. Perfect, I knew Ichigo-sama wasn't into that type of girl—she's so not his type. Unlike me, she thought to herself.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Kuchiki-san?"

"Eh?" Rukia looked up to see a girl with a…weirdo hair style. Not that she was one to talk…

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" The girl asked, faking uneasiness and brimming with tears.

"Yes of course, we'll go talk over there," Rukia gave her a tissue before getting up and going outside the classroom. "Now, what's the matter?" Rukia asked curiously with sympathy.

"I-it's h-h-horrible!" The girl wailed. "I'm so s-sorry Kuchiki-san! So very sorry!" Rukia was confused. "H-h-he's a j-jerk!"

"Who's a jerk?"

"K-kurosaki I-ichigo!"

Rukia looked at her with disbelief. What had that idiot done?

"He—he only t-talked to you because of a bet with Keigo and M-mizuiro! If he could get with you, t-then he'd get 5 months of hot chocolate!" The girl wailed some more—fuckin' actress was real convincing.

Rukia looked at her blankly—words not registering. "What?"

The girl didn't respond, wailing some more and running away, hiding a smirk.

Rukia didn't move. The words were slowly being processed. She began to tremble. Lovely memories began to shatter.

A tear slid down her face.

And then another.

And then many followed suit.

She couldn't return to class like this. Her feet led her to the roof, where she began to sob as loudly as she liked, because no one could hear her up there.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Where's Rukia?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, the girl she was with said she'd gone to the nurse. She wasn't feeling well…" Inoue answered.

"Is she alright? Or is it…you know?" Ichigo raised his eyebrows and gestured with his hands. Tatsuki's face reddened, and she smacked him.

"IDIOT! WHEN GIRLS ARE PMSing THEY DON'T WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO KNOW!" Tatsuki growled in his ear.

Ichigo shrugged, and class went on without his seat mate.

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Rukia?" Renji questioned, picking up his ringing cellphone.

"…Renji? He heard stifled sniffle in the background.

"What happened?" He dreaded to know.

The line was silent—she'd attempted to muffle it while she bawled at Renji's evident and sincere concern for her.

"I'm coming right now, where are you?"

"…the roof."

The line went dead. (a/n:déjà-vu?)

In a matter of minutes, Renji was by her side.

"Tell me what's wrong," Renji coaxed the crying girl.

"H-he…it was…a-all of it…I…I can't…believe it," Rukia swiped at her tears, which couldn't seem to stop flowing down her pale cheeks.

"You don't mean the lad who made you cry before, do you?"

She nodded.

His blood boiled. "I'm going to—"

"It was all a bet," Rukia said in a calm voice, tears still streaming uncontrollably, "it was all fake. I should've known somebody like that could never end up with somebody like me. I should've—I should've—" Her calm broke into sobs.

"What is his name?" Renji emphasized 'his' icily.

There was a silence besides her quiet sobbing.

"…Kurosaki…Ichigo," she mumbled.

Renji froze. He hadn't heard her right, had he? That was a trick of the ears, had to be. "What?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo," she whispered a little louder.

His blood went cold. He'd heard her right, it was no trick. He remembered the time at Shinji's house, the interesting fellow he liked. The one he'd high-fived. The one he'd fooled around with Shinji with. The one who made his best friend cry. Before the fury overtook him, a voice in his head made itself heard.

Wait.

The fury paused in its advance.

Flashback.

"You will never get a name out of me," Ichigo declared tiredly in between breaths.

"At least tell us if you actually like a girl!" Shinji demanded while gasping for air.

A few moments passed as Ichigo's eyes softened, focusing on nothing as he enveloped himself in his thoughts.

"I think I might like this one girl. I think," he admitted.

End Flashback.

He patted Rukia on the back, handing her a pack of tissues he'd grabbed along the way to the roof.

Something's not right, he thought. Rukia probably won't listen to anything logical in this condition—it's up to you now, punk.


a/n: REVEALED. How will Renji react when they meet? C:

THanks FOr REviEWing 'Alyssa' and Imou!