T he Eve Project

Ichigo is just your average, smart, healthy, young, virile male college student. Besides having a part-time job and three horny friends who's always after their hot and sexy neighbours, all seems normal. Until the fateful night he decided to help a girl he found naked on a dumpster who insists that she was sent from the future to search for a healthy human male and save the human race.

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach :P (but I want to haha)

Chapter 11: Fickle Fortune

The five young men anxiously followed the petite girl who hasn't spoken a word since their little visit with the maintenance man. With gloom on her face, she held the shoebox containing some of the pieces of the T-cube, with said contents rattling slightly with each step.

With much effort, Kon tried to lighten up her spirit. "Oh my dear goddess please cheer up."

"Yeah, Rukia, I'm sure we'll find some way to fix it," Hanataro added with Moe and Keigo agreeing with enthusiasm.

The girl stopped walking causing everyone else to pause as well. She let out a sigh. Her companions' encouraging words were appreciated; however, they didn't seem to get through to her. She plainly looked at each of them until her gaze stayed with Ichigo's.

Ichigo, on the other hand, felt a pang of guilt seeing the look she gave him. But then again, what was he suppose to do? He had to tell her about the complications with regards to that damn thing in the shoebox. It's not like he was the one who broke it. It was as Kisuke said, something must have gone wrong when she used it. And so he stands by his decision. He did the right thing. But... her face... those eyes... Begging him for something...

Fuck.

What the fuck do you want!?

"Goddammit..." He cursed under his breath and looked away. That earned him a hit on the head from his cousin.

"The hell is wrong with you!? Can't you see our goddess is upset!? How dare you swear in front of her!?"

But Kon's scolding got him the same treatment in return, courtesy of Ichigo's fist. The poor young man began to mumble something about how he still hasn't recovered fully from his hangover while he massaged the recent painful area on his head. Hanataro cleared his throat to get the attention of the two before their little banter worsens. Ichigo finally sighed in annoyance and approached Rukia.

"Stop it with the silent treatment already! What do you want us to do? Huh? Just tell us already!" He yelped irritated while Hanataro tried to calm him but he didn't back down.

"Fuck, look, moping won't do it any good—"

"I'm not moping," she finally spoke in a matter-of-fact tone but Ichigo only rolled his eyes at that response.

"Then what exactly are you doing then?"

" I'm trying to rethink what I might have done wrong to have caused such damage on the T-cube but I don't remember any..."

Besides appearing naked on a dumpster? Ichigo wanted to add but kept it to himself.

"So..." Keigo decides to butt in the banter. "Let me get this straight, with the cube thingy gone, what happens to your mission? Do we get invaded by aliens then?"

Rukia thought about it for a moment. "No. But, my number one priority right now is to get the T-cube fixed. Getting the genes without having a way back would be useless."

The agenda for today was settled: To find a way to fix the T-cube by looking for replacements for the broken parts. But since most of the young men have classes, the gang decided to split up. Rukia didn't want anyone to skip the "learning opportunity" for her sake even though they insisted on wanting to help. But Ichigo could see through their excuses. They were obviously still groggy from last night's activity. It also caused him to briefly think about how the girls were doing and remembering how after getting up this morning, they were all so eager to go home. As the memory of everyone whining this morning came back to him, he decided to immediately cut his thoughts short in order for the frustrations to not return as well. And so the only ones left were Ichigo and Kon, who had no classes today and of course, the little eve from the future.

The three decided to go around town and stalk some workshops or places where they could actually find what they were looking for but even that was pretty tough. Besides the fact that they have no idea what they're looking for, they have no way of explaining how each broken bit works or what it is for. In the end, they tired themselves up for nothing. It pissed off Ichigo a lot because he had to use his day off from work for this, although Rukia kept telling him to go to work, which fuelled his annoyance, he couldn't possibly leave Rukia with Kon for so many reasons he doesn't dare enumerate.

They got back to the university in the afternoon to meet up with the others at the fountain. Even after meeting up, no one bothered to say a word. Rukia watched as the boys simply sat and slumped by the fountain. Keigo even let out a slight groan in emphasis of feeling tired. She looked at the red shoebox then back at the boys. Her eyes softened.

No, she won't give up yet.

But, she can't expect everything to be solved today, now can she?

They did enough for today. She told herself letting out a smile and so taking a positive mindset, she turned to everyone.

"Hey guys, I—" Before she could say whatever encouraging message she had in mind, a big bang and the slight blast of colored smoke in the sky caught her attention. Everyone turned to where Rukia was looking at.

"Oh yeah... there's a festival today, I wonder which college," Keigo pointed out as more colors blasted the orange sky. Indeed, they were all so caught up with everything else that they didn't even notice the festivities in the university grounds.

"Festival?" Rukia repeated with her face looking really excited.

"Mmm. It's nothing big but every college here in the university gets to prepare their festival at one point throughout the school year," Keigo explained.

"What do they do?" The girl asked.

"Well... depends on the college, usually there are simply booths and some performances, nothing big," Moe added with a shrug. But of course, even with that kind of explanation, Rukia still insisted to see it for herself. And the next thing they knew, they were standing in the middle of different booths and lots of rowdy college students.

"Oh wow!" Rukia squealed as her eyes feasted on the site before her. She couldn't wait to explore every single—

She turned to her companions who were looking not so psyched about the festivities, in fact, they look quite the opposite.

She smiled at them, "Just one, okay? Then we go home." The five young men, mesmerized by that charming smile, unconsciously agreed with her predicament. They all began to follow her lead as she observed each of the booths that were lined up. All seem to have their own gimmick and it was so hard to pick just one. She was beginning to regret her predicament when just then, a purple tent caught her attention. She stopped in front of it to read the sign placed beside it.

"The eye of the black cat?"

"Fortune telling? Really?" Rukia looked up at Ichigo who was now standing beside her. "You believe in that?" the orange head said nodding towards the sign with the picture of a cat but she simply shrugged in response.

"Ooooh! Fortune telling! Great choice my dear goddess!" Kon praised. Hanataro begins his comments on how fortune-telling tricks are deceptive while Keigo and Moe strongly disagree with him. Kon then tried to put an end to their little debate. "Who cares if it's real or not, if Rukia wants to go in then what's the problem?" He turned to Rukia and offered to escort her in but she shook her head saying that they should just look at other booths. They were about to leave when a voice coming from inside the tent stopped them in their tracks.

"I see you are hesitating. Do you fear hearing your fortune? I guarantee you, I am a hundred percent accurate." Rukia's eyes widened at hearing those words or more importantly, that voice.

"Nah, we don't need—" Kon's voice was cut off when Rukia ran past him and entered the tent.

The boys quickly followed her inside.

"I knew it..." Rukia said with a huge smile. A little frantic, they all turned to what Rukia was smiling at. In front of them was a dark skinned young woman wearing a black silky cloak. Her purple hair was tied up and in front of her was a glass ball placed neatly on top of a round table. She smirks with her golden eyes scanning each one of them.

"Welcome," the woman purred. Rukia's smile couldn't get much wider at seeing the familiar face, "Yoruichi!" She called out.

"At your service," the woman nodded. She stood up and approached Rukia. "My, my little one have we met before? An old customer perha—oh!" Suddenly, Rukia's body came crashing with hers as the petite girl threw her arms around the fortune teller.

"So... before the invasion, what was your life like?" Innocent purple eyes searched a pair of golden ones for answers but the elder woman simply looked back as if the memories were flashing right in front of her.

"Oh my dear, life was hard. I had to do stupid things to get money. I was really poor. Sometimes I settled for deceiving people to get some cash. But hey, no big deal." She shrugged but the petite girl didn't seem satisfied.

"But what if there was never an invasion, what would your life be?"

T here was a slight pause as though the question could never be answered but she was able to let out a smile as she came up with best response that she could garner. "I'm not sure, but I'll manage. I'm a survivor. Just like you."

"Um..." The cloaked woman looked at the girl's companions who were just as confused as she was. Rukia finally let go and let out a light chuckle.

"Sorry, you just reminded me of someone really important to me."

The woman's eyes grew wide in curiosity. "Oh? Well then, would like to know how she is now? The crystal will tell you all you need to know—"

Rukia shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'm sure she's alright, she's a very strong woman."

"Alright then, what would you like to know?" Yoruichi asked, really confused now.

"Mmm... nothing really."

"Well... there must be something?"

The girl thought for a moment until an idea hit her. "Oh! Your sign!"

"My... sign?" The woman asked more confused.

"Yes! I really like your sign. The drawing of the cat, did you make it?"

She was a bit hesitant when she answered, "I... did. Thank you. But don't you have any supernatural questions or mysteries you want to find out? Let say, the future maybe?"

Ichigo couldn't help but roll his eyes at hearing that. Right, fortune telling for a girl who actually came from the future. Isn't that just great?

"How about you boys?" The foxy woman regarded the girl's companions. "Do you have any queeries in mind?"

"Will I ever get married!? When!? How? To whom!?"

"Will I be rich!?"

Questions came pouring down from mainly Keigo and Moe which made the woman smirk, "hold on, hold on, one question at a ti—"

Ichigo then threw in a logical question. "How much do you charge for this gimmick of yours?"

"Why sir, this is no gimmick. Might I add that my predictions are a hundred percent true and accurate."

"Really now?" He let out sounding more sceptic about the idea.

The woman nodded, "And that is for a very cheap prize of 500 yen."

"WHAT!? FIVE HUNDRED YEN!?" Kon bursted. "Jesus, lady! Who the hell would pay—"

"Is that per question? Or per person?" Keigo tried to clear out.

"Per question." The two idiots then began to count their money or whatever is left of what they have and Kon knocked some sense into them by giving them each a smack on the head.

"But 500 yen is cheap if it means a glimpse of the future. Don't you think?" Yoruichi tried to bargain and Ichigo could only grimace at that logic when suddenly Rukia lightly pulled on his arm to get his attention. She smiled at him and right there and then he knew what she meant.

"Oh no. I am not wasting my money on some fake fortune teller. Besides, you asked the wrong guy, I don't even have a cent with me," he reasoned with her which made her pout.

"I can sense that you are lying," The fortune teller pointed out.

He countered, "Well nobody asked you."

"Just one question. And then we go. Please?" The girl, with her sweet smile turned to everyone. Who could ever say no to that smile? And so they had no choice but to give in to the request. They managed to all contribute, yes even Ichigo contributed, into paying for one question, which of course was delivered by none other than Rukia.

She sat in front of Yoruichi with the crystal ball place between them. "So... something important of mine is broken and we need to find replacements for its broken parts, where do we find those parts?"

A fter some weird gestures on the crystal ball, the fortune teller responds.

"Everything you are looking for is just around the corner."

"I'm sorry, which corner is that?" Hanataro comments.

"And you call yourself accurate? Can't it be more specific, lady?" Kon added.

But avoiding the distractions, Yoruichi continued. "It will arrive in an unexpected manner."

"So... does that mean we will get the T-cube fixed?" Rukia's face lit up and Yoruichi held out her hand to them.

"The answer to that would be another 500 yen."

"WHAT!?" The men bursted.

"You scam," Kon stated pointing an accusing finger at the woman but Yoruichi didn't seem bothered by the gesture.

"I told you, 500 per question." She then saw Rukia clutching the red box with a miserable expression. Feeling a bit bad, she decided to give everyone a free warning. "In addition, danger awaits all of you. You must take extra precaution!"

"Geez, don't you even have any good news, lady?" Moe pointed out.

"I do but that will cost you 500 yen."

" No, thank you." Was Kon's immediate reply.

"Fine," She shrugged then turned to Rukia. "Hey girl. You'll get it fixed. Whatever it was that you're worried about."

Hearing that made the girl smile and seeing her smile actually made Yoruichi a little less guilty about deceiving these people. But just then Rukia leaned in towards the woman's ear and whispered. "I have one for you. The love of your life works at this very school. He's a real genius and he'll love you with all his heart, just as much as how you'll love him back."

"Really now?" It was Yoruichi's turn to look sceptical.

"Yes. He'll give you a charm bracelet he made himself even though he's not really good with those kinds of stuff." They looked at each other with Yoruichi still unconvinced until Rukia adds one final statement. "Oh and since you love cats so much he'll be the only person who calls you a cat lady."

And for a slight moment it was as if the woman had some memory hit her then she looks carefully at young woman who seemed to have told her fortune. There is no way this girl knows her obsession with cats. Then she remembers one person who fits the girll's description.

But there is just no way. She denied to herself.

She ended up smirking and shaking her head because of these thoughts. "Now how much does that cost?"

Rukia scoffed, "How about another free fortune telling?"

But Yoruichi seemed fine with the idea. "Alright, just one for one of your friends. Now who will it be?" Her gaze trailed to each teen standing in front of her. Keigo and Moe raising their hands to volunteer but she ignored them. As soon as her eyes caught sight of the orange head, his eyebrows shot up and he turned his back on her.

"I'll pass," he said but before he could even walk away, Yoruichi spoke again.

"Stop. What better than to pick mister sceptic as a volunteer?" She teased. "Come here. Don't you want to hear your fortune?"

"No."

"Come on. This is free of charge." And before Ichigo could protest again, everyone grabbed and pulled him towards the fortune teller where they held him down to sit on the chair.

"Your hand," she instructed.

" Aren't you going to use that crystal—" Rukia pulled his hand and handed it towards Yoruichi. The woman began to read it.

"You are one healthy young man and you will grow up to be one as well."

"Yeah right," Ichigo murmurs.

"Sssshhh!" Almost everyone hushed him.

The woman continued focusing her eyes on his palm. "I see that there will be an abundance of wealth and fame in your future but... there will be a lack of happiness." Although he didn't believe in the bullshit the woman was speaking of, he wouldn't mind the abundance in wealth and fame.

"And when it comes to love..." There was a pause. They looked at each other and the tension grew.

"Hmm... there will be the return of a lost love that would either cause you pain or happiness. And that is about it."

"What the fuck does that mean?" He asked trying not to sound curious.

"I could explain but I'll charge extra," she bargained.

Ichigo felt a vein pop in his head in annoyance. "Come on. We're out of here." With him leading the way, everyone quickly left the tent.

"Do you think what she said was actually true? I mean she said danger was coming." Keigo, of course, was the one worrying about it. And Kon immediately debunked the idea.

"Of course not, they're all bullshit just so she could make money, stupid! And besides, it was pretty vague. There's danger everywhere we go. You could probably trip right now and fall. She didn't actually say what it was that we should look out for."

Ichigo, walking alongside Rukia couldn't help but ask the girl's relation with the fortune teller. She replied something about knowing her personally and being very close back in the future.

"So, who was she?" He asked again, hating that he had to repeat himself again and again for answers.

"It's a secret," she answered playfully. He was about to retort when Kon yelled out that he needs to buy something at the bookstore up ahead. The other boys ran off ahead as well dragging Hanataro with them and leaving Ichigo and Rukia walking behind. Knowing that it probably has something to do with new issues of porn, Ichigo didn't bother ask. Kon, as the leader, was first to arrive at the entrance of the store where a magazines rack was conveniently displayed. He began scanning each one until one cover caught his attention. He immediately grabbed it from the rack and read what's written. The others turned to look at what he was looking at after noticing his shocked expression.

"What are you doing now?" The carrot top asked scowling when he saw them all huddled together over a magazine and all looking as serious as fuck. They immediately panicked and tried to hide the magazine away and all its other copies in the rack. The odd behaviour got Ichigo and Rukia more curious.

"What's that you're hiding?" Rukia approached but they all backed away in defence.

"N-nothing. Let's just go." Kon tried to act normal but it only fuelled Rukia's curiosity. She grimaced and turned to Moe who was also holding a copy of the magazine. She raised her hand with her palm pointing at him and having a familiar encounter with that gesture, Moe immediately gave in and handed Rukia the copy of the magazine while begging her to not hurt him. The memory of her zap was too fresh to be replaced with a renewed experience.

Rukia examined the cover of the glossy material. It had shouty colourful letters that form the words "She's back!" and it had a picture of a girl, who Rukia obviously didn't know, surrounded by the press while she smiles candidly as if she just heard a really funny joke. The petite girl focused on the person's face. " Oh wow. She's really pretty." Then she felt Ichigo look over her shoulder to see what she was looking at.

"This is what all this fuzz was about?" The young man questioned sounding really irritated.

"Do you know this girl?" Rukia turned to him but Ichigo didn't seem to hear her question as his attention was too focused on his friends who were all looking like guilty little kids who were caught red handed while doing a very bad deed.

"But... it's the return of a lost love..." Keigo squeaked which earned him another smack on the head from Kon.

"Why do you feel the need to make it such a big deal!? It was such a long time ago! You guys are acting like you're the ones who dated her!" Ichigo scolded. There was another pause.

Kon sighed, "Fine. We're sorry. Guess we over reacted." Then he gestured for everyone to return the magazines to the rack. Everyone did so except for Rukia who was still looking at hers.

"So... This girl is Ichigo's..."

"Ex." He beat her to it before she even labelled it as anything but an ex- girlfriend.

They looked at each other but he felt a little awkward looking at her as though he did something wrong again so he broke their eye contact. Then he felt the need to defend himself, "Yes, I have an ex girlfriend. I'm not so completely ignorant of romantic relationships." Every word was spoken without looking at her.

"Then why—"

"Long story. Just put it back in the rack so we can all go home and rest." He turns around and stretches his arms up. "God, I'm so fucking tired!" he said lastly then walks ahead.

Back at the house everyone was eating instant ramen for dinner however it was unusually quiet at the table which annoyed Ichigo a lot. Well, it wasn't that he wasn't thankful for the rare silence he was getting tonight, it was just that he knows exactly why everyone was quiet.

"Really? This again?" He pointed out.

"It's not about the magazine, we just don't feel like talking," Keigo tried to speak for everyone but the statement made Kon literally face palm. "Just shut up Keigo."

Rukia, thinking it wasn't a big deal, decided to open a topic. "So who was that girl, really? Besides being your ex and all that." The boys looked at her unbelievably as if she just said something so horribly vile.

Noticing the looks that she got from them, she simply blinked her eyes innocently and let out a naive "What?"

And to everyone's surprise, Ichigo, with a deep scowl on his face, still answered. "Weren't you reading the magazine? She's a model."

However, the petite girl didn't really like the way he answered. "You don't have to be so grouchy about it."

"I'm not grouchy. I'm tired. You asked me a question, I answered. What the hell is your problem!?" He yelped glaring at her and she simply glared back still not aware of what the big deal was.

"Ichigo." Hanataro spoke in warning.

And with that, the orange head looked away. Without another word, he stands up, leaves his half eaten bowl of noodles and proceeds upstairs.

"Return of the lost love causes him more pain." Keigo murmurs in the silence.

"Shut up Keigo," said Kon who gave the other another smack on the head for the nth time.

Hanataro turned to the petite girl. "Don't worry about that Rukia, I'm sure Ichigo didn't mean to yell at you."

R ukia, looking at the bowl that Ichigo left, muttered her reply. "I'm not really bothered about him yelling, I'm just really curious now about what made him react that way." She turned to them but they automatically looked away avoiding her gaze.

"Oh come on guys!" She pleaded.

"Sorry my dear goddess, the story of Ichigo and that bitch whose name shall not be mentioned in this household is not a story for any of us to tell." The others all nodded in agreement and Rukia had no choice but to concede.

"Psst... Ichigo?" Rukia called out as she got on the other side of the bed where a sleeping orange head lies.

"Hmm?" He groaned with his face contorting in annoyance when he felt her shake him awake.

"Do you still don't want to have sex with me?" She asked.

He tensed and opened one eye to look at her, "I thought that wasn't the priority right now?"

"Yeah... but you didn't say no," she cleared out.

"Rukia..."

"You didn't say no."

He sighed, "No."

She pouted and punched his gut.

"Ouch! What the hell!?" He yelped sitting up and massaging the injured part.

She watched him with a slightly worried look that made him feel a little uncomfortable, "What?"

"Sorry," she murmured but he definitely heard it.

"Well that was a pretty strong pun—"

"Not that." She looked at the sides feeling guilty. "Back at the table. I shouldn't have pried."

He sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Look, you did nothing wrong. I overreacted."

She simply glanced at him still feeling bad but for some reason it made him feel more guilty at seeing her look like that. "Hey, stop making that face already." He literally wiped her face with his palm. She tried to shake it off and caught his arm to stop his movement. She felt her heart skip when he let out a light chuckle.

She didn't know why but it makes her really happy to see him happy. Suddenly, while holding his arm, her head came up with an idea. She then took his hand in hers and proceeded to read his palm just like how Yoruichi did it earlier. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at what she was doing until she began to speak.

"I can see that you will be a great architect."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you see these lines right here?" She pointed at the tiny bits of lines embedded on his palms. "These are all the buildings you'll create."

"Fuck. That's a lot," he replied, playing along.

"It is. Plenty," she assured him looking really serious.

"And you," this time he took her hand and did the same. "You know what these mean?" He pointed at the random lines on her palm.

"What?"

"You don't know? It means that you will live a long and happy life."

He watched as her face light up with joy. "You think so?"

"Yes. And that will be 500 yen," he scoffed.

"I don't have money. But we can have sex as a payment," she offered but it made his face straighten.

"No." He repeated and she chuckled at having to predict that reaction in her head.

" You know, Yoruichi was Kisuke's wife in my time."

"Seriously?" asked the boy with a shocked expression and she nodded. They both laughed at that for a bit until slowly, the laughter died down and there came silence.

"She loved someone else." Ichigo suddenly spoke breaking the silence and with his gaze focused on his palms. "Back then I was young and foolish and I thought she was the one. I knew her for a very long time but it turns out I didn't really know her at all. And from then on, I have dedicated my life into becoming a successful, wealthy and famous architect." He joked then he felt a little embarrassed. "Sounds like something you pull out of a god damn teen romance novel huh? Pretty stupid..."

He was blushing, he knew. He couldn't even dare look at her. But somehow, he needed to let the words out. To hell with being judged. However, Rukia didn't seem like someone who'd judge something like that and he was right. Instead of some witty retort, what she did next had him frozen. She placed a hand on his chest to feel his heart... Just like how she did in his dream.

"It's not stupid. I think that this..." She pressed her hand on his chest to indicate his heart, "is just a little weary of getting hurt again. It was brave... to have loved someone but sad because that someone took that love for granted. But it shouldn't be afraid to take the risk again because there has bound to be someone out there waiting to feel that kind of love... someone more deserving of this."

She looked up at him as if suddenly being aware of her surroundings. Ichigo's eyes widened at seeing the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.

"W-why are you crying?" He asked frantic.

"Oh... I'm not sure," she replied truly unaware of the tiny bits of emotion pouring down her face which she wiped clean before looking back at the boy with an embarrassed smile. "Now that's pretty stupid huh?"

But he knew...

He knew that she was mourning for him... for his heart...

This girl... whom he just met... and barely knew... understood how he felt.

He didn't need comforting words, just someone who'd understand.

It was late that same night at a convenience store where four busy young ladies decided to do some grocery shopping. "You know, we really should invite Ichigo to our resort as a thank you. I mean, that elixir thingy that he made really helped counter my hangover." Rangiku said while putting some lotions and moisturizers on the basket.

Momo, who was holding the basket, nodded enthusiastically as she remembered the taste of the said drink. "I know what you mean. And it tasted great."

"But you're going to have to invite the others too if you want him to come," Nanao pointed out as she calculated the price of everything they've put inside the basket.

"Yeah, Nanao's right, they're sort of a package," Momo added.

" Hmm... What do you think Orihime? Hey!" Rangiku called out to her busty friend who was busy looking at a magazines rack. Orihime didn't even notice her friend calling her as she was too immersed with a specific magazine.

So she's back. She thought.

"Hey Orihime!" The girls called out altogether which effectively snapped her out of her thoughts. She quickly turned around to go to where her friends are when she suddenly bumped against a huge man with cerulean hair causing her to fall flat on her butt in the process. The man simply glared back at her and didn't even bother to help her up. The look he gave her was enough to sent chills down her spine and she made to quickly apologize.

"I-I'm really sorry," Orihime stuttered. Not a second later, her friends came to assist her up.

"Hey! You should watch where you're going!" Rangiku reprimanded the man who didn't seem bothered by her tone. He then put a hand inside his pocket and the girls took a defensive stance.

"I am looking for a girl," he spoke.

"Oh a girl? Your girlfriend ran-off on you? You jerk." Momo muttered but even her statement was ignored as the man pulled out a picture from his pocket.

"Have you seen her?" He held it up for all of them to see. After recognizing the familiar face of a petite raven haired girl smiling in the picture, the girls looked at each other then back at the mysterious man.

"Yes, we know her. And who are you?" Nanao asked while trying to read the man's expression.

The man smirked as he replied, "This girl ran away. I came here to take her back with me."

Rangiku looked at the man then back at the picture until another plan hit her. She let out a devious smile and turned to her friends, "Girls, what do you say about helping this man find who he's looking for... that is, if he's willing to help us in return."

The mysterious man's smile then curved into one that matched Rangiku's devious grin. Orihime, on the other hand, inhaled a big breath of air in worry. She's having a bad feeling that whatever Rangiku has in mind now is going to backfire just like the last one.

A/N: What the hell, I finished it. I've been gone for sooo long so here's a looong chapter for you guys. I've been itching to write a new chapter for days buuut I've been distracted for awhile. Then it was Ichiruki month on tumblr so I was thinking hmm... I need to do something. Then poof! A new chapter is born. I know, I know, it's nothing much and it was a pretty cheesy chapter and really OOC, yes, I know. My heart's just mourning right now and I think it reflected on my writing. Sorry guys. And if you feel like this was a bit rushed, I deeply apologize. But trust me this mostly contained how the story would go and little bit of hints about the future chapters. So there. Oh who are these mystery new characters!? Take a guess? I'm still thinking too. How about a poll? Hahaha anyway, I hope you guys don't mind new characters. Anyways, thanks a lot for reading and reviewing the past chapters! It really means a lot! And now the story continues! I have nothing much to say. I know that you guys are used to my rusty writing so I hope you'll continue to support me and this story! Please read and review! ILY guys and God bless :P

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