Ichigo stares out the window as the teacher is talking to the class, not really paying attention. The class would be participating in a school play. Ichigo might have been more interested if they were doing a rendition of Romeo and Juliet, but the class had decided against that play, saying it was too cliché.
Instead of doing Romeo and Juliet, a classic by all rights, they were going to do a different play. He didn't know that much about Greek mythology, but Rukia had suggested they do a play about it. The teacher had loved the idea of doing a play about Aphrodite, The Trojan prince Paris, and Helen of Sparta, as the main focus of the play.
Ichigo had tuned out until he'd become the one voted to play the Trojan Prince Paris. Rukia was immediately voted to be Helen of Sparta. Inoue ended up winning the vote to play Aphrodite. Kunieda was chosen to play Hera and Tatsuki were chosen to be Athena. The basic story was that Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena approach the Trojan prince Paris and ask him to choose which of the goddesses is the most beautiful.
Ichigo grits his teeth. He would love nothing more than to die and take his place in Soul Society right now. He can't think of a less favorable position for him to be in, being asked by three girls which is the most attractive.
The story then goes that Athena offers him victory in war to choose her, Hera offers him power, but Aphrodite offers him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta, played by Rukia. Ichigo can tell he's got a blush on his face as the teacher describes the course of action that the play will take.
Paris and Helen elope causing the famous Trojan War where Aphrodite stays loyal to Paris and Athena and Hera are enemies of Troy in the war. Chad was playing Zeus, the supreme god, and also Hera's husband, and Aphrodite and Athena's father.
The play apparently wouldn't be going into the details of war itself, but they would do the fight between Menelaus and Paris, and just as Paris is about to get the finishing blow, Aphrodite saves Paris by swallowing him up in mist and transporting him to his own bed in Troy.
Aphrodite then goes to Helen in disguise and tells her that Paris is waiting for her, to which Helen who recognizes her, asks if she is yet again being led to ruin. She then wonders if Aphrodite wouldn't like to go to Paris herself, to which Aphrodite becomes furious and threatens Helen not to go too far unless she wants Aphrodite for an enemy as much as she's been a friend.
Helen acquiesces to Aphrodite and the play ends with Helen going to the bedside of Paris and leaning down over him. She looks into his face and leans down to kiss her husband. He awakens at her kiss and tells her she is the most beautiful woman in the world, and that he loves her.
Ichigo groans just thinking about it. He's going to say things to Rukia in a play in front of people he knows and strangers and tell her she's the most beautiful woman in the world, and tell her he loves her.
This is fucked up.
Rukia is in much the same condition. She hadn't meant for her suggestion to cause this.
She doesn't even peek at Ichigo, she can feel his annoyance from her seat, and it's strong. Rukia glances at Inoue who doesn't exactly seem very pleased with the turn of events either.
Ichigo doesn't speak to a single person for the rest of the school day. He's really disturbed that the lines he'll be saying are word for word how he feels about her, corny as that sounds in his head. He can't do it. When class ends, Ichigo nearly lifts Rukia on her feet in his hurry to get away from the classroom.
"Erase their memories, Rukia. All of them. Tonight." Ichigo says, the urgency in his voice is apparent. "And when the teacher is discussing picking a play tomorrow, please do not suggest anything." Ichigo's eyes are pleading. Rukia doesn't mind. She wasn't exactly looking forward to an eloping scene with Ichigo and the end scene…she'd rather kiss him when there's not an audience, thank you very much.
"Okay." Rukia says it simply, feeling terrible about how uncomfortable she'd made Ichigo, Inoue, and her own self. Ichigo glances down and sees that she feels bad. He starts feeling bad for what he said now. Their classmates start shuffling out, but stop in interest at Ichigo and Rukia.
"Rukia-" Ichigo tries to console her, but he doesn't know what he should say. He looks at her and puts his hand on her arm in a comforting motion. "Sorry. To be honest-" Ichigo sweats. He can't tell her that the feelings of Paris for Helen are too close to his for her without sounding like a complete idiot.
Rukia sees how uncomfortable he suddenly is, and as she looks into his eyes, it becomes crystal clear to her, why he's so disturbed by the play. His hand is still on her arm, and so she reaches up and lays her opposing hand on his cheek.
"I understand, Ichigo. Thanks." Rukia says softly and simply, as the two just gaze into each other's eyes, still touching.
"You two are so cute!" Mizuiro's voice slashes through the moment like a knife through butter. Ichigo and Rukia flinch in surprise.
Ichigo and Rukia both drop their hand from the other and slowly turn to see all of their friends watching them. Ichigo and Rukia's faces are an identical shade of tomato red.
Rukia turns and runs towards Ichigo's house, and Ichigo is quick to follow. As they run as fast as they can and are far away enough from each other not to be heard, Ichigo shouts at Rukia.
"Make sure you use the memory modifier on ALL of them!" Ichigo is appalled that he was caught in such an affectionate moment with Rukia.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Rukia screams back!
The Next Day
The entire class decided on Romeo and Juliet, and Ichigo was threatening to kill himself to Rukia by the end of the day since he got the part of Romeo and she got the part of Juliet. They finally decided to let Kon and Chappy play the roles for simple peace of mind and Ichigo's life.