Disclaimer: I don't own bleach…I hope I did
A/N: It's been a while haha, sorry for the suuuuuper long delay and thank you very much for taking time reading the story. I'm grateful for that. Thanks again. Read and review please. :)
-000-
Chapter 11: Of Awkwardness and A Sudden Guest
-000-
" Thank you so much Kurosaki-san." Nozomi was still ecstatic even after a tiring time in the amusement park. She skipped and hopped like a child beside me as the three of us walked out of the exit point. The smile on her face never left as her eyes glittered in joy. " How could I ever repay your kindness?" She asked in wonder, full attention on him.
Kurosaki Ichigo, being Kurosaki Ichigo himself, nonchalantly replied. " No need to thank me. I wanted to come in here in the first place. You don't for do anything to repay me." He flashed her a small smile which didn't exactly last that long but still a smile nonetheless.
" But still, I still want to repay you for the effort." She had transferred to his side without me noticing. " This is one of the best birthday gifts ever." She told him. " Don't you think so too, Rukia?"
Nozomi looked at me with those adorable wide eyes of her, making me chuckle. " Yeah, I guess so." She did have a point. This day wouldn't have been a day of celebration without Ichigo's effort. Instead, perhaps I would have ended sulking the whole time. I frowned at the thought and looked at Nozomi whose smile was still wide and intact. Then I shifted my gaze to Ichigo who was looking ahead. He was still scowling but he seemed relaxed. I owe him another one I guess.
My attention snapped back to Nozomi when she suddenly yelled. " Oh, I know!" She came in front of us, grinning and blocking our way. Definitely, we stopped on our tracks since we didn't want to collide with her " Why don't you have dinner with us tomorrow night Kurosaki-san? At my apartment. I'll try to make something for you."
This made me look at Nozomi with a little bit of surprise in my face then to Ichigo expectantly. Nozomi wasn't exactly the 'I-can-make-a-five-star-hotel-dish' type but she sure can cook. Somehow, I've missed her dishes.
" Huh? Uhmmm…" He was unsure of how to answer and glanced at my direction, scratching an imaginary itch at the back of his head in the process as he met my eyes. I smiled at him and nodded. I didn't know why he can't make the decision himself though. He looked back to Nozomi. " Okay I guess."
The grin that Nozomi wore couldn't even get wider. " Great! It's a date then!" She said without thinking. When what she said dawned into her she blushed profusely. " I-I didn't mean it like that. I mean da-da-date as in group date like that. Not sort of date like lovers but date like friends. I-it's not like it's just gonna be the two of us alone." She stuttered in explaining as she rocked her feet back and forth and averting her eyes from him once in a while.
I tried hard not to laugh as a clueless Ichigo just stared at her weirdly. He probably didn't even catch the 'date' part or if he did, he didn't take it literally. " Oh okay." Was all he said.
With a bit red face from embarrassing herself in front of him, Nozomi returned to Ichigo's side and the three of us resumed the walk. My thoughts were on how the day went by unnoticed. I looked beside me to the man who from being a stranger who meddled with my affairs uninvited had helped me pull myself together. I was caught up in a daze of thinking about Ichigo that I didn't even notice myself falling back steps behind them. I stared on his back, his broad shoulders defining as the distances between us grew. He walked in confident strides with his long legs as he held the masculine aura surrounding him with such ease. The man just entered my life unexpectedly like barging into a house unwelcomed and turning it upside down but in his case, in a good way. He was puzzling me in every angle. Unpredictable. That was what he was.
" Rukia?" I heard my name being called which brought me back to reality. It was Nozomi. Both she and Ichigo were already looking back at me, the latter smirking at me despicably.
" Liking what you see?" He asked with to humor me.
I snorted to save myself but I felt the blush crept into my face. Thanking the night for its darkness making the red color on my cheek unnoticeable, I made bigger strides to catch up with them. " As if." I said to save face.
The walk back to Nozomi's apartment was short and we didn't even notice that we were already there until a neighbor greeted Nozomi a 'good evening' which she returned as well.
" Thank you so much for walking me home." Nozomi opened the door of her unit. She passed a look at me for a moment before looking at our other companion. " Would you like to come in?" It was a question directed to Ichigo alone, I was certain about it.
He turned the offer down almost immediately. " No, I'm fine. It's quite late."
Somehow, disappointment was evident in Nozomi's features. " Oh, okay." The she looked at me with expecting eyes.
It was already a given that I would have a sleep over with her during her birthday. We did that every year for the past years that's why she didn't ask me anymore. However, the tradition will have to be broken this year. It's not that I don't want to but I want to take it slow with our friendship returning to normal and perhaps give her more time to think about things. Perhaps, today only happened because she was all alone on her birthday, a moment of weakness if you will. I probably will feel the same too if it were to happen to me. " T-then we'll take our leave." I said carefully, a small forced smile tugged on my lips.
She seemed surprised. Nozomi opened her mouth for a moment only to close it again. Then there was a pause before she decided to speak " Okay." She gave us a weak but sincere smile, eyes locked on me. "But I really am grateful for today." She closed her door after we bade her good night as well.
Now it was just me and Ichigo. The thought that it was just the two of us now somehow made me stomach suddenly felt a fluttery sensation. Was it because of the meat bun I ate at the amusement park? My heart was pounding hard and I have no idea why. I averted my gaze elsewhere, looking at the lamp post at a distance with utter interest and not moving from the spot where I stood.
" Come, I'll walk you home." He said as he started taking steps to retrace our tracks out of the apartment complex.
" I-i can go home by myself." I blurted without thinking.
He stopped and looked back at me with a surprised expression drawn on his handsome feature. Then it turned into a confused glare. " I insist." It was point-blank, blunt. The tone he used made certain that no arguments will be entertained.
I closed my eyes and sighed, trying to come back to my usual self. What self? You know, the Rukia who's not so bothered about walking with Ichigo in the middle of the night towards her home in a more or less deserted street and not bother about the possibility that she'll have to invite him over for tea since he valiantly escorted you home. The one that didn't even have a problem when she held his hand earlier and let him drag her around town. His friend or acquaintance in lighter terms named Kuchiki know? Yourself? Yes, that Rukia. Arguing with my very own self didn't really help in actuality. I just came up with one solution, to reject his offer and have some time to myself. It seems that it's not only Nozomi who has things to sort out.
" Ichig—" I was cut off when he grabbed my wrist and started pulling me towards home. I tried pulling it back but my force can't match to his. He held my wrist firmly not allowing me to break free but gentle enough not to leave any bruise on it or cause it to hurt. I let him drag me, knowing there was nothing I can do about it anymore.
" I don't want to be pushy since I practically dragged you around town the whole day. I just want to see you home safe." He said not looking back to me but focused on the road lit by the streetlights.
We walked in utter silence. The late October breeze had already had a hint of winter and was cold that it made me shudder a little. Ichigo must have felt it and increased our pace without saying anything. All the while, my eyes were on his hand on my wrist as I felt its warmth, his warmth.
Somehow, I've become more conscious about his presence like how his orange mane was gently swayed by the breeze or how his broad shoulders were slouched making him a little less gigantic from my point of view.
I felt a bit awkward when we came face to face at my doorsteps.
I didn't know what to say and he seemed to be feeling the same when all he did was to take glances at me and then elsewhere. After a full minute, I decided that I can't drag it any longer and figured that I should speak first if I want to end this awkward tension between us. " T-thank you for w-walking me home." It was almost a whisper. Somehow, that didn't sound right for me to say to a friend and made me to blush with the thought. I didn't even look at him in the eye when I said that. I was supposed to be mad at him for being pushy but here I was actually feeling uncomfortable. I mustered my courage to look at him but he was focused elsewhere. His scowl was on but his lips seemed to form a pout.
It took him moments to have my words sink into his mind when he didn't react immediately. He sounded surprise when he finally looked at me and replied. " Oh…uhmm, okay. Sure." He brought a hand on the back on his head and scratched it.
This conversation between us didn't settle well with me. Somehow, it feels different. I've always felt comfortable being with him before but not right now. I don't know and I don't want to know…well not right now.
" I-I'll go inside then." I told him.
" Yeah. Sure." He answered curtly, not moving an inch as he waited for me to move in.
It took a great will for me to move a muscle and not look like a full. I held the knob of my apartment door, turned it, then stopped. My brows furrowed.
" What's wrong?" Ichigo asked as he noticed my reluctance to open the door.
I looked at him, my amethyst eyes directly looking into his amber once. " Ichigo, " I said softly. " the door's not locked." I told him. " I'm sure I locked it before I left."
His scowl became deeper as he pulled me away from the door gently. I hid behind him, peering to take a look as he carefully turned the knob and opened the door slowly. He peeked his head inside for a moment to assess the situation but did not bother to open the lights. The light from the lamp post across the street sipping in the window was enough to get an outline of what was happening in my unit if there was any.
" What do you see?" I whispered beside him. I was both curious and alarmed. " Should we call the cops?"
Once he pulled his head out, he looked at me. " I don't sense any movement inside. Maybe whoever got in here already left. Should we check inside first before calling the cops?"
I nodded. He opened the door widely and switched on the lights. We were about to step inside when a voice came from the inside, an utterly familiar male voice. " Awwww…who turned on the lights? Rukia?"
Ichigo looked at me quizzically. I walked past him and entered the unit quickly to find an uninvited guest slumped on my sofa, groggy and sleepy. " What are you doing here?" Irritation was more evident than astonishment of finding someone inside.
Kaein Shiba shifted into sitting position as he combed a hand on his messy black hair. " I sent youa message earlier, didn't I?" He said while he yawned.
" You did?" I asked benightedly and fumbled my dress' pocket for my phone.
Ichigo had come beside me without me noticing. " What are you doing here?" An accusing finger was pointed at the police inspector.
The sleepiness faded away from Kaein's feature as he looked at me quizzically, then to Ichigo. He mimicked the orangette's question. " What are you doing here?"
