Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach

Chapter 25

Real Face

Raina's POV

Morning came too quickly and it was time for Kazuya to go back to Japan. I didn't want him to go back, but I didn't have much of a choice but to let him. It would be wrong of me to force him to stay. He was staying with Jin, so I picked him up there. The ride to the airport was pretty quiet one and when we got there, we sat down to wait for his plane to arrive. He held my hand in his lap and I lay my head on his shoulder. The wall across from us was mirrored and we both stared at our reflection in it.

Kazuya smiled. "You know, we make a cute couple." He said in that strong accent of his that I adored and didn't know why.

I just smiled.

"You know what the first thing I noticed about you was?" He asked.

I shook my head no.

"Your eyes. I love them. They are the most beautiful green. I think they're my most favorite thing on you."

"I got them from my mom. Her eyes are the same color. I'm the only one of my siblings who has them."

"Paizley-chan has blue, I know. What color do your others have?"

I lifted my head from his shoulder. "Kin has bright blue and Mitsuko has light blue."

"Green is much better. It's more rare…exotic."

I couldn't help but smile and I also felt my cheeks get warmer as I blushed.

"I wish to see you every day. Move to Japan. You can live with me." He said with a serious look on his face.

It was a little surprising that he would say that, but I wanted to say yes. "I don't have a plane ticket."

"I'll buy you one."

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Very."

"I want to."

His face lit up and he stood up. "I'll go get you a ticket."

He started to walk away, but I grabbed his shirt and stopped him. "But I can't."

"Doshite?"

"Did you forget that I'm still in high school?"

"We have those in Japan."

"But it wouldn't work so well with my mom still being here. She would never agree to that anyways."

He smiled. "Then you'll come see me in Japan?"

I nodded.

"Good. I don't know when I can come back. I'm going to be busy."

"You'll still be able to talk to me in the mornings like normal, right?"

"Of course. I'll make sure I have time for that."

"So when will you come?"

"I don't know yet."

He smiled. "I'm just playing. I know you don't know yet." He looked at his watch. "I should really get to my gate. I don't want to miss my plane." I nodded as he pulled me closer to him. "I'm going to kiss you, ok?"

Instead of saying ok, I just pulled him to my lips. After the kiss was over, he got his carry on and said "I'll be missing you" before walking away. I stood there for a few minutes and realized that I was already missing him. It was weird to feel that way about someone, but I did and I just wanted to kiss him one more time. I looked in the mirrored wall and watched my sclera turn black and the Nexus symbol appear on my forehead as I slowed time down to a halt. People began backing into where they once were as I rewound time. I stopped it right before our kiss and this time kissed him longer and more passionately. I repeated the process a few more times before I decided to stop messing with the time stream and let him go.

I went home and stayed in my room the rest of the day. Kazuya being gone was really affecting me. I didn't understand it either. I was fine before he came, but this time was different. I honestly didn't feel as strong. It was like he made me weak. Was it because of all the emotions he made me feel? To feel such things are a weakness. I didn't even realize it when he was here. Or maybe I did and I was just ok with it. The thing with Kazuya was beyond my knowledge it seemed. I wanted it more than anything, but it was like I wasn't made to feel the emotions that I was. Everyone else understood these types of emotions, but I didn't. I lay down on my bed, grasped the pendent Kazuya had given me and hoped I would soon understand.

Paizley's POV

Monday fell back around and it was the first full week on school. I had cheerleading practice after school and it was kind of rough, both for me and Brie. We had missed camp this summer because of going to the Shino Academy. We were having to learn everything that the rest of the squad had already learned. Not only that, but there was a girl challenging me for Captain, which meant I had to also come up with a routine to perform so I could keep my spot. I stayed after practice, so I could work on my stuff. Brie would have stayed with me, but she had a dentist appointment, so I was stuck by myself. I went out to my car to get my ipod and who did I find in the parking lot? Jin. He was propped up against the hood of his car, smoking. When he seen me coming, he threw the cigarette down and stepped on it.

Yeah, you better put that nasty thing out. I thought as I walked up to my car which he had parked beside.

"You're a stalker, you know that?" I asked before opening my car door.

"Nah, I just know what I want."

I smiled to myself as I got back out of my car. Maybe I liked him just a little bit. I liked that he seemed like he was going to wait for me after school every day until I paid him some attention. "Don't you have famous people stuff to do?"

"Nope. I'm all done for the day." He smiled.

"How long have you been waiting for me?" I crossed my arms.

"Umm since school got out." He answered the answer I wanted him to. I wanted him to wait for me. "And I saw Raina. She said you had practice, so I just waited."

"That means you've been out here for over two hours." I was impressed, but didn't show it.

"I guess so."

"You're very determined and persistent."

"I see something I like and I go for it. Just how I am. Normally, I get it."

"What if this time is different?"

"It's not." He smirked.

"Oh? You're cocky."

"Rightfully so."

I just walked off, smiling to myself.

"Oi! Where are you going?" He called.

I turned back towards him. "I have to practice."

"For what?"

"Well, I have a routine to put together and it has to be a good one if I want to keep my Captain position."

"Dancing, right?"

"Yeah and a few tricks."

"I can help you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, under one condition."

"Of course there's a condition, always is with guys like you."

"Hey, don't group me up with any other losers you may think are like me. I'm one of a kind, baby."

"Uh huh, you don't seem to break any mold to me."

"That's because you don't know me and that's my condition. If I help you with this, I want you to spend some time with me."

"Won't we be spending time together working on the routine?"

"I want you to hang out with me then. Is that a better way to say it? You know, where we don't do anything in particular, just have fun."

"I don't know." I looked off.

"Let me know you, Paizley." He said in a soft but serious voice, a way I'd not heard him speak since meeting him. His emotions only backed up his sentence. He genuinely wanted to know me. "What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing." I lied. "Follow me."

He smiled, knowing I had given in to his terms and followed me back to the gym. When we got inside, he asked for my ipod, so he could he find a song and I started stretching again. Even though I had been practicing before, I wanted to make sure I was all loosened up for the tricks.

He wasn't looking long in my ipod, until her started laughing slightly. "Now this name looks familiar."

I looked up at him.

"Akashi Jin. So you do like me." He smiled.

"That does not mean I like you. It means I like your music. There is a difference."

"Sure there is."

"And for the record, I didn't even have those songs until Raina told me about you." I defended.

He smirked and selected his name. "These are my Japanese songs." He looked up at me. "Anata wa nihongo wo hanashi masu ka?" [translation: Do you speak Japanese?]

"Souyana." I smiled. [translation: Yes]

"Kansai-ben?" He seemed surprised.

"Yep. I thought you knew I was half Japanese."

"I did, but I thought you lived here all your life so I wasn't expecting you to know how to speak Japanese."

"I have lived here all my life. I've only been to Japan once and it was for my parent's wedding. I was young. I don't even remember it. But I was taught Japanese along with English when I was learning how to speak."

"So you learned to languages at once?"

"Yes. Sometimes I would get them mixed up or put them together, but I learned them both. My dad speaks Kansai-ben, so that's what I was taught. Even though I learned them both at the same time, I consider English my native language since I speak it much more."

"But you're fluent in Japanese too?"

"Yes. I can also speak French. I learned that a little later in life though. I'm not as fluent in it as I am in English and Japanese though, but I can speak it well enough."

"Wow." He looked astonished. "This is exactly why I want to know you."

I smiled slightly. "Let's get to work."

We worked for about an hour and called it quits. Since I had to spend some time with him, we went to the mall. There was a pair of shoes I wanted to buy, so I killed two birds with one stone. Hanging out with him wasn't as bad as I expected, though. He was kind of fun. I tried not to let myself get attached to him. I didn't want a repeat of the Spence thing again. I was just barely over it. Even though I sort of paid him back, I wasn't quite over what he did to me. Sure I dated someone else after him, but I thought it would help me get over him. It didn't. Jin just reminded me so much of Spencer with the whole bad boy, cocky thing he had going. I felt I needed to keep my guard up, so I did or at least I tried. He walked me to my car when we were done.

"So do I get your number now?" He asked when we got to my car.

I thought a minute. "I guess. Let me see your phone." He handed it to me and I put my number it in. "There." I handed it back to him.

"I'll send you a text so you'll have mine." He typed on his phone and then mine beeped.

I looked at the message and it said "kiss me". I tried not to smiled and responded before saving his number.

His phone beeped and he looked at the message. "No? And why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Liar."

I smirked. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Thursday rolled around and it was my last day to practice. Jin had helped me every day after school even though I knew he could have been doing more productive things than helping me with a cheer routine. He insisted, so I let him. He had some pretty good moves. I wouldn't lose my position with his help.

"Hey shorty what your name is? I haven't seen you 'round here before. I'll show you how to party. So shut your mouth and bust it up. Show me how you move it baby." He sang the song I was doing my routine to, which was his new single.

"It's a party, take a shot, take a shot. It's a party, clap your hands, clap your hands. It's a party, spend them dollars, spend them dollars. It's a party grab a girl, grab a girl." I sang to which he did grab me and started to dance with me. I just went along because we were taking a break anyway. The dance got pretty hot, fast. It stopped when he tried to kiss me and I pulled away. "C'mon, Paize. The chemistry between us could destroy this place."

"Not now." I walked to the other side of the gym, because I was going to practice my round off back handspring back tuck. "Good things come to those who wait for it." I said before doing my trick.

The next day was the competition between me and Alexis, the girl who thought she was better than me. I didn't know how she could think she is. There was a reason I was captain. I never fall or lose my balance because of my agility. I was made for this type of stuff. She had been dancing longer than I had, so I guess that's where she thought she would one up me. But I had had help from an excellent dancer. I was going to blow her mind.

After we did our routines, my coach discussed it with some others who she had brought to watch. I was nervous. Alexis had really improved over the summer. When the coach announced that I got to keep my spot, I was so happy and so relieved. I worked so hard to get that spot just as I worked hard in my training to become a Shinigami. I always gave it my all. It was nice to be rewarded.

Afterwards, I ran out to my car where Jin was waiting like he always did. I gave him a big hug and kissed him on the cheek, which he seemed surprised to get. But I think he was pleased to get something from me.

"I take it you won." He said.

"Yes!"

"Should we celebrate?"

I nodded and he took me out for ice cream, which just happened to be my favorite dessert. Maybe he wasn't so bad. I still wanted to pull away, but it didn't look like he would be giving up anytime soon.

Author's note: This was a struggle. I'm still trying to get over the storms. But I hope you guys like it. And be prepared for a lot of none bleach like chapters, I would like to focus on the kids a bit and let everyone get to know them. Also I've added new links to my profile for pictures. One is a picture of Kris, Unmei and Kristen when she took in the Nexus. Another is one of Kris in her wedding dress. And the last, just finished today, is of Raina and Kazuya! Also the song that Jin and Pai sings does not belong to me. It's I.N.P by Jin Akanishi (who do think my Jin was based off of? lol) I'll prob steal more of his songs, because I'm no song writer lol. Review plz and sorry for the wait!