Because she's feeling ill Akeno was Absent today so no one is sitting in front of Ichigo, of course he is concerned that his classmate is absent so he decided to visit her after the class ends, and during breaktime, he was approached by his classmate.

"Man Ichigo it's nice to be you"

"what do you mean?"

"I mean you got Rias and Akeno on your side, on top of that some girls also has their eyes on you"

"look I'm not really into dating right now, there's a lot of thing that I wanna focus for now (like preparing to be a captain)"

"In any rate you'll need it man, this may sound weird but it's nice to have a girlfriend, I had once and it was great, there's someone you could rely on and could talk to"

The classmate left.

"I know that too" Ichigo whispered.

After class there was no meeting, Rias is with her brother Sircezchs, Issei and Asia are doing their homework and Yuto and Xenovia decided to go sparring, that leaves only Koneko and so Ichigo approached her.

"Koneko, you wanna go with me, let's hit the convenience store" Ichigo said.

"Y-yes I'll go with you senpai!" Koneko gladly replied.

She doesn't know why but she went with him and she found out that Akeno was sick so she understood why.

"Today was really peaceful, I haven't seen any hollows yet" Ichigo said, however after they paid what they bought Ichigo felt a bad spiritual pressure.

Ichigo sighs "I stand corrected" he said.

Ichigo and Koneko rushed outside and soon they saw a guy with spiky green hair and has a skull mask on his mouth.

"Grimmjow, I knew it was you"

Grimmjow points his sword on Ichigo

"Ha, of course I did, I showed up because I have some unfinished business with you" he said.

"I really don't wanna fight you know but I have no choice" Ichigo said.

"Senpai who is he?" Koneko asked.

"That's Grimmjow Jagerjequez, he's a stupid punk so don't be like him" Ichigo answered.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A STUPID PUNK!" Grimmjow violently reacted.

And so Grimmjow charged first and Ichigo defended himself and thus the two had a sword fight.

Fortunately they were floating so no one was hurt, Koneko on the other hand wanted to interfere but she thinks that Ichigo wants to handle Grimmjow all by himself so she stands in the corner and cheered her beloved senpai.

The two fought with all they got, both Ichigo and Grimmjow took serious blows, Grimmjow would fire some ceros while Ichigo would dodge them, however the two was stopped when a hollow arrived and and that hollow is attacking a soul, so of course Ichigo quickly sprang into action but Grimmjow stopped him.

"YOUR ENEMY IS RIGHT HERE !" Grimmjow yelled as he lands a blow on Ichigo in anger responds back by charging at him, and the two continued their fight, the hollow tried to attack Ichigo but both Ichigo and Grimmjow unconciously tries to shoo the hollow away becauwe of this the Hollow got mad.

"YOUR ENEMY IS RIGHT HERE!" the hollow said

"SHUT UP!" Both Ichigo and Grimmjow yelled as they were going to strike the hollow, but the hollow was quickly defeated when Nel whose in her adult form arrived from the sky and killed the hollow in a single strike.

After that Nel looked at her surroundings and then.

"ICHIGO I MISSED YOU !" Nel yelled as she quickly ran and hugged Ichigo.

"Tch, NOT YOU AGAIN!" Grimmjow yelled but Nel didn't pay attention to him

Koneko on the other hand had mixed feelings of shock and jealousy.

"Nel why did you come here?" Ichigo asked.

"I was just going to pick Grimmjow because he was called by Halibel, but anyways I'm glad I went with her request because I got to see you!" Nel said.

Grimmjow wanted to fight Ichigo some more but he can't, Ichigo tries to free himself from Nel but she is just too strong, finally he got enough strength to do so when he looked at the a giant clock and saw the time.

"Okay Nel I'm glad you're here but I really need to go!" Ichigo said.

Nel was disappointed because she wanted to spend time with Ichigo more but it can't be help, Grimmjow on the other hand saw her sad face so he pats her in the head.

"don't interfere in my next fight with him, and I'll set you up a time with him" Grimmjow said.

And then Nel smiled.

"Really Thanks Grimmjow you're the best!" she said.

"D-DON'T JUST HUG ME ALL OF A SUDDEN!" Grimmjow yelled even though no one sees them.

Eventually Ichigo and Koneko went and checked Akeno and how she's doing, it turns out that she her fever was high, maybe it's her fever that keeps her from flirting with Ichigo but regardless she's serious today and she didn't fight with Koneko for Ichigo.

Some time later Rias arrives and told them that she'll take care of her and so Ichigo and Koneko left, while walking Ichigo noticed that Koneko has a sad expression on her face, so he coughed.

"Wanna get some Ice cream together, like the old times?" Ichigo asked.

Koneko's eyes widen.

"Yes I would love too" she answered.

And so, the two went to a local park, they bought Ice cream and ate it while sitting on a bench.

"I'm sorry for dragging you around, I mean with the stuff with Grimmjow and Nel" Ichigo said.

"It's okay senpai, I understand, I just want to ask who is Nel?" Koneko asked.

"hmm? Oh Nel, yeah she's an Arrancar that I became friends with when I was on hueco mundo which is unusual because Arrancars are our enemies, she was a small child when I first met her but little did I know that she was actually a lady" Ichigo answered.

Koneko then has an annoyed look

"I wonder if Ichigo senpai sees me as a woman too" she whispered.

"Did you say something?" Ichigo asked,

"Nothing" Koneko answered.

As they eat and walk together Koneko can't help but blush hard, of course will, the man she likes is right in front of her, Ichigo walked Koneko home.

The Next day Akeno is still absent, but Ichigo was glad because Rias told him that Akeno is doing better than yesterday, during lunch break Ichigo spends his time with Iseei, whom he help in hiding because the girls in the kendo club caught him peeping at them, Ichigo know what Issei did was wrong but he still helped him.

"man it's nice to be you Ichigo"

"what do you mean?"

"I mean Girls like you, you're popular and you're good in sports"

"You're just overthinking it, maybe it's because you're a pervert why girls don't like you"

"Eh I don't think so, even though I'm not a pervert I don't think girls will like me"

"You're saying that yet you managed to hang out with Rias and Asia is head over heels for you"

"Yeah it turns out that I have a sacred gear, just watch me Ichigo I will be the harem king!"

"Yeah Goodluck with that, as long as you don't mean any harm then I won't stop you" And so Ichigo and Issei enjoyed snack time as they talk about various stuff and then.

"come to think of it you seem to be closest with Koneko, it's like the two of you has a special bond or something before?" Issei said.

And Ichigo's eyes widens a little and for a second he stops eating, however that caught Issei's attention.

"Wait so you did? Please tell me more Senpai!" Issei said.

"Damn it you calling me senpai is creepy" Ichigo reacted.

Issei ignores him and just keeps on staring at Ichigo, and finally Ichigo sighs as he puts down his snack.

"Yeah we did date, back in middle school, it's a long story but if you're that interested I guess I'll tell you" Ichigo said.

Flashback

Ichigo's P.O.V

It was back in middle school, back then I was not a substitute shinigami, and I didn't know anything about it, all I know is that I can see ghosts and that's it, that's why if was being asked if I'm afraid of ghosts I said no, and I think it's a reason why supernatural things like Yokai and the Occult didn't bother me.

I was in my final year of middle school when I first heard of Koneko, who was in her first year of middle school. Back then she was really quiet, I mean she's still the quiet type today but at least she has you guys, unlike before.

What's worse, is that she's is being bullied by her fellow classmates, back then she was called as "the monster of class1-A"

At first I thought she just have good grades and a that most of her classmates are just insecure at her, until I heard some rumors from my classmates that she hunts people and eats them and that some have actually seen her going berserk.

Of course I didn't believe them, for me to see is to believe, and I don't think a small girl like her would do such a thing, maybe they've seen a wolf or something.

Besides, I can sorta feel Koneko's aura, and based on that feelings I think she's not an evil person, and even if she's a monster I don't think she's evil, so I decided to prove it to everyone that Koneko is not what they think, I attempted to talk to her but alas, I never got the chance to do so, it's either I'm busy she leaves early or some of my classmates would call me.

But eventually I had my first encounter with her in the most unexpected way, I was walking alone, then near the river I saw her, some guys had her bag, and it's obvious that she needs help.

"Give me back my bag I beg you!" Koneko said.

"If you want it use your full strength" one of the guys said.

Koneko got pissed so she jumped high to get it, she thought she had it, only she was stopped when she was kneed to the stomach.

"C'mon where's the monster, we wanna see her" the other guy said as he kicks Koneko in the back.

That caught my attention, of course, what type of guy who would hit a timid girl, so I quickly went and told them to stop, but as I expected, they didn't, so I stopped them by force. Eventually I won and the two guys left, after that saw Koneko, lying in the dirt with bruises around her, so offered her a hand and I asked.

"are you okay?"