Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I only own Catalina and Eita Harada.
Water (Mizu): hair color turquoise, eye color bright blue
Fire (Kaji): hair color red, eye color bright orange
Ice (Koori): hair color white, eye color bright white
Earth (Chi): hair color brown, eye color bright green
Air (Kuki): hair color white, eye color bright orange
Metal (Kinzoku): hair color silver, eye color bright gray
Lightning (Inazuma): hair color yellow, eye color bright yellow
Shadow (Kage): hair color pitch black, eye color bright violet
Chapter 9: The Kiss
[Kat's POV]
I yawned tiredly as we walked down the streets to school.
"So how was it killing your first hollow?" I asked.
"Great. Kurosaki was so surprised that I took care of it instead of him." Eita snickered happily. "Speaking of Kurosaki what's up with you two? You love him or something?" Eita taunted playfully.
I turn bright red, flustered by his sudden question.
"I don't love him!" I yelled angrily, then embarrassingly looked around to make sure no one we knew heard our little conversation.
"Then you like him?" he continued cheekily.
I growled glaring daggers at him begging him to stop.
"Has to be at least a crush, you stalk him too much."
"Eita." I warned angrily.
"Fine, it's a crush then." He laughed running off before I could punch him angrily.
The day went by pretty quickly and normally, expect for when Ichigo and Rukia disappeared halfway through the morning without a word. Rumor has it they are a thing and have been skipping class. Had I not known about shinigamis and hollows I would have believed the rumors and that gaping feeling of rage would have intensified.
I'm still not sure what that feeling is. Yoruichi said it was jealousy and teased me all night about it. Could they be right? Could I have a crush on Ichigo and not know it? Could this raging feeling be jealousy over Rukia spending so much time with Ichigo?
Lunch time finally rolled around and Eita leaned against my desk grinning evilly.
"So do you?" Eita teased, not letting up.
I groaned slamming my head against my desk.
"Please Eita, just shut up." I muttered quietly against the cold wooden desk.
"Just answer the damn question then. Do. You. Like. Kurosaki." Eita spoke each word curtly and teasingly.
I peeked up at him, he was holding his chopsticks in one hand and his food in the other.
"It's just a silly crush Eita it will go away." I muttered defeated.
Eita smirked knowingly at me and shoved some food into his mouth.
"Of course. Just a silly crush." Eita teased.
"Oh shut up and eat your lunch." I hissed sitting upright and started to eat my lunch too.
"Harada-kun, Kat-chan do you mind if we join you for lunch?" Orihime asked happily as she stood beside Tatsuki with her lunch in her hands.
"Sure." I replied happily smiling at them.
Eita placed his food on his desk moving it beside mine, Orihime sat across from Eita while Tatsuki sat across from me.
"So how have you been feeling Kat?" Tatsuki asked me happily.
"Fine." I smiled happily. "Not much of my memories have come back yet. But I'm focusing more on making new memoires with my friends." I explained softly and Tatsuki nodded smiling at me.
"So Orihime, what did you bring for lunch today?" Tatsuki asked.
I watched them while I ate my lunch.
"Bread and bean pasta." Orihime hummed happily.
I stared at her confused while she pulled out a loaf of bread and some weird looking pasta.
"Uh, that looks tasty." Eita murmured a little grossed out.
"Uh yea." I mumbled beside him.
Orihime's foods really is weird I hope I never have to taste it.
Everyone was eating and enjoying their lunch when suddenly out of nowhere Chizuru showed up groping Orihime. I could see Tatsuki's eye twitching with annoyance.
"Hey get away from Orihime!" Tatsuki shouted angrily.
They started to argue and I just watched them eating my lunch. Eita seem to be enjoying the fighting and was grinning happily. Honestly I think he wanted to cheer Tatsuki on as she tried to kick the crap out of Chizuru.
Suddenly everyone started freaking out and pointing to the window. I turned around and was surprised to see Ichigo perched on the windowsill. I could hear everyone whispering about how he jumped up through the window.
"I-ICHIGO! HOW DID YOU GET UP THERE?!" Tatsuki shouted disbelief.
I stared at Ichigo curiously. What the hell was he doing using his shinigami power's like that? In front of everyone?
"Kat?" Eita whispered from beside me. "What the hell is he doing?" Eita hissed annoyed.
Ichigo looked around the classroom in particular at the girls in our classroom. Jealously surged through me again as I watched Ichigo's amber eyes look at all the girls. I wanted him to look only at me like that.
Whoa where the hell did that come from?! What's this weird feeling and why the hell am I thinking this way about Ichigo?! I snap out of my thoughts when I heard everyone screaming.
I turned to my side and watched horrified, I paled. Ichigo grabbed Orihime's hand and softly kissed her hand. My body went rigid. I swear all the blood left my face as I watched Ichigo's lips land on Orihime's hand.
Did Ichigo like Orihime?
"Hello there beautiful young lady may I please know your name?" Ichigo ask sweetly still holding Orihime's hand.
My face was pure horror along with every single girl in our classroom.
"What the hell?" Eita murmured angrily grabbing Ichigo by the back of his shirt and threw him back.
Ichigo stumbled backwards but gain his balance back.
"You have some nerve Kurosaki?" Eita said angrily, glaring daggers at Ichigo.
I got a strange feeling from Ichigo. Almost like it wasn't him.
I leaned towards Eita and softly whispered, "Something is wrong with him."
"Like I give a fuck if something is wrong." Eita hissed back angrily. "He is playing with your emotions." He growled back lowly.
I turned to look at Ichigo and suddenly came face to face with Ichigo and all the blood in my body drain again as I stared into those beautiful amber eyes.
"Forget about big boobs you are smoking hot too." Ichigo said slyly and I stared at him dumbfound.
Ok there was definitely something wrong. Ichigo would never say something like this to me or Orihime for that matter. Something is definitely wrong with him.
"ICHIGO DE YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU ARE DOING?!" Tatsuki shouted freaking out. She hooked her arms around Ichigo's shoulders and pulled him away from me. "YOU DO REALIZE YOU CAN'T PASS THIS OFF AS A JOKE?!" Tatsuki shouted and I just stared at them flustered by what just happened.
"You know taking a closer look, you are also pretty cute." Ichigo spoke examining Tatsuki.
"Great Kurosaki did it now. Tatsuki is going to destroy the classroom." Eita snickered from beside me.
But I was too lost in my thoughts about what just happened to hear what Eita was saying. "Hey Kat stop drooling." Eita moaned annoyed and I glared at him.
I gasped. The little green monster in me snapping as Ichigo suddenly kissed Tatsuki on the cheek. But the jealously quickly disappeared as concern took over for Ichigo. I yelped ducking out of the way as a desk came flying my way. I stepped away from the monster of Tatsuki standing next to Orihime who stood behind Eita.
"She really is a monster." I muttered shocked and Eita just nodded beside me.
"Why are you so angry? It was just a kiss on the cheek. What are you a third grader?" Ichigo asked cunningly, swiftly dodging each desk that Tatsuki threw at him.
"AHHHHH!" Tatsuke scream angrily throwing another desk at him. I just watched hoping nothing happened to either of them.
"YOU! STOP!" A voice boomed across the room.
I turned to the doorway where Rukia was standing she was looking at Ichigo seriously.
"Damn it!" Ichigo cursed running towards the window.
"Ichigo he's heading your way!" Rukia shouted when I saw the shinigami form of Ichigo jump through the window and I felt the butterflies in my stomach as I watched him perching on the windowsill.
"Holy shit, there are two Ichigos." I whispered disbelief, not knowing what was going on now.
"You have nowhere to run." Shinigami Ichigo stated seriously.
School uniform Ichigo looked around trying to find a way out.
Fake Ichigo then started to fight with the real Ichigo? Real Ichigo was getting his butt kicked by the fake Ichigo. It was so fucking weird to see two Ichigo's fighting against each other. But to everyone else it looked like fake Ichigo was fighting himself.
"Why is Kurosaki fighting by himself?" I heard people murmuring around me and I just watched the fight.
"Idiot he's getting his butt kick." Eita hissed annoyed.
I moved out of the way when fake Ichigo threw Ichigo's shinigami form to the back of the room knocking desks all over the place. Shinigami Ichigo slowly stood up holding his head.
I walked towards the fake Ichigo wanting to know what the hell was going on.
"Hey what's your problem Ichigo?!" I shouted angrily at him and I froze when his hand cupped my cheek.
"You are really are hot." He murmured, I stared at him confuse.
He suddenly lean forward crushing his lips against mine.
My heart stopped and I couldn't breathe anymore.
Holy crap was the only thing that echoed through my mind.
Ichigo was actually kissing me. Wait no, this wasn't Ichigo or was it? There are two of them how do I know which one is the real one?
Ichigo's lips were so soft and warm. He pulled away smirking at me and I just blinked at him confused.
"Gotta run." He muttered jumping out the window. I just stared out to the nothing shocked about what the hell just happened.
I couldn't even processes Rukia running passed me out of the classroom or when Ichigo ran passed to me follow after himself.
"Not a silly crush anymore, huh?" Eita snickered beside me and I just turned to glare at him snapping out of my thoughts. "So are we going to go after them or what?" Eita questioned and I softly touched my lips when I felt angry surge through me.
"That bastard stole my first kiss!" I hissed angrily.
"Technically Kurosaki stole your first kiss since technically they were his lips and body." Eita stated amused and I glared at him.
"Shut up!" I hissed running out of the classroom and Eita ran after me laughing.
We ran out of the school building and looked around the empty schoolyard.
"So who are we going after?" Eita asked placing his hands in his pockets.
"Let's go after the fake Ichigo that little bastard is going to get it." I hissed angrily.
[With Ichigo and Rukia]
Ichigo and Rukia were standing inside a rundown warehouse looking for the mod soul. Ichigo was pissed about what had happened at school.
"Why are you so angry?" Rukia questioned. "If it's because of what happened at school it's nothing to worry about." Rukia spoke bluntly and Ichigo turned to look at her shock.
"NOTHING? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! IT'S SOMETHING! EVERYONE IS GOING TO THINK I KISSED KAT! WHAT IS KAT GOING TO THINK?" Ichigo shouted freaking out as he recalled watching the mod soul kiss Kat with his body and how he strangely felt jealous of himself kissing Kat.
"Kat will know it wasn't the real you." Rukia said seriously, remembering her zanpakuto from a couple of nights ago. "Are you so angry that it was the mod soul who kissed Kat and not you?" Rukia questioned frankly and Ichigo turned to look at her beat red.
"NO!" Ichigo shouted freaking out.
"It was just a kiss there is nothing wrong with that. Actually I was reading in a book about how there are much worse things going on." Rukia explained amused.
"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF BOOK ARE YOU READING?!" Ichigo shouted angrily and confused. "A KISS LIKE THAT MEANS SOMETHING!" Ichigo shouted freaking out.
[Kat's POV]
As we searched for the fake Ichigo I couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought that Ichigo had kissed me. I mean technically he did kiss me even though whatever was in his body kissed me. But they were still Ichigo's lips.
No I can't think like that, it wasn't Ichigo who had kissed me, it was something else. Ichigo would never kiss me. Wait, why do I even want Ichigo to kiss me?! But still knowing that it was technically Ichigo who stole my first kiss I can't help but feel all giddy.
What does this giddy feeling mean…?
I stopped running when I heard something ringing and Eita also stopped looking at me confuse. I pulled out the sliver cell phone that Kisuke had given me a couple of weeks ago to help Eita and I hunt hollows.
"Hello?" I answered the phone.
"Kat-chan!" I heard Kisuke greet gleefully from the other side of the phone. "I just wanted to let you and Eita know that I sold a very poor made product to Miss. Kuchiki so you two should be careful with Kurosaki-san's body because it might not be the real one." Kisuke explained and I just sighed annoyed.
"Yeah we kinda of figured that out already." I mumbled and Kisuke laughed.
"We will be there shortly so if you can please keep the mod soul busy." Kisuke added before hanging up and I shut the phone annoyed and Eita looked at me.
"What did he say?" Eita questioned me as I walked towards the school where I felt the fake Ichigo's spirit force coming from.
"That he sold a poorly made product to Rukia. Seems what's inside Ichigo's body is a mod soul, a poorly made one." I explained, glancing around the school grounds for Ichigo's body.
"Seems we missed all the fun." Eita stated annoyed as he kneeled down touching the ground. "Kurosaki, the mod soul and Rukia already left again." Eita said standing up as he looked around the schoolyard.
I pulled my phone out when I heard it beeping again.
"What does he want now?" I mumbled opening the phone but noticed the map on the screen with a red blinking dot right where we were standing. "Hollow." I said seriously.
"Where?" Eita questioned sternly.
"Here" I replied looking around the schoolyard trying to feel the hollow's spirit force.
Eita looked around the school yard trying to find the hollow, "THERE!" Eita shouted as I watched a caterpillar like hollow crawling down the side of the school building towards three kids.
Eita and I ran towards the giant hollow pulling out our zanpakutos. Suddenly the mod soul in Ichigo's body jumped towards the Hollow kicking it away from the group of kids. Eita and I stopped running and watched the fake Ichigo fight the hollow.
They suddenly disappeared to the roof of the building.
"Come on!" I yelled, flashing stepping to the top of the building.
Eita following closely behind. I ran towards the fake Ichigo knowing he wouldn't be able to defeat the hollow by himself. I appeared in front of him
"Hyuzu, Mangekyo no Hana!"
"Hot girl?" fake Ichigo asked confused.
"MIZU!" I shouted placing a water barrier in front of me and fake Ichigo. "KORI!" I shouted again quickly switching spirits; the water barrier turned into ice and the hollow crushed into the ice barrier.
I stumbled back weakly taking deep breaths. I was proud of myself the shield held up; it didn't break that easily. Kisuke's training is paying off.
"MAGERU! RUBIENERUGI!" Eita shouted.
Eita's zanpakuto went into shikai form and he slash the hollow from behind. The hollow yelled angrily stumbling back. Eita landed beside me getting ready to attack again.
"Are you ok?" He questioned concerned and I understood why, this was the first time I had used two elements so close together I almost thought I wouldn't be able to pull it off.
"Yeah." I whispered out of breath and he nods.
"I'll take care of the hollow you take care of the fake Ichigo before he splits again." Eita said jumping off towards the hollow.
I turned to look at the fake Ichigo. He seem to be hurt and I sigh annoyed. He hurt Ichigo's body. I walk towards him and decide to use a bending spell to keep him in place.
"Bakudo #4, Hainawa." I muttered having already chanted the spell beforehand.
Cackling yellow energy in the shape of a rope formed on my hands, I point my hands towards the fake Ichigo and the energy wrapped around his arms and body immobilizing him.
"AH, hot girl what are you doing?" He yelled freaking out as he couldn't move.
"Taking back what doesn't belong to you." I growled annoyed.
I turned around just as Eita finished off the hollow. The hollow was falling down backwards as it slowly begin to fade away. But I guess the fake Ichigo didn't know what was happening because he broke free from my kido and ran towards the disappearing hollow.
"Hey stop! What are you doing?!" Eita screamed angrily.
Suddenly the Shinigami Ichigo showed up holding his body by a leg before he fell over the edge. I sigh relieved.
"Kat? Eita?" Ichigo ask confused as he lifted his body up and put him down in front of himself.
"Took you long enough." Eita muttered annoyed. "We had to take care of everything." He added tauntingly.
Ichigo glared at Eita but didn't say anything and he looked back at the mod soul who was sitting on the ground.
"Why did you try to save them if you hated them?" Ichigo questioned the mod soul.
I slowly walked over to the edge of the building and realized Ichigo was right. The mod soul thought the vanishing hollow would fall on the kids.
"So what? If I didn't help them, they would've been killed." The mod soul grumble coldly, glaring at the ground. "And I won't let anyone get killed." He added.
I stared at the mod soul kindly. Guess he wasn't that bad.
"Shortly after I was created the Soul Society ordered all Mod Souls to be destroyed." He explained bitterly. "In other words my date of death was determined the day after I was created. I trembled in fear everyday inside that pill, as I watched the others around me disappear, day by day." He continued somberly. "Even though I was able to slip out of the warehouse by hiding among other pills. I was always afraid that I would someday be discovered and destroyed. All the while, I wondered: Why should other determine my fate? Why? Why can't I decide for myself?! Isn't it up to me whether I live or die?! That's why I won't kill anyone…and I don't want to see anyone be killed."
Eita, Ichigo and I stared at the poor mod soul. Guess he had a point it was his choice whether he wanted to die or life. Just like it's my choice if I want to know about my past. The mod soul is correct to fight for what he wants. He wants to make the choice to live or die.
"I finally found you guys. Oh, my, and he is all battered up." Kisuke commented cunningly.
I frowned at Kisuke's arrival. This wasn't good, what would he do with the mod soul.
"What are you doing here?" Eita ask surprised at his sudden arrival.
"To collect the defected item I sold of course." He said grinning as he made his way towards the mod soul. "Looks like all the equipment we prepared was for nothing. Eita and Kat had it under control the whole time."
Kisuke pointed his cane towards Ichigo's human body and poked his forehead. A green pill suddenly popped out from Ichigo's body landing on the ground with a soft thump. Kisuke walked over to the pill picking it up and walked towards the small group of Ururu, Jinta and Tessai. They were all geared up and ready to fight.
"Alright, product collected time to go home!" Kisuke announced.
"What are you going to do with him?!" Ichigo asked concerned staring at Kisuke.
"Well I'm going to destroy it of course." Kisuke stated frankly and I looked at the pill sadly.
In some ways the mod soul and I are very similar. We both don't wish to see people die or get hurt like us.
"You can see me? Who are you?!" Ichigo questioned confused.
Kisuke threw the pill up and I swiftly caught it before it fell back into his hands.
Ichigo and Kisuke turned to look at me surprised Eita stood beside me with his arms crossed.
"Kisuke is greedy store owner." I said bluntly looking at Ichigo and then I turned to look at Kisuke. "Technically Rukia bought this from you so you are in no position to decide what happens to the mod soul." I corrected him and Kisuke looked at me amused. "So Rukia, are you satisfied with this product?" I questioned Rukia as I felt her faint spirit force slowly near us and she looked at me.
"Yes I'm fairly satisfied with the product." Rukia said seriously.
I handed the green pill to Rukia and she looked at me bemused.
"Well, seems everything is fine here. I brought all these things for nothing. Oh well, Eita-kun, Kat-chan you two can take the rest of the day off." Kisuke encouraged slyly and walked away with everyone.
Eita and I stared at Ichigo and Rukia. None of us said anything.
I clear my throat softly, "We gotta stop meeting like this." I joked awkwardly.
"Eita and you are shinigamis?" Rukia asked slowly.
"I think we are, or at least Kisuke has told us we are. Like I said before, we don't remember much of our past. We slowly have been getting little pieces of our memory here and there." I explain slowly. "But from what Kisuke has told us we aren't from here."
"You guys are from the Soul Society." Rukia answered bewildered.
"So I say instead of working against each other we should fight hollows together. You know get in on the action together." Eita grinned like a mad man.
I sighed exasperated. Of course he only wanted to fight, figures.
"What Eita means is we can take turns. Help you guys out so you don't tire out and miss school so much." I offered.
"Sounds reasonable." Rukia nodded liking the idea. "It also seems like you have better control of you shinigamis powers than Ichigo." She added.
"What do you mean?! I get the job done!" Ichigo yelled outraged at Rukia's statement.
"Will since everything has been figured out, I'm heading home. We'll take tonight! So you guys get your beauty sleep!" Eita waved goodbye and Rukia followed after Eita, seemed like she wanted to talk to him alone.
"Wait, so you are a shinigami too Kat?" Ichigo asked stunned.
"Guess so." I muttered back thoughtfully.
I looked at Ichigo's injured body. "You should hop back into your body and I'll heal your wound." I offered gently, flustered to be alone with Ichigo.
I noticed the green little pill Rukia had handed to him before she left as he went back into his body.
Ichigo flexed his shoulder as we walked down the stairs of the building into the street.
"How does it feel?" I asked as we walked down the street.
"Better, thanks."
We walked in an awkward silence when he awkwardly cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry for what he did." Ichigo mumbled out embarrassed. He sheepishly rubbed his neck as we slowed down to a stop.
I laughed nervously remembering the kiss. Remembering yeah right, I haven't forgotten, it is burn into my mind.
"Listen Ichigo, I know it was the mod soul and not you. I mean, when you kissed me I thought it was you, but then I saw the real you and realized it wasn't. So it's all good. Really!" I stuttered embarrassed not knowing what else to say. But as I said those words I knew they weren't true. That kiss did mean something to me.
That's when realization hit me…this wasn't just some silly crush….I didn't just have a crush on Ichigo…no, crush isn't a strong enough word to use for what I feel for Ichigo…I…like…him. I like him a lot.
"So um what are you going to do with the mod soul?" I cleared my throat changing the subject.
Ichigo looked at me strangely but then looked at the green pill in his hand.
"I don't know but I have few things to settle with this bastard." Ichigo hissed angrily.
"You and me both." I hissed angrily.
"I forgot to ask Rukia what I'm supposed to do so I could speak with this bastard again." Ichigo muttered angrily to himself.
"Well, technically you are just supposed to put the pill in a body with no soul." I explained remembering Kisuke's long lessons about everything shinigami related including laws and the soul society history. "So, I guess this stuff lion could work." I pointed at the lion that was placed on the trash bags and Ichigo looked at the stuff lion grabbing it.
"So um what do I do?" Ichigo asked looking at the stuff lion and the green pill in his hand.
"I think you just put it in its mouth and there." I said unsure.
Ichigo nodded placing the pill in the lion's mouth and pushed it in.
"There." Ichigo said looking at the lion and we both waited for something to happen. "Guess it didn't work." Ichigo said bored as he twirled the lion around when suddenly it jumped out of his grip and landed on the ground.
"HEY! THAT HURTS!" the mod soul shouted pointing angrily at Ichigo and continued his yelling when he stopped and looked at us shocked. "WHAT THE HELL?! WHY ARE YOU TWO SO MUCH TALLER THAN ME?!" he shouted freaking out and he looked at his hands screaming. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"
"You little bastard it's payback time!" Ichigo growled angrily grabbing the mod soul.
The mod soul and Ichigo started to fight. I just burst out laughing at them and they both turned to look at me.
"I'm sorry this is just too hilarious to look at and not laugh at!" I said laughing, holding my side.
Ichigo was literally arguing with a stuff animal.
"So Ichigo is hot girl our girlfriend?" the mod soul questioned out of nowhere.
I felt my eye twitch in annoyance when he called me hot girl but then I turned bright red when he asked if I was Ichigo's girlfriend.
"SHUT UP! SHE'S A FRIEND!" Ichigo shouted at the mod soul and the mod soul just snickered.
"I see you aren't her type Ichigo. No matter I'm sure I'm more than enough-" I didn't let him finish his sentence since I grabbed him and throw him to the ground angrily.
"A pervert like you isn't my type either." I stated angrily stepping on him. "This is for stealing my first kiss too you bastard." I hissed angrily stepping on him.
"WAIT MY STUFFING IT'S COMING OUT! PLEASE STOP SISTER!" he yelled panicking.
I angrily stepped away from the stuff lion and Ichigo looked at me surprised.
"Being around Eita has rubbed off." I stated shrugging and narrowed my eyes at Ichigo. "Problem?" I questioned and Ichigo gulped waving his hands in front of him defensibly.
"NO! NO PROBLEM!" Ichigo squeaked.
"I better head back home." I mumbled walking away when Ichigo grabbed my hand I felt a shock of electricity run through my body at his touch.
"Thanks for everything today Kat." He said softly.
I turned bright red slowly pulling my hand out of his grip and smiled like a fucking idiot.
"You're welcome."
Yes I definitely liked Ichigo Kurosaki.
[To Be Continue]
So super long chapter lots happened but it mostly focused on Kat figuring out she liked Ichigo in a more romantic way. I like the pace their relationship is going so far next chapter is going to tricky for me. I'm debating weather Kat should seize the day and tell Ichigo how she feels or hold off on it until further chapters.
Question would you guys be interested in having a chapter dedicated to Rukia and Eita and seeing how their relationship forms?
Someone of the dialogue for this chapter came from the original version, fun fact if you didn't notice!
Happy Holidays everyone and hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! I won't be updating until January so look forward to the chapter!