A/N: I don't own Bleach. This is high school AU. And... I found this piece on my phone. Hahaha.
Renji says it so casually, like he is telling how the weather is on this hot summer day. He pops another candy in his big mouth.
"He likes you," he throws the candy wrap nonchalantly. Rukia frowns. Her brother is not going to like it. "Someone has a massive crush on you."
Kon's fur feels so soft in her hands. The cat is sleeping still on her lap. Rukia does not even look up.
"Who?" She asks without a care. Her heart does not even flutter. She does not feel anything. She shows no interest. Boys confess their feelings to her all the time, this is not something new.
Renji scoffs and knows too well why his best friend is called an ice queen. She never likes a boy first and she never shows interests in them either. Like a moon, she is hard to reach, and boys... boys like him are just like dogs barking at the moon.
"Ichigo." He says, carefully watching her reaction.
She does not look up to look at him. Still. She does not say anything either.
But her fingers stop playing with Kon's fur for a while.
Renji can't see her face. But he is sure there is a reaction. And knowing her, reaction is... something. Most of the poor lads never got a reaction when he told her this.
Most of the time, Rukia never bothers with a reply when Renji spills the bean about some guys who have a crush on her. She always changes the subject as if Renji has told her nothing.
The redhead raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, and?" He asks. Ichigo is his best friend ever since Rukia left in 6th grade. Now, that Rukia is back in Karakura after years following her brother in the US, Renji has to deal with having two best friends in high school - in which his other best friend is having a crush on his old childhood best friend who unfortunately has never, ever, showed interests in romance.
"And?" She finally looks up and stares at him. She raises her eyebrows elegantly.
She is really beautiful, painfully, elegantly beautiful, Renji knows that. He knows that too well. Being her best friend for years, sometimes he is still taken a back by her beauty.
God, poor Ichigo, Renji muses. Captain of the soccer team, top 10 in class, and has many girls fawning over him, he basically can have any girl in high school, but why does his best friend have to fall for this new transfer student who never wants to have anything to do with other human beings?
"And what do you think? About Ichigo?" Renji tries again.
Rukia keeps her eyes on him. "Did he tell you that?"
It is Renji's turn to raise an eyebrow. Rukia never asks a question back about this kind of stuff.
"Yeah." Renji nods, confused. "His drunk ass told me last night when we were out with the football team." The redhead says.
"Well, the guys have been on it for a while, thinking that he has a crush on you, though he never admitted it before. Ichigo never really seemed interested in girls before, you know, so we make fun of him all the time - about his crush on you."
Rukia shakes her head and Renji must be losing his mind, but he is pretty sure he sees her lips quirk up a bit. What is this development?
"Last night, he got so drunk that he started spilling me the beans." Renji chuckles. "Asking me if I could be his wing man."
From the shadow of her hair, Renji is certain. It is definitely a smile from her part.
Maybe, unlike him and dozens of other poor guys from before, Ichigo has a chance after all?
Rukia hums and Renji waits. Why is it so hard to get something out of her?
He nudges her in the shoulder. "So?"
Rukia stares ahead at the koi pond and puts her hair behind her ear.
Renji has never got reactions like this before.
She opens her mouth, like she wants to say something but she closes it again.
She looks back at Renji, her face expressionless and cold as usual, and shrugs her shoulders.
Renji laughs.
And Rukia turns away with a small smile on her face.
Looks like Ichigo, indeed, has a chance after all.
A/N: I will keep it short. And light. Really light (but still with drama). Tell me if you want to read more :D
