I don't own Bleach.
Wrongly Reasoned Feelings
"What's wrong? Your face is all red."
Rukia said plainly once Ichigo returned home and handed her the bag with the "supplies" he bought for her inside.
"Idiot, just take the damned thing away. I can't teach you how to use it, though."
"Humph, like I need help from a man in this matter." She said in a holier-than-thou way as she began reading the small manual which came in one of the boxes. Blushing harder, he said nothing as he turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Rukia asked before settling back on the blankets in the closet.
"Just… out for a while." A dark look crossed his face.
"Am I… that impossible to be around now?"
A moment passed before he sighed, messing his hair in frustration.
"Not everything's revolving around you, you know. I'm just going out to meet with a friend, is all."
She fell silent, and a as he left she was sure he was gone. She was proven wrong, however, when he reappeared several minutes later, holding a box of pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other.
"Here. This should help you."
Accepting the offer, she nodded at him, and he closed the door behind him.
–
"Aaah, Hime was so adorable today!"
Chizuru declared dreamily as she made her way towards Michiru's working place, led by Ryou. The taller girl kept silent, trying to ignore her forced-on companion's chatter.
"Aaah, but that damned Tatsuki… time and again she thwarts my plans! I'll get her back for it some day… oh yes… and then… Hime will be mine! Buhahaha!"
She laughed, Kan'Onji pose and all, which only made Ryou ignore her more. It continued until she suddenly stopped, Chizuru not stopping her chatter for a moment.
"… but it's not enough. Once Arisawa's out of my way, there's another obstacle waiting… the one who so far have taken my place in her heart, the one which makes her react in ways I can only dream of… that one man…"
Casually, Ryou pointed at a figure leaning against the wall next to the small supermarket's entrance, and upon identifying the young man, Chizuru nodded with crossed arms.
"Sou, sou, that man, that… Eeeeeeeh!"
–
Michiru sighed as she packed her things and was getting ready to leave the store.
"Ah, of all the days for you to come back late, Kisa-san."
The store manager's daughter laughed embarrassedly.
"Hai, gomen, gomen, but they let us out later than usual and I almost missed my bus… I'll ask papa to pay you extra for it!"
Michiru nodded as she said her goodbyes, thoughtful as she made her way out.
'I hope Chizuru and Ryou haven't been worrying about me being late… and there's also Kurosaki-kun…'
"Heh, like he'll come back…"
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence."
The girl jumped and hurried to look at the person who scared her for the second time that day. Ichigo was leaning against the wall right next to the store entrance, arms crossed in a pose which screamed at people to keep their distance. His expression, however, was a rather soft frown – in his standards, at least – and a relatively teasing smirk.
"Ku, Kurosaki-kun! You… came…" She began frantically, yet as realization hit her, so did embarreassment, and her voice cracked as the blood rushed to her cheeks.
"I said I would, didn't I?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she giggled nervously.
"Not quite but… I guess you did, in a way…"
The mood changed, however, when his frown deepend.
"You're kinda late, though."
She knew not why, but she felt she had to apologize least something horrible would happen.
So she did.
"Aaah! I'm so, so sorry! I was just, I mean, that is, Kisa-san, she, my replacement, came late, so I, er, I, that is…"
Caught off guard by her reaction, Ichigo hurried to wave a hand in front of him to show he didn't mean anything by his comment.
"Ca, calm down, Ogawa, I didn't mean it like that. I was just…"
She calmed down a bit in time to appreciate the look of worry which crossed his face.
"… worried something happened to your mom or you, is all."
Michiru's eyes widened. Her grip over her school bag tightened as she lowered her gaze, noticing then the small bag he was holding.
"Kurosaki-kun, you… went shopping?"
He blinked at the change of subject and blushed, feeling suddenly as though he shared too much information needlessly.
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly with one hand, the other raising said bag for her to see. It had the Sunflower Sewing logo on it.
"Ah, this… there's a branch of that store where Ishida buys all his sewing materials at down the street, so I just stopped by while I was waiting."
She blinked.
"Sewing… shop?"
He blinked.
"Yes?"
She blinked.
"Kurosaki-kun did?"
He blinked.
"Yes?"
Then it clicked and he blushed.
"Ah, no, this, this is just for…"
"Your sister..." She offered gently, stopping him short. "…right?"
She smiled at him, and he felt a bit better, as well as sheepish.
"Yeah… she just loves dressing up her dolls… especially a… certain lion plushy…"
He chuckled rather evilly. She blinked again.
"… anyways, I've never seen these kinds of materials before… other than near Ishida, anyway… so I figured she'd like them."
"Is that the same sister for whom you bought the, er, the… you know…"
He hurried to shake his head, avoiding eye contact.
"No, that… wasn't for her."
Which wasn't a lie, Ichigo thought.
"I see…" Michiru silently said before a silence fell on the two. Chewing on her lower lip, the girl berated herself inwardly.
'Ah, now what do I do? All I do is embarrass him, and we're already out of things to talk about, I better…'
"…go there?"
"Eh?" She blinked at his voice, confused. He tilted his head at her.
"Earlier, you said you knew this great place. I was asking if you wanted to go there now."
Grateful for the offer of familiar grounds, she nodded hastily.
"Hai! It's a really great place, and it's not that far!"
"Sounds good. Lead the way."
Michiru was practically beaming.
–
"Daaaaaamn hiiiiiim!"
Chizuru raged from her and Ryou's hiding place from across the street once Ichigo and Michiru began walking away.
"I swear, it's like he has set himself the goal of getting to all the girls I want! First Hime, whose innocence made her an easy prey… then Kuchiki-san, who obviously wanted to make quick friends in this new and fearful place… and now poor and pure Michiru! What next, Ryou?"
"… you wanted Kuchiki?" Ryou asked, more disturbed by the thought than curious.
"She's flat but her legs more than make up for it… in any case, come, Ryou! Let us take chase! For Michiru's sake!"
Ryou could only stare as Chizuru began running after the two, and beyond the redheaded girl; she had to wonder about the anxious yet happy air Michiru gave off as she walked next to Ichigo, a delicate blush constantly on her face.