A/N: Okay, since a lot of you seemed enthusiastic about the idea of a story, I'll continue :D

Thanks so much for those encouraging me to keep writing this story! I'll try not to fail you guys. Anyway, just to let you know, this won't be a 50 chapter long story. It'll be short (I think).

I'll try to make this story a weekly update, so expect new chapters out every Saturday (but don't expect one this Saturday!) Enjoy!


"A Long Day"

It'd been a week since Ichigo and Rukia moved into their new apartment. Although it wasn't as nice as Ichigo had hoped, it was... tolerable. Usually he wasn't one to complain, but the place was probably the equivalent of an old abandoned warehouse. There were holes in the wall, mold growing in strange places, and bugs crawling around at midnight. Sometimes, Ichigo even wondered if the place was haunted with ghosts.

Rukia set breakfast on the table; Ichigo poked at the food. Just like this, it seemed like they were a married couple, Ichigo thought. "We should do something for fun, don't you think?" Ichigo asked. Rukia raised a brow, looking confused as though she never heard of the word 'fun' before.

"What do you suppose we do?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo shrugged, "Something... anything. I just want to get away from this place; it's giving me a headache." He cringed, seeing a cockroach slither into the cracks on the walls.

Rukia apologized, "I have a job interview today."

"What kind of job are you applying for?"

Rukia gulped down a glass of water, sighing. "Waitress. We'll have similar professions," she grinned, swinging her legs beneath the table in excitement. "You don't seem too happy with the idea?"

Ichigo shook his head, not wanting to ruin the calm atmosphere when it was only the morning. Rukia only kept insisting that he tell her. Ichigo sighed, not wanting to look... uncool. He murmured lowly, "Just don't want other men looking at you." He looked away, feeling embarrassed. Jealousy was only meant for insecure people and he wasn't the type to be insecure, no way.

Rukia chuckled, "I'm a capable woman. Don't worry," she assured. "If anything, I should be the one worrying."

What? Ichigo leaned forward, listening intently. "Was that an indirect compliment?" He smirked, "Calling me handsome?"

Rukia, prideful as ever, smacked Ichigo's cocky face. "A-As if," she scoffed. "It's just... around this area, there are dangerous women who will prey on men." Ichigo didn't listen to her excuses; he was too happy to know that she did indeed care about him, even though she'd never admit it.

Ichigo, captivated by her violet irises, leaned over the table. "Where'd you hear that from?" he asked huskily. His eyes were opened halfway as he eyed her dangerously. Both his hands were placed on the table for support. He moved closer to Rukia who sat on the other end of the table. Because he was so tall, it didn't take much effort for him to reach her.

"O-on the... news," Rukia stuttered, becoming flustered. She mentally cursed at herself for having such a terrible flashback at a time like this. The only thing she could think of was that time Ichigo pulled a stunt when he was 'teaching' her about sex before she had a date with Renji. She was dumbfounded; it was the perfect chance Ichigo would get to touch her again-

Ichigo flinched, feeling a swelling pain in his cheek. He grabbed it, suddenly realizing that Rukia had just slapped him. "What was that for?" he asked, surprised at her violent behavior. Maybe she wasn't the type to like morning sex, he thought?

Rukia, just like the cockroaches in the apartment, scurried away.


Dashing Diner

"The rainy weather making you depressed?" Kenji asked.

Ichigo lifted his head, "Huh?"

Kenji laughed, tossing Ichigo a bottle of water. "You sighed again just now. Take a break; let's a have a man to man talk." Kenji was the kind of person who thought that talking was the way to solve most problems. People don't function when they're mentally dying, he always said.

Ichigo put away the mop he was using and sat at the main table of the diner while Kenji stood on the other side, ready for a therapy session. The store was closed but the two men stayed indoors to clean up after the long day. "What's to talk about?" Ichigo asked, not really wanting to discuss anything after he was assaulted by Rukia. His self esteem was pretty much at its lowest point right now. He'd never been rejected in his whole life!

"If this is about money and living in poverty, I understand. Everyone just wants to give up sometimes," Kenji rambled on and on. "Eh? Am I wrong; this isn't about being short on money?" Ichigo nodded. Kenji sighed, relieved that he didn't have to worry about giving Ichigo a raise. Ichigo was his best worker; he'd do anything to get Ichigo to stay. "Is it the..." Kenji raised his pinky finger, "girlfriend?"

Ichigo remained quiet.

"Ah..." Kenji nodded, reminiscing to the old days when he had a girlfriend. "Love is strange, isn't it? It can be good or bad. You can't live without it nor can you live with it. Did she cheat on you?"

Ichigo sneered at Kenji for assuming something so preposterous.

When Kenji heard Ichigo's story of today's morning events, he gave a loud cackle. "She's cheating on you," he said, confident in his theory. "Not to be gay or anything, but women don't deny kisses from men like us. We're pretty handsome, dontcha think?"

Ichigo stared at Kenji, a bit grossed out. "Rukia's not promiscuous."

"Then maybe that's her problem! She's just not the girl who does those lewd things, y'know?"

Ichigo wondered to himself. That couldn't be it, right? Rukia did kiss him before. He never met a girl who wasn't secretly desiring for dirty things to be done to her. "I fear the problem might be something worse..." Ichigo sulked, wallowing again.

Kenji squinted his eyes, eager to hear more. He was also the type of person who liked to be involved in drama. It was the only way to spice up his life, he thought. "Did you kill someone? Is that why she won't return your feelings?" Kenji was prepared to grab the gun that was under the table should Ichigo lunge forward.

"I..." Ichigo's voice faded out, unsure if he should say it or not. "used to give women some 'company,' if you know what I mean." Saying the word 'prostitute' used to not bother him, but now it was like acid being poured down his throat whenever he said it. Only after he fell in love with Rukia did he realize how stupid he was for taking up such a job.

Kenji mouthed a silent 'oh.' There was an awkward tension in the air before Kenji managed to start up the conversation again. "You think your girl is disgusted with you, is that it?" Ichigo nodded, letting out another dull sigh. "That's tough."

"Yeah... she might even still be in love with her first love." Ichigo felt hopeless. He just wanted to crawl under a rock and never show his face to the world again.

"Ouch," Kenji cringed, feeling the sting. "A bad past and being second best?" Kenji shook his head, pitying Ichigo. "May fate be kind to you," Kenji toasted his glass of sake into the air before downing it.

"Hn," Ichigo chuckled lightly to himself. "I'll see you tomorrow-"

Ichigo and Kenji both fell silent at the sound of banging. Kenji looked to the far side of the room to see a dark figure outside the diner, trying to push the door open. "What the?" Kenji grabbed a knife from the counter, "I got this," he told Ichigo.

Ichigo turned pale, wondering what Kenji would do. "Is the knife really necessary?" He followed behind Kenji who was cautiously approaching the door.

"Hey!" Kenji shouted, "We're closed! Don't you see the sign?"

"Do you really think that with that apron on, you'll be able to scare him away?" Ichigo asked, eyeing the apron that Kenji wore. It was decorated with the diner's mascot, a cute white rabbit, which was standing in front of the diner itself. In large red print, the restaurant's name, Dashing Diner, was written onto the apron.

The rain pattered onto the rooftop louder; a loud drum-like thunder boomed across the sky. This eerie scene was similar to a another scene in a horror film that Ichigo watched a while ago with Rukia. It was at this point that the dark figure outside would jump in and kill the people inside the diner, which in this case, was Ichigo and Kenji.

Suddenly, the door swoosh open, banging against the wall as the wind blew in. The figure's face came into view as the light reached the shivering person. "You're..." Ichigo uttered, stunned to see who the person was.

The stranger gave a warm smile despite how cold she was, "Kurosaki-kun! It's been a while hasn't it? Sorry I was lurking outside like a stalker," she laughed, scratching the back of her head.

Kenji gave Ichigo a smirk. The glint in his eye only meant trouble. "Your girlfriend?" he asked.

Ichigo immediately denied it, "N-no," he managed to say. "This is..."

The girl introduced herself. "Orihime Inoue," she greeted. Kenji looked in love. She was amazingly beautiful. A perfect figure with a huge set of racks, orange hair that looked even better when wet, and luscious lips that seemed so kissable... She was like an angel! "Ah, I'm sorry! I'm getting your floor all wet," she panicked so innocently.

Kenji dragged Ichigo into the kitchen. He didn't hesitate to start rambling on with how gorgeous the girl was. "She's not your girlfriend!?" Kenji shouted yet spoke with a hushed voice.

Ichigo could punch Kenji for ever asking such a thing. "She's my childhood friend," he simply said. Seeing Orihime as something more than a friend was just... wrong.

Kenji couldn't believe the guy. Who couldn't love Orihime? "Unfortunately for me, I already have a wife and two kids," Kenji groaned. Now Ichigo couldn't believe this guy. "But for you man..." Kenji grinned slyly, "perhaps fate is kind to you. Remember Ichigo, when one door closes, another one opens."


A/N: Awww snap! Shiz is bouts tah get real! Review what you think guys! :)