Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters. They belong to the great Tite Kubo.

A/N: I just realized that I haven't updated and I this whole time I thought I had. Thank you for the reviews :D

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Chapter Three - Strawberry Smitten

"Rukia-chan." Isane hissed on the girl's ear with no response. Perfect time to be asleep. Isane looked at the clock; time was precious.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" That did the trick, Rukia rubbing her tired eyes. "What are you doing still in your school uniform?"

"I was too tired." Looking at the clock, she remembered she had an art class to attend. Every Tuesday, four-thirty to six. Picking up her bag specific for her art supplies, she made way to her bedroom door.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"No." Rukia gave Isane an honest look.

"The boy! The young man! Clock tower! Four o'clock!"

Rukia tilted her head, "Ah...that. You honestly thought I was going?"

"Kuchiki Rukia!"

"I know my name thank you very much." Ten minutes till four. She could make it in time.

"If you are afraid of your mother, do not fear." Isane pulled out a piece of paper, a list scribbled on messily. "I told Mrs. Kuchiki you needed art supplies."

"In the name of my late father...You lied to my mother?" Rukia hushed her voice at Isane's warning. "She believed you?"

"Yes. She approved of your early escapade. So that gives you enough time."

Go to the clock tower, meet up with him, chat over ice cream, then art class, she thought to herself. It could work. "Tsk, tsk. It still doesn't give me enough time to buy art supplies."

Isane chuckled, knowing the girl would bring about that slight flaw to her plan. "I am going to buy them silly."

Isane pushed her out the door before Rukia could refuse, shutting the heavy wooden door behind them. Stepping on the sidewalk, there was no turning back now.

Ichigo tugged at the belt loops of his slim, dark jeans. For the first time in awhile, he was nervous. Why? He did not know. Time and again, he told himself, I am just treating her for ice-cream. Its only to pay her back for what happened last time.

Still, he couldn't help but clench his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Rukia...Rukia...Rukia...

His lips had become accustomed to her name already. In fact, the first few times he had said the name to himself, her name had felt familiar to him.

The clock tower behind him marked the time. Four o'clock. She was late. No, he was early. But, he did not want her to be the one waiting for him. He stuffed his hands in the pocket of his jeans, unable to sort out what he would say to her when-

"Good afternoon." There she was, standing in front of him.

There he was in front of her. She felt silly that she was still in her school uniform. Berating herself in her mind over her appearance, she had not listened to his compliment. Isane nudged her from behind.

"Eh?"

"You look nice."

Rukia scoffed, "Im wearing my school uniform." He blushed. She liked what her words provoked from the other.

"I am going to buy your supplies, Rukia. Could you walk her to her art class, young man?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ichigo ecstatic.

"What's your name?" Isane asked.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo? Strawberry. Rukia didn't even try to stifle her laughter.

"What are you laughing about?" Ichigo turned to Rukia, Isane out of view.

"Nothing." Rukia cleared her throat. "So, Kurosaki-san, right?"

"Yes. Rukia-chan, correct?"

She was formal; he was not, her name already familiar.

Rolling her eyes, she walked away from the clock tower, the square becoming packed with students and others going about their daily business.

"Let's buy that ice cream and get this over with," she grumbled, leading the way.

"You really like strawberry, don't you?"

Did ice cream come with a side of annoying? Rukia nodded to him, so matter-of-factly. She smacked her lips, ready to devour her ice cream-

"Tell me about yourself."

"My ice-cream is going to melt if I do." Ichigo didn't challenge her logic. "How about you tell me about yourself."

"What would you like to know?"

"I don't know. Entertain me."

Ichigo chuckled, "Is this how you are with your dates?"

Rukia blushed. Date? Ichigo was her first date... "What is it to you?"

"Besides, this isn't a date," Rukia pointed out. "You are paying back my ice cream that you dropped the other day. Remember?"

"We are here."

Isane waved towards them, waiting at the front door of the art class with Rukia's new supplies in hand.

"Thank you for the ice-cream, Kurosaki-san." She bowed down, turning to the door.

"When will I see you again?"

Rukia turned to look at Isane, hiding her face from Ichigo. Isane egged the girl to reply.

"Never."

After dinner, Isane pulled Rukia inside the kitchen, away from Mrs. Kuchiki's ears. The astute woman would never come around the kitchen unless it was to order Isane around.

"If you are about to ask me why I replied to that Kurosaki guy like that, save your words Isane."

Rukia joined her in the basin where Isane washed the china bowls dutifully. "I don't have to ask...I know why you answered to Kurosaki-san in that manner."

Isane did her best to comfort the young man that had kindly escorted her back to the Kuchiki house. He had not taken Rukia's words too well. 'Never' had been a bit harsh of the little lady.

"I know my Rukia well." Isane assured Kurosaki. "She only means to not cause you any trouble."

"Trouble?" Ichigo shook her head. "She gives me no trouble."

"Well...except that haughtiness of hers."

Isane and Ichigo laughed. Before they reached the front wooden door of the house, Isane stopped in her footsteps.

"Rukia's mother, Mrs. Kuchiki is strict. If she where to find out of your meeting with Rukia..."

Ichigo nodded, "I understand."

"You like him, Rukia?"

Rukia could have dropped the china plate, luckily she had a firm grip upon it. Drying the plate with the rag, she gave no response. Isane teased her until she got a rosy blush from the girl.

"Just a bit, okay!" Rukia admitted in defeat. "That permanent scowl on his face on the other hand-"

"Its a part of his charm," Isane countered.

Rukia rolled her eyes, trying to find faults in Kurosaki Ichigo. "That orange hair of his-"

"Who?" The room turned to ice, Mrs. Kuchiki entering the kitchen. "Who are you talking about Rukia?"

Rukia bit her lip, trying to produce a lie but she was no expert of lying. Isane rose to her rescue. "A television program, ma'am."

Mrs. Kuchiki was silent, eventually believing Isane. "You know I don't like you watching television Rukia."

"It was only an hour mother."

"An hour that you could have spent in another productive activity." Her mother went about her business that had brought her in the kitchen in the first place, leaving with a glass of water for Hisana's daily medication.

Rukia and Isane almost passed out from holding their breaths. The moment Kurosaki Ichigo disappeared from her life, the better. Yet that thought pained her instead of relieving her.

"So, when are you going to see her again?" Keigo asked over dinner at the pension.

Ichigo wiped his lips with his napkin. "I don't know. Her mother is strict."

"Ah."

Ichigo broke the silence with his determination. "I will see her again."

"How?"

"I know where she lives."

Keigo chortled. "Ichigo, part-time doctor, part-time stalker."

Ichigo waved his friend's words. "Not a stalker."

"Oh, let me guess?" Keigo did his best 'smitten' impersonation. "You are just a man in love."

Ichigo laughed, not denying Keigo's words in the slightest.