(A.N./ And here we are with chapter four! Technically, this is chapter five including the preface, but I'm calling this chapter four because it's the fourth full-size chapter! So there! Enough of my ranting, read the chapter!)

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Kisshu cringed as he sat up from the place where he slept. He had spent the night on top of his favorite rooftop, gazing at the stars until he was willing and able to drift into the deep depths of sleep. Now, though, he regretted doing so for several reasons. First of all, his back ached terribly from the hard concrete. Secondly, his face still stung from the incident the day before. Third, he would have to face Pai and Taruto about leaving before he received proper medical treatment.

He felt his face gingerly for the scars on either side. The blood was mostly gone, but the scars were forming, and he could feel the trench in his skin where they were. One thing was made certain: he was not taking any risky chances any time soon, whether with the Blue Knight or Ichigo herself. So he thought for a bit before his plan made the previous day formulated, once again, into his mind.

It was simple enough, yet effective.

Now, where did I last see Pai's art supplies…?

Believe it or not, Pai had been the artist type before the mission. His calm, quiet personality was developed from many hours of solitary pastel painting, the beautiful color swirling expertly into wonderful works of art. Although his hobby was abandoned on the mission, he didn't neglect to bring along his art tools and supplies, just in case he decided to take up his passion in the arts again.

Lucky for Kisshu, he knew about Pai's little hobby, and was currently going through Pai's stuff while he wasn't around.

"Come on, it's got to be in here somewhere…" he muttered to himself as he rummaged through one of Pai's sack leather bags.

"What's in there somewhere?"

The deep, booming voice of Pai reached Kish's ears, and his dark shadow loomed over him menacingly. Kish slowly turned his head to look up at a very angry-looking Pai, who had a terrifying scowl implanted on his face.

Great, how am I going to talk myself out of this one…? Kish thought to himself as the corners of his mouth twisted into a sheepish grin, his blood running cold,

"Well, uh…I kind of lost-"

"You're lying." Pai said darkly. Kish gawked at him for a bit before remembering that Pai possesses many unknown abilities such as occasional mind-reading, that scowl that made your skin crawl, and apparently a sixth sense that told him when someone was going through his stuff.

"Well, the truth is…" Kish began, still wearing a ridiculous sheepish grin. Pai nodded for him to continue, "The truth is I'm looking…for your…art supplies." Pai's face morphed into one of surprise and suspicion,

"Why would you need them?"

"I don't know."

"Yes. You do." Kish's face fell as he tried to come up with some kind of excuse,

"Uh…it's kind of embarrassing."

"I don't care." Pai said coldly. Kish's face fell,

"Um…I'm bored." Pai rolled his eyes,

"And why would you want them then?"

"I just said, I'm-"

"Yes, yes. But you can't have them, so get out of my bag." Pai was turning away when Kish protested,

"You never use them anyways!" Pai stopped to look at him out of the corner of his eye.

An awkward silence passed between them for a few moments before Pai replied,

"Alright. Don't mix any of the colors up, don't fray the brushes and don't-"

"Thank you!" Kisshu said hurriedly as he shoved his hand in the bag and brought out all of the supplies. He immediately teleported, in spite of Pai's yell of,

"Kisshu! Wait!" By the time he had finished saying that, he was gone. Pai sighed and closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose,

"That was a huge mistake."

"I haven't tried this in a while." Kisshu muttered to himself. He held a blank canvas on his lap and a paintbrush in his hand; various shades of colors were sitting next to him in their containers. He twirled the paintbrush in his hand absent-mindedly as he wondered how exactly he would go about the task ahead.

I probably shouldn't stress about getting it right immediately, since I have plenty of spares… he glanced out of the corner of his eye to the stacking pile of spare canvases. So, he decided, he would just practice before he tried the final product of what he would paint, that way the result would be more stunning then if he didn't practice beforehand.

Still, the whole painting concept was pretty new, and not something he'd usually be doing in the first place. So practice was mandatory in this sort of situation.

Hour after hour, canvas after canvas, Kisshu was beginning to grow impatient with himself. And here he thought this would be easy enough. Girls liked paintings, right? That's what he kept reminding himself every time he messed up a stroke or spilt paint on the canvas accidentally. Finally, after the fourteenth canvas, the final product was completed. Kisshu held it from a distance to admire his work. Nodding in satisfaction, he took out a notebook from among the supplies and a inking pen. He tore out a page and scribbled a note before attaching it to the back of the painting canvas.

"Alright, that should do it." he said in satisfaction. He glanced up to see it was already nearing evening; he had been painting, literally, all day. He hurriedly got up from his position, spilling over several containers of paint in the process,

"I've got to get going!" he said to himself as he took up his canvas and teleported away to Ichigo's house.

--

Landing on the thick branch next to Ichigo's window, he balanced himself hastily, struggling to keep his balance. From there, he took a quick glance into her window to make sure she wasn't in her room, then teleported in. Placing the picture on her desk, he teleported out and picked a different, more concealing branch on the tree and waited.

After about fifteen minutes, Ichigo entered her room, yawning. She looked to her desk to see the picture…

--

It didn't take Ichigo long to notice the picture on her desk, despite her tiredness from her busy day at school.

No surprise it wasn't hard to miss, the picture was of a bright crimson rose, its green stem adorned with detailed leaves and thorns. The petals were intricately detailed in brilliant reds to make a full, beautiful appearance of the perfect romantic symbol.

She gasped at the artwork and picked it up gingerly. The canvas was still a bit wet, and her finger left a print on the paint. She quickly removed it and held it like a tray from the back. That's when she felt a note on the back. She took it off carefully and began to read,

Ichigo,

Sorry about yesterday. I hope you can forgive me. To apologize, I painted you this. The paint may be still wet, so avoid touching it if you can.

She stopped and blinked when she read the signature. Taken aback, she read it again.

-Kisshu.

"He couldn't have painted this!" she said to himself, "He probably stole it from someone else or threatened someone into painting it or something like that! Yeah, that has to be it. I mean, that's totally not him to do that! He's never a gentleman! It's simply illogical!" she ranted on, trying to list excuses why it's not logically possible for Kisshu to do something gentlemanly, nevertheless, paint a picture.

She sighed and looked over the painting again. Crumpling the note and throwing it in the trash bin, she was about to do the same with the painting, but she hesitated. Biting her lip, she walked over to her dresser and set it on top. She nodded in satisfaction,

No one will ever know he painted it, if he really did. With that, she twirled around and marched out the door, neglecting her homework once again.

--

Kisshu sighed in relief and smirked to himself. For once, one of his plans worked. Sort of. At least she didn't throw away the painting. Turning and taking off from his branch, he teleported back to the base.

Pai was there waiting for him when he entered, his scowling glare looming over him once more,

"Kisshu. Where are my paints?" Kisshu stopped dead, his golden eyes widening in fear.

"Oops."