xX Forty Three Hours Earlier Xx

"…and so I may never return to see you guys." Rukia felt as though she were repeating the same story. Well, she was. Except before, she seemed more hesitant to tell Ichigo. Now, she didn't mind explaining it, as though she didn't care.

Inoue abruptly hugged Rukia. "Oh Kuchiki-san! Congrats! I'll miss you so much!" Rukia looked at her shocked at what she had just done. "Inoue…" she said confusedly. Orihime let go and smiled. Chad looked down a bit and mumbled what sounded like, "Congratulations." But she couldn't tell.

Urahara just gave a smirk. "Ah, so you'll be leaving us. What a shame. How did Mr. Kurosaki react to the news? "He opened his fan and hid his face behind it. "Do I hear a 'Smooch City' toll bell ringing in the distance?"

Ichigo turned positively red. "Nanda?! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" he yelled angrily. Rukia turned her face and a red glowed on her cheeks as well.

"Why am I blushing like this?! A shinigami and a human aren't possible!! I can't let things like that disturb me. He is just a partner. Nothing more! He's not my friend or someone I should involve in a relationship!!"

Rukia thought this as Ichigo ranted toward Urahara, 'There is no such relationship between him and Rukia' bursting with rage. Urahara merely laughed behind his fan as though it were a mask.

Ishida adjusted his glasses resting on his nose. "Well, Rukia is leaving. I can only imagine life without her." He said sarcastically. Jinta was sitting in a corner. "Yes! We won't have to be pestered in the morning to wake the boss up anymore!" Ururu was sitting beside Jinta. She nodded and said, "Congrats Kuchiki-san."

Rukia just looked at Ururu. "Uh, thanks." She said. Ururu nodded respectfully. Urahara waved his fan back and forth from his face. "So, Miss Kuchiki, what are you going to do then for the next two days? Continue living life normally? Or spend time with everyone until you leave?" he smiled at his last sentence. Obviously he meant spend time with the dandelion haired man much more than anybody else. Rukia didn't know how to respond. "I…I honestly don't…"

Inoue interrupted and seemed excited about something. "Oi, Kuchiki-san! I know something we could all do together tomorrow to celebrate you becoming a captain!" she smiled a big smile, something going on in her mind that nobody was aware of. Rukia looked at her. Curiosity twinkling in the deep violet eyes that held so much confusion looked into Orihime's eyes.

Ichigo sat down and raised an eyebrow. "Whatch'ya have in mind Inoue?" he asked, wondering as well what her big idea was. Inoue gave another big grin, and dug into her pocket of her long yellow and pink skirt and took out a folded red piece of paper. She unfolded it slowly, making sure it didn't rip, though it was a thick paper and couldn't rip easily.

She flashed it open for Rukia and Ichigo to se. "The Carnival!" Inoue blurted, unable to hold in the excitement much longer.

Ichigo and Rukia looked at it with shocked faces and managed to chorus together, "The Carnival?!" Inoue's head appeared from behind the poster and she nodded. "We can play games and go on rides together with Uryuu and Chad!" she grinned once again a big grin. All this grinning from her could make your cheeks sore.

Ishida adjusted hi glasses once more. "I think that sounds fun Orihime, but I've never been the type to go to carnivals." Orihime turned around and had a 'gasp ohmigosh!' look on her face. "You've never gone to a carnival Uryuu? Not even when you were little?" she gaped.

"Not exactly." He replied. "But I guess I'll go tomorrow. Don't expect me to stay the entire time though Orihime." Inoue smiled and nodded. "Chad? Will you go?" she looked at him with pleading eyes. Chad was silent, as usual. He managed to get out the words, "Sure, I'll go Orihime."

Inoue grinned even bigger, and then looked at Ichigo and Rukia. "Well? How about it?"

They both were silent.

Rukia smiled a fake little smile and said, "Yes. I'll go Inoue, if you insist."

Inoue looked at Ichigo, waiting for an answer.

Ichigo moved his fingers through his spiky orange hair. "Ah, what the hell. If everyone else is goin'." Inoue smiled again.

Ichigo looked over at Rukia and gave a slight smile. Rukia turned away, red creeping upon her face again. 'Get a hold of yourself Rukia…Calm down...' she thought.

Inoue then said with a happy tune in her voice, "Okie! We'll meet in front of Kurosaki-kun's house at noon?" Ichigo looked at Orihime who had an unusual twinkle in her eye. "Uh, yeah. Sure." He stumbled over his words, wondering if he should actually go tomorrow.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So the midnight haired shinigami decided she would try to get over the next two days, trying to ignore this weird feeling she would get in her cheeks and stomach whenever she looked into his eyes.

His, amber colored eyes. How they changed to almost the color honey when they would watch the sunset together every now and again. How his eyes sparkled, and glowed when he looked into her violet colored eyes.

Her, amethyst colored eyes. How they changed to almost lavender when the sun would start to rise. How they glittered and gleamed when she gazed into the orange haired soul reapers eyes…

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I had SOO much writing this chapter. I liked doing the last three paragraphs. Doing their eyes are always so much fun. I also like doing Urahara. His sense of humor is odd, but I like it! It's so funny he always mocks Rukia and Ichigo. Next chapter some cute IchiXRuki scenes that are subtle at first but get BIG at the end.