"So, do you want to go?" The voice asked on the other side of the line. It was Orihime, inviting Rukia and Ichigo to the aquarium. Since Orihime was already dating Ishida, they decided that it would be better to hang out with others from time to time.

"…"

"Rukia? Hello? Are you going to go?" Rukia snapped out of her thoughts and answered hastily that they would go before snapping the phone lid rather quickly. She was acting weird these days, ever since the day she went to the beach with Ichigo. The whole entire episode seemed odd and strange to her as she recollects about what happened. Then her face flushed with embarrassment. Why did Ichigo have to say those things?

"Oi! Rukia! Dinner!" Ichigo's voice echoed through the house all the way into Rukia's closet. Jumpy, she bangs her head on the low ceiling. Cursing, she slid open the door and slid down from her bed. As she makes her way to the door, it suddenly opens revealing Ichigo's face. Rukia backed up quickly when Ichigo's face appeared too close to hers.

"B-Baka! Don't do that anymore." She pushed passed him and made her way downstairs. Yuzu's cooking was delicious enough to soothe her nerves. Other things have been bothering her for a while, like why Hollow's aren't appearing yet. Of course it was relieving that none had been seen yet, but it unsettled her nonetheless.

Glancing at the clock, Rukia reminded Ichigo that it was time for their parole of town. After she excused herself from the table, she put on her shoes and opened up the door into the windy evening. Saying a quick goodbye, she waited for Ichigo to get ready. Then, her cellphone started beeping an alarm. Checking the display, it seemed like a Hollow appeared on the East side.

"You felt that, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, suddenly behind Rukia. She told Ichigo to quietly follow her to the area where the Hollow was.

After they shunpo-ed they immediately found the hollow. It was ginormous. Spit came flying out of the monster's mouth, showering Rukia and Ichigo with saliva that has eaten tons of souls. Disgusted, Rukia charged at the Hollow with her zanpakuto already drawn. However, the force of the swinging arm of the Hollow caused her to crash heavily against a nearby tree. Almost knocking her breath out, and cracking her ribs.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo screamed out in concern, finally he focused all his attention on the Hollow who charged at him. He quickly dodged and flash jumped to the back of the monster. A quick flick of his wrists and arms made a huge gash on the back of the Hollow. However, it the cut was too shallow and did not purify it.

"Shit!" The monster had then swung his gigantic arm at Ichigo, who fortunately rolled out of the way in time. If this dragged on any longer, he won't have enough time to get Rukia to safety. Thinking that it was best if he just finished it, Ichigo got up and focused his reiatsu on Zangestsu. Finally he released his ultimate attack, Getsuga Tensho, and directed it towards the Hollow. Dust stirred like a storm, and Ichigo raised his arms to keep them out of his eyes. When he looked later on, the Hollow was gone and Rukia was leaning heavily against the tree.

"Are you alright?" He said, concerned for her well-being.

"Nice going, Ichigo. You've become really strong." She scoffed at her pitiful state, reluctantly hanging onto Ichigo to walk back to their home.

"…This is getting us nowhere. Get on me, Rukia", he commanded squatting down. Rukia stood there, dumbfounded at his movements. After realizing that he wanted her to piggyback on him, she refused.

"Aren't you strained too? I'm more WEIGHT!"

"In case you haven't noticed you are in a lifeless shell which you borrowed to have a physical body!"

"…You're right."

So, after coming back to the house to the shocked and surprised Yuzu; they made their way up to Ichigo's room. He laid her on the bed, uncertain of what to do next.

"..Hey, you know it's going to be soon that I have to leave."

"Don't say such depressing stuff again."

"It's the hard truth. Deal with it, Ichigo." She looked out of the window, it was especially beautiful that night. The lights were flicked off, and she felt the laminations of the city lights and the brightness of the dim stars.

"You'll visit again, right?"

"After taking this much time off? I don't think so." The idea was so absurd, and she could just imagine the work piling up in her workspace right about now. Could it get any worse? Oh right, the idea of not seeing her closet friend she had ever had in the human world, Ichigo.

"Well, there is this one way."

"What? You dying? That's going to take years, and you will die of old age..looking at the age you died. That isn't really pleasant."

"Who knows when we will die?" No one knew how truthful his words were then, and he wouldn't regret it.

"Goodness gracious, it's almost 12!" She laughed nervously, uncomfortable conversing about death. She didn't want him to die, even though he could be with her in the Spirit World anyways. Would he like it being dead?

"I'll sleep on the floor."

"…No, sleep up here."

"W-What?" Ichigo was shocked, Rukia was being so daring! She retorted that it was a thank you for saving her a while before.

"Just get up here, and don't try anything funny."

"Like I would!"

He scooted on the bed without going under the covers, for he knew that was just going too far. Rukia drifted asleep after staring at the stars for a while. However, Ichigo kept looking at Rukia. Who knew when it would be the last moments where he would be together with her. He didn't want it to end, but it was inevitable.

"Ichigo.." Rukia muttered in her sleep, obvious that her dream was a pleasant one; when she was smiling like she was the happiest girl in the world.

"…I'm here", said a flustered Kurosaki, he wrapped one of his arms around Rukia's gigai and shivered at the coldness. Maybe, one day he would meet her without having to cross into the Spirit World. That day will come, and he would be prepared for it.