A/N: Here's the next chapter- kinda cheesy and filler-ish, but I couldn't help writing it! ;D

Thnx for the reviews!

For Anon- I didn't really get you when you said I should find a more obvious reason to differentiate Byakuya and Hisana, because I'm kinds dense or not into English. Either way, would you please explain it a little further, I'll be glad to work on whatever you think I need to improve! :)

The Talk

8th March, 2011 (Saturday)

I got to talk to Ichigo, but only for, like, minutes..but..I'm really happy! No, he didn't ask me out, but we almost kissed! That counts for something, right?

Since Yuzu's been back, we've had lots of work to do. Isshin's looking after her all the time, and Karin had some Interschool soccer tournament today and went and all the house chores were left up to me and Ichigo.

I grabbed my chance when Karin had been gone for her match and we (Ichigo and I) were alone in the kitchen preparing lunch.

I was washing the rice and he looked down at the recipe for the ting we were making. Okay, I know we were making only rice and some stupid vegetable, but we needed to have the right proportions. We couldn't risk a bad meal now that Yuzu was here..what if it gave her a bad stomach ache? Having bones broken and several fatal injuries is enough.

"Hey, Ichigo? You told Yuzu I was your girlfriend." I began.

He blushed, but didn't look up from the recipe book "Yeah, but you started it."

"That's because I-" I stopped.

What if he didn't remember he'd kissed me?

"I kissed you, I know." He finished, going redder.

My eyes were wide "You remember?"

He looked up and stared at me "So, I'd kiss you and forget about it? How does that work out?"

"N-No, I- why did you do that?" I asked in a small voice.

He looked at me as if I was crazy and dense.

Like he's one to talk!

"Why does a guy kiss a girl, Rukia?" he asked in a matter-of-fact voice.

Um….because he likes the girl?

Maybe I am stupid. But how could he like me? He can have any other girl from the entire school! I don't have anything- I don't even act like a girl! I go around in loose cargos and when I have a zit I poke at it until it looks like I had a fight with an alleycat! I've never applied any make-up (except that one time when Rangiku gave me that dare) in my life!

But most of all, I'm not even beautiful.

I'm short, plain, flat and ugly!
He blinked up at me "W-what?"

That's when I realized I'd said the last part out loud. I flushed.

"You're not ugly or plain. Maybe flat-" I aimed a punch at him and he dodged, laughing "The point is- Rukia- you're beautiful."

I went redder.

"I'm not Inoue. She has everything." I muttered.

Which is kinds true. She's got a brother who loves her (and the chemotherapy is working), looks, brains (…well, academically she's good, but she doesn't have much of a common sense), popularity. She's like this female version of Ichigo- only he's slightly smarter, I have to say.

Ichigo smiled and came closer to me, and instantly my heart began to beat wildly.

He put both his hands on my shoulder and said quietly "Inoue doesn't have me. You do." And he bowed his face down slowly. I could feel his breath tickling my lips- I just wanted to close the gap….close the gap….

And right on cue, I heard Isshin call "RUKIA-CHAN! Can you please come here a mo'?"

I jerked back. Ichigo looked away, red in the face and mumbeled "I'll look after the rice. Go ahead." And I went to greet dear Isshin, feeling bitter. He HAD to interrupt right THEN, right?

"Rukia, I wanted to talk to you." He said with a genuine smile as I enterred the clinic.

Yuzu was sleeping.

"Yes?"

"Do you love Ichigo?" he asked me bluntly.

I went pink "I…uh…I dunno…"

Isshin frowned "But you're dating him, aren't you?"

"Uh…" And I blurted out everything and told Isshin the truth- everything except what had happened in the kitchen right then.

He paused, then laughed after I had finished "You both are in love, but can't confess! How typical!"

"Just-just don't repeat it to him." I muttered.

"No, I wouldn't." Isshin said, smiling.

I began to get up "Is that all?"

"Well, actually, I wanted to thank you, Rukia-chan…" he went.

Thank me? For what? Lending Ichigo my BMW? I doubt Ichigo would've cared even if I had refused. He would've probably crashed into my house and stolen the car keys, since he's such a family-person. You would think he wouldn't live away from his family in the first place.

"You might not know it, but you've changed him, Rukia." Isshin said.

Eh?

"You made him realize the value of a family. I don't know how, but for the first time in 3 years, my ass of a son picked up my call and talked to me because he wanted to."

Ok, a little sentimental? But I couldn't help smiling.

"Your welcome, Isshin, I appreciate it." I said and left for the kitchen, but Ichigo didn't make a move on me this time. I could feel the sadness in me, but well, I guess I gotta live with it for the time being. I mean, he tried to kiss me, didn't he?
then Karin returned and I didn't have any time to talk to him at all. I just returned to his room (because I'm sleeping in his closet) and he's either really tired and dozed off or he's faking sleep. Either way, I can't go shake him in case he is actually asleep.

Tomorrow we return to mid-west Karakura. It's only been some 3 days since I met Ichigos family, but I've grown to be really close to them. They really are a happy bunch, if you ignore the enmity between the father and son.

3 days. Whoa, everything seems so small in maths.

A/N: So, that's it for the time being. The next one is gonna be surprising, or I hope you'll find it so! Don't mind the spelling or grammatical mistakes that might've slipped my eye.

Please review, and thank you for reading!