Hello my beautfiul readers! I understand it's been a while since I have even bothered to update this story but after reading a couple of books I felt inspired enough to write not one but TWO chappy's. Hope you like them! :)

Karin POV

We rode in silence. The only thing that was heard was the soft hum of the engine and the almost inaudible female voice singing a song on the radio. I sighed aloud and realized that my breath was shaky…I haven't felt this way since To-…nevermind.

I looked to the left and stared at the man whom I was going to spend the rest of my life with. His features seemed stark when only illuminated by the bright green light coming from the touch screen in the car, and he seemed strong. The type of man I could live a peaceful life with, the type of man that I would care for me and provide me with everything I needed…everything I needed…not what I wanted…

Yuzu POV

I quickly ran down the hallway after hearing the 'ding' from the elevator fearing the eventual confrontation that was waiting for me just behind the door that read 'Penthouse 10A'. As I approached the door I slowed my pace until I found myself tip-toeing to the light brown patterned mat that read 'welcome'.

"She's going to kill me…" I said to myself in a whisper as I carefully searched my crossbody light green leather purse for my keys…I couldn't help but feel a cold sweat coming along…what if she begins to wonder where I was at this time?...what if she begins to suspect?...what if…

I slowly pushed the bronze key into the knob and turned it, pushing the door open very carefully in order to avoid the creaking sound…I slid my body through the one foot opening I made and closed the door behind me. I turned around and found the apartment to be as dark as I left it.

"That's strange…" I quickly placed my purse and black leather jacket on the clothes hanger in the closet to the right of the door and found that her things were missing. I walked to the kitchen and turned on the lights to see a bright red flashing light on the oven that read '1:30 AM'.

"She's never been home so late…what's going on?"

Karin POV

We hadn't talked at all during the whole ride...which was mostly my fault since I couldn't find the proper thing to say at all without it seeming false…sure I was happy but was I really willing to spend the rest of my life with-

"This is your stop." Renji said aloud causing me jolt and look at him as if I were a deer in headlights.

"Woah, are you ok sweetheart?" He asked as his warm honey eyes looked straight into mine…I don't feel anything…

"Yea…I'm fine…" I said realizing that my voice sounded smaller than what I expected.

"You don't sound fine…" He said as he placed his unbelievably warm right hand on my left thigh. "Jeez Karin you're freezing! Why didn't you tell me to turn the AC off?!" He said as he turned off the car.

"I didn't feel the AC at all…"

"Are you getting sick?" He said as he pressed both of the lights on the roof in order to examine me thoroughly.

"I'm fine…seriously." I said as I gently removed his hand from my thigh and placed it on my car seat as I turned to my right and pushed the door open. "Thanks for tonight." I said not bothering to give him a kiss as I quickly closed the car door and ran to the double doors of the building.

Yuzu POV

I let the water fall on me…it was now officially sinking in…no matter how many times I cleansed myself I was always going to feel dirty…

"Was this ever a good idea?" I asked nobody as I contemplated what I had been doing with Toshiro for the past few months…nothing made sense anymore…and the more I wanted to feel less for Toshiro the more I felt for a man who flat out from the beginning told me that he would never love me…

"Why do I always trip and fall over the same old rock?..." I said as I began to bang my head against the marble tiled bathroom shower wall.

"Yuzu?" A voice said as a soft knock was heard from the door.

"I'll be out in a minute…" I said with a rather loud crack in my voice, not realizing that I was trying to muffle a sob.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine…I…just cut myself shaving is all." Great excuse Yuzu…

"Ok?...I'll wait for you in the kitchen then."

Karin POV

I had managed to drink the entire bottle of Chardonnay by myself in the last half an hour since waiting for Yuzu to come out of the bathroom.

"Solitude isn't good for me…" I muttered to myself as I idly poured myself another glass, filing it up to the rim…why did I say yes?...I mean am I that desperate to get rid of him?...of his face in my mind?...of my feelings for him?...

"Hey, I see you got home late…" She said softly as her bare feet made pitter patter noises across the tile flooring, slowly making her way to the fridge.

"Yea…it was a special celebration tonight…" I said as I sighed deeply…

"Oh really?"

"Yea…he proposed…"

"No way!"

"Yep…" I said as I continued to stare at the exaggeratingly full wine glass turning it clockwise. "See?" I said as I held out my left hand in her direction.

"Oh wow sis, this ring is beautiful…" She whispered, apparently scared that a loud boisterous voice would crack the precious gem. "Then why are drinking?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not one to drink…"

"Well it's a celebration of course…"

"…"

"Don't give me that face." I said, already imagining the kind of face that she was giving me to me left…

"How do you know that I'm giving you a face?"

"Because," I said as I turned around to face her, "I…" I couldn't finish the sentence…the person that was standing to my left was not the cheery little sister I knew…the eyes were swollen and puffy…the face was pale…the cheeks were puffy…and the hair was…gone…

"Do you like it?" Yuzu asked in between breaths…her eyes were beginning to tear up…I slowly placed my left hand on her now pixie hair cut…almost as if trying to still hold on to the invisible strands of long hair that were no longer there…my hand soon found its way to her now wet right cheek…

"I love it." I said looking into her eyes as she finally exhaled that breath she had been holding since the question had been asked. I quickly grabbed another wine glass and filled it up the rim before giving it to Yuzu.

"Tonight is a celebration…" I said in a soft toned voice in order to wake Akira, "to new beginnings."

I hope you enjoyed this chappy and please review. Whenever you guys review it helps to push me to write chapters. :D