OKAY I FEEL TERRIBLE THIS TOOK LIKE FOUR MONTHS TO GET OUT! Seriously, I can't believe this happened. A lot of things went on to cause this update to take for freaking ever and I won't get into the details just know I'm super sorry and if I even still have readers, I'll be happy. Seriously, if you stuck around despite my terrible updating issues, major props. At least I hope this chapter will somewhat make up for it. Lots of IchiRuki goodness :)
The brisk morning weather felt good against Ichigo's face as he jogged down the street. It wasn't like him to wake up early to go for a run but he had been having trouble sleeping lately and running was the only way to clear his mind.
Work had become absolutely hectic. Between the usual business and having to stay alert for Aizen's tactics, he was exhausted. Running a billion dollar company was hard enough but the threat of Aizen and his men made it a hundred times worse. After Ishida's warning, Ichigo had a meeting with his top executives and created a plan to set up various modes of defense inside the company. So far nothing major had happened, but Ichigo felt as if he would never be able to relax as long as Aizen was still on the prowl.
He kept thinking of Byakuya Kuchiki and the disaster that had happened to him. Every time he thought of Kuchiki's poor sister scrounging around for money and the idea of his sisters having to do the same, he felt sick to his stomach. Out of sheer curiosity and a longing to help in some way, he had searched around for information on Kuchiki's sister. But it was obvious Byakuya had done a good job of protecting her security when the company went under, because Ichigo still hadn't been able to find even her name.
The paranoia and fear of the situation had ultimately led to a bad case of insomnia. Ichigo had been working late into the nights and waking up in the wee hours of the morning, only getting a few hours of sleep every night. The lack of sleep had begun to take its toll both physically and mentally. Ichigo figured if he at least used his insomnia to get a good run in some mornings it wouldn't be so bad.
As he ran his usual route, he passed by the dance studio he had seen Rukia exit a few weeks before. It had been at least a week since he had last seen her. Because of his crazy new work schedule, he found he didn't even have the time to stop by the coffee shop to say hello. Though Rukia was as cold as ever, he had begun to notice a change. He felt more familiar with her and felt he could talk to her even easier than before.
Of course, that didn't stop her from making snide remarks about his character, but hey, it was a slight step in the right direction.
Ichigo ran for a few more minutes before spotting a certain raven-haired female in work-out clothes running toward him.
Well speak of the devil.
He slowed his pace to a walk hoping to somehow catch her attention. It had been too long since he had seen her beautiful face.
Eventually, Rukia looked up ahead of her and locked eyes with the orange-haired millionaire and, as Ichigo expected, immediately frowned. She tried to avoid him or change her direction somehow but Ichigo was too quick. He reached an arm out to stop her causing her to huff in disgust.
"Excuse me, I'm in the middle of a run, don't have much time to stop," she said as she quickly tried to move around him but he swiftly blocked her path.
"I can see that," he said with a slight smirk. "I am too. But you're allowed to take breaks, you know."
"I'm not going to take a break just to talk to you," she said as she jogged in place, obviously unable to move around him and continue on her way.
"Fine, then. I'll just run with you," he said as he turned around and ran alongside her.
Rukia rolled her eyes at his actions. "I could report you for harassment, you know."
"Yeah, good luck with that. I know practically every cop in this city."
"Why? You frequent jails often, Mr. Kurosaki?"
I like it when she calls me that. "No, just have a lot of friends."
"Yeah, you seem pretty likable to me," she said sarcastically. "Tell me something, Kurosaki."
"What?"
"Why do our paths always cross in these weird ways? Despite how much I try to avoid you, I see you a lot more often than is normal."
"Just coincidence."
"It happens too much to be coincidence. You're not stalking me, are you?" He couldn't quite pinpoint if her question was serious or not.
"I'm definitely not stalking you. Believe me, if I wanted to stalk you, you'd know."
Rukia eyed him suspiciously. "That's a pretty creepy thing to say."
Ichigo seemed to realize how his statement sounded and he quickly corrected himself, "I just mean I have a lot of experience with people trying to stalk me and with great amounts of money, comes great power, you know?"
"I will never understand you rich types."
"You act as though you've had experience with rich guys like me."
Rukia was silent a moment before answering, "I know more about rich men than you think I do, Ichigo Kurosaki."
Her answer seemed cryptic and Ichigo was confused as to what she meant, but he didn't have enough time to dwell on it. Just as they were passing Rukia's dance studio, a man with short black hair and weirdly colorful eyebrows walked out and immediately brightened when he spotted the two.
Rukia noticed him and groaned. "Why me?" she asked, her head to the sky as she slowed to a walk. Ichigo looked at her in confusion and matched her pace.
"Ah, Miss Rukia! It's so lovely to see you. I was just opening up the studio," the man said to Rukia, his eye on Ichigo the entire time.
"Hey, Yumichika," Rukia said reluctantly as she stopped in front of the man.
"My, my. I didn't know you were friends with the Ichigo Kurosaki," Yumichika said suggestively.
"Damn, does everyone in this city know who you are," she said as she looked up at Ichigo and then back at her friend. "This isn't what it looks like. We just happened to bump into each other on our morning runs."
"Do you often just happen to bump into famous millionaires, Rukia?"
"Lately it seems like that's been the case," she answered, more to herself than to anyone else.
"Uh, hello," Ichigo directed to Yumichika, trying to interject himself into the conversation somehow.
"Hello, there. I'm Yumichika Arisagawa, the owner of this fine establishment," he said as he shook Ichigo's hand and motioned to the dance studio behind them.
Ichigo didn't fail to notice how Rukia looked as though she wanted to be anywhere but there.
"So, how do you know Rukia?" Ichigo asked. When he did, she grimaced.
"Rukia is one of my best students," Yumichika answered, confirming that Rukia did indeed take dance lessons.
"Interesting," he said with a smirk.
"Okay then, it's been good talking to you Yumichika but I really have to go. Can't be late for work again," Rukia said as she quickly tried to usher Ichigo away from the dance studio owner.
"Alrighty then. You two kids have fun. I'll see you tomorrow night for class, Rukia!"
"Yeah, sure," Rukia said as she quickly ran away, Ichigo following after her.
"So," he started after a few moments of silence, "you're a dancer?"
"It's just a silly hobby. I've never done it competitively or anything."
"Still, that's pretty cool. I've never met many dancers before."
"I find that hard to believe." Ichigo didn't miss the implications of her statement.
"What kind of dance do you like to do?"
"Depends. Usually ballroom. Salsa, tango, waltz, stuff like that," she said, somewhat reluctantly. Ichigo Kurosaki was the last person on earth she wanted to talk about this stuff with.
"Sounds fun. I've never gone dancing before other than at nightclubs, of course. I've been told it's a good time."
Rukia scoffed. "Grinding up against random floozies is not dancing."
"Fine, whatever. Do you know of any good real dance clubs?"
"Why do you ask?" she said, eyeing him skeptically.
"Just curious," he said with a slight smirk.
"I'm not taking you to a dance club."
"I never said I wanted you to."
"I can tell just by the look on your face. You want to go to a dance club with me because you figure if we go somewhere that I want to go and do something I enjoy, then I'll be more likely to say yes, am I right?"
Ichigo had to hand it to her. She read him like a book. "You're good."
"How many times do I have to tell you? I will never say yes. Just give up," she said with decisive finality.
Ichigo still wasn't willing to accept that and he was sick of her turning him down.
He reached his hand out to stop her again and she halted her running and gave him a glare. "What's so hard about saying yes? You say that you know rich types like me, right? What has happened to you to make you so determined not to give me a chance? What asshole hurt you so much that you think I'm going to do the same?"
Rukia's eyes widened as Ichigo continued his impassioned speech. "I'm not like them, Rukia. Yes, I've messed up in the past. Yes, I've slept around. Yes, I've been everything you hate about rich men. But you know what? There's something about you that makes me want to change. And I have no idea what that is. You're different, Rukia. You're unlike any woman I've ever been with. I want to be with you. I want to treat you right. I want to right all the wrongs that have been done to you in the past. I'm willing to try. So what is so scary about one damn date," Ichigo said without taking a break.
Rukia looked at him with wide eyes, not saying a word.
Just who the hell is this guy? And why am I so tempted to say yes?
"Are you ever going to say something?" Ichigo asked angrily, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Fine!" she yelled at him.
It seemed Ichigo was just as surprised. "What?"
"If you're going to be such a bitch about it, I'll go on one stinking date. There, you happy?" Though she tried to give him an air of confidence she couldn't believe how shaky her voice had become. She couldn't even believe what she was saying.
Ichigo looked completely shocked for a moment before a stupid grin covered his face. "Yeah, I am," he said happily.
"Just one. And I get to pick the place, got it?"
"Fine by me. I guess I'll call you."
"Yeah, whatever," Rukia said with a huff before she continued on with her run. This time, Ichigo let her go, a soft smile gracing his features. Finally.
As Rukia ran away, she reprimanded herself. How could she say yes? She couldn't deny how much Ichigo's words affected her. It was like he knew what she had been through. And the knowledge that he did and that he wanted to fix it somehow was strangely comforting.
Still, she couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to his wishes.
She was going on a date with Ichigo Kurosaki.
Dun dun dun. So, what do you think? I have lots of interesting things planned, so hopefully the next update won't take too long ;)
EDIT: guess who was an idiot and added in a "miss kuchiki" before Ichigo is supposed to find out? Yeah, I changed it to "miss rukia". He can't find out about her true identity just yet!