A/N: My lovely fans! Although I love all the comments I get, the recent one with the song lyrics is either creepy or flattering. I can't tell. Someone explain it to me because it haunts me. Anyways, cuteness will be a common element from now on for the next few chapters, so keep reading, enjoying, and reviewing!

The sudden question causes her to blush and stumble. My hand instinctively reaches out, but she manages to brace herself on the wall.

"You okay?"

She nods. She then starts looking around, her eyes moving everywhere.

"Inoue…are you avoiding my question?"

She stiffens and shakes her head.

I chuckle. "So you're going to answer me?"

She glances up in worry before a large smile over takes her face.

It's my turn to be cautious.

"I'll answer yours if you answer mine first."

My eyes narrow in suspicion.

"What question?"

She slightly tilts her head towards me, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"How…how would you have confessed?"

It's my turn to stumble and blush.

"Uh," I start only to stop. Her inquiry is an innocent one. I did say that I would've confessed. It's only natural for her to be curious, but I never really thought about the how. How would I have done it?

Not only do I not have an answer, but it's embarrassing enough just to think of one.

"I take my question back," I finish after a long pause.

"Oh."

I look at her expression, and although she tries to hide it, she is noticeably despondent.

I can feel a scowl forming as I swallow my reservations. What's a little embarrassment if it means that she'll be happy?

"I don't really know how," I tell her honestly as we walk. I avoid eye contact with her. "I just know that I would've gotten tired."

"Tired of what?" She whispers.

My empty hand curls up into a fist.

"Of pretending." I steal a brief glance at her face. "I would've gotten tired of pretending that being your friend, being just your friend, was enough for me."

Suddenly, she moves and presses herself against a wall. I stop walking.

"Inoue?"

She holds up her hand as if to stop me from approaching her.

"Don't," she begins in a quivering voice. "Please don't look at me."

I ignore her as I inch closer.

"Why? What's wrong?"

She probably hears the concern in my voice because she looks over her shoulder.

Her face is completely red.

It doesn't take long for my own face to mirror the color of hers.

She moves back to my side and starts walking again. I follow suit. And it's quiet.

It's when we are in front of her classroom when she talks.

"I should've waited," she says almost soundlessly.

"I'm glad you didn't," I admit. "You know how slow I can be." She laughs, and she smiles. But I can't return it. Because something is nagging at me; the truth. "I…I might have made you wait far longer than I should've."

I expect her expression to fall, but she just smiles wider at my words as she walks pass her classroom's entry. She stops and lays a hand on the door frame. She looks back.

"You are worth waiting for."

With a secretive, enthralling smile, she walks to her desk and sits down, leaving me stunned where I stand.

How she does it, I don't know. It had been my intention to get answers, to make her flustered, and yet, there she sits. Smiling and waving me goodbye in complete serenity. And here I am. Standing and scowling in complete disarray.

I feel a hand clamp down on my shoulder.

"You'll be late if you keep glaring at her," Chad states behind me.

I give her a nod before turning to Chad.

"Not glaring," I clarify. "Just trying to see how her mind works."

His lips twitch.

"Good luck."

He leaves me with that, and I shove a hand in my pocket as I start to leave. I pause, debating if I should warn her that after school she won't be able to escape my questions or teasing, but it seems too conspicuous. Instead, I go to my class.

Good luck, he said. It's accurate. To be able to understand her, it would take luck. It's true that she usually wears her emotions on her sleeve, but what she thinks, why she thinks it, it's a complete mystery to me. And it's so easy to forget that, but her parting words…

Ishida is not back by the time I sit at my desk. There must be a hollow or something. There haven't been as much lately, which meant that I haven't been able to use the modified badge Urahara-san gave me as often as I would have liked. I did use it a couple of times last week for smaller hollows, and though it was difficult to maneuver in my human body, it felt good to fight again. It felt good to know that I can fight again.

He comes in a little later, offering some excuse about student council to the sensei. He doesn't look like he fought, so maybe his excuse is the truth. I should ask him about it.

But as the class lets out, my feet walk past him to go the school's entrance. There is only one person I want to ask questions to, and it's not him.

It's not the voice that calls me in the next minute. It's Chad.

"Inoue's going to be late."

"Oh? Why?"

"She's being scolded."

I frown.

"She'll tell you when she gets out. I have to get to work."

I nod.

"See you tomorrow."

He gives a small wave before heading to his job.

Whatever she did, it must be funny because Chad could barely hold in his laughter.

She comes running towards me five minutes later, apologizing profusely.

"It's okay," I assure her.

She takes a deep breath as if she's reassured. But that state of calmness won't last long. I won't let it.

"So…" I start as I begin to walk.

"So?"

"What'd you do?"

She blushes and shakes her head like she is refusing to tell me.

I sigh.

"I guess I am a bad influence on you."

"What do you mean?" She asks, her pitch higher than usual.

"Getting scolded by a teacher is my thing."

She's quiet.

"You're not a bad influence," she announces. "But you did influence me."

My eyebrow rises.

"It's because of what you said. I couldn't concentrate!" She shouts as she grabs her head with her hands. Her bag swings next to her head. "I started daydreaming, and you know how I can get. And the sensei was calling on me, but I was too distracted to hear." Her head hangs down. "And then I started humming! In the middle of lecture!"

I laugh.

She lowers her hands.

"It's not funny!" She pouts. "Sensei was really mad!"

"It's a little funny."

She starts sulking her non-sulking way, and it's a sight in itself. But the red in her cheeks is fading fast, which means it's time for answers.

"You know, you still haven't responded to my question from earlier."

Her blush is back.

"And don't even think about playing innocent. I know you remember."

Her nose scrunches up, and I know I foiled her plan.

It takes a minute of walking in silence.

"I…I've liked you for a long time," she whispers. I move my head to watch her. She's walking with her head down. "But it's not until recently when I thought I had a chance, and so I tried to confess a few times and—"

I interrupt her.

"Who did you think I liked?"

"Huh?" Her head raises in surprise.

"You once said to Yuzu and Karin that the guy you liked had someone else in his heart, which is stupid because I don't, but who did you think I liked?"

She takes in my interruption with an array of expressions: confusion from being interrupted in the first place, pain from being reminded, offended probably because of the stupid comment, and lastly relief.

"Rukia-san."

I stop.

"Rukia?! Are you crazy?

Her eyebrows furrow.

"It's not crazy!" She defends. "Rukia-san is very important to you, and you are so close to her. And she's so wise and beautiful and kind and—"

"I see." I cross my arms over my chest. "You want me to date her."
Panic flitters across her face.

"No! I'm just saying that you would be lucky to date her!" She takes in a large breath.

"Trust me when I say that I would be very unlucky to date her."

She looks personally insulted.

"What's wrong with Rukia-san? Anyone would be lucky to be by her side! She's so funny and strong! And she is really cute when she tries to draw and her eyes are the prettiest color and—"

"Are you trying to tell me you want to date her?"

She covers her red face with her bag.

I chuckle. Teasing her is getting more and more fun.

"Should I be jealous?" I ask her.

She lowers her bag so fast that she drops it on the ground.

"Should I be worried when you two hang out?" I joke.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

I stifle a laugh as I pick up her bag.

This is so much fun.

"If she tries anything, let me know. I'll kick her ass."

"You're so mean, Kurosaki-kun!"

I smirk. "Yeah, yeah." I start walking again. "If you try something…" I trail off, still keeping a light tone.

"I would never!" She yells. My eyes widen, and she blushes more. "I would never do that," she says in a softer voice. "You are the only…I only like you."

I turn my head in the other direction.

There she goes again. Being so honest without any hesitations.

"Same to you," I grunt in embarrassment. "So you don't have to worry, either. Especially about Rukia. She's like an older brother slash mentor slash best friend slash," I pause, "pest."

Just like I expect, she frowns at the last comment. I laugh.

"Seriously, though, for you to even think that I would look at her in that kind of way." I shudder. And then I sigh as a hand runs through my hair. "You're the only one I look at in that way."

"Eep!"

I look back at her. She's in a crouched position.

I frown. "What?"

She sets her chin on her knees as she gazes at me. She's absolutely flushed.

"Kurosaki-kun confessed to me twice today!" She burrows her face back into her knees. "I'm so lucky~"

"W-what!? Stop saying things so bluntly!"

"Wah~"

"Don't cry!"

She sniffles. "Kurosaki-kun."

I face-palm. I've made her cry. Again.

But at least she's smiling.

She looks up.

"Oi, your nose is dripping."

"Kurosaki-kun!"

At least we are happy.