DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach. Yadda yadda yadda.

A/N: Heeeeellooooooo my lovely readers!! How are you all today? Okay, I'll stop the cheesy pep talk. Anyway, here it is, the incredible fourteenth installment of my personal favorite, ARE YOU ANNOYED NOW?

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Ichigo stared at the spot where she had just been. He was starting to feel a sinking feeling in his stomach. Somehow, this was different from the other times she'd ran off. Even though she hadn't made any indication that she wasn't coming back, he felt slightly helpless, like he would never see her again.

But strangely, he felt no desire to chase her. Just a gnawing, hollow emptiness.

Ichigo decided to head on back to his house. Surely she'd be there…sitting on his bed when he opened the door, and soon they'd be back to normal, arguing over little things…

"I'm home," he said as he entered the house. No one replied…Isshin, Yuzu and Karin must have gone out again. He started feeling slightly more nervous as he went up the stairs toward his room.

He was about to open the door, but paused. Was she mad at him? Angry? Sad?

Was she even there?

He turned the doorknob and pushed open the door.

He'd never noticed how empty his room was without her. Now it was painfully obvious.

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That jerk, thought Rukia as she sat down on the park bench. She hadn't really been sure where she wanted to go, just as long as it wasn't near Ichigo.

Why did he have to be so suspicious about anything? They weren't even going out, and he was acting like an overprotective boyfriend.

"I can take care of myself," she said to no one in particular.

"Rukia-chan!"

Rukia looked up, surprised? "Orihime? Tatsuki? What are you doing here?"

Orhime grinned. "Well, we were just came here to try out my new kite…" She held up a crudely constructed orange kite. "I made it myself yesterday!"

"Rukia, what are you doing here?" asked Tatsuki, concerned.

"Oh! I was…uh…drawing." She hastily pulled out a Chappy drawing she'd been doodling during class.

"Wowww! I wish I could draw as good as you," Orihime sighed. "Hey, want to come with us? You could go get your kite too, and then we could fly them together!"

Ichigo had gotten her a kite once…it was shaped like a black hell butterfly. But obviously she couldn't go face him now.

"Er…I don't have one," she said weakly.

"That's okay! We can all just take turns on mine!" Orihime suggested.

Suddenly Rukia felt something cold and wet land on her nose. "Oh no…it's raining…"

Orihime looked terribly disappointed. Until two seconds later. "Oh well! Let's go to my house! I want you guys to try the pudding I learned how to make the other day!" She was smiling brightly again.

Tatsuki smiled. "Er…that's okay…but going to your house is a good idea. Come on, Rukia. You don't have anything better to do right now, do you?"

"Well, I don't kn – "

"Great! Come on, let's go!" Orihime chirped, dragging her along.

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"Stay here and don't screw anything up," Ichigo said monotonously before jumping out the window.

"You bet!" yelled Kon. Then he turned around and headed for the door.

"Idiot…does he really think I'm just gonna sit here all day? HELL NO!!" He headed down the stairs and wrenched open the clinic doors. "I'M FREEEEE!!!!!!"

Now…where should he go first? Somewhere…with lots of hot girls…yes…hot girls…

With no particular place in mind, he started running. It felt great…he hadn't been able to run around a lot, being locked up in Ichigo's room…

Suddenly he spotted a flash of long, orange hair. Orihime! And her psycho friend…and…

…HIS NEE-SAN!!!

"Rukia!" he yelled, trying to sound like Ichigo. "Where've you been? I was looking all over for you!"

Rukia looked away. Orihime and Tatsuki looked confused. "Rukia? Did something happen between you and Ichigo?"

Oh crap, thought Kon. Ichigo went and did something stupid to upset her, I bet, and now she thinks I'm him…

Oh well, I'll just have to give her some sort of indication then…that I'm not him…without making Orihime and Tatsuki suspicious, of course, he thought. Let's see…what's something Ichigo would never have the guts to do? Come on, think think think…

He broke into a wide grin that Ichigo wouldn't be caught dead wearing. But Rukia refused to look at him…damn…

"Ichigo? Are you feeling alright?" asked Tatsuki, somewhat suspiciously.

Dammit! Come on, think! Wait for it…wait…I GOT IT!!!!

"Rukia, would you go out with me?"

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Ichigo is so going to kill him when he finds out. Still not sure how'll I'll make Rukia react though.

Review pleeeeeaaaaase!! You guys are awesome! – Kuchiki-chan