Disclaimer: I don't own bleach.

EDITED: December 11th

Prologue: Confessions Have To Be Done On Rooftops

Ichigo scowled as he looked out the window as he listened with half an ear to the teacher's blathering.

"Ding Dong Dang Dong!" the bell rang.

"Then, I'll see you all tommorrow!" called the teacher.

Ichigo got up from his desk and was walking to the door when Orihime stopped him.

"What is it, Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

"Um, Kurosaki-kun. Could you come up to the rooftop?" Orihime asked.

"Sure." Ichigo scratched his head.

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Ichigo and Orihime walked up the stairs to the rooftop and opened the door, unaware that behind them, Rukia, Chad, and Ishida were following them.

"Kurosaki-kun,I love you." said Orihime, her hair whipping around her face dramatically.

Ichigo looked at her with a blank expression. "Sorry, I must have misheard you. Could you say that again?" he asked.

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Meanwhile, behind the door leading to the roof that Orihime and Ichigo were on, Rukia, Chad, and Ishida fell over in a comedic manner.

"Idiot." Rukia mouthed.

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"I said that I love you, Kurosaki-kun" repeated Orihime.

Ichigo paled slightly. What could he say? Inoue was a good friend and all, but he didn't really see her in a romantic manner. I mean, they didn't even call each other by their first names! And there was Rukia- Ichigo cut his thoughts off, turning red.

"Kurosaki-kun?" questioned Orihime

Ichigo took a deep breath. Better get it over with. "I'm sorry Inoue. You're a good friend and all. But – I don't like you in that way."

"I see," said Orihime quietly. There was a moment of silence, then Orihime asked-" Do you like Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki-kun?"

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Behind the door , Rukia turned as bright red as a tomato- or strawberry.

Ishida's eyes widened at her directness.

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Ichigo turned as red as his name. " Wha- of course not- um- er-" he stammered.

Then he saw Orihime's face. He sighed. He was rejecting Inoue, he should at least tell her the truth.

"Yes." Ichigo said calmly. " I love Rukia."

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Rukia's eyes widened in shock. Ishida and Chad turned to look at Rukia.

"Did you know that, Kuchiki?" demanded Ishida.

"Of course not!" snapped Rukia with a red face.

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"But Rukia is a shinigami. She lives in Soul Society. You can never be together!" Orihime said with a tinge of anger.

"I'll die and go to Soul Society eventually, you know." Ichigo said dryly.

"But you'll probably be an old man by then!" snapped Orihime.

Ichigo sighed. " Inoue, you know that my old man is a Shinigami, right?"

"Yes," Orihime said , slightly confused.

" I'm half shinigami. In fact, you could said that I died when Urahara cut of my Chain in order to regain my shinigami powers." Ichigo said.

Orihime frowned, still not understanding where he was going with this.

"Therefore, while my human body will age normally, ,my soul will age like any Shinigami. When I eventually go to Soul Society, I will probably not look much older than I do now." Ichigo said.

Orihime's eyes widened. " What?" Then she regained her composture. "But that doesn't change the fact that you won't go to Soul Society for at least 70 more years. Will you be able to wait that long? I doubt that Rukia will."

Ichigo looked up at the sky. " I don't know if Rukia will wait. Probably not. But I don't care. I will wait, no matter how long it takes." he sighed.

"Also, I think Ishida likes you, Inoue." Ichigo advised.

"What?" Inoue exclaimed.

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"What- that Kurosaki, saying unnessesary things!" Ishida snapped in embarrassment.

Rukia looked at the ground.

Ishida looked at Rukia. "Do you love Kurosaki, Kuchiki?"

"None of your business," snapped Rukia, starting down the stairway.

"Will you wait?" Chad said quietly.

Rukia stopped. "Of course. That idiot."

Rukia continued down the stairs, then paused. " You know, if you don't hurry, Orihime and Ichigo will find you when they come down from the rooftop." she retorted.

Ishida and Chad raced down the stairs, with Rukia right behind, laughing.

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