I hate titles -_-

ANYways...Okay, fanfic numbah dos. Here it is. I'm really not completely thrilled with this, but I needed to get this out of my system. I actually wanted to do more of an AU piece, but this'll do for now.

*clears throat* I do not claim ownership to any of the characters that belong to Tite Kubo. He might be horrified at what I make his characters do. Fufufufu. *rubs hands together in diabolical manner*

This is just too weird. He groaned as his hand swiped across his face. How had he gotten himself into this? Oh yeah, of course it was all thanks to the maniacal methods of his idiot father.

"Will there be anything else Kurosaki-sama?"

"Gah! Inoue, please don't call me that. Just kun is fine, okay?" Actually it's not okay. Ichigo would be okay. But that'll be the day my toes get frost bite from hell freezing over.

"But, er, well…it's just that you're my boss now and it just wouldn't be appropriate for me to call you so…um, I mean to say, with such familiarity."

Ichigo closed his eyes and suppressed the need to rub away the pounding at his temples. "Oh nevermind, whatever makes you happy. I'm about done for the day, so I can walk you home if you don't mind waiting for a bit."

"Oh! Ye…erm, I mean…thank you, Kurosaki-s-sama, but Rin is picking me up."

Rin. His headache just went from minor to migraine. And that thing sparkling in the light as she waved goodbye wasn't helping matters. Sigh. Seriously, the weirdest things bugged the hell out of him lately. It probably all started with his father whipping out his summer of freedom right from under his feet...

He had planned on spending the summer before senior year at university living fancy free…well, maybe not fancy, but definitely free. He knew it would be the last summer he could really relax before he had to start worrying about med school and careers and blah blah color me drab. Actually, truth be told, he loved his chosen profession. He never thought he'd actually follow in his mentally unstable father's footsteps, but here he was first becoming shinigami, then becoming doctor. Although his father's proud tears (or waterfalls rather) and incoherent speeches (mostly directed at Masaki's poster) were embarrassing to say the least, he couldn't help but feel a surge of boyish glee at his father's pride. This, however, was a time when the only surges of glee he was feeling at the thought of his father were thoughts of beating him to a bloody pulp.

When Ichigo first returned from school his father had bounded out of the house and…hugged him? Not a normal man-hug mind you, more like hugging the Jaws of Life…or was it death? At that moment Ichigo's stomach sank in dread at what could have brought on this uncharacteristic hug. Soon his father proclaimed to the house (and the neighborhood) that Sereitei was in need of his "expert skills and sharp mind" for several months (his words, not Soul Society's). Of course his father had gotten short notice and had no time to get a replacement at the clinic which he would never entrust to anyone else except his firstborn son anyway (insert endless babble here). Now, used to this wouldn't have been a big deal, but over the years Kurosaki Clinic had grown to Kurosaki Hospital and the position he would be filling would be Administrator. Just peachy. What idiot entrusts an entire hospital to an undergrad?

And now for the cherry on top of the monstrosity of a stomach reeling sundae; as Isshin stepped through the door to Soul Society he yelled over his shoulder, "Oh and I almost forgot to mention, Ichi, I hired Orihime-chan as my administrative assistant for the summer. Buh-bye!"

Slam. The sound of the portal closing resonated through Ichigo's skull. Orihime is going to be m-my a-assistant??? For Christ's sake the thought had him stuttering in his own head! God, could this summer get any worse? He'd been looking forward to spending the summer with his friends, but not like this!

So let me get this straight, the woman who can raise the dead, the woman who saved the world from ever having another Aizen again. THIS woman is going to be my secretary?!

The world is truly an ironic mess.

The woman that so many years ago I…He blocked off the mental path his thoughts were headed down determined to forget that night, that moment that had plagued his dreams, both day and night. He was not one to daydream, but it was as if she had infected his soul in a matter of minutes that had seemed liked hours.

So here he was giving orders and assignments to a goddess, a goddess who seemed to slide into this boss/subordinate role a little too easily for his comfort.

He leaned back into the plush executive chair with a sigh, recalling this morning when she had first bounced into his dad's office looking more brilliant than the sun itself. He had watched her huge grey eyes widen at the sight of him behind Isshin's desk, and then had involuntarily groaned and rolled his eyes. At that moment he would have given up all his strength and powers just to have the telepathic ability to give his father in Soul Society a swift kick in the crown jewels. His moronic sperm donor hadn't told her who her new boss was.

Well, no matter. At least she had seemed okay with it; she did still take the job in the end. He felt another smile spread across his face when he thought about seeing her everyday, but the smile quickly faded when a thought reminded him who was walking her home at that very moment.

Meanwhile...

Not until she stepped outside to her waiting fiancé had she realized an invisible fist had been squeezing her heart since this morning and had finally let go. Of all the jobs she could have taken. Of all the summers she decided to return to her hometown. The aliens had for sure realized that she'd caught onto to their diabolical plots and were now making life as difficult as possible for her.

"Hello. How was your first day?" Her fiancé greeted her with a nod and a short smile.

She considered running up to him and giving him a big kiss to relieve the stress that had been building up in her all day and reassure herself of her decision but decided against it. He wasn't real big on public affection, actually, he wasn't real big on affection period; but he did love her in his own ways. "It was great!" She lied, "I'm actually working for an old high school friend who is temporarily replacing his father. Isn't that funny?"

"Mmhmm."

For once she was relieved for his lack of interest and settled into her thoughts as they walked together in silence. Of course she had dared to hope that she'd maybe see Ichigo a few times this summer, hanging out with some of their old friends like they used to; but seeing him almost every day, all day? That was something even her wild imagination had not been able to think up. She was thrilled and yet frightened at the same time. She hadn't seen him for years, she had made a life for herself in Tokyo, she had a fiancé; and yet, she sees him once and feels like her whole world is flipped upside down. She feels like she would flip it over herself and make red bean pancakes with it if he asked her to. He looked the same yet older, stronger, manlier. She didn't think it possible that he could have anymore raw manly appeal than he'd had, but it took her breath away even more than before.

The continued silence of her clueless fiance allowed her thoughts to relive the morning when she had first arrived at her employer's office only to find not Kurosaki-san, but Kurosaki-kun, her first love, sitting behind the long desk...

His startled look when she walked in morphed into an eye roll and a stifled groan. Her heart sank. Am I really that annoying to him? And then he smiled and she felt her sunken heart melt into a pathetic puddle on the floor.

"Inoue! It's so good to see you!" He rounded his father's desk in a blur and was standing in front of her before she knew it.

"H-hi Kurosaki-kun! S-same to you! Hehheh. U-um, how have you been?" She groaned inwardly. Of all the lame questions…

"Well I've been better. My dad stuck me as his replacement for the summer."

She felt her mind shut down and her heart go into overdrive. Replacement? She felt her eyes go wide as she stared at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, so, I didn't realize he hadn't told you but it looks like I'm…uh…your new boss. Ehehhehheh." His hand scratched the back of his head nervously and shifted from one foot to the other. "Look, I know this is kind of awkward and I'll understand if you want to find another job. If you do, then I'll of course help you find one."

She should find a new job. She really should. She knew in her heart that this was dangerous, but the temptation to spend so much time with him was overwhelming. But, maybe he didn't want her here? The thought chilled her.

"I mean to say, I would love to work with you! It's been forever hasn't it? It's just working under me might be uncomfortable…for you."

She felt a huge relieved grin escape her heart and reach her lips, "Oh no Kurosaki-kun, I would love to work with you too. I think it'll be fun!"

"Very well, welcome to the team Inoue-san."

She giggled at his attempt at formality and took his outstretched hand. The innocent gesture was not supposed to shoot electricity through her body. The shocking sensation subsided, leaving smoldering heat in its wake. If she didn't let loose of his hand soon her body was going to spontaneously combust! She loosened her fingers and almost shuddered as the tips of his fingers rasped against her palm. She didn't dare look him in the face.

She heard him clear his throat, "Well," he squeaked. Another cough, "W-well, I guess we better get started. I, uh, um…hmm, I don't quite know how to start with this."

Thankfully he'd taken a while to get out those few words and she'd managed to regain some control over herself. "Oh! Hehe, not to worry Kurosaki-sama! I worked as an administrative assistant at a hospital in Tokyo so I know my way around. I can manage on my own until you get used to things yourself."

With that she bounded out of the room to her desk outside before anything else could happen.

Dangerous, definitely dangerous.

Meh. Hope you enjoyed it. I would love your reviews! Good ones make me grin like a fool and dance around the house and constructive ones make me better. This story should span out to be about 4 to 6 chapters. Till then, Peace! ^_^