Estrange

How was it? How we met, I mean.

It was like a dream, ne.

A twist of fate or an unexpected fluke in the book of happenings.

The clear sound of the book store's bell rang through the empty roads as a lanky figure with faded blue jeans, dark coloured hoodie and sling bag walked out the store. Through the already empty crossroad and forever yellow traffic light, he walked through. He can see through his tired eyes the sleeping city. The usually busy and bright junction of the Karakura city was now quite with only some motorcycle passing through the dead night. It was normal considering the straight 1 pm hand of time on his wrist watch.

The frown on his face deepens. 1 pm means less time for him to sleep. And God knows how much he needed sleep at these times. Especially with his medical college assignments pilling up and all demand to be finished up at once.

Well lives sucks. Get used to it.

But then, it was not his place to complain anyway. It was after all his choice on following his father's step on attending a medic university. He never knew the fact that college will take this much energy. All the movies he used to watched always portrays college student to constantly have fun times and no worries over grades, killer professor and thugs picking over the characters weird hairstyle. With his bright and fiery orange hair, the senior always seem to find a reason to whether toy with him, mock or just straight for the fist to fist combat.

Che. Stupid kids wasting their time.

It has always been his plan to graduate fast. A good motive to cram his self since high school and read books beyond the curriculum the school set. This was the exact reason why he decidedly chooses to spend his time until midnight in the book store, looking for some medical referential book. And reading a well covered first edition second handed book of Macbeth. As long as it was Shakespeare, he's willing to stand two hours in the book store's small corridor reading and glancing around aware for the shopkeeper. Too bad he got busted. Apparently, reading without buying is a not an option in that store.

He passed through a dark and empty park. Walking from pavement to pavement under the dull lighting of the park's street light. He looked up to the starry night sky. Gazing at the random placed stars and wondering the shapes of constellation it signifies. The squishy noise as his sneaker grind over the gravel on the pavement and the voices of the night animal was the only one heard around. Sometimes the rustling noise of the falling leafs were heard. Along with the gushing of the cold midnight wind. He shivered. It was cold alright. A faint sound of somebody running was heard. Slowly it was getting louder and more persistent, curious the man looked back and was met with a pair of large lilac coloured orbs.

"Kaien!"

You were screaming like there's no tomorrow. A miracle no body woke up in that dead night.

Shut up..

She seriously didn't know the whatsoever reason for her being to be in this desolated, dark, empty lonely park. With bleary eyes, she watched the shadow of the redwood tree swayed by the wind and creating rustling sounds as the leaf fell. Her mauve iris eyed a certain leaf that fell right into the children's sandbox, before being blown away by the cold and chilling wind. Blame it to her best friend calling her up in the middle of the night wailing over her crushed heart.

Seriously, Momo need to find her self a decent guy. One who's not two times older than her, and especially not her teacher.

Snorting, she chuckled at the memory when her best friend declared her undying love to their high school English Literature teacher. It has been a year and the girl was still coming to their ex-school and eying the brown headed teacher with glossy love sick eyes. And now the man was going to move to another city. Poor Momo haven't even confessed yet! It all adds the drama to the broken hearted Momo's love story. And guess who the lucky person Momo will confine over her tale? It will be none other than the ever best friend of her.

But still, it doesn't mean the reality that the one hour and twenty-six minutes call can really made her took a walk on some random park, right? So what's up here?

Maybe I just need to relax. Have some walk in the midnight, get lost, met a random drunk guy and get raped.

Whoaaa… Imagination gone wild and there's no stopping here. The wind blew again, sending her stark midnight dark hair on a state of untidiness. The chilly breeze of the night wind sent shivers all around her body. Now she knows, going out at the middle of the autumn season without a glove and a scarf is a no-no option. Her fingers are starting to feel numb and her nose went for a cosplay of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Heck, even going out in the middle of the night in the autumn season is a big wrong decision on the first place.

She watched the shadow of the tree on the park bench moving along with the wind. It was unused, alone, dark and cold. The brown furnished colour of wood and the metal skeleton of the bench were uniquely familiar. Truth be told, it was like any other bench around the park in the whole world. However, the ways the shadow drape over the bench remind her of a certain bench on another park far away from this place. Far away from the memories of a cold and rainy night, where she watched him dy…..

STOP!

Tears welled up as memories replayed by it self. She scrunched up her eyes tightly preventing the salty liquid to roll down. But it didn't stop her to pictures the bright and comforting smile he used to plastered on his face. Those smile which reminded her to the warmth of the feverish spring sun. It was comforting, and painful. She remembers Momo and her prevented confession over her love. If that was sad, then her story with Kaien was simply even more dreadful.

Suddenly there were sounds of footsteps approaching her. It was gradually fast and rhythmical which signifies the walker to be not drunk. However, not wanting to be found crying by a random person, Rukia hide her self under the shadow of the redwood tree.

The form of a lanky posture was revealed. Judging by the stance and the way it walked she assumed it is a person walking. Moreover, upon further look, it was a man with hoodie covering his face. The man lifted his face and gaze the sky, slowing down his pace as he did so. The street light illuminated his face. And she saw his face.

It was as if the lightning bolt struck her with such intense voltage. The contour of his face, the thin dip of his lip, the sharp nose, it was him. It was him. The next thing she knows was running with thoughts of Kaien clouding her vision. Her leg has won over her mind and she felt like running like the wind. The cold and biting wind frosted her face and numbed her fisted fingers. Her heels slamming the pavement creating persistent dull sound as she ran with all the heart she can summon.

It's him! He's alive after all! It was just a dream. He's coming to see me just as he promised!

The man turned his face, as if sensing her presence. He faced her, and every inches of him screamed of Kaien. His stance, his posture, his high cheekbones. She rammed her self to the man.

"Kaien!"

She smiled. "It was almost funny. Right?"

"Funny my ass. You pound on me with full strength. I have bruises all over my butt after that!"

THWACK

Kai... what?

The lilac eyed girl just rammed her self to Ichigo's chest and calling him with names he didn't recognize. The sheer force of the impact sent his bag sliding over his shoulder and fell to the ground with a dull thud. There goes his Brain Anatomy Book. He lost his balance and fell to the ground with his butt first. It wasn't a great experience falling in that fashion with someone clinging to you. His hood slip from his head and revealed his proud and fiery orange hair. In horror, the girl's eyes widen until Ichigo swear it was saucer sized. Her eyes which he realized was violet were teary and trail of salty tears where all over her face. The pained expression on her face shocked him nonetheless.

For a moment, they locked their eyes. Molten amber over misty violet orbs. One was confused beyond hell and the other marred with hurt. The girl scrunched her eyes and dipped her head low to hide her face from Ichigo.

"I… I'm sorry. I thought you were somebody I knew."

Her voice was surprisingly low and deep. And choking over her tears. The frown on Ichigo's face deepens. What is this girl doing in the night? She cling to him like there's no tomorrow. Her small fisted finger tightening their self on the material of his hoodie. His first thought was of a lone girl waiting for her never coming date.

To wait until this late. Is she crazy or what?

Too bad for the girl, getting herself a bastard date. She probably was some kind of a nerd trying for those kinds of higher up and dandy boys. Nevertheless, he has to admit the girl in front of him to be…. Pretty. She was small, petit all right. And she seemed to be in her late high school years. In addition, she has killer fist and awesome tactical ways of ramming.

The girl raised her head and they once again face each other. She was crying now, her violet eyes watery and her eyebrows creased into an expression of hurt and disdain. She started sobbing now.

Aw... Shit.

Now he looked like a no good paedophile making little girl either cries or the bastard date who was supposed to be here. Damn! Lucky they were the only one around on this unholy hour and uninhabited park. Clumsily, he raised his hand and placed it on her shoulder. She violently flinched and Ichigo raised his hand to the air in a manner of giving up. The frown on his face deepens. The girl is weird.

"Hey, are you alright?"

It was a very stupid question to throw at the moment. Any toddler will perfectly guess that she's not in a tiny fraction is 'alright', right? Unexpectedly the girl smiled. It was a half smile half cry.

"I'm alright."

She raised her self from stranding his body and stand up. Ichigo followed her suit and eyed her with curiosity etched all across his face. The girl's eyes have turned into a dull shade of dark purple and tears were still rolling down to her delicate pinkish cheek. His eyes soften, the poor girl probably have been waiting for hours non stop. It reminded him of the memory on his sisters waiting for him who comes home late for dinner.

"Hey come with me, let's grab some coffee."

He seriously didn't know what took him over. It's not like him to ask some random girl (especially one who just ram herself to him by mistook) for a cup of coffee. The girl eyed him with suspicious eyes. It's common for her to be that doubtful. Ichigo stretched his hand to her. Giving her his hand to hold.

"Look, you looked like you're going to freeze yourself to death here, and I'm not going to accompany you enjoying the cold feet. Let's just go somewhere warm."

The girl nodded and reaches for his hand, she laid her fingers on his opened hand and clasped it softly. Just then Ichigo realize the smallness of her hand and just how soft the tips of her fingers and the milky texture of her palm. It was nothing like the hands he has touched. His father's was calloused with years of martial art training and the faint odour of disinfectant. His sisters' hands, one was rough and jagged fingernails due to constant playing soccer and the other was soft yet strong by the motherly emotion she portrays. However, the hand in his grip almost felt like the wings of a butterfly, so soft beautiful and yet fragile. Her clean and crisp fingernails over her nubs of finger fascinated him. It roughly reminded him of fingers of a new born. But it was cold. Nearly freezing and slightly numbed. He suspected it was because of the night wind.

The girl eyed him with those inquisitive large and violet orbs. Ichigo suddenly felt awkward being looked with those pair of unique shade of iris. Hiding his suddenly redden face, he softly tugged her hand and rubbed it with his palm. Creating friction along the process in the hope of warming the small hand of this little anonymous girl. The girl crooked one eyebrow and stared him with questioning look.

Kay… He's starting to look like those weird oldies trying to hit on high scholar.

"Let's go. I know a good coffee shop near here."

"In this midnight? Something past 12?"

She spoke. Violet just spoke (it was a pathetic nickname Ichigo come up with, but it will just do for a moment. Kay?) It was calmer than the last time she spoke. And he slowly think he likes this one better.

"Just trust me. It's not that far from here, just down the road."

Trust. It was something very expensive and a rare thing he showed. But here he is wagering it to an unknown lady. He badly still hasn't really figures why. Deprived of sleep? Just trying something new (which is totally and unholy new for him)? But the thing is, he didn't really expect her to tilt her head and nod. Shoving her hand deeper into his grasp and walked closer to him.

"Lets.."

He smiled. And without exchanging any other words, he lead her to the coffee shop down the road, a few shop after passing the now closed book store.

"You were blushing that time."

"No I'm not."

"You were holding my hand, eying it like it was a piece of chocolate then blushed like a virgin on their first night."

What? Since when can she be, err…. So surreal (?) "No I DID NOT BLUSH!"

"Well, you are now. Strawberry boy." With that said, Rukia folds her hand to her chest and pose her ever so annoying Kuchiki stance 'I'm-a-hell-lot-better-than-thou' stance.

"It's not like you're doing any better." Ichigo strolled the rest of the feet that separate them and grab her hand. Raising it to his lips, he bestowed a light kiss on the back of her hand.

"Look who's blushing now."

THAWMP.

"Em… So what's your name?"

She watched him sipped his coffee, black-black coffee. Stark black like the one he used to like. The pungent aroma of the freshly served coffee was assaulting her sense with memories. Some are nice warm and memorable, and the others are just dark and lonely. He lowered his mug and stared her with astonished eyes. It was amber. His was darker, a lot darker actually. Fringing over the shade of grayish and black. But the eyes in front of her was surprisingly warmer, and real. Real.

"Should've introduced myself earlier. Ichigo, its Kurosaki Ichigo."

Rukia tilted her head. Strawberry? Wow, seventeen years of living and this is actually the most original boy name she has ever encountered. It reminded her with her half full strawberry scented body lotion back in her apartment. She raised her brown mug filled with hot lemon tea. It's a coffee shop, but whoever said that she have to order coffee? She hid her grin behind the rim of the mug and pretended to sip her liquor.

"It means, one to protect. Not some toothbrush flavoured pasta."

Her smile widens and she did not bother to hide it. Guess the boy was already used to people snickering over his name.

"And you are?"

Rukia pondered awhile. Should she, or shouldn't she? The power her surname brings tends to drive people away. It generally gave over assumption and above graded presumption to her character as an individual.

And the prejudice…

"Rukia. Just Rukia."

The strawber…. sorry Ichigo, cocked his eyebrow.

"Well nice to meet you, Just Rukia."

For a split of a nano second, she saw red. THUD! Ichigo cringed under his seat. Looks like her favourite heels just hit the bulls spot. She smiled ever so sweetly over her small selfish victory. Ichigo eyed her with slit eyes.

"It's none the problem, midget."

Oh... She's seeing red again.

Para rap pappp paaaa!!!

My second attempt on an Ichiruki fic, which this time I tried to make as a two (or prolly three) shot. It's not done yet, so hopefully with the kind support of the readers, the story shall go on. I already have the scraps for the next chappie here. So, some rest for the tired mind will be seriously needed (and the kind support too).

After ticking almost all of my Word's Grammar Style option on the Spelling And Grammar feature, I realized that there were a lot (as in a lot lot loootttt..) green jaggy lines on the fic. After long and tiring revision, there's still this gnawing feeling over my excessive grammatical error. Hope you'll be unbothered by it…

If my word count is right, I will only need 14 more words before the counter hits 3000. lol. Drop your comments in the review box, pleaseeee…