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"Come on, Strawberry-kun...there'll be babes in kimono," Keigo whined, tugging on Ichigo's uniform sleeve.
"Only you would try to win Ichigo with that...you know he has Kuchiki-san now, Mr. Asano." Mizuiro pointed out bluntly.
"Its not like! Ugh!" Ichigo grumbled, running his hands through his orange spikes. "I just don't like Obon, and I am NOT going." Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets and walked into the classroom, slumping down in his chair.
"A festival, huh?" Rukia inquired from behind him, talking to Orihime, Michiru, and Tatsuki. "I might go, sure!"
Ichigo groaned, even Rukia was against him, he thought as he laid his head on his desk. He watched half-heartedly as Michiru made some perverted crack about Orihime in a kimono and then Tatsuki threatened to kill her. He really hated the festival of the dead but he knew he'd probably be dragged to it by a certain shinigami. And lo and behold after school Rukia dragged him to the roof to "discuss something..."
--
"We have to go," Rukia argued, her arms crossed, her ring sparkling in the sun. "There are bound to be spirits that need to pass on."
"Then make some other soul reapers do it," Ichigo's hands were at his sides, balled up in fists. Sure, he was acting like a child but he didn't care, he did not and would not go.
"We are the ones stationed in Karakura for the time being its our job to-" Rukia narrowed her eyes, "Are you even listening!?" She stomped her foot, leaning in to yell at him.
"Yes! I hear you! I just hate frigging festivals, dammit!" Ichigo growled, turning on his heel to walk away.
"Do not dare walk away from me! Grrr!" Rukia grumbled and seethed, watching Ichigo disappear from her sight and into his house. They had been fighting about it the whole walk home.
Ichigo stormed into his house, shutting the door in Rukia's face with a slam. She threw it open and stomped in behind him, making a lot of noise despite her size. Yuzu and Karin, clad in their yukata (at their dads request) looked on at the couple in confusion and -in Yuzu's case- concern.
"Must be a lover spat," Karin commented dryly, sipping her juice.
"Ohhh, don't say that..." Yuzu whined.
"We all know Ichigo hates Obon...as do I...so it must be about that," Karin informed her sister before standing and heading for her room to finish her homework.
"I'm going with or without you then!" she heard Rukia shout before flopping down on her bed in the girls' room, obviously sulking. She turned over and looked beside her. There was a beautiful kimono with a blue rabbit print on it as well as a yellow obi decorated in sakura laid out beside her.
"Oh that?" Karin asked, noticing Rukia's curiosity. "Old Goat face got it for you. Said he heard from onii-san you liked rabbits."
Rukia blushed softly, holding it to her chest with a sad smile, upset with herself for being so mean to Ichigo. She looked down at the promise ring he had given her on White Day and fiddled with it, a small smile playing on her lips. She stood and began to dress for the festival, knowing in her heart that Ichigo would probably come to protect his family.
--
Ichigo blushed softly at the sight of Rukia in a kimono, her hair pulled back with a banana clip and decorated with chopsticks and flowers by Yuzu. Isshin was fawning the three girls, taking loads of pictures of them as they wandered the festival grounds past food stalls and game stands.
He allowed the others to walk ahead. He and Rukia would hang back and keep an eye out for spirits. "Do you sense anything, Rukia?" he asked in a bored and told-you-so manner. He turned to look at her and saw she was a few feet back, staring at a game stand. He ran towards her and asked with concern, "Anything wrong?"
She pulled her eyes away from it and he saw what she was staring at as she replied, "No." There, on the back wall of the shooting game was a gigantic pink rabbit that resembled her beloved chappy. It looked damn near impossible to knock down with a little cork gun, it had to be rigged.
"Kuchiki-chan~!" Orihime called from the distance. Rukia smiled and waved before taking off in the direction of her friends.
Ichigo stared up at the rabbit. "Win a prize for your girlfriend, son. You're sure to make her smile!" the carnie boasted to the orange-haired boy. Ichigo grumbled and laid his money on the table, determined to win the damned thing with everything he had. He knew he had to apologize to her somehow.
--
"Where is Ichigo?" Yuzu asked, furrowing her brow with concern when Rukia sat in the grass beside her, awaiting the fireworks. She had just finished sending two lost souls to the Seireitei and had yet to notice that he was missing.
"He's not with you?" she asked arching one thin eyebrow at the Kurosaki clan and Ichigo's friends. They all shook their heads no.
She felt her phone buzz and pulled it out of her kimono top and read the message displayed on her screen.
From: Ichigo
Subject: look at the tree on the hill
Message: Come here.
She looked up from her phone and saw him standing there. He waved at her and smirked slightly, one arm behind his back. She waved back and ran over to him.
"Look, Ichigo...I'm so-unfh!" Ichigo shoved the rabbit against her face, blushing brightly.
"No, I'm sorry," he said in a demanding voice but then smiled softly, his tone softening, "Also, you look b-beautiful..."
She turned held the rabbit in both arms and looked up at him, bright red. "Thank you..." she mumbled shyly, allowing him to embrace her tightly.
Atop the hill they sat, Rukia was holding a large rabbit. From the plain observer, anyone could tell the two were close but no one saw the fireworks reflecting off her ring as pale fingers were intertwined with his.