Loving Rukia

Date (Part Two)

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(Renji's P.O.V.)

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Rukia was early.

Dammit. Why did she always have to be perfect like that. I wish I could be all calm and composed.

In my dreams.

"Renji. You asked me to come here, right?" She repeated. "I wasn't so sure."

Come. Here. Date. Rukia. The words that she enunciated sounded strange, each syllable emphasizing itself loudly in my head.

"Wh-what, er, well, yes I did in fact. Kisuke gave you my message?" I sputtered out. I smoothed my flyaway hair down, trying to look more composed.

Don't ask me how my hair got like that. I don't even know if it's possible for guys to get, "flyaway hair."

Since when did I start noticing my hair?

STOP. Getting off topic yet again.

Rukia placed her hands on her hips and studied me closely. She squinted her eyes, and pursed her lips closely together. "Hn."

I suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. What was wrong.

"Um, ahem. Uh, what're you looking at?" I hurriedly brushed my hands over myself, making sure to smooth out any imaginary wrinkles or whatnot that Rukia was probably looking at.

She remained silent.

"Er, Rukia?" I hesitated. I removed my hands away from brushing down my shirt and waved them in front of her face. "Rukiaa..."

"Oh, well, you look...different. Not bad, but...different. You know. It's my first time seeing you like this, in this kind of...situation." She blushed slightly and cleared her throat.

Oh. She had me worried for a second.

"Well, it's the first time for me too." I replied laughingly, trying to shake it off. "No wonder."

"Yeah..."

We stood there awkwardly for a little bit longer.

"D-do you want to go inside?" I finally asked.

I also almost bit my tongue in half. Dammit. I have to stop stuttering.

"Sure. It's why were here anyways, right?" Rukia smiled, and we both made out way inside the small restaurant we had been standing next to.

Inside, it was a typical hole-in-the-wall type of eatery place. Nothing special.

As we sat down, we were handed a menu each.

I glanced down. I didn't think I could stomach much...

"So, what do you think you'll be getting?" Rukia's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Um, er, not much. I-I don't think I'm really that hungry at all...maybe just some taiyaki as usual..." I fiddled with the corner of the menu, bending the flimsy paper into creases.

"Ooh? So Renji's going on a diet, hmm?" She began to tease me playfully.

"What? Psh, no. Quite the opposite. Like I'd ever need to," I scoffed jokingly, playing along.

"It's okay. I don't think I'll eat much either, maybe just dessert for us then?"

"Fine with me."

After flagging down a nearby waiter, we began to talk.

Wow, Renji. You're doing pretty good. Just keep this up and you'll be perfectly fine. See, it wasn't so hard.