It burns, it burns...

Why is so painful?
Why love is tearing me apart?
'Oi, Renji! What's with that weird face of you?'
Abarai Renji, vice-captain of the 6
th
squad, turned to oo! at the s"a shini#a"i who just
addressed hi"$ %uchi!i Ru!ia$ &oth of the" were havin# a wa! in the woods$ 'ow that
Ru!ia #ot pro"oted as a ieutenant, they coud spend "ore ti"e to#ether than before$ (he
was so proud of her new position, and he had fun, teasin# her, for bein# so noisy about
such an uni"portant thin#$
'What do you "ean by 'weird', Ru!ia!' he shouted$ ')t is "y face!', re"ar!ed$
'*he he it is' she said, narrowin# her eyes, which were piercin# at hi", i!e a"ethyst
da##ers$ '*e "e, why you oo!ed so concerned? *here's so"ethin# wron# with you?' she
as!ed, seatin# down under a hu#e tree, and invitin# hi" to seat ne+t to her$
,e hesitated$ *here were so "any thin#s he wanted to te her, but$$$ ,e coudn't$ ,e
wasn't brave enou#h to te her why he was sufferin# i!e he just for the fact of bein# cose
to her$
(he see"ed unaware of the ove he was feein# for her$
Renji eaned a#ainst the tree, his hands on the bac! of his head, actin# as if nothin# was
perturbin# hi"$
'-ven if is none of "y business, )'" your friend and ) worry about you, Renji$ (o just !eep
that in "ind$ .ou can count on "e'
Ru!ia was s"iin# at hi" whie spea!in#, hodin# his !nee$
Renji #anced at the s"a hand restin# on his !nee, then oo!ed away$
(he hasn't pretended it, he !new that, but, every word she had spo!en out, was i!e a
direct punch in the face$
')'" your friend' was co"parabe to ') don't ove you the way you do, sorry'$
,e fet so "uch ra#e and an#er co"in# out fro" hi", i!e if they were so"ethin# "ateria
and papabe, not just e"otions$
'Actuay there is so"ethin# botherin# "e, Ru!ia$$$ )s it truth that you are in ove with that
hot-head of )chi#o?'
,e was barey aware of what he had just said$ *he pain, the an#er and a that ne#ative
feein#s which were burnin# inside of hi", weren't aowin# hi" to behave i!e he used to$
Ru!ia coudn't #ive credit to her ears$ Was that "oron reay as!in# her such a stupid
question? What the he was wron# with hi", for /od's sha!e?
'.ou "ust be jo!in#' she said, cody$
')'" not, Ru!ia$ )s just a question$ Are you afraid of answer it?'
'0o ) oo! i!e a person who fas in ove with hu"an teena#ers, idiot?' she questioned
bac!, osin# her patience$
') dunno, Ru!ia, that's why )'" as!in# you$ )t's a ru"our and ) wanna !now what you have
to say, that's a' he ied, sha"eessy$
'1ine' Ru!ia said, standin# up fro" the #round$ '2ease, ta! to "e when you #et bac! your
co""on sense, if you don't "ind'$ And she eft, headin# to her division$
*hat stupid braindead of Renji$$$ ,ow did he dare? (he was worryin# about hi", and a he
had to say was that he suspected she was in ove with )chi#o$$$ 0a"n Renji$ 0idn't he
notice that the ony one she oved was just hi"? Wasn't cear enou#h to hi"? 0id he ever
notice her efforts to hep hi" throu#h anythin# he needed, and to stay cose to hi" a the
ti"e she coud?
*hey have been to#ether a"ost their entire ife$ 3aybe she wasn't in ove with hi" since
then, but nowadays she was, and he insisted in behave i!e a "oron everyti"e she
panned to confess her feein#s$
,e was pushin# her away fro" hi" with that !ind of behaviour, and he see"ed
unconscious of that$$$ Or perhaps he wasn't, and he was actin# i!e this to #et rid of her,
aware of her feein#s and aware of his i"possibiity to reciprocate$
*hat thou#ht was so dreadfu that she had to stop her wa!in# to hod her heart with both
hands$ ,er eyes were burnin#, but she fou#ht a#ainst her tears, not aowin# the" to spi
down her face$
'Ru!ia' she heard on her bac!$ (he didn't want to, but Renji turned her around, #rabbin#
her by her tiny shouders$ 'Ru!ia, you$$$' Renji coud notice her watery eyes, and his heart
s!ipped a beat$
Ru!ia was about to continue her way, but suddeny her face was buried in Renji's chest$
,e had ifted her and hu##ed her i!e he'd never done it before$
')'" so sorry, Ru!ia, ) didn't "ean to hurt you' he apoo#ised, sti hodin# her ti#hty$ ') was
jeaous, that's why ) as!ed you that$ )'" a jer!, ) !now, )'" so stupid$$$ ) dunno why )
behave i!e this with you, ) dunno, cause ) truy ove you and ) don't want to "a!e you
suffer, Ru!ia$$$'
Ru!ia's head raised, her widened eyes "et Renji's #a4e, and he #ot si#hty bushed$
')$$$) didn't$$$ ) was$$$' he "u"bed, reeasin# her$
Ru!ia stepped bac! and stared at hi"$
'0o you ove "e, Renji?' she as!ed si"py$
Renji was about to respond, but he #ot cut by so"e officia's voice cain# everyone out$
'$$$ a 5ice-captains and ieutenants of a divisions, pease head to the first division$$$'
Renji and Ru!ia oo!ed at each other with frustration$
'(o here it co"es$ *i"e to #o bac! to !ara!ura, ) #uess' stated Ru!ia, whie turnin# to #o
to the first division, as they were tod to$ 0uties were first$$$ &esides, she wasn't sure now if
she wanted to earn Renji's answer$$$ What if he says no? *hat woud affect her so "uch
that she probaby won't be abe to focus on future co"in# battes, so$$$ 'e+t ti"e$
Renji watched her tiny bac! as she was wa!in# away$ *hey have been so cose to
confess their feein#s, but now$$$ they had thin#s to fi+ up in the rea word, so$$$
')'ve been waitin# for you an eternity, what are a few wee!s co"pared to that?' he thou#ht$
'e+t ti"e, Ru!ia$$$
'e+t ti"e$