Chapter 4 - Jealousy...

Rukia led Renji into Ichigo’s house and was about to head up the stairs when Ichigo’s dad called out. “Rukia? Who is that?”
Rukia looked at Renji and hesitated. “Uh…my…brother! You’ve seen him before! Remember, he…hangs out with Ichigo sometimes.”
Mr. Kurosaki only pondered for a second before he smiled. “Oh yeah! Welcome back Renji!” With that, he went into the kitchen.
Rukia let out a sigh of relief. “Sometimes I wonder if he knows what’s going on.”
Renji laughed. “Yeah. He’s weird.” He then began to follow Rukia up the stairs. ‘Brother? Why would she tell him that? One, we look nothing alike. And two, it would seem like incest if I stole her from Ichigo…’ That’s when Renji realized what was hidden beneath Rukia’s words. ‘It’s like she’s saying that she would never like me…’
To Renji, that added another ball and chain to his heart.
Rukia opened Ichigo’s door. He looked up form his bed where he sad reading a book. “Hey Renji! Welcome back!”
Renji smiled in return but said nothing.
“Yeah, he left because I had forgotten all about our trip to the bowling alley. I instead went out to the movies and to eat with you. But he’s cool with it now. After all, Renji isn’t the type of person to hold a grudge against a girl!” She sat down beside of Ichigo.
Ichigo laughed and offered a place for Renji to sit, but Renji mumbled. “I’m fine.”
“Suit yourself.” Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, before I forget, Kisuke wants to see you. I don’t know why, probably to make you work to pay for all the food you eat. Man, from the way he sounded when I talked to him, you are a bottomless pit.”
Renji gave Ichigo an unfriendly smile, waved his hand, and left the room.

“Rukia, are you sure that Renji is ok? He’s acting kinda hostile.”
Rukia sighed. “He seemed fine when I got him.”
Ichigo rolled his eyes. “Renji sure is a weird fellow. I feel like he is a new person almost every time I see him. One day he’s enthusiastic ole’ Renji, and next, he is so serious that he almost reaches the level of Chad.”
Rukia gave Ichigo a skeptical look. “I think that he’s just tired. He probably didn’t get a good night sleep because when I went to his quarters, he had fallen asleep on the bare floor.”
“Sounds uncomfortable. Doesn’t Renji know what a bed is?”
Rukia playfully shoved Ichigo. “Don’t pick on Renji. I mean, you too act just alike! Twins?”
Ichigo gagged. “Me and Renji alike?! You’re kidding…”
“Nope.”
Ichigo sighed. “Oh well…he’s trying to be me.”
“He is not trying to be anyone! You just happen to have the same personality.”

Renji shuffled his feet as he walked gloomily toward Urahara’s Shop. He could still see the love in Rukia’s eyes as they fell upon Ichigo. And the way that Ichigo seemed to be smiling at him, but had been aiming the smile at Rukia. They seemed so happy…
Renji gritted his teeth and kicked a pebble as hard as he could. It flew down the sidewalk and ricocheted off a lamppost, skidding down the street until it became wedged under the tire of a truck. He would never admit to anyone, but his jealousy of Ichigo was growing with every smile that Rukia and him exchanged.
It was possible that the jealousy could grow to the level of deadly.

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