How much did Ichigo missed Rukia?

            How can we figure out how much Ichigo missed Rukia?I didn't really expect that this would even have an argument,really,so...

Let's check how was he after 17 months of Rukia's absence...

I'll start with his conversation with Keigo.

            Keigo was asking Ichigo about his plans for the future,and Ichigo asked him if he's talking about college,career path,or what ever?If you haven't noticed,Keigo noticed the "whatever" part,which indicates that he was about to say something more.Keigo asked him what other choices are there,but Ichigo just answered that it was still too early to think about that.Although,I am surmising that Keigo knows what was supposed to be the "whatever" thing that Ichigo was about to say (become a shinigami).

            Ichigo is clearly trying to avoid the subject about his shinigami life.Then,Keigo still tried to provoke him to speak...

            Keigo commented that Ichigo's grades are dropping since a year and a half ago (it was from the time that he loses his power). Yet still,Ichigo defended himself for being at least on the top of the middle.

Then,Keigo brings up Rukia on the topic...

This time,Ichigo reacted and look at him...

            Ichigo asked him why did he brought her up to the topic (which is about his plans for the future,and his dropping grades).

             Keigo asked him how does he feel about Rukia not even showing up at least once in a while,doesn't he think it's kinda cold for her not to visit?

Ichigo just gave him reasons why she can't visit there...

            As you can see,Ichigo is fully aware of the reasons why Rukia won't visit the Karakura town (or them?), however,isn't he thinking about the same thing here?..

            Since Ichigo knew the reasons why she couldn't visit,why does Ichigo was still thinking about her,not visiting there even once?In any case,this is an obvious behavior of trying to avoid the subject again.He was thinking about it (Rukia not visiting even once), yet still,when Keigo asked him about exactly the same thing,Ichigo just acted like he never thinks anything about it,because there's no reason to.Ichigo didn't admit to Keigo that he was thinking about the same thing.

Then,Keigo asked him this...

And Ichigo responded with...

           For some obvious reasons,it's truly amusing that some people believes in what he said here.It really makes me wonder if they honestly believe in their own interpretation to Ichigo's response here.Please read here and see how much someone tried to refute that Ichigo missed Rukia.

Now,let's move on to this part...

Ichigo told his Dad that he was having weird dreams...

which is,this one...

Then,Isshin asked him this...

Ichigo just responded to him with...

            Another case of trying to avoid the subject,isn't it obvious?How come that he'll forgot about it,though it just happened just a few seconds or a minute ago?

Now.for this part...

            Chad commented that Ichigo is been a sad sight since he lost his power,from there we can figure out how much he's been depressed since then.

However,this is the argument now...

chad said that ichigo missed his powers....chad had never said he knew ichigo missed rukia---ichihime

            How can we figure out if Ichigo is just missing his shinigami powers and not Rukia?Does KT never made some hints to show if Rukia's absence in his life doesn't hurt him?Is it true that he is not that lonely without her?

            I'll elaborate this issue for all of you...(though of course,this is just my own interpretation to the story).
However,at least take consideration to what makes me think that way ^.^'> then,decide if I am not making any sense.

            As I have shown above,Ichigo is so adamant to avoid the topic about his shinigami life/power.This kind of behavior shows that the character is hurting when he was being forced to think about it.This is just the same with his behavior towards his Mom's death,he doesn't want to talk about it,because it hurts him.However,I understand that some people may not accept the comparison between Ichigo's Mom's death,and Rukia's absence in his life,because they thought they aren't the same,and are two different situation.Therefore,let me remind you that the only difference there is the way he was being separated from them.Masaki was killed by a  hollow when she tried to protect Ichigo,and Ichigo is blaming himself for everything that happened.On the other hand,his separation from Rukia is a different situation.With Rukia's departure,they are both in good terms,she was safe unlike his Mom.Rukia was still alive,it's just that,he won't have the ability to see her anymore.Aside from all that reasons,there's still ONE exactly the same there,and it was "their absence in his life"

And this...

ichigo and rukia has a very great bond. the conviction that they have a great bond. he is confident that his relationship with rukia remained the same from day 1 till the end of days and being separated long will not make the bond weaker. ichigo knows rukia has friends and responsibilities....and he's not going to demand that she must take some time off and visit him. he knows rukia's alive and he's going to meet rukia one day....either she come when she is free or he dies and they meet up in soul society. ichigo being lonely and ichigo missing rukia just sets the idea that ichigo is like clingy keigo.....thinking that rukia must be a horrid girl who doesn't visit her and if he's not in her life, he's going to be forgotten and put aside.

didn't you all say that ichigo and rukia has a bond that surpasses the silly, silly things?

if rukia really dies and there is no way to meet up with her.....then there's a chance that he will miss her and lonely....because the bond is separated.---ichihime

            This arguments makes me wonder if this person actually believes in his/her own reasoning.Just because the person that became so important to you is still alive,though they weren't around,you wouldn't miss them?As far as I know,the closer/important the person is to you,the more you miss them when they were not there beside you,dead or alive,am I wrong?

            As for Ichigo being sure to see Rukia again...the only possibility there,is when he died and go to SS,just like what he told to Isshin about his death,here...

             Come to think of it...Isshin even told Ichigo that he was finally able to say it (talking about shinigamis). Judging by Isshin's comments,it's proven that Ichigo really is not talking about that subject since then (just like how he's not talking about his Mom's death). Now,the only thing that we need to find out is...what hurts him when they are talking about shinigamis/power.

Take a closer look at this...

            Chad asked him to remember the times when he felt PRIDE as a shinigami (the subject that he keeps on trying to avoid), and because the situation is requiring him to do so,Ichigo did what Chad asked him to do.

Ichigo think of all the moments that made him feel proud of being a shinigami...

            Did you noticed something?Ichigo didn't have any trouble of thinking about his life as a shinigami,he was able to remember/think of the times that made him proud of being a shinigami,except ONE moment...

It was this ONE (the only ONE)

            Don't you think this was supposed to be Rukia?Isn't this the time that he went to the SS to save a certain woman?Don't you think it's weird that Ichigo's image was shown instead of Rukia?

            There's only one thing I could think of...Ichigo was still being so adamant of avoiding to think about Rukia.Even during that crucial moment,he was still refusing to think about her.Read my explanation about each panels here

            Some people are implying that KT just didn't want to put Rukia along with the others,and just wanted to make her "stand out" among the rest.However,don't you think it's kinda lame to do something like that?I'm pretty sure that,even if KT put Rukia along with the others,then showed her in the next half panel along with Ichigo on the other half,she'll still stand out no matter what.This is the reason why I couldn't agree with that kind of assumptions,but,everyone is free to believe in what they want to believe,so...I won't push this idea...

            Now.if Ichigo didn't have any trouble in thinking about his prideful moments of being a shinigami,then that means that it (his shinigami life/power) wasn't the thing that hurts him when talking about shinigamis/spirits.On the other hand,being so adamant not to think about Rukia even during that crucial moment (he needs to get his powers back),means that the thing that hurts him,is the fact that he cannot see Rukia anymore.This is the reason why he didn't want to talk about anything related to his shinigami life,which includes Rukia.This only means one thing,Ichigo does REALLY,REALLY,REALLY MISSED RUKIA,to the point that he didn't want to talk about anything that will remind him of her.

A/N :

             Ichigo sacrificed his power to be able to save everyone,he only wants everyone to be safe.During the past 17 months,everyone was in safe condition (the thing that he always wanted). All of his nakamas were capable of protecting themselves.No one needs his help.Even though he wanted to be the one who protects,he have to face the consequences of his decision (using FGT). Everything was all under control,even without his powers..except ONE thing...he couldn't see Rukia anymore.

             Ichigo only felt the pressure of not having his powers when Ishida was badly injured by an unknown enemy.That time,he wanted to be able to help his nakamas.If Ishida were injured that much,that means there is a strong enemy that was threatening the safety of those who are dear to him.

That's why,he was like this...

            Ichigo can endure the feeling of being powerless as long as his nakamas were safe,I agree.However,that doesn't mean that he is perfectly fine that he cannot see Rukia anymore,that's a different story.Being able to protect his nakamas is different from being able to see Rukia,so...don't make a mistake.Ichigo is lonely for being powerless because of not being able to protect his friends,and not being able to see Rukia.Therefore,given that his nakamas were safe during the 17 months of his powerlessness,the only other reason for him to be lonely,is not being able to see Rukia,until Ishida's attack.