It was a simply question what make Orihime's heart to beat faster. She would never expected Ichigo to ask her such a thing.
She could sense her face turning in a new colour of red. She breathed hard after that she took the courage to ask him:
,, Why do you want to know that ? Do you love someone ?"
"I don't know maybe. I have this strange feeling around her. I like her, and I like to be around here. Sometimes I fell like my heart's beating faster when I hear her name. Can you believe that's possible ?"
"Yyyes."
"I sense usually the need to protect her even for the small threats. Sometimes I become somewhat possesive. I hate the thing that I must to share her with anyone. I don't know Inoue, it's so strange. What do you think ?"
Orihime's gaze was lost. Probably he was speaking about Rukia. But what she should to do ? She wanted to say to him that's nothing, but still.
She couldn't stay between him and his happiness even in she isn't the woman from his dreams. Ichigo was looking now at her worried.
"Are you fine ?"
"Yes, I am. I think that... That you must tell her about what are you feeling."
Orihime was feeling now bad. Her heart was simply broken, but it will not matter. She will be happy if he will be.
"I don't know what to say. Probably she doesn't like me in that way and I don't want to ruin my friendship with her. Maybe I must to wait and to hope that the feelings will go away."
"I think you must to fight for your happiness, Kurosaki-kun. You're... You're a good man and I believe that any girl would be lucky to be by your side."
Orihime couldn't look now in his eyes, he probably was watching her and as always he will not understand what's in her heart. Ichigo stopped his walking, but Orihime just hit him, because she couldn't see a thing with her face burried in the ground.
She raised her gaze ashamed like always when their bodies touches the most of the times because she hit him, by wrong."I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun. I didn't want to hit you. I was just... Lost in my thoughts again."
"What are you trying to hide from me, Inoue ?"
"Whaaat ? I'm not hiding something from you."
"But ? Why are you always moving your gaze away near me? Am I scaring you ?"
"No... You couldn't scary me Kurosaki-kun, just I can not told you this, right now, please excuse me." Orihime wanted to run to her apartment, but Ichigo caught her wrist. " Kurosaki-kun, what are you doing ?"
"I will not let you to go away without any explanations. Tell me what's wrong. It's strange for you to run away by me. Did I upsat you with what we were talking about ?"
"It.. Doesn't matter..."
"It matter for me." He caught her face with his hands. He forced her to look in his eyes. Her intense look will make always to lose her mind, to wonder if maybe behind that she could find some feelings for her.
But she could see only worries. She was such a burden. She moved his hands away from her and she wanted to go as far away she could.
She couldn't be ok now, seeing that her last hope that he maybes love her disappeared. But Ichigo was serious she will not let her go as fast. Some tears ran away from her eyes.
"Please stop. Why are you doing all of this ?"
"Because I don't want to let you go till you will say to me what are you feeling for me."
"Why me ? Why aren't you asking the girl that you love ?"
"I'm asking her right now."
Orihime could not believe what just happened. She feel nothing more than pure happiness. He said those words. He told her that the girl that girl he wanted was no one else than her. After so many years Kurosaki Ichigo really loves her. Her body started to shake and Ichigo hugged her stronger.
,,Inoue, you can be so silly."
His words were sweet, she was feeling that he tried to protect her even from herself. She smiled. Ichigo saw her beautiful smile and he decided himself to catch it with his lips.
Orihime was a little surprised, but still it didn't bother her. Seeing that she wasn't rejecting him Ichigo turned the kiss from an inocent one to an one passional.
After some time they broke apart and Orihime was on his chest. She couldn't believe him.
"Ku.. Kurosaki-kun ?"
"Yes, Inoue. What's happened ?"
"I want to... Ask you... Why... Why are you feeling like this and... why now ?"
Ichigo was looking in her eyes and he could see that's she's really worried about it. After all she's Inoue.
"It's not like I didn't liked you before, just... It took me a long time to discover what's happening with me. I think I never was good at such things, didn't I ?"
Orihime didn't answered to him. She just hide herself in his arms. She was feeling so good there. She was feeling that there's her place.
"Inoue, I know it took me a long time. But... Do you want to be my girlfriend ?"
She raised her head and she blushed. How many times she was dreaming at this moment ? How many times she wanted him to say these words ? Despite it come after so many years, it was feeling better than any other of her dreams.
"Yes, I would love to."
Ichigo grinned and he close his face to hers.
"Good, because I didn't intended to accept no as answer."
Orihime blushed again and Ichigo stole her an another kiss. Maybe it took him too much time to find out about his real feelings, but now he will not let anyone to touch her, because she's his. His Hime.
