(So nobody want to read a prequel to 心知, how disappointing. [Sigh.] Wait a minute, what if nobody like my stories!? Then what the hell am I doing here?... Please enjoy what could be my last story on FF.)
(二度)
On the last day of school, Inoue Orihime decided to face her demons or rather the orange-haired scowling soon to be ex-schoolmate of hers.
She was going to confess to him.
It was now or never.
(二度)
"What is it that you wanted to tell me about, Inoue?"
"..."
"Inoue?"
"K-Kurosaki-k-kun, I-I..."
"You what? Inoue."
"I-I love you."
"..."
"Kurosaki-kun?"
"Inoue, I am sorry. I have long suspected about your feelings for me but I am afraid I do not feel the same way as you do for me."
"You knew? But, how can come you did not say anything? Oh..."
"Let's remain as friends, okay?"
"..."
"Inoue?"
"Sayonara Kurosaki-kun."
(二度)
Inoue Orihime woke up to find her face still wet from the tears that flowed as a result of what she dreamt.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
She stared at the wetness on her fingers.
So many years and the tears still fall freely whenever she has that dream.
She sighed and got up from her bed.
(二度)
"Ohayõ Fuyuumare-san." Orihime greeted her employer brightly.
Fuyuumare Chiyu let out a very loud breath, fixed a stern gaze at Orihime and chided her. "Hime-chan, how many times have I told you to address me as Chiyu-san or even kaa-san seeing how determined our Hito-chan is trying to make you his wife."
Orihime went red over what was implied. It was not the first time that Chiyu has teased the young woman but every time she did, the blush would appear as if on impulse. It made the very beautiful young woman looked even more attractive.
"When will you give our Hito-chan a chance?"
"Give me a chance at what?" Fuyuumare Hitoshi asked drowsily as he came down from the sleeping area above the shop.
"Good morning Hitoshi-kun." Orihime greeted her employer's son in English.
"Morning Hime." He smiled at the sunshine in the shop. "Ohayõ kaasan." He stifled a yawn after he has greeted his mother.
"A chance to sleep, you sleepyhead. What time did you get in last night?" His mother fussed over him.
"Ask Hime. I am off for my morning run and then I will be going straight to the establishment. I will see you tonight?" He directed the last part of the sentence at Orihime.
Orihime nodded and answered, "Umm."
He smiled crookedly at her, patted her on the head and ran off saying his goodbyes.
"How about breakfast?" Chiyu shouted in concern at her son.
"No time!" He shouted back.
Fuyuumare Hitoshi looked nothing like his mother. While his mother was short and pleasantly plump with jet-black hair with hints of grey starting to appear and matching eyes' color. Hitoshi, on the other hand was the epitome of male fitness. Being a sportsman for so long, his body was his temple and he gave it all the reverence it deserved. His dark brown hair and eyes were in total contrast to his mother's coloring. From his dead father, Chiyu disclosed sadly and she would get all teary-eyed.
Hitoshi has declared his undying love for her when they first met. But Orihime has taken that as flirtatious behavior from a famous footballer. Not only has he played for Japan but he was signed by a well-know club in England. It was while playing for the club that he had gotten himself injured and he finished his footballing career with no Champions League medal, no league title and not even completing for any of the domestic cups.
But as she got to know him better, she found him to be the kind of man a woman can safety give her heart to and be sure to depend on for life.
He even managed to persuade her to go barefoot running with him. It was a passion of his. She saw the admiring looks he received from everybody for the lean and mean body. And should anybody recognized him, he always took the time to chat with them and told everyone she was his girl to the dismay of the women flirting with him. She would blush bright red but kept her mouth shut only to correct him when they were alone.
"But Hime, you are the one for me." He has answered her earnestly. And she has stuttered and blushed all the way back to her apartment.
Her first and last experience with barefoot running left the soles of her feet bruised and a little bloody. He was truly apologetic but he still bought her a pair of skin shoes. "For next time." He has grinned hopefully.
The shoes were still in the box.
"So is our Hito-chan treating you right?" Chiyu asked.
"Yes, Hitoshi is taking good care of me."
"You like him?"
They have been through this many times and always Orihime gave the same old excuses of her having to pay off her debts, tackling two jobs at once and maybe continue with her studies to avoid the subject. But...
"You are still hurting from the one who broke your heart, aren't you? That is why you are still not giving Hitoshi a chance to make you happy." Chiyu guessed.
"No Chiyu-san, my heart was never broken by anyone because you have to be in love in order to go through a heartache."
(二度)
"Why the fucking hell are we doing here? 'One Princess'? What kind of shitty name is that?" Kurosaki Ichigo was not a happy man. He has recently returned back to his home town and he has only just gotten off from work when his friends dragged him to this eatery of some sort.
"Oh be quiet, Ichigo. We are here to eat and catch up with what's been going on in our lives. Do you have someone waiting for you at home?" Arisawa Tatsuki asked.
"You know I am currently staying with my dad. So the only person waiting for me will be him. I see that Inoue is not here again." He remarked after looking around.
"Why? Does it bother you?"
"Of course not. It's just that you said that it's about old friends catching up but I haven't seen much of her for the last few years. And if she can not attend, then why couldn't I? I could do with the rest." He found himself missing the gentle healer by the tightening of his chest when he did not see her.
"That is strange Kurosaki. I just saw her yesterday and we have a good time reminiscing about our unusual youth." Ishida Uryuu just has to rubbed it in, hard.
Before he could hit back, someone came to their table.
"Konbanwa, may I take your order?" The server asked.
"Very funny Hitoshi. Fuyuumare Hitoshi, this is our friend, Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo, Hitoshi is the owner of this fine establishment." Tatsuki did the introduction.
"So you are the Kurosaki Ichigo. I have heard a lot about you." Hitoshi gave a critical once over of Ichigo.
"I on the other hand, have heard absolutely nothing about you though, but I guess you are the 'One'. Where's your 'Princess'?" Ichigo suspected him of batting for the other side when he saw Hitoshi blatantly checking him out.
"My Princess? Oh, you meant the..."
Excited murmuring could be heard.
"You want to know about my princess. That's my princess." Hitoshi pointed to the small performing area that Ichigo did not notice and Ichigo saw a familiar face.
"Inoue!?"
(二度)
(I have forgotten to mention that my happy ending for心知 was for Saint Sita. Hope you like it, seeing how I did promise to give you a happy ending for my other story which I might not be writing anymore because [weep buckets of tears] nobody like my stories!)
(Thanx for reading.)