"Chad ... Is it only in my mind or Inoue behaves differently with me from the rest?" the orange haired boy asked his giant friend. Seeing that his friend show no sign that he's about to reply to his question he started to worry. "Tsh ... It's no need for you to answer at my question or anything, just say something ... You make me feel really bad ..." Ichigo said then he sighed seeing that he will not to know the answer at the question what concerned him during the last days.
Meanwhile Ishida wanted to leave but he changed his mind feeling that the situation was strange between the two.
"What have you done this time Kurosaki?" Ishida said arranging his glasses.
"Get lost ... It's none of your business. You do not have some Quincy chores or something better to do than to consume our air?" the orange haired boy said annoyed. Ishida lost his calm and he powerful stroke the desk making Ichigo to focus his gaze on him. Ishida was ready to tell his thoughts when Sado began to speak.
"It looks like Ichigo has finally realized Orihime's feelings for him ..." although the giant almost whispered his words had a significant impact on the others boys.
Ichigo blushed and Ishida has escaped his glasses what were crushed by the floor. The surprising scene attracted the attention of the colleagues. Inoue was channeled into them to find out the reason of the misunderstanding, but it seems that they managed to slip before the teenager could get to them.
"That was weird, even for them ..." Tatsuki said coming towards Orihime. The orange haired girl gathered the remains of her friend's glasses, then she turned to brunette, looking in vain, somewhat dreamy.
"I hope that it's nothing serious ... Kurosaki-kun behaved differently around me lately and now this ... Did I upset him?" she asked pointing her palms to her heart. The last thing she wanted to hear it was the fact that Ichigo would be upset and especially if it would be her fault. The adolescence's worries tended to disappear when Tatsuki ruffled her hair.
"You did nothing to upset him and whatever it is, is his problem. I do not think it's something serious. You will see that tomorrow everything will be fine." The brunette said smiling confident.
"Um ... Um ..." Orihime muttered somewhat distrustful. Tatsuki sighed, then the brunette caught Orihime's shoulders with her hands.
"You should stop worrying. Ichigo's fine. I have an idea. What would you say to come at my place? My mother prepared your favorite cookies last night. What do you think about it?"
"Um ... I do not know what to say, Tatsuki-chan ... I do not want to ..." brunette caught her hand before she could say something more.
"Do not even think about it, Hime." Orihime blushed and she laughed nervously seeing that her friend did not give to her alternatives. An evening with her definitely will help her to take her mind off of Ichigo.
Meanwhile the boys reached on the school's roof. It seems that the idea of talking about the feelings of another person as long as it is in the room was not a good idea. Ichigo tried to regulate his breathe.
After he started to breathe normal, Ishida snapped him with his elbow.
"What the hell! For what was that?" he asked rubbing his injured area.
"Because you're incompetent, Kurosaki." he said trying to raise his glasses, but it seems that he only touched the air.
"What's wrong with you? I did not ask your advice." The orange haired boy said standing up and shaking his uniform of dust. "You can go home. It's not your job."
Ishida became more annoyed so he sticked Ichigo to the wall.
"Is it none of my business? Here's the deal Kurosaki, I do not care who you are or that fact that you have saved the world. I care about her. She loved and admired for so long and only now do you realize?"
"Tsh ..." he said pulling the quincy away from him. "That's my problem." Ichigo said moving his hands into his pockets.
Ishida was trying to calm himself down while all his muscles were pushing him to take a fight with the young shinigami.
"And now what are you going to do?" he said approaching to Ichigo this time in a friendly way.
"I do not know ... It would have been simpler just to find out that all of this was only in my mind. Now finding this out made everything to become even more complicated." The substitute Shinigami said covering his forehead with his hand to hide his gaze from his friends.
"Do you like her?" Ishida asked so suddenly that it took Ichigo by surprise and it made him blush a little.
"Of course I like her. She's a precious friend to me." he said, trying to not seem affected by the Quincy's question.
"Kurosaki, you know too well what I meant, even you cannot be so stupid. Do you love her?" Ichigo muttered a few curses, annoyed by how the conversation degenerated. Ishida outlined a smile guessing that his friend's answer is affirmative. "If I were you I would go after her. You do not find every day a girl like her and especially the fact that she felt in love with you is a true blessing for you. I cannot imagine what she saw in you. You're just an idiot." he said grinning.
Ichigo included the safety bar, what surrounded the roof, in his palms in order to calm his nerves. Ishida's words certainly will not help him to take a decision easier.
"It's not that simple ..." The substitute Shinigami eventually murmured. "I am a monster ... I have a fucking hollow inside me who can take the control of my body any time and who can he hurt her. I have so many enemies what wish my death that I lost the count. I'm just a guy who knows how to fight ... I'm not good for her. "
"Yes, you're not good for Inoue-san. You are just an idiot ... But even so she loves you ... And she should take the decision if she wants or not to be with you. But you know too well that she wants to be with you. You're only scared for her safety ... .. "
"Tsh ..." Ichigo murmured not willing to admit that he's right.
"If you're afraid that she will be hurt, you should become more powerful. If you're afraid that you're not enough good, then become. There is nothing impossible in this world, when you really want it. I hate to admit, but that I learnt from you. Now get lost. You're just a nuisance, Kurosaki." Ishida said turning his back to him. Ichigo turned his gaze to Sado who nodded affirmative, then he started to run toward the exit. Now he knows what to do.
"Are you fine ?" the giant asked when he saw that Ishida moved his face down and a few tears leaked on the roof.
"I'm fine. It had just started to rain."
"Yeah ..." Sado said looking at the clear sky.
Meanwhile Orihime and Tatsuki were watching a comedy laughing with tears. It seems that her favorite cookies + Tatsuki company's were the cure for the sad mode. During the film Tatsuki's phone started to ring and the adolescence went to answer. When she saw that the caller is Ichigo she initially ignored the call, but that did not stopped the teenager to continue to call her. She decided to turn off her phone and she threw it on the table, being nervous that she cannot enjoy a movie in her best friend's company.
"Tatsuki, are you okay?" the teen asked when she saw that her friend was angry.
"Yeah, Hime. Everything's fine. It was just Keigo wanting some help with some nonsense. He will be all right."
"Um ... Okay." Orihime said feeling the lie behind her words.
The brunette sat herself next to her friend and they continued to watch the continuation of the movie. The atmosphere was back to normal, until they heard some knocks on the door. The beatings intensified, but the brunette did not give any sign that she wanted to see who's the mysterious visitor.
"Tatsuki-chan ... Do not you think that you should open it?" Orihime asked feeling the spiritual energy of the person behind the door.
"Nah… There are probably some vendors. They came pretty often and they probably came again today, but do not worry, everything's fine." Brunette said fluttering the remote in the air.
Orihime blushed then she crossed her hands and she was looking at her best friend disappointed. Seeing her gaze Tatsuki had no choice and she went to the door to open it to the unwanted guest.
"What do you want ?" she asked opening the door suddenly causing Ichigo to lose his balance for some seconds.
"Tsh ... Is Inoue here?"
"It's none of your business. Anyway it's not your style to ask for her and especially at this time." The brunette said thoughtfully. Ichigo pretended not to hear the mischievous comment.
"Can you bring her a little? I want to say something to her."The brunette rose an eyebrow surprised increasingly more by the adolescent's behavior.
"If you want to tell her something you can tell her at school tomorrow. Bye bye." Tatsuki wanted to close the door, but Ichigo stopped it using his leg.
"Just give me five minutes." he said. The look in his eyes was different, as if something had changed inside him. It seems that something important had happened, but is Orihime involved in his change? Before she could put her thoughts in order Orihime touched her arm with hers.
"It's okay, Tatsuki-chan. I will return soon." she said giving her a warm smile. The brunette eventually listened to Orihime's words, but she warned Ichigo that if he is going to try to do something to her she will break all his bones.
After they managed to escape from Tatsuki, ensuring her that Orihime will not get hurt Ichigo started to become nervous.
"I ... Um .. Inoue ..."
"Yes, Kurosaki-kun?" the girl asked when she saw that Ichigo was unable to continue the phrase. Her heart started to beat faster when she realized that the boy was trying hard to find his words. He had not seen so concerned about such a trivial thing and the expression on his face was so cute. Orihime wondered how it is possible that something so minor could make her to love him even more? Orihime froze when she felt his hands on hers. The words what followed were so surprising that she could not say if what happened was a dream or pure reality.
"Inoue, I love you!" the girl thought a few seconds, not knowing how to respond. She did not know when he started to love her and especially why. She is only a burden that hampers his life. At least that she believed. The teenager has realized the meaning behind his words when she remembered his strange behavior lately.
Probably he came all the way worried that he left without even saying goodbye and probably he felt guilty because he had not discussed with her lately. 'What a clumsy I can be ! I cannot believe I even thought for a few seconds that a boy like him could ever look at me. Little blue man please do not give me so beautiful illusions. ' she thought before she replied to Ichigo.
"Kurosaki-kun you did not need to come up here to tell me that. You have nothing to worry about me. I'm fine, see?" she said hitting her head a little too hard causing herself pain. Ichigo looked at her shocked and at the same time concerned that she is able to hurt herself so easily.
The boy did not understand why she reacted in that way. Can the feeling not to be mutual? Or maybe she did not understand what he meant. Ichigo moved his arms down around her waist pulling her closer to him. Orihime blushed feeling the closeness between them.
"Kurosaki-kun ..." is all I managed to say, until her pulse was crazy because of the fact that his forehead glued to hers.
"Inoue ... When I said I love you I didn't mean that I love you as a friend. I just love you. Tsh ... I guess I'm not good at things like ..." Ichigo was unable to finish the sentence because the fact that Orihime sticked his lips with hers. It was a very short and innocent kiss. None of them not had the courage to explore more unknows areas of the other. The two teenagers broke up when they heard Tatsuki's voice.
"Wtf ... Ichigo… You're a dead man."