In a white Honda, Arisu was nice enough to drive Orihime home to her apartment. As close as they were to being friends, Orihime never expected Arisu's kind offer. It was a long way from just being co-workers and Orihime excepted it gladly. The season had brought one hell of a winter and even after Christmas the hurricanes were still blowing.

"Thank you so much for the ride, Arisu-chan," Orihime gave her a grateful smile.

"No problem, this weather's been a real hassle lately. I feel bad you've had to walk through this all winter," Arisu waved before Orihime laughed and shut the door, "See ya soon."

As Arisu drove off Orihime scooted towards her apartment. The stairway was covered in slushy snow as she fiddled to find her keys, pulling out her phone instead. She smiled remembering she had apparently received a text earlier.

Her phone oddly enough said she had three new texts. She clicked, eager as to who else would be texting her. The latest message had been a reply from Tatsuki, asking about meeting before school tomorrow. The next two message's were from Ichigo.

As she clicked on the convo, it showed off the old message he had left behind earlier on that day, 'Expect me to see me at your work today. I applied in the produce department.' Orihime sighed heavily as she thought of him and looked over the new message, 'What time are you off? I could walk you home."

Orihime stared at the screen feeling completely awful. Her hands shook as she quickly tried to reply, 'I'm so sorry! I got off at 1:00 and Arisu-chan drove me home.' She was very happy he was always concerned, so much that it infected her to feel guilty over the fact she had never taken the time to check her phone.

After she was prepared for bed she hovered over her phone before setting her alarm. Ichigo had never sent a return message but she tried not to worry about it too much. She set her clock to the usual time she would meet Tatsuki at her house and to get to school early. She stared at her clock as she fell asleep, wondering what she would say to Ichigo when she saw him the next day at school. She wondered if him working and going to school with her would be a problem. She honestly didn't see it that way, but many people always joked about how seeing your crush around so much would cause problems.

Just then Orihime's phone screamed with her wake-up song and she jumped from her sheets to shut it off. Still exhausted she sleepily lay dazing at her phone, "Haha, it's okay. Goodnight." It read.

"Goodnight Kurosaki-kun," She muttered.

. . .

Tatsuki waved wildly as Orihime ran down the stairs, "Hey, Orihime!"

Orihime smiled, "Morning, Tatsuki-chan!"

Tatsuki began small talk as they started making their way, "Have a good sleep?"

"Mh," Orihime nodded, pausing slightly before asking, "Tatsuki-chan, can I ask you something?"

Tatsuki's grin quickly faded, "Of course. What is it?"

Orihime playfully swayed her bag back and forth, trying to avoid eye contact, "Did Kurosaki-kun tell you about how he's working with me now?"

Tatsuki's voice raised, "What? No. He's actually working with you?"

"Well, not with me," Orihime place a finger against her lips, "He's working in the produce department next to us."

"Oh man," Tatsuki laughed, "This is going to be hilarious."

Orihime watched as Tatsuki continued her guffaw, "Why's that funny, Tatsuki-chan?"

"It's just kind of hard to believe that you two will be together all the time," Tatsuki grinned as she shook her head, "That sly jerk."

"Tatsuki-chan," Orihime whined childishly, "Kurosaki-kun didn't get a job there because of me! Tons of people I know in town work there."

Tatsuki stared into Orihime's serious eyes with a coy demeanor, "Whatever you say, Hime."

. . .

That day Orihime sat in her usual place next to the window. She had already received her good morning from Chad and Uryuu while patiently awaiting Ichigo's arrival. And when he did, Keigo clung to him as the trio entered the room. Mizuiro or course just simply took his seat as Keigo freaked out over Ichigo's new job.

"Why am I the last to know," Keigo cried, "It's so unfair! Didn't you think I would want a job too?"

Ichigo grumbled, "And why would I want to work with you?"

Keigo froze completely, "You are so cold, man."

Just then Ochi-sensei arrived, cutting off anyone further conversation. Not that Orihime was upset but she did want to at least wish him a good morning. The teacher made her way to the board as Orihime and a few others pulled out their notes.

"Alright class. I hope you're awake because you'll need to pay attention," Ochi-sensei sang as her chalk connected with the board, writing down the day current date.

Honestly, Orihime tried her hardest to pay attention but her thoughts kept running back to Ichigo. She had always liked him but lately she was finding herself a bit out of control. Hesitantly she looked towards him. Only to find him staring back at her.

Her heart pounded and she looked away.

Oh no, he caught me! I was not expecting that! No I made myself look so obvious. Wait, but he was looking too right?

All during class she wondered if it would be safe to look back. Maybe she would turn around and he would be looking back again. If that was the case, she could just smile right? Then she would know for sure that he may be thinking about her too! She thought, and she tried, but she couldn't bring herself to look back.

Before she knew it, the bell had rang. Though her shot was over, she would now be able to talk to him.

. . .

Orihime waited on the rooftop with Tatsuki, whispering quietly about the boys before they had arrived. Orihime did feel like such a blabber-mouth but Tatsuki was her best friend, and that itself was enough to hear Orihime's secrets.

"No worries, Orihime," Tatsuki said smugly, "When he comes up, I'll make sure you'll have some privacy."

"No, no," Orihime panicked, "I'm not sure I really want that exactly."

"Well it's obvious he does," Tatsuki chimed with a smile that certainly, was creeping Orihime out, "He can have what he wants."

Orihime tried to interrupt the disturbing laugh that came afterwards, though she herself was interrupted.

"Oi, Tatsuki!"

The subject of conversation suddenly appeared. When the girls turned around, they found Ichigo who was being followed only by Keigo. And then without notice Tatsuki sat up and left Orihime sitting all by herself. Her face turned angry as she ran towards the boys, who were completely caught off guard.

"Keigo, you moron!" Tatsuki screamed, as she heated made a fist.

Keigo squealed, "W-What? What I do?"

Orihime got up to try and stop whatever was about to take place but she was too late. Tatsuki gripped the guy by his jacket and pulled him right towards the staircase. With a massive slam the door closed loudly and Ichigo was left standing with a disturbed look.

"What the hell was that about?" He scoffed, gawking at the door.

Orihime found herself feeling slightly vulnerable and huffed. She wrapped her arms around herself and muttered in an attempt to respond, "I-I don't know."

Of course she knew deep down that it was Tatsuki's evil plan; there was no way to explain that really. And even though she felt bad about Keigo, she just tried to slip it from her mind.

Watching Ichigo carefully shove his hands in his pocket's, he surprisingly seemed unaffected by the silence. The in the appropriate time, it seemed that Orihime had nothing on her mind that she needed to say. Everything had slipped from her mind at once in his presence, finding it hard to even look in his direction.

"Are you working tomorrow?" Ichigo asked calmly, "I have training again."

"Mhm, I have another 5 a.m. shift," Her body quivered as she spoke quietly, and the rooftop became silent again as Ichigo's eyes fawned over the view of the city. She found herself staring into the deep look in his eyes and immediately forced herself to speak again under pressure, "Do you like the job so far?"

"It's good pay and it's not really that difficult either," Ichigo shrugged, "I do find it hard to wake up that early. I mean, I don't know how you manage waking up for a 5 a.m. I'll usually be starting work at seven since I'm new for now."

It took her awhile but Orihime finally made herself comfortable next to him against the railing, and together they stared down below.

As she stood next to him, she only hoped that this was something she could get used to.