Orihime checked her cellphone for the, how many times was it?

She has lost count after the few three days.

He has not sent her a text message.

She should be happy, right?

No communication meant no compensation.

It meant that she did not have to break her piggy bank.

Wait, did she even have a piggy bank?

She should be relieved.

And yet,

she wanted for him to get in touch,

she wanted to hear his voice,

she wanted to see his scowling face

and

she did not even know why.

(-_-)zzzZZ

Renji strolled casually into Ichigo's office and was rewarded with a pen flying right at him.

He dodged it and bent to pick it. "Oi. Mind the office stationery." He returned it to Ichigo's table with a arrogant smile.

"Then don't just waltz into my office without knocking, you pompous baboon."

"Hey! Don't insult your boss!"

"Then act like one." Ichigo has not been sleeping well and he was feeling the strain. He was not in the mood for Renji's foolery. "What do you want Renji." "Some people need to work."

Renji continued to grin liked an idiot. "Have you gotten your shirt back from the dry cleaner?"

Warning bells rang in Ichigo's head. "What of it?"

"How much do I own you?" Renji generously offered.

"Nothing."

"What! You let the poor girl pay the whole amount!" Renji bellowed at Ichigo heartless act.

Surprisingly Ichigo stayed calm. "No. It was what I'm usually billed for and so I just let it swing."

"So you did not call her."

"Call who?" Ichigo feigned ignorance.

"You know who. Inoue-chan."

"No. I did not text her."

"But you still have her number, right?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want it." Renji smiled conspiratorially.

Ichigo sure as hell was not going to give the number of the enchantress who has invaded his dreams. He did not even like her so it must be witchcraft. For in his dreams there was never a happy conclusion. They were as erotic as they come but him and her, not in a million years.

"If you have wanted her number so badly, why didn't you ask for it back then."

"I was distracted by Akio having so much fun with her in the car." Renji answered, still with a smile on his face.

Ah, the car ride. It was disarming to listen to a seemingly adult sharing so much interest with a young child.

Favorite animes, characters and songs. Akio and her were like in a virtual world of their own as they giggled throughout the ride.

All awhile, she held on to that fluffy toy closed to her chest.

When asked she told Akio that she has named it 'Mikan'.

"Just like Goji-san's hair!" The mischievous boy had gleeful shouted.

Stupid Renji tried to suppress his laughter but he was having trouble holding it in.

He just gripped tightly at the steering wheel and glared at her from the rearview mirror.

She stammered and told them it was named after the citrus fruit.

"Kabutsu! Just like Goji-san's name." The little rascal had to mention it.

Hearing his son laughing, Renji too let it out.

That friggin' hyena.

Seeing her clutching the unwanted toy ever more tightly to her chest and trying to stutter out her apologies above the boisterous mirth, he lamented unknowingly.

'Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought,'

'To be jealous of a filthy abomination.'

That was more than a week ago.

She made an appearance in his dream that very same night and every night since.

He wondered if she thought of him when she held it and said its name.

'Does she dream of him too?'

He crashed back to reality when loud guffaws seeped into his reverie.

"How many castles are you building? One, I would think." "To live happily ever after with your princess."

Frustrated at being caught red-handed, Ichigo shouted for Renji to get out of his office.

"But Inoue-chan's number?"

"GET THE HELL OUT!" Ichigo bellowed and almost threw his cellphone at him.

Renji mimicked to catch the device and then scampered out of the office the next instance when Ichigo moved closer to him.

Ichigo slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

He must be hexed.

(-_-)zzzZZ

Somewhere on the steps leading down to the river, Orihime was having an equally if not worse day.

Why, why was it happening again?

Looking at her meager belongings next to her as she sat on the steps, she wondered what should she do next?

She has nowhere to go and no one to turn to.

Well, almost no one.

She turned on her cellphone.

Waited.

Went to her favorites.

There was only one name there.

She thought about it.

It was ringing.

"I thought I told you not to call me anymore and to delete my number." The person on the other line answered with that sentence.

"But Tatsuki-chan..." Orihime tried to talk to her friend.

"Thanks to you, it's Arisawa-san now." And she hung up on her former best friend.

Orihime stared at her cellphone.

That was almost her last hope.

If she pluck up her courage, she could always call him.

Not to ask for his help but for kindly Abarai-san's number.

She was sure as a father, he would be understanding enough to lend her a helping hand.

Who was she kidding?

Nobody will be there for her.

She is alone and she will die alone.

Maybe that's what she should do.

Nobody will miss her.

She contemplated as she regarded the river as a mean to her end.

It beckoned her to come in.

If it was meant to be,

she moved her legs closer and closer,

"Hime-san!"

'Tenshi?'

"Hime-san, what are you doing?" Small strong hands pulled at her trembling ones.

Kneeling down, she held the tiny shugotenshi and weeped her heart out.

The man with Akio stood quietly so as to not frighten the vulnerable looking girl and watched the scene with a sympathetic expression.

(-_-)zzzZZ

A week has gone by and not once did Renji ask for her number.

Maybe he has gotten over the foolish notion of Akio wanting her to be his mother.

Ichigo wished it was as easy for him as well.

No matter how hard he tried, images he did not want kept popping up.

Even now he could picture long auburn hair, an angelic face and a body that contradicted the innocence that was her.

The knocking on his office door awoken him from yet another guilty delusional fantasy.

He was startled to find it was Renji.

"When did you start knocking before entering." Ichigo asked with shock.

"Desperate times called for desperate measures." Renji joked.

Ichigo noted that Renji has been fairly cheerful for the past week. He has been bringing snacks of all sorts of unimaginable favors to share. When queried, he would just said it would be a surprise.

That idiot.

"What is it?" He questioned the idiot in his office.

"Will you be coming to the weekly get-together at my place tonight?"

"I thought it was always supposed to be on Friday and they are your friends, not mine." Ichigo answered.

"That's because your old man has invited me to dinner tomorrow night. Didn't he inform you?" Renji cocked an eyebrow knowing Isshin has definitely not told Ichigo.

Ichigo was annoyed. His own father did not even bother to tell him that Renji and Akio will be at his childhood home tomorrow.

Nonchalantly, he replied, maybe his oyaji will call him tonight.

"So will you be coming?"

"Where?"

"My place, tonight and your dad's, tomorrow night."

"Do come, at least for tonight. Your godson misses you." Renji played the 'godson' card.

"I'll think about it." Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck, making up his mind and already regretting his decision.

(-_-)zzzZZ

He could hear the ruckus going on as he pressed the doorbell.

He did not expect to see her when the door opened.

She was the last person he expected to see at his friend's house.

Truth be he wanted to see her again, just not here.

Maybe he was still having one of his many lust induced mind trip.

"YOU!"

"Konbanwa Kurosaki-san."

(Already starting on the next update. I hope to do two more before I get back to tumblr and then the Real World.)

(So if you do not see any progress here and in tumblr, you know Real Life has won.)

(As usual, thanks for reading.)