Chapter 4- Smile

Still Orihime stand nervously in her place trying to think of a plan on how to get out of that scary situation near the deserted river side. "Stop it!" she cried as she starts to fall in the grassy ground. They kicked her for her stubbornness as her dress gets torn.

"Don't worry girls, my guy friends are about to come anyway! So we won't need pictures since they'll be seeing her personally." Said the girl on Meer's costume. Orihime's lying weakly on the ground with wounds on her body.

"How much will they pay us?" Asked another. Upon hearing the question Orihime rise up and tries to stand up. They looked at her with dark smiles in their lips. "I hope they'll pay us more, this little mermaid is better looking than our last victim." Praised the girl as she look at Orihime's scared face and big breast. "Don't worry; it's only for one night."

Orihime didn't say any word after hearing their plans instead she just looked at them like she's saying 'I'm not going to let you' which pisses them. One of them pulls her hair which hurts Orihime but didn't say anything. "Looking at us like that! So you're thinking you can escape? Listen mermaid! No one ever has escaped us and stop that stupid look! It's annoying!" cried the girl pushing Orihime hard on the ground leaving her a wounded cheek.

"Stop that! If she gets wounded more, we cannot ask high amount of money, we need her like that!" they stop hurting her and after some minutes they heard a group of men talking and laughing towards their direction. "They're here, prepare her." They take her off the ground. The men they've been waiting for soon arrive and take a good look at Orihime from a distant. "What do you think?"

"She's cute, perfect for our party tonight but… I don't like than bleeding cheek." Said the man, he moves closer to Orihime. "Hi Cutee." The girls laughed with the men as Orihime avoid the man's eye. "We'll take her!" they get a hold of Orihime but she keeps resisting.

"Don't be shy mermaid!" said one of the girls. She looked at them with her previous stare while they divide the money. "Have some fun!" wave the girls at them. Orihime together with the men starts to walk; they laugh and look at her one after the other.

"Don't worry everything…. Will be alright." Said one of the men. Meanwhile, Ichigo can't find where Orihime is until he heard a loud scream just some meters away which he recognized as Orihime's.

Do not worry anymore, I'll be there. Thought Ichigo who's running very fast towards Orihime. When he came he saw Orihime with a teary eyes being held by a weird looking man. "Let go of her!" shouted Ichigo angrily preparing himself for a fight.

"Why should we? We pay for her." Answered one of the men. Orihime tries to look at them but it's a little blurred since her eyes were filled with tears. "D'you think you can handle us? 1 against 6, don't be such a jerk!"

"Let go of her, I repeat! Or else…"

"Or else what?"

Ichigo didn't answer anymore; he rushed towards the person holding Orihime and punched his face with his fist then kicked his abdomen making him fell on the ground. Orihime got released and Ichigo hold her with so much pity and concern. "Orihime…" he said trying to know if she's conscious.

The men get pissed so they decided to surround him. "There's no way you can defeat us in this way." Ichigo seeing Orihime in that poor state, allows her lay on the ground to get some rest and stands up full of anger.

"Doing that to a girl especially to a friend of mine! I'll make you all pay!" he shouted before rushing into them but they were many so it's somehow difficult to fight back, he's getting injuries but it doesn't matter, what matter most is to give those men some lesson. Orihime heard the loud punching, kicking and bad words. She wipes her eyes with her dirty hands and sees Ichigo fighting the bad guys.

"Ichigo…" She whispered weakly. She continues to see him in that difficult situation but couldn't take it anymore. "Stop it!" she cried getting their attention.

"Orihime?" said Ichigo turning to her but someone gets a hold of his neck which disable him to breathe normally. "Aaaahhh…." Orihime stands up for his rescue but Chad came and pushed the men surrounding them and punched the man holding Ichigo making him fall.

The men immediately runs away to avoid getting hurt after seeing Chad's huge body. Orihime then cries feeling sorry for Ichigo got hurt because of her stupidity. "I'm sorry…" she said moving closer to Ichigo who's lying in the ground somewhat helpless. "Because…. Of…. Me…. You got hurt." Ichigo looks at her feeling alright knowing the fact that she's better than before.

"Please… do not cry anymore…" he begged so Orihime did what she was told. "Thank you…" he finished. After some minutes, Mizuiro came with Keigo breathing hard from their long running.

"Ichigo! I'm so worried when you run away from us so we followed you!" Cried Keigo. They brought Ichigo to their clinic together with Orihime and there they stay while their friends sit waiting for them.

"How did you end up with those guys?" Asked Ichigo.

"It's so embarrassing to say but I just want to make new friends. That is how it all happened." Answered Orihime. She gets her torn paper bag from the floor but then it gets destroyed and her tail costume fell enabling Ichigo to see it.

"Tail? Trying to be one of those pop star mermaids? (He's talking about the mermaid melody girls)"

"Pop star mermaids? No… I'm trying to be Ariel from the little mermaid."

"Is there an anime such as that?" Ichigo asked curiously standing up and trying to help Orihime get her costume. "Well… don't mind my question." He said still holding Orihime's cotume but it's evident that his wounds were still aching. He tries to walk to see his friends but his father suddenly came surprising Orihime.

"Ichigo!" Cried his father. "I don't remember teaching my kids about bullying people but then you are one of those gangsters! I'm so ashamed!" Ichigo was about to answer back but then Orihime interrupted.

"It's not his fault, sir." Said Orihime politely. The two of them look at her as she starts to become emotional. "It's…" She put her hand superior to her breast. "He didn't bully or hurt anyone for his sake; he did it for me… He did it because I was so stupid, so easy to manipulate, so easy… so easy…" She then remembers the confrontation with Ulquiorra making her stand in her position quietly. "So easy to leave behind…" She finished with her eyes full of tear that she runs out feeling embarrass.

"I was just joking…" Ichigo's father said thinking he did something wrong for Orihime to behave like that. "Did I hurt her?" Ichigo didn't answer. "Or maybe, I really did hurt her when I bullied you because she likes you Ichigo!" Said his father laughing not taking everything seriously. Not knowing what happened to Orihime, he runs out to follow her passing by his friends.

What am I thinking? Acting like that in front of Ichigo and his father. I'm such a weak person, that's why I can't forget him up until now! She stops running and just look at the dark sky. Maybe I should go back and apologize for what I did earlier, behaving like that isn't necessary, what I did is nonsense. I'm beginning to be self centered. "I'm not like this, that's right, I need to move on but why can't I?." She turned behind but then bumped into Ichigo whose standing looking at her. "Whoa! Ichigo?"

"I see, you have your own personal problem." Said Ichigo.

Orihime smiles though her tears are still visible. "I am sorry for acting like that when it isn't really necessary."

"You didn't go to the cosplay to make new friends like what you told me, am I right" Said Ichigo not minding what Orihime said so she removed her eyes from him. "You went there, to move on… To forget something which is hurtful to you until now, right?" After hearing his statement, Orihime can't help but burst into tears with her bare hands covering her face. She's crying, what should I do? His hands start to move going to Orihime's but then he controls it as he stare at her. Is it alright to hold her? But no way, I shouldn't! But…He continues to sees the poor Orihime. She needs someone to cry on. Without hesitation, he pulls her towards him at last in that cold night. Orihime continue crying though she feels his warm embrace.

"Ichigo?" She whispered.

"It's always alright to have problems for these are challenges that makes us stronger, but then sometimes, It's hard to get over it… That's why, we have friends… To pull us up in times we're down; to have somebody to cry on; and to have somebody to trust whenever we feel like in doubt of everything." Said Ichigo in a sweet comforting voice. "We're friends, right? So trust me and let me help you get over of whatever your problem is."

"My world revolves around him, only him but… yes… I have friends; I got Tatsuki, Chizuru, Mahana… And everyone… and now…" Orihime stops crying and withdraw from Ichigo's arms as she looks at him straight in the eyes with a smile. "I got you, Ichigo, my newest friend…" She finished as Ichigo smiles back.

End