Orihime had spent the eve of her morning on her patio, breathing humid air as the sun rose.

Watching her cat rest comfortably on her lap was something that always made the woman smile, hearing her purr as she tucked her falling auburn hair behind her ear.

She was awake earlier than usual that morning only to text her best friend, knowing Tatsuki was about to catch a train off for another fighting tournament. It was in her nature to make the kind gesture, but she wasn't expecting it when Tatsuki replied a few minutes later with a message that read, 'I'm here. Open up.'

Orihime quickly set down her coffee cup and held tightly on to Arrow, tampering with her house coat on her way.

"Hey," Tatsuki gave Orihime a lively grin as she made fun, "I figured you would be awake."

"Tatsuki-san," Orihime questioned curiously as Tatsuki pet the feline in her arms, "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be leaving soon?"

"I have time to chat for a bit because the station's near by. I just wanted to talk," Orihime's expression changed to worry as Tatsuki's words chugged along, "I thought I would talk about the fact that, Ichigo told me about your fight last night and some of the things you said."

Orihime gave a pathetic sigh, "Oh."

The clever woman hinted towards her friend, knowing she wasn't about to get off easy.

"Can I ask what's going on with you?" Tatsuki's brows creased as she spoke, roaming towards the living room, "Don't you think you're being a little hard on him?"

"I-" Orihime put down her pet, knowing the conversation would turn profound, "I was, and I feel terrible."

Tatsuki sat quietly on Orihime's sofa as if waiting for her to join, feeling the soft fabric of the arm with her palm.

"Is he okay?" Orihime meekly questioned as she remained standing.

"Uh, he's not very talkative," Tatsuki grunted, "But I knew something was wrong."

Orihime pursed her lips, "What makes you say that?"

"I'm not an idiot," Tatsuki scoffed, leaning back to give her friend a disparaged expression, "It was the fact alone that he took Keiji's punch that I knew something was wrong. So after bugging him he eventually told me what happened between you two."

"We- Tatsuki, can we please not talk about that?"

"Orihime, come on." She was pleased with the fact Orihime had finally sat down, but continued to stare at the wall. "Orihime, look at me?" Tatsuki waited patiently until their eyes met. "I know this is a tough situation for you, but you're trying too hard to keep this to yourself. Ichigo isn't trying to lecture you and I'm not either. We just want you to let us know-"

Orihime's eyes darted to Tatsuki instantly.

"I promised I would do that for you a long time ago. With Ichigo, I just- I don't know what's wrong with me but I completely lose my head around him," Orihime stressed and then weakly relaxed her shoulders, "I know he was just trying to help but, I can't stand feeling like I need him there again, Tatsuki-san."

The raven haired woman grimaced and hunched herself over her knees comfortably.

"Orihime," Tatsuki hopelessly muttered, "Do you feel like you need me around?"

Orihime blinked at her friends off question. "Well, y-yes?"

"Then it's because you want him around, you dope," Tatsuki razzed and watched as Orihime gave her a displeasing pout, "There's no reason to shove him away because you want him there. And I suggest making things better soon because I'm not sure he's doing too well."

The girls sat still, quiet before Arrow mewled.

"I feel terrible. I made up a whole bunch of excuses."

"Yeah," Tatsuki repeated a statement she heard the night before, "And you apparently left to make up with Keiji?"

"I tried to find him, but again, couldn't," Orihime let out a heavy breath and played with her sweater, "It was a stupid mistake to say that."

"Why would you say that," Tatsuki agreed mockingly and shook her head, "You want to be in a relationship with Ichigo, am I right?"

Orihime's eyes appeared distant and honest. "Always Tatsuki-san. I'm just afraid he'll leave again."

"But if you went to see Keiji, then?"

"I wanted to find Keiji and end it for good," Orihime nodded with her childish confidence, "He still had no right to start a fight with Kurosaki-kun."

Tatsuki smiled proudly when a sudden thought hit her.

"Orihime-"

Both girls watched the small black cat look up at them with wide eyes as it mewled again.

"Please wait," Tatsuki begged, "Wait until I get home so I can be here if you need me."

Orihime thought about her innocent cat, noting that she should stay home for the day and take care of her.

"Okay, Tatsuki-san. I promise."


He was the same guy.

As they talked his voice was the same and his actions were the same. He gave the same small amount of effort to a conversation as always, while saving his deep voice for only the most important words. He had a similar haircut though he did appear taller. Maybe it was his suit or shoes, Ichigo wondered.

Whatever the case, Chad was always the biggest guy in the room.

And as Ichigo continued to talk, he listened. It was the first time in years Ichigo actually felt someone had put some effort in to hearing him speak. It had taken hours to disclose, and as Ichigo finalized their discussion he could clearly hear his actions put into words,- and he was beginning to sound like an idiot.

He was literally explaining to the man who was supposed to be his best friend about how he messed up his life and ultimately tossed it in the garbage. It sounded like there was no reasoning for everything he had done after school. Not only that but he had to apologize for the way he had become so distant over the years and to him it was embarrassing.

Like usually though, it never fazed him.

"So you slept together?"

Ichigo hated it being put that way but nodded regardless.

He debated if he was seeing things correctly when Chad nearly grinned as he took a sip of his drink.

"She's not messaging me back." Ichigo went to reach for his phone but gave up. "Damn it, I hate that."

Chad gave a short chuckle under his breath, "Knowing Orihime, she might not like using phones for that type of conversation."

Ichigo glared at Chad but knew he was probably right.

"I don't know what else to do. I just start shit when I go over there."

Ichigo was aware that Chad was visiting Shoto for a business trip and was most likely on a tight scheduel. He had made time to visit Ichigo at a bar a few miles away which impressed him greatly. For years Ichigo found managing friends, family, and his career impossible. He was highly envious, curious even as he wondered if it was possible that he could learn how to be that way one day.

"Are you seeing anyone?"

Heavy brown eyes glanced to Ichigo through thick hair for a brief moment, "Yes. I'm not sure if it's serious."

Chad always confused Ichigo with short statements like that.

"Why?"

The man wavered in his chair to adjusted his footing and calmly stated, "We've had a few dates but I haven't met any of her friends yet. Stuff like that."

That was basically the most he said all night.

"Ah."

Ichigo felt he should just give up.

At the start of their conversation Chad had told him that Orihime had kept in touch with him at times. They would run in to each other when he was on business, or send emails. Hearing that made him feel an emotional stabbing pain. It wasn't that Orihime was avoiding him all those years because she couldn't or didn't want to.

He knew it was just because she knew he couldn't keep up.

"So you have five days left?"

"Yes," Ichigo broke from his thoughts, "But like I said, they need me at the hospital."

Chad was silent for a moment as he thought the situation over. "Since Orihime's having a hard time I would suggest staying," Chad reasoned coolly, "But if Orihime isn't responding to you and said what you told me, then you should probably help your father and give her time."

Ichigo shook his head undecided.

He figured if he was gone for even one single day, it would be considered as him leaving her again. He didn't want to take that chance.

Ichigo turned back to his old friend that looked as if he was about ready to leave and sedately asked, "How long will you be in town for?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow but I will be back Wednesday," Chad affirmed when digging through his wallet, "If you get back to Shibuya by then, let me know."

Ichigo dropped his eyes to the floor.

"I will be back by then."


Sprinkling some odd spices on her potato salad, Orihime was now finished making her dinner.

She concluded the fight during the wedding had caused a lot of gossip after finishing her conversation with Reiko on her home phone. It was upsetting to think that others opinions of Ichigo might now be ruined because of it, but for now, she greatly wanted to avoid the situation and pull it from memory. She knew it was her responsibility to take care of the after math, and she would make it up to Eriko once she returned from her honeymoon.

Sitting on the couch with her cat Orihime watched a new rental she picked up earlier. It was a well known chick flick she had been refusing to watch due to the fact it was advertised as being outlandishly romantic for her taste, but now she yearned to watch it. With the three actors on screen dealing with their fake problems she innocently believed it could pull her away from her own, even give her insight.

She hoped for it to be possible that the duo's scripts could help her resolve her own love triangle,- somehow.

Orihime pulled her eyes from her TV to her cell on the coffee table as it vibrated.

'Still watching the movie?'

Tatsuki had been messaging her whenever she found the time.

'It's half over now. :)'

As Orihime waited for Tatsuki's next text she couldn't help but innocently flip through Ichigo's old messages.

She wished she knew exactly what to say to him, feeling she should get the courage to call him just to hear his voice. She quickly messaged Tatsuki again before she had the chance to reply.

'Is Kurosaki-kun okay?'

Orihime fiddle with her toes nervously, finishing her last few bites before her phone went off again.

'He told me he went back home to help his dad at the hospital yesterday. I thought you knew?'

Orihime balled herself in a hug as she stared at Tatsuki's last words.

.

It buzzed again.

'He should be back later.'

.

There was a loud knock on her door and Orihime's heart thumped loudly in her chest.

The shock of it made her jump and she shut off the television set to break for the door, feeling herself start to smile uncontrollably as she unlocked the door.

"Ku-"

Her smile was torn.

"K-Keiji."

He didn't speak.

He looked at her for a split second and entered her apartment without invitation.

It seemed like he was looking for something during his hunt through her living room, digging through papers on the table.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I didn't come to talk," He growled, "I'm grabbing my stuff."

"Wh-What? No! Don't think you're getting off easy," Orihime tried her best to assert herself, "Aren't you going to explain why you attacked Kurosaki-kun?"

He didn't answer her, fed up as he left towards her bedroom.

She knew Keiji could be impossibly stubborn, wanting to follow him but she couldn't brave it.

Standing shakily as she panicked over what to do, she helplessly eyed her phone when Keiji re-entered the room. He was carrying one of his crate boxes he let her used for CD's months before, ignoring her figure. It was true they did have their share of fights but she had never seen him this angry that he couldn't speak.

It was when he began tearing through her movie set that she frighteningly cried out, "You aren't even going to talk to me about this?"

"I know you've already made up your mind," He sharp-tongued before reaching her shelves full of pictures, bumping the frame to her brothers on his course.

"Stop it, Keiji!"

He ignored her and reached the first photo of her and himself. Quaintly decorated in a frame she had bought during Christmas, he stared at it briefly before he carelessly asking, "You want this?"

His rage was evident as he threw it to the floor for her to watch as the glass broke.

"Keiji," Orihime couldn't help but build up tears and he vandalized her place, "I didn't say anything like that!"

"No," He spewed scornfully, "That's why you weren't here the last time I stopped by!"

.

.

"Orihime?"

.

.

.

"You okay?"
.

When Tatsuki began calling there was no answer.