This Could Be the Day part 29

Standard Disclaimer: all characters herein are the creative property of Kubo Tite.

-for my darling daughters, Copper and Nagi- Thanks keeping me focused, even though you sometimes have to dig out the whip to get me motivated. XD


A mother hen and her chick.

Rukia shook her head to displace the disturbing picture that came to mind. Although, that really was what those two made her think of as she watched Renji closely follow her brother through the garden.

The bare branches of the plum trees overhead cast spindly shadows over the two men as they leisurely walked along the path. Sliding out of sight behind a screen, she narrowed her eyes in thought as he brother continued to speak quietly as his lieutenant listened attentively. The petite shinigami tapped her foot as she curiously wondered what the focus of today's lecture was.

The first time she noticed that something was going on was when she unintentionally interrupted them in an informal reception room. The table had been set with an array of dishes as Byakuya patiently instructed her childhood friend on the suitable behavior expected at the table.

She had stood stunned in the doorway as Renji fought back his embarrassment at being caught struggling with the rules of proper etiquette. Rukia probably would have happily stayed standing there all day, staring at the unbelievable cute sight of Renji blushing like a schoolgirl, except, it seemed her brother had other ideas.

"Was there something you needed, Rukia?"

"N-no, Ni-sama."

"Then, if you don't mind, we are busy here."

"Yes, of course. Forgive my intrusion."

She still remembered –with a blush of her own- how quickly she had bowed herself out of the room and retreated down the hall.

Over the next several days, Rukia had tried to tease some answers out of Renji when no one else was around. But, fate was working against her, and never gave her the opportunity to be alone with him.

The next strange thing she noticed had been calligraphy lessons.

With her brother sitting beside his desk, drinking his tea, she had secretly watched Renji carefully practice. Stroke after stroke, his eyes narrowed in concentration and gripping the brush awkwardly, her childhood friend worked ceaselessly until Byakuya had lifted his eyes to meet hers. Calling a halt to the day's practice, he corrected his lieutenant's sloppy endeavors before dismissing him, and with a direct, meaningful look at the parted screen, dismissing her as well.

Rukia had tried her hardest not to nose around after that. It didn't actually stop her from wondering what they were doing, though. In fact, it did just the opposite. She was obsessed with trying to figure out why her brother was instructing Renji in the finer arts. Especially, since as far as she knew, they didn't even enjoy each other's company.

It was actually beginning to weird her out. For one, her childhood friend was quieter than normal. In fact, he was almost contemplative. Then, you add uncomplaining, decreased fits of temper, and well mannered to the list, and it was like Renji was a completely different man than before.

He even apologized the other day for almost bumping into me.

Since when did Renji apologize for anything, let alone for something he didn't actually do? If that didn't prove something was up, nothing would.

Chewing on the edge of her thumbnail, she watched as they continued the circuit around the bleak winter garden. There was something going on that she just didn't understand. Some strange relationship had sudden developed between them, and Rukia couldn't help but be thoroughly confused.

Up until now, she was starting to believe that Renji shared her feelings, and that a confession was possibly in the cards. But now, it was apparent that her scarlet haired friend preferred the company of her brother over hers. And, it also seemed that her brother, not only approved of this arrangement, but wordlessly demanded she keep her nose out of it.

Could it be that Ni-sama and Renji were really …

It just wasn't possible. Rukia shook that thought from her head quickly before it had a chance to take root. It was wrong of her to even think that such a secret relationship was going on between those two.

She may not know for certain what was happening, but she would give them the benefit of the doubt, for now.

But, if I catch them arranging flowers or holding hands, then all bets are off.

Sighing softly, Rukia turned to return to her room and leave them in peace. Not sparing a glance back at the two men she loved, she missed the determination and resolve in Renji's expression as he stared at the spot she had just stood.


"Do it, Orihime. Or I will."

Her best friend's words continued to swirl around her and Orihime knew that it was no empty threat. Tatsuki was fast losing patience with her dithering, arguing that Ichigo deserved to be told the truth before any more time passed.

"What the hell is her problem?"

Clasping her hands to her chest, Orihime spun on her heel to face her scowling boyfriend as he glared over her shoulder at Tatsuki. She could feel the weight of her best friend's stare coming from behind her, urging her to finally come clean. The healer truly felt trapped between a rock and a hard place, or between an immovable mecha and a sleeping tiger. Not a good place to be, not a good place at all. Especially since the tiger would likely wake up and pounce on her if he didn't like what she said, and with the immovable mecha at her back, there would be nowhere for her to run.

Taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself, Orihime knew it was now or never. She was done stalling. Glancing over her shoulder at Tatsuki, she gave her best friend a firm nod, letting her know that she was ready.

Tatsuki sent her a supportive grin before patting her on the shoulder. Telling them both goodbye, she grabbed her bag and headed off to practice, leaving her two friend alone to finally talk this through.

Straightening her shoulders, knowing that she could do this, Orihime looked up determinedly at her curious boyfriend. "Ichigo, I really need to tell you something."

Furrowing his brows at his serious sounding girlfriend, he propped his hip against a desk, curious as to what was going on.

"Yeah?"

The gentle healer licked her lips as she forced her fingers to stop nervously twining around each other. Wishing that her poor tummy wasn't churning like it was, Orihime tried to meet Ichigo's eyes, but instead ended up staring at the top of his ear where it peeked out from behind his messy orange hair.

"I should have told you a long time ago, but-"

"Orihime, hurry, or you'll be late for our meeting."

Snapping her head around towards the door, she sent Uryu a strained smile, assuring him. "I'll be there in just a minute."

"Go ahead to your club. We can talk after your meeting," Ichigo promised her with small smile before glancing to the Quincy in the doorway and tacking on dryly, "without any annoying interruptions."

"B-but Ichigo …"

"Don't get all worked up, Orihime." He teasingly ordered, dropping his forehead to rest against hers. "I've got classroom duty anyway, so we both have things to do right now."

Except, he wasn't moving to go do any of those things. Orihime felt her eyes widen in breathless contemplation. Surely, he isn't going to kiss me in front of Ishida-kun? Her heart pounded unevenly in her chest as she remembered how Ichigo had rested his forehead against hers -just like this- last night after he kissed her stupid.

Feeling a tremor wrack Orihime's slender body, Ichigo let his lips lift in a small, knowing smile. Her hot breath panted out in short little bursts over his lips and tempted him closer. Stopping before he made contact with his girlfriend's plush waiting lips, the orange haired vizard teasingly rubbed his nose back and forth against hers.

Straightening with a smug look, he watched while an endearing pink blush slowly stained his girlfriend's cheeks as she reached up to touch the tip of her nose in bemusement.

Turning the bewildered healer around, he guided Orihime towards the door with a little push, chuckling.

"Get to getting, woman. I have work to do."


Ichigo moved another row of desks to the side of the room. He was grateful the mindless task allowed him to try to puzzle out what Orihime wanted to talk to him about. Whatever it was, it seemed important to her. Actually, now that he thought about it, she had tried several times in recent memory to talk to him about something.

However, one thing or another always happened to interrupt them.

"Orihime …"

Groaning at yet another interruption, Ichigo leaned against the handle of his push broom, as his classmate timidly peeked around the door.

"Orihime's at her handicrafts meeting."

"Oh, right …"

Watching Michiru nervously fidget in the doorway, he rolled his eyes before offering, "If you want, I can give her a message."

Pressing her fingertips together, the petite brunette shuffled her feet before hesitantly replying. "I don't want to bother you, but …it's just that Ochi Sensei is looking for her."

"Dammit." He cursed automatically, hanging his head as he groaned, "She's not in trouble again, is she?"

"N-no. Sensei said something about a representative from that design company was coming for her interview."

Furrowing his brows in confusion, Ichigo stared at the small brunette in front of him, uncertain as to just what the hell she was talking about. What did a design company have to do with Orihime?

"Huh?"

"The Itou Dezainaa Company" she smiled at him expectantly, assuming that he was equally thrilled for Orihime. At Ichigo's blank look, Michiru's smile slowly melted away as she continued to throw out hints, "from Tokyo …about her college scholarship?"

Slowly straightening, his hand sliding limply down the handle of the broom he still loosely held, Ichigo felt his stomach give an uncomfortable twist.

Design company

Staring blankly at the wall behind Michiru, Ichigo was certain that his classmate was mistaken. Orihime had never said anything to him about this. Even though that was true, he couldn't help but wonder why this all seemed to be ringing a bell. He halfheartedly searched his mind, trying to think why something like this would even be familiar to him.

Itou Dezainaa Company …

Snapping to attention as the final piece fell into place, his hand tightened involuntarily around the wooden handle as his breath rushed out in a disbelieving hiss. Itou Dezainaa Company. That had been the logo stamped on that manila envelope on Orihime's counter.

No wonder it was familiar to him. He had picked it up twice, even glancing at it curiously before putting it back in the drawer. It just so happened to be the self-same drawer that his girlfriend had been acting mighty strange –stranger than normal even- over the other day.

Tense. Nervous. Afraid.

That has to be what Michiru is talking about.

Acting a whole lot more casual than he felt, Ichigo laid his broom to the side before glancing around. Not seeing anyone, namely his redheaded secret-keeping girlfriend, he blew out a steadying breath as he slowly slid the classroom door shut with a sharp click.

Almost positive that he wasn't going to like this, he flicked his eyes up to meet Michiru's anxious gaze before asking …

"Remind me. What's this interview about again?"


Packing up the paperwork for the club's newest project, Uryu finished the last of his president's duties before gathering his things. Poking through his belongings, he wondered why he now had a scalpel, somafixer, and -what he assumed was- a bottle of antidote in his sewing kit instead of the normal scissors, thimble, and pins.

His new house guest was the most likely culprit.

For the last week, since that night he'd found her in the park, Nemu Kurotsuchi had been staying with him. A fact he was desperate to keep from everyone …especially Kurosaki. Uryu could only imagine the snarky comments the substitute shinigami would utter if he learned that a Quincy was willingly sheltering a soul reaper in his home.

Calmly sliding his glasses back into place, he closed his eyes for a second, determined not to let thoughts of the immature vizard irritate him. Uryu knew that he was only performing a humanitarian act of goodwill, providing lodging while she completed her mission. Since, there was no way his pride as a Quincy would allow Nemu to sleep in the park, as she first intended. That's all there was to it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Snapping his case closed on that thought, he instead turned to thinking how Nemu probably destroyed some item or other in his small apartment again today.

The woman was insatiably curious about the mortal world, albeit in a calm, clinical manner. She was wont to take almost anything mechanical apart, regardless if it belonged to him or not, which in turn had led to some interesting discussions on private property …vandalism …jail time. All of which didn't stir her curiosity in the least.

The quiet lieutenant's penchant for taking things apart wasn't the only thing disrupting his normally well-ordered life. He felt exhausted from answering her endless questions, and it wasn't as if Nemu even talked all that much. Mainly, she would hold up an item that caught her interest. She would quietly look it over, turn it upside down, shake it, and -on a few memorable occasions- tried to take a bite out of it.

His life had definitely been more interesting lately, and much more companionable. A fact he wasn't likely to admit to anyone.

Belatedly returning Orihime's cheerful goodbye, he watched his friend skip from the room, only to stumble just outside the doorway as Ochi Sensei called her name. Uryu wondered what their old homeroom teacher needed, all the while hoping that the gentle healer didn't somehow get herself into trouble again.

Uryu shouldered the strap of his bag as he moved slowly towards the door, focusing on the tiles beneath his feet and not the women talking in the doorway. He missed a step and stumbled at their teacher's mention of Orihime's offer of a full scholarship to a college in Nagoya.

Blushing slightly at his gaffe, the Quincy straightened to his full height, intending to politely excuse himself and leave them to their discussion. Feeling curious in spite of himself, he chided himself for eavesdropping on a private conversation, but didn't actually try to stop listening.

Uryu watched as Ochi sensei handed over a small slip of paper with the date and time of Orihime's scheduled interview. His friend accepted it with trembling hands. The healer carefully looked it over before tucking it into her pocket as she thanked Ochi with a bow.

Several things suddenly made sense as he watched the redheaded healer shuffle down the hall, seemingly lost in her thoughts. If that was about what he thought it was, Uryu really couldn't blame her …

Kurosaki isn't going to like this one bit …


Ichigo glanced over his shoulder and back down the hall, impatiently waiting for his girlfriend by her shoe locker. Spying Orihime skipping out of a classroom, he tried to unlock his tense muscles as he forced himself to take a deep, steadying breath. The substitute shinigami was still uncertain of what he was going to say to her, or even if he should say anything at all.

Straightening, Ichigo watched Ochi Sensei walk up to his girlfriend and hand her a slip of paper. Tension knotted in his stomach as Orihime looked it over before quickly tucking it in her pocket with a jerky bow.

That innocuous scrap of paper most likely contained the date and time of her impending interview. The self same interview that he wasn't supposed to know anything about. The same one his girlfriend, of the last four months, didn't even bother to tell him about.

He kept his silence, biting back a demand for answers, as they walked home through the lightly falling snow. Side by side, each lost in their own thoughts as the winter breeze swirled around their huddled forms.

"About earlier," Ichigo started slowly, searching for the right words, "you said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Huh?" Orihime glanced up at her boyfriend, surprised that he willingly broke the silence. Yes, there was something she wanted to talk about, but she didn't really think that now was the right time for it. The healer could tell that something was bugging her boyfriend. "It was nothing that can't wait until later, Ichigo."

"Hmm …if you say so."

Gently laying her fingertips on his snow-dusted sleeve, Orihime tilted her head, worriedly looking up at his brooding face. "Are you all right? It seems like you have something on your mind."

Blowing out a breath, he stared at her slender fingers restlessly moving over the material of his jacket. Ichigo regretted the moment she pulled them away, wanting to capture her hand between his, hold her close, and forget everything he'd heard this afternoon.

Whoever it was that said that ignorance was bliss hit the nail directly on the head. They probably had been in a similar situation, where they would almost rather live unawares, than have to face a hard, painful reality.

"I guess that I'm thinking about how close entrance exams and college really is." Ichigo stated casually with a shrug of his shoulder, noticing that she instinctively ran her hand over her skirt pocket where he knew the note from Ochi sensei was.

Bullseye …

"You're worried about exams and …and c-c-"

"College?" He helpfully supplied before honestly answering her stuttered question. "I hadn't been until lately. Now, it seems that it's all I can think about."

"Oh. Me, too." Orihime admitted with a shaky whisper as her chin dropped to rest against her chest.

Feeling his anger drain away at her melancholy expression, Ichigo decided to just come right out and ask her. No more of this damn beating around the bush stuff.

Reaching out to pull Orihime to a stop, his fingers wrapped around thin air when his girlfriend suddenly shot her fist upwards as she cheerfully scolded herself.

"This is no time for such heavy thoughts! It's Friday and there's a new Laugh Hour is on later."

Coming to a stop at the base of her apartment's stairs, Ichigo watched as his girlfriend blissfully skipped up the stairs, talking a mile a minute and completely unaware that he was no longer at her side.

In the pocket of his school jacket, his hand curled into a fist as irritation flooded his system. He had been hoping that Orihime was going to tell him –of her own free-will- what Ochi Sensei talked to her about, and what was on the paper in her pocket.

Obviously, he rated somewhere below her friends when it came to talking about important things. It was fine for them to date, to kiss, and sleep in each other's arms, but talking about plans for the future must be more than she wanted to share with him.

Swinging open her door, Orihime turned around in surprise before comically looking for her boyfriend, belatedly realizing that he wasn't beside her. She watched Ichigo slowly come to a stop at the top of the stairs, a good ten feet from her door.

Tramping down her anxieties before they had a chance to surface, she swallowed against the dryness in her throat and gestured into her apartment, quietly asking. "Aren't you coming in?"

Up until the moment Orihime had put on her happy act, Ichigo still had hope that she would decide to tell him the truth. Now staring at her beautifully innocent face, he was afraid to ask all the questions running through his head, frightened that if he opened his mouth all manner of hurtful things would come out.

"No, I need to get home."

Blinking at his curt answer, Orihime uncertainly fidgeted before breaking into a wide smile. "All right," she sang out as she hid her anxiously shaking hands behind her back, "thanks for walking me home, Ichigo."

Staring at her smiling face for a moment more, he turned away, muttering, "Yeah, talk to you later."

His girlfriend's eyes lost their cheerful luster as she watched him slowly leave, her heart sore and aching. Wrapping her arms around her narrow waist, Orihime felt her stomach lurch once again. Ichigo was upset with her. That much was obvious to her, but not the reason why.

The slip of paper in her pocket weighed heavily on her mind. She had been ready to talk to her boyfriend before her handicrafts meeting, knowing that Tatsuki was getting impatient with her and would carry through with her threat to tell Ichigo if she didn't.

Letting Ichigo convince her to wait until after her club meeting had been a bad idea, not only did she lose her nerve in the time in-between, but her boyfriend had also been in a bad mood. She couldn't burden him further with news that would only upset him and put him in an even worse mood.

Orihime knew that she was running out of time to tell Ichigo about her scholarship, and she had already put it off far too long. Tatsuki was right when she said earlier that the healer should tell Ichigo before he found out from someone else. But, she unreasonably feared his reaction and his expected look of betrayal.

So like a coward, she simply hid her head in the sand, wishing she could put it off indefinitely.


Glumly entering the kitchen later that evening, Ichigo wordlessly stepped aside as Yuzu jumped up from the table to answer the phone. He leaned back against the counter, taking a drink from his bottle of water as he glanced down at the books spread on the kitchen table. Setting his drink down, he unthinkingly reached for the opened textbook, not giving Karin's questioning look any notice.

Thumbing through the pages, his eyes scanned for a specific map before finding the one he was looking for. Breathing deeply and ignoring the sick feeling in his stomach, he turned the book to the side and stared at the diagram, wishing the two points he was looking at were closer together. Ichigo mentally tried to calculate distance before staggering under the weight of his father's sneak attack.

Flipping his father off his back with one hand while still searching through his sister's geography book, Ichigo kicked out, nailing his questionable parental figure in the side before he could mount a second assault.

"Dammit Dad, I'm not in the mood for this!"

"You never want to play with daddy anymore." Isshin whined piteously as he stared up at his son from his crumpled position on the floor.

"Dammit …" he shouted in frustration, slamming Yuzu's book closed before muttering to no one in general, "Just how far away is Nagoya anyway?"

Removing her textbook from Ichigo's tense grip before he inadvertently destroyed school property, Yuzu cradled the book to her chest. "You're not thinking about going away for college, are you?" She quietly asked, clearly holding back tears at the thought.

"No, nothing like that," the orange haired teen answered carefully. Feeling guilty for upsetting his sister, he kneaded the back of his neck before admitting. "I'm just curious."

Karin looked up from her math as she watched her big tough brother crumble in the face of Yuzu's pleading puppy dog eyes. What a big softie, she thought with a smug grin tugging at her lips, knowing that Ichigo would totally flip to be labeled so.

Gathering her homework before Ichigo decided to grab it next, Karin paused with her math notebook in hand. "You were curious about our third largest incorporated city, Ichi-nii?" she inquired dryly before arching a brow as she drawled out, "Uh huh, I'm so believing that."

"I'm serious." Ichigo snapped back. "I just want to know how many miles away it is," he scowled at his sister's doubtful expression before dropping his gaze to stare at the floor as he muttered, "or maybe how far by train."

"Ahh …" Isshin rolled to his feet, nodding in understanding. His son's mood suddenly made perfect sense to him. "So, Orihime-chan finally told you."

The silence in the room was deafening as the substitute shinigami slowly lifted his head to stare in his father's direction. Sensing danger, Yuzu and Karin glanced at each other before stepping back. Anxiously watching their brother from a safe distance, the twins left their dad to face Ichigo's mounting rage himself.

"You have got to be shitting me! Even you knew about this?"

Blinking at the malevolent aura swirling around his son, Isshin scratched at the stubble on his cheek before unwisely asking, "What, did I say something wrong?"


Standing with his fist raised, just inches away from rapping his knuckles on her door, Ichigo clenched his teeth in frustration.

Damn …

Backing up as his hand dropped like a stone to his side, he spun on his heel and stomped to the top of the stairs.

Damn …

Slamming his hands down on the metal banister, he wrapped his fingers tightly around the cold bar, focusing on the pain of the metal digging into his skin.

Damn …

He had already walked around town for over an hour, wishing –for once- for a hollow alert, so he could take his frustration out on something before he faced Orihime and demanded the truth.

Damn …

Not even giving himself any more time to think, he turned back and knocked on Orihime's door. Actually, he didn't knock. He pounded, banged, hammered on the poor, defenseless entry.

The door opened in seemingly slow motion as his girlfriend was gradually revealed to him. Dressed comfortably in jeans and a sweatshirt, Orihime's eyes widened in surprise to see him standing there watching her intently.

"Ichigo, what are you doing here?" she blurted out before snapping her jaw shut with a click. The healer swung the door open further and gestured him in out of the bitter cold, grinning self-consciously. "Silly me, that was rude. Please come in."

"Orihime …"

Nervously interrupting him, the gentle healer bounced over to the fridge. "Do you want a drink, or maybe even something to eat? I have some leftovers."

"No" he growled out in frustration before plowing his fingers through his hair and gentling his tone. "No. I think we need to talk."

"Talk," she cautiously walked back to the table, tilting her head to the side before asking, "talk about what?"

Her long hair swung freely over her shoulder, and Ichigo couldn't resist staring. She was so beautiful. So innocently beautiful. So very innocent looking, and Ichigo almost doubted the information Michiru unwillingly gave him.

Except, it wasn't just their classmate.

There was also his Dad's earlier confirmation, and -most damning of all- the shadowy thread of worry creeping slowly into Orihime's eyes. He swallowed thickly, not knowing what to say now that he was here, until he watched her gaze involuntarily snap towards her kitchen cabinets before they came back to rest uncertainly on him.

Ichigo knew that he couldn't put this off any longer, the doubt and suspicion was killing him, leaving him feeling physically ill.

Pulling his eyes from hers, ignoring the anxiety clouding her gaze, he went straight to the kitchen drawer and pulled out the thick envelope hidden within.

There is was in damning blue and silver, The Itou Dezainaa Company, Akasaka district, Tokyo, Japan.

Dammit …

Holding it carefully in his hands, he silently stared at the envelope. Ichigo had been wishing –praying- that he had somehow been mistaken, that his girlfriend hadn't deliberately kept something like this from him. Something this important. Something that affected not just hers, but both of their futures.

The longer he stood there in disbelief, the more he could feel ugly emotions bubble up inside him, clawing at his throat, choking him.

This …" Ichigo spit out as he turned around and slapped the envelope on the table, "this is what I want you to talk about."


A/N: I'm not going to say much, other than to duck and run for cover for leaving you all hanging with such a cliffhanger. Please don't hate me. –begs-

I know that many of you have been waiting for this chapter for a long time, and I really hope that I did it justice and didn't disappoint anyone. Yes, I know that I can't please everyone, but it's my fantasy world, so please don't burst my rose-colored bubble with angry flaming arrows.

Thanks so much for reading and all your awesome support. ~Rairakku