6 months ago

"Welcome Interns, I am Dr. Kuchiki and I have the great honor of overseeing you for the next 2 years of your internship. You were selected to intern here because you were at the top of your class at University of Tokyo. You worked really hard to be here, however, the work has only just begun. There are a total of 6 of you right now, however at the end of the next two years, only 2 of you will be permanently hired on to work for this hospital."

I groan internally. I nearly killed myself in school to get here. Now me, along with the other tops of the school have to fight to get a spot here on the staff? This is enough to make me want to go to my Dad's practice and work there.

Almost.

"Let me give you a tour around so that you can meet some of our more permanent patients." I follow the short woman around with my peers as she introduces us to staff and patients. It feels weird being back in Karakura. I left right after highschool and have rarely been back to visit. I moved into an apartment not too far from here. I still have boxes and stuff everywhere. I've been able to catch up with most of my old friends. All except one. I haven't seen her in a couple years. After she started dating…him.

"Here is a special VIP patient, he was admitted a month ago after being shot in the chest and head. We were able to stop major damage from occurring to his organs, and stop internal bleeding, however, he has suffered some brain damage and has yet to awaken. All of her organs are working properly, and we see brain activity. However he just hasn't…woken up for whatever reason. His case is of great interest to our Board of Trustees, we have had a lot of people come take a lot at him and his case. Say hi to him while you can now, he will be moving to the exclusive wing of the hospital in a few days."

Well that seems elitist. But I'm not surprised. I found out a while ago how political and classist the medical field can be. The more money you have, the better care you get. If I want to work here, I have to play that game.

"Oh, Ms. Inoue, how are you today?"

I freeze. That can't be…it is.

Orihime Inoue.

She still looks as beautiful as ever. Long, wavy strawberry blonde hair cascading down her back, a long sleeved white button down shirt, a long floral skirt. Eyes as wide and gray as a cloudy sky. Seeing her makes my heart beat in all kinds of ways that can't even attempt to explain.

"Oh, hi Dr. Kuchiki," she gives her a small smile and wave.

"Ms. Inoue, I would like for you to meet our new Interns joining the hospital this year. I was just telling them about your fiance's case." She nods and her eyes cast over us, landing on me. I can feel my blood rising.

"Ichigo?" Say something stupid.

"Hi, Orihime! What are you doing here?" Way to go Kurosaki.

"My…Ulquiorra…he…um…"She stumbles over her words and her eyes becomes moist. Oh Ichigo you moron. That guy is the patient. He's the one that is in persistent vegetative state. She's about to cry.

I make my way over to her and give her a hug.

"Hey, it's okay. I know that this is hard. This shouldn't have happened to you or to him. This is an amazing hospital. The doctors here are very competent. They will do everything possible to get him better. And I am here now. I promise I won't let you down." I feel her hands tighten on my jacket. She makes small sniffling sounds. I hate that she's sad. I hate that she's hurting. I have to find some way to cure him.

Fuck.

"Aherm?" All of the hair raises on my body as I realize that I am in front of my fellow interns and Dr. Kuchiki. They are all giving me mixed looks. My first thought is to yell at them, but I can't. I have to be professional.

"Uh…She is a friend of mine, I haven't seen her in a few years."

"Oh yeah, Ichigo and I went to school together. We are really good friends. I'm so happy that he is back in Karakura and is working here at this hospital." She releases me and straightens her clothes, her cheeks red.

"Well that's amazing, what a coincidence," comes the smug voice of Hitsugaya. Med School prodigy. He graduated top of the class at Harvard Medical School at the age of 18 with a dual Phd in Chemistry. He's a medical prodigy and is incredibly smug about it.

"No worries, Intern I'll give you guys 5 minutes to catch up. Meet us at the nurse's station when you are done," Dr. Kuchiki gives a look that implies that she means a strict 5 minutes and I nod.

"Wow, Ichigo, it's been so long. I think it's been 2 years and 6 months exactly." She looks up at me, her gray eyes so soft and warm. I grasp the back of my head.

"Yea, those last couple of years of medical school has been tough, but I was able to do it."

"Now you are working at one of the best hospitals in Japan."

"Yea, well I am interning here, for now."

"Do you still have my number? I would love to catch up later today if you have any free time?" Yes. Ofcourse.

"Um..Yea, I do,"

"Text me when you get off, we can catch up." She gives me a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. I smile back.

"Okay."

.

.

.

Exactly 9 hours later, I sent a text to Orihime, hopeful that she would respond. But that was so long ago, she's probably sleeping, or at home or doing literally anything else now.

She's still here. She'll meet me at the entrance lobby.

10 minutes later we are heading out of the hospital towards a nearby bakery.

"I can't believe that it's been so long since we hung out. I've missed you so much Ichigo. So much has happened, so much is happening. How have you been? What about your family? How was school?" She's talking a mile a minute. She is exactly the same as I remember her. I've missed her so much.

"Well school was hard. I had to study a lot and work really hard to maintain a perfect GPA. But I needed to if I wanted to work at Karakura Hospital."

"I'm so glad to see that it paid off. You always worked really hard."

"So did you. We competed for top grades in class."

"I wouldn't say that. I like to think that we worked together to make eachother better." she smiles.

"How is teaching going?"

"Oh I absolutely love it. I can't imagine ever doing something else." Her face lights up and she is even more beautiful. I want to do nothing more than cup her face into my hands and kiss those perfect pear pink lips. "My kids make me laugh every single day. So many of the students are so happy to see me and they are always smiling."

"Being a teacher suits you. You're so sweet and warm." She blushes.

"How is it, being back in Karakura?"

"It's uh…it's weird. I live not too far away and I haven't fully unpacked. So it's like I'm a visitor to my own hometown."

"You haven't unpacked yet? That must be so uncomfortable."

"It's a little. I'll get around to it eventually."

"Let me help you!"

"Oh no, I couldn't ask that-"

"Please," her tone turns serious and there is a look in her eyes of unbearable sadness. "Please let me help you, Ichigo. It's the summertime so I don't have work just yet and…I'm at the hospital all of the time. I just need…I need-"

"Yea, no, Yea, I understand. I really need your help. I'm…useless when it comes to this sort of thing." I have never seen her so sad or desperate. I don't know the full details of what happened with…that guy. But I know that he's in a coma for severe injuries. I know it's not easy not knowing what the future will be. If he's going to get better…or worse. I will do whatever I can in order to make things easier on her.

"Okay…thank you." She gives me a very small smile.

I have to help her…in any way possible.