October 31st, 2002, 6 p.m

Karakura Town, Asano family residence

"What, Inoue-san isn't coming?!" Asano Keigo dramatically complained as Tatsuki announced that her best friend, also known as the most beautiful girl in his high-school - and insofar the greatest asset of his oh-so desired popularity - was not attending his Halloween party.

"Oh no, this is bad…. I can't have a proper Halloween party without Inoue-san…!"

"…And why is that?" Asked Mizuiro, calm as always, whilst looking at his phone

"Look at this, Mizuiro!" He grasped the other boy's collar, desperately pointing with his eyes towards the group of teenagers in his living room.

"All these guys are here to see pretty girls, and I promised them that Inoue-san would be here…"

"I see… you were offering Inoue-san as a piece of meat…." Keigo flinched as he realized the statement came from Ishida Uryuu, adjusting his glasses behind him. "N-no, that's not it…."

"Hm. It seems that way". Yasutora Sado added in his own taciturn mannerism, both boys closing in on poor Keigo, who was now stress-sweating. "W-wait a minute… I just wanted them to see we're cool, they also wanted to meet Ichigo, too, you know, you guys get a lot of attention and-"

"Ichigo isn't coming, either, sorry to tell ya" Tatsuki said, peacefully drinking her soda, proud of herself of adding salt to Keigo's wounds while he crashed on the floor.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!"

Karakura Town, elsewhere

Kurosaki Ichigo was feeling restless.

Something was making him anxious, yet he could not pinpoint the source of his feeling.

Maybe that's what's anxiety means, dumbass… He thought to himself, frustratingly letting out a sigh.

Deciding that there was no chance in hell he'd head to Keigo's house, but not ready to head back home, Ichigo walked rather aimlessly around town until he reached the bridge, in which a familiar auburn-haired girl stood by, resting her elbows on the handrails, gazing at the river.

As usual, Orihime seemed to be spacing out, hence, she was oblivious to all the ogling around her.

Tsc, she's a freaking lightning rod...

Protective instincts kicking in, Ichigo put on his frown-face and headed over to her side, scaring the gathering groups of teenage boys away. His approaching footsteps seemed to snap Orihime out of her distraction, and she turned towards him, smiling brightly to greet him with the usual "Hi, Kurosaki-kun!".

However, something was off about her smile, he noticed.

It was slightly less cheerful, and as it slowly fade way, like a brick, it hit him. The source of his restlessness, that is.

It had been a year, today. A year since they went to Hueco Mundo, a year since that horrid war took place and, tomorrow… tomorrow it would be a year since he defeated Aizen and gave up his powers.

"… hey, Inoue"

They stood in silence for a few moments, until he spoke. "…you ok?"

"Hmmm, yes" She nodded "Just… thinking"

He looked at her.

Even though her body language looked more tranquil than his stiffed stance, her eyes indicated she was not, as she stated, ok.

Should he ask her what she was feeling? That could lead to a dangerous place, of him having to confront his own feelings, and he didn't want that. It had been a couple of months since they gave up on using her powers to restore his, and it nearly broke him, so he would very much like to avoid a growth on the pit in his stomach.

Then again…

"…we never talked about it"

Ichigo spoke, not sure where he'd go with this, but suddenly decided he wanted to talk to her about it.

What was that thing he had read about coping with trauma... The anniversary of the event, or something like that? Whatever it was, it seemed to be hitting on him... and there she was, the person who was entirely wrapped up in it.

Lessening the stiff in his shoulders, he mimicked her position over the handrails, watching Orihime brace herself as the wind brushed against them.

"It's weird to think that it's been a year, isn't it…" she mumbled "… I am just… relieved that everyone came back... more than anything, I'm happy you're safe, Kurosaki-kun" She added, now turning towards him

"… yeah" He mumbled, trying to come up with something to say, but unable to hold her gazing eyes - why is it so intense? - Ichigo lowered his head to look at his own hands for a few seconds, remembering that there was an unanswered question from the year before that he shove to the back of his mind.

"You know… I never asked you…" He gulped, but kept going

"Inoue... That day, how did you manage to heal my hand?"

She was a bit startled, as if she never anticipated that question to ever come up.

Oh, shit, I shouldn't have asked… "It's ok, you don't have to say it…"

"N-no, no, it's ok…" She turned her head back down, watching the river run beneath them. "Well… They gave me a bracelet that masked my reiatsu… And U-Ulquiorra…"

Her voice trembled when she spoke his name, and somewhere, deep in his chest… it ached? Rather, it was like an old wound that itched and he couldn't reach out and scratch it.

"… he said I could say goodbye to someone… hidden, of course, or else he'd come for all of you." She took a pause, eyes still lingering on the water's flow, and Ichigo let her words sink in.

Last year, right after he left her place, his already haunted mind tried to come up with some explanation – any explanation – as to how, she could have healed him if she was kidnapped... and most importantly, why she did that instead of calling for help.

Finally, he had his answer.

"…so you came to heal me, instead of saying goodbye to someone…" He stated, as if confirming his conclusion from her statement, but she shook her head.

"hehe, no… not really"

She seemed to be pondering whether to continue, so Ichigo kept quiet, waiting for her next movement.

"… Actually, Kurosaki-kun, I didn't even realize I was healing you at all…"

That surprised him.

"… I thought to myself… that since that was my last day here…" She sighed, clutching her fingers, blushing, and avoiding his eyes entirely "I… I thought I should talk to the person that I wished I had spent more time with…"

And that shocked him.

Awestruck and thrown away by her words, he could only stare at the girl, eyes widened. She had that effect on him, surprising him with gentleness.

"Then… Well, I… huh…." She stuttered, now blushing furiously. "I…I took your hand, for a bit, Kurosaki-kun, as I said goodbye, I must have healed you then because I thought if I used my rikka I could get you trouble but I got everyone in trouble anyway..." Orihime blushed even further "oh, s-s-sorry for invading your room and your privacy, I didn't mean anything by it! Oh, but Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan were there too, so we weren't alone or anything, not that it would made any difference because I was invisible like a ghost, you know, boo!"

She was now so fussed and embarrassed that she didn't seem to realize the effect that her previous statement had on him. To Ichigo, that came to his advantage because he was entirely unsure of what to think, what to say or what to do next, feeling completely… well, pathetic would be an accurate description.

But also… Ichigo felt strangely warm.

As she calmed down, her face turned a bit sad again. "I'm so sorry, Kurosaki-kun… All that pain you went through, because I couldn't-"

"Don't"

Involuntarily, he shifted closer to her, but didn't know what to say.

"…"

"…"

"All I wanted was to bring you back to safety"/ "All I wanted was to keep you safe"

They said it, simultaneously. Realizing what they did, the two teenagers managed to chuckle, just for a bit, both avoiding each other's gaze with blushing cheeks

"…do you think they recovered from the war?"

He asked after a few seconds in silence.

"I hope so…" She answered with a gentle, delicate smile that made him relax his shoulders and smile back.

"Yeah, me too"