OUR LOVE TOWARDS THE FUTURE

By: Mari Kia Aishiteru

TEN: Confession

That night, Ichigo was currently lying on his bed in his room. He was wearing his black shirt with a design that says, 'Bad guy' and black pants. A short while after his reunion with Orihime and Rukia, a few servants told them that their rooms were finally prepared and they needed to rest so they led them to their said rooms. The same with Rukia, Orihime, Uryuu, and his parents.

He was thinking about what the prince had told him a while ago back at the party.

Ichigo sighed heavily.

Was he afraid of getting rejected by Rukia so he couldn't bring himself to confess to her?

Was it because of that? Or was it because he was afraid to trouble her about this?

Ichigo was out of his reverie when he heard someone knocked on his door. He sat up on the bed and looked towards the door.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me." The voice replied.

Ichigo recognized the voice and let her in. When she finally opened the door, she walked inside and closed it. She sat on the chair just a few meters away from the bed.

"What do you want from me, twin sister?" Ichigo asked his sister as he blinked.

"Why? Is it bad to visit my dear brother?" Orihime asked, as she pouted slightly.

"NO, but, I know you're up to something again. So, just spill it out." Ichigo said, as he leaned on the back of the bed he was on.

"Ichigo, you love Rukia-chan, don't you?" she asked flatly.

He looked at her with his eyes wide. Did he hear her right?

"W-What are you… what are you trying to say Orihime?" Ichigo managed to say, as he avoided her question and looked away from her.

"Don't you dare ignore the question now spill!" she said seriously.

Ichigo refused to look at her. "Why are you asking me such weird questions again?"

"Ichigo, it's not weird. It's normal for a sister to ask her brother about his love affairs so just answer the damn question!" she shot at him.

Ichigo stared at his sister as if she grew a second head. She's acting weird again.

"I don't." he answered.

"Liar." Orihime spat.

"What?"

"You're such a liar, Ichigo."

"And why would you say that?"

"Ichigo, I can see the truth in your eyes, in your actions towards her. You love her so much that you wanted to be with her and you wanted to see her happy." She paused as she saw Ichigo averting his gaze from her.

Orihime sighed.

"Ichigo, stop being so stubborn please. You need to tell her that you love her or things will get out of hand. Tell her before it's too late. What do you expect? Maybe she's just waiting for you to confess to her." she finished with a smile.

"Orihime…" Ichigo glanced at his sister and saw her smiling at him. He sighed.

I'm defeated by that smile again. He thought before saying, "Fine, I admit. I love her, very much."

Orihime giggled. "I thought so. Please confess to her before the battle Ichigo." She said as she slowly leaned her back on the chair she was sitting at.

"Ichigo... I have something to ask."

Ichigo looked at her curiously. "What?"

"I don't know if Rukia-chan already told you this but... do you know about her... well... um... first love?" she asked uneasily.

Ichigo's eyes widened for a second and returned to normal. He sighed as he scratched his orange hair.

"I knew about it."

Orihime seemed to be surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah..."

"Who told you?"

"Prince Kazuki... just a while ago... while you're in the party..." he said.

"I see... so you also knew how... you know... she got rejected..."

Ichigo nodded. "Why? And how did you know about that in the first place?" he raised an eyebrow as he realized that his sister knew what he knew.

"Rukia-chan told me..."

"Hmmm..."

Silence.

"So, you know who the guy was?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, do you know who the guy who rejected her was?"

Ichigo started to wonder. Oh, his sister was right.

"Well... I..."

"I take that as a 'no'." Orihime said, "Do you want to know who he is?"

Ichigo gasped slightly and clenched his fists tightly. If he met that guy he would punch him and kick him and probably kill him for hurting and laughing at Rukia and rejected her just like that.

"Who is he?"

"I don't know if you already met him but... he's kinda related to us." Orihime said as she shifted from her seat hesitantly.

"Oh, so who the hell is it?" Ichigo asked, already losing his patience.

"Um... his name is Yoshioka Renzoku." Orihime finally said. She looked at her brother who was gaping at her.

"T-That... Ren?" Ichigo asked in no one in particular.

Orihime seemed to be surprised. "You knew him?"

"I met him and his father a while ago. He's our cousin." Ichigo explained, trying to calm his voice.

He couldn't believe it. The guy who rejected Rukia and the latter's first love... was his freaking cousin?! What's with the fate?

Ichigo's clenching fists trembled and his face was showing fury and rage. Orihime sighed.

I thought so. He would really react like this as I've anticipated. Orihime thought. She faced her brother and tried to come up with a solution to calm him down. She was sure that her brother would kill this guy if he ever laid his hands on him.

"I'll kill him!"

See? Told you so.

"Ichigo, wait. You don't need to do that anymore." Orihime said calmly.

"But Orihime! He laughed at Rukia! I would understand him if he rejected her because he doesn't love her but to laugh at her! That's just... UNFORGIVABLE!"

"He already apologized to her!" she shouted at him, just to make sure he would hear her.

And he did.

"What? He did what?"

"He apologized to her. According to him, he was very guilty of what happened so he really waited for her to formally apologize." Orihime explained.

Ichigo looked at her. Somehow, he managed to calm down.

"What did she say about it?" he asked, curious how Rukia would react about the matter.

"She forgave him. She said she had forgiven him before the incident happen five years ago so it was nothing to her now." she declared.

Ichigo released a sigh of relief. That's good...

"I bet you just think that you had a chance with her. Now that she had forgotten her feelings about her first love." Orihime teased her brother and she smirked when she saw Ichigo blushed.

"Shut up. How can you be so sure that she doesn't love him anymore?" Ichigo asked his sister.

Orihime shrugged. "I'm so sure about that. I'm a girl too you know. It's an instinct. Just trust your sister." She winked happily at him.

Ichigo sighed. "Yeah right."

"Now that you had a chance, tell her what you feel about her soon." Orihime said as she stood up from her seat and slowly walked towards the door.

"I'm going to bed now. Good night stupid stubborn brother." Orihime stated teasingly and opened the door.

Before she walked outside, she heard Ichigo calling her. She stopped in her tracks and saw him looked at her and smiled,

"Thanks, little sister."

"Hey! I'm not little! I'm a lady now!" she almost screamed that.

Ichigo smiled at her reaction.

Orihime calmed down a bit and grinned at him. "Of course. That's what family is." She answered as she closed the door of his room.

He lay down on his bed again. Looking at the ceiling, he contemplated on what Orihime had told him earlier.

She's right. He thought. I need to tell her before it's too late.

He stayed for what almost like forever with his eyes closed.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and sat up, eyes burning with determination. He stood up, got his jacket and walked outside of his room, searching for the violet-eyed princess.

Rukia… I hope you feel the same way too.

...

"Rukia, are you sure that you want us to know what happened to you in the Human World for these past five years?" Honoru asked gently, curious that she might feel bad when she speak of it.

They were in Rukia's room. Her two brothers came up to her room a while ago, wanting to spend time with her.

She didn't know if she still had the courage to say the story again to others. But, all she knew now is, these people are not simply others. They were her older brothers, family. They had the right to know her experiences in the Human World for the long span of time they were not together. So she decided to tell them about it, but now…

"Kia-chan? Are you alright? If you don't want to, there's always tomorrow." Kazuki implied as he sat next to her on the bed from his standing position.

"Mmm…" she replied as she shook her head. "You need to know what I've been through." She exclaimed as she looked up at them.

"But, if you're feeling uneasy, we can listen to you some other time." Honoru said softly, his voice seemed to reassure his little sister.

Rukia smiled. She was happy to know that they were worried about her and she could easily hear it. The way they talk to her, she can see it in their eyes and action. She was really loved by them and she felt lucky to be.

"Don't worry about me. I've decided and I'll be fine. I promise." She paused and smiled, "I'm ready."

The two older Kuchiki looked at each other and looked at Rukia later on. They could both see the determination in her violet eyes.

She became stronger… Honoru thought.

You've changed so much, Kia-chan… Kazuki seconded.

Rukia took a deep breath and started her long story.

She told them all. Starting from her foster family, their death, her friends and lover, their death again, meeting Ichigo and the others, the discovery, start of the new and special friendship, the other fights they had been through up until they reached the Shimylea.

The Kuchiki brothers felt bad and guilty about what she had been through. Imagine, a ten-year-old girl, lurking around the human world and were attacked by their powerful enemies for damn five years? That wasn't an easy thing to bear. Now that they knew that Rukia was able to overcome it all, they were so much proud of her. They also gained so much respect for her. They really were.

After the story, Rukia didn't look at her brothers' eyes.

There was a minute of silence until it was broken.

"I'm sorry." Kuchiki Honoru's voice resounded Rukia's silent room. She looked at him and saw him looking back at her. She could see sadness and guilt deep in his eyes.

Rukia shook her head. "Don't be, Nii-sama. You're not at fault. You did that to protect me, and I'm grateful. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have known my foster family and my friends, who accepted and loved me for who I am. I experienced to be a normal human. It's a very great experience. I'm happy. And… I was able to meet Ichigo and the others…" She trailed off at the last part but her two brothers heard her.

The two of them smiled, even Honoru, who was known to be so cold and distant.

"Um… Nii-sama, Kazu nii?"

"What is it, Kia-chan?" Kazuki asked.

"Do you mind telling me how did the two of you managed to regain your strength five years ago?" she asked politely and softly. She wanted so badly to know how her brothers were able to live.

Honoru and Kazuki looked at each other shortly and both of them sighed deeply.

Kazuki decided to tell the story himself. Rukia had the right to know what happened.

"Kia-chan… listen to me… 'kay?"

Rukia nodded.

Kazuki smiled. "Well, this is what happened…"

[FLASHBACK]

"Kizuri nee-san… I felt Kazuki's power. It's fading slowly…" Kuchiki Mirashi said as she used flash step with Kuchiki Kizuri in front of her. They were in the Izutsu Clan's Kingdom, Riyalea, when they heard from a messenger who escaped from Thyilea that the said Kingdom were attacked. The two of them decided to go back in Thyilea to help the Kuchiki Siblings. But, as soon as they got there, they felt Honoru and Kazuki's aura slowly fade, and so they were in their current situation right now.

She saw her sister-in-law tensed up but she didn't look at her. "I know… Honoru's powers too…" she said quietly. "We need to hurry."

"Hai." Mirashi replied, increasing the use of flash step. She was tired, but it was nothing compared to the worry she felt right now towards her husband. Kizuri was acting calm right now but she knew her well. She was probably as worried as her towards her husband. So she decided to ignore the tiredness she felt.

When they finally arrived in the room where they felt their husbands' presence, they saw the two of them lying on the floor, drowning in their own blood.

Their eyes both widened and hurriedly ran to their husbands' side.

"Kizuri nee-san… they are still alive." Mirashi said a few seconds later after she checked Kazuki's wrist for a pulse.

Kizuri nodded. She reached for her sleeve and removed something from it. Mirashi saw that it was a small pocket and her sister-in-law opened it, revealing yellow power crystals.

"Mirashi, here. Let Kazuki swallow this." Mirashi got the yellow power crystal from Kizuri's hand and placed it in Kazuki's mouth. While Kizuri did the same to her husband.

The two Kuchiki siblings were surrounded by a yellow light and their wounds slowly healed.

"Kizuri nee-san… their wounds were too deep. It will take some time for them to heal." Mirashi said, as he continued to look at his husband.

Kizuri nodded. "Mirashi, we need to get out of here. We need to get them to safety."

Mirashi looked at her confused. "Where will we go? The Thyilea's soldiers were annihilated. We cannot take that traitor by ourselves."

"We're going to Shimylea to get help."

"Shimylea? The Hinamori Clan?"

"Yes, they will help us." Kizuri paused. "These Kuchiki siblings were important to them after all."

"But, how are we going to get there in these circumstances?" Mirashi asked.

"Leave it to me." Kizuri closed her eyes and concentrated. She tried to visualize in her head the Castle of Shimylea. It was her ability. She can travel through space anytime she wanted to.

When she finally and clearly visualized it, they were surrounded by a pure blue sphere. One blink of an eye and they were gone.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

"When we woke up, we were in Shimylea and Suguru was asking us what happened to you and Hisana. We told him what happened and he offered to help. We prepared all of the butterflies left and while we were doing that, we hid in their Castle for a while." Kazuki explained. "It took us five years though. Sorry about that, Kia-chan." He said as he looked at her.

Rukia shook her head slowly. "It's nothing. You two were alright and that's all that matters to me."

Honoru stood up and sat next to Rukia's left on the bed—since Kazuki was sitting on Rukia's right—and hugged her from the side, placing her head on his chest. Rukia hugged her brother back tightly.

"Rukia, always remember that we are here for you. No matter what happens. We will be here. We will never be apart again. Ever." Honoru's reassuring words rang in Rukia's head. She smiled on his chest and answered, "I know Nii-sama. I believe in you."

"Kia-chan, we love you and always remember that, 'kay?" Kazuki added as he leaned on Rukia's back and placed his face on Rukia's shoulder, his hands finding their way to Rukia's shoulders, caressing it.

"I know and I love the both of you too, Nii-sama, Kazu nii, and Hisana Onee-chan too." She murmured and smiled.

...

Kurosaki Orihime was leaning on the terrace just outside her room. She was looking at the full moon as she smiled slightly.

I wish Ichigo make up his mind as soon as possible…

"What are you doing out here?" a very familiar voice brought back Orihime out of her reverie. She looked at the source of the voice.

"Uryuu-kun."

"Yo." Hitsugaya Uryuu made his way to her and stood next to her on the terrace, gazing at the full moon's bright light in the midst of darkness.

Orihime gazed downward and sighed heavily, causing Uryuu to look back at her.

"What's wrong? That was a very heavy sigh you got there." He pointed out.

"Yeah. It's just Ichigo." She answered.

"Oh, is it only Ichigo or it also involved the princess?" Uryuu asked, as if he knew everything.

Orihime nodded. "Yes, it also involved her. They were both stubborn to their bones." She let out another loud sigh. "I don't know what to do with them anymore."

"What's with them anyway? Don't tell me you're matchmaking?"

"Well, actually… sort of…"

"Orihime, don't worry about them. You had told them advices already didn't you?" Orihime nodded. Uryuu continued.

"I know they'll take action soon as they feel like it."

"But Uryuu-kun, what if they didn't? Everything will be too late for them."

"What if we're just wrong? What if they just really felt friendship between each other?"

"No Uryuu-kun, they both confessed to me already."

"Eh? Really? You made them do so?"

"Yes, I'm Kurosaki Orihime after all."

Uryuu sighed. "If that's true then all we have to do is wait for them to express their feelings for each other. Don't worry; I'm sure everything will be alright. This is Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia we're talking about after all." He finished confidently.

Orihime smiled at Uryuu and gazed back at the full moon.

"I sure hope so Uryuu-kun. I sure hope so."

"Now don't you think you need to think of something else too that doesn't involve your brother?" Uryuu asked, a smirk forming on his lips.

Orihime made a confused expression but it was just a few moments and it was replaced with understanding when Uryuu had just kissed her lips deeply and passionately.

...

Rukia was lying on her bed, eyes closed. She was startled by the sudden knock on her door. She sat up and asked, "Who is it?"

"It's me." The voice replied.

Rukia, recognizing the owner of the voice, stood up and walked to the door to open it. She saw him looked at her, his eyes determined on something.

"Ichigo? What do you need? It's already late. You should be sleeping already."

"I know, sorry for the disturbance but…" he paused. "…but I need to talk to you about something."

"Is it really important that you don't want to talk about it tomorrow?" she asked sarcastically.

"Rukia, please let me talk to you now. Please..." he almost pleaded.

Rukia was stunned by that. The great Kurosaki Ichigo never pleaded. But, here he was, in front of her, saying 'please' and pleading. What's with the world?

Rukia sighed. "Okay. Let's go talk somewhere. I know this place where we can do that peacefully." She held Ichigo's hand in hers and dragged him with her as she closed her door.

"Come on."

Ichigo let her dragged him away, enjoying her hand in his.

I'm really losing my mind. Ichigo shook his head to get rid of his thoughts. Ichigo, focus. You need to tell her how you feel. Now.

When they finally reached there, Ichigo gaped at the scenery.

"This is my secret place." He heard Rukia said next to him.

"Your secret place?"

"Uh huh. I'm the only one who knows about this place, and you're the only one I've ever brought here." She nodded and smiled.

He looked around. There were so many violet orchids around. In the middle, a big tree stood. That was where they were standing now. The wind gently blew and the orchids swayed as the light from the full moon hovered the orchids. It was a very beautiful sight.

Rukia sat on the grass under the tree and leaned on it. Ichigo sat next to her.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Ichigo?" Rukia asked after a minute of silence.

"Rukia… I... Y-you know… back then, I lived my world boringly. It was a never ending cycle. I grew tired of it. But, suddenly I met you. I got curious about you. Never in my life had I felt that feeling before. I don't know how but I got much attached to you pretty easily. Even so I've discovered your secret, I didn't care about it. And, after the months we spent together, I realized that you became a very important part of my life."

"Ichigo…" Rukia stopped when Ichigo lifted a finger on her lips to stop her from speaking any further.

"Rukia… I want you to know. I… I love you."

Ichigo saw Rukia's eyes widened. But he continued nonetheless.

"I love you. I don't know for how long. But, I'm sure about it now that I do. I love you so much Rukia. More than my own life. I'll protect you and stay by your side forever." He removed his finger from Rukia's lips.

"I want to know what you feel about me Rukia." he said quietly. "I want you to tell me the truth. Please."

"I-Ichigo…" Rukia choked out. She didn't know how to react but now she knew. Ichigo love her back, and there's no way she would run away from this now.

So she took a deep breath and gently said, "I… I love you too. Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes widened for a little while but it came back to normal and his face softened. Rukia loves him too. She does.

"Rukia… You really mean it do you?"

Rukia chuckled. "Of course you moron."

Ichigo wrapped his arms around her small body. She did the same to him. They stayed that way for what it seemed a long time. They broke apart and looked at each others' eyes.

Soon, Ichigo leaned closer, closing the gap between their lips as they kissed each other. Rukia felt butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Ichigo's lips was soft against hers. When she thought that she might lose her mind, his lips moved slowly against her own. It sent her mind into near shock. He deepened the kiss with his both hands on her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He tasted sweet and sour, like strawberry. She loved it so much.

Of course, after a while, they broke apart for air and hugged each other tightly again.

"Ichigo?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving me, I guess."

Ichigo chuckled. "You're welcome, midget." He replied teasingly, earning a playful punch on his right arm.

They stood like that for who knows how long, while gazing at the full moon.

I'm glad I met you.

-END OF CHAPTER TEN-