A/N:
Hi!
This One-shot is inspired from Kubo-sensei's Q/A in his last Jet Artbook and the final chapter of the Bleach light novel "We do knot always love you".
I really hope that you'll like it. If so, please let me know! If not, please let me also know and share your thoughts with me.
THANK YOU!
Jet Artbook Q/A:
Kubo: With regard to these two, they were about to start a dating relationship when Ichigo was a university student, they formally started dating after they both became working adults.
We do knot always love you:
"Hey, Inoue"
Standing still, he looked at Orihime.
"What is it?"
Tilting her head to the side, Orihime looked up at Ichigo.
"There's…something I'd like to talk to you about, so next time, do you think you could make some time for me?"
.
.
She had smiled.
"Of course, Kurosaki-kun"
And since then exactly one week had passed. Exactly one week ago, the wedding of Renji and Rukia had taken place, in which, among others also Orihime had taken part of.
Ichigo wasn't a guy who could express feelings well, but he'd decided for some time now to finally ask her out. Renji's pressure had once again made it clear to him how much he wanted her.
Only a few months after graduating from high school and now studying medicine at the University of Tokyo, he had realized that something was missing in his life. Well, to be honest he didn't immediately realized what was missing in particular. Had it been his friends? His family? Maybe even the fights?
For exactly two months he hadn't seen her or his other friends because of all the stress that starting to study at a University caused; the move to Tokyo, the new university, getting to know new people; and God knows how bad he was at that.
Eventually he realized what he had missed the most as he happened to meet her in the grocery store as he came back to Karakura to visit his family and of course his friends.
.
He hadn't been prepared to meet her. He was supposed to get eggs for Yuzu on the evening of his return home as he saw her standing there. She was lost in thought as she looked to the many cereal packs on the shelf and probably couldn't decide which one she should take. He went to her without any certain thoughts and actually just to greet one of his best friends, or so he thought then.
"Inoue?"
Slowly, very slowly she turned her head in his direction and her brown, big eyes looked right into his. After a few seconds she still showed no reaction as suddenly her eyes and mouth became bigger and bigger and her lips formed into a radiant smile, her eyes shining, brighter, much brighter than the sun.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
The next moment he felt her arms around his neck and her petite and so feminine body against his, as his cheeks took on a slightly reddish tinge, yet he still had the strength to put his hands on her back.
And that was the moment when Ichigo Kurosaki realized that Orihime Inoue was heartbreakingly missing in his life.
.
After that it didn't get any easier for him. He behaved more and more strangely when she was near, became jealous when she talked about her new colleague in the bakery where she worked as a temp. He tried to come to Karakura much more often than it was actually necessary and every excuse was right for him if he could fle from Tokyo.
Yuzu had the flu? Ichigo was in Karakura.
Karin had a soccer match? Ichigo was in Karakura.
His dad asked him to come home? Ichigo was in Karakura and that meant something.
Orihime studied in Karakura, although he had never understood why. She had much better grades than him and she would probably have been welcomed at any university in Japan. But she had stayed in Karakura. She "didn't want to be anywhere else". She "didn't want to move into a new apartment and a new city". She was "happy here".
Ichigo was now in his room in Karakura, which seemed so ridiculously childish to him, with all the posters and useless things he still had here. Compared to his room in the dormitory in Tokyo, which he had to share with a friend from the university, this room was significantly larger.
Outside it was already getting dark, he hadn't switched on the light in his room yet. He sat on his bed, his face illuminated by a bright light. He stared at the smartphone in his hands, spellbound. Again and again his thumb brushed over the name "Orihime Inoue" as it suddenly tapped on "call".
He still had it in his hand as he saw on the display how her number was dialed and the dial tone came. He didn't put it to his ear and thanks to the silence in his room, he could hear if she were to answer his call. And it was already ringing for the third time now. A fourth time. And his hope slowly disappeared, that she would answer.
"Moshi moshi? Kurosaki-kun?"
Hastily he put the phone to his ear and got up, was standing on his feet, barely able to sit still. His other hand went to his neck, his heart beat faster and suddenly he didn't know anymore what he wanted to say.
"Hey Inoue.. I.. What are you doing?" he asked hesitantly, somewhat confused of himself.
"I'm still at the bakery cleaning the tables, we're about to close."
"It's getting dark, you want me to walk you home?"
She laughed briefly on the phone before answering him amusedly.
"I'm not a little girl anymore, you know. You don't have to worry because it's getting dark, it's only 6 pm!"
Ichigo knew fairly how well she could take care of herself, her powers were stronger than ever before.
"I know that. It would only calm me if I could accompany you."
There was a pause for a moment and Ichigo wasn't sure if she was still on the phone.
"I would be glad, Kurosaki-kun."
"I'll be on my way then, see you soon, Inoue."
"Bye, Kurosaki-kun."
She hung up and he stared back at his smartphone.
And he knew; it was either now or never.
.
.
He waited outside the bakery as a cool breeze blew through his spikey hair. It was spring and he could almost hear the summer knocking against the door. He smiled when he thought of her, wearing summer dresses and doing things they could only do in summer when the weather was warm. Like having a picnic, or going to the beach. Or hanging around in the park. He really wanted to do all this and much more with her.
When he heard voices he shifted his gaze into that direction and saw Orihime and a tall man standing next to her. The man, and Ichigo knew immediately that it had to be her new colleague, held the door of the bakery open for her. As she walked out, Ichigo saw that he put his hand on her lower back and was smiling at her. It seemed as if she didn't notice the man's gesture and smiled back, waving a goodbye.
Ichigo had to hold back. He was jealous, it literally burned in him, in his hands, in his fingertips, in his toes. It wasn't a big deal, he knew that. The guy had just put his hand on her back. But this was already too much and it made him so incredibly jealous, he could hardly put it in words.
When she finally saw to Ichigo, the smile on her lips widened. And Ichigo's jealousy melted away, he couldn't be mad at her or someone else when he saw her smile like that.
He was hopelessly in love, he knew that.
"Kurosaki-kun!" she shouted and walked quickly to his direction.
"Hey Inoue." he greeted her gently, smiling with the one smile he could only give her.
They started to walk as Ichigo spoke.
"How was work?"
"Great! Since Shouta-kun also helps out I am not so tired in the evening anymore. He really helps me a lot and I'm very grateful that Yamamoto-san hired him." she said in a soft voice.
"Do you like him?" And Ichigo wanted to bite his tongue as he realized what he had asked.
"Of course I like Yamamoto-san. He gave me the opportunity to help out in his bakery after all."
Ichigo shook his head and stopped on his way to have a better look at her.
"I don't mean Yamamoto-san." he then said bitterly and knew that all this came out of nowhere.
Orihime also stopped and looked at him a little confused before she understood what he meant.
"Of course I like Shouta-kun, too." her smile disappeared as she said that.
And Ichigo couldn't help it, he just had to ask her, it was burning on his tongue.
"How much do you like him?"
She stared at him, saying nothing. And normally, he would know what Orihime was feeling when he looked into her eyes. He knew if she was happy, if she was scared, if she was sad, if she was nervous.
But right now, at that very moment, he just couldn't see what she was feeling.
And then she answered.
"Not as much as I like you."
And his heart.
His heart.
His heart...
FIN