…( )( T _ T )( )…
After some hours when Orihime was calm again Oma dragged her in the city, in the place where Chizuru told her that it was held the beauty contest.
"Oma-chan, I'm not feeling right to do this." The amber haired girl protests when Oma signed her as a participant at the contest.
"It's ok. Winning the prize will make you to feel better. It will make you to understand that you are beautiful and every man would feel lucky to have you by your side."
"But…"
"No buts, allowed, just walk on that stage and show everybody what an amazing girl you are." Orihime would protest again if she could, but in the next moment all she could see was a sea of people around her.
"I want to present you the last participant of this contest. Orihime Inoue. Please give her a warm welcome." A woman said through the microphone introducing her. The amber haired girl wanted to run away as fast as she could, but she simply couldn't when she saw that one of the men what was giving the grades was none other than Aizen.
For Oma surprise and Chizuru's too (Chizuru was in the first raw in order to take as many pictures of her beloved Hime) Orihime was walking like a pro model. She had actually stolen all the passer-by looks.
When she finished her walk she was rewarded with much applause.
"It seems that the winner it was already decided, don't you think too, Aizen?" A man with the eyes like a snake says.
"I can't deny the fact that she was impressive, but please don't forget about the other one favorite, Aika Fuwa." The eyes of the amber haired girl grow bigger when she saw Aika walking closer to the jury.
"Thank you for your kind observation, Aizen-sama. I will not protest if you want to make another task in order to everyone to be glad with the winner." Aika says winking to the people. It seemed like she had many fans even in a small village like this.
The sound of the people made Ichigo to see what's going on. He couldn't believe his eyes when he had seen that the 2 women that he loves were rivals at a beauty contest.
"This is a lovely idea, Fuwa-san. How about you and Inoue-san would walk on the stages again and we will decide the winner after the reactions of the public." Aizen said ginning please.
"This is a wonderful idea. I'm going to be the first." The blonde announces before she starts walking. Orihime knew that Aika was used with this sort of things so she was expecting this to be a hard one.
The way Aika was walking on the scene, it made Orihime to understand that Aika's place seemed to be here, but… The amber haired girl has her own reasons why she wants to win this that she can't Aika win.
When Orihime's turn came she gave it all her best. No people around did move or make a sound till the end. It made her to believe that she messed it all, but… she was rewarded by even harder noises.
"It seems that Orihime-chan is the winner." Gin says grinning happy. The truth was that he didn't like Aika. "Come here and take your prize." He announces, while Aizen raises himself.
"No, thank you. I'm out." Her decision produced many reactions, Aizen was the only one what started to laugh. Aika did something out of her style pushing Orihime out of the stage. Her eyes were wet, shocking the younger one.
"You really like to play with everything, to make it all yours. You don't understand how hard are people working to win a competition like this and you did what? You are only saying that you don't want the prize and walk away. Do you think I can bear that?" Aizen's voice cut her off.
"This is enough. I don't agree the rough attitude with women." Aika wanted to say something to protest, but… Ichigo went to help Orihime.
"This is the end, Aika. I don't want to see you again." Ichigo said taking Orihime back to the hot spring.
When the amber haired girl opened her eyes it was morning. It was hard to say, but she was again in Ichigo's room. He was staying on balcony with many cans of beer next to him.
She didn't want to think that he couldn't sleep at all, but that should be the truth.
"I'm sorry for what Aika did to you. I promise to you that she will never come closer to you again. I spoke already with Urahara and he decided to fire her from College and team." He says finishing another can of beer and he started another. "It's hard to believe that Aika I know would do such cruel things." From his words Orihime could understand that Ichigo was madder on himself than Aika. He didn't say it aloud, but he was making himself guilty of her change.
She wanted to say something to sooth his pain, but it was useless. She couldn't find some fitting words to describe the fact that whatever had happened with her it wasn't his fault.
"I'm done with gathering my belongings." Aika's voice could be heard from near the door. "I will send someone to gather the other from our apartment, then you will not hear of me." He didn't move an inch hearing her words. "I think this is the last time when we will meet. This is for you, Orihime. I don't hope you to forget me for what did I do for you, but… please read this after I'm gone." Looking for another time at him, gave her the power to leave.
The air was really heavy in the room. Orihime didn't want to let Ichigo alone, nor to disturb him, so she decided to read the letter.
"Dear, Orihime
I know that you will not believe this, but I'm sorry for what I did to you. I somehow had already known that me and Ichigo aren't going to have a future together, so I think it was just a matter of time till this would happen even if you wouldn't appear in his life.
I don't think you will trust whatever I would say to you, but since Ichigo met you again, he was truly happy, happier that he was with me. It annoys me to say this but… He had always kept inside himself what was really troubling him… I couldn't be the person in front of who he could open himself, like he had probably done to you.
I know you know about me and Aizen, but you kept this a secret, probably for Ichigo's sake. Huh… It's really hard to say all of these to someone, but since I will give up at everything I feel like I should share this.
I love Ichigo, I had always did. He was my savior. I had always tried to make him happy, that was the reason why I was with Aizen till today. The truth was that he wanted to destroy Soul Society. He didn't do it till now because we made a pact. As long as I would keep him "company" he will not touch the team.
I understand now that this was probably the reason why I made Ichigo to feel even far away from me. It wasn't easy to keep lying him about the reasons of my travels, but… I'm not going to regret any of this if he can be safe and happy even if he's not with me.
I don't know what future awaits me, but I will try to not cause you two any problem.
Fuwa Aika"
"What the hell is the meaning of all of this?" Ichigo asks behind Orihime. He made her to shiver, she couldn't sense his presence at all. Did she was so caught in the letter. "Inoue, what did you know about Aika and Aizen?" His voice was hurt, but his eyes were pleading her to tell him the truth. Orihime bit her lower lip for some seconds, trying to keep it secret, but at the end she consider it would be the best to hear about it now.
"I hear Aika and Aizen doing it in the changing room. I'm sorry for didn't tell this before." He was surprised for some seconds after what he started to laugh. "Kurosaki-kun?" She called him not knowing what's going on.
"I can't believe that I was going to marry with a woman about what seems like I knew nothing at all. I'm wondering if it's something true about her, if the Aika that I fall in love was real or she was just an act…" His words were soaked in so much pain that it made her to cry. Her hands reached for his chest surprising him. "Inoue?"
"It's ok, Kurosaki-kun, I'm here. I'm right here." Her words were strange, but somehow they reached his soul. He had felt so alone for such a long time, that her presence is a blessing even if it came in such a hard moment.
After some time Ichigo's phone started to vibrate. He received a message from Oma, that his students were now at festival. It made him to wake back at reality, it doesn't matter his feelings now. He needs to take care of his class.
"Let's go, Inoue." He invites her moving away from the bed. She knew that it was useless for her to say that it might be better for him to wait a little longer, so she walked next to him.
Although he went to such many things in such a short while it seemed like he was the same. When they exited the building there were so many people that he couldn't see where his students could be.
His arm reached for her waist, putting her closer to him. The amber haired girl wanted to say something, that their closest might interfere with his position as a teacher but she lost herself in his warmth.
"Shit! I can't believe that I can't find them. And why the hell Oma doesn't answer at her phone?" He was so pissed that he wasn't thinking at the people what he was pushing away in his research.
"Maybe they want you to have fun." He stopped his walk hearing her words. Her answer was really strange for him.
"Fun?" He repeats somehow amused. Why would the students be concerned about his feelings?
"Yes. You said at the beginning that you don't consider class trips to be funny, so maybe they are trying to make you have fun." She smiled trying to soothe his worries. "Your students really respect and care about you so I think that must to be it." He starts to laugh, but it was a pained one.
"Tsh… They chose a really bad moment for this." He admits looking at the sky. It wasn't like he wasn't glad to hear that they appreciate him, but the timing was just the worst. He inhaled deeply knowing that he needs to take a decision soon, when his eyes caught a strange sight. "Aren't they Ishida and Tatsuki?" The man pointed at a couple not so far away from them.
"Yes. Are Tatsuki and Ishida dating?" She asks confused at the two display of affection. As far as she had known, she had never seen the 2 together in the College.
"I don't know, I had never heard something about it. If they do this is the best opportunity to make fun of them." He started to green diabolic, like all his problems erased at the sight of them.
"Waaaaa…. Kurosaki-kun…" She says when he starts to drag her again in the crowd.
"Let's go, Inoue!" He started to smile again, making her to feel happy .
