-The Gaiety of the Grief-

"Ichigo, do you hear me?" a soft voice entering his ears.

As he opened his eyes, he saw Rukia by his side. Still puzzled he thought, 'why did they come be here?'

"Ru… Rukia? Is it truly you? Isn't that you supposed to be wounded and kidnapped by the hollow… or something?" Ichigo curiosity made him asked that kind off question.

"Ha? Of course this is me, Silly! Come Ichigo, let's go there!" Rukia asked him while had her fingers pointed to the place that nowhere to be seen. She stood and gave a small run to the place. "Come! Faster Ichigo! I will be waiting for you!" slowly, she disappeared.

"Rukia… don't… don't go! Rukia!" he shouted but Rukia seemed didn't hear him.

RUKIA!!!!!!!

Chapter 3: The Wistful Sigh

Ichigo shot his eyes wide opened. He is not at that place anymore. He is in his room. Who carried him here? More importantly why he shouted Rukia name? Why?

As he turned left, he saw Orihime beside him. Looking at him with a smile on her face.

"You brought me here?"

Orihime shook her head repeatedly from side to side. "No, not me. I'm just to tend your injuries. It's Urahara."

"Oh~ you have wake up, Kurosaki-san!" with a big smile, Urahara greeted.

Ichigo stared at Urahara, "Rukia… she… she had been-

Urahara cut in, "you don't have to tell me, Ichigo. I already knew…"

"Urahara, can we go to Soul Society, now? Just to ask some help from them… to save Rukia," Ichigo explained his thought.

"You can't Ichigo." He demanded.

"Why?!"

With Rukia disappearance, they will definitely will NOT believing you since you just a substitute Soul reaper. If you go there, you're just looking for dead because they're all now after you!"

Ichigo can feel that it is like a huge stone fell on his shoulders. One problem still not been solve but yet here come another one.

Suddenly someone burst into the room and grabbed the orange haired by his collar. The guy, Renji eyes on eyes with Ichigo, was mad, "You're a dead meat now. Ichigo! Where all you promise to protect her, huh? Why did you are the one who survive? Why not her? I'd love to see her more than YOU!!"

Ichigo kept silent. He wasn't even felt angry when Renji said that words to him. He knew that this is his fault. He was the one who failed to protect Rukia- the girl he loves!

Urahara came and patted Renji's shoulder.

"Just let him go, Renji."

Renji in the other hand looked at Urahara and his gripped loosen. Then he replied in a soft voice, "Ichigo. No matter what happen, please make sure you brought Rukia back or ELSE, I'll kill you when Urahara wasn't around," after that he left.

Orihime just sat there watching everything that had happen.

Urahara put his face closer to Ichigo and asked, "Do you want to save her again?"

"Are you nuts?!!! Of course I am!" he exclaimed.

"Then as usual you have to practice with me. But this time might vary from before."

"Why?"

"When I saw you strive the hollow, I can feel that there's a weakness on your attack. Whether you realize it or not, your move, Getsuga Tenshou didn't come along with Kido. That is why it is not strong enough to go against the hollow."

"Kido? Then you can just tell me how to do it. I'll learn EVERYTHING!!"

He gave a more fixed look on Ichigo, frowning, "Do you think that this matter will solve that simple?"

"Why not?"

"You're just a substitute Soul Reaper. To achieve Kido… isn't it just too impossible?"

"I just…"

"Yup, that's why I'm here! I'll help you to achieve the highest level of Kido. But there's a risk."

"Risk?" he arched an eyebrow.

Urahara as calm as always answered, "Yes, when you join both Getsuga Tenshou along with Kido, it will create a great attack."

"That's good!"

"What's good? There's nothing good about it! The side effect is really bad. BAD!"

"What does it gonna happen to me if I do so? It wont cause harm right?" he asked.

"You'll die…"

"You'll die…"

"Huh?" he frowned and stared fixedly at Urahara. This old man wasn't kidding right? Die? What does it mean? What does HE mean?

He sighed, "Because it will make your reiatsu been crush with the two elements- Getsuga Tenshou and the new Kido that you'll learn. That attack is very powerful but – do you really want to save her?"

"I do."

"Are you sure? You are willing to end your life just to save her? When it has to be done, there is no turning back."

With confident, he uttered, "Yes, I know."

"Then, see you at my place tomorrow morning. Get enough sleep for tomorrow practice." Urahara then went off leaving just Ichigo and Orihime in the room.

With his face down, he muttered, "Orihime, I'm just a pathetic aren't I, right?"

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"No! It's true! I'm really felt pathetic! Why did I meet her? If I don't meet her that night, of course I would be dead now! I don't have to think abut this crap! And Rukia… she will NOT GET HURT!!!"

Orihime stroke her hand over Ichigo's hair, and said in her soft voice, "Don't feel like that, you're completely not a pathetic, if you die that night, what will happen to your family?" she said in a concern and soothing tone, "Listen to me. I will be here beside you, forever. Whenever you need me, I will always be there for you. Rukia is important to you so just go for your love. Don't make her more suffering waiting for you there."

Orihime was shocked as Ichigo suddenly embrace her tightly. He whispered to her hears, "thanks, Orihime."

The act of embracing last for a minute or two she didn't know. But she knew that this feeling isn't for her. It belongs to Rukia. But she just ignored that unwanted feeling and let it last although she knows that it is just for interim.

She cried… the tears represent her feeling. If she has been given a choice, she doesn't want Ichigo to go. Because she know this may be their last moment together and she also know that she can't win the love that she did not own. She also understands it so well that when he managed to save Rukia, he might will…

He will be gone…

Gone…

--End of chapter 3--

Wa~ I never thought that my story will turn into this. Guess what? I myself still puzzled about whose Ichigo will love the most but as I said this is IchiRuki maa… not IchiHime… anyway I think it is more like the second one (Ichihime) haha… but maybe their relationship is nothing but just friendship…

Disclaimer: I hope I'm not late to say this. I'm completely didn't own any part of Bleach (I just writing this according to my feelings, please don't sue me, argh! No flame too) anyway thanks for reading this story and kindly leave a review^^