Disclaimer: Standard applied
UNBETA'D
Chapter 18 —Tatsuki—
"Regret"
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"Oi, Where are you going?"
The pale man stopped and turned to face me. I scowled when I saw the expression he wore at the time. He'd been always like that, wearing that poker face mask, but this time I saw something different in his emerald eyes. His eyes were darker than usual and his usually pale lips were turned into a thin line. He didn't say anything to me but the look on his face explain it all. Something was going on.
"What's wrong?" I walked toward the bartender, a little bit more concerned than I wanted to. I knew he had been in Orihime's room just now. If my feeling was right, this wouldn't be good. Oh how I wished I was wrong.
"I've to go," he said in his deep baritone, "take care of that woman."
Whom he referred with "that woman" was Orihime. I didn't understand exactly what he meant by that but I knew there must be something really wrong behind this. This man, Ulquiorra, was no longer dangerous for Orihime, I knew it. Since the beginning I knew he would never hurt Orihime. There was something in the way he looked at her which assured me that he would not dare to do that. He loved her. Even back then when he had to betray Orihime, in the end, he saved her. Now, the look in his eyes, and the way he talked to me... He wanted to save her.
...from what?
I had a feeling about what he had been hiding but I didn't dare to ask. I wished I was just wrong.
"Where're you going?" I looked into his eyes, searching for some kind of emotion which might tell me what was in his mind. He looked at me directly, I couldn't read this man, "What about Hime?"
If I was right, which hopefully not, this vacation would be the worst vacation ever.
His eyes didn't leave mind. His emerald eyes were cold and empty.
You might not believe something like this, me neither, about telepathy. Nu-uh, there wasn't such a thing like that. I was not Orihime who believed in supernatural power but when he looked into my eyes, just like a telepathy, I could understand what he was trying to say. All of sudden, I knew what it was all about.
I gasped loudly.
My eyes widened and I shook my head.
No way.
No fucking way.
It was all about Aizen.
I was—unfortunately—right.
I had known Ichigo Kurosaki since forever. I'd known him before everyone else. Literally, I'd known him for the entire of my life. We grew up together and since our parents were best friends plus we lived closed to each other, there were times where I spent my time mostly with that scowling boy. His late mother used to invite me for dinner. We were practically sibling.
When Orihime joined us a little later, I knew it right away, there had been something special about them. Orihime was a really cute and nice girl, I liked her very much. Me and Orihime became friends right away and I had a feeling that the only man I could accept to be with her was my other bestfriend, Ichigo. I was really happy when they were getting alone.
My dad made me took karate class when I entered elementary school which meant I couldn't play with Ichigo and Orihime as often as usual. I did miss them, especially Orihime but when they had each other with them, I would not worry about them.
Ichigo loved Orihime, whoever said otherwise might have a long nice discussion with me.
I wouldn't be wrong, after all of this year I'd spent with them. I knew it, Ichigo had loved Orihime more than what he thought he was capable to do.
That was why even thought there were rumors that Ichigo had an affair with Rukia, I knew, the one he loved the most is Orihime. After what had happened with Ulquiorra and Aizen proved it. How Ichigo had lost himself only to save her.
Ichigo's mother died in an accident. She died to protect Ichigo. The car hit the beautiful woman and the young Ichigo, she used her body to shield him. She saved him though in the end, she had to lose her life to save his. Ichigo had been always so close with her mother so I thought this would bring him down but I was half wrong. He had been down but she, Orihime, had been there for him. They were just a kid, just like me at the time, but when he held her hand and walk side by side with her, he had that mature look in his eyes. I had to admit, Ichigo has been the coolest when he had been with Orihime.
I still remembered how at the funeral, that guy were standing there. His brown eyes were hidden under the glasses but I could see his tears.
I was standing not too far from him. That man looked at Ichigo with an unexplained expression. It was... a grudge.
That was the first time I saw Aizen and unfortunately not the last.
When I heard about what had just happened, I wanted to kill him. A punch and a kick wouldn't be enough. He was responsible for what had been happened to my bestfriend. He was also my bestfriend but that didn't mean he might involve Orihime in danger. I knew, deep inside I knew, that this wasn't his fault but I still couldn't forgive him.
I was ready to kill him when I saw him there, standing next to her bed with his arm broken and bandage around his head. His eyes, those brown orbs, were glued to the unconscious Hime. I forgot about the punches and kicks I planned to give him. The look in his eyes, he had beaten himself mentally worse than what I could do to him.
It was not really his fault.
He didn't want it to happen to her.
I stood there by the door for few more minutes, watching the orange head stood there without saying anything. I couldn't say anything. I'd heard about it. I didn't saw it but I heard from the police how he had beaten the two guys.
It wasn't him who did that.
Ichigo didn't remember anything about that night, the doctor said it was the aftershock. He couldn't remember that night completely but he knew, that night he had turned into a monster right in front of the girl he loved.
I clenched my hands.
If only I were there…
'Sorry…'
It was barely heard but Ichigo muttered something to the unconscious Hime.
'Sorry, I had dragged you into this…' he talked as if he didn't know I had been there watching them, 'If only… If only I could protect you. But what I could do was just bring you danger…'
I almost cried when I saw a single tear on his cheek.
Ichigo Kurosaki, the strongest man in the kendo club was crying.
'I am so sorry…'
As I watched his back, I knew I had to do something.
I couldn't stop Ulquiorra but maybe I could do something.
I clenched my fists and hurry to Orihime's room. Ichigo supposed to be there. If I couldn't do anything, maybe Ichigo could do something. He beat Aizen once, this time maybe he'd beat him again. I turned in the corner and I saw Renji walked from the opposite direction from me.
"Oi, Tatsuki!"
He grinned at me.
"Did you see Ichigo?"
The red haired man frowned when he saw my face.
He studied my expression and said in a serious tone, "Something's happened?"
"Where's Ichigo and the other?"
"Rukia was going somewhere, Hime-chan of course is in her room and I believe Ichigo is there with her."
I nodded, "Thanks."
I was ready to run to the room where Hime had stayed when Renji grabbed my upper arm to stop me. I groaned and turned to see him standing there with a serious look on his face. He could smell trouble and I didn't have time to explain to him.
I sighed because I knew he wouldn't let me go before I answered him. I could just kick him hard but I knew he wouldn't let go without a fight.
"Go get Rukia, we talked in Hime's room."
"Where's Ulquiorra?"
I didn't answer. From the look in my eyes, he supposed to understand already. He groaned when I didn't answer him. He knew it. I knew he understood.
"Fuck," he cursed, "He's gone, hasn't he?"
"Get Rukia," I pulled my self away from him, "We talked about it later."
If everybody had something to regret, to become bestfriend with Orihime would never be it to me. I would never regret the day I met her. When I saw her, I knew this girl would be my friend. I'd decided right when I saw her, I want to be her friend.
"My name's Tatsuki, what's yours?"
"Orihime!"
She was smiling when she took my hand and shook it. Behind me, Ichigo was peeking on Orihime without saying anything. I knew he wanted to be her friend too but he had been too shy to approach her. I liked this girl, she looked like the princess in a fairytale my mother used to read to me at night.
I moved and pushed Ichigo to stand right in front of Orihime. He became panic but when Orihime smiled at him, he couldn't do anything but staring at her.
"My name is Orihime," she shook his hand friendly.
"Ichigo." He muttered shyly.
Orihime giggled.
Ichigo didn't like it when someone laughed at his name, he scowled, "What?"
She shook her head and flashed him with her blinding smile, "I like your hair! It almost looks like mine!"
I was really young at that time and I didn't know much about love. But when I saw faint blushes on his cheeks became more and more visible, I had a feeling that this might be something people called love. I liked this girl and Ichigo was my bestfriend. If they got married, there would be party and foods! I was really happy at that time and I wished they would get married soon.
The day I became a friend with Orihime, I would never regret that day.
It has been years since that day, now me and Orihime both had grown up and we learned about many things. We grew up and many things changed but our friendship remained the same. Orihime and I grew up as a completely different personality but yet we were still best friend.
As time goes by, Ichigo and Orihime grew closer just like what I had expected since the beginning. It was just about time for Ichigo to get some balls to ask her out. I was supporting them with all my might. I knew, they were meant to be together. Though many things happened, though they might not sure about it, I just knew about it.
'Tatsuki!'
It was after lunch time when Orihime called my name in the cafeteria. I turned to greet her when I saw her alone without Rukia or Ichigo with her. Well, not really alone but I didn't know who was the guy who was standing next to her.
Orihime waved her hand, signaling me to come closer. I frowned and walked to her. My eyes shifted from her smiling face to the blank face of the man next to her. I'd seen her somewhere but I didn't remember where. I didn't have any idea why he stood that close to my Hime. A part of me disliked it.
"Hey," I greeted her.
Orihime smiled wider, "Tatsuki, this is Schiffer-kun, he had helped me today so I take him here to treat him lunch to gratitude him."
I eyed the man from top to toe. This man was too pale for my own liking. He was very thin with dark circle around his eyes. His jet black hair was messy and oily. He looked so gloomy. Just by standing there, next to the goddess, he looked even worse.
"What had he done for you?"
Orihime blushed and looked away, avoiding my eyes, "Well, err…" she rubbed the back of her head shyly, "He caught me when I fell from the tree."
I scowled, my voice turned sterner, "And what were you doing exactly on a tree?"
She became redder, "I tried to help a kitten. She could climb the tree but she couldn't get down…"
I growled. I knew Ichigo couldn't be there for her every seconds but sometime I wished that stupid orange head could watch her better. Orihime had tendency to do dangerous things and it was my and Ichigo's job to protect her from the danger.
If only Ichigo knew about it, I was sure he would freak out.
"So, err..." I looked at the man once again and frowned, "Schiffer-san," just when the name escaped my mouth, I remember who this man was, "thank you for saving Hime."
This man was the famous Ulquiorra Schiffer, the emo boy who had been rumored to be involved with some drug dealler. He wasn't someone who should be near Orihime.
"I didn't plan to help her. She fell onto me."
I raised my eyebrows when the emo turned around and left us.
"W-wait, Schiffer-san!"
He walked away coolly, ignoring Orihime. I narrowed my eyes, a man who ignored Hime must have been a gay.
I thought he was a gay, but he wasn't.
He loved Orihime. He didn't say it out loud, but I knew it.
"This was not your fault."
I tapped Ichigo's shoulder from behind as he sat there next to her bed. It has been two days and she hadn't woken up. Aizen didn't touch her but his followers, those damn bitches had broken her arm. Ichigo blamed himself for what had happened. This was not his fault.
"Maybe," he said in a tired voice, "It was better if I never loved her."
I frowned, I didn't like what he just said, "Do you regret it?"
He didn't say anything. His eyes never left her sleeping face, he was scowling like usual but at the same time his expression looked soft and sad. His hands hold her smaller hand. Despite what he'd said, I knew he loved her too much to regret it.
"When you love someone, there were times where you regret it. If I didn't love her," he spitted the name in anger,"that bastard would not kidnap her."
If you love someone, there were times where you'd regret it.
Maybe he was right…
I regretted it.
It wasn't his fault.
It was mine…
…if only I had enough brave to say it.
When I slid the door opened, both Ichigo and Orihime looked at me with a serious look on their face. I had a feeling that they had expected this. I saw the tears on my beautiful friend's cheeks. I clenched my fists to control myself not to shout at Ichigo for making her cry again.
"Tatsuki, what's wrong?"
He was scowling and his brown eyes looked right into mine.
"I saw Ulquiorra."
Orihime eyes left me and her gaze fall onto her laps which was covered by a thick blanket. From the corner of my eyes I could see her bit her lower lip and chewed it.
"I think we need to stop him."
Ichigo sighed, "What do you mean?"
He knew it. I knew he knew what I mean, "He's back Ichigo, Aizen's back…"
Orihime closed her eyes, "So it's true?"
"So what?" Ichigo growled, "I wouldn't let him touched Orihime. I would fight!"
I shook my head, he didn't get what I meant, "Ulquiorra is trying to stop Aizen, he might do something dangerous…" I knew I sounded so out-of-character and weak right now but I didn't care, "you need to stop him before he gets hurt!"
Ichigo folded his arms and looked at me, "I wouldn't leave Orihime here. He went by his own will. It's none of my business…"
"You don't understand," I clenched my fists too hard that my nail started to make my palms bleeding, "he could be death, Ichigo!"
He shook his head, "I would not leave Hime for anything or anyone."
"YOU ARE JUST JEALOUS, AREN'T YOU!"
I surprised myself when I shouted at my bestfriend. Ichigo had the same expression with me when he looked at me disbelievingly. Hime sighed, she looked at me for few seconds before once again she looked at her laps.
"What are you talking about!" Ichigo groaned.
"You are fucking jealous!" I shouted at him again, "You know he loves Hime, that's why you didn't want to save him!"
"You don't understand anything!" Ichigo's face was red now.
"You are the one who don't understand anything!"
If there were anything to regret for, it must have been my jealousy.
I didn't tell anybody about this but when Ulquiorra took Hime to Aizen, I actually saw it. No, I didn't know that he was taking her to Aizen but I knew that they went together. At that time, if only I called her name and she looked at me…
Maybe she wouldn't go with Ulquiorra. Maybe she'd be safe.
I was ready to call her actually. I had opened my mouth. But before I had a chance to call her, I saw that. I saw how he looked at her with those emerald orbs which were somehow brighter every time she was around him.
I didn't call her. Instead, I turned around and go.
I would never stop regretting that day.
"I love Ulquiorra, Ichigo."
His eyes widened.
"Please, save him."
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-chapter 18—Tatsuki— "Regret" : end-
Author's Note:
Sorry it took so long for me to update it.
I wished I could update the other stories too ASAP.
And yes, Even Now would be ended in maybe 4-5 chapters from now.
It's a little bit long and slow because I used too many POV.
I hope I didn't disappoint you.
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Recchinon
