A/N: Thanks for the warm responses to my story. I will try my best to make this as accurate as I can, meaning that the small details will be from the original Bleach as well as some quotes, so hopefully the story will seem more accurate. The pace will be slow, but it will speed up. I have ideas for this story! Be prepared for short chapters in the beginning! Longer ones will follow.

She catches up and falls into step by me. I see her lean forward, her hands still clasped behind her back. She turns her head toward me. "Where are we going?"

"You know that part-time job I have? Well, it might be 'had' now that I think about it," I trail off in afterthought. "Anyways, my boss owns the Unagi Shop, and she said I can stop by anytime."

"Boss?" She puckers her lips as if in concentration. The sight has me looking away. "Oh! The boss that kidnapped you, right?"

My eyebrows furrow. "Kidnapped? When?" My head tilts as I try to remember.

"Don't you remember? It was around the time you started acting kind of…strange." She says the last part after hesitating. Ah. I knew what she was referring to. It was before I met Ginjou. I just nod instead of answering aloud. Thinking about that time leaves me feeling down in the dumps and-and angry. Even though Ginjou and Tsukishima helped us in the end, helped fix Tensa Zangetsu, I couldn't forget what they did to me and to Chad and…to her. Debts may have been repaid, but I couldn't erase the despair that lingers around my memories.

"aki-kun? Kurosaki-kun?" She is suddenly in front of me, waving her a hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention. I catch her wrist as her hand comes a little too close to hitting my face. She blushes and apologizes. "Sorry! I almost hurt you!" She bows immediately and when she straightens herself upright, she almost collides her head with mine. I barely lean back in time to avoid her. "Whoops! Sorry, Kurosaki-kun!"

I back up a step, putting some distance between her and I before she attempts to bow again. I gently bump my fist against her head. "Watch were you throw that thing," I joke. "You knocked me out once. Let's not go for a second time."

She grabs her head as she shakes it. She faces forward and scurries ahead. I hold in a laugh. I think I teased her too much.

"Inoue!" I jog over to her. She spins around. With her cheeks pink and her watery eyes, she blurts, "I'll keep it away from you, I promise!" I open my mouth to respond, but she cuts in. "Do you think dreams come true? Because I think I'm becoming a robot, starting with my head. I'm turning into my future self!" She doesn't wait for an answer. She just starts walking backwards, making be-poop-ing noises with her arms mimicking a robot. I snort at her until she loses her balance and falls.

"Inoue! Are you okay?!" I reach out my hand for her, but she jumps up to her feet without my help.

"I'm fine! I'm healthy as a horse!" I lower my hand and stuff it into my pocket.

"Horse? I thought you were a robot." She cracks up, and I can't even begin to suppress my grin. "Hey, are you really-"

"I think I see the shop!" She points. I look.

"Yeah. That will be it. Let me go in first, though. She can be kind of a handful." I open the door.

"Welcome! Come on in," she starts, but then she sees that is me and her cheerful, inviting demeanor she uses for customer disappears. "What the hell are you doing here, Ichigo!" She stretches her arm out and pinches my ear, pulling it. I'm forced in the shop. "You disappear for weeks, and then you just drop by! What do you want?!"

"Rest stop?" I jokingly ask.

"You son-of-a-"

"Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue's voice fills the room, and we both freeze. Ikumi-san lets my ear go and a smile breaks out on her face. She's back into business mode.

"A customer? Welcome to the Unagi Shop: cheap, fast and reassuring! Not matter how odd, your business is our business! My name is Unagiya Ikumi. What can I do for you?"

I almost feel bad for letting her go on and on. "This is Inoue Orihime." Inoue bows and smiles. "We were wondering if you would…" I try to grasp at words, but just like the previous time, Inoue's growling stomach fills the silence. In the next second, I feel a sharp kick. I drop to the floor.

"What kind of person lets a girl go hungry?!" Ikumi yells. "Inoue-san, is it? Come inside. I have some leftovers from dinner." Ikumi goes out of her way to step over me while Inoue offers a quirk of her lips as she follows the other women out of the room after I tell her to go ahead. And even though my back is sore from the kick, for some reason, I smile.