A/N: Thanks for the reviews and adding this story to your reading list! I'm happy! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
I rub my back as I enter the kitchen in an attempt to get Ikumi to apologize to me. She doesn't. Instead, I get a glare and a gesture for me to sit down. I take a seat next to Inoue who is already eating to her heart's content, and when she smiles at me, some crumbs cling to the corner of her mouth. Before I know it, before any conscious thought forms, my hand is inching closer to her face. Once I notice it, I snatch it back and busy myself with stuffing some rice in my mouth. I don't look over to see if she noticed.
"Oi, Ichigo. Where did you going off to for so long? You missed a lot of deliveries, you punk!" Ikumi pries as she sits across from us. I pause in my guzzling down food to try to come up with a good answer. I look at Inoue, and she looks back. Her eyes widen, and she shrugs her shoulders like she doesn't know what to say either.
"We, uh, took a fieldtrip." That should be a good enough excuse. Not the whole truth but not a complete lie. She raises her eyebrows.
"'We?' Like the two of you? Together?" Ikumi questions in surprise, and the way she raises her voice, the power of suggestion in her words, I blush and try to stutter out a response.
"No way! Kuro-Dummy could never get a girl like her!" Kaoru yells as he stands in the now open doorway. My eyebrow twitches at the brat's comment.
"Well, that's true. Inoue-san is pretty and polite, and Ichigo…he's an orange haired delinquent." Ikumi adds on as Kaoru plops down next to his mother. I feel my face from into a scowl. Hmmm…why did it feel out of place all of sudden? My natural scowl felt…unnatural.
"Thank you for the compliments, Ikumi-san, but Kurosaki-kun is not a delinquent; he's the best person I know." I can hear the sincerity and conviction in Inoue's voice. "Who is this cutie, by the way?! My name is Orihime Inoue," she introduces herself to Kaoru after the deafening silence that followed from her own-compliment? Confession? What do I call what she just said?
"My name is Kaoru," the little boy silently speaks to her. He is avoiding her gaze, acting like he is shy.
"Hey, look at your elders when you talk to them."
"Shut-Shut up, Kuro-Dummy!" The brat barks out at me while is face heats up.
"Why you-!" I try to get out. I stop as I hear Inoue's laughter fill the room.
"Be nice to my kid!" Ikumi interjects and slaps my head. More laughter. And the evening continues on in that kind of manner, with jesting, insults, small-talk, and laughter.
Inoue and I both thank Ikumi for the food, Inoue more gracious than me, and before we take our leave, I ask, "So do I still have my job?"
"Of course, you do, punk! You gotta work off this meal!" She addresses me. She leans around me to look at Inoue. "And you, come back anytime you want. Okay?" Inoue nods. Ikumi really took a liking to her as did Karoru.
"Thank you, again, Ikumi-san. If it would really not be a bother, I will definitely come visit!" We wave our goodbyes after, and Inoue and I continue our way toward Inoue's home.
"Ikumi-san is so nice! And Karoru-chan is too cute!" Inoue gushes with a permanent smile etched on her face.
"Cute? Little brat…cute?" I grumble. She starts to laugh in her hand.
"Do you think I'd still have my job at the bakery?"
"I don't see why not. Your boss loves you. He'd probably give you it back if you asked. I mean, he gives you the discarded, unpopular leftovers."
"Psh! Unsold bread, Kurosaki-kun!" She reminds me.
"Yeah, yeah. Same thing," I tease her.
She pouts. "If I do get my job back, no more bread for you! And don't come crying to me when you want some," she jabs.
I roll my eyes at her. The idea of her not sharing is ridiculous. She is one of the most selfless person I've met.
We banter and talk as we near her apartment. I really didn't like her home. Too many memories lived there. Her brother's attack wasn't one of them since she moved to a new complex, but the memory of hearing that she may have been kidnapped, or even worse, killed by the arrancars was still fresh and lingering. And then there was when Tsukishima altered Inoue's perception with a stab of his bookmark/sword. That one…that memory, the whole memory hurt the most. Why did it hurt so much?
"Kurosaki-kun, I had an idea: how about we invite everyone for a gathering. I know we will see them in school on Monday, but…"
My expression softens. I knew what she wanted to say. We would see our friends soon, but it wouldn't be soon enough for us. "That sounds good. I'll text the guys. You the girls. We can have the get-together at my place tomorrow."
She squeals in happiness. "I can't wait! I'm going to call Tatsuki-chan right now!" She starts jumping up and down, her excitement becoming more uncontainable as the seconds tick by. Then she stops and tilts her head up at me. Her smile is still there, but her cheeks are now dusted with pink. "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun." She appears and sounds so serious it stuns me.
"I-I just walked you home," I awkwardly dismiss. My right hand moves up to my hair and my fingers dig in.
She shakes her head. "You know what I mean, Kurosaki-kun. Thank you. For everything." She sighs, turns around, and walks to her apartment, but before she enters her home, I see her lean over the railing. She waves as she scream-whispers, "Goodnight, Kurosaki-kun!" She leaves, and I see a light escaping from the doorway and it disappear as she probably closes the door.
I stand there for a second in the same spot she left me in. It's dark. And yet, the afterimage of her smiling at me a minute ago has made the night wrongfully bright.