Chapter 9: Let's Try That Again
"Hey, Orihime!"
Tatsuki waves at Orihime as she is standing outside of ABCookies.
"Tatsuki-chan!" says Orihime as she comes over to her with bread.
"You're off now, right?" asks Tatsuki.
"Mm-hm!" says Orihime, showing her the bread basket.
"Thanks," says Tatsuki, taking a piece.
"So how was your trip back to Soul Society?"
"Um, it was great, Tatsuki! In fact, I want to show you the spread that they put together for the wedding."
"Oh, that fast, huh?"
"Yup, come on!" says Orihime, in a very peppy mood.
—
"Oh…! Well, that's a sight," says Tatsuki as she is looking at the Seireitei Communication spread.
They are at Orihime's apartment by now.
"Yeah! Don't they look amazing? And see look, here is my part about the veil, and the portrait they took of me!"
"I-I can barely see you…"
"Isn't it amazing?" says Orihime, stuffing her face with bread.
"Wait a minute, Orihime," says Tatsuki. "You're… not hiding something, are you?"
Orihime flinches.
"Yeah, you're a lot more upbeat than usual. Did something happen?"
—
"Abducted!?"
Orihime hesitantly puts up two fingers and Tatsuki says, "Two times!?"
"It's a long story," says Orihime, "but it was more like they needed me rather than abducting me."
"Really, now?"
Orihime nods. "Yes, I swear! Actually, I was really happy when everyone came to find me. I mean, even Kurosaki-kun interrupted his studying to find me."
"Ichigo, did? Well, that's a relief," says Tatsuki. "It seems you were in good hands."
Orihime nods rather cautiously. "Yeah…"
Tatsuki gives Orihime a look.
"Well? That can't be all that happened if Ichigo's involved."
"Wh-Whatever do you mean?" stutters Orihime.
"Orihime," says Tatsuki with conviction, and Orihime, decides to fess up.
"I… chickened out."
"Huh?"
"I think Kurosaki-kun… had something important he wanted to tell me. But I chickened out and made things awkward between us."
"What are you talking about?"
Orihime spends some time explaining the situation to Tatsuki, and afterward, Tatsuki almost bursts out laughing.
"A camellia? Ichigo? Really? He was going to profess his feelings through a flower?"
"Don't be mean, Tatsuki! It looked like he was trying his best."
"Then what gives, Hime? Why go and give him the cold shoulder by pretending you didn't know what he was trying to say?"
Orihime scrunches her hands into fists.
"I was… scared. You all know it already… but I've had these feelings for Kurosaki-kun for a long time. What actually is supposed to happen if that becomes a reality? Won't he find me scary, or annoying?" Orihime covers her face. "And now I've ruined everything by pretending I didn't understand him!"
"Hey, come on, Orihime, I don't think you ruined everything," says Tatsuki. "You do love him, don't you?"
Orihime covers her face with her hair as she nods shyly.
Tatsuki grins. "Then in my opinion, it's only a matter of time."
A phone rings, and Tatsuki sees that Ichigo is calling her phone. "Well, speak of the devil." She shows the phone to Orihime, and Orihime panics a little as Tatsuki is answering.
"Yo, Ichigo."
"Hey, Tatsuki. You got a minute?"
"Hmm…"
Tatsuki looks at the panicking Orihime and says, "I'm a little occupied. I'm here at Orihime's apartment."
"You're with Inoue?"
Tatsuki lays the phone on a coffee table, putting it on speaker. "Yup!"
Orihime is a little nervous.
"Hi, Kurosaki-kun."
Ichigo is walking downtown, though it seems to be getting dark.
"Hey, there. I'm just getting back from studying at the college."
"Oh, how was your studying?" wonders Orihime.
"Eh, could've been better."
"Distracted by something, eh, Ichigo?" asks Tatsuki, and Ichigo panics over the phone saying, "What are you saying? I'm absolutely fine. Just that I wish I could speak with someone who's a native English-speaker, that's all."
"Oh, that's right. You're taking that translation elective," Orihime says happily.
"Anyway, what's up? Why the call?" asks Tatsuki.
Ichigo, who is still walking home, pauses for a moment.
"... Actually, you know what? My finger slipped."
"What?" both Tatsuki and Orihime say.
"I actually meant to call Inoue."
"Oh, really now?" wonders Tatsuki, teasing him a bit.
"Shut up! Just give the phone to her."
"Alright, alright. You heard the guy."
Tatsuki hands the phone to Orihime, and Orihime takes the phone off speaker.
"Yes, Kurosaki-kun?"
"Inoue, what are your plans for this weekend?"
"Oh… Maybe some laundry and groceries… but not very much."
"Do you have time on Saturday evening to hang out?"
"Saturday evening?" she wonders. "That's tomorrow…"
Tatsuki smiles at Orihime, giving her a confident nod.
"S-Sure, that sounds good to me," she replies back.
"Great. Let's meet at Hirohyaku Supermarket, okay?"
"S-Sure."
"See ya, Inoue."
"B-Bye, Kurosaki-kun!"
As Orihime gives Tatsuki her phone back, Tatsuki says, "Well, looks like he's got his dukes up. Good for you, Ichigo."
"Tatsuki, what'll I do?"
Orihime has her hands to her messed up hair, looking rather dizzy.
"Don't give me that," says Tatsuki. "He's making it really easy for you, you know. You just need to build up your confidence."
"That so…?" Orihime says, fixing her hair now.
Tatsuki nods, "You got this, Orihime."