Chapter 11: One Night A Week
It is Saturday evening in Karakura Town, and Ichigo is walking Orihime home after their date ends at the cemetery.
They are quiet on the way to her home. While Ichigo has what appears to be a cool demeanour, Orihime is smiling to herself while wondering in her mind if she did anything wrong.
"Here we are," says Ichigo.
"Yes," Orihime nods.
They aren't sure whether to shake hands or embrace, so Ichigo takes a step back, scratching his head.
"I… really enjoyed spending time with you today, Inoue."
"Me too, Kurosaki-kun," she smiles. "I really did."
The two stand awkwardly again.
"Well, it's getting quite late," says Orihime.
Ichigo hesitates a bit but nods, "Right. I'll see you soon?"
"Right."
Orihime heads inside, and Ichigo, once he sees her waving from inside, ends up heading off. She leaves the window, and then melts onto the floor.
"I'm in love with you, Inoue. Please… always stay beside me," he'd said on the picnic bench.
Did that really happen? Did that really, really happen?
She ends up squishing her face.
I'm not dreaming, I'm really awake!
She starts laughing to herself, covering her face. The laughter dies down a bit as she looks to the side.
I wonder… if Kurosaki-kun will be able to sleep tonight. I sure won't.
—
As Ichigo has made it home, he sits at his bed, thinking about the events from that evening.
He lies down on his bed, closing his eyes, but he remembers what Tatsuki had said to him:
All I'm saying is… Have you really, truly prepared yourself? Have you set your heart on making sure your feelings are not only communicated, but that you can also properly reach her?
Ichigo places his arm in front of him, then makes a fist.
—
On another day, as Ichigo is heading outside of one of his campus buildings, he checks his phone to see his messages with Orihime.
"I'll meet you at the downtown market!" says an eager text from Orihime.
"Yeah, see you," Ichigo types and sends. He continues walking until he makes it to the bus stop.
Meanwhile, at the market, Orihime appears to be gathering her arsenal:
"Radishes, pecans, rigatoni…" she mumbles to herself.
"Quite the selection you got there."
"Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaims as he was peering into her shopping bag. "That was quick!"
"It's a 15 minute bus ride." He makes a bit of a face. "That aside… you're not planning to use those altogether, right?"
"Why not? Together they make a nice pasta salad."
"Hmmm…" Ichigo didn't feel that the ingredients were that outrageous to warrant his intervention.
—
At the Kurosaki house, Orihime has just finished prepping her dish. Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin are present with Ichigo to taste test Orihime's latest concoction.
"... Not bad?" Yuzu says with sparkles in her eyes.
"Maybe you can cook the onions next time to not clash with the chocolate dressing," Karin says, sticking her tongue out a bit.
Orihime replies by taking notes down, "I'll keep that in mind!"
"You've got a rare palette, Inoue-san! Superb taste!" Isshin responds, stuffing his face with the pasta salad.
Everyone then turns to Ichigo, tilting their head in unison. Ichigo takes three quick bites and puts up an "a-okay" sign.
—
"Wow, it's been a while since I cooked at your house," says Orihime, happily kneeling on Ichigo's bedroom floor near the open door.
"Always appreciate your, um, adventures in cooking, Inoue," says Ichigo, taking a swig from a water bottle as he is also seated on the floor. "You know, how about we prepare something together next time?"
"Together?" Orihime smiles widely. "I'd like that!"
Ichigo smiles back. "Great."
"Anyway, Kurosaki-kun, should I leave you to your studies now? I wouldn't want to impose."
"Actually, if you don't mind," begins Ichigo, "There's something I'd like to mention to you."
"Oh, sure," says Orihime. She sits a bit more properly, as if she weren't in proper form earlier.
"Well, remember that translation elective I'm taking?"
"Yeah!"
Ichigo rubs the back of his neck. "Well, you see, for one of my assignments… I did a Japanese translation of some of Shakespeare's sonnets. And when I got my assignment back, the professor took me aside to chat."
"Oh, what did he say?" wonders Orihime, and from Ichigo's blushing, she infers, "Wait, let me guess! You did absolutely amazing?"
Ichigo stops trying to hide his smile and grins widely.
"He said he was looking for a student to intern for a translation project, and he said I'd really impressed him with my work. So yeah, I got a student job!"
"That's so great, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime claps her hands together. "You've been working diligently!"
"Yeah," he says. "It'll take up a bit of my evenings, but I'll make sure we'll have at least one night to see each other every week."
"Oh, no, Kurosaki-kun, you don't have to go out of your way for me!" she says. "I'd like for you to do well with your internship. Besides, my boss has been wanting me to take a few more evening shifts at the bakery, so…"
"Inoue."
"Ah, yes, Kurosaki-kun?"
"One night each week," he says rather confidently. "You're also a priority."
Orihime turns her head away from Ichigo. "Kurosaki-kun, please, before my head explodes," she mumbles to herself, covering her face.
"Huh?"
"N-Nothing, it's nothing!" She turns back, her face looking very red. "One night a week, then."
Ichigo smiles. "It's a deal."