Running for THE KISS

"Man, these competitions are awful boring. I can't understand why they put me the organizer. It's such a waste for my club's schedule." Tatsuki sighs eating her dark chocolate flavored ice cream.

"Don't be sad, Tatsuki-chan. Today it might be the last day of our school festival, but still… Today is Kurosaki-kun running competition so we will need all of our energy to cheer for him. " Orihime tries to cheer up her best friend, but her words succeeded to give her the inspiration for what she was craving for.

"Did something happen?" Ichigo asks the amber haired girl sensing Tatsuki's emyou'd-better-prepare-for/em aura.

"Ohayo, Kurosaki-kun. I'm not sure, but I think all is going to be fine." The beauty tries to reassure him.

"I hope so." He answers somewhat distrustfully. After less than a minute, Tatsuki managed to take the microphone and to make an announce, what changed the pace of the events.

"As you can see, this year festival really sucks. I mean, seriously, why the hell did you bother to participate if you don't give a crap about it." From the backstage are heard some warning about her bad language so she changed the topic. "Today, it's going to be the running race, one of the main events, so… in order to save this festival, I'm going to introduce a new prize. The winner of the race will get a kiss from Orihime. How about that?" The brunette asks grinning looking in Ichigo's angry eyes. The crowd made some excitement noises so she considered that her job is done. Then she went to her favorite pair of orange haired dummies.

"What the hell was with that announce, Tatsuki? Are you ok with making Inoue to do that only for this stupid race's good?" Ichigo says pissed right when the brunette was in his sight.

"Don't misunderstand me, Ichigo. Consider this to be an impulse to make you win the race." After that he whispered only for him to hear. "You should better hurry up and confess your feelings. Orihime will not wait forever for you."

It wasn't a difficult thing to not make the beauty to notice their little talk, because she was caught up in her little world. Astonishingly Keigo made his appearance wearing a race suit, the same as Ichigo's.

"Tatsuki, I would never thought that I would be grateful to you. I'd practiced all the year for this race for making Orihime to accept my feelings so you made that announce to help me to conquer my love. I promise you, my dear friend, that I will never forget our kind gesture." Keigo said teary eyes grabbing the brunette's left hand. The one who saved him from being kicked was Chizuru.

"Hands off from my future wife's best friend! I can't believe that you consider for even a second that you have a chance against me, the tornado." Hearing her words Tatsuki remembered about Chizuru back story. It's true that despite her lesbian pleasures, she was known as the tornado, the fastest girl alive. On the other side Keigo did really start to have a nice body, probably because the training what he was talking.

Seeing the mess in front of her Tatsuki whispered some last words to Ichigo : "You should better not lose." After what she ran in the crowd. Chizuru and Keigo ran after her wanting her to decide who's the more suited for Orihime. Seeing them gone, the beauty was back in her senses. She saw her crush not so far away from her stretching his muscles. Some other girls were in wave to see him like that, what made her somewhat disappointed.

She'd love him for so many years that she'd lost the count. What should she do if he'll make a girlfriend? Her thoughts were interrupted by a senpai.

"You should better look at me, Orihime, because I will be the winner. You should be prepared for our after kiss. Won't you give me your encouragement?" He asks opening his arms. She closed her eyes seeing him coming closer and closer to her. Fortunately, Ichigo came in her help, hitting the senior's stomach.

"I'd hope my feelings came straight to you. Let's go, Inoue." The orange haired boy says taking her hand in his. He took her away from people, in a place where they could be alone. "You should be safe now." He concludes, releasing her. She observed sad as he was keeping his distance.

"Arigato Kurosaki-kun and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you need to save me all the time." Orihime says giggling ashamed. It doesn't matter how many years pass, it looks like she will be a continue burden to him.

"Tsh… It doesn't matter as long as you're ok. You shouldn't worry about the race. I'm going to win it. I'm not going to let anyone to hurt your feelings." He says looking somewhere in the distance. His words made her smile.

"Kurosaki-kun, can you close your eyes for a second?"

"Ok." He says conforming to her desires.

In the next moment he could feel something warm on his forehead. He opened his eyes and he could see a part of her hair. When she moved away, her cheeks became a dark shade of red.

"I support you, Kurosaki-kun." He smiles, the smile that he'd only shown to her.

"After I'm going to win I have something to tell you, Inoue." She seems puzzled of his statement.

"You can say it now."

"Tsh… Just wait." There were the only words what he said before he walks to the start line. Orihime's hearth's race triplet its rhytm. She had only a thing in her mind when he said those words. Could it be ?

"Crap, Orihime. I thought someone stole you. Let's go for your shining moment." Tatsuki came all of sudden dragging her on the stage. After their arrival the race started.

The amber haired girl looked astonished at how determined the competitors were. She couldn't believe that they were desiring so much the one thousand dollars reward for their club. The brunette didn't need many hints to understand that the beauty had never realized that her kiss was the much desired prize for what everyone was aiming for.

The race was more between Ichigo and Chizuru. Keigo fainted right after the competition started, when Orihime wished them good luck. On the end Chizuru tried to trip Ichigo, but he could see by it, and it even helped it to become the number one.

He was so exhausted at the end, that he stretched his body on the sand. He would never expect Chizuru to be such a fast runner.

"Congratulations, Kurosaki-kun." The angelic voice came from no other than Orihime what kneeled next to him. "I knew you'll win."

"Tsh… Just let me rest a while… the race was a real pain in the…" Tatsuki pushed Orihime on Ichigo, making their lips to meet. Orihime moved as fast as she could away.

"I'm… I'm… so sooory Kurosaki-kun" She tries to apologize when something unexpected happen. Ichigo stood up next to her and embraced her body whispering in her ear.

"Tsh… That's not something nice to say to somebody what likes you for so long. I like you, Orihime." The beauty starts to cry as soon as she understands his words.

"I like you too, Ichigo." And the two seems lost in their embrace.

"It seems like I did a good job." Tatsuki says grinning.

"HELL NO!" Chizuru and Keigo yelled in protest.

THE END