Disc: I don't own BLEACH

Note: inspired by a manga, "Fujun Ai"

Thought/Past

Present.

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-Fake Love-

Part 1 of 3

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It was winter again, before she realized it, it has been the fifth winter since the last time she'd seen him. It has been five years and she never saw him again since their graduation day. She heard that he moved somewhere to be hospitalized due to his health problem, but she didn't know where and why he's been hospitalized.

It'd been like a ritual for her. She sent him postcards every year for Christmas and New Year. She sent him one for his birthday too. She sent him to his parent's house, since she never got any reply, she thought, maybe he was not living there. Or maybe he just didn't care to reply her.

It has been five years and she still hadn't moved on.

Orihime Inoue sighed as she walked home from her office. It has been two years since she left Karakura and moved to Tokyo. She found herself a decent job in a company. She didn't have much money but she had enough. She lived alone, it was not a problem, she'd been used to live alone but somehow it was a little different. Sometime she'd spent her nights alone in her room, drinking beer while thinking about her life back then in Karakura. She missed that little town. She missed her friends.

Tatsuki was in Tokyo too, she would visit her sometime in her free time. Ishida would send her email every now and then or even call her sometime. Chad and the other also would contact her and when they happened to be in Tokyo, they'd meet in a coffee shop and talk. Practically, she's kept in contact with everyone but him. She'd been trying but it seemed like nobody knows where Ichigo Kurosaki was at the moment.

It was snowing and Orihime walked faster.

She missed him.

She missed Ichigo Kurosaki and she was hopeless.

Trying not to cry at the thought, Orihime walked to her apartment building. She almost reached the main door when someone caught her hand and stopped her. She was scared and turned quickly to see who was that.

"Inoue?"

Orihime was about to scream but in a second she saw his bright hair, she lost her voice. His hair had grown longer but it was the same orange hair. He wore sunglasses but she knew it was him. He might grow taller or changed his hair style but she knew—she would always recognize him—it was him.

The tall man smiled, "Long time no see…"

She tried so hard not to cry. It was hard but somehow she managed not to cry, "Ku… Kurosaki-kun?"

With his free hand he took off his sunglass smirked, "Hello…"

Her hands were shaking as she poured some tea into his cup. She was nervous though she tried hard not to show it to him. It was awkward. Sure she always wanted to see him but now that he suddenly appeared in front of her, let's just say she was not ready.

Besides, he had changed a lot. His hair was now longer and his body was taller than the last time she saw him. His voice was somehow deeper than the last time. It had been five years after all, he was not a boy anymore. He was a man now.

"Everyone worries about you, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime tried to start a conversation as she poured the tea for herself now, "Ishida-kun's in America now, taking his master degree in a university there. He said he would be back next year. Sado-kun is working now in Kobe and Tatsuki-chan is here too…" she laughed nervously, "Tatsuki-chan works in police department now… She's just been promoted last month, she is an inspector now."

"I see," he took a sip of his tea, he was smiling but she realized that his eyes looked sad, "Everyone's doing well. It's good," he put the cup onto the table. She wondered if what he meant by 'good' was the tea or the fact that everyone was doing okay. He looked at her again, "So, how are you? It's been five year and you looked fine. I'm glad…"

Something was different about him.

Orihime knew it. There was something about him that was not right. Ichigo Kurosaki was a man who had this strong look in his eyes. This time he looked sad. She didn't like it. This man was the same man whom she had fallen in love with and she didn't like to see him sad like this.

"I'm fine…" she took a sip from her cup, avoiding his gaze, "I heard… That you had to be hospitalized? How are you now?"

She waited for the answer but nothing came out from him. She waited for another minute but he hadn't said anything. Slowly she looked up at him to see his expression and was surprised when she saw the look on his face.

After another minute of silence, finally he said something.

"Well, not that you mention about it…" the orange haired man sighed, his now long bang covered half of his face, "My illness can't be cured."

She couldn't believe what she heard.

"The doctor said, it's impossible. I might look okay, but deep inside, everyday… I know it wouldn't be long before I die…" he looked at her but she focused on her cup of tea on the table. She refused to look at him, she was trembling as he continued talking, "I came here, running away from the hospital just to see you…"

She tried to focus on what he said though it was difficult. She was about to cry. She couldn't believe it. Ichigo Kurosaki, the man she loved, was not a kind of man who'd die because of some sickness. No, he supposed to be stronger than this. He supposed… He shouldn't die.

"I've always liked you, Inoue. Since back then in high school…" she looked at him, couldn't believe on what she heard. He smiled sadly at her, "I just want to tell you this. Before I die…"

She didn't know what she felt the moment. Too many things happened and she couldn't absorb it fully. First he said he was about to die, now he said that he liked her. She didn't understand this. After these past five years why now?

She didn't know how to react and what to say so she just looked down at her cup. She loved him. Always. Now, he told her that he was about to die and he liked her, how should a woman react on this situation?

She didn't want him to die…

She was still deep in her thought when suddenly he stood up.

"Thank's for the tea. I'm sorry for coming suddenly and saying weird stuff…" Ichigo put on his coat.

"Aa," she felt her throat was too dry to talk but she had to say something, "are you going back to hospital?"

Ichigo smirked weakly, "Well, since they said it cannot be cured, staying there's pointless. Now, I'm staying at a hotel."

"If that so," Orihime stood up quickly, she wouldn't let him go just like this, she grabbed his sleeve and tilted her head, looked right to his eyes, "you can stay here."

He looked at her, couldn't believe in what he heard. He knew it. They were both not a kid anymore. He knew what she meant. He knew it and that was why he couldn't believe it. This was Orihime Inoue, the pure girl whose mind just like a kid. It had been five years, even this pure hearted Orihime had grown up…

She knew she was being bold but she didn't care, she plead him with her eyes, "It's… It's snowing out there… It's late already, a-and…" she was desperately trying to find some reason to make him say. She knew, she might look bad right now.

She bit her lip when he touched her cheek with one hand while his other hand was on her shoulder. His brown eyes met her grey eyes. She lost her voice again. They were suddenly so close. Too close…

"Is that pity I hear?" he whispered, "It doesn't matter if it's pity…"

He hugged her. She was too scared to return the hug but she couldn't resist. Slowly, she circled her arms around him and returned the hug. He was warm. Hot… He was hot.

She loved this man. It has been five years and he had been changed but her feeling was not faded. He was the man she wanted. She closed her eyes as he kissed her exposed neck. Slowly his hand sneak under her shirt and that was when she opened her eyes.

"W-wait…"

"No?"

His voice was desperate. She knew this was too fast. She never did anything like this before, but…. This was her Kurosaki-kun. It was supposed to be alright. She loved this man and apparently he returned her feeling. She knew it would be alright, but she was scared…

"This is my first time…"

She avoided his eyes but he cupped her face and made her looked into his eyes. Those brown eyes were so pretty. She knew he wouldn't like to hear it… but they were just so pretty. She was scared that one day someone would realize how pretty they were and tried to steal those orbs…

"This is also my first time."

"W-what…"

She wanted to ask if that was true but he kissed her. The kiss was soft and shy. It made her dizzy, his kiss always had this effect to her. Yes, this was not their first kiss. Long time ago… Five, almost six years ago, they had their first kiss…

She closed her eyes, tried to enjoy the kiss and the tickling sensation of his hands that were all over her body. She wanted to forget everything. What had happened five years ago… It didn't matter anymore…

It was winter, their last winter as a high school student. Soon, in less than four month, they would graduate. Soon, they would go their own way. This might be her last chance and she knew it.

Orihime Inoue had loved Ichigo Kurosaki for almost three years now and everyone knew it except the orange haired boy who was oblivious to her feeling. She decided that she had to confess her feeling before the graduation. She knew the chance for him to love her back was almost zero but she couldn't hide the feeling any longer, she had to tell him no matter what.

She wrote a note and left it on his shoe locker. She could have just left a love letter for him but she thought that she had to say it directly. She wrote a note for him, telling him that she would wait for him in the empty classroom after school. This would be her last chance. From tomorrow they didn't have to go to the school anymore until the graduation day, so today was definitely her last chance.

She waited for him nervously. She knew he would come and she would have to say it. She had practiced to say those words thousand times in front of mirror the day before, this should be alright. She didn't care whether he would accept her or not. She just needed to tell him.

"I'm sorry to make you waiting."

He came sooner than she had anticipated. As soon as she saw him walked into the class room—one hand scratching his head—all the words she had prepared was gone.

"Inoue?"

She had to say something.

"What do you need from me?"

She had to do something.

"Inoue?"

He stopped right in front of her. He was being too close. Too close.

Too…

Before she could control herself, Orihime had tiptoed and pulled him by his neck. She kissed him. He was not expecting this from her but he couldn't get away. She was about to pull away when she realized that he had his arms around her. She closed her eyes once again and continued the kiss.

It had been his first kiss—hers too. He didn't know why she kissed him. She didn't know why he let her to kiss him. They were kissing for few more seconds before she finally pulled away. Her face was red—not as red as his—and she looked away, he looked at her with that scowl on his face. Maybe, he didn't like the kiss?

"Why?"

She secretly asked the same question to herself.

She didn't know the answer. She had forgot the answer the moment his lips touched hers.

"I'm sorry!" was all she said before she ran away and left him alone in the dark class room.

Maybe, if only he ran after her and asked her once again, she would say it. If only he chased her, she would tell him.

But he didn't chase her…

That was five years ago…

Author's Note:

Yes it's me. What? You want to kill me? Of please… I know I still have so many stories I need to finish but here I am with another new story… Forgive me, but this story is only containing 3 parts… And I promise I would finish this one soon… Just like Love Pretender and Bad Girl Bad Boy, this story is a light story with a heavy beginning.

A review would be nice, what do you think?

Recchinon.