Disc: standard applied

.

.

Fake Love (3 of 3)

.

.

Orihime couldn't believe what she'd heard from Tatsuki. She didn't expected that the tomboy girl would say something like that. She knew that Tatsuki had known Ichigo longer than her, but that was way she didn't expect her to say something like that about Ichigo.

Ichigo was a kind person. Rough, but he was kind. Tatsuki should know about this the most. She had been friend with the orange haired guy since they were really young. There was no way Ichigo would try to swindle her.

"But it has been years," Tatsuki tried to reason with her, "People change as time goes by, Orihime. You have to admit it."

"But Kurosaki-kun is Kurosaki-kun," Orihime clenched on the phone harder, "he said he loves me."

Tatsuki sighed, "Then why now?"

Orihime didn't say anything. She chew on her lower lip. She was trying not to cry. She knew Tatsuki was just worrying her. But still that didn't mean she had to say something cruel like that about the man she loved.

"Think about it Orihime," she heard Tatsuki huffed, "you need to be calm before deciding things."

"Ok," she didn't know what else to say.

"Well, I am busy right now, let's talk about this again later ok? I will call you."

And she hung up.

What had Tatsuki told her, though she didn't want to believe that, kept playing in her head. She knew, this was all too sudden and she knew something was not right. She was just trying not to recognize it. She didn't want to think bad about the man she loved so much.

Everything went to well. She knew Tatsuki had her point.

To think about it, someone she had loved for so long appeared and confessed to her suddenly...

"Welcome home..."

His smile when he welcomed her home made it harder for her. Everything in her head messed up and she didn't know anymore what to believe.

"I'm home..."

He was surprised when she threw her self to him and hugged him tightly.

"What's wrong?" He hugged her back though he didn't know what made her acting strangely like this, "did something happened at work?"

Orihime shook her head, "make love to me, Kurosaki-kun..."

"Eh?"

"Please, hold me."

Ichigo knew something bad had happened to his princess. That night when he made love to her, he could see that she was avoiding his eyes. He wanted to make her feeling good but at first he needed to know what the problem was.

"What's wrong? You're worrying about something?"

After they made love that night, she didn't say anything. She just hugged him tightly. Trying to discuss things with her innerself.

She believed him.

She knew he didn't want to do anything bad to her. Then why did she felt uneasy like this?

That morning before she went to work, she got an email from Tatsuki. She appologized to her but she told her that she was still suspecting Ichigo for the serial crime which had happened lately.

Orihime couldn't let it just like that. She had to do something to prove Tatsuki that Ichigo wasn't the culprit.

If she got the information from the doctor about Ichigo's illness, maybe Tatsuki would change her mind about Ichigo.

Orihime was relieved when the doctor from the hospital answered her called. This way, she could feel better...

"Ah yes, that's true. Ichigo Kurosaki was one of our patient."

Orihime sighed in relieved, she just needed to tell Tatsuki about this and...

"But he had been cured and was released two years ago."

She almost dropped her phone.

.

The doctor told her that they couldn't tell her the detail opf his illness but Ichigo Kurosaki had been hospitalized for three years before the doctor decided that he had been cured and might leave the hospital.

Apparently, it wasn't an incurable illness.

Orihime couldn't remember how she could reach home in that shocked stated.

"See Tatsuki?"

They were having their dinner like usual that evening. She tried not to act unusual in front of him. Afterall, everything wasn't really clear yet.

"Yes, when I told Tatsuki that we're getting married, she said she want to see you." Orihime smiled.

Ichigo nodded, "Sure, why not. It had been years since I met her. I bet she will lecture me about being a nice husband for you."

Orihime could see that he was sincere when he said that, but that even made her more confused.

"She is a police now, one of the best in her division."

"I can imagine that," Ichigo laughed, "That just sounds like her."

Orihime frowned. He didn't have any weird expression when he heard the word "police".

Maybe she was just thinking too much.

But if everything is alright, why would he pretended to be sick?

"I'll just begin right away, will you be able to make her happy? With enough money I mean."

The three of them were in Orihime's living room. Tatsuki and Ichigo sitting face to face while Orihime who just came back with the tea from the kitchen putting the cups on the table.

Tatsuki wasn't in her best mood. Both Ichigo and Orihime could see this.

"I understand your current situasion," Tatsuki said in an annoyed tone, "but I couldn't just let Orihime marry a guy without money, now could I?"

Orihime sat next to Tatsuki. She knew that whatever Tatsuki said she shouldn't interfere. Even for her, the black haired woman looked really scary at times like this.

"Orihime is really kind and beautiful, if she wanted, she could marry any guy she desires," Tatsuki started again, "I want her to be happy. I can't let her to marry a moneyless guy. Even if it's you, Ichigo."

Ichigo sighed, he knew he shouldn't raise his voice this time. This was an important time to him if he wanted to marry Orihime. If Tatsuki forbid her to marry him, he knew no matter how much Orihime loved him, she wouldn't marry him.

"Actually, I do have some money," Ichigo couldn't finish his sentence because Tatsuki cut him in.

"Oh yeah? Where's your money?"

"Tatsuki-chan it's enough already," Orihime touched Tatsuki's shoulder softly before turned to see Ichigo, "Kurosaki-kun, I've something to ask you."

Ichigo smiled, honestly his head was acheing already, "What is it?"

"Did you..." She looked at him right to his eyes, "lie to me?"

"Eh?"

"I checked out," she continued before he could say anything, "your previous hospital. They say your illness has been cured some time ago. The doctor told me himself."

Ichigo didn't say anything. Orihime, afterall, hadn't finished with what she wanted to say.

"If you're not ill, why did you tell me that you are? Why did you do that?" Her voice was shaking, "Kurosaki-kun, what exactly did you want to do to me?"

Orihime and Tatsuki looked at the guy in front of them. Now that she had said what she had in her mind, she waited for what he would tell her.

To her surprised Ichigo palmed his face and let out a long sigh, "Damn, I got caught."

Orihime couldn't believe what she'd heard. Though deep inside she wanted to believe him... He was... He was...

"You really wanted to rob me?" Orihime cried, she started sobbing onto her palms.

"R... Rob you? Me?"

Orihime jumped across the table and landed perfectly on his laps. She slapped his chest angrily with tears all over her face.

"I thought it was strange for me to have such a luck for once."

Slap.

"L-luck?"

Slap.

"How many women did you trick?"

Slap.

"What?" Ichigo tried to catch her hands to stop her and to calm her down but Orihime could be really strong when she wanted.

Slap.

"Too bad! I don't have any money for you!"

Slap.

"Money? What money?"

When she stepped back from him he didn't know what she would do next. He never expect her to pull out the ring from her finger.

"This thing!"

"Ah, hey, Inoue..."

"I don't need this!"

She threw away the ring to the carpeted floor.

"Argh, the diamond ring!" Ichigo couldn't stand it anymore, he grabbed both of her shoulder and looked into her teary eyes, "Listen..."

He couldn't finished what he wanted to say because this time he was pulled away from Orihime and thrown across the room.

When he tried to stand back he saw Tatsuki stood in front of him, rubbing his knuckles, ready to hit him again. She looked really pissed off.

"Whatever you wanna say, say it in my office!"

Orihime was bawling in the corner of the room while her best friend and her ex fiance shout at each other.

"What's the meaning of this! Why should I go with you!"

"Shut up, Ichigo, you don't have to pretend anymore. You admitted it, you said, "damn I got caugh" right?"

"I did say that, hey stay away from me Tatsuki!"

"Stop struggling and come with me!"

"Oi, Inoue, help me, this woman is crazy!"

"What you-!"

Tatsuki pushed Ichigo away when her cellphone was ringing. She looked at her bestfriend who was sobbing in the corner of the room before answering the phone.

"Yeah, Arisawa here."

"Ah, Arisawa-san, we already caught the culprit. The marriage swindler is also responsible for the stolen jewelry, please come here!"

.

The room was surrounded by uncomfortable silence after Tatsuki hurrily left the room. She grinned and appologized to Ichigo before quickly left the room. Leaving the awkward couple alone.

Orihime sat on the floor with her back facing Ichigo. Her eyes and nose were red, she was too embarrassed to face the man she had accused.

Ichigo on the other side, picked the ring she threw away earlier and sighed. He walked toward the girl.

"I can't believe I've been suspected for robbery," he sat in front of her and showed the ring to her, hoping that she'd accepted it once again, "but what I can't believe the most is I've done something that made you cry."

She sobbed.

"Why did you lie?"

Ichigo sighed when she started crying again.

"It's been disturbing me all the time." She rubbed her runny nose, "I was wondering how long we had time until you'd leave me..."

She looked down to the floor, her long hair hid her crying face.

"Did you enjoy watching me like that?"

Her shoulder was shaking.

"How is that possible."

"Then why did you..."

He tilted her face with one hand and kissed her. It tasted slightly salty from the tears but he didn't care. He continued kissing her until she stop crying.

He cupped her face with both of his large hand.

"Hey, you... Listen to me," he looked into her grey eyes, "I was wrong for lying to you. But I have no choice. I would do anything to make you to accept me."

"But, I've been always loving you, since high school," she sobbed, "I'd been..."

He put one finger on her lips, "Listen, just listen."

She looked at him.

"I didn't understand what I felt until that day, when you kissed me. I thought, that was the best thing I'd ever felt. But you," he pinched her nose lovingly, "you avoided me since that day. You acted like nothing happened... I was confused, I thought you didn't want to talk about it. Or maybe you regretted it..."

Orihime protested, "I would never..."

"Sssst, just listen," he smiled, "I thought I should just give you up but you kept sending me a postcard, so I thought, just maybe... Maybe... I had a chance."

He touched his forhead to hers.

"Sorry for lying," he whispered, "I just, didn't want you to avoid me again."

She bit her lower lip, she didn't want to cry again.

"You're still angry?"

Orihime was angry. Of course.

"I am angry." She said sharply, "you lie about your illness, I am really angry."

He sighed. He pecked her lips softly.

"I am sorry."

"But I am happy."

She smiled.

"At least until death do us apart didn't sound too scary anymore."

Ichigo laughed. He pulled the girl until she sat on his laps.

"So you're still marrying me?"

"Do you still want me?"

He grinned boyishly.

"Of course."

She chuckled and hugged his neck.

"Then let's get married."

.

.

END

.

.

/omake/

"So, Kurosaki-kun, you said you had money?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Err, how do you get the money, you're unemployeed right?"

"I write books."

"Eh, what books."

"Well you will laugh at me."

"No, I will not... What book?"

"Teenlit."

.

.

.

Author's note:

Sorry for the cheesy ending, I actually didn't wanna end this like this but I've lost interest for this fic so I decided to finish it ASAP.