Uryuu Ishida was always a shy person. He kept himself separated from everyone else, doing his own thing. No one seemed to care. They never talked to him or asked if he wanted to hang out. Not that it mattered to him; he liked it this way. He didn’t need friends. They were just burdens and the only reason people would want to be friends with him is because he was smart. He could help with their homework or tutor them if they needed it. But, no one asked, because they knew he wouldn’t help them. There was one girl, though, who always liked to talk to him. Her name was Orihime Inoue. She was the girl that all guys like because she was more psychically developed than other girls. Ishida was a gentleman, but he found himself blushing at the thought of her wearing a bikini at the year field trip to the beach. He wasn’t going to go, so no reason thinking about it, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Ishida kun!” Orihime called out, going to his desk, where he was silently reading. He sighed; didn’t she know he didn’t like to talk to people, especially ones that didn’t know when to shut up? “Sorry, if I’m bothering you, but I was wondering if you could help me with this math problem?” He sighed again, taking the notebook from her hands.

“Sure.” He replied. “Now… All you have to do is plug this equation in into this one and solve it. It’s not very hard.” He ended that with a rude tone and Orihime noticed.

“Oh, thanks.” She said, sadly, taking the notebook back. Ishida looked back at up, as she walked back to her desk. He actually felt bad for being rude to her. It wouldn’t matter if it was anyone else, but for some reason, he felt bad. He shook his head and went back to reading, trying to push thoughts of her to the back of his head. He was unsuccessful.

When Uryuu got home and couldn’t get thoughts of Orihime out of his mind. He put his books on the floor next to his counter and sat on the couch. He wondered if she was still sad about his rudeness earlier today. No point worrying about, he thought, grabbing his notebook and starting his homework. He had no social life, so right when he got home, he did his homework. The rest of the night, he read or watched the news. The doorbell rang and Uryuu got up and answered it, sighing as he did so. It was Orihime. She was wearing a pink short sleeved shirt and a rather short skirt. Uryuu didn’t know why, but his heart was pounding hard against his chest.

“Hi.” She said, trying to avoid his gaze. He did the same with her. “I was walking to the store and I found this.” She showed him a book that belonged to him. It was the one he was reading earlier.

“Oh….” He took it from her. “Thank you, Inoue-San….” He didn’t know what else to tell her and he didn’t even know why it was so hard to say anything at all. His face was growing strangely hot with every glance he shot at her. “And…. I’m sorry about earlier… I don’t know how to talk to people.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” A smile spread on her face, which made Uryuu’s face grew even hotter. “Are you going to the beach field trip?”

“Uh…. I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“I…. I don’t have any swim trunks.” That was lie. He did have them, but he never wore them before.

“Oh, I can buy you some! It will be so fun to go together.”

Oh, god, he thought. Thoughts of Orihime in that bikini were coming to his mind again. His face was completely red by now.

“Do you have a fever?” She put a hand to his head. He couldn’t hold it in; he had a nosebleed that trickled down his face and past his lips. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah. I’m fine.” He took a tissue and wiped his bloody nose. “I’m fine. Thanks for bringing the book back.”

“No problem. I have to go. Bye!” She smiled and left. He shut the door behind her, panting heavily. His stomach did a backwards flip and his heart still continued to pound. What the hell was that all about? Just today he was being rude to the girl, but now he was blushing at the sight of her. He’s not just a shy guy who got nervous seeing a girl’s developments… No, he found himself getting nervous by even looking at her face. She was beautiful, he couldn’t deny that, but he wanted to see her again. He wanted to hold her and protect her. His eyes widened when he made a shocking discovery. He was in love with her! He sighed deeply, lying onto the couch and drifting off to sleep.

When Uryuu woke up, someone was rapping on his door. He saw that his glasses fell off his eyes and onto his chest. He put them on and scrambled to his door and answered it. Orihime stood there again. His heart skipped a beat. This is great, he thought. He just came to a conclusion that he was in love with her and here she is once more at his doorstep, wearing that same pink outfit.

“Can I help you, Inoue-san?” He asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Oh, I was wondering if I could talk to you?” She asked, looking down at her feet.

“Of course. Come in.” He opened the door wider and moved to the side so she could come in.

“Thank you.” He watched as she sat on his couch, staying silent. She looked nervous and bit anxious.

“So…” Uryuu started, sitting next to her, but keeping his distance. If he so much as touched her, another nosebleed would start again. “…What is it you want to talk about?”

“I….” She sighed. “I really like this boy at school….” Uryuu’s ears perked up. “But… I’m not sure if he feels the same way. I really want him to, because I care about him so much.”

“Oh….” He said. She loves me, he thought. Why else would she come and ask for advice. She really loves me! “…. Well, Inoue-san, I think you should tell this person just how you feel.”

“Really?” He nodded. “Well, what if he rejects me?” Tears welled up in her eyes. Uryuu gently put an arm around her shoulder. “Will he return my feelings?”

“I’m sure he will, Inoue-san.” She smiled at him.

“I’m going to tell him right now!”

“You do that.” She got up. “Where are you going?” She was heading toward the door.

“What do you mean?” She asked, the smile still on her face. “I’m going to tell Kurosaki Kun how I feel!” Uryuu’s heart sank like a rock in a pool. Kurosaki?

“Kuro-Kurosaki?” He stammered. “That’s who you love?”

“Uh-huh! Who’d you think it was?” He was lost for words. He couldn’t form a response.

“I thought it was Keigo Asano.”

“Keigo Asano?” She repeated.

“Yeah, I mean he always sort of fancied you, you know. He’s always ogling after you.”

“Oh, but knowing Keigo, he will find another girl.”

“Y-yeah, he will.” Uryuu sighed heavily. “I’m sorry if I’m being rude, but I need to be alone right now.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for the advice. I’ll tell Kurosaki Kun soon.” He didn’t say anything as she walked out the door and shut it. He could feel his heart breaking. Why did he have to fall in love with her? Why couldn’t he just keep his distance like always and not think about her? Why couldn’t it be that simple? Ugh. It was never that simple, no matter how much he or anyone else wanted it to be. She was flawless perfection now that he thought about it harder. He always thought she was full of flaws, since she was always so happy and so clumsy, but now she was perfect. She was always happy and now he admired it. Just the thought of her, got his blood rising. He would do anything to have those lips on his, even for a split second. He….

Uryuu woke up in the soul society, with Orihime sleeping close by. He was thinking of the past again. No matter how many times he thinks about it, it still hurts just as bad as the day it happened. Today, he hoped, Orihime won’t talk about Kurosaki in her sleep. That hurt more. He sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his shiny, raven colored hair. Orihime stirred in her sleep and thoughts ran through his head again.

Orihime was vibrant in her white summer dress and her radiant orange hair shining in the sun. Uryuu was sitting close by wearing a white collar shirt and black shorts.

“Uryuu, you look so cute in your outfit!” Orihime giggled.

“Oh…. Thank you.” He pushed up his glasses in his embarrassment. She sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him. She smiled at the blush creeping upon his cheeks.

“I love you.” She said.

“I love you too.” He replied, closing the space between them with a passionate kiss.

He sighed at his thoughts and saw Orihime was getting up.

“Hi.” She said, rubbing her bed head, which Uryuu noted looked adorable on her.

“Hi.” He said, not looking at her after that.

“Is it my turn to look out?”

“No. You still have a few more hours. Inoue-san, do you remember when we first starting being friends?”

“Of course I do!” She giggled. “It was that day when I brought you home your book.”

“Yeah… I was thinking about that and how I fell….” He stopped in his words. He said too much. “….How I fell on the floor at school. Do you remember that?”

“No, no I don’t.” She tried to remember. “I don’t think I was there.”

“Oh, I guess you weren’t.” He brushed dust off his robes. He preferred his Quincy outfit over this shinigami one. Orihime looked beautiful in hers. She didn’t go back to sleep, but she brushed her hair until it was just the way she liked it. He liked it any way styled it. He looked over at her and saw that her robes were coming undone and he could…see part of her bra….

“Inoue-san!” He squeaked. “Y-your robes.” She looked down, blushing slightly and fixing it.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay….Why don’t you go back to sleep? I’ll wake you up when it’s your turn.”

“Okay. Good night, Ishida-kun.” She laid back down and slowly went to sleep. Uryuu watched her and sighed heavily. He thought of the past again.