Chapter 10
Rewind
Two hours earlier…
Sunrise Hotel, 5 AM
Ichigo walked in the hotel elevator after pulling off another all-nighter. It was hard keeping up with all the companies he has that he was considering selling two of them. At least, the ones who make the least amount of money. And it wasn't as if it would give a small dent to his fortune.
Business was booming.
But his personal life was down.
What is wrong with me? He thought wryly. I have an intelligent and good-looking fiancée, I have a family who are in good health, I have 프렌즈 who are always there to support me, and the entire world is in good shape. What am I looking for?!
Orihime-chan? His hollow suggested jokingly.
This is what I need, another pain in the 나귀, 엉덩이 when I'm dead tired.
Get used to it. I'll be with 당신 forever. Just like that damn Hikaru would be if 당신 marry her.
당신 make it sound like it's a bad thing.
It is a bad thing. You're being stupid King. And I thought I was the one who had problems.
I 사랑 her, 당신 damn Hollow.
Yeah, and I 사랑 Shinigami. Fuck it! What's the matter with you?! 당신 keep lying to yourself that 당신 사랑 that 암캐, 암 캐 Hikaru. Take it from me, I am yourself.
I need to take it easy. My life's going upside down.
Ooohh… What makes 당신 say that?
Coz my Hollow's giving me 조언 on choosing the right path. Isn't that bothersome?
Ichigo rolled his eyes and entered the doors to his suite. When he went in, it wasn't at all how he thought it would be.
Oooh… I'm gonna 사랑 THIS! His Hollow said happily.
Ichigo stood there, stunned. He was looking at two naked people in his living room, on his carpet, near his fireplace, and the woman was his fiancée.
Fiancée? Not for long.
"What the HELL is this?!" Ichigo shouted.
Hikaru woke up in a start, pushing the man on 상단, 맨 위로 of her. Ichigo's violent gaze swept from her to the man.
"Haru?!" Ichigo said, finally calming down. Truth be told, he was angered because they were making out in his living room, not because his employee was having sex with his fiancée. It didn't worry him at all. In fact, he was relieved. Like he was being saved from the greatest mistake he would ever make in his entire life.
"Dear, I can explain," Hikaru began.
"No need," Ichigo said in a tight-lipped smile. "This view is a great enough explanation. 또는 maybe 당신 just accidentally tumbled in together, naked, in my suite? Isn't that convenient?"
"Please, sir, we can explain," Haru said, shuddering upright.
"So that's why 당신 were here the other night?" Ichigo supplied, raising an eyebrow. "And 당신 freaked out like 당신 saw a ghost when 당신 met me downstairs. An affair?"
Haru nodded and stopped when Hikaru nudged him.
"Ichigo – " she started.
"I don't want to hear any 더 많이 lies Hikaru," he said in threatening finality. "You think I don't know how ambitious 당신 are? 당신 don't think I make it my business to know the people closest to me? 당신 don't think I know that 당신 were never rich and that your parents were a pair of hired actors? Everything was a lie. I knew it before the 일 I proposed to you, because I thought 당신 were a good person trying to please people in a bad way. I thought 당신 would change. But I should have known all along that there are some people who can never change."
To his surprise, Hikaru didn't look regretful at all. Instead, she laughed. A cold, high-pitched laughter that made Ichigo want to lunge at her and strangle her.
"Get out Haru," she commanded.
The pitiful doctor scrambled outside after putting on his clothes hastily. He made a quick bow and left the two.
"You talk about lies?!" Hikaru breathed. "Well, here's one for you. I lied because I want to make money, and 당신 are the golden ticket there. I never loved 당신 Kurosaki Ichigo. I don't know love. Money matters in this world. I stood 의해 you, and thank heavens 당신 were a hot number 또는 I would've just killed 당신 from the start and 스톨, 훔친 all your money from you."
"Why 당신 – " Ichigo said, motioning towards her.
Hikaru raised a threatening finger. "Don't 당신 dare make a move. I know you're too noble to lower yourself and kill me, right? You're not really mad because 당신 로스트 me. You're even happy you're rid of me."
"How right 당신 are," Ichigo said, sending a loathing stare at Hikaru.
"But you're not that clean," she added, giving him a knowing look.
"I'm not the one who cheated."
"Is that so? Why don't 당신 leave now and jump in Orihime's 침대 and make another baby?"
Ichigo stared wide-eyed at her. Without a word, he moved towards Hikaru and pushed her outside the door.
"Get out and no 더 많이 lies, Hikaru," Ichigo said, rage seeping through his voice. "I've heard enough lies. This is over. Go home, if 당신 ever even had one."
Ichigo closed the door in a slam.
The lengths that woman would go to save her neck, Ichigo mused, unhappy 의해 Hikaru's inventive story of a baby.
I need to go to the beach.
Ichigo took a glass of wine and looked through his clothes for something to hide his identity, so he could walk out and be undisturbed for the first time in his professional life.
Inoue Orihime's apartment, 5 AM
"Ichigo!" Orihime shouted, bolting upright.
She looked around. It was still a bit dark outside. She looked at the numbers flashing on the digital clock beside her bed. 5:00 AM.
"God!" Orihime said, throwing his hands in the air and slumping down on the bed. "Another dream!"
And it wasn't just another dream. Ichigo was there, again.
I swear, I need to see a doctor, she thought.
It was a dream where she woke up one 일 with Ichigo standing on her doorway, holding Daisuke in his arms.
"Orihime," he said, his eyes filled with hatred. "Why didn't 당신 tell me?"
"I – " she began, but was cut off when Daisuke squealed in delight.
"Mom," Daisuke said cheerfully. "This man says he's my daddy and he's taking me with him!"
"Daisuke, no," she said, crying.
"Why didn't 당신 tell me mom? I look just like Daddy so I believed him when he said so," the boy said. "I'm coming with him mom. At least, he doesn't keep secrets from me."
"Ichigo," she pleaded. "Please, don't do this."
"You already kept him away from me Orihime," Ichigo said coldly. "Now, it's my turn to take him away from you."
"Nooo!!!" Orihime screamed. "Daisuke, don't go! NOOO!!! Ichigo!"
And that was the end of it.
"Mom," Daisuke said from the doorway, rubbing his eyes. "Are 당신 okay? 당신 were shouting."
Orihime's eyes softened in relief. "Come here baby boy," she said, her arms opened wide.
"I'm not a baby anymore, mom," he said, jumping into her arms.
"I know. But you'll always be my baby, right? No one's gonna get you," Orihime said, hugging her son tight.
"Of course mom. Not even Ichigo," Daisuke said.
"Ichigo?" Orihime said, abruptly letting go of Daisuke.
Daisuke turned to look at her. "Yeah," he said. "You've been screaming his name for a week now. It's not getting me any sleep. Why are 당신 so afraid of strawberries mom? 또는 is this Ichigo a person? A bad person?"
Orihime embraced Daisuke. "I'm really lucky to have you. And I'm sorry if mom isn't letting 당신 have any sleep. She's been having nightmares."
"About Ichigo?"
"Yes, about Ichigo. But he's not a bad man, Daisuke."
"Ichigo is a man?! Weird name."
Orihime laughed. "I know. It's a weird name."
"Oh well. He won't come after 당신 mom, I promise. And he's not taking me away, whoever he is," Daisuke promised, 키싱 Orihime's cheek. "If it helps, I'll sleep beside you."
Orihime smiled. "I'd really like that."
"I don't want 당신 getting sleepy on our trip to the 바닷가, 비치 today," Daisuke added, snuggling to his mother. "Good night again mom."
"Good night too honey," Orihime said.
I am one lucky woman…
Rewind
Two hours earlier…
Sunrise Hotel, 5 AM
Ichigo walked in the hotel elevator after pulling off another all-nighter. It was hard keeping up with all the companies he has that he was considering selling two of them. At least, the ones who make the least amount of money. And it wasn't as if it would give a small dent to his fortune.
Business was booming.
But his personal life was down.
What is wrong with me? He thought wryly. I have an intelligent and good-looking fiancée, I have a family who are in good health, I have 프렌즈 who are always there to support me, and the entire world is in good shape. What am I looking for?!
Orihime-chan? His hollow suggested jokingly.
This is what I need, another pain in the 나귀, 엉덩이 when I'm dead tired.
Get used to it. I'll be with 당신 forever. Just like that damn Hikaru would be if 당신 marry her.
당신 make it sound like it's a bad thing.
It is a bad thing. You're being stupid King. And I thought I was the one who had problems.
I 사랑 her, 당신 damn Hollow.
Yeah, and I 사랑 Shinigami. Fuck it! What's the matter with you?! 당신 keep lying to yourself that 당신 사랑 that 암캐, 암 캐 Hikaru. Take it from me, I am yourself.
I need to take it easy. My life's going upside down.
Ooohh… What makes 당신 say that?
Coz my Hollow's giving me 조언 on choosing the right path. Isn't that bothersome?
Ichigo rolled his eyes and entered the doors to his suite. When he went in, it wasn't at all how he thought it would be.
Oooh… I'm gonna 사랑 THIS! His Hollow said happily.
Ichigo stood there, stunned. He was looking at two naked people in his living room, on his carpet, near his fireplace, and the woman was his fiancée.
Fiancée? Not for long.
"What the HELL is this?!" Ichigo shouted.
Hikaru woke up in a start, pushing the man on 상단, 맨 위로 of her. Ichigo's violent gaze swept from her to the man.
"Haru?!" Ichigo said, finally calming down. Truth be told, he was angered because they were making out in his living room, not because his employee was having sex with his fiancée. It didn't worry him at all. In fact, he was relieved. Like he was being saved from the greatest mistake he would ever make in his entire life.
"Dear, I can explain," Hikaru began.
"No need," Ichigo said in a tight-lipped smile. "This view is a great enough explanation. 또는 maybe 당신 just accidentally tumbled in together, naked, in my suite? Isn't that convenient?"
"Please, sir, we can explain," Haru said, shuddering upright.
"So that's why 당신 were here the other night?" Ichigo supplied, raising an eyebrow. "And 당신 freaked out like 당신 saw a ghost when 당신 met me downstairs. An affair?"
Haru nodded and stopped when Hikaru nudged him.
"Ichigo – " she started.
"I don't want to hear any 더 많이 lies Hikaru," he said in threatening finality. "You think I don't know how ambitious 당신 are? 당신 don't think I make it my business to know the people closest to me? 당신 don't think I know that 당신 were never rich and that your parents were a pair of hired actors? Everything was a lie. I knew it before the 일 I proposed to you, because I thought 당신 were a good person trying to please people in a bad way. I thought 당신 would change. But I should have known all along that there are some people who can never change."
To his surprise, Hikaru didn't look regretful at all. Instead, she laughed. A cold, high-pitched laughter that made Ichigo want to lunge at her and strangle her.
"Get out Haru," she commanded.
The pitiful doctor scrambled outside after putting on his clothes hastily. He made a quick bow and left the two.
"You talk about lies?!" Hikaru breathed. "Well, here's one for you. I lied because I want to make money, and 당신 are the golden ticket there. I never loved 당신 Kurosaki Ichigo. I don't know love. Money matters in this world. I stood 의해 you, and thank heavens 당신 were a hot number 또는 I would've just killed 당신 from the start and 스톨, 훔친 all your money from you."
"Why 당신 – " Ichigo said, motioning towards her.
Hikaru raised a threatening finger. "Don't 당신 dare make a move. I know you're too noble to lower yourself and kill me, right? You're not really mad because 당신 로스트 me. You're even happy you're rid of me."
"How right 당신 are," Ichigo said, sending a loathing stare at Hikaru.
"But you're not that clean," she added, giving him a knowing look.
"I'm not the one who cheated."
"Is that so? Why don't 당신 leave now and jump in Orihime's 침대 and make another baby?"
Ichigo stared wide-eyed at her. Without a word, he moved towards Hikaru and pushed her outside the door.
"Get out and no 더 많이 lies, Hikaru," Ichigo said, rage seeping through his voice. "I've heard enough lies. This is over. Go home, if 당신 ever even had one."
Ichigo closed the door in a slam.
The lengths that woman would go to save her neck, Ichigo mused, unhappy 의해 Hikaru's inventive story of a baby.
I need to go to the beach.
Ichigo took a glass of wine and looked through his clothes for something to hide his identity, so he could walk out and be undisturbed for the first time in his professional life.
Inoue Orihime's apartment, 5 AM
"Ichigo!" Orihime shouted, bolting upright.
She looked around. It was still a bit dark outside. She looked at the numbers flashing on the digital clock beside her bed. 5:00 AM.
"God!" Orihime said, throwing his hands in the air and slumping down on the bed. "Another dream!"
And it wasn't just another dream. Ichigo was there, again.
I swear, I need to see a doctor, she thought.
It was a dream where she woke up one 일 with Ichigo standing on her doorway, holding Daisuke in his arms.
"Orihime," he said, his eyes filled with hatred. "Why didn't 당신 tell me?"
"I – " she began, but was cut off when Daisuke squealed in delight.
"Mom," Daisuke said cheerfully. "This man says he's my daddy and he's taking me with him!"
"Daisuke, no," she said, crying.
"Why didn't 당신 tell me mom? I look just like Daddy so I believed him when he said so," the boy said. "I'm coming with him mom. At least, he doesn't keep secrets from me."
"Ichigo," she pleaded. "Please, don't do this."
"You already kept him away from me Orihime," Ichigo said coldly. "Now, it's my turn to take him away from you."
"Nooo!!!" Orihime screamed. "Daisuke, don't go! NOOO!!! Ichigo!"
And that was the end of it.
"Mom," Daisuke said from the doorway, rubbing his eyes. "Are 당신 okay? 당신 were shouting."
Orihime's eyes softened in relief. "Come here baby boy," she said, her arms opened wide.
"I'm not a baby anymore, mom," he said, jumping into her arms.
"I know. But you'll always be my baby, right? No one's gonna get you," Orihime said, hugging her son tight.
"Of course mom. Not even Ichigo," Daisuke said.
"Ichigo?" Orihime said, abruptly letting go of Daisuke.
Daisuke turned to look at her. "Yeah," he said. "You've been screaming his name for a week now. It's not getting me any sleep. Why are 당신 so afraid of strawberries mom? 또는 is this Ichigo a person? A bad person?"
Orihime embraced Daisuke. "I'm really lucky to have you. And I'm sorry if mom isn't letting 당신 have any sleep. She's been having nightmares."
"About Ichigo?"
"Yes, about Ichigo. But he's not a bad man, Daisuke."
"Ichigo is a man?! Weird name."
Orihime laughed. "I know. It's a weird name."
"Oh well. He won't come after 당신 mom, I promise. And he's not taking me away, whoever he is," Daisuke promised, 키싱 Orihime's cheek. "If it helps, I'll sleep beside you."
Orihime smiled. "I'd really like that."
"I don't want 당신 getting sleepy on our trip to the 바닷가, 비치 today," Daisuke added, snuggling to his mother. "Good night again mom."
"Good night too honey," Orihime said.
I am one lucky woman…