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 老友记 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 屁股 when I'm dead tired.

Get used to it. I'll be with 你 forever. Just like that damn Hikaru would be if 你 marry her.

你 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 爱情 her, 你 damn Hollow.

Yeah, and I 爱情 Shinigami. Fuck it! What's the matter with you?! 你 keep lying to yourself that 你 爱情 that 婊子, 子 Hikaru. Take it from me, I am yourself.

I need to take it easy. My life's going upside down.

Ooohh… What makes 你 say that?

Coz my Hollow's giving me 建议 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 爱情 THIS! His Hollow 说 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 最佳, 返回页首 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 说 in a tight-lipped smile. "This view is a great enough explanation. 或者 maybe 你 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 你 were here the other night?" Ichigo supplied, raising an eyebrow. "And 你 freaked out like 你 saw a ghost when 你 met me downstairs. An affair?"

Haru nodded and stopped when Hikaru nudged him.

"Ichigo – " she started.

"I don't want to hear any 更多 lies Hikaru," he 说 in threatening finality. "You think I don't know how ambitious 你 are? 你 don't think I make it my business to know the people closest to me? 你 don't think I know that 你 were never rich and that your parents were a pair of hired actors? Everything was a lie. I knew it before the 日 I proposed to you, because I thought 你 were a good person trying to please people in a bad way. I thought 你 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 你 are the golden ticket there. I never loved 你 Kurosaki Ichigo. I don't know love. Money matters in this world. I stood 由 you, and thank heavens 你 were a hot number 或者 I would've just killed 你 from the start and 偷了 all your money from you."

"Why 你 – " Ichigo said, motioning towards her.

Hikaru raised a threatening finger. "Don't 你 dare make a move. I know you're too noble to lower yourself and kill me, right? You're not really mad because 你 迷失 me. You're even happy you're rid of me."

"How right 你 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 你 leave now and jump in Orihime's 床, 床上 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 更多 lies, Hikaru," Ichigo said, rage seeping through his voice. "I've heard enough lies. This is over. Go home, if 你 ever even had one."

Ichigo closed the door in a slam.

The lengths that woman would go to save her neck, Ichigo mused, unhappy 由 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 日 with Ichigo standing on her doorway, holding Daisuke in his arms.

"Orihime," he said, his eyes filled with hatred. "Why didn't 你 tell me?"

"I – " she began, but was cut off when Daisuke squealed in delight.

"Mom," Daisuke 说 cheerfully. "This man says he's my daddy and he's taking me with him!"

"Daisuke, no," she said, crying.

"Why didn't 你 tell me mom? I look just like Daddy so I believed him when he 说 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 说 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 说 from the doorway, rubbing his eyes. "Are 你 okay? 你 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 你 so afraid of strawberries mom? 或者 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 你 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 你 mom, I promise. And he's not taking me away, whoever he is," Daisuke promised, 接吻 Orihime's cheek. "If it helps, I'll sleep beside you."

Orihime smiled. "I'd really like that."

"I don't want 你 getting sleepy on our trip to the 海滩 today," Daisuke added, snuggling to his mother. "Good night again mom."

"Good night too honey," Orihime said.

I am one lucky woman…