Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Orihime's Groundhog Day ❯ Kurikaesu. Repeat! ( Chapter 9 )

Tite Kibe owns `Bleach'. I just borrowed the characters. The charm is mine.

 

The final chapter.

 

I will be writing a sequel to this story. I ask that you please keep that in mind. Explanations etc at end.

 

Kurikaesu. Repeat!

 

`Orihime. Orihime, open your eyes, but don't move,' said a familiar voice.

 

Orihime opened her eyes and shut them quickly as she was finding it difficult to focus, and it hurt. She felt pain in her head and flinched. It was bad. The nausea from earlier returned. Where was she?

 

`I told you not to move,' the voice urged.

 

`Where am I?' she whispered without opening her eyes. Even whispering hurt.

 

`We're still outside. Where I was fighting the hollows. I didn't want to move you because I'm scared you have a concussion, otherwise I would have taken you home. Could you get your guys to heal you?' Ichigo asked concern evident in his voice.

 

Orihime tried to remember how to do that. She knew she had to say some names and a spell of some kind. It was hard to remember because the pain in her head was distracting her. She went to rub her temples, but felt a gently pressure on her arms.

 

`Please don't move. It could be dangerous,' Ichigo said.

 

`Stupid woman,' another voice said. `Can't you remember something so simple? I am ashamed of you.'

 

`Leave her alone Tsubaki. She's hurt,' Ichigo scolded him.

 

`I don't have to listen to you, moron,' Tsubaki said to Ichigo.

 

`I'll make you listen to me,' said Ichigo trying to grab Tsubaki.

 

They began to argue, Tsubaki diving at Ichigo, yelling insults and Ichigo swatting at him, returning insult for insult. They made a lot of noise and the noise reverberated in her head. Orihime expected to hear someone yelling at them to be quiet, but then remembered most people would not be able to hear them.

 

`Stupid Shinigami,' yelled Tsubaki.

 

`Moronic fairy,' said Ichigo.

 

`I'm not a fairy. I'm a power. Better than being a strawberry.'

 

`Better being a strawberry than tiny.'

 

The insults continued.

 

Distracted by the commotion, Orihime found it hard to concentrate. The noise made her head ache even more. Racking her brain, flinching against the pain, she finally remembered the right words.

 

`Shuno, Ayame. Soten Kishun. I reject!' she said softly under the noise that Ichigo and Tsubaki were making.

 

She was quickly encompassed in her healing power and her headache eased. Shuno and Ayame said comforting words to her as they healed her, telling her how brave they thought she was.

 

`Taking on a hollow alone is very brave. I couldn't do it,' said Ayame kindly.

 

`I can't tell you how much I admire you,' Shuno said. `I'm proud to be one of your powers. I'm sure Tsubaki is too. He's just trying to hide how worried he is about you.'

 

At least their words distracted her from the noise Ichigo and Tsubaki were making and made up partly for the comments from Tsubaki.

 

The insults had become even more personal between the substitute shinigami and Orihime's power. By now Ichigo and Tsubaki were chasing each other around.

 

`Hollow lover,' yelled Tsubaki.

 

`Deviant,' steamed Ichigo.

 

`Pervert,' said Tsubaki.

 

`Wanker,' hissed Ichigo.

 

Orihime opened her eyes to see Ichigo threatening Tsubaki with Zangetsu, while Tsubaki was making rude gestures at Ichigo.

 

As the fight seemed to be degenerating, she decided that she felt well enough to recall her powers, including Tsubaki. He disappeared, mid insult, leaving Ichigo looking slightly ashamed. He scratched his head and moved close to Orihime.

 

`Are you feeling better now?' Ichigo asked, concerned, kneeling beside her.

 

`Yes. I think I'd better go home,' Orihime said as Ichigo helped her to her feet.

 

`I have to come with you,' Ichigo reminded her. `My body is still there.'

 

Remembering about the charm, Orihime quickly checked her watch. It was 10 minutes past the time she normally invoked the charm. She wouldn't have a chance to repeat now. The repeats were over. She felt a pang as she realised that she would no longer be able to spend as much time with Ichigo. She would only see him at school in the future.

 

She briefly wondered if fate accepted the changes? It didn't really matter anymore. Ichigo had remembered too much already.

 

`Are you okay to walk? You don't want me to carry you or anything?' Ichigo suggested uncertainly.

 

`I'm fine, all healed.' Determined to show no further weakness, she smiled at him as they walked to her apartment.

 

`If you're sure,' Ichigo said.

 

He looked as if he was going to say something else, but shook his head.

 

They passed no one during the short walk. It was quiet in the street. The occasional dog barked. A slight breeze blew. She shivered involuntarily.

 

Orihime wondered if she should start a conversation, but felt suddenly shy. A quick glance revealed that Ichigo was frowning.

 

She returned to her thoughts. The repeats were over and she had to resume normal life. No more stolen hours with Ichigo, learning more about him. She dreaded returning to the normal routine. The thought of returning to her apartment saddened her, because it would be the real end. Ichigo would reclaim his body and leave. In light of everything, she was unsure if the invitation to Ichigo's house would be repeated. Slowing her walking pace slightly did not slow Ichigo down. He strode ahead and waited for her at the door to the apartment.

 

Once they were inside, Ichigo quickly returned to his body. Orihime expected him to leave immediately, but he stood there, hesitating. He went and got a glass of water, which he drank quickly. She watched every move.

 

`I think we need to talk, Orihime, about a few things,' he said softly.

 

Orihime's heart thudded. This was it; the time when she would lose Ichigo's friendship, possibly forever. Nothing she felt before, except the death of her brother, prepared her for the dizziness and pain she now experienced.

 

`I think I need to sit down for this,' she said.

 

Returning to her seat at the table, she gripped her hands together, to hide their shaking. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to remain standing.

 

Ichigo stood in the middle of the room. He slouched, hands in pockets, looking uncomfortable and gazing out the window.

 

`Do you want to sit down?' Orihime asked.

 

`No. No, I don't. I don't want to stay long,' he replied still looking out the window.

 

The scowl on his face showed Orihime he was not happy. That particular scowl appeared only occasionally and usually betokened trouble for someone.

 

Orihime took a deep breath. That scowl meant this was going to be bad.

 

There was a pause as Ichigo seemed to be thinking about what he was going to say. As she watched the play of emotions move across Ichigo's face, Orihime wished she had never seen the charm, never eaten in the burger bar. Most of all she wished the charm had never reached critical mass. Her nails were digging into her hands as she waited, but she didn't notice. Distracted by her thoughts she jumped guiltily when Ichigo eventually spoke.

 

`What in hells' name were you thinking?' Ichigo said angrily. `You knew I was going out to fight hollows. Why did you follow me? You could have been killed. I heard you arrive and got sidetracked when I saw you fighting the other hollow. I was, um, I was worried. The hollow I was fighting managed to throw me because I was distracted. It's lucky he didn't throw me too far. As soon as he threw me, he moved toward you and you didn't notice. It made you an easy target. Before Tsubaki could move the hollow had knocked you to the ground. It was then that I finally managed to catch up and use Zangetsu. Why did you do it? Why did you do something so stupid and dangerous? You're not a fighter Orihime.'

 

`I, I,' she began and stopped.

 

`What can I say,' she wondered. `He's right. I shouldn't have followed him. I was trying to prove that I can fight, but I failed. I killed the hollow but then got hurt. It didn't prove that I can help him.'

 

`I'm sure you don't have an answer,' Ichigo moved closer. `Do you know how it felt to see the hollow bending over you? He was so close, almost touching you. Tsubaki was yelling at you to get up.' Ichigo said, exasperated.

 

By now Ichigo was standing beside her chair. He grabbed Orihime by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. Then he drew her close and kissed her.

 

`I must still be unconscious and dreaming,' Orihime thought as she felt Ichigo's lips touch hers. `I don't want to wake up,' she thought distractedly as he continued to kiss her gently.

 

She felt his arms encircle her, pulling her closer. `I definitely don't want to wake up,' she thought.

 

Ichigo stopped kissing her. She opened her eyes reluctantly to see him looking at her sternly.

 

`Never do that again. Do you understand? I was scared he was going to kill you. I realised at that moment, you are special to me,' he said before he kissed her again.

 

`Ichigo is kissing me. He's kissing me and holding me close. He told me I am special to him. I wish he'd use his tongue. Maybe I should have persuaded a hollow to knock me out earlier,' Orihime thought and then forgot to think.

 

Abruptly, Ichigo stopped kissing her and moved away.

 

Looking at him with concern, Orihime observed that his face was creased into a frown and he seemed torn by what he was going to say.

 

`I still need to know,' Ichigo said.

 

The blood in her veins seemed to become sluggish and cold. Involuntarily, Orihime shivered again. Ichigo had kissed her, but he had not forgotten their earlier conversation. He had worried about her but wanted the truth only she could provide. The truth, she had to tell him the truth.

 

`What do you need to know?' She asked, trying to put off the evil moment. She felt like she had a large lump lodged in her throat.

 

`Why do I have these memories?' Ichigo asked simply, looking first at her mouth but then dragging his eyes to hers.

 

Swallowing hard, Orihime felt the lump move from her throat to her chest.

 

`If I were to be honest, Ichigo, I would say I don't want to tell you,' she replied her voice suddenly hoarse.

 

`I need to know. You know how it feels to doubt your sanity. If you know that, you should want to prevent other people from feeling the same way. You know why I have these memories. Please, tell me.' The words were spoken without any emotion, but a wealth of emotion lay behind them.

 

Orihime's mind raced. How could she start?

 

`I'm scared if I tell you, I will lose your friendship,' she said quietly, avoiding his gaze.

 

Ichigo sighed. `It must be bad. I thought it might be. It's not like you to stall, but I need to know.'

 

`It is bad and all the blame is mine,' Orihime acknowledged, wretchedly.

 

She paused and pleated her uniform skirt between her fingers, as she tried to think of the words she would use.

 

The silence lengthened as Ichigo waited for her answer.

 

`I used a charm on you, Ichigo,' Orihime began and then paused again.

 

Ichigo was shaking his head. `Ghosts, hollows, shinigami, and now charms. I thought life couldn't get more complicated, but I was wrong. A charm?'

 

Orihime indicated her necklace. `The charm is this necklace. There are some key words to invoke it. Jidanbo gave me the charm as a payment for healing him. I didn't want it. I accepted it because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. He told me the rules but I've forgotten some of them. It's a charm that controls time. It can make the same four hours repeat without anyone except the person invoking the charm remembering any of the previous repeats. Well, most of the time,' Orihime began.

 

`Then why do I remember?' Ichigo asked, worried. He looked as if he expected very bad news.

 

Seeing that look on Ichigo's face hurt Orihime. The lump in her chest seemed to grow larger. She had caused that look.

 

`There's a whole lot of rules and restrictions around the charm. I forgot about some of them and accidentally broke the rules which meant your memories began to return. I should never have offered you the alcohol but I forgot that rule. That sped up the memory recovery. I should have stopped then, but I couldn't.'

 

`So are we repeating right now?' Ichigo asked his voice a mixture of anger and fear.

 

Orihime shook her head. `It's over. I can never use the charm again.' She bit her lip, fearfully waiting for Ichigo's reaction.

 

`Let me get this straight. You used a charm that made me repeat the same four hours with you. How many times?' Ichigo was looking around the room as if he would find the answer written on the wall.

 

`There were seven repeats,' she whispered, shocked at the realisation.

 

Intellectually, she knew there were seven repeats, but acknowledging it aloud made it tangible. Seven was a large number to cover up one mistake. She should have stopped earlier.

 

`Seven repeats? Why so many? That doesn't seem right. There must have been an original four hours. Something must have happened during the first four hours that made you use the charm. Something you wanted me to forget. You used the charm to make me forget,' he reasoned.

 

Looking sternly at Orihime, Ichigo asked, `What happened?'

 

`Ummm. I got affected by food additives.'

 

`And?'

 

Orihime felt like squirming. `Please don't ask.'

 

She watched with apprehension as Ichigo closed his eyes, trying to recover a lost memory.

 

`I don't think the first four hours were when we went to the Karaoke bar, or the time you served me alcohol. We must have played Zelda together, another time. Was the first four hours when I saw you naked?' Ichigo said and then flushed, realising what he had said.

 

`No, Ichigo. It wasn't then. Please, don't try to remember,' Orihime pleaded.

 

`I've got to remember. I want to sort out everything in my mind. I feel like I've been tricked out of part of my life,' he stood lost in thought.

 

`I remember once I fell asleep and you were really close to me when I woke up. I don't think it was that one. Nothing happened then that you would consider important. We listened to music another time. I enjoyed that. It was good to just sit and listen, not have to do anything. No wonder I felt this place was almost like home. I've spent how many hours here? It probably explains why I feel relaxed with you. Why I feel happy to be with you. But all of it is built on a lie. Why did you keep repeating once you fixed the first problem? There's a reason. It must be related to the first four hours.'

 

`I got carried away. I don't have a good reason. Partly I think the charm influenced me to keep repeating. It seemed to affect my behaviour and I did some things I know were wrong.'

 

`Like taking me to a Karaoke bar?' Ichigo asked.

 

`That was more misguided than wrong,' Orihime responded.

 

`And it also explains why I thought my family would like you. My old man seemed impressed with you,' Ichigo remembered. `But what was the point? Why repeat something seven times?'

 

`The charm seemed to corrupt my judgement. After the first repeat I thought I could improve the four hours. After that, the charm seemed to encourage me to repeat. I tried to control my actions, but sometimes it was so tempting just to follow my impulses. It made me feel free, as if nothing I did really mattered because I could change it if it went wrong. The problem was I forgot the rules. You began to remember and I panicked. Until then, I thought I was safe. This was going to be the last repeat. I knew you remembered a lot, but not everything. I never wanted to hurt you Ichigo, but I have. I know an apology is not enough.'

 

Ichigo laughed grimly. `No, an apology is not enough,' he stated bluntly.

 

`Just give me a chance…' Orihime began.

 

Ichigo became very still as Orihime uttered those words. So still, she wondered if he was still breathing.

 

`What did I say?' she wondered frantically. `Was it a trigger phrase?'

 

`I remember you saying that. I remember you told me…' Ichigo was silent, obviously remembering everything.

 

He flushed again and looked at Orihime and then stared out the window.

 

`I understand now. I remember the first four hours. Those words, you said them in the first four hours. It wasn't the whole four hours you wanted me to forget. Only about 15-20 minutes. No wonder you didn't want me to remember. I'm not sure I want to remember it either,' he looked at her sharply. `I can remember how I felt at the time. I don't feel like that now, but you've had time to work on me. That wasn't fair,' he said coolly.

 

There was a pause. Orihime wanted to say something, but no words came that would help. To apologise again would be futile as Ichigo had already rejected her apology.

 

`You mentioned something about food additives as your excuse. What did you mean?' Ichigo finally asked.

 

`Some food additives make me act strangely. I give into impulses I normally wouldn't,' Orihime explained hurriedly. `I try to avoid them, but there must have been some in the food we had in the burger place. I'm sure it was food additives that made me act that way. I would never have said those words normally.'

 

`I believe you meant what you said in that time you wanted me to forget. I think you told the truth. But it doesn't explain your behaviour through the repeats. I do remember you mentioning food additives a few times. But there weren't any food additives at work when we got drunk. I assume you will tell me that the charm influenced you regarding that little repeat. I don't remember everything after I became drunk, except you did ask a lot of questions. Why did you ask about Rukia?'

 

Orihime felt as if she had been punched. Was there anything he didn't remember?

 

`I was curious. There was talk around school that there was something going on between you both. You were always with her. I noticed you walking home together. It was as if whenever I saw you, Rukia was there. You went to Soul Society to save her. I wanted to know how you felt about her,' Orihime replied very quietly.

 

`That makes sense when I remember the first four hours. You were checking to see if there was any competition. You'd also asked in an earlier repeat if I missed anyone from Seireitei. It must really have been bugging you,' Ichigo sighed.

 

`I suppose it was one way to get the truth. Get me drunk and ask questions I might answer if I was distracted by the alcohol in my system.' There was a trace of admiration and a greater amount of distaste in his voice

 

Ichigo paused, lost in thought. A determined look passed across his face.

 

`I think I'd better go. I don't know how I feel about all of this or how I feel about you. I was beginning to feel something more than friendship for you. Now, I don't know. Everything's changed,' Ichigo said.

 

Those words hit Orihime harder than when the hollow struck her to the ground. Past tense. The words were past, not present tense. She stared at Ichigo who was refusing to look at her.

 

`Please Ichigo, let me explain.'

 

`I don't know how you can explain this. Your explanation so far, tied with my memories provides a very clear account. What you did was control me, and probably other people, for your own ends. You say you don't want to lose my friendship. I suppose you did consider me in some of the repeats. We did have some fun together. As for friendship, I don't know,' he rubbed his face as he thought.

 

`I'm sorry. Please don't go like this,' Orihime said her eyes hot and dry. She found it hard to speak as the lump had again moved to her throat.

 

`I need to get away from you. I want to think this through. Being near you confuses me and I need to think clearly. I look at you and feel concern, or something. Your presence makes me want to trust you, but I know that it's a bad idea. I have to leave. I need time alone,' Ichigo began to collect all his books and papers together still refusing to look at her. His actions were fast indicating his impatience to leave.

 

`We'll finish the project at school. I'm sure you can understand that I don't want you at my house tomorrow. Don't worry. I won't mention this to anyone else. I don't want people to know what happened.'

 

These words cut at Orihime. No hope. There was no hope in her heart. She observed Ichigo despairingly. It was too late. The friendship was broken.

 

Finishing his packing Ichigo quickly strode to the door and left without saying another word.

 

Orihime watched him go. There was nothing more she could say or do. All her fears were realised. Ichigo had kissed her. He had cared about her. Now he probably hated her. The charm hadn't helped at all.

 

She took off the necklace and charm and put them away. The sight of them only reminded her of her lost hopes. Maybe she would give them away. Maybe she would bury them, along with her dreams.

 

Tears would not come. Her grief was too great to be resolved through simple weeping. Orihime stood there, unsure what to do. Her first impulse was to huddle in a ball until the pain went away. Her second impulse was to drink the sake. Hesitating, she stood there, feeling the pain tear at her heart. Nothing seemed real to her except her pain.

 

Faintly, she heard a knock at the door.

 

Reluctantly, Orihime went to answer it. `Who would be visiting at this time of night?' she wondered despondently. `Do I care?'

 

Opening the door she saw Ichigo standing there, waiting. Orihime wondered if he had forgotten something and opened her mouth to ask.

 

He embraced her, pulling her close, holding her. Ichigo then bent down and kissed her quickly, but gently on her mouth. She felt her heart begin to race. Ichigo released her, picked up his bag and left again without speaking.

 

`Now I'm really confused,' she thought.

 

 

Author's Note:

 

I apologise. I hurt Orihime. I tried to make Ichigo forgive her immediately, but he wouldn't co-operate.

 

Not a `happy ending', but it does lead into the sequel. So far I have two chapters planned for the sequel. I just need to find time to write them. I cannot guarantee the direction that the sequel will take, but my plans include more kissing, amidst other things.

 

Reviews welcome.

 

MS