Tittle: As Time Goes By

Universe: Semi-AU

Rating: T

Genre: Semi-Highschool Romance

Summary: They were going out in high school but it didn't work. They met again two years later. Something changes, some not.

2.

I had many things in my head, but I couldn't say it properly.

I had it since long time ago. I kept thinking about it. There were times where I thought it would better if I told her, maybe by sending her a text message. In the end, I would just keep the message in my draft folder together with the other unsent messages. Right now, I was reading those messages once again. I had to admit, I had that cheesy side on me too. Not that I would ever let anyone to see that.

I snickered as I flipped down my phone and rest my back on the grass. Me and my classmate in the university were hanging out together today in a park near our campus. These people are different than my high school friends, maybe they were one of few things that changed me.

"You looked tired Icchigo~"

Nell sat next to me with a big smile on her face. I sighed and sat up.

"How was yesterday? Have fun with your ex-classmates?"

I shrugged, "Well, yeah…"

She laughed, "They must be surprised." She teased me, "You're different now."

I smirked, "Maybe…"

We looked at our other friends who were fishing on the lake. Grimmjow looked bored but he couldn't just quit with no fish bit his bait. Ulquiorra had caught three big fishes and he wouldn't let Grimmjow live it down if he couldn't catch any fish. My friends in high school were kind of weird, so were my new friends in university, but they were different.

"Are you always like this?"

Nell tilted her head, "Like what?"

"Are you always this idiot?"

"Icchiiiigooo! You meaaaanie!" Nell slapped my shoulder.

I laughed as she continued assaulting me. I knew she wasn't really angry but her assault was kind of hurt actually. Though she acted childish, she was kind of strong.

"I will tell Grimmjowh you said meanie things to me…" she huffed.

"I think he will agree with me."

She snorted, "Yeaaaaaah, boyzz are soooo meanieee!"

I smiled at that, "Maybe… But girls changed so fast…"

She turned to see me, her voice sounded excited, "Eh? What? Tell me! Tell me! Icchiiiigoo… You met a girl?"

"Yeah…"

"Aw! Tell me!"

She punched my shoulder and I laughed.

This was the new me. The old me wouldn't laugh like this. The old me wouldn't act like this around the girls. The old me wouldn't be this open to any girl, nah I wouldn't be open to anyone.

If right now, I thought I could say it properly to her. I would be able to explain about everything, no more misunderstandings. If only I had the chance…

I had been changed, but so had been she. If I sent her those messages now, how would she react. The old Inoue maybe would cry, but now…

Would she laugh at it?

"Okay, I knew it. I will never fish anymore. That was so dull and boring. Only old people should do that."

Grimmjow started complaining as we walked out of the convenience store. We left the park thirty minutes ago and now we were just buying some snack at the convenience store before we went to the game centre nearby. Grimmjow was pissed off because he didn't manage to catch any fish. He kept complaining about it.

"Stop it, Grimmjowwh…" Nell laughed as she hugged his arm, "You just envy Ulquiworra becuz he caught some fishezz…"

"Nah…" Grimmjow groaned but he didn't push her away, "And what I don't get it, why would he return the fishes to the lake!"

Ulquiorra drank his canned coffee as we walked, "We don't need the fishes."

I ignored Grimmjow protest and opened my snack. I looked into the carton and groaned. I pulled out a small key chain from the carton, "Not this agaiiiiin!"

"Ah! You got Miku!" Nell left Grimmjow and hurried to my side, she took the keychain from my hand and looked at it, "I always buy that snack too you knowh, becuz of the bonuz! I collect the bonuzzz!" she told me with pleading eyes, "I don't have Miku yet, Icchigoh… Thiz ish for me, okay?"

"No way!" I took it back from her.

"But you have Miku arready!"

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt to have two, right!"

"Meanie!"

I was about to replied her when I saw a familiar auburn head passing by among the crowd. I knew it right away, not only because of the rare hair color—I just knew it. Before my brain could think about it, my mouth had opened and called her name.

"Inoue!"

She stopped and looked at me.

Before I realized, I had run to her.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

I didn't know what to do or what to say. This was too sudden but I had no choice, I had called her anyway so I had to say something. I was not like two years ago anyway, I shouldn't be nervous. So I laughed and tried to look casual though my heart was pounding so hard.

"Where are you going, alone?"

She smiled, "I'm going home. I'm going to take the bus. What are you doing here, Kurosaki-kun?"

"I'm with my friends," I pointed at my friends with my thumb, "Ah, I'm going home too!" Again, I said something without thinking about it first, "I parked my bike around here, would you let me take you home?"

She looked confused and speechless for a moment but I wouldn't let her to have a chance to say no.

I turned and wave my hand to my friends, "Hey, I go home first! See you tomorrow!"

"Is it okay with your friends?"

Inoue stood behind me with her hands both on my shoulders as we ride home. It had been dark out here and the weather had been colder but I tried to ride my bike slower without her recognize it. I just need more time to be with her.

"Nah, it's okay…" I said truthfully, "They wouldn't care anyway."

"They're your friends in campus?"

"Yeah, we've gone fishing today."

Inoue laughed, "Kurosaki-kun? Fishing? I don't know about that…"

"I didn't." I laughed too. I wished I could see her face right now. I loved both her smiling and laughing face, "I just sat down and wait for them. I would scare the fishes if I got too near."

"Ah… You'd scare them with your scowl."

"I would." I agreed, "My scowl is scary, huh? I don't do it that much lately though…"

"Ah, I think your scowl is cute."

I laughed, "Oh, c'mon."

She giggled. I liked the feeling of her hands on my shoulder. She was so near to me right now. When was the last time we'd been this close? Never. I didn't think we had ever been this close before. Not even two years ago when we were still together. It was so nice, to be this close with Inoue.

"It's kind of weird."

"Huh?"

"To be able to talk like this with Kurosaki-kun."

"Ah…" I agreed, "We couldn't chat properly back then, huh?"

"Well, it was because whenever I tried to talk with you, you'd look angry." She giggled, "I was really nervous."

"What?" I frowned, "I wasn't angry!"

"At that time, I thought you were angry." She said it lightly, "You remember? When Asano-kun and Kojima-kun teased us that day, your face became so stern and you scolded them."

I was surprised when I heard that, "I was shy at that time!"

Inoue giggled, "I know. I understand it now." I couldn't see her face right now but I could imagine her smile, "But I thought like that at that time."

I didn't say anything. I scolded myself mentally. I had been so stupid back then. I had made big mistake. I couldn't blame anyone but myself that I ruined our relationship at that time.

"You know what," she started again, "I've been worried—always…"

I knew she hadn't finished so I kept my mouth shut and didn't say anything.

I heard her sighed.

"'Does Kurosaki-kun love me?', 'Do I make him bored?', 'Does he hate it to spend his time with me?'" she paused, "There were many other questions. I kept asking those questions to myself." I listened to her with many feelings mixed in my chest, "I tried to ask you but I couldn't."

She laughed.

"I was so cute, wasn't I?"

I laughed together with her, "And you are not now?"

We talked about some other things on our way to her apartment. She sounded different. It was easier to talk with her right now. I tried to be as slow as I could but eventually we arrived in front of her apartment.

"Thank you," she said cheerfully as she hopped off the bike, "You still remember my apartment!"

I smirked smugly, "I'm good ain't I?"

She laughed again. This time I was lucky because I could see her face when she was laughing. Just like what I thought, Inoue's smiling and laughing face was always the best. We might have been changed but her happy face would never stop making me feeling like this—not that I hated this feeling.

"Ah, right!" I remembered about the keychain I got from the snack earlier this evening, "Give me your hand!"

"What?"

"This keychain is for you."

She looked at the keychain, "Vocaloid?"

I rubbed my nose, this was embarrassing actually, "I collected them but I have that character already. You can keep it."

She smiled widely and clasped her hand around the keychain happily, "Thank you! I will treasure it!"

She was beautiful. Even two years wouldn't change it. She was beautiful and I still…

I still…

"Inoue, I…"

"Hmm? What?"

"Ah, forget it."

She gave me a weird look but she didn't ask anything. She waved her hand as I went. I didn't know if she had a feeling about what I wanted to tell her just now. Maybe she knew, maybe she didn't… Maybe I should just say it…

…or not?

Just now, for a moment, I almost told her.

'I loved you.'

I didn't say it.

I couldn't.

It sounded like a lie if I told her that after what she told me. There was another reason too, but I couldn't tell her that. I thought I would think about it tonight. I wouldn't be able to sleep again.

It didn't really matter anyway.

I loved to think about it…

…somehow.

Author's note:

^^ You might think this is a sad story, errr actually not. It's just a slice of life story… You know, something light to read and to write. Neway, follow my twitter if you have time, today ichiruki became trending topic and I felt lonely with no Ichihime fans on my twitter XD my twitter is reesika

Recchinon