(I deamt about this story and hence here it is. I have already thought of an ending but not what led to it, so it will take awhile.)

"Hold the ferry!" Kurosaki Ichigo heard the appeal before a soft body was knocked right into him.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry." The girl escaped from him before he could give her a tongue lashing.

He saw long, lustrous auburn waves as she was rushing to board the boat.

'Idiot, doesn't she know that there's one going in another 15 minutes.'

Then she turned and dark hard brown met light soft brown.

He stared.

She gazed back.

Then the moment was broken by the shrieking for the reason he was here at this theme park.

"See you later, Goji-san!" Renji's not very cute son shouted.

Ichigo nodded at the frantic waving.

He saw the girl or should it be woman talking to Renji and his son as the ferry began its tour.

"Goji?" Inoue Orihime asked the bright haired father and son without thinking.

Too late she realized she might have offended the father.

Quickly she bowed and apologized profusely.

Abarai Renji was amused. This slip of a girl thought that she has done a rude thing when in fact she was just being curious.

He was going to reassure her when his cheeky son beat him to it.

"I will let you know if you tell me your name, utsukushi-oneesan."

Orihime's face turned a brighter shade of pink over the blatantly flirtatious compliment from the young boy.

Now it was Renji's turn to be embarrassed by his Casanova wannabe son.

"Akio, don't be so audacious." Renji chastened his son.

"What's wrong with stating the obvious, don't you think ane-san is very beautiful." Akio asked with the innocence of an angel.

And how do you answer the question without making it seemed like you are being presumptuous.

"Arigato, Akio-chan. My name is Inoue Orihime." Orihime introduced herself to the impertinent boy.

"Nice to meet you, Hime-san and this old man is my father Abarai Renji." Instead of a bow or handshake, the clever boy opted for a hug.

"That's enough, Akio."

"Why, do you want to hug her too?"

'I love my son, I really love this little boy of mine.' Renji chanted as he tried not to throttle his son.

Orihime decided to do something when she saw Renji's face and he seemed to be murmuring something under his breath.

"Abarai-san." She addressed him and bowed.

That seemed to work as Renji returned her salutation with a smile.

"Inoue-san."

"Why so formal, chichi oya. It's Hime-san or Orihime-chhaaannnn." Akio sang out the honorific.

Orihime tried her best to wipe the smile off her face as she did not want to encourage Akio.

"Just Inoue will be fine with me, Abarai-san."

"But that is so..." Akio started to protest again before he was cut off by his frustrated father.

"Enough, Akio." Renji has his 'Don't push your luck' look.

Akio decided to return his attention to the more appreciative beautiful big sister.

"Hime-san, do you want to join us? I don't want to be in the company of two cranky old men."

"Oi! Don't insult your father."

"Sorry otou-san, so can Hime-san grace us with her presence." Akio requested of his father with a pleading look.

"You have been spending too much time with Ichigo." Renji noted wearily. "Besides it is for the lady to decide."

The father and son looked at Orihime.

Orihime felt overwhelmed by the attention and she felt her cheeks growing warm. She hoped she was not turning as red as the hair of the father and son awaiting for her answer.

"I do not want to impose." She responsed in a soft voice.

"What impose?" "Liked I said you are the beauty among the two colorful breasts." "I should be thanking you instead." Akio grinned and Renji started to laugh even though he should be angry with his son for insulting him yet again.

Orihime covered her mouth with her hand and she started to giggle as well.

Akio went to hold Orihime's hand and began to walk away.

"Try to keep up, old man." He called out to his father.

Renji shook his head, grimaced at Orihime and waved for them to go ahead.

Orihime gave him a sympathetic smile as she was dragged away.

Deep inside she felt a warmth cushioning her insides making her strangely joyful that she was trusted and wanted.

She was right in coming here on a weekday and on her day off.

Besides there was the fifty percent off everything including the tickets.

This must be a sign of sorts.

This could be the start of something wonderful.

(-_-) zzzZZ

Ichigo was surprised to see Renji's son holding hands and talking animatedly with a certain young lady.

"Goji-san!" Akio yelled as he pulled Orihime to meet Ichigo.

"Goji-san, this is Hime-san." Akio stated and then he shoved Orihime towards Ichigo.

Ichigo grabbed Orihime before she fell right into his chest.

"What the hell brat! Someone could get hurt!"

"Nobody did. So you can let go of her."

Looking at the girl in his arms, Ichigo did not want to admit to the twinge his heart was trying to tell him. He released her, from his arms and hopefully from his mind as well.

Orihime managed to balance herself before she started stuttering her apologies.

"What's going on?"

"Discipline your monkey of a son, Renji."

"What did my ever innocent baby do now?"

"Innocent, my ar...," Mindful of a small boy and a member of the opposite sex, Ichigo decided to tone down his language.

"Posterior, ask your baby what he did."

"I am sorry, Abarai-san. It was my fault."

All three males turned their attention to the nervous girl who was trying to (in her mind) gallantly spare the child from any punishment he might receive.

"I must have tripped on something and I nearly caused this gentleman some pain when I fell onto him." "I am a little clumsy." Orihime ended her explanation with a apologetic smile.

"That's bulls..., that's a lie and you know it." "He," Pointing at Akio, "pushed you and you know it." Ichigo was livid over a stranger for defending his friend's son, what was her motive? He glared at the cowering girl.

Renji has never seen Ichigo behaving this way with an extremely pretty girl. What has she done to make him so furious?

"Akio, did you or did you not push Inoue-san?"

The boy thought about it, he looked at the three adults and then he answered with his hand on his heart.

"Yes, I did but at that time I thought it was fun to see the expressions on their faces." "But I certainly did not expect Goji-san to go all ballistic."

"I am sorry for pushing you, Hime-san."

"It is fine, Akio-chan. I might have tripped anyway. I am pretty clumsy." A contemptuous snort was heard.

Orihime decided it was best for her to leave. It was fun while it lasted.

"It was nice meeting you, Akio-chan, Abarai-san."

"I am sorry for bumping into you." Orihime bowed for whatever she has done to offend Ichigo.

Ichigo did not acknowledge her apology nor her very existence. He just totally ignored her.

Orihime was transported back to her childhood by Ichigo's indifference towards her and she felt like the abused little girl that nobody wanted again. She could feel the sting of hot tears threatening to appear because she was too weak to stop them from cascading.

No, she must not cry. Especially not in front of him. She has already seen the disdain in his eyes. She did not know what she has done to warrant such a reaction. Crying in front of him will only intensify the aversion he felt towards her. And for some strange reason, she did not want him to dislike her.

She will herself to be strong.

"Goodbye." She bowed and not waiting for a response, she started to walk away.

"Hime-san!" A pair of small arms wrapped themselves around her.

Slowly, gently, she tried to remove the tight grip.

"Akio-chan, please." Orihime pleaded softly to the young boy who has attached himself both physically and mentally to her.

How do you bond with someone in such a short time?

Is it the same as love at first sight?

Two conflicting emotions and she is struggling to not to believe.

"But we agreed to enjoy ourselves silly with everything before one of us cannot take it any more." Akio sobbed into Orihime's back.

Orihime knew she has to say something before her own unshed tears come flowing down as well.

"Let go, Akio. Don't be such a crybaby." Ichigo started to forcefully removed the boy's arms from the curvaceous body.

'Curvaceous?'

"Go away, Goji-san." Akio swatted away the hands which were trying to cause him to be separated from the one he has taken a liking to.

"Yeah, go away Ichigo." "Akio, let go of Inoue-chan." "But otou-san," Akio started to protest.

"Let her go so that we can continue with our tour, right, Inoue-chan?" Renji smiled kindly at her while waiting for her answer.

Orihime did not know what to do. She really liked Akio and his father but she did not want to make the scowl becoming more profound.

Akio sensed the hesitation and he took advantage of it. "Yeah, let's go." Grabbing Orihime's hand before she can even utter anything, Akio dragged her to the attraction that has caught his eyes.

Orihime glanced at Renji before sneaking a peek at Ichigo.

One has the saintly smile of a long-suffering parent while the other was trying to keep the devilish temper from erupting.

It did manifest when he started to expostulate with his much older friend about his parenting skills and being too trustful of pretty young things.

"So you did notice that she is quite a sight for scowling angry young man." "For a moment, I thought you have lost the ability to appreciate the finer thing in life."

"Dammit Renji! Stop talking crap!" "I am trying to be serious and you go on as if she was a bottle of fine wine."

"I didn't say anything about alcohol and I prefer Sake myself but I bet you would like to 'drink' her, right?" Renji left a sputtering Ichigo as he went in search of his son.

(-_-) zzzZZ

Orihime was having a good time.

That's if she ignored the snide remarks and the condescending cordiality radiating from the orange haired one.

"Goji-san, prove your worth as a man and win for me that action figure." Akio taunted Ichigo in front of the game booth.

"How about your old man?"

"Otou-san has already proven he's a man by having me."

"You taught him to say that, didn't you?" Ichigo accused Renji.

"No, my boy is naturally clever and filial to boot."

Ichigo muttered out some choice phrases and vented his frustration on the game.

"Wow, thanks Goji-san. Today you are a man."

"Now I know who has been filling your head with all this nonsensical b.s., no more getting my dad to babysit you."

"But Goji-san, I like Isshin jii-san. And since I am not a baby, he was not babysitting me. Instead I was keeping an old man happy by being with him."

"Otou-san, say something." "I want to introduce Hime-san to him as well."

"Please Goji-san, otou-san." While pleading with his father, Akio did not notice that Ichigo was winning some toys for the three women that were flirting with him.

Orihime compared herself with the three women. They were so well-dressed, bold and confident. No wonder he was doing their bidding by getting them the soft cuddly toys. And now one of them is kissing him on the cheek after handing him something.

Orihime continued to stare.

Ichigo turned and held the piece of paper to gloat at a bemused Renji and a starry-eyed Akio.

The smug smirk from his face was turned back into a scowl the moment his eyes came in contact with Orihime's.

He ignored the uneasiness in his stomach and the tightening of his chest. There was definitely no skipping of a heartbeat.

"What are you staring at?"

Orihime wasn't even aware she was staring, maybe she was but her mind was elsewhere, as usual.

"I-I am so so-sorry." She stammered out her apologies as she was stunned by the hostility she witnessed in his eyes.

Ichigo did not even bother to acknowledge her apology. He just asked Akio if he wanted something to drink.

Akio answered he needed to use the little boy's room first.

Telling Renji to wait for him at the colorful strangely designed seating area, Ichigo mussed up Akio's hair before going to get the refreshments with nary a glance at Orihime as he went by her.

Orihime tried not to let how Ichigo was treating her affect her, after all they have only just met and after today they will never cross each other's path ever again.

She kept her head low when Ichigo walked past and her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she did not even realized that Renji was talking to her.

"Inoue-chan," Renji laid a comforting hand on the small and fragile looking girl. He certainly did not expect her to be so startled by his touch. She moved away from him so fast like he has striked her and was going to do so again. She was trembling slightly and there was no recognition in those shiny eyes, only fear.

He was worried.

Once again, his son came to the rescue.

"Hime-san, Hime-san, HIME-SAN!" Embarrassing loud but it seemed to snap the poor girl out from whatever personal torment she was going through.

"Huh? What is it Akio-chan?" Orihime was relieved of the distraction provided by the boisterous boy. For a moment, she was she was reliving nightmarish past events that should have been long forgotten.

"Are you feeling alright Inoue-chan?"

"Hmm, yes. Did anything happen?"

"No," Renji decided not to pry. After all they have only known each other for only a few hours and after today they will have no more contact with each other anymore. Right?

"Do you need to use the restroom as well?"

"Oh, do you want me to bring Akio-chan?" Orihime offered.

"Thanks but I need to go as well. Perhaps you can wait at the seating area over there." Renji pointed to the kitsch art masquerading as chairs.

Orihime bowed and and walked towards the seats as Renji led his son to the restrooms.

Even before she reached where she was supposed to to wait, she was confronted by Ichigo.

"What's your game?" He snapped.

Orihime was stupendous, game what game? Was she playing some kind of game that she herself did not even know.

"I don't understand." She timidly answered in the face of such accusing force. She really did wish she knew what she could answer to avoid making him all angry with her again.

"Don't act all innocent with me. I know what you are trying to do." "I personally know what your type is capable of." Ichigo vehemently spat out.

"Well, it is not going to work. They have me to protect them from the hurt that I know you will cause. I will not let another scheming conniving bitch to take advantage of them." "So you can stop whatever plans you have for them."

Orihime was truly confused. Just what was he accusing her of now and possibility of in the future as well.

Before either of them could say anything, Renji was calling out to them.

"Tell them I'm going to buy the drinks now and not a word as to what I said. Understand." Ichigo warned as he waved to Renji before walking away.

Orihime nodded. What else could she do but acquiesced. Who was she to them anyway?

Without lifting her head after the nod, she remained as she was when he left. She heard footsteps approaching her.

"Hime-san!" And she was enveloped in a small consoling hug.

"Don't worry, Inoue-chan. I made sure he has washed his hands." Renji teased his son.

"Otou-san! I'm not a baby. I know what I am supposed to do." Akio whined.

"And here I thought you were a big boy."

Finally there appeared the tiniest of smile on Orihime's face.

Renji had seen Ichigo talking to her and he must have gone out of line again judging from the reaction he saw from Orihime.

Then the smile vanished the moment Akio bellyached how long it was taking Goji-san to purchase the refreshments.

"Inoue-chan, is everything alright." "Did Ichigo say something to cause you pain?" Not in the physical sense but pain nevertheless, Renji observed of the delicate girl.

Orihime did not answer the question directly, instead she told Renji that his friend was buying the drinks and she did have to use the powder room after all.

The instant she released herself from the child's hold, she almost ran to the comfort room.

There was no crying. No screaming as to why what was going on? No banging on the mirror till it shattered.

There will be no blood this time.

She just stared at her reflection in the mirror.

(-_-) zzzZZ

(Long dream. Weird dream. Too much CNY goodies?)

(Thanks for reading.)