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“So, what’s the big deal?” Rangiku whined, letting her elbows rest on the retro diner table and squishing her hands into her face.
“I’ve never been on a blind date before. Won’t it be awkward if we don’t hit it off?” Orihime replied honestly, taking a sip of her milkshake.
All of Orihime’s past romantic relationships started naturally, so the thought of forcing a date with a stranger seemed odd. Her mind wandered on its own, imagining a date in which they had nothing in common or worse. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if it was worth the trouble.
“I don’t mean to brag, but I do have a track record of being a matchmaker. I’m the one that set up my friend Nel with her boyfriend Grimmjow!” Rangiku’s gray eyes shimmered with mischief.
“Annnnd~, " she added, “speaking of Grimmjow, your blind date is actually his friend.”
“Grimmjow’s friend?!” Orihime sputtered. Surely Rangiku was joking around. Right?
Orihime laughed, “Are you sure you know my type?”
“I know! Hear me out. Before you jump to conclusions, they act nothing alike.”
Even Orihime had to admit that Grimmjow was quite handsome, but it wasn’t enough to cover up his terrible ego. Her mind flashed to a made-up future scenario , sitting across the table of a café, listening to some guy talking all about himself for the duration of their date. No thank you.
Sensing Orihime’s doubt, Rangiku eagerly continued, “What if I know your type better than you do? Maybe your favorite milkshake isn’t actually banana, honey and cinnamon… and instead I introduced you to something tastier.~”
Orihime couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s milkshake analogy. “Well, you’ve got me there! Plus, I’m always finding new flavor combinations. For your information, this is actually cinnamon and coconut.” She responded playfully.
It wasn’t like she had much to lose considering her busy schedule kept her from meeting new people. She internally winced thinking about her last break up, a relationship whirlwind of highs and lows. Anything would be better than her ex. Rangiku might be onto something.
“Just trust me on this. He’s so hot! ” Rangiku smiled, pleading her case. “Whenever I hang out with them, he gets double takes from other women because he’s so good looking. He’s not just looks, he exudes confidence and is levelheaded. For the cherry on top, I think you both have a lot in common.”
“Okay Cupid, what’s Mr. Perfect’s name?” Orihime asked.
*
The day of the blind date arrived and Orihime was beginning to wonder if she had made a mistake, but it was too late to back out now. All she knew was that his name was Ulquiorra Cifer and that he was apparently too good to be true. The qualities that Rangiku had told her sounded good, but what if the so-called ‘confidence’ was actually narcissism. Ulquiorra could be a huge jerk who used his good looks to play with womens’ hearts.
Rangiku picked the location they were supposed to meet, a local café called The Cauldron. When she arrived at the door, she took in a deep breath before entering. Orihime looked around the establishment, but all she saw were a couple of tables filled with groups of friends.
‘Maybe he’s not here yet?’
‘No need to panic.’ Orihime thought to herself. Although she was about 10 minutes early, that didn’t mean he had bailed on their date. To ease her nerves, she walked over to the counter and ordered a café au lait from one of the barista. As she was walking around deciding the best place to sit, she spotted a man with long dark hair sitting alone towards the back.
Orihime found her courage, making her way over to him. “Excuse me? Are you Ulquiorra Cifer?” She asked, heart pounding in her chest. The man turned his face to look up at her and their eyes met. He had the most beautiful emerald eyes and a chiseled face. All he did was answer, “Yes, and I presume you’re Orihime Inoue?” and it was enough for her to feel at ease.
She sat down across from him, placing her cup on the table, and making herself comfortable. “It’s nice to meet you.” Orihime said politely with a soft smile. Her date nodded in agreement. His eyes were focused on her, face partially obscured by his mug as he took a drink. It was hard to read Ulquiorra’s demeanor, but for some reason it didn’t scare her.
“So, how did you find yourself on this date with me?” Orihime asked, her curiosity growing about him. “A fair question. Mostly, I was tired of Rangiku bothering me. She insisted that if I went on this date that she’d never ask again.” Ulquiorra stated matter of factly. Orihime laughed aloud wondering if she had given the same milkshake analogy to him.
It was then that she spotted a faint smile on his lips. She wondered what sort of flavor was Ulquiorra Cifer? She wanted to find out.