Chapter Text
Ichigo Kurosaki sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the small box in his hands as if it might suddenly sprout fangs and bite him.
The box was gorgeous—carved from dark wood with delicate engravings that shimmered in the right light. He hated how much he liked it because it meant acknowledging that Urahara had done something right. Of course, that sneaky shopkeeper couldn’t leave it at just beautiful. No, Urahara had insisted on adding his "special touch," which Ichigo had reluctantly agreed to after hours of the man pestering him. Now, the box sat in his hands, both a symbol of his love for Orihime and a potential landmine waiting to explode in the most Urahara-esque way imaginable, because he'd refused to tell him what he actually meant with "special touch".
Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “What am I even doing?” he muttered to himself.
It wasn’t that he doubted his feelings for Orihime—far from it. Ever since they’d started dating a few months ago, she’d managed to fill every corner of his life with her warmth, her kindness, and her uniquely Orihime way of seeing the world. She made him feel things he hadn’t thought possible after everything they’d been through. And yet, here he was, sweating bullets over whether this was too soon, too much.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping him out of his thoughts. He picked it up to see a message from Orihime.
Looking forward to our date! Can’t wait to see you! (≧◡≦)♡
A small smile tugged at his lips. She always had that effect on him, even through a screen. He slipped the ring box into his jacket pocket and stood, determination settling over him like armor. This wasn’t about overthinking or second-guessing.
This was about her.
The walk to Orihime’s apartment felt shorter than usual, his nerves keeping him distracted. By the time she opened the door, her smile beaming up at him, Ichigo’s chest tightened in the best possible way. She wore a soft peach sweater and a flowy skirt that swirled around her knees, her auburn hair loose around her shoulders. She was beautiful, as always, but it was the way her eyes lit up when she saw him that really got him.
“Ichigo-kun!” she greeted.
“Hey,” he said. “You ready to go?”
She tilted her head, curious. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said, smirking slightly at her startled expression. He wasn’t usually the type to plan elaborate surprises, but this was special. “You’ll see.”
Orihime clapped her hands together, excitement sparkling in her eyes. “A surprise? That sounds so fun! Do I need to bring anything?”
“Nope. I’ve got it covered.”
The way to the shrine felt like stepping into another world. Ichigo had stumbled across the place by accident during one of his patrols. Nestled at the edge of Karakura Town, it was a forgotten corner of history—an abandoned shrine overgrown with moss and cherry trees. Despite its age and disrepair, the place had a timeless beauty that Ichigo couldn’t ignore. He thought Orihime might love it.
When they reached the clearing, Orihime gasped softly.
“Oh, Ichigo,” she said, stepping forward as her gaze swept over the scene. The ancient stone steps were dappled with sunlight filtering through the branches, petals swayingto the ground. He’d set up a blanket at the base of the shrine, complete with a small basket of food. “This is so beautiful! How did you find this place?”
“I just... ran into it one day,” he said, scratching the back of his head. He felt oddly self-conscious under her gaze, like he hadn’t done enough, even though he’d been planning this for weeks. “I thought you’d like it.”
“I love it,” she said, turning to him with a radiant smile. “Thank you for bringing me here, Ichigo.”
The warmth in her voice melted some of his tension. He cleared his throat and gestured toward the blanket. “C’mon. Let’s eat.”
They settled onto the blanket, Orihime sitting with her feet tucked under her as she examined the spread he’d prepared. There were rice balls, sandwiches, and some sweets from the bakery she liked—he’d asked Yuzu to help, though he’d skipped some of her more elaborate suggestions (a heart-shaped cake had seemed excessive).
Orihime took a bite of a sandwich and hummed appreciatively. “This is delicious! Did you make all of this?”
Ichigo shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Yuzu helped a little.”
“A little?” she teased, her eyes sparkling.
“Okay, maybe a lot,” he admitted, earning a giggle from her.
They fell into silly talking and laughing as they ate. Orihime told him about her latest cooking experiment (something involving marshmallows and miso soup, which she insisted was better than it sounded), and Ichigo listened with the kind of patience that only she could bring out in him.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the clearing in soft hues of gold and pink, Ichigo reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed against the ring box, and his heart rate spiked.
He locked eyes with Orihime. Her soft smile, so full of trust and warmth, was all the encouragement he needed.
This was it.
He had planned this moment for weeks. He’d practiced the words in his head a hundred times.
“Orihime,” he began, his voice steady despite the storm of nerves swirling inside him. She tilted her head slightly, her curiosity making her look even more adorable.
And then—
PUMP PUMP PUMP PUMP!
A deafening sound shattered the serenity of the moment.
Ichigo froze and Orihime’s hair whipped around her face as a gale force wind descended on the shrine. Cherry blossoms scattered in every direction, and the peaceful clearing transformed into a scene of utter chaos.
“What the—” Ichigo snapped, looking up.
Hovering above the shrine was an emergency helicopter from the Karakura Town Clinic. Its blades churned the air with such intensity that Ichigo was half convinced it would start ripping up trees next.
And then he saw him.
Urahara Kisuke, hanging halfway out of the helicopter like some deranged movie villain. His coat flapped wildly around him, giving him the appearance of a particularly eccentric bird. He was holding a megaphone, because of course he was.
“Kurosaki-saaaan!” Urahara bellowed through the megaphone, his voice magnified to a ridiculous volume. “Could you descend to me for a moment, please?”
Ichigo’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Orihime gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh my goodness! Urahara-san looks like he’s in an action movie! Maybe he’s doing research for something!”
Ichigo buried his face in his hands. “No. No, this isn’t happening.”
But it was happening. And it got worse.
“KUROSAKI-SAN!” Urahara’s voice boomed again. “THIS IS EXTREMELY URGENT! I PROMISE THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME BEING BORED! OKAY, MAYBE A LITTLE!”
The megaphone let out an ear-piercing squeal of feedback, and Ichigo swore he saw a bird fall out of a nearby tree in shock.
Orihime leaned closer to Ichigo, her hair still whipping in the wind. “Do you think he needs help? Maybe he’s in trouble!”
“Oh, he’s in trouble all right,” Ichigo muttered, glaring up at the helicopter.
Urahara was now waving dramatically, as if Ichigo couldn’t already see him from a mile away. “COME ON UP, KUROSAKI-SAN! IT’LL BE FUN! MAYBE!”
Ichigo ground his teeth together and then sighed forcing himself to calm down before turning to Orihime.
“Wait here,” he said through gritted teeth.
She smiled at him, her expression as understanding as ever. “It’s okay. Take your time.”
Ichigo groaned and fished a soul pill out of his pocket. He popped it into his mouth, his soul slipping free from his body. His body slumped onto the picnic blanket, only for its head to snap upright as Kon took control.
“Ah, freedom!” Kon exclaimed, stretching Ichigo’s limbs in ways they were definitely not meant to bend. He blinked, noticing Orihime, and his face lit up. “Oh! Orihime-chan, you’re looking radiant as always!”
“Don’t even start,” Ichigo growled, jabbing a finger at Kon. “Don’t do anything weird.”
Kon put on his best innocent face. “Weird? Me? Never!”
Orihime giggled, waving a hand. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
With a frustrated sigh, Ichigo leapt into the air, landing on the helicopter’s skid with a thud. He grabbed the doorframe to steady himself, glaring at Urahara.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded. “And how do you even know I’m here?!”
Urahara smiled brightly, his hat somehow still on his head despite the wind. “Oh, I have my ways. But let’s focus on the important part, shall we?”
“The important part,” Ichigo growled, “is that you just ruined something I’ve been planning for weeks!”
“Oh, no need to thank me,” Urahara said cheerfully, completely ignoring Ichigo’s rising temper. “But I do need to borrow you and Inoue-san for a teensy little errand.”
Ichigo blinked. “Borrow us? What the hell are you talking about?”
Urahara waved his fan, as if this were all perfectly normal. “We’re going to the Ishida residence. Posthaste!”
Ichigo stared at him. “The Ishida residence? What does this have to do with Uryuu?”
“Oh, nothing!” Urahara said brightly. “He has no idea about these happenings. But his father does.”
Ichigo felt his eye twitch. “Ryuuken? What does he want?”
Urahara’s grin widened. “Well, he didn’t exactly say, but I got the distinct impression it was important. Life-or-death, possibly. Or maybe he just needed someone to yell at. Either way, it’s you!”
Ichigo clenched his fists, his reiatsu spiking dangerously. “You’re telling me you interrupted my date—my proposal—because Ryuuken Ishida wants to talk to me?!”
“Exactly!” Urahara said, as if this were the most logical thing in the world. “You’re such a quick learner, Kurosaki-san!”
Ichigo grabbed the doorframe, seriously considering whether throwing Urahara out of the helicopter would count as murder or community service.
But the man smiled in that maddeningly smug way of his, clearly enjoying Ichigo’s rising temper. The helicopter lurched slightly in the wind, but the eccentric shopkeeper remained steady, lounging in the doorway.
Ichigo growled, jabbing a finger in Urahara’s face. “Listen here, Urahara-san. I don’t care what Ryuuken wants or why you’re here, but I’m not letting anyone ruin this for Orihime. You can go back and tell that uptight bastard to fuck himself!”
Urahara gasped theatrically, placing a hand over his chest. “Such language, Kurosaki-san! And here I thought you’d matured.”
“I’m serious!” Ichigo barked, his reiatsu sparking around him. “You can take your helicopter, your fan, and your weird errands, and shove them—”
“Ah, ah, ah!” Urahara interrupted, holding up a finger like a scolding parent. “I thought you might say something like that. Which is why…” His grin widened. “I came prepared.”
Ichigo’s stomach dropped. “What the hell does that mean?”
Without answering, Urahara reached into his coat and pulled out... a remote control. A suspicious-looking remote control with way too many buttons.
“What is that?” Ichigo demanded, narrowing his eyes.
“Oh, nothing,” Urahara said innocently, twirling the device in his hand. “Just a little insurance. You see, Kurosaki-san, I took the liberty of installing a tiny surprise inside the ring box I made for you.”
Ichigo’s blood ran cold. “What?”
“Let’s just say that if you don’t come with me, your romantic little proposal might go off with a... bang.”
Ichigo’s eyes widened. “You put a bomb in the ring box?!”
“Not a bomb, per se,” Urahara said, waving the remote lazily. “Think of it more as a... highly aggressive confetti cannon. With sparks. And maybe a bit of smoke. Oh, and it might make an ear-splitting noise loud enough to summon the cops. But no one will die! Probably.”
Ichigo stared at him, his face contorting with rage and disbelief. “You’re insane. You’re a goddamn lunatic!”
“So, what’ll it be, Kurosaki-san? Your pride... or Orihime’s safety from my mildly volatile romantic enhancement device?”
Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep, measured breaths to keep from exploding. “I swear to god, if I were alone, I’d kill you right now.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’d try,” Urahara said, wagging his finger. “But we don’t have time for that! Chop chop!”
Grinding his teeth so hard he thought they might shatter, Ichigo turned and descended back to the shrine, landing softly next to Orihime. She looked up at him with her usual gentle smile, her hair still tousled from the wind.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “No. Not really. But... I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
Orihime’s expression softened even more. “Ichigo, it’s okay. Really. You don’t have to worry so much.”
He stared at her, his frustration momentarily forgotten. How could she be so understanding? So... perfect? He didn’t deserve her. Not even a little.
Before he could stop himself, he reached out and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close. “Come on,” he muttered, his voice low. “We’re taking the damn helicopter.”
Her face lit up. “Really?! Oh, I’ve never been in a helicopter before! Do you think it’s safe? Do you think we’ll see birds up close? What if we fly into a flock of geese? Are geese territorial in the air? Oh, I hope they aren’t!”
“Yeah. Sure. Geese. Oi, Kon," He turned his head, his gaze on his living body. "Wait here and if it get's too late go back home. And don't do anything weird."
"Hai, hai." Kon answered and digged into some rice balls on the blanket. Ichigo sighed.
"Let’s go.”
With a small leap, he carried Orihime up into the air, landing gracefully on the helicopter’s skid. She clutched his arm, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in the vehicle.
“Wow! This is so high-tech!” she exclaimed, peering into the cockpit. “Look at all the buttons! Do you think they all do something? Oh! What happens if you press them all at once? Will it explode?!”
The pilot gave her a nervous glance but said nothing.
Urahara, meanwhile, was beaming as he helped Orihime into the helicopter. “Ah, Inoue-san! I’m so glad you could join us. It’s not every day we get to take a romantic couple on such an... important mission!”
Orihime gasped. “Oh, is it really important? Are we saving the world? Or maybe the city? Or a kitten stuck in a tree?!”
Ichigo dragged a hand down his face. “Can we just go already?”
“Oh, absolutely!” Urahara said, snapping his fingers. “To the Ishida residence!”
As the helicopter rose higher into the sky, Orihime leaned out the window, waving excitedly at the retreating shrine. “Bye, shrine! We’ll come back soon!”
Ichigo slumped against the wall, glaring daggers at Urahara. This wasn’t how today was supposed to go. Not even close.
But then Orihime turned to him, her face glowing with excitement. “This is amazing! I can’t wait to see what happens next!”
And just like that, his frustration melted away.
I really don’t deserve her.