If she had never met Orihime Inoue, Ririn never would have imagined that she, created for battle, could use her ability to bring surprises instead of harm.
"All right, all right." Ririn pressed her little hand against Orihime Inoue's face. "One kiss is enough. Someone else is waiting over there."
Orihime Inoue set Ririn down, then turned her gaze toward Muten Natsu.
Muten Natsu's body had already recovered. Because of the height difference between them, Orihime Inoue could only look up at him with her big eyes.
So Muten Natsu cooperatively bent down and lowered his head, bringing his cheek closer.
"Thank you, Muten." Orihime Inoue wrapped her arms around Muten Natsu's neck and stood on tiptoe. "I really like you... your gift."
A shy yet determined kiss landed on Muten Natsu's lips, like warm morning light shining over flower petals. The girl's joy was like a clear drop of dew on tender petals, reflecting brilliant color and carrying a faint fragrance. With only the lightest touch, it slipped from her soft lips and soaked straight into his heart without holding anything back.
Muten Natsu wrapped his arms around her slender waist, breathing in her happiness and savoring her breath.
Orihime Inoue tightened her arms. Her soft body leaned against Muten Natsu, as though she wanted to melt into him.
I hope that on my next birthday... and the birthday after that... I can spend every day from now on with you.
Orihime Inoue closed her eyes, feeling Muten Natsu's presence with her whole body. She felt his heated breath, his quickened heartbeat, and the tightly connected sense of reliance and peace.
Ever since the moment Rukia Kuchiki kissed Muten Natsu, Orihime Inoue had been looking forward to this.
What would it feel like?
Orihime Inoue had secretly imagined it so many times, trying to describe that feeling.
Only now that she was experiencing it herself did she realize how poor her imagination had been.
With just a light touch, she felt as if all the strength in her body had slipped away, cheering as it rushed toward Muten Natsu.
Closer.
A little closer.
The closer they were, the farther her thoughts drifted.
Everything from the past swept through her mind. All those little moments they had spent together day and night flowed backward through time and flooded her heart.
Orihime Inoue remembered the day they first met.
Muten Natsu had been dressed in rags. He was clearly still alive, but his eyes looked as if he might die at any moment.
["That's the look of someone who left a terrible place but has nowhere to go home to."] When Orihime Inoue asked, her Nii-san had answered that way.
That was also why her Nii-san had brought him home.
And so Orihime Inoue understood that Muten Natsu needed a home. He needed family.
But Muten Natsu left after only a few days.
Orihime Inoue did not understand why Muten Natsu had to leave.
Not until her Nii-san died.
Just like Muten Natsu, she became all alone.
Muten Natsu, who had already left, returned to her side.
He had left when he needed help, then returned when she needed help.
Muten Natsu, who had been all alone when her Nii-san brought him home, gave Orihime Inoue the feeling of home again when she lost her Nii-san and was left all alone.
This time, however, Orihime Inoue was the one who wanted to run away.
She was grateful for Muten Natsu's help, but she was even more afraid of spending every day with him.
She was afraid of close contact, afraid of the relationship growing closer, afraid that someday in the future, when she could not lose him and did not want to lose him, she would lose him the same way she had lost her Nii-san.
She finally understood how Muten Natsu had felt when he left. That feeling of having lived through one ending and never wanting to begin again.
But Muten Natsu had understood that feeling earlier than she had. When Orihime Inoue tried to distance herself, Muten Natsu changed from someone helping her into someone who needed her help.
If no one woke him in the morning, he would definitely be late. If no one cooked the groceries he bought, he would not eat. If no one sat with him through homework, he would not do it...
Orihime Inoue, who had decided to leave when she herself needed help, chose to stay by Muten Natsu's side because he needed help.
From middle school to high school.
From the World of the Living to Soul Society.
From the past to the present.
Please do not stay by my side, because I need you so much.
Please stay by my side, because you need me so much.
I am still afraid of an ending with no ending.
But I am even more afraid of a beginning with no beginning.
The whispers she could not say became long breaths, mingling in the tiny gap as their lips parted and spreading through the gaze they shared.
Orihime Inoue lightly pressed her damp lips together, her watery eyes shining with a moving light.
"You two can kiss a little longer," Ririn said. "I feel like these dishes taste better cold."
"Ah..." Orihime Inoue waved her little hand, fanning her hot cheeks. "I'm so hungry. Let's eat, let's eat!"
As if she were trying to push down and hide her embarrassment with food, Orihime Inoue praised Muten Natsu's cooking while clearing the dishes on the table.
After enjoying a full meal and finishing her wash, she lay in bed. Her shyness had already faded, but the joy in her heart had grown even stronger.
Orihime Inoue lay on her side. The hand wearing the ring rested beside her pillow. In the darkness after the lights went out, she looked at the ring, then at Muten Natsu, her beautiful big eyes blinking again and again.
"Tomorrow may be a day off, but we still shouldn't sleep too late." Muten Natsu gently gathered Orihime Inoue's smooth hair so it would not be pinned down. "Good night."
"Hm?" Orihime Inoue tugged lightly at the sleeve of Muten Natsu's pajamas and reminded him weakly, "No goodnight kiss tonight?"
Muten Natsu lowered his head and gently kissed her cheek.
Orihime Inoue blinked her big eyes and stared steadily at him, her glossy lips curving up slightly.
Muten Natsu understood and kissed her slightly parted lips. "Good night~"
Orihime Inoue closed her eyes in satisfaction. "Good night~"
Even though her eyes were already closed, she still could not calm down. The joy in Orihime Inoue's heart pulsed along with Muten Natsu's breathing beside her, as if it were about to leap out of her chest and pounce onto Muten Natsu.
After a long time with no sleep, Orihime Inoue suddenly realized that Muten Natsu was being very well-behaved tonight.
Usually, by this time, his hand should already have found her leg.
Could it be...
"Muten?" Orihime Inoue called softly.
"Mm?" Muten Natsu answered.
"You can't sleep either?"
"A little." Muten Natsu opened his eyes. Beside him, Orihime Inoue's beautiful hair seemed to be glowing. He blinked. "I only just noticed. Did they get a little bigger?"
"Eh?" Orihime Inoue lowered her eyes slightly, a blush spreading across her face. "Did they...? I didn't notice. Did they get bigger again?"
"Yeah. It's not especially obvious, but from up close, they're definitely a size bigger than before."
A size bigger... Wasn't that a lot?
If they grew too big...
Orihime Inoue raised her eyes. "Do you hate them?"
"How could I? In a way, they're my life." Muten Natsu reached out. "Can I touch them?"