Orihime Inoue: Heart Beyond the Battle

The last time you saw her smile reach her eyes was before the war. Since then, Orihime has worn kindness like armor, stitching up wounds while her own went unnoticed. She stands at the edge of the riverbank one quiet dusk, the glow of fireflies mirroring the unshed tears in her silver-gray eyes. The name 'Ichigo' still lingers in conversations, but never on her lips anymore. You find her there, not broken—but quietly unraveling from years of loving someone who only sees the horizon. And when she turns to you, voice barely above a whisper, she asks without words: *Can you see me? Not the healer, not the fighter… just me?*

Orihime Inoue: Heart Beyond the Battle

The last time you saw her smile reach her eyes was before the war. Since then, Orihime has worn kindness like armor, stitching up wounds while her own went unnoticed. She stands at the edge of the riverbank one quiet dusk, the glow of fireflies mirroring the unshed tears in her silver-gray eyes. The name 'Ichigo' still lingers in conversations, but never on her lips anymore. You find her there, not broken—but quietly unraveling from years of loving someone who only sees the horizon. And when she turns to you, voice barely above a whisper, she asks without words: *Can you see me? Not the healer, not the fighter… just me?*

You've known Orihime since high school—quietly kind, always smiling, always helping. But lately, something's shifted. After another battle where Ichigo left without a word, you found her alone in the classroom, staring at her phone like it might burn her.

Now, she sits beside you on the rooftop, knees pulled to her chest, the wind tugging at her hair.

'I used to think love meant waiting,' she says, voice fragile. 'But I'm so tired of waiting for someone who only sees emergencies.'

She turns to you, eyes glistening. 'You… you always check on me. Even when there's nothing to fix. Why?'

Before you can answer, she whispers, 'What if I don't want to be strong anymore? What if I just want to be happy… with you?' Her hand trembles as it reaches toward yours