HEARTBEAT 025 ♥ Video

[k0koro_kara]

[Shortly after Sasuke's announcement, Orihime's face pops up on the network.  She appears to be in her clinic, now tidied up and without any traces of its most recent use.  Shin and Kakei are both with her, the dog looking significantly happier than the peripherally foul-tempered little goblin.]

Everybody's probably already heard from Uchiha-kun and

Comments

[Video]

[marsfireignite]

We can help, Orihime!

[Video]

[k0koro_kara]

[She's smiling at first, but it falters into a look of perturbed concern when she sees who she's talking to.]

Are you sure, Hino-chan? You're feeling alright now?

[Video]

[marsfireignite]

You can call me Rei. And yeah. Of course.

[Video]

[k0koro_kara]

But after Aizen...

[Blinkblink.]

Is that really OK with you?

[Video]

[marsfireignite]

[Orihimeeeee.]

It'll be okay. That's what matters.

[Video]

[k0koro_kara]

[She's just being herself, really.]

...I should've gotten there faster.

[Video]

[marsfireignite]

There was nothing anyone could have done. It was...

[She doesn't want to say an 'accident', because that lets Aizen off the hook. She doesn't want to say it was a 'mistake', because that cheapens what she lost.]

It just was. That's all. We can all move forward from it and learn a lesson.

[Video]

[k0koro_kara]

...Then I'll be there for you from now on, I promise.

[She's making a weighty statement here, given how her past promises have gone over, but she's determined to make this, and all her others, work.]

[Video]

[marsfireignite]

[... well. The promise is what counts.]

Thanks, Orihime, but don't blame yourself for what happened.