A Chain of Hearts
This room is despicable, Ulquiorra concluded as he entered the large room filled with children his age. It was the first day of kindergarten, something Ulquiorra wasn’t looking forward to. The valentine-pink walls, all of the stuffed animals disheveled on the floor, all of it irked him to no end. He pleaded to his mother to be home schooled, and even though she is a professor at Las Noches University, she simply stated that Ulquiorra must interact with more children his age.
Ridiculous was the word Ulquiorra used for kindergarten. Ulquiorra sighed, knowing his battle with his mother would never allow him to be the victor. He considered everything about this place was a waste of time. He learned more in the dinner parties his mother hosted for her colleagues.
Annoyed by the whole situation, Ulquiorra decided to sit in the green chair closest to the door to allow a fast getaway as his teacher started roll call. What he didn’t expect was a poke on his arm; it was so rough he believed that his arm would bruise instantaneously.
“HI ULQUI-CHAN!” that voice he despised more than this intolerable room.
“Hello, Orihime Inoue.” Ulquiorra mumbled. The Inoue family lives next to the Cifer family, allowing ample amount of opportunities for Orihime to annoy Ulquiorra. She constantly sits on his front step waiting for him to come outside to play and even though Ulquiorra informs her that he would not, Orihime insistently sits with a wide grin and singing the theme song for Spongebob Squarepants. Well until her friend Tatsuki comes and invites her for dinner at her house.
“Isn’t this great? We are going to spend even more time together! This is the best day ever! Don’t you agree, Ulqui-chan?” Orihime boastfully states, jumping up and down, “Why are you sitting so far away, come sit with me!”
“No Ori-“ but it is too late. Her tight grip on his hand tugs him to a large yellow table where all of her friends are.
“You know Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Chad, Ishida, Tatsuki, right Ulquiorra? Everyone, this is Ulquiorra! He lives next to me.” Orihime introduces, but her friends pay no mind for they are all playing with Pokémon cards. Orihime sits on an orange chair, as Ulquiorra has no choice but to side on a blue one next to her.
“So Ulquiorra, what TV shows do you watch?” Orihime asks, attempting to break the ice.
“I normally watch Mystery Diagnosis because I would like to be a doctor when I get older.”
“I never heard of that cartoon before! Who is the main character?”
“It is not a cartoon. It has real people with real problems. I don’t waste my time on fictional ideas.”
“You should watch cartoons…like Spongebob or Dora the Explorer!” Orihime states and opens her mouth wide to sing, but for Ulquiorra’s sake, the teacher informs them on a project them to do.
“We are all going to cut out shapes with these papers.” The teacher tells her students as she places long sheets paper and paper scissors on each table, “Now boys and girls, we are going to be working in pairs. So, find you partner and I will assign each pair a shape for you all to cut.”
Ulquiorra begins to panic; he does not want to work with these people and the only “friend” in the room is Grimmjow who is found already in a pair with Luppi. Ulquiorra franticly looks around for a new candidate. Nnoitra is with Nel, Halibel with Stark, Ichigo with Rukia, Renji with Tatsuki, Chad with Ishida, which only leaves him with…
“Looks like we’re paired together, Ulqui!” Orihime declares, shrugging her shoulder. The teacher is coming toward them.
“Ahh, Ulquiorra and Orihime. You two will cut out this shape.” The teacher shows them a figurine with their shape, an upside down triangle with two semicircles on top.
“A heart!” Orihime states the obvious, beginning to redden as the teacher moves on to the next pair, “Hearts are for people who love each other.”
“Its just a shape, Orihime. It shouldn’t signify anything like any other shape.” Ulquiorra tell his partner as he grabs a green scissor. Orihime nods as she grabs her pink scissors.
“We should do something different. My brother taught me how to make a chain of heart when we were decorating our house for Valentine’s Day!” Orihime exclaims a takes a pink sheet of paper and started to fold it in half.
“A chain of hearts out of one paper? I don’t believe it.” Ulquiorra states unconvinced. Orihime stands up and moves to the toy area of the room.
“Ulqui, I need your help please!” Orihime shouts.
“What is it?” Ulquiorra asks nonchalantly.
“I need help folding it again. My brother usually helps me with this.” Orihime hands Ulquiorra one side of the paper, needing it folded another time. Ulquiorra does what she asks and decides to sit down, bored of this project.
“Now I need you to cut a half a heart out of this, Ulquiorra.” Orihime orders gently and he complies.
“Sensei! We are ready!” Orihime shouts and tells Ulquiorra to hold the paper.
“Yes, Ulquiorra, Orihime. Let me see your shape.” The teacher says.
Orihime takes a piece of the paper out of Ulquiorra’s hand and a stream of red is flown like water from a hose. Ulquiorra is astonished; he believed that it was impossible to make so many hearts out of a single sheet of paper. He peers to Orihime who is closing her eyes and revealing a blithe smile. He also notices the dimples on her cheek and the glow of her face.
“Ta da, Sensei! Isn’t it prettiful!” Orihime laughs, proud of her work.
“Wow! You guys did great teamwork! This is beautiful! May I hang this in the doorway?” the teacher asks as she places heart stickers on their foreheads.
“Of course, Sensei! Wow! A sticker! Thank you!” Orihime replies and throws her arms around Ulquiorra.
“We did it, Ulquiorra!” Orihime chimes and Ulquiorra thinks that kindergarten might not be as bad as he once thought.