Hello XD
This is my firts fanfic about HitsuKarin, so please be gentle with me :D
The plot of this story is borrowed from one of the story wrote by Margit Sandemo, I just changed it a little :D hope you like it.
Anyway, please leave some reviews after you read it ^^
Ejoy :D
The warm wind blowing firmly was the best sign of the upcoming spring. Karin looked around. It was one her favourite season, when the life was coming to life and the winter's gloomy (in her opinion) atmosphere was leaving the air around city. There still was snow on the ground in few places, but now it had lightly blue color and soon was going to disappear completely, just like the ice on the river, very thin and almost invisible at this day. Karin sighed. She would really enjoyed her surroundings very much of not the letter which she received earlier today. She run her hand through her long black hair. Her life really was screwed.
She was the older daughter, if the doctor of the very prospective doctor. She also had older brother, Ichigo who was already married to Rukia Kuchiki, and Karin wandered how it possible that this two hadn't kill each other already. Sometimes, their love-hate relationship was beyond her. There also was her adopted sister, daughter of the late friends of her father, Lurichiyo. She and Yuzu were really elegant and beauty in her opinion. Yuzu was very delicate, with brown light hair and big eyes, always smiling. She reminded Karin a little about fairy from the stories which she read very often. Lurichiyo on the other hand had blond hair, and green eyes. She and Karin never went along very well, even if they tried to keep it to themselves, not wanting to disturb the rest of the family. Their characters just... didn't clash very well. While Karin could talk without any problem with her twin, her second sister was other case.
Karin always thought that she was the ugly duckling of the Kurosaki family. She as only one of the siblings went after their father, having black hair and very dark grey eyes. She had also petite figure and very fierily temper, which, connected with her impatience, was very bad connection. She was coming back to the home from the post office, where she was sent by her father, folding the envelope in her hand.
'I won't show this to anyone.' she decided, sighing heavingly 'There is no way in hell that I will put myself to so much humiliation.' she could see the face of Lurichiyo if she found out. She almost punched the imagination of the face which showed itself in front of her eyes, but stopped herself when she saw some bypass looking on her worriedly. She smiled sheepishly before hurrying away.
She went on the forest path leading tpo the road to her home and slow down. She was so engaged in her thoughts that she didn't even heard the horse behind her until something fell on her head with heavy thump.
"What the...!" but before she finished she felt other thump and the voice of her brother was heard from above.
"Watch your language, sis." Ichigo Kurosaki said, looking down on his sister with slight amusment, bending over his horse's, Zangetsu, neck. "What would Yuzu or Lurichiyo said if they heard it?"
"Probably feint right where they stand." she answered thrutfully, hiding the envelope quickly into her pocket. "What are you doing here anyway?" she asked, looking on his brother and looking around for his wife. "And where is Rukia?"
"I just have to ask father about some sick patient, that's all." he answered. He was a doctor in the nearby village. "And Rukia stayed in home, waiting impatiently for her dear husband to greet him properly." he smirked. Karin rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, rather waiting impatiently for her dear husband to kick his ass again." she said, quickly ducking before her brother could smack her head."
"Shut up, pip! Have some respect to your older brother!"
"Like I would ever, fruit-ass!"
Ichigo smiled down on her. Sometimes he really missed to live with them.
"Come on, sis, I will drop you home." he said, helping her to sit behind his back. The whole ride, like always, was full of their bickering and laugh.
When the two siblings entered the home they were greeted by peaceful and warm atmosphere, as always. Karin took off her coat, taking the envelope from it before and hiding it in her dress without Ichigo noticing. She took also other letters from pocket. When she stopped near the mirror she looked into it and turned away. She never liked her stright hair.
"Don't tell me that you are turning into some snob." Ichigo said from behind her.
"Ichi-nii, I'm girl. That means that sometimes I also like to check myself." she rolled her eyes on her brother.
"Really? I haven't notice it before." Ichigo smirked and ducked, but not fast enough to miss his sister's kick. Like for girl, Karin was pretty strong.
Without second glance on her brother, Karin went to the living room, where she was greeted by Yuzu, Lurichiyo and her father, who like always tried to envelope girl into his hug. But she quickly moved aside, letting her father pass her and ending up in the 'bonding' with his son, what meant beating the crap out from each other.
"Father, I've got the post you asked." she said over her shoulder, dropping the letters on the shelf next to the wall. That stopped two men and Isshin Kurosaki went to took the letters.
"You shouldn't be so long out, Karin-chan." Yuzu said gently to her twin after greeting. "It will damage your complexion."
"Don't worry, Yuzu, it's not cold outside." Karin answered her, standing near the door. "You can feel spring in the air already." she smiled on her twin, who only shook her head. Everybody knew how much Karin loved the nature. "But anyway, I'm going to my room now, don't come to me if this two will kill each other." she said pointing on her brother and father, who were again at each other throats. But before she could leave, she was stopped again.
"Karin, I've got enough of it." Lurichiyo said with complaint in her voice. "If this situation won't change soon, all of us will stay an old maid, because of you."
Karin stopped death in her track. It was unwritten rule in her family: the oldest of the sibling was getting married as the first. Since Ichigo had already Rukia, it was now her turn, before both Yuzu and Lurichiyo would do it. It really made her life even more screwed. She had to listen Lurichiyo's whiling at least once a week.
"Stop tormenting Karin-chan, Lurichiyo-chan." Yuzu said in the defense on her sister.
"But I want to get marry." Lurichiyo said. She had been engaged since she was child. "I'm eighteen already, you twenty. Why can't we married our fiancés now?" she turned to Isshin.
"No, the rule is strict: first the older one. If not, any of you will change your civil state." the head of the family said, stopping his fight with Ichigo.
"But Karin is twenty, she should be married already for three years." Lurichiyo continued, pointing on the girl in the question who was doing her best to not attack her youngest sister. And there is no sign of the wedding in near future. She only gets presents on the Christmas and birthday, but I've never seen her fiancé visiting her. Why?"
Karin stiffened.
"Well, Hitsugaya-san is living far from us..." Yuzu answered, looking rather uncomfortable. And is really busy. It's not easy..."
"In my opinion we should get married immediately." Lurichiyo interrupted her, looking on Isshin pleadingly. "I'm worried that if we will wait any longer, it can discourage our fiancés."
"There is no way you are doing that."Isshin said, coming closer to the girls and sitting on the coach. "Your fiancés are coming from very good families, and the contracts are strictly unbreakable. We choose very carefully."
"We know, uncle." Lurichiyo said again, smiling sweetly. Karin wanted gag. "But what if they fell in love with someone other? We will be living in distrustful relationship..."
"No way in hell that you will be doing it!" Ichigo said loudly, cutting out Lurichiyo's whiling. "Karin will be first or none of you. There is no bloody way that I will let you bring shame on her. It would be terrible for her if younger siblings were first with husband and children while her..."
"Ichi-nii, enough!" Karin interrupted him and he look on her. "I don't mind it."
"But Karin-chan, Hitsugaya-san never took his word away. He just asked for a little time." Isshin said, looking on his older daughter with care present on his eyes.
"A little?" Lurichiyo said ironically. "Maybe he visited here incognito and saw who..." she was stopped in the middle of her sentence.
"Lurichiyo!" Ichigo shouted loudly, glaring on the girl who look worriedly on him.
Karin stiffened even more, but didn't change her face. She would never show any weakness in front of her family. She wasn't like this. She was strong and she hated any weak emotions inside her. She could feel the anger of her brother, who stood next to her.
"I think that I will go upstairs." she said, not wanting to kill Lurichiyo, what she afraid could happen if she stayed down longer.
She could feel their gazes on her back when she was leaving. She went on the stairs when she heard voices downstairs.
"Lurichiyo-chan, how could you said something like that?" Yuzu's gentle voice was holding deep scowl. "This whole situation is also tiring for her."
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to…"
"You are going to apologize to her!" Ichigo said angry and Karin closed the door behind her, not wanting to hear anything more.
Karin sat comfortably in her room and switch the light on. After some thought she took away the envelope from her pocket and was looking on this for some time. Inside was second envelope, addressed to her father, which she wasn't going to open. She took the letter addressed to her and read it again.
Dear Karin,
Even if we never met before you were always presented in my mind as, I wish, I was in your. After all, we were promised to each other since we were children.
Writing this is very hard for me. You have to believe that I was never intended to hurt you. But now i have to do it, against my will. I'm aware that you were disappointed so many times when I was moving the date of our wedding. But there were very important events behind this.
And now, fully against my will, I have to break the contract between my parents and yours. I'm doing this with big pain in my heart. I wished to spent my life next to my wife, and you, what I can suspect on the based of your letters, are a kind and friendly person.
But please, don't think wrongly about me. The reason behind this is not other woman. I would never break the contract because of it. But I didn't have other choice but this one. And I'm doing this mostly for your own safety.
For the longer time I oppressed by the thought that I couldn't visit you. I should do it long time ago, but believe me, it was impossible for me to do so. I'm really sorry but I can't say any more about it.
I'm also sending the letter to your father, where I'm leaving your free from any obligation to me. Unfortunately, I also can't give more proper reason for this unbelievable decision of mine. I can only have hope that you have met the man who you truly love and who you couldn't marry because of the contract. Now you are free.
I know that what I'm doing is terrible and that I hurt you more that I can imagine. I can only beg you for understanding and forgiveness.
Truly yours
Toshiro Hitsugaya
Karin put the letter aside and sat deeper in her chair. Met another man? Like it would even happen. She could only agreed that he hurt her beyond imagination. After all, the contract was the only way for her to get married. At least, in her opinion. She furrowed her brows.
And also, she never saw Toshiro Hitsugaya before in her live, but very often she imagined it. Dark hair, blue eyes. She only new that she was older by three years than her. He was also the hair of big mansion called Suisen in Seiretei, which was inherited by every men in his family. And it could never been sold, only the members of family could be the owners of it. Now it belonged to Toshiro. And on this in reality stopped Karin's knowledge about her fiance.
'Ex-fiance' he thought bitterly, smiling sadly.
Then she remembered that her aunt Yourichi, sister of her late mother, who lived close Seiretei, had said once that there were some gossips about ghosts or curse, but she didn't remembered this fully.
But from short letters from Toshiro she felt some kind of connection with him. Hell, she even told him few of her secrets. He was kind, kind of ironical sometimes, but he had accepted her without doubt.
And now he broke up with her.
She felt shame and anger. And also fear. How the hell she was going to tell it to her family? But she faced reality: there was big possibility that she would end up all alone. She didn't know much men who would ask for her hand, maybe only this who wanted her father's fortune. Or some widower who had children in her age. But she had to do something... maybe she could go to the nunnery? She thought about it and move it aside. She could destroy the place during first week, considering her temper.
When she heard knocking to the door, she quickly hide the letter under her pillow and fixed her hair.
"Come in." she said when she sat up straight. She sighed with relief when she saw that it was Ichigo. She didn't really felt like dealing with Lurichiyo right now.
"Yo, kido." he smiled on her, and sat on the bad. "How are you?"
Karin looked on him doubtfully.
"Since when you are coming to me with polite conversation?" she asked him and earned the eyes roll in answer.
"Ok, ok." Ichigo said, holding his hands up. "I just wanted to aks how much Lurichiyo's words hurt you."
And here he was: her brother who always knew how she felt, even if she tried to hide it. Even Yuzu wasn't able to read her that well.
"Ichi-nii, I'm perfectly fine." she answered, holding her facade "You don't have to worry about..." before she finished she was met with the pillow landing straight on her face.
"It's bullshit and you know it." Ichigo's eyes were bored into her when she took the pillow of. She sighed.
"Ok, maybe it hurts a little." she said and he looked on her. "A little much..." he still was looking on her. "Ok, it hurts like hell, happy now?"
"No, because you are hurt." he answered. "Come here." he said, pointing on the place next to him on the bed. She stood up and sat on his right side on her bed. What she wasn't expecting was her brother putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her in one-armed hug. They both didn't like close proximity very much, so the hugs between them were very rare. But after a while she put her head on his shoulder, enjoying the safety which her brother was giving her.
"Listen me, Karin." he said looking ahead. "You shouldn't really care about Lurichiyo's words, she is just jealous of you."
Karin snorted.
"There is nothing to be jealous of."
Smack on the head from her brother. But he didn't let go of her.
"Yes there is. You are far more better person than Lurichiyo will ever be. You are cheerful, smiling, smart, intelligent, friendly and you have never looked on anyone from above. You believe in people and their good sides. When me or Yuzu were sad or trouble you always tried to made everything better. Hell, you even bitted this guy who said something to Yuzu." she smiled on the memory. Poor guy was avoiding her since the event. "Do you want to know what out mum was always saying?" he asked and she shook her head. It was rare that Ichigo was talking about their mother. "She always said that what was making one person beautiful aren't golden hair or any other color or big eyes or something like that, but their personalities, what they had inside. What is the most important in person is her heart, the bigger the better. And in my opinion, Karin, you have the biggest heart in our family. Even when you the crap from old dad."
Karin felt the tears building in her eyes. She never expected so deep words from Ichigo.
"ichi-nii..." she said hiding her face in his arm.
"Oi! Don't tell me you are going to cry!" he panicked a little. Dealing with crying Karin Kurosaki was... well, he didn't know how it was since it never happened before. "Since when you are so girly?" he asked her, patting her head. And earning himself stab in stomach.
"I'm not girly baka!" Karin said, lifting her head. "And since when you are so softy?" she asked and he smiled on her. Good, the old Karin is back.
"I'm not softy, I just decided that some words of wisdom are needed here." he said and ruffled her hair.
"Words of wisdom? From what you took them?" he scowled on her and stood up.
"Shut up, midget, and come for dinner."
Karin was lying in her bed, not able to think. She still didn't know what to say her family. She didn't want to give them so big burden. She closed her eyes, sighing furiously. What the hell could she do?
Then the idea came into her mind. She opened her eyes and sit up on her bed. It was perfect in her opinion. Well, maybe not perfect, but it was the only idea that came up to her. Maybe it was crazy, but after all, what was normal in Karin Kurosaki?
She knew who could help her in this plan. Rukia was out of question, she needed someone closer to the Seiretei. So she stood up and went to her desk, pulling out some paper from it. She sat on her chair and started to writing. Her aunt Yourichi was her only hope. And she was pretty sure that she would get help from her. Karin needed someone who she could trust with her secret.
She waited few weeks for the answer from her aunt. And wasn't disappointed. The answer from her aunt was positive, even if little mysterious. Yourichi hotly invited Karin to her, saying that together they could 'made some good and delicious meal".
Isshin was little surprised by the letter.
"You aunt is going to teach you cook? Can she even cook?" he said, without his always presented goofiness and looked on Karin.
"Surely yes. And she always can teach me something new. After all, she travelled a lot, and it can be helpful in the future. " she answered, crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Hmm…" Isshin looked down on the letter again. "How are you going to get there?"
"By train." She said quickly, expecting this question.
"Alone? Maybe you could take Yuzu with you? The travel would be better if you go together." He offered, looking on her closely.
"No!" she said loudly and when Isshin looked on her suspiciously she covered it. "I mean, look, aunt Yourichi invited only me, because of the renovation she can't invite much quests."
"Maybe at least Urahara would accompany you?" he asked and she almost screamed in frustration. Urahara? What the hell her father was thinking? He was the man working with her father, but Karin didn't really know what he was doing. And wasn't curious about it. "Well, it settled. Urahara will drop you to Seiretei and then will come for you after the month." Isshin said, dropping the letter on the desk. "But what if you get letter from Hitsugaya-san in this time? Or visited you?"
"I don't think so." Karin said, almost smiling. "And if it will happen you will just inform him where I am."
Her father looked on her suspiciously. He knew that Karin was hiding something from him, he knew her children. And letting Karin spent a month with Yourichi… he was just glad that wouldn't be around them .He sighed. He hoped that Karin knew what she was doing and don't put herself in any trouble.
After few days, they were bidding farewell in the station…
The road with Urahara was rather eventful. He was talking all the time and Karin had to shut him up few times with the help of her foot or hand. It earned her few glances from travelers, but she didn't care, like always. After long, too long for Karin, travel, they finally arrived on the station in Seiretei. Karin get out from train with help from Urahara, who went first. When she only let her feet on the ground she was immediately met by the hug and smell of delicate perfume.
"Karin! It was too long! Why didn't you met me earlier?" if Karin wasn't trying to freed herself from deadly clutches of her aunt she would smile. But now her whole attention was on trying to breath. Yourichi liked to do it to her and Ichigo.
"Yare, yare, Yourichi-san, you should let your niece breath a little." The girl was never as glad to had Urahara as now.
"Urahara." Yourichi said surprised, looking on the man and letting Karin free. "And what are you doing here?"
"Dad insisted on taking him with me." Karin said to her. "But he will go tomorrow, right?" she looked on the man.
"Karin-san, when you are talking like that I have impression that you don't want me here." He said, hiding his smirk behind the fan. "Or maybe you are trying to hide something?"
Karin glanced on her aunt. He couldn't… could he?
"Urahara, you didn't want to put you nose in other's people business, right?" Yourichi asked looking on the man, not showing any kind of worry. "And we have to talk. We didn't see each other for so long."
"It was two months, Yourichi-san." He answered politely like always, still hiding his smirk.
"And it was long time." she yanked his arm and led him and Karin behind her.
Karin couldn't talk with her aunt until next day, when Urahara, after long party, which had lasted until late night, leave to his home. When Karin went downstairs from her temporary bedroom, she was greeted by the sight of her aunt, sitting on the chair with her head on the table. When she heard that someone was coming she lifted her head. Karin smirked on her.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting opposite her.
"I hate hang-over." Yourichi said, holding her head. "I tried to drunk this guy but his head is harder than bloody stone."
Karin sniggered on it.
"But anyway…" Yourichi said, straightening. "In Suisen they need maid. But requirements are pretty high: girl has to be very well mannered and be experienced. It would be the best if it wasn't her first work in higher class."
"Maid?" Karin asked, thinking deeply. "I think that I will managed somehow."
"Good." Older woman said, taking the cake to eat. "There are no children in Suisen, only step sister of Toshiro, Hiyori, who is around nineteen or eighteen years old."
"I didn't know that he has a sister." Karin looked surprised on this revelation.
"Well, I couldn't get more information than this. They are very mysterious and aren't letting strangers to know anything about them. "
Karin thought about it. She started to doubt if it was that good idea after all, but brushed it aside. Now wasn't a time for this.
"But you said that there is some curse or something. It is rather… intriguing."
"Just some gossips from maids." Yourichi answered shrugging.
"But tell me anyway, better to know everything about this place." Karin said also taking a piece of cake.
Yourichi thought about this for a moment.
"Well it was about one of the woman who were owner of the mansion for some time. From 17th century if I'm not wrong… From what I heard she was very cruel and wanted to have power. She couldn't deal with any other women in the mansion. She was supposed to kill her rival or daughter-on-love… It is still mysterious in this story. Anyway, people are saying that there are ghost. But I don't know if it is true. But they are saying that this two hundred years old lady hate the wives of the hairs. Are you sure that you want to go there, Karin-chan?" she asked, looking on her closely.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Karin said stubbornly. "I have to know why he decided to do it. You know me, I can't resign without good motives. I want to know what is going on."
Yourichi smiled on this.
"Sometimes I think that you are more similar to me than to your own mother. I would do this same in you place." She said, taking second piece of cake. "But, I have one more information to you."
Karin looked up on her aunt.
"Toshiro, even if he is a hair, isn't the oldest son."
"What happened with his brother?" Karin asked, sitting more comfortably.
"And this is the tragic story." Yourichi sighed. "Three days after the wedding his wife failed from the stairs and killed herself. He was so heartbroken that he shoot himself in his room."
Karin felt shiver run over her back.
"Their mother died when they were young. Their father remarried with a widow, Rangiku, who already had little daughter, Hiyori. After few years, their father died, leaving Rangiku with three children. Thankfully, already grown up."
"So, Toshiro is leaving alone with Rangiku and Hiyori?" Karin asked, thinking about everything.
"No, Rangiku's sister, Momo, moved in with them. She is very… sacrificial, if I can say. "
"So Rangiku is the only one who wasn't killed?"
"Yeah it looks like that." Yourichi stood up, walking closer to the desk. "I already prepared you the letter with accommodation. You will take it with you. I wrote that you worked at my place and was very good and clever… Are you clever?" she smirked on her niece's glare. "Right. I don't think that they will catch up that we are family. But anyway I named you Cathrine Shisaki."
"Shisaki? Pretty good." Karin said taking the letter from her aunt.
"But be careful!" Yourichi said, looking on her closely. "Try not to be close to Toshiro. It would be better if he never find out about it."
"No problem." Karin said. "Careful is my second name." she smirked on her aunt.
Yourichi snorted.
"Yeah, just like Ichigo's is brilliant." Karin laughed at this.
"But anyway, if you will be in trouble tell me about it. I will help you as much as I can." She looked on her again. "Are you scared?"
"No, I'm not." Karin said without hesitation.
But she wasn't sure if it was true.