Disclaimer: We do not own Bleach. Cuz if we did… Hitsugaya's lips would be sore from the kissing *winks*
Chapter 1 - A Parting Promise
When I was five years old I saw a couple locked in each other's arms by the train station. Huddled in his embrace, the girl was crying, her tears mingling with the rain. Seeing her tears, the boy vowed, "I will never forget you. This love will not end." Then he got on the train and left, leaving her standing alone on the empty platform.
A year later, when I was shopping near the town square, I saw the girl again. In the arms of another boy. She was laughing, as if she forgot all about that day when all she could hold onto for hope was her lover's vow.
They say that separated love will not end. It always does.
Toshiro and I... I can still feel Toshiro's arms around me, his warm breath whispering in my ear. It feels so real!
But I know destiny has a better fate awaiting us. I know that Toshiro and I are different, and I know that our love will last, even if, diary, we are thousands of miles apart.
But somewhere in my heart, I can't help but fear or doubt, just "what if? What if he does find a prettier, wealthier or kinder girl?" What if the opportunities in the great big city awaiting him distracts him from me? Change is inevitable, but so is everything else. I hope I can see Shiro-chan soon.
Momo lowered her pen and stared out the window with a heavy heart.
A few miles away, a plane was lifting off the ground.
Toshiro felt the plane tilt and lift. His seat was right by the window, he slammed the circular shutter down.
It had been less than an hour since he'd hugged Momo goodbye, but he couldn't help it. He missed Momo.
A girl sat down beside him, her bulky, duffel bag of sports equipment knocking into his outstretched feet.
Idiot.
"Hey," she said, giving him a friendly smile. Toshiro turned away from her curious eyes, annoyed. He was in no mood, especially now, for cheer of any sort. Especially from a girl who wasn't Momo.
"Isn't it a little late to be sitting down now?" Toshiro muttered under his breath.
"I was in the washroom," the stranger huffed in defense, scowling at his stoic, I-couldn't-care-less attitude.
He'd have preferred that she stayed in the lavatory. But something about her reminded him of... Momo? No. Not this brute.
Besides, Momo was miles away. This girl... who was she?
"I'm Karin Kuro- Um, I'm Karin," she said, as if hearing his thoughts.
"I'm Toshiro Hitsugaya."
"Toshiro? That's a weird name."
"Where I come from, Karin is a weird name." His thoughts flashed back to Hinamori.
Karin burst out laughing. "I've been attending a Japanese soccer tournament with my team. What are you going to America for, Shiro-chan?" Toshiro's heart leaped as he heard the familiar nickname, then he realized it was only Karin.
"Don't call me that!" he snapped.
Karin stared. "Why?"
"Just don't," Toshiro muttered, feeling dumb.
"Fine. I'll call you Hitsugaya," she decided.
"Whatever. Anyway, I'm going to America to set up a business there."
"You can't be any older than me!"
"So go and start your own business."
"I don't need to, because –"
"Because?"
"I'm already a star soccer player! And I'm very well off myself already." She paused, and for a moment Toshiro thought she would explain further. But she shook her head and just smiled.
"Then good for you." Toshiro turned around in his chair and stared out the plane window. Already, they were above the clouds. He could only make out the light from the beacon on the mountains, blinking him goodbye.
KARIN'S POV
Karin watched as Toshiro slowly fell asleep, his eyes drifting shut and his head hanging to the side. He had been staring out the window for so long that Karin had been about to knock him on the head, make sure he was okay.
He's really cute. I wonder how old he actually is. I wonder if he's single..
NONONONOOOOO why would I care even if he was? He's a stranger, doesn't even know how rich I am.
She kicked herself angrily, just to make sure she was awake and actually sitting next to this smexy eyed adorable-
Stop it, me!
It would be dangerous to make contact with people who just look good. Hasn't Dad always told me to stay away from drug dealers, or hired assassins disguised as handsome strangers?
But she couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off him.
I bet he'd be good at soccer.
"Excuse me, miss, would you like chicken or fish?"
She tore her eyes away. "Sorry, I don't eat on planes."
The lady gave her a strange look, then plastered a smile onto her face. "Water, maybe?" the attendant asked, reaching for a bottle from her trolley.
"Sure."
"Here you go-And what will you have, sir, chicken or fish?" she glanced at Karin ."Or water?"
"Sorry…" Toshiro mumbled, and his head drooped down even further.
The attendant gave them another odd look. "You two don't eat much, do you?"
She pushed her cart away, leaving the wafting scent of hot food and melted plastic.
Karin turned back to the slumbering form of Toshiro, amazed at how short and vulnerable he looked while sleeping.
His head hit the window and he stirred, muttering strange words. "It's not what it seems… I'm sorry…" Toshiro's eyebrows furrowed, even in his sleep, as he forced out his heart-wrenching apologies. "Hinamori, I promise…I…I'll…" The rest of his promise was lost in the corridors of his ongoing nightmare as he fell back into troubled sleep.
Karin reached for her glass of water, her mind whirling. Should I wake him? Should I leave him to slumber and worry about whatever horrible things are tormenting his mind? "Hinamori" doesn't seem like a very nice person to be dragging him down like that. Maybe she's the reason he's moving to America.
She grabbed the water. I wish he'd tell me what's going on, maybe I could help him, introduce him to some people that can make him rich. God, he's moving again-
Then without a warning, his arm flew out from under his blanket as if to brush something unpleasant away, and her glass of water was knocked out of her hand. She fumbled for the glass, in a desperate effort not to awake him but only succeeded in spilling even more of its contents over his sleeping form.
His eyes snapped open and Karin found herself being gazed at by the most beautiful, striking, ice blue eyes.
"H-Hinamori?" He reached out to touch her face, his fingertips inches away. "Hinamori!" he exclaimed feverishly, several volumes too loud.
People around them turned, alarmed. Some stirred from their sleep, and others stared, annoyance flickered over their faces. Murmurs of disgust rippled over the cabin.
Karin squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get away but failing. What is this feeling? Why can't I move!? She opened a tentative eyelid and peeked back at him, half scared and half incredulous at his sudden actions.
Toshiro's hands stopped inches in front of her nose, He blinked, and the dreamy fog cleared from his eyes. He turned away, blushing furiously, gritting his teeth. "Fuck."
All of a sudden his eyes widened as he saw the water seeping through his briefcase, and, hands shaking, reached for his bangs. They were dripping wet. Karin watched as he fumbled desperately for his briefcase, threw it open and flipped madly through the many papers and folders. "Where are you, where did you go!?" he mumbled frantically.
Toshiro grabbed a plastic wrapped package and gently tugged it open, suddenly slow and earnest. Karin leaned closer to see the photo he pulled out of it.
Karin's heart stopped.
The photo was of Toshiro, but he wasn't alone.
Clutching his arm was a delicate, fragile girl, smiling at the camera with crystal clear eyes as if carved out of glass. She was so beautiful next to him, but…
Karin suddenly felt jealous. She remembered the words he had murmured in his sleep.
The thing Toshiro made a promise to and left behind… was this her?
TOSHIRO'S POV
The photo. That's the only thing that matters right now.
And at the moment, staring at Hinamori and him sitting on a pagoda, holding hands, one smiling, one scowling, he thought he could be relieved that it was unaffected by the water. He should be feeling happy the photo wasn't ruined.
But the only feeling he had was sadness.
She was his only friend, maybe even more than a friend. But Toshiro himself had chosen to go to America and leave her behind.
Toshiro forced himself to look away. There was no point in feeling so much guilt.
His eyes met Karin's, and her eyes were wide, questioning.
What does she want!?
A sudden rush of anger shook him. "Did you see it?" he whispered urgently. "Did you see what was in the package?"
She replied, voice shaking. "Who is she?"
Full-fledged emotion flooded her eyes. Was it anger? Jealousy?
Jealousy!? Impossible. Jealous of what? Of Hinamori? No, he must have been imagining it.
Shit. "Forget you saw anything." Toshiro carefully replaced the photo and slipped it into an inner pocket in his waterproof jacket.
"She's that Hinamori girl, isn't she?"
"Forget it!" Toshiro crossed his arms and stared back out the window. Nosy brat.
"…Fine. Then you should forget about her too," Karin declared. "Forget the past. It'll only drag you down. Promise?"
"What the fuck!"
"You can stay with my family and I." Karin grinned, clasping his hands.
"The frick? You're a complete stranger," Toshiro muttered, jerking his hands away.
"Well, do you have anywhere else to stay?"
"…."
"Alright then. You're coming with me." She gave him another cheerful smile.
Toshiro scowled and turned to the window again.
A/N
Kanako-chan: Just to reassure, this is a HitsuHina fanfic by purely HitsuHina authors, though there are hints of love triangles. Warning: Karin is definitely going to be an OOC sooner or later, in case you don't want to see that. Thanks for reading our first chapter J please review and follow our story for our further updates! Konbanwa, minna!
Himeka-sama: I like pudding candy. And review. Oh, and…wait. I already said I like pudding candy.
Kiyo: Ohayo creeps! Your homework for today: READ & REVIEW & WATCH ANIME! READY SET GO!
Luv from the AdversusTriplex~~