A/N Hello! I'm back with a new story, and this time it features Yumichika and Karin! This is a request by Rianan D' Halmsu and I hope you enjoy the story dearie! (:
Firstly, I have never, not once, thought about this pairing until a certain someone introduced it to me. *ahem thank you!
So it's hella crack, but that's what makes some pairings beautiful, no?
Also, please take note that at the start of the story, Karin would be around 13 years of age? And for the rest of the story, she'd be 16 years old. Her looks would be that of the Fullbring chapter at the start of this story, and finally slightly older for the rest. And of course, our lovely Yumichika will look as per normal.
Without further ado, I present to you;
Tears of the Sunset.
A man stood by the bridge, the wind blowing his hair softly. His eyes gazed to the rosy sky and his mind was an empty awe. He walked a few steps to his front, determined to get nearer to the beautiful scene that was laid before him. The man raised his hands to get a grasp of nothingness that surrounded him delicately. One day, he promised himself. I'll have this sunset, one day.
A girl was sitting alone under a bridge, her body sweaty from a soccer game. She wiped off the sweat on her face, her eyes not looking anywhere else but at the scene to her front. Her mouth gave away a sigh, her heart filled with longing and sorrow. The sky seemed bittersweet to her taste, but still her hands moved to reach the radiant clouds above her. One day, she promised herself. I'll rid this sunset, one day.
The girl finally took it in herself to head home. As the sky got dimmer, her steps got heavier. Her heart was of reluctance. She wanted to return home badly, but what use was it when a home is incomplete? Her feet involuntarily brought her to the nearby park, where she finally sat; undisturbed. Not a soul was to be found in this hour, so the park was as good as hers. It wasn't long before she needed to wipe her face again, but it wasn't her sweat that she was encountering. It was her tears.
The man was skipping back home, his gleeful heart humming a song. At long last, the sky finally got darker, much to his dislike. A faint sob was then heard not too far from him. Curiosity killed the cat, they say, when the man decided to find the owner of this beautiful yet sad sound. His feet took him to the park, stealthily approaching the little girl he saw, before handing her a handkerchief.
"Hi, are you okay, little girl?"
The girl turned her head away, embarrassed that a stranger saw her weeping. It had been a long time since the tears fell, and what good was it when this man had caught her in her moment of weakness. To the man, the girls' response was one of a peacock. It was a proud action, and he liked what he saw. It reminded him of himself, to say the very least. He took a seat next to the unwavering girl, his head tilted; trying to get a better look at the little girl.
"Not talking, are we, little girl? Such rude behaviour is unacceptable and of course not very beautiful."
"Look mister. I don't need your pity." The girl spoke harshly, her eyes refusing to meet the strangers'.
"Pity is a strong word. Sympathy is a nicer term." He decided he liked this little girl. Her words remind him of a strong person, independent and filled with pride.
"My name is Yumichika." He continued.
"Why are you telling me your name? It's not like I wanted to know." Her tears had already dried up, somehow from comfort at the man's presence.
"To make friends of course! A beautiful little girl like you shouldn't be crying your eyes out. It's not worth it."
"P-pervert. What do you know?" the girl grumbled before taking her soccer ball with her.
She stood up and walked away, her mind conflicted at the sudden kindness of a stranger. Was he good, was he bad? She didn't know. But how was she to know if she didn't try to get to know him?
"My name is Karin." The girl mumbled abruptly before walking away; unable to see a slight smile on the man's face.
As she rested on her bed, her mind replayed the scenes that happened that particular day. 3 years had finally passed. The soccer game, the sunset… and the man. The weird man that looked like he came from another world, yet something about him striked a similiarity that she could not put her finger on. Was it his hair? No. Was it his heart? Something of that line. Or was it his clothes? His clothes, she tried to remember, were that of a uniform. Karakura High School, that man was from Karakura High School.
Her thoughts wandered to her missing brother, though she knew where he was. He was dead, likewise his friends. All she knew was that he was dead and he was residing in a place called Soul Society. Ever since him and his friends "disappeared", she had been taking the role of her older brother. To defeat Hollows. She didn't managed on her own of course; that weird man Urahara had helped her. His reasons were the same. To help the sibling of a man that had helped him countless of times. It was that simple.
She managed to learn of her father's real identity along the way too. Of course, they tried their best to keep it from Yuzu, but to no avail. She caught on, after being able to see Hollows; thus helping Karin with her daily missions. That was Yuzu for you. Always trying to help out. If Ichigo was there… Karin stopped her mind from worrying about unnecessary things. Ichigo may be dead, but he's very much alive. What irked her was that he had never returned home. Not once. She saw his "dead" friends before; that bespectacled guy, the busty orange haired beauty, the small bunny-obsessed girl and the big muscled guy; all dressed up in the same standard black kimono.
But her brother… No. She must not think of Ichigo. He must have his reasons. Turning to her side, Karin closed her eyes and drift off in her sleep.
Karin woke up to excited screams coming from below. Groggily, she went down the stairs to see her dad and sister spazzing at some orange haired guy.
"Nii chan?" She asked, her tone betraying her disbelief.
"Karin." The guy went up to her and hugged her.
She realized two things all the while. One, her brother was back, clad in a black kimono. Two, he came back with no apology whatsoever. Annoyed, she hit him on his head, before unwillingly breaking out into tears.
"You didn't contact us at all." She murmured in between sobs, her tears soaking Ichigo's chest.
"Gomen ne." The duo didn't say anything else, and stayed in that position; silence in the air.
As they break away, Ichigo's eyes litted up, his mind trying to convey some happy news. It would seem that he would be able to stay in the town for a week each month, as he was assigned to take care of Karakura town. He continued by stating that some of his friends were to stay at the Kurosaki's residence for a little while, the unusually large number of hollows being the reason.
The sight Karin saw was a scene to behold; weird shinigamis came lining in to her house.
An emo blonde guy, a tattoo-ed serious guy, a redhead she recognised as Abarai Renji, Rukia, Orihime, Sado, Uryuu, a busty shinigami, Toshirou, a bald man and finally, a beautiful guy.
A very beautiful guy whom she recognised as... Yumichika.
Yumichika; the kind stranger that she saw once, and to think he looks exactly the same as he was. Of course he did. He had been a shinigami all along.
The man raised an eyebrow speculating the scene to his front. His mouth then quirked into a quick smile, astonished at the resemblance that the girl had to a part of his memory.
"Karin? You're Ichigo's sister?" the man laughed, the slight blush in the girl's cheek noticed.
He came nearer to her, his hand patting her head.
"You're still beautiful, little girl."
Her eyes. They're still wet from her tears. Her tears that trickles down at the end of each day, but yet she is as strong as ever. She hasn't changed at all. You've grown more beautiful, little girl.
His eyes. They're still as compassionate as ever. His kind eyes that judged nicely, no matter how dire the situation. He hasn't changed at all. Your heart is still as beautiful as ever, kind stranger.
"Am I missing something?" Ichigo hissed to Yumichika, obviously confused to why the duo knew each other and why his sister was blushing at his touch.
"We met once, didn't we little girl?" Yumichika winked to the girl, who blushed harder at his actions.
"Yeah we did, and by the way, I'm not a little girl anymore!" Karin yelled, her head turned away from the crowd.
To many others in the room, it had been weird that a girl like Karin would have caught Yumichika's eyes. Not that she wasn't pretty, but the mere fact that the shinigami had called someone else beautiful was just astounding.
Ishhin Kurosaki held a mini party dinner, as celebration to his son's arrival back home. It was a rowdy one, with the shinigami's getting drunk and a poor Yuzu serving their drinks from time to time. No one seemed to notice when a particular duo left the scene for a park. The park that brought back kind memories.
"So you grew up beautifully huh little girl?" The man smiled to the girl, who sighed in defeat.
"I'm no longer a little girl you pervert."
"Remind me why I'm a pervert again?" Karin decided that he was definitely teasing her.
"One, you keep calling me a little girl, which I no longer am. Two, well, you keep calling me beautiful." The girl stared into empty space. How weird it was to be calling herself beautiful.
"But you are! Inside and Out." Yumichika didn't get why Karin thought that she wasn't beautiful.
Silence grew upon them, with none knowing what to say. It was awkward to meet again like this. It was as if, fate tied them together. Fate… Was it even real?
Yumichika didn't wanted to admit it, but Karin was growing into a real lady to match him. She wasn't the sad tomboy he remembered her as. She was a full grown teenage girl who blushed at compliments, but yet she never changed. The sorrow he saw in her eyes once was still evident now. It tore him apart seeing such a beautiful face covering her troubles up. He was determined to rid her sorrow. He will input all the happiness into her tiny heart as hard as he could. That was his new resolution.
"So, Karin. Do you have a boyfriend?" The man asked, his words catching her by surprise.
"N-No. I have no time for love." The girl replied plainly. Do I really have no time?
"Are you sure? And here I thought you were just waiting for me." Yumichika smirked, his eyes waiting patiently for her reaction.
"W-WHAT? NO I WASN'T. I SAID I HAD NO TIME. P-PERVERT."
Her outburst took both of them by surprise. Silence came back again, this time sweeping both on them in the dark.
W-What is wrong with me? Why am I being so defensive when he said that? I mean, it's not as if I waited for him to appear back then. And it's not as if I have a crush on him or anything. Wait what? No of course not. I- I couldn't possibly have a crush on a pervert like him. I-I can't. But what if I do?
Could it be? That she actually bears some sort of feelings for me? If she does, am I capable of returning it back? W-what am I saying. Of course she doesn't have feelings for me. For two people to love each other from the start… That could never happen. But I will. I will make her love me. I swear I will.
THE NEXT DAY
I wonder where Yumichika went? Ever since last night, it seems as though he disappeared. Should I apologise for my outburst to him? I didn't mean it. Sigh, I feel so hopeless now.
I wonder if Karin would like these sunflowers I got her. Beautiful flowers for a beautiful little girl. But, is it awkward for me to just suddenly give her flowers? Sigh, a man never gives up. Karin, here I come.
"Karin." The girl turned around to a familiar voice, and her eyes immediately lighted up.
"Yumichika!" She took a step nearer, her mouth itching to start the conversation.
"I got you something. I hope you like it." The man gave the flowers to the girl, his stance cautious.
Karin took the flowers and embraced them tightly to her chest. This was the first time that a man had given her flowers. It was cute in a way, and she appreciated it, but she felt that he was being too kind to her. As always.
"T-thank you. I-." The girl trailed on. "I just wanted to apologise for yesterday. I don't know what came over me."
"A beautiful girl like you shouldn't fret about such petty things. Now tell me, are you free now? Will you like to get ice cream?"
"P-per vert. But, all right I guess. Maybe we should play some soccer later even!" The girl joked, only to receive a serious nod from the man.
It was surreal. They were going to play some real football together. What a way to start the day.
THE NEXT DAY
"Good morning Karin. I hoped you slept well last night."
"Y-Yumichika! Good Morning." The girl continued to grab herself a plate of waffles. "I did actually. How about you?"
"It could have been better if you asked me." His sentence surprised the girl, her nod urging him to continue.
"Well, it would be better if two beautiful people slept together." He winked, only to get a plate full of waffles on his face.
"P-Pervert." Karin walked off, her heart secretly laughing at his sudden amused harassment.
The man gave a big laugh, before throwing back some waffles to the back of her head.
"N-no! S-stop! I have school today!" The girl sighed before unknowingly taking another piece of waffle.
The kitchen then became a battleground to what was known as a Waffle War.
THE NEXT DAY
"Yumichika. Why do you wear those feathers on your face?" The girl asked, sincerely curious to his fashion sense.
"Feathers are a beautiful feature to add to one's self, don't you think so?"
"Not really….." Karin mumbled, hoping the man won't chided her for her simplistic fashion curiosities.
"Well, do you want me to take it off?" Yumichika figured that if Karin was really keen to know, he would take it off, once, just for her.
"If you don't mind of course."
The man took off his feathers, and Karin realised that behind the glitzy colours, the man was perhaps not that beautiful. Beautiful was an understatement. He was gorgeous and his face was more handsome than that of other shinigamis. Her cheeks rose to a quick pink, and Yumichika took note of that real well. He placed his yellow feathers on the tip of the girl's mouth, and laughed.
"W-what's so funny?" Karin asked, suddenly being self-conscious.
"YOU HAVE A YELLOW MOUSTACHE NOW!"
The room became silent after a certain shinigami got hit on the head, but it was filled with a girl's laughter thanks to some feathers lying somewhere.
THE NEXT DAY
"Karin, what do you honestly think of me?" The man asked, hoping to make his move.
"You're cool of course. And a pervert." Karin muttered absent mindedly. "What do you think of me?"
"You? You are a beautiful little girl, with both inner and outer beauty."
Yumichika continued by nearing in to a blushing Karin, who shut her eyes tightly. It was obvious that she was anticipating for his kiss, but his actions got her fooled. Instead, he pinched her cheeks, and patted her head at her cute reaction.
"P-pervert."
THE NEXT DAY
"Karin! Want to hear a poem?" Yumichika exclaimed excitedly to the girl who was doing her homework.
"What is it?"
"It's to do with your name. Say each syllable and I'll end it with a poem. Go on!"
"Fine. Ka." The girl agreed reluctantly.
"Ka-rin."
"Rin?" What is Yumichika up to?
"Rinse your teeth! It's time for sleep!" The man continued by laughing uncontrollably, only to get an evil grin from the girl.
"I want to try to!"
"Really? Yu-" The man smirked, wondering if Karin would be up to the challenge.
"You need a…"
"Mi." He continued, raising his eyebrows.
"Mirror because you're a…"
"Chi."
"Chicken."
"Ka."
"Karin says she doesn't want to rinse her teeth."
An awkward silence followed, and Yumichika found himself walking to the door.
"That wasn't funny, little girl. Goodnight."
"P-pervert! You're not supposed to be in my room in the first place!"
THE LAST DAY
A truckload of Shinigamis appeared at Urahara's basement, all preparing to go home. A week had passed, and it was finally time to return to Soul Society.
"Ayasegawa san. Are you ready to go home?" Urahara asked cheekily to the young man.
"Soon." The man replied, his legs bringing him to a certain raven haired girl who looked on anxiously.
"Karin."
The girl looked up and smiled. It was a painful smile, and Yumichika knew why. Karin didn't want him to go, but there was no choice. He could only come for her in a month's time. Such was the cruel reality.
The man continued by hugging the young girl who tried to stifle her emotions. Tears started to stream down at his embrace, and Karin found herself sobbing into the chest of the man that she grew to liked dearly.
"I'm sorry. But I'll promise you that I'll be back. We'll figure out a way somehow to be together forever right?"
"P-pervert. We weren't together in the first place." The girl tried her best to sound strong. She will not let him worry about her.
"We weren't? I'm hurt!" Yumichika feigned his shock, his hands desperately trying to wipe her tears away.
"Don't cry anymore little girl. It's sunset."
"What does sunset have to do with anything?" Karin quavered, knowing well what his answer would be.
"Because sunsets are beautiful. And you're beautiful. Therefore, you're like my own personal sunset. Tears only clouds up such beauty, don't you think so? Shall you give your tears to me, little girl? I'll help you rid of such bitter flavours."
Karin laughed, finding his words all too familiar. It reminded her of her own words, a few years ago. The girl gave a sigh, before giving a silent nod.
"I love you little girl. I promise I'll be back. Goodbye."
The others watched on as the man gave a light peck on her forehead, before ending it with a warm embrace. He didn't turned back when he went into the door that led him to Seireitei. He refused to let the girl see the tears that had clouded his eyes. The tears that she gave to him, and the ones he promised to rid off.
"Pervert. You better come back."
And the sun sets, the moon slowly rising into the dark sky.
End A/N Hope you enjoyed this one shot!
This didn't went how I wanted it to be, but I thought this was quite a good ending. Sorry if I made them OOC (Yumichika a pervert, I mean what? XD) and the repeated use of the word 'beautiful'. I have to stress that this was an important word in this story, and it really plays a part in their conversations.
In case anyone didn't understand the Poems sections, it's just a random thing that I put in after rewatching some old Korean variety shows. It's basically like a name poem.
Crack pairing is crack, but do leave a review! It softens my heart, teehee.
Have a good day lovely people! (: