Authors Note: Hi, there everybody! I got this idea in mind and thought it's a great way to write a one shot with it! So here it is! Hope you guys like it~ And as always R&R and thank you for the support you gave me~
Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH!
Ten and a half the clock ticks on. The city night was hanging up the sky with its own cool elegant and magnificent atmosphere. He waited patiently for the subway to come as he stood within a small crowd of people. The subway arrived in time and finally the people filled the empty seats inside the carriage with few left standing holding onto the hanger provided. He sighed in relief, he have enough luck to get himself a seat after a tiring work for the day. He stretched his body to relieve his stiff and sore muscles as his hand went through his snowy white hair. He made a mental note to catch up with his paperwork the next day, otherwise it'll be troublesome.
This is the only place he had the chance to cease his trouble mind from thinking. He always let himself rest for awhile before he reached his stop. Exhausted from work every day, he shut his mind cleared of thoughts and let the tiredness took over him.
Instead a peculiar day, he was glancing around the carriage aimlessly. Across him sat an elderly couple, the old man snoring away with his mouth open and next to him, his wife, laid her head on the man's shoulder sleeping as well with their hands intertwined. Sitting next to them was a bunch of teenage girls chattering away with their high pitch voice. Beside him was a man who kept his gaze on his phone intently playing games to pass his time. Before his eyes set on her again. The woman who sat across of the carriage. That only woman who seem to catch his attention. Her hair was always tied back in a bun with a blue cloth and wore bright colour clothes that contrast with him.
He first saw her was the time he was on the phone with his superior. He was discussing about a court case that will take place the next few days, frustrated and grumbling on the phone as he hate that he needs to prepare everything for his superior. He let his eyes wander around after he ended his call with a huff. She was furiously scribbling away with her notepad with her brows furrowed in concentration. He paid no mind to her at first but he can't help looking at her. The way of emotion easily shown on her face, she sparks his interest.
Her glossy lips form with a pout when she wrote, her honey brown eyes widen with a bright grin when an idea popped up, she'll chewed onto her pencil in peril when she was thinking, her eyes shine with excitement when she's talking on the phone or her bright smile beamed to a stranger that warms ones heart. He took interest in her after few encounters, with him sitting across the carriage and silently watching her emotions displayed clearly on her delicate face. She was not bad looking either, instead she had a heart shaped face, honey brown eyes, chubby cheeks, round button nose, pink plump lips, raven haired and nice petite figure that could fit perfectly into his arms.
It's like a routine for him, he always sat there looking until his eyes land on her and he watched her silently from the distance. His hollow eyes focus on her bright personality as it ease his anxiety and exhaustion away. He found her amusing, such a woman who had so much life inside her, like a fire never extinguish no matter what befall on her. Unlike him bitter cold inside. She showed kindness as she let her seat to the elderly and was thanked with a pair of fresh apples. She showed concern for a teenage girl who weeped silently at the back of the carriage and gave her words of encouragement that brought a smile on the girl's face. She enlightened a little boy with stories as the mother of the child was taking care of her youngest child in her arms and was sincerely grateful for her help. She never cease to help people to those who was in need. His lips quirk slightly whenever he watches her. She really is filled with wonder.
Working as a law intern has it's own perks, like learning from the experience lawyers, gaining the knowledge of the law community, enhancing controversial skills in court, expanding sociability and etcetera. Sure, that's great and all but that's only the surface. The tiring work was when it comes down to paperwork, especially his superior who will pile up his table and ordered him to fill up while she went out to the bar. It was supposed to be her job, but her laziness and making up stupid excuses, had made him scowl in frustration when she took the chance to get rid of her responsibilities. Time to time, she constantly nags him to enjoy life, annoyed him to get himself a girlfriend or simply ask whether he could still show emotion with his stoic face. He will always remained in silence and ignore her crazy antics.
Pinching the bridge of his nose in defeat, he sighed loudly as the cold autumn air puffed out from his mouth. He just missed his ride back to his apartment, all because the superior of his. Looking at the bright side, he finally got a peace and quiet silence without a noisy crowd. He gaze at the station ceiling and leaned his head back on the bench waiting for another subway to come by. He thought of the woman who often invaded his mind with her captivating smile.
He noticed she was less and less seen, usually he would find her in another carriage after he arrived at his stop or she would later appear the next day if she didn't come the day before. And now four months has gone by after she stopped appearing at the subway. He tried searching through the other carriage but he couldn't find her. He tried to look for her whenever he get out of work early, he even boarded the last subway just to see her if she did ever come. Her presence was never found. He felt like a stalker. He frowned at his poor attempt of finding the woman who he never knew and grumbled at his own foolishness.
He covered his tired turquoise eyes with his left arm with his black tie hanging around his neck loosened not caring about the cold. Thinking that he still had a long way to reach home after the ride on the subway. His stressful life was taking a toll on him after he took a year of law internship and he already had dark circles around his eyes to prove it. Letting the cold autumn wind passed through his face, he decided to rest. Right now he rather let his mind go blank and free himself from heavy recollection of his life. Maybe her appearance was merely a coincidence. Maybe she was just passing by his life. Maybe they were destined to be a passerby. Maybe they will never had the chance to spoke to each other. Maybe.
His small peace was then broken when a pair of hasty footsteps was heard and a figure slumped next to him. The person's breathing was uneven as he guessed from the running, exhausted the person. Then his ear perked up when the voice of a woman mumbled to herself,
"I missed it! Great! I shouldn't have joined them with the idea of going to the bar! Ugh! And he was there too!"
He lifted his arm to take a peek of the woman beside him and was surprised it's her. The woman whom he longed for. The woman was hunched her back and buried her face in her hands that was on her knees. He coughed slightly to get her attention. He was shocked when she did, her eyes was brimming with tears that was flowing down her face caught him off guard.
She still wore same bright clothes that was the opposite of his black suit. Her hair was worn down as it cascading down to her shoulder for the first time. Only now she didn't have her usual bright smile. Her water of tears diminished the fire inside her. The light that always made her flickered with brightness was gone.
Embarrassed that she caught him staring at her in this kind of state, she quickly looked away and apologise for interrupting his peace. She must've misunderstood that she was bothering him, he thought. When she was about to leave, he grabbed her wrist and told her to stay. Surprised was evident on her face, and for him, he act out of impulse to make her stay. Clarified that he didn't mind her company with his stuttering of words as she smiled gratefully that make his heart fluttered while she sat back down next to him.
The silence stretched between them before he gathered his courage asked the woman about reason of crying. She set her gaze on the floor and vented out all of her feelings to him. He listened attentively to each of her words spoken with different emotions. She broke up with her boyfriend not so long ago because she caught him cheating on her with another. They've been dating for about four months, exactly the time she stopped coming to the subway. Unconsciously, her tears kept fell down when she spoke and it made his heart clenched in pain to see her cry.
He turned her face around and wiped out her tears from her cheeks with his thumb. He spoke, "You shouldn't let your tears ruined your face because you look even ugly when you cry." he cursed silently when his mouth moved on his own accord.
Normally, other women would be offended by his blunt statement but this woman merely giggled at his words and thanked him with her million dollar smile. His uneasiness gone, he smiled back and felt happy that he managed to make her smile. The light in her was glowing back once more. With his blunt remarks and jokes on her ex boyfriend being a douche bag and too retarded who can't appreciate her, she laughed heartily when he used some cursed words to describe her ex. She really enjoyed his company and so was he. Boarding the subway when it arrived, they sat side by side and continued their talk. He mentioned that he took notice of her before and never made a move to talk to her because of his lack of social skills. She teased him about being a stalker and creeping in the shadows like a pervert only to have him get annoyed by it. Little by little, they started chatting about themselves and he found himself opening up to this woman. Turns out she's an author. Writing certain genres like fantasy, romance or slice of life. She already got two books on the market with her pen name, Tobiume and now she was planning to write her third book.
The subway came to halt as they arrived at their stop when he decided that he should accompany her home in this late of night. One side of her, she sighed in disbelief after she couldn't beat the man of his stubbornness and the other side of her was that he's caring for her safety. They walked in comfortable silence with the occasion holding some small talk along the way. Accompanied her to her apartment door, they then bid farewell to each other and he made his to the elevator.
"Ah... Wait! Wait!" He heard her called out to him when he stood inside the elevator. He raised his brows in confusion and when she chased after him. He pushed the open button to stop the elevator from closing and asked the woman, "Is there something wrong?"
She fidget with the hem of her coat nervously and shyly said, "Um... You never give me your name."
"My name?" He repeated and blinked his eyes,
"Yes, I want to know your name. Oh, and my name is Hinamori Momo," She said with her captivating smile in place that made his stomach fluttered with butterflies.
"You do know that's it's dangerous to give out your name? For all I know that I can a creepy stalker, who like to watch over pretty girls like you 24/7 without knowing," He remark jokingly as she laughed at his humour that she come to like,
"I'll take my chances, besides you're not a bad looking stalker if I must say so myself and I would've willingly let you watch over me if you said so. I'm curious and I would like to know Mr. Stalker better," She mused with a playful grin.
He chuckle softly and decided to play along as he offered his name, "Nice to meet you, milady. I'm the one and only Mr. Stalker, Hitsugaya Toushiro."
That's all for now, folks~ I will be continuing with my on going story "Black and White" so don't you worry! If you haven't read it before, you should take a peak at least to see if it's interest you or give me some reviews to make it better~ Thank you!