Author's Notes: Loosely based on a manga one-shot I had read. I forgot the title though. Read and review. Thanks for reading.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH AND THAT UNKNOWN MANGA.
Momo's Checklist
written by: anime16
"I might be a kid in her eyes but she's the only woman I could ever see."
"I'm home," Toushiro Hitsugaya shouted. He closed the door behind him and adjusted the bag in his shoulders so it won't fall off. He stepped inside the living room, leaving his shoes in one of the shoes rack present on the doorway.
He dropped his bag at the bottom of the coach and walked in further to the kitchen. He saw his mother preparing something in the counter while he went to get some fresh water. His mother seemed to not heard him coming in and saying he's home because she jumped a few steps when she saw him.
"Goodness, why didn't you say you're already here?" she asked, going to the stove to turn it on.
He took a swig of water before replying, "I did. You just didn't hear me. You're so preoccupied on what you're doing."
"Oh, it's because we have a guest tonight," her mother answered. "I should make our food ten times better so she would consider marrying you."
Toushiro frowned. "The topic went off course just now, mom. I won't marry some chick you invited as your guest tonight because she loved your cooking."
"Oh, even if it's Momo-chan?" her mother asked, chuckling a little when she saw her son's cheeks turned a little red.
"Stop teasing me," he huffed. He raked his hair softly with his fingers in frustration.
His mother smiled at him. Seeing her son like this, she could say that it was a very rare sight. Her usual son had an impassive face and icy stare that could scare even the bravest of person. But today, she saw another side of him. He could actually blush so cutely and she just wished she could see him every day like this.
"Well, I'm not teasing you," her mother waved him off. "Your beloved childhood friend is in your room right now. She seems to be a little depressed so I'm making her favourite food."
Toushiro choked on the water he was drinking. "W-What did you say? Hinamori is in my room?" He put the glass down on the sink and hurried to his room upstairs.
"I didn't know you were so eager to see your beloved childhood friend, Toushiro-chan," his mother giggled while she continued cooking in the kitchen.
...
Toushiro literally ran towards his room and banged it open. Damn it, I haven't cleaned my room yet! Did I even put away my boxer in the drawer or I left it in the –
His thoughts went to an abrupt stop when he saw that his lights weren't open. He reached for the switch beside the door and turned it on. His childhood friend was nowhere to be seen, hence, she might be where he is expecting her to be.
He darted across the room and went towards his bed. He pulled off the cover sheets and found his childhood friend sprawling on her back in his bed. Her breathing was deep and stead.
"As usual, you don't have any sense of danger Hinamori..." Toushiro murmured. He took a deep breath and placed his fingers on her cheeks, pinching them softly.
She immediately woke up and straightened up. "Ouch, ouch, stop it Hitsugaya-kun."
He let go of her cheeks and smirked evilly. "When did you get permission to sleep on my bed huh, Hinamori?"
"I can't?" she asked, pouting. She kicked his covers aside, making it a heap on the floor. "You used to let me sleep in your bed. We even go to sleep together. Why can't I now?"
"Because we've grown Hinamori..." Toushiro gave out a deep breath and slumped down the floor. "You're a man and I'm a woman and –"
"We're childhood friends. It shouldn't matter," Momo told him before he could finish his words. "I don't mind so you shouldn't mind either. Anyways, Shiro-chan...I found something in the floor when I came in."
Still distracted by what she said a while ago, he absentmindedly asked, "What is it?"
She giggled and reached for something at the bottom of the floor. She lifted it up for him to see. "I saw your bear-printed boxers in the floor just now."
His face was immediately tinted with red as he snatched his boxers from her hands.
She laughed wholeheartedly and said, "You're still childish Shiro-chan. I mean bear-printed boxers at your age?"
"My mom asked me to wear this with tears in her eyes, you know. So I don't have a choice," Toushiro shouted and stuffed his boxers inside his drawer. He looked around to see if there's still embarrassing objects lying on the floor.
He is an organized person but he really, really forgot to put his boxers on the drawers that morning because he was hurrying to school.
He was surprised when he felt someone touching his head. He turned around and saw his childhood friend smiling at him, patting him like crazy. "As usual you made me laugh again Shiro-chan."
"Oh yeah, mom told me you're sorta depressed," Toushiro said, looking over to her with concern.
"Well, Sousuke-kun dumped me," Momo told him.
Toushiro clenched his fist, wondering a thousand ways how to torture the brown-haired four glasses punk. He didn't even let a mosquito bit his friend and he just go on his way to broke her heart. He would pay dearly, Toushiro promised.
"I told you he is up to no good," Toushiro uttered. "You just won't listen to me..."
"But – he's my dream guy you know," Momo shouted. "His deeming qualities were in my checklist."
She placed her hands together and sighed dreamily.
"So care to enlighten me, what's in your checklist?" Toushiro asked. Well, at least it could give him something to think about. If he could base himself to her ideal guy then maybe he had a chance after all. It's time for you to stop thinking of me as a kid, Hinamori.
"Number one: He should be taller than me," Momo said.
An invisible arrow seemed to hit Toushiro in the chest. "T-Taller," he wiped a sweat trickling down his face with his hand. Don't give up...there's still more...
"Number two: He should be older than me. So he could be capable of taking care of me."
Toushiro sighed exasperatedly. I couldn't be possibly older than her. She's one year older than me.
"Number three: He should be rich."
My father is an office worker and my mother is a housewife...Toushiro counted his father's earnings. We're not poor but we're not rich either.
"Number four: He should look mature and gentle."
I look like an elementary school kid and I seem so scary to everyone. Damn it! Toushiro messed up his hair.
"And lastly, number five: He cares, loves and treasures me the most," Momo said, sighing a little. "Sousuke-kun is almost perfect. He just couldn't fulfill checklist number five."
And it's the only one I could fulfill...Toushiro pondered.
His raging thoughts seemed to melt when he felt her arms around him, drawing him closer. "Introduce me to someone, Shiro-chan," she begged. "Please? Since you're studying in an all-boys school, you should know a lot of boys."
"What –"
She brought out her cutest begging face, the one he couldn't resist. So he waved the white flag and said, "Alright, I'll introduce you to some boys."
"Yes...remember my checklist, ok?" Momo smiled. "Let's do it tomorrow since it's weekends. We could just barge in their house, right?"
...
It was a great day, perfect day for boy hunting, and that's what disappointed Toushiro. He wouldn't mind it if there would be a storm brewing. He wouldn't mind if it rained so hard. At least, it would keep Momo single for a while.
Why would it be sunny? Why couldn't there be a sign of darkness in the skies?
Toushiro sighed as he waited for his childhood friend in front of the movie house. He was wearing his brown t-shirt and khaki pants. He tucked his hands inside his pockets and sighed again. As usual, he looked intimidating and at the same time beautiful.
"Shiro-chan, I'm sorry for the wait..." Momo appeared in the scene wearing a short skirt and white blouse. Her hair that was usually tied in a bun hung loosely behind her back.
Toushiro did a double take. She's cute. Then he faced his childhood friend properly.
"So, did you find anyone, Shiro-chan?" she asked.
He felt something broke, maybe his heart. He didn't know. He continued on, ignoring the heavy weight that was weighing on his chest right now.
"Follow me," he managed to say despite everything. He led her on one of his friends' house and they rang the doorbell.
A man with silver hair and eyes narrowed to slits opened the gate for them. He had a mockery smile on his face as he looked at them. "Hitsugaya..."
"Candidate Number One: Gin Ichimaru. The cleverest guy I'd ever encountered. He is a senior and his family owns a big hospital."
"Hi..." He opened his eyes and it scared the living days out of Momo.
"S-Shiro-chan..." she grabbed her childhood friend's arms and squeezed it tightly.
"Now...now Ichimaru...don't open your eyes suddenly like that. You just ruined your charm," Toushiro said.
After a few minutes, they went to another guy's house.
The second one was actually a little bit alright compared to the last one. The second man has slate gray eyes and long black hair which he keeps in white headpieces.
"Candidate Number Two: Byakuya Kuchiki. He's my English teacher. He's rich and his family is from a noble lineage."
"Hello, Kuchiki-sensei..." Toushiro greeted.
"Where art thou manners, Hitsugaya-kun?" Byakuya murmured. "Thou wilt bother my work. So scram."
And the gate was closed to their faces.
"Uh – let's go to the next one! Don't lose hope!"
They went to some laboratory afterwards. A man with blue hair and honey gold eyes came out of the door.
"Candidate Number Three: Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He's my neighbour and he's a scientist so he's fairly rich."
"Hi...My name is Momo Hinamori."
"Can I dissect you?"
"Y-You want to dissect me?" she cried.
"I think we should go," the white-haired lad suggested.
They zoomed towards a beauty salon after that encounter.
"Candidate Number Four: Yumichika Ayasegawa. His family owns three beauty salons and he's a senior student at my school."
"Ayasegawa, this is my friend Momo Hinamori," Toushiro said.
Yumichika went towards Momo and looked at her face. "I'm much more beautiful than you." He flipped his jaw-length black hair and his purple eyes shone with delight.
Momo tilted her head in wonder. W-What's with Hitsugaya-kun's friends? So far, a scary looking guy then a noble man...then a mad scientist and now a narcissist...what's next? It could be a war freak or a –
"Then to the next –"
"Stop," Momo cried. "I had enough. I'm already tired."
"Oh..."
"Let's rest for a while Hitsugaya-kun. Let's go to Mikki's!"
...
Mikki's is a family restaurant established fifteen years ago in their hometown. It had a homey atmosphere so people were immediately attracted to the place. They went inside and looked around. The walls were still as amazing as ever with different types of food adorning it.
The chairs and tables were aligned perfectly too. And the transparent windows at the back of the restaurant allow you a perfect view of the sunrise, sunset and the starry skies.
As for the moment, you could see the beautiful orange tinted skies in the horizon. Momo and Toushiro chose their usual seat at the back and ordered their usual set of food.
"I'm so tired," Momo grumbled. "It's really hard to find love these days."
She took a bite from her chocolate flavoured cake. And her childhood friend was secretly looking at her. She was so adorable with that sulky look on her face.
"Hinamori..." Toushiro called her.
She turned around. "What is it Shiro-chan?"
"Love isn't hard to find. Sometimes it's just under your nose and you're just too slow to notice it."
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking at her childhood friend's serious face.
He lifted her hands and placed it on her cheeks. He brushed her thumb across her lips and wiped the cream on the corner. He placed her thumb on his mouth and licked the cream.
Momo's face was like a tomato right now. She stammered, "S-Shiro-chan, that's so dirty. You could use a tissue –"
She grabbed the tissue on the table but he seized her hand.
"Candidate Number Five: Toushiro Hitsugaya."
Momo's eyes widened. "Checklist Number One?"
"I'm not taller than you but I'm still growing. I'll surpass you one day."
"Checklist Number Two?"
"I'm not older than you, but we couldn't do anything about that."
"Checklist Number Three?"
"My father is an average office worker but I'll work hard. I'll not let you work if that's what you want."
"Checklist Number Four?"
"My face would mature. The 'puberty' must be getting late but 'time' will fix it somehow. And I'll work on my smile."
"Checklist Number Five?"
"Hands-down...I'm totally in love with you."
Momo chuckled. "That might be the cutest romantic confession I'd ever heard, Shiro-chan."
"And hopefully it would be the last romantic confession you'd ever heard in your lifetime, Hinamori."
...