REDONE

Wake me up, I've been dreaming

Cause I haven't heard from you in days

Hazy now, this fog just follows me around

And it's only you that burns it away

-Cartel

It was three months after the night watching the stars. The white flash that she had seen never left her thoughts. At first, she considered the possibility that it had been a trick of the moonlight, but the more she thought about it, she disproved the theory.

I saw someone that night, I know I did.

Being incredibly bored one Saturday afternoon she begged Masaki to take her to the bookstore because of her love manga. Masaki agreed, proud of her 'daughter's' growing interest in reading. Ichigo refused to go when asked, deciding to enjoy the television instead.

"You know, Ichigo. You could learn a thing or two from Acuba." Masaki teased.

"What like how to be a nonsocial bookworm?" He taunted. Acuba cuffed him upside the head and ran out the door to leave with Masaki, leaving Ichigo to yell at a closed door.

As Acuba walked to the store with Masaki, the last thing she expected was to catch a glimpse of snow white hair in the crowd.

"Masaki?" she asked urgently. "Do you see the boy with white hair in the crowd?" Acuba didn't believe her eyes.

"Yes, sweetheart." She responded. "Do you know him?"

"I think so…" she trailed off, trying to reconcile the flash she had seen with the boy down the street. "May I go talk to him? I won't stay long?" She begged using her ultimate weapon… the puppy dog face.

"Alright, just don't wander too far." Masaki agreed. Acuba raced off.

Acuba didn't quite realize how fast she was running until she couldn't slow down fast enough to prevent running into the white haired boy.

Oh no!

*Toshiro's POV*

Toshiro had been sent to Karakura Town due to the surge of hollows in the area. He was walking down the main street in his gigai when he was suddenly shoved forward. He managed to prevent himself from falling. The same could not be said for whoever had hit him. He heard a loud OOMPH as said person hit the ground.

He turned around…

To be face with a pair of intense sky blue eyes looking apologetically up at him.

"I'm so sorry." She said. "I didn't realize how fast I was going." Toshiro's minor irritation at being shoved dissipated looking at the desperate face below him.

"It's alright." He offered the girl his hand to help her up. He almost dropped her again, though, when he placed where he had seen her before.

This girl. It can't be…

He was so deep in thought; he almost missed what she was saying.

"I know this will sound really weird, but… are you the boy who saved me?" She said the last part so fast that he nearly couldn't decipher what she said. When he did, he was even more shocked then when he first recognized her.

"You could see me?" he asked incredulous.

"Well, no. I only saw a flash of your hair, so I assumed it was you because, well, it's not exactly a common color." She stuttered in embarrassment. Then she registered his question.

"Wait, you asked if I could see you." she exclaimed. "It was you!" she smiled widely.

By now, Toshiro had recovered and offered her a curt nod in response.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around him in a quick embrace. Once again, Toshiro was surprised and did not respond. Acuba pulled back quickly, blushing.

"Sorry." She apologized again. He only nodded again.

Acuba opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by Masaki calling her name. Acuba glanced over at her, then looked back at Toshiro.

"I guess I'd better go." She said. She turned to leave.

"Wait." He said. "What is your name?" he asked.

"Acuba Hikari." She responded. "What's yours?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya." He said.

"Nice to meet you, Shiro." She teased. Toshiro didn't even have time to register his nickname before she ran off.

As he watched her leave he could only think:

Acuba Hikari, you are one strange girl.

*Acuba's POV*

Acuba was ecstatic.

I found him! I really found him!

She ran back to Masaki to continue her trip to the bookstore. Her mind never wavered from constant thoughts of the white haired boy, Toshiro.

"So, who's your friend?" Masaki asked.

"His name is Toshiro." She responded, refusing to give more information than that. Masaki didn't push for more. Masaki saw the delighted smile on Acuba's face and decided that she would support a relationship with the boy with the strange hair if he made her daughter this happy.