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Hitsugaya left for 6th squad, remembering that Hinamori said that she wanted to visit Renji. He found him in the dojo, training some squad members, but Hinamori wasn't there.

"Abarai!" Hitsugaya called, and Renji paused right before decapitating a subordinate and turned to look at him.

"Hitsugaya taicho!" he said in surprise. "Do you need me?"

"Have you seen Hinamori?" Hitsugaya asked. Renji nodded.

"Yeah, she was here, but she left. Something about wanting to find your sister. Hitsugaya scoffed.

"Great," he thought. "Now I have to find Haruka. God knows where she's run off to."

"That was a really nice rose you gave her, Hitsugaya taicho," Renji noted. "I assume you got one for Karin too?" Hitsugaya scowled.

"I'm on it, ok!" he barked, storming out of the dojo. Honestly, was he the only person in Soul Society who didn't realize that what he did was foolish? How was he supposed to understand the minds of all the confusing women around him?

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hinamori and Haruka were hulled up in Haruka's room in 4th squad, which she now shared with just Yuzu, Karin having moved into the 5th squad captain's quarters. Haruka was regaling Hinamori with stories of her dates over the past few weeks and both girls were giggling like mad.

"Really," Haruka said with a sigh, "when are they going to learn and stop asking me to be their girlfriend? Don't they know I just date for fun?" Hinamori giggled.

"You're just too popular for your own good," she replied. Haruka heaved a great, dramatic sigh.

"It's a curse I tell you," she said. Hinamori giggled again.

"Oh, before I forget," Haruka exclaimed, "I've thought of a great idea for Onii-chan and Karin's wedding!" Hinamori's joy evaporated at the mention of the wedding and her shoulders sagged slightly, but she tried not to let her change of emotion show on her face. Luckily, Haruka didn't seem to notice, as she was rummaging for something in the closet.

"I was reading this book," she continued. "It's by some guy named William Shakespeare. It's called A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's a play actually. It's about two couples. The girls are best friends and both the men are in love with one of the girls, but she only loves one of them back. Her friend is in love with the other. The fairies help them and use a magic flower to make the man fall in love with the friend so that both couples can be happy. But of course, the flower is misused in the process and lots of mistakes are made, so the story's really funny, watching everyone fall in love with the wrong people.

"Anyway, my point is, at the end they have a big wedding and this acting troupe puts on a play for the brides and grooms. So I was thinking, maybe we could do the same! It'd be so much fun, we could get everyone to help us. We could even do A Midsummer Night's Dream. So, what do you think?!" Hinamori considered this. Overall, she thought that preparing for a play might take her mind off the actual event. So she agreed, borrowed the book from Haruka, and left to go visit Nemu.

She was just entering 12th squad when she heard someone call her name.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" she said gleefully, turning around to face him.

"Wow, you're amazingly hard to track down, do you know that?" Hitsugaya said, panting to catch his breath. "I run all over Seireitei and finally find Haruka, just to learn that you've already left."

"Well, I don't get many days off, so I want to see everyone," she replied. "Do you want something?"

"Actually," Hitsugaya said awkwardly, not entirely sure how to phrase what he wanted to say. "Can you please not tell Karin that you got that rose from me? I don't want her to think anything weird…" he trailed off.

"Oh, Hitsugaya-kun," Hinamori teased. "You don't really think taicho would be jealous of me?!" Hitsugaya shifted uncomfortably.

"She once thought that I was in love with someone else and it nearly broke her," he explained. "I don't ever want to put her in that position again." Hinamori smiled, but it was just on the surface. Inside, her heart was breaking.

"Don't worry, Hitsugaya-kun," she said brightly, trying to hide the pain that welled up inside at Hitsugaya's rare display of thoughtfulness and affection that unfortunately was directed towards someone other than her. "It'll be our secret."

"Thanks," he said gratefully. Hinamori watched his back recede into the distance. She gazed longingly at the rose in her hand and twisted it in her fingers, admiring its blood red color and perfectly crafted petals.

"A magic flower huh?" she said sadly, remembering the story Haruka had told her. "I wish there really was a magic flower that could make people fall in love."

"Well I don't think we have a flower, but we've got something else," said a voice behind her making Hinamori jump.

"Nemu!" she said startled. "How do you sneak up on people so silently…wait, WHAT?! Are you saying you've got a love potion or something?!" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," Nemu replied in her classic monotone. "Follow me." As Hinamori and Nemu walked to the 12th squad storage room, Nemu explained.

"Years ago, Mauri-sama became interested in the effects of human emotion on pain threshold. He wanted to have one person watch while he tortured another and compare their reaction based on the relationship between the two people." Hinamori shuttered. That sounded exactly like something Mauri would do. Nemu continued.

"Mauri-sama thought that it was too bothersome to gather specimens who felt love, hate, fatherly affection, etc…, so he developed drugs to induce those feelings." By this time, they had reached the store room. Hinamori was too interested in what Nemu had to say to marvel at the infinite number of drawers in the room. Nemu searched for a while, then pulled open a drawer.

"Here we are," she said. "Item 31472-C. Love inducing chocolate." She pulled out a box filled with ordinary looking truffles.

"If a person eats one of these," Nemu explained, "they will fall in love with the first person of the opposite sex that they see." Hinamori's eyes widened. Oh the possibilities! But she had one person, and one person only in mind.

"Nemu," she said breathlessly, "can I have one?"

"Here," Nemu replied, handing her the whole box. "Mauri-sama has no more need for them. He lost interest in studying emotions." Hinamori took the box with shaking hands, holding it like it was her first born child.

"Thank you so much!" she gushed. Nemu only nodded.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Chocolate box clutched desperately in her hands, Hinamori shunpoed to 10th squad as fast as she physically could. It was only once she was outside the office that she paused to think. What the heck was she doing?! Hitsugaya was in love with Karin, her taicho! They were engaged! Who was she to brake them up? And besides, even if Hitsugaya did fall in love with her, how on earth could she start dating him when she had to work with Karin every day? But Hinamori was tired of being quiet and indecisive. She had spent too many years with unrequited love, and right now, before the wedding, was her last chance. Taking a deep breath, she slid the door open.

Hitsugaya was, as expected, working at his desk. He looked up and smirked at her.

"I see you didn't knock this time," he teased. Hinamori flushed, suddenly very nervous. She came over to his desk and pushed the box of chocolates under his nose. Hitsugaya eyed them with the same suspicion he had given the rose, but as this was Hinamori and not Matsumoto, he was slightly more intrigued.

"What's this, Hinamori?" he asked.

"Chocolate," Hinamori replied bluntly, hoping that her face wasn't as tomato red as it felt.

"I can see that," Hitsugaya said, amused at how similar this conversation was to the one he had had with Matsumoto about the rose. "What's it for?"

"To thank you for the rose!" Hinamori said in a rush. He had to eat one soon, or she was going to lose it. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"Hinamori," he said patiently. "The rose was no big deal. Really. And you know I don't like chocolate." Hinamori flushed, if possible, even darker. She had forgotten that minor detail. But that wasn't important right now.

"Please eat one, Hitsugaya-kun," she said desperately. "For me?" She didn't even bother attempting a puppy dog face. It would have been impossible anyway, she was way too nervous. Hitsugaya looked at her with pity. Hinamori had never been good at giving people things. He decided that, for her sake, maybe he would attempt to overlook his hatred of chocolate and eat one.

"Ok fine," he caved. Hinamori didn't quite feel as relieved as she thought she would. In fact, she was even more anxious. She almost changed her mind that instant, but she determinedly held her ground. She bit her lip in anticipation as Hitsugaya reached out his hand to take a chocolate. But before he could take a bite, the door flew open.

"Momo!" Karin cried, making Hinamori nearly jump out of her skin. "Here you are! Come on, we've got an urgent mission fighting a group of Adjuchas that decided to go for a stroll."

"But…" Hinamori tried to protest, but Karin grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room, pausing only to flash Hitsugaya a warm smile. Hitsugaya shook his head in amusement. At least he was spared the chocolate eating ordeal. He replaced the piece he had taken, pushed the box to the edge of his desk, and returned to his work.

Next time the madness ensues and the fun really starts. Who do you think is going to eat the chocolate? And who do you think they're going to fall for? Prizes may be forthcoming for those who guess correctly. (Hint: there will be more than one crack pairing in the next chapter.)