Chappie number 2! Hope it's not as confusing as the first chapter *sweatdrop* heh, ok...


I want to become a soul reaper.


Karin POV

I cracked one of my eyes open, but quickly shut it when sunlight crashed through the window and landed in my face. I stretched my arms above my head, and rolled over onto my stomach. I yawned, then inhaled deeply into the blanket surrounding me. It smelt wonderful. Like cold apples and peppermint. It also smelt musty in some spots because it hadn't been used in a while, but I'm not complaining. Grandma, the old woman who was letting me stay here, told me that this was the only blanket and pillow that she could offer. I think I looked at her funny, because she patted my back and murmured, "Do not worry, child. They haven't been used in a while only because they belonged to someone special. My little Shiro. Have a good sleep."and with that, she went off to bed before I could say anything.

Shiro. That sounded an awful lot like my Toshiro. Wait, what! My Toshiro? He is not mine. I-I don't even like him like that. He's just a friend! Yeah. Just a friend who is kickass at soccer, and saved me like twice, has sparkling teal eyes, hair like snow... Dammit! Stupid handsome bastard-

"Hello? Karin? Are you awake? I seem to have a guest coming over, so I ask if you would help me clean up a bit?" a little voice said from behind the thin wall.

"Yes, I am awake. And I would be glad to help you, after letting me stay. Thank you, by the way." I responded.

She chuckled, "You're welcome, Karin. As for helping me, there isn't much, but you can come out when you're ready."

"Okay."


Gran wasn't kidding when she said the was little to clean. Her small home only consisted of three rooms: The main room, her room, and the room I was sleeping in. I told Gran that I could do all of the cleaning.

"Good! Now I can get to the cooking. Now that I think about it, you haven't eaten anything since you've passed, have you?"

I shook my head, "I knew souls could eat if they wanted to, but I didn't know we had to."

She snickered. "Oh no, Karin. We souls still have to eat. You see, we can still die here. The only difference is that in the Soul Society, when we die we simply cease to exist. Without our soul, we are nothing but a empty shell, or in our case, nothing. We aren't immortal, but we age differently than the living. The younger you are when you pass, the fast you age. You age until you are a fully devloped adult, then the process slows quite a bit. You, for example, are well developed, but would age faster than someone like me for a few years. Don't worry Karin, You won't turn into a old woman overnight."

The breath I didn't know I had been holding was released.

"By age 20, you would still look as you do now. At 30, you would look 20 or 21, but by then the process will start to slow. Do you understand?"

I nodded, not really sure what to say.

"Good." She walked past me and bustled around the little kitchen.

"Now where did I put that dang pot?"


An hour later, we were done.

The table had delicious-smelling dumplings, rice, and oddly enough, jellybeans. I was tempted to sneak a few, but I resisted. I couldn't help think of how out of place candy was on the dinner table. When I was younger, I ate candy all the time. When Rangiku was assigned a mission for Karakura Town, she always bought candy, along with clothes of course. For Captain, she said, but she had to sneak it when Toshiro wasn't looking.

I missed him. I missed playing soccer in the fields with him. His fiery temper, how he always snapped, "That's Captain Hitsugaya to you."

His silky voice always made me shiver when I heard it. His white hair was soft and plush, and my fingers would itch to go through it. His rare smile. His electric eyes.

I waited and waited, but he never returned for a mission. I guessed that was good, that Karakura town was safe enough without soul reapers. When I'd ask Ichigo, he just shrugged. I waited at my window in hopes that he would just drop from the roof and crawl in like I'd fantasized. I had many fantasies about him, and they got...worse after I got older.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. Is this the guest? My stomach coiled in excitment.

"Oh, he's here already? My little Shiro's always early I suppose. Karin? Could you please answer the door, I just have to do something. I will be there in a moment!" Gran's voice rang through the little room.

"Sure."

My feet moved while my brain wracked through questions. Does she mean Toshiro? Or someone else named Shiro? Nervousness replaced excitement, and I closed my eyes as my fingers wrapped around the handle. I took a deep breath and pulled the door open. My eyes opened and the breath I'd been holding was released in a shaky gasp.

Standing before me was six feet of a tan, lean body wrapped in a black kimono. His sleeveless white robe I had seen him wear before fluttered in the breezy wind. The turquoise sash had been replaced by a thin chain, but it still had the little star pin I remembered. It was his appearance that had changed the most.

His soft childish features were gone. His jaw was sharper, more defined. His cheekbones were more prominent, his nose straighter. His short, spiky hair was now longer and flatter (A/N: I'm referring to his hairstlye after the 17month change.) It look even softer, if that was possible. His bright, dragon-like eyes still had that same wild look they had six years ago. I bit my lip and blushed when I thought about how long I had been staring at him. I looked down, and then out of curiosity, I looked back up through my lashes. I think my heart stopped.

The same eyes I had just been studying were now roaming over me with a fevered pitch. I wasn't sure if I wanted to smirk or pass out. Why is he-

I didn't even see him move. I suddenly felt cold air wrap around me and I was staring at nothing. A tight, muscled body pressed against my back. Cold fingers sifted through my hair and uncovered my neck. His warm breath caused delicious sensations rolling through me and my stomach flopped. Lips pressed against my ear.

"What are you doing here, Karin?"


Gah. Toshiro would probably hate me right now. Karin might hit me. But who cares! These two make the cutest couple EVER! I'll update as soon as I can! srry!