Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Bleach series in any way. All copyrights go to Tite Kubo. The only original character I do own is Fumiko Asuna.
Author's Note: Thank you for your patience especially my wonderful reviewers: Ai Angel, bengara-koushi, icyangel27, Chibi Hotarubi, lil'sayuri-chan, j cloud xD, SnowKoyuki13, k a y - t h i, maili-chan, Samantha, monkeywinz, Neko-cheung, serenity095, NeonCookies O.o, KnowledgeandImagination, michi. hishiro, Selkie Aquamarina (x2), applestoapples, athfdrizzle, Kaye. Shirogane, MoonLightView, HyourinmaruIce. Without any further delay, here is chapter four. Enjoy!
LEGEND
"Talking." "Thinking." (Japanese Word Translations) Flash Back.
The Knight and his Princess
Chapter Four: A Date with Friends
Three weeks has passed by since the last time she and Hitsugaya had some one on one time together. During that time, everything has been no different except for the fact that she is hanging around with Kira and Matsumoto lately. As a result, Asuna's attempts to pick on her have dramatically decreased. Unfortunately, it is only when she is alone, it happens.
There is a knock on the door. Momo quickly rushed to the front entrance to answer it. "Rangiku-san! Kira-kun!" Hinamori exclaimed.
Both teenagers smiled. Matsumoto said, "Konnichiwa (Good Afternoon) Hinamori. Are you ready to go?"
She nodded with agreement. "Hai (Yes)!" Hinamori happily said as she is putting on her shoes.
Once she is done, Momo left the house to have some fun with her two friends, Matsumoto Rangiku and Kira Izuru. "Matsumoto-san," Kira said. "Where exactly are we going?"
"What are you talking about Kira?" she asked. "We're going to the city to have some fun together!"
"I-I see."
"What's wrong with that Kira-kun?" Momo asked.
"Iie, I just have a bad feeling about this. Whenever Matsumoto-san and I go to the city, she usually drags me to help her shop for clothes."
"Oh..."
Matsumoto gave Kira a look and then placed her hands on her hips. She asked, "What makes you think I'm going to do that again?"
Kira then gave her a stern look. "You always do Matsumoto-san..."
"Daijobou (It's alright)," she exclaimed. "I have a particular reason for doing something other than shopping."
"What would that be?"
Matsumoto just gave out a laugh and grinned. "You'll just have to wait a find out."
"Well Toshiro, how do I look in this outfit?" Asuna asked as she posed to the white haired teenager.
Taking a moment to look at her, Hitsugaya replied, "You look nice like any outfit you wear."
"Really? You're so awesome! Let me try another one!"
Unable to say another word to her, Asuna already went back into the change room to try on another outfit. Hitsugaya let out a sigh and sat down on a free chair. She has been like this for two hours already. Even though he loves her, he has trouble keeping up with her pace especially with stuff like this.
"Ou, the newest batch of clothes are finally here!" exclaimed a loud voice. "I've got to try some to see if it looks good on me!"
Hearing that all too familiar voice, Hitsugaya slowly looked back to see Matsumoto present in the store. His right eye twitched with slight annoyance. "I knew it..." he thought. "She's causing trouble for me again."
He then realized that she's not alone. Following right behind her is the pale blond haired teenager, Kira and the raven haired girl. "Hinamori..."
"You haven't changed one bit Matsumoto-san," Izuru said as he and Momo watched the strawberry orange haired woman browsing the clothes on display.
The peach girl just let out a sigh and faintly smiled. Just as she turned her to the side, she became surprised. Amongst the people present in this store, is her secret crush. "H-Hitsugaya-kun..."
"Hn, did you say something Hinamori-ku-" Kira asked as he turned to see where she is looking. "Ah, Hitsugaya!"
"Hitsugaya?" Matsumoto asked, turning to the other two teenagers. She then noticed the glaring eyes of Toshiro Hitsugaya. Immediately, she turned around and joined him. "Well, what a coincidence we have here! Are you here shopping with your girlfriend?"
"Yes I am Matsumoto," Hitsugaya retorted, folding his arms over his chest, "and it seems like you're causing trouble again."
"What do you mean by that? I just said that meeting you in a place like this would be a coincidence. Besides, you barely go out to buy clothes. The other explanation I could think of is you're doing this for the sake of Asuna's happiness."
"That's not the thing I'm talking about. I meant you dragged Kira and Hinamori into your shenanigans."
"You're such a grouch Hitsugaya."
"Uruse (Shut up)."
As the conversation continued, Fumiko finished changing her outfit, opened the door, and stepped out to present herself. "How about this out-"
She then noticed her boyfriend isn't paying attention at all, but to the three students of Seireitei High School. "That transfer student...she's here too," she angrily thought.
The instant Hinamori's eyes met with her aquamarine ones, she immediately felt intimidated. She feared that she might get picked on again after all this is over. "I've got a great idea!" Matsumoto said. "Let's hang out together!"
"Y-You're serious?" Kira asked.
"Rangiku-san, you don't have to push Hitsugaya-kun and Asuna to do this. Besides, they're both on a date," Hinamori said, trying to stay out of any future troubles that Fumiko has in store for her.
"That's right Hinamori," Asuna thought. "Leave us alone."
"Fine, we'll join you," Hitsugaya suddenly said.
Fumiko immediately turned her attention to the white haired teenager. "Toshiro?"
The white haired prodigy then shot an icy glare at the strawberry orange haired woman. "Promise me that you're not going to do this again, Matsumoto."
The older woman smiled and nodded with agreement. "You got yourself a deal! Now, let's stop lounging around in this place and go somewhere fun for all five of us to enjoy!"
As Kira, Hinamori, and Rangiku left the young couple alone, Hitsugaya let out a sigh of defeat. He turned to her and apologized, "Sorry Fumiko, it is the only way to keep Matsumoto out of our personal life. Can you please bear with me for the day?"
She smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss. "Of course, anything for you Toshiro," she replied sweetly before turning her head to the side. "Darn, those insects just messed up my day!"
"Are you alright?"
Snapping back into reality, the jet black haired girl quickly laughed the situation off. "Don't mind me. Oh, I need to get changing back into my normal outfit. Wait for me, okay?"
With a short nod, Fumiko skipped back into the changing room. Hitsugaya then turned to the side to see Hinamori talking to Matsumoto and Kira from the large window. "I'm back!" Fumiko interrupted.
Hitsugaya adverted his attention to see his girlfriend happily cuddling his arm against her cheek. Looking up at him, she said, "Let's go, okay?"
"Alright."
Once they left the store, they joined up with Matsumoto and the rest of the students. "Took you long enough," the older student said. "I bet you two were wasting your time in there making out."
The fifteen year old genius immediately shot her an icy glare. "Shut...up."
"Um, where shall we go?" Momo asked.
All of a sudden, Kira's stomach started growling. Noticing the noise is coming from him, the pale blond haired teenager scratched the back of his head and said, "Hehe, sorry about that. I haven't eaten lunch yet."
"Hn, come to think of it, I haven't either," Matsumoto said. Momo looked down as placed a hand on her stomach. Turning to her friends, she nodded with agreement. "Alright then, let's go!"
Hitsugaya gave her a look and said, "You forgot about us."
"No I didn't; you're coming whether or not you like it."
"Oi..."
"Umai (Delicious)! It tastes so good!" Matsumoto exclaimed. The five students stopped by at a concessional stand to purchase a few sticks of beef and fish balls to eat together.
Momo gently blew on hers before taking a small test bite. She turned to the strawberry orange haired woman and nodded with agreement. "Nhm, you're right."
"You're so noisy Matsumoto," Hitsugaya retorted. "Can't you just eat quietly for once?"
"Nope!" she happily replied.
Hitsugaya gave out a low growl of frustration before noticing Asuna smiling sweetly at him. Holding out her stick, she said, "Here, I'll feed you."
Just as he is about to open his mouth, his actions were interrupted by her loud voice. "Aw...how cute."
Immediately, Hitsugaya glared at the older student and then yelled, "MATSUMOTO!"
"There she goes again," Kira said.
"Rangiku-san likes to press Hitsugaya-kun's buttons," Momo replied.
"She sure does."
All of a sudden, Hitsugaya left his seat and began walking away. Matsumoto called out, "Oi, where are you going?"
It didn't take long before Asuna followed right behind him. "Oi Toshiro, wait for me!"
He stopped and then looked back at Matsumoto with a glare. "Somewhere far away from you."
As he continued walking, Asuna placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Come on..."
"Sorry for making you tolerate with this side of me," he said. "After all these years, Matsumoto never fails to irritate me."
"It's alright," she replied. "As long as Hinamori doesn't interfere with us, then I'm fine with anything."
Once the two lovers left, Matsumoto placed her hands on her hips and said, "Gee, he really is pissed off today."
Kira and Hinamori shot a strange look at the strawberry orange haired student. The pale blond haired teenager explained, "He's pissed off because you're the one who ticked him off."
"Huh, I did?"
"Oi, don't fake the act, you did it intentionally."
"Um Rangiku-san," Hinamori said. "He might not want to be your friend anymore."
She then smiled. "Daijobou, he won't end our friendship."
"Mou..."
Momo let out a sigh as she is heading her way home. Today has been an exhausting day. After Hitsugaya and Asuna has left the group, Matsumoto has taken both her and Kira to hang out on their own. "I think I understand how much he feels," she said. "Sugoi (Amazing)..."
"Hinamori..."
She raised her head to see the white haired teenager suddenly in her view. Momo turned to him so that they can communicate face to face. "Ah H-Hitsugaya-kun! What are you doing here?" she asked. "Um, where's Asuna?"
"I already took her home," he replied. "I was about to head back to my house."
"Oh...I see. I was just heading home too from a long day of being with Rangiku-san and Kira-kun."
Hitsugaya let out a sigh and placed his hands into his pants pockets. He mumbled, "Sorry for ruining your day."
"Ah, no...it's alright!" Momo replied, holding her hands out in mock stance.
"Matsumoto has a tendency to pick on me, but that's only because she wants me to loosen up."
"So ka (Really/Is that so)?"
He then lowered his head slightly. "Strange isn't it?"
Momo blinked. "What do you mean?"
"The way I act at school and in front of my friends...are totally different."
"Yeah, they do..." she replied. "How do you feel when you're in front of Asuna?"
Hitsugaya then raised his head. "Fumiko?"
Realizing what she said, Momo turned her body to the side and quickly corrected herself, "Y-You don't have to answer me if you don't want to..."
"Even though we're dating, I couldn't say things openly...compared to her."
"Oh..."
"I'm sure Matsumoto has told you about my relationship with Fumiko."
"Y-Yeah, she did," she admitted. "You had a crush on her and Rangiku-san helped you confess your feelings to her. Then, you found out that she likes you back which lead to where you are today."
"It has been about five months since we've been going out, but lately..." His voice turned into a whisper. "I don't feel as comfortable around her as I usually was."
Momo blinked. "Um, pardon me?"
Noticing that he has said too much, Hitsugaya quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, it's getting dark out here. Let me walk you home Hinamori."
She blushed and slowly nodded. "Okay."
As he is taking her home, Hitsugaya has briefly checked on Hinamori from time to time. Luckily, she didn't notice him at all. After looking at her for the third time, he adverted his emerald-teal eyes elsewhere.
"Hitsugaya..."
"What is it Matsumoto?"
"There's something you need to know about Asuna."
"What?"
"She's not what it seems...you may find her a nice and sweet girl, but she is not."
"Even though you say that, there is no proof that she is going around doing bad stuff. I need to see for myself."
"So you want to see for yourself, huh? Then, you should keep an eye on Hinamori."
"What does she have to do with this?"
"Your sweet girlfriend actually has been picking on Hinamori ever since her first day here."
"H-Hinamori?"
"Yes..."
"Fumiko, why would she hurt Hinamori?" he wondered. "This girl...hasn't done anything to harm anyone."
He then recalled Asuna's warning to him about her. "Why would...she lie to me like that?"
"Arigato (Thank you) Hitsugaya-kun, for taking me home," Momo said.
"Ah yeah..." he replied.
Just as she is about to go inside, Hitsugaya extended a hand out and said, "Hinamori."
She stopped, turned around and asked, "Hn, yes?"
He opened his mouth, but no words escaped. He wanted to ask her about Fumiko. Instead, he said something totally different, "Um, thanks...for listening to me."
Momo smiled. "No problem. I'll see you at school on Monday."
"Ja ne (Good bye)."
"Bye bye."
Once she left, Hitsugaya took one last look at the Hinamori residence before he started leaving. "Hinamori being picked on by Asuna," he thought. "People have been telling me the same thing about their female friends. There's only one way to find out...is to ask her myself."
Author's Note: Some love, some hates, and some laughs are presented in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed them. Please review! Thanks.