Hey! Sorry for the wait, and hopefully that won't happen again because I have a new laptop! Anyways, enjoy this chapter and more will be coming your way soon!
Disclaimer: I do no own Bleach because if I did, this story would be on TV.
Hitsugaya looked down at the ground and kicked a small, grey stone along the cement sidewalk, following after it. It had been almost a week since he and his team had entered the Real World and still there had been hardly more than wisps of Visored reiatsu. It was infuriating being bested by this creature, and he was beginning to wonder if this Visored was indeed real and not just a phantom. Angrily, he kicked the rock with as much force as he could muster and smiled with satisfaction as he watched it fly into a wall and smash into tiny pieces.
"Well I was going to ask if you wanted to play soccer with me, but I can see you're not in the best of moods," a girl's voice laughed.
Hitsugaya's head shot up and he suddenly became aware of Karin's presence in front of him. She stood, her face smug, but not conceited, still awaiting Hitsugaya's response. Smiling slightly, he let his eyes meet hers. "Sure, we can go, just so long as you're not using my skills to beat some punks taking over your field," he teased, making fun of an event from the last time he visited Karakura.
"I can take care of myself you know," she huffed. "That one time that you did help me was just because I my knee was hurt that day, otherwise we would have been fine and easily defeated those middle school kids."
"Mhm, I'm so sure."
"Hey!"
Hitsugaya laughed at how flustered Karin was getting. It was a welcomed break from her confident and in control self, and besides she was cute when her cheeks were flushed pink…
"Ne, Toshiro. Last time you got really upset when people said that you were in elementary school and I know that you are that you are a shinigami so I was just wondering how old are you actually?"
Hitsugaya sighed. "In Soul Society, age doesn't matter because how old you look doesn't necessarily reflect the number of years you have been living there."
"You didn't answer my question."
"I know."
"So are you going to?"
"No."
Karin narrowed her eyes. "You act so much like a kid, Shiro-chan."
Hitsugaya stumbled over an imaginary crack in the sidewalk and he felt as though his heart had skipped a beat. "What did you call me?" He stuttered, licking his lips which seemed to have instantly become dry.
"Shiro-chan," Karin replied, her brow furrowing as she gave him a strange look.
"But how did? Why? Are you?" Hitsugaya's panic was showing clearly and he felt ridiculous but it was, in a way, reasonable. After all, the last time Karin had called him Shiro-chan was in one of dreams and she ended up dying only minutes later.
Karin stared at Hitsugaya for a long moment before speaking. "I just came up with it now, and thought it was cute, but if upsets you so much then I won't say it."
"No, it's um, fine."
Turning her attention back to the road, Karin spotted the soccer field and ran ahead. "I've gotten a lot better, just you watch!" She taunted Hitsugaya from six feet ahead, leaving him no choice but to run after her.
'It was a good thing Karin is so distractible,' he thought as he chased after her. There was a nagging voice in the back of his mind that told him she might have chosen that moment to become "distracted" so she would have time to mull over his unusual behavior, but he pushed that thought out of his head.
"Hurry up, Shiro-chan!" Karin's voice carried through the air. In spite of himself, Hitsugaya smiled: this was sure to be a memorable afternoon.
Hitsugaya jogged the short stretch of grass between him and Karin, and flopped down beside her, leaning backwards onto his propped up arms.
"What's wrong? Tired of losing to me?" He teased, nudging her foot.
She scowled in return, her cheeks flushing slightly pink. "I wasn't losing by that much. And besides, it's unfair that you're a shinigami and I'm just a regular old human."
Hitsugaya laughed. "You know, you're cute when you blush." And to his satisfaction, he watched as Karin's cheeks flamed crimson.
Karin opened her mouth to snap a retort, but was cut off by a male voice that sounded her age.
"Oi! Karin!"
A young boy ran toward the pair, his light brown hair flapping ridiculously as he ran. He was short, but toned, his body not unlike that of the 10th squad captain, and his green eyes seemed to sparkle giving his face overall a friendly and inviting look.
"Banki!" Karin's voice hinted that she was extremely happy to see this boy and Hitsugaya couldn't help but inch closer to her as if this action would make her and more his.
Banki eventually reached the pair, and as he did Karin leapt up to embrace him in a long hug. When they released, she turned to face Hitsugaya to make the introductions, still holding Banki's hand. "Banki, this is Toshiro. Toshiro, this is Banki, my boyfriend," she said, her voice pausing on the last word. Looking up, she glanced into Toshiro's eyes as if she was waiting for his approval or at least a sign of recognition.
Hitsugaya, however, didn't register her glance for his mind had gone blank at the word 'boyfriend'. He saw the scene replaying itself in his mind again and again; he saw Karin's mouth form the two syllables and heard at the word tumbled from her lips. Yet not even that could make him believe that she had chosen this skinny kid to love. Hitsugaya had assumed Banki was only one of the losers that she played soccer with and whom she considered just a friend despite the way he looked longingly at her. But obviously something was different about this boy, after all Karin had chosen him over Hitsugaya.
Still thinking, Hitsugaya's lip formed a frown and he shook his head almost unnoticeably. That wasn't entirely true. Hitsugaya hadn't been there for Karin for the past year so she would naturally find someone else, but if he had been there surely things would have been different. It would be Hitsugaya being introduced as the boyfriend; Karin would have chosen him over Banki… wouldn't she have? He wasn't too sure anymore.
His eyes coming back into focus, Hitsugaya stared at Karin and Banki and felt the tension hanging so noticeably hanging in the air. How long had he been spacing out for? He smiled sheepishly, hoping things hadn't gotten too awkward in his moments of silence. As if sensing his thoughts, Karin laughed, her black eyes dancing and alive. Hitsugaya breathed a sigh of relief seeing her so happy, but was partially hoping that he would wake up and this could all just be a big nightmare.
Karin exhaled loudly and leaned back against Banki's body, her back bending perfectly to meet the curves of his chest and stomach as if this was the most natural action in the world. Perhaps for them it was, but for Hitsugaya it was an exquisite form of torture, and he was about to break. Clearing his throat loudly, he formed what he hoped to be an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry to say this, but I have to go. You know how Matsumoto gets; if I don't stop her from buying out the entire store then I will be paying off the bills for months."
Karin laughed and pulled away from Banki, and Hitsugaya was pleased to see that his expression was that of bewilderment perhaps from the mention of bills, a foreign concept to middle school kids. Hitsugaya suppressed a smile; he liked having inside jokes with Karin: they made him feel like he had a chance after all.
Walking towards Hitsugaya, Karin put her arms around his neck, enveloping him in a hug. As his hands encircled her narrow waist, he had the urge to pull her away from the field, away from her boyfriend's watching eyes. But however much the want, he could not, so he untangled her arms from his neck, glad that he was the one pulling away and not vice versa. With a final goodbye, he left the couple and crossed the field.
The farther he got, the more he sped up; he couldn't seem to get away fast enough. As childish as the idea seemed, he hoped that if he left them and forgot that they were dating then maybe they wouldn't be anymore. Scoffing at his infancy, he tried to focus on solely on finding the Visored to finish the case and get the hell out of Karakura. Maybe that way he would truly be able to put Karin and Banki out of his mind.
Well what did you think? Leave a review telling me what you think and of course you can send a message with comments or concerns. Any ways you think I can improve my writing style or this story will gladly be accepted and appreciated so please, speak up! :)
