Finally, after a slight delay, chapter 7 is up! I hope you enjoy!

Karin's P.O.V.

It been little over a week since Toshiro began tutoring Yuzu and me. The last day of the week, we had a pop quiz by one of our teachers. It's official, practically everyone now hates him, but that's beside the point. The Monday that follow, we receive our results back and both me and Yuzu got perfect marks.

Of course, Yuzu told our idiot of a father and now we're having a party to celebrate our perfect marks.

Although I said a party, it's actually quite small and besides, we only invited those who 'have to come'. Like Rukia of course and Toshiro. Besides them, we also invited Tatsuki, Chad, Orihime and I think I heard Keigo's annoying voice somewhere. Who invited him? I know I didn't.

I attempted to approach Toshiro but before I could, the accursed doorbell just have to ring. Walking toward the door, I open it forcefully to see who's the idiot that is going to get punch in the face. My anger suddenly vanishes as I look to see a little girl looking back at me. Her crimson colored eyes staring at me with so much curiosity.


Normal P.O.V

"Um... hello?" Karin said although it sounds more like a question. "HELLO, I'd been invited by SUNNY to this party!" The little girl exclaims, raising her hand to further boost her energy. "Um right... I think you have the wrong house ther-" Karin said, closing her eyes for a moment but after reopening them again, the strange girl disappear from her sight.

"Wa- where did she go?" Karin said, looking outside to see no traces of her. Closing the door and dismissing her existence, Karin turns to head back to approaching Toshiro.

"You have a nice home here... it's warm and welcoming. LIKE SUNNY!" A voice said next to her. Turning, Karin discovers the girl running around, from the living room to the kitchen, checking things out. After a quick chase scene, Karin quickly grabs the girl and lift her up, the girl's arms and legs swinging all over. "Yay! Are you going to give me a piggy ride?" "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO-" Karin begins but then Yuzu comes walking to the kitchen. "Oh Yachiru, you made it. Thank you for coming over." Yuzu said. The girl stops her rapid movement to look at Yuzu. "Thanks for the invite Sunny, I enjoy playing with Firecracker here." The girl now known as Yachiru said as she giggles.

"You're Sunny!" Karin points out but then realize, "Firecracker?"

During the mists of confusion from Karin's part, Yachiru use the moment to escape Karin's clutches. As the little girl runs outside to the backyard, Karin turn to her sister. "Who or what is she?"

"Her name is Yachiru Kusajishi, she's a junior and the president of the newspaper club. "Yuzu states. "She's older than us!" Karin shouts. "I guess, I only met her recently. After we got back our test. When you left to meet up with Toshiro, she comes out of nowhere and asked me how I did. She was taking a survey of the test to post on the board as well as in the school newspaper.

"So why is she here?" Karin asks, her anger obvious to her sister. "Well, after she recorded that I had a perfect mark, she begins to ask me series of question. All of them concerning Toshiro." Yuzu said.

"Really?..." Karin asks. Anything about Toshiro, caught Karin's interest. "Yeah." Yuzu replies.

Flashback

"Alrighty, next question... Do you know Whitey?" The girl asks Yuzu. Yuzu confused by who the girl means asks, "Whitey?"

"Yeah, yeah, you know... the former ace of the school soccer team." Still, Yuzu didn't know who she's referring to. "...he's a senior who's close to my height, oh and his hair is like the color snow." Yuzu thought for a moment and then Toshiro's name begins to pop up in her mind. Before she could reply back, Yachiru added, "He used to go out with a girl who like Chappy the rabbit and during the nationals, he purposely miss the last shot that could had earn him the title 'player of the year'.

"Do you mean Toshiro?"

"That's right, Whitey, so do you know him personally?" Yachiru asks more precisely. "I do, why?" Yuzu asks as the little girl flip the pages of her notepad until she stop to one and return her attention to Yuzu. "I'm in the newspaper club and I'm doing a report on this school top celebrity. This time, it's Whitey." The girl said cheerfully.

"What do you need to know about Toshiro?" Yuzu asks the girl. "Right. First one, what's Whity's favorite color?"

"I think it's white."

"I KNEW IT!" Yachiru scribbles something on her notepad.

"Next question, what's his favorite food?" Yachiru asks eagerly.

"Watermelon..."

"So he's a fruititarian..." Yachiru comments as she jots more notes down.

"What's his favorite sport?"

"um... Soccer?"

"RIGHT!? I JUST KNOW IT. I JUST HAD THE FEELING IT'S SOCCER!" She scribbles some more before stopping.

"Thanks for answering my question. Oh and if you like, you can always drop by to ask me anything. Our club is located in room 1224, oh and I'm a junior as well as the president of the club." Yachiru said as she begins to leave.

"Wait!" Yuzu stops Yachiru. "Hm?" Yachiru said. "If it's not too much trouble, do you want to come over? Knowing my dad, he's going to plan a party this weekend to celebrate me and my sister's perfect marks." Yuzu asks.

"Thanks for the invite, I'll see if I can. Thanks again." The girl said as she runs incredibly fast to who knows where.

End of Flashback...

"I'm curious as to what she knows, and besides she seems to be a fun person to get acquainted with, right?" Yuzu finish off her story with.

"She's beyond fun..." Karin comments as she walks back to the backyard. Hopefully this time, with more luck in approaching Toshiro.

"WHITEY! IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" A voice shouts as Karin turning the sliding door to head outside. There she sees the little girl riding on Toshiro's back.

Sighing, Toshiro said, "It's good to see you too Yachiru. How's Kenpachi?"

"Kenny's doing just fine. He still miss having one of his brightest student spar him. You should really come back to the dojo." Yachiru comments as she dangle around on his back. By now Karin appear in front of them, curious about something. "Toshiro, you used to take martial art classes?" Karin asks. "I guess, Yachiru's father runs the local Kendo classes near the school." Toshiro said. Karin is surprised at first but finding out more about Toshiro overlap that initial shock. "What else did you do Toshiro?"

"Well I-" But before he could begin talking, Yachiru covers his eyes. "Whitey, come play with me!" The girl exclaim. "Alright alright..." Toshiro agrees to play. "Yay! We can also have Firecracker, Chappy lover, Carrot Top, Giant, Sunny, Useless and Spirit play with us." Yachiru adds, getting everyone attention.

"Wait, why should I go along with this?" Karin asks. "Trust me... it's better than resisting." Toshiro comments as Yuzu arrives outside. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE, SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE PLAYING, WE'LL PLAY A GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK! EVERYONE HIDE WHILE USELESS SEEK!"

"Wait! Why do I have to be the one seeking? And why is my name USELESS!?" Keigo retorts, pulling his hair hard. Yachiru thought for a moment, maybe giving some actual thought on something. "Oh!... I'll call you Eustace instead."

"You're not even listening, and doesn't that sound like useless!" Keigo screams.

Even with the amount of tears flowing from Keigo face, he is still chosen to become the seeker. Everyone agrees to play and Toshiro setting up the rules.

1. The seeker will count 100 while everyone else hides.

2. The people hiding are only allow to hide within the property, so frontyard, backyard and within the house are allow.

3. Once you are discover, you have to help the seeker in seeking out everyone else.

"Everyone's good?" Toshiro asks. Everyone nods and agrees with the rules as Keigo reluctantly turn around and begin to count 100 in front of a tree, with his eyes closed.

Everyone didn't waste any moment as they scatter around to find a good hiding spot. Karin look to hide with Toshiro but somehow lost sight of him. Thinking he's somewhere inside, she runs inside and look around the rooms. Realizing that Keigo might have already finish counting, she decides to hide in her room, under her bed. Luckily she has a box under her bed which she could hide behind, in case if Keigo or anyone else were to look down there. Getting down, and enter under the bed, she notice someone else taking her idea. She sees Yuzu under her own bed. "Psst, Yuzu, have you seen Toshiro?"

Yuzu gives off a unpleasant face. "I have, he's with Rukia. Hiding inside the linen closet." Yuzu said, pouting, obviously unhappy with the arrangement.

By now, Keigo miraculously found Chad, Ichigo, Orihime, and Tatsuki. Although Tatsuki prove to be more painful than the rest with the new bruise mark he has on his face.

Checking upstairs, he just discover Rukia and Toshiro inside the closet. Way too easy, since they were too lound. Keigo then went to check Ichigo's room as Toshiro went to check the girls' room, with Rukia following Toshiro.

"Why were you hiding with me?" Toshiro asks, unaware that Yuzu and Karin are hiding under their respective beds. "I wanted to hide with you. I'm sure Karin or Yuzu would have done the same." Rukia reasons. Karin looking at Yuzu and Yuzu looking at Karin. Both girls faces pinkish as Rukia's words possesses some truth to it. "So Toshiro... have you found someone you like yet?" Rukia asks, as they check the girls' closet. "Why?" Toshiro asks, curious. "Well you mentioned before that you liked someone." Rukia said. "I did, but that's a while back. When I first told you and Ichigo of my idea of breaking off the engagement."

"Yeah, how did it go? Did you confess to the girl?" Rukia asks, closing the closet. "No..." Toshiro shakes his head. "I'd been rejected before I could even have the chance." Toshiro said, now checking down under the bed. Only seeing boxes. "I see..." Rukia said as they both left the room, closing the door in the process.

Seconds later, Karin whisper to Yuzu. "Psst, you heard that, right?"

"Yeah... I did..." Yuzu said. "Come on, before they finds us here." Karin said as she and Yuzu escape from under the bed. Slowly and quietly, they open and closed the door. Outside the hallway, Karin and Yuzu walk down the corridor to the stairs. Going down the stairs, Karin and Yuzu spot Tatsuki checking in the living room. They quietly pass her and make their way to the kitchen. Karin suddenly remember that as children, they would hide under the sink. Although it may seem small on the outside, inside it stretches pass 2 feet from each side and 3.5 feet in height, plenty of room for the two girls to hide. Opening the small door, the girls discover someone else hiding in their spot. "Yachiru, what are you doing in there?" Karin asks.

"Shh...I'm hiding, you better come inside before they spot us." The girl suggest, as Yuzu and Karin went in. With all three girls inside, the amount of open space left is small. Their bodies touching but still enough room to breath and wiggle a bit. Quietly they wait. Few minutes later, they hear people coming into the kitchen.

"We checked everywhere... where could they be?"

"Maybe their outside?"

"We already checked. Besides, I saw both of them going inside."

"Should we check upstairs again?"

"No. There still one place we haven't check it."

A voice that sounds like Toshiro said. Walking quietly, Toshiro walk toward the kitchen sink and open the door, discovering Karin, Yuzu and Yachiru in the middle, hiding inside.

"Whitey! You found us! Want to play again?" Yachiru asks as she gets out first before the other girls. She quickly latch herself onto Toshiro's back and begins to playfully 'play with his hair.

As soon as they got out, their father comes out of no where with a huge cake in his hands.

"Who wants some cake!" Isshin cries as he walk toward them, only for him to slip and fling the cake toward them. "INCOMING!" Tatsuki cries as the cake is about ot make impact.

SPLAT The cake lands on top of Toshiro and Yachiru.

"Joy... can someone get me a towel?" Toshiro asks. Yuzu begins to leave but notice Rukia already making her way to the linen closet to get a towel for Toshiro. Returning, Rukia didn't seem to notice the slightly angry look that Yuzu is giving her. Especially since it only last for a moment.

"Here." Grabbing the towel, Toshiro thanks Rukia.

Yachiru still on top of Toshiro, begins to shake her head. "Wow, that was awsome!" She cheers as she laugh before leaning forward and licking off the leftover cake still on his cheeks. This did not go unnoticed by neither Yuzu nor Karin nor everyone else present. "and delicious!"

"Would you stop that." Toshiro demands as she continues to lick his face. "But you taste so sweet Whitey."

"Maybe you guys should get together?" Tatsuki said, although as a joke. Karin didn't like the sound of that, even if it was just a joke. She begins to say something, unaware that her sister is about to do the same. "Wait just a min-" Yachiru interrupts Karin with her shake. "Nah-um, Toshiro is special to me."

"SSSppecial?" Karin asks, everyone else except Karin and Yuzu cheers. "Yeah, he's very special to me. Like the brother I never had." Yachiru finish as she seems to fall asleep on Toshiro's back.

"Brother?" "Brother?" Both Yuzu and Karin said, everyone else thinking the same. Toshiro sigh as another misunderstanding has just arisen. "Can someone help me clean her up." Toshiro asks. Yuzu quickly volunteer as they made their way upstairs to the bathroom. In the bathroom, Yuzu grabs a towel and wet it with water from the sink before using it to swipe the cake off the girl. After cleaning her off, they drop her off Yuzu's bed to sleep. With that out of the way, they return to the bathroom so Toshiro can clean himself. "Toshiro, you never mention meeting this girl." Yuzu asks.

"It was during when I became extremely busy to even contact you a while back." Toshiro said, swiping the cake from his face. "Why is she so fond of you?"

"It's nothing deep, Yachiru has an uncle who she's very fond of. I heard from my master Kenpachi, that he's an old family friend who has white hair that gives her candy, lots of candy. My white hair must have somehow remind her of that uncle. So like I said, nothing intimate." Toshiro said as he walks away from the bathroom. Yuzu slowly follow him downstairs.

Meanwhile in the girls room, particularly Yuzu's room, the girl lays there fast asleep.

"Uncle Shiro..." She said before drift to a deep slumber.


"So how's Yachiru?" Tatsuki asks. "Fast asleep." Toshiro replies, noticing that Karin is not in the group. "Where's Karin?"

Ichigo and Rukia were sitting down on the sofa, in the living room. Both of them now in couple mode.

"Karin's outside in the backyard." Chad said. "Thanks." Toshiro said as he walk outside. Yuzu wishing to follow, chooses not to. Her plan as cupid reminded her that she must allow Toshiro and Karin some alone time in order to shorten the distance between them. "So anyone still hungry?" Yuzu offers, getting her mind and body busy so she won't think about Toshiro and Karin.

Meanwhile...

"Hey..." Toshiro said, walk up to Karin before sitting beside her. "Hey..." Karin said. Something obviously wrong, Toshiro turn to look at her face closely. Her eyes weren't in tears but there look unsteady, unresolved like something is on her mind. "What's on your mind?" Toshiro asks, not minding how straightforward he is.

Karin's head jerks slightly before dropping all together. "It's nothing serious. Just something stupid. Really, I'm fine."

Toshiro is not convinced. Instead of backing down and dropping the subject like someone nice and considerate, he continues to push further. Placing a hand on top of hers, and grabbing it softly, he asks again, "Karin, please... what's on your mind?"

The amount of attention Toshiro is giving her is more than she could hope. His husky voice saying her name makes her experience pure bliss, even if it isn't the candy kind. Still, there's no way she could refuse him. HIS REQUEST! .. That's what I meant... There's no way I refuse his request...

"Toshiro... I... I feel like I don't know enough about you. Today, after meeting Yachiru, I see that there are many girls including my sister that seems to know you more than I do." Karin said, luckily it's somewhat dark so it's harder to see her blushing face.

"Karin, why are you in such a hurry to know so much about me?" Toshiro asks, not looking away from her. "I don't know...but it grinds my gears when another girl seems to know you more than me. Really grinds my gear." Karin said, tighten her fists. Toshiro sensing the tension she's displaying, use his hand to open up her tightly shut hand. Then, her now open hand is intertwine with his'.

"Karin... we just became friends recently so of course there are many things you have yet to know about me. I, myself, don't know a lot about you and of course I want to know more but I want to know you naturally, as time goes by. Just knowing more about you won't stop my desire, I also want to be able to walk besides you, experience my life with you in it." Toshiro insists.

"Toshiro..." Karin starts as she turns to look at him. Her eyes tearing from hearing his words. He wants her in his life. Although it may have sound romantic, Karin shouldn't mistake it as a confession of love. For now, it's merely a confession among friends. Still, a girl can dream, right?

"Karin..." Toshiro said again, as they remain there, looking at each other. Before anything else could occur, something or better yet someone, just had to interfere.

"KARIN! IT'S TIME FOR DINNER!" Isshin shouts as his head pops up from the now opened door.

"Oh... was I interrupting something?" Isshin said, his hand covering his mouth. "I'll leave you kids alone." Isshin said as he left...

Karin still holding his hand, stands up. "Toshiro, let's postpone this for another time." Her voice sounding unhappy but at least her eyes return to normal. Determined and full of anger.

"Why?" Toshiro asks, now standing up. Karin in return gives him an apologetic smile. Walking by the door, she quickly opens it to reveal Isshin on the floor, trying to listen in to their conversation.

Letting go of Toshiro, Karin turns her full attention to her father. As Karin beats up her father for being his idiot self, Toshiro looks down on his hand. The same hand that was just holding her hand. For some reason, it felt different now. Incomplete. Like I want to keep holding on to her hand... Toshiro thought. Looking up to Karin, he sees her already finish giving her dad a beating.

"Come Toshiro, let's see what Yuzu made for dinner." Karin said, grabbing his wrist and dragging him away from what used to be Isshin.

This feeling... is not going away. Toshiro thought as he's being pulled to the kitchen.

Well that's it for this chapter. Thanks for reading. Until next time!