Err...not really much to say in this chapter. I got a surge of reviews after my last one and I'm still updating! Thanks for all that have reviewed! Enjoy this chapter!
Spending The Weekend
A small shimmer of light swept through the curtains on the window and shone on his tired closed eyes. Hitsugaya slept on his stomach as he overslept that day with his face buried into his big pillow. His blanket was partially covering him from the bottom of his back down, leaving his entire back bare. It was sizzling hot in the weekend; so Hitsugaya didn't even bother to wear a t-shirt to sleep much less cover himself up. He was planning to sleep till the middle of the afternoon…until his cell suddenly rang. Tired, Hitsugaya slammed his hand on the little side table where his cell sat.
"Hello? Who's this?" Hitsugaya groggily asked into the cell.
"Hey Hitsugaya-kun! It's me, Amui Shizumiya." A familiar voice sounded through the earpiece.
"My title is Captain Hitsugaya." Hitsugaya reminded her again as if this was becoming a daily routine.
"Yeah whatever. So Hitsugaya-kun, are you busy today?" Amui's voice was getting more and more annoying by the minute according to Hitsugaya.
"Let's see. I'm a shinigami whose daily job is to help souls pass on to the next world. I don't know…maybe?" Hitsugaya sarcastically answered.
"Well, take a day off or something." Amui sounded very impatient at the moment. "Get Hibana-san to fill in for you or something. That is…if you want me to help you with your case with Ayumishi-san?"
"Fine." Hitsugaya unwillingly agreed.
"Great! I'll come over to your place then!" Amui cheerfully said.
"Wait! What?" Hitsugaya couldn't say much afterwards since Amui already clicked off.
Hitsugaya placed his cell back onto his bedside table and he slammed himself back into bed. For only a few moments, Hitsugaya just stayed in bed and stared up at the blank ceiling. He wasn't really thinking hard nor was he musing on something. He was just confused and wondering why Amui would suddenly be so needy for him to be with her. He guess he'll find out once he was there with her. Still tired, Hitsugaya closed his eyes again and tried to doze off back to sleep.
"Hitsugaya-taicho?" Another familiar, yet softer voice asked, waking him up once again.
Hitsugaya opened his eyes to see his little fifth seat looking down on him. Naori's pale yet blushing face followed with dripping wet blue hair and a towel on her head pretty much meant she was just out of the shower. Naori's amber eyes shone like the sunlight outside as she glanced over at the clock.
"Hitsugaya-taicho…did you know it's one already?" Naori asked in a teasing manner.
"Yeah and here you are, still in your sleepwear." Hitsugaya remarked back and glanced at Naori's black baby doll top and black shorts.
Naori frowned at the remark and she helped her captain up and out of bed. She heard him mutter about going to the bathroom to fix something up and he had another dumb appointment. Naori silently watched him go to the bathroom before picking herself up and leaving his apartment to go back to hers. She reached out for the doorknob and she pushed herself through…to find Amui standing in Hitsugaya's living room, shocked to find Naori still in her sleepwear and coming out of Hitsugaya's bedroom…
"Oh my god!! Don't tell me-"
"Oh…it's you." Naori said with no hint of surprise and observed the completely shocked girl. 'Let's see… Girl is wearing pink and red colored spaghetti strap mini dress with thigh high white socks and red shoes and she's carrying a tote bag. And captain is spending more than two minutes in the bathroom…' Naori snapped her fingers once the answer hit her. "You two must be on a date!"
"What?" Amui gasped and a hint of blush rose to her face. "How did you just figure that out? Hitsugaya-kun didn't say he'd tell anyone!"
Naori shrugged and she started walking towards Amui. She could feel Amui's nervous aura coming out of her like waves of radiation. Naori could see she was literally shaking as Naori walked right past her and out the door.
"Wait! Aren't you going-"
Naori snorted at Amui and she faced her with a super straight face that she only uses when she's working in a mission. "I've been specifically ordered to not interfere with whatever you're doing or involved with. So you can enjoy your date with my captain." Naori said in one breath and she quickly left Amui standing there. Not before uttering out, "Until otherwise…" before she left.
'What is she talking about?' Amui stared confused at the exiting girl until the sound of a door opening drove her attention away.
"What are you doing here?" An annoyed voice belonging to Hitsugaya asked. He came out of his room wearing clothes that made him look like he had not just come out of bed. Though dark jeans, a gray shirt with funky designs, and a black jacket pretty much said otherwise…especially when compared to what Amui's wearing.
"I did say I was coming over to your place." Amui replied back as she gazed around in the apartment she was in. "Nice place you got… Does Hibana-san live with you?"
"No, she's my next door neighbor." Hitsugaya answered, settling down Amui's worries.
"Oh…" Amui sighed in relief. "It's just that-"
"You were coming into my place and you happened to bump into Naori while she was exiting my bedroom." Hitsugaya finished for her and began to walk out the front door. "She came in to wake me up because I overslept today. She just got out of bed as well when she came in. Nothing happened between us so you don't need to know. Are you coming?"
Amui quickly snapped out of the shock and relief and she quickly followed after Hitsugaya. He was already halfway down the hall and he didn't even look back to see if Amui was following him. Amui had to bolt a couple of yards to get to him and dodge a passing rock projectile.
"Why did you just kick that rock?" Amui asked once she caught up.
"I'm just making sure you were coming. You were the one who asked me to come." Hitsugaya nonchalantly replied and tossed another softball sized pebble out to the side where it hit the streets below. He really couldn't tell her that he was actually aiming at Naori's door for eavesdropping on them.
"Where do you want to go?" Amui asked him.
"I don't care, but this is not a date." Hitsugaya curtly answered.
"I know, I know. You don't have to whine about it." Amui remarked just as annoyed as he was. "But I rather not just stand here and talk. You want to walk around or something?"
"Whatever…"
"Fine! Be stubborn for all I care! We'll go where I go then!" Amui replied and stuck her tongue out at him.
Hitsugaya grumbled something under his breath and he still followed after Amui. She brought him around the park and up to the shopping district. She often tried to start conversations with him, but Hitsugaya would quickly rebuff them or answer them in very vague little sentences. Then, Amui would be a little discouraged and sometimes she would throw a fit over it like making Hitsugaya buy her something. Hitsugaya would sometimes throw an insult or two and still do her bidding.
Sometimes people, who were passing by, would glance and wonder how two very different people could end up together. If Amui had heard them talking, she would shake her head and try to convince them they were not on a date and not a couple. If Hitsugaya heard them, he shot a silent insult at Amui causing her to start arguing with him and that would satisfy the audience that they were not a couple.
Amui never really got much insight about Hitsugaya in general. She already shared everything she knew about Haruka Ayumishi. She already told Hitsugaya about her school life, social life, family, friends, and any mysterious things that she does. Hitsugaya looked extremely interested when Amui informed him of Haruka and her mysterious night.
"She was standing over that bench in Dark Haven for who knows how long. I know that since I can see it from my window. She just stood there and stared at the bench without even moving a single inch." Amui coolly said while she took a sip from her latte. They were eating at a nearby café in the shopping district. "I went to bed while she was still there and when I woke up the next morning, she was gone. After that, you guys came over here to the world of the living."
"Interesting." Hitsugaya mused on.
"Why do you want to know so much of Haruka?" Amui asked while twirling the straw in her latte.
"Confidential."
"Did you come here to the world of the living before?" Amui kept barraging him with questions.
"Yes, several times but I've already erased the memories of those who've met me." Hitsugaya answered. "And those who still remember me are allies and not a threat."
"What about me?"
"I don't know…" Hitsugaya replied, staring straight on into the brown eyes of Amui making her slightly uncomfortable. "You're those special cases."
"Wow, I'm flattered." Amui sarcastically remarked and sipped some more of her latte. "Hey…what do you do on your days off anyway?"
"And why do I have to share my personal life with you?" Hitsugaya confidently smirked and crossed his arms. "Back in Soul Society, I have my friends and it's the same here."
"You mean Hibana-san right?" Amui asked again, hitting the spot right there. Hitsugaya didn't seem to want to reveal much about himself and his friends and acquaintances. But whenever it was about Naori, he would tell Amui anything about her. She even wondered if he was noticing the habit.
"She's more of a subordinate." Hitsugaya immediately said.
"I know, but why do you refer to her on a first name basis?" Amui grinned in a mischievous manner.
"I already told you I'm not going to tell." Hitsugaya said.
"Come on! It can't be that bad! The bet." Amui coaxed him in a sickly sweet voice. "Don't worry! I won't tell anyone!"
"No." Hitsugaya stood to leave Amui still sitting there.
"Hey! Don't just leave a girl by herself!" Amui cried out and ran after him. She had already paid so everything was ok with them eating a little and running off. When Amui caught up, she grabbed him in the arm and made Hitsugaya stop walking for a while. "You know! You're like my father in so many ways." Amui remarked.
"And what makes me so similar to your father?" Hitsugaya asked and interestingly, he didn't shove off Amui like usual.
"You're both very serious for no reason, you both are even more serious when it comes to work. And both of you are also super grumpy when off work. And the both of you have white hair." The last comment pissed Hitsugaya off to no extent. "But you both have the same compassionate nature that is just buried under that grumpy face…but that's all I know of him. He died when I was little." Amui softly said and she smiled back up to Hitsugaya.
Hitsugaya silently stared at the girl who was smiling at him. She had a sparkle in her eyes and her smile was wide and ecstatic. She looked so innocent and gentle unlike her usual brash self. She even kind of resembled those girls Hitsugaya would spot on the covers of magazines. Strands of her long chestnut hair had fallen down to her eyes and Amui didn't even seem to notice until Hitsugaya moved them out of the way. Soon she found herself blushing to no limit and Amui quickly pushed herself away from him.
"Um…I…" Amui nervously stammered out and tried to cover up her red face.
"Shizumiya…" Hitsugaya called out for her.
Surprised, Amui was able to wipe off the blush off to face him again. She saw Hitsugaya giving her one of those serious looks, but it seemed to have softened up a little. Hitsugaya shoved his hand into the pocket of his jacket and he rubbed the back of his head with the other one.
"The reason…" Hitsugaya softly said. "The reason I call Naori by her first name is…"
Amui stared into those icy blue eyes of his and realized it was the truth he was talking about. Even though he refused to answer the bet, his answer to her question was enough. She smiled back and replied in a gentler voice, "Thank you for telling me that."
Meanwhile, after Hitsugaya had kicked a rock at her front door, Naori fell back and landed on her butt in a thud. She grimaced from the pain and tried to get up from the floor. It was hard at first since her tight skinny jeans were pretty much limiting her ability to move. Naori straightened out her golden top and placed on some yellow sandals for her day out. She never really was the type to stay at home like her captain, but she didn't plan out anything for today… Maybe she'll do her job and track down Haruka.
Naori glanced out her apartment window and spotted said girl walking down her street. 'How convenient! Less work for me!' Naori happily thought and rushed out the door to follow after her.
Haruka didn't even notice that someone was following her as she was walking around. Naori was careful to not be spotted and she made sure to use every blind spot there was. If Haruka were to find out that she was following her, the next word Naori was going to hear out of her mouth would be "Stalker!!!!" Luckily, Haruka couldn't see her at all! Though Haruka seemed to be heading in a very strange destination. Girls her age would spend their time shopping and go to the place where all the clothes are. Haruka was heading to wear all the libraries and books are!
'She's such a strange girl!' Naori thought as she watched Haruka about to cross the street to a library. Though she was crossing right at the time when the lights turned green! 'The idiot!' Naori panicked and she ran up and pulled Haruka right out of harms way.
Haruka stumbled back and fell down into Naori's arms. Her bag fell off and all the contents were scattered on the street like dirt on a clean floor. Haruka was a little dazed and she seemed to be a little dizzy as well when she got up from Naori.
"Are you ok?" Naori asked in concern.
"Oh! Don't worry! I'm fine!" Haruka said in giggles. "Thank you for pulling me out there! I so didn't notice that cars were coming!"
'Weirdo…'
"Anyways…do I know you? You seem…familiar…" Haruka said as she observed Naori from top to bottom.
"Hold on!" Naori exclaimed and pointed to herself. "You don't remember me?"
"Hm…" Haruka hummed out and she placed a finger on her chin to try and jog her memories. Afterwards, she shrugged. "Nope! I don't think I've met you before! Hi! I'm Haruka Ayumishi!"
"What were you doing two nights ago?" Naori demanded with no hesitation.
"Hm…I think I was watching TV about a puppy dog show and I tried to pull an all nighter from the movie marathon that night! Too bad I fell asleep on the second one…" Haruka said in great disappointment on the last part.
'I see her subconscious mind is not as dumb as her conscious one…' Naori couldn't help but think. 'But it seems the memory replacement was successful on her. That is strange… How is that the container for the spiritual pressure of five captains combined would not be able to resist a memory replacement? How is it that someone else could? The situation is too strange…'
"Hey! Why don't you come in?" Haruka called out and dragged Naori right into the library. "This is where I work!" She proudly exclaimed and presented the entire library, but everyone shushed her to be quiet.
"Work? It's the weekend." Naori skeptically said, but Haruka ignored her the entire way.
"Why don't you enjoy yourself in books while I get to work?" Haruka suggested and she left Naori standing there.
A sweat drop appeared on Naori's head. What was she going to do in a library!? She really only liked reading light novels and not those textbook kinds of books. Those were left for Hinamori to read to her during work or any free time. Naori glanced around in the library. Shelves and shelves of big books that would look like it would take days to finish. Some were untouched for so long that a centimeter of dust had gathered on top. Naori wandered around the entire library and through its entire collection of boring books. Yes, the entire three floors of books!
Naori could've left the library and go to a more interesting place for her weekend. But that would disrupt her mission and she had no one to spend the day with so she was pretty much stuck in the library. 'Damn that captain and his stupid date!' She was thinking this the entire time she was there.
Naori grazed her pointer finger on the bindings of the books that stuck out of the shelves. She made a neat clean trail in the dust and that left a lot of gunk on her fingers that she needed to clean off. Naori mindlessly paced around in the library, thinking a bunch of curse words to her captain, with her fingers still trailing the books. Occasionally, she would stop and read some manga. But she would easily get bored and do the same thing over again to the books. Eventually, Naori came upon a book when her finger knocked it out of the shelf. It had a dark blue cover and gold lettering. The book seemed old since the cover was near to coming off and the pages were practically falling out. The book also was the size of a standard school textbook and it weighed a ton! Frowning, Naori was about to place the book back in the shelves when she noticed the words that the gold title formed.
"Memories of Miyuba", Naori read out loud and a couple people shushed her. Naori frowned at the book, thinking the name seemed too familiar and strange. Naori opened up to the first page and started reading the context…in her mind this time. 'When I was little, the first time I noticed her was when she was swinging on the set of swings in the playground. A single set with only one swing. One specifically reserved for her. She was a beautiful goddess with long raven black hair and sparkling amethyst eyes that put the shimmering rain to shame. Though no one was there to push her. I fought brave and hard with myself to build up the confidence to go over to that swing and push her, but-Wait!!! This is just a stupid love story the size of a textbook!' Disgusted, Naori slammed the book back into the shelf and walked away.
"Ooh!! I see you like this one! It's one of my favorites!" Naori heard a giddy voice behind her and she turned around to see Haruka holding up the same book in her hands. She sighed and had that sparkling face for romance. "It's so long, yet so beautiful! A wonderful tale chronicling the life of a hopeless romantic and his affection!"
"Excuse me…Ayumishi-san…" Naori said and pointed at the book. "Is that fiction or non-fiction?"
"Why, it's an autobiography! Of course it's non-fiction!" Haruka said in a giggle and slapped the book back into Naori's arms. "Have fun reading!"
"W-What!?" Naori stammered out and glanced back at the heavy book in her arms. It was getting heavier and heavier by the passing second. Naori stared back at the golden title and wondered what seemed so off about the book. Shrugging her worries away, she sat down on a nearby chair and opened up to the first page again. 'When I was little…'
Well, I'll end it there right in the middle of the date. I'm finally bringing Naori back in the story and I needed Haruka's stupidness to help move it along better. Even when I said her part was done. Anyways, the next chapter picks up during the date and I'm bored, so I decided to provide a little preview: Hitsugaya and Amui will soon have a stalker on their date...
Review for the next chapter!!!!!!!
