This chapter was definitely the most fun chapter to write in this story. I hope you enjoy it!
Renji was sweating bullets. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous before. He was a taicho damn it! Taichos shouldn't get this worked up over something so trivial! He shook his head, trying to clear his senses, and took several deep, calming breaths. He mustered up all his courage, then walked over to where Midori was sitting, reading a book. He clenched his jaw shut to keep his teeth from chattering.
Midori calmly turned a page, oblivious to the internal battle that was being waged right in front of her. Renji approached her and cleared his throat. Midori looked up.
"Abarai taicho!" she said happily as she noticed her friend. "What a pleasant surprise! What's up?" Renji gulped and looked at his feet. He twisted his hands together.
"Willyougooutwithmetonight?" he mumbled. Midori stared at him.
"Huh?" she asked sweetly. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
"WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME TONIGHT!" he screamed so loudly that everyone in the vicinity turned towards him in shock before bursting into laughter. Renji's face turned as red as his hair. Midori laughed joyfully. She had always thought Renji was cute. Then she stopped as a thought hit her.
"All right then," she agreed. "But only if you help me with something." Renji didn't care what that something was. Midori had said yes, and he would agree to anything.
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Renji was regretting his decision.
"Why on earth did I agree to help you with this?" he asked painfully. Midori and Matsumoto giggled.
"Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while, I promise," Midori said seductively, tracing her fingers lightly over his shoulder. Renji shuddered, but it was the good kind of shudder.
"Alright, alright," he conceded.
"Just make sure you keep her really busy," Matsumoto reminded him for the hundredth time.
"I got it, I got it, it's really not all that complicated," he said in frustration. He shook his head at the two devious women, wondering how on earth he kept ending up in these situations.
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Midori knocked gently on Sakura's door.
"Come in!" Sakura called. Midori slid the door open. Sakura was sitting on her floor, polishing her zanpakto. She smiled when she saw her friend.
"Midori-san! Come on in." Midori sat down next to her. She noticed a box of candy sitting on the floor, so she took one and popped it in her mouth. It was delicious.
"Wow!" Midori marveled. "This is amazing! Where'd you get it?"
"Kira," Sakura said blandly. Midori peered at her.
"Is something wrong?" she prompted. Sakura stopped her polishing and looked at her reflection in the blade.
"Sometimes, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Dating Kira I mean. I do like him, he's very good to me but…well," she paused briefly. "He doesn't make me laugh." The girls sat in silence for a moment.
"Well, if you feel like something's not right then you should tell him. Don't stay in a relationship that's making you unhappy," Midori advised. "Oh, and speaking of Kira taicho, I passed him on my way over here, and he asked me to give you this." Midori handed Sakura a note. Sakura took it and read it. It said,
"Meet me tonight at 6:00 at training ground 37. Kira." Training ground 37 was an old, abandoned hill, far secluded from the rest of Seireitei. It was deemed unsafe for training when a rogue kido had accidentally lit the surrounding forest on fire. But, all in all, it was a nice place for a date. The forest had grown back rather well and people rarely went there. But Sakura couldn't appreciate it at the moment. She made her decision. Tonight, she was going to tell Kira how she really felt.
Phase 1 complete.
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"All this work! Are you sure Abarai taicho?" Hinamori asked in exasperation, gazing at the towering stacks of paperwork that were overflowing off of her desk and onto the floor. "Where'd it all come from?"
"Lot's of reports came in today, and Kyoraku taicho is, um, out of commission so to say, so we got bullied into taking all of 8th squad's work." Actually, Renji would have given almost anything to trade places with Hinamori. That mountain of paperwork certainly looked more appealing than what he had had to do to procure it. Sure, getting Kyoraku taicho stone cold drunk hadn't exactly been difficult, but it had sure been expensive. The hard part had been convincing Nanao that he was more than willing to do her paperwork if she would just take care of her taicho. Luckily, Kyoraku had chosen that moment to vomit, heightening Renji's argument that he would rather do paperwork than babysit the drunk.
"Oh, and I won't be able to help you out," he added, feeling terrible as he said it. He hated burdening Hinamori like this. "I uh, have business to take care of. You know, captain things." Hinamori sighed. Renji looked at her with pity.
"If you get too tired, just stop ok. I'll finish it in the morning." Matsumoto would probably rip him to shreds for saying that, but at least it made him feel a little less guilty.
"Alright," Hinamori said bravely before sitting down and starting what looked to be an all-nighter.
Phase 2 complete.
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"Kira!" Matsumoto sang, running into the 3rd squad office. Kira looked up and grinned.
"Matsumoto-san! It's been a while!" he said genially.
"It sure has!" Matsumoto stated eagerly. "Which is why I think we should go out tonight. You know, boys night out like we used to. Hisagi's all for it, and there's this new brand of sake I've been dying to try." Kira laughed.
"Matsumoto-san, you are not a boy and could never pass for one no matter how hard you tried. But sure, why not? I haven't been drinking with you guys in a while, I guess I could take the night off."
"Great!" Matsumoto said excitedly. "I've got to go give my taicho something, and then we'll be off! See you later!"
Phase 3 complete.
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Dark storm clouds were visible in the distance. Matsumoto glanced at them and frowned. If it rained, it might ruin everything. No! she insisted to herself, everything was going to be fine. She went to the office and threw the door open.
"Taicho!" she cried, and Hitsugaya closed his eyes against her over-exuberance.
"What now Matsumoto?" he asked in a tired voice. "I'm working." Matsumoto pouted.
"Aww, taicho, don't be such a stick in the mud. Oh, I almost forgot. Hinamori asked me to give you this." She handed Hitsugaya a letter. "Go on, open it." Hitsugaya glared at her, but he opened the letter regardless. It read,
"Meet me tonight at 6:00 at training ground 37. Hinamori." Training ground 37? he wondered. It was obscure, but it was quiet and secluded. Hitsugaya inwardly congratulated Hinamori on her choice of a date location. But at the same time, he felt a pang. He loved spending time with Hinamori, but the longer they dated, the more he felt like this was wrong. Hinamori was a lifelong friend, but in spite of that, or maybe because of it, romantically, things just seemed weird between them. He had thought that dating her was a good idea at first, but now…
"Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other," was what Hinamori had said to him. He sighed. If he truly felt this way, he should tell her. Dragging out the relationship would only make it harder to salvage a friendship. He decided that he would tell her his feelings tonight on their date.
Matsumoto chuckled to herself as she left the office.
Phase 4 complete.
He hehe, don't you just love Matsumoto's ideas?
