I Decide

The clock ticks as Karin walks towards Yamamoto's private room. The clock ticks again Hitsugaya brow sweats itching to know what Karin's decision would be.

The clock ticks as Rangiku worries about her Taichou and Hinamori.

The clock ticks as Ukitake slowly stops before the double doors of Yamamoto's room.

The clock ticks as everyone starts filing in the room.

The clock ticks as everyone waits and stares at each other.

The clock ticks for the last time as Yamamoto clears his throat.

"Kurosaki-san, have you decided?"

"Hai. I've decided that … I will …" everyone stares at Karin anxiously waiting to know what she decided. Hitsugaya closes his eyes waiting for her answer. Rangiku begins to play with her necklace while the rest begin to sweat and stare at Karin as if they were on the verge of death.

"I will stay." Silence filled the room. While everyone's hearts did a back flip.

She's going to stay.

Hitsugaya opened his eyes and secretly let out a sigh. These past days weren't all too easy for him. After the meeting, he thought about Karin's options and feared which one she would choose. He was hoping in a way that she refused so that she wouldn't be involved in the new dangers to come. However, part of him was defiant about that decision. He wanted her to stay. He didn't know why but he just felt that she should stay. He did think about her losing her powers and her memories. He wasn't sure why but it kind of bothered him knowing that he knew her and remembered hanging out with her and then she would lose her memories and she wouldn't be able to see him.

It sort of scared him.

"However, I have one condition. I will stay if in exchange you let me visit my family and inform me of how they are doing."

"Very well. Then I take it you'll be staying here now?"

"Only in that one condition."

"Deal. Your training starts tomorrow. All your supplies will be brought to your room by tonight. Hitsugaya-Taichou will accompany you tomorrow to show you around. You are dismissed."

A Few Days Later

Karin can now be seen walking around the academy with a black shinigami uniform with a sword tied around her waist.

Ok so where am I again? Oh right the training hall was a few corners from here. The garden is to the left and the entrance is to the right. No wait the entrance was to the left. Wait! Huh?! Crap I'm lost again.

"Oi. Kurosaki. You look lost." Hitsugaya said.

"Obviously. Hey where you going?"

"Nowhere really."

"Nowhere ok well I have to go to this place," points to her schedule. "Show me how to get there."

"Fine."

Hitsugaya showed her where the lecture hall was and watched her enter the class. Since he had nothing to do he decided to wait for her. Besides this class was only and hour long he could wait. Hitsugaya headed to the side of the lecture hall.

After about an hour Karin left her class and saw Hitsugaya standing before her.

"Did you wait for me?"

"Hn." Hitsugaya began to walk away and Karin followed him. The two of them walked around the academy. That happened to be Karin's last class of the day so she decided she would hang out with him.

The two can be seen walking around talking. Talking about anything really.

"I didn't think Soul Society would be this different from the real world."

"How'd you think it would be?"

"Well I thought it would look similar to the real world. And surprisingly the classes are more exciting than the real world. Well for me it is."

Hitsugaya nodded. Hitsugaya yelped as Karin laughed because she just threw something at him.

"Ow! Where the hell did that ball come from?"

Karin smiles innocently and shrugs. "Ne Toushiro?" "Aa." "Let's play soccer."

Karin and Hitsugaya are now somewhere in an open area playing with the soccer ball. Hitsugaya manages to get the ball from her a few times. Karin quickly snatches the ball from Hitsugaya's grasps and begins to roll the ball away from him in the process she trips him and he falls.

Hitsugaya claimed that she cheated and she violated a rule. Karin claims that he just sucks period. After a few more minutes of playing soccer and being carefree, they both walk again heading to an unknown destination.

Karin notices a cliff and headed towards it. Sitting down on the grass Hitsugaya followed suit and stared out in the sky. A quick breeze flows pass them as they continue to stare at the sky watching it change color from the soft light blue to a sleepy yellow pink sky.

Karin laughs and Hitsugaya turns his head towards him.

"You know I think you're losing your touch Toushiro."

"Hn. Well you're getting fat."

"Am not."

"Are too. I noticed that because you are getting fat your movement is slower."

"Whatever Toushiro."

Both stopped talking as their minds began to wander. Karin sighs and lies down on the grass not turning her gaze from the sky she asks Hitsugaya, "Toushiro do you remember when we first met?"

"Yeah."

"I remember you and I were on a cliff very much like this. I asked you why you hung out here and you told me that it brings back memories, what kind of memories were you talking about?" realizing it sounded too personal or that she cared about him she said, "Not that I care… just being curious."

"Hm… well when I said it brang back memories it just bring back memories."

"I know what you meant."

"Then why are you asking?"

"I meant what memories? Like what did you remember when you were watching the sky?"

"Memories of when I was a kid."

"You are still a kid."

"Hn. It was memories of me and my friend Hinamori."

"Oh I see. Who's Hinamori?"

"Well while you where in the training hall fighting, did you notice a girl sitting next to Ikkaku and Yamichika?"

"Actually I did, she has a bun on the back of her head am I right?"

"Yeah that's her. You actually saw her?"

"Well yeah she was the only that wasn't really watching my fight with Kenpachi. She was staring at you most of the time. Is she your girlfriend?"

Hitsugaya's eyes widen.

"Girlfriend? No way. We are just friends."

"Uh huh sure you are."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Better be nothing."

Not too far Ukitake, Rangiku, and Hinamori were also going for a walk and then Hinamori stops. Rangiku realizes that someone from their mini group was missing she too stops and turns around. Ukitake notices this too so he turns around and walks towards Hinamori and Rangiku. He and Rangiku follow Hinamori's gaze which lead to Hitsugaya and Karin.

Karin and Hitsugaya were sitting really close to each other. Hinamori saw that Hitsugaya was smiling, talking, and laughing not caring about reality.

At the sight of the two young shinigami, Rangiku and Ukitake smiled.

"I've never seen him this…calm and carefree before." Rangiku said as she continued to watch her young Taichou tilt his head back close his eyes.

"Maybe Karin-chan's decision to stay here may just be a good thing for him. He probably needed to talk to someone that seems closer to his age despite that they both have a huge age gap. Even if Shiro-chan is Taichou, I believe that it is still too early for him to deal with adult situations especially with that fact that he will be losing his childhood. At least with Karin-chan's presence he will ease up a bit." Ukitake said.

Hinamori remained silent while her eyes were fixed on the two young shinigami who are now preparing to go their separate ways.