Just so you all know, I've been wanting to write this chapter for ages but it never really fit in my other stories. I'm really glad it fits here. I hope you enjoy it!

With renewed hope, Hitsugaya headed towards the elementary school, his conversation with Isshin replaying itself in his head. According to Isshin, there was nothing to worry about. He could have everything he wanted. But, there was still one very important factor. He hadn't actually spoken to Karin yet.

He had no idea how she really felt about him, but he had finally come to the conclusion that he couldn't live without her. Even if she just saw him as a friend, it didn't matter. He wanted her in his life. He needed her in his life. She was too special a person to simply ignore.

Hitsugaya paused outside the school building, and realized a bit too late that this was silly. Karin was in class, and he certainly wasn't going to go pull her out. It was poor planning on his part to come in the middle of the morning. He leaned against a tree, deciding to wait until school was over, or at least until lunch.

"Oi, you there!" called a gruff voice, but Hitsugaya ignored it. Who would be talking to him?

"Oi, you! Yes you, kid with the white hair!" Ok, maybe he was talking to him.

"What?" growled Hitsugaya, turning to face a burly looking janitor who had way too much body hair and was seriously in need of braces.

"Don't speak to me in that tone kid!" the janitor reprimanded, puffing himself up, trying desperately to give himself the appearance of authority, but really just looking like an overgrown turkey. If Hitsugaya was one to laugh, he probably would have. Instead, he stared at the man in disbelief.

"What do you want?" Hitsugaya asked rudely, refusing to give this man the satisfaction of feeling superior. The janitor eyed him suspiciously.

"Shouldn't you be in class brat?" he asked.

"What!?" Hitsugaya shouted, furious now. "I'm not an elementary student!" The janitor laughed a tremendous, hearty laugh.

"Oh…oh god," he stuttered, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. "That's rich. Come on kid," he demanded, and he wrapped his sweaty, sausage-like fingers around Hitsugaya's arm and started dragging him towards the building.

"Wait," Hitsugaya protested. "I uh, I don't go to school here!" But the man wasn't listening. He was still shaking his head and muttering 'not an elementary student,' under his breath. Hitsugaya thought briefly about making a run for it, but he really didn't want to make a scene. He was cursing himself for coming in a gigai.

"What was I thinking?!" he thought angrily.



The janitor dragged him all the way to the office. The secretary looked up, startled, as the janitor barged in.

"Um, is anything wrong?" she asked sweetly. The janitor pointed a fat finger at a very disgruntled Hitsugaya.

"I found this kid loitering outside," he said proudly. "I think he deserves a detention at least!" The janitor clearly thought that he was much more important than he really was. In a different situation, Hitsugaya would have been highly amused, but there were more pressing issues on his mind-like how he was going to get out of this.

"Well," the secretary said, eyeing Hitsugaya curiously. "What class is he in?"

"I'm not in any class!" Hitsugaya shouted, losing his temper. "I don't go to school here! I…uh…I'm from out of town. I'm here visiting a friend!" It wasn't a great excuse, but it could work.

"What's all the fuss out here?" asked a very tall women, stepping out of a back office marked "Principle".

"This kid's been ditching class!" the janitor said excitedly, his face glowing with pride. "I caught him!" This man was clearly hankering for a promotion. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

"Were you not listening to me?" Hitsugaya said through gritted teeth. "I don't…" but he was cut short by the door opening.

"Excuse me," said the person who had just entered. "I've brought the attendance for class 7B…" her voice trailed off as she witnessed the scene in front of her. The principle was standing there looking particularly peeved, the secretary was furiously flipping through class lists, and her least favorite janitor had his hand wrapped tightly around a very angry boy. A boy she knew well.

"Toushiro!" Karin exclaimed, utterly startled. "What on earth are you doing here?" Hitsugaya felt a very strange mixture of emotions upon seeing her. He was elated, nervous, and excited, but most of all, he was relieved, because at this moment, she would be able to help him out of this rather awkward situation.

"Kurosaki, you know this boy?" the principle asked incredulously. Karin and Hitsugaya shared a quick look, which Hitsugaya hoped told her what she needed to know. Luckily, it did.

"Yes," she replied. "He's my friend from out of town." Hitsugaya breathed a sigh of relief. At least their stories matched.

The secretary stopped ruffling her papers and looked up at the principle, who was pursing her lips. She seemed to be considering what to do. The janitor looked extremely flustered as he felt his promotion fly out the window with the revelation that he had apprehended someone who wasn't actually a student.



Thankfully, at that moment the lunch bell rang, and the thundering of hundreds of students could be heard in the hallways. The principle sighed.

"Alright, just get out of here," she said, waving them towards the door. They didn't need to be told twice. Once free of the office, Hitsugaya turned to Karin.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. Karin chuckled.

"No problem. Now, I would love to hear how you got yourself into that mess." Hitsugaya told her what had happened between him and the janitor as they headed outside. Karin was in hysterics.

"I can't believe he thought you were a student! He's such an idiot, we all hate him."

"I can see why," Hitsugaya said sourly.

"Now, Toushiro," she said suspiciously. "How about you tell me why you were hanging out in front of my school in the first place." Hitsugaya froze. He had forgotten that part. Walking and talking with Karin had seemed so natural that he had overlooked the fact that he really didn't know what she actually thought of him. He took a deep breath.

"Karin, I…" he began.

"Look," she interrupted, "if you came to thank me, forget it. I don't need to hear it. I helped because I wanted to. You're not the kind of sappy person who likes to gush over thank you's and I don't want you to try. I…" she wavered over whether or not she should say what she wanted to say, but decided that there was nothing to lose.

"I like you the way you are. So don't ever change, ok?" Hitsugaya was taken aback slightly by her words. He considered his response carefully.

"Actually," he said, something vaguely resembling a smile crossing his lips, "that wasn't what I was going to say."

"Oh?" she teased. "Then what were you going to say?" Hitsugaya opened his mouth, then promptly closed it again. He could never remember being this nervous. He could never remember actually being nervous before. Hitsugaya dropped his eyes, as did Karin. If they had been looking at each other, they would have noticed that they had identical expressions on their faces.

"Toushiro," Karin said sheepishly.

"Karin, I…" Hitsugaya began.

"I think I love you!" they both cried at the same time. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

"You do?" they said, still in unison.



"Ok, now that's creepy," Karin said in amusement, smiling broadly. Hitsugaya was still in shock, absorbing what she had just said. She loved him too?! They stood there for a moment in awkward silence. Finally, Karin said impatiently.

"So, do we kiss or not?" Hitsugaya was jolted back to reality. Hard. He looked at her, and his face broke into the first real smile it had ever worn.

"Yeah," he agreed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. "I guess we do."

It's not over yet, so don't go anywhere!