This is the eleventh chapter of Diamond Academy; I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach.
Diamond Academy
Chapter 11- Her Happiness Is His Happiness
Karin and Toushirou were walking through school after Toushirou's little announcement. Sure, Karin was glad that she didn't have to hide her friendship with Toushirou, considering he just had to blurt it out for the world to hear, but she didn't enjoy all the glares she was getting. Karin even saw Hojimaru Surika giving her sympathetic looks.
Soon though, it was lunch and just like all their lunches, they went to their place at the fountain.
"Finally" sighed Karin to herself as she sat down. She was always first to the spot.
"What's wrong?" Toushirou asked as he sat down next to her. He was never too far behind.
"Them and their attitude towards me" replied Karin.
"Don't you mean 'us'?" he questioned. Karin shook her head.
"No, Toushirou, I mean me. Everyone loves you; they have no reason to hate you because of what you said. They, however, have plenty of reasons to hate me" she explained.
"Oh right, guess I wasn't thinking about how it would effect you. Sorry" he apologized. Karin sighed.
"It's fine, just think about it the next time you want to make a big announcement" said Karin.
After school they went to the mall to hang out. Karin just had to change though. She was now wearing black jeans with a white tank top. She was also wearing black, leather, silver stoned bracelets on each wrist. She was wearing black converse as usual. Toushirou shook his head at her attire.
"Why do keep wearing clothes like that?" he asked. He was in jeans with a black polo shirt. He was wearing one of his fancy silver wrist watches with white sneakers. He was perfectly casual with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
"I just like dressing like this" replied Karin.
"Yeah, like a punk rock star" muttered Toushirou.
"Said the rock star himself" argued Karin.
"At least I can look casual in casual places" he argued back.
"You were raised that way" was all Karin said.
"It has nothing to do with the way I was raised" stated Toushirou.
"That just means it has everything to do with the way you were raised" Karin replied.
"Whatever, so why do you dress that way?" he repeated.
"Because it shows that I'm not your ordinary helpless teenage girl" answered Karin.
"Well it's working. The first day, I thought you were a smartass emo" he commented. Karin smirked.
"I hated stereotypes they gave me when I was in public high school. So when I got to this school I wanted to make a new image" she explained.
"What was the stereotype they gave you?" he asked.
"They called me a punk ass wimp because of his reputation at that school. The teachers were the first to label me" Karin hissed.
"Why would they call you that? What was your brother's reputation?" Toushirou interrogated cautiously. He knew that the 'his' was Karin speak for her big brother.
"Well this guy, Chad, fought all of his battles. What they didn't know was that he fought all of Chad's battles too. When I tried to tell them that, they wouldn't listen. Even when I got into fights they still didn't change their minds about who I was" explained Karin as her fists scrunched up angrily.
"Well, why do you want to go back to that school after everything they've done to you?" he questioned as they continued to wall through looking for something to do.
"I don't want to go back to that school, I want to go back to Yuzu" said Karin. Toushirou then saw something in a teen's store.
"Just wait right here" he said as he ran into the store.
"Okay…" said Karin. She sat on a bench nearby.
Soon Toushirou came out with hands behind his back. He then pulled his hands from behind his back. It was an all black teddy bear that had a spiked collar with the spikes made out of rubber. It also had matching bracelets and cute little black leather pants with chains hanging out the pockets.
"Thanks for letting me see the real you. This is partly a sorry-for-how-bad-your-day-went-because-of-me gift, but it's also so you never forget what you first looked like to me" said Toushirou. Karin took the bear and busted out laughing.
"It looks just like me" said Karin through chuckles. Toushirou smiled softly at the sight of her holding the teddy bear in her arms tightly as she laughed.
"You know you didn't have to buy this for me. Why do you keep doing things for me and giving me stuff?" she asked as they drove back in his car.
"Honestly, because you live a hard life" he said as he handled his silver Porsche. Karin looked at him quizzically.
"Hard life? Am I a charity case?" asked Karin angrily.
"No, you live a really hard life, a life that would make any normal person sad" he explained.
"So why should that matter?" Karin asked, more confused than angry.
"I know it's selfish, but I have to see your smile that's why I keep doing things and buying you stuff, so your life can become a little easier and so you will have a carefree smile" he said and Karin could swear he was blushing.
"What?" asked Karin creating a small blush of her own.
"Your smile, how it's so bright even when the worst things happen to you. I kind of adjusted to it; it's that smile that convinced me that you do care. It's not just an illusion. It's the best thing I never knew I needed" he spoke with a small stutter. He didn't want to hide even his most embarrassing thoughts from this girl; she was the only person he couldn't keep a secret against.
"That's weird" stated Karin.
"Yeah, you probably think I'm like a stalker now" he joked.
"No, that someone, outside of my family, would care that much about me and my happiness" Karin added. Toushirou looked over at her clutching her new teddy bear.
"I'll always care, I promise" he said.
"Thank you" said Karin as she tiredly laid her head on his broad shoulder as they drove back to the Academy.
Well that was the eleventh chapter of Diamond Academy. I hope you loved it. Please review.