Chapter 11: Empire state of mind
A pair of teal eyes flickered open in near darkness. Why is it so darn windy in here? Hitsugaya wiped his face with his hands and turned around. His blanket was down to his waist and his bedside was empty. His eyes moved toward his balcony where the strong draft was coming in. On the ledge of his balcony was Karin seated with her back facing him and her legs dangling over the edge. Next to her on the ledge was her hairbrush.
"Karin?" Hitsugaya straightened his back immediately. Her response was her reaching for her hairbrush and starting to comb her hair slowly.
"Karin?" Hitsugaya called again. He watched her comb her hair, her silence his answer. He got up from bed and cautiously approached his balcony. As he neared her, he called her once more. She still remained silent. He got round to face her only to be a little stunned that her eyes were wide open. He waved his hand up and down in front of her face only to receive no reaction.
Suddenly, like someone had turned a tune up slowly, he heard a soft humming. The melody was inviting, soft and sleepy. It took him a good amount of strength to keep himself focused on her and what was going on. He looked around him and noticed that dark clouds were gathering above his mansion in great towers. The strength of the wind grew stronger as branches of the trees near his balcony started to shake. Hitsugaya turned back to Karin and felt a strong pressure building up around her.
Is she doing all that? He reached for her shoulder and hesitated as he felt a strong pulse of energy lifting off her body. Thunder started to rumble above. Finally Hitsugaya placed his hand on Karin's shoulder. Before he knew it, the entire world turn white and soon he found himself standing in a park, in broad daylight.
Shocked, he spun around, checking his surroundings. There were kids running across the playground in front of him and dogs rolling on the grass under shady trees.
"How the hell did I get here?" Hitsugaya said out loud. The sound of screaming kids behind him caused him to look back. Kids were racing down towards him with their arms spread out like they were imitating a plane's wings. Before he could step aside to allow them passage, the first kid ran through him like as if he were merely air. The best part was, the kid and the rest continued on running as if he were not there, as if he did not exist.
"I'm in a dream world, I think." Hitsugaya tucked his hands in his pockets only to surprise himself that he was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and white t-shirt with red converse shoes.
He looked ahead and decided to walk around and find some place to get out of the world he was in. It was his first time experiencing something like this and yet he found no need to panic. It was as if he knew sooner or later, he would be pulled out of it.
"You lied, Yoku!" Came a familiar voice.
"Karin?" Hitsugaya turned around to see a much younger Karin, most likely at the age of fifteen walking hand in hand with a boy her age. He had dark brown hair and grayish-blue eyes. The two walked very closely together, both laughing happily. A tinge of jealousy ran up Hitsugaya's spine as he watched the couple walk past him. Karin had change a lot and little from what he saw now to what he had saw of her before he went to bed.
"I didn't lie. You simply misunderstood my intentions." The guy stopped Karin and wrapped his arms around Karin's petite frame. Her respond was wrapping her arms around his neck and planting her lips onto his. The two exchanged a few soulful kisses before parting and continuing walking.
So she had a boyfriend. How long? Hitsugaya followed on. As soon as he walked past the playhouse, the area around him changed into a bedroom. Hitsugaya immediately leaned against the wall of the bedroom, trying to regain his senses at the sudden scenery change. Before he could fully recover, the door to the bedroom burst open and Karin stormed through with her face flushed red with anger. Following closely behind is her brother Ichigo.
"You're lying! Yoku would never do that to me!" Karin turned around and yelled.
"Karin don't be an idiot! Why would I lie to you?" Ichigo yelled back obviously furious at her lash out at him.
"You never liked him. You never got to know him. In fact, you only met him once and you disappeared for like what? Three months! Now you're saying I am better off without him?" Karin shouted.
"I had work, in case you didn't notice. And get a grip Karin, Yoku is engaged and he's not exactly carrying any guilt baggage. I've seen him with his fiancée. Heck I'm in charge of the party's safety and that includes him. I think I would know him when I see him." Ichigo barked.
"You always had work. When did you not have work? And why should I believe you? Just because you work for Urahara Kisuke doesn't mean you have evidence of it. If Yoku was going to tell me he's engaged, he would have told me, not leave me in the dark." Karin stomped her foot.
"Then why hasn't he called you the last week?" Ichigo questioned.
"He's on holiday in the mountains with his family. There's no reception there. He told me that himself." Karin crossed her arms.
"Look, I didn't want to show you this but you're leaving me no choice." Ichigo reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small envelope.
"Sometimes I wish you would have more faith in me as your brother whose trying to protect his sister from further heartbreak." Ichigo said sadly. He placed the envelope on Karin's desk and left her room. Hitsugaya watched from the side as Karin sighed and turned to her desk. As she opened the envelope, Hitsugaya walked toward her and looked over her shoulder. She pulled out several photos and flipped them over. On the picture was the same boy he saw kissing another girl on the beach, his arms wrapped around her waist and the girl's hands tangled in his hair. He saw her hands tremble before releasing the photos from her grip and watching them fall onto her desk.
Sadness rolled through Hitsugaya as he watched fat tear drops roll off Karin's cheek and drip off her chin.
"He…that's not him….that's not…" Karin started. She picked up the photos again and looked through them. Hitsugaya could feel her distress as she threw one photo aside at a time. When she was down to the last one, the world around him faded to black.
"Oy, get up." A faint voice in the background brought out some light in the midst of darkness. Hitsugaya felt his body getting jabbed from all sides by an annoying person.
"Get up you idiot." Hitsugaya groaned at the fuzzy noise.
"Toushirou!" A voice boomed at his ear.
"GAH!" Hitsugaya immediately shot up from bed and covered his ears. He groaned and growled as he covered his eyes from the sudden brightness.
"You're welcome." Karin huffed as she turned away from him. Hitsugaya rubbed his face as he adjusted to his surroundings. His head was spinning and his senses were jumping all over the places. Finally, his head settled down and his senses calmed. He lifted his face from his hands and looked around. He was back in his room, on his bed, in his pajamas and it was morning.
"Flight departs in two hours. Matsumoto just woke me up like half an hour ago and you didn't even bother to tell me we have somewhere to jet off to. Thanks a lot!" Karin punched his arm as she passed him and headed straight to the bathroom.
"Flight?" Hitsugaya rubbed his arm where Karin punched him.
"Yeah, some shoot and function whatever you got. Apparently I'm invited to go and I haven't even packed my clothes. I still have to pick out what to wear on board the flight." Karin came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe and her wet hair bundled up with a small towel.
"You don't need to pack." Hitsugaya sighed, remembering where he had to go.
"What? We're going away for what three days. How else can I change?" Karin stopped at the entrance of the walk in wardrobe.
"Listen to me, you don't need to pack, so do I." Hitsugaya kicked his blanket off and got out of bed. He stretched and raised his arms in the air.
"And why not?" Karin asked.
"Cause there will be clothes ready for us to change into at the hotel." Hitsugaya explained. He sat back down on the edge of his bed and buried his face in his hands, clearly not out of his bed calling.
"But…the clothes may not fit me." Karin was confused.
"I gave them your size. It's not hard to guess." Hitsugaya ruffled his hair.
"Then what about my bra and underwear?" Karin lifted an eyebrow, challenging him.
"I gave them those sizes too." Hitsugaya answered. In disbelief, Karin rolled her eyes.
"But you don't know the sizes. They're not easy to guess like clothes." Karin snorted. Hitsugaya sighed and got up. He tucked his hands into his long cotton grey pants pockets.
"I've seen you with and without them, I roughly know what size you and they are." He gave a half grin. Karin bit her lip and gave a hard stare at Hitsugaya.
"Whatever. What if they don't fit me?" Karin tapped her foot on the carpet floor. Hitsugaya yawned and proceeded to pull off his long sleeve white shirt over his head. As soon as he had it off him, he headed into the bathroom.
"Simple, if they don't fit, don't wear them." Hitsugaya reached for the doorknob of the bathroom.
"Then I'll have to shop for new ones." Karin groaned.
"No, I mean don't wear them, at all." Hitsugaya closed the door halfway. Karin eyed him for a few seconds before storming over to the bed, picking up a small pillow cushion and throwing it toward Hitsugaya.
"Pervert!"
Dressed in a simple pair of dark blue jeans, a white tube top and silver open toe low heels, Karin jogged down the steps and hurried into the dining room. She could hear her stomach growling as she made her way. Skipping dinner, yelling and crying had caused her stomach to demand for food very audibly. A hand over her stomach, Karin quickened her pace into the dining room. At the dining table was Hinamori having a sandwich with Hyourinmaru lying down at her feet. Upon sighting, Hyourinmaru leapt to his paws and wagged his tail.
"Good morning Hinamori-san, Hyourinmaru-kun." Karin bowed to Hinamori and blew a kiss to Hyourinmaru.
"Please, no bowing. It's too weird for me." Hinamori got up from her seat. She pushed her chair back and walked over to Karin. She wrapped her arms around Karin's shoulder and hugged her tight.
A little surprised at her sudden gesture, Karin was not sure whether to hug or not to hug.
"I'm so sorry about last night. We didn't mean to put you through it." Hinamori pulled back.
"What? You mean my spat with my brother? Oh, forget about it. He deserved it after being so rude to you and your family." Karin sighed.
"But…will you ever speak to him again?" Hinamori wondered.
"Who knows?" Karin shrugged. "Let's not talk about it. We got a place to go and I don't want to be reminded about last night. Deal?"
Knowing it was best left alone, Hinamori nodded and returned to her seat while Karin sat next to her.
"So where are we going?" Karin leaned back a little as the servants placed a large plate topped with sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and toast. For a moment Karin was sure if her stomach was her brain, she would have gone savage and clean the plate, probably eat the plate as well. She picked up her knife and fork and stabbed the sausage.
"We're going to New York." Hinamori reached for her glass of milk. A piece of sausage froze in mid air at the entrance of Karin's mouth, she felt her heart explode in shock.
"N-New York?" Karin stuttered. Hinamori looked up and realized that Karin had most probably never travelled out of Japan or the city.
"Well, yes. There is a Photo shoot and a Car launch party. The family and Matsumoto are all invited and that includes you." Hinamori beamed.
"Wow…is it like a red carpet event?" Karin wondered.
"The usual." Hinamori teased Karin with a shrugged like it was a norm to them.
"Okay, now I feel like I need to hop around the dining room." Karin gripped the table with stars in her eyes. She had always wanted to travel and New York was one of the places at the top of her travel list.
"Good morning ladies, I got the schedule for our trip at New York." Matsumoto chirped as she strolled in with a thin file in hand. She handed the file over to Hinamori and took a seat opposite them.
Hinamori flipped open the file and studied the schedule while Karin tried not to gorge down her food in fear she would choke over starvation and excitement.
"The photo shoot is tomorrow? I thought it was after the car event?" Hinamori looked up at Matsumoto.
"Ms. Jacqueline Diaz requested it to be on the day we arrive due to some complications over at her side. Her deepest apologies but we do owe her since she saved us before." Matsumoto poured herself a cup of coffee.
Suddenly Karin started coughing hard. Hinamori quickly turned her attention to Karin as she swallowed her food hard and took a big gulp of milk. After she was done, she turned to Hinamori with shocked wide starry eyes.
"Jacqueline Diaz? Are you serious? As in the Jacqueline Diaz of Diaz Face Magazine?" Karin exclaimed.
Matsumoto nodded. Karin clasped her hands over her mouth. Jacqueline Diaz was Karin's greatest idol in almost any visual art, ranging from photography to digital artwork. Her magazine was Karin's favourite and she had subscribed to it. Every month when she received the package, she would spend hours studying every art detail with hopes that one day she could see Jacqueline Diaz in person. At that point in time, such wish was reality mocking her. Now, it was finally possible
"She's the photographer and organizer. She and her team are promoting Hitsugaya-kun's new cologne. They signed a contract deal a year ago to launch this photo shoot project when he returned from overseas." Hinamori said calmly with a smile. She had never seen someone like Karin, or maybe the blunt term would be a commoner, get so enthusiastic over someone they considered family.
"I…may I be excused? I need to run upstairs for a bit." Karin composed herself.
"Sure. Are you alright?" Hinamori looked up as Karin got out of her chair.
"Yeah, I just need to thank someone." Karin smiled. She bowed out before racing up the stairs and dashed into the bedroom just in time to catch Hitsugaya wrap a towel around his waist.
He looked up to see her panting heavily, her eyes wide and starry. Before he was about to ask her why, she smashed her lips upon his and pressed herself against him hard.
"Oh no mister, you're going back into the showers to have a one on one thanks gesture with me." Karin reached down and started to unzip her jeans.
Hitsugaya sat at his desk looking through some paperwork before departing for New York. The usual stats, the common reports, everything looked good. He was seated comfortably in a pair of light brown pants, a white long sleeve shirt with a dark brown vest over.
Hitsugaya laid the papers back down and got up from his seat. He headed over to his bookshelves and walked from left to right, tracing his finger across the spines of each book. Finally he stopped at one spine, Lazuro.
Lazuro, an ancient word for 'Dreams'. The word belonged to the Vampirian language and it had been long forgotten as vampires started to populate rapidly especially in places where the language were not taught. The council decided that it would be a dying language. Who else knows the language fluently? Very few knew, spoke and learned, mostly those few were among the Leading Brothers except for one, Hitsugaya.
Born in the era of change, the language was no more of a concern to him. He had little care if the leading brothers spoke in that language to hide their little gossips about him, he hardly met up with them anyway, the nasty ones that was.
Hitsugaya sat down on a couch and flipped open the book.
Those bound to dreams are those bound to memories, here lays what sleeps beyond physical touch.
"Hitsugaya-sama, we have to get going soon. What are you reading?" Matsumoto walked in already ready for the flight.
"Lazuro." Hitsugaya answered her flatly.
"Lazuro? Since when were you interested in the ancient language of dreams?" Matsumoto walked over and leaned over him.
"What do you know about sleepwalking and dreams?" Hitsugaya looked up.
"Umm, I'm not a sleep doctor. People sleepwalk. I used to sleepwalk when I was a kid." Matsumoto shrugged.
"Why?" She asked.
Hitsugaya contemplated for a moment. "Nothing." He snapped the book shut.
Matsumoto was a little taken aback. He had never touched the ancient books; least open them, except to rearrange them on the shelves. She watched him get up from the couch and replace the book back on the shelf. Something was not right.
"Let's get going." Hitsugaya headed over to his desk and picked up his blazer hanging on his chair back.
"Are you alright?" Matsumoto asked.
"I'm fine." Hitsugaya gave her a do-not-ask-me-now look. It was then Matsumoto realized Hinamori was at the door.
"Hitsugaya-kun, the limo is ready." Hinamori informed.
"Understood. Be down in a minute." Hitsugaya put on his blazer.
"I'll make sure everything is in order before we leave." Matsumoto decided to leave things be. When the time was right again, she would ask her master what troubled him. She bowed out and turned to leave his office.
"I expected first class but your own private plane?" Karin's jaw dropped open. There in front of her stood a small plane bathing in magnificence under the strong sun on the grounds of the airport. Never had she believed this kind of dream she dreamt from young would actually come true, not even through a mistake she was currently paying for.
Hitsugaya got out of the limo and wore on his hat. He hated being in direct and strong sunlight, and the heat was plainly annoying. He stood next to Karin and used one finger to push her jaw back up.
"It's not really mine. It belongs to the family. We have about three to share." Hitsugaya straightened his blazer.
Three? Karin gulped.
"I hope we have a good lunch on board." Hinamori chirped.
"What's on the lunch menu, Matsumoto-san?" Hinamori bounced over to Matsumoto.
"New Zealand Sirloin Steak or you can have a butter baked lobster." Matsumoto smiled.
"And I ate breakfast?" Karin clasped her hands together. If she had known those two were on the menu, she would have starved herself the entire morning.
"Come on, I want you to sit next to me! There is this awesome in flight game I love!" Hinamori grabbed Karin's hand and yanked her towards the plane. Hitsugaya sighed and a small smile tugged at his lips. Maybe having Karin around was not entirely a mistake. It made someone else very happy.
"Make sure Hyourinmaru gets his walks every morning and evening. He's also got a grooming appointment tomorrow so make sure he gets to the pet parlour on time." Matsumoto instructed a servant that she left in charge to take care of the mansion.
"Yes, ma'am." The servant bowed.
"That would be all." Matsumoto said and the servant bowed out.
"We will be taking our leave," The chauffer tipped his hat and bowed out as well. As the limo started up and took off, Matsumoto adjusted her suit and walked over to Hitsugaya.
"Everything is in check. We can board the flight now." Matsumoto informed.
"Have you ever seen Hinamori this happy?" Hitsugaya asked. Matsumoto turned her attention from her master to the plain. At the plane window she could see Hinamori and Karin making funny faces at them.
Matsumoto giggled and blew them a kiss. "I've never been this happy as well if that answers your question."
Hitsugaya shrugged and offered Matsumoto his arm. A little surprised at his gesture, Matsumoto smirked.
"You had morning sex didn't you?" Matsumoto took his arm.
Her only answer was a grin.
It had been a long flight but Karin had nothing to complain about. For the first quarter of the journey, she and Hinamori battled on the in flight games together before stopping halfway to have lunch. After that they completed their game before turning to movies. Movies that have just been released and Karin had not had the chance to watch them were on the flight. Karin made sure that she watched every single one of them before knocking off.
Oh mum…if only you could see me now. Karin thought as she watched Mamma Mia, an old favourite song of her mothers.
Sooner before she knew it, she had dozed off in her seat.
Hitsugaya settled his magazine down and looked front. Matsumoto had unknowingly dozed off in her seat, her head resting on her fist. He leaned to the side over his armrest. The other two in the front had also fallen asleep. He unbuckled his seat belt and got up from his seat. He reached over Matsumoto's seat and pulled out a blanket kept behind her seat. He spread it open and spread it over Matsumoto. After tucking her in, he went to the front and did the same for Hinamori. When it came to Karin, he pulled off the headphone on her head and reached for the remote in her hand. Carefully, he slid the remote out of her hand and switched the screen off. As he spread the blanket over her, Karin murmured a name.
"Yoku…"Karin sighed.
Hitsugaya let the blanket drop softly onto her chest. For a split moment, he felt someone pressed a needle into his heart. The boy in her dreams, the boy that broke her heart…the boy who made it there before he did.
Why does it matter? Hitsugaya thought. It was a long time ago. Karin was a grown up. What happened back then was when she was a teenager. It should not matter now, not to him, not to her.
So why did she say that boy's name in her dream and Hitsugaya's name when they were in the shower?
Hitsugaya shook his head. He was being stupid. He walked back to his seat and sat back down. Buckling himself in, Hitsugaya picked up his magazine again. He read a few pages but nothing went in.
I'm just tired…Hitsugaya deduced. He pulled over his headphones and turned played music. He laid his head back and pressed the remote. The seat slowly lowered and his feet were raised up. He folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. I'm just tired.
And soon, sleep dusted over his eyes.
Karin sighed as she gazed at the buildings of New York. She was in New York, how could life get any better than this? This is the place where I dreamed of going…where people get famous…Most of all, she was in a stretch limo and that gained a certain amount of attention as the car cruised down the road. She was already building places she wanted to go while she was here. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the famous Nike store, anywhere that was famous she would be there. Karin reached into her handbag and pulled out her digital camera. Winding down the limo window, she steadied her camera and started to snap pictures away.
Hitsugaya shook his head and sighed. It amazed him how two people viewed this city so differently. New York was another city to him, another home, which he frequent often, but to Karin, it was an entirely different world to her. She was the definition of a tourist who had never traveled out of the country before.
"Oh gosh, my arms are tired." Karin leaned back in her seat and dropped her camera on her lap.
"I'm sure of it." Hitsugaya said simply.
"I can't believe you guys get to travel here so often. This is amazing!" Karin smiled.
"While Hitsugaya-kun attends to some business during the trip, I'll take you to the best places to go shopping." Hinamori giggled.
"You don't have any work?" Karin asked.
"Nope. I'm a free loader." Hinamori winked.
"I'm sure Hitsugaya-kun wouldn't mind me taking you away for awhile to have a girls time out, neh Hitsugaya-kun?" Hinamori gave Hitsugaya a puppy face.
"Do whatever you want." Hitsugaya reached for a magazine and flipped it open.
Soon the stretch limo stopped in front of the hotel. Two hotel bellboys immediately got to the car doors and opened it.
"Hitsugaya-sama, good day." They greeted.
As Karin stepped out, she felt as if her breath had been taking away. The hotel towered over her in magnificence and beauty. It was nothing like she had ever imagined. She watched foreigners head up the steps into the building and it hit that she was going to be one of them heading up those steps and taking one of the room keys of the hotel.
Karin quickly pulled out her camera and took a quick snap shot of the hotel front.
"See you later Hitsugaya-kun!" Hinamori waved from the steps. Karin blinked for a second and turned to see Hitsugaya finished his conversation with Matsumoto.
"Huh? Wait, where are you going?" Karin asked as Hitsugaya stepped back into the limo.
"Get in Karin." He answered. Hesitantly, Karin stepped back into the limo. I'll be back! She pressed her palms on the limo window as she watched the hotel disappear around the corner.
"Where are we going?" Karin turned to Hitsugaya.
"We got a photo shoot to go to. It's rushed but it has to be done." Hitsugaya said calmly.
It then hit her again. Jacqueline Diaz!
"I wish you told me we were going to meet her. I would have dressed better for her. I look so…casual." Karin sighed.
"You never asked and I didn't know you were such a hard core fan." Hitsugaya gave a short laugh.
"What do you mean by hard core?" Karin crossed her arms.
"Well first of all you thanked me by putting me back in the shower with a naked you. What else can I say?" Hitsugaya replied coolly.
"Right…" Karin turned away from him and frowned.
Half way through their journey, Karin decided it was about time to she tested Hitsugaya's relationship with her idol.
"So how do you know her?" Karin spoke out of the blue.
"Believe it or not, she was my first crush." Hitsugaya grinned.
"Crush? Serious?" Karin could not believe what she just heard. Hitsugaya had a crush on her idol. That was stepping on her territory, well either way.
"What do you think?" Hitsugaya threw her a glance. Karin studied his face as he flipped through a car magazine. He was either telling the truth or very good at acting.
"So what?" Karin continued.
"What?" He looked up at her.
"I mean, you didn't really answer my question." Karin rapped her fingers against her lap.
"I personally went to her to get a portrait of me done for my grandmother. We went out for a while but we never took it seriously. It was a friendly outing in the end. Happy?" Hitsugaya kept his gaze on his paper.
Karin remained quiet for a while, not sure if she was to believe him. "Still got feelings for her?" Karin wondered.
"Don't know. Why, are you jealous?" He finally lifted his gaze up to her.
"Who said I was?" Karin snapped back. "Besides, I'm surprised you said you actually had a crush. For a moment, you sounded really normal." She softened after knowing she was a little blunt.
It was then Hitsugaya realized that no one had really mentioned him being normal in a long time. In fact, it was the first time someone said that to him. As Karin returned her sights onto the scenery that blurred by, he returned to his magazine but paid no attention to the contents.
It felt sort of good to be called normal, for once.
"Oh gosh, I can't breathe." Karin pressed her palm on her chest. They were walking down the corridor, following a staff of the building. Already she had a hard time keeping herself together at the entrance of the building. Now Karin was wondering if she could keep herself conscious when she finally meets Jacqueline Diaz.
"If it helps, she is a really cool person. No air, nothing so you don't have to put on some show for her." Hitsugaya said softly.
"I know, duh, that's why I'm nervous." Karin hissed back. The lady stopped at a large door and pressed down on the knob.
"Ms. Jacqueline, your guests have arrived." The lady poked her head in. After a few seconds, the lady opened the door fully.
Oh my gosh…this is it. I'm…I'm going to faint. Karin bit her lip hard.
Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and shook his head. He grabbed Karin's hand and held it tight. They entered the large studio that held a large car in the middle of the room with a backdrop behind it. Surrounding the car were large lights that Karin remembered seeing in the behind the scenes of a photo shoot.
"Wow, that's a nice car." Karin commented.
"It's a fake." Hitsugaya corrected her.
"Toushirou!"
Karin immediately turned and drew in a sharp breath as Hitsugaya let go of her hand and embraced a hug from a beautiful and young dark brunette Latino in her early twenties.
"Oh it is so good to see you again. My apologies that I have to rush this shoot today." Jacqueline hugged Hitsugaya tight.
"I too and please, no apologies." Hitsugaya pulled away and gave a quick kiss on the photographer's cheek. Jacqueline pulled back and laughed as Hitsugaya smiled kindly.
"Charming as always. Oh and who is this?" Jacqueline noticed a nervous girl standing behind him.
"Oh wait, wait, don't tell me, she's your fiancée." Jacqueline snapped her fingers.
"Jacqueline, meet Kurosaki Karin." Hitsugaya placed a hand on Karin's back and pushed her forward. Karin stumbled a little and before she could say anything to embarrass herself, Jacqueline had wrapped her arms around her.
"I heard so much about you from Toushirou's emails. It's so nice to finally meet the new addition to the Hitsugaya family." Jacqueline laughed and pulled back.
"I'm a fan!" Karin blurted out.
"I'm a fan of you too if Toushirou can't stop talking about you." Jacqueline laughed. Karin shot a glance at Hitsugaya and she caught him trying to hide his smirk.
"Now, let's get you dressed for the shoot." Jacqueline turned to Hitsugaya. "You're suit is in the dressing room. Once you're done with make up, get changed. I'll meet you back here. And Karin," Jacqueline turned back to Karin. "Help yourself to some cakes and drinks. See you later!"
With a pat on the shoulder, Jacqueline left the couple to themselves.
"You're such a nerd."
"I'm not a nerd."
"I'm a fan? Seriously? That's the most-"
"Leave me alone." Karin growled at Hitsugaya's jeering. She sat opposite the changing screen with her legs crossed and her arm tightly guarding her chest with anger. She watched as Hitsugaya hung his vest, followed his shirt and then his pants over the screen.
How could I have been so stupid? I'm a fan! Is that what you say to someone like her? Karin slapped her forehead.
You know I am not going to let this go. Hitsugaya thought into her head.
"Stay out of my head jerk." Karin snapped.
"You got to relax. The last thing I need is to clean up after your head explodes." Hitsugaya mocked.
"Will you just, god damn it, at your status, it's like they're neighbors to you. To us common people, they're like, well depending on who it is, some of them are like Gods to us." Karin clenched her fists together.
Hitsugaya sighed. It was like coming to New York. To him it was like another boring day in some other place. To them, it was an opportunity of a lifetime. He should have been more considerate to her feelings.
After a minute, Hitsugaya stepped out from behind the screen in a pair of dark blue jeans, a white long sleeve shirt with thin silver vertical stripes going down and a dark midnight blue vest over it. He reached for a hat on a hat rack and smoothed back his hair only leaving a lock of his hair to hang in front. He wore on the hat and tipped the front down a little so that part of his face was covered.
"Wow, you look like a real model." Karin looked in awe but quickly composed herself when she realized this was Hitsugaya she was looking at.
"That's what Matsumoto always says. Oh well, I prefer cars." Hitsugaya grinned.
The two emerged from the dressing room and were lead back to the studio. There at the studio was Jacqueline testing the lights with a stand in.
"One more time," Jacqueline snapped the picture and the lights flashed it the studio.
"Okay, looks about good." Jacqueline straightened her back. She turned around and Hitsugaya stopped in front of her.
"Someone get him a tie, a dark maroon tie." Jacqueline spoke up. As someone dashed off to grab her order, Jacqueline led Hitsugaya to the centre of the studio. Karin sighed. She could not believe she was watching her idol at work. It was a dream come true and she could not bring herself to pinch her arm to check if it were a dream. If it were, she really did not want to wake up.
"I'm thinking we take some pictures of you on the hood and then some inside the car, front and back seat. How's that?" Jacqueline tucked her hands into her pocket.
"Sounds good. What are you aiming for this cologne?" Hitsugaya asked.
"Well, we all know you love cars, hence the car. Plus it immediately states "Guy". The basic aim is to get both men and women running for your cologne. Toushirou, I need you to unbutton half way down your shirt so we can see your chest. Don't worry about the vest since it is a low cut style. Let the shirt hang open loosely." Jacqueline suggested. Never doubting her suggestions, Hitsugaya proceeded to unbutton the shirt halfway done. Once he was done, an assistant handed the tie over to Jacqueline. She proceeded to put the tie around his neck and loosely tied it.
"Alright, do as much as you can for the start. This is a warm up test." Jacqueline clapped her hands. At the sound of her clap, her assistants immediately positioned themselves to be ready at any order given.
"Got it." Hitsugaya answered her coolly.
Jacqueline got behind her camera and signaled her assistants to shift the light a little. A couple of lights went off and Karin watched on at her idol and Hitsugaya. She was surprised at how much Hitsugaya knew what to do. Never in her wildest dream did she imagine that Hitsugaya knew how to pose and look. It was sexy and alluring, the way he stared at the camera, the way he lay on the hood on the car, one leg propped up with an arm over his knee, his face tilted towards the camera. For every pose he carried an air of mystery and sensuality, yet he also carried an air of defiance and danger, a person to never mess with.
"Toushirou, could you hold the hat, still on your head, like as if you are greeting the camera?" Jacqueline suggested.
Hitsugaya did as told and gave several expressions and poses with her suggestion. One shot he looked playful, another looked like he could kill, in another he looked distracted by something far away, he provided so many poses and looks that Karin lost count.
"Alright, I think we got a good warm up. Let's go for the back seat shall we?" Jacqueline signaled her assistants to reposition her camera. A few men got onto the set as Hitsugaya hopped off the hood. They unhinged the car model and carried out half of the car body. Karin looked at them in shock. Even though it was a fake, it looked very believable. Another group pulled over a dark black stretched hood over the remaining body of the backseat.
"I need you to lie on the seat and look inviting, like you want some company." Jacqueline instructed.
Hitsugaya sat down on the right side and spread open his legs. He rested one arm behind the seat and let his other arm rest on his lap. He tilted his face a little and used a come-hither finger motion to the camera. Karin swallowed. That really looked inviting.
"Perfect. That ought to send anyone flying over to your side in a split second. Let's go." Jacqueline snapped a picture. After a few flashes, Jacqueline straightened her back and had an uncertain look on her face.
"This isn't working. Something's missing." Jacqueline said to herself. She bowed her head for a moment and closed her eyes. For a moment, she remained very quiet. Then with a snap of her fingers, she motioned of her assistants to come to her side. With a quick instruction that Karin was not able to catch on from where they stood, the assistant nodded and walked away. Before Karin knew it, she was dragged off from the studio by a group of women and stylists.
"Hey wait, what's going on?" Karin looked about before getting shoved into a dressing room.
"Grab that three-quarter black jeans and that open chest white top. Bring that dark blue tube top over here quickly. Where are the heels I bought last week? Bring me that belt on the belt hanger. Where's Joan? I need her to start on her make up now. Make her look like an innocent with a hint of hidden wild side, who's going to get bedded tonight." The stylist snapped her fingers repeatedly.
"What did you say?" Karin stuck her head out from behind the changing screen.
"She's cute." Jacqueline nudged Hitsugaya on the shoulder with hers. Of all the times she had known Hitsugaya, today was the first time she had seen him act and look different. He had a happier air around him, like he was actually bothered with life for the first time.
"You know the whole story I'm sure." Hitsugaya tucked his hands into the jeans pocket.
"Of course, Matsumoto told me but rest assured, it's not coming out of this pair of lips." Jacqueline pointed to her lips with a smirk.
"You sure you want her in this?" Hitsugaya asked.
"Do you doubt my judgment?" Jacqueline challenged teasingly. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.
"No but Karin has no modeling experience. What makes you think she can pull it off?" Hitsugaya stated.
"You had no experience before but you pulled it off." Jacqueline remarked.
"Yeah but I'm always on the press so it's not a big deal. This is her first time appearing on any model news coverage." Hitsugaya snorted.
"Just watch, she'll have you begging her for something, something tonight." Jacqueline teased Hitsugaya with a mocking thrust motion. Her reply for him was a smack on the shoulder.
"Besides, a photographer's job is to make anyone look good. If I can't do it, I suck at my job." Jacqueline ran her fingers through her hair. Just as Hitsugaya was about to reply her, the studio doors open again and Karin entered with the group of kidnappers walking behind her looking very proud.
"You look stunning girl!" Jacqueline clapped her hand. Her team knew how to take care of any model.
Hitsugaya swallowed. He had to admit that Karin looked absolutely hot in that outfit. She looked like a tease with her mid drift exposed, her tube top low enough for her chest to entice any man and her hair messily waxed, like she had just a romp. Just as Jacqueline approached Karin, Hitsugaya caught Jacqueline turn back to him for a split second and gave him a wait-for-tonight look.
"How are you?" Hitsugaya chuckled as Karin got onto the set.
"They kidnapped me, applied heavy make up on my face, and I'm almost half naked in front of you. Just peachy." Karin exhaled deeply.
"You can thank me later." Hitsugaya grinned as he took a seat on the backseat car model.
"Screw you." Karin hissed as she took a seat next to him to await orders.
"I should be saying that to you."
"Shut up."
"Toushirou, do as what you first did before. Karin, I need you to look like you want him so bad. Try this for starts, you could sit next to him, swing your leg over his leg and pull at his tie. Give us that sultry desire look. You're answering his need of company." Jacqueline stood behind her camera.
Expecting Karin to bumble and mumble, Hitsugaya embraced himself and readied his thoughts to see if he could mentally help Karin. But before he knew it, a flash of light went off.
"Exactly like this." Jacqueline chirped. Hitsugaya glanced over to see that Karin had completely changed. She no longer adorned her previous shell. It was like she had completely abandoned it and became a super model.
"Bring your lips as close as you can to his cheek without touching his face." Jacqueline instructed. As told, Karin brought her lips as close as she can and placed one hand on his collar.
"That's right!" Jacqueline snapped the pictures away.
"Toushirou, respond to her." Jacqueline instructed.
Am I surprising you? Karin projected her thoughts.
Do I need to be? Hitsugaya wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned forward. He placed his hand on her thigh and gave her a hard and hungry look.
A flash went off.
You should. You were ready to back me up with controlling my thoughts weren't you? Karin closed her eyes and parted her lips.
Another flash went off.
"Someone please touch up their foreheads a little." Jacqueline instructed. After a few pats of powder on their forehead, Hitsugaya brought his fingers down to the rim of her jeans and pulled them down a little.
"Wow, nice move." Jacqueline laughed. "Push him away Karin. Toushirou, don't let her have her way with you. Show your authority."
Karin placed a hand on his chest and another on his shoulder. Just as she exerted strength on his shoulder, Hitsugaya brought his hand to the front of her jeans and held onto the rim of the jeans, his thumb pressed on the zipper. He gritted his teeth as he looked at her with thirsty desire. A couple of flashes went off.
"Ooh I love it, show me a bit of your fang Toushirou." Jacqueline chuckled.
Looks like someone's in the mood. Karin teased.
Don't flatter yourself. Hitsugaya thought back.
"Karin, climb onto him, show him that you'll give him what he wants." Jacqueline suggested.
In an instant Karin was leaning over Hitsugaya, her hand pressed on the car side roof, her chest over his face. Lust rolled in the pit of Hitsugaya's stomach as she placed her knee in between his legs and pressed her other leg against his thigh.
"Get rid of the hat. Mess with his hair, you've giving into his demands." Jacqueline spoke up.
Karin flipped away the hat and allowed her fingers to run through his hair. Should I start moaning in your head? Karin teased.
You're asking for it. Hitsugaya shot her a cold glance before returning his attention to the camera.
This is so much fun. Karin laughed in his head.
"Toushirou, place your hand above her breast. Look at her like she is a toy hanging above you, teasing you with the distance between you and her." Jacqueline snapped her fingers and pointed at the light stand.
"Shift it a little to the right." Jacqueline ordered.
Without hesitation, Hitsugaya placed his hand above her chest and curtained a longing expression.
"Karin, look down like you're about to finally give him what he wanted."
Karin tilted her head down and parted her lips.
"Look at each other intensely, that's right!" A flash went off.
Karin swallowed as she gazed into Hitsugaya eyes. They were starting to glow, most likely because of her hanging over him. Curious, she tried to take a peek into his thoughts only to have him slam her out.
What was that for? Karin shot back.
I'm trying to concentrate. Hitsugaya replied simply.
Or you don't want me to see or hear? Karin thought.
You wish.
"Toushirou, place your hand over her ass and that would be the last shot for the back seat." Hitsugaya did as told and Karin placed her hand on his shoulder, her fingers gripped his collar.
"Good, good!" A flash. "Right, let's move to the front seat."
Everyone immediately got onto the stage and re modified the set. Jacqueline brought her camera over to her laptop and took out the memory card.
"Jordius, here's the card to dump out." Jacqueline passed the memory card over and took an empty card. She inserted it into her camera and started to adjust its settings.
"Are we really going to be on the cover of your cologne?" Karin tilted her head up to Hitsugaya. She leaned against the snack table and crossed her arm against her chest.
"Yes, why?" Hitsugaya took a bottle of coke and poured out a little into a cup.
"Just wondering. Isn't that making things worse…for us?" Karin wondered.
"Karin, it doesn't matter what you do. We're supposed to be official already." Hitsugaya reminded.
"Yeah, you're right." She shrugged.
"Alright, Toushirou, Karin, ready?" Jacqueline walked toward them.
"Good to go." Toushirou said before gulping down his drink.
"Ready." Karin replied. Her thoughts of being on the face of a new men's cologne vanished the instant Jacqueline grabbed her arm and led her to the set.
"Karin, I hope you're flexible enough. What Toushirou is going to do is he is going to sit at the driver seat and you're going to sit on his lap. If you can, press your ass on the steering wheel and lean toward him. Someone please make some space for her." Jacqueline instructed.
"Will the car go…you know, will it honk?" Karin rubbed the back of her neck.
"Don't worry, the car won't go honking. It's a fake remember?" Jacqueline laughed. "Now I want you to play with him but you have to show it's under his command. He is after all the driver. Can you do that?" Jacqueline asked.
"Sure, no problem." Karin answered confidently. "That's my girl." Jacqueline patted her shoulder.
"Touch up on lipstick and hair please for both of them!" Jacqueline called out. After a quick touch up on lips and hair, the artists got off the set and Hitsugaya sat in the driver seat. He watched Karin arch her body as the assistants slowly maneuvered the front of the car portion to allow Karin to rest on the steering wheel. Once properly positioned, Karin did as told and leaned over Hitsugaya. She placed one hand on the seat in between his legs and the other on the car seat shoulder. Hitsugaya kept his expression under control but it was torturing him to see her in such a position. He mentally noted to keep this a fantasy to work out later.
"Alright, let's get this going." Jacqueline got behind her camera. A few flashes went off before Karin and Hitsugaya changed expressions and angled themselves a little more.
"Let's try this, Karin, sit on his lap facing him. Give me a few poses, follow Toushirou." Jacqueline said.
Agony twisted in the depths of Hitsugaya's stomach as Karin sat on his lap. The tempting thirst of drinking and ravishing her was yanking him at every end. She was very good at acting, especially giving him the looks that would give any man an instant hard on, which he was having right now. Thankfully she had not sat directly on him to feel it.
"Sit closer Karin, thanks girl."
Shit. Hitsugaya cursed as Karin sat directly on him. He glanced up to see her face and true enough she had a smug on her face.
Feeling good? Karin commented. He did not respond. He kept his focus on her chest as instructed by Jacqueline and held onto her waist. Karin arched her back till her neck was near Hitsugaya's lips. He felt the loose tie around his neck being tugged lightly as Karin leaned as close as possible.
It took a great amount of effort for Hitsugaya to control himself. His fangs were already protruding halfway out, begging him to give in to their pleas.
More flashes went off before Jacqueline announced a break. With a sigh of relief, Hitsugaya let Karin stand up and get out. He inhaled deeply only to realize that his fangs had completely protruded. He brought his hand up and tried to subtly cover his mouth till his fangs receded.
"Toushirou, you and Karin go get something to drink." Jacqueline took off the lens on her camera.
"Got it." Hitsugaya answered. He got out of the seat and as he walked past Jacqueline, he caught her smug look.
"Oh shut up." He rolled his eyes.
"I didn't say anything!" Jacqueline laughed.
"Oh gosh, wow, I never knew I could look like that." Karin's eyes sparkled at the pictures that were being downloaded into the computer from the card.
"Well you do. Thanks so much for helping me." Jacqueline smiled. She pulled a chair over and patted the seat. Karin happily sat down and continued to look through the pictures while Hitsugaya changed.
"Oh, you shouldn't be thanking me, I should thank you. This is like, wow, I can't even begin to explain how happy I am." Karin laughed.
"Just take care of Toushirou for me." Jacqueline smiled. Karin considered for a while before deciding it was just a harmless question.
"Can I ask you a question?" Karin bit her lip.
"Sure."
"Did you and Toushirou got out before?"
"Define going out?"
"I mean, did you guys dated before?" Karin leaned back a little. Jacqueline turned to look at her, a little shocked.
"You don't have to answer, really, just wondering that's all. Okay, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Karin panicked.
"No, no, I'm not upset at all." Jacqueline burst out laughing. "Where in the world did you get that ridiculous idea?"
Karin's face froze.
"We never dated or ever had a thing. We're almost like siblings." Jacqueline smiled. "If he said that, he's just playing with you."
"Then how did you two meet?" Karin asked while in her head, she plotted on how to murder Hitsugaya.
"It was quite some time back. There was a party but the pictures that Hitsugaya purchased never came through. It was a birthday for the Leading Brother's leader and he only had a few hours left before the man arrived. Since their party was held in a hall next to my studio building, he and Matsumoto came to me and begged for some of my best pictures. Matsumoto had a chequebook in her hand, ready to pay me any amount I asked for. I told them I had copies of all of my pictures stored so they could have anything in my gallery, no payment asked." Jacqueline said.
"Wow, that was so amazing of you. I never can imagine them begging." Karin was surprised. The way Jacqueline put it, it sounded like their lives and reputation depended on her.
"Pride and reputation viewed in the eyes of their leader is very important. It's not a pretty custom in their well, association." Jacqueline explained.
"I'm starting to see why sometimes he is so bitter." Karin deduced.
"He's the youngest of them all, I can't blame him for going against a lot of their traditions. I'm not saying that all of them are old fashioned. A lot of them just don't show it as much as he does." Jacqueline sighed.
"Like?"
"Many things, like this for example or what his job is. Most of the leading brother's don't like to touch on anything too modern because they don't want to see any resentment held by their leader." Jacqueline got up and Karin followed. It was starting to feel like as if their leader was a nasty old scrooge who hated Christmas.
"Oh, but he still holds some respect for his leader, does he?" Karin asked as Jacqueline poured coke into her cup.
"Of course he has to. Some respect is definitely better than no respect at all. He would be condemning his entire family to eternal misery if he didn't." Jacqueline shrugged.
Karin bit her lip. That sentence reminded her of Urahara's talk with Hitsugaya and her.
"Well enough about them. He hardly interacts with his brothers or leader and they don't really care much of him. I have to say though, today is the first time I have seen him actually give a care about something. I think it's got to be you." Jacqueline poured another drink for Karin.
"Me? I really don't deserve that." Karin gave a nervous giggle.
"Matsumoto knows about what is really going on and I do too. Trust me, even though it's a reality hard to accept, sooner or later, you'll find that maybe it has been what you really needed afterall."
Karin gaped at Jacqueline, half shocked she knew the truth and half shocked that she was telling her that everything would be alright?
"Don't leave your mouth open, Toushirou might take the chance to shove his tongue right in." Jacqueline laughed and lifted Karin's jaw back up with her index finger.
"I heard that. Why do you always think I'm like that?" Hitsugaya walked into the studio in his clothes.
"You better go get changed Karin." As an assistant showed Karin the way back to the dressing room, Hitsugaya eyed Jacqueline.
"I almost had to say 'down boy' during the front seat shoot. That's why." Jacqueline grinned.
Wow this took me a long time to write out. Whew. I think this has to be the longest chapter so far.
This is a surprise gift to a very good friend of mine, Jacqueline Diaz. I really hope she likes it since she has done such marvelous surprises for me on her site.
Well, right now I got to update the next chapter of 'Meet me halfway'.
Please leave reviews so I can read your comments on the chapter :) It would be very much appreciated!
