Woot! Chapter 25 and over 400 reviews! I don't think I can express in words how much I love you guys. You really do brighten my day! ^_^

Hmmm, I don't really have much else to say, other than this took a little longer than I expected, especially since I knew beforehand how I wanted things to go. I guess it was a time thing. Enjoy!

I don't own Bleach. If I did, I would not even think of going on any more breaks because SHIT IS FINALLY ABOUT TO GO DOWN! Anyone who is caught up with the manga is bouncing out of their seats like me. ;)

He really had to stop doing that.

Karin probably thought that he was a nutcase, holding onto her and staring at her like that. It was only a few seconds at most, but that did not halt the possibility of him being perceived as a creeper.

In his defense, the moment Karin touched him, Hyourinmaru had begun that weird noise again, almost a purr. Hitsugaya was a little weirded out by it, and a lot fascinated, as this was the second time this had occurred, and an earlier touch by the older twin had silenced the beast in his head. He had stared at her, trying to use his supposedly spectacular brain to figure things out, and had Hinamori not said something, he probably would have kept staring.

Now, he watched as Karin drank a glass of water wearing only a towel. He had told her multiple times not to walk around the house like that, but seeing as Karin had no respect whatsoever for his authority, she never listened, and he had finally decided to save his breath. By now, anyway, she had done it so often that he barely bat an eye.

"So," she said, her wet hair splattering tiny droplets of water onto the floor. "What kind of restaurant is this? Is it fancy or...?"

"Not exactly." Her miniscule shorts danced in his head. "Just don't wear anything too casual."

She eyed him, taking another sip. "Nothing too casual," she repeated. "Is that what you're wearing?"

He involuntarily glanced down at himself, even though he knew exactly what he would see. "I'm a captain," he replied, lifting an edge of his haori for emphasis, "why wouldn't I wear this?"

Karin raised an eyebrow. "That's what you always wear, so wouldn't that be considered casual?"

"No," he answered bluntly. "Are you going to get ready or not?"

"I'm kind of putting it off," she admitted. "Yuzu's waiting for me in there. Who knows what she'll guilt me into wearing."

As if on cue, a loud "Karin-chan" was heard from the hallway. Karin groaned, setting her glass on the counter. "Wish me luck," she sighed, walking out into the entry room. She stopped suddenly, however, and, curious, Hitsugaya followed her.

Hinamori stood there, her hair out of its usual bun and flowing to her back. Like Hitsugaya, she still wore her shihakusho, but she had put on a pair of stud earrings.

"Hinamori-san," Karin greeted awkwardly, walking around the girl to her room.

It was silent. Then, Hitsugaya sighed. "Sorry about that. I've asked her many times not to walk around like that, but she doesn't listen to me. She never has."

Hinamori nodded once, slowly. A loud "Yuzu. No. No, no, no, and did I mention NO?" erupted from the hallway, and her gaze followed it. "Shiro-chan," she said quietly.

Hitsugaya, inwardly amused by the twins' antics, glanced at her in response.

"How long are they staying here?"

The question caught him off guard. For some reason, the thought hadn't occurred to him that the twins' stay was finite. His brows furrowed slightly. "A couple more weeks, I guess. Until the new semester."

Hinamori watched him, but didn't respond.

"Although, I guess they technically don't have to stay here anymore." His stomach knotted at that, but he ignored the feeling. "Now that their family is here, they have plenty of options."

Momo brightened slightly at that, and smiled at him.

Karin sighed. Despite her best efforts, Yuzu had gotten her to look...girly.

She was wearing a black turtleneck sweater, which in itself wasn't all too bad, but Yuzu paired it with a red skirt that ended a few inches above the knee and sheer black tights. She had no idea where Yuzu had gotten the skirt from, seeing as it didn't look like something she would buy for herself. As for the tights, Karin couldn't believe Yuzu had the audacity to sweet talk her into them! She hated tights. Plus, they required some sort of dress shoe, such as the heels Yuzu were trying to force on her.

"No, Yuzu."

Yuzu pouted prettily, but Karin was having none of it. She sighed. "You have to wear them, Karin-chan. You'll look funny without them."

"I don't care." Really, this was ridiculous. She prided herself in letting no one walk all over her, and yet in the hands of her twin she was putty. Mentally beating herself up, she pulled her tall, black combat boots and looked in the mirror.

She had managed to convince Yuzu to let her keep her signature ponytail, but Yuzu had put a strawberry clip, exactly like the one in her own honey locks, in her hair. Not only that, but she was even wearing mascara! She agreed that the eyes that stared back at her were pretty, dark irises surrounded by equally dark lashes, but she felt a sort of disconnect. The person in the mirror looked nice, but she certainly wasn't Kurosaki Karin.

Sighing, Karin looked at her twin. Yuzu's long hair hung free, and the pink dress she was wearing reminded Karin of the one Urahara had made for her gigai. She shuddered slightly. "Let's go, Yu. We're going to be late."

She opened the door and walked into the hallway. In the entry room, Hitsugaya's back was to her, but Hinamori, facing her turned at the sound. The smile on her face dropped and her eyes widened.

This, in turn, made Hitsugaya turn to see what she was looking at.

And suddenly, Karin felt extremely self conscious. The way he was looking at her--she really couldn't put her finger on the expression, but she felt like he could see through her.

Willing her stomach to stop doing somersaults, Karin walked into the room with the other two. "I know I look dumb," she said pointedly to Hitsugaya, "but I don't want to hear it. Not one word."

He looked appalled. "You don't look dumb."

Oh, those eyes again. Those cerulean orbs that demanded the attention of her own. They were breathtaking, those eyes, with their rich color and the delicate snowy lashes that surrounded them, but whenever they captured her gaze, it was impossible for her to look away.

Hitsugaya opened his mouth again, clearly about to elaborate, but Hinamori grabbed his hand. Both he and Karin looked at the clasped hands in surprise.

"We're going to be late," Hinamori said sweetly, interlacing her fingers with Hitsugaya's. "We'd better get going."

"Lead the way," Karin said, forcing a smile.

They all stepped outside, and Momo led with Hitsugaya, the twins following behind.

Karin had a hard time trying to squash the feeling in her gut. She tried not to, but her gaze kept wandering back to their hands. I don't care, I don't care, I don't care...

She felt Yuzu squeeze her own hand, and she glanced at her twin. Yuzu's eyes looked sad, but mostly were filled with pity. She was trying to comfort Karin, but that, for some reason, seemed to be the last straw. Her emotions, which before had been carefully locked up, seemed to bubble over, and she felt tears spring to her eyes. She continued walking, refusing to let them fall.

Suddenly, someone bumped into Yuzu, and papers went flying. Through the paper rain, Karin could see Hitsugaya stop and turn around, forcing Hinamori to do the same.

"Oh! Oh, I am so sorry!" A small man squeaked. He was only slightly taller than Yuzu, and his beady blue eyes were widened in horror. He scrambled to his knees, hurriedly trying to collect the scattered papers.

"Oh no, it was my fault," Yuzu exclaimed, crouching down to help him. "I wasn't looking were I was going."

"Neither was I," he replied, looking at her through his shaggy black hair. "I was just trying to take these papers to Koetsu-fukutaicho, and I didn't see you."

"Oh!" Yuzu gasped, handing the man a pile of papers. "I am so sorry! I hope I haven't made you late!"

"Oh, don't worry about it. It was my fault," he said hurriedly, standing and offering a hand for Yuzu to do the same. "I just hope that I haven't made you late."

Yuzu smiled. "Don't worry, we're just going to dinner."

The man blushed slightly in response, but smiled back. "Well, don't let me keep you. Thank you for your help." He bowed deeply, and Yuzu returned the gesture.

As Yuzu watched the man walk away, Karin linked her arm through hers. "He was nice, huh?" she asked Yuzu softly.

Yuzu didn't answer, a faraway look on her face.

A/N: A little on the short side, I know, but it was a clean break here. Sorry! Please review anyway, let me know what you thought. ^_^