Chapter 35: Love is all you need

Karin shunpoed out of that place, and made sure that her path was clear. Tears were splattering on her black robes, and her hands were shaking as she ran, not bothering to stop.

The cold air was freezing, but all that she felt was the heaviness of her heart.

Toushiro… I'm not the only woman in his life. It's possible for him to fall in love with someone else. After the way I treated him… It makes me wonder if my decision is correct. After all, I was the one of called it quits.

She should have expected it, Toushiro falling for someone else rather than her. How stupid.

Karin cursed herself.

Why did I assume that he would wait for me…? When I was the one who let him go?

She felt disgusted with herself, and all she wanted was to tear her shinigami robes, throw her sword away and go back home.

I don't belong here. I shouldn't even be here.

Her feet were still killing her, but this time, it was mind over body. She looked behind her, expecting to see him chasing after her, but he wasn't.

She stopped running, and saw the living quarters of the 11th squad. She walked over there, her legs were giving away, and tears were still pouring from her.

As she got to her room, she fell on the bed her head first. Then her pillow was wet.

She hugged it tight, and cried her heart out on it.

Damned fool.

HT/KK

"Hitsugaya-kun!" cried Hinamori, Toushiro was going away without a word, and she was starting to get annoyed. Toushiro turned to her, and he looked angry about something.

"What!?" he boomed. Hinamori looked taken aback, and she bit her lip.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Toushiro eyed her for a second then sighed.

"I'm going to do something that would change my life forever." he said. Hinamori flushed.

"Eh?" she asked. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"It doesn't matter, I don't have to tell you." he said, and then he ran out of the 10th squad with another word.

‑­

Hinamori looked at his retreating back. Blinked, and sighed.

"A secret… If he doesn't want to tell me, I'm going to find out myself." she said. Then left.

HT/KK

Toushiro didn't get it. Why was she there? In a shinigami robe, no less. He clenched his fists and resisted the urge to punch the nearest wall.

And then he paused for a second.

There were tears… Sad tears. That meant she saw them hugging.

Did she assume that…?

Toushiro cursed and went ran faster.

"DAMN IT!" he screamed.

HT/KK

She walked out of her room, her heart still heavy, but she carried a sense of dignity.

"If he wants to date other women, that's fine with me." she said, but her voice was obviously lying. The minute she stepped out of her room to proclaim that she didn't love him, she immediately felt horrible.

"That's not true." she told herself. Great, now she was talking to herself. Her face was now mercilessly tear-free and she managed to look normal.

But still… Who was that woman? She didn't even look that pretty.

She crossed her arms. She did mature a lot. Now, she seemed to be able to control her feelings. But now, the feelings of sadness and hurt was replaced by anger and hatred.

She kicked the dirt nearby and screamed at the top of her lungs.

So much for controlling her feelings…

HT/KK

Ikkaku and Yumichika heard her scream nearby. They both looked up and raised an eyebrow at each other.

"Was that Karin?" asked Ikkaku. Yumichika shrugged.

"She seems to be celebrating. But she doesn't have to do it so loudly." said Yumichika, then added, "It's so un-beautiful to scream."

Ikkaku smirked.

"She doesn't seem to be celebrating." he said.

HT/KK

‑­

A few miles away…

"What was that!?" cried Matsumoto. Rukia looked at her, and then grinned.

"I don't know… And I don't care. But I know that today Karin was assigned to the 11th squad." said Rukia. Matsumoto widened her eyes.

"That's close here!" she said loudly. Rukia nodded.

"Yeah, I heared she was pretty good with the zanpakuto. And she got her shikai recently." she said. Matsumoto grinned.

"Knowing her, she'd probably get a seat." said Matsumoto, and then looked out the window.

"I wonder if taicho knows…"

HT/KK

Toushiro looked up in the sky. There was a faint scream a while ago. And he slightly expected it to fall from the sky.

"What the heck?" he muttered. He was already at the 8th squad, and he was going to places he half-expected Karin to be at.

But then suddenly, he realized that her reiatsu spiked a moment ago too.

"Could that be her?" he asked himself out loud. Then he turned around and his heart was beating fast.

I should've known.

I should've known that she would be here.

No. It was impossible.

Why was she here?

For me?

That sounds weird, since she was the one who broke up with me.

But why was she crying?

He narrowed his eyes and ran faster, his body a blur.

HT/KK

Karin looked behind her, as someone tapped her back. Then she blushed. It was Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"What's going on with you?" asked Ikkaku. Yumichika eyed her.

"Screaming your lungs out… It is not beaut—"but he couldn't continue because Ikkaku put a hand on his face.

Then he let go, Yumichika grimaced at him.

‑­

"That is un-beautiful, Ikkaku." he said, wiping his beautiful mouth with a pink napkin. Ikkaku and Karin looked at him, and then sweat dropped.

"Anyway, what's going on?" asked Ikkaku. Karin looked away.

"It's nothing, Madarame-san." said Karin. Ikkaku smirked.

"People don't just scream out loud if it's nothing, Karin. And don't call me that. You'll get laughed at here at 11th squad." said Ikkaku, slightly annoyed. Karin nodded.

"Well…" started Karin, but she couldn't continue. Ikkaku and Yumichika was looking at her expectantly. But she couldn't say it.

"What?" they both asked at the same time.

Karin didn't reply, but she crossed her arms.

"You know, with the look of your face, I could tell that you are experiencing heart break." said Ikkaku. Karin looked at him, shocked. How did he know?

"How did you…?"

"How did I know? I didn't know. I was just guessing." He said, evilly. Karin gritted her teeth, they got her. Yumichika closed his eyes.

"Heartbreak is not pretty." he said.

"Is it about Hitsugaya taicho?" he asked. Karin nodded slowly. "I guessed so. He hasn't been himself."

"Not that we know him." said Yumichika.

"Yeah, but obviously, since the ryoka incident, he hasn't been like he was before." said Ikkaku. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"He lost his touch. He wasn't as bossy or as powerful as he was." said Yumichika. Karin's eyes widened.

"Really?" she asked. He was still affected. "Im sure he is okay now… Right?"

"Nah. He still has that depression thing around him… And im guessing it's about you." said Ikkaku.

Karin blushed. How much did they know?

"Karin… I don't know much about what is happening between you two. But all I know is this… He never forgets about you. He's probably crazy in love with you." said Ikkaku. Then Yumichika sighed.

"He didn't know you were going to be a shinigami… But I'm pretty sure that when he sees you again. He'll turn back to his beautiful self." said Yumichika.

Karin looked at their knowing faces then smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I owe ya." she said, with a wink. Ikkaku nodded.

She left, and started going back to the 10th squad.

HT/KK

He hasn't forgotten about me… Even if it was already four years. He still loves me…

But who was that woman? Why was she hugging him? Why was he hugging her back?

Wait a minute, Karin.

I assumed immediately, I didn't even know what was happening between them, I am so assuming. How stupid.

I should've known better. Luckily, he didn't see me.

She smiled, then looked around, hoping for traces of his reiatsu.

HT/KK

Running, it always had its advantages. One, you speed around… Hoping to catch the person you want. And in time too! Two, you make a statement by looking cool at that. But it had its disadvantages. It's when you bump on someone, trip and fall flat on your face.

In that case, it happened to both Karin and Toushiro.

Karin was making a point to run faster to the 10th squad, excitement seeping into her whole body, all traces of sadness evaporating along with her sweat.

Toushiro too was running, but he was anxious. Anxious to what her reaction would be. Anxious to the answers of it all.

The point was that they were both running. Running in different directions, to the same place.

Karin finally spotted the 10th squad in all its 10th squad glory. She practically beamed. The gate was getting nearer, and she bit her lip.

"What if he doesn't want to be with me anymore?" she asked herself. She sighed.

Toushiro, on the other hand, was getting closer. Years of training forced him to excel in speed. And he had a lot of practice in the past few years. Now that his legs weren't as short as they used to be.

The gate, it was there. But then, he didn't want to go in. He didn't know what would happen.

But he continued running, seems like his feet were moving by themselves.

Ah, destiny. It was playing with them both. Because at the exact moment, the two, immersed in their own thoughts didn't notice that they were bumping to each other.

BAM!

A collision. It was like two building collapsing with each other.

"Ouff!" they both cried at the same time, falling flat on their faces.

Karin rubbed her head, and then stood up instantly, her face full of fury.

‑­

"HOW DARE YOU BUMP INTO ME! YOU CLUMSY, LITTLE… Little…" but she stopped.

Toushiro was looking at her, with wide eyes. He seemed stunned to see her there.

"Toushiro." whispered Karin. Toushiro looked at her, still on the ground. His stare was intense. Karin blushed.

"K-Karin?" asked Toushiro, he was unsure now. Her build was… Different. She looked like a woman now, and this was not the Karin she was before.

Karin looked at him. Toushiro practically sighed in relief. They were the same big black eyes that made him fall in love with her. The same attitude…

Toushiro stood up, not bothering to dust his dirty captain's robe. Karin looked away, and she was staring at the horizon. Toushiro looked at it too.

"What are you doing here, Karin? And why are you wearing a shinigami robe?" asked Toushiro, his voice gentle, but they were shaking. He was nervous.

Karin blinked at the view, and then gave him a fleeting look.

"You honestly don't know?" she asked quietly. Toushiro looked at her, and then grabbed her arm.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking." he said. Karin looked at him, her arm burning at his touch.

"Remember when I broke up with you?" asked Karin. Toushiro felt his hand loosen. How could he forget?

He nodded slowly. Karin saw his eyes turn into that filled with sadness that you can't erase.

"I turned into as shinigami so that I could be nearer you, Toushiro." said Karin. Toushiro blushed, and as he looked deeper into Karin's eyes… He knew that what she was saying was true. "I didn't want to be someone who had to sneak into Sereitei so that I could be with you."

"Oh." That was all Toushiro could say, but deep down, he was practically stunned with joy.

"You know… I kind of missed you." said Karin, with a note of amusement in her voice. Toushiro looked away.

"Yeah, I did too." said Toushiro, and then he closed his eyes. "When you decided to call it quits, I was never the same. I didn't know how to make my life complete anymore."

Karin bit her lip, remembering what Toushiro said four years ago.

"The feeling of being whole. I felt it before you came… But when you did come, I realized that complete was with you. Then when you left… It was hard, Karin… I am not complete without you."

Then she remembered what Ikkaku said, just a few minutes ago.

"Yeah, but obviously, since the ryoka incident, he hasn't been like he was before."

Karin looked at his sad face, as if he was suffering.

"I thought that you would be happy." muttered Karin. Toushiro looked at her with so much intensity; it was burning holes on her.

"It didn't." he said, something like anger in his calm, quiet voice. Karin shook her head.

"Im sorry." she said quietly. Toushiro looked away. Karin looked away.

"That's alright." he said, in the same tone as Karin.

A small apology could always go a long way. But love was the one thing that knitted them together, that a apology was all it needed to keep them both sewed shut together.

Toushiro looked at her in the corner of his eye. Then he looked away, feeling a small smile on his face.

Karin looked at him at the corner of her eye. But then she looked away, smiling.

They both looked at each other at the same time, and blushed. Toushiro took Karin's hand, and Karin squeezed it. He turned to face her, his face looking like he had a sunburn. Karin giggled.

"What?" he asked.

"You look like you have a sunburn." said Karin. Toushiro if possible, blushed even more as she added, "I happen to think it suits you, Toushiro."

"T-Thanks?" he said. Karin laughed, then blinked at him.

There was silence as they melted in each other's stare. They definitely missed each other.

"Karin?"

"Yes, Toushiro?"

"I love you. I always do."

"I love you too. I never stopped loving you."

Then they smiled at each other, as their faces seemed to go nearer, like there was a magnet slowly connecting their lips.

"So that's why you suddenly ran away." said someone from behind them. They both looked at her. Hinamori was standing there, a smile playing on her lips. She had an eyebrow raised.

"H-Hinamori!" exclaimed Toushiro in shock. Wrong timing, yet again.

"Who are you?" asked Karin, not helping to stop the slight annoyance in her voice.

"Ah, I'm Hinamori Momo." said Hinamori. "I'm Hitsugaya-kun's childhood friend."

"Remember when you asked me why I liked the view of the sky?" asked Toushiro.

Karin nodded.

"You said it was because it brings back memories."

"Memories of my childhood. And my childhood friend." said Toushiro sadly.

‑­

"Why are you so sad?" asked Karin, who was looking at Toushiro's face.

"My friend was Hinamori Momo." he said.

When Karin did not say anything, he continued.

"She was the fukutaicho of Aizen Souske. I told you about him right?"

Karin nodded again.

"She was attached to him. Then when he faked his death, she was devastated," He said. "Even when she found out he was fake, she even said that I should save that man. She was driven crazy by grief.

" So since then, when she begged for me to save him, I couldn't face her ever again. Not as friends."

Then there was silence.

"You should talk to her." said Karin, with a comforting smile.

Toushiro looked at her questionably.

"It's been 5 years, Toushiro. Don't you think its time to forget?" she said. "And don't tell me she never tried to rekindle your friendship."

So this was Hinamori. Karin bit her lips. Stupid, assuming, little Karin. Then she gave her a big smile and introduced herself.

"Oh! I'm Kurosaki Karin… Toushiro's… Uhh." what was she? Was she his girlfriend? Special friend? Lover, perhaps?

"She's my girlfriend." said Toushiro. Karin blushed. Toushiro blushed. Hinamori giggled.

"Hey! You haven't told me about her." said Hinamori, faking angriness. Toushiro looked at her.

"We haven't talked in years, Hinamori."

"I KNOW!" boomed Hinamori, then added in a whisper to Karin, "Can't take a joke, can he."

Karin giggled amusedly, as Toushiro gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"It isn't funny, so it's not a joke." said Toushiro, his face red. Hinamori stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, Hitsugaya-kun…" she said. Toushiro pointed a finger at her.

"It's Hitsugaya taicho to you, Hinamori!" he said loudly. Hinamori raised her hands up in the air.

"Yes, taicho-kun." she said. Then looked at them, they both seemed to be red. Then she realized something.

They must've been in the verge of kissing. After all, they're faces were to close for comfort. Then she giggled inwardly.

‑­

"I gotta go, I seemed to have interrupted something… Important." said Hinamori. Then she smiled at Karin.

"Nice to meet you! What squad are you anyway?"

"11th, 4th seat." said Karin. Toushiro gaped at her. 4th seat already? WOW.

"Great! I'll see you soon. I'm from the 5th squad, vice-captain." then she winked at her, and walked away.

They both looked at each other, and then looked away. The mood was definitely broken.

"Karin?" muttered Toushiro. Karin looked at his red face.

"Yeah?" she asked. Toushiro gulped.

Then he took Karin, whose eyes widened and placed a kiss on her lips. At first it was awkward. After all, they haven't kissed in years. Then their lips found their place, and knew instantly that it was alright. The kiss deepened and Karin was deep in his mouth, exploring a place that seemed to have grown. Toushiro too was heated up.

They seemed to have glued their lips together, that they didn't notice time pass, and the sun set.

HT/KK

Karin sighed. She was in her room, and her mind was somewhere else. She sighed again.

The most magical kiss happened to them. And she couldn't imagine what it would be like if she didn't kiss his lips. In fact, she missed them already. She smiled dreamily.

Not only his lips. But his face… His hair… His eyes… Everything. She closed her eyes and wished with all her might that the feeling would last forever.

HT/KK

Toushiro was sitting nearby the Soukyoku hill, and his mind was on one person, Karin. The dark sky wrapped around the hill, and his whole mind was frozen on her.

"Karin, is it alright if I ask you something?" he asked, as they stared at each other's eyes. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"You already did… But you may ask me." she said. Toushiro gripped her hand tighter.

"I-I…" he couldn't just spit it out, could he. Karin blushed. Was he going to…?

"Never mind." he said. Karin looked disappointed, but she smiled all the same. Whenever you are ready, Toushiro.

"Are you sure that you want to propose already?" he asked himself. Then he gulped.

He did, he wanted too, but he was nervous. What if she said no? He couldn't tell if it was time. It looked like maybe; he had to wait for the right time, when they weren't so heated up with such an amazing kiss.

He sighed.

‑­

That was pretty good.

Then he allowed himself to beam at the moon which seemed 10 times more beautiful than ever.

HT/KK

Karin grinned as she walked out of the cold porch and looked up at the moon.

"Wow." she whispered. It was breath taking. A full moon, shining in the dark night, how poetic.

"I see that you seem happier, Karin." said someone. Karin looked around. There wasn't anyone there. Until, a form started forming.

"Dorajin!" exclaimed Karin. Dorajin smiled at her, and then put a hand on her arm.

"Thank goodness."