Author's note: Well, this is my second fanfic and it's still HitsuHina. The reviews I got for Origin of the Peach, my first fanfic, were really great and inspiring. Though, most said that it was sad because of the death in it. I felt sad about it while I was writing it, too.
Well, here's another fanfic. Hinamori has to choose between life and death. What is her decision? Read on. Hope you like it! Please review! Reviews really motivate me!
Edit: Sorry I had to repost this story. I needed to edit one word. Yes, I'm almost a perfectionist, but thankfully, not in the insane kind of way.
Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine. If it was, Mayuri would be dead and Hitsugaya and Hinamori would be together.
Unohana-taichou pondered over the words of the young taichou.
"The current me has nothing to say to her."
She had questioned him about that.
"Current?"
He, however, did not answer her question.
"Excuse me."
Still, she knew.
In a place where no one could possibly venture, Hinamori Momo was unconsciously floating between two circles of light. She opened her eyes. She looked around. It was dark and the light only came from the circles above and below her. She did not know what they were or why they were there. She did not even know where she was.
Suddenly, memories shot up like bullets in her mind. Tears started falling from her eyes as she remembered all that happened before she found herself in this unusual place.
Her discovery of Aizen's death (she could not bring herself to call him taichou).
Her fight with Kira.
The letter.
Aizen's betrayal.
She remembered the look in Aizen's eyes when he thrust his sword through her. She had never seen that look in his eyes. It was evil and menacing, and she was used to the kind look she admired before.
More tears fell as the next memory made its way to her mind.
Her willingness to attack Hitsugaya-kun.
She cried profusely as she remembered that night. She felt ashamed for believing the words of Aizen, but not the words of the only person who would not hesitate to sacrifice his life for her. She felt ashamed for being so gullible.
"I… I don't deserve to live," she thought to herself as she cried. "I have hurt the people who I care most about. And the person I admired most has hurt me. There… is no reason for me to live."
With that, she let herself fall to the circle of light below her. She did not know why she did it, but she felt that she deserved to fall than to rise. She was giving in.
In a room in the Fourth Squad building, squad members and Unohana-taichou were desperately trying to stabilize Hinamori's condition. She had been in a coma for a month, showing no signs of life. Hitsugaya still had not talked to her. He was in Karakura, but he came back to Soul Society the moment the news of Hinamori's condition came. He stared in horror at her slowly dying figure.
"She is giving in," Unohana-taichou thought.
Hinamori neared the circle of light she was falling into. She had her eyes closed, but she was still crying.
Then, she remembered. She remembered life before all the pain and agony.
Growing up with Shiro-chan.
Entering the academy and meeting Renji and Kira.
Entering Gotei 13.
Shiro-chan becoming Hitsugaya-kun in her eyes.
Becoming a vice-captain.
Her fellow vice-captains.
The little things that brought joy to her life.
She stopped. She opened her eyes once again. She did not know what to do. She was ashamed and unwilling to give life another chance. And yet, she was also craving to live and restore her life to the way it was.
In Soul Society, Hitsugaya looked at Hinamori as she lay unconscious in bed. She escaped death yet again, but she can succumb to it anytime, like she did today. He wanted to prevent it from happening again.
"Hinamori."
Hinamori continued falling until she heard his voice. She looked around, desperately wanting to see him.
"Forgive me for not being able to protect you… But please, don't give in yet."
Hinamori slowly rose. She wanted to reach Hitsugaya-kun's voice. She wanted to be the one to ask for forgiveness.
"Many people still need you and want you."
She stopped. She wondered who would want her back. She started to feel ashamed again.
"And I'm one of them."
The moment she heard those words, she felt all the pain caused by Aizen disappear. Hitsugaya-kun still wanted her back and that mattered to her the most.
She started rising once again. She was headed for the circle of light that was above her. Again, she did not understand why she was heading for it. All she felt was that she needed to rise because she wanted to reach Hitsugaya-kun.
Hitsugaya turned his back on the unconscious Hinamori and looked at the window. The sun was setting and it cast a beautiful orange hue at the room. He wished Hinamori could see it; she had always liked the sunset. She used to asked him everyday to go with her to the rooftops to watch it. He would always refuse. He now promised to himself that he would go with her anytime.
"Hitsu… gaya-kun…"
Hitsugaya's eyes widened. That voice.
"The... sunset… It's… beautiful."
He remained silent, happiness welling inside of him.
"Shiro-chan?"
He turned around and saw her hand reaching out to him. She had taken off her breathing mask. He held her hand and sat next to her bed. He bowed his head. He still could not look straight into her eyes.
"Please… look at me."
She requested it and he did as she said. She started crying. Hitsugaya thought she was feeling pain and stood up to get help. Hinamori, however, still held on tight to his hand.
"Please… stay. Let's watch the sunset together."
Even though no words were spoken as they watched the sunset, they understood each other.
From that day forth, the sunset witnessed their relationship. The sunset witnessed words of apology, words of pain, words of depression. And yet, the sunset also witnessed words of forgiveness, words of acceptance, words of happiness.
Today, many years after Hinamori gave life another chance, the sunset is about to witness words of love.