Well, I'm back with another chapter!

I know I just posted chapter one yesterday, but after reading some of the reviews that were saying anxiously some of you were waiting for an update, I just had to oblige! Plus, I already knew what I wanted to do for chapter 2, so I also really wanted to get the second chapter out there.

Anyway, please enjoy!

~ H-Mira

Chapter 2: Welcoming You Home

And for the next few days after I first met you, the words you spoke to me just refused to leave my mind. It seemed like despite having convinced myself that you had forgotten all about me, I just couldn't forget about you.

Flashback, getting to know you

It had been a few days after our first encounter when my grandmother decided it was time to run into town once more. She had recently started feeling pains in her lower back and wanted to get some medicine from the local doctors. I remember that it wasn't a serious pain, though it did still warrant a trip into town. So, the two of us decided to head into town.

A part of me had wanted to take the longer path into town. After all, it was pretty deserted most of the time, so we wouldn't have had to worry about running into anyone else. Though I told myself that was the reason I wanted to take that path into town, I knew deep down that I wished to see if perhaps you were still there, waiting for me to come back. However, I knew that my grandmother couldn't afford to take the long way into town due to her back injury, so I suffered silently along with her as we made our way down the shorter path.

Once we had arrived in town, I remember noticing just how packed the town was on that particular day. I remember thinking that everyone must have decided to take care of their errands on the same day. Just my luck I had thought at the time as I surveyed the crowd around me.

Then, as my gaze had shifted towards the lot where the other children frequently played, there you were, happily playing along with the other kids in a game that involved kicking a ball around.

As soon as I saw you, I just couldn't look away. So, I simply watched you play with the other kids, just as though you were merely one of them. As I was watching you, a small part of me wanted you to notice me in the midst of the crowd of adults surrounding the medicine stalls. However, at the time, I remember thinking that it was a pointless thought. After all, what were the odds of you spotting me?

Then, just as though you felt the need to challenge my thought, you turned and looked directly my way. As our gazes locked again, I was filled with both hope and dread. On one hand, I had been wanting to see you again since our first encounter. But, on the other, I didn't want to have to see your once bright smile turn into a contempt filled gaze, a result of adopting the attitudes of those you now surrounded yourself with. So, not wanting to endure the agony of the latter option, I suddenly began to run towards the path back home. While I knew at the time that I shouldn't have left my grandmother without telling her where I was going, I just didn't care. I just had to get away.

Later, once my grandmother had gotten home, I remember her scolding me harshly for leaving her like that, saying how worried she was about me. I had merely nodded in response as I took the scolding I deserved. Yet, the whole time I sat there obediently trying to listen to her, my thoughts kept drifting to you and the expression you had on your face when you saw me again. Therefore, as I was receiving my punishment, all I could picture was your emotionless face as you stared back at me.

The next few times I had to go to town, I had made it a point to avoid the playground. However, that didn't stop me from seeing you. It seemed like regardless of wherever I went at the time, you were just a corner away. And every time our eyes would meet, I would simply run away.

And that day was no different. I had spotted you as I was buying some sewing materials for my grandmother. Once I had locked gazes with yours, I had immediately turned away as I quickly paid for the materials and began to run back home.

And, just you would, you finally got fed up with me running away from you.

As I was running towards the path back home, I could hear the sound of running footsteps behind me. Without stopping, I slightly turned my head to the side to see what was behind me. And there, out of the corner of my eye, was you running full force directly afterward me.

Panicking at the sight of you, I didn't notice the stray rock on the path in front of me. Once I had reached it, I slightly lost my footing as I tried to stop myself from tripping and falling over. And that attempt to regain my balance cost me something: my speed.

As a result, you ran straight into me, sending the both of us toppling over each other. Once my head had finally hit the ground and stopped moving, I looked up to see you happily grinning down at me as you pinned me to the ground.

"Looks like I finally caught you, Shiro-chan!" you exclaimed as you graced me with a bright smile.

At the time, I remember being too stunned to be able to formulate a reply right away. This was because of two reasons. The first was because you were suddenly pinning me to the ground, something I had never experienced before. And the second was because…

"S-S-Shiro-chan!?" I had managed in response as the blood rose to my cheeks. "W-Wha- What. Who. Huh?!"

"Well, Shiro-chan is you, silly." you replied as the smile on your face grew. "Isn't it cute? I came up with it myself! And it definitely suits you!" you added as you removed one of your hands off the ground so you could run it through my hair.

"I-I'm not cute!" I had stuttered back as I tried to pull off a menacing glare, but failed miserably. "So don't call me Shiro-chan!"

"Then what else am I supposed to call you?" you asked as you placed you hand back on the ground and tilted your head slightly to the side in confusion.

"My name's Hitsugaya Toshiro! And would you get off me?!" I stated as I tried desperately to push you off me. Unfortunately, since you were about a head taller than me at the time, you were also a lot stronger than me. So all the attempts I had made to push you off of me were moot.

"Okay!" you exclaimed as you happily jumped off of me and stood up. "Hmm, Hitsugaya Toshiro, huh… Well, I like Shiro-chan better, so I'm going to keep calling you that!"

"W-What? No!" I shouted in response as I sat up and shot a glare at you. A glare which you simply shrugged off.

"My name's Hinamori, by the way. Hinamori Momo" you said as you ignored my complaints about the nickname you had given me. "It's nice to officially meet you, Shiro-chan" you added as you faced me with a smile.

I frowned in response to the nickname. "I said don't call me that! My name's Hitsugaya-" I had begun in response, but you simply ignored me as you went to collect the scattered sewing material that had fallen from my bag when we fell.

"Here you go, Shiro-chan" you said as you handed me the materials. "You should really be more careful."

"I wouldn't have had to be careful if you wouldn't have tackled me…" I had mumbled in response as I took the materials from you and stuffed them in the bag once again.

"Ah, I guess you're right. Silly me" you replied as you laughed a little to yourself. "Well, I guess you have to go home now, huh? Say hi to your Oba-san for me!" you added before beginning to run back into town. "See you around, Shiro-chan!" you called back with a wave as you continued to run.

"Who says I want to see you again…" I grumbled in response as I watched you run away. "And don't call me Shiro-chan!"

However, you were already too far away to hear my response. Sighing, I decided to continue on my way home. And as I walked home, it took all I could to stop myself from letting loose a smile.

I remember that I saw you almost every day after that. I also remember my grandmother finding my sudden interest in going into town odd because I would always give her the same excuse of having to buy something. Since there was only so much the two of us needed at the time, it was obvious that I was making unnecessary trips into town. However, my grandmother never once commented on my new-found interest in the town below. Looking back, I'm sure a part of her knew why I kept going into town every day. Yet, my young self still manage to convince himself that Oba-san was none the wiser to my true motives.

And that's how I spent the following weeks, running into town every chance I got so I could go and see you. Sure, the other children would be there too, but I found it a lot easier to ignore their stares when you were around. Even back then, you still managed to lighten my load. Really, I don't know what I would have done had I not met you back then…

Anyway, the following weeks unfolded without any particularly noteworthy occurrences. And, as the time went on, I eventually introduced you to my grandmother. You two got along right from the start. I remember that, at the time, I found it odd how I had never seen you with any parents or adult figures of your own. While it was just a passing thought at the time, I eventually truly started to wonder about your family.

And then, on that day, I finally got my answer.

"Hey, Hinamori, pass the ball this way!" I called out to you as our team was running towards the goal. The two of us, as well as the other neighbourhood kids, were currently playing a game that was similar to what I now know to be called soccer. At the time, both teams were tied with one goal left to decide the victorious team.

"Okay!" you yelled back as you passed the ball to me. Once the ball was within my grasp, I easily outplayed the other players and scored the winning goal.

As I had turned to face you with our victory, you suddenly ran right into me and engulfed me into a back breaking hug. "That was so cool, Shiro-chan! You were amazing!" you exclaimed in my ear as my face began to redden at the sudden physical contact.

Then, as though to save me the embarrassment of trying to reply, one of our teammates called out from the sidelines. "Hey, check this out! I think someone's living in the bush!" they yelled as they motioned towards the woods surrounding the playground.

I remember feeling you stiffen at their comment. Yet, being the kid that I was, I thought nothing of it and simply broke free from your embrace before making my way towards the other kids.

Sure enough, once I could see what they were referring to, I had to admit that someone was probably living there. As I examine the small clearing, I remember noticing a rugged old blanket, a pillow, and some garbage in the corner by a tree. Too caught up in curiously examining the scene in front of me, I didn't notice you quietly approach me from behind.

"Wow, what kind of loser lives here!?" one of the kids remarked as they looked at the clearing in disgust.

"I know right!?" another had said in response.

"Hey! Let's tear the place up to teach this loser a lesson!" a third kid stated as he picked up the blanket and began to rip it apart. Seeing the kid start to partake in the destruction of the site, it didn't take long for the other children to join in. Not being one myself to engage in something to petty, I just shrugged as I turned to look at you beside me. Once I saw the look on your face, I just knew what I had to do.

"Hey! Stop it!" I yelled at the other children as they suddenly stopped what they were doing. "As crappy as this place is, it's still somebody's home! So just leave it alone!"

"And if we don't?" one kid replied with smug expression on his face. "What are you going to do about it, Shiro-chan?"

Oh, even thinking back, that snot snoozed kid still manages to make my blood boil. Fortunately, even back then, I wasn't one to take shit from someone like that.

Filled with a sudden rage, I went straight up to the kid and punched him directly across the face, knocking him to the ground as a result. Seeing that I was serious about not messing with this place, the other kids were quick to drop what they were doing and run off. Once the kid I had punched recovered from the impact of my blow, he too stood up and ran away.

As soon as they were out of sight, I had turned to face you. "This place was your home… Wasn't it?" I said as I gestured to the clearing below my feet.

You had simply nodded in response. I could tell just how embarrassed you were of this by the fact that you refused to meet my gaze.

It looks like your home's been torn to shreds I had thought as I looked at the damage the other kids had caused. While I had eventually intervened, they had still managed to do quite a number on the place.

Looking up at you once again, I could make out the faint sparkle of a tear as it made its way down your cheek.

Even back then, I hated the sight of you in tears. I remember thinking, even then, that I would do whatever it took to stop those tears from falling. And it was with that thought in mind that I came to the following decision.

"Come live with me and Oba-san" I suddenly blurted out. Seeming to register what I said, you lifted your tear filled gaze towards mine.

"R-Really?" you had doubtfully asked as you closely examined my face. "A-Are you sure?"

While I did have doubts at the time whether or not it was a good idea to suggest such a thing, those doubts evaporate when I saw your desperate face. "Y-Yeah, I'm sure." I stuttered in response as I tried to play my offer off as though it were no big deal. "Oba-san really likes you, so I'm sure she'd be happy to have you around."

"And what about you…?" you muttered as your gaze never once left my face.

"W-Well, I mean…" I began as I ran one of my hands through my hair. "I-It's not like I mind you being around or anything…"

"So then I really can come live with you two? Is that really okay, Shiro-chan?" you asked once again in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, it's alright" I answered before taking your small hand in mine. "So let's go home, okay?" Nodding, you followed me as I brought you back home for the first time.