Chapter 13: Possibilities

Fortunately, it didn't take you very long to be cleared from squad four after you woke up. It seemed like within a few weeks, things were back to the way they were: I was the captain of squad ten, and you were my childhood friend, the lieutenant of squad five. After all the chaos that ensued after Aizen's betrayal, it felt so nice to return to some form of normality.

Well, I guess some things were different. After all, you did have a new captain now. Sure, he could be a bit of an ass at times, but he was still way better than your previous captain (though I guess that's not a very high bar to clear). And he didn't seem to be any kind of romantic rival for me, either, so that was another plus.

But that wasn't the only change.

You started to act differently around me for some reason. Even when I wasn't in the adult form I swear you hated, you would still act weird when I was around. I remember that you would start to panic whenever I would show up unexpectedly and then come up with some lame excuse to leave. Once more, there would be other times where I would catch you stare intently at me for no reason.

Honestly, I had no idea what to make of this. And whenever I would try to question you about it, you would just get even more flustered and practically run away from me. I knew you didn't hate me, since you said as much when you woke up, but I was starting to have my doubts…

And then, one day when I was on my way back from a captain's meeting, I finally found out why you were acting so strange….

Flashback, Just Maybe

"I swear," I mumbled under my breath as I made my way back to the tenth division main office. "That must have been the most pointless captains meeting we've ever had. God, doesn't the head Captain realized that some of us have better things to do than stand around debating what colours the new dining hall should be?"

I shook my head. The Head Captain could have some bizarre priorities at times.

I soon found myself nearing the corner concealing my office from me. With a sigh, I reached for the door handle, only to be interrupted by an expected familiar voice.

"Oh, Rangiku-san," I heard you say in a troubled voice. "I don't know what to do… This is bad. This is really bad!"

"Calm down, Hinamori" Matsumoto replied in a soothing voice. "Alright? Now, tell me what's so bad."

There was then a pause where I imagined you were debating whether or not to tell Matsumoto about what was bothering you. And just as I was about to decide to enter the room, you spoke words that froze me in place.

"It's about Hitsugaya-kun..." you slowly answered.

Now, I know what you're thinking. This was obviously a private conversation between you and Matsumoto and the minute you started talking about me, I should have done the adult thing and gave you two privacy.

Well, I guess a portion of the brat kid that I was when we were younger was still inside of me, because rather than leaving you two alone, I decided to conceal my presence with kido and pressed my ear against the door as I intently listened in on your conversation.

"Okay…" Matsumoto resumed as she tried to approach the subject delicately. "So tell me what's wrong with Taichou."

"I-It's not him per say…." I heard you stutter through the wall. "It's just that… um… Ever since I saw him in that adult form of his, things between us have been…. Different. And I don't know what to do."

"Alright," Matsumoto began. "Different how?"

"Well… Um…" you mumbled. "It's just that… Ever since I saw him like that, it got me thinking. If that's really his adult form, then that means someday he'll look like that permanently, right? And… Um… If that's the case, then he'll be… He'll be… God, why did he have to be so…"

I then started to panic.

I knew it. I knew you hated my adult form. Why did I even bother to think that there was a possibility that you didn't? God, I was such an idiot. And now, you probably hated-

"...hot." you finally concluded.

Now that was not the answer I was expecting.

Dumbfounded, all I could do was stare blankly at the door in front of me as the sound of Matsumoto's laughter erupted in the room.

"So that's what's troubling you?" Matsumoto blurted out between fits of laughter. "You think Taichou's hot? What's so wrong with that?"

"There's something really wrong with that, Rangiku-san!" I heard you shout over my lieutenant's laughter. "And would you stop laughing so hard!? What if someone hears you!?"

"Alright, Alright" Matsumoto replied as she tried to calm herself down. "Now, tell me, what's so wrong with thinking that Taichou's adult form is hot?"

"Well, you see" you began as you regained your composure. "Hitsugaya-kun's always been… cute. Ever since we were kids, that's all he ever was: cute. And I mean cute in the way that you might find a little kid or a puppy."

Okay, now I didn't know whether I should be pleased or offended.

"And I was fine with that." you continued. "That's how things were. And even as we got older, he was still just cute little Shiro-chan. But then, when I saw how he's going to look when he's older… I didn't think of him as cute anymore. I thought he was hot. And that is not okay. Shiro-chan's supposed to be cute, just cute, not hot! Oh god, Rangiku-san, what should I do?!"

"Relax, Hinamori." Matsumoto stated as she tried to calm you down. "It's alright. People's expectations of others change as they get older. So it's perfectly fine for your opinion of Taichou to change from cute to hot. That's normal."

"But it's not okay!" you urged in response. "At first, I was only conscious of him when he was in his adult form, but now… Even when he's not I can't help but notice…. Things. And then I can't help but wonder: has his hair always looked so soft? Were his eyes always so piercing? And then I just end up staring at him like an idiot! He's bound to have noticed it by now! Oh, Rangiku-san, what do I do!? I don't want things to get weird between us! And they're already starting to!"

"Well," Matsumoto began. "There's only really one thing that I can see that would make things awkward between you two. So, I've gotta ask: with as these new things you're noticing about Taichou, do you think that you might be starting to see him as more than just a childhood friend?"

I then felt my breath get caught in my throat. I didn't know if I was ready to hear you answer to that question just yet. Because, depending on your answer, I wasn't sure if my heart could take it.

And then, after what seemed like an eternity, you finally answered her question.

"I-I've always seen Hitsugaya-kun as an important friend… Someone who I could rely on and would always be there for me. I had never thought of him as anything more than that…" you replied, completely unaware of the sudden heartache your words had just caused in me. "But now…. I don't know. And that scares me."

"Well, Hinamori, I'm not too sure what to tell you" my lieutenant admitted. "I mean, I can't exactly tell you how you should feel; this is something you need to sort out for yourself. So, I guess, the only bit of advice I can give you is this: spend the next little while really thinking about how you feel about Taichou. Is he really just a friend to you? One that you could happily see someday married to someone else? Or is he someone you want to keep to yourself? Someone that you feel yourself starting to fall in love with?"

"Y-You're right. I'll try to… figure that out." you hesitantly replied. "Thanks, Rangiku-san. For hearing me out."

"Anytime, Hinamori." she answered, which was then followed by a sound that I could only assume was noise caused by her giving you a quick hug. "Feel free to come back to me anytime with any problems you've got. I'll always be here to listen."

I took this as my sign to move away from the door as I heard you thank Matsumoto once again before beginning to make your way out of the room. With my kido spells still in place, I remained unseen as you opened the door and walked right by me on your way back to your division.

Meanwhile, I was desperately trying to wrap my head around what you just confessed. You found me attractive…. Hot, even. And not just that. You were also now debating whether or not you had feelings that extended beyond friendship towards me. I just couldn't believe it. All this time, I thought it was hopeless. That there was no way you'd ever think of me that way….

But now, I starting to feel something I hadn't felt in a long time: hope. Hope that someday, you might actually feel the same way about me as I always felt about you.

"Taichou, I know you're standing there. You can drop the act now" Matsumoto suddenly blurted out, nearly shocking me enough to accidentally reveal myself. Maybe if I just don't reply, I thought silently to myself. She'll just think that she was mistaken and go back inside the office.

"And don't bother not replying" Matsumoto added, almost as though she could hear my thoughts. "You were due back from your meeting ten minutes ago. Now, drop the act or I'll start yelling about how you've been standing here the whole time. And a thousand yen says Hinamori is still close enough to hear me."

"...Fine." I finally answered as I cancelled the kido incantations that were keeping me hidden.

"Good, now let's go inside, shall we?" she ordered, almost as though she the captain and I was the lieutenant. But, nevertheless, I followed along and walked in the room with her right behind me.

Once we were settled in the room, it didn't take long for Matsumoto to start talking again. "So, Taichou," she began with a grin. "What are you gonna do?"

"...What am I going to do about what?" I coolly answered, trying desperately not to let Matsumoto read me like an open book.

"Oh, cut the crap, Taichou" my lieutenant bluntly replied, clearly irritated that I had even tried to deny that I knew what she meant. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Hinamori, the girl that you've been hopelessly in love with for years, is finally starting to see you as more than a friend! This is your chance! Your chance to finally show Hinamori that you're the guy she should be with! Oh, this is just so exciting!"

I said nothing in response as Matsumoto let out a pre-teen like squeal in her excitement. Despite the euphoria I was feeling, there was no way in hell I was going to mimic her behaviour.

"Oh, but Taichou, you better act fast" Matsumoto finally continued. "Your window of opportunity isn't going to last very long. Because, if Hinamori ends up deciding that she just sees you as a friend before you have a chance to make a move, then your chances of getting together with her are going to disappear. And there's no telling if you'll ever get another chance with her."

"Then are you suggesting that I should just go up to her and ask her out?" I asked after coming to the conclusion that she probably had a point about my window of opportunity being brief. As nervous as I was at the thought of it, I was determined that I'd be able to do it if it meant that I could be with you.

"God, no! Are you nuts!?" Matsumoto exclaimed, practically offended that I had even suggested that. "If you do that, you'll just scare her off! Weren't you listening? Hinamori said that she's not sure how she feels about you. So, if you suddenly go up to her and ask her out, you'll just make her even more confused! Plus, wouldn't you feel better if she came to love you on her own, and not because she felt like she had to because of your confession?"

"Okay, okay. You've made your point. I won't ask her out." I replied. "But, if not that, then what should I do? Or should I just leave her alone?"

"Oh you can't leave her alone!" she exclaimed once again. "If you leave her alone, you're risking her choosing to just stay friends. No, what you need to do is…." she then paused for a second, before a giant grin appeared on her face when she added "... seduce her."

"...Huh?" was all I could manage in response.

She wanted me to… seduce you? The mere thought of me coming up to you with some cheesy pick-up line was just ridiculous. How could I ever do that, considering how long we've known each other? All the things we had been through?

I remember thinking that she must have been out of her mind.

"Don't "huh?" me, Taichou!" Matsumoto replied. "If you want Hinamori to notice you, then you need to show her that there's something about you worth noticing. And the only way you can do that is by seducing her!"

"N-No way." I bluntly stated. "There's no way in hell I'm going up to Hinamori and pulling some cheesy pick-up line bullshit. No way."

"But Taichou!" my lieutenant pleaded. "If you don't, then you might never get another chance with her! Besides, there are other ways of seducing a girl than just hitting on her with pick-up lines!"

"Like what?" I asked. "What else would constitute as seducing someone?"

"Well," she began. "That all depends on the person. For some people, serenading them with music works great. Others, all you need to do is strike a sexy pose and wink."

"...Can you honestly picture me doing either of those things to Hinamori?" I countered.

Then, Matsumoto paused for a second before bursting out into a fit of laughter.

"Now I can!" she said between fits of laughter. "Oh, God, Taichou. As funny as that would be, I don't think either of those things would work well for you."

"No shit" I replied, still annoyed that she had even suggested that in the first place.

"But I still do stand by what I said before!" Matsumoto retaliated, now starting to regain her composure after her sudden fit of laughter. "The way you seduce someone all depends on the target. So I'm sure you'll eventually find the perfect way to seduce Hinamori! You are a prodigy, after all."

All I did was grunt in response. Taking this a sign that the conversation was now over, Matsumoto returned to her seat on the couch as we both decided to tackle the mountain of paperwork awaiting us. Although it didn't take long before she "had to use the washroom" and decided to take a five hour break while she was at it…. I swear, that women will be the death of me.

But, despite how frustrating she could be when it came to completing paperwork, I knew she had a point. If I wanted you to return my feelings, then I had to make you notice me. And the only way to do that was to… seduce you.

And we both know how well that turned out…

And there you have it! The 13th chapter of To Be With You!

This story is finally nearing it's end. Excluding this one, I plan on writing three more chapters (give or take).

And now you all have Hitsugaya's seduction techniques to look forward to in the next chapter! It'll be one hell of a chapter, I guarantee it.

Anyway, thanks once again for reading and reviewing! It means so much to get feedback from you all. And if you have any suggestions on how Hitsugaya should go about seducing Hinamori, feel free to let me know in a review! I have a few ideas, but I'm always open to new ones!

~H-Mira