Hiya all!! Thanks for all your comments and reviews! They make me so happy!! ^_^ Well, you should all know that this fanfic was planned to be a short one. So here we go, chapter 4- the second-last chappie of Moron!!

Enjoy!! Don't forget to review!!

Chapter Four: The Truth…

"Hey… hey, Karin?"

Ichigo scowled at Karin's closed bedroom door and then went on, and opened it, pushing the door open with a bang.

Karin looked shocked as she stared at her brother. She growled with annoyance. "Whatever happened to knocking?"

Ichigo shrugged as he stood in the doorway. "Yeah, yeah." His face turned apologetic for a moment as he asked, "Do you and Yuzu mind going down to Urahara Shoten for me today?"

Karin stared at him. "It's the weekend, Ichi-nii!! Why can't you do it?"

Ichigo retorted: "I've got to finish this friggin' assignment that was meant to be handed in yesterday, but I didn't get to even start it 'cause I've been busy killing Hollows!!"

Karin sighed and Ichigo lightly tossed her a piece of paper before turning to leave. "Just do me a favour and get this stuff for me and Rukia, all right?"

Karin kept her complaints to herself as she grumpily kicked her soccer ball into a corner of her room and headed downstairs to find Yuzu.

---

Jinta Hanakari was pacing back and forth in front of Urahara's shop, brandishing a broom, supposedly sweeping up. Beside him, Ururu was wondering at his funny behaviour.

"Jinta, why aren't you sweeping?" she pointed at the untidy leaves all over the ground.

Jinta scowled. "DUH, stupid cockroach-head!! I have to leave it so that I look like I'm busy when Kurosaki comes over!"

Ururu thought of the girl Jinta was talking about. "Wow, Jinta, you really like Kurosaki-san, don't you?"

Jinta hid his blush and began to sweep at invisible leaves. "Aw, shut up, dumbass!! So she hasn't come over in a couple of days, that's why I wanna be sure to see her when she comes!"

Hitsugaya was sitting on the roof of the shop for unknown reasons and his crystal blue-green eyes hardened at the conversation he had overheard.

---

Karin looked like she was going to a funeral as she arrived at the shop. It wasn't like she had anything particularly against it; Urahara and the shop were just plain weird. And although she and Jinta were actually pretty good friends; they both did a great job at arguing and acting like real enemies.

Jinta felt a tremor of excitement as he heard the footsteps draw closer. His heart began to race as he waited for his expected guest.

Karin stomped over to Jinta and the two equally unmannered kids glared at each other.

Jinta spoke. "Oh. It's you, Karin."

Karin blinked and then her mouth curved into a smirk. "Disappointed, Jinta? Who were ya expecting?"

"…no-one." He muttered.

Karin pulled a face, as she retrieved the slip of paper from her pocket. "Eh. I got some orders to fill for Ichi-nii, Jinta."

The two walked into the store together, talking between themselves and Hitsugaya watched, unseen. He was in his gigai, but unnoticed as he stood carefully away from anyone's line of sight. He found himself gritting his teeth as he watched the two.

Hitsugaya breathed in and out deeply and shook his head. Crap, this was ridiculous. Yet he continued glaring ferociously at the back of the red-haired kid who couldn't even see him. He was jealous!!

He carefully considered the idea in his head. Well, it wasn't like the two of them were going out or anything, but they were obviously closer than they seemed, despite the constant bickering and scowling at each other.

He was pained and annoyed, and it wasn't even like he had a real reason to be. Gahh!! Hitsugaya growled at himself as he crossed his arms, angry.

He had overheard Jinta and Ururu before and now worried thoughts crossed his mind. Crap, if Jinta also liked Karin, then he'd be in a bit of trouble. He liked Karin himself, and he… obviously he wanted her to himself. He couldn't… couldn't stand the thought of Jinta being with her and he found himself bristling with envy.

Hitsugaya felt his shoulders droop as he thought with disappointment at his attempt to reveal his feelings to Karin yesterday and how miserably it had turned out. He glanced worriedly at Urahara Shoten, and sighed lightly. Dammit, he couldn't let this go on much longer! He had to tell her, and get to her fast!

He couldn't stop the contempt in his eyes as he headed towards the door. Man, if Jinta dares to make a move before he does…

---

Karin was in another room with Ururu, searching for a Chappy gikongan thing while Jinta waited in the main room of the store. He sighed to himself, very much like a kid in love as he looked forlornly up at the clock on the wall and then gazed out the front door of the shop wistfully.

Somewhat disappointed, he headed to the large double doors and slid them shut. He turned around and almost fainted.

A soul reaper captain was standing there with the most furious glare Jinta had ever seen. Jinta swore he could see hate waves or something similar floating from Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya glared at him with his icy cold eyes, "Hanakari…" he started.

Jinta was freaked out. "C-Captain Hitsugaya?"

"I heard you talking about Kurosaki before…" his voice was stern and dripping with contempt.

"Yeah?" Jinta murmured, "What about it?"

Hitsugaya fumed as his face began to burn bright red with embarrassment. He had to tear his eyes away from Jinta as he muttered self-consciously at the floor: "You and Karin…"

Jinta's face changed from fear and confusion to something like amusement. "What are you talking about…?"

Hitsugaya snapped as he lost to childish jealousy. He stepped up to Jinta and practically grabbed him by the collar. "What's going on between you and Karin?? Dammit, tell me you're not interested in her, because I won't friggin' let you lay a finger on her!!"

Jinta blinked in confusion a couple of times and then to Hitsugaya's horror, let out a snort of laughter. He stepped back from the humiliated captain and cracked up into chortles of laughter.

Accompanying Jinta's laughing were footsteps coming down the hallway. Karin and Ururu appeared, their eyes both wide open.

"Huh? Toushirou??" Karin wondered.

Hitsugaya didn't know whether to look sheepish or cry and run off.

Jinta turned and caught Karin's eye and then turned back to Hitsugaya, shrugging his shoulders and with a look of disbelief on his face. "Look, there's nothing going on between me and Karin, okay?"

He paused and then added slyly, "What, Captain Hitsugaya? Are you jealous or something??"

Hitsugaya was so embarrassed. And Karin was standing there, staring at him wide-eyed, completely confused. Dammit!! He had to be cool and composed, right? So how had this bratty red-haired kid gotten the best of him?? ARGH!!

"Toushi-" Karin started and was promptly interrupted by a knock on the door.

Everyone turned to watch as Jinta slid open the door and was greeted by his goddess.

Yuzu Kurosaki stood on the doorstep, beaming her beautiful smile. Jinta stared gobsmacked at her, frozen.

"Good afternoon, Hanakari! I was meant to come here with Karin, but I was busy so I had to come a bit later," Yuzu smiled.

"Oh… K-Kurosaki… hi…" Jinta stuttered, his face blushing deep pink.

The other three watched as Jinta immediately became a blithering idiot in the presence of Yuzu.

Hitsugaya couldn't believe how stupid he had been!! Jinta was obviously crazy about this Kurosaki girl! It hadn't been Karin! He glanced quickly at her and was unsure whether he was more relieved or embarrassed about his misunderstanding.

"So, Toushirou," Karin asked as she headed towards Hitsugaya. Her tone was puzzled as she wondered, "Why are you here?"

Seeing her cluelessness and Jinta's stupidity in front of Yuzu made Hitsugaya screw up his face in irritation. He was so embarrassed and his face burned. He looked at Karin and then turned to leave. "F-Forget it!!"

He rushed past the awkwardly flustered Jinta and Yuzu standing in the doorway, and quickly disappeared outside.

Karin stood there, completely confused. And Ururu, standing beside her also had no idea what had happened.

---

Man, Toushirou, why did you just run off like that today? Karin grumbled as she absent-mindedly kicked the ball at her feet while sitting down on her bed.

It was late and the sky outside was darkening as Karin sighed, playing around with her soccer ball.

Sighing, she flopped down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Wonder what had Toushirou so flustered?

She thought of Ururu standing beside her and then the short, black-haired human girl Hitsugaya liked. But… it wasn't her, was it?

Karin frowned as she settled down deeper into her bed, swinging her legs up into the air and looking at her feet against the ceiling high above it.

"She… she has black hair…"

Karin absently scratched her head as she thought, loose strands of her short black hair falling down over her face.

"She's not a soul reaper. She's a human."

Karin thought hard. She tried to remember the things he had said, as well as the things others had said.

"Oh!! Thaaatt… Gosh, Karin, don't tell me you don't know!! It's pretty obvious!!"

What was so obvious? Karin frowned.

"You said that I was a distraction. Do I… really distract you that much?" She recalled his insistent face, the way his voice was soft and gentle. She pictured the way his normally piercing cold eyes watched her.

She froze for a second.

"Look, there's nothing going on between me and Karin, okay? …What, Captain Hitsugaya? Are you jealous or something??"

"Are you… jealous or something?" Karin blinked as her mind suddenly kicked into action, bringing in bits and pieces of evidence.

"So who is it that you like so much anyway?"

"Wh…what the hell is wrong with your head, baka?!?"

His face then had been uncomfortable and embarrassed, somehow similar to Jinta when he was stuttering around Yuzu.

"He's completely head over heels."

"Listen to me, Karin!! Will you bloody give up guessing already?? I'm telling you right now; the person I like is y-"

"Tell you what else, this girl I like… she's an idiot. She's really, really stupid."

Karin was startled. Her eyes opened wide and she sat up straight as she put together the pieces, her heart beating crazily out of control.

"Baka."

Hitsugaya's face then, as he gazed at her; his face a mixture of frustration and… and… endearment?

"How could you even suggest that?? What part of human, black-haired and shorter than me did you not get?!?"

She suddenly lowered her face to the ground, seeing the way her short black hair fell forward, knowing full well her height and knowing just how human she was.

"She's really, really stupid."

Karin realized that her hands were clenched tightly into fists as she stared wide-eyed in realization.

That time yesterday, what he had been trying to say before they were interrupted…

"I'm telling you right now; the person I like is y-"

…You.

Karin's face was pale and she didn't understand at all what was going on inside her, the way her heart was beating faster and faster. And what was this? Was her face… heating up?

"T-Toushirou…" she muttered to herself. "No way…"

"Baka."

"It's me?!?"

Heh. To be continued!! Next chapter will be the last one! Please review everybody!! emichii! ^_^