Bleach does not belong to me. If it did, then Hitsu and Karin would already be together by now! Here's chapter 5!! Read, enjoy and review! ^_^

Chapter Five: Liking Someone?

Hitsugaya saw that the light was beginning to rise up from the darkness surrounding Karakura. He squinted his eyes slightly as he watched the brilliant light lit up the sky. He was solemn as he began to turn away. It's morning. Time to go.

He turned his head for just one second to let himself sneak a look through the window. And then Hitsugaya Toushirou left the Karakura household, his careful movement leaving only a flutter of Karin's bedroom window curtains.

---

Karin laughed and joked with her friends during lunch break. They always had a lot of fun, mainly playing soccer and sometimes deliberately making trouble for the entire school community, though more often the former rather than the latter.

Karin was smiling as she easily kicked the ball of one of the boys. She was heading over towards them when she heard two of the guys talking to each other quietly, both with frowns on their faces, and looking kind of annoyed.

"Honestly! What does he think he's doing?"

"Would he just stop looking at her already?"

"Seriously! He's like a stalker!!"

Karin blinked at her friends. "What's wrong?" she asked, frowning.

The two boys turned to her with frustration written all over their faces. They pointed to the figure in the distance and yelled simultaneously, "Kurosaki, would you please do something about this guy following you around?!?"

---

They had a point. Hitsugaya stared out at all of them from his spot on the school roof. His forehead screwed up delicately in annoyance. For crying out loud, that boy hiding behind that tree watching Karin was driving him crazy!

The boy seemed casual, looking over at Karin; seemingly so suave and sure of himself. Around him were a few other guys as well as a whole bunch of girls squealing over him. It wasn't hard to see that the boy was a popular one, king-of-the-school type student.

But this bothered Karin's group of friends, who didn't want anything to do with the other boy and his crowd.

Hitsugaya stayed quiet from above the school scene. He was faintly amused by whatever might be happening down there, but he kept frowning, for some reason… troubled.

Jun, the boy leaning against the tree stood suddenly and began to make his way across the soccer field, heading towards Karin and her friends. Following him was his long trail of faithful companions.

Karin's friends shot each other annoyed glances, whispering to each other over what they should do. Finally, one of the guys, Donny, grabbed Karin's arm and started to pull her away from the approaching crowd. The rest of Karin's friends left hurriedly with them.

Karin just looked confused and pissed off.

Suddenly, the boy named Jun called out to Karin's group and ran a few steps towards them. Karin's friends all scowled and shot death-glares at the boy. But Jun just smiled gently and charmingly, saying something and making motions with his hands.

Hitsugaya couldn't hear what the two groups were saying between them, but he guessed it all had something to do with Karin.

Hitsugaya's icy blue eyes looked down at the kids below him.

The boy with the charming smile. Jun. He likes her.

Karin's friends, sending death-glares. They hate his guts.

Karin, tapping her foot absentmindedly on the ground and with a scowl on her face. She couldn't care less.

Suddenly, Hitsugaya's heart began beating rapidly out of his chest. Frustrated he shook his head hard to snap out of it, the same time realizing that his face was getting warm. This is really bad… for some reason… I'm actually kinda relieved that Karin doesn't care about that guy.

He looked down at Jun, who was gazing somewhat longingly at Karin, while she and her friends left. But… I guess he really does like her.

---

"Oi!! Toushirou!!"

Hitsugaya looked down to the speaker standing in front of the Kurosaki house. He was sitting on the roof, enjoying the cool night air, and pondering about the random childish event that happened to Karin and her classmates today. He knew it wasn't any of his business, but it took his mind off his own problems.

"…hi Karin," he said emotionlessly.

He watched as Karin surveyed the roof and then ran around and managed to find a way to scramble up onto the roof. She cheerfully sat down beside her friend.

Karin looked around her at the darkened sky and felt the chilly air rush past her. She was quiet, looking thoughtful and then looked over at Hitsugaya.

He was very still and silent.

"…are you feeling okay, Toushirou?"

He didn't reply. He didn't feel too tired, he was actually okay. He didn't know how he appeared to Karin or anyone else, had no idea if he still looked like crap and was all bedraggled and weary-looking.

Just… thinking.

"…I saw you today at your school," he said suddenly.

Karin blinked in surprise. "Yeah?"

Hitsugaya stared out dully into the street. Then the corner of his mouth curled up into a teasing smirk. "Looks like you've become the object of someone's affections, Karin."

Karin scowled angrily, face turning red. "Give it a rest, will you? I've heard enough of it from everyone in my grade today, thanks!"

Hitsugaya's slight smirk stretched wider into a smile.

Karin continued frowning but looked with surprise at Hitsugaya.

He almost chuckled. "Well… just watching you and all your friends and classmates… behaving so light-heartedly and messing around without a care in the world… I'm a little envious, I guess."

"What?" Karin joked. "Do you like Jun now?"

Hitsugaya shot her a hideous look and she laughed.

"…I don't… want to like anyone for a long, long time to come," he murmured quietly.

"Well, me neither," said Karin, not looking at him.

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, having let such an unusual topic come up. Then Karin asked, honestly, "Have you ever liked someone before?"

Hitsugaya didn't answer her question. "Have you?"

Karin leant back and looked upwards at the dark blue sky above her. "No… I don't really get what the point of it is."

Hitsugaya smiled coldly. "Good. Keep it that way."

Karin raised her eyebrows quizzically, "What? Are you giving me advice as a wise old man or something?"

"Karin!" Hitsugaya snapped, "I'm being serious here!"

She was quiet for a moment and then grinning devilishly, went on, "Hey, you didn't answer my question before! Did you used to like someone?"

The temperature around them suddenly seemed to drop and the chill rushing past them made them both shiver a little.

He considered telling her. He considered not saying a thing. How was he meant to tell her anyway? Karin was so different from him; she saw things differently from him! Momo… the girl he'd done everything for… she was the one who tore him apart!

And Karin, who hadn't even figured out the "liking someone" thing, would never understand that a girl was the reason for his deterioration.

He sighed almost unnoticeably.

"Ya know, I'm sure there are people who are willing to listen if you really feel like spilling," He remembered Karin's words yesterday and her slight frown as she tried to hide the light redness in her cheeks for saying something slightly sentimental.

"…yeah. I… liked someone." He whispered.

But Karin didn't laugh or tease him about it. She herself was surprise that she didn't. Because, he was Hitsugaya, for crying out loud! He was the icy cold and always cool Tenth Captain! Surely, it was meant to be funny if he liked somebody!! But… she didn't pay him out for it.

'cause she could see the way his face fell slightly as he said it. And she heard the awkwardness of his voice as he said it. His voice was slightly hoarse and cracked slightly on the last syllable, and she knew that Hitsugaya was being serious and truthful to her for once.

And hadn't she once wanted to know about him? She'd wanted to know why he was in such a state and had to come here to ol' Karakura for recovery. Because she really… really… cared for him and wanted to know what was up.

Still… her face tightened and she felt almost repelled by him now. She was in shock. What? Are you serious?? The way he sounded so sad, the way his facial expressions dropped… You came all the way here to recover… the reason you're all depressed and weary and looking like crap… all of that… is because you LIKED someone?!?

Karin glared at nothing in particular as she shuddered. Hitsugaya looked at her, faintly amused.

She glowered at the darkness. "So… you liked someone and you got all depressed about it? If that's what happened, then I see even more reason not to understand this whole 'love' business. I don't… I don't wish to ever like somebody!" she said, eyes hardened and completely seriously.

"Heh," Hitsugaya sniggered. Then he looked out over into the street. "…nah, Karin… it… wasn't just 'cause of that."

His blue eyes tightened as he thought of that bastard Aizen who used Momo and manipulated her to his every whim. He wanted to swear as he remembered the way she still wanted to forgive him, still would love him even though he was so obviously evil and repulsive.

Karin shrugged as she continued frowning. "So… what actually happened?? If… it wasn't just 'cause of her…" she looked over at Hitsugaya with darkened eyes, "…what happened to you that put you in such a state?"

Hitsugaya didn't want to say anything else. "…Maybe I'll tell you some other time."

Karin wanted to whine about his stubbornness but didn't. She smiled lightly to herself when she was sure he wasn't watching. Even though… it was kinda strange what Hitsugaya had confessed to her today, even though she didn't entirely understand it and she still didn't really know what had happened to poor Toushirou… she was happy because he opened up to her, even though it was just a little.

"You know what I've decided, Toushirou?" Karin said, suddenly sitting up straighter.

"What?"

"I won't ever let myself fall in love with anyone!" she declared.

"Seriously?" he said dryly, "What about poor Jun?"

She pulled a face at him.

Hitsugaya wondered why inside, he felt a lot lighter. Even though he'd barely told her anything, he felt so much better, like at least he'd dropped some of the weights and secrets on his back.

He gazed over at Karin sitting beside him, who was trying to hide a yawn.

Hitsugaya said, "Karin, it's late and getting cold out here. Go to bed, okay?"

"I'm not tired!" Karin shot back.

"Yeah you are! And you're cold, aren't you?" Hitsugaya retorted.

Karin muttered under her breath as she slowly began to get to her feet.

Hitsugaya didn't take his eyes off her while she reluctantly climbed down from the rood and stood there on the ground, staring up at him.

"…where are you gonna go?" she muttered in annoyance, stifling another yawn.

"I'll be around here."

Karin flushed in embarrassment as she scuffed the top of her shoe against the ground. "Just don't… don't go too far away, 'kay?" she murmured.

He nodded silently, wide-eyed.

---

She walked around to her open bedroom window so she could sneak in without letting anyone else know she'd crept outside. And she paused there for a moment.

It was silent up on the roof. She glanced up for a second to see that Hitsugaya was not looking and then stepped back to gaze at him before going inside.

He sat there, in the same position as before, his arms rested on his knees, icy blue eyes raised up into the never-ending dark blue sky.

And Karin let herself watch him in silence. Suddenly, she felt the unfamiliar feeling in her stomach. It… kinda hurt. And she tore her eyes away from him, cursing at herself as she climbed inside her room. But even as she looked away, she felt her heart tear a little again.

Karin stood, her back to the open window, her eyes wide. She was horrified.

I know… I know that I just said I would never fall in love. I know that I've never liked anyone. I know that I never understood what it was all about… but…

I think… I'm just beginning to understand.

End Chapter Five!

I did it!! I can't believe I pulled it off! I had plans with Jun and how to incorporate him into this fic, but I wasn't so proud of that beginning section with Karin and her friends and his group. Still… this chapter turned out well by the end! So I'm very glad! ^_^ I hope you guys are happy with this as well! Please review! emichii