Chapter 8

The Promise

The sun is up for the morning sky, streets are getting busy by people going to work, school, or personal trips. Another day in the office, another day of work, but no one expected what they will see at their arrival on the 'Hitsugaya's Team office'. A certain table at the side of the one-way mirror of Toushirou's office, opposite to Rangiku's table (Karin's table in other words), are full of different style of bouquets of different flowers.

Upon Karin's arrival at the office she is bombarded by questions about the flowers, namely by Meg and Rangiku. Karin only gave them a surprised expression, since she also does not know who it from, and for what reason is.

"Come on Karin-chan, tell us who is it from" Rangiku, kept asking, while admiring the flowers: its design and number.

"I don't know, see I'm looking for the card" Karin said while busy admiring also her flowers and looking for a certain card that hopefully will provide the answers on there questions.

"I'll help you look for it but,

Girl, tell me the details" Meg said helping Karin on her task

"Yah, me too" Rangiku said, also helping

"Fine, if I know what to really tell you" Karin murmured still on her task

Their other co-workers who have arrived already, and just arrived at the office only gave them a look, of either interest or blank. After a 3 minutes looking for every bouquet, they finally found the card.

"Here, found it" Karin said excitedly

"Really?!!

Read it!!" Rangiku and Meg said in unison, both are also excited.

The card says:

Karin

Hope you arrive at Tokyo safely, I miss you already

Please accept my little gift for you….

Ryuu

P.S.

Remember what you promised me…hehehe ^_^

"Oh my God!!!" Rangiku and Meg said again in unison, while Karin is reading the card again, thinking if she read it correctly and remembering the purpose of the flowers.

"Karin, who is he???" Rangiku said, poking Karin, and let her out of her 'little world'

"Huh??"

"The Ryuu, guy, who is he" Meg said teasingly

"Oh, Ryuu, he's just a friend from Sapporo" Karin answered

"Just a friend?

No way, with these flowers,

He's certainly not just a friend" Rangiku said interrogating Karin

"No, believe me he's just a friend, no more no less" Karin explained

"Then what does he mean, by your promise to him?" Meg said imitating Rangiku's interrogating tone.

Karin sweat dropped at the determined faces of the two. "It's a promise we had at the Sapporo about something I can't tell"

"Why can't you tell?" The other two women again said in unison, still using the interrogating tone, but now with the hint of a pout on their faces.

"What is going on here?" Toushirou's voice suddenly heard beside Rangiku. He just arrived at the office, and confused of what the three girls are talking about.

"Oh, Hitsugaya-san Good Morning" The three girls said, acknowledging his arrival, though Karin only said the Good Morning since she's still startled of his sudden arrival at their back (A/N: They are in circles Rangiku beside Karin then Meg in front facing the doorway, though she's busy interrogating Karin, so she did not see Toushirou coming).

Toushirou just merely nodded to them, acknowledging their greeting and the nod also means, 'Good Morning too'. When the three girls still not answering about what is the commotion about, he just raised his eyebrows, and narrowed his eyes on the flowers when he finally noticed it. The three girls followed his gaze and already got the message he is trying to say.

"Ahmm, someone sent Karin-chan flowers" Meg said, trying to explain the certain situation they have.

"Really, I can see that now" he said sarcastically

"Ahmm, yes, it's from Karin-chan's friend, we are just happy for her" Rangiku explained

"from who?" he asked directly to Karin

"ah,,. From Ryuu" Karin finally entered the conversation

"Ryuu, ???

as in Ryuu, my stupid cousin?" He asked he sent her these many flowers????

"Yup" Karin said

"As expected for a show-off guy" he murmured though the three girls heard

"Anyways, get back to your supposed work" he added and left for his office. The three girls just stand there confused of his reaction.

Toushirou's POV

What is with that guy, thinking about giving or more likely sent her those many bouquets, especially delivered here in the office. Stupid him, always like showing-off, and what is with her dreamy look (A/N: Actually she was just thinking happily about the flowers and there promise, not dreamy like lovers –hint-), as if they are like lost lovers or something…And why am I thinking this, reacting like I'm jealous, I'm not jealous right?? I'm not, It's just that I care for her, just like I care for my other friends right?? Why am I doubting myself now?

No, I only care and not that I like her.

"Sometimes you need to realize and admit the feelings that are already building up and swallow your pride, or the time will come that she will be stolen by somebody else, and your chance will be over" Ryuu said on no one in particular.

Damn him and now why am I remembering his stupid words. Damn it.

.

Karin's POV

What a guy, trying to bribe me with flowers. Anyways it's not that I'll be affected, now I need to do the plans, though can't he just do it alone, fly here and court her personally. Though I like my role being the bridge between those two, it's tiring, and makes misunderstanding, just like earlier, it almost look like I'm the girl he is suppose to court.

And looks like Ryuu did not even change a bit since college; he is still a show-off guy.

Flashback

This is the time when Ryuu asked Karin for a private conversation.

"Hey, what do you want to talk about?" Karin asked

"Ahmm, its that..ahmm" Ryuu said nervously, not knowing where to start

"Come on say it..

Is it about Yuzu?" Karin asked knowing already why he is like that because only Yuzu make him like that.

"Ahmm, you got it right"

"So?"

"Is she still single?"

"What a direct question"

"Hey, you said I need to be one,

Come on tell me?" He said awkwardly

"You still like her?"

"Huh…o-of c-course,

You know she's m-my first l-love"

"Then why didn't you contact her for past 4 years?" Karin asked with a hint of irritation in tone, she's an overprotective sister sometimes.

"I can't,..

Because I don't know when will I come back…

I-I don't want her to wait me that long" Ryuu explained looking at the ground clearly embarrassed of what he is saying.

"Really?

And now you want her back?"

"Yes , If I still have a chance to have her back, I have been looking for her since I arrive in Japan that would be almost nine months already, I actually tried to asked to your father but, before I do that, I heard the two of you moved to Tokyo for work"

"That's all you do for looking for her?" Karin said clearly not satisfied

"No, I looked for her at Tokyo asked different hospitals, since she is a nursing student, but I can't find her, and also I was called back here at Sapporo to help in handling my family business, 'cause father became ill and mother is you know dead already." He explained further.

"Hmm" she said does not know what to say for the man, since she knows and understand what he means.

"I was practically happy, when we met at Toushirou's house thinking may be you can help, please, you're the first person and only person who knows how much I love your sister, please help me" He beg?? He's almost at knees already

"Why would I do it?" Karin said with a defensive tone for her sister, but also because he actually wants to help him, since Yuzu still loves him, and waiting for him to come back.

"Ahmm, because

You can't bear to see me act like this" he said with a smile already knowing that she will help him.

"Hahaha, Whatever, now I remember your different eccentric, but romantic ideas before"

"Heh??"

"Yup, when you asked for almost all of the class in the Nursing building in college for them to help you on your plan of serenade with piano and singing effect to ask her to be your girlfriend, or when you, you can say shouted from the rooftop that you love her so much, and you're sorry, when the two of you had you're first lover's spat..hehehehe"

"You still, remember that,

See, I'm really getting mushy, when it comes to your sister"

"Yeah, where is the over-confident, show-off and everything-is-for-fun Ryuuji, that most people know"

"Hey, are you going to help me or not"

"Yah, I'll help you, but the main decision is on Yuzu"

"Thank you so much" Ryuu said happily and hugged Karin

"Yah, whatever" Kari just giggled at his behaviour

"I'll send you flowers everyday when you get back to Tokyo, as a thank you, you love those bouquets at the Flower shop near your university right?"

"Eh,, no need Yuzu might think I'm the one your courting not her"

"I insist, it will be just like in college when I ask you a favour"

"Fine, can't argue with you anyways"

"Promise me you'll help me ok"

"Yah, promise, you sound chessy you now" And they just laughed and planned there course of action when Karin go back to Tokyo.

Ryuuji and Yuzu were actually lovers when they were in college since their universities are sister schools and walking distance from each other. But due to family circumstances Ryuu was forced to attend or continue his college course at US and thus leaving Yuzu, but since Ryuu does not know if there is still a possibility for him to come back, so he broke up with her, to set her free, and for her to have a chance to fall for other guys besides him. Karin is you can say Ryuu's side-kick when it come to making her sister happy, but also she is extremely angry at him when he left. All the years Ryuu had been gone, Yuzu still loves him and waits for him, and Karin can feel and see it, even if she denies it, thus making her agree on helping Ryuu win her back. It is for her sister's happiness

End of Flashback

Hope you like the chap..This is actually for confirming things

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