Chapter 7: Romance?
Summary: My name is Kurosaki Karin. 17 months and some after my brother lost his powers I… died. After training so hard in almost two years to become stronger and protect my family back in Karakura, I needed to leave them after a freaking car accident. But I'm not worried. My life here in Soul Society just began. [HitsuxKarin]. Maybe I'll write stories for another partners, too.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tite Kubo's Bleach, and its characters.
We're now entering the Academy arc, and here are the list of teachers and the subject they're teaching:
Gengoro Onabara-Hakuda
Fujita Aoi-Hoho
Izuru Kira-Haiku
Ashikaga Yuuta-Kido
Higuchi Isamu-Zanjutsu
Kuchiki Byakuya-Calligraphy
Previously on Hitsugaya Karin…
Karin got out of the Academy early. She didn't go to her optional class anymore because the room was already packed when she got there. There were 32 students in Class 1, and there are more boys than girls. Who are those other girls? Karin shrugged and decided to sit in the stair steps where she sat the morning after her exam. But of course, she was bored easily. She got up and walked down the stairs. She bowed down in front of her, and started doing some karate moves, and after that was taekwondo, and then she mixed the two martial arts.
Toshiro arrived in front of the Academy, and was mesmerized as he watched Karin practice her moves. When the girl was done with her routine and bowed in front of her invisible foe, he smiled and called her. "Karin."
Rukia knocked on the Kurosaki's door, and moved away from it, to be safe. Like she thought, a figure of a man opened the door and welcomes the person outside with a kick. Isshin landed on nothing and the gravity starts to pull him down.
"Isshin-jisan, I'm not Ichigo." Rukia said.
Isshin looked at her and she readied herself for the fierce hug. "Oh, my third daughter is back! What a beautiful day today is! Now come in, third princess. Yuzu! Your Rukia-nee is here!"
Yuzu came out of the kitchen. "Rukia-nee, welcome back!" She went to hug the girl.
"Thank you, Yuzu. I have a surprise for you, but where is Ichigo?"
"Ahhh, I think his-" Yuzu tried to answer.
"I'm home!" Ichigo said. He dodged his father's attacked and smacked Isshin's head into the floor.
"Oh, my son, you passed! I don't have anything to teach you now." Isshin said.
Ichigo lifted his face and saw two females in front of him. "Rukia?"
"Hello, Ichigo."
Karin and Toshiro were walking towards the 10th Division. "Why are we going to your office again?"
Toshiro looked at the girl beside him. "Because I want you to know the way so that if you need something…"
"Wait, then why are we walking? I could shunpo, you know?" Karin smirked and tapped Toshiro on the shoulder. "Tag." And she use shunpo to get away from Toshiro.
Toshiro shook his head and starts to run after her. He caught up and pulled her to a stop. "Karin, you'll get lost if you do that. I… just want to talk while we're walking. Can't we do that instead?"
Karin looked at his eyes and nodded. "Wh-what do you want to talk about?"
"How's your first day?" Toshiro asked.
"You want to talk about that?" Karin answered. When he gave her the just-answer-the-question-look, Karin sighed. "It's beautiful. Very different from the Human World, but exciting. And it's a nightmare."
Toshiro frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Some of them doesn't want a Kurosaki on their midst. I think that they're attacking Nanami, too."
"… I'm going to tell your teachers about this." Toshiro's frown deepened.
"It's okay. Oh, right! Tomorrow, I'll be starting at the third year's zanjutsu class. Higuchi-sensei said that I'm too versed with the way of the sword to be with the first years."
Karin and Toshiro arrived in front of the 10th Division. "Congratulations." He looked in front of the Division. "We're here."
"Oh, okay. I… thank you for showing me the way. I-I guess I should be going." Karin looked at the place and turned back to the direction they came from.
Toshiro said after her. "Karin," She stopped. "Are you, by chance, trying to avoid me?" Karin stiffened. "I felt it a while ago, too, after the Assembly. Did I do something to upset you?"
"Y-you never came back." Karin said quietly after a long silence.
"What?"
"I said you never came back!" Karin looked at Toshiro. The pain in her eyes shocked Toshiro and he panicked when he saw tears flow down her cheeks. Karin never cry… She never did.
Karin chocked back her tears and continued. "You never…came back. I told you that we'll be playing soccer again, but you never came back. Grandma Haru and I waited for you…" Karin sobbed again. "We waited, Toshiro… A year after Ichi-nii came back without his powers, Haru-baachan got sick…her last wish was to see you before you send her here. I told Uruhara-san about her request, but… you never came. It was Afro-san who performed konso. Her strong desire to have her wish made her soul chained into the house… I convince her that she'll see you once she was sent and she agreed but she never saw you, right?"
Toshiro was silent. "I'm sorry. I was never send to Karakura again after the Winter War, and I… I'm sorry. It's my fault. Come on, I'll bring you home." He guided Karin by the elbow.
"That's it? That's the only thing you could say?" Karin angrily pushed Toshiro's hands away.
Toshiro looked at her painfully. "I don't know what to say! I'm sorry I'm an idiot! I'm sorry I didn't follow my heart's desire! I'm sorry I made you cry." Karin was surprised, but Toshiro continue. "You hated me, right? Don't worry, after this you won't see me again." Toshiro walked ahead of Karin to the West Gate's direction.
"W-wait Toshiro! Hey, what do you mean by heart's desire? And who said I hated you?"
Toshiro looked at her. "You don't?"
Karin's relieved that she can't see any sadness in his eyes anymore. "Baka! Of course I don't hate you! I just, you know, I'm just sulking because you didn't even think of me, ah… I mean us."
Toshiro smiled. "Karin, you're my heart's desire." He grinned when Karin looked at him like he's not there. "Tag." He used shunpo to get away from her.
"Toshirooo!"
"And that's it." Rukia finished, and then she sipped in the bowl containing Yuzu's delicious soup. She swallowed. "I came to invite you on the party Matsumoto and I are planning for Karin-chan's Nice To See You Again Party."
"Oh, Rukia-chan. We'll be definitely going. When is it? Where? I'll be using Uruhara-san's invention so that I could enter Soul Society, right? What should I wear?" Yuzu's questions were heard as she run upstairs to get her suitcase ready.
Isshin went to his wife's big poster. "Oh, my dear Masaki, our long lost daughter is found! I can't wait to see her! I'll be going now, sweetheart. Yuzu, wait for Daddy. He's going to get his suitcase ready too!"
"Midget, why are you throwing my sister a party with a weird name?" Ichigo asked Rukia.
"What did you say? It's a very nice title!" Rukia shouted indignantly before kicking Ichigo's shin under the table.
"Stupid Midget! Anyway, answer Yuzu's questions!"
Rukia looked at him, her mouth full with food again. She swallowed and drank water. "The party is on Saturday. It will be best if you come at Friday night or afternoon so that you'll get extra time with Karin before the party. And the party will be on the Kuchiki House. You could wear anything you want."
"Why does it have to be on your house? Did Byakuya agreed?" Ichigo scowled.
"Of course he agreed! And the Kuchiki house is the only place I know big enough for a private party!"
"Midget… Did you have any other reason of coming here?" Ichigo said at her with a hint of seduction that you wouldn't recognize if you don't know him really well.
Rukia blushed, but she answered. "I do actually. The Captain Commander ordered me to take your reports."
Isshin and Yuzu were eavesdropping. "Oh Yuzu, your brother is becoming a man!"
Ichigo's vein popped. "I'm already a man!"
"You two did it already?" Yuzu asked innocently.
Ichigo and Rukia blushed. "Rukia, let's go to my room. I'm going to show you the report, and I need to ask you about something."
Isshin ran I front of Masaki's poster again. "My love, our third daughter turned our only son into a man!"
"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled as he and Rukia entered his room. He rummaged through his study table looking for his Hollow Daily Journal. "Here it is. Rukia, I want to ask you something about that magazine the 9th division keeps on sending me."
Rukia received the notebook and starts to read it. "What about it?"
"Remember the time when you were telling me to kill some high-level Hollows because there's a price for each one? How does that works?" Ichigo asked as he watched his midget lie down his bed.
"Why? You want to order something? Just pick your choice and I'll tell the Division about it." Rukia concentrated on the notebook. This is one heck of a too much detail report.
Ichigo took the magazine where he circled the two sets of Chappy merchandise, and the other magazines, too. (A/N: The magazines are weekly.) "Do you think that those Hollows are enough so I could order what I want?" He flipped through the pages of the magazine, locating what he wants to see.
"Of course. You used an entire notebook to write a detailed report about the Hollow, and how you defeated them, and you even put down what you observed. You also put the date. I think you're already getting ready to become a Captain. Yamamoto-soutaicho will be happy." Rukia sat up and crossed her legs in front of her.
Ichigo look at her when he found what he's looking for. "Hn. Then midget, pick what you want between these two."
Rukia took the magazine from him and her tears welled up when she saw Two Chappy sets circled with red ink. She jumped Ichigo and hugged him tight. "Both of them, idiot!"
Nanami was eating in the dining room alone when she heard Karin's voice. "Come in Toshiro. I think Nanami already cooked. You can eat with us." Nanami got up and smiled when she saw Karin.
Karin told Nanami when they were having a lunch that Hitsugaya-taicho will be waiting for her so Nanami won't wait and go back home. " 'Nami, Toshiro will eat with us." Karin said, her cheeks tinge with pink.
"Okay. Hitsugaya-taicho, good evening." Nanami greeted the white-haired boy.
"Good evening." He answered. A blush crept up his neck because he know that Nanami's eyes is focused on his hand, the one that Karin is holding.
"Toshiro, it's this way." Karin pulled Toshiro into the dining room, and Nanami followed. She set up plates for the two teens who just arrived. (A/N: She still doesn't want Karin near the kitchen.)
"I'm sorry for coming here to eat suddenly." Toshiro told Karin's friend.
"As I said, it's okay, Hitsugaya-taicho. We never really have any visitors, you know? It's a nice change."
"She's right, Toshiro. Nanami's house are three bedrooms, one is a guestroom, but we never had any visitors." Karin added.
"Are you suggesting that I should stay for the night, Kurosaki?" Toshiro asked the girl.
Karin blushed, and Nanami grinned. "Oh, that's okay for me to!" She teased. "Anyway, Karin-chan, when I got home, I saw an envelope address to you. Let me get it." And she left the two alone.
Toshiro reached for Karin's hand, and her blushed deepened. "Are we going to tell them?" Karin asked.
Toshiro shook his head. "I guess we could tell your friend, but it's best if there are only a few people who knows. That way, you'll be safe in the Academy." Toshiro answered.
Nanami came and saw the holding hands before the two could let go of each other. "Here it is, Karin-chan." She gave Karin the envelope.
Karin opened it. " 'You are welcome to attend the Nice To See You Again Party for Kurosaki Karin on Saturday, seven o'clock in the afternoon, at the Kuchiki mansion. Bring your friend with you.' What the heck is this?"
Toshiro glanced at the invitation. "Matsumoto and Rukia were talking about giving you a party after the Assembly. They were planning on it when the Captain Commander asked all the Captains and Vice-Captains to attend a meeting. I guess Rukia hired an event planner to work with Matsumoto, because she was sent to the Living World to tell your family that you're found."
"Oh, Karin-san. You must go! It's a party for you. What sweet friends you have!" Nanami said. My baby sister became a big sister without me knowing. She's so grown up now, falling in love and such…
"You were invited, too, Nanami. It said on the invitation 'Bring your friend'." Karin said.
"Oh, then I'm happy to attend. W-wait… where is the place again?" Nanami asked.
"Kuchiki mansion. Dress in your best, Nanami-chan!" Karin grinned.
"Hmped! When Hitsugaya-taicho go back to his barracks, you need to tell me the whole story." Nanami said while looking at the two. Toshiro and Karin blushed again. Kuchiki mansion…
A/N: This is the second chapter of the day that I promised you. Anyway, I won't be posting chapters after chapters anymore because tomorrow is Monday here; it's my twin sister's turn for the computer.
Thank you again to these people: BloodyMe, NaLuNaruHinaluvr23, Libiky, Xingnai, Kagome Echizen Fan, henshin7, finchyyy, KumiTiny, rebel.17, ShadowWolf62400, cris08.1991, Dotted-Daffodil, KorPa, Meganlei, CalaverasandTattoos, Ziya Hitsugaya, ArtemisKirara7, CrazyMeowRager, Didd23, purpleswans, Mituni14.
KumiTiny: I laughed at your command, and I really tried to rest my eyes but it was just more than twenty minutes, then I ate dinner and wrote again. I hope that this chapter is satisfying and I'm not rushing into things.
Ziya Hitsugaya: Thank you very much. I hope you'll like this, too. The next chapter will be about the reunion and the party. Please wait 'til next time.
Also, nothing happened between Ichigo and Rukia… yet. Don't imagine anything weird. :)