Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Bleach series in any way. All copyrights go to Tite Kubo. I do own is my OCs.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I would like to take the time to thank everyone who have read the previous chapter. Special thanks goes to IcySnappDragon, PhoenixSong4232, Melody of Peaches, and Ricktor705 who reviewed. Without further delay, here's the next chapter.
LEGEND
"Talking." "Thinking. / Dreaming. / Flash Back." Character Narration.
After Years Apart
Chapter Two: Under the Peach Tree
"What are you doing Shiro-chan?" Momo asked.
"My dad said that he's going to plant a tree here," the little boy replied.
"Really? What kind of tree is it?"
"Something called a peach tree."
"Wow, a fruit tree?! That's great! When it grows up a bit, it will be able to bear fruit."
"Yeah, and we could eat it."
"I know."
"But I still prefer watermelons."
"Mou, Shiro-chan. You're such a child."
"I am a child. I'm only three years old."
"Oh yeah..."
By the time the tree was planted, Momo came over to his house to help him water the plant. "We should name it."
"Name it? Why do we have to?" he asked.
"If you name your plants, it will grow big and strong someday. That's why."
"So, what do you think it should be called?"
"Let's call it Tobiume."
"Tobiume? It doesn't fly nor it is a plum tree Bed-Wetter Momo."
"Mou, don't call me that and the name doesn't matter. I think it sounds cool like your Hyorinmaru."
Looking down at the dragon plushy wrapped around his left arm, the boy smiled. "Fine, we'll name it Tobiume."
Hinamori stretched her arms into the air before she sat up in bed. "Why do I keep dreaming about him?" she wondered. "Who is he?"
It has been a few weeks since I first moved into Karakura Town. To be honest, I'm starting to like the place. It's a very interesting place to live in especially with all the friends I've befriended. Despite all that, I still miss my friends from America. I wonder how they are doing right now.
"Momo-chan, are you awake yet?" her mother called out.
"Hai! I'm awake!" she called out.
"There's guests here that has come to see you."
"Eh, guests?"
LIVING ROOM
"Good morning Hinamori-chan!" Matsumoto cheerfully said.
"Rangiku-san! Orihime-chan! What are you doing here?" Hinamori asked. "And how did you know I live here?"
"We have our sources. Anyway, we're here to take you to taicho's place!"
"Taicho's place? You mean Hitsugaya-kun's house?"
"Hai, that's right."
"Why are we going there?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
HITSUGAYA'S HOUSE
"EH?! THIS IS HITSUGAYA-KUN'S PLACE?!" Hinamori exclaimed.
"Yep!" Matsumoto happily replied as they entered the Hitsugaya residence.
"He lives right next door to mine!"
"Ah, you didn't notice?"
"No..."
"Well, I guess that's expected. Everyday, taicho always leaves the house early for soccer practice."
"Yo Rangiku-san! Everyone!" called out a voice to the side of them.
Turning to their left, they saw Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia joining them. "Ah, you guys. What are you doing here?" Hinamori asked.
"We got a call from Matsumoto, telling us to stop by at Hitsugaya-taicho's house," Rukia explained.
"Yep! That's right!" the strawberry orange haired student cheerfully replied. "I called Uryu, Sado, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shuhei, and Kira, but none of them were able to make it. They have their own matters to attend."
"Souka," Hinamori said.
"Why are you doing at my place?" a voice retorted.
"Ah, taicho!" Matsumoto exclaimed as everyone suddenly saw him leaning against the door frame of the front entrance to his house.
"Well, why are you doing here on a Saturday?"
"Isn't that easy? It's to pick the peaches from the tree!"
Instantly giving her his infamous glare, the white haired boy retorted, "Oi, that's not for picking."
"But taicho, the fruit will go bad! It's such a waste to leave it there. There's no point of having a peach tree in your yard when you're not going to eat it," Matsumoto pouted.
"It's not for any of you nor myself," Hitsugaya said as he turned around to enter the house. "It's her tree."
"Her tree?" Ichigo asked as they all followed right behind him. "Your mother's?"
"No Kurosaki."
"Not even your Obaa-san's?" Renji asked.
"That's not it. You don't know her. You never met her."
"I know, it's your girlfriend's!" Matsumoto exclaimed.
Suddenly half turning his body to face her, Hitsugaya gave her a glare. "She's not my girlfriend either. We're friends; close friends."
"Close friends? Tell us taicho, why is it her tree and not yours?"
"She's the one who named it."
"She gave this tree a name?" Orihime asked.
"Well, it makes sense," Rukia explained. "There is a saying that if you give your plants names, it will grow to be healthy. In a way, it's a sign of affection towards it."
"Hm, so this tree has some history," Hinamori said. "Hitsugaya-kun, what happened to her?"
"That's none of your business."
"Oi taicho! How mean of you to say that," Matsumoto said, "especially to Hinamori-chan!"
"Just leave me alone," Hitsugaya said as he entered the house.
"Oi Toshiro!" Kurosaki yelled.
"Shut up, you never asked permission to come here in the first place," Hitsugaya said before he closed the door behind him.
"Tch, you got him in a bad mood again Matsumoto," Renji said.
"Ah, I did?" Matsumoto asked.
Sighing with defeat, Ichigo said, "Well it doesn't matter, Toshiro's like that whenever we try to tap into his past. He's stubborn that way."
"His past?" Hinamori asked.
"Even though we're all friends, we didn't really get to know Toshiro personally. The only person that managed to get close to him is Rangiku-san."
"Ah, I see."
"But even if Hitsugaya-taicho's friends with her, he didn't open up that much."
"That's right," Ichigo said.
"I'm sure Toshiro-kun has his reasons for hiding stuff like that," Orihime said. "Besides we've only known him for about a year."
"You got a point there," Rukia agreed.
Putting his arms over his shoulders, Ichigo began to leave the premises, "Come on, let's go somewhere else to hang out. We wouldn't want Toshiro to get mad at us and call the police."
"Yeah," everyone agreed as they followed right behind him.
With Hinamori being the last one to leave, she turned stopped and looked back at Hitsugaya's house and the peach tree. "Oi Hinamori-chan!" Matsumoto called out. "Hurry up already!"
"Ah hai!" Hinamori called back as she left the house.
SUNSET
"Ah, this day has been a great day!" Matsumoto said as she and the rest of the group of friends were walking their way home together.
"Easy for you to say Rangiku-san, you took us to the sake bar," Ichigo said. "We're not old enough to drink."
"Ah, who cares? I look like an adult! So there's no need to worry, right Renji?"
"Tch, even he drank with her. Well, at least you two aren't drinking buddies like her and Kyoraku-sensei."
"Ah, here's the intersection," Orihime said.
"Well, it's time for all of us to leave," Rukia said.
"Hai, we'll see each other again soon," Matsumoto said. "Let's go Orihime-chan!"
"Ah hai, sayonara everyone!" Orihime said as they went their separate ways.
After waving her good bye, Rukia and Renji too soon went their own paths, leaving Hinamori and Ichigo to walk down the street on their own.
Passing by Ichigo's house, the two teenagers said their farewells and soon went their own way. A few minutes later, she went home. "I'm home Okaa-san! Oto-san!" Hinamori said as she was taking off her shoes in the front hall.
"Ah you're finally home Momo-chan," her mother said as she and her father joined her. "Don't take off your shoes just yet."
"Huh, why?"
"Our neighbour kindly invited us to dinner at their place at 7:00pm. So, we're going over there right now."
"Isn't it 6:00pm right now?"
"Yes, we could like to come over and help her make dinner."
"Oh..."
"In the meantime, why don't you use the time to get to know her grandson?"
"That's right, I heard he's a prodigy at the school you attend. Maybe he could help you with your homework sometimes," her father suggested.
"A prodigy, wait is the house we're going to is..."
HITSUGAYA'S HOUSE
"Ah, you came early," the elderly grandmother said.
"We're sorry to interrupt you, but we would like to help," Ms. Hinamori said as everyone took off their shoes and entered the house by wearing borrowed slippers.
"I knew it, it's Hitsugaya-kun's," Hinamori thought as she did the same.
"Oh you're so kind," Obaa-san said, "but it's not really necessary."
"Obaa-san, the food's ready," Hitsugaya said as he entered the hallway from the kitchen. "Oh, they already came."
"What great timing. I know it's a little early, but let's have dinner now while the food's hot," Obaa-san said.
"Hai..." the happy parents said.
LIVING ROOM
Sitting down around the large round table of food, they all sat, waiting for Obaa-san to be the first to eat. After using her chopsticks to pick out a freshly cooked shrimp from a plate, she placed it into her mouth and ate it. Feeling it's safe to eat now, everyone else started picking the food toppings and eating them with their cups of rice. "Mmm, it's so good," Mrs. Hinamori said.
"It's really delicious," Mr. Hinamori agreed.
"Mm, did you cook all this?"
"Oh no I didn't," Obaa-san said. "Toshiro did."
"Eh? Hitsugaya-kun did?!" Hinamori thought. "No wonder. He really is good at everything."
"Wow, you did Toshiro-kun? That's very nice of you to," Mrs. Hinamori said to the white haired teenager.
"It's really nothing," Hitsugaya replied. "I always cook dinner."
"Really? What a sweet and responsible child you are."
"He really is," Obaa-san said.
"Whenever he's around his friends, Hitsugaya-kun acts pretty cold. However, whenever he's at home, he's acts all nice and respectful," Hinamori thought.
DESSERT
"Oh wow, this ice cream cheesecake is so delicious!" Mrs. Hinamori said. "You really got to give me the recipe."
"There's no trick to it Mrs. Hinamori," Hitsugaya replied. "I just made it by following the instructions in a regular cook book and a few cooking techniques."
"Wow and you got it on your first try? No wonder you're a genius."
Hitsugaya sighed in defeat before picking up his empty plate of food and headed towards the kitchen sink.
"Oh Toshiro," Obaa-san said, "you're already done with dessert?"
"Yeah, I'm going to be outside, taking some fresh air," Hitsugaya said as he headed towards the front entrance.
"Ah Hitsugaya-kun," Hinamori said as she stood up. "I'll go with you!"
After watching the two teenagers leave the house, the adults turned to each other and continued with their conversation. "Those two are just so cute together," Mrs. Hinamori said.
"Yeah, but it's really unfortunate they don't remember each other," Mr. Hinamori said.
"It has been ten years. So it can't be helped."
"I'm sure Toshiro and Momo will remember each other soon enough," Obaa-san said. "Besides, Toshiro has been waiting for her to come back. Ever since you left, he's been taking care of the peach tree. So, I don't think he's going to ever forget about her. He may has forgotten her face and name, he's still doing all this. That is why he cares about her so much."
OUTSIDE
"Hitsugaya-kun," Hinamori said as she found him standing under the peach tree.
Walking up to the white haired teenager, she watched him touch the tree trunk with his hand. Sighing with defeat, he closed his eyes. He seems to be deep in thought. "Tobiume," Hitsugaya finally said.
"Eh?" Hinamori asked.
"She named this tree Tobiume."
"Tobiume?"
Turning his body around to face her, he opened his emerald-teal eyes and looked up at the peaches hanging in the trees. "Yes, she did."
"That's a nice name."
"Yeah, I know."
"So um about before, I'm sorry for getting into your personal bubble."
"It's okay. I should be the one to say sorry," Hitsugaya said. "She moved away when I was still three years old. She was my mother's friend's daughter. We were close friends."
"Souka?"
"Unfortunately, I don't remember her face or her name. I was very young that time."
"It can't be helped," Hinamori said. "I'm still very amazed to see you waiting for her return."
"I thought about giving up waiting," Hitsugaya said, "but who knows when she's going to come back. I want her to be the first to taste the peaches that grows from this tree."
"Ah I see. That's why you didn't want Rangiku-san or anyone else to pick it."
"It's selfish, I know."
"That's so sweet of you Hitsugaya-kun," Hinamori said.
"Tch, whatever..." replied the white haired boy.
Suddenly seeing him pick two peaches from the tree, he held one out in front of Hinamori. "Eh, what's this for Hitsugaya-kun?"
"Then again, she'll probably be mad at me for not sharing this fruit to everyone who wants to eat it," Hitsugaya said.
"For me?"
"Who else am I giving this to?"
Gratefully accepting it, Hinamori said, "Arigato Hitsugaya-kun."
With that said, the two teenagers took their first bites from their peach fruits. "Wow, it's so sweet!" Hinamori exclaimed.
"Yeah," Hitsugaya agreed. "But I prefer watermelons."
"Watermelons?" Hinamori said. "That sounds familiar. I feel like I heard this from somewhere. Oh well..."
For the rest of the night together, they stood under the fruit tree, Tobiume, eating peaches.
References (A/N: Hehe, I forgot to add it in the previous chapter.)
Hai - Yes
Taicho - Captain
Souka - Is that so
Obaa-san - Grandmother
Sayonara - Good bye
Oto-san - Father
Okaa-san - Mother
Arigato - Thank you
AznVKai: Well, now you know how Tobiume came to be and the link between the two loving teenagers. Aw, how cute can they be? xD Please R and R for this chapter! Thanks.
Chapter Three Preview: Sea Shore Memories
"When I was younger, I never really made a lot of friends. Even the adults have trouble being around me. It's probably the way I look. I'm probably the one of the only people who have natural white hair and emerald-teal eyes. There's also my personality; they always think I'm cold."
"I don't think you're like that at all Hitsugaya-kun. I really don't."
Giving her a small smile on his face, he looked up into the blue sky and said, "You're the second person aside from my family who said that."
"Really? Who's the first?"
"Her..."