Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach in any way! All copyrights of this series goes to Tite Kubo.
Author's Note: OMG, it's madness! Everything's plain chaotic in the manga! Gah! Anyway, special thanks goes to my wonderful reviewers: icyangel27, serenity095, AznInvasionGirl, Epoch95, KnowledgeandImagination, monkeywinz, cool! (x2), Neko-cheung, Pieps XD, applestoapples, WhitePrincessOfHope, MoonLightView, Kat, HiMeChAaAn, chococat450.
Message for Kat: Yeah, Part I is meant to be predictable. You know, Momo becomes Toshiro's savior and helps him recover. I promise you that Part II is going to be quite twisted. You'll understand after I post the later chapters of Hope and Friendship. (Yes, this is a spoiler for the rest of you. xD) In the meantime, just bear with me, okay? Thanks for your review!
Without any further adieu, here is chapter five. Enjoy!
LEGEND
"Talking." "Thinking." Voice Message from Toshiro's Older Sister, Miyuki Hitsugaya.
The Healing Heart
Part I - Hope and Friendship
Chapter Five: Promise Me
"I heard that you've been practicing how to walk again," Kira said.
Hinamori gave her classmate a nod of agreement. "Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of it."
"Then, it's safe to say that you're going to be discharged from the hospital very soon."
Upon hearing his comment, Hitsugaya took a glimpse at the two junior high school students before resuming his attention to looking at the photos stored in his cell phone. He has been keeping track to how long his friend Hinamori has stayed at the hospital. Today is marked to be her sixth day here. Considering her injury and how fast she is recovering, she will only need to stay for about one or two more days. After that, she can return to her family and her normal life as if being injured never happened in the first place. He stopped pressing the phone's buttons and lowered his head. It didn't bother whenever he saw healed patients leave. However, thinking about the raven haired girl leaving did. He wanted her to stay and continue to keep him company. "Unohana-sensei, Isane-san!"
Snapping back to reality, Toshiro raised his head and turned to see the doctor and nurse at Hinamori's bedside. "Sorry to interrupted your discussion," Retsu said. "I am just letting you know that you're healthy enough to leave tomorrow."
"Really?" Momo asked.
"That's great to hear!" Kira said as he turned to the younger teenager. "That means you're able to go back to school too!"
"You're right! I can't wait to see everyone again!"
"In that case, do you need some help packing your belongings?" Isane asked.
Hinamori shook her head. "I think I'm alright. Besides, I don't have many things here."
"Alright then."
Looking over to the side, Unohana noticed a familiar face she hasn't seen in a while: Toshiro's sad expression. Walking to his bedside, she asked, "Missing your family?"
He glanced at her before returning his attention to Momo. He mumbled, "Yes, but that's the least of my worries right now."
She then smiled, knowing the exact reason for being depressed. She placed a hand on his shoulder before rejoining the others on the opposite side of the room. "Isane, it is time to check up on the other patients."
Kotetsu nodded with agreement. "Hai, Unohana-sensei."
She turned her attention to Hinamori. "Your grandmother will be here tomorrow morning to check you out."
"Okay and thanks for everything," Momo said.
Retsu smiled. "It's no problem."
With that said, the doctor and nurse left the two roommates and visitor alone together. Kira placed a hand on his knee and stood up from his seat. "Well, it's about time for me to leave."
"Okay then."
"I'll see you at school in two days," Izuru said after picking up his school bag and headed towards the door.
With a wave of good bye, Hinamori said, "Ja ne, Kira-kun."
Once he is gone, the raven haired girl then focused on the white haired boy lying in bed beside her. He is still playing with the buttons on his silver cell phone.
"Hey, do you want to go outside?"
He took a short glance at her before he stared at the electronic device once more. "No..."
"Oh..." She took a moment to think. "How about the cafeteria?"
"No..."
"Okay, um...how about the movie room?"
"No, I don't want to go anywhere."
"What's wrong Shiro-chan?" Momo asked. "You weren't acting like this earlier. What's bothering you?"
Hitsugaya raised his head to see her again and replied, "For your information Bed-Wetter, there's nothing bothering me. I just want to stay here, that's all."
For a few moments, they were silent. "Is it about your family?"
He shot her a glare, but it didn't take long for him to change his expression. Slowly turning his head to the side, he quietly replied, "No, it's about...you."
Momo blinked with slight confusion. Raising a finger up, she pointed at herself. "Me? Did I do something to make you upset? I'm sorry."
"It's not it; it's just...you're leaving tomorrow."
Upon hearing that comment, the peach girl began wondering. "Hitsugaya-kun, by any chance, do you not wish for me to leave?"
One look at the older girl, he admitted, "I do, but...I know I can't do that to you. I can't take you away from your family and friends."
This is the first time she heard him express such feelings to her. From the slight desperation from his voice, she couldn't help, but think of him to be quite lonely and vulnerable. "He definitely sees me as an important friend," she thought. "He doesn't want to be experiencing any hardships anymore."
She then let out a soft smile and held out her right little finger. The rest of her fingertips are curled into the palm of her hand.
"Then, let's make a promise."
Hitsugaya blinked. "A promise?"
She nodded with agreement. "Yes, now give me your pinky."
Despite having doubts in his mind, he did as he was told. Toshiro extended his right little finger out and crossed it with hers. As the fingers are hooked together, Momo said, "I promise to visit you whenever I have the time. I will also promise to do this until the day you leave the hospital. Now, it's your turn to hold your side of the bargain."
He adverted his gaze away for a moment, contemplating whether to go along with this or not. Eventually, he brushed the thought away from his mind, looked up at her, and replied, "Um...I promise to concentrate on recovering from all my injuries. Also, I promise to...not cause anymore trouble for Doctor Unohana and Kotetsu."
Hinamori smiled and let go of her little finger from his. "There, does that make you happier now?"
Once more, he looked away. "I guess..."
"Now let's not worry about tomorrow and have fun for the rest of the day, okay?"
Toshiro slowly nodded with agreement.
"Good, now let's play some video games!"
With that said, the peach girl left her bed and carefully walked her way towards the television. In the meantime, Toshiro picked up the remote control from the side table and pointed the sensor at the electronic box. With a press of a button, he turned the television on. After he finished changing the settings to video mode, Hinamori turned on the game console. Once she returned to her bed, she gave on of her picked up controllers to Hitsugaya to use. A grin suddenly appeared on his face. "Get ready to lose again, Bed-Wetter Momo."
"Oh, enough with the Bed-Wetter nickname. I don't like it."
"Then stop calling me Shiro-chan and I'll reconsider."
"What? No! I like the name," Momo replied.
"In that case, expect me to continue calling you that in the later days to come."
"Mou..."
I know it's hard to say good bye to someone you care about. I've been there before. You know what I would do? I would not say it at all! Yeah, you must be wondering why; so, I'll tell you the reason, my cute little brother. I don't say good bye because I am already looking forward to meeting them again somewhere in the future.
He pressed two more buttons on his silver cell phone, allowing another voice message to be played.
Hey Toshiro, can you please do me a favour and buy today's groceries for me? I totally forgot I had soccer practice after school. Thanks, I owe you big time! I promise to owe you back later!
With a single finger, he closed his small electronic device and placed it on his lap. Today is the day where Momo Hinamori leaves Seireitei Hospital as a fully recovered and healthy girl. He heard the sound of the washroom door opening. Placing his hands on the wheel handle bars, he turned his chair around to see his roommate all dressed in a green collar T-shirt and blue caprices pants. To complete her outfit, she had her hair tied up in her usual pigtails and wore a pair of brown strapped sandals. "Well, I'm ready to go. Are you going to see me off, Hitsugaya-kun?"
He folded his arms over his chest and gave her a stern look on his face. "No, why should I do that?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know; it's because we're friends?"
Appearing unconvinced, she walked up to him and bent down. Once she is in the same level as him, Momo said, "You just have to patient. In the meantime, why don't you keep yourself busy? You can always read a book, make new friends, or even take walks in the garden outside. Those are fun things to do."
Hitsugaya didn't answer. Trying to come up with a way to cheer him up, Hinamori took a moment to think. All of a sudden, she came up with an idea. As the white haired boy watched the raven haired girl put her hands on the back of her neck, she began detaching the connector to her necklace. While holding it out in front of him, she instructed him to hold out his hands together.
Doing as he was told, Toshiro held out the palm of his hands out together for Momo to see. She then placed the necklace on it. He looked down and began studying the piece of jewelery. It is a silver necklace with a locket attached. Raising his head, he asked, "What is this?"
"This is a precious item I always carry around. My grandmother gave it to me a few years ago."
He took a moment to press the button on the side with his thumb. Once it opened, he saw two small photographs inside. One of them is a picture of a young woman with raven coloured hair and soft blue eyes while the other is a picture of a man with black hair and brown eyes. "Are these your parents?"
She nodded with agreement. "Yeah, they are my parents. Well, that's what Obaa-san told me. They passed away when I was about five years old. It's because of illness."
Toshiro didn't know what to say. Even someone like her has her own days of feeling sorrow and pain. What fascinated him is the way she managed to smile and laugh despite all that. "I-I'm sorry for bringing it up."
She gave him a faint smile. "It's alright; I was too young to understand what has been going on at the time."
"Oh..."
Hinamori looked over to the side to check the time on the clock. "It's about time for Obaa-san to arrive. I better go see her in the lobby."
Picking up her bag from the floor, she headed towards the door. Realizing he still has her necklace in his possession, he called out, "Hinamori, your necklace!"
Upon hearing his voice, she stopped and glanced back. She gave him a small smile. "You hold onto for a while. It will give me another reason to come back and see you."
Before long the peach girl left the room, leaving the eleven year old boy alone. After a few seconds, he suddenly felt awkward to be the only person occupying the room once more. Her presence really did have taken a toll on him. To get his mind off of thinking about being lonely again, he turned his wheelchair around to move up to the window. After taking a glance at the scenery, he looked down at the hospital entrance and waited.
During this time, Unohana and Isane came into the room, ready to give Hitsugaya his daily check up. "Ohayo, it's time to for a check up," Kotetsu said.
He didn't move a muscle.
"Hitsugaya?" She and her superior approached the white haired boy. "What are you doing?"
All of a sudden, Toshiro leaned closer and placed a hand on the glass. Taking a look at what caught his attention, they saw their patient, Momo leaving the hospital grounds with her grandmother. Unohana smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "She'll come back to visit you. That's what she said to us before she left."
Hitsugaya held out his left hand and glanced down to see the necklace she left behind. Letting out a faint smile, he closed the palm of his hand and put Hinamori's precious item into the safety of his chest pocket. Just as his sister would, he will look forward to seeing Momo again sometime in the near future.
"Are you ready now?"
With one look at his doctor and nurse, he replied, "Yes."
Japanese Word Translations
Sensei - Teacher/Doctor, Hai - Yes, Ja ne - Good Bye (informal/casual), Obaa-san - Grandmother, Ohayo - Good Morning
Author's Note: And there Momo goes, leaving Toshiro alone in the hospital on his own. But don't worry, she'll come back just as she promised. xD Find out what happens next in chapter six! In the meantime, please review! Thanks.