Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach in any way! All copyrights of this series goes to Tite Kubo.

Author's Note: Special thanks goes to my awesome reviewers: tanithhh, icyangel27, j cloud xD, becomeafan, yumi-2121331, miniaturebuddy, AznInvasionGirl, Epoch95, King of Heroes, MoonLightView, Samantha, chococat450, KnowledgeandImagination, monkeywinz, lil'sayuri-chan, cool!, TheyAreNext-Uwthree, applestoapples, michiHitsugaya, SMILES208, Neko-cheung, Kaye. Shirogane, athfdrizzle, Lil'EyeCandy, serenity095. Now, your questions about Toshiro's current situation will finally be answered in chapter fourteen of The Healing Heart. Enjoy!

LEGEND

"Talking." "Thinking." Voice Message from Miyuki Hitsugaya.

The Healing Heart

Part II - Hardships and Love

Chapter Fourteen: The Background Story

"You work here?"

Feeling the faint blush on his cheeks, Hitsugaya advert his gaze from Hinamori. He didn't want anyone to find out, but unfortunately, someone already did. Out of all people, it had to be his former roommate from Seireitei Hospital. "Um...yeah, I am."

"I see." She let out a smile. "I'm quite surprised to see you here. Is it for job experience?"

"Something like that..." There is a brief moment of awkward silence. "Anyway, what will you order?"

"Oh yeah, a cup of green tea."

"Alright, I'll be right back." As he is walking away, he bit the bottom of his lip. He is getting that uneasy feeling in his stomach again after not telling her the full story. "Damn it..."

While she is waiting for her order, Hinamori watched the white haired teenager making her green tea. Seeing him working here gave her one more reason to believe that he has grown over the years. "It's good to see that you're doing well, Shiro-chan."

By the time he returned, Toshiro placed her tea cup in front of her which soon followed by a small plate of strawberry shortcake with a fork.

"Hitsugaya-kun, I didn't order this."

"I know you didn't order it," he replied. "It's on the house."

"Are you sure doing this is alright?"

He then gave her a stern look. "What is there to complain when you're getting something for free?"

"I see...um, thanks." Picking up her fork, the raven haired girl sliced a small piece of cake and put it into her mouth. After swallowing her food, she let out a smile. "Mm, it tastes good."

She took a few more bites from her food until Hitsugaya suddenly asked, "Hinamori, can you...wait for a few minutes?"

Her eyes laid on his. "Why?"

He lowered his head for a moment before raising it up again. "I-I need to tell you something important."

Momo blinked. "Important?"

"Yes, it's very important that you listen."

"Um, okay..."

Once she is finished, she waited for Toshiro to finish his work shift. When he is, it is when she paid for her drink. "It will be 250 kan, please."

After giving the cashier the exact change, the raven haired girl gave him a nod of thanks before noticing Hitsugaya dressed in his school uniform. He is ready to go home. "Let's go," he said, walking past her.

She slowly nodded and followed him without question. It led her all the way to Seireitei Park. As they sat on the swings next to one another, neither teenager spoke. Over time, Momo got nervous. She could feel her heart pounding faster than usual as she began thinking what Toshiro needs to tell her. "W-What if he's...thinking about that?" she suddenly thought. "Besides, he is older now and it's normal for boys like him to start thinking about that."

Hinamori started fiddling with her fingers.

"Mou, what should I say?"

"It's...about my foster parents," he finally said.

"Eh, your foster parents?" she suddenly asked with surprise.

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow at her. "Oi, don't tell me you're thinking that I'm going to say something weird."

She put her hands up in front of her. "Oh, no! It's nothing like that!"

However, she knew he's not buying the excuse. He gave her a stern look. "You're a bad liar, you know that?"

Hinamori gave a hesitant laugh before feeling a bit ashamed. "Y-Yeah..."

It is when Hitsugaya let out a faint smirk. With the use of his legs, he began to lightly swing back and forth. "Then again, why should I say something like that when I'm no better?"

"H-Hitsugaya-kun, by...any chance, di-"

"Yes, I haven't been telling you the truth," he admitted as if it's nothing. "I've been...lying to everyone about it."

There was a moment of silence where neither teenager spoke. Momo had a feeling that he hasn't told the full story of his life three years later, but now is a good time to get some answers. "Why? Why did you do such a thing?"

Toshiro sighed again and raised his head to look up at the sunset sky. "If I had to describe it in a few words and as corny as it sounds, it would be a fairytale with a sad ending."

"A sad ending? What do you mean by that?"

"During our first year together, everything felt great. I've lived a pretty normal life with them."

"Them, you are referring to your...second parents?"

There was a short pause. "Yes, my...second parents. They loved me like what any other parents would do for their child. We used to go all sorts of places just to spend time with one another. I enjoyed those moments," Hitsugaya explained. "However, during the second year, things started to change. She started drinking and gambling. It was all because of misfortune that happened at her workplace. As a result, she lost her job. In order to make up for the loss, he started working a second job. From that point on, I barely get a chance to see him. As for his wife, she became very dependent on alcohol and gambling that she started taking advantage of him. As the husband who loves her, he did his best to satisfy her needs."

Horrified by what has already happened to him, she asked, "Wh-What happened next?"

With a look at the raven haired girl, he replied, "Despite his efforts, it wasn't enough to calm her down. Behind his back, she started using all the money that my biological parents have left for me."

Hinamori placed a hand over her mouth. "Oh no..."

The white haired teenager lowered his head. "A few months later, my savings went all dry, leaving me with no financial support for the future. But she didn't care; she wanted money and fast. Because he wasn't at home most of the time, she would forcefully enter me into competitions which offers money as the prize. I didn't like it at all, but my opinion didn't matter. Whenever I rebelled, she would beat me." He then suddenly bit the bottom of his lip as his hands gripped tightly onto the swing chains. "I hate it; I hate living that life."

All of a sudden, he started hearing sobs from the person on the swings next to him. Turning his attention to the peach girl, he saw her wiping tears away from her eyes with her sleeves. Once again, she has made him feel guilty of his words and actions as if he done harm to her. "Oi Hinamori, there is no need to be crying. I should be the one who is feeling that way."

"But it's so sad!" she cried out loud. "Y-You don't deserve any of that treatment. You deserve to live a better life!"

Hitsugaya let out a sigh of defeat. Stuffing his hands into his pants pocket, he took out a light blue handkerchief and held it out to her. "Here."

Accepting his offer, Momo took a moment to dry her tears. "A-Arigato..."

"There is no need to worry about me anymore," he replied. "I'm living on my own right now in an apartment not too far away from your house. It's only two blocks away."

"T-Then, you're working because..."

"...It is to pay for the rent and to have a decent meal to eat."

She lowered her head. "Despite what is going on in your life, you're still able to go to school."

"I try to. Besides, that's what my real parents would want."

There was another moment of silence.

"So, what happened before things became the way they are now?"

Toshiro was about to open his mouth to answer that question, but he kept them remained closed. After thinking about it for a few moments, he finally answered, "I-I don't want to talk about it...at least for now."

"Oh," Momo replied, considering how he's currently recovering from his mental and physical troubles. "It's fine; whenever you're ready, I'm right here to listen."

He gave her a faint smile. "Yeah, thanks for listening to me...Hinamori."

She smiled back. "It's nothing."

The white haired teenager then stood up from his seat. After hanging his school bag over his shoulder, he said, "Anyway, it's time to take you home. Your grandmother is going to start wondering where her groceries went."

Suddenly remembering about it, Hinamori quickly stood up and exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, you're right! Let's go Shiro-chan!"

"Oi oi, stop calling me that. It's Hitsugaya!"

After picking up her bag of groceries, she and Toshiro left the park together to go to the Hinamori residence.

"Thanks for walking me home," Momo said.

"It's no problem," he replied. "Just promise me to not mention to Matsumoto about what happened today. If she were to hear any of it, she will bother me to the ends of the Earth."

She placed a fist over her mouth and let out a suppressed giggle. "You're right about that one. I can imagine Rangiku-san acting that way."

"No kidding and that's coming from someone who have known her for a very long time."

"Well, I'll see you at school tomorrow."

He slowly nodded with agreement. "Yeah, oyasumi Hinamori."

"Good night Hitsugaya-kun."

With that said, the peach girl gave him a short bow before entering the house. After watching the front door close, Hitsugaya put his hand into his pants pocket and took out his cell phone. He flipped the cap open with a single finger and pressed a few buttons before a voice message is played back.

So Toshiro, how does it feel like to be grounded? I know it's not the greatest experience, but you have to deal with it. No, I'm not sending this voice message just to make fun of you, but to get you to understand why they did it. They just want you to know that is wrong to do and just to let you know, I've been there before. I always get grounded and that's because I'm always covering for you. So be thankful to me! Anyway, life always comes with the rough times and the good times. Consider it as being lucky; getting grounded means that something good is going to happen in the near future.

"Miyuki-chan, don't tell me you're voice messaging to Toshiro-chan again!"

Oops, Okaa-san caught me keeping you entertained. It seems like I'm going to be grounded too. Hehe, talk to you later!

He let out a faint smile and closed his cell phone. After putting the portable electronic device back into his pocket, he began his journey home to rest for the night. "You sure have the funniest advice to give me, Onee-chan..."

"I'm sorry for taking so long Obaa-san," the sixteen year old teenager apologized as she came into the kitchen to find the elder looking after their dinner.

"It's alright Momo," she replied. "No, harm has been done. You must have went somewhere to spend the leftover change."

She nodded with agreement. "Yeah, I went to the small dessert shop that is nearby the grocery store."

"I see."

When she handed the groceries to the elder Hinamori, Momo said, "Anyway, I'll be in my room."

"Alright, I'll call you down when dinner's ready."

"Hai!"

When she retreated to her room, the peach girl closed the door behind her and let out a sigh. A lot of things happened over the last twenty-four hours which includes hearing the truth about Hitsugaya's past. Just thinking about it makes her sad. Why is he the only one who suffers?

She suddenly placed a hand on her cheek. After holding it out in front, she noticed the wet feeling were her tears. Quickly taking out a handkerchief from her pants pocket, she whipped them away. It is when she noticed something. "That's right; I forgot to give it back to him," she said.

Momo placed it over her chest, close to her heart.

"I hope things will get better for him."

Japanese Word Translations

Kan - The Bleach currency used, Arigato - Thank You, Oyasumi - Good Night, Okaa-san - Mother, Onee-chan - Older Sister, Obaa-san - Grandmother, Hai - Yes

Author's Note: Hopefully Toshiro's misfortunes will turn into good ones. You'll just have to wait and find out in the next chapter. In the meantime, please review! Thanks.