Welcome to the new chapter. Also forgot to tell you guys that the previous chapter was inspired by a Shugo Chara episode, forgot which one. Pls enjoy and review.
Chapter 26: Friday, A visit to Hitsugaya's home
In Gotei Academy, students are given a week to do community work. Right now, me and the gang are discussing on what we're gonna do.
"How about working in the shoe store?" Rangiku suggested.
"That's not exactly community work. Plus, you only suggested that cause the new store is giving off free shoes to their employers." Hitsugaya retorted and gave a deep sigh. I could see Rangiku pouting and it made me giggle.
"Hey Toshiro, can't we go over there and help?" Ichigo asked.
"How many times do I have to repeat myself?! It's Hitsugaya to you. And concerning this, I guess I could give a call to him. He did say he needed help with the kids." Hitsugaya replied.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Oh, it's an orphanage which Hitsugaya's fond with. We usually go there to help out." Rukia explained.
"An orphanage? That's great, I really love spending time with children." I smiled in response. I've always loved working with kids ever since Mack came in. Then I saw Hitsugaya giving a faint smile after my response. My heart almost skipped a beat.
"Then it's decided. We'll meet at the Rukongai Home at eight tomorrow." Rangiku said and everyone gave a thumbs up. I wonder how things are gonna turn up.
The next day:
"Looks like everyone's here." Hitsugaya said as he, Ichigo, Kuchiki sensei and I walked towards the large building where Rangiku and Rukia were standing in front of. The building was about half the size of Gotei Academy, pearl white walls with square windows on each level and lines of small trees lined up around the building.
"Finally. Come on, I've been standing here for at least ten minutes now." Rangiku complained as we stepped through the steel gates. Once we stepped in, I could feel a mini earthquake rushing towards us. It turns out to be a stampede of young children coming towards us. Wha…what?! Then they started grabbing on to everyone's clothes.
"Ichigo! Play baseball with us!" a group of boys started to climb on to Ichigo and begging him to play.
"Ok ok, I will." Ichigo smiled.
"Ruki-nee, Ran-nee! Can you come play dress up with us?" a group of girls crowded around the girls.
"Of course. I'm gonna make you girls beautiful." Rangiku smiled. Wow, even Kuchiki sensei has some kids around him, asking him to read for them. I guess they came here quite a few times for the kids to be so close to them.
"Oh you guys arrived already?" I turned to the female voice and saw a girl about my age. She had her brown hair tied into a bun, wore a pink apron over her white dress and black pumps. "I didn't expect you all to come so early." Then she turned her attention to me. "Hm, and who are you?"
"Uhm, I'm Haruno Kurara. I've come to help out." I bowed in greeting.
"Ah, so you're Hauno-chan. It's really nice to meet you. I'm Hinamori Momo. Shiro-chan has been telling me many things about you." The girl smiled. Shiro-chan?
"Oi Hinamori! Stop calling me that." Hitsugaya?
"How rude. Is that any way to treat your older sister?" she pouted. Huh? Sister?! Hitsugaya didn't tell me about this. Wait, don't they have different surnames? "Anyway, it's great that you came back again. We could use the help."
"Whatever. Haruno, just help and play with the kids and keep them company. I'll be right back." Hitsugaya said before walking into the building with Hinamori.
"Neh Kurara. Why are you wearing a skirt?" Rangiku suddenly came up to me and asked in a soft voice as she looked down at my beige skirt which covered my thighs.
"Huh, was there supposed to be a dress code for today?" I asked back.
"That's not it. It's just…" before Rangiku could say any more, I felt my skirt being lifted off.
"WAAAAH!" I screamed in shock as I quickly covered the front part of my skirt.
"Simple white. Kind of mature." I turned around and saw two young boys snickering at what they saw. Wha! Perverts at such a young age?!
"Hey you two!" Ichigo suddenly showed up and lightly pounded his fists on to their heads. "Just when are you guys gonna stop this, your only six!" he scolded.
"See what I mean." Rangiku said to me.
"Wait you mean this happened before?!" I exclaimed.
"When I first came here to help I was also wearing a skirt. Then these two boys did the same thing to me and then started me childish for the pattern. Then Hinamori told me they've been doing this to all the female volunteers who come here." Rangiku explained. Just what do these kids learn from here?!
"Luckily I was wearing shorts when I came. But don't worry, it's only these two that you have to watch out for. The rest are just fine." Rukia came up to us and said. In a few moments to calm down, we resumed playing with the kids.
"Kura-nee's playing with me!"
"No she's playing with me! We're gonna build sandcastles!"
"No we're playing with my soldiers!" Apparently this boy and girl are in the middle of breaking my arms apart by tugging each one towards them every second.
"Uhm…How about we decide what to play together, and not tug my arms or else I won't be able to play anything." I tried to reason. Then I heard a soft laugh from behind.
"Well, looks like you gotten quite popular at such a short matter of time." I turned and saw Hinamori walking towards us. "Sorry you two but I'm gonna have to take Kura-nee away for a while." She squatted to the two kids' level and softly said. The kids refused at first but then gave in and left to play with Ichigo.
"Thanks for the help. I thought my arms would fall off any minute now." I thanked as I rolled my arms.
"It's fine, but could you come with me for a while. The director wants to meet you." She said. What! The director! What did I do wrong?! "It's fine, you didn't do anything wrong. He just wants to have a chat with you." She reassured upon seeing my shocked face. After that comfort, I followed her into the building. As I walked through the hallway, the walls were filled with pictures of kids who lived here and those who left to new families. We soon came to a room and Hinamori entered.
"Father, I've brought Haruno-chan." She said as she entered the room. Father?!
"Ah so this is the famous Haruno." I looked towards the voice and saw a man with a kind smile sitting by a desk. He had long white hair and calm brown eyes, wearing a white shirt with a white knitted scarf around his neck and beige jeans. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Ah yes, I'm please to meet you too Mr…uhm…" I stuttered.
"Ukitake Jushiro." He answered.
"Yes, nice to meet you Mr Ukitake." I bowed in greeting. Wait doesn't he have different surnames with Hinamori?
"You're just as cute as he says." He chuckled. He? Who's he? "Here have some candy! There's more if you want." He suddenly landed a stocking full of sweets into my arms. Whoa! That's a whole lot of candy! "I have to thank you for coming down to help. I could see you up from here and I could see the kids having so much fun with you. He was right in letting you help out."
"Uhm, pardon me asking this, but who are you referring to?" I finally asked.
"Why Shiro-chan of course!" Hitsugaya?! Wait does that mean the one who called me cute was… "I also have to thank you for making life better for him. Ever since he left this place he's been complaining about that roommate of his and does nothing but study." Actually, I think he's still doing the same thing…
"Wait, left this place? You mean Hitsugaya lived here once?" I asked again. Ukitake-san just smiled and pointed towards the couches.
"How about we talk for a bit?" he asked and I unconsciously nodded as he directed me to the couches. "Well, first of I'm sure you're wondering why Momo called Shiro-chan brother and me father even though we have different surnames." I nodded. "Before I started this orphanage, Momo and Shiro-chan's parents always left them in my care and rarely come back. So we were always very close and when I saw how much love these two needed, I decided to start this orphanage to give love to the other kids who need it." That was so touching, I think I could cry. "So ever since then, the two of them live here like their own home. Except when Shiro-chan decided to leave us to go on a journey in Sereitei Academy." Ukitake-san started to pretend to wipe tears off his eyes. He makes it seem like Hitsugaya just packed up and left without a word… "But I have to say, ever since you came to the school, he started to enjoy himself more. He's not that workaholic Shiro-chan we used to know." Like I said, I think he still is. But I have to admit, he has been taking things a little lighter.
"I'm really glad he met you Haruno-chan. He's been talking lots about you." Hinamori said. Every family I've met tells me that the three princes talk about me. Just what do they say to them?!
"Please continue to take care of him. He can be stubborn at times but he's a good kid." Ukitake-san said.
"Alright, he and I are quite close so I think it should be easy." I commented.
"Oh you're so cute! Please have some more candy!" he started pouring sweets onto me. What! How did it end up like this?!
Few minutes later
I ended up walking through the hall with an armful of candy. I could barely see where I was going.
"Haruno?" I lowered the sweets and saw Hitsugaya staring at me in awe from the other end. "Please don't tell me he gave you all this."
"If you mean Ukitake-san then yes." I answered.
"Man, he just can't stop from giving everyone sweets. Just how much does he have in that locker of his?!" Hitsugaya complained. I giggled.
"Well he was a nice person. You're lucky to have such a nice man to be your father." That sentence really shocked Hitsugaya and he turned to me wide eyed.
"How…How did you know that?" he stuttered.
"He and I chatted for a bit. He's told me of how you and Hinamori's parents left you guys to him and how it started the orphanage.
"So that's how he's planning on covering it up…" Hitsugaya said so softly I couldn't hear it.
"Uh, what was that?" I asked.
"Nothing. Here let me help you with those." Hitsugaya then lifted some of the candy from my hands. As he did that, our fingers touched and I could feel the cooling sensation, our foreheads were also inches apart, making me blush a bit. Soon we both started walking to meet the others. It was kind of an awkward silence.
"Well, I see why you don't really like sweets now." I broke the silence.
"Yeah. When you live with a man who always gives you sweets every single minute, you're bound to hate them sooner or later." He sighed. After a few seconds, we started to chuckle softly and continued our walk. I took a peek at Hitsugaya and saw a faint smile on his face. For some reason, I liked his smile and laugh, and I wanted to keep seeing it every day. You could say, I treasured the Ice Prince's smile and laugh.
And that's it. Thank you guys so much. I just came back from my Europe trip and already this much support! You guys are the best Please continue my fanfics.