AN: WAH! I stayed up sooo late to finish writing and to post this, but I don't care. I seriously couldn't pull myself away. I'm afraid to look at the time cuz I stayed up so long. Haha. ALSO, TURNING THIS STORY INTO A RANDOMLY UPDATED ONE-SHOT ARCHIVE. I'm terrible at holiday-inspired one-shots so I changed the reason for having this thing. Instead, this will all probably be sugary drivel. Just FYI.

This was inspired by my need to write an arranged marriage fic (because I've never really done one...) and because I caught up with Wallflower! Love that manga. Sunako and Kyouhei FTW! But, yeah, no ownage there, and now my nerdiness is over~

Summary: AU. It takes two to make an arranged marriage work and seven steps to turn it into love.

Warnings: Intentional OOC-ness, mostly Toushirou. I made this very shoujo manga-esque, which means it's cute and fluffy and not to be taken seriously. I can write Toushirou as Toushirou, but I chose to make him a little sweeter, more showy with his affection.

Also, I tried to limit each part to less than 1,000 words as a challenge for myself and it was hard. So if my writing sounds a little different, that's why. Enjoy!

April 2012 - Lucky

one

The hum of the stove was accompanied by the knife against the wooden board chopping the onions for tonight's dinner. As she allowed the water to come to a boil, Kurosaki Karin couldn't help but ponder her situation and wonder just why the hell she was still here. She was smart, resourceful, not to mention more stubborn than a newly awakened mule being forced to carry a ridiculously large load. If she wanted a way out, she'd find it. She could definitely figure out a way to get away from him.

"I'm back."

Speak of the devil… Karin thought to herself, as she went on cutting the vegetables. Despite being sixteen years old and a junior in high school, it felt weird being the one to prepare dinner, something her sister had done for years without fail. But she wasn't at home now, so far from the Kurosaki clinic that held her childhood memories and late mother's love. Presently, she was rooming with the bane of her existence, the reason for most (if not all) of her recent suffering, and the man in question didn't even care.

"The least you could do was greet me," a masculine called out to her, so much closer than she initially thought that she nearly jumped at his proximity. She hadn't heard him enter the kitchen, too busy cursing him to really do so, but the next second he was hovering over her shoulder, trying to discern tonight's meal. A part of her wished she could poison him, but then her hard work would go to waste.

"And the least you could do was give me some space," she said with a nudge, pushing at his chest with her shoulder. Glaring up at him with her usual placid face, Karin didn't understand why all the girls in town chased after a guy like him.

Oh sure, he was good looking enough, smart too, and his personality was cold but not overly so. Women of all ages flocked to him like ants to a sugar cube, each wanting just the littlest nibble of that pretty shell. If anyone other than their families knew the two of them were living together, she'd either be harassed until near-death or run out of town, and neither were options she could afford at the moment.

"Che, you're so uncute," Hitsugaya Toushirou responded in turn, backing away from her but not out of the room. Putting his hands in his pockets, he watched as she finished her routine, going through the vegetables and meat quickly so the curry would taste just right. If there was anything she'd learned from living with him, it was that Hitsugaya had a bottomless pit for a stomach and would eat anything as long as it was half-decent.

Which meant that the first two weeks of her uneaten failures would not be remembered by either of them, ever.

"I'd rather be uncute than a pretty boy." Sticking her tongue out at him while she stirred, Karin was careful to make sure things didn't stick to the bottom and burn. After making that mistake the first day of their two-month cohabitation, Karin found that Toushirou's taunts and her wounded pride were probably the greatest motivators she had, as she took on all of the housework for their medium-sized flat in retaliation. In the end, he was still the victor.

He smirked, amused by her bite. "You're a girl. Becoming a 'pretty boy' shouldn't be something you want."

"If you have a problem with me, Toushirou, just say it," Karin spit back, frowning deeply as she took the pot off the burner, mixing it a few more times before giving it one last taste for good measure. She continued as she began filling their bowls with rice. "I know you like to get a rise out of me, but starting this as soon as you get home? That's a little quick, even for you."

"What can I say? Maybe I just missed my darling fiancé Karin-chan so much," he countered with a shrug, his slither of sarcasm not going unnoticed. The fact that she felt no hurt or sting—only the slightest amusement at their banter—spoke volumes of their relationship. There was no love there, no great affection that others would've expected, but there was no hate either, just the dull feeling of friendship and understanding.

After all, an arranged marriage wasn't exactly the breeding ground for epic romance.

But that was what they had, with right now being their trial-run, something their fathers had staged to see if they'd be good together or just kill each other before the six months ended. However, the fate of her freedom wasn't what bothered her; it was the multitudes of fan girls that could find out their secret that most oftentimes had her in a tizzy. So whenever she was in school, going shopping or doing anything outside of the house, Karin steered clear of the other boy as if he was the bubonic plague personified. She'd never hear the end of it if her classmates found out about her rather unorthodox living situation.

But, as they ate in silence, Karin knew that while she wasn't surrounded by the people she loved in her own home, being near Toushirou wasn't uncomfortable either.

two

"Karin-chan, do you have a boyfriend?"

Choking on the iced tea she was sipping, the dark-haired tomboy was gasping for air, doing her best to draw in as much oxygen as she could. Around her, her friends pounded her back therapeutically to help dislodge some of the drink from her throat. When she went to take a sip of water, she could feel the slightest trembling of her fingertips.

"What're you guys talking about? Of course I don't!" she denied, wondering if telling a partly honest answer counted as a complete untruth. But the inquiry had come out of nowhere, and with the topic of love lives being a very disturbing subject for her she stayed as far away from it as possible. Were they on to her?

"But you've been looking different lately…" Kurumi said with a slight tilt of her head, as she watched the other girl fiddle with her chopsticks before taking a piece of her food to her mouth. "I mean, there's something different about you, like you've changed or grown up or something."

"She means to say that you've gotten prettier and we're confused as to why." While hushing the overly blunt girl, Karin only chewed her piece of meat normally, the words coming from Reiko not shocking or painful at all. Though the girl certainly knew how to throw a verbal barb or two, Karin was pretty much immune to it after the last two years together.

"I have no idea what you guys are talking about." And she really didn't. Nothing in her life had changed other than her strange engagement, but even that wasn't all that important once the newness and oddities of it wore off. It was like having a roommate who drove her crazy and enjoyed picking on her and bossing her around. If anything, she was surprised to say she hadn't become increasingly violent, which seemed like the more viable option in her book.

"Of course you don't see it, but the rest of us do," Kurumi said with a huff, as Karin continued to eat and only half-pay attention. "When you greet us in the morning, you look so soft and refreshed that sometimes it surprises me."

She raised an eyebrow casually. "Is it so wrong to be sleeping well?"

"And it's not just that," Nana interrupted, as she breeched the subject with a thrust of her chopsticks in Karin's direction. "Whenever you say thank you to someone, your voice gets a little higher and your body language seems, I dunno, sexier."

A vein started to throb along her hairline. "I'm just being nice instead of scaring them off. No big deal."

"Even the boys are saying you've gotten hotter, and they're terrified of you." This time it was Reiko again, who pushed up the glasses along the bridge of her nose in an authoritative manner. The onslaught of light made Karin blink hard for a second. "So spill, Kurosaki. Obviously something's happened and if you're not gonna share, then we're gonna have to torture and interrogate you until you do."

"Reiko-chan, what have I said about those cop shows that you always watch?" Kurumi tutted her finger in reprimand, before Nana turned back to the quietly seething girl.

"But she has a point, Karin. Look, you even make your own lunch now, even though Yuzu's been doing it forever, and you look so much more content. Tell us, is there a guy out there who's special to you?" All three stared directly at her, expectation written all over their faces. But what was she supposed to say? What did they want from her? There was no one in her heart like that, no one who made it pound harder or her senses scream or her nerves tingle. The closest thing she had was a family friend's son who was connected to her by a flimsy promise, nothing more and nothing less.

"No, there really isn't anyone…" But even as she spoke the truth, a part of it burned her lips like a lie.

three

Watching as Karin sprawled out on the couch, Toushirou couldn't fight the frown off his face, that depressed and confused aura around her filling their apartment for nearly a week now. This wasn't like her at all, and while he didn't mind leaving her alone to sort it out, now he was just worried. Regardless of the reasons, he was indebted to this girl who went out of her way to learn to cook, clean and put up with him on a daily basis (though he had to work a little to get her to do them, as well as suffer through her early cuisine). Problem was, girls came to him, not the other way around, so to approach one wasn't really his forte.

How hard can it be? he asked himself, as watched her from the hallway, the TV on but with no one watching. She was just staring at the ceiling, arms and legs akimbo as she thoughtfully looked at the white plane. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to walk in and pretend that he noticed her in a slump before asking if everything was okay. No big deal, a normal conversation with no holes in its design.

If only life was that simple.

About four steps in, he tripped over an ill-placed extension cord, nearly collapsing to the floor in his faux nonchalance. Trying to get a hold on the blush raining down from his ears, Toushirou chanced a look at his flatmate and found her just as she was before, completely unaware of his embarrassment. And while it should've been a good thing, the fact that she didn't even inquire about his physical well-being had him glowering at her.

As he made his way to the back of the couch silently, he proposed that maybe Karin just needed a good scare, something to shake her out of this funk. Biting back a smirk, he raised his head over the back of the sofa, waiting for the right moment to strike. But before he could work up the nerve, he got a good look at the young girl's face and suddenly he lost heart. The look of turmoil didn't suit her normally unimpressed expression, and vaguely Hitsugaya could feel himself missing her occasional disapproval every time he invaded her space or her outward pleasure whenever she managed to one-up him at his own game. He really couldn't do anything to Karin as she was now, at least not if he wanted a clear conscience later.

Sitting on the floor and against the crème-colored lounger, Toushirou bent one knee and lowered his head to it in thought. How could he cheer her up without giving himself away? Bent into that uncomfortable position, he sorted through a number of ideas, wondering just what a girl would want in the midst of a self-pity party. It didn't help that he only had guy friends and one of them was Karin's older brother, who had all but threatened him into taking good care of her. As close as the two were, Toushirou had no doubt in his mind that Ichigo would be more than willing to go through with his warnings if word got back to him about how he'd essentially ignored his younger sibling for a week.

With a shiver, he shook off the unpleasant thought and went back to the task at hand. Well, he pondered to himself, food always made him feel better, as simple and timeless as it was. And girls usually liked sweets when they were upset, right? (That's what all the movies he'd ever watched implied at least.) Satisfied with the idea, Hitsugaya got up from his position and slinked back to the hallway where their bedrooms were, sneaking into his without making a peep.

When he returned, Karin was just as he'd left her, that blank façade etched with the slightest bit of bemusement. While he wasn't exactly good for advice or any of that stuff, he could offer her some small piece of comfort, as minuscule and insignificant as it was.

"Here." Snapping out of her daze, Karin's eyes went straight to the outstretched hand holding a ziplock of small candies. Confused, she sat up with a frown and examined the aforementioned plastic bag, not even moving to take it.

"Don't just glare at it, you idiot," Toushirou growled, reaching for her hand to deposit the offering.

"Is this… amanatto?" No one she knew ate these odd, little beans other than old men and the boy before her, his love for them a secret he didn't tell anyone. The only reason she knew was because she'd found a small stash while cleaning his bedroom one day, sweeping the bag out into the open while wiping down the floor. She'd made fun of him for it for the rest of the day.

"I don't know what's got you so down and I don't know what to say to make you feel better, so…" Watching as he scratched the back of his head and mussed his silver-white hair, Karin's laughter bubbled up from her lips, slowly gaining momentum until it was overflowing, enough to fill both her body and the living room. Helplessly, Toushirou stared at her, perplexed at the sudden change and immediately feeling shy for his vain efforts.

"Fine! If you don't want them, then say so!" he yelled, reaching for the treats with a loud flush on his face.

But before he could get them, she held them close to her chest, grinning up at him in her usual way. "No way, Toushirou. These are mine!" As he dove for her, she dodged out of his hold, laughing as she made her way around the couch and out of the room. With an exasperated sigh, the older man could only smile softly at the turn of events, happy that she was back to normal, even if just for a moment.

four

With summer vacation in full swing, Karin was excited to go out with her friends. While a nice city, Karakura wasn't exactly a hotspot for tourists who wanted the hot sun, white sand and water that stretched out along the horizon. So when they'd planned a day out in the surf, she hadn't been able to tell them no, especially not with her recent spat with Toushirou on her mind.

It wasn't anything serious, but it wasn't nothing either. She'd gotten angry at him after he'd dirtied the living room 'on accident,' bringing in the laundry which had toppled to the floor after he'd tripped over a garbage can on his way in. While she knew it wasn't really his fault, Karin decided a few hours away might be good for her and her waning patience. She'd left a note saying where she was going and that she'd be back late.

Decked out in swimwear and beach gear on hand, the four of them set up their towels with a large umbrella hanging overhead. After playing in the water and soaking up the sun's rays, Karin offered to grab some snacks at the food stalls nearby. As she was walking back with the take-out boxes, she was stopped by some guys who'd approached her. She almost rolled her eyes at the cliché.

"Hey, you're cute. Wanna hang out with us right now?"

"That better be a rhetorical question because I hate stupid ones," she replied with a little extra pluck, enjoying how she surprised them with her razor-sharp tongue. Usually her appearance was likened to that of a doll, light skin and fair features, so many assumed she was harmless. Karin liked to prove them wrong.

"What's your problem, bitch? You should be flattered we just asked your ugly mug out," one challenged, stepping to her while using his height to his advantage. This time, she really did roll her eyes at him.

"Only idiots call the girl they just asked out ugly once they've been rejected," she pointed out with a flip of her long hair before shoving past them. But then a grip caught her, nearly knocking her off balance, as she spun to glare at—

"Toushirou?" She blinked twice as she saw him standing between her and the man who had grabbed her, leering down at the other with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You guys got a problem with my girlfriend?" The fierce blue of his eyes darkened to cobalt, his stiff posture compounded by the sneer on his face, as if it was taking everything he had to stop himself from beating down these losers. Before he could get a proper reply, the cowering group dispersed at lightning speed into massive crowd to get as far away from Hitsugaya as possible.

"What the hell're you doing here, Toushirou?" Karin asked, noticing that many were turning their way, mostly female and all of them towards her so-called fiancé. Looking at her fully, he eyed Karin to make sure she was okay before frowning deeply, his thoughts almost plain as day on his face.

"Why're you wearing that? It's way too revealing," he grumbled, taking his short-sleeved hoodie and placing it over her. Now, Karin was face-to-face with the body she hadn't known was under all his clothes, her cheeks pink at the revelation. Indistinctly she thought she heard a girl faint from seeing his perfect form, as she tried to clear her thoughts and get back to the matter at hand.

"What I wear is none of your business! Never mind, I don't care why you're here. Just go away before my friends see you!" How was she going to explain that Hitsugaya Toushirou, former heartthrob of Karakura High and Karakura Town's most beautiful boy, was following her around? The fact that she'd been able to hide their domestic lifestyle for four months was nothing if not amazing, and it was all due to her hard work and quite a bit of luck.

"What, are you ashamed of me?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and softening his face in question. She considered turning tail and running but he'd only follow, which meant she had to get rid of him now.

"Yes, yes, I'm ashamed of you. Now leave!" Hearing the gasps from their audience and an insult thrown in her direction, Karin just wanted to sit on the cement and cry. All she wanted was a day of normalcy, one that did not include being the target of Hitsugaya's fan girls and their misplaced obsession. Glowering at the order, he was going to respond but was interrupted by a newcomer's voice.

"Karin-chan, are you okay?" With stunned eyes, Karin met Nana's inquisitive stare before she positively melted at the sight of a shirtless Toushirou.

"Are you one of Karin's friends?" Hitsugaya moved to the stricken teenager and greeted her with that familiar princely smile of his, one he'd used on both her father and Yuzu. When she nodded dreamily, he spoke with that slight rasp of his, playing on her heartstrings carefully. "I'm a friend of her brother. Could you please take care of Karin and make sure she gets home early tonight? I know he'd appreciate it."

"Wait, what?" She yelled at the quiet command he'd managed to slip in, but the brown-haired girl was already agreeing. If he'd asked her to get the moon, Karin was sure she'd have built a rocket right then and ridden it into space. Giving the steaming Kurosaki a conspirator's grin, Toushirou said his thanks before walking off, his sole mission to mess with Karin done for the day. In her head, she was raining down curses on Hitsugaya, wishing for his early demise. But, at the very least, he hadn't given her away.

"Hey Karin," Nana asked, snapping out of her trance to glance at her, seemingly befuddled. "Why's that shirt on your shoulders?"

Oh yeah, she was definitely going to kill him.

five

She wasn't here because she wanted to be.

Repeating the words in her head, Karin took a deep, soothing breath as she checked the time on her phone. While she had school next week, university had started earlier, which meant she was currently at home alone. But today, when she'd woken up, she was surprised to see the food that she'd made earlier still sitting on the counter, the bentou meticulously made to fit Hitsugaya's tastes.

Against her better judgment, she'd readied herself and headed to his campus, waiting outside the building where he was having his latest class. Luckily Ichi-nii had the same one, so when she'd asked where to find Toushirou the usually forgetful boy actually knew. Of course his next reaction was to ask if the other had done anything wrong and if he should be beat him within an inch of his life. While sweet, Karin declined and said that she could handle herself just fine.

Sleepily, she yawned just as a few students started exiting the building, perking up as she saw a familiar head of orange in the crowd. Not caring if she seemed overly excited, she hurried towards him, finding that distance really had made her heart grow fonder. Seeing Yuzu most days was fine, but her father and brother were never around; she hadn't realized just how quiet it was without them.

"Ichi-nii!" Karin waved and watched as he noticed her, a bright smile settling onto his usually scowling face.

"It's good to see you, Karin," he said, patting her head when she stopped in front of him and watching her with silent contentment. With that single touch he managed to convey all the emotions he'd bottled up because of her and Toushirou's predicament: happiness, regret, sorrow and love. He wasn't one for words, but he cherished his little sister more than he could ever begin to explain.

"Hey, have you seen Toushirou? He forgot his lunch," Karin asked, pulling it out from her knapsack. The slight twitch of Ichigo's brow told her that the ginger wasn't comfortable helping her, feeling like he was giving her away to him. While not true in the slightest, Ichigo was rather like Isshin sometimes, jumping to conclusions before the facts were even on the table.

"I think he's coming out." Motioning to the doors, both Kurosaki's watched as said man appeared, as if knowing he was being called. But Karin's eyes strayed to the figure on his right, talking to him with a bright smile and twinkling eyes. Inexplicably she felt her stomach drop to her knees, just as Toushirou turned his attention to her.

"Karin, what're you doing here?" he asked, surprised that she hadn't contacted him first. Then again, if she had, he probably would've shooed her away, which was probably why she'd gone to Ichigo. The two of them understood each other rather well now and it wasn't an unpleasant thought.

"You forgot this," she replied evenly, holding the box out before turning back to her brother. "Since I'm done here, I'll go now. Bye, Ichi-nii." As she was walking off, Toushirou's baffled expression met Ichigo's heated one, the two of them obviously not on the same page.

A growl. "What did you do to my sister?"

"Nothing. Why's she mad? Did you say something about me?" The slightest bit of accusation tinged those last words.

"No, but whatever this is, you better fix it, Toushirou."

Blowing a piece of hair out of his way, the other waved off Ichigo's overprotective stare. "I don't need you to tell me how to take care of Karin."

Without saying goodbye, he rushed towards the front gates, peeling past his schoolmates and onto the sidewalk. Scouring the area, he zeroed in on her figure walking in the direction of their home. As he ran up to catch her, he made sure not to jostle his lunchbox too much, still intent on eating it once this was sorted out.

"Hey, why'd you leave?" he asked, as he halts in front of her with determined eyes. She was glaring at him from beneath her bangs, her new haircut framing her face prettily. Not that he'd tell that to her directly, of course.

"Shouldn't you be with your friends?" she retorted, trying to get past him. But he was there to block the way, frowning at the dark emotion lining her words.

"Since you came all this way, don't you wanna eat lunch with me?" Ignoring her question just as she did his, he grabbed her hand and pulled them off in another direction. But as she did so, Karin began to protest, fighting against his firm grip.

"Stop! What if somebody sees us?"

"I really don't care." And surprisingly, he didn't. Toushirou had no problems eating lunch with the girl he was going to marry or holding her hand in public, things that normal couples do. However, he forgot that they weren't normal, not by a long shot, as Karin tore her hand away and stopped in her tracks.

"Well you should care. What about your stalkers and fans, or that girl you were with? What if they saw us?" While the inquiries seemed innocuous, a ringing alarm went off in the back of his mind.

"Karin…" He looked at her seriously, features set in place as he asked, "… Are you jealous?"

Mouth gaping, the high schooler was trying her best to form words, the shock on her face rendering her speechless. But just from her silent denial, somehow Toushirou already knew the answer, comprehending her actions even better than Karin herself did. Grinning mischievously, he wrapped Karin in his arms, enfolding her there with the silent promise that he'd never let her go. And just the same, she was learning that she understood him just as well, letting herself fall a tiny bit more for him.

six

"Oh my God, did you see them already? I got a picture of one coming through the gate!"

Biting back the growl of irritation, Karin just kept up her pace, flipping each half-piece of takoyaki and preparing an order for the next customer in line. The school's cultural festival was supposed to be something fun and exciting for all the students, full of food and costumes and plays, as well as a way to work and bond with one's classmates. And while it had certainly started out that way, the current gossip that was travelling wasn't exactly Karin's topic of choice.

"You know, I never knew your older brother was so hot, Kurosaki. Could you introduce him to me?" If the stick between her fingers was anything but metal, it would've snapped in half or, better yet, into splinters. Unfortunately for her sanity, Karakura High's grapevine was filled to the brim with news of a few of their alumni coming back to visit, meaning that she would hear nothing but worship concerning Ichi-nii and Toushirou for the rest of her shift.

Why didn't someone just kill her now?

"I think he has a girlfriend," Karin muttered under her breath, remembering that he certainly had been talking to a small, raven-colored classmates of his lately, even bringing her home for dinner once. She'd spent that night with Yuzu plotting how to push those two passed the 'we're just friends!' line that they were too stupid to cross.

"Oh really? That's too bad." But obviously not enough to stop her from rebounding. "Then what about his friend, Hitsugaya? You know him pretty well right?"

Please, Kami, give me strength, Karin pleaded with the omnipotent being, hoping she'd survive the last thirty minutes of her shift in peace. At least she could ditch her hormonal classmates and hide out in one of the classrooms to watch the fireworks display. Toushirou would understand, right? It wasn't as if they could wander around like all the other couples anyway. But somehow, just the thought was making her a little gloomy.

"Look! They're here!"

She didn't need a translator to figure out who 'they' was, as her eyes caught onto her brother, Toushirou, Ishida, Chad and Renji. To her female schoolmates, they were probably emitting some blinding light that was shining down from the heavens, but all she saw were the same faces she hadn't been able to escape for years. Even Toushirou's cool attractiveness wore off after a while, especially after seeing him attempt to clean his room. That had been a failure Karin didn't think she'd ever forget.

"Hey Karin. I can't believe you're the one making the takoyaki right now. Guess we're pretty lucky," Ichigo said, cutting to the front without asking. Then again, the girls there were too busy trying not to faint and so their place seemed to hold little significance at the moment.

"There's a line, Ichi-nii, so I think it'd be best if you went to the back of it." She pointed towards it rudely.

"Oh, sorry about that," he spoke, peering over at the girl behind him, as if surprised she was there.

"N-no! That's okay! You can go ahead of us…"

"You heard the lady, Karin-chan. I want ten orders, please," Renji butted in smugly, giving the group behind them a wink. A part of her wanted to toss some batter over his head, but she couldn't let food go to waste.

Doing as she was told, she did her best to ignore the questions all her classmates were asking, obviously trying to win the boys' favor. Renji seemed to glow under the attention, while Chad was his usual reserved self. Ichigo answered them, mostly because he didn't understand why they were so interested to begin with, and Ishida was friendly as well, if not terribly substantial with his answers. All the while, Toushirou leaned against the edge of the booth, watching her with a veiled look in his eye. It was the same one he adorned whenever she cooked at home, that tender, almost loving gaze that he only wore then. It made flipping the doughy spheres difficult.

"Kurosaki, I can take over. Your shift's done anyway." After being nearly pushed from her place, the excited girl took her spot while making eyes at the bleach-haired boy.

But his attention was solely Karin's, as he caught her around the middle and mumbled in her ear. "Let's get outta here. I'll buy you food somewhere else."

In front of all those people, he removed her apron before entwining their fingers, leading her down the street and towards the building where all the cosplay cafes and haunted houses were. They were together through all of it, acting like the couple she hadn't thought they'd ever become, the warmth from his hand reaching the very tips of her toes. Deep down, Karin knew this wasn't how she thought she'd find first love, and yet she couldn't help feeling that this might very well be her last.

And when the finale fireworks were set off at eight o'clock, Toushirou managed to corner her in an empty classroom, kissing her suddenly while the lights sparked behind them. Pushing her up against the window, he trapped her there with his body, his lips leading hers as he poured the emotions he'd never been able to say out loud. It was pure and quiet passion, an admission of his love, as he tasted the sweetness of Karin's mouth, wrapping an arm around her while pressing her further into the glass. In the darkness of the room, all she could see were stars.

seven

"Hey, do you remember these?"

Stopping in his tracks, Toushirou followed after an overly excited Karin, who was pointing and poking at the machine in question. Placing their groceries off to the side, he examined the worn-out dispenser, recognizing it as an old one from his childhood. Perhaps not the one he always visited but the exact same model and maker, a version that had come before all of the innovation and newest technologies.

"Let's get one!" Karin cheered, enthused by the find so much so that he couldn't even make fun of her. He watched her put 100 yen in, smiling softly when she pulled out the toy, a small keychain of a blue dragon hanging off it. Extending her hand, she gave it to him.

"Isn't this yours?" he asked, frowning as he accepted it.

"Yeah, but it suits you more," she said, pleased when he reached for his phone and worked it into the small loop. They weren't really gift people, probably never would be, but that little figurine had screamed out to her so much that she hadn't minded taking the risk for it. It looked as if it had already belonged to him.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his own coin with a small grin. "Then I guess this means I owe you."

Before she could protest, Hitsugaya was already on his knee, putting the piece of silver in and turning the knob. This sort of thing wasn't really anything special, just a childish game of luck, and yet her heart was thumping so loudly she was surprised he couldn't hear her. When he opened the ball, Karin could only stare dumbly as he held the prize out to her.

"Well, this is kinda fitting." Smirking as if he had just executed the perfect plan, Toushirou stayed on the floor as he showed off the small band. Coated in a shiny gold color and adorned with a fake sapphire, Karin could literally feel the blush permeating through her cheeks. "And since I'm already on one knee, I might as well ask you now."

"Don't be stupid, Toushirou, get up! People are staring!" she whispered harshly, noticing the small crowd that had gathered around the cute couple. A number of the younger women recognized the town's idol and were immediately squealing, excited to catch the intimate moment that no one else would get to see. Some of the older couples were commenting on how handsome the young man was and how adorably flushed his girlfriend seemed to be, as they held hands and giggled to themselves.

"Kurosaki Karin," he began, completely ignoring her order as he moved to take her hand with his. With her free one, Karin was doing her best to hide behind it, wondering just how much blood could fill her cheeks before she started to feel lightheaded. "I know you absolutely hate impromptu speeches and people who are so sickeningly in love with each other that it makes you nauseous, and unfortunately I currently do both of those things when it comes to you—" a loud 'aww' filtered through the crowd, accompanied by a few love struck calls of his name, "—but I don't wanna let a chance like this slip by. I didn't get to propose to you the first time and I don't know if I'm gonna get another chance before our families poke their noses into our business again so I'm not gonna waste it.

"With all of these people as my witness, I need to know… Will you marry me?"

The crowd waited with bated breath, holding onto that last bit of air as if their lives depended on this young girl's answer. But Karin could only see Toushirou, who was looking at her with the gentlest pleading in his eyes, as if he was truly afraid she was going to say no.

With a shake of her head and a pretty grin, she declared with an airy voice, "Of course, you jerk. Who else would put up with your weirdness every day for the rest of their lives?"

Chuckling at her unromantic answer, Toushirou slipped the plastic ring onto her finger, surprised that it fit so well. As everyone clapped and cheered in unison, he dug a hand into Karin's hair, tilting her neck back and kissing her soundly in front of all of their new fans. Her arms wrapped around his middle, holding him close as he pulled away; the gesture being short but sweet since they were still in public forum. Shyly taking his hand, Karin pulled Toushirou away from the onlookers, her new engagement ring shining as if it was a true precious stone.

Arranging love was supposed to be impossible, but the two of them were good at doing just that, the impossible.

AN: DRIVEL DRIVEL DRIVEL DRIVEL DRIVEL! If this wasn't so much fun to write, I'd be hitting myself with the fluffiness.

For all you Go Against the Grain fans, I have a confession to make... The romance will only be bromance for a while. T.T This was kind of an aplogy to all of you who were looking forward to the romance, but it's not coming yet. It will come though! Just at its own pace...

Anyway, please read and review guys! Until next time~