It's funny to think about how this story has evolved. I'll admit that the transition to HitsuMatsu was a surprise. I had simply intended to write a little story about my favorite Bleach characters, because I noticed that whenever I would read others' work, I would search for stories with Hitsugaya and/or Matsumoto in them, and I noticed a dearth of them. That wasn't right, I thought. So why not fix the problem? And so I started.

Now look at this. 40 chapters later, it's now a full-on romance story. Or, at the very least, there's a romance at the focal point of it. Things have evolved into something I never would have envisioned, and I can't help but marvel at the response I've gotten. Thank you, my faithful audience, for sticking with me for so long. Just look at what we've created. I think we're doing pretty good.

"It's odd."

Kyouraku made a curious sound in his throat, not the least bit surprised by his fellow captain's presence. Hitsugaya approached slowly, looking thoughtful and a bit apprehensive. He stopped and stood to Kyouraku's left, and the Eighth Divison captain lifted his hat a bit to look up at his younger compatriot.

They were atop the roof of the Eighth Division's barracks, one of Kyouraku's favorite places to think, drink, and nap; he often said that working too often only served to wear out both the mind and the body, and that frequent breaks were necessary to ensure peak performance, especially for captain-level shinigami. It was clear to just about every other soldier in Soul Society that this was a simple excuse, but nobody bothered even trying to point this out anymore.

Kyouraku Shunsui was one of their best, after all.

"Any number of things are odd, Toushirou-kun," the bearded captain offered. "Of what are you speaking now?"

He did not bother to ask Hitsugaya why he was there, and Hitsugaya had known that he wouldn't. That, he thought, was one reason he'd sought out Kyouraku in the first place; it had been instinctual.

"…Everything," the boy captain said.

"Mm," Kyouraku replied. "I see."

Hitsugaya sat at the edge of the roof and sighed. "I took…I took Rangiku to Junrinan recently," he said. "To…meet my grandmother."

Kyouraku perked up at this. He rose from where he'd been lying down to a sitting position. "Oh?" he asked. "Is that right?"

Hitsugaya nodded. "It seemed…right. Natural. The next logical step. I…haven't seen Granny in several decades, you know." Kyouraku noted that Hitsugaya said "Granny" with a sudden softness, a fondness, that was very rare for him. "Ever since I first entered Seireitei. And she said…she said that she always expected me to bring Hinamori with me…the next time I came home."

Kyouraku's almost gleeful interest softened, sobered, into thoughtful silence. Hitsugaya looked at hi after a moment, as if expecting a response. "I see…well, that's logical enough. You and Hinamori-chan were all but…well, I would say inseparable, but I suppose that isn't true, is it? But you are close, even now. You grew up together. Surely your grandmother saw that better than any of us."

Hitsugaya nodded. "That's…that's what I mean. It seemed…before, it felt like it was only natural that it would be Hinamori. I fully expected, perhaps even intended, that it would be Hinamori. But…"

"Do you regret your final decision?"

"No!" Hitsugaya snapped, looking almost angry. "Of course not. Not at all. I just…it's…it's confusing."

"Obviously."

"I spent…so many years, so sure that it would be Hinamori. Like…like we were meant to be together. I was…positive."

"Minds can change, Toushirou-kun. So can hearts."

Hitsugaya nodded. "I just…I wonder when things changed. When my surety began to waver. When…when we began to drift."

Kyouraku frowned. "Toushirou-kun, you didn't begin to drift until recently. I don't like to speak ill of my comrades, especially our young ladies, but…you didn't instigate that."

"I thought…I wasn't good enough. That I…that I pushed her away."

"Of course you did. You're a man. And you're also a leader. And we men, especially those of us stupid enough to lead others, always blame ourselves."

Hitsugaya looked at him. "…What?"

"We're chauvinists, Toushirou-kun. To us, women can do no wrong. They're too pure, too innocent, to do wrong. It must be us. It's how we think. And maybe your viewpoint isn't that broad, but at the very least, the people you care about can do no wrong."

Kyouraku grinned. "You grew, that's all. And when people grow, things change. Especially perspective. You love Hinamori-chan, and I think you always have. But the manner of that love has changed. There's nothing wrong with that. You aren't to blame for that, and it isn't something you should concern yourself with. There are varying types of love."

"I feel like…I've betrayed her. Like I'm betraying both of them. Hinamori for loving Rangiku, and…and Rangiku for feeling guilty about it."

Kyouraku looked at the white-haired captain for a moment, then sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Toushirou-kun…I'm beginning to think that you're doomed to feel guilty forever. It seems like a part of your nature by now. But…you needn't beat yourself up for this. If love wasn't confusing sometimes, well…it wouldn't be so much fun."

Hitsugaya still didn't look convinced. "It still doesn't…feel right. I shouldn't put Rangiku through this, if I'm not…if I'm not sure."

"You want to know what I think, Toushirou-kun?" Kyouraku asked with a soft smile. Hitsugaya looked at him again, eyes questioning. "I think you're looking too far into this. I think you're missing the obvious."

"Obvious."

"Yes, obvious. It's hard to see because it's happened so naturally, and that is the mark of love. The sort of love you're talking about, anyway. Romantic love. It's instinctual, Toushirou-kun. That's what makes it romantic."

"Instinctual."

"Mm-hm. That's why you don't see it. Why you're so confused."

Hitsugaya frowned. "So what do your instincts tell you, Kyouraku? What is this answer that I can't see?"

Kyouraku's smile widened and for what felt like the first time, Hitsugaya thought that he understood why the Eight Division captain was as popular as he was, despite his unorthodox attitude.

"If you were meant to be with Hinamori-chan," he said, "then you would call her Momo."