His Best Friend's Crush Chapter 3, a bleach fanfic

A/N: Hi everyone! :D Soooo this chapter turned out to be quite long (sweatdrops) I hope you don't mind!

I was planning to split this in two parts, but then I decided to just leave it as it is, because when divided in two parts, this gets too short… Anyways, I also decided to just keep it like this to keep the 'Prologue' within 3 chapters…

So, yeah. I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter!

Thanks a lot to all of you readers, reviewers and those who added this story to their favorite list

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!

oOOOo

She loves hanging out with friends, she loves every season of the year, and she loves hot summer days as much as she loves snowy days. She loves staying home while reading a book when it rains hard outside, and she loves taking walks on Karakura's beach or in a park on a sunny day.

She hates attending to lessons, she finds them boring, but she's very smart and studies diligently to please her parents.

She always buys the same brand of orange juice during lunch break, she doesn't like pickles and she loves every type of dessert.

There's this one guy she never forgets to talk about, her childhood sweetheart, her favorite guy after her father. Aizen Sousuke. They're childhood friends, their families got along very well. I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes whenever she talked about him, although she did her best to hide it with her usual smile.

Friendship

"It's so hot."
"It's so hot!"

Momo and I looked at each other in surprise.

"You like this hot weather?"
"You don't like this hot weather?"

She started laughing, all the while smacking me on my arm with too much energy. I just shook my head and smiled.

"How can you even stand this kind of weather, it's too hot."

Momo smiled and shrugged "I love warmth. I love the sun." She looked up and let out a deep breath "Summer is my favorite season – standing next to Winter."

That made me curious "How can you like Summer and Winter? It sounds so contradictory, it should be either one or the other."

"It should be?" She asked "Who said so?"

I shrugged "I did."

A couple of days have passed since Momo transferred here in Karakura, she's been easily getting along with our group, and surprisingly, with me too.

"Let me guess, then." Said Kira "You also like Autumn and Spring on the same level?"

That got Momo thinking about it, while I hid my surprise at Kira's forwardness to try and get in a conversation with Momo.

A very nice surprise for such an introverted guy.

"I guess I do." Momo finally answered.

I silently snuck away from the two, to let Kira have his shot with the new girl.

Ichigo gave me a pat on the shoulder "You're gonna leave it to that?"

I quizzically furrowed my brow "What do you mean?"

He sardonically smiled while quickly motioning his head in Momo's direction.

Finally understanding what he meant, I rolled my eyes "We're not like that, come on."

"Didn't seem like it earlier." Ichigo snickered under his breath "You two look good together."

I blankly looked ahead, watching my friend looking at Momo with an adoring expression, something I've never seen on his face. "They look better together."

Momo excitedly waved her hands and arms in the air while she was telling some weird story to Kira, I couldn't help but hold back a laugh with a smile when she nearly hit him.

oOOOo

"She is…" He dramatically paused "… what a young girl is supposed to be like."

"According to your taste, that is." I added before Kira could begin his endless rantings about Momo.

We sat in my backyard, eating some watermelon under the big tree in the garden.

"She's kind, funny, energetic." He started listing off everything he liked about my neighbor, while I distractedly listened to him, as I gave most of my attention to the book in my hand.

It was refreshing to see him so hyped up over something – more like someone. He was usually the type of guy who goes all out to help other people and then slowly retire in his own little world.

I really hope things will go well between him and Momo.

She seemed like a good girl, everything Kira said about her was true, but… There was something more in her. Sure, she was kind, funny, energetic and all the things Kira listed.

But she was also witty, a book worm, so full of contradictions and full of… life. I'm not even sure if that's the way I should define her, it's just that I noticed how amazed she was at everything nature could offer.

There's a little thing that gives me an unsettling feeling, though.

It unsettled me how easily we got along, though we barely even knew each other. 'Cause, really, we just met less than a week ago, and it feels like we've been friends since forever.

"I can't wait for school to start."

I looked at Kira with a curious glance "Enlighten me."

"So I get to see Momo-chan with a uniform." He said in a shy tone at first, and slowly turned guilty. "I'm such a perv."

"Yep, you are." I deadpanned. "You're seriously head over heels for her?"

He eagerly nodded.

"But you barely know her!"

An embarrassed smile stretched over his lips "It's crazy, right?"

I just shook my head and chuckled, turning my eyes back to my book after taking a slice of watermelon.

"You two get along very well, too." Kira added after a moment of silence.

Surprised, I glanced at him. Did he notice?

As if reading my mind, he simply answered "It's pretty obvious." He teasingly pointed his eyes at me "Ah, don't tell me… you like her too, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes "She's all yours, for what I care." I leaned back against the big old tree "You know I'm more into feminine girls."

"Hey, she is feminine!" He defended her while I just shook my head in amusement.

oOOOo

"Oh, you had to take an entrance exam?"

"How did it go?"

Momo looked down at the sheet in her hand "Average, I guess. I didn't study much for this, so I'm pretty satisfied."

Rangiku, being the overly-curious girl that she was, snatched the sheet from the brunette's hands and gaped. "Average? You consider 85 to be an average score?"

"Yaaaaay we found our new tutor!" Rukia cheered while clapping her hands, Orihime just laughed and gave a consoling pat to Momo, as if welcoming her to her 'Tutor Club'.

"Tutor?" Asked the new girl, as she was fidgeting in her new uniform, clearly not used to it yet.

"Yep, don't even ask, Ikkaku, Rangiku and Renji put together barely reach 20/100 points." Ichigo explained with a sigh.

"We usually all study together, but it doesn't seem to work with them." Yumichika flipped his hair back and fluttered his lashes. "The only patient ones who are still willing to help them are Orihime and Kira."

"Hey, don't talk like you guys never ask for their help either." Ikkaku said, sounding slightly offended.

"Never said we didn't ask for any help." Yumichika haughtily explained as he examined his nails.

And cue for their fighting moment.

"Are they always like this?" Momo asked me in a low whisper.

I just nodded "You'll get used to it, don't worry."

She just laughed and put her hands on her hips. "Well, shall we all go ahead and look at the tables to see which classes we're in?"

"Don't even bother, there aren't many people in this village, Momo-chan." Rukia nonchalantly waved her hand in the air "We're all going to be in the same class."

Momo gaped "Really?"

I nudged her on the side "I explained it to you when I helped you unload the truck."

She looked at me in an extremely confused and lost look on her face "You did?"

I couldn't help but hold back my laughter at her expression, while she just frowned at me. "I forgot how bad was your memory."

"Gee, thanks." Momo just smiled and smacked me hard on my shoulder. "Seriously, though. This is so anti-climactic. So there is no doki-doki feeling while thinking 'Ahhh I hope I'll be in the same class as my friends or crush'?"

"Nope." Answered Rukia "But if you want to, just for poops and giggles, we can go and check them – more like, it – out anyway."

Momo nodded "Might as well… you guys already know the school grounds?"

We started walking towards the school once we were done hanging out by a nearby park.

"Yeah, this school has everything, starting from Kindergarten to High School. We've attended in this school since the beginning." Orihime explained.

"The school ground is pretty big, but it's normal considering all the school institutions involved in here." Added Ishida.

"Shut up, Ishida. Don't start getting our head bloated by saying that our school is big, when Momo-chan's old school is probably double the size of ours." Renji antagonized, and started bickering with Ishida like Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"Here's the main bill board of this school." Rukia gaily pointed it out "Important announces are mostly put here, but there are also smaller bill boards inside the building."

Momo nodded as she looked at the list of High School freshmen. "So few…" She mumbled while scanning the list.

oOOOo

"I'm Hinamori Momo, 16 years old, from Seireitei. I just transferred here in Karakura last week, please take care of me."

My overly familiar looking classmates curiously looked at Momo as she walked back to her seat next to Orihime, in the back.

Whispers and mumbles took over the classroom until our teacher slammed his hand on his desk to silence everyone. Looks like Kyoraku sensei woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. "No time to waste, people. Get your textbooks and let's begin our lesson."

I glanced back and saw Momo already lost in her thoughts, looking out of the big windows.

oOOOo

"What is that?" Momo asked with a curious glance at Orihime's bentou box.

"Oh, just some fried hot dogs with peanut butter and cheese!"

Ikkaku gagged on the side, as Yumichika just comfortingly rubbed his back. Renji blanched and Rangiku started bouncing on her seat "Can I have some, Orihime?"

"Sure!"

Momo searched for any reaction from me, but I just shook my head and ate my food. "Is that all you're going to eat?"

I glanced down at the sandwich I bought at the canteen "Yeah."

"Don't mind him, Momo-chan. He really likes sandwiches." Kira intervened. "He has three more over there."

Momo nodded "I know, but it's not healthy. Is that what you always eat at lunch?"

I shrugged "The sandwiches they sell at the canteen are very good. It's not such a big deal."

Mom is always busy for work, she has to travel all the way to the nearby town, so she's very tired when she gets home. It's not like I don't want to eat a bentou box, but I'd rather let my Mom rest when she has free time than make her make me a bentou box.

So I don't really mind eating sandwiches for lunch.

Momo's eyes lingered on me for a while longer, then she turned back to the rest of the group and shared her thoughts so far about our school.

I noticed how Kira gave his entire attention to the brunette, and I couldn't help but feel amused at the sight. Momo energetically shared more tales from her former city, as she ate her two-layered bentou box. Kira's own bentou box looked puny compared to hers, and it was kind of funny.

A guy going out with a girl who ate more than him.

"The thing I really like about you guys…" Momo smiled "… is that you don't always have your faces shoved in your cell phones."

Everyone looked at each other in curiosity. "Why should we?" Asked Rukia "There's nothing much in our phones, anyway." She got her phone from her pocket and handed it to Momo.

"Oh, flip phones!" Momo shouted happily, holding Rukia's phone like it was some sort of rare treasure. "I always wanted to get one too, but everyone in Seireitei has these super technological touch-screen phones with apps to communicate with each other…" She inspected the pink rabbit design on Rukia's phone "This is so cute."

"I know, right?! That's Chappy the Rabbit! He is a— "

Before Rukia could begin to rant about her beloved favorite cartoon character, Ichigo shoved an onigiri in her mouth, making her stop and everyone else laugh.

"Trust me, Momo. You don't wanna hear that." Said Ichigo with a very serious look, ignoring the punches Rukia was throwing at him as she asked for more onigiris.

Momo was clicking some buttons on Rukia's phone "Oh, you can install applications in this phone. What phones do the rest of you have?"

"We pretty much have the same type of phone." Ishida said, glancing around as everyone whipped their phone out.

"Hmm…" Momo continued her inspection on the phone.

"M-Momo-chan?" Kira started nervously.

Momo just hummed questioningly, still focused on the phone in her hand.

"C-c—can I…" Kira stuttered, while I swiftly smacked Renji in the face, noticing his stifled laughter "Can we exchange e-mails?!"

"E-mails? You guys still use e-mails to chat?" The brunette said in disbelief, either ignoring or just unaware of Kira's meaning behind his invitation "There's this app you can download… here it is!" She showed everyone something on Rukia's screen "Where you can chat with people, even in groups. It was very popular in Seireitei."

I mentally gave a pat on Kira's shoulder, wishing that he won't get discouraged by this.

"Oh, don't worry Kira-kun, I'll exchange mails and numbers with everyone later."

Before Ikkaku and Renji could shout 'FRIENDZONED' with all their might, Ichigo and I stuffed their mouth with food.

oOOOo

"Don't be such a killjoy, Toushirou!" Momo's been pestering me ever since we got out of school "It's free! And you get to chat with us whenever you feel like it!"

I ignored the whack of her hands against my back and shoulders "I'm not interested in stuff like that. If I ever need to talk with anyone, which is very improbable, I can just call someone on the phone."

"Leave him be, Momo-chan. He's always like that." Chided Ishida while the others laughed.

She didn't give up. "Alright, fine. But, say for example that we all suddenly decided to go out and hang around town, and the only place we've talked about it is in this app. You'd be the only one left home!"

"He hates going out, anyway." Kira explained while laughing.

Momo pouted like a kid "Ughhh, can someone tell me how to convince him?!"

Everyone just laughed at her persistence.

oOOOo

"… Do you think I even have a chance with her?"

I looked at Kira in surprise, who laid down on the green grass of my backyard, enjoying the sun.

"I mean… I feel like I've already been thrown down the friendzone."

Probably… Ignoring that last thought, I tried to encourage him. "Maybe she's slow when it comes to these things."

"You think so?" He looked at me hopefully.

I shrugged "I don't know. Maybe you just have to be more forward?"

Kira buried his face in his hands "Noooo, you know I'm too shy to do that."

Laughing, I leaned back against the big trunk of the tree "Well then, are you planning to make her take the first move? Are you a girl?"

He glared at me briefly. "… Should I just be direct and tell her that I like her?"

"Do you want to be with her?"

A breeze blew past us, making the short green grass shake.

Kira looked up at the sky, looking thoughtful for a moment.

"I guess… I guess I do." He sat up straight and looked desperate "There's just something about her, Toushirou. I don't know what it is, I just really like her."

I worriedly looked at him. "You've got it bad, dude."

Kira started ripping some long strands of grass he found. "Yeah… pretty bad." He smiled fondly, glancing at the house that stood next to mine. "You're so lucky to be living next to her."

"Let's exchange houses, then." I jokingly suggested, making my best friend laugh, though I could see a wishful glint in his eyes.

"Kira-kun! Toushirou!"

We turned our heads to see Momo waving at us from a window upstairs in her house.

Kira fretfully sat up straight and waved back with a smile.

I just waved briefly and she quickly disappeared back inside her house.

As quickly as she disappeared, she re-appeared in her own backyard, peeking over the fence. "Hi guys!"

Kira made his way towards her, while I stayed back, reading my book to give them some privacy.

oOOOo

Days flew by in a breeze, it was starting to get colder.

Momo and I became incredibly good friends – as annoying as she may be some times.

I had the chance to know her better, and some things that others probably didn't know, I relied them to Kira to help him in his quest to conquer her.

She hates attending to lessons, she finds them boring, but she's very smart and studies diligently to please her parents.

She always buys the same brand of orange juice during lunch break, she doesn't like pickles and she loves every type of dessert.

I thought that this Sousuke guy might turn out to be a hinder for Kira, but she told me that they haven't been much in contact in the past couple of years. So he shouldn't be a problem.

Momo was such an interesting person, she was so open with everyone, but at the same time she seemed to hide some secrets behind that cheerful smile of hers. It made me want to know more about her.

And, somehow, ever since she got here time seems to rush by in a blur. Or was I simply going mad?

October was just around the corner, Momo's been here in Karakura for around two months now.

The leaves on the trees were turning different shades of warm colors, the temperature was gradually dropping day by day.

I sat at the usual café the group hangs out at, sipping my cup of coffee. Of course, leave it to my friends to come more than ten minutes late.

It's Saturday morning (10 am), the girls wanted to take Momo around town since everyone always had something to do over the weekend.

I lazily leaned back in my seat, looking out of the window, in a daze as the leaves slowly dropped on the ground.

I hope it snows a lot this year.

"Hi." I looked up to see Momo looming over me with a grin.

I smiled and watched her take a seat in front of me. "Ah, finally someone shows up."

She stuck her tongue out "Everyone sent a message on Line, the app you refuse to download." I rolled my eyes. "Everyone said they'd be late, so we all decided to move the meeting time by thirty minutes forward."

"How come no one informed me about it?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I thought Kira would inform you."

I reached for my phone to check if I received any message or mail. "Well, apparently he didn't."

Momo laughed and sat on the seat in front of me. "Serves you right."

"Gee, thanks." I shook my head, waiting for Momo to order her usual glass of orange juice and her beloved chocolate Belgian waffle. "How weird, though… Why didn't he tell me?" I asked to myself, and concluded that he was probably too busy looking for something decent to wear.

Ugh, I think I know that guy too well.

"What are you doing here so early, then?" I asked.

"Hmm…" She thoughtfully looked up, tapping her chin "Because I knew you were going to come punctually. I came here out of pity."

I burst out in laughter "How thoughtful of you."

Momo smiled and looked out at the sky. "Thank God it's sunny today."

"If it starts raining, I'm going back home." I grumbled sipping at my coffee.

Momo laughed "Oh hush, you can't leave when the whole group has been waiting so long for a day where everyone is available."

"I know…" I smiled remembering how the entire group meticulously checked everyone's agenda to find a date when we could all hang out together. They could be silly sometimes, but they really cared about the friendship we've all had since our elementary days.

I could see from the corner of my eye that Momo was smiling too "You really care about them, hm?"

I wiped my smile off my face and shrugged, though I knew she already discovered me.

"So… don't you think it's time for you to join us on Line?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Laughing, I shook my head. "Nope. Dream on."

We idly chatted a while longer, though the one mostly doing the talking was her, and I just listened to her stories.

Then I saw Kira, standing just outside the coffee shop, looking at me and Momo with a blank expression on his face.

"Look, Kira." I told Momo, interrupting her in the midst of her sentence. She quickly turned around, watching Kira walk in the shop.

She happily greeted him and scooted give him space to sit in.

Kira quietly greeted us, while Momo continued her rambles about this new book she bought the other day on internet.

I noticed Kira's unusual silence; this wasn't his 'embarrassed silence', this was different.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him silently.

He just nodded and listened intently to every word Momo spoke out.

Soon enough, the rest of the group finally reached us.

oOOOo

After walking around town, we decided to go and have lunch at one of the few restaurants in town.

On our way there, Kira and I stood in the farthest back of the group, walking to match everyone's pace while everyone happily chatted and planned what to do in the afternoon.

Kira's weird mood unsettled me; usually I'm the moody one, seeing him like this was so strange for me. So I decided to mirror what he usually did whenever I was in that kind of mood. "Is everything okay?"

Kira side-glanced at me and looked back ahead. "Of course."

"Doesn't seem like it," I insisted "Tell me, come on. Maybe I can help you out."

He furrowed his brows, looking down on the hard ground "It's nothing important."

"It can't be if it's bothering you so much."

Kira turned to look at me with a sad smile "It's going to sound ridiculous."

I challenged him with a look.

"I… I just see how close you and Momo-chan are and I…" He paused for a moment "I feel so stupid, thinking things like 'What if she likes him?' or 'What if he likes her?'."

A stabbing feeling hit me in my chest. I ignored it "What are you saying?" I said with a laugh, smacking him on his shoulder. "I thought I told you that she's into this Aizen guy from Seireitei!"

"I know," Kira looked at me "But… what about you?"

I was shocked at his question "What makes you think that I like her? I told you, I like very feminine girls. She's not my type; she makes a great friend, though." I explained clearly.

Kira let out a breath in relief "Okay, I just really needed to hear it from you." He smiled, turning back to his usual self.

"If that was it, you know you could've just asked me."

"Yeah, but…" He laughed at himself "I was just being stupid. I assumed that you liked her because I see how you are when you're with her."

"How?" I asked in disbelief. Well, I do enjoy her company, but… what kind of impression did I give away?

"Hn," He hummed in agreement "You laugh more openly now, you seem more… happy." He repeated.

I shook my head "Looks like her hyper character rubbed off on me." I tried to explain more to myself than to him.

Kira agreed "Yeah… she has a strong character, doesn't she?"

Time felt like it came to halt for a moment, then resumed in a snail-like pace.

Wordless, I just nodded.

And so, the day dragged along; I wasn't paying attention to anything anymore. Not like it mattered, since I already know this town like the back of my hand.

Kira's words were lingering in my mind.

Did my friendship with Momo bother him so much? His weird attitude from earlier and his perplexed expression flashed in the back of my head.

Kira is just like a brother to me, I owe him a lot; when I was small, I used to be a loner. It's not like I didn't want to make friends, but the kids seemed to be scared of me. Kira was the only kid willing to play with me back then.

I like being alone, but I hate being lonely.

The reason that I have so many friends who care about me and who I care about now is because of him.

Along the years, I've been always the spoiled brat between the two of us, and he was always happy to share or give me what I wanted. The last slice of a cake, the last piece of sandwich, the last toy in the shop, the last soccer ball available in kindergarten, the last shirt in the shop, the last copy of a book at the bookstore. Of course, I did my best to share these small things with him.

He's done nothing but help me and his friends around wholeheartedly, never asking for anything in return.

Glancing forward, I saw Kira cheerfully chatting with Momo.

Now that he's finally found something – someone – he likes, I set my mind from the start to help him out in every possible way.

I thought that by getting along with her and maybe gain some information about her to help him would make him happy.

But after seeing his troubled expression for my friendship with Momo, I already know what to do next.

Momo turned to look at me with a bright smile "Stop being a loner and join us, Toushirou!"

I couldn't help but smile at her energetic character. "What do you want?" I said in a mocking tone.

"I want you to just download Line, so that you won't have to wait for everyone like you did earlier." She teased.

I was about to counter her teasing tone, but when I saw the faltering look on Kira's face, I refrained myself.

I know what needs to be done. I have to choose between my friendship with Kira and my friendship with Momo.

"Alright." I said. "I'll download it."

Momo broke out into a cheerful squeal, smacking me on my arm – a usual habit she did whenever she was overly happy or excited about something. Then she turned to look at Ichigo and the others "See?! I managed to convince him!"

"Right, after two months, you finally did it." The guys deadpanned, but Momo didn't care and twirled around in her white dress and denim jacket.

This will be the first and last thing I'll concede to Momo.

From now on, I'll put a distance between us.

oOOOo

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

As I was saying earlier, this is the end of the Prologue, so the real deal starts in the next coming chapters :D Stay tuned!

Reviews are much loved and appreciated, cookies for y'all And write your uh.. favorite part, I guess, since this has been such a long chapter )

Toodles!