Precious Times Together Ch 02

The white-haired taicho appeared outside of Urahara's shop.  Jinta was playing ball with some of his friends while Ururu sat there and watched.  Jinta immediately stopped what he was doing when he saw Toshiro – he knew exactly who he was.  Ururu ran inside to get Kisuke without even being asked.

Kisuke appeared on the porch of the shop in no time and met the taicho of the 10th squad.

"Hitsugaya-taicho.  To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence here at my fine establishment?" Kisuke asked, ending his question with a more-than-flamboyant bow to the taicho.  

"Urahara, I need to get that gigai of mine that you keep in storage," said Toshiro.

"Hai," answered Kisuke.  "Right this way."  He swung his arm out indicating that the taicho should come into the shop with him.

"Please, sit," said Kisuke.  "Tessai, some tea please?"

"No, that's not necessary," said Toshiro.  "I won't take up too much more of your time."

Kisuke left the room and Toshiro could hear loud bangs and clatters, as if Kisuke was digging through a junk pile of some sort in the next room.  

Kisuke shouted back to Toshiro, "So are you here for something in particular?  A mission perhaps?  Ever since Aizen was defeated, you all have been few and far between visiting the world of the living."

"What do you expect?" asked Toshiro.  "We're in a time of peace….finally.  You don't need us here right now.  But you still have Zennosuke, so it's not like you guys are completely on your own."

Kisuke stuck his head back into the room where Toshiro sat.  "Seriously?"

"To answer your question, I am not here on Gotei 13 business.  I'm on….vacation," clarified Toshiro.

Toshiro heard a large bang in the other room.  In reality, Kisuke had fallen flat on his face hearing that Toshiro Hitsugaya, the taicho of squad 10, was on vacation by his own admission.

Kisuke reappeared in the doorway carrying Toshiro's gigai.  "I didn't think I'd see the day when you would go on a vacation.  So….anything particular planned?"

"I have a few friends I'm going to visit, nothing special," Toshiro replied.

"Ah, I see," said Kisuke, handing the gigai over to Toshiro so he could put it on.  He slipped into it just as he had in the past – no problems whatsoever.

"While you're here, perhaps you might want to go shopping….those clothes are a little dated now," noted Kisuke.  "And they are a bit worn as well."

Toshiro, not being a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, simply said, "I'll be fine."  He started walking out the door.  "Thanks."

OlOlOlOlOlO

School was not in session - it was the annual break between grades.  She was about to start junior high and Karin Kurosaki was a bit bored.  Yuzu, her twin sister, kept herself busy with household chores and cooking for the family.  Ichigo had lost his Shinigami powers a while ago and because she now had a family to cook for, Yuzu took great pride in making at least two large meals each day – breakfast and dinner.  

Karin's main distraction was soccer and helping down in the Kurosaki clinic, a medical clinic attached to the family home where her father was the physician-in-charge.  She had started helping out with administrative duties when she was very young and now she was allowed to handle the simplest of the medical duties such as taking histories, temperatures, and blood pressures.  

Having spent the entire morning in the clinic, Karin decided that she wanted to get outside for the rest of the day.  She changed into a T-shirt and a pair of soccer shorts, grabbed her bag of balls and cleats and ran outside.  There was a park about a mile away from the house that had just opened a year ago.  It had playground equipment, picnic tables, but most importantly to Karin, it had a small soccer field that could be used just about any weekday without interruption.  

She sat on one of the sideline benches and changed her shoes.  She stretched before warming up with some basic footwork back and forth over one of the sidelines.  Soon she was sprinting from one end of the field to the other, a technique used in training for speed and ball control.  Then she worked on sudden stops.  Finally, she set up five balls at various angles and distances from the goal so she could work on kicking her final scoring shots.  

Karin was completely engrossed in her self-imposed training.  Her mind was focused and the world around her became simply a backdrop to the soccer field.  She never noticed the boy who walked up to the field and sat on the bench to watch her.

When the practice was over for the day, Karin turned to go back to her ball net and shoes when she finally saw that she wasn't alone.  She jumped up and put her hand over her heart.  

"Toshiro, you nearly scared me to death!" she gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

He let out a chuckle.  "Surely you noticed me before now.  I've been sitting here a good 15 minutes watching you practice," he replied.

"No, I didn't," she said as she walked up to him and gave him a weak punch to the upper arm.  "How have you been?  It's been so quiet around here."

"That's good, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess," she said, not going into any details, but leaving a little clue that there was more to her answer.

"You looked good out there," noted Toshiro.

"Thanks.  Next year I'm trying out for the school team," she replied.

"As if there was a doubt you could make a junior high team," he said.  

She smiled at the compliment.  "I still enjoy coming out and just kicking the ball around, even if it is by myself," she said.  "I know I'm not going to get much better without anyone to practice with."

"Wanna go?" he asked.

Karin was tired having been out for over an hour already and putting her full effort into what she was doing.  She really wanted to, but knew she was probably not going to be at her best.

"C'mon," urged Toshiro.  "One-on-one.  Whoever wins pays for dinner."

"Make it lunch tomorrow and you're on," replied Karin.

"Why? Got plans already?" he asked.

"Yuzu's already expecting me home for dinner," explained Karin.  "I don't want to disappoint her."

Karin thought for a second.  "Do you want to come?" she asked.  "Actually, do you even have a place to stay?  We've got that extra room…"

"Sure…to both," said Toshiro knowing full-well he would be invited to stay at the Kurosaki's by Karin.  Of all the places he could stay, he preferred the Kurosaki household.  Not only was the food good and he had his own private room with a bed, but Karin was there as well.  

"Let's go.  Lunch tomorrow it is," he said.

The two grabbed one of Karin's balls and ran back onto the field for some one-on-one play.  As skilled as she was, she was no match for Toshiro.  The fatigue made her a bit slower than usual as well and although she was able to score two goals against the taicho, he was able to get give past her.  

"Ok, I'm done," said Karin after his fifth goal.  "Let's go home."

She changed her shoes and Toshiro grabbed the balls and they headed back to the house.

OlOlOlOlOlO

Yuzu and Isshin welcomed Toshiro with open arms.  Ichigo simply nodded and said, "Toshiro," nodding at the taicho acknowledging his presence.  

"Thank you letting me stay here again," said Toshiro at the dinner table.

"You know you are always welcome here," noted Isshin.  

Now that the entire household was in on all the secrets that were once held, it made life much easier.  Even Yuzu and Karin now knew their father was a former taicho himself.  And they knew all about Shinigami, hollows, and pluses.  There was no longer a need to make up a story about why a particular Shinigami in a gigai needed to stay with the Kurosaki kids anymore.  

"So Toshiro, why are you here?" asked Isshin.

"Uh, actually, I'm here on personal business," he replied.  

Ichigo exhaled.  Karin could tell he was ready to be disappointed once again.  Since he lost his Shinigami powers, he could no longer see spirits or hollows – but he could still tell by the activity around him that they were there.  Karin was glad there was no mission this time – there was no reason for Ichigo to feel bad.  

"Are you here to see Granny Haru again?" asked Karin.

"Um, yeah," he replied.  He did plan on seeing her while he was here, though he kept it to himself that it wasn't his primary reason for coming to the world of the living.  "Perhaps we can go together after lunch tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan.  Where are you taking me?" Karin asked.

"There's a new café in downtown Karakura.  I hear the sushi is fantastic.  How 'bout it?" she said.

Ichigo now had a new reason to worry – at least that is what he thought.  

"Sounds good," Toshiro replied.  

OlOlOlOlOlO

The three Kurosaki kids and Toshiro Hitsugaya sat in the living room glued to the latest smash'em up movie on the TV screen.  By the time it was three quarters done, Yuzu had fallen asleep on Ichigo's shoulder.  Karin excused herself to go to the bathroom.

When she was out of earshot, Ichigo leaned over and loudly whispered to Toshiro, "What is your deal?"

"What?" Toshiro replied quietly.

"Why are you hanging around my sister?" Ichigo asked.

"Kurosaki, we're just friends.  I'm here and I bumped into her, that's all," Toshiro partially lied.  

"Just keep in mind that as mature as she seems, she is just barely thirteen," Ichigo reminded the taicho.

"I know," Toshiro said.  "Don't worry about it."

Karin reappeared and prevented any more conversation between the two men in the room.  However both Ichigo and Toshiro were both convinced they got their intended points across.

OlOlOlOlOlO

The next day, Toshiro slept better than he had in a long time.  He was convinced it was just because of the "vacation" he was on.  Even if something did come up that involved squad 10, he was so far away that it wasn't worth calling him on his soul phone for anything insignificant.  He was just hoping that Rangiku wasn't going to call to "check in" on him.  

He finally emerged from his room and went to the kitchen for a bite to eat.  Karin was in the living room watching TV.  

"Sorry, Toshiro.  We ate Yuzu's breakfast earlier this morning.  I thought about waking you up, but decided to let you sleep instead.  There are some leftovers in the fridge though," said Karin.

"Thanks," said Toshiro, who proceeded to raid the refrigerator as if he lived there.  "Where is everyone?"

"Dad's in the clinic, nii-chan is working and Yuzu decided to go to the park with some friends," said Karin.  Karin finally turned her gaze from the TV to look at the person she had been talking to.  She immediately gave him a look.

"What's that look for?" he asked.

"You wore those clothes yesterday," noted Karin.

"So?" he asked.

"Well, I don't know about how it works in the seireitei and your uniforms there, but down here, it is kind of seen as a no-no here in the world of the living," explained Karin.  "Don't you have anything else to wear?"

"They don't exactly give you multiple changes of clothes to go with your gigai," noted Toshiro.  

Good point, Karin thought to herself.  "Well, after lunch and a visit to Granny Haru, how about I take you shopping?"

Toshiro frowned.  She's the second person in two days who has said I need new clothes.

"C'mon now.  Everyone has to do it sometime," said Karin.  "I'll make sure you go to the right places and can get it done as fast as possible.  Face it, you are going to need more clothes here in the world of the living."

"Who says I'm coming back here again anytime soon?" asked Toshiro.

"You're not?" asked Karin.

"We're in peaceful times now.  There is no need for a taicho to be here anymore," said Toshiro.

"So you aren't going to visit Granny Haru….or me anymore?" asked Karin.  

Toshiro knew the question was an innocent one, but was thrown off-guard just the same.  Does she care if I come to visit her?  He did ask the question in his head before his common sense came back to him.  Patience, Toshiro.  She's just someone you like to hang out with.  

"Ok, ok," he finally conceded.  "We'll go clothes shopping."

OlOlOlOlOlO

Both Karin and Toshiro really enjoyed the day they spent together.  They ate lunch at the restaurant Karin had suggested then they spent a few hours with Granny Haru.  Karin was successful at keeping the shopping trip at only and hour-and-a-half by taking him to one of her favorite department stores that had just about everything in every size.  Of course, Toshiro was about the equivalent of Karin in terms of size even though he was much older than she was, so he ended up in the boys department.  But they did find some stylish jeans and shirts that would get him by for future visits.

They ended their day walking on what Karin referred to as "Toshiro's Hill", the first place she ever laid eyes on him.  He said it was one of his favorite places in Karakura Town because it reminded of him of the happy times of his childhood in the Rukongai.  

They returned home and ended up back in the living room in front of the TV once again.  

"Now that I have all those clothes, what am I supposed to do with them?" asked Toshiro.

"Just take a drawer in the guest room," answered Karin matter-of-factly.

"Take a….drawer?" he asked.  "You mean as in, leave them here?"

"Sure, why not?" she asked.  "Pretty much the only people who stay in our guest room are Shinigami when they stay with us.  And there have been so few lately anyway.  I expect you will be one of our more frequent guests…that is, unless you plan to stay in other places each time you come to visit."

"Uh, ok," said Toshiro.  "Thanks."  So now I've actually got an excuse to come right here when I'm in the world of the living.  

A scary movie was on and it was getting late.  Toshiro enjoyed the movie, but noted that Karin was slowly getting lower and lower in the sofa so she could avert her eyes at the slightest hint of anything about to pop out at her.  

A loud beeping filled the room and Karin just about jumped out of her skin.  

"Hello?" said Toshiro.  It was his soul phone.  

"For spirit's sake, Rangiku….," he said.

"Really?  When?" he added.  

"Ok, I'll be there," he said.  Then he hung up the phone.

"What was that?" Karin asked.

"I have a meeting with the soutaicho tomorrow morning," explained Toshiro.  

"Are you leaving?" asked Karin.

"I'll leave early tomorrow morning before you get up," said Toshiro.

The movie kept playing, but neither person said anything for quite a while.  Toshiro thought he had one more day to stay here so he was disappointed.  Karin had really enjoyed spending time with her friend so she was a little let down as well.  

"So…when do you think you'll be back?" Karin finally asked.

Toshiro looked right at her.  "I don't know.  But it won't be too long.  I promise."  

"Good," she answered.

Again, no one said a word and the TV kept right on talking.

"Toshiro?" said Karin.  

"Hm?" he replied.

"I really had fun today.  Thanks," she said.