╭Temporarily Here╮

Chapter 24

Rangiku gingerly opened the door, leading to their office. She hadn't spoken to her captain, since that incident. There were little opportunities to talk to him about it, but she had a feeling-- no she knew that he was extremely angry this time. Momo told her that he pulled a face at the mere mention of her name.

And now she had to quietly sneak inside, so he has one less annoyance. Rangiku peered behind the door. The orange rays beaming from the windows provided a light source, which helped her see Toshiro from where she stood. 

She tried to focus her vision more on him to see his face and frankly, she thought she was seeing things. She thought that the light was playing tricks on her or she must be seeing things due to the last remains of her hangover. 

Is he...? Smiling?

Rangiku rubbed her eyes and looked again. No doubt, a small smile had found its way on his forever blank - or surly - face. As Toshiro's lieutenant, and self-proclaimed guardian, she saw several expressions on his face. She saw him cry; she saw him infuriated; she saw him disgusted; she saw him smile.   

She witnessed Toshiro being happy and grow to know what happiness is. 

But she had never seen that type of smile on his face. 

She had never thought she would see that look on him.

Rangiku slowly backed away from the door and took her hand, finger-by-finger, off of the door's handle. 

A loud creak sounded - loud in the complete silence that overtook the office - when she recklessly slid her pinky finger away from the handle. She froze, closing her eyes shut and prepared herself for scolding of a lifetime.

"Rangiku Matsumoto."

Karin's P.O.V

"How was your date?"

I sighed and looked at him. "I thought you were the nice one. I honestly expected better from you."

Muzuiro lifted his hands up as if surrendering. His exaggerated, innocent-friendly, smile made me want to grimace. Honestly, I had no idea why he was poking his nose around. We never talked much even after he and Asano began visiting our home -- tagging along with Tatsuki and Orihime.  

Though, I could say he was genuinely a 'random person'. He talked when he wanted to and he disappeared when he wanted to -- whether literally or figuratively. 

A skill I wish I perfected.

"Sorry. It's just what everyone wants to ask, even Mister Asano." Mizuiro lifted himself off of the wall and stood up straight onto his feet. "His sister is also interested in your relationship with that boy--"

"--his older than you."

"Right, can't get used to that." He nodded, while he chuckled. His reistu moved around gracefully yet without any direction. 

I crossed my arms and hummed, but I had no idea what he was thinking. He really must be talking to me on a whim. 

My eyebrows furrowed, one of my fingers tapped repeatedly on my arm. I felt my patience drain; no-one knew how to mind their own business. "Why would she be interested? She's only interested in one thing and that's some bald guy."

Muzuiro tilted his head and glanced away. He had a natural born talent for acting innocent. 

"True," he agreed then shrugged. "Honestly, her reasons are slightly different. She's been crying for a while, sobbing about 'same situations yet she can't even go on dates too'. Stuff like that, you know."

My face blanched, I knew. As expected, Ichigo's friends are weird and their siblings are even weirder. 

"I give up."

Muzuiro laughed. "That's why I'm here, bothering you. It was getting loud in there."

I sighed in pure irritation, but the weight my body carried felt heavier that moment. It's as if gravity had gone deep into my foot's center, making it a difficult feat to lift it off the ground even by an inch.   

"I think I'm just going to go outside or stay in my room," I said, lacking any tone.

Muzuiro stayed oddly quiet. I looked up at him, only to see him staring at me. Even his curious eyes were innocent looking yet mature! This must be what lures those types of older woman in. Tatsuki said Muzuiro was popular amongst high school girls too before getting involved with Ichigo. 

I prefer an actual mature pers--

"What?" I asked him and placed a hand on my hip. "You got something to say?"

The longer he stared, the more my tolerance grew thin of him. 

"You know," he finally spoke, "you never denied it."

My face contorted into confusion, but I voiced my questions with slight frustration. "Huh? Denied what?"

I'm already annoyed and now he's speaking in riddles? What does he--

"That you were on a date."

Strangely, I froze in dumbfound. I had no idea why, but all I could muster out was:

"Eh?"

Muzuiro watched as I tried to say something with a raised eyebrow. All I did in the end was resemble a fish out of water; I felt like I was burning like a fish exposed to the sun. My cheeks especially heated and his gaze made things worse. 

He hummed. "I guess what those Soul Reapers kept gossiping about has some truth to it. Although the situation is different from the rumors."

What nonsense is he mumbling about now?

"Rumors?" I managed to repeat. 

I rested my arms next to my sides, eventually cooling myself off before continuing. Unlike my prior 'malfunctioning', my own curiosity led me to thinking about what Toshiro asked me. He asked me if I wanted to know why everyone kept looking at us and whispered who-knows-what.  

"Is it something to do with everyone staring at us in the streets?" I asked absentmindedly.

He blinked several times. "There are a lot of busy-bodies in the Soul Society, I see."

"We've established that," I remarked sarcastically. "What are the rumors going around about me?"

Muzuiro's puzzled expression disappeared and was replaced by a bright, closed-eyed, smile. I resisted my inevitable urge to grimace. 

"That Captain Hitsuguya is in love with you!"  

Silence followed after his exclamation. I had no words - none at all. Toshiro, in love with me? Toshiro?

"Pfft-"

Really?

I can't imagine a love-sick Toshiro at all!

╭┈

│ Literally had to reread my own book to remember what direction I was going for this book. Let me say this, 2020 me made so many mistakes. I still make mistakes, but back then, there's a lot. Still, rereading your work from two years back is an interesting experience. Still cringe-y though.

│ Anyway, I'm looking forward to adult Toshiro being animated!

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