Coffee Flavored Angel (Bleach Fanfic)

Salty Caramel Mocha Frapachino

The jingle of the bell, and the strong smell of coffee reflected Karin's positive mood as she stepped into the coffee shop she worked. She quickly stepped into the bathroom so she could change from the uniform for high school to the one for the small shop. She donned the apron, and stepped behind the counter next to the owner. Nanao glanced over to the side. "Your boyfriend's here."

A light laugh left Karin's mouth. "I told you Toshiro isn't my boyfriend. He's a classmate of Ichi-nii's that just so happens to be the same age as me."

"He's been here all day." The worried look on the woman's face finally registered with Karin, and she found herself turning her head to look at the table Toshiro always sat at. The fifteen year old was sitting at the table with his knees pulled up, and his school bag down on the ground. Propped on his lap was the usual sketch pad. Usually his hands were constantly moving as he sketched something into his book, but what Karin never found out.

The black haired sixteen year old looked at Toshiro and felt a frown spreading across her face, and the positive mood quickly souring. "Doesn't he have college classes today with Ichi-nii? I know they don't share all of the same classes, but last time I checked Toshiro actually has more then my brother."

"He also never misses class. You should probably ask him what's wrong." The shop owner quickly handed her a coffee she'd just brewed. The high school student could smell

Karin let out a sigh and stepped out from behind the counter letting the door part squeak as she did so. She watched as Toshiro's white head of hair jerked up, and a shocked look spread across his face as if he'd been in some kind of trance. Upon seeing her the sketch pad snapped shut, and he pulled it defensively against his chest as he looked out the clear window at the street down below. Karin carefully set one of the coffees down onto the table.

"Your godmother wants you to try the new coffee flavor she came up with. You are after all our favorite customer."

"Oh."

The sixteen year old narrowed her violet eyes before reaching out and nudging his shoulder causing Toshiro to turn his head so Karin could see his bright teal eyes. "Nanao-san's also worried about you." One corner of the girl's mouth went to the side noticing the visible bags under Toshiro's eyes. "Are you getting enough sleep." The girl cursed the question. "Of course not. Ichi-nii doesn't get enough sleep either. They're both in college."

Toshiro opened his mouth to say something, only for the bells on the front door to jingle. The teen male glanced back at the glass window before burying his chin into his fist. "You've got customers." Karin sighed as she moved to a straight position and popped her neck only for her mouth to twist into a deep frown upon seeing three girls from her school.

Her hands went on her hips. "What are those three doing here? They're never pleasant to be around."

The chair at the table next to her shifted, and she felt a hand suddenly tug at her apron. "Remember they're customers. That's what Aunt Nanao would say to you. That, and don't let your feelings get in the way."

Karin let out a sigh as she looked down at Toshiro to see he was still staring out the window. "Hypocrite. You're always letting your feelings get in the way although you pretend they don't."

Karin headed over to the counter to help Nanao out with the customers. The woman gave her a hopeful look, but the response from her co-worker was a quick shake of the head indicating Toshiro hadn't said anything regarding what was bothering him. The phone rang preventing the woman from saying anything to her, and instead spoke in a light whisper telling someone that "he was indeed here'.

Karin carefully noted the girls orders to make sure she wouldn't mess up, and proceeded to make each order carefully. She watched as the girls decided to take a table near Toshiro's. Karin ground her teeth as she noted the ravenous looks the three cast at the white haired fifteen year old. Thankfully Toshiro didn't notice as he was still staring out the window. She chanced a glance over at Nanao who gave her a wave indicating she should try speaking with Toshiro again. On the way to his table she dropped off the coffees.

She sat down in one of the chairs catty-corner from him. "Your godmother noticed you didn't go to classes today. I also think she was just on the phone with your mom, so I think she's worried about you to. Don't you normally call Rangiku-san between classes?"

Karin watched as Toshiro wrapped his arms tighter around his sketchpad. He continued to look out the window at the street below. "I'm thinking about failing my classes this semester."

The dark haired sixteen year old could fill the corner of her mouth twitch down. "Toshiro. Isn't this the last semester for both you and Ichi-nii? You're supposed to be graduating, and moving on with your lives."

She watched as he visibly swallowed. He nervously turned so he was looking at the coffee Nanao prepared for him, and reached out with one hand while still clutching the sketchpad to his chest in a defensive manner. He took a drink of the coffee, and his muscles relaxed a little bit as a smile spread across his face at the taste. "Yeah... it is for your brother."

"Toshiro..."

"I still haven't figured out whether he wants me to be a doctor, lawyer, or scientist."

Karin swallowed as her eyes widened. "Do... are you talking about your dad?" She glanced away wishing she hadn't mentioned said person. "I've never met the man, but I know Toshiro hates talking about him. How lame can I get? If I end up upsetting Toshiro here in front of Nanao-san I'm libel to lose my job. Not that I would intentionally upset him. That's what happened to that other girl."

"He's the one paying for my college."

"You're not going to school on a scholarship."

"That..." The sudden pause in Toshiro's voice caused Karin to look up only for her head to dart back at the sound of muttering coming from the girls. The girl who was the ring leader of the group kept eying Toshiro like a piece of meat. She glanced back at Toshiro to see he still hadn't noticed the way the girls were acting. Instead he looked at the ground. "The scholarships wouldn't have gotten me into the field he wanted."

"But failing this semester?"

"I want to tell him to just go to hell. There are other things I want to do with my life."

Karin titled her head to the side. "The logical thing to do is just tell him. Actually... have you figured out what you want to do?"

"Art school for one thing." The sound came out as a mutter from Toshiro's mouth.

"Art school." Karin let out a sudden laugh. "The child genius who graduated from high school at the age of twelve and can go to any school he wants, wants to go to art school. What's the other thing?"

Toshiro's head darted up revealing two bright teal eyes filled with hurt. "You can go to hell as well Kurosaki. "

"I..." Karin let out a sigh as the bell for the coffee shop jingled again. "I've customers. Toshiro... I didn't mean..."

"If you're going to think that's ridiculous then you're going to think everything else is."