Innocent *Toshiro Hitsugaya Love Story*

Chapter 18: Relationships

Aika's POV

I heard three knocks on the door. I folded my book around my finger and answered it to see Rangiku and Takara waiting behind it.

"Hello," I greeted. Takara sucked in a corner of her mouth.

"Ready?" she questioned. I nodded and followed them out of the barracks. They led me to a nice looking restaurant in one of the first districts of Rukongai. After ordering our food and making small talk, Rangiku addressed the elephant in the room.

"So, Takara, why did you want Aika and I to have dinner with you?" she questioned. Takara huffed and dropped her utensil on her plate.

"Well." Her eyes veered to the right. "I don't know. I just wanted some opinions other than my own."
"About? ..." Rangiku pried. Takara crossed her legs in her seat while she held herself up with her hands. Her back hunched slightly and she continued to look to the right.

"How do you know if a guy likes you?" she mumbled. Rangiku gasped dramatically and covered her mouth.

"You like someone! Oh my God, tell me who?" she begged. Takara scowled and looked at her food.
"That's not what I asked! Answer my question," she snapped. She glanced up at me as I sat there frozen.

"I think Rangiku wants to know who you like because each guy flirts and shows if they like someone differently," I stated. Rangiku looked at me as her face got brighter.

"Uh, yeah! That's why I want to know!" Rangiku agreed.

"So," I spoke as I rested my head in my hands. "Who do you like then?" Takara sighed as her head fell onto the table.

"Why don't you guys guess?" she mumbled. I honestly have no idea. I've never been good with this type of thing.

"Um...," Rangiku pondered. "The only guy I've ever seen you with is Hajime. Is it him?" Takara groaned and nodded her head into the table. Rangiku's mouth feel in awe. I guess this shouldn't surprise me. Hajime is the only other guy I've seen her hang out with. And also, when they were watching over me while I was injured, they were both acting kind of strange.

"So that's why you both were going on some many dates last week!" Rangiku exclaimed. Takara's head shot up and she shushed her frantically.

"Don't say it so loud!" she snapped in a whispered voice. "Somebody may hear you!" She sighed and rested her head back in her hands. "So, what do you think? Do you think he may like me?"

"Well," Rangiku started. "I've known Hajime ever since he started and let me tell you: he's always been a flirt. He would always eye every slightly hot girl and flirt like it was his second language. I remember when you were first promoted to fourth seat - he was already the third seat at the time - so of course you two had to be introduced." She leaned back in her seat slightly. "I can't really remember what he first said to you. Do you remember it?" Takara grinned.

"Yeah... He asked if I ever wanted to play the nervous game," she chuckled. "I told him that if we ever played the nervous game, it would be because he would be nervous about me possibly stabbing him in the balls." She laughed as she shook her head.

Rangiku smiled, "Yeah, but after that, he did seem to change. He flirted less. Which may seem hard to believe, but he did. He probably spent the most time with you. He also stopped being extremely vulgar when he was around other woman. Instead of a creepy, pervert douche bag, he became a lovable jackass." Takara blushed slightly. I smiled.

"So, yeah. I guess that means that he does like you," I stated. Rangiku smirked over at me.
"You've been very quiet this whole conversation, Aika," Rangiku spoke slyly. "So, do you like anyone?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"How would you not know?" Takara questioned. I shrugged my shoulders again. "You know when you like someone, you think about them more often, you have fuzzy feelings about them, and all that crap? Have you ever felt that?" Again, I shrugged my shoulders. Takara sighed and slapped her forehead. "I need to go to the bathroom. Rangiku, explain relationships, birds and bees, and all that bullshit to her. She's too innocent for her own good." Takara stood up and left the table.

Rangiku then gave me a quick explanation of how people fall in love, what love is, relationships, how to tell if you like someone or if someone likes you, and why people fall in love (Which apparently is called the birds and the bees. Why? I don't know.) before Takara came back. She even told me about some boys she's liked.

"I would have never guessed that you like Lieutenant Hisagi," I exclaimed. She waved her hand around.

"Oh, it's nothing big. Just a little crush. It would never amount to anything serious," she stated. Takara sat back down.

"So, does she get everything now?" she asked. Rangiku nodded.

"And I would say that she does like someone. Typically whenever people change their look some, that means either they're depressed or trying to impress someone. I couldn't ever see Aika being depressed, so I would have to say the latter," Rangiku said. I tilted my head and furrowed my eyebrows.

"I've changed my look?" They nodded.

"Yeah," Takara stated while pointing to her head. "The entire time you've been a Soul Reaper, you've worn that butterfly hair piece. And this is the first time you've never worn it." My eyes widened. Jumping up, I rushed to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Sure enough, my blue butterfly was gone.