Disclaimer: Nope. Nuh-uh. Me not own.

Huffing, Kurosaki Karin stuffed her books into her sling-bag without really paid attention to the mess she created. Lecture had ended not more than five minutes ago. Only noticing slightly that her bag was torn a bit because of her carelessness, she started to stand when a large hand clasped her right shoulder.

"Eager to leave, aren't we?"

Karin looked behind her and grinned.

"Please. This is Friday, Ggio."

The man called Ggio grinned back.

Karin met Ggio Vega at her first day in Todai. At the first glace, Karin remembered, she admitted that he was a handsome young man. Hair as dark as hers with thick, long braided tail, and startling golden eyes, it wasn't hard to see why he had a huge fan base even before the college was officially started. But as soon as he opened his mouth, what inside Karin's mind was how to shove a fist to shut his mouth up. He was so cocky Karin wondered if he and her brother would make a good team.

"You expect me to believe that overused reason?"

Karin started to walk with Ggio beside her. "What are you implying?"

"I'm implying a much more personal reason that has something to do with, oh I don't know, maybe a certain white-haired freak?"

Karin turned her head to face Ggio and she saw her friend wiggled his eyebrows. Karin frowned.

"No." Yes.

"Sure."

Karin glared.

"Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear…" Ggio motioned his index finger to the bench just outside the building.

There, a boy (a man, the said boy would call himself) sat with a book in his hand but his eyes were staring at nothing. He had white hair, and no, he didn't dye his hair. His face, his posture complimented his no-nonsense persona, what with that perpetual knitted eyebrows and a scowl etched on his face. His eyes were startling aqua-marine. The clearest, coldest shade of aqua-marine.

Hitsugaya Tōshirō.

"Tōshirō!" Karin waved her hand. Tōshirō only looked at her coolly.

"See ya on Monday, Karin." lightly tapped his hand on her left shoulder, Ggio then turned his body toward his car.

"Sure. See you."

When Karin drifted her sight at Tōshirō again, he was already walking towards her without a care in the world. No rush in his steps, no glance at other directions.

"Must you fraternize with that brat?" he asked flatly. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Hey, he's my best friend."

"And I'm not?"

Karin didn't answer. Not in front of him. Best friend? No. Best friend is Ggio Vega. Best friend is Kurosaki Yuzu. You're entirely something else.

But Tōshirō didn't seem to notice Karin's quietness. Of course he didn't. He wouldn't. All that would ever be noticed by Hitsugaya Tōshirō was only one person.

'How could I compete with a girl like him, Ggio?' Karin once asked his best friend. 'She's everything that I'm not'.

Passing a wide glass window, Karin glanced to take a look at herself. Black hair, tied on a ponytail, dull gray jeans, a maroon t-shirt, sneakers… She was a pebble compared to-

"You didn't listen to me, did you?" Tōshirō's words got her out of her stupor. Karin snapped her head.

"You asked me something?"

Tōshirō sighed. "Forget it. I'll tell you again in my car."

To many people and apparently to Tōshirō too, Kurosaki Karin was Hitsugaya Tōshirō's best friend and vice versa. They met when they were both 11 years old. But at that time, Tōshirō was already in the same grade as Karin's brother. Such a genius brat.

They were different in so many ways. Maybe in everything. Tōshirō studied at Seireitei Gakuen. That alone said something. He was in a school that was only for those who are insanely wealthy and freakingly brainy. Her brother got a full scholarship to study there so Hitsugaya Tōshirō and Kurosaki Ichigo were friends.

One day when Tōshirō came to Kurosaki house, she met him. Karin herself wasn't in a good appearance from playing soccer all day. Sweaty, smelly, dirty, and holding a soccer ball with her hand, Karin locked eyes with a clean, poise, and graceful Tōshirō.

That was a very bad first impression, Karin was sure. But Tōshirō dismissed it all and just asked, 'you play soccer?'

From that day, they met on regular basis. That way, becoming close friends was kinda inevitable. They soon not only playing soccer together, they also would visit this new café or that new bookstore. They started to tell each other's personal stories. Karin's mother's death, Tōshirō's parents' death, Karin's goals on future… everything. And that including stories about Hinamori Momo.

Hinamori Momo was Tōshirō's childhood friend. They had always attended the same school. Tōshirō would tell Karin how he and Hinamori would sit on the roof, waiting for the sunset, or eating watermelon together. He would tell Karin how he had always wanted to protect her from anything. From silly trivial thing such as walking alone in the park to a much more serious one, like heartache.

'There's this teacher. His name is Aizen Sōsuke.'

Karin got the gist.

Maybe Tōshirō had never told her the exact words, but Karin knew this Hinamori has a major crush –bordering adoration, love?- on this man.

Maybe Tōshirō had never told her the exact words, but Karin knew this Hinamori was way more than a childhood friend to him.

Maybe Tōshirō had never told her the exact words, but Karin knew. He loved this girl.

When Tōshirō (and her brother) graduated, he left Karakura for Tokyo. But that didn't make their friendship end. They regularly exchanged news to each other by using phone, e-mails, they even Skype-ed several times. And years later, Karin followed his steps to Todai.

Ukitake Jūshirō, his uncle, suggested that they should live under the same roof so 'Tōshirō-kun won't be lonely anymore'.

Her father had to not only pay her tuition, but also her twin sister's. And that, Karin knew, cost him arm and foot. If Karin lives by herself, she didn't know how her dad would fulfill his own needs back in Karakura. Being a doctor in a small clinic wasn't that glamorous, after all. With that thought, Karin agreed.

The condo was Ukitake's, so she shouldn't be worry about paying the rent. But Karin just couldn't live as a freeloader. So after Yuzu offered her to work on a theatre, she took the offer. She used the salary for buying her needs and gifts every time she visited Ukitake.

"Are you hungry?" Tōshirō asked after he sat snuggly on the driver seat and Karin on the passenger seat.

"Yeah. Where will we eat?"

"Omaeda's restaurant sounds good to you?" Tōshirō mentioned his old friend who owned a fine restaurant.

"Sure."

The journey to the aforementioned restaurant was filled with nothing but silence but then Karin remembered what Tōshirō was saying before.

"Hey, you said you would tell me something in the car. So, what's going on?"

Tōshirō didn't seem like answer her question anytime soon, so Karin only shrugged and continue looking outside the window. After what felt like hours, Tōshirō opened his mouth.

"Momo told me Aizen was willing to divorce his wife in order to be with her."

Karin bit her lower lip. There was a slight pang in her chest. Here we go again.

Karin turned her head. "She did? But if I'm not mistaken, it's not the first time she, or rather Aizen, said something like that."

Tōshirō snorted. "True, that. But I won't let her. She just can't see that she's hurting herself."

Once again, Karin turned her head; seeing the world flashed in a blur outside the car. I'm hurting myself too, Tōshirō.

A/N: And it's a wrap!

No, I'm just kidding. So, yeah. Am on a roll. After an IchiRuki fic, now this. Now, who's Ggio Vega? He's that boy that battled against Soi Fon. Google him. He's cute. And why must Ggio? Because I can't use Jinta. Stupid answer, I know. But I had no one in mind that fit the role. Also, it's kinda impossible not to add Hinamori Momo into the story and what Hinamori Momo would be without Aizen?

One thing I know for sure is that I have problems with grammar. I'm sorry for causing you headache and making your eyes hurt. If this fic is worth continuing, tell me. If it's not, well, tell me. And if you review, don't forget to tell me what things that must be fixed are. Is it the OOCness? Or the lack of description? Anything. Criticism would be highly appreciated.