After Time
by Her Pretty Smile

Synopsis: AU. Hinamori Momo's childhood friend, Hitsugaya Toushirou, has suddenly transferred to her school after four years of studying in America. Toushirou, whose confession she laughed at four years ago, has become a tall, handsome guy, and suddenly Momo feels like...
Warning: Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

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TIME
CHAPTER 1

"MOU, THIS IS TOO hard to understand," Momo complained, letting her head fall helplessly on her desk. "I hate math. I really do."

"Same here," Rukia said, gazing dully at her textbook.

Orihime blinked. "What part is too hard to understand?" she asked curiously.

"Well—" Momo started.

"Eh? Did you hear that?" Rangiku suddenly said, perking up. "It sounds like there's a commotion outside."

"It's probably just the new student," Rukia said absently, not looking up from her textbook.

"New student?" Momo inquired, a curious look coming over her face.

"I haven't heard about a new student," Orihime wondered aloud.

"They say he's very good-looking," Nanao commented in a matter-of-fact tone. "He is quite a hit with the female population. I have seen him myself and I have to admit that he is deserving of the praises he receives."

Rangiku's jaw dropped open. As did Momo's and Orihime's.

Rukia even looked up from her textbook.

For Nanao to say a guy is handsome... He must be really hot! An excited grin appeared on Rangiku's face as she dragged Rukia, Momo, and Orihime out of the classroom. "I have got to see this hottie!"

"Ah! Rangiku-san, please slow down!" Momo said, wincing as she was pulled amidst the heavy crowd.

Rukia managed to pull away from Rangiku's clutches, along with getting Orihime.

"Thanks, Kuchiki-san," Orihime said, out of breath.

"No problem, Inoue. Now let's go follow her. Who knows what kind of trouble she might get herself into." Rukia shook her head.

"Right!" Orihime looked sympathetic. "Poor Momo-san..."

"Aa. Poor Momo indeed."

-;-

MUCH TO MOMO'S RELIEF, Rangiku finally came to a stop.

"That was really tiring..." Momo breathed out, placing her hands on her knees as she panted. "Mou, Rangiku-san, you should—"

"Momo-chan! Look!" Rangiku pointed excitedly.

"Eh?" The dark-haired girl obeyed, straightening up.

What greeted her eyes the next second made her breath catch.

A boy was standing in the hallway, crowded by excited girls. He was taller than most of them, and if Momo were to estimate his height, it would be about six feet and two inches.

What made him striking were his short, wavy white hair, his green eyes, and his boyish yet somewhat mature features. He had a cold, aloof aura, and his expression was nothing less of icy disinterest.

Momo's eyes widened. Wait a minute... He's...

Before she knew it, his face turned to her direction, and then their eyes met. His eyes widened, an expression of surprise coming over his face.

"Eh? Momo-chan, he's looking your way," Rangiku remarked, confused.

Then, to the two girls' surprise, he walked over to them.

"He's... coming here..." Rangiku breathed out in disbelief.

Momo inadvertently took a step back. He—He's really here... Wh—What... What should I do?

I—I don't think I'm ready for this yet!

He came to a stop when he was right in front of her, staring right into her wide brown eyes.

His features softened slightly along with a hint of a smile. "Long time no see... Momo."

The latter gulped and stared back, unable to believe that he was—

"H—Hi... Shirou-chan."

—her childhood friend Hitsugaya Toushirou.

Exclamations of "EEEEEEHHH?!" echoed throughout the hallway.

-;-

MOMO BLUSHED. "MOU, WOULD you guys quit it with the weird questions?" she complained in embarrassment.

Rangiku gave a dramatic gasp. "But Momo-chan! This just might be your chance to have a real love life!"

Rukia nodded in agreement. "Matsumoto-san is right, Momo."

"Eh? Rukia-chan, call me by my first name!" Rangiku pouted. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"...Fine. Later. Now where was I?"

"The part where you agreed with Rangiku-san," Orihime supplied helpfully.

"Ah, right. Thanks, Inoue." Rukia gave Momo a stern look.

The latter flinched. "But... Rukia-san, Rangiku-san, I do have... er... a love li—"

"Crushing on your teacher does not mean that you have a real love life, Momo," Rukia said without missing a beat.

Momo gaped at her. S—So frank, Rukia-san...! "B—But... I—I really don't see Shi—I—I mean, Hitsugaya-kun—that way!"

"Eh?" Rangiku looked completely unconvinced. "Not even a little bit?"

"I..." Momo's eyes turned downcast.

Flashback: Four years ago

"Oi, bedwetter Momo," Toushirou called out flatly. "Oiii."

"Mou, Shirou-chan!" Momo pouted. "Stop calling me that!"

"Hm? But it's true, isn't it?" The look he gave her was smug. "Right, bedwetter Momo?"

She pouted even more and turned away from him.

After a moment of silence, he spoke. "Ne..." His voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Hm?" She turned her body slightly towards him, her eyes questioning. "Shirou-chan?"

"Momo..."

Her breath hitched.

He never called her 'Momo' before.

It was always 'bedwetter Momo'.

"Y—Yes?" she stammered.

He looked straight into her eyes. "...I like you, Momo."

Flashback End

"Momo-san?" Orihime's worried voice snapped the former out of her thoughts.

"Ah! Sorry about that, everyone." Momo gave a nervous laugh. "I just spaced out for a moment."

Before Rangiku could say anything, a new voice interrupted.

"Hinamori."

Momo stiffened.

"Ah, it's you, Hitsugaya!" Rangiku exclaimed.

Rukia glanced at Orihime who nodded at her with a smile. "Excuse us," she said quietly, patting Rangiku's elbow, a signal for them to leave.

Fortunately, the latter complied without question and only gave one last glance at the two childhood friends before turning away.

Ah... They're leaving... Momo fidgeted in her seat. I wonder what Shir—I mean, Hitsugaya-kun wants to talk about with me... And he looks so different now... So unlike the young boy who was short for his age... A melancholic look crossed her face as she realized something. He... called me 'Hinamori'.

She was again snapped out of her thoughts when he took a chair, placed it in front of her desk, and sat himself on it.

"Look, Momo..."

She stared at him in disbelief.

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

He lowered his head slightly. "I'm sorry... for not telling you that I was going to be leaving for America that day."

She bit her lip, unsure on how to respond. "It's... It's all right, Shir—I mean, Hitsugaya-kun. The... past is in the past, anyway..."

His expression turned unreadable. "...Aa. The past... is in the past."

She blinked slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the obvious tension between the two of them.

"...So let's start over," he said after a long moment.

Her head snapped up to face him. "E—Eh?"

He held out his hand, the unreadable expression still on his face. "Let's start over, Hinamori." His voice was unexpectedly gentle.

She looked at him, suddenly feeling like she wanted to cry. "H—Hitsugaya-kun, I..."

"Don't worry about it," he said softly. "Besides, you said that... the past is in the past."

"But I—"

He drew his hand back. "I've caused you some problems back then, Hinamori, and maybe even now. Maybe it's better if we keep our distance. That way, everything will be... peaceful between us."

"Shirou-chan..."

"Bedwetter Momo," he said with a hint of affection in his tone. "Let's not call each other by that anymore."

She bit her lip for the second time. "I—I guess we... should. But Shi—Hitsugaya-kun... I don't understand why you—"

At that moment, the bell rang, and the students rushed to their seats.

Toushirou stood up, giving her a small, almost indiscernible smile. "See you around, Hinamori."

She watched him as he walked away, then lowered her head, feeling pained.

"I don't understand why you can't even look at me in the eye."

Flashback

"I like you."

Those three simple words rang in her ears, leaving even an echo.

"W—What...?" Incredulity coloured her tone.

He nervously stared downwards as if the snow-covered ground suddenly seemed so interesting to look at. "D—Don't make me say it again, idiot." Why was he stammering like this? It was really embarrassing.

She stared at him for a long moment, then a laugh expelled from her lips.

Shocked, he raised his head to look at her. "...Momo...?"

"O—Oh Shirou-chan! Hahaha... That's so funny! Really, I almost believed it for a second there!" she said between laughs.

Pain flashed in his eyes before it disappeared as quickly as it came. "...Yeah. It was a joke," he said flatly with his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows knitted together. "Good job figuring it out."

"See? That's just how good I am!"

He turned his back on her. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. See you."

"Bye, Shirou-chan!" She waved at him, watching him leave until he disappeared from her sight.

When he did, a sad look came over her face.

"I know, Shirou-chan," she whispered. "I know it wasn't a joke. And I know that you know this, too." A tear leaked out from her eye. "I'm sorry... I—I really am..."

Flashback End

"Momo," Rukia said quietly as she made her way over to her seat which was only behind Momo's.

"Yeah, Rukia-chan?" the latter's voice was quiet and strained.

The dark-haired girl's dark-blue eyes pierced through her own chocolate-brown ones. "If you don't realize the truth, you can never go back to the way it was."

Momo stiffened. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Before Momo could say anything, the teacher started her lesson.

END

—

CHAPTER 1

A/N: Ooh... Only the first chapter and drama already, huh? LOL. So tell me what you think. Worthy enough to continue?