"When you came in, the air went out…"

The radio sings softly in background, and the waitress looks up at the sound of the bell that signifies a new customer, clucking her tongue as she turns towards Hitsugaya Toushirou, and reaches for her notepad and a pen, approaching him, somewhat resigned. Jabbing her pen, clicking it one-two-three, she waits, not even bothering to give him a glance.

"Welcome to the manga café Ryvius." Bored, she tilts her head, drawling sardonically. "D'ya want to eat, read, go onto the internet, watch television or play video games? Finally, do you want to stay for an hour or spend the night here?"

And that's when she looks at him, eyebrow arched, waiting for his response.

Huh.

She doesn't recognise him.

Go figure.

It's been ten years since Hitsugaya Toushirou has seen, let alone talked to Kurosaki Karin.

"Well? What will it be?" Pen tapping impatiently on lined paper, she watches him impassively, bored out of her mind.

"Kurosaki-san!" A voice makes her head turn, long black hair tumbling down her shoulder. "Who are you talking to?"

At this, she closes her eyes and curses. "Not again…" Voice low, she whispers to herself, unaware that Hitsugaya had heard. "No one." She calls back to the voice, half-amused, half-irritated. "It's no one."

"Okay then! Then get back to work!"

"Sure thing." The light-hearted tone doesn't match the shark smile and rolling eyes. "Okay, whoever you are, please leave the premises. Come back when you've either attained a gigai, or when I'm off the clock. Go save the world or something, I don't really care."

"Kurosaki, don't you know who I am?" And he hates the hopeful tone in his voice. Already expecting a 'no', he doesn't know why he dreads it.

"Sure I do! You're a shinigami. That's all I have to know. Now, shoo. Away!" To emphasis her point, she makes sweeping gestures to the door.

"…" Taking her point, Hitsugaya leaves, but not without a glimmer of a smile twitching at his lips, amused by her no-nonsense antics.

As he turns to look at her once more, he wonders if she heard him murmur a goodbye.

"… the breathing gets harder, even I know that…"

She's sitting on a café table, swinging her legs back and forth, a tray of food by her side. That's the first sight that he sees of her, munching an apple, as she waits with patience.

For him.

He opens the door, hears the bell ring its musical tune, and she's there within a second, her tray holding her food with poise.

"So, shinigami, you finally came back. Did you have a nice time, gallivanting, battling monsters and saving dainty maidens while I prepared the finest feast for the latest town hero?" Tilting her head, she teases him, blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"Do you do this for every shinigami you meet?" Unable to stop himself, he asks.

"Only for the really cute ones." And she laughs, biting into her apple, setting the tray down onto a nearby table, guiding the tenth taichou to join her. "It helps, you know, being the sister of Kurosaki Ichigo. You guys are great for business, despite the fact that most of the time; I'm the only one that can see you."

"Huh." He's not sure if that's a compliment or an insult.

"So why are you here?" Offering some food, Hitsugaya takes it, smiling gently in return.

"Vacation. And Kurosaki recommended the place."

"Really." Kurosaki Karin looks nothing short of amused at the information. "Sweet of him. I see where he's going. Tell him, if he's so worried, he can just visit me in person."

"Tell him yourself." The tenth taichou is not a messenger for anybody. There are Hell Butterflies for that.

"Nah. Who'd look after Yuzu in my place?" Declining the offer to go into Soul Society, she grabs another piece of fruit. "So, since my shift is finished, I think it's time to ask: what is the name of the mysterious shinigami this time?"

"Hitsugaya Toushirou." And he waits, wondering if the name will make a reaction ripple on her face.

"The name rings a bell…" Karin gives him an odd glance, searching for something she doesn't know. "Have we met before?"

"Actually, yes. Ten years ago, we played in a soccer match: you scored the winning goal." And also, she tried to save her team-mates from a Hollow. Brave of her, if a little useless. Yet somehow, Toushirou can't help but smile at the fleeting memory.

"No way." Her smile's a little too wide, like there's gum stuck in her mouth and it's pulling her face apart. Although, it's not unattractive on her. "Seriously? Ten years… you're… has it really been… I… wow." She stops midway, refraining from throwing her head back and laughing from the back of her throat and the bottom of her heart. It seems like something that she might do, it's just a feeling that Toushirou has. "… you've changed."

That's all she says in the end, and it's neither good nor bad.

"Yeah. So have you." The same goes likewise, but her changes seem to be for the better.

"Alright then. Now that we've got that established," Karin's hand outstretches, out for money. "Pay up!"

"… what?" And her change of attitude, from informal to demanding startles him.

"Aw, you believed me?" Smothering a chuckle, her mouth quirks into a cheeky grin. "This meal's on the house – but next time, you're paying."

"No… I… fine. Next time." His cheeks flare up, embarrassed by the light teasing. "Next time, I'll pay."

… there's something vaguely uncomfortable in the way that Kurosaki Karin is looking at him, like she knows something he doesn't.

"Ten years, huh? I can hardly believe it." She sighs, walking with him to the door.

Ten years… no longer is Kurosaki Karin that girl who was hot-headed, tomboyish, and knee-deep in mud caused by the soccer game. Now… she's… taller, graceful, teasing. It's…

"… it's been a while." Toushirou can only say. "It's been nice seeing you again."

"Yeah. You too." And she stops, her hands fiddling with the hem of her black skirt, as her blue eyes meet his. "Have you got a place to stay?"

Inoue Orihime isn't an option anymore, as this is Tokyo, not Karakura Town.

"…"

"Then stay here. I'd offer you my place, but… well, we've only just met. After so long." She adds, somewhat hastily. "And hey, since no one can see you, then technically, it should be alright."

"Okay." Nodding, he wonders if he should walk her home, to make sure she's okay, and return here, or let her walk away.

"But—you so owe me." And there it is again – that light mockery, quietly making the hairs of the back of his neck prickle.

He could ask her what that would entail. Could ask her if she'd reconsider offering her place, only to assure him that she'll be alright. Could ask her many things that just aren't forming in his mind right now.

"Night Karin." And all he says is that.

"Night Toushirou." Her eyes glitter a thousand shades of midnight blue, trapped in the finest spider's web.

And when she hugs him a goodbye, Hitsugaya Toushirou can't help but repress the urge to hold her closer, can't help but think that it's getting late and his head must be playing tricks on him.

But as he watches her walk away, dancing in specs of light before the darkness swallows her up; he can still feel her warmth.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Disclaimer: not mine.