Friends Are Forever With You(Hiroe/Kaito)

Hiroe had never ventured into the human world, yet the concept of birthday celebration was something that had been ingrained in her heart ever since she was a child. She valued the concept of showing appreciation for someone and celebrating the day they were born. If enough resources had ever been accrued on her end, her ideal celebration would likely be one filled with elegance and flash, yet still maintaining a sense of honor and humility. She embraced her roots as the girl from Rukongai, one with a dream of becoming a member of the esteemed Gotei.

In a word, to reach greatness, to stand atop the mountain peak with her beloved friends. An idealistic image to be certain, though far from unreasonable within the dreamlike mind of a dreamer like Hiroe, who shall continue to elude the harsh nature of reality. No dream is destined or written in stone, there is no ideal path without conflict, without suffering---even so, she has steeled her spirit to face it all with the determination of a lion and a will forged in iron.

In the meantime, however, lofty aspirations and grandiose declarations aside, the self-titled elegant princess was currently weaving together, quite literally, a present for a man she had met a few months before today. Recalling the time where they clashed with wooden blades in hand and she used her body to the utmost advantage that could be employed to wrest victory, a fond smile lined her lips; another reflection would recall a time where she wrote him a letter to show him her appreciation.

He was a good man with a fine head on his shoulders, a bright spirit eager to walk by her side on her path towards greatness. Beyond the crimson-haired woman who had captured her recent admiration, she supported his path almost more than anyone else. Kaito Tomoyuki. The Ghost of Rukongai.

Her fingers danced along the fabric as her mother assisted her with a provision of materials. Weaving the strings here and there, administering a soft touch of Reiryoku elsewhere to accelerate the process. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. With her own hands and the assistance of someone else to ensure she maintained proper focus, Hiroe had weaved together a sky blue Haori before applying the final touch, drawing a kanji symbol within the middle symbolizing the title the man wore as his namesake - "Ghost". Her mother would smile towards her, impressed by her daughter's handiwork.

"As always, my daughter never fails to impress me. It makes me wish you'd visit us more and take your rightful place as the owner of the shop. In any case, I think that boy you spoke of will enjoy it! I know I would."

HIroe would smile at her mom as she nodded her head and folded the Haori, placing it within a gift wrapping as she held it within her hands.

"Come now, mom. I'm still going to be the owner of this shop one day. Imagine how cool that'll be. Captain Hiroe, owner of the finest tailoring business in all the land! Ohohoho! Now we're really talkin."

Her mother would giggle at the jest as Hiroe turned away and paid her respects, before using shunpo to make her way towards the academy. She was no flash-step specialist quite yet, so it took her some time and she was somewhat winded by the end but within a few moments, she would be at the doorstep of the birthday boy. Knocking on his door, she'd patiently wait for him to make his presence known. Hopefully he wasn't out training somewhere... she wanted to see if it fit. Hell, if she was going to appreciate her handiwork, she had to see how cool it looked on his frame, right?

Upon seeing the worry in Kaito's eyes, Hiroe would quickly regain her composure. Add Shunpo to the list of things she needed to improve on. Waving her hand dismissively, Hiroe would gaze up at the considerably taller man with an excited warmth in her eyes. Part of her teasingly welcomed the idea of feigning exhaustion, of seeing him care over her and play the role of her knight in shining armor, yet that mischievous spirit would be felled by a more generous intent. It was his birthday. Pulling the present wrapped within a delicately colored gift wrap, Hiroe would place the box within his hands. The next part truly required her to steel herself as she remained silent, though she voiced but one single command as she kept her eyes focused on his expressions, a measured poise to illustrate how much this truly meant to her.

"Open it."

Hiroe did not expect to be welcomed into Kaito's room so casually. A faint shade of red would would color the woman's cheeks as she steeled her spirits and maintained her composure. No fantasies would impede this woman from appearing honorably graceful during her gift presentation. Observing his room for a moment, Hiroe would direct her emerald orbs towards the man of the hour, a poised gaze that was almost unrelenting.

What would his expression be like? Would he enjoy it? Would he downplay himself and say he was unworthy? Countless predictions assaulted her mind in waves, yet many of those conjectures would find themselves subdued the moment she set eyes on the shift of emotions within his visage. The eerie stillness that filled the atmosphere had rendered the petite woman silent.

From the parting of his lips to the childlike wonder in his eyes - in that moment, Hiroe felt a contentment beyond compare, a genuine measure of joy that no words could illustrate. She wouldn't consider herself a mature spirit quite yet, though part of her genuinely felt that the Hiroe of the past would have found herself moved to tears. A warm smile formed in the young woman's face, with a soft nod of her head serving as a voiceless confirmation in reply to his question.

"Of course, Kaito. I told you from the moment we met that I'd support your dream as we strive towards the top. This haori is a token of my friendship and my belief in that dream. "

To Hiroe, hearing such heartfelt words from her fellow classmate was nothing short of fulfilling, a sacred moment she would cherish until the end of her days, a memory to reflect on whenever she questioned her position in life. Indeed, she had truly valued his dream and saw the beauty in it, protecting those within his hometown that helped to raise him into the noble-spirited man that he was today. From all corners of life, she would always be there on the sidelines to cheer him on, inspire him to keep moving forward, remind him of his dream until it was made manifest.

That was a solemn promise within her heart that no one could ever question. Pulled within his embrace, Hiroe smiled warmly, albeit with a soft shade of red burning within her face. She became self-aware of their size difference within seconds yet maintained enough composure to hold the embrace before gently removing herself as she smiled.

"I'm... truly happy to hear that, Kaito. With me around, it will be the first of many but to know you enjoy this one is more than enough for me. After all, hanging around a protagonist like me, my sidekicks have to walk around in style, ya know~?" Playfully grinning from ear to ear, HIroe would chuckle to herself as she tapped at Kaito's back.

The childlike joy in his countenance filled the petite Shinigami with a genuine sense of contentment, relishing in peaceful silence as she reflected on her past and the current moment. Part of her had always wondered if the path she had chosen was the right one, or if she was little more than a fool with her head in the clouds. A simplistic life versus a life filled with countless obstacles.

From an outsider's point of view, weighing the two on the scales, they would've questioned why she chose to raise a sword instead of living out her days as a commoner with an established career right in front of her. To that, she'd simply chuckle, with a confident smile, gazing straight into their eyes as she defiantly posed a question in return.

Why not both?

She had met so many wonderful people, each committed to their own dreams and aspirations. Yet they were equally supportive of Hiroe and her own path. She was surrounded by great people, destined for great things. For that, she was truly grateful. Emerald orbs would observe Kaito as he adorned the Haori, clapping her hands as she marveled at how well it fit his tall frame. Those same eyes would follow him as he sat onto the bed and thanked her once more.

"To be honest, I didn't know what to expect when I brought this to you. For people like us who came from differing backgrounds, I thought you might've considered something like this to be too flashy, too showboaty... ya know'? but lo, you're filled with joy. And seeing you filled with joy makes me happy, too! This reaction makes me really happy. It truly made the time poured in and the trip here all the more worth it."