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?

The idea of going out and spending his birthday with others and making some lavish, extravagant party never came to mind for Kaito. Receiving a few birthday wishes from his teachers, classmates, and friends, as well as a small group coming to him after classes to sing him "Happy Birthday," all of that was enough for him. So, Kaito found himself relaxing in his dorm after a small period of studying.

He laid back in his bed, reading a book and enjoying the peace and quiet after a long day of classes, and an even longer period of studying. That is, until he heard a knock at the door. Grabbing a bookmark from his nightstand and slipping it between the pages, Kaito closed the novel and left it where the bookmark was. He walked to the door, opening it.

At first, his expression was puzzled, unsure of why someone would be knocking at his door. But, as it opened, seeing Hiroe standing there, he smiled. He opened the door wide for her, a hand gently resting on the doorframe. He saw her breathing heavily, obviously winded, and his expression shifted to concern.

"Hiroe, you okay? Did you...run all the way here? Is there an emergency?"

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."

Seeing Hiroe regain her composure and wave a hand before looking back up at him let the man breathe a bit easier. He put a hand on her back, gently ushering her inside and closing the door behind her, But, as he did, she suddenly placed a box in his hands. Given the day, their kinship with one another, and it being wrapped extremely meticulously, it wasn't hard to figure out what it was.

"Open it."

The two words were strangely straightforward, serious, yet held that curious intonation that he knew from the tailor. So, raising an eyebrow, he turned his attention back to the box, carefully unwrapping it. Despite what would most people would do and just tear into the wrapping without a care in the world, Kaito was careful, meticulous. Finally, he slid the wrapping off, and slowly opened the box.

The dorm room was met with an eerie stillness as his eyes widened upon seeing the gift. A beautiful sky-blue haori. To someone who had grown up in rags his entire life, lucky to have the clothes on his back and a roof over his head, seeing something so colorful, bright, and brand-new, he had no words. Slowly, he lifted the garment out of the box, turning it over as he felt his fingers brush against what felt like writing on the back.

Turning it over, his lips parted, quietly gasping as his fingers clutched the item tightly. Never in his life had he ever expected something like this. Nobody in his life had ever given him something like this.

Kaito's eyes stared at the character staring back at him. The title that he took to himself as an oath to himself and his friends, his family back home. To be an ever-present shadow, a ghost that watched over the Rukongai from even the darkest corners, a guardian spirit that never would back down, no matter the threat. He turned to look at Hiroe, a look of bewilderment, confusion, joy, and uncertainty all at once gazing back at the girl, his eyes shining with an almost child-like wonder.

"You...made this for me?"

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. "

Kaito continued to stare at the haori, unable to take his eyes off it as he heard Hiroe speak. A token of their friendship, and a symbol of her belief in his dream. He was speechless. He had never received a gift like this, much less from a friend. He couldn't stop looking at it, staring at the simple character of "ghost" that stared back at him, affirming and reminding him of his goals and desires.

Something like this...meant so much, despite how little it would seem to others.

Perhaps it was an overreaction, but, Kaito's lips began to twist into a warm smile, the shock slowly fading away. His eyes cried out with emotion, yet his remained silent as he brought the outfit close to his chest, holding it as if he would never see it again if he let go. He turned his head to Hiroe, slowly rising from sitting on his bed as he walked over to her, pulling her into a firm, yet gentle hug, with his voice just barely above a whisper.

"...Thank you. This...this means so much, more than you realize. I've...never received a gift like this before. It's beautiful, Hiroe."

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.

Kaito found himself chuckling at Hiroe's response. Well, if she insisted, he would do his best in dressing to impress. As she broke off from the embrace, his gaze turned back to the haori, before slowly folding the garment and turning it around.

No better time to see how it looked and fit than now, was it? So, slipping his arms through the sleeves and pulling the long jacket over his shoulders, Kaito lifted his arms slightly, turning in a few circles to give a good look as to how it looked.

A wide smile beamed from him as he came back to facing Hiroe, taking a look at the haori now that it was on him. There was an almost child-like glee residing in him as he looked at it. While he wasn't used to such bright colors on him, the fact that someone had gone out of their way to give him something that was, to him, extremely special, meant more than Hiroe could ever know.

Part of him just wanted to hold the item close to himself, to keep it firmly against his chest as if someone was going to take it, to ensure that it wasn't a dream. As he gently held the hem of the haori, his voice started to break as he sat down on his bed again.

"I love it. I love it so much. I...I can't thank you enough, Hiroe."

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."

As she bought up the idea of it being too flashy, Kaito took a moment to look at the haori, taking the hem in his hands again. Perhaps it was, for someone with a title like "Ghost," but, he didn't mind that much. The garment was beautiful, and even if it didn't fit the conventional idea of a ghost, it was something he cherished, even so. Perhaps he could use as an ironic twist to the idea of a Ghost, to stand out, to let others know who he was instead of being a nameless, faceless figure.

But, he got to his feet again, walking over to her and gently patting her head, before pulling her into another hug.

"Maybe it is a bit flashy and showboat-like, but...I don't mind that. It's a gift, a gift from a friend. For it to just be that is enough for me to want to cherish it and wear it with pride."

A thought came to mind, though he had no intention of voicing such a selfish idea, but, there was always the potential for her to make more articles of clothing like this. He held no expectation for it, but there was a part of him that secretly hoped for it. Even if this were the only gift she were to give him, he would be content. But, he still held the hem of the garment between his fingers, still looking at it with a warm smile, before turning his gaze to Hiroe. Almost mindlessly, a thought passed through, let out through a whisper.

"God, I could kiss you right now."

His eyes widened momentarily as he realized what he just said, having only intended to keep it within his thoughts. He could hear the thump of his heart in his ears as he tried to think of what to do or say now, after such an embarrassing comment. His face flushed as, instinctively, he raised a hand to cover his mouth as he mumbled from behind it:

"You, um, weren't supposed to...hear that."

Perhaps it was a byproduct of the emotion in the small moment that he thought and said such a thing. He did enjoy her company, he supported her dream, and, she was cute. Her bubbly positivity was infectious, as was her optimism and energy in general. In general, it was a pleasure to be around her, as a classmate and as a friend. So, perhaps it wasn't all that much of a surprise that he spoke of her in such a manner.