"Hey, Kurosaki..."
Before Toshiro could refuse, Karin's friends suddenly pulled her aside to whisper.
"What?"
Karin looked at them, puzzled.
"What do you mean, 'what'? Look closely, he has silver hair!"
One of Karin's friends pointed fearfully at Toshiro in the distance. "Dying your hair that young, and with that fierce look in his eyes, he's obviously a delinquent! How can we bring someone like that onto our team?"
"Besides, can a runt like that even play soccer?"
Another friend with an afro said.
"What did you say?!"
Toshiro roared from a distance. Even though they were some distance away, he couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
He could ignore comments about dyeing his hair or having fierce eyes, but calling him a runt? That was a permanent sore spot for Toshiro. Some things were unforgivable!
"Was it you who called me a 'runt'?"
Toshiro glared coldly at the afro-haired kid.
"Waaah..."
Glared at by Toshiro, the afro-haired kid burst into tears and hid behind Karin.
"Ah... no one called you a runt, Toshiro..."
Karin tried to mediate with an awkward smile.
"Hmph..."
Toshiro snorted coldly. He wasn't going to argue with a bunch of elementary schoolers... it would be beneath him. People would laugh at him. So he simply turned to leave, not wanting to deal with them anymore.
Seeing him turn away, Karin tried to stop him. "Hey, wait..."
But Toshiro didn't stop, walking away at a leisurely pace.
"Hmph..."
Seeing Toshiro ignore her, Karin got a mischievous idea. "If that's how it is..."
She suddenly tossed the soccer ball in her hand and kicked it hard.
Thud!
The ball shot towards Toshiro with a spin.
"Eh—!!!"
Seeing this, Toshiro hadn't reacted, but Karin's friends screamed in terror. 'Oh no! Kurosaki dared to attack that 'delinquent'! Is he going to beat us up?!' was the common thought.
On the other side, Toshiro seemed oblivious to the incoming ball, walking on as before. Just as it was about to hit him, he suddenly leaped into the air and executed a bicycle kick.
Bang—!
The ball shot back faster than it came.
Whoosh!
The ball grazed Karin's hair, flew past her ear, and smacked into the face of the afro-haired kid who had called Toshiro a runt.
"Gyah—!"
The afro-haired kid screamed and collapsed.
Pat, pat—
Toshiro calmly brushed the dust off his pants, as if nothing had happened.
"All right—!!"
Seeing Toshiro's cool, graceful figure, Karin suddenly pumped her fist in excitement. Of course, she wasn't cheering because Toshiro looks cool, but because of his skill.
"Great!"
"Amazing!!"
"That was so cool!!"
Karin's friends also cheered.
"Hmm?"
Toshiro looked at the elementary schoolers, puzzled. He had just hit their friend with a ball... they should be hostile, not praising him.
"What school do you go to? What's your name?"
The afro-haired kid Toshiro had knocked down also came over excitedly.
Toshiro looked at the group with some surprise, then chuckled softly. "Hitsugaya Toshiro."
'Heh, getting upset with elementary schoolers. My composure still needs work...'
"Toshiro, what a cool name..."
"Is your hair dyed, Toshiro?"
"Your hairstyle is cool too, Toshiro."
"Please help us, Toshiro. We're counting on you..."
After enthusiastically praising Toshiro, Karin's friends casually asked for his help.
"Well... I told you, I'm very busy..."
As the saying goes, 'Don't strike a smiling face.' After such enthusiastic flattery, Toshiro couldn't be cold and had to refuse more gently.
Beep, beep, beep—!!
A sudden ringtone came from Toshiro's pocket.
"Hmm?"
Toshiro paused, then quickly pulled out his Command Console. A red dot was flashing on the screen.
"An ordinary Hollow?"
Toshiro glanced at the device. "The location... over here?"
He closed his eyes to sense, then looked to his right. Even with his Gigai hindering his sensory ability somewhat, he could still easily sense the Reiatsu distribution across Karakura Town.
"Huh?"
Toshiro looked at Karin beside him with some surprise. Karin was also looking seriously in the direction of the Hollow.
'This kid... has considerable Reiryoku. Sensing a Hollow from this far away. She really is a Kurosaki.'
Toshiro admired silently.
'Tch! No one else around? Looks like I have to do it myself...'
Even though it was just an ordinary Hollow, beneath him to deal with personally, there were no other Shinigami around, so he had to handle it.
"Hey, I suddenly have something urgent. I have to go."
Toshiro said to Karin and the others, then quickly left before they could react.
"Hey! Toshiro, where are you going..."
Karin and the others called out.
"Sorry! We'll talk about the match later. I'm busy now!"
Toshiro waved without looking back.
"Toshiro! We practice every day at the park on the hill. Starting tomorrow, you have to come!"
Karin's friends shouted. Then Toshiro vanished from sight, and the others had to go home.
…
The next day, at the park on the hill.
Children played, young couples sat on benches whispering sweet nothings, elderly people strolled… a happy, peaceful scene. But for some, this happy scene wasn't a good thing.
"We really can't practice well here..."
"And Toshiro didn't come either..."
"I thought he'd be our strongest member, but..."
"Maybe we should just practice eating spaghetti with our noses..."
"Sigh—"
Karin's friends sat on the ground, sighing. Seeing this, Karin, the big sister, stood up. "You guys practice here! I'll go find Toshiro!"
At the place where Karin and the others had met Toshiro the previous day.
Toshiro was again leaning on the bridge railing, typing a report on his Command Console. A girl's figure appeared in the distance.
"Haah... haah... Toshiro... you are here!"
The girl ran towards him, panting, silhouetted against the setting sun.
"You again..."
Toshiro paused his typing and looked up at the suddenly appearing Karin with a complicated expression.