Soon enough, Toshiro arrived at the pharmacy.
"Boss, I need some bruise ointment for a sprained ankle," Toshiro said as he entered.
"Alright, coming right up. Our medicine here is the best in the area-" The pharmacy owner was about to warmly greet the customer upon hearing someone arrive, but when he looked up and saw Toshiro, his attitude immediately cooled.
"Oh, it's you. Look around and pick out whatever medicine you need yourself. They're all labeled," The owner said coldly.
Since childhood, the people around Toshiro had treated him this way… both fearful and disdainful.
Toshiro frowned slightly but didn't bother to argue. After all, they ultimately lived in different worlds.
He was destined to become a Captain, while the other was just an ordinary person.
Toshiro walked straight to the medicine shelves and picked out a few types of medicine for foot injuries. Then he paid.
"Here, your change." The pharmacy owner said.
As Toshiro reached out to take it, the owner simply placed the money on the counter.
Just as Toshiro picked up the change, the owner said with a look of disgust, "If there's nothing else, hurry up and leave."
Toshiro's brow twitched. This was absolutely unbearable.
Just as Toshiro was about to teach the pharmacy owner a lesson, a voice suddenly came from behind.
"Hey, what kind of attitude is that toward a customer? Looking down on someone just because they're a child? Where are your manners?"
Hearing the voice, Toshiro instinctively turned to look. A pair of large, full, round objects came crashing toward his face.
Thud!
Toshiro was knocked to the ground.
'Ah, such a soft sensation. Those exaggerated proportions... no mistake, only that woman in Bleach has them.'
Toshiro looked up to see a female Shinigami with wavy, medium-length blonde hair, a sexy beauty mark by her mouth, and wearing a Shihakusho, scolding the pharmacy owner nonstop.
That's right… it's Matsumoto Rangiku, Lieutenant of the 10th Division, Toshiro's future loyal subordinate.
Rangiku grabbed Toshiro by the collar and lifted him up. "How long are you going to lie there crying? If you're a man, talk back properly!"
Toshiro wiped the blood trickling from his nose… it was from the fall when he was knocked down, definitely not for any other reason.
With a slap, Toshiro brushed off Rangiku's hand. "Who do you think knocked me down? And I wasn't crying."
Toshiro turned and walked out of the pharmacy without saying much more to Rangiku.
Though chatting with her would have been nice, this wasn't the place for a proper conversation.
"Hey, wait-" Rangiku called out.
'That feeling earlier... no mistake. That Reiatsu just now definitely belonged to that child.'
Rangiku turned to the pharmacy owner and asked, "Hey, boss, who is that child from earlier?"
"Y-yes, ma'am! That child earlier is..." The pharmacy owner hurriedly replied. He wouldn't dare offend a Shinigami.
…
After returning home, Momo finally stopped hiding under the covers out of shyness.
"Hinamori, let me apply the medicine for you," Toshiro said.
"Yes, okay." Momo said softly, then extended her right foot.
Toshiro carefully examined Momo's small foot. Aside from some redness and swelling, it wasn't seriously injured.
Toshiro poured some medicinal liquor and began carefully massaging Momo's right foot.
'Hmm, feels nice. I didn't expect Hinamori, who usually dresses so plainly, to have such smooth skin,' Toshiro thought to himself.
"Mmm-hmm," Momo suddenly let out a soft moan, her face flushed.
"What's wrong, Hinamori? Did I hurt you?" Toshiro asked with concern.
"Then I'll continue," Toshiro confirmed.
After applying the medicinal liquor, Toshiro also applied ointment and wrapped Momo's foot in a bandage.
"Toshiro, please take me home. My family will worry if I'm gone for so long," Momo said.
"Alright, sure." Although Toshiro wanted to spend more time with Momo, they had plenty of time ahead.
This time, because there were too many people on the street, Momo absolutely refused to let Toshiro carry her back. With no other choice, Toshiro had to carry her on his back.
'But carrying her like this isn't bad either.' Toshiro inwardly reveled in the soft sensation against his back.
Toshiro took Momo home and then returned, not staying long. Although Momo was close to him, her family, like everyone else around, feared him.
Staying there made Toshiro uncomfortable, so usually, Momo came to Toshiro's house to play with him.
Nighttime.
The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.
After Grandmother fell asleep, Toshiro quietly got up and sat on the porch, admiring the moon.
"Come out," Toshiro suddenly said to the seemingly empty garden.
"Ara, ara, how impressive, kid."
A figure suddenly emerged from behind a tree. It was Rangiku from earlier that day.
"Were you waiting here for me on purpose, kid?" Rangiku asked, puzzled.
Toshiro naturally hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night just to admire the moon.
In fact, earlier that day when Toshiro brushed off Rangiku's hand, he had instinctively released his Reiatsu. Rangiku was, after all, a Lieutenant. How could she be casually pushed away by just anyone?
Considering how, in the anime, Rangiku suddenly appeared at his house in the middle of the night, Toshiro figured that even if their encounter happened a few years earlier, Rangiku might still show up. Plus, Toshiro had some things he wanted to understand, so he specifically waited here.
"I'm not 'kid'. My name is Hitsugaya Toshiro," Toshiro said irritably.
"Alright, alright. Then let me introduce myself. Kid, my name is Matsumoto Rangiku, Lieutenant of the 10th Division in the Gotei 13."
"So, kid, become a Shinigami. A powerful child like you must learn to control your power. I'll teach you. Otherwise, you might hurt the people around you," Rangiku urged.
"Of course I know that. That's why I was waiting here for you."