Seasons

Spring. Summer. Autumn. Winter.

150 years of different seasons had passed, 150 years of different memories.

Winter snow, softly falling, throughout the years, still evoked the same deep emotions stirring within his heart. The deep grey eyes stared out of the clear window with the same penetrating gaze, just watching, gazing at the soft snow, watching the flakes falling gently onto the ground, forming a pure white carpet.

Pure white, he thought. Just like her blade. The same face shape, the same beautiful features, all identical to hers, just except, just except her eyes. Rukia… … Hisana… … … The two faces weaved in and out of his vision, as they slowly merged into one. His eyes shut slowly, pushing the pain further and further down away, tucking it into a corner in his heart. I miss her. The longing and pain grew, increasingly year after year. And yet he carried on with his life, carrying that pain in his heart, pretending nothing had happened. Hisana. My wife, but she's gone, forever. And yet, he saw her every day, in another person- Rukia. Her sister, MY sister. Confusion had filled him for a moment when he saw her, the resemblance was absurdly dinstinct, they were as like as two peas. Even up to now, he would occasionally see Hisana in her, sometimes in her every action…

That voice that greeted him every morning: "Nii-sama...", that wild character Hisana never had… why, they were totally opposite in character! Did he love her just as a sister? Byakuya sighed and pushed all thoughts away. After all, they were always just brother and sister, why change anything now?

"TAI-CHO!"

Byakuya jumped and hit the desk next to him as he turned in surprise. It was a Sunday; no one was supposed to be in office that early, he thought, just as Renji sped through the door, knocking over three chairs as he rushed in.

"I thought I'd never find you! I ran all the way to your house, thinking that… Tai-cho?" Renji stopped, seeing the look of shock and slight confusion in Byakuya's eyes. Shock AND confusion? That's not even within the normal emotional range of THIS captain! Renji grinned slightly to himself, smirking. Maybe I should give him some time to… "Renji." Byakuya wiped away any emotion off his face and turned that penetrating gaze upon his vice-captain. "What is it you need to tell me?".

Renji looked at his captain, broke into a laugh and grinned from ear to ear. "Good news!" and declared loudly: " Rukia's… … OOF !"

"RENJI!!"

A young lady with a head of jet-black hair, clad in a dress from the real world dashed in, landing a forceful blow to Renji hard in the stomach.

"Nii-sama!" She blushed slightly as she turned to face him, looking away the moment their eyes met.

Rukia. Byakuya's gaze softened as he faced his adopted sister. "Rukia. What's the news?"

Rukia glared at Renji hard, but looking back at Byakuya, said… "Nii-sama, I'm…" She hesitated for a moment, before raising her head to look directly into his eyes.

"…I'm engaged."

Byakuya's eyes filled with shock, and horror coursed through his body.

He swallowed, his mouth suddenly going dry. Keeping a tight lid on his emotions, he said as evenly as he could, "Congratulations. When is it?".

Renji frowned at his captain's flat tone.

"Tai-cho! Shouldn't you be more excited? Eh? Eh?" He nudged his captain playfully, only to be shot such a withering look his hands fell to his side and he shrank back in fear.

"Sheesh. If looks could kill, I'd be dead three times over." Renji muttered exasperatedly.

Byakuya and Rukia stood facing each other. "Umm, Nii-sama? I don't know, it hasn't been set yet." Byakuya relaxed his clenched fists slowly. "Alright. I have to work now. Please, leave." Rukia mumbled a hasty "Yes Nii-sama", bowed and exited the room with Renji in tow, glad to be out of that cold atmosphere.

Byakuya headed home, deep in thought. Entering his room, he slammed the door with such force the door hinge snapped and shattered. Hate coursed through his body, shaking in silent rage.

The urge to kill and tear that man from limb to limb had only intensified on the journey home. He gritted his teeth, staring at Hisana's photo. " She's getting MARRIED."

Married. The word reverberated around in his head.

Why didn't I realize it earlier? I could have stopped them, found some way to tear them apart. He knitted his eyebrows in frustration.

I never realized how much I need her. I want her by my side.

I LOVE HER.

He groaned as realization hit him hard. I've been such a fool.

He ate in stony silence that night, Rukia's absence from dinner had worried him just a little. Had anything happened to her? He wondered, walking back to his room.

Just then, a voice called out to him. "Nii-sama! I'm home!"

Her glowing face greeting him was the perfect picture of happiness as he swung around to see the source of the voice. Her voice.

Byakuya could only nod as he changed course and headed instead to the woods behind the Kuchiki residence.

Leaning against the tree in the corner of the wood, standing next to the low branch Hisana had loved, just like before, he thought, when we were just married. He brought out her picture from the folds of his winter coat.

Hisana, I … … a tear fell from his eye, slid down his cheek, leaving a shimmering path in its wake. I'm sorry. I can't help loving her. Now I really don't know what to do. I'm going to lose her… just like I lost you.

He gazed up at the clear starry heavens, at the snow falling down to Earth. The sky blurred suddenly then, as his eyes filled with tears.

The last snowflake fell onto the glass covering Hisana's face, as the snowfall ceased, if only just for the night.

Winter was coming to a close again.