Skating
To say that he was stunned would be a gross understatement. He was, in fact, struck speechless.
Kuchiki Byakuya had simply been admiring the human girl's form when she successfully executed a graceful Triple Salchow – such was his interest in the strange activity – art – that he had actually paid heed to Rukia's and Orihime's conversations at dinner.
Orihime was testing the feel of her costume, a pink, shortened version of the kimono, and Byakuya could not help the shadow of a half-smile at her concentration and her response to the music, currently plugged in her ears by an… iPod, was it? From what he gathered, that small device could play music.
"I'll be using Madame Butterfly for the Long Program," Orihime had relayed to Rukia with enthusiasm.
With the sunlight caught in her hair and hairpins, the spinning of the sleeves of her costume, Byakuya thought that she resembled a cherry blossom, a cutting sakura, just like Senbon-
It had not helped matters that at that moment, his zanpakutou had pulsed in affirmation.
Abruptly turning away from the frozen pond courtesy of Hitsugaya Toushirou, Byakuya carried on back to the manor, lost in thought.
His drifting thoughts, like the cherry blossoms that his katana bore the name of, faded on this final reminiscence.
Senbonzakura had expressed acceptance, but never approval, of Hisana.
A/N Dear reader, please review. Whether you are aware of it or not, authors wait upon your critiques and responses to their works like thirsty travellers for a desert oasis.
I do not own Bleach.
This was based on watching Kristi Yamaguchi's rendition of Madame Butterfly years ago. Such a wonderful skater she was - and still is.