Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. Koyumi, however is my own!
Cherry Blossoms in the Snow 1
Koyumi was lonely. Ever since she had entered the academy, she had always beenf the quiet and seemingly emotionless one. To a mere stranger, she would have been any other girl with a serious face, but those who were faced with having to see her each day knew more or less, that she had never once smiled. Because of her inability to smile and her struggle to make friends, she became distant, and soon, almost unnoticeable to those surrounding her. Koyumi was alone, but it had not always been that way…
Flashback…
"Nii-san, hurry!" cried the little girl with lilac streaked hair.
"Calm down, the dragonfly isn't going anywhere." replied a boy who looked to be about 17 years of age.
The child looked to the boy with pleading eyes, oblivious to all else around her. Her mind set on playing with the dragonfly, she put on her most adorable puppy face, knowing her brother could not refuse and smiled when at last, the jar was handed to her. Her large azure eyes brightened as she stared at the creature with interest.
"Nii-san, why do you have to keep the dragonfly in a jar?" the little girl questioned cutely.
"Well Yumi, we don't want your dragonfly to run away right?"
"Yes, but… won't that make the dragonfly lonely? It won't be with the other dragonfly friends if it's in a jar."
"I guess you're right. What do you think we should do?" inquired the boy who gazed at his sister with warmth.
"We should let it go!" cried the child, and with that, she opened the jar and watched as her pet flew away, carried by the wind. The girl with the lilac streaked hair watched happily at the thought of her dragonfly that would no longer be lonely.
5 years later…
"Nii-san!!" shrieked the girl as she watched, unable to do anything as the hideous creature, a hollow, fought her brother. Her brother who had been the only one who cared for her throughout her entire life now stood to protect her. As the creature was about to deal the final blow, the girl suddenly jumped in front of her brother, taking the hit for him.
"Koyumi, why…why did you do it!?" her brother screamed as he held her limp body.
The girl had already passed out, her brother holding her tightly to his chest. They could not escape, but as the hollow struck again, the blow was blocked by a katana held by a stranger. The stranger was dressed in a black shihakusho with a white haori over it. He had hair resembling the colour of snow and aqua green eyes, though he looked quite young, 15 at most. The number ten was written on the back of the haori that he wore. The boy slashed through the hollow, destroying it in an instant.
"Who are you?" asked the boy who was barely conscious due to blood loss.
"That is not important. For now, we have to get you and the girl you're holding to the fourth division immediately for treatment."
"Fourth division?"
"The medical division of the 13 court guard squads" replied the boy.
And with that, the other passed out and both were carried to the fourth division by the young boy with the haori.
End of Flashback…
The days at the shinigami academy were short lived for Koyumi as she was told she would graduate at the end of the year. Koyumi had been the school prodigy, but even so, she was alone. Her brother had gone into a coma after the attempt to save her and still remained in the fourth division quarters. After she had been saved and released from the fourth division, Koyumi joined the shinigami academy in hopes of becoming stronger to protect those who were close to her. She progressed rapidly in training with kido as well as hakudo. At night time, she would often train with her zanpaktou, eventually gaining shikai and later, bankai as well (in secret). She had only known what others had sacrificed for her sake and she blamed herself for all of it. She was afraid that if she made friends, they would only be hurt by her, so her only friend had been the one who aided her along with her brother that fateful night. His name was Hitsugaya Toushiro. Ever since entering the academy though, she had seen less and less of Toushiro because of all the work that had to be done. Eventually, she stopped seeing him altogether and started along her quiet path of loneliness. Little did Koyumi know what would await her after she was selected to join the Court Guard Squads.
On the day of graduation, Koyumi found herself to be the youngest amongst those who were graduating with her. The family and friends of the other graduates had all come to see them, but Koyumi had none. The captains of the 13 squads were present, save the captains of squads 3, 5, and 7 who had left soul society as traitors. As the name of each student was called, they would walk across the stage, cheered on by their family, before they were assigned to their new squad. When Koyumi's turn came, the ceremonial hall was silent. None of the students knew her as they were all older and she had no friends or family to cheer for her. She stared the audience with blank eyes, giving away no emotion as she stood on the stage.
"Toriku Koyumi, you have been selected as the top student in the academy and shall be joining squad ten as of today. Your position will be third seat." said an old man also wearing a captain's uniform.
At this the audience gasped. A prodigy who was accepted into a squad as third seat or higher straight from the academy was only seen once every century. Applause rang throughout hall, but Koyumi paid no attention.
"Thank you head captain, I gratefully accept my position and duties as third seat." was all that was heard from the girl.
Koyumi lined up behind her captain, Hitsugaya Toushiro and her lieutenant, Matsumoto Rangiku. Soon, they headed back to their squad house.
Koyumi's POV
I walked slowly, following the young, white haired captain. 'I wonder if he still remembers me.' Suddenly I was pounced on by someone behind me and before I knew it, I was getting the wind crushed out of me.
"So you're Koyumi-chan!! Kawaii!!" the voice of the one who was crushing you shouted.
I turned (or tried to) and saw a long orange haired woman with (err shall I say, big breasts).
"Vice captain Matsumoto-san, could you be so kind as to stop crushing me." you said in a barely audible voice.
"Oops, guess I got carried away!" she replied.
At that, the captain turned around and glared at the vice captain.
"Matsumoto, stop destroying the new recruits this instant!!" he yelled. "Sorry about that Toriku-san, Matsumoto can be a bit of a headache at times."
"
It's fine," I replied. 'This is a fine start, now he probably thinks of you like all the others did' I sighed, 'maybe this means he doesn't remember me, I guess its all for the best…'
"Is something wrong Toriku-san?" questioned the captain with a hint of worry in his voice. "You look a little pale."
"No, it's nothing…" 'Why would he be worried about me? He probably doesn't even know who I am now…'
Narrator POV
Koyumi sadly gazed at her captain, whom she had once thought was her friend. As soon as they reached tenth division quarters, Matsumoto showed the other recruits to their rooms while Koyumi was summoned (by Hitsugaya) to the tenth division's office.
"Koyumi, it's been a while." the captain said quietly.
The girl's eyes widened as they stared deep into the aqua ones of the tenth division captain.
"S-so, you remembered after all?" she asked in her soft velvety voice.
"Did you think I would forget about one of my closest friends?"
Koyumi's eyes faded back into the blank orbs they once were at the sound of the word 'friend'.
"No, you aren't my friend. I do not desire for you to be my friend again, captain."
It was Toushiro's turn to be surprised.
"What are you talking about Yumi?"
Koyumi winced at the sound of the nickname.
"Stop it! I never asked for you to be my friend, you know what happened before!!" she yelled angrily.
If it were any other person, they would have left her immediately, thinking there was no sense in trying to befriend a person who was angered at them for it. But Hitsugaya could see it in her eyes, in her tone, and her expression. Koyumi longed for friends. For decades, she had been alone with nobody to talk to, but she feared she would be a burden on those who tried to get close to her so she hid herself in the deep confinements of her heart—where she could not hurt anyone…
"Yumi, I know you don't mean it. You can't lie to me. I can see you, the real you that you've been hiding for so long."
"WHY? Why are you trying so hard for me? I'm not worth it, I'm not worthy of having any friends!! Not after what I did!!!"
Koyumi was on the ground, tears running down her cheeks. She didn't know what to do or what to say. Each day she lived, desperately wishing that she could find someone who would understand how she felt, but that was all impossible in her eyes. The young captain knelt down beside the girl, placing his hand on her shoulders in hopes of consoling her.
"Yumi, don't think you're alone, because you're not. I'll always be your friend, whether you want me to or not. You don't have to blame everything on yourself, it isn't your fault for the things that have happened." the boy said in his calming voice.
Koyumi looked up, tears still making their way down her face.
"Thank you, captain Hitsugaya." she choked out.
Toushiro smiled and gave her a quick hug. "She's still so young, but bears such a heavy burden…'he thought. "At last, someone who decides to call me captain." he said out loud which caused a laugh to escape the girl's lips. Toushiro stared at her.
"I haven't heard your laugh for such a long time." he whispered.
3 weeks later…
"Koyumi, please deliver these papers to the correct division houses."
"Hai, captain Hitsugaya." replied Koyumi while reaching for the stack of paperwork.
Koyumi walked out the door, once again, only her blank emotionless face was seen. After the incident with her captain three weeks ago, she met some new friends, but still wore the emotionless face she had for years. She used shunpo to reach the divisions quicker. Soon, the only division left was that of squad six. Koyumi had never been to the sixth division barracks, though her friend, Abarai Renji worked as a lieutenant there. She entered and soon found her way to the captain's office.
"Hey Yumi! What are you doing here?" yelled Renji and he walked up to greet her.
"Delivering papers." she replied simply.
"Well we should hang out after you finish. There's a festival tonight, why don't we all go together?"
"Together?" Koyumi had still not adjusted to having friends. She had been alone for so many years that it felt strange to be surrounded by so many people who cared about her.
"Yeah! You know, with Rukia and the others." Renji replied, eyeing his friend curiously at the expression she had on her face. It was a rather unreadable look that reminded him of his captain, Kuchiki-taichou.
"Alright, I have some kimonos that I can wear for tonight."
"Ok, we'll see you there!" And with that, Renji left to continue his work of training the new sixth squad recruits.
'I wonder how tonight will turn out…' thought Koyumi as she knocked on the wooden door.
To Be Continued…