Prologue

Every morning had been the same for the past five and a half years – he'd wake up for work, she'd stir in bed for a few minutes but would eventually get up, head downstairs and start the coffee pot. He'd join her after his shower, adjusting his tie as he'd lean over and kiss her cheek. She'd smile, whisper good morning and ask what he wanted for breakfast. He'd sit down, read the newspaper and she'd cook his eggs and toast. She'd sit across from him, sipping her coffee as he munched away, muttering about stock markets, a busy day at the office and the like. He'd offer her the Lifestyle section of the paper and once a while ask her what she had planned for the day. He'd stand, adjust his suit coat, grab his bag and lean down for a kiss goodbye. Then he was gone and the large home was still till he'd arrive home late in the evening. Then, either she'd cook, or they'd go out. Then it was bed and the same thing the next morning.

How routine – how boring. What had happened to the romance, the love, the adventure? Had it ever been there to begin with? Their romance had been a whirlwind, coming out of her early twenties, high on life – a party girl, a pretty girl and she had managed to meet the highly successful banker. He was older than she was, but not by much. He lavished her with nights out, pretty presents of jewelry, purses, and the like. All the stuff she wanted but on her tight budget could never afford. He told her – he loved her – and she replied with 'I love you too'. He had proposed, she had accepted. Their marriage was grand and she was finally living the privileged life she had always wanted. The first few years were happy, trips around the world, parties and events but now, nearing their sixth anniversary the cracks were starting to show.

She stood at the kitchen sink, spinning the white gold band and heavy diamond around her finger, as she sipped her coffee. Had this all been for not? Was she in this relationship out of spite for being left behind? Yet, more importantly, where was he now. Was he on his way to work as she thought of him, or was he off having some adventure? Was there someone to rise every morning beside him, to kiss his cheek and tell him good morning? Did he ever want that? Rather than her normal way of waking him, flipping over, straddling his lap and kissing up his neck till he'd roll her over and their morning would be spent in other ways. Had it all be a childish romp, a summer fling that lasted much more than a single summer?

"Ma'am." The voice of her housekeeper snapped her from her thoughts as she whirled around, dropping and shattering the coffee mug on the floor. "Oh! Ma'am I am so sorry to have scared you! It's just you're normally not here when I arrive. Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine…" Rangiku said, shaking her head and the petite woman before her. "I was just lingering this morning. I'm going to go for a walk." She shook her head glancing down at the shattered remains of the mug and the slipped liquid on the floor. Hating that she had created more work for the maid she knew she needed to get out and clear her mind. "I'm sorry." She whispered passing by the older woman.

"It is no need Ma'am, it's a beautiful day out for a walk. Enjoy."

Sprinting up the stairs she rounded the corner to the master bedroom, quickly showering, dressing in a simple sundress and drying out her hair before pushing her sunglasses up to the bridge of her nose, snapping up her purse and heading back downstairs. She could hear her housekeeper humming in the kitchen and without another word she departed out the front door and began to walk the city streets.

Gin, at the age of thirty, had already done everything he'd ever aspired to do. He'd graduated from a prestigious university and sealed a good job in the city centre; he'd been infinitely successful, thundering through the ranks and accepting promotion after promotion. He had an expensive inner-city town house, with plenty of housekeepers and gardeners to keep it looking beautiful. He wore designer suits, and drove around in a huge sports car that his pretty little wife had suggested he get.

And his pretty little wife was just that; a sweet thing with a small smile and a timid nature. She'd greet him at the breakfast bar, and offer him a mug of coffee their cook had stewed. Gin would politely decline (he was more of a tea drinker, personally) and bid her a good day, before coming home again at six o'clock sharp to listen to her frivolous gossip at the dinner table.

He would smile, nod at the right times and make comments of vague interest. Then they'd go to bed and the cycle would start again, not that Gin minded; the bland life he had created for himself was strangely numbing. It brought him comfort to look around his house and see the expensive furniture and grand gardens he'd spent all his hard earnings on. It let him believe, if only for a moment, that it was worth it - it was worth leaving his old life behind to pursue a city career that he no longer associated joy with; it was worth it, marrying a girl he'd never really been in love with, just to show his boss that he was the 'grounded' type.

No, Gin hadn't missed things at all. Besides, where was the point in dwelling on the past? His life was perfectly content as it was. Cramming commitments like a crazy man kept his mind from wandering to lazy afternoons spent in his home town, lounging under the hot summer sun with his arm trapped under her sleeping form and —-

As long as he kept busy, life was good. As long as things didn't change, the days were bearable.

But she wanted kids. His pretty little wife had sat him down at the dinner table with a small, serious looking frown on her face, and said that it was time they moved to the suburbs. Gin knew he shouldn't have kept those photo albums. The picturesque scenes of his home town had charmed his wife into thinking that it would be the perfect place to 'raise a family' - he could work from home and she could look after their babies, and they'd live out the rest of their perfectly boring existence together in absolute cliché harmony.

Gin could've said no. He could've insisted that they stay in their tall city town house near work. As if he was the kind who would ever want to have children. But the shining images and memories sparkled to the surface of his mind; lush green hills and fruit trees, scenic woods and a cluster of shops which had no doubt grown since he'd last visited. And then, of course, she was there.

Did she look much different from when he had last seen her, all those years ago? Was she married, was she happy, had she moved on? Of course she had. She was the most beautiful girl in town - Gin knew from the moment he'd first met her that she'd go far. She probably wasn't even living there any more. Anyway, why did it matter? He'd left her behind, and that was that.

His eyes were certainly not searching for a familiar head of golden hair as he and his wife visited different properties (new builds, ones he did not recognise). He was not disappointed when he didn't see her around the park they used to meet up in. In fact, he was grinning as his wife chose the house she wanted - it was oversized and spacious, and he could easily lose himself in it.

The move was quick and simple. The company didn't put up a fuss; Gin modified one of the rooms into a large office where he could work. And a whole week after the final box of stuff was delivered passed until Gin decided to venture outside into the familiar unknown. Nothing had changed; the town square looked exactly as it did when they used to meet up together in what felt like centuries ago. Oh, and he could see it now: she'd stand and wait for him patiently, wearing a pretty summer dress with her hair cascading down her back and —-

"Rangiku?"

A/N;

This is actually a roleplay acted out between myself (deceptive-grin) and the wonderful Courtney (rangikuxmatsumoto) on tumblr. We decided to put it on ffnet and share it with more people, because we're both pretty proud of it. So please leave a review, and tell us what you think~!

P.S. I guarantee this will be updated. We've already written quite a lot.