No-one exactly knew who had introduced to Soul Society the celebration of the summer solstice - enough to say that it caught on for good in tradition of Seireitei. Plaiting the wreaths and floating them on water - that in the Real World was an attempt to gain foresight into future relationship - had become most popular form of play. Gotei 13 didn't lack the romantic girls who - behind the façade of soldier's duties - hid the dreams of a fortune at one handsome Shinigami's side.
With time, plaiting the wreaths had evolved into more casual and less obliging form of expressing one's feelings of fondness. Even though, from time to time, some couples happened to change their official status right after the midsummer. Many didn't even bother with floating the garlands and rather handed them directly to the object. The older custom, however, still had its followers.
That evening Hinamori was really happy. All her friends gathered on the river bank, their voices, coming from everywhere, proved that people were having fun. Unlike many, Hinamori every year participated in the celebration, and never get bored with observing others. She was happy. She absorbed the atmosphere of joy like a flower - and bloomed. Last years the situation in Seireitei had been too tense to celebrate - Shinigami had been scattered over whole Soul Society, repelling the surprisingly frequent attacks of Hollows, and the Real World had faced the same problem. It was only recently that everything calmed down, and Hinamori believed it wasn't a lull before the storm.
The sun was setting slowly, coating the faces and hairs with red and gold glow. A faint ringing reached over the rush of the river, and Hinamori looked that way. The Captain of the Eleventh Division, Kenpachi Zaraki, accompanied by his two best men, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa, sat on the riverbank. Vice-Captain Kusajishi was having more fun than anyone else, when she plaited three garlands first, and then she picked them up from water right at her favourite people's feet, whose heads she was now decorating with the cheerful chatter.
"Ken-chan! I can't put a garland on you!" she called reproachfully after some attempts foiled by his spiked-hair. She tilted her head and regarded him critically, while he was enduring her manipulations with rather admirable patience. "I'll make you eleven," Yachiru decided after a while, and clearly satisfied moved her attention to other officers.
Hinamori muffled her laughter, trying to drive away the vision of Captain Zaraki's stiff hair separately decorated with the flowers. His bells were funny enough. When Yachiru finished with him, Madarame looked equally amusing - in contrary to Ayasegawa. The best beauty of Seireitei looked most charming with flowers in his hair. Pink camellias must have matched his purple eyes, Hinamori decided a bit dreamily.
From the opposite direction she was reached by the voice of Rukia Kuchiki of the Thirteen Division. Renji Abarai was keeping her company for the whole evening. Hinamori was aware Abarai-kun and Kuchiki-san knew each other form a child, but never before had she seen Abarai-kun looking at the girl with such a profound admiration and paying so little attention to her words.
"...that Nii-sama hasn't come. He's been so depressed recently. His favourite camellia started to lose its blossom and Nii-sama takes it hard. It's just like last year and that mess with a koi. I feel sorry for him, when he stands under that tree for days on end, like he used to stand by the pond then..."
Renji nodded, only looking at her, whose head was full of worries even during the celebration. This very head was decorated with the garland of white lilies, perfectly contrasting with black of her hair. Hinamori sighed and admitted she sometimes envied Kuchiki-san her beauty. Rukia gently touched the flowers with her hand and smiled to herself.
"I should get my first mission in the Real World soon," she said lost in thought. "I wonder if they have flowers like these there..."
One look at Abarai-kun's face told Hinamori that Kuchiki-san had never seemed so distant before.
"I don't see any garlands," that resentful voice belonged to Vice-Captain Matsumoto who looked with disappointment at the surface of the stream, that formed a shallow bay in that spot. "I must have come too late, for I can't believe no guy would go after a girl like me."
"Matsumoto," was an answer provided by the calm and extremely patient voice of Shirou-chan... oh, she wasn't supposed to call him that name!... the voice of Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division. "You messed everything up, once again. According to the tradition, it is you who should plait a wreath and throw it on water, and the one picking it up would be your husband."
"So troublesome..." Rangiku-san sighed, sitting down by her captain's side and looking around. "Nothing but the nettles here." She regarded his superior, clumsily plaiting the garland of purple peonies, and beamed. "For me?" she called, her voice excessively sweet, clapping her hands. "The colour doesn't match my eyes very well, but it's intention that matters."
Hitsugaya-kun hunched and didn't say anything.
"It would match a girl of the darker looks," Rangiku-san added and turned to look at Hinamori. Then she winked and called, "Hello, Hinamori! It's a beautiful evening, isn't it?"
Hinamori spotted the cheeks of the youngest captain in history of Seireitei turn red, and realized she was blushing herself.
"May I join you?" the deep voice rang behind her back, and Hinamori's heart fluttered like a butterfly.
"Captain Aizen!"
Captain's smile was brighter than sun. He sat down next to her and turned his gaze at the last sunbeam dancing on water. "I hope you don't feel cold, Hinamori-kun? It gets chilly."
Hinamori remembered how to breathe. She shook her head, smiling. How could she possibly feel cold sitting by Captain Aizen's side? She would spent all the winter-nights by him. He looked at the garland on her lap. "Is it for me?" he asked with a warm smile.
She nodded. She recollected when she had gave him the garland for the first time, so long ago. She had been so mortified she had run right away without as much as a word. Now she didn't run any more, but speaking was still a problem.
"Thank you, Hinamori-kun," he said, taking plait of nasturtium from her hands.
She looked away, happy beyond measure, and tried to focus on the scenery. It was so peaceful around... Hinamori wanted to keep thas moment for eternity. Some time passed before she realized she didn't give a single thought to the friend she hadn't seen that evening. Where was Kira-kun?
Kira was, in fact, quite near. Once he used to timidly seek for other's company, now he preferred to shun them. Only some raspberry bushes and splendid ferns separated him from the group celebrating the summer solstice. He wondered why he had come here to begin with. Perhaps it had something to do with Hinamori's concerned remark about how he worked too much and some time with friends would do him good. A bit ashamed, Kira realized that last time he neglected Renji and Hinamori very badly - after all, they had always been together during their years in Academy, and later, when they had ended in different divisions, they had tended to meet regularly and spend time very pleasantly. How long had passed since their last meeting? He didn't remember. But then again... Hinamori didn't think the world of Captain Aizen, while Renji either trained like hell to equal Captain Kuchiki, or - like now - had his eyes fixed on Kuchiki's younger sister, Rukia, and nothing else.
Oh, no, he was so unfair to them. He himself was wrapped up in his work - just like Captain, whom Kira hadn't seen for days now.
Hinamori-san had invited him - and what had he done? He found a hidden place and sat there for the whole evening. Once the beauty of that moment would inspire him to write one or two haiku - now he was under impression he wasted a few hours that he would spare for drawing up the report from last mission. If anyone ever read those reports, that is. Anyone...
A daisy-chain on his lap was almost done, he made it practically unconsciously. He remembered there was some rite involving wreaths that was connected to the celebration of the shortest night of year. Kira raised his head and looked over the horizon, the last part of the red sun was disappearing behind it. Night that would be followed by the sunrise faster than ever... Milky moon - an inseparable companion of the sun - had just appeared on the sky opposite the sunset. What a perfect scenery for poetry, Kira thought ironically, then he finished the wreath, and threw it on water. He followed it with his eyes, when it rolled on the calm surface of the river, bending here gently, and tried to recall what that whole rite was about.
Who captures the wreath... Kira knitted his eyebrows. Who captures the wreath you make at midsummer night... Kira closed his eyes and tried to focus. Who captures the wreath you make at midsummer night is meant for you for eternity.
"Ya lost somethin', Izuru?"
Kira startled, almost frightened, and jumped to his feet. On the opposite riverbank, there stand the Captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru. Smiling with his eternal smile, he held a daisy-chain that dripped with water.
Kira was unable to say a single word, perfectly aware his face must have expressed a mix of astonishment, perplexity, and embarrassment. What he didn't know, and what didn't escape his Captain's attention, was the blush rising to his cheeks. And that, Gin assumed, suited him nicely. Had it not been his sapphire eyes, Izuru would be completely colourless - and Gin used to remark jokingly that one pale moth in the Third Division was more than enough. Usually, Izuru turned his eyes away and didn't say a word, while Gin congratulated on himself that he managed to make his Vice-Captain colour.
Gin leapt over the stream and in next moment stood beside Kira who still looked like helplessness personified. "Ya lost yer wreat', Izuru", Captain said calmly. "Be careful not to lose yer head," he added on his typical humourous note.
Kira lowered said head, for he couldn't bring himself to look into his Captain's eyes. It didn't turn out a best idea, since Gin grabbed the opportunity and laid the wreath on his hair. "Fits like a glove," he claimed clearly satisfied, and Kira didn't answer, as he was occupied enough observing the hem of haori that had soaked up water. He didn't trust his voice at all.
"Nex' time make one fer me, too," Gin suggested, and Kira looked up confused. Then he tried to imagine Captain Ichimaru wearing a wreath... and almost burst out laughing.
Gin looked very pleased of himself. "Let's go, Izuru. It grows cold."
Kira nodded.
"As fer the wreat'... I was serious," Captain added with a smile more mischievous than ever.
Kira laughed.
He didn't regret that evening at all any more.
It was already dark when they decided to go back. The return journey didn't lack some funny elements, like when they spotted a fire on the grounds of the Twelfth Division. Abarai-kun and Madarame mistook it for a bonfire and were ready to jump over it. Hinamori was sure they must have drunk something back on the riverbank. They were drove away by Captain Kurotsuchi, who told them not to disturb his research. The ominous mutter that followed his words clearly indicated that the research wasn't going according to the plan.
They walked in groups or pairs. The Eleventh Division strode in advance-guard, tired Yachiru on Kenpachi's back, whose hair were separately decorated with flowers. Hinamori saw Madarame constantly push his garland up as it slipped over his eyes, while Ayasegawa stealthily touched withered camellias. He must have felt un-beautiful, Hinamori decided and chuckled.
White lilies on Rukia's hair gleamed in the moonlight. More than ever she resembled a ghost. She emanated her own light. Abarai-kun still regarded her with admiring eyes and didn't say anything.
Rangiku-san was given the garland of peonies and show no discontent any more, especially when the red flowers were alternated with bluebells. Silent Hitsugaya-kun went along.
Behind her, there was Captain Ichimaru, accompanied by Kira-kun. Hinamori could barely notice a daisy-chain on his fair hair. She racked her brains trying to guess who he could get it from. Anyway, she was happy about the smile that Kira-kun almost radiated in the dark of the night. Hinamori was warmed by a thought that Kira-kun had an admirer. After all, such a kind boy should be surrounded by girls, yet he remained all by himself.
Captain Aizen moved along her side, gazing at milky moon.
"Captain Aizen... Your garland..."
He looked at her, his brown eyes glowed reflecting the moonlight. "I'm sorry, Hinamori-kun. I must have lost it."
She lowered her head. "I'll make you another next year," she said quietly, suddenly feeling tired.
"I know, Hinamori-kun," he said in a low voice. "I'm looking forward to it."
Hinamori nodded. 'There's still many summer solstice celebration, so I'll give you many wreaths,' she thought.
But the feeling of cold, perhaps a draught coming from the river, didn't want to subside.