The Winter Breeze's Tale

A Hisana and Byakuya pairing Bleach fanfiction

First Dance – White Moon: Ceremonies of the Souls

-0-0-0-

"No matter how cold the winter breeze may be, you should be thankful of what it tells you – that winter is now leaving and a new hope of spring is not far ahead."

This was my adopted mom's final words before she left us. And even before, she really liked repeating those words over and over again, while smiling, after hearing my heart's silent grieves.

I did not understand her actually. I really did not know what she meant by that. After witnessing her fall off my hands, like sands blown away by the unforeseen gust, and seeing her close her tearful eyes as how the moon kissed the sun in the dark skies of eclipse, only confused thoughts played on my mind. And these gave me that apprehension and doubt of still believing on my soul's confidence.

I did not cry. I did not shed any tears. I was just looking at my mom's pretty face while she slept in that cold body, when I heard my younger sister's small stomach asking for her milk.

I moved my hands immediately and reached for the boiling clay pot. Still numb and shaking, the hot water, as clear as my mom's innocent smiles, was spilled all over my sister's mattress. I only stared at her as she cried and hastily raised her hands reaching the sky, like asking for help before the ocean pulled her down to the world's end. I did not know what to do. Now, it was not only her stomach that was shouting. She was soaking wet and crying as loud as the thunder's fierce roars. It was raining. Yes it was! It was in that winter season that I see the sky crying not with hail and snow, but with tear drops and heavy splash of sorrow. There were so many things that just happened that I did not notice that the abysmal sky, usually clear and high, was now all covered with heavy dark clouds – heavy dark clouds that were as heavy and burdensome as the emptiness that I would always carry in my heart.

-0-0-0-

The rain just would not stop falling. My mom was properly given a decent burial and most of the townspeople extended their help for the two of us – for me and for my younger sister. I did not notice how many people loved my mom. I did not mind at all.

The place was gloomy and dark – as gloomy as my dried eyes. I was in front of my mom's tomb carrying my sleeping sister and we only stayed there, as the visitors left the place, one by one. I looked at the words engraved on her tomb. With a blank expression on my face, my eyes just kept on staring the words, not even allowing them to blink.

It was my adopted mom's name.

Fuyu Ayumi – such beautiful name.

But why am I so sad?

She's not even a relative of ours. After arriving in Rukongai District, we got lucky that a person like her adopted us like her own daughters, I silently whispered,

What's beautiful about winter?

But still… I thank you.

My baby sister suddenly raised up her left hand as if pointing the flaring sky. It was sunset and it was a surprise for me how fast days would just end.

How fast lives would just end…

I looked up the sky. I leered on it with so much hatred, I myself cannot describe. My eyes that were originally purple and as innocent as the sleeping lavenders were all red and on fire. But before my eyes melt, my baby sister made a funny noise. After hearing it twice and much clearly than the first time, tears started to fell down my pale cheeks.

Ma-ma…

All the emotions that I have hidden had just flown down from my chest. If she would hear her little voice calling her that, I know there would be eternal bliss and satisfaction in her heart. But another thought changed my whole personality,

Poor Rukia, if you were only born first, then you would have called her 'Mama', it was a sign of my heart's resignation.

And I won't be suffering this much… and this was the worst thing that I have said, as I wave the white flag of surrender, the leakage of my cowardry.

What am I thinking?

I held my baby sister tighter as I repent to my selfish acts.

I'm sorry Rukia… I am very sorry.

I promise you. I promise that I will never leave you…

"I will never leave you..."

-0-0-0-

The next day was the same as the day she left us – gloomy and weary. But I tried to change the mood. I need to look for work. That was my goal.

I need to have my own way now for me to be able to feed myself and of course Rukia.

I have to be strong. This is not only for me, but for my baby sister's sake as well.

I had tried every possible work that I could find, but because I was still young and inexperienced, I usually got fired and busted. Also, having Rukia with me, it was hard for me to do things well.

Everyday was the same day as the last day. The more sunsets I witness, the more reluctant for me to find a good job. We were still not eating full meals and only slept on the sidewalks uncovered with warm blankets and unprotected from cold winds and pests. But I need to move on. I need to become a money earner.

I continued looking for work, when I have noticed something alarming about Rukia – she was burning hot.

Rukia has high fever!

I did not know what to do. I went on asking for help but nobody cared to aid us, even a little. I begged for food from every stranger that passes by my hallucinated sight. I was too desperate to find milk. At least milk for my poor Rukia. But it was too late.

"Rukia? Rukia!" I unbelievably cried.

Rukia was not moving. I started crying. Splashes of sorrow wetted the grounds of humility.

"Oh Rukia… Rukia!" I kept on repeating calling her name, as if there's nothing in my mind but her safety – Rukia's safety! I cannot do anything and my mind was too stagnant to think. Only the tears were my friends and had always guarded the softness of my reddening cheeks.

I'm sorry Rukia. I'm such a weak person – such an irresponsible sister.

Rukia please live… Rukia!

Yes it was really too late. Rukia was not moving at all. And because of the damn guilt I felt and the shouting conscience deafening my hearing, I left Rukia's body beside a big restaurant and ran away as fast as I could.

I reached the dead end on the west side of Rukongai. I could hardly breathe that my heart was beating twice as fast as the clock's ticks. My eyes that were nobly purple were both wide open and reflected the darkest room in my confused soul.

But I promised Rukia!

A voice coming from the sheets of light echoed inside my head.

I promised Rukia. I promised her that I will never leave her!

I hurriedly went back to the place where I left Rukia, but she was no where to be found. I fell on my knees unconsciously. My tears all dried up and my mouth just flanged open.

-0-0-0-

I heard somebody crying – a cry coming from a child, so innocent and naive. As I moved my hands to reach her, an unfamiliar voice broke up the illusion.

"Eh? Are you alright?", the girl said.

I was all shaken up. My mind was a bit slow to understand her bubbly hisses. But I tried to move my eyes and saw a familiar face from a person whom I had deep sorrow to – I saw my mom's face. I cannot take off my eyes on her when she snapped her fingers in front of my boring face.

"Hey!" the girl said as she moved her head from the air to a position too close to my face.

Now her face is much clearer. She was not my mom. She was just a typical girl in Rukongai who had brown eyes and braided hair. She called a name and a man, who seemed to be his dad, came and assisted me to rise. They brought me inside the big restaurant and gave me something to eat.

"Eh, oyaji, that's the soup we had served last night? Why not get some of the fresh cooked today?" the girl scolded her dad with her hands on her waist.

It was true. The soup was a bit muddy and cold. And as I stare on my reflection on the gleaming water that looked like milk, I remembered Rukia. I got back to my feet and hastily asked them,

"Ah… did you see an infant yesterday laid down in front of this restaurant?"

"Huh?" two of them reacted with a big question on their faces.

But before I threw them my next question, my stomach groaned as loud as the squeak of the wooden floor. The girl jumped and curled her pale arms around my neck.

"What are you talking about? Now, I think this soup can at least wake you up!" the girl whispered as she pushed me to the table for a seat.

That's right! I haven't eaten full meals yet since I started searching for work. When I was about to take my first sip, the girl asked me about so many things. I looked at her and asked her again the same question.

"A baby, you say? Hmmm...", she said.

I nodded but she just swayed her head from left to right. My facial response got her signal to ask a question on me in return. She did get answers from me. And yet, we later realized that we still have to introduce ourselves to one another. Her name was Kuroro – the daughter of the owner of the big restaurant. I have narrated them my whole life story and they were sorry for what had happen to me. And before turning another page of my life, the man told Kuroro to let me have something in my stomach. The girl turned red and offered me to eat the soup with her hands on the back of her head.

"Uh… it's a bit salty…" I hesitantly commented, after taking the first spoon.

"Uh… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" I added slowly, thinking if it was too rude for me to comment such insults.

The owner moved closer and had taken his seat and sighed. I thought he was going to hit me but he just explained that the soup really tasted weird – it was really salty. And even he did not add salt to the soup, it was still salty.

"Oh c'mon dad. Maybe there were some problems, we still don't know. I told you, let's just remove that menu in our list." Kuroro patted on her dad's back as he was crying fountains on his arms.

I was correct! That big guy was really the owner of the restaurant. And now that they were having gourmet problems maybe I could lend a hand.

I'd say they were lucky. I was a good cook myself, even when I was alive in the human world. And cooking was my greatest hobby. I even got medals and recognitions for being the best in class.

Maybe I can work here. Yes I can work here! At least, I could have my free meal and still get paid. Also, by working here, I could find information of my baby sister's whereabouts.

"Maybe I could help", I whispered. I added that that was the only way to show my gratitude and sincerest thank you for allowing me to enter their glamorous restaurant.

"Eh? You can cook?" Kuroro said while glaring at me.

I nodded, but with much energy than the first time.

"Maybe I can improve the soup's salty flavor. I myself was a good cook in my human life." I added.

They've given me this opportunity. After that, I became one of the restaurant's official cook. And as promised I was able to make the soup taste better. Not only that, I introduced them some of my best menus and ingredient combinations. From that time on, the restaurant had more customers than before.

-end-

Hikaru's Note:

-Fuyu Ayumi means beautiful winter

-This chapter was entitled as 'Ceremonies of the Souls' because of the farewells, promises and meeting of new different souls. Also, Hisana's experiences and deep emotions played a main part in the ceremony.

-Next chapter: First Dance – White Moon: Listen to my Silent Heart