Hye there! Another story from me ^^ Actually this one came one sooner than 'Because of you' but because of some major changes, I decided to upload BOU first. This was supposed to be a 'One-shot', I had planned before hand nevertheless, I found this story dragging too much from the usual plan and I sadly doesn't wanted to delete the unnecessary scenes. So, I had to split it. Uh-uh.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
JUST ONE NIGHT
Just one night… is it enough?
A tall man warily leaning against a wall, staring intently at the small shop in front of him and his eyes never wavered from the figures that kept entering the small building. His slated eyes furiously watching every movement in silence and he held it firm on the spot where he assumed he could find what he's looking for ever since the past two hours he has been standing there.
He let out a cold breath from his pale lips and swiftly tightens the black coat that covered his masculine frame to avoid the coldness that slowly crept to his bones. He dropped his gaze, searching for his watch under the heavy coat. His dark and long ebony hair fell down from his shoulder covering his beautiful grey eyes as he looked at the watch.
8.35 pm…
'She should be around here somehow…' he solemnly thought. He has only one hour and 25 minutes left before the shop closed down and he, like the other nights, went back homed fruitless. He looked up to the night sky, staring at those white cottons that felt from above and covering the land. He stretched his hand, feeling the cold snow touched his bare hand.
"It's snowing…" he whispers to himself. "Don't know whether she will be here or not…" Letting out a sigh, he decided to continues his previous job; stalking the bookstore.
Stalking? I'm not stalking…it's just…a curiosity.
He flipped his hair aside, getting tired of the bang that kept interrupting his sight without aware his movement has cause whispers from the figures that passed in front of him. The tall man let out a grunt, getting annoyance of the women sly actions whose kept staring attentively at him and chuckling among themselves. He hastily averted his eyes from them and continued to monitoring the shop. He standing at there not to publicize his face and obviously not selling his body at this late hour. He just needed an answer for the thought that kept bothering him since last week.
Yes. Ever since his eyes lay on her. The girl with those big ivory eyes and short hair. The girl that kept hunting his dream and he almost burst with madness with that damn curiosity.
The girl that he once thought was his wife, whose resembles her very much and with that little thinking of her coming back to him, it send a tingles of happiness to his fervent life ever since she left him alone for two years. Maybe he was hallucination, seeing something that should not be seen but he wants an answer. He firmly believes that he had seen her and assured it was not a dream.
However it's been five days and she never appeared again before him. And now here he was, standing on the very same spot where he first spotted her where he inadvertently caught her dark hair and that familiar diminutive form in a spur moment. She was there, surveying the magazines at the bookstore across the road in front of the flower shop where he used to buy the flower for his late wife every day.
The petite girl was busy flipping a fashion magazine with a blonde model wearing a red gown as the cover girl and reading it keenly even though the shop owner clearly posting a notice stating 'No Reading' on its glass wall and he remembered it totally, the white blouse and black jeans she wear at that time. The black hair was pinned tidily with glistening ribbon pins and the eyes…that big ivory eyes was gleams with fascinated with every pages of the magazine she flipped.
The handsome man could feel his heart stopped at the moment when he catches the glimpse of her back form and that familiar hairstyle which he always touched and kiss every day. The flower he always brought for her wife instantly dropped from his hand when he figured who she really was. He stood there with his mouth open in shock and froze for he could not believe his eyes. Never in his life, will his dreams for every day and night be finally fulfilled.
When the petite figure suddenly placed the magazine back to its place and turned around, his eyes widen in nervy and inevitably, his mouth opens as he scarcely wanted to calling out one name.
"Hisa…" He can't let out his voice. It's been a very long time since the name passed his lips and now, confuse with reality and illusion, he gawked stiffly with his mouth still hanging open.
His wife. His beautiful wife was standing there, reading a magazine.
His voice came out hoarsely. The cold air definitely has worsened his solid frame. Could not wait any longer, he rushed to the busy road, trying so hard to crossed in between those vehicles without his eyes leaving the trail of her form.
"Hisana!" He called out her name and he scarcely tried to stretch his hand up as far as he can go as long as she can notice him. Two cars…three cars… he could heard the cars honk at him, but he didn't care. He called out her name many times, but she didn't even turn back at him. The figure suddenly disappeared between crowded people and he lost her track.
He cursed between his breaths. After finally manage to slip between the busy cars, he only got an angry swear from the drivers and lost the girl's form. The tall man hastily amending his attire, flipping his hair aside, and turn his heel to the opposite road where his car parked.
Before he opened his car's door, he gave a final sight to the store and swore it in his heart that he will find her regardless of what happen. But now, after five days stalking the same place and the same time where he met her last Saturday, she never reappeared again.
It feels like he had betrayed by his own emotion. Does he misses his wife so much and saw her illusion everywhere? He let out a sigh, wiping his face almost exasperatedly. He definitely needs to get a hold of it and planted in his mind, that Hisana is dead.
Taking a peek at his watch again, the handsome man finally turns his heels. He had wasted two hours standing there like a stupid man wanting for something that could not ever happen. It's like turning a stone to gold, definitely ridiculous. As his hand gripped his car's door, he suddenly heard a voice calling out his name.
"Byakuya!"
The tall man stopped his track, almost swearing under his breath upon recognizing the voice. Byakuya let out a grunt, still facing his car, thinking whether he should greet the owner of the voice or just simply leave him there. For God's sake, his feeling had become worsened for every minutes he spend every day at the same place but still, can't find what he have been looking for. He definitely needs a release for his broken heart and desperation for his wife.
Inhaling the cold air deeply into his lung, Byakuya finally closed his Benz door as the steps become closer. Before he could turn his body, he saw red in his sight, the colour of blood. Hastily he averted his eyes for he could never forget the nauseating colours. He hated it, even only from the slightest strand of hair.
It reminds him of blood, of Hisana.
With his cold demeanour, Byakuya stared coolly at the tall man whose now smiling towards him, showing his white teeth as he casually lift his right hand up.
"Yo. What are you doing here? Buying flower for Hisana?" he asked, still with the smile plastering on his face.
"No. I'm buying cello tape to shut your stupid smile. What are you doing here, Renji? This is not your place," Byakuya remarked with insult without even considering his feeling, but he knew Renji will never preserve it in his heart. Doubtless, that's his superiority except for his daunting appearance.
Byakuya gazed at him from head to toe, snickering it in his head.
'What ludicrous attire. No one has ever taught him how to dress?' he mocked. With his red hair tied higher on his head and the tribal tattoos, Byakuya doesn't even know how the hell did he came out with an idea to have those design to begin with. It makes him looks like a thug. With his shabby jeans and bleach blue t-shirt; he already looks like a thug himself.
"As always with your sharp tongue, Byakuya," Renji said, chuckling softly. He run his hand through his red hair, trying to grab a word for the man whose now staring deadly at his, waiting impatiently for his answer.
"Well, you know…" he slowly said. "I…um, also buying flowers for Hisana."
Byakuya grey eyes widened in shock, and slowly curiosity crept into his mind. Renji never went to the Rukongai District, it was a place full with stores selling books, flowers, accessories and many things related with femininity. He himself never steps into that place until he married Hisana.
"Here? You never bought flowers from this district. Why all of a sudden?" he exclaimed, narrowing his slate eyes.
And suddenly a thought hits him. One possibility has come to his mind when the red-haired guy pouting some nonsense he never could believe and he would never dare to think of it. He tightened his jaw and clenched his teeth. Did he saw her?
"Yeah, I agree… it's true that I never bought Hisana a flower from this district. But I learned that she loves the flowers from Amoria's Flower Shop, so I..." he solemnly said. He continued to rub his hair while his eyes roaming to the man in front of him, staring at his attire.
"You look good in that dark coat," he compliments, trying to change the awkward atmosphere.
Byakuya snorted, crossing both arms in front of his chest. "And you look like a thug. Why are you always wearing those shabby jeans? Don't you have other clothes?"
"No, I..." he paused for a second as if he tried to find a word for the answer. Renji scarcely trying to swallow the slump that started to formed in his throat. "This is my sister's present to me when I was 20. I just...well, wanted to wear it as always as I could, to remind me that this was her last gift from me…" he said as his voice getting lower and lower. His head fell to the ground, tentatively gazing at both of their shoes.
Byakuya was taken aback by Renji's words. That was the first time Renji ever talked about Hisana after she left them two years ago. His honest confession feels like lingering into his heart and deliberately melted the wall he tries to build to shut anyone else into his life.
Renji was his brother-in-law, but Byakuya never thought of him in such a way. He always treated him like a stranger and never shows any affection towards him, but Renji never once preserve it in his heart.
'He's such a fool…' Byakuya thought, releasing a long breath of regret and guilty.
The cold air suddenly breezed and Byakuya swiftly holds his hands to his mouth, feeling the hot breath that sends warmness to his body. He once again searches for his watch under the thick garment and sighing upon noticing the late hour. It was getting late, they really should…
"It is the only thing that I can do for Hisana."
Byakuya heard the cracked voice from the masculine man in front of him. His words of suggesting leaving the place stuck at his throat before he could voice it out as he saw the authentic smile of his brother-in-law whom he always thought as a nuisance. But then, his eyes catch the glimpse of the tattoos on his forehead and his eyes squirted on his own. He certainly will not favour the tribal designs.
"I'm glad that she marries to you, Byakuya. I always afraid she will live her life with boredom when she marry you, but glad it didn't work that way," Renji suddenly voiced out after the long pause, smiling softly as his brown eyes met the cold, grey eyes. "That's… a compliment."
Byakuya only huffed, nudging his head away from the warm eyes. "I don't see it that way," he replied, mentioning the compliment.
Byakuya knew and understood well the feeling of regret and guilty his brother-in-law was suffering after Hisana dead two years ago. As Byakuya recalled, never once Renji came to his house with proper attire as he always with his bleach and torn clothes, necklace hanging around his neck and the tattoos designed all over his body. Whenever he came, Byakuya always heard Hisana scolding his dress and his attitude of mixing with bad people.
Always, and Byakuya had grew tired of it.
After Hisana gone, Renji started to change. Byakuya hardly seen him coming to his house again and he knew, Renji felt ashamed to step his foots into the villa where Hisana had lived while honouring their family's name. He left his bad friends, and as Byakuya heard, Renji has been working his ass at a restaurant, sending ordering food. He tried to change, amending his bad behaviour while earning his own money for Hisana's sake. Byakuya realized it from the time when he saw him washing the dishes at a sushi restaurant, and yet he closed his eyes and heart for wanting to forget that he ever known a jerk like him. Nonetheless, he is still his family members whom he should forgive.
"It's getting late. You should head to home now," he said as he hastily tightens his dark coat, endeavouring to evade the coldness that has slowly crept into his spine. He saw the tall man in front of him deliberately nodding his head before once again rubbing his crimson hair as it has become his habit before communicating with others.
"Yeah, you're right," Renji breathed deeply, as his eyes wandering around the place. "It's getting late," he murmured. Byakuya whirled around to open the car's door, but abruptly stopped his act.
"We have party this Saturday," his deep voice monotone the words without even looking at the man whose now staring at him with his wide eyes, and he swiftly get into his car before waiting for his answer. As he tried to close the door, a hand withholds his actions. Byakuya lifted his head, watching the smile that always plastering on Renji's face.
"Thank you. I will come," Renji promised, slowly closing the door. "Oh, and Byakuya," he once again hold the door a few centimetres to let his long face sneak to meet the handsome man eyes. He grinned as he said "I want to see you on an altar someday, and I want to become the groom's maid when the day's come," and closed the door. Renji only smile deceitfully when he saw the strained face on his brother-in-law and broke into laughter as the man speed up his car, leaving the street.
"You need to leave the old memory, Byakuya…"
"What the hell is he saying?" Byakuya muttered furiously, gradually slowing his speed metres after he pass the street where he left his brother-in-law who's still giggling at him after pouting some nonsense about marriage.
"I definitely will not marry again."
He will never betrayed Hisana nor forget the days that they have been together for five years. It's still lingering in his memoir and for some point, Byakuya always feels Hisana present whenever he opened his eyes every day, dreaming her petite form snuggling against his and smells her scent through the attire he wore each day as if she was the one who's doing the laundry and house work. God, how he miss his wife! For two years, he has been drown by those reminiscences and will continue to do so as long as he lives.
"Hey, watch out girl!"
The honking sound snapped his mind from his remembrance with Hisana and was confounded by the sudden noise. He slides his tinted window down, stretching his head to find out what happened and notices a girl kneeling on the road. Her short raven hair cascading down, hiding her face and she was holding something in her arms.
"Sorry." Byakuya heard the voice and he hurriedly extended his head outside the window to grasp clearly the owner of it. He caught the sight of her small, petite frame who's now holding a wounded dog in her arms and the way her violet eyes sparkling under the dim light of the streetlamp, sending tremor of enthusiastic to his heart.
He had finally found her.
A joyful feeling washed through him as he hastily drive and park his car not far from where she stand, watching her intently from his Benz. She was wearing a pink with white coral patterns short dress and pink wedges, matching her apparel. She let down her hair today whilst a glistening bracelet encircled her tiny wrist, sparkling under the dim light of the lamp street.
Byakuya heard her voice once more as she chuckling with a man that now holding the wounded puppy. The voice was so sweet he could barely breath and as he looked at her more, he convince that she was his wife and she has return to his life again.
His smile widen on its own accord as he imagine she will be in his bed soon, and when he woke up every morning, those sweet smiles will greet him with a kiss. Hardly detain the urge to embrace her and for getting his beloved back, Byakuya hastily went out from his Benz and leisurely taking his pace to the petite figures. A smile crept into his face as the thought of his wife survive the accident hits him.
Hisana is alive… she undoubtedly have her own reason for leaving him for the past two years but it doesn't matter anymore. She was now standing in front of him, beckoning with the familiar feelings as he saw her beam and laugh.
And now, I just need to grab and yank her to my arms…
A sudden knock startled him. He frowns, his step still as he saw his wife suddenly turn her head towards the knocking sound. A woman in her middle aged, dress in a white tank top and red mini skirt greeted her.
"Yes, Kurumi-san?" the sweet voice answered, lifting her head.
"It's time."
Byakuya stare as the petite girl entered the wooden door after saying goodbye to her acquaintance, leaving the man with the wounded dog smiling sheepishly at her. Byakuya frowned, taking steps and halted in front of the shop she was in just now.
He saw a man leaning beside the door as if he was guarding the door. He dress in grey suit, his brown shirt left hanging loose from the dark trouser he wore and some of the buttons were left undo. Byakuya stared at him, coldly scrutinise his attire and face. He has long and sharp chin, his thin lips offering him a lazy smile whenever their eyes met and Byakuya hates it.
The slant eyes… he hates it.
"Well, well, well …do you want service tonight, sir?" he abruptly voice out, his grey hair fall instantly to cover the slanting eyes.
"Service?" Byakuya ask coldly, crossing both his arm in front of the chest, gazing at those narrow eyes. His voice flick with the hint of annoyance at the mocking sentence.
The man let out a soft chuckle. "We have… many types," he said, smirking. "Which type do you like? Slim, short, pale-"
"What are you talking about?" Byakuya snap, cutting him off. His rage was about a second to explode, his cold grey eyes snarled dangerously towards the thin man and his hand tighten on both arms, to hold his fury. He had enough talk with the thin man and now, the necessitating seeing his wife overwhelmed him.
"Enough talking. Let me pass," he spoke, cold and emotionless. He had straighten his face and attire, surging towards the door without even looking at the man but suddenly break when a hand extended to the side of door, forcing him to trail backward. Even with his slender arm, Byakuya couldn't pass through the metal door. Guess the thin body is not that thin at all.
His eyes narrowed up, wide smile spreading on his face as he flicked her hair aside, and his right fingers brushing among itself.
"You have to pay, if you're not a regular member," his voice hissed under the cold air. Byakuya arched a brow, wandering what the hell does his wife had involved with. His grey eyes squirted as a blue colour flash to his eyes. Lifting his head, he saw the name of the shop under the light of bulb around it.
"S…X…O…," he slowly mouthed the word. "What is this-"
"A pub." Byakuyas' eyes widen in shock, his mouth gaped open.
A pub? What's Hisana doing here?
"Please, are you kidding me? You don't know this place? What planet are you from?"
If he was holding a gun, seriously, he wouldn't even have to think twice to shoot that man's head. If he was holding a knife, he would tear the smirking mouth. But what's surprising him enough is the fact that his wife involve with this type of business, and hell…people.
No…this shouldn't be right…There's probably wrong somewhere. I need to ask her!
"How much?" his voice deep, asking. There's a hint of urgent from the tendency of his voice. He reaches his coat's pocket, pull out his wallet and swiftly tighten his hold on the note. He watch the man slyly grin, tracing his lips with his long, slender fingers.
"Well, if you insist to enter…ten thousand yen is enough, seeing that you're a new one." His answer makes Byakuya startled in shock. Ten thousand yen?
"Well?"
"I'm in," Byakuya said, handing the note to the man, staring as the money disappear to the man's pocket and trying scarcely not to remorse his decision. It's not the amount he bothered about, it is whether it is worth or not to pay for that types of man but when the image of his wife flash in his mind, he solemnly swear to get his hand on the petite girl.
His wife, his only wife.
"Well done, sir!" the man softly tap Byakuya's shoulder with the notes, inhaling the scent of the money. "Now…as you wish." He slides the wooden door, and Byakuya carefully entered the so-called pub before the man suddenly squeezes his arm. Jerked slightly, he yanks his arm from him, giving him the most deadly glares he ever gave to anybody.
The man only let out a soft snicker. "You're lucky. We have a new one tonight, but that is… if you're worth enough," he whisperers, and Byakuya could feel his warm breath on his neck.
"Stay away from me," his voice was low and deep, snarling as his eyes narrowed dangerously. "If you know me, you wouldn't think twice to step my head. I could close this shop with a blink on an eye, dare to say, you wouldn't like the taste of it."
"Woa, woa…just kidding man! Don't take it seriously," he told him, abruptly jump two steps from his spot. He was intend to make a joke, but turned out to eat his words as he watched the man disappear through the wooden door.
"I've seen him somewhere… but where," he mumbles, stroking his sharp chin, thinking scarcely the image of a long and dark, ebony hair and those slate, grey eyes. He swears he had laid his eyes on the mysterious man somewhere. In this town? City? No…no… and suddenly, his eyes widen in shock as realization hits him. He has seen that face! In television!
"I remember him! You gotta be kidding me! What the hell is he doing here?!"
"Good evening, handsome. Can I help you?"
Once he entered the door, he sees a counter in front of him, a woman with long, blond hair staring at him with her tempted, hot and sensual gaze. She was smiling, her D-cup size breast almost protruding through the red, V-Neck dress she wore. Aside from the vivid colours that prickle his eyes, she wore nothing on her luscious neck and ears. Byakuya's retort was a cold, emotionless gaze and he nonchalantly stood, quietly tilted his head down to meet the mischievous scrutiny.
"I was looking for a petite with black hair. I presumed she's in here since I saw her just now, entering this… place." There's was a hint of disgust as the last word passes his lips, and Byakuya saw her blue eyes widen slightly upon hearing his remark, but she held her posture firm, smiling conversely. But then, he saw the woman gawking at him with her widen blue eyes, staring intently at him. He grunted, quietly tapping the porcelain counter.
"Ah, ye-yes, she's here. Working in here, if you assume." She blinked for a second before continue her words. "Nonetheless, she's not a person you can meet by just saying words. You got the money, she's yours," she spoke with alluring in her voice; however her eyes held firm to indicate the solemnity of her words.
"How much?" He wanted to lose no time, his heart swelled with frustration and agitated, and he really needs to meet his wife.
Her painted lips curled upward, and Byakuya saw she's making a call. "Violet? Yes, you got someone. Yes…yes, are you ready? Alright, you in."
"Room 102," she wrote something in a notebook without even looking at Byakuya. "And Mister Ku-"
"Tooya." Byakuya once again see the blue eyes shimmering with disbelief upon hearing his name, startled when he cut her off without warning.
"Ah… yes, Tooya-san," she's stuttered a bit, as if she was holding her surprise.
"Um… I just want you to be gentle with her, can you do that? She's special, that's what I want to tell you."
Byakuya only kept silent, writing his name as the woman push a notebook to be filled with his personal information. He only fills in the name and his identification background, the rest he leaves it empty as he knew, he will never step his foot onto that place again.
"Enjoy."
It's a brothel.
He should have known.
A pub
Well, well, well …do you want service tonight, sir?
He really should have known. How couldn't he realize where was he heading to? A brothel! For God's sake, this was the first time he ever steps into that kind of place and its bothering him. When his strides stop in front of a dark, wood door, his stomach suddenly fluttered with nervousness, twisted painfully in the pit of it.
No, no, no… I only want to meet her, longing to see her and bring her back from this filthy place and I'm not subscribing a prostitute, Kami!
Deliberately taking his time, Byakuya held the cold knob firmly, inhaling a last, long deep breathe before turning it slightly, and a smell caught him…
Cherry Blossoms fragrance…
His favourite scent. His wife's favourite scent.
He only see obscurity, silence and emptiness when the door slightly open to reveal much of his surprise, a massive, luxurious room. Though only lit by the table lamps, he could notice a king-size bed with two side tables was set at the centre of the room, before it hang a huge wall mirror. He glanced to the right, catching a glimpse of light through the glass door.
He heard the water streaming. A shower.
Someone's taking a bath.
Byakuya hardly swallowing his saliva down to the throat and he could heard the beating of his heart grew crazy as the atmosphere suddenly drop to muteness. There's no sound, except for his heavy breathing and his pounded heart. He was now stood sturdily in front of the glass door, as if waiting for an angel to appear before him.
A clicking sound echo in the vast room and his masculine body draped with coldness and all his senses had become numb.
Klak!
His grey eyes widen. The glass door suddenly slides open, revealing a long, slender leg dripping with droplets of water step out from the misty shower room. Her dark hairs hanging wet with a strand between the big, violet eyes, her petite figure was wrapped with a white towel down to her knee caps, displaying the bare skins of hers to his eyes… and her crimson lips twirled upward.
Bewitching him.
She was here, in front of him. His beloved wife…is alive.
"Hisa-"
"Welcome, Tooya-san," she suddenly spoke, her voice sweet and alluring. His obscure grey eyes widen. "Pleasure to meet you. My name …" she was leaning forward, almost too closer…
"…Violet."
I think this is my longest chapter, up until now. I hope you like it, and do review^^ whether you hate, like or whatsoever. Nyang!
