Title: A happy chance

Author: Kyatsuki Ora

...I have nothing to say except I don't own Bleach.

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"What?"

It was a normal day at Soul Society. Well, as normal as one can get without all the bored shinigamis pranking each other. But, it serves to relieve the boredom. The confused question came from a female shinigami named Tori. She met her best friends, Ryu, Tsuki, and Matsumoto, by the fountain in the main plaza. The said question was caused by a suggestion raised by Rangiku Matsumoto that caused the trio to lift their eyebrows.

"Do I need to repeat it again?" the blonde-haired girl signed, exasperate. "I said, 'Would you three want to come to the movies with us today?'."

"But, why?" Ryu asked, her eyes scrunched up when she was confused.

"Because it's Captain Hitsugaya's birthday and me, Hinamori, Renji, Rukia, Aizen, Ukitake, and practically everyone else decided to throw a party for him. Last year we did the fireworks, so this year we thought to give a midnight movie party."

Ryu protested. "But I don't even like him!"

"Yes you do!" Matsumoto signed again when she saw the stubbornness. "I know. When Hinamori constantly whine about him, it is easier to make her quite by telling her that you don't want to hear it anymore. But now she's not talking about it anymore. So admit that my captain isn't that bad." She crossed her arms, waiting for the expected answer.

Not wanting to insult her captain in front of her, Ryu grudgingly said, "Fine, he's not a prude. But still! Why do I have to go?"

"Because everyone is going."

"That's not the point!"

"That is the point! Besides," she fingered her hair nonchalantly, "I invited Uruhara, if that makes you fell better."

Ryu's next comment fell short of her lips. Then, thinking quickly, she muttered, "I'm not that easily bribed, you know."

"What is she bribing you about?" came Kisuke Uruhara's curious voice. He appeared, wearing his usual hat and clothes even in the coldness of December.

"Nothing, really." Ryu ignored both of them and signed. "I'll go, I guess. But don't expect me to stay for the whole thing. I might just leave after saying happy birthday." She glared at Matsumoto.

"Thank you!" Her crushing hug almost choked Ryu. She turned to her next victim. "What about you, Tori?"

"Huh? Me?" Tori said, surprised. She forgot about it already. "I'll go, of course."

"See, Ryu? Be more outgoing!" Matsumoto laughed. One more to go. "And you, Tsuki-chan?"

"Um… I don't really want to go, Matsumoto-san." Tsuki said calmly while flipping a page.

"Why?"

"I have an assignment today." Tsuki continued. "One that will take me more than a few hours."

"That's not fair, though." Ryu replied, already forgetting the fact that she didn't wanted to go a moment earlier.

"It's ok. I'll get him a present." Tsuki smiled calmly. "Well, I'll be going now."

The foursome stared at the leaving figure. "Now that's what you call a wet blanket."

-.-

By the time midnight comes, the party is in full swing. Even the usually serious Shiro-chan is having a good time. Tori managed to detain Ryu and get her to lose that grouchy self. But when Tori scanned the room, she noticed that Aizen is strangely missing.

"Hey, Yoruichi!" She called to the dark-skinned woman on the recliner.

"Yeah?"

"Where's Aizen?"

Yoruichi scanned the room, puzzled. "Dunno. I didn't see him coming in either. Maybe he's late?"

"He was never late though." Tori thought, worried.

"Who are you looking for?" Tsuki's mild voice floated over her head, causing her to jump.

"I thought you're going to be at work!" Ryu hugged her best friend.

"I was, until someone told me that they replaced me." She shook her head. "Ah, well."

"At least you get to have fun with us!" Yachiru zoomed past us to get more food.

"You guys being hyper are not my definition of fun."

Everyone laughed at the rueful reply, and the issue about Aizen is temporarily forgotten.

-.-

Tori escaped to the balcony when everyone was all sugar high and trying to clean up the mess they made. She smiled. "You're late, Aizen." Turning around, the captain greeted her with a smile.

"I'm very sorry, Tori." He hugged her top his chest.

"You're the one who took the assignment from Tsuki, huh?" No reply. "You're too kind sometimes." He only tightened his hold on her. "And," Tori continued, a little reckless, "you didn't give me a hug today."

He was almost crushing her at that point. "As I said, I'm very sorry." She could hear the sincere tone in the voice.

After a while, she hugged him back. "That's okay. As long as you come back to me, it's alright."

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Sorry for the possible errors and reviews are much appreciated.