Chapter 2: Enchanted

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you know

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

"Ma, can I go eat with Yuina?" Gin asked. I looked over at him. He was blushing. I smiled.

"Awww! That is so cute! You want to go on your first date!"

"It's not a date! She's a girl who's a friend and we both happen to like dango."

"Yeah, you're right. You're too young to date, anyway. Alright, you can go on your non-date with Yuina, but I want you back by eight or you'll be grounded for the rest of your life."

He gave me a kiss on my cheek before darting out of the room. I went to the door and watched him go over to Yuina. Yuina was about seven with bright red hair that came to her shoulders and wide brown eyes. Gin grabbed her hand and led her off. I smiled. They'd be cute when they grew up.

I was about to close the door when Momo appeared in front of me.

"Hi, Takahashi-san!"

"Hello, Hinamori-Fukutaichou. What can I do for you?"

"You need to fix Taichou."

"Fix him?"

"He's been wandering around the office moaning 'Rei-chan doesn't like me'".

Why did that sound familiar. "Oh, for heaven's sake! Is he always this much of a drama queen?"

"Only when Hiyori-san is around. But only because she punches him in the face or uses him as a body shield. She seems to do that on reflex."

I sighed and followed her to Taichou's office. As we neared the office, he came flying out the door, landing on his back, as a tiny red, white and blonde blur followed and proceeded to stomp his head into the ground. She was screaming at him.

"Stop moping, konohage! Get her back if you need to so much!"

"Wow, you must be half-monkey," I said.

Both of their heads snapped over to look at me and Hiyori launched herself at me, feet first. I caught her foot and held her upside down. I wasn't smiling.

"Listen here, you little demon-monkey. Just because taichou lets you beat the snot out of him doesn't mean I will."

"I'm stronger than you, idiot!"

"I don't care!"

I let her down and she glared at me for a minute. "It's good to have you back, Reiko-san."

Then she walked over to Taichou and head-butted him before leaving. I walked over to Taichou and bent over him.

"You are disrupting your Fukutaichou's peace of mind. Were you like this when I was alive. Because if you were I imagine I would've needed a lot of alcohol."

"I was but you didn't," he said.

"Are you gonna ask me out or what? This sort of behavior makes me wonder about your mental health."

He blinked at me. "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes. Pick me up tonight at 8." I got up and walked off. There wasn't really anything else to say at that point.

Gin got home at 7:45 like the good kid he was. I was already ready for my date with Hirako; I might as well start calling him that since we were officially dating, though I can admit that part of me thought calling him 'Taichou' was kind of sexy. He too was on time. The jury was still out on whether or not he was capable of being good. He had foregone the usual shihakushou and haori to wear black slack, a blue button down shirt and a black tie. I was wearing a navy blue yukata with yellow flowers on it.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I looked up.

"Oh, you mean you didn't already have a place in mind? I figured since you already picked the date and time for us to go out."

"It's not too late for me to stand you up."

"Local bar," he said, taking my hand.

We got there, but looking at the place I didn't know whether to trust Hirako's judgment. Getting stabbed in this place looked like a real possibility. I followed him inside anyway.

We sat a table and he ordered a bottle of sake and pot stickers. I eyed the bottle warily and took a pot sticker.

"You're not gonna take a shot?" he asked.

"No. I don't drink; my alcohol tolerance is really low. Besides, how can I trust you not to take advantage of me if I'm drunk?"

He smirked. "You can't."

"Then I'm right in not drinking," I said as a blush burned my face.

"You look good in red," he said.

My blush intensified and I looked away. I couldn't look at him when he was looking at me like I didn't have anything on.

"Are you even allowed to date a student?" I looked at him.

He shrugged. "I'm a captain. I can do what I want."

"Anything you want?"

"Within reason."

"That doesn't sound promising."

"I can promise a lot of things."

"But can you keep them?"

"I can do my best, but I don't make any guarantees."

Then he stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. He laid some money on the table and we left. He took me to the edge of town and had me look up at the sky. It was a black-purple and full of stars. He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his chin on my shoulder.

"How long have you been in Soul Society?"

"A year and a half; how long have you looked for me?"

"Since the day you died. But a year and a half is nothing here. Decades can pass in the blink of an eye. But a year and a half without you has felt like…"

"Milleniums?"

"Yes."

"I dreamed about you. No, not dreams; memories. We were happy."

"We still can be. And know, that no matter how many lives we may live, I'll always find you."

"You should know that I come with a packaged deal. Me and Gin."

"I know and I'll try. I'll try to remember that he's a kid. That he's not who he was."

"Good. Then we're starting off on the right foot."

He sighed. "As much as I hate to, I need to get you home."

"Hate to?"

He leered at me.

"Your ego is astounding. That was never going to happen tonight."

He shrugged. "You can't blame a man for hoping."

"Yes, I can."

He managed to act like a gentleman on the way home and left me with a simple kiss on the forehead before leaving. I smiled and walked inside. Gin was sprawled out on his bed, drooling slightly. I walked over to him and cleaned his chin before pulling the blanket over him. Goofy. I settle in to my own bed feeling wonderful.