A thousand springs


Mio held a small clear gem up to her eye, admiring how it glittered in the light.

"This is beautiful," she murmured, still entranced. She tried to catch her sister's attention, but the other girl did not turn her head. Chiharu was awfully concentrated on the contents of the large jewelry box in her lap.

The merchant sitting across the low table smiled at her. "My lady has a keen eye!" He rubbed his hands together. "That gem is a cut and polished diamond. Anything with embedded diamonds would shine! What would my lady have in mind?"

"Hmm." Mio put it down back into the velvet-lined display box laid out in front of her. Each little square in the box held a single gem. There were about 48 to choose from. She picked up a pink diamond. "I'm not too sure yet."

"…Might I suggest adding them as accents for a classic comb, or as part of the larger kanzashi pieces? You would be the paragon of style at social events!"

She held a little magnifying glass to a dark blue gem. This might be a good combination with the diamond. "What's this one?"

"That's a sapphire. Another elegant choice, my lady."

The overbearing praises were starting to grate on her nerves. However, Mio couldn't outwardly show her displeasure at him. She hid a sigh behind her long sleeve.

"Onee-sama? What do you think?" Mio looked over to check on Chiharu, who had remained worryingly silent. Chiharu usually enjoyed looking at the different things visiting merchants tried to sell them. Today she looked uncharacteristically glum. Her eyes were downcast since the merchant handed her the box.

What on earth was in that box? Was it that interesting?

She gently placed her small magnifying glass down before she leapt up and moved to stand behind Chiharu as quickly as she could. Peering over her shoulder, Mio stared at the object inside.

"What's this?"

There was only one thing in the box. A small carving of a dragon in green jade, tied onto a piece of long cord men used to attach to their belts. A good luck amulet.

Mio frowned, looking towards the merchant. "I think there has been a mistake. Onee-sama isn't going to buy jade jewelry for men. Anyway, I think this is used."

Chiharu flinched. She must have been too offended to speak out. Mio glared at the merchant. "Why would you put second-hand goods in front of her? Onee-sama is a lady of the Houjo family. Are you trying to disrespect her?"

The merchant waved his hands in front of him and he bowed. "My apologies, my lady! Your older sister knows this dragon jade piece, very intimately. I thought she would want to see it again."

"Really?"

"Onee-sama?"

Chiharu nodded, her eyes glistening with tears. This was strange. She had no idea what was happening. Mio felt like she was missing a big part of the picture. Her sister wasn't explaining anything and that greasy merchant watched her cry with no expression at all.

Seeing her older sister cry unsettled her. Mio lay a hand on her shoulder gently, trying to comfort her. She sighed, pinning the merchant with a hard look.

"I'm tired of this." She exchanged a look with her servant, Tomo who was standing near the door of her sitting room. The servant silently handed a small silk pouch to the merchant, smiling courteously at him.

"That is a thank you for your troubles, but we will not be needing your services any longer." Mio dismissed him. He packed up quickly and left.

Good riddance.


Thinking back, that incident was only the beginning of her troubles.


Two: the cage shuts

The afternoon tea gathering was something Mio had been looking forward to. She had painstakingly made the pressed flower invitations herself and wrote out the messages in neat calligraphy to invite the noble ladies she usually socialised with.

Mio felt restless when she stayed at home too long and this event took weeks to plan when everyone's schedules were constantly changing from sudden meetings with possible matches — it was the season to get engaged, anyway.

"Tatsumi-san was such a bore," Sugawara Kimie, the daughter of the family who owned the largest publishing house in Soul Society complained as she waved a hand in the air. Her pink jade bangles clinked together crisply, the latest fad. "He's the type of man that would have a heart attack if he finds out about my side business."

She cast an eye around the group of young women sitting in a circle on the plush tartan picnic rug that she managed to buy off a soul reaper who obtained it from the world of the living. Mio had received the gift with great pleasure. It was the perfect gift. The girl loved having tea outside in the mild, sunny weather.

"Not a word, ladies. You're all accomplices." Everyone nodded. The erotica was safe.

A lull in the conversation formed as everyone collectively sipped at their tea. Someone stepped up to play the devil's advocate. "He seems like a gentleman to me?"

"…But! All he talked about was his bonsai! Definitely a bore!" —she lowered her voice conspiratorially — "definitely boring in bed as well."

A chorus of giggles resounded. Mio didn't join them. Instead, she smiled politely as her mind wandered. She also wanted to join in on the gossip, but thoughts of her sister plagued her. That morning, she visited Chiharu who had locked herself in her room for two weeks already.

What was wrong with her?

Ever since she saw that jade amulet the merchant showed her, Chiharu had been prone to fits of weeping. Mio could her hear her when she stood outside her room.

Then, she overheard grandfather scolding Chiharu after suddenly telling them she was getting engaged to someone she hadn't met before. Grandfather wasn't the type of person to do that. He allowed Mio to meet prospects before suggesting them as partners, although she hadn't accepted any yet. The only one that she thought was a nice match rejected all proposals since they wanted to marry for love.

Stupid man, that only made her like him even more.

Her thoughts suddenly drifted to Kuchiki Byakuya.

Hmmmm.

He seemed kind, earnest and hardworking. Too impulsive and quick to anger. Naive. He might improve as he matured, but it was to early to tell. He was…alright, she supposed.

"I saw Fujimura's wife outside Sasaya's, that desserts shop Mio-san loves."

"Sasaya is a good choice, I love the sesame mochi there." Mio caught her eye and they exchanged smiles.

"…Well, it was rather interesting…"

"Do tell, Kimie-san!"

"She was wearing such a heavy diamond necklace. Quite attention-grabbing, now that her husband is out of the picture. Maybe it's from a secret lover."

"What happened to her husband?"

Mio fanned herself with a fan with painted cranes as she rerouted her train of thought. It was hard to concentrate on the chatter, when all she could think about was Chiharu. Fed up with her weeping and moody fits, Mio stormed into her room only to find it empty. Apparently she was taking a a stroll outside.

Hidden behind her vanity mirror, she found a pipe. Not the kind for tobacco, but a very special kind of pipe for something much worse. Opium. Poppies.

Chiharu told her that she had quit.

What a bold-faced lie it was! She believed her, word for word! Chiharu was the smart one, the clever child always praised by her tutors. Mio could never compare intellectually.

"…caught with a large amount of poppies. You know, Central 46 is cracking down on that."

She focused on the quiet conversation. "What kind of punishment will he receive?"

Kimie's last statement was like a sudden shower of icy water. She laughed when she caught Mio's gaze.

"Don't look so worried, Mio-san. Nobles are above such petty laws," the sarcasm was clear in her dry tone. "He'll bribe his way out."

She relaxed her shoulders minutely. Thank goodness.

"Ah…but if they find out he's smuggling it into Seireitei, that's a capital offense," Kimie mimed slitting her throat with a slender finger. "Instant death."

Everyone burst into gasps, surprised yet incited by the harshness of the punishment. It was the most exciting and dreadful thing in their caged lives of wealthy relaxation.

"How horrid!"

"I believe that is needed."

"To make an example out of the nobleman, that is indeed dreadful."

Mio looked down into her tea cup as they chattered. A stray sakura petal floated on top of the tea.

Chiharu was always the smart one, anyway.


"Hello, onee-sama?"

Once again, Mio stood in front of Chiharu's bedroom door. She could her the rustling of papers, but otherwise there was no response. So she was ignoring her.

"Chiharu?"

The papers stopped rustling. "…Go away."

Mio crossed her arms, unmoved by rejection. "It has been weeks since you locked yourself up. You are rotting away in there."

Silence.

She tried again, raising her voice. "Did you hear me? Chiharu, I said that you are rotting away."

"…Please leave me alone."

She was being so difficult and moody. "I will. I am going out again for a check-up. On the way back, I will make sure to bring back some of your favourite sweets, despite how nasty you are being."

No answer again. Ungrateful woman, Mio huffed as she turned away and left for her next appointment.

.

.

.

Mio stared at the blonde man with narrowed eyes as he reached out to adjust the lumpy leather chair she was seated on.

He hummed as he bumbled around the room, opening cupboards left and right and depositing strange machines on the desk next to her. She eyed the cords, then at the loose straps on the chair suspiciously.

"I'll have to strap you down today," he muttered to himself as he peered at a clipboard. Perturbed, she tried to peek at it but he put it down, face down. The contents remained a mystery.

The white robes she was asked to change into felt scratchy against her skin.

"Urahara-san, have you considered cotton instead of this sack?" she asked, at the end of her patience. She had been sitting in this chair for the last hour as he talked to himself and tinkered around.

"Ah, they were part of a buy one get one free set," he nodded to himself. "I couldn't resist!"

She made no comment out of respect for her grandfather, who held this man in high regard. At the very least, Urahara Kisuke was an honourable captain of the Gotei 13, there had to be some kind of deeply hidden brilliance there.

It just needed a trained eye that Mio didn't have.

Kisuke picked up his clipboard again. "Have you been sleepwalking the last week?"

"No. I seem to be sleeping too much this past week," She folded her hands and adjusted her posture. "Afternoon naps, to be specific."

"Hm…" He reached for one of the strange contraptions placed on the desk beside her. Three little black pads conjoined by a wire. "I'll need to measure the different pulses together."

She held out the underside of her wrist cautiously. It somehow felt exposing to show a man her bare forearm, but she could handle this with dignity.

Kisuke shook his head.

"…not my wrist?"

The man erupted into a grin. "You'll have to excuse me." He motioned to the left side of his chest, where his heart was located.

Her heart was also located on the left side of her chest, although it felt like it was about to leap out of her body. Her mind raced —a major difference between male and female bodies other than reproductive organs was that one had a chest and the other had a chest built completely differently!

Brea—Breathe. Her face was hot when she held her hands to her cheeks. Mio looked up at the clueless, smiling man.

"If-if you do this, my grandfather will not be pleased," she said meekly.

"Your grandfather asked me to help you, though?" He replied as he handed the sticky pads to her. He motioned to his heart area again. "You can stick to under the robes yourself. I need to get this new machine started."

Oh. He meant for her to put it on herself.

.

.

.

"…and that's it for today!"

Mio exhaled in relief as she stood up. "Thank you, Urahara-san."

He scratched the back of his head with a dopey smile. "No, no, thank you."

She bowed to express her gratitude, as it was the polite thing to do. On her way out, a familiar woman was waiting outside.

"Hello, Yoruichi-san," Mio greeted the woman leaning against the wall with her arms folded. She had expressed her displeasure at being called by her family name during their first meeting, otherwise she wouldn't dare address the head of a great noble family so casually.

Yoruichi grinned and waved at her as she pranced into the laboratory. Something good must have happened for her to be so cheerful.

In the next moment, all the dots connected and Mio had to stop walking. What, exactly was that extent of their relationship? Two captains, alone in a laboratory…

How scandalous.

Sadly, Mio did not have the opportunity to pursue the truth behind any scandals as her social calendar filled up with afternoon teas, lunches, hiking up hills to admire the autumn foliage…the usual rush of outings before the weather cooled down for winter and everyone sat underneath a kotatsu for warmth.

In the last week of autumn, an invitation arrived bearing the crest of the Kuchiki family. Apparently, it was written by Byakuya inviting her to tea but Mio doubted that he wrote it of his own free will. It must have been at the behest of his father, or grandfather.

She decided on the a violet furisode with bright purple wisteria flowers as her outfit for the afternoon. For formality's sake, she asked Tomo to style her hair up the traditional way for her favourite wisteria kanzashi to dangle on the side of her head. She loved the way it swayed gently as she moved.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Byakuya was not swayed by how lovely her hairpiece was. He made no comment about it when she sat down opposite him. Usually, she was praised for her efforts.

Mio silently noted to herself that he wasn't moved at all by her appearance. Telling her that she was a 'beautiful peony', as 'graceful as a lily' and a 'vision to admire' did get old.

No one needed to reassure her anyway, she knew she was wonderful to to look at.

A servant silently served them tea and left the room promptly to stand outside. The sliding doors her open, but the lack of chaperones inside with them gave them the illusion of privacy. She waited for him to speak.

Byakuya stared into his lap. He was wearing a plain navy kimono, which looked striking on him. Although he was seated, it was clear he had grown taller since the last time they met.

He coughed lightly into his hand. "Houjo Mio-san."

"Yes?"

He bowed his head lightly. "I would like to apologise to you again for my previous rudeness. I was training and I had forgotten that I was to meet with you."

She cast her mind back to their first meeting. It was very impactful and he was much more vibrant when he was yelling at Yoruichi. Now, he spoke like a wooden puppet.

Mio smiled. "It was no bother. Please do not apologise. Taking your training seriously is very important as well."

Did she sound like a puppet as well?

"In-indeed." Byakuya sipped his tea. Mio also took a sip, pleasantly surprised at the fragrance.

It was quali-tea.

"The tea is lovely," she commented instead, brushing her joke aside.

"…Yes."

His non-committal response irked her. Was this going to be how she spent her afternoon, exchanging empty pleasantries with a child-man who wanted to be anywhere but in the same room as her?

The adults had left to discuss business in another room. Mio could afford to be cheeky when no one was watching her, or when she was alone with Tomo and Chiharu.

"It's quali-tea," she voiced out loud as she gestured to the teapot for emphasis. It felt liberating. Mio smiled again, a genuine smile.

Byakuya looked up, surprised. He didn't laugh at her joke.

"That was a joke," she added. He still remained quiet.

She looked down as the embarrassment kicked in. Tomo would have loved her pun. "You were supposed to laugh."

"Pardon me, I did not realise —ah." He stopped talking and looked at her thoughtfully. He opened his mouth, about to say something before deciding against it. The struggle was very visible according to his contorting facial expressions. One side evidently won and he finally spoke.

"My grandfather has informed me…that we are to be engaged."

Something sank in her gut. Her wisteria hairpiece suddenly felt very heavy on her head.

She had not heard of this. All her cheer was sinking, sinking…

The door to her gilded cage had been shut completely. Mio tried to smile, but her face had become wooden again.

"You seem unhappy."

She immediately refuted him. "It…it just feels," —she tried to find right words —"quite sudden."

The air between them felt suffocating for her.

Byakuya glanced at her quickly. "This may be forward for me, but …were you hoping for someone else?"

Mio thought back to a hot summer's day. She was standing outside of Sasaya amidst the rowdiness outside. Red beans. Little adventures in the alleyways and the rooftops. A blue silk peony in her hair, the same shade as his eyes. She had it especially made to be the same colour.

That was already the past.

He took her silence as she was lost in thought as an affirmative.

The vibrancy returned to his face, his eyes alight with determination. Byakuya leapt to his feet. "I shall talk to grandfather! Something can still be done about this!"

She managed to grasp the edge of his kimono sleeve over the table as he spun around. "Please wait a moment, Byakuya-san."

He stopped in his tracks and looked down into her eyes. Was that too casual of me?

Mio blushed. "I apologise. I must correct myself…Kuchiki-san." She let go of his sleeve.

How she wanted to curl into a ball underneath her blankets and never come out!

Byakuya sat down and motioned for her to take her seat as well. "No need, Mio-san."

She sat down, tucking her knees under. He was looking at her again, probably waiting for her to explain herself.

"Byakuya-san, you have misunderstood," she took a breath to steady her voice. "I think that you are a strong-willed person with an admirable sense of justice. I have no complaints."

He coughed lightly in his hand. "I…see."

The tips of his ears were a light shade of pink. It made her smile behind her sleeve. The atmosphere felt light again and Mio searched for a topic to continue the conversation.

"…How is your training going?"

He made a funny face. "…Terribly."

"How so?"

"A demon cat keeps bothering me."

They shared a knowing look and the conversation picked up easily. It wasn't too horrendous, spending her afternoon talking to this man.

Maybe being married to this man in the future wouldn't be so bad after all.


Notes

I had to cut the chapters into two, since it seemed to flow better this way. This is a great, ominous line to end on. What do you think of Mio so far? For the eagle-eyed, the 'tragedy' tag applies not only to Byakuya. It's going to be a very, very, rough awakening for her. I'd love to hear your thoughts so far! x