Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Nozomi Ayase. Chapter 3: Tanabata Memories
"It feels hotter today."
Nozomi waved her white fan in front of her face. She was sitting under a shady tree as she watched groups of shinigami set up for the special day. Tonight was the annual Tanabata festival. After a short hollow duty in the human world, she was invited to go with some of the officers of her division. However, she had to politely refuse. This festival didn't have a happy meaning to her.
"Today counts as one year…"
"Are you excited about the festival tonight, Nozomi-chan?"
The grey-eyed girl looked up at the man standing over her. It appeared to be the seventh seat of squad four: Hanataro Yamada. The injuries from her fights with Gin caused her to spend the rest of May and almost all of June in rehabilitation, so she got to know Yamada well enough to be on first name basis with him.
"It's nice to see you again, Hanataro-kun. Actually, I'm not attending the festival."
The confused officer sat next to her. Almost all of the female shinigami enjoyed Tanabata's festivities. It was considered the perfect idea for a date.
"Why not? Isn't it your first Tanabata in Seireitei?"
"Y-yes, but…Tanabata is…a sad memory for me."
Hanataro looked at the girl as her eyes reflected a heavy heart. It seemed that this time brought up her past.
"Nozomi-chan, one good memory can help you forget ten bad ones."
He smiled sincerely at the depressed girl. She started to look slightly confused.
"Forget...bad memories?"
"After your hollow duty, how about you go to the festival with me? I'd be glad if you did."
"You mean…like a date?"
"Ah…well, not really…it's…"
He looked at the ground blushing. It made him uncomfortable when she called it that. A small smile appeared on her face.
"Okay…I'll make good memories with you, Hanataro-kun."
"What? You'll go?"
"Sure."
"That's great!"
Hanataro jumped up out of joy. The girl's reconsideration got him so excited. He politely bowed, and then he ran off looking back at her as he said:
"I'll come by your division before the festival, okay?!"
He waved goodbye, making Nozomi give him a small wave. She stood and walked in the other direction still smiling and chuckled a little.
"If it's going to be warm tonight, I should buy a yukata."
"Sir, we've cleared all the hollows in the area."
Izuru reported to his taichou the good news. They had finished ten minutes before their expected time. Gin was impressed with his squad's work.
"Excellent, Izuru. Round everyone up so we can leave. I'm sure some of them want to attend the festival."
"Alright, let's move out."
The group of soul reapers that Nozomi was part of started to head back to their captain. She, however, realized that she had been in this area before in her past life and started to look around.
"Ayase-san, it's time to head back."
"You go ahead. I think I…dropped something."
Her lie was believable, so her leader left, allowing her to run off to a small road lined with houses.
"Where is it…? Ah, Aizaka! There it is!"
The female soul reaper read the surname on the nameplate in front of a house. She took an effortless flying leap and landed on the balcony to a room. She walked through the closed sliding glass doors and saw a boy the same age as her sitting in front of a small shrine and lighting incense. He had short, brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to show nothing but kindness. The shrine held a framed photo of him with his arm around Nozomi's neck. They were in school uniforms and had smiles in every sense of the word.
"Nozomi…I really miss you. It's been a year since you went, hasn't it?"
He spoke to the picture; not knowing that the girl he was referring to was in the same room. Nozomi sat next to the boy, facing his side. Although she wouldn't he heard, she still spoke to him with a sincere smile.
"Senichi…I'm so happy that you remembered."
The two continued their one-sided conversations, but it seemed as though they could respond to each other normally.
"Everyone misses you, especially Kaori-chan."
"I miss her, too. I miss everyone."
"Tanabata's not going to be the same without you."
"We did have a lot of fun at Tanabata, didn't we?"
"Do you remember? That was when I first kissed you."
"Ah…heh, of course. That was the wish I wrote on my tanzaku. You read it as soon as I hung it on the bamboo, and then you grabbed me and kissed me."
The girl's heart almost burst with happiness. She could still remember his warm embrace on that summer night, and the fireworks in the sky when the clock struck midnight. They were both in their first year of high school, and they stayed together ever since.
"See? That proves that I still haven't forgotten you. You're always on my mind."
Nozomi slowly reached for Senichi's hand, but pulled back when she heard a girl's voice call his name.
"Senichi, your mom let me in!"
Opening the door to his room was a girl in a purple and white yukata. She had blonde hair, pulled back in a clip, and bright, gorgeous green eyes. Both Nozomi and Senichi stood at the same time.
"Hey, Kaori. Is that yukata new?"
The boy walked over to the blonde, leaving the soul reaper in question.
"It's unusual for Kaori-chan to come to Senichi's house. What's…going on?"
Kaori smiled as she posed to show off her new yukata.
"Hey, you noticed! You're not wearing one with me, babe?"
The last word echoed in Nozomi's mind. "Babe?" She never used names like that when she was with Senichi. And he using Kaori's name without an honorific didn't make the situation better.
"And steal your spotlight? Nah, I'd rather just prove that a guy like me can get such a pretty girl like you."
"Hee…You're so sweet. Are you ready to go?"
"Sure."
Kaori pulled him by the arm as he turned off the light and closed the room door. The girl in shinigami robes dropped to her knees as he dropped to her knees as she processed what took place.
"My best friend…and Senichi…are together."
The summertime cicadas were chirping away as Nozomi sat on the roof of her ex-boyfriend's house. She pensively stared at a random spot below her with her knees pulled up to her chest. All of a sudden, she was getting a headache. Tonight, there was a joyous festival, so why was she sad?
"Ayase-san, your assigned group returned saying you were looking for something. Did you find it?"
The girl looked at her superior lieutenant with tears staining her cheeks.
"N-no, I didn't…"
She stood, wiping the tears with the sleeve of her robe.
"I'm sorry about that. It must have been important to you. But...getting back to the subject, it's time to return."
"Yes, Sir."
Hanataro walked through the festival streets, seeing many members of third division, but not the one he was looking for. He perked up at seeing the division lieutenant, Izuru. He ran up to him and bowed once he stopped.
"Kira fukutaichou…"
"Ah, Hanataro-kun, it's a pleasure to see you again."
"The pleasure's all mine, Sir. Tell me, have you seen Nozomi-chan anywhere?"
"Ayase-san? Hmm…I think she's still back at the barracks."
The seated officer looked at his superior with confusion. He knew Nozomi said she'd go with him.
"Thank you very much for your help."
He bowed to the lieutenant, and then ran toward the area of third division.
"Nozomi-chan? Are you here?"
Hanataro knocked lightly on the door of the division sleeping quarters. Inside he heard crying, and decided to open the door. Sitting there was the girl he was looking for. She was sitting on the floor, hands covering her face, with tears falling on her cotton, pink, yukata. She slowly lifted her head, revealing her puffy, red eyes.
"Nozomi-chan…"
"Hanataro-kun…I'm sorry. I wanted to go…but…I can't stop crying."
He knelt down next to her and pulled her face into his chest. Right now, she didn't need to make a happy memory. She needed a friend.
"It's alright…"
"Why can't we just forget? Why won't the past just go away?"
That night, Nozomi never had the chance to make a wish on a tanzaku. Though, she did have a wish she would have written: to completely forget Senichi Aizaka.
(end ch. 3)
