Ch. 3 is up peoples! I hope you love this chapter because I wrote this when I was... "in the zone" so to say. :) PLEASE review. NO FLAMES. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WELCOMED AND WANTED. ~krazykoreangurl
Minako stood at the edge of the grassy clearing, an odd look on her face, as if she was struggling with the decision on whether or not to join the massive fighting that was taking place. She didn't understand on why SHE of all people had to come join the battlefield; someone who hadn't graduated from the Shinigami Academy, someone who hadn't joined a squad. She truly doubted herself there and then, and started to wonder how could she, of all people, compare to those who had joined their squads, vowing to give their lives for the Gotei 13.
She had been recently called by the 5th squad as back-up, and she had been ordered by Shinji to bring those who were available, which was by the way, next to no one. The new recruits hadn't been ready, half of the squad was out in the human world, while most of the others had been injured in a recent patrol last week, seeing how hollow levels kept rising as each day passed, and the fact that no one had died from the 5th squad yet was a miracle. When she had suggested asking another squad to send out a few members, Shinji had refused stubbornly, though he had good reason to. The other squads were in the same position as them, having little to work with, though he assured her that he wouldn't have called her to the battlefield unless Aizen had suggested it.
So she questioned him as she headed to the battlefield from the 5th Squad's HQ. Many questions left her lips, none unanswered by the proud voice of the 5th Squad's taicho. 'Do you not wish me to fight?' 'Am I not strong enough to support the 5th Squad out there?' 'Would I shame the 5th Squad with my presence?'
With every question, Shinji made his point clear. She was a strong fighter, someone very capable, but there was one thing that he didn't like that he shouldn't have being a taicho of the Gotei 13. When asked what he had that he shouldn't have, he laughed slightly. She could hear the battle rumbling in the background as she neared the battle site and Shinij's tired grunt.
"I have an emotional attachment to you," was his answer. "I don't want to see ya getting hurt. I especially don't want to see ya dyin' on me."
But even with those encouraging words, she could only stare out onto the battlefield, watching countless men that she knew by name fight for their lives. She could see the seated officers going for the higher intelligence hollows, while she saw her father and her friend, Shinji, attacking adjuchas level hollows. And by the looks of it… everyone was badly outnumbered. She watched with a pounding heart as her father gracefully injured several hollows at once, a calm look on his face, while Shinji looked bored, though she knew that somewhere in their hearts that they feared the outcome of the battle.
Perhaps this was one battle she had to join to save the future of the Gotei 13. If the 5th Squad lost their taicho, fukitaciho, and seated officers… Well, some things were better left unsaid. And she knew for sure, that if they were to die without her on the battlefield… she would be so sad that even words could not describe the feeling.
As the hell butterfly disappeared into black sparkles, Minako readied herself. She would do anything to save her friends. She would do anything to save her father. That's when she saw it.
A hollow used sonido and suddenly appeared behind Aizen, making sure to hide it's reiatsu, and raised its talons, it's beady eyes glowing with delight. Minako moved without knowing it.
And she appeared between the talon and Aizen's unguarded back.
"What the!?" the hollow crowed. "You bitch, I'm gonna kill you!"
Aizen's eyes widened at the sudden presence of Minako behind him and turned to look at his daughter. Shinji looked away from his battle to see Minako, and smirked at the fury burning in her emerald eyes.
"No one…" she seethed, "attacks my otou-san… and hopes to make it out alive!" she exclaimed angrily, releasing her reiatsu full force, which stunned the hollow momentarily, before it released it's reiatsu as well.
"You're gonna be worth killing it seems," the hollow grinned evilly.
"Minako-chan, you're here," Aizen said calmly. "You should leave him to me, I can—"
"Otou-san, I can handle myself," Minako cut in smoothly. "I believe Shinji-kun asked me to come here due to you, so please, focus on the enemy for the time-being."
"… Where's your zanpakuto, Minako-chan?"
The hollow before her looked to her hips, where her zanpakuto should've been, but seeing none, the hollow bellowed in laughter, while Aizen frowned.
"… It is quite unfortunate, but I left it in the barracks," Minako said tightly. "I was on my way from the 13th Squad's HQ when I received the message, and I headed here without a second thought."
"You'll die here, bitch," the hollow laughed manically.
"Wrong," Minako stated coldly. "Haven't you heard of 'hakuda?'" She gave a snort. "If you haven't, well, you can only blame your lack of knowledge. Of course, you're not the first hollow I've met that's a dumbass, so don't feel left out. It just means you're not special."
The hollow growled as its eyes narrowed dangerously, but Minako continued on carelessly, though Aizen knew better, and he realized that Minako could truly take care of herself, so he turned back to his battle.
"Let me dumb it down for you," Minako drawled. "I'm quite… proficient in hand-to-hand combat that would put the number of souls you've eaten to shame."
"Bring it, bitch!" he snarled, jumping towards her.
Minako smirked and she disappeared in a flash only to appear behind the hollow in mid-air, and kicking him downwards. Then, she disappeared soon after that, and only the most skilled shinigami could see her flickering body appear here and there all over the field, taking down any hollow that came at her or that dared to attack a fellow shinigami. She appeared in the midst of the ground, sitting on one knee, not having one scratch on her.
Shinji finished his battle with his hollow, while Aizen finished his at the same time. Minako, seeing that it was an appropriate time, started preparing the wounded to go to the closest 4th division station available. Disregarding the offers of help from several squad members, she carried an injured shinigami on her back, while letting two others lean on either side of her for support.
"Sato-dono!" was all she heard before she felt a sudden hollow's reiatsu behind her. Her eyes widened as fear flashed across them before tightening as she readied herself for the attack she knew she had no chance of protecting herself from, but that's when she stiffened as she forgot about the critically injured shinigami on her back. If she allowed the hollow to attack her from behind, there was no doubt that the man on her back would die…
'Damn it!' she cursed inwardly as she turned on her feet, hoping to take away some of the damage that went to man on her back, but her eyes widened once again in surprise as the back of Aizen's head appeared, his body tense as he blocked the hollow's attack with obvious ease, and he raised his sword above him, bringing it down in a sweeping movement, dispatching the hollow quickly. He turned to face the obviously speechless Minako.
"O-Otou-san…" she stuttered. "You… Thank you… I…"
"Let me take him," he said kindly, taking the man off her back. "Hirako-taicho, I think it's best if you take another weight off her as well," he suggested, his warm smile warning his taicho not to do anything else other than to follow what his fukitaciho had 'suggested.'
"Of course," Shinji drawled, and he appeared to her right. "Don't mind if I do."
"But—"
"Minako-chan, we should start heading towards the 4th division station near us, correct?" Aizen cut in smoothly.
"H-Hai…" Minako whispered quietly, knowing it was a battle lost.
She didn't understand. They had asked for her help. They had asked for her help. So she had come, with no thought for her own personal safety, just hurrying over with no second thought except that she had to protect her friends. What she didn't get was why she couldn't carry the wounded she had been carrying. Did they think her too weak? Did they think her to frail and fragile? She just didn't get it.
Maybe she'd go see if Rangiku was free of her sanseke duties and if she wasn't, she could always plead with Isshin to allow her best friend to leave with her to go for some drinking… right?
That's right. Sake would solve her insecurities—for now, and she knew that Isshin would allow her; after all, he was one of the few that knew her heart well enough to see her problems clearly.
Sake… sounded great.
After being forced to get a check-up done by Aizen, she quickly excused herself from the 4th Squad's clinic.
"Leaving already?" Aizen asked quietly. "You shouldn't overstress your body, Minako-chan. Shouldn't you rest? Aren't you tired from the battle?"
"I-It's okay, otou-san," she fumbled with her words. "I'm quite well-rested. The fight was easy, really! I'm just gonna go take a walk around the Sereitei. I just need some… fresh air. Don't worry though, I'll be in time to make dinner, okay?"
Aizen smiled slightly before patting her head.
"Alright, just don't push yourself. Stay safe and don't be afraid to ask for help. You know you don't have to cook dinner," he added.
"I know, otou-san," she giggled quietly. "But it's an honor to cook for you, the Aizen-fukitaicho that everyone looks up to."
Before he could say anything against that claim, she kissed him on the cheek and waved goodbye, disappearing in a flash.
Even though no one was around him, he couldn't help but let his prideful smile appear on his face, warmth and love clouding his eyes. He let out a laugh and chuckled.
"That girl knows how to warm up to me, doesn't she…?"
If only he knew how she truly felt.
"Isshin-kun? Oh Isshin-kun, where are you? I know you're here somewhere!"
"Mhm?"
Minako stopped in front of an open doorway which led to Isshin's office. She leaned inside, seeing the taicho writing on a scroll, which he quickly snapped shut and stood up to greet her.
"Why look~!" he cheered. "It's Minako-chan, my favorite girl in the world! How may I help you today!?" he exclaimed.
Minako sweatdropped and smacked her forehead.
"Kurosaki Isshin…" she sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder who's worse: you or Shunsui-kun."
"WHAT!!!??? YOU'RE COMPARING ME TO KYORAKU???" he fake-cried.
"I-Isshin-kun…" she sighed, frustrated. "Can you just lend me Rangiku for the day?"
Isshin stopped in his fake tears and looked into the glazed eyes of the girl in front of him.
"Minako-chan…" he whispered quietly. "What's wrong?"
"I… I have to go somewhere before I explode, Isshin-kun," she said almost inaudibly, tears streaming down her cheeks quietly. "I feel like a bomb without knowing how much time is left. I—I—I—"
"… think she's gonna have to come with me," Rangiku's voice came from behind them.
"Oh? Rangiku-chan!" Isshin exclaimed, surprise evident in his tone. "Perfect timing! Go on, take our dear little Minako-chan wherever she wants to go to."
"No problem!" Rangiku cheered with enthusiasm, glancing quickly at the empty looking girl, hoping she'd respond in kind, but seeing no response, she quietly took her by the hand and led her out of the 10th Squad's HQ.
They stood on the hill that overlooked the Sereitei, and Gin stood quietly in the background. He had joined a little while ago, while they had exited the city, and Rangiku and Minako made no comment of him following, so he guessed it was fine.
Rangiku took a few hesitant steps towards Minako, who stood facing the Sereitei.
"Minako-chan… what's wrong?" Rangiku asked quietly, not sure how to broach the subject, though she was sure that something was wrong.
"… You know, Rangiku, everyone's been asking me that question; the same exact question," she said quietly.
Rangiku stiffened at her tone. It wasn't angry… it was sad.
"And everyday when I wake up, I look in the mirror and wonder if something is really wrong with me. Whenever I don't fit into everyone's definition of 'alright,' it's like something's wrong with me. I can't help but feel as if… everyone's stifling my world. I came to the Sereitei, hoping for a life different from the one I've led up to now…"
Rangiku's eyes softened with sorrow, but stayed silent.
"I was always so overprotected back—I hate to call it this—'home.' I had a guard come with me everywhere, and I could do nothing that had the chance of harming me in the slightest bit. I couldn't even cook… they were so scared of the knife cutting me, can you believe that?"
Gin raised an eyebrow. Everyone knew one of her passions were cooking, and that she took pride in her cooking skill. Even her bentos were famous around the Gotei 13, and anyone receiving one from her were expected to be proud of it.
"I came here, and found more than what I asked for from God," she said quietly. "I found friends… I found family. I found love. But… all those things that I could only dream of… they stifle me so much, it's so suffocating… I can hardly breathe. I don't understand how otou-san's head works. I know he loves me… but why can't he let me do what I want to? I'll admit, he gives me much more freedom than my clan did, but he makes me appear weak and fragile in front of everyone, as if I can't take care of myself. I have a Bankai and a shikai, so I don't see why he thinks I'm like that… I know I've proved myself to him, so why can't he accept it?"
"Why can't he accept that I'm not weak!?" she cried, falling to her knees as she sobbed loudly.
"Is he ashamed of me!?" she screamed out to the world.
A gust of wind answered her, and both Rangiku and Gin wore grim expressions. Rangiku gave Gin a pointed glance, who nodded in return.
He'd have a talk with his taicho.
"Minako-chan, why do you have such a sour look on your face?" Yoruichi drawled, sipping her tea silently.
"Sour look?" Minako asked innocently, batting her eyelashes. A vein appeared on Yoruichi's forehead. She could practically hear the blinking of the anything but innocent girl's eyelashes.
"Yea," Yoruichi sighed. "Is it about Aizen again?"
Minako stiffened. How could Yoruichi take one guess and be right about it on the first try? Oh wait… that's right, this was Yoruichi we're talking about.
"Yeah…"
"What'd he do this time?" the Shihoin princess asked, her eyebrows clicking together as she frowned.
"Nothing," Minako muttered. "He's just being the same."
"Ah…" Yoruichi sighed, understanding at once what she was saying. "The same overprotective, overbearing, mother-bear, pride-stealing bastard you mean?"
"Yoruichi!" Minako gasped. "Don't insult otou-san like that!"
"Why?" Yoruichi yawned. "I'm telling the truth like it is. He's too overprotective of you and can't bear to see you out of the house for long unless you're with one of his goons, like Ichimaru. He flinches just at the thought of you getting injured, and he makes you give up your pride because he sets you up as a weak little girl," she listed quietly. "Why don't you say something to him, Minako-chan?"
"If I do, I'm afraid I'd take away his smile, Yoruichi-chan, isn't that funny?" Minako asked, a dry smile taking place of her contemplative look. "I care for so much about that man, it's almost scary…"
Yoruichi gazed at the girl, remembering the smile she had worn when she had first arrived to the Sereitei, and yearned to see it again. Her hand twitched towards her, but she forced herself not to move. She didn't want to cause Minako pain, though she had the perfect words that would comfort her… and hurt her. Kisuke had told Yoruichi that Aizen was someone dangerous and not to be around him more than she should be, and never to open up to him. She couldn't understand how Minako could stand the man like he was, but Kisuke had warned against saying anything about their suspicions to an innocent girl like Minako, who he had simply stated, saying:
"She is like the snow. You can step on her and she will fall to your will. You can mold her to what you want, and she will take that shape. But there are two things that will never change no matter what, and that is she will always stay snow, forced to live in the iciness of her cold past, and secondly, she can be tainted easily. If blood were to drip on snow, it would spread quickly, tainting once was. Yoruichi, we must protect Minako-chan with our lives."
'But Kisuke,' Yoruichi thought, 'as you mold the snow to what you want, the snow will harden, and it will become harder to mold, though once it's molded, it will be harder to go back to what once was.'
Minako stared out onto the porch, gazing at the beauty of the garden, a small smile on her face as she drifted off onto happy thoughts. That one smile told Yoruichi want she needed to know.
"Minako-chan," Yoruichi called out to the girl who was spacing out. Minako gave a start.
"Y-Yeah?"
"You are like the snow," she said softly. "But even the snow has a choice between two paths in their life. You can melt and become water, or you can harden and become ice."
Minako smile brightly.
"I wonder which one I'll take…"
'I think you already know, Minako-chan… Kisuke, perhaps there is still a chance for this girl…perhaps she is still a snowflake, choosing where to fall on the ground.'
"Sato-dono!"
Minako turned to look at a seated officer who had appeared at her living quarters at the 5th Squad's HQ, who seemed out of breath.
"Hm? Akio-kun, what's wrong?"
"There's a messenger from the Kyoraku clan that wishes to speak with you."
An amused look flitted across her calm features, before she settled for looking serious.
"I see. Please escort them here and stay behind until they leave," she ordered calmly.
"Hai!"
A few minutes later a lean man with smooth features that would've caused any other normal girl to fall for him came into the room, Akio, the 9th seat, following behind him.
"What does the Kyoraku family wish to speak with me about that they must disrupt the work flow of the 5th Squad?" Minako asked quietly.
"Kyoraku-sama wishes to send his most formal and sincere apologies for the incident at the party last weekend. I am here to turn in a formal apology from our clan, and I am here to represent the clan's wishes that you forgive us," the messenger bowed stiffly.
Akio couldn't help but hold his breath as he watched the conversation flow far from what could've been called smoothly.
"Rise," Minako ordered sternly.
The messenger did as he was told.
"You have done a good job, having done as you were told…" Minako started out, a small smirk flickering across her innocent features, "but unfortunately, it seems you were born without spine, boy," she snapped instantly.
The messenger gave a slight jump at the sudden change of tone.
"You dare come in here…" she seethed, "saying you represent your clan's wishes that I forgive them? You are only but one person," she sighed. "You insult me. Leave before you dirty my name and your clan's any longer."
The messenger was speechless.
"Well, boy? I ordered you to leave," she said harshly. "9th seat, Takahashi Akio, please escort this man out. And you, messenger from the Kyoraku clan," she said, directing her last statement to the trembling man. "If you are still on the 5th Squad's HQ grounds, I will have you personally eradicated by the taicho and fukitaciho himself for harassment and stalking."
"H-Hai, Sato-sama!"
Akio could only chuckle inwardly the instant the cold exterior slipped off of the girl's face as the passive, calm face he knew came back on as the messenger ran out of the room, his tail in between his legs.
"So cold, Sato-dono," Akio chided jokingly. Minako's lips twitched upwards before she placed the cold mask on again.
"Did you say something, Takahashi?" she asked coldly.
Akio gave an 'EEEP!' and stumbled out of the room, running from the bursts of laughter coming from the black haired beauty. But even the laughter had to subside sooner or later, and when they did, Minako couldn't help but feel slightly lonely.
'Perhaps I'll just finish toying around with the Kyoraku clan… I'll send them a letter of forgiveness… I hope they accept it even with my most recent behavior.'
And maybe after this, she could finally go get some sake…
"Gin, you needed to speak to me in private?" Aizen's warm, kind voice asked. The two stood in a standstill, Aizen sitting at his desk, while Gin stood on the other side.
"Hai, hai, Aizen-fukitaicho," Gin answered cheerfully.
"Is something wrong?" Aizen asked, raising an eyebrow. "You normally don't come talk to me about anything unless something is truly disturbing you."
"Well, nothin's really botherin' me, but someone else, and they don't have the courage to tell ya'," Gin shrugged, his never-ending grin plastered on his face.
Aizen suddenly had a feeling of… nostalgia? It wasn't like something about their conversation reminded him of something that had once happened, but he had a feeling that whatever Gin was going to say next was going to be something he had been thinking about for the past few months.
"Who is it?" he asked quietly, waiting patiently for the name.
"Why, it's our sweet, lil' Minako-chan o' course," Gin answered cheekily. Aizen fought the urge to glare at his 5th seated officer and gave a curt nod.
"What's bothering her?" he asked quietly.
If it was about Minako, then he was all ears.
He would give up his soul for the girl. Funny words, wasn't it, coming from Aizen Sosuke? The man who viewed himself above all others?
How could he though, kill a girl that he loved… how could he kill his own daughter?
She was his weakness; his flaw.
Minako yawned and thanked Yoruichi inwardly for convincing her to not go out drinking, because of the terrible results that could happen. Minako knew that she wasn't the greatest person when drunk, and she didn't want to go around the Sereitei, confessing her deepest feelings and thoughts.
She entered the dimly lit place she called home, and stopped.
"Otou-san?" she asked, blinking several times to make sure that the man before her was truly her father. "W-What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at work…" The fake alibi that Aizen had created for himself easily slipped off her tongue, though she was far from ever accepting it.
"Ah. Well, about that…" he sighed. "I decided to take a break. After all… it's been so long since we've done anything together. I've already made dinner. Come, it's your favorite."
"My favorite?" she asked, all suspicions leaving her mind. Her eyes twinkled with unspoken joy. "Really!?"
"Mhm," Aizen nodded, his eyes softening at the look on the girl's face. She ran to the dining room, her face brightening as she saw the lavish setup on the table.
"Otou-san!" she exclaimed, a happy blush coloring her face. "You didn't have to go through this much trouble! This must've taken a long time to make… You could've left it for me to do!"
He shook his head. "No… you are my daughter, and as your father, I should be the one feeding you, not the other way around. It is my pleasure to make your meal."
"Otou-san… you're too kind," she thanked softly, a smile lighting up her usually drab features. That's when he finally realized the true extent to how much she had been suffering due to his lack of attention. And even he now realized how bad of a father he had been: he never came home on time and usually came home to find Minako asleep on the couch, dinner already cold on the table. He would leave early in the morning, before she woke up, and if he ever saw her, it was during the work day, and even those meetings were usually limited because he was short on time. He was a captain and she was not. But he knew he was making excuses…
"Otou-san, aren't you going to sit down and eat with me?" she asked, interrupting his train of thought.
"Hm? Oh, yes…" he answered quickly. He sat down in front of the black haired beauty and marveled at how she could eat gracefully yet seem so… casual.
"So, otou-san, how has work been?" she asked, a small wry smile adorning her face. He coughed slightly, unsure of how to answer, knowing that he was expected to answer in a certain way and that if he ventured to deeply in this conversation, that he'd be burned – quickly.
"Work's been fine," he answered vaguely. "Being a fukitaciho for Hirako-taicho is very tiring… but I don't want to hear about the tiring duties of my job," he laughed lightly. "We're here to talk about you, Minako-chan. How are you? Is your training coming along pretty well?"
Minako smiled knowingly. Aizen was a smart man; no doubt about that. He had easily dodged her tricky question, turning the spotlight onto her. Her lips twitched upwards and a soft, breezy laugh left her lips.
"Training's coming along good," she sighed. "Sometimes though, I feel as if Yama-jii is going too easy on me; iie, I know he's going easy on me… He just coddles me as if I'm some pretty, glass doll to look at."
"He is just worried for you well-being," Aizen chided. "I understand how you feel. Perhaps you should tell him directly how you feel?"
"Directly?" she asked, blinking several times. "Perhaps… I don't think it's cause he thinks I'm weak though… I think it's cause I haven't truly proven my power to anyone within the Gotei 13."
Aizen stared at her, his smile frozen, though Minako did not see his inner fighting. It was just that… he couldn't think of her going out on her own and taking out hollows when she could just up and die…
"What do you mean by 'truly show your power,' Minako-chan?" he asked curiously. "You have shikai, and with a bit more training, possibly your Bankai."
She smiled secretly.
"Hm… you'll see soon, otou-san. And thank you for the dinner; it was delicious."
It was only then that the all-seeing Aizen noticed she had finished her dinner.
To her surprise, when she entered her "office" at the 5th Squad's HQ the next morning, there was a formal reply from the Kyoraku Clan, accepting her acceptance of their apologies with an extra note attached by Shunsui.
'Minako-chan, can you not cut off all ties with my family? I know this is asking too much, but please? I just don't want them to fall…
Thanks,
Shunsui-kun =]'
Minako gave a soft chuckle, attracting some stares towards her, which she easily shrugged off.
'Eh?' she thought, amused. 'Shunsui-kun wants to save his family? Perhaps that is for the best… he truly does care for them deep in his heart, doesn't he? What a… "sweet" guy…'
She sighed and placed the document in a drawer in her desk and gave a start when there was a knock on her door.
"It's open," she called out. A white haired man with wrinkles all over his face appeared at the doorway, making no sound as he approached her desk.
"Ginrei-kun?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "What're you doing here?"
"I was passing by and decided to come see you as you indicated before that I was able to do so…?" he raised an eyebrow pointedly.
"Oh of course!" Minako exclaimed quickly, standing up abruptly. "Please, stay for tea! Come, we can go to one of the tea rooms."
"Thank you," he nodded curtly.
"How have you been doing?" Minako asked, breaking the silence. She couldn't just sit there, sipping her tea gracefully. She wasn't the perfect noble. She was kinda like Yoruichi with all the official business.
"I've been very good," he responded quietly. "The Kuchiki Clan has also been doing well."
"And Byakuya?" she prompted.
A small smile touched Ginrei's normal pursed lips.
"Byakuya is doing well as well. He will become a great leader of the Kuchiki Clan."
"I told you so," Minako chided teasingly.
"So you did," Ginrei agreed easily. "But tell me, Minako-hime, how have you been?"
"Me…?" she repeated softly. "Mhm… as good as it can get I guess you could say. I've been thinking of joining the ranks of the Gotei 13, Ginrei-kun."
"At what rank?" he immediately asked.
"As a taicho," she admitted shyly. "You're the only person that knows, other than Yoruichi-chan, Kisuke, and Isshin-kun that I have a Bankai."
"You still haven't informed Aizen-fukitacicho?" Ginrei asked, his eyebrows flying up.
"I know that seems weird and all," she said defensively. "But you know otou-san, Ginrei-kun! He'd freak out if he knew that I had Bankai… he probably wouldn't let me join the ranks if he could truly stop me…" she sighed sadly.
"I understand," he assured her. "It's very unlike you though, to hide things like that. You're a very open person and share things easily but everyone is your friend, aren't they?"
She smiled sadly.
"Perhaps I am too trusting…"
"That may be true, but if you weren't too trusting, you wouldn't be Sato Minako, and I like you the way you are, Minako-hime," Ginrei's gravely voice thundered. "You have my recommendation. I will fully support whatever you choose to do, remember Minako-hime. Whatever you choose to do, the Kuchiki clan will give you its everything."
"You flatter me," she giggled lightly, trying hard to clear the serious mood.
To no avail.
"Minako-chan!"
Said girl's ears perked up and she leaned the basket against the side of her hips, blowing her bangs out of her face so she could look up into the expectant face of the 2nd Squad's 3rd Seat.
"Kisuke!" she greeted with as much enthusiasm. "What brings you to my place? Are you here to see otou-san? He's not here I'm afraid."
"No, no!" Kisuke cheered. "I'm here to see you. Do you need help with hanging that laundry?"
"Oh yes!" Minako rolled her eyes, her voice taking on a drawl. "I totally need help with his laundry. It's so heavy that it's hard for me to even carry it!"
"Oh please, my lady, let me do the honor of hanging your laundry!" Kisuke joked along. "I am your prince charming, here to save the day!"
"Kisuke!" Minako exclaimed, slapping him playfully. "God, let's just get this laundry done!"
"Yare, yare… Kisuke, what brings you to the house of Aizen Sosuke?" Minako asked quietly, taking a small sip of her sake. "You don't normally come here, and in fact, you avoid it as much as you can. You know otou-san doesn't like you!"
"I know, I know," he agreed. "I still don't know why he doesn't like me, but like I said, I came here to see you, not him."
"Yeah," she sighed, taking another swig of her sake. "But still! I think that'd make him angrier."
Kisuke downed his sake in one gulp and motioned for some more. Minako complied and poured his cup to the brim before refilling hers as well.
"Can't help it," he shrugged carelessly. "You're too beautiful of a girl for me to stay away," he flirted hopelessly, winking at her shamelessly. Minako gave a giggle.
'The sake must be getting to me…' she thought blurrily. She knew that she had feelings for the blonde haired man before her, but she knew it was nearly impossible for things to work out between them, unless both of them were to become the same rank and somehow get Aizen to bless their relationship…
"You flatter me, Kisuke," she laughed drunkenly.
"Oh? I must be special to be able to do that," he said, a playful smirk on his lips.
As they spoke each word, they drew closer and closer to each other, not noticing at how much distance had been closed between them. It was only when the smell of sake hit her, coming from Kisuke's breath.
"Minako-chan…" he breathed quiety.
"… Kisuke," she whispered.
The door slammed open.
OMG!!! Who slammed that door open? Did they hear the words that Kisuke and Minako-chan exchanged? Why does Aizen "hate" Kisuke? What is the Kuchiki Clan's connection to Minako-chan?" What's Shunsui's true reason to saving his family? How much does Yoroichi know!? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!! XD Keep reading if ya' wanna know! :) PLEASE REVIEW!!! :D NO FLAMES!!! [Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!]
~krazykoreangurl