Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Enjoy!

Shunsui's eyes widen in horror. "What?!" He looked at Ukitake's puzzled expression for a while. "No way."

"Yeah?" Kensei replied unsurely on the other line.

The former felt all his energy drained. "Alright. Thank you, and sorry for the trouble."

He placed down the phone with click and wasn't even sure how to bring the topic up about the massive fire ten years ago that probably caught Ukitake's family Kensei had told him over the phone. Earlier, he thought that maybe he could at least lighten up Ukitake about the help he recently got from a friend to look for his family, and then…

He wished he hadn't answered the phone.

"Did something happen?" Ukitake asked worriedly.

"About me? None. About your family? Yes." Shunsui winced a bit when he heard an audible gasp escaped Ukitake's lips. Before letting him asked what, he immediately speak. Oh well, this is better than lying to him face to face. "I left a while ago because I asked a friend of mine to find out more about your family's current address or might as well know in what state they're currently in. And then I thought that you'll be happy when I told you that I somehow made a progress. But then I know now that I shouldn't rejoice easily because when this friend of mine called me, he said that ten years ago, there was a horrible fire that had eaten all of South Province population, and that… and that…"

"My family might be one of the unfortunates," the white haired man finished for him. "Did I forgot to mention you too that when there will be no one to find out what actually happened to me, I will be bound here forever?"

Shunsui couldn't look straight at him in the eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Ukitake smiled but sadly and heart-brokenly. "Because if it ever happened, I wouldn't dare to blame you, knowing that you did your best to help someone like me. Someone you only knew a few days ago. Somebody who is actually a nothing."

The brunette wanted to beg to differ about the last part, but before he could, Ukitake disappeared into the thin air once again. Leaving Shunsui alone in his cold office room.

Shunsui had no idea why he was taking everything a very big deal. It wasn't as if he was the kid Ukitake saved that caused the latter to suffer with twenty years—probably more—with loneliness. He was just trying to help with everything he could, right? In fact, he was the one doing a lot of favor for him. Then why, why was he the one who felt so guilty?

Was it because that Ukitake poured all his hopes in him which only ended up into nothing?

Obviously.

"Yama-jii, I failed a friend," Shunsui muttered suddenly while watching leaves fell off a bush.

He found himself spending his evening in his family's house. Nothing to do much in the office, anyway. Knowing that Ukitake would perhaps stay away and wouldn't talk with him for awhile; not that he was angry, but most likely depressed and wanted some time alone—and not that Shunsui would mind too if ever he was mad at him.

"You better apologize, kid," Yamamoto (a.k.a. Yama-jii), their long-time gardener, replied while cutting off and reshaping some bushes in their garden with a long shears. Yamamoto wasn't only a man working outside for their family for the brunette. He was the only resident of the house who Shunsui could act normal with, the comfortable him who enjoyed teasing and grinning like an idiot. He also treated him as his father ever since his died. Though Shunsui must say that he was not the type who always give philosophical advices; well, better than his real father who only wanted his sons to walk on his footsteps. Yamamoto, at least, loves him as his own son.

"You have no idea what I just did. I got almost all his faith to be saved and then nothing happened afterwards." The brunette relaxed on the bench and settled down on it, not bothering if ever some dirt smudge might stick on his coat.

"Saved? What exactly is this friend of yours asking?"

Shunsui looked out in the evening sky. "Never mind. No one could understand." Trying not to stress out, he changed the subject. "So what's up in here after one month?"

The old man swept the grass floor. "Your mom finally arrived from her world tour."

"Other than that?"

"Chojiro is planning to retire soon."

"Our butler too? He's like an uncle. Too bad." Shunsui looked at him. "So there will be no other people than you and the maids around here for the next few months or so. Aren't you planning to retire too? You're nearing sixty-five years old." The brunette's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes, it's your birthday next few months. Heh. What do you want as a gift?"

"You know I'm not expecting any other than my children's."

Shunsui pouted. "Aw, you never had any from me even for your past birthdays! I'm also your son, though not biologically."

"If I told you what I wanted, you wouldn't be able to give it to me either."

"Oh, you want me to look for something that could last for an eternity, nah?" Shunsui smiled excitedly. "Then I'll go find one." He winked before taking off like a five your old kid.

Yamamoto watched him go and smiled to himself. "If only he's here and as lively as you are, Shunsui, there's nothing I could ever hope for in this world. What I kept wishing in my every birthdays is for my son to finally come back to his family he long forgotten." He sighed. "I wonder where you are right now, Jushiro. Do you even miss us?"

And as you can see, I decided to finish all the chapters.