Chapter 4: Wildflower

The last day of work made Tomoko yawn out in annoyance. She couldn't get a good night of sleep because of what happened to her that night. It bothered her. Closing her eyes and walking around until she found herself outside, she yawned once more. "I hate morning."

"You always do." Kunio commented as he sat with his morning tea. His mud brown eyes were focused on his sibling as she sat down on the other side of the post that held the roof over the small deck that was built onto the house. Taking a sip of the liquid, his gaze turned to the flowers that were his mother's personal garden. "You work with Ka-san today?"

"Unfortunately." Tomoko whined as she rubbed at her eyes to get them cleared of sleep. Looking over at the man that was going to marry soon, she looked down at the wooden boards. "Why are you here? I thought you have breakfast with your fiancé."

"Not today. She wanted me to go over here for breakfast which I agreed to. You'll really love her Tomo-chan! She's so nice, and a great cook. You could learn a few things from her." Kunio insisted with a smile on his lips. Setting his cup on the deck, he looked over at the woman he called his sister.

"I haven't really met her so why? She's a shinigami also, right?" The sapphire eyed woman said since she was normally working when her brother was courting the woman.

"Yeah, but she's going to give it up if she has a child." Kunio said as his mud brown eyes watched a hell butterfly that somehow got out settled on a butterfly bush. Scratching his head which was covered by ebony hair, which was inherited from his mother, he smiled a little. "You'll like her. I know you will."

"You said that about that one guy you said I should see. He turned out to be a closet pervert." Tomoko said and shook her head at the memory. The only good guy she found was a guy that worked as a musician who played the flute at the festivals. He was the greatest out of them all, which she gave everything to. It just didn't last though.

"Yeah." Kunio said with an insecure laugh. Grabbing his ceramic cup, he drank the rest of the tea that was sitting in it. Sighing, the brunette eyed shinigami got up from where he sat and ruffled his sister's unruly hair.

"Quit that. Gez." The blue green haired woman complained as she glared at her sibling playfully. Watching her sibling disappear into the home that they were raised in and shook her head. She barely understood him, but it had to be the sibling connection that her father told her about. Shrugging at the wonder, her gaze turned to the garden that had a hummingbird taking in some of the nectar in one of the flowers. "Well what will today bring us?"

She hurried with getting dressed and getting something to eat. It was hard enough to have to work with her mother even if it was for just one day. That was the only perk for working with her mother.

"I heard about what happened last night." Her mother said randomly as she strolled with her daughter to the store that was a few houses away.

Tomoko's gaze turned toward her mother with her eyes wide at the words. How would she find out about what happened with the man from the eleventh division? Her stride stopped as she continued to look at her mother who walked a few more steps. Watching her turns to look back, words didn't form, only to give her the look of gaping. "Ho-How?"

"Kunio found out about it. It's hard to hide something when you're in the Gotei."

The navy eyed woman nodded slowly and started to the door that her mother was unlocking. She wondered how her sibling took the news. He probably wanted to go after the man that done it but with his captain it would be hard to. She heard that she was strict, stricter then the previous captain. Closing her eyes and sighing, the young woman went to the back to cut flowers for the orders that were scheduled for that day.

"Eleventh division shouldn't be taken lightly Tomo. Your father knew that well since he worked in that part." The ebony haired woman stated, giving her something she already knew. Looking at her only daughter, her gaze flickered to the baby blue roses that were blooming.

"And second division isn't? The last time I checked, second division was stealth which was stricter then anything else." Tomoko stated, recalling on everything that she heard about the Gotei from her father and brother. Itching her cheek quickly, the blue-eyed woman went on cutting flowers with her gaze flickering to the orders.

Sighing, her mother went back to the front. It was harder to even get through to her daughter now since she became an adult. It bothered her to think that her only girl was acting like this because of what happened in the past. That is if it was part of the past.

Tomoko finished cutting the roses that were requested by a neighbor. Looking at another order which was from the fourth division, she went to work on cutting some tulips for bedsides. Rolling the dark green stem in between her thumb and finger, her gaze lingered on the object. It was a pale yellow color that almost looked bleached if held to the light.

Setting them aside and wrapping them in paper with a ribbon around, she went on delivering those two orders. She knew where the fourth division was since they were regular customers for flowers since theirs were grown organically without any fertilizer or chemicals that some used.

Looking around and stating her business for her visit to the seireitai, the young woman walked into the area like the other night. This time, however she knew where she was going. Knocking on a door, being greeted by one of the members of the division, she was led the Unohana's office where she was finishing some reports. "Unohana-chan."

The long-haired woman perked up from her work and smiled tenderly at the other woman. Getting up and taking the flowers, she smiled a little more. "Arigatou Tsubaki-chan. They're as beautiful as ever. Your mother has done an amazing job again."

"I will tell her." The blue green haired woman said with a small bow. Following the captain of the division and talking to the injured, it reminded her much of her father. She felt more at home in fourth divisions barracks compared to the others because of how they treat everyone. Also, she enjoyed watching Unohana threaten someone into being still or quiet. "Where is Kotetsu-chan?"

"Out for me right now. She's training a new member to the squad with our —"

"With Tarô-kun?" It was her little nickname for the short man that looked like he could fall asleep any moment especially since everyone seemed to pick on him.

Retsu nodded and set another tulip in the vase. "What other colors do you have at the shop Tsubaki-chan?"

"There's the pale yellow that you usually order. The other colors range from red to white. White is the newest color that we've experimented to get. It was hard to get it but it's a seller." Tomoko replied as she smiled at someone. Memories flashed in her mind since this was the last place her father was at, it was hard not to forget this place.

"I would like to try a darker yellow next time or possibly even a tiger lily. I heard those are very beautiful since they're exotic." Unohana said as the captain of the fourth division glanced back at the younger woman that's behind her.

"Okay. I'll give that word to Ka-san also."

"Arigatou again. I'll tell Isane-chan that she missed you but it can't be helped. Thank you for the visit. I'm sure the patients even enjoyed seeing someone other then shinigami around here." Retsu said with her hand falling on top of Tomoko's. With her smile, she shook the younger woman's hand and went back to her office.

Nodding quickly, the sapphire eyed woman left the barracks and seireitai to get back to the shop. It was a clear day, a good thing at that. Making deliveries in the rain was dreadful to her.

The distant shouting made her wonder what was going on but it didn't bother her as much as it usually did. Lowering her gaze until it rested on the flowers that were still in her arms, Tomoko's lips parted slightly. "Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods . . ."

"You're that girl from last night!" That child's voice greeted her, along with the sound of feet. Her gaze fell on the pink hair that seemed to fit the child's personality. She smiled. "Why are you in the Gotei?"

"Delivery for the fourth division." Tomoko said as she showed the flowers that still needed to be delivered. Bending down to the girl's eye level, that smile seemed so pure and innocent. "What's your name? Tsubaki Tomoko is mine."

"Kusajishi Yachiru! I'm fukutaicho for the eleventh division." Yachiru rambled out as she hopped around the taller person. Poking the flowers, she eyed them up. "What kind of flowers are those?"

"Baby blue roses. It's a congratulation present from Ka-san for our neighbor for having a baby boy." The azure eyed woman explained as she held the flowers out to the vice captain of the eleventh division. "You can smell them."

Yachiru shook her head and hopped away without a word. Watching her disappear around a corner, the young woman stood up and went on her way. Knocking on the door, being greeted by the woman that carried the child, she smiled. "Ka-san wanted me to delivery these to you as a present for the newborn."

The woman nodded and took the flowers that were the right shade for the newborn. "How have you been Tomoko? Are you adjusting to your brother's fiancé?"

Her gaze settled on the flowers with her sighing. How can she adjust to the new woman that was in her brother's life? She was rarely at home as it is. So how can she know what the woman looked like if she was working all the time? Shaking her head, she finally answered the woman, "I wouldn't know. I'm working most of the days anyway."

"Oh. That's sad to hear. She's a really nice woman." A cry sounded from inside the house, letting the woman excuse herself to take care of her new son.

The bluish green haired woman walked back to the shop and flopped down on the stool. Why ask if she liked her soon to be sister-in-law? Resting her chin on the palm of her hand, Tomoko flipped through the rest of the orders that were needed to be filled before the day was done. Cutting some of the back house lilies, the young woman was doing it absentmindedly. There was nothing to do but worry about the woman that her brother was seeing. Who was she? What was she like?

"Tomo are you about done with that order of violets and daisies." Her mother inquired as she stepped into the room. "The person that ordered it is here to pick it up."

"What is Kunio's fiancé like?" Tomoko blurted out as she finished the order her mother was bothering her about. Looking over at the woman that was her mother, she stared at the blank face that was brought by the question that was unexpected.

"She's nice. She won't mind taking over the flower shop. Her name's Akemi." She said with her eyes narrowing as she tried to figure out why she was asking that. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering." Tomoko said as she handed the ordered flowers to her mother. "Are you going to arrange a marriage for me? I have this crazy feeling that you will."

"If it comes down to it."

The sapphire eyed woman nodded and rested her chin on her hand again. So her mother wasn't afraid of giving her off because of who she was. That had to be a reason why her mother didn't really enjoy her company anymore. Or it had to be the fact that she inherited the only thing from her mother was her face. The rest was from her father who was everything to the family he had.

Once it was silent in the room, she buried her face in her hands.

Drama, suspense and possibly other things in it. Please review.