Chapter 7

"Lord Fujiyama, we've searched everywhere and she's nowhere to be found. We'll begin searching the town immediately!"

"Don't bother." Noboru Fujiyama sat on the edge of his daughter's bed, a crumpled note clutched in his hands.

"S-sir?" the guard was completely taken aback. Not even an hour ago, after discovering his daughter missing, Lord Fujiyama had ordered a full search of the house and grounds, absolutely panicked. Now here he sat, telling him to call off the search.

"We aren't going to find her. She doesn't want to be found. Leave me."

"Sir." The guard bowed and left. Noboru waited until the door was shut behind him before he let the tears fall.

"Our daughter really is just like you, Kasumi." He glanced over to the now empty shrine on the far wall and sighed "She never would have run off if you were still here, my love."

20 years ago…

17 year old Noboru Fujiyama was preparing to take his first trip to the world of the living. He had heard storied of humans from Soul Reapers that would often visit the village and their way of life absolutely fascinated him. For the most part, humans had no spiritual sense, he couldn't even imagine being that blind! And such short life spans! He stood outside the 7th division barracks, waiting for his soul reaper guide for the human world. Since he was a noble, he was given special permission to visit the world of the living and be accompanied by a soul reaper should anything go wrong.

"Lord Fujiyama?" a soft voice brought him to attention. Before him stood a tall, beautiful woman with dark blue hair and brown eyes. "I am Kasumi Toriyama, I will be assisting you in your travel to the human world." Noboru could merely shake his head, completely at a loss for words.
"Take care of him, Kasumi." Said the masked man behind her, before retreating back into the barracks.
"Of course, Captain Komamura." She said back sweetly. As soon as he was gone, she glared at the noble before her. "Alright look" she snapped at Noboru, making him take a step back. "We go in, you do your little field trip, and we get out, got it? I don't have time to go around babysitting you nobles, understood?"

"Er…yes ma'am!" Noboru stammered.

This is not at all what I had planned… Noboru thought glumly as he watched some humans in the park, all the while he could feel the soul reaper glaring at him impatiently.

"Do you have what you need yet?" she snapped.

"I guess…" he got up to follow her when a bloodcurdling roar filled the air. "What was that?" Noboru felt his knees get weak; he knew it had to be something spiritual; none of the humans seemed to even have noticed it.

"Hollow." Kasumi gripped her zanpakuto, ready for battle.

Suddenly Noboru felt the wind get knocked out of him and he was hurdling through the air. He landed hard on the ground, a great weight on his chest. The Hollow materialized above him, its stinking breath filled the air, its great maw just inches from him.

Kasumi screamed as she lunged forward, zanpakuto drawn. "Not on my watch, you ugly bitch!" she plunged it deep into the Hollow's back, sending it back to Hueco Mundo.

"You…you saved me." Noboru sputtered out lamely.
"You moron! Didn't you sense the Hollow? Did you want to get yourself killed?" Kasumi was in his face in an instant, jabbing a finger in his chest.

"What is your problem with me?" Noboru finally found the guts to stand up to her and immediately regretted it.

"My problem with you is the problem I have with all you nobles! You think you deserve such special treatment and for what? What even sets you apart from any of the other souls in soul society? There are children starving on your streets while you get to go off on little field trips to the world of the living!"

"Why do you think I want to take these little field trips?" Noboru tried to get in her face, but only came up to about her shoulder. "I want to study these humans and their short lives…maybe, somehow, they can help the less fortunate in our world…I know you don't think I care, but I do. I live in one of the worst off districts and I face it every day. I do what I can but there's only so much I can do. It's an uphill battle and I'm the only one fighting it. But go ahead, call me a spoiled rich kid. I really don't care." He turned his back to her, if only to hide his shaking. He never stood up for himself like this and Kasumi, she was scary. He felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder and nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Noboru..."
"Y-Yes, Kasumi?"

"Look…I'm sorry. I really misjudged you. You're really not like the other nobles at all."

"I try." He smiled weakly at her. "Hey, if you're ready to go back…"

"Not just yet." He looked at her quizzically, then followed her gaze. Off on the horizon, the sun had just begun to set. "It's beautiful." She murmured.

"Yeah…beautiful." he was still staring up at her.

A year later, he took her back and proposed to her at the very same spot. They had a little girl together. They felt as if they had found the perfect life. Until the day a Hollow took her life. That day he held his little Asae for hours and cried. It would break his heart every time she asked when mommy was coming home. From that moment on he swore he would never let anything happen to his baby girl.

I failed. I let something happen and now she's gone. Forgive me, Kasumi and protect our little girl…