Disclaimer: The characters in this story are all owned by Kubo Tite. I make no profit of writing this.


(Flashback)

"Abarai, has something peculiar caught your interest?"

Byakuya watched with dissatisfaction as his subordinate half laid on his working table, looking out of the window with a bored expression. Obviously he was not working.

"Hmm...?" The red head snapped back to reality. "Nothing boss," he laughed and scratched his head, embarrassed . "Just thought about that maybe we should relax a little after work, you know, it has been a while since I had a vacation and I beet you don't even remember such a thing existed."

Before Byakuya could voice his disagreement (he had a very vacant idea what 'vacation' meant) Renji pointed at something below them, outside the window. "You see that bar over there? It's a cool place, I often go there with my friends. You should come too. I'll treat you with a beer or something. It would be good for you, getting a taste of a bit different life. Relaxing, not always working."

Maybe Renji had realized he was rambling and had gone too far, or he was nervous for some reason that Byakuya couldn't quite understand. Whether the case was, the colour of his face matched the one of his hair.

Somehow the intended words of dismissal died on Byakuya's lips, and he smiled instead. "Maybe I will," he mused and dropped his gaze back to his work. "Unfortunately I am busy today, Abarai. But I shall remember your promise to... let me have a taste of what you inclined."

Renji looked pleased. "Hai, boss! It's a promise then." He smiled, the huge grin spreading on his face.

"Now, back to the work Abarai."

"...Hai, boss."

(End of flashback)


The rain fell from heaven, cold and biting like a final judgement. People with umbrellas and raincoats ran in all directions, in hurry to make it into a warm and comfortable place before getting completely soaked. Only one person sat in place, as if not noticing how the freezing water made his raven hair stick into his pale face.

In the end, he didn't come.

Maybe it is better this way, Byakuya mused as he watched the time tick away from his wristwatch. What had he expected? That Renji would have arrived there, forgiven and forgotten their sorrowful past? That he had, against all the odds, caught the message of regret filled words?

It was no quarter past eight. No one was going to come here. Waiting here was pointless and stpid. Still, Byakuya couldn't cut his last strands of hope and walk away from the rainy street.

This was it. Somehow it was very fitting end for his story; a dead end. All of the words had been finally said, and it was his time to go on to the other world, where his wife was waiting for him. There was nothing to keep him in this world any longer, no matter how much he wanted to believe the opposite.

Time ticked forward. Half past eight. The street was completely empty. The rain poured down, unforgiving and merciless.

He rose from his place and started to head back to his car, wondering if he should drive back to his place or end the matter with his life in the fastest possible way, making his car to crash down from some bridge.

At the same time another figure was running towards the spot the other had just left. He panted and leaned onto his knees, as if he had just ran for his life. He checked his watch, finding it way too late.

"Fuck!" The figure looked hastily around him, praying that he hadn't lost his only chance. On the narrow street a lone figure was about to disappear behind the curtain of rain. He managed to see a glimpse of long, black hair and an outline of a soaked suit.

"Byakuya!"

The other figure turned around, a look of disbelief in his eyes. Renji finally caught up, and grinned victoriously as he saw that he had found the man he was looking for.

"A traffic jam", he explained. For the first time in so many years he get a good look of another man. He had lost weight and possibly gotten even paler, or maybe it was the effect of the rain. Byakuya's eyes were wide like a deer's caught in headlights, making him appear as he was about to run away.

Renji wasn't having any of that. He wasn't the same as he had been five years ago, either. The red mane had grown longer and the tattoos on his forehead were fiercer. However, his grin was still same and it made Byakuya smile back, although faintly.

It was a nostalgic moment. Renji laughed and grasped the man in a bearlike hug, refusing to let go despite the other's feeble resistance.

"I finally caught you, didn't I? Damn, you didn't make it easy. Sorry that I made you wait so long, but you know me, I'm a bit slow. Now lets get you to some warm place."

Byakuya let himself to be dragged with childlike enthusiasm towards the restaurant. He felt already a bit warmer than before, and not as empty. Maybe there was still something for him, place in this world.

He gave the sky one more look before both of them disappeared into the modest looking building. Am I forgiven, Hisana?

The rain was fading into a drizzle.


A/N: And of course he remembered... we wouldn't have gotten our happy ending otherwise.

Yup, that's the end. Thank you for reading.