Kaien opens his eyes slowly and tips his head to the right to see a head of jet black hair resting no his shoulder. He squeezes his hand around hers and she lets out a small sigh. He rolls over to his side and wraps his left arm loosely around her waist. She takes in a deep breath, inhaling his forest scent. She rolls over to face him and buries her face in his soft uniform.
"I've not slept that well for the past few days." Yoshino whispers and Kaien smiles.
"Happy to help." He replies in a murmur before burying his face into her hair.
"I'm sure you are." Yoshino says in a happy tone before sitting up slowly. Kaien's arm stays lightly around her waist and their fingers stay entwined. She smiles and looks down at him with her head tipped to the side and her hair falling around her shoulders.
"You still shouldn't move around much you know." Kaien tells her and then both glance down to her stomach.
"I'm fine." She yawns. She slowly brings their linked fingers to her face and then presses the back of his hand to her cheek. They both smile and Kaien sits up. Her eyes follow his movements admiringly as he mimics her movements with their entwined hands. Yoshino looks down feeling her cheeks flame up.
"Hey…" Kaien whispers. She looks up and he leans forward and rubs his nose against hers. "Are you ok?"
"Honestly I'm too ok. I shouldn't allow this to happen. You're just so…" She sighs and then smiles. "Charming and caring."
"Well if you're ok and I'm ok then why should anything else matter? I have never met anyone as beautiful as you." Kaien whispers.
"I doubt it…" Yoshino takes in a deep breath as Kaien lifts the hand from her waist and moves the hair out of her eyes. She looks up into his amber eyes slowly and they both turn red.
"Yoshino you are truly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Kaien tells her.
"You say that now but we're still enemies. You shouldn't even be helping me. We shouldn't be…" Yoshino cuts off when Kaien leans forward and presses his lips to hers softly.
Yoshino blinks in complete shock as Kaien leans into the kiss gently sending her heart shuddering. Kaien lifts his free hand and cups one side of her face with a smile on his lips. Yoshino turns bright red and then slowly pulls away. Kaien smiles turning slightly red.
"Sorry I just really had to do that." Kaien smiles. He moves his head to try and meet her eyes when Yoshino lifts her free hand and grabs the front of his uniform. She brings her lips to his quickly and her heart explodes into millions of butterflies. They both smile into the kiss. Kaien slowly rubs her cheekbone with his thumb and Yoshino runs her fingers through his black spikes.
"I really need to take you back with me." Yoshino sighs pulling away slightly. They rest their foreheads against each other and she smiles feeling her heart settle slightly.
"I really need to keep you here." Kaien challenges smiling lightly. She shakes her head and pulls away further. She pushes him down onto the soft grass and then lies down next to him. She wraps her arm over her stomach and smiles to herself. She could so easily stay here forever. Forever under the cherry blossom tree with him. His warm body next to hers and the taste of his lips still on hers. His forest scent tickling her nose. She could stay here forever but she won't.
Hino frowns as she slides back into the room. She doesn't even ask her Zanpakuto to light up. She walks to the end and Nemu looks up with a small smile. Hino just shakes her head and then sits down. She couldn't say why Kaien suddenly left but she couldn't find him. She couldn't find anyone.
"It's ok Hino." Nemu whispers to the dark. Hino sighs.
"I guess. I'll bring him tomorrow. I'll get him up first thing in the morning and drag him over here." Hino laughs lightly. Kaien must have had something really important to do if he left after what she told him. He wouldn't have told anyone for sure.
"I just hope you're being careful. I don't want you to get in trouble for helping me." Nemu sighs and Hino just shrugs.
"I wouldn't worry about me. You haven't had a visit from the people who took you have you?" Hino asks.
"No, only the other day." Nemu replies honestly but her voice shakes.
"It'll be ok soon Nemu, I promise." Hino murmurs and Nemu nods slowly trying not to cry. She just wanted to go home now, she's so happy to have met Hino but it doesn't change the fact that now one more person is in danger.
The trapdoor leading to the training grounds opens and the two figures jog down the stairs quickly. Kisuke turns around with a small smile on his lips. He assumed they'd show up soon enough. There's a few on their way behind them it seems. He walks forward to meet the two. He notices with a smile their hands linked tightly.
"We want to go to the Soul Society." Orihime says squeezing Uryuu's hand tightly. He nods in agreement and Kisuke smiles.
"Just like her parents isn't she." Kisuke murmurs and Orihime frowns.
"So you did help Yoshino get to the Soul Society." Orihime sighs and Kisuke shrugs.
"She's a strong girl. Looks just like you at that age Orihime-San. She certainly has her father's powers though." Kisuke tells them and they both nod. It took them two days to realise that Yoshino wasn't really at Kusaka's and then it took them a few days to decide what to do. It was clear finally that they had to follow her. They wanted their daughters back and that was final.
"Right we're going to Soul Society! Don't try and stop me Kisuke because I know you let my son go!" A fiery voice yells and two women and a young girl jog into the training grounds. The first with black hair to her shoulders with two bangs at the front falling an inch or so longer than the rest of her hair. The second with shoulder length golden hair and the third being Misaki.
"Karin, Yuzu?" Uryuu asks and Karin's frown turns into a smile.
"You guys too huh?" Karin smiles. "Kusaka told Misaki everything and she only just told us today the truth. She is very good at being loyal to her cousin."
"Right so all five of you want to go to the Soul Society?" Kisuke sighs and they all nod.
"I want my daughters back. Whichever bastard took Nemu better watch out because I'm going to personally kick their ass." Uryuu snarls and Orihime smiles before pinching his cheek playfully.
"Aren't you the protective daddy?" Orihime teases and Uryuu shakes his head.
"So can we go?" Karin asks.
"Yes actually you can go right now. Yoruichi-San is already there and the intruder alert has already been called so you need to be on your guard at all times." Kisuke tells them but before he can add anything else they all run past him. He spins around but they're already gone. He shakes his head slowly and lets out a long sigh, just like their parents, all of them.
Kusaka sits in the tidy office in silence. He'd just told Toushiro everything about why he's here and how he was the one who took Orihime to her father. Toushiro listened and look unaffected throughout the whole thing. Kusaka looks at Toushiro as he broods over a solution.
"There is no way we can work out who took your friend Nemu because no one's going to admit it." Toushiro sighs. "There must be a hidden motive about the kidnapping though."
"That's what we all thought, Yoruichi said…" Kusaka starts.
"Yoruichi as in Kisuke's friend?" Toushiro asks.
"Yeah." Kusaka says confused.
"Then I know one person who'll definitely be on our side." Toushiro says and then picks up the phone on his desk and dials a number quickly with a small smile. "Please come to my office immediately, this is an urgent matter." He hangs up and a second passes before there's a knock on the door.
"Can I come in?" A fiery voice snarls and Toushiro smiles.
"Please do." He says while giving Kusaka a reassuring look.
"Honestly Toushiro what do you want?" The figure snarls opening the door and stepping inside with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.
"Shut the door." Toushiro says and the woman shuts it and then her eyes land on Kusaka. Kusaka stiffens and the woman just smiles lightly.
"So that's what this is about?" She wonders.
"I'm sure you've already seen Yoruichi, right Soi Fon?" He asks and she smiles and then folds her arms.
"So you've been dragged onto the secret help team too Toushiro. I thought you'd be the last one to go against Yamamoto." Soi Fon smiles.
"Same for you, that is until Yoruichi gets involved." Toushiro says standing up with a small smile. "I'd like you to meet my son Kusaka Hitsugaya."
"Nice to meet you. Captain Soi Fon of Squad Two." Soi Fon says and Kusaka nods.
"It's nice to meet you." He whispers and she smiles lightly.
"Ok then so you know all the details I presume. We need to come up with a plan Toushiro." Soi Fon suggests.
"Why else do you think I called you here?" He sighs and they both smile lightly both pretty sure they'll be more people on their side out there soon enough.
Yoshino opens her eyes slowly to see Kaien sleeping next to her. She smiles lightly and then slowly sits up. He doesn't even stir in his sleep as she stands up and moves away. She looks across the water and then sighs. She pulls the black ribbon out of hair she used to tie it up a few days ago. She smiles and gently bends down and loosely ties it around his wrist. She nods proudly and then moves quickly and silently away knowing she can't stay longer.
Yoshino walks back into the courtyard she thought in the other day with that Captain. It must have been Kusaka who stopped him, she gasp realising that's who the Captain reminded her of. It must have been hard for Kusaka to fight his father, Yoshino sighs. She walks through the courtyard slowly noticing the odd silence around her.
"Intruders! More intruders in the Soul Society!" A voice beams and Yoshino frowns.
"More intruders?" She whispers and then she closes her eyes slowly hoping she may be able to sense something. Even if she couldn't tell where Nemu was, if she knew she was here and ok she'd feel so much better.
"Don't move." A voice whispers and a mouth slowly wraps over her mouth. Yoshino opens her eyes and tenses. She pulls out of their arms and stumbles forward. She spins around and Kaien shakes his head at her and then lifts his wrist.
"Leave me alone. This isn't good. This is stupid!" Yoshino frowns turning around again and starting to stomp away. Kaien reaches out and grabs her arm. She tugs it out of his grip but he steps forward and grabs her wrist again.
"You're right this is stupid." Kaien agrees pulling her towards him. He spins her around and presses his lips to hers before she can move. Her fists unclench and her body relaxes instantly. She wraps her fingers in the front of his uniform and he wraps his arms around her tightly with a smile playing on his lips. He pulls away and rubs his nose against hers gently.
"Why do you keep coming after me?" Yoshino sighs not wanting to show the happiness that's growing in her heart. She looks down with a small smile.
"Because I don't want you to go. I know you're here for an important reason but I really, really like you." Kaien smiles before pulling her into a protective embrace. She smiles into his chest and he kisses the top of her head lightly.
"I can't believe this!" A voice squeals and Yoshino tenses. She pulls out of the embrace and spins around to see the girl with pink hair from a few days ago. Yoshino feels panic rise inside her and she begins to back away but Kaien grabs her arm. He pulls her back towards him and holds her to his chest tightly. They both look at the girl who just stares in shock. Yoshino gapes a little shocked herself.
"I'm never going to let you go. Not for anyone's sake. I don't care if they try and kill me because I'll fight my way out to be with you again." Kaien whispers softly. "Yoshino you don't need to worry, I'm not going to leave you alone."