A/N: Many thanks for all reviews, alerts and favorites so far. It warms my heart to know that many readers enjoyed reading this story. It's been a long time, so I hope you haven't already forgotten this series and that this installment can make up for my disappearance somewhat. In any case, comments and criticisms are welcome as usual.
12: Rumors, Excursion and Milky Way
Ichigo wasn't sure if he should be amused or frustrated by the rumors that were spread around in Seireitei. At first, he couldn't quite blame people for thinking that he was trying to woo Rukia, since he himself might have given them the wrong impression. However, even after he had blatantly told them that the sole purpose of his last few visits was to see Byakuya, the rumor about him being romantically involved with Rukia still hadn't stopped. If anything, it had got even worse, since now everyone thought that the alleged relationship was serious to the point that Ichigo had been trying to get on Byakuya's good side so that the Shinigami would give their relationship his blessing.
Sometimes Ichigo felt a strong urge to broadcast his true intentions towards Byakuya to the whole Soul Society just to get the fact straight. After all, it wasn't as if he felt ashamed of the feeling that he had and it might also show Byakuya how serious he actually was. However, he wasn't sure if such announcement would trouble Byakuya and give the Shinigami yet another reason to pull back and keep him at arm's length. He already had a work cut out for him as it was, so he didn't need any other factor to make it more complicated.
Almost five months had passed since he confessed his feeling to Byakuya. To Ichigo's surprise and relief, the noble Shinigami didn't shun him right after he said he could not accept Ichigo's feeling. In fact, Byakuya would still welcome him with tea and chocolate cookies whenever Ichigo chose to visit the nobleman, and he still addressed Ichigo by his given name like he had done since the end of the war with the Quincy. However, Ichigo still felt that an invisible line was drawn in their relationship.
He noticed how Byakuya's become slightly more guarded with him although not to the point that he would act like the stuck up noble he seemed to be in their first few encounters. It was just that the Shinigami became more careful with his words and his actions, as if to make sure that he would not accidentally say or do something that had double meanings, and should he ever do so, he would quickly correct himself unlike in the past when he would normally leave everything he said up to Ichigo's interpretation.
It was unclear to Ichigo whether Byakuya meant to discourage him or the man simply did not want to lead him on. However, no matter what Byakuya's true reason was, Ichigo was not going to complain about it nor was he going to stop showing up at Byakuya's doorstep whenever he could. After all, Byakuya wasn't the only one who had a point to prove.
Which brought the subject back to Ichigo's trip to Soul Society.
Since Ichigo didn't think Byakuya would appreciate him showing up with a big bunch of roses and bringing some wine or any other alcoholic drink was out of the question as Ichigo was still a minor, the Substitute Shinigami opted to bring his favorite brand of ground roasted barley for Byakuya as a gift. After all, he knew for a fact that the Shinigami enjoyed drinking cold barley tea in summer days.
As soon as he got out of the Senkaimon, Ichigo took a short cut to the Kuchiki mansion. However, as soon as he reached downtown, Ichigo had to do a double take when he saw that all the roads in Seireitei were adorned with bamboos, colorful streamers, paper strips, paper kimono, origami cranes, paper purses, paper nets and decorative trash bags. Many kiosks were set up along the road, either selling food or snacks or providing carnival games to the people that were walking around in colorful yukata.
If the decorations told him anything, it would be that Soul Society was celebrating Tanabata Festival, which was traditionally held on the seventh day of the seventh month to honor the legend of Vegas and Altair, otherwise known as Orihime and Hikoboshi, the two star-crossed lovers who got separated by the Milky Way and could only meet once a year during the Tanabata night. It was a romantic yet sad legend, and it reminded him of his own love life, except that he could see Byakuya more often than Hikoboshi got to see Orihime and that Hikoboshi and Orihime were very much in love whereas Ichigo wasn't too sure about how Byakuya actually felt about him.
Ichigo would have spent more time pondering on the subject if it hadn't been for the fact that he saw his red-haired friend, Abarai Renji, walking toward his direction and raising his hand up as greeting. Renji was not wearing his shihakushō, but instead he was wrapped in a midnight blue yukata with a pattern of white and yellow stars as if he wanted to get into the festival spirit.
"Yo, Ichigo. I didn't think I'd see you here today."
Although Renji greeted him with a smile, Ichigo still felt that said smile was a little strained.
"What's up, Renji? You don't look too happy to see me," Ichigo commented.
"What the heck are you talking about, Ichigo?" Renji quickly denied, "Why wouldn't I be happy to see you?"
Ichigo shrugged before he gave Renji a dark grin, "Well, maybe because you're planning to ask Rukia out to the festival with you to see fireworks and stuff like that, but you feel you can't do that now that I'm in Soul Society?"
Renji widened his eyes in surprised. However, before the lieutenant could come up with any lame explanation, Ichigo patted the man softly on the shoulder and kept his hand there.
"Man up, dude," he said, "if you like her, just tell her and ask her out on a date already. If you keep being unclear about it, you would lose her to some other guy someday."
Renji furrowed his brows and gave Ichigo an incredulous look.
"What the heck are you saying, Ichigo? Aren't you two dating?"
Ichigo rolled his eyes and sighed. He wasn't sure if he was really that good at hiding things or Renji was really that dense.
"Trust me, Renji, if Rukia and I were really dating, you'd have already been punched in the face for even thinking about hitting on her behind my back," Ichigo said grimly. "Seeing that I still haven't mopped the floor with you yet, no, Rukia and I aren't dating."
Renji blinked.
"Huh? Then why would you frequent the Kuchiki Mansion and even try to get on Kuchiki-taichō's good side if you're not dating or trying to woo her?"
Instead of explaining himself, Ichigo gave Renji a cryptic smile and replied with a question, "Haven't you ever considered that maybe I'm targeting on a different Kuchiki entirely?"
With that said, Ichigo removed his hand from Renji's shoulder. Seeing that Renji's brain was still processing Ichigo's answer, he patted the man's shoulder again.
"Anyway, I'm off to Byakuya's now, so you'd better go and ask Rukia out before someone else beats you to it. I'll catch you later then, Renji."
Without waiting for Renji's response, Ichigo continued on his way to the Kuchiki Mansion, leaving Renji behind to wonder just how many members of the Kuchiki Clan Ichigo actually knew. It wasn't until half a minute after Ichigo had left that Renji's crimson eyes became widened.
"But I thought of the whole Kuchiki Clan, you only know Rukia and Kuchiki-taichō. If it's not Rukia, then you've gotta be aiming for..." Renji didn't dare to finish his own thought, since he couldn't see how it could be possible. He turned, hoping to get a denial from his friend, only to realize that Ichigo had long since disappeared into the crowd. "Oi! Ichigo! Tell me you were just kidding!"
It didn't take too long to walk away from the crowded area and then entered a less busy street that would lead the way to the Kuchiki Mansion. Ichigo stopped at the front gate of said mansion to take a deep breath. He wondered if it was normal to feel nervous just because he was about to see the person he liked.
Before Ichigo felt ready, the old butler of the Kuchiki family approached to him and then bowed down as greeting.
"Good morning, Kurosaki-dono," the butler said. "I'm afraid Byakuya-sama is attending the clan council at the moment."
Sometimes he wondered just how much the old man knew about his intentions towards the master of the house, since lately the butler never seemed to mention Rukia when Ichigo came to visit and simply greeted him with the assumption that he was there to see Byakuya.
"Oh, is that so?" Ichigo asked, not quite able to hide the disappointment. From what he had heard, the clan council could last from two hours to the whole day, depending on the agenda of the meeting, so chances were Byakuya would not be free to see him at all on that day.
"However, the meeting should be over within around one hour," the butler suddenly added. "You can come back and see Byakuya-sama at that time, or you are welcome to come and wait inside if that is what you prefer."
"I'll wait," Ichigo decided. He didn't have any other plan aside from coming to the Kuchiki Mansion to meet Byakuya, so he might as well just wait there instead of going out and risk being seen and challenged to a duel by someone from the Eleventh Division.
"In that case, please follow me this way, Kurosaki-dono."
Since Ichigo had expected the butler to take him to the living room, he was surprised that the old man led him to a different direction from usual and brought them to the part of the mansion that Ichigo wasn't sure if he had been to before.
"The living room is used for the council meeting at the moment," the butler explained as if he could read Ichigo's thought. "I hope you wouldn't mind waiting at Byakuya-sama's study instead."
The butler stopped once they reached to one sliding door that didn't look any different from any other doors in Ichigo's opinion. How they managed to tell each room apart was still beyond him.
Sliding the door open, the butler made a gesture for Ichigo to walk in.
"Are you sure Byakuya wouldn't mind someone coming into his office without his permission?" Ichigo asked as he entered the room and then cast his eyes around the room.
He had to admit he was surprised that Byakuya's study was not decorated in a traditional style with tatami flooring and low tables. Instead the room had parquet flooring, possibly because it had to withstand the weight of all bookshelves that were set next to the walls at the left and the right side of the room. The writing table that Byakuya used was not a low table but a large oak desk with a matching chair. There was also a sofa set, placed at the left corner of the room, not too far from the door. However, the thing that caught Ichigo's eyes most was none of the furniture. Instead, it was that one glass wind chime that was hung on the ledge of the window just behind the desk. It looked like it didn't actually belong there, since everything else in the room seemed to be of high quality and high price, whereas that wind chime appeared to be old and worn.
"Byakuya-sama receives his guests in this room from time to time, so it should be fine," the butler replied before he made a gesture for Ichigo to sit down on one armchair in the sofa set. "Please make yourself at home, Kurosaki-dono. I shall bring you some refreshment shortly."
With that said, the butler bowed down at Ichigo as if to excuse himself, then he stepped out of the room, leaving Ichigo alone in Byakuya's study. Once the butler left, Ichigo headed towards the window and tilted his head up to get a closer look at the wind chime.
Ichigo widened his eyes, as he recognized the painting of blue Chinese bellflower and green leaves, which identify it as the same wind chime as the one he had given to Byakuya a year ago as a gift of gratitude. It was a big surprise to Ichigo, since he had always thought that Byakuya would just put the wind chime away somewhere in a storeroom without ever bringing it back out into the light again or in the case that Byakuya should choose to use it, the nobleman would have just hung it to some tree in the garden not in his own study room. Seeing the wind chime being hung in a good condition even after a year had passed since he had given it to the man made Ichigo wonder if he was allowed to read into things and think that it actually meant something more than just that Byakuya liked the particular gift.
Ichigo kept his eyes on the wind chime and couldn't help smiling slightly when he thought back to the time when he gave said wind chime to Byakuya. He still recalled how awkward their conversation had been and how Byakuya acted as if he didn't want to have anything to do with him, yet gradually warmed up to him with each and every new meeting. The more he got to know Byakuya, the more he realized there were more to Byakuya underneath the cold mask he had been wearing. Byakuya was actually likable, and Ichigo couldn't really pinpoint exactly how or when Byakuya had captured his heart. It just happened, and it was too late for Ichigo to do anything except for trying to win Byakuya's heart.
Although he heard soft footsteps coming toward the room, Ichigo didn't bother to turn around and simply kept his eyes on the wind chime while he reminiscing the past, because he believed it was just the butler or one of the servants coming in to serve him some drink. Therefore, Ichigo almost jumped out of his skin when he heard that familiar stoic tone coming from behind him.
"Good morning, Ichigo."
Ichigo quickly turned around, and his face lit up the moment saw that Byakuya walking in. Just like every other time he was not on duty, Byakuya was not wearing the captain uniform. On that day, the man was clad in a royal blue kimono with black obi. Because Ichigo didn't think Byakuya would go to the Kuchiki Family Council, dressing so informally, he reckoned the nobleman would at least wear a haori to the meeting. However, since it was a hot summer day, Byakuya might have already taken off the haori before he came to greet Ichigo.
"Oh, hey, Byakuya," Ichigo said before he smiled at the nobleman as greeting. "I thought you wouldn't be out of the meeting for another hour."
"There was not much to discuss today, and even if there were, I doubted anyone would be in the mood to have a long discussion in this kind of weather," Byakuya commented. "In any case, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."
"That's okay. It's my own fault for dropping by without any appointment," Ichigo replied before he stepped away from the window to approach to Byakuya who was standing by the sofa set. "Oh, by the way, I remember you like drinking cold barley tea in summer, so I bought you some ground roasted barley from the World of the Living. I don't know if it'd suit your taste though."
With that said, Ichigo handed Byakuya the small bag which contained a box of roasted barley that he had been carrying with him since he came from the World of the Living. Instead of refusing it, Byakuya simply accepted the gift.
"Thank you," Byakuya said. "I must say I'm surprised you actually remember something like this."
"If it's about you, then I can remember every little detail."
There was a peculiar look in Byakuya's eyes when he heard Ichigo's line, but the look disappeared almost as soon as it was there. Ichigo wondered if Byakuya would make any comment on that line, since Ichigo realized right after he had said it how mushy it might have sounded even though it wasn't Ichigo's intention to sugarcoat any words.
"Have you eaten anything before you come here?" Byakuya asked, not so subtly changing the subject as he walked to his writing table and simply put the tea box there.
"If you mean breakfast, yes," Ichigo replied, not quite sure what the older man was getting at.
"In that case, shall we talk over lunch?" Byakuya asked. "The family meeting always makes me feel drained."
Ichigo stared at Byakuya for a moment as he was surprised that Byakuya should invite him to have lunch together. Granted, there shouldn't be any special meaning behind it, since it was just lunch and they would probably be eating inside the Kuchiki Mansion anyway, but Ichigo was still excited about it regardless.
"Okay, sure."
"In this case, let's head out," Byakuya said, gesturing his hand to the door.
Ichigo blinked at the suggestion.
"We're eating out?"
Lord Kuchiki nodded.
"I just used you as an excuse not to stay and have lunch with the elders, so yes, we are."
"Well in that case, I'm glad to be of any use to you then," Ichigo said before he walked with Byakuya to the door. "Where are we heading to, by the way?"
"Can you eat spicy food?" Byakuya asked.
"Of course. I love spicy food."
Byakuya acknowledged the answer with a nod.
"Then I know a good place."
Ichigo was a little surprised that the place Byakuya was talking about turned out to be a small restaurant in the second district of North Rukongai since there were many fancy restaurants in Seireitei to pick from, though it was a welcome surprise, since Ichigo would feel too out of place if he were to eat in one of those fancy places that he imagined Byakuya frequented.
However, as the restaurant seemed to be very ordinary, he partially wondered if Byakuya picked the place just to keep away from prying eyes. If that was Byakuya's intention, then it would still not serve that purpose since Ichigo noticed people's eyes on them ever since they stepped into the place.
"Seriously, Byakuya, do you always get this much attention everywhere you go?" Ichigo finally asked after they had ordered their lunch.
Byakuya raised an eyebrow slightly before he quickly scanned the room and realized just how other guests of that restaurant were watching them.
"I think it's you they're staring at," the noble lord observed.
"Huh? Why would they be staring at me? I'm nobody here, but you're a captain and a noble."
"Even if they have heard my name, I highly doubt anyone in this district actually knows my face, and there is nothing that would give away my identity, since I'm not in my uniform or wearing any noble heirlooms," Byakuya stated. "You, on the other hand, are wearing a shihakushō. Even if they do not know who you are for certain, they can still tell that you are a Shinigami, and they would stare at you for that fact alone."
"Well, in that case, I'm sorry for drawing us some unwanted attentions."
"That is not something you need to apologize for," Byakuya remarked. "Pay them no heed and they should lose their interests soon enough."
Despite what he had told Ichigo, Byakuya still shot a cold glare toward a few of the customers who had been staring at them, making those customers avert their eyes very promptly. Seeing such an action from Byakuya, Ichigo felt a little sorry for those customers, since he knew exactly what it felt like to be a subject of that nobleman's cold glare, but then again, they probably brought that on themselves when they couldn't simply mind their own business.
Ichigo didn't realize he had chuckled at the thought until he felt Byakuya's eyes on him. That cold glare had been replaced with a softer look when the nobleman looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What is so amusing?" Lord Kuchiki wondered.
"Well, you said we should pay them no heed but you still glared them down," Ichigo commented lightly. "And here I thought you'd be more than used to being the center of people's attention that you wouldn't be fazed by anyone's stares."
"If it was just about me, I wouldn't have been bothered," Byakuya commented and left it as that. "By the way, do you come to Soul Society today because of the Tanabata Festival?"
Ichigo shook his head.
"To be honest, I didn't know you guys also celebrate this festival in Soul Society until I saw the decorations. I only drop by because I happen to have some free time."
"I see."
"I've gotta say I'm a bit surprised the festival is celebrated today, though," Ichigo added. "I mean, I always thought Soul Society used a lunisolar calendar and would celebrate each festival on a different date from the World of the Living."
"Now you know that we don't."
"Yeah."
Their conversation was then interrupted by the middle-aged waitress who came to serve them glasses of iced green tea. Byakuya nodded his thanks to the woman and waited until she left their table before he continued their conversation.
"By the way, this reminds me. There should also be the same festival in the World of the Living today, am I correct?"
Ichigo nodded as a response.
"In that case, do you plan to go back and celebrate with your friends in the World of the Living?"
For that question, Ichigo shook his head.
"I'd rather be here with you."
"Ichigo..."
The Substitute Shinigami didn't really need the older man to finish his sentence to be able to tell that Byakuya did not feel all too comfortable to hear him say anything sentimental, especially after Ichigo had come clean with his feeling towards the man.
"You asked, so don't blame me for answering truthfully," he said, "and the truth is, Byakuya, even though I get along fine with my classmates and there're also a few people who seem to be interested in me; in the end, none of them know who I really am. I mean, I can't just tell them I'm a hybrid between human and every supernatural species imaginable. They'll just think I'm crazy or worse, they'll believe me and I'd end up as someone's lab rat or as a headliner of some freak show. It's impossible to make a real connection with anyone when you have to keep so many things secret. With you, though, I don't need to hide anything or pretend to be something that I'm not."
For once, Byakuya didn't really have the right response for Ichigo's words. However, he was saved from having to respond right away when the waitress returned to their table with the food they had ordered.
Ichigo glanced at the food, which was a big bowl of spicy udon. Although the food look rather ordinary, its smell made Ichigo feel hungry.
"Wow, this smells delicious," Ichigo commented, changing the subject completely. "I wonder if it'll taste as good as it smells."
"I wouldn't bring you all the way here if I didn't think the food tasted good," Byakuya pointed.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow as if to challenge Byakuya's point.
"Well, I guess I'll eat it and see if you're right. Itadakimasu."
With that said, Ichigo picked up his chopsticks and began to eat. Seeing so, Byakuya turned his attention to his own food.
"Itadakimasu," said the nobleman before he picked up his chopsticks and started eating as well.
After he took a few bites, Ichigo looked up from the noodle bowl and commented, "Well, you weren't lying. This is really delicious."
Byakuya raised an eyebrow, "Now why would I lie?"
Ichigo shrugged.
"To be honest, I thought you might have taken me all the way out here to avoid prying eyes in Seireitei."
Lord Kuchiki looked at his companion for a moment before he replied with one simple sentence that could answer to any unspoken doubts and insecurities Ichigo might have harbored.
"You are not my secret, Ichigo."
Ichigo blinked once at the comment. He wondered if Byakuya was really that good at reading him or he was just that obvious. However, in any case, he was still touched by Byakuya's remark.
"I'm glad to know that," the Substitute Shinigami said. The usual scowl on his face was replaced by a rare gentle smile, which was almost wiped away completely when he heard Byakuya's next sentence.
"However, I must admit that it would be a lie if I were to say I didn't think you would embarrass yourself should I take you to a restaurant that I actually frequent," the nobleman added impassively.
Ichigo groaned and glared at the nobleman.
"And here I was about to forget that you're a master of verbal abuse," the Substitute Shinigami said darkly. "Now I don't even know what stopped you from taking me to one of those fancy places just so I could embarrass myself for your amusement since you've got such a sadistic sense of humor anyway."
"I wonder why myself," Byakuya replied noncommittally before he turned his attention back to his food and continued eating.
Ichigo continued to glare at the nobleman for another moment but soon the look in his eyes were softened as he watched Byakuya's refined table manners. While Ichigo wouldn't say that his own manner was bad – after all, his mother had taught him well – the Substitute Shinigami still couldn't say that he would ever be as graceful as the man before him even if he spent the next decade practicing.
Realizing that he was staring, Ichigo shook his head and turned his attention back to his food and then continued eating.
"By the way, Byakuya, do you have any plan after this?" Ichigo asked casually after a moment of silence.
"No, I don't. Why did you ask?"
"Care to go to the fair with me after lunch? This is actually the first time I see a fair in Soul Society, so I'm kinda curious to see if it would be the same as a fair back in the World of the Living," Ichigo asked, but when he felt Byakuya's hesitation, he added, "but you don't want to go, then that's okay. I can just go by myself."
For a moment there, Ichigo thought Byakuya would decline his invitation, so he had to be surprised when the refusal didn't come.
"It's fine. I'll go."
"Eh? You will? Really?"
"I said so, didn't I?"
Ichigo beamed at the confirmation, though it only lasted for a second before Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he asked:
"Wait. You're not gonna say that you only agree because as a captain you can't just let me run around Soul Society without any supervision, are you?"
Byakuya raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything in response, Ichigo raised a hand as a gesture to stop him, since he still remembered the way that Rukia had quoted what Byakuya had said to her when he allowed her and Renji to come to Hueco Mundo to assist him in his attempt to rescue Inoue all too well, and he was sure it would hurt more to hear something like that for the man himself.
"On a second thought, don't answer that," Ichigo said.
Byakuya seemed to be amused by Ichigo's behavior.
"Then I won't answer," said the noble. "Anyway, finish your lunch before it gets cold, Ichigo. I'll do the same. Once we're done we can go back to Seireitei and look around the fair."
Having no reason not to follow Byakuya's suggestion, Ichigo continued eating his lunch while being mindful of his manners so that he wouldn't eat too fast and choke himself to death.
Although he had spent time walking in a fair together with Byakuya once in the previous year's Bon Festival in Naruki City, the circumstance was very different. In the World of the Living, no one paid them any attention, since they couldn't see Byakuya and to them Ichigo was just another random teenager. However, in Seireitei, people would stop to greet both of them or at least to greet Byakuya, so their conversation kept getting interrupted for so many times it was frustrating. The only redeeming thing about it was that everyone left after they were done with their greetings.
"I've heard someone said it once that you were one of the best-known captains of the Gotei 13, but I never thought you'd be this popular," Ichigo commented as soon as the person who had just come over to greet them left.
"Those people just felt obligated to come and greet me since they're either my subordinates or from some noble houses that are in alliance with my family."
Ichigo would have been convinced had it not been for the fact that he had seen many women's goo-goo eyes directed towards Byakuya's direction every now and again.
"Right," Ichigo said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry for not warning you about this beforehand."
Ichigo waved Byakuya's apology off.
"It's fine. I kinda expect it already. I'd be more surprised if we can go totally unnoticed."
Having said that, Ichigo looked around the street and spotted a lemonade kiosk just in front of him, so he pointed at it.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go and buy us some lemonade," he declared, and Byakuya could say anything about it, he added, "And don't bother to refuse, Byakuya. You've already treated me to lunch, so I should at least be allowed to buy you some drink in return."
Not waiting for any reply from his current company, Ichigo simply went on with his plan, leaving Lord Kuchiki to watch him with an amused gleam in his slate eyes.
Ichigo returned a short while later with a large cup of lemonade in each of his hand. He handed one to Byakuya, who gingerly accepted the drink.
"It's a hot day, isn't it?" Byakuya commented as he watched Ichigo gulped down half of his drink in one go.
"Yeah," Ichigo said. "I'm surprised I don't feel exhausted, though."
Byakuya furrowed his brows. "Why should that even be a surprise?"
"Well, I haven't been feeling too well lately," the Substitute Shinigami noted. "At first, I thought it was because I didn't get enough rest, but even now that I've finished all assignments and had more time to rest, I still don't feel much better, so I think it might have something to do with the heat. That's why I said I was surprised I didn't feel tired today, since I think it's much hotter here than back in the World of the Living. Maybe heat waves in Soul Society and the ones on Earth don't have the same effects?"
Ichigo noted how Byakuya had a pensive look on his face for a moment and then seemed a little hesitant before he said the next line.
"Perhaps you should see a doctor and have a full checkup when you returned to your world to find out the real cause of your exhaustion?"
Ichigo was about to tell Byakuya not to worry about it and that he was sure it would get better after summer had passed. However, he swallowed down his words when he saw the look in Byakuya's slate eyes. He wasn't sure what that look actually was, but if he had to hazard a guess, he would say that the idea of someone getting sick without a certain cause simply did not bode well with Byakuya, for that was what happened to the man's late wife.
"Okay, I guess I can ask my old man to examine me after I get back home, but I'm sure it's really nothing. I mean, if it's really that bad, it should affect me in my spirit form too, right?"
Although Ichigo meant to reassure Byakuya of his well being, it appeared his effort failed miserably since the Shinigami didn't seem any less concerned, and that made Ichigo wondered if Byakuya knew something that he didn't. However, Ichigo brushed that last thought aside when Byakuya's expression returned to normal.
"It could probably be nothing as you said," Byakuya agreed. "Anyway, let's look around some more. You said you wanted to compare a fair in Seireitei and in the World of the Living, didn't you?"
Ichigo came to a conclusion that a fair in Seireitei was not much different from ones in the World of the Living, except for the fact that everything had a retro feeling to it, as the whole Soul Society's setting, including the nobleman who had accompanied him for the whole afternoon, reminded him of a historical play.
The thought made Ichigo glanced sideways to his companion. Despite the fact that they kept being interrupted by someone who knew either one or both of them or by some random merchants who insisted they wrote their wishes on a long paper and hung it on the wishing bamboos that were the shop's decorations and wouldn't stop bugging them until they did, Ichigo still had a good time. It was more or less what Ichigo had imagined how his date with Byakuya would go although he knew he couldn't really dub their current outing as a date no matter how much it felt like one at times, and once again, Ichigo wondered what really was on Byakuya's mind at the time.
As if he felt that was being stared at, Byakuya turned to Ichigo's direction. His face was still unreadable to Ichigo; however, he could tell that the look in those slate eyes was a degree softer than it normally was.
"So what do you think about the festival?" the nobleman asked. "How is it in comparison to ones in the World of the Living?"
"I can't really tell yet," Ichigo said. "I mean, the highlights of Tanabata Festival other than the decorations are Miss Tanabata pageant, a parade and the fireworks, so I'm gonna have to see them before I can judge."
"There will not be any parade or beauty pageant, I'm afraid," Byakuya remarked. "However, there will be fireworks displays in an hour or so."
"Oh, okay, it won't be long for that then," Ichigo commented as he looked up to the sky that had already turned dark after the sun had left the horizon. "Where's the best spot to see the fireworks?"
"People usually go up to the Sōkyoku Hill," Byakuya replied. "After all, it is the highest ground in Seireitei, so they could see fireworks without anything blocking their views."
Ichigo grimaced. He didn't really understand why people would go to such a place during a festival. Even if it was a good spot, that hill still had an eerie feel to it, as it had been used as an execution ground for as long as anyone knew and only stopped being used for that purpose because the Sōkyoku was destroyed when Ichigo came to rescue Rukia three years earlier. And if that alone wasn't bad enough, then there was also the fact that he and Byakuya had once had an all-out battle that could have ended their lives right there on that hill.
"Are there any other good spots?" the Substitute Shinigami asked. "I don't know about you, but that hill doesn't exactly hold my fondest memory."
Byakuya tilted his head up to look at the direction of the Sōkyoku Hill. Even though it was already dark and they were standing at quite a great distance from the hill, it was not hard to find the sign of destruction that had been caused three years ago by their battle should anyone knew where to look.
"In that case, I suppose the Senzaikyū Bridge is also out of the question?"
"Isn't there any less depressing place to go to?" Ichigo asked.
Byakuya didn't reply right away as he took a few seconds to search his memory for the best spots aside from the ones that had already been mentioned.
"I suppose we can go to the lake. It is a bit far from where the firework will originate, however."
Ichigo shrugged.
"That's fine. Anywhere is better than to go up the Sōkyoku Hill or the Senzaikyū Bridge."
"I'll show you to that lake, then."
With that said, Byakuya turned and led Ichigo away from the crowded street to a narrow lane away from the fair. It appeared they were heading to an opposite direction to where most people were heading, since all people they crossed paths with all headed for the Sōkyoku Hill.
It didn't take too long for them to reach to the lake that Byakuya mentioned. If Ichigo trusted Byakuya a little less and they hadn't been on a friendly term of late, Ichigo would have thought the nobleman had lured him out to murder him, since the lake was surrounded by a wood, and he saw no one else there but the two of them. The wood had blocked all the city lights, leaving the area around the lake and the sky above it in complete darkness, and all Ichigo could hear was the sound of crickets rubbing their wings.
"Well, this is a lot more secluded than I thought," Ichigo said. "I know it's not supposed to be a popular place for firework watching, but I expect there to be at least a few people around."
"It's a private property actually," Byakuya explained before he gingerly sat down by the rim of the lake facing south. "We will not see anyone unless they are trespassers."
Seeing Byakuya's action, Ichigo approached him and took the liberty to sit down right next to the nobleman.
"I see. So this place also belongs to the Kuchiki family, huh?" Ichigo asked after he sat down and then tilted his head up to look at the starlit sky. "Oh, well, we've already met more than enough people for one day anyway."
Byakuya responded with a soft chuckle. "Indeed."
"Do you come here often?" Ichigo asked. "I mean, I know you like watching the moon, and this seems like a good location for that."
"I only come here when I don't want to be found," Byakuya replied.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "So you don't want to be found now?"
"As you said it yourself, we have already met more than enough people for one day."
Ichigo allowed himself a small smirk before he leaned slightly backward so he wouldn't have to strain his neck to look at the night sky.
"This is really nice," Ichigo said as he felt a summer breeze blew past his face. "I think there's a chance that we'll actually see the Milky Way from here."
"Have you seen it before?" Byakuya asked as he, too, leaned backward slightly to have a better position to watch the sky. "The Milky Way, I mean."
"No," Ichigo replied. "It's hard to see anything in the night sky with all the lights in the city, you know. But you've probably seen for so many times that it's not something to be excited about, right?"
Byakuya turned to look at Ichigo before he replied, "Just because you've seen something so many times doesn't always mean that it will become any less fascinating."
With that, Byakuya turned back to the sky.
"There," he said, pointing his finger to the middle of the sky. "That's the Milky Way."
Ichigo followed Byakuya's finger with his eyes and saw a luminous band of light and clouds of stars that seemed to spread across the sky.
"Wow... so this is what it really looks like? Amazing," Ichigo exclaimed. "You wouldn't happen to know which star is Orihime and which one is Hikoboshi, too, would you?"
Hearing the excitement in Ichigo's voice, Byakuya felt he shouldn't disappoint.
"They are easy to spot, actually. You see that triangle?" Byakuya said, before he drew an imaginary triangle joining the three brightest stars on the sky. "That's the Summer Triangle. The brightest one is Orihime, and the second brightest one is Hikoboshi."
Ichigo took a moment to look at those stars.
"You sure know a lot of things about the stars, eh?" the Substitute Shinigami commented. He then turned his head slightly so that he could get a look at Byakuya's face although he wouldn't be able to see the man's expression since they were surrounded by complete darkness. "Do you think they get to meet tonight? Orihime and Hikoboshi, I mean."
Byakuya, on the other hand, still kept his eyes on the sky as he replied, "According to the legend, they should already be together as we speak."
Ichigo nodded before he turned his eyes back to the sky and gazed at those stars in the legend.
"It's a shame they'll be separated again for one more year after tonight," Ichigo said. "Though I think I understand why they would choose to wait for one another when it would be that much easier to simply forget one another and move on with their lives."
Ichigo could feel Byakuya's eyes on him, so he turned to face the man. However, since the nobleman didn't make any comment or ask him to elaborate, Ichigo decided to continue without any prompt.
"Some people are worth waiting forever for, even if you'd have to be alone while you wait for them," he said, "because one day with them means more to you than a whole year with others ever could."
"It would not be a wise choice to make."
"I never claimed to be wise," Ichigo said as he looked deep into Byakuya's slate eyes that were then black because of the lack of light in the area. "Besides, you're worth waiting forever for."
Almost at the exact moment Ichigo finished his sentence, the first firework of the firework displays was shot up to the sky with a loud boom. However, despite having gone to the lake to watch the fireworks, neither one of them actually turned to look at the fireworks, as at that moment, their eyes were locked together and time seemed to have stood still.
It was not the first time that Ichigo couldn't tear his eyes away from Byakuya nor was it the first time that he felt a strong desire to kiss that man. However, it was the first time that Ichigo gave in to the temptation and leaned forward to press his lips gently against Byakuya's.