Chapter 21: Cherry Blossoms

"Do you, don't you want me to love you?

I'm coming down fast, but I'm miles above you,

Tell me, tell me, tell me, c'mon tell me the answer,

Well, you may be a lover but you ain't no dancer."

-The Beatles "Helter Skelter"

Spring

Amaya's feet dangled over the edge of the boardwalk that stretched out over the pond of Ukitake's home. She dropped small bits of bread into the water below and watched Ukitake's carp surface for the morsels with swishes of their tails as their bodies made golden swirls in the water. Spring had at long last arrived in Seiretei, and she and Juushiro enjoyed the glorious day presented to them as the cherry blossom trees swayed in the wind sending pink, shimmering petals dancing and twirling into the pristine blue sky.

A single petal fell in Amaya's long red hair, and Ukitake reached up to pluck it out of the shining, soft strands he so admired. "What an amazing day."

Amaya smiled as she felt him touch her hair. "Isn't it? It's about time, too. I was long tired of the cold weather."

Juushiro released the petal from his fingertips so it could join the other petals that floated on the wind. He gazed at the back of her head, at her shining auburn strands of hair and the hawk feather affixed to the crown of her head on the left side. A long, thin and beaded braid hung down over her shoulder, and he had only belatedly realized that he had touched her.

He blushed. "S-so was I." Then he cleared his throat. "So. How is the music coming for the festival concert?"

Amaya tossed another bit of food into the water and gazed into its pristine, rippling surface. "It's going well. We're going to have full rehearsal this week, so I probably won't be getting home until late." She sighed. "I really hate weeks like this."

"I'm sure it's worth it in the end," he told her. "You're very talented, and people enjoy hearing the orchestra – and you."

She smiled again. "Thank you." She wiped her hands on her hakama. "Are you still coming to the performance?"

"Of course I am," he told her, smiling. Then he blinked and glanced over at her quizzically. "Are…are you and I…are we still…?"

"Well, yeah," Amaya told him, grinning. "We made a promise to go with each other, and I intend to stick with it." She rested her chin on the railing. "But…"

"But?"

"Um…" Amaya bit her lip. "Never mind."

"What?"

"Never mind, Ukitake-san."

"Oh, come on. You can't end a sentence with the word 'but' and expect me to forget about it," he protested. "What were you going to say?"

Amaya blushed hotly and began to stumble over her words. "Er…well…is it…is it like…I dunno…a date?" Then she sat up, an alarmed expression written all over her. "I mean! It…it doesn't have to be…I mean I wasn't expecting it to be…" She put her face to her palm. "Oh God…"

Juushiro blinked for a moment and then he simply laughed. He put an arm around her shoulders and shook her a little. "I don't mind if it's a date, Amaya-san! In fact…I'd like that very much."

Juushiro left his arm around her shoulders for a little too long before he realized what he was doing and quickly slid away. The way Amaya made him feel whenever he touched her was almost indescribable. He felt as though he were stuck somewhere in limbo between boy and man even though he was far older than she. The rush he felt from her mere presence and the excitement he felt when she walked into a room was unlike any feeling he had ever experienced. Shunsui had this figured out, he just knew it. It was hard to hide things from his best friend whom he had known since childhood, and he had no choice but to confess to his friend that he'd been attracted to women before, even had strong infatuations, but none of those even compared to how he felt about Amaya.

Amaya was gazing at him now with surprised emerald green eyes. "You…you would like that?"

He couldn't stop the sincere and somewhat goofy smile from spreading across his face. "I would." Then he glanced down into his lap and fidgeted with his hands. "I realize that I should have asked you officially, but I wasn't sure how you would like that."

"Well…I'm not too good with asking people out myself," Amaya admitted. "In fact…" She bit her lip embarrassedly. "I'm really shy to ask anyone to go out with me. It usually winds up in disaster and humiliation when I do."

Juushiro was thrown off by this statement. "Why, Amaya-san! I just can't believe anyone could turn you down!"

Amaya shrugged and rested her chin on the lower railing as she swung her sandaled feet while gazing down at her reflection in the water. "I dunno. I guess I'm not anyone's 'type'. I can't stand the color pink, I'd rather go fishing than shopping, and I can be quite…forward."

He chuckled. "Actually, I rather like a girl like that."

Amaya frowned. "Really?"

Juushiro beamed. "Definitely. Just because you're a girl doesn't mean you have to like pink, and I like fishing, too. It would be nice to have a companion to catch fish with me. As for your forwardness, I think it's good to speak your mind when you feel the need to. If you don't, people take advantage of you and mistreat you, and I also find that it's a desirable quality of those with natural leadership ability." Juushiro, too, leaned on the railing and gazed out over the water of his lake. "I really like a woman with a strong sense of independence. I don't want someone who wants to feel sorry for me all the time because of my illness. It's an inconvenience, yes, but I'm not sorry I have it, and I always said my kind of woman wouldn't either."

"You know, Ukitake-san, I'm actually kind of surprised you're not married," Amaya told him candidly. "A woman would be really lucky to have you."

"Oh?" he inquired, eyebrows raised. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, you're very considerate, for one," Amaya replied, "and you're very kind. You would never treat her as your property or keep her down in any way. I know I would never be with anyone who tried to hold me back, that's for sure."

He chuckled. "I know you wouldn't be," he told her. "So…what exactly is your…ideal man?" He finished this part lamely, for lack of a better way of putting it.

"Well…" Amaya trailed thoughtfully. "I guess I never really thought of it. You see, back when I was attending the Academy, I got turned down a lot, usually because of my Rukongai background or I simply wasn't good enough in some way. I was always 'not pretty enough', 'not popular', 'Rukongai trash'…I've heard it all. So, I kind of gave up even trying after a few disastrous attempts. But…I guess if I were to describe what I'd love to see in a man, I just want someone who likes me just the way I am. I want someone who doesn't care what my background is or that I have a mean temper or that I'm tough. And I want someone who is kind and treats me as an equal, not as an object or their property."

He nodded. "I understand. Everyone wants acceptance, and I have long believed that to be accepted by someone you care about in that manner, flaws and all, is the ultimate declaration of love. I think difference is what makes a relationship between two people dynamic and interesting. I feel that a truly perfect couple is one that balances each other and can work together to solve daily problems. I saw that with my mother and father as a child, and I always wanted a relationship similar to theirs."

Amaya sat up and began rubbing a crick out of her neck. "You know, I've never heard you mention much of your family."

"I've never mentioned them?" he questioned. Then he smiled. "I'm the eldest of eight. I have five brothers and two sisters."

Amaya blinked and stared up at him. "Did you just say you are the oldest of eight?"

Juushiro laughed and nodded. "I did."

"Wow…bet there was never a dull moment in your house," Amaya remarked.

"Eh…it was sometimes chaotic, I'll admit, but we had fun when we weren't squabbling as siblings often do," he said. "My parents are long deceased, so I essentially support my family on my own. It's my responsibility as the oldest, but my sister Chihiro helps me quite a bit."

"Oldest sister?" Amaya asked curiously.

Juushiro nodded. "Yes. She's a few years behind me in age."

The redhead smiled wistfully and looked down at her lap. "I envy you."

"Why?"

"I always wanted to belong to a family."

"But you have your obaasan," Juushiro pointed out.

Amaya sighed. "I know, and I love her very much, but…I just always wanted to have brothers and sisters…and parents. I suppose it's selfish of me to want that after all she's done for me."

"No, it isn't," Juushiro responded, shaking his head. "It isn't selfish, and I'm sure your obaasan understands your wish."

"She doesn't know."

"I'm certain she does, and she more than likely understands. It's natural to feel like that when you're the only one and have never had a real family."

Amaya didn't say anything, but Juushiro could tell from her pensive expression that she was trying to imagine what it would be like to be a part of something he himself had always taken for granted. He had come to realize during their conversation that Amaya had never really belonged anywhere. She had always lived her life as a sort of vagabond searching for her place in the world.

Then an idea occurred to him, and he gave Amaya a tiny nudge. "Hey…"

Amaya looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"I get together with my siblings about once a month. Would you like to come with me sometime?"

Amaya blinked. "Oh…no…I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding at all," he told her. "I think my brothers and sisters would be happy to have a chance at making a new friend."

Amaya shook her head. "No…I'm sorry…don't do this because you feel sorry for me. I don't want that."

"I'm not," he said, though truthfully, he had always felt badly that she'd never had a family. "It was just a thought, really. You can think about it if you want."

Amaya nodded. "Yeah…I'll do that. I'll think about it."

He smiled, satisfied that she would at least consider it. "Good. Say, I'm hungry. Want to get something to eat?"

"Sure."

Yumichika carried a large, thick book beneath his left arm. The thing was heavy, probably the heaviest book he could find in the archives collection. He made his way along the rows and peered through empty holes between the volumes on the shelf, and it was near the end of the third row near the back wall of the Reference section that he spotted Nina through an opening humming quietly to herself with her back turned to him.

She turned back to the cart to stack a set of volumes in her arms, and Yumichika stifled an evil giggle. He crept around the corner, the large, heavy book in both hands and stood close behind her, still trying to stop himself from bursting out laughing. Yumichika released the book and let it fall to the floor just inches away from his friend with a resounding thud.

Nina jumped and let out a slight scream as he exploded into laughter. She whirled around, an incredibly irritated expression on her face.

"Yumichika!" She picked up a thin hardcover book and swatted him on the shoulder with it. "How dare you!"

Her friend raised a finger and pointed as he tried hard to stifle his laughter so as not to draw more attention to them.

"Hahahahaha! The look…on your face…was priceless!" he managed to choke out.

Nina scowled. "How many times have I told you not to do that, you asshole!"

"I'm sorry," Yumichika breathed between giggles. "It just never loses its hilarity."

She turned away from him and reached up to place a book onto the shelf. "Well I'm glad you're entertained," she told him sardonically.

He reached out and held her shoulders. "Oh, don't be like that. I'm sorry."

"You say that every time, yet you do it again like the jackass you are."

He smirked. "Ah, but I'm a beautiful jackass, aren't I?"

"A jackass is a jackass, Yumichika," Nina told him, still irked.

"Aw, come on now," he said, massaging her shoulders. "I promise I'll never do it again."

Nina moved out of his grasp, worried that Sousuke could come in and see her friend touching her. "Liar."

"I promise I won't, and how about I make up for being a jerk by getting you lunch?" he suggested.

She pursed her lips, a smirk spreading across her features. "Well, you're on the right track, but you'll have to do a bit better than that."

He smiled. "Hokay…how about I help you put away the rest of these books?"

She nodded. "I suppose that will be acceptable. I do have a lot."

"Geeze, you really do," he told her, glancing at her cart, which was piled high with thick volumes. "Why are there so many reference books checked out?"

Nina shrugged and pushed her cart around the corner. "Most of them were checked out by Captain Aizen."

"Yeah…come to think of it, he's been checking a ton of stuff out from the archives room. I wonder why."

Nina shrugged and slid a book up onto the shelf. "I haven't a clue."

"How could you not know? He's your captain," Yumichika pointedly said.

"Just because he's my captain doesn't mean I know everything about him," she responded.

Honestly, she had seen the volumes on his desk in his office and at home, but she never thought to ask what he wanted them for. She did, however, know that he was fond of rather dry reading such as history books, so she assumed that he was simply looking over them for the enjoyment of them.

"So, what are you doing for the upcoming Spring Festival?" Yumichika asked. "It is the biggest one we have."

"I…am not really sure," Nina told him. Truthfully, she knew she was more than likely going to share a date with Sousuke, but if Yumichika asked her, what would she say?

"Are you going with anyone?" he asked hopefully.

Nina bit her lip. "Er…well…I have someone interested in going with me…"

"Has he asked you yet?"

She nodded. "Not yet, but he probably will this evening."

"Oh," he simply said, somewhat crestfallen. "Well, okay then." Yumichika forced a smile. "I thought I would at least ask. Ikkaku got let off the hook for the dumplings this time around, so I thought maybe you could join us if you wanted."

Nina ventured a smile. The past several experiences for Ikkaku hadn't been pleasant for him at all. "Did he say something to your captain?"

"Heh…more like he blew a fit when Captain Zaraki asked him if he'd do it again," he told her, amused. "It was quite a show."

Nina had gotten to know Ikkaku since the first time she met him. He and Yumichika were almost inseparable, for they were more like brothers than best friends. She sort of liked him, and he seemed okay with her as well, as he usually stopped by the checkout desk to talk for a short while. A smile had crossed her face, for she knew Ikkaku at least well enough to know what kind of a scene that must have been.

"I can only imagine," she simply said.

Yumichika slid a volume onto the upper shelf. "Well, let me know if you change your mind."

She smiled. "I will."

The material of Amaya's obi slipped through her shaking fingers for what seemed the zillionth time that morning. "Gah! Nina-chan! Can you please help me?"

Nina giggled at her friend as she came to her aid and picked up Amaya's obi. "You haven't learned how to put on your own kimono, yet?"

The redhead frowned, adjusted the folds of her robes, and tugged at the collar of her nagajuban so that the material would evenly peek out from under the collar of her kimono. Her kimono was dark purple with a cherry blossom pattern beginning over her left shoulder and continuing down her sleeve and over the skirt. Her obi was patterned with pretty gold flowers and accented with an obi makura that was bright yellow.

"I'm so nervous," Amaya trailed, as Nina wrapped the long, silk material around her friend's waist. "Why am I so nervous?"

"Why are you so nervous, Amaya-chan? It isn't like you haven't been out with Captain Ukitake before."

"Yeah, but…this is different, Nina-chan. It's a date!"

Nina began to bustle the obi at Amaya's back. "Well think of it like this: you and Captain Ukitake have been on several dates already. The difference here is that it's an official date."

"And that's why I'm nervous!" Amaya protested. "I've…I've never been on a real date before. I don't want to mess up."

"Hand me the obi jima," Nina said as a smile crept its way over her face. "I'm sure you'll be fine. If anything, I'm sure he's just as nervous."

Nina finished tying off Amaya's obi jime at the front of her kimono, and she stood back to examine her handiwork. Nina herself had already put on her kimono, which was a lovely peach color with white, yellow, and pastel blue flowers patterned across her shoulder and over the skirt. Her obi makura was a salmon pink color with a cream and orange patterned obi to top off her outfit. Her hair was swept into an updo and accented with a comb that had pink flowers attached to it.

"I made sure to do a pretty butterfly bustle in back and not just tuck the obi into the cord," Nina remarked. "I might add that you look very nice."

"Thank you, Nina-chan," Amaya said as she began to brush her hair. Nina came up and took the brush from her. "Now let's see what we can do with your hair. Do you want to leave it down or put it up?"

"Hmm…I don't know. I like the idea of both, really."

"Halfway up," Nina suggested. "You wear it back a lot when you train, so maybe it would be nice for him to see it down."

"Gawd, Nina-chan, you make it sound like he's my boyfriend or something," Amaya told her as she let Nina experiment with her hair.

Nina smirked. "Well, from the way you both have been spending time with one another, it almost seems as though you two are an item. I really do think he likes you, and lately, you and Ukitake have been the topic of hot conversation, according to Yumichika."

"Whaa?" Amaya then frowned. "And I bet its Yumichika spreading all this 'hot conversation' around!"

"Actually, no," Nina remarked. "While he does enjoy speculating, he actually didn't start that rumor."

"Then who did?"

"You and Ukitake from all the time you spend together. It's no wonder you hardly come see me anymore."

"That works both ways, you know," Amaya told her friend darkly.

Nina began fastening pins into her friend's hair to hold the arrangement she had created. "Why don't you just come out of denial already and admit you have feelings for him. It's really obvious that you do, so there's no point in hiding it any longer."

"How obvious?"

"Quite."

Amaya sighed and rolled her eyes. She hated to admit that she had grown really fond of Juushiro since they had become friends, but every time she tried to give into her feelings, a wave of self doubt would wash over her.

"I'm scared."

"Of?"

"You know how it is."

"Amaya-chan, I really don't think that is the case here. I think he really and honestly likes you from what I've seen and what you've told me."

"Maybe as a friend," Amaya said, sulking. "He could have a far prettier girl than me, and anyway, I'm from Rukongai, and he's…he's a lower noble. He could never be with someone like me."

Nina scowled and gave a hard, deliberate tug on Amaya's hair. "I'll not hear that kind of talk from you. You are so pretty, Amaya-chan, even if you don't know it, and as for him being of slightly noble birth, being with someone of more common birth doesn't make as much of a difference to the lower classes as it does to say…the high and noble Kuchiki family."

"But there's still a difference."

"Not anymore, Amaya-chan. A lot has changed, and the lower noble classes gladly take commoners into the family."

"You almost make it sound like we're getting married, Nina-chan," Amaya remarked.

She smiled at her friend. "You never know. Someday you might."

Amaya pursed her lips thoughtfully. Then she sighed. "What should I do?"

"Go with it," Nina told her. "See what happens."

Amaya looked up at her friend bashfully. "You really think I should?"

Nina smiled encouragingly. "Definitely."

Gin Ichimaru wandered into the Fifth Division office and looked around. The place seemed vacant and quiet, and Ichimaru wondered whether his colleague was around or whether he had stepped out to be with Nina to enjoy the festivities.

"Ya in here Captain Aizen?" he called as he made himself comfortable on a seat nearby. Even if Aizen wasn't there, Gin knew it was nearly tea time and knew Aizen would turn up shortly for his afternoon tea.

"I'm in the back, Gin," Aizen called from his filing room.

Gin sighed, got up from his seat, and walked toward the back room of Aizen's office. He crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway with his usual, wide grin spread across his face. "So there ya are. Whatcha doin'?"

"Oh, just a bit of filing," Sousuke told him absently. "I gave Hinamori the day off for the festival, and I was about to head off myself. What brings you here?"

"Heh…just thought ya might like ta know that Kuchiki's little sister's gone missin'."

Aizen's head was bent down over the open top drawer of a filing cabinet with his arms buried inside when he paused abruptly. "Is that so?"

"Mmmhmm…" he trailed absently.

Fifteen years ago, Captain Ukitake had assigned Rukia Kuchiki, the sister of Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, to a place called Karakura Town to help send expired souls back to Soul Society and defend it against Hollows. What Ukitake did not know, however, was that the order that had come down for him to assign her would be instrumental in Aizen's well laid plans that he was slowly putting into motion.

Aizen's brow knitted together thoughtfully. Then he looked up at Gin and smirked. "Well...it would seem that things have gone exactly as planned." He glanced up at Gin. "I think perhaps we had better send someone to fetch her."

The latter curled his lips into a menacing sneer. "I'm sure Captain Kuchiki wouldn't mind the task."

Sousuke smirked. "I'm certain he wouldn't, Gin."

Amaya sat on stage with her fingers poised on the keys of her piano at the outdoor amphitheatre as she waited for her conductor to cue the orchestra that was warming up. In the audience, the last of the people coming to see the show were filing in quietly, and Ukitake sat down next to Kyouraku as he silently marveled at how pretty Amaya looked under the spotlight in her kimono. He had been waiting for months in anticipation to see Amaya play again, though she would occasionally play a few pieces for him in her practice room. Each time he heard her, however, she never ceased to amaze him with her skill.

He gazed up at her serenely as she began to play, accompanied by the orchestra. The lights from the stage illuminated her, giving a rather ethereal glow. Juushiro had always thought she was very pretty, but today Amaya was lovelier than ever. A tiny, inconspicuous smile crept across his face, but the only person who noticed was Shunsui, who somehow knew what was happening to his best and closest friend. The latter smirked knowingly and went back to watching the concert, hoping that things would happen very soon.

Meanwhile, Nina had agreed weeks ago to go with Sousuke to the concert and be his date for the Spring Festival. She glanced at the entrances to the theatre, expecting him to show up at any moment. She glanced at the vacant seat next to her.

What is taking Sousuke so long? she wondered.

She turned her face back toward the stage and looked down at her friend near the center of the stage as the music began to play. She turned again and looked for Sousuke's familiar face in the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found.

Did I misunderstand where we were supposed to meet?

Nina furrowed her brow in deep contemplation. This was not like Sousuke to miss a date with her, nor was it like him to miss a performance of the orchestra. What could possibly be holding him up? Still, she wouldn't give up on him. Maybe he had some type of conflict to handle, or maybe he had some last minute work to catch up on.

The performance ended, Sousuke never showed, and Nina found that she had not fully enjoyed her time, for she was busy wondering and worrying over her boyfriend's whereabouts. She had considered leaving to go look for him, but she did not want her best friend to see her leave and think the wrong thing. As thunderous applause and cheers for the performers surrounded Nina for such a beautiful performance, she reluctantly stood and clapped for her friend before making haste to leave the amphitheatre to look for Sousuke.

Ukitake, however, thoroughly enjoyed Amaya's performance, clapped and cheered the hardest of them all for Amaya, and then he immediately made his way toward the stage to greet his date. Kyouraku smirked and nodded approvingly toward Ukitake as he disappeared into the throng of concertgoers. Shunsui had decided that it would be better if he made himself scarce while Juushiro was on his date. While normally, he would enjoy the occasion with his friend, he had decided that it would be impolite to tag along on this occasion. Instead, he had asked his lieutenant, Nanao Ise, to accompany him.

"You were amazing!" Juushiro exclaimed as soon as he saw Amaya.

She smiled embarrassedly. "Thank you. I really enjoyed playing tonight, more so than usual."

He tilted his head with curious interest. "Even more so than usual? How come?"

Amaya shrugged. "I…I don't know. I just did."

Actually, Amaya did know the reason she enjoyed performing so much, and it was because Ukitake was there to see her perform. In her mind, Amaya had closed out the audience and only saw Juushiro in her mind's eye, and it was to him that she had secretly dedicated her performance. It made her happy to hear that he so enjoyed her music.

"You look nice…by the way," Ukitake trailed quietly.

Much to his absolute glee, Amaya smiled again, this time more brightly and with a blush. "Thank you. You look great, too. Blue's a fantastic color for you."

Juushiro, who was wearing a dark blue gi and a pair of brown hakama pants, looked down at his own clothes. "Oh, thank you. I had a hard time deciding what I should wear, but it looks like I made the right choice, ne?"

Amaya nodded. "And you even tied your hair back. I've never seen you do that."

He chuckled. "It's been years since I've put it back like this. I'm not really sure why I did this time around."

"Well, either way, you look nice." There was a slight pause. "Well, are you ready to get something to eat or not?"

"Er…yes…right," Ukitake trailed.

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He'd been out with Amaya tons of times as friends without any trouble at all, but being on an actual date with her was different. They were on a date! A date was totally different from hanging out, and Ukitake knew he'd have to be the one to figure out what they were to do with their time. He'd have to figure out what Amaya would enjoy doing. Fortunately, he was somewhat prepared.

He felt Amaya nudge him. "So, what's good to eat at a spring festival?"

Juushiro smiled. "Well, there's lots of things, but considering its daytime and the weather is beautiful, I was thinking maybe…maybe we could have a picnic under one of the cherry trees." He blushed. "I mean…if you don't want to do that, it would be fine…"

She grinned brightly. "A picnic? Hey, that's a great idea!"

"Really? W-well, I have a spare blanket in my office, and…and I could get it and my division is doing a bentou stand…"

"Oh, well, let's go, then!" Amaya told him cheerfully as she hooked her arm around his so he could lead the way.

Meanwhile, Nina had left the amphitheater behind the rest of the crowd. She had intended to make the point of congratulating her best friend on her successful performance, but she saw that Captain Ukitake had beaten her to it and was leading her friend away. Nina paused in the aisle as the crowd filed past her and stood for a moment to watch them interact; she had never seen her friend look so radiant and happy in all the years she had known her. She was gazing at up at the white haired captain with an expression that was nothing short of subdued adoration. Ukitake, on the other hand, looked absolutely thrilled to have Amaya as his date, for Nina had observed from her distance away that his brown eyes were alight with adulation for her friend.

Nina smiled happily at the pair before she turned and walked away, her worries momentarily forgotten. Yet the smile faded, and her worry over Sousuke returned as she made her way to his quarters. She knocked on the door, but her constant rapping yielded no answer. She tried to slide the door aside to see if perhaps he had not heard her, but the door had been locked.

Nina frowned. Instinctively, she touched her side where Kiyohime would normally be, but she belatedly remembered that she had left her zanpakuto back in her quarters. Giving up on the door, Nina turned and made her way toward their private training area. She had hoped that he would know to find her there. She sat on the usual tree trunk and waited for a long while. Still, Sousuke did not show.

Nina rose in a huff, for her emotions were rapidly changing from worry to irritation. She stalked off toward Aizen's small pond and the gazebo, hoping that surely, she would find him there. Still, he was nowhere to be found. She sighed and made her way back to the festivities. From Division to Division, Nina wandered, her stomach growling in protest from lack of food, and her ire becoming ever more peaked. She wandered amongst the horde of event goers, some lounging on blankets beneath the bright, beautiful backdrop of cherry trees in bloom, others enjoying what foods and souvenirs the celebration had to offer.

Finally, Nina settled on a bench alone, having gone from worry to irritation to seething anger. Sousuke could have called or he could have left her a note if he wasn't going to attend the event with her. She understood that he had duties as a leader of her division, but she did not recall him saying anything about being late or having to cancel altogether. What in the world could have happened? Could he have really done the unthinkable and stood her up? Questions raced through Nina's mind, and the more she thought, the more upset she became until finally, she began to cry.

"Nina-san?" a familiar voice softly said.

Nina looked up, her face streaked with tears. It was Yumichika, and behind him was Ikkaku. She blinked at her friends and sniffled.

"Nina…why are you crying? What happened?" Yumichika asked, sitting down next to her.

She bit her lip. "I was…s-supposed to have a d-date," she sniffled. "B-but he didn't show up. I…I looked all over, b-but I can't find him…"

"Your date stood you up?" Yumichika scowled. "What a dick."

"Yeah, no shit," Ikkaku added. "What's the bastard's name? Want me to kill him for ya?"

Nina shook her head. "No…it doesn't matter…"

Ayasegawa gazed at Nina empathetically. Then he threw his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry that happened, Nina-san." He let go of her. "Want to come with us instead?"

Nina hesitated.

"Aw, come on," Ikkaku chimed in. He grinned. "We'd make better dates than that asshole. Hell, we'll both be your date. That ought to show him!"

Nina couldn't stop a smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. For Ikkaku to offer himself up as a date was huge because it meant that he considered Nina a friend.

Yumichika was beaming now. "I see that smile you're trying to hide! You know you want to come with us!"

Nina dried her face with her handkerchief. "Okay."

"Yeah, now that's the spirit!" Ikkaku told her.

Suddenly, Nina's stomach growled. Yumichika and Ikkaku erupted into laughter, and Nina blushed.

"Well," Yumichika began. "I know where we're going first!"

"Here we go," Juushiro said as he handed a bento box down to Amaya who sat with her legs curled to the side on a pretty pastel yellow blanket Ukitake had picked up from his office. After getting the blanked, he had left Amaya for a moment to order their lunches.

She smiled and opened the box. "Thank you, Ukitake-san. It looks great."

Juushiro had also brought over a pair of cups and a steaming kettle that he'd obtained from one of the vendors. He sat down on the blanket near Amaya. "I had some tea made as well. May I pour you a cup?"

Amaya pulled her chopsticks apart. "Sure."

Ukitake obliged while Amaya began to eat. "How is it?"

Amaya nodded. "It's great. I have to say, your division makes some damn good food."

He smiled. "Don't we? Wait until you have dessert."

Amaya laughed. "Oh, there's dessert, too?"

Ukitake snorted. "Well…no, but I know where to get some dessert."

"Ahh…I see," she told him. "Well, I can't wait to try it."

She looked up at him. His dark brown eyes were sincere and caring, and his smile was so charming that she felt her face become hot. Yet she couldn't look away, and his gaze held hers for a few long moments before she reluctantly broke away.

Ukitake cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, what do you want to do next?"

Amaya shrugged. "Well, you know I'll go with whatever you suggest. I enjoy your company no matter what we do."

He gazed at her tenderly. "So do I, Amaya-san."

After the sun had gone down, Yumichika and Ikkaku returned Nina to her division where she thanked them for letting her tag along. Although Nina was happy to hang out with her friends, she still was not able to shake her intense aggravation toward Sousuke for his no show. In fact, it was the one cloud that hung over her head the entire time, though she tried valiantly to hide it.

"So, I'll see you in the library tomorrow?" Yumichika asked.

Nina nodded. "Absolutely. I look forward to it." She paused. "And thanks to both of you for salvaging my evening."

Yumichika smiled down at her. "It was our pleasure."

"Lemme know if you change your mind and want me to kick the bastard's ass for standing you up," Ikkaku joked.

Nina simply laughed. "I will keep that in mind. Good night, guys."

Nina entered her quarters, and Ikkaku and Yumichika started off for Division Eleven.

"Dude, why don't you just ask her out already?" Ikkaku asked.

His friend shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't think she's interested."

"Well, I know you've tried pretty damn hard to get her attention," Ikkaku said. "I think maybe you just need to tell her how you feel."

Yumichika sighed. "Ikkaku, we've been over this. Nina just doesn't like me like that. I mean, she's beautiful…but she's not interested."

"So you're giving up?" Ikkaku asked.

Yumichika shrugged. "Maybe…I don't know."

"Nah, man, don't give up. Maybe it's just not the right time for her for some reason. But don't give up," Ikkaku told Yumichika encouragingly. He elbowed his friend. "You know, I think she's pretty cool."

Yumichika smiled wistfully. He really liked Nina for way more than a friend. Although most considered him a shallow narcissist, he considered Nina not only very lovely, but also very sweet and kind. He loved that she was shy, and he loved her art. In fact, there wasn't a thing he didn't love about Nina.

"Perhaps someday, I'll tell her, Ikkaku."

Once the sun had set, the festival wound down, and Ukitake and Amaya talked as they walked along one of the covered verandas of Seventh Division. Her arm was hooked through Juushiro's while her free hand carried a small stuffed cat he'd won for her in a game, and a small package of fudge.

"Is this your door?" Ukitake asked as he stopped her in front of Seventh Division's many officer quarters.

She nodded. "Yeah...this is my place."

Juushiro turned and gazed down at her. "Well, I hope you had an okay time. I'm not very experienced with taking girls out on dates."

She smiled. "Heh…its fine. I was just happy to have gone with you, Ukitake-san, and I had a very nice time. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he told her.

A silence fell over the two of them, and Ukitake found that he had no idea to take it from here. They gazed at one another for several moments, and his mind was racing. Was she expecting something more? Should he kiss her? Would that even be an advisable idea? He could feel his palms begin to sweat as he gazed down at her and into her striking green eyes.

Amaya looked up at Juushiro, and the tension was almost unbearable. Her eyes were locked with his, and she was hoping so much that he would make a move. Or was he waiting on her? Did he even like her in that manner, or was he really and honestly just being a good friend? She swallowed and bit her lip. She knew it was probably futile to even think that he liked her in the way she wanted him to.

She tilted her head down. "Well…um…I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Juushiro looked away and nodded awkwardly. "Er, yes. I'll see you tomorrow."

Amaya opened her door and went inside, and Juushiro gave a heavy sigh. He turned and walked away from her door, his head hung down.

"If you were waiting for the right moment, that was it, Juu," a voice said from behind Juushiro.

Juushiro jumped and turned to find that Shunsui had joined him. "Sheesh, Shunsui, you startled me."

"Ya blew it, Juu," Shunsui told him frankly. "She really wanted you to make a move."

Juushiro frowned. "And where were you watching from anyway?"

Shunsui beamed. "I have my little hiding spots. Seriously, though….why did you flake out?"

He shrugged. "I just…I don't know. I guess I didn't want to misinterpret things."

Shunsui slapped a hand to his forehead. "What is there to misinterpret? She's nuts about you, but she's too scared to say anything."

"I just…" Ukitake paused. "You really think so? She…you think she really feels that way?"

"I know she does. It's obvious to everyone but you, apparently. Hell, even Nanao-chan was really hoping you two would finally take the next step."

Juushiro sighed. "I just…I don't have the experience you do with women, Shunsui."

Kyouraku slapped a hand to his friend's back. "That's why I'm here to help, my friend."

As Ukitake and Kyouraku talked, Amaya was back in her quarters slumped against her door with a hand to her forehead. What had she done wrong? Did he really and honestly not like her like that? Her hand fell to her side. The way she felt about him was nothing short of torture. She was in love with him, she knew, but not knowing how he felt about her was agonizing.

Amaya sighed and straightened up. Maybe she should give up on him. Maybe he really wasn't interested in her after all, and she had simply misinterpreted his intentions. Amaya began removing her kimono, at a loss for what to do.

Am I really that undesirable of a woman? Amaya asked herself. Am I too short tempered, too forward? Or maybe it's my upbringing after all…

"If it were that, he probably wouldn't even associate himself with you," she heard Haringu no Tsuki say in the back of her mind.

Or maybe I just suck that bad as a person, Amaya responded to him.

"Or perhaps it is because you just don't know how to read a man, Amaya," Haringu told her wisely. "You oughtn't give up on him. I sense that he, too, is feeling just as awkward and is just as inexperienced."

Amaya bit her lip. Haringu...is there anything good about me?

Haringu frowned as he pulled Amaya back into her inner world filled with a dark forest under a full moon and mist. He emerged from the shadows in the form of a giant sliver-grey wolf, his yellow eyes gleaming at her. He approached her slowly and circled around her, his eyes fixed upon hers.

"You've much to offer a man, Amaya," he told her in his deep but calm voice. "Your problem is that you lack confidence in yourself. You think the problem is always you. It is unwise to fault yourself for everything. The object of your affection is most assuredly not offended by you in any way. He himself has made that declaration, or have you forgotten that?"

Amaya eyed him as she knelt down in front of him. Then…what is it?

"I'd say that he hasn't a clue how to go about expressing his strong feelings toward you. My kind are keen to observe true intent and emotion. Believe me when I tell you that he adores you."

And what proof have you of that?

"Have I ever misled you, Amaya?"

"Well…no."

"Have I always been correct in my judgment of others?"

Amaya nodded.

"Then you should not give up. I have a strong feeling about him, and it is a good one. Patience is a virtue you struggle with, Amaya. If you are patient, I have no doubt you shall be rewarded for your perseverance." Haringu no Tsuki laid down next to her and rested his head on her lap. "I saw his heart the day he handled me, and it assuredly belongs to you. He just has to give it."

Late in the evening, Nina was dressed for bed, and she sat at her kotetsu with her sketchbook in front of her. Her pencil scratched across the paper as she furrowed her brow in both concentration toward her work and aggravation at Sousuke. Where could he have been this whole time?

Nina yawned and put her pencil down. She finished the last of her tea and stood up as she contemplated sleep, and for the first time in months, it seemed she would be sleeping alone. Turning back the blankets, Nina slid into her bed. She found that although she was tired, she was simply too irked to allow herself to succumb to sleep. Instead, she picked up a book that was lying next to her bed and began to read in the hopes that it would force her to stop thinking about him.

A few more hours passed when Sousuke quietly approached Nina's door. He was surprised to see the light from within her quarters glowing softly when all other lights were turned out. He drew in a breath, and slipped inside, hoping that perhaps she had fallen asleep.

He crept toward her bedroom and was surprised to find that she was awake and reading, for the hour was rather late. Aizen's lips twitched, and he wondered what sort of excuse he would give her for his absence.

"Nina?"

She looked up and frowned at him. "So you finally decided to show up? Sorry, but you missed the festival...and our date."

Aizen sighed heavily. He should have anticipated this happening. "I'm...deeply sorry for not attending. Please, forgive me."

Nina put her book down and her head turned sharply toward Aizen. "Really? Where the hell were you?"

"Something turned up…something that I've been waiting for a long time," he uttered softly. "It is something grand that will soon be in my grasp." He said the last part with a rather ominous glint in his brown eyes that would go unnoticed by Nina.

Nina's frown turned into an outright scowl. "So...did your fingers break in the process? I mean, I can't imagine what the hell would keep you from calling me since, you know, it isn't like you to break an engagement by not showing up. It isn't like I won't understand."

He let out a small sigh. "It won't happen again," Aizen assured her. "I'm really very sorry, Nina."

Nina glared at him. His face was earnest, and she could see that he really did feel badly about not showing up. She finally relented and scooted aside as she cast him an expectant look. "So, what is this grand thing you have going on that made you miss our date?"

"Research," he simply stated not wanting to give out any more information. If things went according to plan which they were, Aizen would finally be able to move on.

Nina eyed him suspiciously. "Research? Sousuke, I didn't know you were working on something. What is it?"

"For Soul Society's well being. It's confidential or I would be happy to tell you about it," he replied sitting down next to her.

"Oh," Nina simply said, for she understood that some duties of the captains were indeed top secret, and they were not allowed to even tell significant others the nature of their work. "I see. Well...I understand, but you better leave a note or call me next time. I was really upset."

"Of course." He smiled fondly at her. "I'll make this up to you. It won't happen again. I promise."

For the first time that evening, Nina offered a tiny, sincere smile toward him. "I'll hold you to that."

He placed a hand on the small of her back. "Shall we go to sleep now? I can stay here if you'll still have me."

Nina nodded. "I'd like that, actually. I found out tonight that I've grown accustomed to sleeping with you."

He began removing his Shinigami robes as he tucked himself into her blankets. "I have found the same, Nina." He kissed her affectionately. "Good night, Nina."

A/N: Gah! Sorry for the lull in updating. I have been working on this chapter for weeks, and I finally got it to where I am happy enough with it that I can post it. I hope to get through the Spring Arc rather quickly and get started on the Summer Arc, which is where a lot of things will be happening. I apologize for the lack of update, but I want to make sure you all get a good chapter to read. :)