Chapter 25 Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard.

Rukia narrowed her eyes as they followed the disappearing corner of a pink scarf and the end of a dark brown cloak on the woman named Hojo Akako.

She stood up from her sitting position on the corner of a rooftop not too far from the Kuchiki mansion. She followed them to Rangiku's apartment and saw Akako leave there after a few hours.

She thought about checking up on Rangiku but she isn't sure what they were doing together. She remembered her brother's warning words. If they are plotting something together, confronting Rangiku won't be a good idea.

But why would Rangiku san team up with someone she doesn't even know? And most importantly, why were at the Kuchiki mansion, at this hour in the morning?

…

His tender touches on my skin sent a chill through my spine. I gasped as he nibbled on my ears and spread hot kisses on my neck and throat. Then he looked at me. His eyes were big and kind. He pierced through my soul with those dark grey eyes…

I woke up.

What was that? I sat up on my bed with a headache. When I looked out through the window I realised it's the middle of the day. Why am I sleeping at a time like this?

I remembered the dark grey eyes from my dream. A splitting headache almost blinded me for a second and then it was gone. I decided to have a shower and head off to the office, although it's very late already.

I was grabbing my Shihakushō to start dressing up for when I heard the knock on my door.

"Kuchiki Taichou?" my mouth was gaping open. Why is the sixth squad captain at my door? I bowed respectfully.

He looked at me puzzled. It was surprising to see any emotions on his usual stone cold face. "Matsumoto… why did you leave without saying anything? It's worrisome when you do that."

Matsumoto? I was irked. Just because he is Renji's superior, he doesn't have the right to call me without my rank. "I'm not sure what you're talking about Kuchiki Taichou." I tried to keep my face straight.

"Matsumoto?" he was acting weird. He reached out his hand and it looked like he was about to touch my face. I jumped back. What the hell!

"What are you doing Kuchiki Taichou?" I jumped back, not expecting him to approach me like this.

He was taken aback. He looked confused and hurt. "… after… what happened… last night…" his words came periodically and it was as though it was painful for him to speak.

Last night? I tried to remember about last night and suddenly that splitting headache came back and was almost tearing my brains apart. I crouched down and pressed down my temples in pain.

"Matsumoto?" he stepped forwards and held me.

I pushed away still scowling in pain. "What are you doing Kuchiki Taichou?"

A sense of realisation came to him. "You… don't remember anything."

"What don't I remember?" I was irritated as I stood up. The headache was gone as promptly as it came.

"Everything." He stood up. His face was stone cold suddenly. "You forgot everything… about me."

"About you?" I was now irritated. "Kuchiki Taichou I'm not sure what has gotten into you, but I remember everything I know about you. You are the captain of the sixth squad, Kuchiki Byakuya Abarai Renji's captain and Kuchiki Rukia's adopted elder brother. That is all I know about you."

He stood there in silence for a long long moment. I wasn't sure what I should do. I've never expected this man to act like this.

"You forgot… About us." he said almost in a whisper.

I've never seen his face like this. It's contorted in pain and anguish. My eyes widen and I felt extremely guilty for some reason. Whatever it is that he thinks I've forgotten I wanted to remember.

And then he looked at me. And his eyes were… they were… they were… I suddenly remembered a chill down my spine… a touch on my skin… a kiss on my neck…

And a headache.

I screamed as the headache almost blinded me in pain. I fell to the ground and everything went dark.

…

"Kuchiki."

He turned around to find Hitsugaya Taichou at the door of her room. "Do you know what happened to her?"

He looked away and faced the sleeping Matsumoto on the hospital bed, senseless under the sedative that was given to her by Unohana Taichou.

He silently strolled to where Byakuya was sitting. He spoke when he stopped next to him, "if you're responsible for this, be sure to remember that I'll find you and I'll make you pay for it."

Byakuya watched the brick wall face of the adolescent captain who spoke with such ferociousness, for the one he must protect. He understood. If it was him, he would do the same thing.

Now it's up to him to find out how did this happen to her.

…

"How are you feeling Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya looked from my door as I was chewing on some dried persimmon.

"I'm good." I smiled at him.

He studied my face for a while. "Did Unohana Taichou say why you were having such intense headaches?"

"No. she couldn't figure out the trigger yet. Actually I haven't had any attacks since I woke up."

"How did it start?" he sat down on the chair next to my bed.

I felt a little foggy inside my head. It might be the painkiller I'm on. "… not sure Taichou… it's when ... Kuchiki Taichou came to see me the morning…" I felt things are getting foggier the more I try to remember, "… I think I already woke up with a headache… I had a dream…"

I crunched up my face.

"Matsumoto. Don't force yourself." Hitsugaya stood up again, with a look of concern on his face. "I'm glad at least you're not in that state you were yesterday."

"What was I doing yesterday?"

He looked confused. "You were in a very bad state… you were shaking and crying."

"Crying?" I echoed him.

He frowned. "You don't remember?"

I felt a headache at the back of my head trying to spread out. I heard a rustle of fabric and both I and Hitsugaya Taichou looked towards the door. It's Unohana Taichou.

There is a look of understanding on her face.

…

Byakuya concentrated on the papers in front of him. The tinkling of her jewellery is making it difficult for him to think. He wished she would just leave him alone.

"Akako. I'm on duty at the moment. You do not need to be here."

She watched him through her light grey eyes, the ever present smirk on her lips is unchanged. "I've heard that blonde vice-captain you had a fling with is in the hospital. Didn't you go to see her?"

He flinched, but only for a millisecond. But it didn't escape her notice. "I will see you at home for dinner Akako. Now please leave so that I can do my job."

When she left, he sat there unable to think about anything but Rangiku. He needs to make her remember him. After that night he doesn't think he can get on with his life without her. He needs her.

…

"Renji" Rukia found him at the training yard with some other sixth squaders.

"What's up?" he wiped the sweat off his forehead. She pulled him to a quiet corner.

"I think that Hojo Akako is up to no good. Did you hear Rangiku san is in the fourth squad?"

"Yeah. I heard she had headaches or something."

"Well it's very interesting that it happened to her yesterday, right after I saw her with Akako. Don't you think?"

"But it's odd. Why would she do anything to Rangiku san? She has nothing to do with Kuchiki Taichou or you."

"Maybe she became friends with her and that's what Nii-sama was warning me against." Rukia said thoughtfully. "But I still don't understand why he's still marrying her."

"Maybe we should go check up on her. Just to see if she remembers anything about what happened that morning."

…

"Matsumoto" she sat there looking at him blankly. "That scarf. Do you remember where you got it from?"

She looked at the pink scarf around her neck. "Gin…?" she muttered but it doesn't seem right.

He continued stared at her blank face with hope that she might soon remember something.

He recalled what Unohana Taichou told him. "She shouldn't feel the headaches anymore. Whatever went wrong with her, isn't physical, it's psychological. We can try naturally making her remember things now without hurting her. But if it doesn't work the last option would be hypnosis."

"Matsumoto. You ruined your scarf that Ichimaru gave you to save my life." He spoke. She watched him with widen eyes.

"I did? What happened to you?"

"I was injured and bleeding. We were in the eastern forest. There was a hollow which could precipitate into air particles, you saved my life first time when you came to defeat the hollow with Haineko and then bandaged my wound with your scarf. We were stranded in the forest for a whole night. Do you remember?"

She looked at the pink scarf. It reminded her of something else that was pink. "Cherry blossoms." She muttered.

His gaze deepened. "That was Senbonzakura."

She narrowed her eyes. "And… did we…" Her face redden suddenly. "That can't be right." She looked away. "I think my memories are all messed up. I'm remembering weird things that are not possible."

He sighed. "Anything is possible Matsumoto. We'll make you remember everything." He stood up. "You rest for the day."

"Kuchiki Taichou." She asked suddenly. "How do you know about the scarf that Gin gave me?"

"You told me about it."

With that he turned around and left.

She was confused. Why was she discussing anything about Gin with him?

As he left her room after closing the door behind him, two heads peeped out through the door of the empty room next to Rangiku's.

"Say Renji. Do you think… Nii-sama and Rangiku san… had a thing going on?"

"Rukia. I'm as stunned at that as you are. Kuchiki Taichou and Rangiku san? Who could've thought?"

"But it does make sense about Akako."

"You're right, Rukia. I think we need to investigate further."

Rukia jerked her head in agreement.

"You know Kanna loves detective stories, maybe we can add her…. "

Rukia slapped him on the head again, "stop bringing your girlfriend into everything. That poor girl has to deal with you deal with you during her free times already."

He scratched his head guiltily. "You don't think… she'll get sick of me this early?"

She studied his face with a slight discomfort. "Renji you stupid head. How can she?" she looked away. "You're not that … bad of a boyfriend... I guess… if you think about it… I mean you're okay to look at… anyway we're late. Let's go." She pulled him by his sleeves.

Renji looked at her weirdly before complying.

…

"Matsumoto Fukutaichou, do you remember anything about what happened to you that morning you lost part of your memories?

She studied Unohana Taichou's face, she isn't sure if she should recount the things she does remember. It's too confusing and doesn't make sense to her at all.

"… Some things… I do… but they seem so impossible…" her face was red again. "Did Kuchiki Taichou say anything about... them?"

Unohana studied her patient. "Kuchiki Taichou is checking up on you almost everyday Matsumoto Fukutaichou. If your lost memories are about him, this is also possible by hypnosis. Hypnosis can be used to make someone forget one particular person and any memories relating to that person would disappear or become hazy."

"But I haven't forgotten about him completely, just some things …. I think … if they really are memories… and not something I made up in my head… but why would I…" she continued talking to herself.

Unohana Taichou studied her face. "It looks like you are having trouble accepting the memories that are coming back to you. I think we might have to have a hypnosis session. Is that aright with you?"

She nodded.

Unohana turned towards the door, as Byakuya walked entered the room. The sight of him made Rangiku blush a little. She felt somewhat dirty having those kind of so called memories about him.

"You don't mind if I join your hypnosis session. Matsumoto… Fukutaichou?" he spoke up in his deep voice.

She nodded affirmatively.

…