Lieutenant

During the festivities, Rangiku finds her captain alone in their barrack's training grounds.

"Taicho, why aren't you inside celebrating your engagement?"

"There's nothing to celebrate, Matsumoto. I don't love her. Not like before."

"That's a dangerous statement, taicho, you shouldn't say it so openly." Rangiku's voice was laced with warning.

"I saw her." He suddenly says, looking wistful and lost in thought.

Rangiku had raised a questioning brow, "Saw who?"

"Karin."

"So she finally returned..."

"She was on paid leave, she was bound to return soon." There was a long pause, "I wasn't expecting her to return today."

"Oh? And why the troubled look? As your second in command, I don't want you doing reckless things. I want you to be careful."

"I've thought long and hard about it, Matsumoto. This is what's best for me. It's what's best for her. I could come to love her again."

"Hmm. Perhaps."

Toshiro won't turn to see the look that his lieutenant was giving him.