This one… was hard to write. Mostly because this chapter received a bigger change compared to others.

(Chapter edited. There might be some minor mistakes.)

The Fool attempted to talk and convince but was ultimately ignored.
The Wild Flower ran ahead to reach and catch after it.
But The Butterfly escaped and flew away from them.

interlude

Conversational Pleasantry

"My name is Makomo. The Manager's bodyguard. I am also one of his 'eyes'."

Hara ran her hands to her silky white hair with her other hand grasping a comb as she repetitively slid it down from the top of her head to the tips of her hair that stopped by in her shoulder blades. As if in a daze stuck in a dream, her mind kept returning to the girl, Makomo, of the words she used as an introduction.

The Manager's bodyguard… this was the first time she saw one, Hara admitted, since The Manager rarely showed his face to the employees—to the Oiran except those who are closely associated to him. That included his bodyguards who decided to show themselves to her in the open.

Or perhaps that encounter was an accident? Hara speculated. She was in a hurry to get away from those men, eager to enter inside the building and she just happen to caught Makomo in the act—presumably, Hara briefly added—to stealthily open the door where instead she was the one who did the deed.

But still, the encounter… if Hara did accidentally happen to catch her in the act, Makomo should've been startled, alarmed that she was the one who opened the door but the girl only gave her an expectant smile.

Now she was alarmed at the girl's behavior. Was the girl waiting for her at the other side of the door? Was the taking care of the men an excuse to 'accidentally' encounter her? She doesn't know, Hell, why was she even thinking about the girl and the door? There's even a possibility she was only overthinking the encounter; that expectant smile might be part of the girl's personality and she was judging her for it.

Putting the comb to the counter with a sigh, Hara stood up and fixed her hair for the last time. Her work shift had ended long ago and she lost track of time because her thoughts was distracted to… she shook it away. If she kept thinking about them, it would only distract her more.

Looking at the mirror and scanned her appearance, she nodded in approval, satisfied before she sauntered and reaching the knob to open the door.

It's not like Makomo is gonna wait at the other side of this door, right? That would be ridi—

"Good evening, Hara-san."

—culous. Hara ended up biting her own words.

"G-good evening, Makomo-chan. What are you doing here?" She asked the girl, apprehensive and shaken that her thoughts suddenly came true in a matter of seconds. If only she didn't recognize the gentle voice, she would have already slammed the door shut at the girl's face.

"I am here as an escort for Hara-san."

"Escort?"

With the same soft smile earlier on painted over Makomo's face, Hara tilted her head in puzzlement. Why would she need an escort? She had been walking in these familiar streets by herself, why would she need it now?

"Yes. The Manager's words." Makomo responded as if knowing what was running on her mind.

She bristled her spine at the mention of The Manager. Hara rarely saw him, she didn't even given an opportunity to get a glimpse of him, why was he showing his… generosity towards her?

"Um, did you happen to know why I needed an escort from him?" She carefully asked, bracing herself for an eventually rejection from the girl. It was probably unlikely The Manager would state a reason for something like this… right?

"Because of what happened earlier, The Manager thought he would keep an eye on his employee."

A surge of gratitude went over her before a certain part of her resurfaced as she pouted in indignation. Either because The Manager was afraid he would lose his business if she was taken away or he was genuinely worried of her well-being… either way, she was still grateful The Manager went out his way to give an escort for her.

"Can you give a word of thanks to The Manager? Tell him it's from me."

Makomo offered her an ever-present smile towards her. "I will. The Manager also said to please ignore the men's words. That matter has already been resolved long ago and there's no need to dwell your thoughts about it."

Hara blinked at her words, the implication passing over head. "Huh…? What matters are you—"

Remember that incident where an Oiran was kidnapped from the same building and no one moved to save her?

"Oh." She muttered, recalling the conversation of those men before they approached her. She also heard about that incident too, although through whispers and rumors, and it apparently happened before she joined the Red Light. She had no idea what happened to the Oiran though.

"Ah, and also," Makomo raised her voice as if she recalled what she just forgot, "He gives his regards to your friend for saving you."

At the mention of her 'friend', Hara perked up and her mind immediately went to a certain person, Tsuyuri Kanao. Well, it make sense for The Manager to thank her for saving his Oiran—and potentially losing his business, a dark thought added—from those men and gives his regards.

At the thought of relaying the respects of The Manager to her friend, a smile with a newfound purpose spread in her face.

"I will." She beamed widely at Makomo, perhaps too broadly than she intended.

Looks like Hara will be visiting her 'friend' under the guise of paying regards from The Manager.

Kanao was back to her usual endeavors. She sat outside of her 'home', sweeping her gaze left and right to observe people who made no indication of her presence or glanced to her side which she had no problem about their ignorance, finding it a bliss for her.

Nothing has changed. Despite what happened a few days ago, it didn't affect her lifestyle at all. Even though the unopened medicine inside her 'home' was evidence of certain incident, there was still nothing that fazed her life at all; she was determined it would stay that way.

And thus, she's back to her typical and boring hobby.

"Hello there!"

As soon as Kanao heard the familiar voice enter her ears, she tried her best to prevent a sigh escape her. It really was now unavoidable, isn't it? The first moment this person had made contact with her, it was already inevitable that something had changed no matter how much denied to herself.

"It's been a while since we saw each other, right?" The small Shinigami plopped down beside her. "We we're a bit busy that's why I wasn't able to visit you."

Looking at the person beside her with a pensive frown, Kanao wondered why the Shinigami would spare some time to visit her. Even though their first meeting was more of an accident, this one seems to be particularly attached to her. Surely, being with her, there's nothing she can give to benefit her, right? Why does she continue to come?

"What a rough week. Being part of the investigation team at the snake incident, I didn't have a great time. I wasn't able to eat enough sweets…"

Ignoring or perhaps oblivious of the stare Kanao gave to the pink-haired Shinigami, the little one ran her words without care. Seeing this, she allowed a sigh to escape as she listened and registered the Shinigami's words.

So they are still investigating the snake incident? It was a pretty understandable act from them since it was an amalgamated snake; they are obligated to know where it came from and examine this potential threat. The fact that the shinigami has to pull out an investigation, they must have never found its creator along with the eccentric nature of the snake's poison.

"What about you?" The small shinigami smiled cheerfully. "Did something interesting happened to you?"

Kanao returned her attention to the Shinigami, this time with a tilted head and a thoughtful frown. She doesn't appear to have an ulterior motive. She seemed to be only interested in small casual talks and the question itself was pretty harmless. Kanao briefly observed the small Shinigami before she regarded the innocuous query. Well, since she asked a question, it would be rude to leave her unanswered.

"It was…" A certain two men lying on the ground appeared on her mind's eye. "…disappointing."

There was a moment of pause between them before the Shinigami smiled brightly at her, throwing her hands in the air. "You responded! I thought you were going to ignore me as usual!"

Another momentary pause occurred, this time on Kanao's side. The Shinigami was right. She had been consistently ignoring her ever since they meet each other, hoping she would be left alone to her own thoughts. She wondered what had changed between them.

She remembered certain words from Captain Unohana.

It is a good thing that Lieutenant Kusajishi immediately brought here. If it wasn't, the poison inflicted on you would have been a lasting damage on you.

Oh. Kanao almost forgot about it.

"Shini… Kusajishi, you're the one who brought me to Seireitei, right?"

Surprised at the question Kanao gave, the small Shinigami blinked at her. "Yeah, I did."

"Thank you for doing that."

At the slightly bowed head Kanao offered in gratitude, the Shinigami only shrugged in response. "It's alright. Since you've asked me for an antidote, I figured that you were poisoned. I was originally gonna turn you to a local doctor but I saw that in your face, you have," she touched her face while running her finger at her temple as if tracing a jagged line, "purple veins appearing. So I immediately went to Seireitei for you to be healed in Fourth Division."

Kanao raised a hand to touch her face where the poison was splattered. Even though it was just small amount, the poisoned had immediately spread and she can remember fainting in the street because how fast it worked on her. She glanced to the small girl. And she even have to carry me throughout the way…

She stopped her thinking as she noticed something… odd. Small? Carry? Kanao did a do-over as she briefly observed the diminutive girl who sat beside her. How did she manage to carry her in such a small body?

"Hmm...? What is it? Is there something on my face?"

At the harmless question from the Shinigami who tilted her head as she noticed the stare that was directed to her, Kanao wanted to ask her how she managed to bring her to Seireitei with that body of hers. Was she carried like a sack over her shoulder? Did she piggy-back the Shinigami all the way to Seireitei? Or maybe the Shinigami possessed a certain power and used it to carry her towards Fourth Division?

Despite all the questions on her head, Kanao decided to shook all those thoughts away. That doesn't matter. Whatever the Shinigami used, the fact that she was saved remains.

Leaving it aside to the back of her brain, another question conjured to her mind. "Kusajishi, how did you manage to become a Lieutenant?"

"That's simple." The Shinigami huffed proudly as she stood up in front of her while putting her clenched fist to her chest. "By being good at my job! See this badge on my arm, this is the proof of my hard work!"

Setting her eyes at the badge that was tied to Kusajishi's forearm, a form of Yarrow flower was engraved on it. As she saw this, Kanao was reminded of an object she was given a week ago. The sculpture of the Pass was similarly decorated but a different kind of flower; Marigold. She also recalled the white haori of the person who gave her the Pass had a mark reminiscent to the three horizontal line which was the kanji for 'three' on his back. The badge had with Kusajishi had no kanji on it, so she had no idea what Division she was from.

"Do you know a person named Ichimaru Gin?"

The pink-haired Shinigami nodded after she gave her a confused look. "Yeah… That Kitsune. He made fun of Ken-chan a week ago and ran away."

Ken-chan…? Kanao echoed in her thoughts at the unfamiliar name. And also, Kitsune… was she talking about the 3rd Division Captain? It was true that he looked like a fox… but he looked more like a snake to her.

"Why are you asking about him, Pleasant Eyes?"

Pleasant Eyes… she still wondered why Kusajishi called her that. Was her eyes really pleasant to look that the Shinigami had used it as a nickname?

"I… met him when I was on my way to Rukongai. He said he's the Captain of 3rd Division. I was wondering if you came from the same Division." Kanao held her tongue that she already knew they were from the different Division due to the different flowers. She thought it would be better if she heard the differences between the 3rd and the Division Kusajishi came from.

The small Shinigami pouted as she put her hands to her hips. "You forgot already? I'm from 11th Division! Didn't I already told you that when we first met?"

"You didn't. You only said that the 11th Division is full of peaceful people."

Kanao can still remember what Kusajishi called as The Reaction Game. The Shinigami said those words exactly what she remembered as well as the other unnecessary statements she spoke.

The other girl blinked as if caught off guard. "Really? I forgot… wait, you remembered?! You actually listened to me and didn't respond?! Pleasant Eyes, you big idiot! Why didn't you do that?!"

She was a bit offended at the accusation. Even if she tried to ignore her that time, she was forced to listen because she was talking close to her, of course, she remembered. Well, given that she didn't responded to her, she will admit it was her fault… at least.

As if she had finally settled down, Kusajishi crossed her arms with an indignant pout. "Never mind. The fact that you listened to me is a big win for me. Anyway, enough about me, what about you? Can you tell me about yourself?"

Kanao guessed that since she asked about Kusajishi, it would be fair to do the same.

A loud pitched ringing interrupted her before she can even respond to the question. Looking at the direction where the ringing comes from, the Shinigami pulled out a device and looked over at the small screen.

"Ah~ it's nearly the end of my patrol in this area. If only I can get an extended time here…" With a disappointed sigh, the girl tucked it in to her pocket. "Sorry, Pleasant Eyes. That was an alarm from my denreishinki. Looks my time here end for now. Thanks for the company… um…"

Watching the Shinigami trailing her words with a frown, Kanao felt a smile taking place to her face. Really, this scene was giving her a certain déjà vu.

"Tsuyuri Kanao."

"Eh?" Kusajishi perked up at her voice.

"My name is Tsuyuri Kanao."

With her repeated introduction, the Shinigami owlishly blinked at her first before a blinding smile grew on her face. "I see! Then let me introduce myself once again! My name is Kusajishi Yachiru! When I patrol here again, I'll make sure to visit again, Kanao-chan, and this time with Ken-chan!"

Kanao was caught off guard. To think that name would make a comeback here. She raised her hand to respond the farewell wave Kusajishi gave her as she looked at her running figure, her noticeable pink-haired slowly blending in to the crowd before she completely disappeared in the distance.

She still don't know who Ken-chan the Shinigami was talking about, Kanao thought as she gaze on, sitting in her chair, still staring at the crowd where the shinigami disappeared.

Before she can even realize what she was doing, her lips stretched into a faint smile.

The Butterfly flew ahead, leaving the hindrances behind as it goes.
But in its isolation, droplets of rain falls from the sky.

interlude

Kenpachi let out a ripping yawn while walking at the streets of Rukongai, only half-awake with a familiar weight on his shoulder where his lieutenant clung who sported a wide bright grin on her face, slapping him in the chest when she saw him about to fall asleep.

"Ken-chan, hurry up, hurry up! Let's not waste any time and let's meet Pleasant Eyes!"

"Alright, alright…" He forced a drawl as a response to her so she wouldn't slap him in the chest again to make him awake to their destination.

Ever since last night, his lieutenant had been talking nonstop about the stray cat—the same stray cat that was hospitalized a week ago—named Tsuyuri Kanao. He decided to lend his ears to, at least, ease the dullness of the day and make himself entertain by listening, which he found out, would be an act he would soon regret as barely got any sleep through all that talking.

And to rub a salt on a wound, she declared they would be visiting 'Pleasant Eyes' in the morning. That's why Kenpachi found himself strolling in the streets of Rukongai where the sunrise had barely shown its face to the horizon yet.

"Ken-chan, just a little bit more! We're nearly close to her!"

With the voice of his lieutenant close to his ear as if motivating him, he raised his head to see if they are truly close to their destination so he can finally get some sleep as soon as they are done with the business here and meet this 'Pleasant Eyes' fellow.

The first thing he saw was an intricate words written on a placard 'Flower District' along with an insignia of a flower, or rather the middle part similar to the sunflower surrounded by seven petals with a respective colors of the rainbow.

At first, Kenpachi thought the place was uninteresting since he didn't saw the energy what people described and heard from others before realizing it was still early in the morning as he guessed that people was still fast asleep on their respective beds.

At the mention of the word 'bed', Kenpachi tried his best to stay awake and blanketed his sleepiness with irritation. Are they getting closer to this fellow now or what?

"There she is, Ken-chan."

Steering his gaze at the direction where Yachiru pointed, he saw a person getting out from a tent, dragging something outside and put it in front of the tent. Without wasting anymore time—so he can finally get some goddamn sleep—as he moved forward to that person, Kenpachi called out to them as soon as he was close.

"Tsuyuri Kanao, right?"

There was a pause in their movement before they turned around to him. Seeing the girl tilting her head up due to his height, Kenpachi was filled with mixed feelings.

He doesn't know what to feel what he saw in front of him—or rather below him.

Kenpachi was disappointed but he had to admit he already saw it miles ago. The person in front of him was not burly and muscular that someone he can fight, someone he can see as worthy for a fight, someone who can make his blood boil for a fight. But instead, he was met with… this. A girl with big lilac eyes and a very terribly short stature that the top of her head can only reach his abdomen.

Since he had been already expected this, he wasn't greatly disappointed… at least.

Despite Yachiru being surrounded by hot-blooded officers and members of Eleventh Division, he knew that she had an interest on her own completely different from him, that's why he didn't assumed that they had the same temperament.

But still, when he took a closer look at the girl, there was something in her eyes. Despite his large stature, she just look at him as if he was just… him. There was nothing malicious nor repulsive in those eyes as she just… look at him. There was… nothing in her eyes. Rather, she raise her eyes up to him like he was curious thing of the world and retreated a step away from him as she blinked in wonder.

And then the next words she uttered was not something he expected.

"Do I know you?"

Kenpachi perked up at the tone of her voice. It was…surprising calm. There wasn't a disguised fear to mask it. She was… she just asked a question about him, curiously and fearlessly.

At the eccentric nature of this girl, Kenpachi feels awake more than before as he also retreated a step back. No one doesn't fear him. Anyone fears the Kenpachi, of the name he bears. Even those who are ignorant about him, she should've looked up at him with terrified eyes, shaking to her boots and screaming at him to go away. He had a terrifying figure that speaks his stance, position and presence; this girl should have been scare of him instead of blinking at him in confusion.

Is this girl blind to not see these things?

He was confused. He was confused greatly at this turn of events. Even though Yachiru may have the same reaction of indifference to him but this… this was different. He doesn't why but it feels different. There was… something complicated about her.

He inwardly sighed. Why was everything not simple?

But still, he wanted to find out.

It was an unexpected sight to see a towering figure first in the morning. Kanao still haven't tied her hair to a usual low ponytail and left her hair into an untamed mess since she wasn't expecting a visitor right after she woke up.

Briefly observing at the man with searching eyes, she noticed there's something familiar at this person, particularly his white garment over his black kimono. It reminds her of a certain Captain Unohana.

Another thing she noticed when she was approached by this person was the air around them strangely became suffocating as if there was an invisible needles prickling all over her body. There was heavy pressure on her shoulder as if like she was carrying a boulder as well as the goosebumps spreading to her arms. She rubbed her arms as she shook all those feelings away, thinking it must have been her imagination.

"Yo, Pleasant Eyes! Morning!"

A familiar pink-haired shinigami popped out from the figure's left shoulder before she jumped down at ground effortlessly in front of her. Oh. Kanao should have known. Of course, it's Kusajishi who brought… this person. She did say she would back with… Ken-chan who was probably the person standing in front of her.

"Did we wake you up? Sorry, there's someone I want you to meet!" She gestured behind her. "Zaraki Kenpachi, Captain of Eleventh Division!"

She strained her neck at the tall figure. He had a terrifying figure, with his big arms and large chest all tightened up with muscles along with an eyepatch that covered his right eye. But the strange thing she caught was his eccentric hair, spiked up in different directions with bells in all pointed ends.

As she was observing at Kusajishi's companion, Kanao noticed something and heard a rustling noise behind her. "So this is your home? It's all cramped up!"

She whirled her body and followed her inside when she realized the small Shinigami had entered her 'home' unattended as she lowly hissed at her in reprimanding tone. "Kusajishi!"

"What? You shouldn't feel embarrassed. This is your home, after all! Ken-chan, come on in!"

Kanao can't help the sagging of her shoulders as she facepalmed. She can't believe Kusajishi just invited her companion inside as if it was her own. The reason her 'home' was small was to prevent a thief or a visitor to come inside; the size of her home was only beneficial to her, or someone smaller like Kusajishi.

So much for a small 'home'.

She stepped forward before chaos would inevitably start inside of her 'home'. "Kusajishi and Zaraki…-san," she quickly added. "It would be better if you go back around the… tent since it is too small for Zaraki-san."

The tiny shinigami pouted. "Why?"

"Outside." She emphasized, giving her a sharp glare. Even though it was Kusajishi who said her 'home' was too cramped, now she's the one who's whining they were prevented to enter? She's too confusing to understand, she's almost like a child, unpredictable.

"Fine." The smaller girl pouted deeper as she made her way outside before the three of them heard a growl. "I'm hungry… I'm gonna go buy some sweets! I'll be back! Don't worry, I'll buy you some sweets too!"

Kanao watched at the running figure of the pink-haired shinigami before her as she disappeared in the nearby corner. She regarded at the male companion behind her, uncertain how to treat this guest.

What… a twist of event. She never thought Kusajishi ran away to leave them alone.

"Umm… this way."

He wordlessly passed her when she tentatively gestured to the back of her home. She followed after him and stood side-by-side as they arrived there with a clear distance between them before a pregnant silence went over them.

As the silence prolonged between them, Kanao cursed a thought towards the small Shinigami. Why does Kusajishi's stomach had the worst timing of all? She's not a people pleaser enough to talk with this person.

"Yachiru," a voice drawled above her, almost lazily. "How did you two meet?"

Hearing a query from him, relieved that the silence was broken, Kanao carefully responded. "She's… the one who approached me first."

With the consistent indifferent tone, he asked again. "Hmm… makes sense. So you two quickly became friends?"

"No. I… did my best to ignore her." She retorted almost automatically.

He barked a laugh. "That's funny. How did you became friends?"

"When I felt like I owe her. Being… 'friends' with her was all I could think."

'Friends' was not exactly how she view themselves. The conversation yesterday was only the decent talk they had. Their friendship was not there, let alone the beginning of it.

At least, still not there for now.

"Why friends? Why didn't you gave her a candy like an adult giving one to a kid?"

"Because I… never thought about it." She answered honestly.

"Because you never saw her as a kid?"

Kanao had a slight inkling that was this turning into an interrogation. "She saved me. A candy is not enough for that."

"I see. So it's simple like that, huh?" She saw him shifted in the corner of her eyes, catching her attention as she saw him plopped down in the ground and sat. "Then, tell me, what do you fear?"

She tilted her head in confusion. What does that have to do with anything they just talk?

"I…" she started, silently praying for Kusajishi to come back. "…have nothing to think about it."

"What do you mean?"

Not catching the interest at the man's tone, too caught up in her end as she only wanted to sigh heavily at the position she was entangled for entertaining this… man. Kanao never thought how she wanted Kusajishi to come back so badly. She's not good at this. "I never thought about it."

"So you never feared anything?"

She glanced at the side as she gave it a thought. "No. It's more… I still haven't encountered anything that scares me."

"I see."

After that mutter on his side, the familiar silence envelopes them once again as they both ceased talking. Recalling their conversation just now, Kanao was confused at the sudden topic. Why did he start talking about fears? Was there something he wants to find out about her? Was he trying to get under her skin, trying to intimidate her and scare her?

"Tsuyuri Kanao, right?"

Rolling her head to the side, she noticed he used the same tone and the same words which he called out earlier. "Yes…"

"Good for you…" He muttered, almost longingly. "Good for you to have a name you remember…"

"Is there something wrong with my name…?" Asking that question with genuine confusion from her, he continued to mutter under his breath as if he didn't hear her.

"You really didn't see me more as a monster than a person, don't you? I see, I see… so that's how it is…" he stood up before her as he towered over her like a pillar. Watching after him, she silently wondered if there was something wrong with him. But the moment he said his next words, she immediately casted those feelings away.

"What would happen if I threaten you instead?"

Her eyes went wide as she immediately backed away in a safe distance away from him, making sure she was far enough at the length of his weapon when she saw him reaching his katana in his side. Silently bracing for an attack from him while keeping a close look of his body, his weapon resting on his side, both of them faced each other as if they were in a standstill. Kanao also felt the prickling sensation intensified all over her body as well the pressure that almost buckled her to the ground.

"Are you kidding me, you expected me to attack you while you're unarmed?"

Huh? But didn't he said he would threaten her...?

"Forget about it." He let go the hilt of his katana and he relaxed his stance before turning around as if he completely lost his interest towards her. Seeing him do this, Kanao also lowered her guard whilst confused what just happened. She also noticed the pressure over her became lighter as if responding to the mood of this… man. She became even more puzzled at this.

"Say, kid, are you a fighter before?"

Instead of responding, she took a step back away from him while pulling her arms in front of her body as if to protect herself.

"I see, no answer. That's fine with me." He started to walk away from her but stopped in a few steps. He rolled his head to his shoulder as he continued his words. "Improve yourself, kid. Do that and I'll meet you again. I dunno if it's just me but I saw the way you look at me. You didn't fear me yet you're cautious with me. Instead of running away, you stood against me. Isn't that a mark of a fighter?"

No… Kanao denied that notion. She was no fighter but… if she faced with a predicament, running away was never her first option.

"Yachiru! Come out! We're going. You're already satisfied we met like you wanted, right?" He suddenly raised his voice as she stood startling behind him at his calling before she looked around. Kusajishi was already here the whole time?

Lo and behold, she promptly came out from the corner with a timid laugh. "Hehehe, you found me out? Here, Dango for you."

"I don't eat sweets. It's all yours."

Why does she have a feeling she should've expected that to happen when it involves with the small Shinigami?

"Kanao-chan, Kanao-chan! Here, Dango for you."

Kanao gave her an exasperated look when Kusajishi ran towards her.

"I know, I know! I'm sorry, okay? Take this Dango as my apology."

Kusajishi forcibly put the Dango in her hand before she ran after her companion who had already walked away and waved her arms in farewell. "I'll visit again, Kanao-chan!"

She looked at their fading figure at the distance before raised the Dango to her eyelevel, glaring at it as if it just sinned against her. Kanao had never eaten a Dango for a long time. Since she never carried any more money ever since she can remember when she arrived in Rukongai, she never once had set her sights on Kan which was apparently the currency in Soul Society instead of the usual Yen in the living Japan. She didn't even know what the money Kan looked like.

After looking at it for a while, she took tentative bite. Savoring the taste of the Dango, Kanao plopped herself at the chair that was already placed in front of her 'home' earlier.

Now those two had left her and all, perhaps she will get a moment of peace by—

"Good morning, Kanao-chan."

—herself. Why can't anyone leave her alone for a day and mind their own business? It's still early in the morning, god damn it.

"Ken-chan, how was it? Did you have a good time?"

Walking away from the vicinity of that strange girl, Tsuyuri, Yachiru decided to pose those question to him. Kenpachi's natural answer to that 'hardly'. She was mild who barely reacted at all—except when he attempted to 'threaten' her—and she sucked at conversing naturally when all she did was answer his question as if it was enough to pleased him as the 'guest'.

"Maybe." As if he was unsure of himself, this was his response that teetered between lie and truth.

"Really? That's good! Have you noticed something strange about her?"

Kenpachi frowned in confusion. Something strange? Was he supposed to notice something like that? Perhaps he was too distracted. "No, not really. Are there?"

Yachiru pouted on his shoulder when he spoke those words. "Ken-chan, you idiot! I'm talking about her reiatsu! Her reiatsu!"

Reiatsu? He didn't particularly notice something like that in her, but earlier, he didn't really observed her enough too closely. Again, perhaps he was distracted.

"Idiot, idiot, Ken-chan!" She started to childishly hit him in the head. "I thought you like fighting strong guys and yet, you didn't notice? I'm disappointed in you, Ken-chan!"

Ah. That was what Yachiru was implying about. "About that, Yachiru, that is already arranged. Don't worry about it."

"Huh?"

"You know that saying about the sleeping tiger? Or was it eagle? I dunno, I don't care. Anyway, I am not that reckless poking that one to ruffle their feathers for a fight because that one is still sleeping. She seems to be already in a verge of awakening so I didn't push her to fight carelessly."

"What do you mean?"

A smirked was etched in his lower face. "You know me, Yachiru. I don't fight weaklings. I like strong people and I love the thrill of a fight. But with that one, I've decided to be patient and wait because that one has potential to be great opponent. So I will wait until she's prepared, and if she does, I will personally go to her if she doesn't go through with me."

"…I see. I'm sorry, Ken-chan! I didn't know you were thinking ahead."

He sighed, almost in defeat. "You know what others say, complicated things tends to attract more attention than simpler one, and the darks ones tends to get attracted to the good ones."

"Opposite attraction, you mean?"

"Probably."

Was it simpler to say he, Zaraki Kenpachi, was attracted to that one, not in a way others like to say 'romantic' but in a more… 'battle-sense' type of way?

Well, it definitely didn't sound simple, that's for sure.

Raising her head at the newcomer in front of her, Kanao saw the familiar face of the Oiran she met at Red Light a day ago. Burying her irritation and indignation, she responded to her respectively.

"Good morning." She muttered while taking a bite of her food.

"Isn't it awfully early to be eating a Dango?" Hara plopped herself beside her as she made that comment to her. Kanao trailed her eyes to the Dango at her hand then to the Oiran beside her.

"A… friend gave this to me earlier. Here." After that brief clarification, she held out the Dango to the woman on her side. Hara blinked at the food before her as she shot raised eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure about that? I mean, your… friend gave this to you."

"It didn't particularly held a sentiment to me."

Even though Kusajishi gave this to her as a form of apology, the fact Kanao already a potion to it means she already accepted her apology. She wasn't really fond of Dango in the first place.

A bell-like laugh entered her ears as Hara waved her hands in rejection. "No, thank you. I'm not hungry. Anyway, I'm only here for a brief visit, I still have to go to work at Red Light. I'm here for… giving regards to you from The Manager."

Kanao echoed her words. "The Manager…? You mean from Red Light?"

"Yeah. I'm here for that… and mostly because I want to meet you if you're doing okay on your own." After those words, a frown grew on Hara's face. "That Manager… I don't know why but he seems to be keeping a close look on me, it's kinda creepy. I really hope he's not that kind of person… Oh, that was close! I was about to talk about my life story again."

Kanao only watched the Oiran beside muttering to herself before Hara stood up and dusting an imaginary dirt from her clothes. The Oiran bristled her spine and offered her a relieved smile. "Now that I've done my part, I have to go. Ah, make sure you comb your hair, alright? You look messy with that look. When I visit here again, I'll make sure to give you another yukata. The one you're wearing right now is old-looking and, is that a tear I'm seeing there? Anyway, I have to go, it's nearly my shift. See you soon, Kanao-chan."

Kanao can't the help the incredulous look forming on her face as she watched the Oiran walking away to her destination. What is she now, her mother? Averting her eyes from Hara, she turned attention to the sun that finally meet its face to the horizon, engulfing the surrounding the Flower District in the morning warm glow. She felt a smile growing in her face at the sight of the sunrise.

Finally, she got her well-earned peace for herself.

As soon as Hara arrived at Red Light, she immediately replaced her clothes into a pretty kimono and styled her hair into braids before twisting into a bun before stabbing a hairpin on it. When she was about to open the make-up kit, a familiar voice echoed in the dressing room.

"Good morning."

Turning around, she saw Makomo with perpetual gentle smile standing beside the door. "Good morning, Makomo-chan. Is there something you needed?" Hara greeted the girl.

"Yes, Kagaya-san wanted to know if you're doing okay."

She frowned when she heard an unfamiliar name. "Kagaya… is that The Manager's name?"

Hara saw the smile from Makomo briefly dropped in a split second before she conjured a timid smile. "Yes, it is… can you please not tell The Manager about this?"

Hara wore an amused smile when saw Makomo gave her a hesitant smile. "I won't, don't worry. Everyone can make a mistakes and that goes the same with us."

Makomo stared at her for a while, as if she was relieving something in her face with a distant look on her face. The girl gave her a closed-eyed smile. "You never really changed, aren't you, Amane-san."

Hara immediately looked around her for any Oiran in the room, seeing she was the only lone occupant before she returned her attention to the green-eyed girl and pointed to herself. "Amane…? Did you mean me?"

This time, the girl's dropped altogether while she stood stunned beside the door. Hara frowned at Makomo's silence, wondering what was wrong as she watched the girl spoke her next words in a low yet hurried tone. "I'm sorry, Amane… Hara-san. I didn't know… I didn't…"

Not even finishing her words, the dressing room was covered in silence when Makomo closed the door behind her. Blinking at the spot when the girl just left, Hara was left to wonder in her thoughts.

Who is… Amane?

Author's Musing:

I dunno why I can see the similarities between Shinobu and Kurotsuchi? I mean, both of them use poison as a weapon (at least, Kurotsuchi's Bankai) and yeah… lmao, as I said, I dunno why I see them as similar.

Terminology used in the chapter
(taken from r/bleach, wikia and google)

Seireitei (Court of Pure Souls): The citadel at the center of Soul Society where nobles and Shinigami live.

Kitsune (Fox): Stories depict them in Japanese folklore as intelligent beings who possessed magical abilities that increase with age and wisdom.

Rukongai (City of Wandering Souls): The slums outside of Seireitei where souls from the World of the Living/Human Realm are sent.

Denreishinki (Divine Messaging Machine): A handheld communication device that works across dimensions. Usually in the form of an early 21st century mobile phone.

Kan (Ring): Currency used in Soul Society.

Yen (Round): Currency used in Japan.

Shoutout to the music I've been listening while writing this chapter, B13A by Shiro Sagisu (BLEACH OST) and Dope… by BTS (that trumpet part BLESS).

For those who read the old version—yes, I edited out a certain POV but I do have a planned POV for him in the later chapters.

For those who were telling me about this before, YES, I finally read Can't Fear Your Own World (I'm still reading Volume 3 as of writing this) as well as the other light novels related to Bleach. A little bit of warning that I'm implementing the characters from these novels in the story… but they won't appear early this though but they will be in the far future.