A/N: Sorry if it seems really miserable now. Hopefully the story will get funnier/happier But for now I think Bya wouldn't fall for a girl so easily lol! I haven't been reading the manga either. :(

His first impression of her was that she was like Ichimaru Gin; her smile - or smirk, more like - was most prominent and exuded nothing less than mischief and deviousness. It gave him a feeling of uneasiness, but unlike with Gin, Byakuya sensed she was more likely to tease than to have any true harmful intents. He took in her features with a glance - tiny feet, a flat chest, and a round face, although not enough to really be considered fat. Her brown eyes, however, were large and luminous and set wide apart.

"K-kouyori-san..." came Renji's voice, knocking him back to his senses. The girl cocked her head as if considering something, and then dropped to her knees.

"Kouyori Aiko. Pleased to meet you." she said, nodding in what he could only assume was a casual bow of deference. He grimaced.

"Are you mocking me?" Byakuya threatened.

"What could you possibly mean?" Kouyori said sweetly, putting emphasis on possibly.

"Your tone of voice, your lack of propriety, your - "

He hesitated at the sudden scent of sakura blossoms on her. Hisana. For some reason the smell always triggered strong memories of her death. No, who was he kidding? After their marriage, he had planted a cherry sapling outside of their bedroom window. When it became sickly, Hisana refused his offer to plant a new one. Somehow through the years it managed to survive despite its weak appearance and eventually became a symbol of hope to her when she became sick herself. Can you imagine if that damn tree outlived me? she joked constantly. That was like Hisana - a bit of devilry and humor. And beauty both inward and out. She held enough hope for the both of them, but it didn't stop the onslaught of the illness. To make matters worse, the sakura tree began to deteriorate. He could see her happiness falter a little more each day as he held her frail body up to the window. Do you think it's dying? she said with worry etched across her face. It wasn't until she was really sick that Byakuya wondered how much of her cheery personality had been forced. Hisana took to long periods of silence that he hopelessly tried to break.

Would you like something to eat? he asked.

It's not going to be a fair fight if it dies so soon, Hisana laughed, and it took him a second to realize she was talking about the tree again.

--

"Let's leave him in peace, Ai." Renji suggested, gently nudging the new 3rd seat towards the door.

His captain was staring off into some unknown space out the window. She shot him a questioning look as she followed him.

"He gets moody sometimes," he said simply, and shrugged.

--

Byakuya remembered running back to her. She was sitting propped up where he had left her earlier that morning. Her eyes were blank and glazed.

"Hisana..." he couldn't stop his voice from shaking. He knelt next to her body and put her tiny hands in his. One of her hands slipped out of his grasp.

"Look," she whispered. His gaze followed her finger to the window. Look. His heart skipped a beat.

"Hisana..."

Her head turned towards his voice for the first time in weeks. "At least I beat it," she said with a weak laugh.

"No...Hisana...please..." he pleaded desperately. His lips tried to form the words he meant to say. Please. The room was filled with the scent of the dead sakura blossoms. Please don't leave me.