Cherry Petals ~サクランボノハナビラ~
4. 線香花火 ~白哉~ (Sparklers ~Byakuya~)
That night, it rained stars.
We didn't know what that was, so we called that 'magic'.
When it was over, I made a silly wish.
I wished you would not say goodbye.
"It's the Fireworks Festival!" Yoruichi-san danced around excitedly. As long as the event revolves around fun, she would express full enthusiasm – so much so she was part of the organizing committee. She decided to bring me to the venue for a sneak peek on all the decorations she had been planning since last month.
"Yo-ru-i-chi saan~" came a voice that popped out from behind.
"Kisuke!" Yoruichi-san flashed a grin at this guy who was in Shinigami outfit; she shook his shoulders as he began to yawn lazily and scratched his fringe.
"Excuse me, Yoruichi-san..."
"Hmm? What is it, Byakuya-go?"
"Are you asking your Division's people to help out in this private event?"
That guy and Yoruichi-san looked at one another and then they started laughing in unison.
"Oh no no you got it all wrong. Urahara Kisuke, my third seat officer and best friend. He's the organizer of this event." The captain placed her shoulder on the tall, blonde-haired Shinigami.
"This little boy here is Kuchiki-san's grandson," That was how Yoruichi-san introduced me to Urahara Kisuke, who looked over curiously.
"I'm not little!" I protested.
"Nice to meet you, Kuchiki-san~" Urahara Kisuke took a bow.
Urahara Kisuke is a hidden talent for the 2nd Division, a pure inventor – I've heard a lot about him but had not met the real person until today – because he was always dispatched out for missions. I had known that Yoruichi-san appreciates his potential a lot. Both of them have been best friends since young, so Urahara Kisuke doesn't really care much about the use of formalities when he's talking to his own captain. He spoke with a funny accent, and his tone sounded like the notes were hanging onto some kind of balloon – it suited his attitude sometimes.
"Nice...To meet you too," I replied, still not getting used to using the polite way to greet someone.
"Kisuke, take us there. I want to show this boy what you can do,"
"Yoruichi-san, don't spoil the fun! Have patience!" Urahara Kisuke whined.
"At least let us know something today!" Yoruichi-san was too eager to know what to expect for tomorrow's event. She always hated the idea of people hiding things away from her, especially her close friends.
"Okay, Come with me then," Urahara Kisuke gave up and signaled the two of us to follow him.
Yoruichi-san grinned at her victory and took my hand as we followed Urahara Kisuke's lead. He did not reveal much about the festival for he had intended it to be a surprise. The event would display some of his inventions which he had been researching in his own room for months.
We walked into the depths of the 2nd Division, passing by the quarters where the seated officers would gather after carrying out their missions to talk about their adventures. I had been inside the 2nd Division for a few times – but I was definitely sure, the place where that tall man was taking us to, made me question my familiarity of this place.
"Naa, Yoruichi-san,"
"What is it?"
"Where are we now?" The three of us reached a jetty.
"This...Is the 2nd Division, I guess," Yoruichi-san sounded pretty unsure herself.
"I've never seen this before. Even with all the tours you gave me."
"That's because Kisuke didn't want you to see it, yet." Yoruichi-san defended for her officer, she scratched her head as she looked at his back, waiting for a proper answer from him.
Urahara Kisuke stopped walking and turned to the two of us.
"It's not something worth looking at anyway...Well, not until it's been completed," he said as he ruffled the back of his head.
There were wooden boats floating on the jetty.
"Well, everything will start from here," Urahara Kisuke had a painful expression on his face.
"Kisuke..." The 2nd Division Captain snapped in, with a solemn tone.
"Yes, Yoruichi-san?"
"It's okay. Don't say a word. Be sure to surprise all of us tomorrow," Yoruichi-san seemed to have understood her officer's intentions.
He smiled, in a relieved manner,
"I will, Yoruichi-san,"
"We should not bother Kisuke right? Let's go, Byakuya-go," Yoruichi-san waved to Urahara Kisuke as we left the festival's venue.
I could tell, even though I had not wanted Yoruichi-san to know – that the two shared a deeper bond than just friends. They were so close that they could understand each other's thoughts.
"Oh, Byakuya-go," Yoruichi-san spoke suddenly.
"What happened, Yoruichi-san?"
"Kisuke said we have to wear yukatas there tomorrow,"
"Why?"
"Because it's something that's off-duty,"
"Okay, I will have to try to sneak one out tomorrow," I muttered reluctantly.
Yukatas were clothing worn by many during summer time – because the textile used for the apparel was not able to trap heat easily. I hardly wore yukatas out of my own residence because it would deem disrespectful for a noble to dress in this manner – for we only use them after taking a bath. Urahara Kisuke asking the invited guests to dress in yukatas simply meant 'Come in bath robes' to a Kuchiki member.
"Nah, Kisuke said he will provide us with it. Just be present tomorrow," Yoruichi-san assured me.
"And..." The captain gave me a sinister grin.
"And?"
"Hisana," She said a very foreign name.
"Hisana? Who is she?"
"That girl you invited for this event, don't you remember?" Yoruichi-san snickered.
"You were the one who wanted to invite her! Not me!"
Yoruichi-san laughed at my angered expression. She totally enjoyed looking at the agitated me whenever she talked about "that girl".
"We have to go pick her up at that pavilion, " Yoruichi-san reminded me.
"Okay, " I replied.
"In..." She had not finished her sentence. Slowly, she lifted her finger and pointed out.
"Yukatas," Yoruichi-san flashed her canine tooth at me and she giggled.
I cringed at the fact that I was going to show a Rukongai resident how I looked like in bath robes. It was definitely more embarrassing than having her to wheel me to the clinic.
"Come on, it's a Yukata. Not a bath robe," Yoruichi-san tried to talk me out of the impression I have for that summer wear. The only difference was that yukatas had a colored sash, whereas the bath robe were usually draped loosely – the material, and the prints used were the same. It only differed if you were a girl, for the guys, it was optional.
"Whatever," I knew Yoruichi-san would continue on nagging at me if I hadn't agreed with her.
"Tomorrow at my Manor, 4pm, " Yoruichi-san waved at me as I made my way home.
That night, I could not close my eyes.
I was not thinking about anything, but I just could not go to sleep.
It's difficult to admit, that I was excited about tomorrow's event too.
***
I headed towards the exit of the Kuchiki Manor at 3.45pm; it wouldn't take me long if I used Shunpo to reach the 2nd Division. Just as I was about to leave, Grandpa caught me at the entrance.
"Byakuya, where are you going again?"
"Grandpa!" I had always been elated to see Grandpa because he hardly comes home.
"It's very uncommon not to see Byakuya training," Grandpa smiled at me.
"I wrapped up earlier, because I have to go see Yoruichi-san now,"
"For more training?" Grandpa frowned and sighed. "You should learn how to..."
"No, Yoruichi-san's house has a event going on tonight. I'm an invited guest so..."
"Hurry along then, Byakuya. It's not good to keep your host waiting," Grandpa seemed glad that my entire life wasn't about practicing with the wooden sword.
"Thank you, Grandpa!" I dashed out of the exit and rushed for the 2nd Division.
"Byakuya-go! Over here!" Yoruichi-san waved hardly as she stood in front of her main gate in her yukata. It was vermilion in color and had large flowery prints accompanied by golden sunbirds. For the first time, Yoruichi-san looked like a real princess from the Shihouin family.
"Hurry go get changed! We have a guest to pick up!" Yoruichi-san pushed me into the changing room.
I could not even choose the color I wanted; not even the pattern I preferred.
Initially, everyone thought I was a girl until I started to yelp when someone gave me the wrong sash. In the end, the ladies agreed I would suit something that had suspended in between; so she took away the sash and fastened the yukata loosely with a black ribbon.
"Byakuya-go! Kakkoii!!!" Yoruichi-san clapped her hands.
Mine was dark purple with silver bamboo shoots.
"I shall return you this," She finally returned my red ribbon.
"Can you keep it untied until today ends?" Yoruichi-san pleaded for a tiny extension.
"It doesn't matter anyway," I wore the ribbon on my right wrist instead.
"Aww, smile Byakuya!"
I am still not used to wearing a bath robe out to the streets of Rukongai.
We rode a carriage to the pavilion and met the girl halfway; she was still referring to the map.
When Yoruichi-san got off the carriage, the girl's eyes had two emotions – puzzled yet taken away.
"Hello Hisana!" Yoruichi-san folded both arms and smiled.
"You...You...are? Have I met you before?" She asked with her large round eyes.
"Yoruichi yo~" The captain pointed to her own nose.
"The cat?"
"That's me," Yoruichi-san grinned, she seemed proud of her cat-transforming skills.
"Nice to meet you today! You are really pretty, Yoruichi-san," The girl bowed quickly.
"Nah, there's a prettier one inside the carriage waiting," Yoruichi-san giggled.
Was she talking about me?
"Hop on, we still have to dress you up," Yoruichi-san offered her hand as she helped the girl up the steps.
"Don't be taken aback by what you see in the carriage," The cheeky captain whispered.
When she entered the carriage, she caught me folding my arms while my eyes were looking at the side window.
I heard her gasp.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hisana," Apparently, she could not recognize who I was.
"It's me," I told her.
"Ah!" She stood up anxiously; her head hit the ceiling with a soft bump.
Yoruichi-san was giggling away at her reactions.
"Are you okay, Hisana?"
"I thought he was..."
"A girl, right. I know," I could even guess what she was trying to say. In fact, ever since she made that statement about mistaking my identity as a girl, the people around me started to see me as one too.
"Wow, Byakuya-go. You've got telepathy!"Yoruichi-san teased and made a funny face again. Hisana laughed at Yoruichi-san. I wondered if she was also laughing when I attacked Yoruichi-san inside the carriage – I tried to pull out her hairpin.
How could I have telepathy with a girl I had barely even met?
Yoruichi-san led her to the dressing room and told the chambermaids to give her a nice yukata to wear. Hisana went in for a very long time before the doors finally opened. As she stepped out of the door with her clogs, I stared in bewilderment.
How was that even possible?
She wore a faint pink yukata – the shade of pink was so light, it looked like white. It was filled with red prints of plum and cherry blossoms; her sash was orange-red and light pink stripes filled her waist. She kept looking at the floor as Yoruichi-san led her down the steps.
"Hisana, you look adorable today," Yoruichi-san said to her.
"Don't you think so, Byakuya-go?" The two ladies turned to look at me.
"Ah...Yeah," I couldn't even give a convincing answer. I tried to shake off the image of her walking down the steps with her faint pink yukata, but to no avail.
Hisana, it would have been dangerous if you wore this yukata every day.
"Is it true?" Hisana asked meekly.
"Really. It's as if this yukata was tailor-made for you," Yoruichi-san nodded her head.
I liked seeing Hisana smiling at Yoruichi-san. She had a different way when she smiled to that lady – there were no barriers.
As the sun disappeared into the mountains, we made our way to that jetty.
Hisana walked very cautiously with her clogs for she had been used to walking barefoot at Rukongai; she often tripped when she crossed the wooden bridge, so Yoruichi-san had to hold her hand.
"Welcome~ to the Fireworks Festival," Urahara Kisuke stood where the wooden boats are. He was dressed in a light beige yukata with fine vertical stripes; his sash was of a dark gray that turned out perfectly appropriate. He had in his right hand a wooden umbrella – it opened up to a white colored filled with prints of large black swallows on the surface.
"Ah, this? I had to look different because I'm the organizer right," Urahara Kisuke struck a cheeky pose with the umbrella.
"Kisuke, I'd like you to meet my friend, Hisana," Yoruichi-san made a simple introduction.
"She's pretty. Can I take her...?"
"She's not yours," Yoruichi-san retorted.
"That's not fair, Yoruichi-san," Urahara Kisuke sighed and let us in on one of the wooden boats.
"How many people will be attending this festival?" I asked curiously for the one rowing the boat seemed to be the main organizer himself.
Have the other guests proceeded to the venue itself?
"Let me see, erm... Four," He replied as he counted the number of people on the boat.
"Well, the committee board had only Kisuke and I as members," Yoruichi finally revealed the truth.
The tiny boat crossed the lake, which had red and yellow lanterns paving the directions to the island.
"This was how humans in the real world celebrated Fireworks Festival," The main organizer explained as the boat passed the rows of dimly-lit lanterns. He had been dispatched for a secret mission to the human world last month, and thought of bringing the festival back to Soul Society.
"Here we are," Urahara Kisuke stopped the boat and helped us down as we explored into the darkness. It was not long before the organizer spoke "This is where the magic begins," and smirked.
Yoruichi-san ran ahead of us to check what was waiting in front and we all heard her exclaim "It's so pretty! Everyone come over!" I could sense that Hisana was excited herself, she had struggled so much with the clogs but were running in them. When she overtook me, she turned back and smiled. Her shoulder-length hair swayed with the breeze as she reached out her right hand.
"Won't you want to see it too?"
I knew that I could have rejected that offer; I had the ability to do it – but why didn't I do that? She's from Rukongai, I had constantly reminded myself – I should not even touch her; not even with my eyes. Why did I look like a fool and stared at how stunning the yukata looked on her? Why was it so difficult to say no to her?
Why did I even go to the extent of taking her hand?
The sounds of her clogs rang in my head as we ran through the woods. As it got slower I finally had the chance to see what Yoruichi-san had been so enthralled over – there was a huge red shrine built along the lake's bend; and it glowed beautifully with the lanterns. A huge open space lay before the shrine. Yoruichi-san asked "What are we supposed to do now, Kisuke?" with her eyes gleaming for more.
"Sit here and enjoy the show, of course," He led us to the benches that had overlooked the other side of the lake we passed by earlier. The silver moon shone on the water surface, illuminating gently as the breeze blew past my cheeks. "Breathe in as much as you can now," Urahara Kisuke warned before he walked over to a yellow switch strapped to one of the trees.
For this moment will leave you breathless.
The dark water surface glowed as multi colored swirls spun out and danced around in mid-air before disappearing; then another swirl will appear and take its former place. All of a sudden, bright colored sparks fired out from the sides of the lakes and dispersed across the black sky with shimmering dust. How did he do this? I liked the red ones – they would burst into huge flowers and then scatter diagonally like bright saffron powder. Yoruichi-san and Hisana would cheer for each and every different display of the fireworks – they held each other's hands while waiting impatiently for the next surprise; and then they will exclaim and wow at the exploding lights. Hisana loved the gold ones most; those that linger on and made the night sky glitter like diamonds – she would always point at the sky and have Urahara Kisuke to look at them, then she will thank him loudly. Yoruichi-san would always laugh whenever Urahara Kisuke blushed quietly.
The air seemed thinner today.
For some reason, it made breathing very difficult.
"This is for Yoruichi-san," The blonde-haired officer chuckled softly.
It was a silver firework of cat's face – both girls laughed really loudly upon seeing the huge face that covered part of the moon.
My heart was blinded by a light.
This light did not come from the fireworks.
Urahara Kisuke announced with a sad tone that the fireworks had ended.
"But...The festival hasn't," Both girls seemed extremely excited when the man pulled out a huge box, with shiny sticks that stuck out at the top.
"They call this 'Sparklers' but I've improvised them a little," He pulled out twigs and began to light a small fire.
"Don't use up all of them okay. We want to play with it later," Urahara Kisuke dug out a paper fan and looked at Yoruichi-san. The two of them did their telepathy trick again - Yoruichi-san left to explore the shrine with Urahara Kisuke; while the two of us stayed behind.
An awkward air surrounded between the stranger and me.
"How...How do we play this?" Hisana explored the thin sticks.
"Sparklers. He just lighted the fire, so..." I placed one of the sticks near the cackling fire. As the stick glowed orange in color, sparks spewed out from the tip.
"Wow...Is this magic?" Hisana was entirely enchanted by what she was looking at, so much so she found it hard to explain what was happening – she decided to call it 'magic'.
I couldn't reply her; I did not know the answer too.
As that stick continued to burn, stars fell from it.
The two of us would awe silently at how magic worked,
No one knew the words to describe that moment.
The sparkler would finish burning, and the magic would stop.
Then...we would repeat it over and over.
All of a sudden, Hisana took one stick and poured the sparks on my head.
"Look! It's raining stars!" She would laugh cheekily.
"It hurts! Stop it!" I would try to run away from the stinging sparks.
Hisana would scream if I did the same, and then she would crack up laughing again.
She had a laughter that could fill up the holes in one's heart.
"Ne ne~ should we visit that shrine?" Hisana asked.
"The one at the top of the stairs?" I have heard stories about that shrine – it could grant wishes if you put in your heart in it.
"Shall we?" Hisana really wanted to go.
"Okay," I held out my hand this time.
"I...am just returning the favor," I looked to the floor awkwardly. I had known that if I hadn't done that, she would have a hard time climbing up those steps in her new clogs – then Yoruichi-san will give me a tight slap on the head for not taking good care of a lady.
"Thank you," Hisana whispered.
That night, I made a tiny wish at the shrine.
I was not sure how much of my heart was put into this wish.
I wished that after today, the two of us would be given another opportunity to meet again.
Before I left the place, I had also made a tiny wager with fate.
If Hisana had not said 'Goodbye', the wish will come true.
When I overheard what she said, I knew.
My wish would come true.
yu-pon's note:
How was it? Ah, this chapter didn't turn out to be sad.
I couldn't bear to make it, haha.
I just went on writing, and it became one of my longest chapters.
Thank you for reading!
I'm glad when I saw people liking this story. Thank you so much for the kind reviews!
(i'll say this again and again, because i'm really grateful.)
Actually, Chapter 5 will be a repeat of Chapter 4 - just to let you know.
Same title, just different point of view.
Girls are more... into details right ~~
I'm so sure Byakuya said something more than this.. XDD
Okay, er.. I should mention something about the story I had intended to write?
Their feelings for one another (up till now) are just... friendly. They are still kids, haha.
I guess love takes time with two pretty dense characters --
Regarding Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi, I'll leave it to your imagination - some of you like this pairing; some don't - that's why I left it hanging. They are very close friends to the extent their relationship appears to be rather ambiguous, that's the image I'm trying to portray.
Translation notes:
Shinigami - Death God (smiles)
Fireworks Festivals are held in Japan during August (Summer Season); people gather and they awe at the fireworks display.
Usually, they dress themselves in yukatas when they go for such events.
Yukatas have many varieties - until I feel it's more appropriate to look it up in the Internet on your own; because there's a lot of information about this traditional clothing - well I can tell you it's summer wear; and it resembles a less-sophisticated rendition of a full fledged kimono.
Chapter 5 then!
ほなおつー