Hello everyone, I hope you're all well!

I have been pretty busy lately so I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I hope you enjoy it regardless.

Also, remember that flashback scenes are marked with '**'.

Until next time~

"Now remember class," Professor Suzuki announced as she was writing her lecture notes on the board, "Kaido (Healing Kido) is the art of transforming and emitting your reiatsu to facilitate healing. As our energy focuses on healing the spiritual pressure of an injured soul, it's important to be in control. Releasing too much of our spiritual pressure during the healing process would do more harm than good." Continuing with her lecture, Suzuki had her students practice emitting their reiatsu. During the healing process, their spiritual energy should turn green and that signifies their ability to access and transform their spiritual pressure into Healing Kido.

None of the students were able to successfully transform their spiritual energy into Healing Kido despite being able to perfectly emit their spiritual energy.

"This is definitely one of the hardest parts of learning Kaido, so don't worry if you're not getting it right away," Suzuki assured her students. "Just like with your Asauchi's, try meditating and accessing your spiritual energy. Then, once you're connected with your reiatsu, remind yourself why you wanted to take this course in the first place. Trust in your purpose and the power will flow through you." As the bell rang to mark the end of class, Suzuki reminded the class to practice when they can as they will be trying again tomorrow.

Quickly gathering up her things, Hajime scurried back to Kuchiki Manor. Upon reaching the Manor gate, an unfamiliar man was seen wandering around the front.

"Um, can I help you?" Hajime asked the man.

Caught off guard by her sudden voice, the man jumped and scratched the back of his head while giving an embarrassed smile, "Yes, excuse me," he said as his blue eyes locked with hers, "Is this Kuchiki Manor? Home to Kuchiki Akane?"

"Do you have some sort of business with Akane-Sama?"

Shaking his head and waving his head furiously, he held out a box and said, "No no no, I just have a gift I was hoping someone could pass along to her."

Looking into his eyes, Hajime couldn't sense any malicious intent so she gently took the box from his hands, "And who should I tell her this is from?" she asked.

With a relieved smile, the man spoke, "Her secret admirer. She'll know who it is. Thank you." Grabbing Hajime's free hand with both of his, he gave a bow and thanked her again before leaving.

Rushing to her room to put her things away and changing into her Manor uniform, Hajime bumped into another maidservant who passed along the task of serving tea to Byakuya, Akane, and Akihiko in the garden. Making her way over to the garden, Hajime gave a slight bow and poured tea for the table. As Hajime was about to excuse herself, Akane noticed the box poking out of her pocket.

"And what's this?" she asked as she yanked it from her pocket.

"Ah… That's actually a gift for you. There was a visitor at the front of the Manor that wanted to make sure that got to you."

Examining the box, Akane saw a familiar red rose insignia stamped on the box and her demeanor changed ever so slightly. She hoped no one noticed but Hajime did.

"Well, open it up, dear!" Akihiko urged, "It could very well be an early anniversary gift for the both of you."

Hesitantly untying the ribbon, Akane opened the box to see a beautifully ornate long hairpin dressed in red and gold accents. Admiring its beauty, Akane was in awe.

Yanking the pin from her daughter's hand, Akihiko admired it further, "This is real gold. Who did you say sent this gift?"

Thinking back to the man's words, Hajime very well couldn't tell Akane in front of her husband and mother that a secret admirer sent it to her. "He simply stated he was a friend of yours," she lied, "And that you would know who it was."

"This friend of yours must know you well," Byakuya spoke, "it suits you perfectly, Akane." Blushing at his compliment, Akane smiled at him, "Will we see them at the ball in two weeks?"

"Uh, no," Akane started as she cleared her throat, "He tends to avoid royal affairs."

"I understand," Byakuya spoke, "please remind us to send him a thank you note after the ball, will you, Kisumoto-San?"

"Of course." If I ever see him again, that is.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I must get back to the Squad, we have a training lesson scheduled for today." Saying his goodbyes to Akihiko, Akane, and Hajime, Byakuya returned to his Barracks.

As Byakuya was out of sight, Akihiko furiously tightened her grip around the hairpin and held the sharp end towards Akane. "It's him, isn't it? He sent you this gift?"

Gulping, Akane was frozen for a second, "I'm not sure who you mean, mother." She lied.

"I'm no idiot!" She exclaimed as she banged her fist against the table, "Hasegawa Hiro has always been your downfall. Don't forget," Akihiko spoke as she threw the hairpin against the table as she stood up to walk away, "He abandoned you once, don't think he wouldn't do it again."

Akane, who simply sat before grabbing onto her hairpin, slowly got up from her seat and ordered Hajime to clean up the table right away. Turning back to face her, Akane's eyes were wavering, "And whatever you think you heard today, you didn't. You're dismissed for today." Walking back to her room, Akane sighed and rubbed her temples.

** It has been a week since Akihiko publicly punished Hiro in the courtyard and Akane agreed to marry Kuchiki Byakuya. Hiro has been receiving treatment in the medical ward and when Akane tried to visit him, she was turned away by the guards placed on watch by Akihiko.

One night, Akane managed to successfully sneak into the medical ward to find that Hiro was nowhere to be found. The patient's bed was neatly made, and it didn't look like anyone had been there for a few days. Confused and furious, Akane rushed to confront her mother who was in her father's study.

"Where's Hiro?" Akane demanded to know as she stormed into the study.

Kenji, who was finishing paperwork, was about to express his confusion before Akihiko stood up to speak. "I take it you somehow made your way into the medical ward."

"Where. Is. He?" Walking closer to her mother, her eyes fiercely burned as she looked into Akihiko's eyes.

"You weren't supposed to find out like this…" Making her way over to her desk, Akihiko took out a letter addressed to Akane, "I was trying to protect you."

Yanking the letter out of her hand, Akane opened it to read "forgive me." With tears burning her eyes, she tightly clutched the letter in her hand, "What is this? You expect me to believe he left just like that?" Akane threw the letter on the ground and demanded an explanation.

Seeing how hurt his daughter was, Kenji tried to console her. He could feel her trembling. "Akihiko, what is the meaning of this? Are you saying Hiro left on his own accord, without saying goodbye to me or Akane?"

Sighing, she explained, "I told him about your engagement to Kuchiki Byakuya. Obviously, he didn't seem to take that news very well. When I came back to check on him, he was already gone with only that letter left behind. I suppose he didn't care about you as much as you thought he did."

"Akihiko!" Kenji reprimanded.

"You had no right!" Akane exclaimed as she tried to lunge at Akihiko, only for her father to hold her back.

"I had every right!" Akihiko declared as she walked closer to Akane. Cupping her face in her hands, she softened her voice, "My daughter, he abandoned you. He didn't even try to fight for you. Is that the person you wish to have by your side?"

"He would never…"

"And yet, he's gone."

Clenching her teeth and tears falling down her face, Akane ran to her room and cried herself to sleep. **

. . .

The Next Day

Making her way back to the Manor, Hajime saw the familiar man pacing in front of the gates once more.

"Back so soon?" She asked, startling him.

"I just wanted to make sure she got the gift," he chuckled shyly.

"I did give it to her, and she looked happy but…"

"But?'

Thinking back to Akihiko's words yesterday, Hajime was curious. "Who are you to Akane-Sama?"

"W-what do you mean? I told you, just a secret admirer."

"No, it's more than that. When I gave Akane-Sama your gift and told her who it was from, Akihiko-Sama was furious."

"Akihiko saw it?" he sighed.

"Are you… Hasegawa Hiro?"

The man's eyes widened but before he could say anything, the gate to the Manor opened, and he quickly hid around the corner. Exiting the Manor was Byakuya who was on his way back to his Squad.

"Kuchiki-Sama," Hajime greeted with a bow.

"Ah, Kisumoto-San, I thought I heard your voice. Were you speaking with someone just now?" He asked as he observed his surroundings to find no one was in the vicinity.

"No! Uh, I was just talking aloud… To myself." She giggled nervously.

"Well, I'm glad I ran into you before leaving. I was hoping you can pick a few items up for me in the shopping plaza near the outskirts of the Rukongai. Here is the address," he handed her a slip of paper with the address on it, "I informed them of your arrival so they should be expecting you. And I did let Akane know I would be borrowing you for this task so do not worry about reporting to her so late."

"Of course, Kuchiki-Sama, I'll make sure to get this done as quickly as possible."

"Thank you, Kisumoto-San. I will return tonight for dinner, I will see you then." as he left for his barracks, Hajime gave him a bow as he was leaving.

"That's him, isn't it?" The man asked as he slowly walked back over to Hajime, "Kuchiki Byakuya, Akane's husband."

"Yes," was all she could say.

"Does he love her? Does she love him?" His eyes looked desperate.

Hajime sighed and gave the best answer she could, "They were both put into a position neither of them chose for themselves. While love may not be the priority over duty, they do care for one another in their own way. But back to what I asked you earlier, who exactly are you to Akane-Sama?"

"That's a long story," the man explained.

"Well, you're in luck," Hajime winked as she held up the paper with the address on it, "You can tell it while I head to the shopping plaza."

The man hesitated at first but ultimately decided to accompany Hajime on her way to complete Byakuya's task.

"As you suspected, my name is Hasegawa Hiro and I'm an old friend of Akane's. When my parents passed, Akane's father took me in and helped raise me as he was close friends with them. Akane and I have been by each other's side since."

"Akihiko-Sama said you abandoned her, what did she mean by that?"

His eyes softened, "I never meant to hurt Akane, at least not intentionally… If you serve under Akane then you must also serve under Akihiko. Do you know how she punishes her servants?"

Flashing back to the time Akihiko whipped her, Hajime could still feel the stinging on her back, "painfully well," she admitted.

"Growing up with Akane, I fell in love with the person I knew she could be. She was strong, caring, and outgoing and her spirit shone so brightly."

"What happened?"

"Akihiko gradually broke her spirit and the girl that I loved was starting to disappear. We were about to run away together in secret until Akihiko found out about our feelings for one another. After publicly punishing me in the courtyard, I remember waking up for a moment begging to see Akane, but she refused to let us see one another. After that, I don't know what she did to me or how she did it but when I was fully conscious, I couldn't remember who I was or why I was there."

"Wait wait wait, are you saying she somehow gave you amnesia? Are you sure it wasn't a result of your injuries?"

"If you knew Akihiko for as long as I have, you would know how truly terrifying she is. She won't let anything get in the way of her daughter's future."

"How horrible..." Hajime whispered to herself.

"Since my memories were gone, she convinced me I was a beggar she found injured on the streets and that since my wounds were healed, I needed to leave immediately. Who was I to argue with someone who supposedly saved my life? She arranged transport to a shelter just a few towns over and helped me restart my life. Before I left, she had me write something on some stationary: 'forgive me' I think it was."

"So, she planned it all… Made it seem like you left so that any love Akane had left for you would turn into hate. When did you get your memories back?"

"Not too long ago. After my memories came rushing back, I could only think about how hurt Akane must have been. I managed to visit Akane's father, and he told me everything that's happened since then… I can't believe it's been so long."

"So, what exactly is your goal here? She's married now… Surely, it's not to win her back?"

"Of course not. I wanted to tell her the truth about what happened and let her know that no matter what happened, I will always love her. We've always been from two different worlds, but she at least deserves a proper goodbye."

"Well, being Akane's personal attendant does have its perks. I'll be off duty that night and I have the option to bring a plus one. How would you like to come, to say your goodbyes?"

Hiro's eyes widened, "You'd help me?"

"She and I may have gotten off on the wrong foot but the more I get to know her, I realize we have more in common than we thought. I know what it's like to be manipulated and held prisoner by family and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. If seeing you again frees her, just a little bit, then I think it's worth it."

"I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes," Hajime giggled.

"I can't thank you enough for all your help."

"Don't thank me, it's really no problem. And oh, the dress code is 'traditional,' would you be able to find a nice kimono for yourself?"

"Absolutely."

"Perfect! The ball is in 13 days, I'll meet you at the front gates that night."

As the two finally reached the boutique whose address was written on the scrap of paper, Hiro gently took Hajime's hand and kissed her farewell, "You know… I never caught your name."

Blushing, Hajime responded, "Ah, how rude of me. I'm Hajime, Kisumoto Hajime."

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Hajime-Chan," he winked at her before making his way back to his guest house.

As Hajime entered the boutique, she realized it was a custom kimono shop. Beautiful fabrics lined the walls as well as hair accessories, handbags, and a variety of jewelry.

"Hello dear, and welcome," the owner of the boutique greeted, "How may I help you today?"

"Ah, my name is Kisumoto Hajime. I am here to pick up a few belongings for Kuchiki Byakuya."

"Oh yes!" The woman exclaimed excitedly, "I have been waiting for you dear, come with me!" Grabbing onto Hajime's wrist, the woman pulled Hajime over to the fitting rooms and pushed her inside one of the stalls. "Everything is all set for you in there, if you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask!"

Confused, Hajime looked at the laid-out pieces and realized that it was a fully accessorized kimono set. Rushing out of the room, Hajime was startled by the owner who was sitting on the ottoman waiting for her to get dressed.

"I think there must be some sort of confusion here," Hajime explained, "I'm not here to purchase or try on any of your kimono sets. I'm simply here to pick up the order for Kuchiki Byakuya."

"No confusion here, my dear," the woman clapped as she gave a smile, "Laid out in the dressing room is the order Kuchiki-Sama placed for you, Kisumoto Hajime."

Blushing, Hajime was speechless, "P-placed for me?"

Nodding, the woman grabbed a letter from her kimono pocket and handed it over to Hajime, "A letter from Kuchiki-Sama."

Opening the letter, it read:

"Kisumoto-San, you have been working incredibly hard as of late. I'm sure you have found no time to prepare a kimono for yourself for the upcoming ball. I hope that this set suits your taste, but my feelings will not be hurt if it does not.

Signed,

Kuchiki Byakuya"

Did he order this for me? She thought to herself.

Looking up at the owner, she wore a gentle smile, "Kuchiki-Sama was very meticulous in making sure this set was up to his standards. I hope it pleases you."

Looking back at the stall, Hajime felt grateful… and guilty. She also admitted that she's never worn a kimono set with an obi before. The owner gladly stepped in to help Hajime get changed. As Hajime stepped out of the stall, the owner was breathless.

The kimono Byakuya ordered for Hajime was a lilac almost-silver fabric with beautiful flower designs of white, deep blue, silver, and dark purple. The collar and lining of the sleeves were a deeper lilac with intricate silver detailing. The obi was a contrasting dark purple that complimented the floral design of the kimono and was tied into a bow behind her back. Hajime opted out of wearing jewelry and settled for a lilac floral hairpiece that she clipped onto the side of her head.

"You look absolutely stunning, Kisumoto-San." The woman complimented in awe, "Come stand at the podium, I'll have to make a few adjustments to the kimono."

As the woman was hemming the kimono for Hajime, Hajime finally saw what she looked like in the full-length mirror. Having never worn such an exquisite kimono set before, she was surprised to see her reflection. For the ball, she was just going to thrift for a kimono at Shinigami Mall to look not so out of place.

"It seems Kuchiki-Sama has chosen well," the woman remarked, "You must be incredibly important to him."

Knocking her back to her senses, Hajime explained, "Not only is Kuchiki-Sama my supervisor, he is also in charge of my sponsorship for the Shinigami Academy. Surely, he just wanted me to fit in with the ambiance of the upcoming ball," she laughed nervously.

The woman didn't believe a word Hajime said. After working closely with Byakuya designing this set, she could tell Hajime means more to him than she thought. Though, she acknowledged her explanation and finished up her tailoring.

. . .

Later that night, Byakuya returned for dinner as promised. Helping the maidservants prepare dinner for the family, Rukia asked Hajime if she found a kimono to wear to the ball yet. As she placed Byakuya's plate in front of him, she looked at him slightly and smiled, "Yes, I have the perfect kimono to wear to the ball."

"You better have gotten something classy at least," Akane remarked, "I would have you turned away if you showed up in something old and distasteful."

"Do not worry, Akane-Sama," Hajime reassured her as she poured her a cup of tea, "I will be appropriately dressed."

As everyone finished their dinner, Akane, Akihiko, and Rukia returned to their room. Helping the maidservants clean up the dinner table, Hajime took the time to enjoy some dinner of her own before heading back to tend to Akane. As she was sitting at the kitchen table, Byakuya slowly made his way over to her.

"Kuchiki-Sama, is there something I can help you with?"

"I just wanted to check in with you and see how your studies were going. How is the new semester treating you?"

"It's fantastic so far. Thank you again for letting me sign up for Kaido classes. It's been difficult trying to transform my Reiatsu into Kaido but it's been a great experience overall."

"Well, I'm sure you can do it. I believe in you." He said with a smile.

Trying to hide her blushing face, Hajime grew frantic and rushed to put her plate and teacup away. However, in her rushed mind, she dropped the cup, and it shattered on the floor. Quickly, Byakuya and Hajime went to pick up the pieces, only for Byakuya to cut his finger on the piece of broken glass.

Unconsciously, she placed her hand over his fingers and successfully performed Healing Kido. Slowly pulling away her hand, Byakuya held on to it and they deeply looked into one another's eyes. The world stopped at that moment and how they both wished it would never end.