Hello everyone! Back with a quicker update this time!

As always, please enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 34

Miyako's Decision

It had been two weeks since that incident between them had occurred - two long weeks.

In those two weeks, Miyako hadn't said a word to him. He would glance at her, hoping to get something, anything from her. Every time their eyes met, she would quickly divert her gaze away. Just like before, she'd be quick to leave when their dismissal was issued. Isshiki didn't even bother to bid for her attention; she was adamant of avoiding them both.

Although he never wore his heart on his sleeve, he was beyond hurt at their situation. Was he too forward and forceful with her on that eventful day when she had woken up? Looking back, he had clearly overwhelmed her with his advances. He cursed himself for being so reckless.

Everyday without a word was like an eternity. A healthy appetite had dwindled; even when he did eat, it was akin to eating sand. The light in his eyes, albeit how small, dimmed to a spark. He slept less and less as the days went by. When he did sleep, she tormented him in his dreams. He grew restless and hopeless. He had to work even harder to present himself as an impenetrable fortress. It was coming to a point where he could barely look her way anymore. He was ready to give up until she had finally approached him after the graduation ceremony had concluded. Damn the weight of letters!

Byakuya quickly stuffed the envelope into his robe and quietly made himself scarce, not daring to go against the letter's instructions, not knowing what answer was on the other side.

With each step he took, he grew more nauseous not knowing what Miyako was going to say.

As usual, he was but a breeze in the wind as he slipped past the guards at the gate of the Second Division Barracks. It only took him a few minutes to reach the wooded area and follow the dirt path that led to the cave entrance. His mood soured when his mind flooded with negative thoughts - what if this was his last time walking this path? Would she be gentle in her rejection or rip his heart and hopes to shreds, shoving him back into that dark pit of loneliness?

Byakuya found himself at the entrance with his heart in his throat; it was time to hear the final judgment. Taking a deep breath, he entered and walked down the stone stairway, exiting the cave in mere minutes.

The sky was bright, unlike the twilight one outside. Walking down the path, Miyako slowly came into view, her back towards him. Her focus had been on the onsen, taking in its calm, steaming water. She felt his presence zero in closer to her and heard his footsteps grow louder. A heavy silence fell upon them for a moment.

"Hello," she said before turning to meet him, her big eyes blank and unreadable. "Thank you for coming."

He stopped a few feet away from her. Her empty eyes sent a chill up his spine, but he had to persevere.

"...Thank you for inviting me."

Another awkward silence came over them; Miyako fiddled with her fingers while Byakuya watched pensively. 'This is unlike her,' he noted. He furrowed his brows as he continued to watch.

"It seems that you've come to a decision…" Byakuya said, breaking the silence. Hesitant at first, Miyako simply nodded. "Yes, that's correct. I - "

Byakuya quickly raised his hand, startling her.

"Before you begin, may I say something?"

Blank stare still in effect, Miyako nodded. "Go ahead."

He took a deep sigh, not knowing how she would receive his message.

"Miyako…I know that we've been through some tumultuous times in the past few months, but we've also had some pleasant times together. I wanted to let you know that you've been a joy to have in my life. You mean a great deal to me…I admire you greatly, from your tenacity, your smile, your gentle kindness, for everything that you are. You are the light that saved me from my dark prison. I never would've thought that joy would bless me again with such happiness once more."

Miyako pursed her lips and looked down at her feet, making Byakuya nervous.

"To say that I have 'admiration' for you is an understatement…I love you, Miyako. I honestly can't picture my life without you, especially after I almost lost you again."

Miyako pursed her lips even harder upon hearing his confession, making him question his decision for a moment. Did he make a mistake at confessing? He had to rectify this.

"I know that you've made your decision…I just wanted to be honest with you, no matter what you've decided."

Miyako locked eyes with him. She stayed silent and appeared to be stiff as a board, clenching her pants in her hands. They found themselves in another bubble of awkward silence.

"Miyako…please say something…"

"I already know that you love me; it's not a secret by any means."

Byakuya was taken aback at her cold tone. Her brushing off his confession like it meant absolutely nothing was his nightmare come to life. Now he knew how she felt when he denied her feelings.

"Whenever we had a falling out, you ran after me. You came for me when I was abducted by Rika. You were also there for me when I was knocking on death's door and helped me recover with your reiatsu, from what Shirayuki had told me. She saw you completing a transfer."

Byakuya's eyes went wide. 'The cracked door!' his mind trailed back.

"I never had the chance to properly show my gratitude for your help. Thank you for helping me. You weren't obligated to do such a thing for me." she said calmly.

'I did it because I love you! I didn't want to lose you!'

"...You're welcome."

Byakuya looked at her pensively. While he considered her thanks a small gift, he was still at an impasse. Her eyes were still difficult to read and her body language remained stiff, but he had to know. "You told me once before that you loved me…"

His mind sped back to her confession in his office. He wished a million times over that he could take back his actions that day and accepted her love with open arms. If he did, they never would've been in this situation where she was about to obliterate his heart. Fear started to overcome him. He almost didn't want to continue, but the words slipped out of his mouth.

"...do you not feel the same way about me anymore?" he asked, his voice on the verge of cracking. She decided to ignore the sorrow in his voice. A shuttered sigh escaped her lips.

"After stalling and not wanting to think about this, Shirayuki and Rumi told me to dig deep and think about what I truly wanted…I had to think about where my happiness was…what would make me happy overall and not worry about what you or anyone else thought about my decision and…to be perfectly honest…after everything that's happened between us, especially after my battle with Rika, I've decided that…I can no longer continue our relationship."

Byakuya's lungs ceased to function; her words pierced his heart with some of the worst pain he'd ever felt. Eyes narrowed and hands shaking, he closed his eyes to turn away from her. Deep down, he had hoped that his words would sway her decision for the better…that they could start over and be happy together. Byakuya could feel his soul darken; he lost another woman he loved. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe…he deserved this punishment…A part of him wanted to beg for a second chance, but her judgment had been decided.

"...I understand," he replied solemnly. "Goodbye, Miyako. I wish you nothing but the best."

He didn't want to walk away, but he forced himself to do so; each step was agonizingly heavy. Their relationship was over. He would no longer visit this once secret rendezvous spot that they shared together. No more laughs. No more training together. No more picnics. No more growing closer together…no more Miyako…just a dark void in his heart.

Suddenly, Miyako had flash stepped in front of him, surprising him. Her once unreadable, blank eyes were filled with tears.

"Miyako, what's -"

He was cut off when she had jumped into his arms and buried her face into his chest for a moment before locking her lips with his. Her kiss was hungry, desperate and full of fire, prompting Byakuya to embrace her. Breaking away, Miyako looked up to him, tears rolling down her cheeks and wetting his hand that was now cupping her face. Stunned, Byakuya gave her a confused look. To his understanding, he was just rejected, but on the other hand, that kiss was something that he had been craving forever.

"Miyako…I don't understand…"

"I can't continue our relationship as it is! It's been awful not being honest with myself. I can no longer be away from you and it's too hard to just be your friend! I want to be by your side and I can't picture you walking out of my life because I still love you too!" she cried.

Looking into her bright eyes, he saw them filled with love, a look meant only for him. This certainly wasn't a dream. Miyako closed her eyes as Byakuya leaned down to kiss her, pressing onto her plush lips, giving her a slow and tender kiss, growing into many hungry ones.

Breaking away from him, she looked up at him with bashful eyes and scarlet cheeks.

"I'm sorry that I took so long with this…"

For the first time in forever, he smiled as he cupped her cheek. His cold eyes were full of warmth. "It was worth the wait. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

The two stayed in their embrace a little while longer and enjoyed each other's company. Miyako nestled on his chest, taking in the warmth of his hug. The scent of his cologne invited her into a state of pure joy and calm. This is where they belonged - in each other's arms. They both closed their eyes, not wanting to let go.

'I've waited so long for this…'

"Byakuya?" she called out, breaking the silence. His smile remained when he heard her address him by his first name once more.

"Hmm?"

"Can we have many more moments like this?"

"Of course we can, as many as you desire."

He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes before locking her into another sensual kiss. "Besides, I think that it would be wise to make up for lost time…wouldn't you agree, Miyako?"

Miyako quickly went red with the thought.

"You pervert! That's a long time to make up!"

A dark grin sprouted on Byakuya's face.

"Call it what you will…" he growled. Byakuya didn't waste any time cupping her face once more with his hand. The dark look in his eyes froze her in place, taking her breath away. He took pleasure in nipping at her bottom lip slowly, indulging the sweet honey nectar that he missed and craved so much. Miyako released a low moan as she melted into his arms. This was how he had planned on devouring her in the hospital…now she was all his. Byakuya wasn't shy in taking advantage of the situation, showering her with several short kisses. He released her from his embrace moments later, looking into her eyes again, taking in the warmth they brang. In an instant, his eyes softened as he looked into her eyes.

"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

He was still in disbelief that this was happening.

"No…I promise to never take you and your love for granted again."

Miyako, whose face was glowing, gave him a warm smile. "I know."

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest again, enjoying the moment. "So now, I guess I can tell my father not to invite any more suitors?"

"I'll inform him for you if you wish," he replied immediately with a low growl, sending a shiver down her spine. Byakuya was not willing to lose Miyako to anyone else. "Along with that Matsushita boy."

Miyako's stomach dropped when she heard his name. "I'll tell him in due time…" she replied quietly. She was so worried and anxious about this moment with Byakuya, now Isshiki was her next hurdle that she wasn't ready to deal with any time soon.

"Define 'in due time',"

Miyako fiddled with her fingers. "Well…not tonight! This is supposed to be a happy night since we all graduated! I wouldn't want to ruin it by turning him down!"

Byakuya was tempted to pout. He wanted to put the boy in his place once and for all after he had attempted to kiss his beloved in the hospital.

"Very well, I understand that you want to spare the boys' feelings for a moment, but don't wait an eternity to do so, or I'll tell him for you."

"Yes, Captain." she said, playfully sticking her tongue out for a moment. She earned a chuckle from him.

He took her hand in his and lifted it to be level with her face, prompting her to look in his eyes again. It was time to focus on them again.

"Will you accept my request and enter courtship with me?"

His question earned a giggle from Miyako.

"Oh, Kuchiki-san, are you always this formal?"

Byakuya took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Fine then,"

He cupped her face and lifted it up to look her dead in the eyes. "Be mine, Miyako."

This time, Miyako erupted in laughter, much to Byakuya's chagrin.

"Nothing I do is ever good enough for you, is it Shihouin?"

Miyako retained the goofy smile on her face.

"It really hurt you to speak like that, didn't it?"

"Very much so."

Miyako giggled again before wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'll say yes to being yours, Kuchiki…if you kiss me again."

Byakuya was happy to oblige and grant her request, but not with just a simple kiss. He took great pleasure in nibbling gently on her bottom lip before pulling away from her, soliciting a moan. Byakuya looked into her eyes with a dark, hungry stare, sending more shivers down her spine.

"Now…let me hear you say it." he demanded, his voice husky.

"...Yes…"

Hungry for more, Byakuya continued to help himself to Miyako's sweet lips, the new couple enjoying another hungry make out session.

Now it was Miyako's turn to pull away.

"Okay, I said yes and it's time for you to leave." she said with a smile.

Byakuya gave her a confused look. "But I just arrived…and we were having an enjoyable time."

Miyako's blush deepened as she briefly focused on her tingling lips. "That's true, but unfortunately for you, I have a celebratory dinner with the girls at Yumetsuki. No beaus allowed." she replied with a quick flash of her tongue. "But to be fair, we made these plans before I gave you the note."

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment. "That's fine," he replied.

"So long as you join me for dinner tomorrow night at the manor. I believe it's fair to say that you owe me a redo for dinner since you quickly departed from the last one before you had a chance to have dessert." he said with a slight smirk, making Miyako roll her eyes.

"I'm never going to live that dinner down, am I?"

"I promise to allow that dinner fiasco to die right here and now if you agree to my dinner invitation."

Miyako smiled slyly. "Can I have sake at dinner?"

"You can have a strawberry shortcake from the World of the Living instead."

She rolled her eyes again. "Fine, I'll come!"

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to it."

He gently caressed her hand in his. "Allow me to escort you to Yumetsuki. I'm sure your friends are eagerly awaiting your arrival."

A blush graced her face. "You have no idea…" she replied quietly. "But before we leave, I have to give you something."

She quickly ran into her tea house and grabbed something very familiar to him. Unfolding his scarf she tried to wrap it around his neck, but he was a little too tall for her to do it properly. He smiled at her gesture and fixed it, looking like his normal self.

"I couldn't let you leave without it; I'm sure that you missed it…plus I can't have all of those single women staring at you even more than usual."

Byakuya chuckled and kissed her on her forehead.

"Let's not keep your friends waiting, my love." he replied, not before locking their hands together again.

Still hand in hand, the new couple had quickly made their way near the entrance to Restaurant Row. While most of the restaurants were more affordable and were very busy due to the graduation, some more expensive restaurants were further back in the area.

"Well, this is my stop. Thank you for escorting me this far. I can walk from here."

Byakuya gave her a small smile.

"Very well. Enjoy your dinner with your friends. I'm sure that they'll want to know what kept you so long."

Miyako chuckled before rolling her eyes. "You don't know the half of it."

"Don't forget about our dinner tomorrow night." he said before he raised her hand to his mouth. Placing a small kiss on her hand, his eyes glowed with love and happiness.

"Until tomorrow night, my love."

Her smile melted into something just as warm as the glow in his eyes.

"Until tomorrow night."

The polite kiss on her hand wasn't enough to satisfy her until tomorrow night. Raising herself on her toes, she quickly cupped his cheeks and planted a big kiss on his lips. Breaking away, she was about to bid him farewell until a voice interrupted them.

"So, this is what you've decided?" a familiar voice called out.

Miyako's heart skipped a beat when Isshiki appeared before them. He had just exited Restaurant Row, hoping to find Miyako and try to talk to her. What he had just witnessed was something he hoped was just a bad dream.

Byakuya positioned himself in front of Miyako with his eyes narrowed. His eyes were met with Isshiki's narrowed ice blue eyes.

"It amazes me how you manage to get involved in our business." Byakuya started.

"I could say the same for you." Isshiki spat back.

Before they could throw more fuel in the fire, Miyako placed a hand on Byakuya's shoulder and shook her head.

"It's okay, I'll handle this…it was going to happen eventually."

Byakuya briefly glanced at her. "Are you certain?"

"Yes."

He never took his eyes off of Isshiki. "I'll leave this to you."

With those words, Byakuya flash stepped away and left them by their lonesome.

"We hadn't talked in weeks…I was hoping to find you and talk to you after the ceremony. I was going to congratulate you and tell you how I felt about you…you know…to clear the air and get my feelings off of my chest…"

Miyako gave him a sad look.

"Isshiki…I'm sorry…this isn't how or when I wanted to tell you…I had been avoiding you and Captain Kuchiki because I was so overwhelmed...you're such a sweet guy and I appreciate everything you've done for me, but…I can't return your feelings."

A silence fell down upon them. Miyako watched as Isshiki tried to gather his thoughts, his face mixed with heavy emotions. Finally after a while, he spoke, his voice hoarse.

"I should've known that I couldn't compete with him…it was obvious that I had some competition for you…he didn't make it easy at times. I thought that I had won you over, until…" his words trailed off, a flicker of disappointment replaced the sadness in his eyes. Her choosing Byakuya over him at the hospital should've been a clear answer.

'I just didn't want to believe it…'

"At least I know where I stand."

Miyako pursed her lips for the umpteenth time that day. She was at a loss for words, feeling guilty for breaking his heart on what should be a celebratory day...just like she was trying to avoid in the first place…fate could be so cruel.

"I'm sorry, Isshiki…"

Isshiki shook his head. "No need to apologize…you can't make someone return your feelings…I'm grateful for the time that we had together, even if it didn't turn out the way I had hoped."

He bowed stiffly to Miyako.

"Congratulations. I wish you two nothing but the best; I hope that he makes you happy."

With his final words, he flash stepped away, leaving Miyako alone with a mixture of relief and sadness. Taking a deep breath, she brushed the event aside as much as she could. Tonight was a night to celebrate.

At Yumetsuki, Shirayuki and Rumi stared Miyako down in anticipation when she entered their private room. The waiter watched the princess take a seat on the plush zabuton before he closed the shoji door.

"Hey, girls! I hope that you both haven't been waiting long! What should we eat?" she asked, grabbing a menu, which Rumi promptly snatched out of her hand and tossed it to the other side of the black table.

"Girl, forget the menu!" she said with a cheeky smile. "So? How'd it go? We're dying to know! And don't leave anything out! So are you off the market or are still a part of the streets?!"

Miyako rolled her eyes. "You don't waste any time, do you?" she replied before sporting a sly smile before sticking her tongue out. "Don't you know that a proper lady doesn't kiss and tell?" she teased.

"Oh my goodness, she's positively glowing!" Shirayuki stated with a lone finger to her mouth as she observed.

"Yeah, but not that type of glow, though!" Rumi added.

Miyako smirked. "Like I said…a lady doesn't kiss and tell…just go ask my new beau instead!"

Squeals could be heard outside of the room, making the staff and other patrons wonder what was going on.

"You know we're drinking like fish tonight, right?!" Rumi squealed. "To graduation and Miya finally getting her man! Which ones are we gonna order?! Let's get three different ones! Hopefully that'll be enough to make you spill all of the dirty details!"

"You do realize that we have to report to work tomorrow morning, right?" Shirayuki said.

Rumi quickly blew off her statement. "Hey! You only graduate once…"

She was quick to study the sake menu while Shirayuki looked through the entrees.

"Fine! I'll order enough food so poor Miyako won't fall into your trap and make a fool out of herself…though a little gossip would be nice!" she teased with a rare sly smile.

Miyako rolled her eyes. She really did have the best friends. "I love and hate you both!"

The next morning, Miyako had awoken with a bit of a headache. She cursed; why did she have to follow the leader and drink like a fish just like Rumi? Then again, it could've been much worse. She didn't drink as much as Rumi. She and Shirayuki were tasked with taking her home and putting her to bed. Despite the headache, she couldn't help but smile. She had a great time and there was no telling when they would be able to get together again and hang out, especially since both Rumi and Shirayuki had accepted their offers of third seats at the Ninth and Fourth Divisions.

Now it was time for her to get ready to report to her first official day of work as the lieutenant of the Second Division.

Of course, Soifon was elated to have a new lieutenant that wasn't loud and lazy like Omaeda. She had been waiting for the moment when she could finally get rid of him and she had Rika to thank for that. After that debacle, Omaeda was demoted to third seat and left him to guard over the Maggot's Nest after he begged for mercy. Miyako felt bad for him since Rika was a victim in the matter, but inevitable changes were coming in the future in terms of rank. One day, she would be a captain and she could wait until that day.

Besides establishing her ranking amongst the division and settling into her new position, she had another thing on her mind.

That night, Byakuya had rushed home to prepare himself to greet Miyako for dinner. When he had returned home the night before, he had instructed the servants to make sure the Kuchiki Manor and grounds were spotless and for the chefs to prepare a delicious meal. He even had Rukia retrieve the strawberry shortcake he had promised her from the World of the Living.

The stars had started to glow when he retreated to his room and changed into a more formal twilight blue and silver kimono, casting away his captain's image. After freshening up, he retreated to the dining room and waited for Miyako.

Minutes later, a servant had announced that Miyako had arrived.

The shoji doors had opened to reveal his beloved dressed in a black kimono with an elegant sakura pattern, her matching pink obi completing the look. Her curled ponytail was crowned with a pink floral kanzashi. Byakuya blushed - she was stunning, just like she was on that night weeks ago. A gentle blush graced her face.

"Good evening, Byakuya."

"Good evening, Miyako." he replied, walking up to her. He grabbed her hand and gave her a hug, taking in that familiar scent of her favorite perfume.

"Thank you for coming. I hope that you're hungry."

The aroma of dinner entered her nose.

"Thank you for having me and yes, I am."

He led her to the dining table and helped her sit down. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Byakuya instructed for dinner to start. After they were served the finest wagyu and sides, the two sat alone and enjoyed each other's company. They talked about their day and he was eager to hear how her first day went. As she talked he couldn't help but give her a loving stare. He couldn't believe this was happening.

Strawberry shortcake had proceeded the savory and elegant dinner, much to her delight. After watching her demolish three pieces of cake, he took her hand and led her out to the garden for a walk. They eventually made it to the koi pond and stood on the wooden bridge. He watched as she basked in the stars and moon that lit up the night sky. A chill ran up her spine and she had leaned into him, prompting him to wrap an arm around her. The half hug didn't suffice; he pulled her into a hug and lost himself in her golden eyes.

"I love you, Miyako."

"I love you too, Byakuya."

Beneath the light of the full moon, their lips met in a tender embrace. Yearning and longing had finally ended in this intimate moment, finally united after many moments of trials and tribulations. Solitary souls found solace in one another where time seemed to stand still.

This was love, their love.

Happiness was where each other was and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

There in their embrace, they were home.

Thank you for everyone who had stuck with the story so far! There are still a few more things to wrap up before the story truly ends and I hope that you'll enjoy them as well!