Where Cherry Blossoms Fall, ch.6

Where Cherry Blossoms Fall

Chapter Six:

Every moment spent with her seemed the most natural thing. There was a hunger in his gaze as Byakuya watched the woman blush and offer the charms he'd requested on impulse, slender hands just as beautiful as he remembered. How soft they were, those hands. How many times had they held his cheek with endearment?

No, the man corrected himself with guilt, not those hands. Not yet, anyway. There'd be time enough for that soon if he was successful in courting his bride again. How he ever survived these last fifty years without her, he couldn't fathom to know.

The bashful flick of the woman's violet eyes on his sent chills down Byakuya's spine. She was searching his face for something.

Remember, the man silently pleaded. Remember, Hisana. Please remember our love...

"Is that all for you tonight, sir?" Sakura asked, breaking his concentration. His eyes had been running up the exquisite curve of her face.

Suddenly remembering the purchase he'd feigned in order to talk with her, Byakuya shook his head. He needed more time. "No, I'd also like..." To marry you again, his devious mind finished. The woman's pleasant smile knew nothing of his inner struggle. Nor of the loneliness he'd felt every day without her near.

He felt her heavy gaze upon him and looked up. The woman seemed to be trying to place him, figure out why he looked so familiar. Hope swelled in his chest. Remember, Hisana.

Swallowing the knot in his throat, the man picked the first item in view. "That."

Stupid. Byakuya watched in muffled horror as Sakura held up the small daruma doll in her hand. It was wildly exaggerated in face, without eyes, painted completely in red. This particular one was for children. The man privately scolded his impulsive choice.

Why on earth was he behaving so moronically? Could he spend even a moment without making a fool of himself around this woman?

"This?" Sakura caught herself before laughing. Surely such a handsome man wasn't in need of a child's toy? "Of course, um...shall I wrap it for you?"

"Wrap?" He repeated lamely. His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"It's a gift, isn't it?"

Byakuya quickly clutched onto this small bit of luck. "Yes, right, a gift." Feeling the need to fill the sudden silence the man added, "for a friend's...son. Ichigo. It's...his birthday."

Stupid, he once again chided. Now he'd been reduced to lying. The man inwardly groaned. Why had Ichigo been the first name to pop into his head? Ichigo wasn't a very common name as far as Byakuya knew.

And that infernal boy was from Karakura Town; what would Byakuya do if this woman happened to know him?

Sakura paused for a moment, deja vu simmering in her mind. Ichigo...where had she heard that name before? It certainly sounded familiar. This man also seemed painfully familiar. For some reason all she wanted to do was hold his hand...

Masking her shameful thoughts, the woman carefully set the daruma in a box. She turned to him suddenly.

"How old is he?"

"What?" Byakuya felt panic consume him. Why did she want to know his age? Certainly he couldn't tell her the truth. What were the chances of finding another Ichigo who happened to be fifteen years old?

Perhaps she knew that dreadful boy after all. Byakuya was getting over his head in this. Thinking quickly he mumbled, "eight." It hurt to lie to her.

The woman smiled gently. "Eight, that's a good age. Here," she took a small horse figurine off a shelf behind her and put it next to the daruma doll, safe in the little box. "I'm sure Ichigo would love this very much."

At the hesitation in the man's eyes Sakura waved his doubt away. "Oh, no please, I won't charge you. Don't worry about that. Let it be my gift to him."

God, he loved her smile. The woman smiled with her whole heart. It broke his to be so close to her, have her not know the truth of who he was.

With a skill Byakuya had to admire, Sakura elaborately wrapped the box in washi paper and then tied the whole confection with a square of silk. It was beautiful to behold. The Hisakawa Shrine obviously was successful to afford such wealth.

Watching her in this perfect moment, the man felt pride bloom in his heart. His Hisana always had such a fine talent for flair. Art came naturally to the beautiful of mind. It hardly surprised him that her reincarnation would be just as talented.

"There, just for little Ichigo. Wish him a happy birthday for me, okay?"

"How much do I owe you?" Byakuya couldn't keep his eyes off of her own, loving the familiar violet. The same eyes which haunted his dreams.

A smile played at his lips. It amazed him that he'd found her after so many years. She was real, standing just inches from him. She was alive.

"Twelve hundred yen," she said kindly. "Seven hundred for the charms and five for the daruma."

After the money was exchanged and the present box and charms rested in his care, Byakuya felt the well of disappointment opening a hole in his heart. He had to leave her now. How could he go without confessing that he'd never stopped loving her? Without taking her back to Seireitei? Without even asking her name?

He'd set out to find her and make her his again, but nothing had gone according to plan.

The woman bowed her thank you for his purchase. This was it...he needed to do something. Say something.

The man found himself at a loss for words. So many things to tell her, five decade's worth of planning for this moment. Why had his mouth gone so dry?

"Thank you," her voice was like warm honey to his ears. Hisana's voice. A voice he'd been missing. "Please have a safe journey home."

Byakuya looked down at this delicate woman, wrapped in the white and red attire of her station. The color brought out her eyes. In the lantern light their violet danced only for him. Still she searched his face. Still she felt the pull of memory, taunting her, forever losing hold on solid ground. It was clear this woman was trying to remember him. Her gaze begged him not to leave her alone.

Suddenly Byakuya knew his path. It would certainly work...wouldn't it?

"His-" Byakuya caught himself from saying her name. How would it feel to call his woman anything else? "Miss...Have we met...before?"

If Sakura hadn't ducked her head to cover her blush, she may have noticed the conspiratorial glint in the man's eyes.

"You...you do seem very familiar. May I ask your name?"

The man smiled, the first time in forever. The plan was working brilliantly. Later, much later, after he got this woman to fall in love with him again, he'd tell her the truth. But for now he needed to keep up the charade.

"Kuchiki Byakuya."

The woman started at the words. Cherry blossoms suddenly filled her vision, hands held together under a cerulean sky. Whispered endearments echoed in her memory. Warmth spread deep in her heart. Instinctively she touched her cheek where a tender kiss might have been laid, several moons ago.

Dizzy and a little anxious, the woman smiled. "It does seem like I know you. I'm Hisakawa Sakura, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

Sakura. He'd have to practice using such a foreign name for his beloved. Sakura. Sakura.

Both stood beneath the warm glow of lanterns, the night suddenly full of promise.