𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃 | 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 [Discontinued]

↠ 6 ↞

"How is she doing?"

He sighed, which easily gave her his answer.

"Poor brat," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest with a frown. "Only nine, and she's already seen her mother die in front of her because of a fucking Hollow."

"Easy there," he chided softly, giving her a glance. "You make it sound like you sympathize with her."

She threw him a glare. "I do not!" She looked off to the side. "It's pity, nothing else."

He nodded, not believing his companion for a second. "Uh-huh."

"Shut up!"

His laughter filled the once solemn air as they drew their minds away from the tragedy of the girl's mother's death, forever changing the girl's outlook on the world.

- - - - - - - - - -

11 YEARS LATER
JULY 17

Sayuri stared at the banner hanging from the wall with wide eyes. "What the-?!" she sputtered out as Urahara wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

"Happy Birthday!" he cheered out, everyone else present repeated after him with glee, Yoruichi having a small confetti popper in hand.

It has been a month since the anniversary of Kurosaki Masaki's death and Sayuri's breakdown at the cemetery, and Sayuri has been acting like it had never happened. She just turned her attention towards figuring out where Grand Fisher was and how to kill him.

She hadn't even realized her birthday was upon them.

"You're twenty-one now, Yuri-nee!" Yuzu said with a bright smile as she wrapped her older sister in a hug. "How does it feel?"

"Yeah, give us some experienced words for those of us who haven't reached that age yet," Karin sarcastically said, though she also had a smile on her face.

On the other side of the room, Rukia was standing with Yoruichi.

"I didn't realize Sayuri's birthday had been today until Urahara-san told me," Rukia said, holding a cup of tea in her hand and taking the occasional sip from it.

Yoruichi shrugged. "It often slips her mind, so we just have to casually remind her of it."

Rukia eyed the elaborate decorations for Sayuri's birthday. It was clear that they have been used in the past. "Casually?" she repeated dubiously.

"Okay, maybe not casually," Yoruichi corrected herself. "More like every year since her mother died, even more so after her father's death."

Rukia sighed, a frown making its way onto her face. She didn't like how Sayuri just let the world pass by and not celebrate simple things, such as her own birthday.

Yoruichi noticed the look on her face. "That's why we're here," she said, making Rukia look up at her. "We're here to make sure that Sayuri doesn't forget that there's more to life than she thinks."

The Kuchiki girl nodded.

Suddenly, Tsukabishi Tessai, a worker at the Urahara Shop, stuck his head into the room with a grim expression. Everyone paused in what they were doing at his appearance.

"There's someone here for Kurosaki-san," he said before taking his leave.

Sayuri shared a glance with Urahara, who offered her a clueless shrug. She sighed before heading towards the entrance of the shop, ready to see who it was.