"Nn..." The pink girl groaned a bit and then slowly opened her eyes. She was staring at the ceiling and then she touched her forehead, the towel still attached on it. She slowly raised up her body and sitting on the bed. She was...trying to remember what happened last night. She remembered she was with Aizen in her room, talking about school and romance. She fell asleep in the middle of their conversation. She also remembered of how she suddenly felt cold and her head became dizzy. She recalled there was someone in her room but she unable to see the person, she only remembered the person was very tall. Unrealized she grab that person's clothes and asked him or maybe her to not leaved her which she thought it was very embarrassing and then... She touched her lips as she recalled that person was kissing her. Her face became red as she think about that and touching her warm face. In the middle of her thought, she heard a groan as she looked at the source...
"Eh? G...Grimm?" Grimmjow was sleeping in the chair beside her bed. He was sleeping soundly not even realized Ran already awoke. She thought his sleeping face was very cute just like a...cat. Something hit on her mind, since when Grimmjow entered her room? Did he came when she was asleep? Did he...together with her since last night? If that was true, then... "Was it...you? Grimm?" Her face became red again, but she thought Grimmjow will done that. Just there is no way Grimmjow would...kissed her. Even if that's true, Ran thought she wanted to thanked him because he always right beside her.
She closing her distance with him and whispering something to him. "Grimm? Are you awake?" But, no answer-it seems he still sleeping. "Grimm?" She tried again and Grimmjow let out a groan and he opened his eyes, blinking a few times.
"Hm? Ran? You awake already?"
"Yes. Oh, good morning Grimm"
"Mornin'" He yawned while scratching his hair. "How're ya feeling?"
"I'm okay now"
"Really?" He stood up and touched her forehead. Ran felt kinda weird having him touching her since his hand was pretty big and warm. "Well, your fever has gone down. Guess the medicine from Szayel Aporro is working" Medicine. Ran couldn't remember just when she drank her medicine as she fell asleep in the middle of conversation with Aizen. Could it be...Grimmjow was the one who gave the medicine to her? Ran thought that was probably the reason why he kissed her, to made her drink the medicine.
"Um, Grimm"
"Hm?"
"Thanks"
"Huh? For what?"
"Well, I guess for everything"
"I just... Well, Aizen assigned me to watched over you and um...maybe because...I just want to. There is nothing any meaning about it so don't get the wrong idea!"
Ran giggled to his answer. "Oi! What are you laughing?!?"
"Hehe~ Gomen ne. But still, thank you Grimm" He didn't answer as he looked away from her. He flustered a bit. They heard knocks from the door and the person got in to the room.
"Good morning, Ran. How're you feeling today?" Aizen appeared while brought a tray in his hand.
"Oh, Aizen-san. Good morning"
"Grimmjow. You're still here? Thank you for accompanying her"
"N-No. It's not a problem"
Aizen went past Grimmjow and taking the seat in her bed. "You seemed very much better than yesterday. Has your fever gone down?" He asked and touched her forehead.
"Oh, yeah. I think so" Her face become red again as his hand touching her.
"True, it is gone down. But, I believe you should still drink your medicine in case the cold come back. Here, I brought you breakfast. I didn't know Grimmjow were still here, if I did-I would bring your share" Aizen said as he looked at Grimmjow.
"No, that's fine Aizen-sama. I'm heading back now" He turned around and exit the room. Along the way, he thought he didn't belong there. He just didn't want to see Ran together with Aizen. He didn't know why he felt this way but just seeing her with Aizen was making him...mad. He didn't know the reason he felt that towards his leader. He let out a long sigh as he returned to his room.
Meanwhile in Ran's room, the two of them began to eat their breakfast. The menu was still the same. Still porridge. Did Aizen made this together with Ichimaru and Tosen too?
"By the way, I made this by myself" He suddenly said. Myself, he said. His words causing Ran stopped eating and looked astound to his face. "You didn't expect that, correct?"
"N-No. I thought...you made this with Ichimaru-san and Tosen-san too"
He chuckled over her comment. "Well, you already told us the steps so I thought I want to do it by myself. I do hope you enjoy it"
"Eh? Of course. It's delicious" She commented. She was not expecting Aizen will cooked for her. She tried to imagined Aizen's look when he wore an apron. Ran thought it will cute especially about someone like him.
"I assume you have a great cooking skill in you, yes?" He asked.
"Eh? Well, not really. I can only made something simple. My friend was much greater than me. He was the one who teach me of how to cook. He said woman must be able to cook for their future"
"He? A boy?"
"Eh? Yes, but I wouldn't called him boy because he was much older than me.Um, probably around... How old is Ichimaru-san? I think he was around Ichimaru-san"
"Well, don't compare our age with human as our age was much more longer than humans"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I maybe looked like this but I already lived for more than 100 years" He answered while wearing his usual smile. Even though he answered it playfully, Ran looked more surprise about it. Her eyes were wide open as she lost of what to say.
"O--One hundred years?!? Were shinigami capable to live more longer than humans? Wait. If you're 100 years old then...how about yama-jiisan?"
"Captain-Commander already hold his title for more than 1000 years. I do not think you want to count of how much his age is"
"Eeeeeeeehhhhh?!?"
He laughed behind his mouth watching her shown a reaction like that. "Well, how about you? How old are you?"
"Me? I'm still 16"
"Hmm... Still very young and fresh. If you were born in Soul Society, we probably met in a different occasion"
"W-Well...I guess so" Ran continued to eat the food, feeling confused of what to say again while Aizen doing the same. None of them were going to open their mouth to started another conversation. Ran unable to kept their silent mood and finally... "Um, Aizen-san?" Aizen take a glance towards Ran while still holding the spoon in his mouth. The view was rather cute to her and hold herself to smile to him. "Could you tell me now the reason why I have to be here?" She asked but Aizen slowly looked away from her and put the spoon to the plate. "Aizen-san?"
He became silent for a moment, looking rather hesitated to tell her or not. "That's because--" Before he could finished his sentence, Ichimaru suddenly entered the room-rather causing the two of them surprised because of the sudden entrance.
"Aizen-taicho! I've bring some news!"
Aizen let out a short sigh and looking at him "What news did you bring, Gin?"
"Well, rather than news it was more like...a message?"
"A message? From who? If it's from that ryoka or Soul Society, I do not wish to bargain anything anymore"
"No no no. It's not from neither from them. It's from our comrade, Sasaki Ren"
"Ren, huh? What did he wa--"
"Wait, Ichimaru-san!" Ran suddenly blurting out, causing both Aizen and Ichimaru looking at her. "Did you just said, Sasaki Ren?"
"Y-Yeah, Ran-chan. Why? Do you know 'im?"
"Of course! He's my best friend. Remember, Aizen-san? The one I told you about a woman should cook for her future. It was him" Ran explained to him. The moment she told her about this Sasaki Ren, the tension went rather heavy between them. "Um, do you know him? Ichimaru-san, you just said he was your comrade, right?"
"Eh? Yeah. He's also a former captain just like me, Aizen-taicho and Tosen-san. Previously, he was on a mission...to bring you here. But, he didn't do it and we don't know the reason why. He just showed up, I wonder why" He giggled a bit.
"Eh? He...did?" She looked down.
"Well, Gin? What message did you have?"
"Oh, yeah! He said--" Before he could finished his words, the door was opened roughly as the person who done it...
"You're too long! Do ya have to move that slow just to send a message?!?" The man with a dark blue hair with dark blue eyes showed up. His figure was very tall, just like Aizen and Ichimaru. He was wearing a shirt with long sleeves with black scarf around his neck and a blue navy trousers. He has a handsome face and he looks...annoyed. "Oi, Gin! What took ya so long?!?"
"Waaa! Sorry about that, Ren! Aren't ya the one who moving too fast. I thought I told you to wait outside" Ichimaru trying to defense himself.
"Ren-kun!" Ran called him causing Ren looked at her and immediately, his annoying expression drained off and switched on to a very happy expression.
"Ran!" He went past Ichimaru and Aizen while Ran descend the bed. Ren immediately hugged her tightly. "Thank God, you're all right! I'm so worried about you!"
"Um, Ren-kun? I'm fine" She said as her face become a tomato face.
Ren slowly pushed her over and checking her condition. "These guys didn't do anything to you, right?"
"N-No, they didn't do anything. Besides, they are kind enough to help me when I was having a fever"
"Eh? You got a fever? Are you all right now?" He touched her forehead.
"I'm okay now. Look..." She pointed at the plate "Aizen-san made that for me"
"Huh? Aizen did?" He looked confuse and give a glance towards Aizen.
"Um, so you guys know each other? I didn't know that. I didn't know Ren-kun was the previous captain in Soul Society" She said to him. Her face maybe smiling but she looked...kinda sad.
"S-Sorry about that, Ran. I was planning to tell you everything but I can't seems find the right timing to do it" Ren explained his reason while holding her shoulders.
Ran only shook her head and then she smiled at him "It's okay, Ren-kun. I know you have your reason for not telling me" Hearing her said those words causing Ren felt relieved about it and both of them smile to each other. For Aizen watching them like that, kinda made him annoyed. He didn't know there are other guy whom very close to her beside Ichigo and the atmosphere around them was very different when Ran with Aizen. She was more relax to Ren then Aizen. She was even...smiled warmly to Ren.
"Ren" He called him causing both Ren and Ran were looking at him. "Before you told her the reason why you didn't tell her anything, how about you give me a good reason of why you didn't bring her to me in the first place?" Even though his voice sound composed and calm, but he didn't smile anymore.
"Didn't I told you back then? She wasn't ready"
"What do you mean?"
"That's..." Ren hesitated on answering. "Could I talk to her first?"
"Sure. But, I'll be listening"
"No problem" He turned to Ran. "Ran? After hearing you were taken here, I was rushed my way here. It's about your mother"
"Eh? Mom? What happened to her? Ne, Ren-kun! What happened?!" She grabbed his clothes and looking very worried.
"Her condition become worse and the doctor said she won't have much time. She said she wanted to see you for one last time before she..." He was hesitated on finishing his sentence.
"No! Don't tell me she's going to die! Please! I want to see her!" She begged and then she looked at Aizen. "Aizen-san... Please, let me go to her"
"....No" He bluntly said.
"Oi, Aizen!"
"I said no and that's final. Why you have to go there anyway? Nothing will change even with she's going there"
"What the--! She's her mother for god's sake! What other reason she should have?!?"
"But she wasn't her biological mother!" Aizen countered him and he could see Ran was shocked of his words. "What? You didn't know that? True, they're not your true parents. Too bad Ren didn't tell you anything, did he?"
"R...Ren-kun? Is that true?" Ran asked but Ren didn't answered, implying it was the truth. "But, even so..." She looked straight at Aizen "I want to see her! She's the mother who has been taking care of me since I was a baby! I don't care what are you saying and I don't need your permission either, I'm still going to her! Ren-kun, can you take me to her?"
"Sure"
"Ren... I won't let you do as you pleased" Aizen threatened him.
"Sorry, Aizen. Unlike you, I still have human heart. Besides, I've been together with Ran for a very long time and I won't let you prevent her to see her mother" He said to him. "Well then, Ran? Shall we? Don't worry about him"
"...Okay" She said "Come on, Ren-kun"
"Um, I just realized. Ran? Could you changed your clothes first?" Ren asked.
"Eh?" She looked at her clothes as she didn't wear her previous clothes. Her clothes right now was a very big size. She didn't even realized someone has been...changed her clothes. The thought made her blushing and she thought Grimmjow had her clothes changed. "I...um...I'll...go get change now!" She said and rushed towards the bathroom.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere between Ren, Aizen and Ichimaru was very heavy. None of them were able to started the conversation until Ren...
"You're worried, aren't ya?" He asked Aizen. "Don't worry. She won't disappeared like Kiyo. She just go to see her mother and come back here" He said while folding his arms. Aizen didn't respond to him. Few minutes later, Ran exit the bathroom.
"I'm ready, Ren-kun"
"Okay then" He said and then he opened the garganta. "Shall we?" Ran only nodded and looked behind her.
"I'll be back, Aizen-san, Ichimaru-san" She parted with them and walked together with Ren.
"Um, Aizen-taicho?" Without answering, Aizen walked towards Ran and holding her shoulder, startling her.
"I'm coming too" He declared, confusing Ran. "You mind?"
"N-No, not at all. Ne, Ren-kun?"
"I don't mind. Wanna join, Gin?" He looked at Gin.
"Hmm... I think I'll pass. I'm gonna watch over here. Take care, Ran-chan!" He waved at her as Ran do the same.
The three of them entered the garganta and walked straight to the exit. Just like when she went with Grimmjow and Ichigo, it took them ten minutes to get to the other side. Aizen didn't speak along the way. She didn't know whether he was angry or he just didn't want to talk. But, she thought she didn't do anything wrong. There's nothing wrong for someone who want to see their own mother. It got her thinking because Aizen said her mother was not her real mother.
Then, what of her? Where she came from?
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Finish with chapter 12! Hope you'll like it
The cover for this chapter is Ren-kun :3
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See you in the next chapter! :D