With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
Seiji instantly started to browse through the hats upon arrival at the hat shop. He looked at a few different fedoras before seeing THE ONE. Seiji's jaw about dropped when he saw it. It was perfect! Magnificent! Amazing even! Seiji approached it and looked at the price tag. It was pretty cheap, but for what reason? Seiji inspected the hat when he heard Tsuyuko say something to him.
"What's the deal with this hat anyways? It's not like you need one." Tsuyuko asked Seiji.
He turned to her and placed both his hands on both her shoulders. "For me, it's a preference. A lifestyle in a way. It makes me that much different from everyone else, and I would rather be different than average." Seiji smiled and looked at the hat again.
He picked up the hat and placed it atop his head. "How's it look?" Seiji asked while smiling. He loved finding fedoras of his taste, it was so much fun for him. "Now it just needs one of these..." Seiji reached in his sleeve and pulled out a yellow feather. Before placing it in the hat, he paid for it and walked back over to Tsuyuko. He put the feather in the hat and placed it on top of his head. He looked in a mirror. "Outstanding! This is a good day after all."
Seiji then turned to Tsuyuko and grinned a bit. "Maybe you should try on a hat!" Seiji grabbed a straw hat and put it on Tsuyuko's head. "There!" Seiji pointed her to a mirror so she could see herself with the straw hat on.
So, he was a bit too dramatic about his hats for her taste. He didn't have to touch her to emphasize it.
She sill didn't get what was so special about this hat, but it made him happy so whatever. But before she could answer his question, he made her wonder his mental state. A feather? Really? Now he looked like one of those pimps she's seen, but more ridiculous.
Things worked out for him, she was happy about that, but then he did something quite unnecessary. Putting a straw hat on her head was beyond annoying. She only looked in the mirror to amuse him.
Removing the hat, has she thought she looked stupid, she put it back where he found it. "Yeah, I'm not really a hat person."
Seiji looked at Tsuyuko while she put the hat back. Seiji kinda thought that maybe there was something wrong, but what did he know?
"I guess everyone is different. I like my hats and you like your... er... uhh.... What do you like?" Seiji realized that he knew nothing about Tsuyuko. "Come to think of it, you haven't said much about yourself... And why did you come with me anyway? You could of just left after talking to me at that other hat shop, but you came with me instead..." Seiji started to rub the back of his head.
"Tsuyuko, why were you here today? And why did you help me out back there in the first place?" Seiji became quite serious for a moment. He was very curious about his new acquaintance. He knew NOTHING about her, except that she wasn't a hat person and her squad and seat. Seiji wanted to know more!
Tsuyuko crossed her arms as the questioning began. She listened to his serious questioning method, which was quite annoying. Is he interrogating her? This line of questioning was not the way to get her to answer any questions.
With a calm face, she took her fingers, and flicked his nose rather hard. "you should ask more politely rather than with that tone." She was rather ticked off and was about to leave the store without him. That is until she said this. "Come on, I need a second opinion on some things."
She headed to another stand, this one of elegant kimonos. She picked one up to look at it, but placed it back down. Not quite what she was looking for. Need something a bit more girly.
She looked over at Seiji, needing an answer on something. "My Oji-san is having a high roller come in next week, so I want to give the girls some new kimonos for it." She held up another one, her face as serious as can be, and said "Do you find this sexy?"
She didn't blush and kept her cool. Let's see how Seiji reacts.
Seiji's eyes widened when his nose was flicked. "HEY! I'm not a dog!" Seiji exclaimed without even noticing it. Why should he be flicked on the nose like a dog, hell, if he were any animal, it would be closest to a monkey! Seiji decided to let things go... This time.
"Second opinion?" Seiji asked then followed her to a kimono stand. He wasn't quite sure why he had been chosen to help with this 'second opinion' thing, but he might as well help, he did make Tsuyuko mad after all, only a little. That's what Seiji thought anyway.
After listening to the explanation, Seiji began to understand why he was needed. Then came the question, one that would baffle and send Seiji's mind set completely off track. "Do you find this sexy?" Tsuyuko asked Seiji with a calm demeanor.
Seiji rubbed the back of his head. He really wasn't sure how to react! He looked around before finally thinking of a response, which was just a question for the question. "Uhhh, why do you ask me? Do I really look like I am a ladies man? Seriously?" Seiji had to make it clear that he really wasn't sure. Then again, how else was he suppose to answer it? He didn't have much experience dealing with girls and how they looked! Or at least it had been to long for him to remember. Seiji then thought what the hell, might as well answer it. "You know what? It is somewhat sexy." Seiji began to look through the kimonos until he found a sky blue one with white, cloud-like shapes on it. He put it back and searched some more, until he found a pink one and showed it. He put it back and looked once more. The last one was a light red color that was long and silky. It looked nice, in Seiji's eyes, and felt good on touch.
"Maybe this one? I do have a different taste though, but this is what I would like on a girl..." Seiji kinda felt embarrassed, but he decided to be brave and just say what he thought.
Well, not the most comical reaction to such a random question but it'll do. "I needed a man's opinion, but if you aren't up to the task..."She trailed off as she noticed he was struggling with his answer. so when he answered, she felt glad that even a man like Seiji could find this kimono sexy.
That's when he started to look through the other kimonos that were available. Some were ok, but not what the girls needed to get the money from the clients. Then his last choice was quite attractive, she could see her Onee-chans wearing that, after some alterations of course.
She grabbed it from Seiji to examine it. Just right. she smiled and went to the clerk. "I need twenty eight of these with these colors and sizes. Then send it to this address." She pulled out a sheet of paper with various numbers with names and an address. The clerk was surprised that she get such an order, it would take a couple of days to get it all together and sent. Then she saw the money produced and her eyes gleamed with joy.
"Right away miss, anything else?"The female clerk asked, rubbing her hands together like the greedy shop owner cliche. Things were picking up nicely for her.
Tsuyuko looked around to see if she wanted anything else, but nothing caught her eye. That is, until she saw a shiny gleam in the light. "How much for the Kiseru?" A smoking pipe, she remembered that her Oji-san needed a new one and this was quite elegant. It looked like a dragon coiling around the pipe as the tip was where its mouth is. The smoke would emerge from the nose and you would load it from the mouth.
The owner looked at the pipe and back at Tsuyuko. She looked as if she didn't want to part with it. Things might get hairy, but you never know.
"Uhhh, ok then. Your welcome?" Seij's voice was lowered at this point. He wanted to know that his help was appreciated, but he really didn't care to much. In fact, he thought that at this point he might just leave.
"I need twenty eight of these with these colors and sizes..." When Seiji heard this, his jaw about dropped off of his face. He walked back over to Tsuyuko.
"Uhhh, Tsuyuko, why do you need twenty eight?" Seiji curiously asked. Why twenty eight? One or two, but twenty eight!? Seiji just couldn't imagine why she would need that many! Seiji's curiosity got the best of him. "So how did you know you wanted twenty eight? What is it for? Just, just why? It's peculiar, I just met you, so, I don't know much about you, maybe that would help..." Seiji started to trail off with his thoughts. So many questions were risen by that one number. Twenty eight. Then another surprise.
"How much for the Kiseru?" Tsuyuko asked about a smoking pipe... Wait... A SMOKING PIPE!? Why did she need THAT!?
Seiji tapped Tsuyuko on the shoulder. Questions were imminent. And so, they began. "Why do you need a Kiseru? Wait, you smoke? You don't look like you smoke." Seiji began to inspect Tsuyuko. At this point, Seiji just looked like a weirdo, but that was just his curiosity getting the better of him once again.
Seiji stopped and stepped back. He bowed his head slightly. "Oops, sorry. I get a bit carried away. I'm a curious person at times. Must be my inner monkey side, eh?" He rubbed the back of his head after his statement.
Right when she was about to start haggling, Seiji started to ask questions. Too many at once, she just stood and stared at him to finish.
Why is he going on like this? Not like a girl doesn't but clothes. It took a minute before he finished, the shop girl looked a bit confused at Seiji as well. "Uhh Since you ordered so much already, I'll toss in the pipe for two thousand."
Tsuyuko rubbed her chin at the proposal. It was reasonable price and she could afford it. "Make it fifteen hundred and we have a deal." She learned to haggle from her uncle, she had that gaze in her eyes he'd always tell her.
After a few seconds of what could be the longest starring contest the girl had ever experience, she was determined, but it was futile. Tsuyuko was taught by the best and she easily won. "Deal."
After paying for her order, Tsuyuko turned to face Seiji. "Hungry? My treat." She asked, giving him a slight smile.
Seiji stood there while the two haggled and he was ignored. He didn't mind of course because he did tend to ask to many questions. Either way, it was about time to leave, which meant that Seiji could put a feather in his hat, literally.
They had finished their haggling and Tsuyuko turned to Seiji and asked him a question. "Hungry? My treat."
Seiji rubbed his chin. He had to think about it for a second, then his stomach made the decision for him. His stomach growled a loud growl, growling for food!
"You don't have to pay, but food does sound good." Seiji smiled at Tsuyuko and nodded. Seiji wouldn't mind getting some grub after the somewhat long day he has had.
Now then... Where would they go? "You know any good places around this area?" Seiji asked as he walked to the exit of the store, preparing to leave.
"I'm not to familiar with the area, but," She started as she looked around for some kind of sign or land mark. When she spotted the smoke slightly billowing from a roof not too far from where they stood, she finished what she was saying. "I was told that a barbecue place was somewhere in that direction."
Tsuyuko started walking to the east, where she spotted the smoke. She wasn't sure who told her about the barbecue joint. Was it Hinata? It may have been her or someone else who tried to ask her out, she couldn't remember.
She looked over at Seiji then back up front. "I smoke but very often. The Kiseru is for my uncle." She answered one question as they walked. She doesn't smoke as much as her uncle but she has been known to divulge in it every so often.
She can almost smell the smoked meat, the sound of sizzling can be heard slightly. It's a good thing that she had control over her stomach or an embarrassing noise would have come out.
"We made it." And there they stood in front of a barbecue place where you cook your own meat and vegetables. The smell of the different types of sauces and seasons would make anyone drool.