Reunited? [Kei/Kaminari]

KEI SAIONJI

Kei stared ahead. There was something familiar about the woman in front of her. Was it her gait? The occasional muttering? Was it the tempting figure? None of those felt right. It was middday, and the provisional 3rd Seat of the 1st Division was stuck like glue. Kei didn't think they dated. But that could be wrong. Kei definitely hadn't slept with her—those faces were definitely clear in her memory. Did they fight together once? Was she a distant cousin? She didn't know. It was going to drive her insane if she didn't approach.

So, she did. But not directly. Oh no. Nothing so startling as hearing the clackclackclack of her sandals slapping against the cobbled ground. No, Kei merely went down a side-street first. Speeding up to hopefully catch up, Kei circled around until wham. They almost collided. Looking at her dead-on still didn't make it click. "Oh my, I'm terribly sorry. I should pay better attention at these corners." Which wasn't necessarily a lie. She didn't mean to actually almost cause them to end up in a situation out of any romcom. "Excuse me, but do I know you?"

KEI SAIONJI

Unfortunately for Kaminari, Kei didn't immediately react to people giving her a glance over. It was something she almost expected people to do. She waved Kaminari's question off lightly. "No, I'm not in a hurry at all." Kei was still feeling like she knew her from somewhere. "How long is a while?" Feeling her brother's stare of disapproval for being mildly uncouth in her questioning. "I know it's terribly rude, but I swear we met somewhere before and I can not for the life of me remember the details."

"Perhaps an introduction may help." Kei bowed slightly. "I'm Kei Saionji, 1st daughter of the Saionji family, and provisional Third Seat of the First Division." Kei waited, hoping that the woman's name may just dreg up whatever old memory was swimming in the depths of her memories.

KEI SAIONJI

Kei did not like that Kaminari was being unhelpful. It was like she was being intentionally vague. Whatever. Some people were just like that. Kei repeated the name multiple times. She placed her finger up to her lips and actually turned her head slightly to see if maybe it was the angle. A piece clicked in her memory. "Wait... Kaminari.. Ha..." Kei's eyes went wide as it flowed back to her.

"Seireitei Communication. 1998. Winter issue. The promotional special edition for recruiting more Shinigami." Kei slammed the bottom of her fist into her open palm. "You were at that photoshoot. The one with the cherry blossoms. The one on the left. That's how I know you." Kei smiled. "The Ninth Division needed help with the lighting and effects, so we had spare members assist. I was there as their supervisor." Kei's attitude changed from a pushy stranger to a pushy long-lost friend. "I'm deeply ashamed of not recognizing you. I have no excuse." Kei bowed again, this time more deeply. "How have you been? It's been so long!"

KEI SAIONJI

Kei placed a hand on her cheek to feign humbleness. "Oh, stop. I always remember a pretty face. I just don't always remember where I saw it." To those that knew Kei, when she said someone had a "pretty face," she did mean it. She just so happened to also mean that she wanted to shove her head in between their melons. Natural reaction, of course. Kei was a connoisseur of breasts and an experienced admirer of the overall feminine form.

"Things have been well. Everyone's had their ups and downs this past century. My family is just fortunate enough to have come through it all without collapsing." Kei knew if she had been head and not her brother, the Saionji family would have collapsed long before the 2000s. "Say, would you like to share a meal with me? My treat for being so forward and rude earlier." Of course Kei would not shy away from the chance to ask a pretty woman out on a date.

KEI SAIONJI

Kei waved her to shut the meager coinpurse. "Nonsense. It's my treat. I was so rude earlier; it's only appropriate." Being forward again, Kei grabbed Kaminari's hand and began pulling her along. It didn't take long before they arrived at the restaurant. It was more of a casual dining place rather than anything particularly fancy. What Kei truly loved about this place was its private and cozy atmosphere. There weren't tables scattered about in some predetermined "efficient" way. Instead, the restaurant had private booths sunk into the walls.

Kei sat across from Kaminari after finding them one away from other patrons. It wasn't too popular of a place. That was the other reason Kei enjoyed it so much. Well, that and the busty waitress that came over to take their order. Kei had stopped trying to woo her many years ago. After securing more time to order, she sighed happily. It was always nice to reunite with someone, but more than that she was feeling good in life. Things were looking up for her. J had been accepted into the Gotei as well, and she knew as soon as a new Division opened or if a Captain retired, he'd be top-choice for a replacement. She may have to share a provisional 3rd Seat position with Igendai until the decision was made on that, but she was OK with it. "So what have you been up to all these years?" Kei asked innocently, not knowing the seriousness of the question.