CHAPTER 1: OUR SECRET

Months before Aizen Sosuke's Betrayal...

"Did you sleep with Hinamori?"

Aizen took the papers brought by Akiho Yamamoto. A small smile planted on Aizen's lips as he looked over Akiho's face. "How could you conclude such, Akiho?"

Akiho paused for a moment. "I... saw her going out of your room just this morning," she said. There was no hint of jealousy on her face. Only concern, at the very least.

Though, Aizen pretended to interpret it differently. "Do you doubt my professionalism? Hinamori had only needed assistance from her captain. That's it."

"I have my other doubts on you, Sosuke" Akiho wanted to say. She had known Aizen for more than a decade already.

But these past few months, a lingering suspicion kept Akiho at night. She didn't know what to make up for it. Only, that it started on the day when she caught Aizen using his Kyoka Suigetsu to spy on Yamamoto Genryusai's office. Akiho never told anyone until she had further evidence. No one knew what she saw that night, even Aizen. Or so she thought.

"Are these the only papers Captain Yamamoto ought to give?" Aizen asked. In return, Akiho nodded at him in response. "Then, before you go, why don't we share a cup of coffee?"

"I'm in a rush. My grandfather gave me quite a number of work for squad 1," Akiho muttered, turning her back to Aizen.

"Just this once," Aizen said. "Please,"

On that,  Akiho turned to him. It gave her tingles and discomfort at how he felt so different right now. She doesn't know how to quite put it but, it seems like Aizen has a hidden objective for being nice to her. Although Aizen had treated everyone with respect, she knew that at the very least, he was quite different when it came to her. But why? Is it because she's the granddaughter of Yamamoto Genryusai? No, that's not quite right.

"Sosuke," Akiho spoke. "Be direct with me, are you planning something behind my back?" she said.

Aizen was taken aback by the comment. But he was very good at hiding it. "Like what?"

"Like doing something to me, for a greater good...? I'm not saying you're a bad person, it's just that..."

"You think I'm using you to pursue the ranks of the shinigami through your grandfather? am I right?" Aizen said, inching closer to where she was standing.

Akiho stepped back. Aizen was maybe right. Her lingering doubts of him may be due to that reason but she's just in denial of it. "Sosuke, it's not..."

"Akiho, I'm already a captain. What more would I want from Soul Society?" Aizen said.

Akiho made an annoyed sound from her lips. "Can you move for a little bit?" she said, slightly pushing Aizen on his chest. "It's just weird that I'm your first... friend," she hesitated on the word friend.

Aizen laughed softly. "What's wrong with that?"

"People think differently," Akiho answered.

"Differently? Like what?" Aizen challenged her despite knowing her answer.

"You know what!" Akiho exclaimed. "Now where's the coffee, you're saying?" she said moving past him.

"Answer me first," Aizen said, grabbing her wrist. "Akiho-cha...," Aizen smiled sheepishly.

"This is why people might think differently," Akiho said. With a playful smile, Aizen followed her inside where they could share coffee.

"Where did Hinamori sleep?" Akiho said while taking a sip from her coffee. Seconds have passed and Aizen still did not answer her. Akiho glanced at him and his eyes were intently watching her. "Don't give me creeps," she muttered while taking another sip.

"It's just, there was something that changed with your spiritual pressure," Aizen answered.

"Really...? Sosuke, I'm worried could it be...my secret?"

"I'm not entirely sure but we could only assume. Don't worry, I promised to research your situation, didn't I?" Aizen assured her.

"If my grandfather knew that I told you about the portion of soul king's power inside me, he'd kill me Sosuke" Akiho breathed deeply.

"Not a single soul will know, Akiho,"

Akiho stared at Aizen carefully examining him. "Make sure of that. You're the only one I could rely on this problem considering your knowledge about the Reiatsu"

"Of course, we exchanged secrets. You will tell nobody of my ongoing research of the Reiatsu and no one will know about your power," Aizen said as he moved away from his seat and then seated beside Akiho.

"But you did not even tell me the purpose of your research..." Akiho said as Aizen faced her.

"I'll tell you at the right time. What's important is... it is for the benefit of soul society," Beside Akiho, Aizen's face seemed to move closer to her.

Akiho looked down, quite embarrassed to look at Aizen. "There's another secret of us, remember?" she said gently.

"I remember very well," Aizen muttered. "It started a very long time ago in the academy," he whispered.

"Yes, but we should stop, you know. It's a mistake. We were only curious teenagers before." Akiho said. But she knew too well that it might be too late to stop. Everything happened in an instant decades ago in the academy. Where curiosity took place with them.

"Do you want to really stop?" Aizen questioned.

"Of course!" Akiho stuttered. "I feel like I'm only using you for my bodily needs..."

"For as long as it's you, I don't feel used." Aizen finally said before pressing his mouth to her.

Akiho was about to respond to his kisses but she suddenly felt that as if her vision was playing tricks with her. Her world started spinning. Aizen stopped kissing her noticing the distress.

"What's wrong?" Aizen asked.

"Sosuke..." Akiho muttered before her eyes closed as her unconscious body fell towards the captain. 

Aizen's smile emerged from his lips as he carried Akiho to his room. "Kyoka Suigetsu,"

Everything shifted. Akiho and Aizen's presence in the room disappeared. Kyoka Suigetsu created an illusion in the room that no one would be able to sense and see them together. It will never be detected even if a shinigami were to come inside the headquarters. 

As Akiho lay in bed unconscious of her surroundings, Aizen's hand carried a blue-purplish orb emitting dark spiritual pressure. The hogyoku.

"A portion of the Soul King's heart...huh," Aizen said with a laugh.