Prologue

Hello dear reader! Welcome to my first fanfic before you start reading I wanna say two things first thank you for giving this story a chance and second English is not my first language this story is a way of improving my writing skills so if you find any mistakes in grammar or spelling, please let me know. Thank you and enjoy!

The sun was shining high in the sky, no clouds around. Some may say it was a perfect day. The Tokugawa manor looked as imposing as ever, far from the Seireitei like it was supposed to. A figure makes her entrance through the main gate, acting as she owes the place in a way she does. At least four servants follow her carrying different packages of all kind of sizes.

"Lady Tokugawa." a man calls after her, she turns around almost uninterested. Her expensive gown following the movement in her head, the soft fabric a light green with delicate blue details. Her aristocratic features change to show surprise at the interruption. "Oh… Lord Tokuda." she smiles "Why are you screaming after me, as far as I know, this is not a market." Tokuda Daisuke at least looks a little bit ashamed "My apologies milady." He states as he bows deeply.

The smile never left her face as she replies "You are forgiven, in fact, I brought you something." One of the servants comes forward, handing her a small package. She turns around and puts the package in his hands.

"You are very kind milady, but Lord Tokugawa demands your presence at his studio." She sighs and orders the servants to take her things to her room. Then she follows Lord Tokuda as he guides her to her brother while walking there, she can't stop herself from wondering what this is all about. When they finally arrive, she noticed two things at the same time, for one he is not alone and for two he seems busy writing something on his desk.

Without looking up her brother greets her and asks her to take a sit. She then realizes that Lord Tokuda is still in the room."Lord Tokuda, can you please instruct one of the servants to prepare some of the new tea I bought today." As he makes his way out the smile she held through all their interaction falls quickly.

She starts looking around the neatly organized room before she states, "I swear our honorable Lord Tokuda gets more stupid by the hour treating me as a child. I think we can allow ourselves to be surrounded by more clever people or at least more entertaining."

"Harumi!" Her mother reprimands her, but Harumi just rolls her eyes.

"What is this all about anyway? I already said that the statue my friends and I broke will be repaired with the money off my allowance." Harumi states just then her brother stops writing at his desk and looks her in the eye. Their eyes meet mirroring one another.

"Believe it or not, this doesn't have anything to do with that one thousand years old statue something far more important arrived today and now that the three of us are reunited we can decide how to proceed. A courtship request arrived early this morning." Her brother states.

Harumi starts laughing, "All this commotion and mystery over a courtship request as if we don't receive dozens every month sometimes even from the same person. Maybe I should stop smiling at all the nobleman I encounter." But her laughter starts fading when she notices her brother fighting a smile.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" Harumi states while walking closer to her brother never stoping the eye contact.

Lord Hakuseki Tokugawa head of one of the four great noble clans in soul society, can't contain his laughter anymore and he starts laughing as the young man he is at his twin sister expense.

But his twin sister didn't find the situation funny at all, so she walks to his side and gave him a slap on the back of his head a blush starts appearing on her beautiful face but this only makes him laugh harder. "Oh please, Haru don't be mad at me look at the wax seal at the letter." Her brother defends himself.

"Stop the two of you this instant!" Their mother yells.

While her mother screams at the two of them. Harumi couldn't help but stare hard at the wax seal of the letter, was her brother playing a prank on her. He wouldn't dare, not with something as important as this, but there was no doubt the color of the wax was exclusively reserved for the matters between heads of the four noble clans and the symbol definitely didn't belong to the Tokugawa clan. It belongs to the Kuchiki clan.

She grabbed the letter before sitting on the floor, she wanted to read the content but at the same time, she didn't. Suddenly she felt someone sitting next to her, she didn't turn around to know it was her brother."What does it say?" She asked hesitantly.

She expected that he would say that the Kuchiki clan was proposing one of their noblewoman to marry him, or a second or third cousin of the head for her. He gently put his arm protectively around her. "The letter said…" he sighed taking his time, he was trying to choose the perfect words.

"The letter stated that the head of the Kuchiki clan," Harumi felt her heart race at every word he spoke and her hands shake a little bit, she was glad she had sited down and that their mother was silently watching their interaction. The next words her brother spoke changed her life forever time seemed to stop. "He wishes to court you and seeks my approval."

Harumi felt her hands covering her mouth and a smile starting to spread. The excited screams of her mother filled the silent room after her brother's revelation. He seemed rather satisfied with himself but started raising his hand to signalized that he wasn't over, both females stared at him dumbfounded "not only that."

"Lord Kuchiki doesn't want a long courtship or engagement he wishes to be married as soon as possible." At this Harumi narrowed her eyes but her mother seemed untroubled, if possible, she looked happier.

Before her brother or mother noticed the expression in her face, Harumi got up from the floor a smile on her face."Oh, mother, I cannot believe this, I wished we could drink the new tea I was talking ab-" But before she could finish the sentence, her mother cut her off. "My darling girl, don't worry about that now but if you want I could go scream to Lord Tokuda about it when he knows what we are celebrating he won't waste any more time."

"Mother, you cannot tell anybody about this at least not until it's official." Harumi stated before her mother left the room.

The smile was gone when she turned around to face her brother, and she didn't speak until she was sure her mother was out of earshot and wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. She was beside him in no time sitting on the floor again her brother observed her curiously a question on his lips but before he could say anything she whispered urgently "This doesn't make any sense, the courting I understand but why the hurry."

Her brother just gave her a funny look before taking her hand "If you want a long engagement you don't have to make up a whole conspiracy to get it you can just tell me if you wanna get to know Lord Kuchiki better don't give me that look."

Even if her brother didn't believe her and took it as a joke, she couldn't understand the motives behind the need to have a swift courting or engagement. It didn't seem proper for the head of a clan."You know very well I couldn't care less about what kind of person he is you, and I know what I want from this marriage."

They both shared mischievous grins at her last statement how could he not know it had been her dream since the infancy. The benefits of being married to one of the most important people in all the soul society included money status respect freedom but more than that it brought power.

"I know that, but this man will spend the rest of his life with you," He sighed before proceeding, giving her hand a gentle squeeze "I'm sorry this is the only way we can…kind of make your dream come true."

Her face softened at his words."It's fine at least is half a dream come true." She said, squeezing his hand back, "Thank you, big brother." He didn't respond, but she knew his expression meant she could always count on him to have her back.

She took a deep breath before continuing, "I almost cannot believe how close we are to make it come true I thought the plan at the autumn festival in the Shihōin Clan residence last year hadn't worked out, I was starting to think I miscalculated everything." He looked at her confused but before he could ask their mother entered the room, three servants following her.

She scolded them, for still being on the floor stating that it was improper of their status. As her brother was helping her get up a silent promise to talk about the plan was made. When both of them were standing the tea ceremony began, Harumi noticed the kaiseki and looked at her mother surprised. Her mother explained that given the circumstances she wanted to do a chaji instead of the chakai that was supposed to happen, none of the twins complained trying to evade an unnecessary confrontation.

After the four-hour ceremony was over, it was rather late, so Harumi and her mother excused themselves from Lord Tokugawa's presence. As Harumi was walking to her room, she realized her mother was following her, but she didn't comment on it until they reached her room and closed the shōji behind her it almost felt surreal to be back in her room after everything that had happened today.

Before calling her lady in waiting to help her in the night routine, she waited for her mother to start talking. "Harumi I wanted to say how proud I am of you, I mean who would have thought you would get a better arrangement than your older sister." She said as she started to stroke her daughter's hair "May I brushed it like in the old times, remember?"

Harumi just smiled before nodding, "Let me call my lady in waiting before, she can bring the brush and all we need, to start preparing me to sleep."

To be completely honest the night routine seemed kind of ridiculous two hours and a half only to change her clothes remove her makeup and jewelry, take off Harumi's hair ornaments brush her hair and apply creams or oils. When she was younger, she hated it, but now she could understand her mother lessons and the importance of a beautiful outer appearance.

As her mother brushed her hair, Harumi looked at herself in the mirror, she thanked whoever was listening for granting her a face and body like hers. But especially, she wanted to thank her mother who has taught her to always take special care of the way she looked she doubted she would have all these opportunities if she wasn't beautiful.

The night routine was long and tedious, but she would rather keep it up than lose the deal, even more, when she was so close to getting it. One step closer to her goal, she thought as her mother finished brushing her long auburn hair. When her mother and lady in waiting finally bid her goodnight Harumi stared at the mirror hazel eyes looked back at her she stood there for a few minutes before going to bed.

But sleep didn't come easy that night her mind was analyzing all the information she had gathered today. She imagined Lord Kuchiki wouldn't be an easy person to manipulate to her advantage, but it couldn't be impossible to achieve her interest once she set her mind into something that was her last thought right before she fell asleep.

I really hope you liked it and I know Harumi is kind of a bad person but give her time you will understand her better as the story goes on. if you want to let me know your thoughts or have a question leave a review. Much love and I will update soon.