Hello~ This is my first story for Touken Ranbu about Ichigo Hitofuri and my OC Kiyone~ Please review and hope you enjoy 3

Sincerely, Angel

He miraculously arrived in Kiyone's, the saniwa of Amatsumaru, citadel on none other than April Fool's day. Originally, Kiyone had a hard time understanding that it was really Ichigo Hitofuri and not Tsurumaru cosplaying as Ichigo.

It was also because Kiyone lack of trust in the new sword that caused Ichigo to have a bad first impression of her; he had no idea that Tsurumaru liked to pretend that he was Ichigo, so really, was Ichigo the one to blame? Ichigo's first impression of Kiyone was that she was clumsy, serious, and most of all, just a girl in her teens. How in the world was she chosen to run a citadel, he had thought.

And then several months passed: Ichigo still resents Kiyone. He even went as far as refusing to become the secretary when Kiyone decided to appoint him. Although he had seen for himself that Kiyone balanced regular school and citadel duties quite well, he still saw her as an up-to-no-good teenage girl.

"Na, Ichi, won't you come and watch the fireworks with us?" Tsurumaru asked with a disappointed tone. It was the day of the boys' long-anticipated summer festival, and the government allowed all members of the citadel to take a one-day break.

Tsurumaru sat down beside Ichigo on the Amatsumaru's roof: it is Ichigo's favourite spot, because Kiyone can't climb up this high.

Tsurumaru adjusted his white and gold yukata and poured Ichigo a cup of barley tea. Ichigo, still in his track suit, gratefully accepted the cup of tea. After all, he was quite lonely, considering that all swords were already at the summer festival, and there was no one left at Amatsumaru except for Kiyone, Tsurumaru, and him.

"You should come, unless you're... waiting for Kiyone? You're the secretary after all," Tsurumaru remarked. Ichigo was forcibly made secretary after Kiyone showed that she was the one in charge and that she had the most power. It was as if she was trying to make Ichigo hate her even more.

"They say that opposites attract... but I guess that's more of her and me. You're both too serious and too stubborn, but Ichi, I feel like you should try to like her more." Tsurumaru said. By then, Ichigo was very annoyed.

"Although she finds her actions thoughtful, they irritate me. Not even the finest sword smith can repair her imperfections. Like a rat, she is the pest among all other saniwas. I would rather risk my life for the Kebiishi than for her," Ichigo said coldly and calmly.

"Now that, my friend, is a little too much. I think we need Mikazuki-san to shove some logic into your brain... when he actually appears," Tsurumaru stood up, "plus, in case you weren't aware, our aruji is the best aruji among all arujis."

"Tsuru, there's only one aruji at the moment," Ichigo stood up as well but was too slow to chase after the crane who already landed elegantly on the grass. Ichigo sighed, chugged the rest of his tea, and jumped down as well.

Ichigo walked slowly toward his room while sighing. Did I go too far? Probably not, right? he thought. But guiltily, he slid the shouji open and dug through his drawers, only to discover that he didn't actually own a yukata.

"Ichigo-san, may I come in?" Kiyone's voice, although gentle, pierced Ichigo's ears.

"Yes, Aruji-sama," Ichigo answered with a monotone.

Kiyone, dressed in a lilac yukata and a plain lilac hairpin securing her messy bun, slid the shouji open. She, too shy and scared to walk in, stood outside with a dark blue yukata hanging on her right arm. She extended her arm out, gaze fixed upon the tatami floor, and said:

"I-I thought you might want it."

"Thank you for your consideration?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow suspiciously and took it from her.

"No worries, I thought it might be good for you to loosen up a little and spend some time with your younger brothers," she replied, still staring at the tatami floor. Whenever she thought about Ichigo, only the words "serious" and "intimidating" came to mind.

"Thank you for your consideration," he said again. This time, his response was firm.

"No worries, no worries. I'm supposed to be a considerate and responsible saniwa, after all... Well, then, please excuse me," Kiyone bowed and turned around. Ichigo, on the other hand, as if possessed, suddenly lost his mind, walked quickly toward the shouji, and grabbed Kiyone's pale, slim wrist.

"Are you perhaps... scared of me?" Ichigo asked with a voice rather insecure and uneasy. Kiyone hid her face from him but did not pull her hand away: he is physically much stronger than she is, obviously.

"Please let me go," Kiyone answered quietly.

With that said, Ichigo released her wrist and watched the pretty girl walk away. But if he had known that the jagged nails he forgot to cut had accidentally pierced her milky smooth skin, he would have chased after her even though she was someone he hated.

Confused, Ichigo slid the shouji close and laid the dark blue yukata on the tatami floor. He examined it carefully and traced his fingers over his crest, embroidered excellently one the back of the collar. Anyone could tell that this yukata was made with much more than pure affection although the fabric was only a plain, patternless dark blue. Did my brothers secretly make this? Maybe it was just Midare, he thought.

Ichigo shrugged off his light jacket and bit the front of his shirt, pulling it up with his head, while taking his pants off. He lost his cool, rushing, for he finally wanted to join his brothers at the summer festival. Ichigo quickly pulled on his new yukata, hastily tied a bow around his waist, and sprinted outside.

一期一振 x 聖音

By the time Ichigo arrived at the summer festival, Kiyone, who likely arrived not much earlier than he did, was already having a lot of fun. She had, in her right hand, a stick with something resembling a dango on it, in her left hand, what looked like a plastic bag with a goldfish inside, and on her face, a mask.

"Ichigo-san, you came!" said Jiroutachi, who was already quite drunk. Jirou slung his left arm across Ichigo's shoulders and offered him a bottle of alcohol.

"No thank you," Ichigo shook his head and attempted to shrug Jirou's arm off. Although approached by many of the citadel's swords, his gaze was fixed upon the back of Kiyone's small body. He remained still, his eyes carefully following her steps, until it finally came clear to him that Kiyone was indeed walking farther away from him. With that in mind, his legs moved on their own...

"Hold up, where do you think you're going?" Tsurumaru suddenly dashed over and blocked Ichigo's view.

"Let me, go," Ichigo bobbed his head up to peer over Tsuru's shoulder.

"Not a chance. You're coming with us." Tsurumaru grinned capriously and grabbed Ichigo's hand. The crane, along with many of the older boys, led a confused Ichigo through the crowd.

"Tonight, you're going to have fun, and by that, I mean we're having a boys-night-out. You're not going to babysit your little brothers tonight," explained Kanesada.

"All right. But what's Yagen doing here?" Ichigo asked.

"Actually, yeah, what are you doing here?" Tsuru asked the adolescent boy.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Kane-san." Yagen replied confidently.

"But you can't drink," Jirou pointed out, "so go back to your younger brothers."

"May I go to my younger brothers as well? I promise I will join all of you later," Ichigo said politely.

"Hmm... I suppose that's fine. Make sure you're not babysitting and that you're enjoying this too," said Tsuru. Then the crane leaned closer and whispered into Ichigo's ear, "You better show up later when you've put them all to bed. Everyone here is trying to get to know who you are, so please show up."

"I understand," Ichigo said calmly and pushed Tsurumaru away. He, a conservative man, was uncomfortable when it came to physical contact.

Following the conversation, Yagen took his older brother to the goldfish booth where the tantous were desperately trying to catch the goldfish with paper nets. She must've gotten the fish from this place, Ichigo thought, the image of the young girl suddenly appearing in his head.

"Ichi-nii-san, can you get one for us?" asked Gokotai, his tiger cubs in his arms.

"Hmm? Of course," Ichigo smiled kindly and grabbed the paper net from Akita's small hand. He put it into the tub of water then swiftly and elegantly pulled it out. His brothers asked for a plastic bag but all Ichigo said in return was "let's free the fish".

Then Midare tugged Ichigo's sleeve and asked if he could buy a mask too, like Kiyone. Ichigo nodded and purchased a light pink fox mask. Midare put it on happily then suddenly said:

"That's a lovely yukata, Ichi-nii-san."

"Thank you, Midare-chan."

"Did you buy it somewhere?" Atsushi asked.

"No, aruji-sama gave it to me," Ichigo answered, shaking his head.

"Ah! That must be what she was doing so late at night!" Midare gasped. The Toushirou tantous shared a room that was right beside Kiyone's. They explained to Ichigo that the candle was still lit every night when Gokotai went to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

"I totally thought she was up with, you know, someone else in her room," muttered Yagen under his breath. Shinano smacked him on the head and whispered that it was wrong of him to speak of Kiyone like so.

"Why would she be up with someone else in the middle of the night? That makes no sense. Unless it's Ichi-nii-san, right?" Ichigo blushed furiously at Houchou's remark. "Well, because they must be talking about serious adult stuff."

"Yeah, right. 'Talk'." Yagen rolled his eyes and received yet another smack on the head from Shinano.

"Ahem," Ichigo coughed, his face still red, "I feel like you should all go to bed... Yagen, Nakigitsune, Namazuo, and Honebami, you're in charge of putting all the tantous to bed."

"Yes, Ichi-nii. Well, everyone, let's go!" said the wakizashis. And with that said, Ichigo breathed deeply, recovered, and navigated around, looking for the older boys.

Doing adult stuff, huh? Where did Yagen learn all that from? he thought while walking. Then, because he had been influenced, Ichigo couldn't help it but imagine what it would be like if he was alone with Kiyone in the middle of the night...

He blushed and quickened his pace.

Whatever Yagen said really got him...

"Ah! Pardon me!" Ichigo apologized, rubbing his upper chest. He had closed his eyes that instant for the pain was quite unbearable, but as soon as he opened those golden eyes, he jumped back and bowed.

"Aruji-sama, I am very sorry," Ichigo apologized once more.

"Ah, don't worry. Please raise your head," Kiyone replied and found her attention drawn to Ichigo's appearance. He was, in fact, actually here and wearing the yukata she spent so long making. She noticed his tousled blue hair, the red hue on his cheeks, and his messy bow.

"Were you drinking?" Kiyone raised her light brown eyebrow and untied Ichigo's sanjaku obi.

"Ah... I-I can do that by myself," he swatted her hands away gently and turned away, hiding his reddened face. Thanks, Yagen... he thought.

"Is something the matter?" Kiyone asked, tilting her head to the side, staring at him curiously. She, however, tried her best not to show that she was upset because Ichigo wouldn't let her retie the knot.

"No, no," he replied, shaking his head violently, "Actually, I'm on my way to join Tsurumaru-san and a couple of others."

"Oh, boys-night-out with sake? It's rare to see you socializing with them," she chuckled, covering her mouth with the small pale hands that most of the touken danshis so wished to hold.

"What happened to your wrist?" Ichigo asked and suddenly grabbed her bandage-wrapped wrist.

"Don't worry about it; Yagen took care of it. Go have fun now; I can help Honebami and the others put the tantous to sleep." Kiyone smiled. She wasn't going to ruin Ichigo's rare happy mood.

"Did I perhaps... earlier..." Ichigo bit his lower lip.

"Really, I'm fine," Kiyone laughed quietly, "go, go."

The two stared at each other, the girl smiling, and the boy seemingly apologetic. Kiyone stood on the tip of her toes and petted Ichigo's head, whispering something that soothed the boy. When she drew back, he had on him a weak smile, but the apologetic look had vanished -exactly what the girl was hoping for.

"Isn't that Nushi-sama and Ichigo? Oi~! Nushi-sama! Are you interested in joining us?" Kogitsunemaru shouted from afar. His hearing was rather acute for a human -it was as if he was a real fox.

"Kogitsune! Aruji-sama is too young to drink!" hissed Taroutachi.

The group of ten or eleven boys walked toward Ichigo and Kiyone. Half of them already looked a little drunk, and Kiyone, although the mistress of a citadel, was a little frightened. After all, she was really still a sixteen-year-old attending a mundane private high school.

"I don't know if letting her tag along is the best idea, boys. Aruji looks a bit scared," barked Nikkari Aoe.

"I-I'm okay. If all of you agree that I can tag along, I'll come." Kiyone herself was secretly interested in what the boys would talk about at night, anyway. Drunk boys didn't necessarily scare her that much.

"Aruji-sama!" hissed Ichigo.

"Since I'm in charge of the whole thing, I get to decide," Tsurumaru cleared his throat, "So, aruji's coming with us, and that's that!"

Hope you enjoyed it /