Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach and Jennifer E. Smith owns The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (the amazing book I based this on)!
This is my (early) birthday present for ZALXERO! Happy Friday 13th, hope your exams went well, hope your arm's better, hope you like this, and most of all, hope you have a fantabulous birthday!
The day could have gone so much better, but the point was, it hadn't.
Perhaps if Shiba Kaien wasn't such a clumsy idiot, then maybe the suit would have stood a chance and Miyako wouldn't have to search for her sewing kit in the messy apartment to fix the poor, ruined suit. The silk tie is a lost cause and will have to be left behind. Perhaps if Urahara Kisuke was the least bit competent, then maybe he would have finally purchased a toll tag and wouldn't have fumbled with a handful of quarters and spend the next three minutes trying to locate one that had somehow rolled beneath the seat. And to make things worse, the bumbling dollophead missed the exit and proceeded to waste a precious half hour in stand-still traffic thanks to a closed lane.
Perhaps if Kuchiki Byakuya had run just a little faster to the gate, he would have made it. He's always prompt and had never been late for anything until now. He's precisely three minutes late, which honestly, isn't that long, and he closes his eyes and drops his garment bag and suitcase as the plane departs, leaving without him. When he opens his eyes, the plane is already long gone. Who would have guessed that three minutes could change everything?
"I'm so sorry, sir, but there's nothing we can do but try and get you on the next flight out," the attendant says as she types away at her keyboard. "And you're just in luck, too! We have one more seat."
"When does it get in?" Byakuya asks nervously.
"Tomorrow morning."
Byakuya has no choice but to accept it, this flight back to Japan, and with a sigh, searches for an empty seat, preferably one that's isolated. Yanking out his cell phone, he hesitantly calls his grandfather to let him know. "I missed my flight." Ginrei doesn't sound too pleased as he immediately asks if he's booked another one. "It arrives tomorrow morning."
"You're going to be late. We start at noon!" Ginrei snaps. "There won't be enough time for me to come pick you up."
"You can start without me," Byakuya answers. "And I can find my way there without a problem."
"Byakuya, it's not like skipping the previews at a cinema!" Ginrei growls, clearly upset by his grandson's nonchalance. "Just be prepared when you arrive."
"Hopefully I won't be too late," he assures and hangs up. He knows that when he returns from his trip, he'll be killing both Kaien and Kisuke for being lousy roommates and friends. Byakuya hasn't eaten breakfast yet, probably thanks to the hectic morning rush, and thinks maybe he can indulge in a donut and some coffee. He has plenty of time to kill until his flight and quietly asks the woman sitting next to him if she could watch his bag for a second.
She looks up, offended, and firmly states, "You're not supposed to do that."
He blinks at her in confusion. "It's just for a second."
"You're not supposed to leave your bags behind! It's against the rules!" she snaps.
"I'll watch it for you," the girl sitting across from him offers with a smile.
"Thanks, but I think I'll just bring it with me," Byakuya answered, seeing that the older woman was still glaring daggers at him. He takes his belongings with him and heads off, only to clumsily bump into somebody and drop his garment bag. He silently curses himself, hating that everything seemed to be going wrong and as he collects his belongings together, he realizes his suitcase isn't where he left it.
"Hi, again," the girl from before says with a smile and he gets a good look at her. Her black hair is pinned back with a clip and her bangs brush over her dark blue eyes. "You look like you need some help, and this time, I can actually watch your bag without breaking any rules," she laughs.
"Thanks," Byakuya answers as she hands him back his suitcase.
"Where are you going?" she asks as she adjusts the bag on her shoulder. He can see the corner of a book poking out, having been messily shoved back in.
"Japan," he answers.
"No, silly, I meant now," she laughs.
"Breakfast," he answers quickly, feeling rather stupid. "Where are you headed?"
"Japan as well," she says and reaches for her ticket; it's folded and crinkled. "I'm Nineteen-C."
"Nineteen-A," Byakuya answers and he's a little bit disappointed that there will be someone in between them.
"Aw, just missed," she says, and he thinks she's just as disappointed. She glances to the garment bag he has over his shoulder and curiously asks, "Are you going over to Japan for a wedding? I am. My little sister's getting married and I'm her maid of honor." Byakuya stiffens and nods slowly. "Wouldn't it be funny if we were going to the same one?" she asks.
"I doubt that," Byakuya says lightly and she catches the odd look on his face.
She doesn't choose to comment but points to the Starbucks in the airport. "Breakfast," she says and lets him order first. It's in the middle of sipping his coffee that Byakuya realizes that he doesn't even know her name and he shyly asks for it. "Ah, that part generally does come first, doesn't it? I'm Hisana."
"Byakuya," he answers, and gives her hand a firm shake.
Her phone starts to ring and after a quick glance to the screen, she explains, "The crazy bride. This might take a while, so I'll see you on the plane," and then she's heading off with her bag.
Byakuya doesn't see her again until he's boarded the plane and has his seatbelt fastened. Hisana loads her bag into the overhead compartment, keeping her book with her, and sits next to him. "Just for a little bit," she murmurs softly and he notes just how close she is to him. "You look uneasy. Do you not like flying?"
"Sort of," he confesses and watches her as she fumbles with her pocket, searching through spare change for a mint candy. "So how is your crazy bride?"
Hisana rolls her eyes and chuckles. "She's furious that I'm coming down so late. It's not like I can help it with school and all."
Byakuya wants to ask what school she goes to. He wants to know what her major is and what she's studying. He thinks they live in the same city together, maybe, and wonders how is it that they've never crossed paths before. Before he can even open his mouth, an elderly lady arrives and eyes Hisana with a confused look. "I think that's my seat," she hesitantly states.
"Sorry, it was only just for a moment," Hisana says, quickly moving over one seat.
The woman stares the both of them and shakes her head with a smile. "No, it's fine. I didn't realize that you two were together. Sweetheart, you just stay put. I'll be fine right here."
"Thank you," Hisana smiles appreciatively and she's back in the seat next to Byakuya with such a pretty smile on her face. The woman smiles at the two of them and asks how they met. "We met at an airport, actually," Hisana replies before Byakuya can think twice. "He needed somebody to guard his bag."
Byakuya chuckles and exchanges a meaningful glance with Hisana as the elderly woman begins to tell them about her husband of fifty years and their children and grandchildren. The woman wishes them a good flight and goes to sleep while flight attendants clear the aisle and make sure everything is alright for take-off.
Feeling awkward, Byakuya reaches for the safety pamphlet and briefly skims over it. "I've never met anyone who actually reads those," Hisana commented softly as she leans towards him. "Are you really uneasy about flying?"
"Are you not?" Byakuya retorts.
"I feel perfectly safe. When I'm knocked unconscious by my tray table during an emergency landing, you get to carry me out of here," she tells him with a wink. However, upon seeing Byakuya's uneasy expression, Hisana sighs and gently puts her hand on top of his, giving it a firm squeeze. "Hey, don't worry. This flight will be fine."
"I bet you're thinking that it should be the other way around, aren't you?" Byakuya asks. "It's supposed to be the guy who comforts the girl?"
"Nah, I like it this way," Hisana replies and begins to tell him a story of her crazy bride of a sister. When she's finished, she thoughtfully asks him, "Are you feeling better now? I was hoping to distract you from your flying fears."
"Yes, but I doubt that you'll be able to keep me distracted for the next twelve hours," he answers charmingly.
"Ha, I can definitely talk your ear off for the next twelve hours," Hisana grins. "You're going to regret asking me to do so." Thankfully for Hisana, there's a movie playing that seems to have gotten Byakuya's attention for a little bit and she leans back and watches the movie with him. She dozes off a while later, sleeping on his shoulder and doesn't wake until few hours later.
"Sorry," Hisana murmurs, after waking with a start. By reflex, she touches her face, afraid that she ended up drooling on him while she slept. She then realizes that he has her book in his hands, and he's looking over the cover thoughtfully. "It's my sister's favorite book. She gave it to me when I left Japan to study abroad," she explains.
"It's a good book," Byakuya answers.
"Is it? I've never read it," Hisana admits.
"Really? Your sister gives you her favorite book and you never bothered to read it?" Byakuya clarifies, unable to believe what he's hearing.
"Hey, I've attempted to read it countless of times now!" Hisana remarks defensively. "I just can't stand it. It puts me to sleep."
"Tell me more about the wedding you're going to," Byakuya pleads, for the sake of conversation.
"What color is your tie for the wedding?" Hisana says, answering a question with a question.
"I won't be wearing one," he states hastily. "What color is your dress?"
"Yale, which is a fancy way of saying blue," she replies and veers back to the subject of his tie. "Why won't you be wearing a tie to a wedding?"
"My horrible roommate ruined it earlier this morning," he says, catching onto her game of swapping subjects. "Was your sister cruel when choosing the bridesmaid dresses?"
"No, she was quite generous, and I think the dress is gorgeous," Hisana answers. "And, please tell me, how on earth do you ruin a tie?"
"He spilled his breakfast on it, and then proceeded to wash it in the sink. And after that failed, he thought he could get away with throwing it into the dryer," he answers dryly and reminds himself that he will still have to kill Kaien when he returns home. Byakuya looks to her and hesitantly asks, "Do you think I'd be able to see you in your bridesmaid dress?"
"I'd like that more than anything," Hisana answers.
"Tell me something," Byakuya starts, "Why is it that the bride's maid of honor is the last to arrive to her wedding?"
"It's not what it sounds like," Hisana protests defensively. "Both my work and school are in America. It's hard for me to get off and visit her often. I did everything online and I went home for all the major holidays. I'm not a bad sister."
"I didn't say you were," Byakuya assures her.
"Whose wedding are you going to?" Hisana asks, changing the subject. She's realized that he knows a lot about her, yet she hardly knows anything about him.
"My father's," he answers distantly and she wonders if they're on bad terms. He can see the hesitation on her face and shakes his head. "I'm not too fond of my family."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Hisana replies, and she really is. Family is the most important thing to her, even if there is a distance that separates her and her sister. "We don't have to talk about your family," she adds, seeing how uneasy the topic has made him.
"Thanks," Byakuya says, offering her a weak smile to show that he's grateful she's not pushy. He wishes that he could be on better terms with his father and his side of the family. He wishes that he could make amends with them all. But most of all, he wishes that he didn't have to go back to Japan for this reason.
It's a lot later when Byakuya awakes, suddenly realizing that he had fallen asleep during the flight. His movements must have roused Hisana, who had dozed off on his shoulder once again, and he softly whispers an apology to her. She blinks away the sleepiness and once again, reaches for her face, worrying if she had done something embarrassing. Byakuya finds the gesture endearing. The cabin is dark and Byakuya makes the mistake of opening the window just a little bit and blinding the both of them. He suddenly realizes that they will be landing soon, and can't help but to feel heartbroken at the thought of the two of them going their separate ways.
"Do you think we've used up all our conversation last night?" he whispers huskily to her.
"No way," Hisana answers. "We haven't even gotten to the important stuff yet." She fidgets with the hem of her shirt and it's obvious that she doesn't want the flight to end either. "Customs is going to be a complete nightmare. If I'm late, my sister will have my head." She reaches for her book and pulls out the wedding invitation she's used as a bookmark.
Byakuya catches the name of the hotel the reception will be held at in a curly script on the eggshell-colored paper and comments, "Hotel Okura is really nice. I've been there once."
"Where will yours be?" Hisana asks, recalling that he was already behind schedule.
"... Aoyama," he states quietly.
"I don't recognize that hotel chain, sorry," Hisana replies sheepishly.
The plane lands with a thud, making Hisana gasp and jump. Byakuya chuckles and teases her for being uneasy with planes. Just as predicted, the customs lines are a nightmare and a customs official moves to separate the two of them into separate lines. "It's not like we're going to separate countries. I have the time to spare so I can wait for you," Hisana assures him when she sees the look of hesitation across his face.
Byakuya nods and she moves to leave. Without thinking, he reaches for her arm and pulls her back to bend down and kiss her. She's clearly stunned by his actions and the customs official is insistent that she move to her line. Blushing, Hisana pulls away and waves to him good-bye.
Byakuya's heart falls to his stomach when he realizes that her line is at a standstill and he might not be able to wait for her. He shoots her an apologetic look and her forgiving smile makes him want to forget about Ginrei and stay behind with her. As he leaves the airport, Byakuya glances back one last time and realizes that he doesn't even know her last name.
The line for a taxi is ridiculously long, and Hisana sighs as it takes her a whole hour to arrive at the church her sister's wedding takes place in. Rukia had insisted on a modern wedding and no doubt, it was very beautiful. When Hisana arrives, Rukia and her other bridesmaids practically tackle her, determined to have her dolled up and ready in no time. Rukia assigns jobs to the girls and then she herself personally does Hisana's makeup for her. What an honor.
"Rukia! There's plenty of time until the ceremony!" Hisana exclaims as her sister sprays her with perfume. She winces as one of the bridesmaids, Matsumoto Rangiku, yanks the clip out of her hair and runs a brush through the tangles.
"I'm getting married in two hours," Rukia snaps. "You should have come in yesterday."
"I'm sorry, Rukia-chan, but I'm busy with work. You know that," Hisana says, closing her eyes as her sister applies foundation onto her face. "Should you even be doing my makeup? You'll get powder on your pretty dress."
Rukia freezes, realizing that her sister is right, and her other bridesmaid, Hinamori Momo, sighs and takes over for her. She steps back and watches them with a critical eye, making sure that they don't ruin anything about her maid of honor. "How was your flight?" she asks, finally calming down.
"It was wonderful," Hisana answers dreamily with a smile.
Rukia's eyes widen and she excitedly exclaims, "You met somebody!"
"I'll tell you after your wedding," Hisana promises, saving it for when she and Rukia could be alone. "How's Ichigo-kun?"
"I haven't seen him all day. I'm not supposed to, remember?" she reminds her and sits back to watch Rangiku put the finishing touches on her sister's hair. Rukia's unable to suppress a smile when she sees how nice her sister looks. Hisana barely recognizes herself with curly hair. She usually finds it to be a hassle, but she can't help but to admit that it does look rather nice. She thinks of Byakuya and wishes that he could see her now, dressed up and pretty.
The wedding goes smoothly and Hisana watches with elated joy as her little sister and new brother-in-law exchange vows, rings, and kisses. She's glad that Rukia has somebody like Ichigo and thinks that they will have an amazing life together.
After the ceremony, the group heads off to Hotel Okura to take pictures. Rukia briefly chides Hisana for not reading the itinerary and drags her for a couple of sister shots. The reception's not for another four hours and after the photo shoot, Rukia drags Hisana to her hotel room to take a break. "Tell me about the guy you met," Rukia immediately demands as she swipes the card key and pulls Hisana through the doorway.
"His name is Byakuya and he's attending a wedding in Japan as well," Hisana answers as she flops onto the bed in a very unladylike manner.
"You're going to wrinkle your dress!" Rukia exclaims, pulling her sister into a sitting position. After making sure Hisana is perfect, she sighs and adds, "Too bad it wasn't my wedding."
Hisana stifles a snort, so amused that her sister is a Bridezilla. "Yeah, too bad. His wedding's at Aoyama."
Rukia's smile fades and she shakes her head. "Aoyama? That can't be right. You must have heard him wrong."
"No, he said Aoyama. I'm positive," Hisana replies, smile fading as she realizes something is wrong. "Rukia, what do you know about Aoyama?"
"Aoyama Sogisho is a funeral home," Rukia says quietly.
Hisana pales at the realization that she's made a very grave mistake. She feels like such an idiot for assuming he was attending a wedding because of his garment bag. She feels even worse, realizing that Byakuya's father had passed and she had been so insensitive. "Oh my god," she breathes, "I have to go."
"Just be back by five-thirty!" Rukia reminds her as her sister bolts out of the hotel room. "And don't ruin your dress!" she squeals, her tic becoming unbearable.
Hisana is thankful that Hotel Okura and Aoyama Sogisho are relatively close by. It's a twenty minute drive by taxi and when she catches sight of the funeral home, Hisana suddenly wonders why she's acting so impulsively. Byakuya and his family would hate her for intruding on their time of mourning. She stands in front of the funeral home and catches sight of an elderly man, probably Byakuya's father, mourning over his son. She scans the group of people, searching for Byakuya's familiar silhouette, and when she sees him, her breath catches in her throat as she realizes she doesn't know what she'll say to him.
Byakuya turns, and his eyes lock with hers. He's shocked to see her standing there and Hisana is shocked to see how empty his eyes look. His shoulders are shaking and she wonders if he's angry with her. When he makes no motion to move towards her, she whispers an apology and breaks eye contact, ready to leave.
"Wait," Byakuya calls out, and she does. He walks towards her, slowly, still in disbelief that she is really standing in front of him. "What are you doing here?"
"I didn't realize..." Hisana trails off, near tears. "I'm so sorry." She feels awful for assuming, and wonders if she's caused him any sort of pain in doing so. The thought just breaks her heart.
Byakuya catches sight of his grandfather glaring at him, and he takes Hisana's hand, pulling her away towards a bench so they can both sit. His face is pale and he grimaces at the thought of having to return to the funeral home. "I should have told you from the beginning," he finally says after minutes of silence.
"No, you shouldn't have to. I'm the one at fault for assuming," Hisana answers. She wants to comfort him, but isn't sure how.
"How was your sister's wedding?" Byakuya asks, probably for the sake of conversation.
"It was Rukia's dream come true," Hisana replies.
"You know, you're kind of dangerous," he comments, leaning in towards her. His voice breaks off into a soft whisper. "I think I'm too honest with you."
"Really?" she asks, surprised by his confession.
He nods with a small smile. "How did you find me?" he asks, curiously.
"Rukia told me that Aoyama isn't a place for weddings," she admits. "Was it your father—"
"Don't," Byakuya says firmly, voice harsh. "I don't want to talk about him."
"You just said that you could be honest with me," Hisana frowns, surprised by his sudden change in personality. "Maybe it'll help to talk about him."
"What do you want me to say? That I miss him? I haven't spoken to him since I moved to America." He stands abruptly and begins pacing angrily. "That man was a horrible person and I hated him. He was a coward and took the easy way out. If anything, I'm glad he's gone. Is that honest enough for you?"
Hisana bites her lip, speechless. She doesn't know how to answer him, how to calm him down or even comfort him. "I shouldn't have come," she whispers, knowing this was a mistake. She should have let him be and she's quick on her feet to leave.
Byakuya sighs behind her and reaches for her wrist. "It's okay," he says, defeated. She's trying her best, and he's not making things easier. She's holding her breath, praying that he'll ask her to stay. "I should go back, too," he says stiffly and leaves her be.
When Hisana returns to Rukia, she immediately bursts into tears. Ichigo takes this as a sign to leave and Rukia embraces her sister, softly shushing her. Hisana tells her everything, starting with guarding his suitcase at the airport and finishing with the grim look on his face when she saw him again.
"I shouldn't have gone to find him. I've ruined everything," Hisana sobs.
"No, you were right to go," Rukia insists. "Nee-chan, don't worry about him. He wasn't thinking straight. You'll find each other again."
"And how do you know that?" Hisana asks, skeptically. She's sure they'll never meet again. It was already a miracle to find him again at Aoyama Sogisho.
"I've got a good feeling," she answers.
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way," Hisana sighs.
"But what if it does?"
The reception is beautiful and Hisana watches with a smile as Rukia and Ichigo share their first dance. Their father, having overheard of Hisana's small breakdown, convinces her to join him in a father-daughter dance and pries into her life. As the night fades into slow dances and chatter, Hisana leaves the ballroom to catch a breath of fresh air.
She's shocked to see Byakuya standing out there, and his sudden appearance has caught her off-guard. He approaches her slowly and quietly murmurs, "Hi."
Hisana wants to cry again, but she sniffs and reaches for his hand. "Did it go alright?" she asks hesitantly.
Byakuya nods, entwining his fingers with hers. "I'm sorry for losing my temper with you. I was upset."
"You were sad," she corrects.
"Yeah, I'm sad. I still am," he agrees.
"He's your father."
"I feel like, maybe, I should have had the nerve to tell him what I thought before it was too late. Maybe things would have gone differently then," Byakuya confesses. He shakes his head, knowing it's too late to change anything now, but he's finally reached acceptance. "Why aren't you inside, anyways?"
"Just wanted to step outside for a little bit, that's all," Hisana answers, unable to explain her actions. "Do you want to dance?" she asks, acting on a whim. She knows that he still needs to be distracted.
"Out here?" he asks.
"Mhmm," she hums, and places his hand on her waist. There's no music outside, but she hums a soft tune that they dance to. "I can't believe you found me."
"You found me first," he points out.
It starts to rain lightly, but Hisana hardly cares as she reaches up and wipes away a drop of water on Byakuya's cheek. "We should go inside," she whispers.
He nods, following her. "I like your dress," he softly adds, recalling his wish of wanting to see her dressed up. "Do you know why you didn't realize my father had died that entire plane ride? It's because I was with you. I feel better when I'm with you."
"I'm glad," she answers, leading him into the ballroom.
Rukia catches sight of them and grins knowingly as she rests her head on Ichigo's shoulder. She winks at her sister, saying I told you so.
Byakuya offers his hand to dance this time and pulls her closer. Hisana is pleasantly surprised and smiles into his shoulder. "I mean to ask," he starts, swaying with her gently. "What are you studying?"
"The statistical probability of love at first sight," Hisana answers.
"Really?" he asks incredulously. "I don't believe you."
"Did you know that people who meet in airports are seventy-two percent more likely to fall for each other than people who meet anywhere else?" she asks.
"Is that really true?" Byakuya's skepticism is just adorable.
"Mhmm," she nods. "And did you know that people who meet at least three different times within a twenty-four hour time period are ninety-eight percent more likely to meet again?"
Just this once, he'd like to believe that she's right.