A/N: this is my first fanfic to be published here (I don't know how this idea struck me), so if there are anything against how things are going on around here, please tell me because as a newbie you can say I'm almost clueless about the way things are done here ^ ^ Please help me out—onegai.

Sincerely,

TearsOfClouds.

::Chapter One::

It was a regular afternoon by far; Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai were taking a break, sitting cozily in the Sixth Division's office, with steaming glasses of coffee latte in front of them. Renji glanced at the clock and picked up his zanpakuto.

"So, Taichou-sama," began Abarai Renji as he got up from his cushion, "I'm going to begin training with Kurosaki Ichigo in fifteen minutes. Excuse me, please," Renji added a polite bow.

The Noble simply nodded and got up as well.

"I'll come along,"

When the Renji opened the door to let his captain pass first, Byakuya stumbled forwards, his face pale. Luckily, Renji caught him just in time.

"Are you alright, Captain?" asked Renji, his tone worried.

"Yes, yes. I… I just stumbled over my uniform, that's all,"

Renji didn't believe it, but they continued to walk to an empty field where Renji made an appointment to train with Ichigo. The cherry blossom petals were dancing with the breeze, rustling. Renji didn't miss the rendezvous look on Byakuya's face.

When they finally reached the field, Renji looked around and gave a disappointed sigh.

"Well, Captain, I guess Ichigo hasn't arrived— TAICHOU-SAMA!" shouted Renji, as Kuchiki Byakuya fell abruptly towards the hard soil. He fainted.

"HEY, PINEAPPLEHEAD!" shouted an orange-haired shinigami from the far corner of the field. Ichigo Kurosaki is back in Seireitei.

"ICHIGO! Could you lend me a hand here? Captain Kuchiki had just fainted," said the worried Renji.

"What happened?" Ichigo ran to Renji's side. "Why is he so terribly pale? Oh MY GOD, Renji! Did you just attack him?"

Renji didn't miss the sarcasm. The red-headed man snarled. "He fainted by himself, stupid. Stop playing around and I'll get Rukia. She won't like this at all."

Ichigo nodded. "See you at the Fourth Division's headquarters, Pineapplehead—" Ichigo paused, "Wait a second. Where exactly is the Fourth Division's headquarters? I'll go get Rukia instead. I know where her training is held." Ichigo walked away fast. He somehow knew that Renji wanted to keep Ichigo away from Rukia as long as he can. Ichigo, without realizing it himself, wanted to see Rukia without a clear reason. Renji sighed, heaved the Taichou's limp body to his shoulders, and went away to the Fourth Division's headquarters.

Meanwhile, Ichigo had reached the Thirteenth Division's training place. Captain Ukitake was pouring himself some ocha.

"Well, well, well, it's Kurosaki-kun," said Ukitake, the Division's Taichou, putting down his cup of tea. "You need something, I guess?"

"Ukitake-taichou, I have to get Kuchiki Rukia; her brother fainted."

Ukitake was startled. "What? I don't know if Captain Kuchiki had been sick before,"

Just then, Rukia appeared out of nowhere.

"Captain, I've finished today's training—ICHIGO! why are you here?" she noticed Ichigo's presence. "Aren't you supposed to be with Renji?"

"Yeah, Rukia, listen; your Nii-sama fainted and now he's being taken care of by the Fourth Division. He was a terrible sight, you have to come with me," replied Ichigo. "Excuse us, Captain." Said Ichigo, and he pulled Rukia away. Captain Ukitake nodded in reply.

"Did you just say that my Nii-sama fainted, Ichigo?" said Rukia as she was leading the way towards the fourth Division's headquarters.

"Yeah, I've just arrived in Renji's training place when he yelled at me to help him get you, because his your Nii-sama, has fainted. I saw him, okay, he was breathing, but his face was pale."

"But.. no… It can't be… He's never been ill before!" she sped up her running.

"Well, the truth is, he is ill right now… Well, I don't know if he had just over-exerted himself, but… I don't know,"

They finally arrived at the Fourth Division's headquarters. They were welcomed by the Vice-Captain.

"Kuchiki Byakuya? Sorry, he has been transported home, he wished to be. He has regained consciousness, and don't worry, half of our division is giving our best effort on him. Captain Unohana is there, too."

Rukia became anxious. If half of the whole fourth division is taking care of him, it can only spell disaster for her.

They took off to the Noble House of Kuchiki. When they arrived, something turned Rukia's anxiety into panic.

"Kuchiki-san, I need a word with you," said Captain Unohana when she saw Rukia entering. "In private," she added, when Ichigo followed them.

However, the curious Ichigo followed them in secret and hid himself under the bush next to a bench which Rukia and Captain Unohana were sitting on.

"Kuchiki-san," she began. "I don't know what happened to your brother. He is struggling to breathe, and his blood pressure is not constant."

Captain Unohana tried not to look into Rukia's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san. He has contracted a disease I do not know of."

Rukia's face turned white.

"But… he will recover eventually, right? It's not dangerous, right? He will recover, right? He will be fine, right captain?" asked Rukia desperately.

"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san," she said. "If he keeps up this condition, he will—he will die within the night." Captain Unohana swallowed hard.

Rukia was looking thunderstruck. She slapped her hands up to her own mouth.

"D-don't worry, Kuchiki-san. I've given him some medicine that can ease his breathing, although it cannot heal him."

"No… Nii-sama… No…"

She ran to her Nii-sama's room, and Ichigo ran along, still hiding himself from Unohana's view. Rukia slammed the door open and closed it with another slam, leaving the worried Ichigo outside. Luckily, the door had a narrow slit on it. Ichigo eavesdropped again, while looking through the slit.

"Nii-sama… it's me…" said the trembling voice of Rukia.

"Rukia…" Byakuya actually smiled.

"Nii-sama…"

Byakuya sighed.

"I know I won't be here anymore, soon," said Byakuya with a weak voice. "So, Rukia, I want you to remember something… before I leave your side…"

"NO, nii-sama! I believe you will be back to health eventually,"

Byakuya smiled at this sentence.

"I will have to leave, Rukia. I knew. I can feel it."

Meanwhile, outside, a few captains had arrived. Apparently the news had spread fast throughout the Seireitei. Renji, who was leaning against the wall, walked over to Ichigo's side.

"What's happening in there?"

"Shush. Listen," replied Ichigo in whispers, before he continued to listen through the door.

"Rukia," said Byakuya. "I'm sorry that I never treated you like a brother should treat his sister—"

"NO! If you didn't treat me well, how can I still live right now? You took care of me, you saved me from the Soukyoku, and-"

Byakuya gave a sad smile, and he let Rukia grasp his weak hand.

"But all those times before the Soukyoku we were never close," he sighed. "Once in a lifetime is not enough."

"You know, Rukia? I've always cared about you… But I haven't got the courage… Because I'm afraid of losing you, like when I lost— Hisana…"

Ichigo and Renji, listening from the outside, stood motionless with eyes watering. I knew perfectly well that Byakuya cared for his sister, thought Ichigo, but why am I feeling sorry for them right now?

Ichigo clenched his fist, his mind dwelling on the drama from last summer…

-Being able to love is also being able to lose, but unfortunately I can't afford to lose again and again—

A/N: Please review for me … I still have much to learn…

I promise the next chapter will be better if you help!

*bow*