Pairing(s): Byakuya x Rukia (Main), Ichigo x Rukia (Slight), Renji x Rukia (Slight)

Warnings: Language, violence, adult themes

Genre: Romance, Tragedy

Disclaimer: There are a lot of things I want in life, but can't have. Bleach is one of them.

Author's note: I finished watching Iljimae (a Korean historical drama) a few months ago. One of the theme songs from the drama was entitled "A Flower's Message" sung by Park Hyo Shin. It's a really beautiful song, but it's also one that has a very sad meaning. So after looking up the lyrics translation, I was immediately inspired to write this story. Byakuya just seemed to fit the lyrics so well. For those interested, here are the translated lyrics. You can also check out the song on youtube.

A Flower's Message

By Park Hyo Shin

The sun sets, night arrives

My love is only untimely

My heart beats quicker than my footsteps

Today, too, I follow you

Crying laughing crying; one person's lonely thoughts

Using tears to wipe away your face reflected on the red petals

Gazing dumbly at your visage

I unknowingly smile with you

I know this is an unattainable dream

And so, my eyes fill with tears

It is not only fate, to give up again and again

Although my heart remembers each parting deeply

A moment's giving up turns into heavy burdens

I can never forget you

Crying, laughing, crying, my lonely thoughts

My unsettled life, let me be peaceful for one day

You, who appear in my sporadic life

I will make you mine in the next life

Gazing dumbly at your face

I unknowingly smile with you

I know this is an unattainable dream

And so, my eyes fill with tears

Also noting, this is my first fan-fiction. I haven't written much of anything in the last few of years so my writing and convention are probably REALLY rusty. Please be constructive when criticizing. Thank you and enjoy reading.

~*.*.*~

Prologue

~*.*.*~

Hisana and Rukia were alike in many ways, yet at the same time, they were also very different. Judging by appearances alone, one could consider them identical twins, though they were born several years apart. They both possessed rich violet colored eyes, raven black hair, and skin that could rival the purest of snow. They were both petite in stature and their frame appeared delicate, almost birdlike. But despite the sameness in their physical appearance, when it came to their personalities, the two sisters were at total opposites.

Hisana was soft spoken, gentle, and her eyes held a subtle sadness that reflected the trials and tribulations she had to endure for most of her life. She suffered a great deal in Rukongai for many years until she finally met her husband. Though she had escaped poverty by marrying a wealthy noble man, she still did not live a fulfilling and happy life, which eventually was cut short by her illness.

Life in her husband's household was just as hard as how she lived in the slums. Because she was not of noble blood by birth, there were many that opposed their marriage and so living became a daily struggle. Even though her husband was at her side and was her sole support, there was still one thing that Hisana could not overcome and it ate at her for the rest of her life, preventing her from achieving peace and happiness.

~*.*.*~

Many years ago, Hisana stood behind an old abandoned shed with an infant cradled in her frail arms. Gray, ominous clouds gathered and loomed in the sky above her, reflecting her intent. "Dear baby sister… I don't want to do this, but if I keep you now…we will both surely die."

She looked down at her sister's face and stroked her cheek with the back of her fingers, "Please…forgive me." Hisana placed her sister gently down into the worn out basket sitting beside the shed. After placing a single kiss on her sister's forehead, she took off running as fast as she could. She did not know how long she had been running; only that she kept going until her legs could no longer move any further. She had to get away from that place as far as possible. If she stayed anywhere close, she was afraid that she would turn and go back to her baby sister.

Coward…

Selfish…

Despicable…

Hisana knew that she was all that. She chose her own life above the one she loved, the one their parents left her to take care of. She had failed miserably as a sister and most importantly, she had failed herself. Deep down, she knew that she could never be happy and her choice would haunt her for as long as she would live. She had prepared herself mentally for that.

When she was far away enough, Hisana collapsed onto the ground, exhausted physically and wrought with painful sadness. "I'm so…sorry." She wept and the tears streamed down her cheeks, falling onto the earth beneath her. Thunder rumbled loudly above her and the rain soon began to fall from the sky, pouring down as they drowned out her cries.

~*.*.*~

Rukia was unlike Hisana in many ways. She was selfless, courageous, and strong willed. Although she had accrued many hardships in life herself, there was a sort of ember that burned deep within her. That fire inside her signified strength both mentally and emotionally; attributes that Hisana did not possess. Hisana did not truly confront her problems and she often bend to the will of others, where Rukia stood up against injustice and attacked her problems head on. She was bolder, more daring and she was able to withstand pressure no matter how great they became.

The two sisters were alike in appearance, and at the same time, they were different in character. Despite the differences, the very thing they both had in common, besides DNA alone, was one man by the name of Kuchiki Byakuya.

~*.*.*~

Byakuya had remembered well, the emotions that stirred within him the minute he had first laid eyes upon Rukia at the Shinigami Academy. It took all the strength and will within him to prevent himself from calling out and reaching for her.

'Why must God punish me with this apparition?' He asked himself as he watched a young raven haired girl idly speaking with her spiky red headed companion. Unbeknownst of Byakuya at the time, that very same man would later become his lieutenant of the sixth division, his division in Gotei 13.

Fate really does work in such strange and ironic ways…

Hisana had just passed away in the spring of that year, but in front of him stood a girl who held a remarkable physical likeness to his late wife. She was an exact copy, though slightly more youthful, but nonetheless the same in every way. Their resemblance was all that was needed to confirm that the girl before Byakuya's eyes was indeed the girl that his wife had been searching for during the time in which she was alive.

She was the girl that Hisana had requested her husband to take in, make his sister, and protect her for the rest of his life. If only…his wife knew how much her little sister had looked like her and how painful it was going to be for him to uphold their promise.

~*.*.*~

Amidst her conversation with Renji, Rukia's eyes caught sight of Byakuya down the hall. Her brows drew together in curiosity and bewilderment as she examined the mysterious handsome man, who seemed to be just standing there with his eyes solely fixed upon her. She had not recognized him from anywhere, but judging by the clothes he was donning, she could tell that he was a man from a wealthy family.

Why would a person like him be here at the academy? Why is he just standing there in the hall, watching her? Though, the question that really bothered her was why she had this feeling that he was waiting for her?

"Hey, are ya listenin'? This is really important!" Renji had stuck a hand out and was waving it up and down in front of Rukia's. She was snapped out of her thoughts and peeled her attention away from Byakuya to look up at Renji as she replied in defense, "O-of course I am. It's just that man over there…" Renji followed her line of vision across the hall, only to find the blank white walls that surrounded them. There was no other man in sight and he tilted his head in confusion, "What man? I don't see anyone there."

"Eh?" Rukia pushed Renji aside to get a better look, swearing to herself that what she saw was not an illusion. "Huh? Where'd he go? He was right there looking at me!" She rubbed her eyes, becoming a bit flustered and second guessing herself as to whether she really had seen someone. Maybe her eyes really were playing a trick on her?

"Tch, don't kid yourself Rukia. As if any man would look at a stubby girl like you…" Renji smirked, reaching over to poke her forehead with his index finger. Rukia blushed slightly out of embarrassment and smacked his hand away, "I'm not stubby! What would a stupid baboon like yourself know anyways?!" She turned on her heels and stormed off down the hall with a laughing Renji following behind.

~*.*.*~

Byakuya had managed to slip away the minute the girl had turned her attention. Though, he should be relieved to have found her after all these years, instead, he felt as though the wind was knocked right out of him, making it so difficult to breathe. He couldn't quite swallow what he had seen and he began to question whether his desire to find her had deluded him.

But it was definitely her and he knew it not only because he saw her, but how he felt when he saw her. He reached up and placed a hand over his chest, pressing his palm into the fabric of his shihakushou, hoping that it would calm his racing heart. He closed his eyes and thought back on his conversation with Hisana, who with her last breaths requested of him…

"Byakuya-sama…please find my sister. But when you do, please don't let her know that I am her sister. Without revealing anything, please protect my sister with your strength, Byakuya-sama."

"I deserted my own sister, I have no right to be called her older sister and for that reason, I want her to be able to call you her older brother."

"I'm sorry for being so dependent on you even in the end. I'm sorry for not being able to return the love that you've given me whole-heartedly."

"The last five years in which I spent with you were like a dream."

"Byakuya-sama."

The tears that welled in the brim of her eyes had managed to seep through her pale, closed eyelids. And slowly, they trailed down her cheeks and onto the soft white pillow on which her head rested upon. Her hands had become limp and her lips lost movement, indicating that she would say no more.

Hisana had passed right before Byakuya's eyes and there was nothing in the world that he could do to change that. His composure was barely kept stable until these final moments where it shattered completely. Tears began to trickle down his face and for the second time in his life, Kuchiki Byakuya was crying out for the person he loved.

That day was the day that he shut himself off from the world. He coldly dismissed the servants who came to him, begging him to eat and think of his health. He ignored his assistant who pleaded and reminded him of his duties as the Kuchiki clan leader. Even when his grandfather, Ginrei, had summoned him, Byakuya did not comply until the man appeared in person to take his grandson away by force. Hisana's memorial was held soon after and Byakuya secluded himself from reality in a state of deep depression.

~*.*.*~

"Byakuya…" Ginrei had entered his grandson's room to find him sitting quietly in front of the floor table, centered in the room. It worried and pained the Ginrei gravely to see his grandson in such a state. He walked over and placed a hand Byakuya's shoulder, squeezing it firmly to let him know that he was there. He suddenly noticed how thin Byakuya's shoulders had become, evidence of weight loss from his lack of eating.

"You cannot stay like this forever, dear child. Please…I beg of you, think of your health." This was the third time Ginrei had pleaded with him that day. Still, there was no answer coming from Byakuya as he continued to sit there silently. Ginrei took note of the photo frame that held Hisana's picture, sitting upright on the surface of the table.

The old man made his way over to the opposite end of the table and sat himself down on the floor cushion as he continued, "I know…that this is difficult for you, but you must understand and accept it as reality. She would not want you to be like this. She would not be able to rest peacefully with you in this state." He examined Byakuya, awaiting a response but none came.

'Poor child…he was like this when his parents died too…' Ginrei remembered sadly. He took a deep breath and placed his fingers to left temple, massaging tiny circles into it.

"In the end…I still couldn't protect her. I've failed her…" Ginrei looked up and his gray eyes met with a similar pair of gray. Byakuya was now looking at his grandfather for the first time since he entered his depression. The old man knew that his grandson was fighting back the tears by the way his eyes became glossy and how his lips quivered as he spoke.

Ginrei stood up and made his way over to Byakuya. He knelt down beside him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders as he assured, "No child, you have not. Do not think for one second that you have failed her in the slightest. Because of your love and support, Hisana was able to make it through this far. You were the reason she lived."

Byakuya shook his head, "No…if only I had taken better care of her…if I had shielded her better from all the pain and sorrow…if she hadn't met me, she would've been happier. She wouldn't have had to suffer and…she'd still be a---"

"Stop, Byakuya." Ginrei interrupted, giving his grandson a hard stare as he continued, "Stop blaming yourself over something you cannot control. We may be shinigami, but our lives are still at the mercy of fate." Byakuya looked away from his grandfather, unable to meet his eyes. The familiar sting in his nose was returning and he was afraid to show his tears and his weakness to his grandfather now.

Ginrei sighed heavily and hugged Byakuya close, "If you insist on blaming yourself, she will never rest in peace. Do you think that will be fair for Hisana?" Byakuya shook his head and Ginrei smiled sympathetically, "It's not too late, Byakuya. If you felt helpless while she was alive, there may still be something you can do for her now."

"Something…I can do for her." Byakuya repeated slowly to himself, searching for what it was that he had to do. She did ask him to do something before she passed, didn't she? She was so adamant about it too. What was it that was so important to her? What can he still do for her?

Then, he finally remembered.

To be continued...

~*.*.*~

Author's note: So, what did ya'll think? In this prologue, I tried to give my readers a glimpse into Byakuya and Hisana's past, hoping to shine some light into their obscure past. There will be more run-ins with their past in later chapters, so be ready for that. Of course, it's all purely made up and is based on my assumptions and ideas. Anyhow, chapter 1 is fully written out and is currently being edited. I will submit it soon when I think it's ready, which will be either this week or the next. Look forward to it, ya?

Please read and review. :)