Title: Vanity
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rated: T
Summary: A time, where connections and money are always involved. Pride and Prejudice. Bleach style. A HitsuKarin story.
A/N: Haha. I recently read the classic story 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen and I quickly fall in love with it. Oh my god! I love Mr. Darcy! After reading it I quickly bought the movie (2005 version because I'm a big fan of Keira Knightly's face. LOL. I want to have a body like hers.) Oh my god again! Matthew Macfadyen's voice is so sexy! He's the best Mr. Darcy ever! I love you Mr. Darcy!
Anyway, this fic will follow the plot of the story that I mention above, but not all, of course. There would be some big changes (I think), so expect the character's OoCness.
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite. (Applies to all chapter)
Chapter one: The Gentleman
...
Maybe the saying that a single man with a good looking appearance and generous fortune must be need a wife.
However, the gentleman that moved in the neighborhood of Karakura doesn't have a clue that the families surrounding him have a fix mind that he will pick their daughter to be his spouse.
"Oh! Isshin my dear have you heard?" cried the beautiful Masaki Kurosaki.
"Heard what Masaki?" the man of the house asked his beloved other half.
"The Luntian mansion has an owner at last! My friend, Madam Ishida told me earlier!" She exclaimed wildly. "Isn't that wonderful?"
Kurosaki Isshin didn't answer.
"Madam Ishida says that a rich gentleman had taken the mansion! A very suitable husband for Yuzu or Karin don't you think?"
Not waiting for a reply, she immediately went upstairs and search for her daughters in their respective room, only to be disappointed. 'Where are my lovely daughters?' She saw her son and asked him where are the twins could be.
"I saw them in the lake earlier" her eldest son answered truthfully "Oh mother, I'll be out 'til midnight. My friend Renji is having a party at their house. He's turning eight and twenty today."
"Renji? Is he the son of late Sir Abarai? Tell him to have a very wonderful birthday."
He nodded, "I will."
Looking at the window, she immediately said "I must find your sisters now, I have a fantastic news for them!"
...
"Yuzu you must see this breathtaking scenery up here!"
"Karin-chan get down here! It's too dangerous for a lady such as yourself to climb a tree!" Yuzu exclaimed at her outrageous twin. "I'm sure mother will be disappointed in you if she found out that you have another wound again!"
"Don't be such a pus Yuzu!" answered she, "Mother will only find it out if you told her for sure, she barely go to the lake anyway—"
"Kurosaki Karin!"
"Mother!"
"What are you doing up there young lady? Get down here at once!"
"I'll be there in a second!" Karin climbed down in the Kaya tree so fast but gracefully done. If it hasn't seen up close, you will think that a monkey is climbing down the tree. Panicking, she stepped in the wrong branch and slid down. "Aargh!"
"Karin-chan!" Yuzu run to her sister straight away and aid her. "Are you alright?"
"See young woman?" Masaki question also, "This is what you get for being such defiant daughter!"
" I'm sorry mother, it won't happen again I promise."
"You told me that a dozen of times already!" Kurosaki Masaki yelled. "Yuzu my child, quick! Help her, we need to be at house right away. I have something important to say to the both of you." She turned her back at her daughters and ambled fast to their abode.
"What a loving mother." Karin said sardonically. "How uncaring."
"You angered her Karin-chan." Yuzu said shocked at what her sister said. "What do you expect?"
"Well, I think you're right." Karin supposed. "Let's go home."
...
"No please! I beg you! No alcohol!" cried Kurosaki Karin to her father. "You know I hate alcohol Papa! It hurts!"
"Well, you should also think of that before climbing in the tree Karin-chan." Isshin told her favorite daughter with a smirk. He heard her wince in pain as he dab a soft cloth with alcohol at her wound. After cleaning it, he rolled a thin white fabric around the wounded area. "There. Done."
"Thank you father."
"Anything for you child."
"You're lucky, you're father is a physician Karin. Please don't defy my orders ever again."
"I apologize again mother." Karin said sadly.
"Good child."
"Ah.. Mama. You told us earlier that you have something important to say to us." Yuzu remembered. "What is it mother?"
"Oh! I nearly forgot" Their mother's mood change immediately from disappointment to cheerful. "Let us go to the master's bedroom and I shall say it to the both of you."
The three of them went to the bedroom leaving the middle age father behind. Shaking his head, Kurosaki Isshin put away his medical materials and went to their small library.
A loud shriek was heard from the Kurosaki's household. Specifically, from the master's bedroom. The maids knocked loudly at the door asking in the top of their voice what happened to their mistresses. The said mistresses replied back that there is nothing wrong with them and that they shouldn't be bothered. Isshin didn't even go to them for he knows the reason of that shriek; he continued reading his medical books.
"Is that true mother?" Yuzu happily exclaimed. "Are you not kidding us?"
"No my lovely Yuzu! All I said is true! Madam Ishida said it to me all!" The happy mother heartily said. "We must go to the boutique tomorrow to get you new dresses for he will have an ostentatious party at his mansion in sennight"
"New dresses! That's wonderful mama! Is not it Karin-chan?" Yuzu asked, turning to her twin.
"No Yuzu! You should not be happy at something like that! I'm sorry mother but I think what you are suggesting is ridiculous!" Karin could not help but to disagree with their mother. They're not even out of sixteen yet, for heaven's sake! "We should marry the man we love! Not to flirt with some random man! You're the one who say that to us, remember?"
Masaki knows her daughter is right but this chance is too sweet to missed. "I know that Karin-chan, but for sure you will fall for him too!"
"Mother is right Karin-chan."
"But still—"
"I won't take a no for an answer, my child."
"If that is the case," said she exasperatedly "Yuzu, you'll be the one who do it."
"I have no objection. " Yuzu laughed. Her mother joined her but her sister did not.
...
"Renji!" Ichigo Kurosaki greeted his old friend and punched him in the face. Hard.
"Ow!"
"How are you my friend?" Ichigo questioned and quickly evaded his friend's revenge. "Hahaha. You're still slow Renji!"
"Why did you hit me you ruffian? It's my birthday you know!" Shouted the irritated red haired guy. Their friends laughed at their antics. This is truly a wonderful day!
"You know also that it's just a greeting."
"Kira! You need not to team up with him!" He shouted yet again, as his face was once again greeted by a punch.
"You should see your face Renji, It's hilarious."
"I'm not a jester!"
"Anyway, Happy Birthday Renji." Ichigo said. "My mother also greets you."
"Thank you." Noticing that Ichigo didn't bring the one he's expecting he asked. "Where is your younger sister? Miss Karin?"
It's not unknown to the eldest child of Kurosaki Isshin and Kurosaki Masaki, that his red haired gentleman friend has a thing to his sister and if can, he always keep his sister away from him. It's not that he doesn't approve of him. Renji Abarai has a respective family, he also owns a liquor store in Seireitei and there is no doubt that he is a gentleman. He can give his sister a prosperous life, but, Karin is only sixteen years old! No respectable lady will marry at such a young age! Plus! His friend is almost twice the age of his sister!
"She's at the lake when I left home. I'm in a hurry to come here, so I didn't have the chance to invite her."
Renji nodded. "Oh is that so? That's a pity"
"Hey guys. Did you hear?"
"Hear what Shuuhei?" Ikkaku, a bald and tough looking gentleman asked.
"A rich guy from Seireitei bought the Luntian mansion."
"Eh? Really?" A shock and disappointed voice exclaimed.
The gentlemen look at their friend.
"Why do you sound so disappointed, Yumichika?"
"I'm actually saving money to buy that mansion. It's just a shock to me to know that someone had already bought it and beat me into it."
"I heard he have three sisters." Shuuhei said again. "Three single good looking sisters." He smiled haughtily.
"What is the man's name? Maybe I know one of his relatives." Ikkaku asked,
"It's Hitsugaya Toushirou."
...
Luntian means green in our language, Filipino. Read: Loon-tee-an. Luntian mansion – Green mansion. Not so complicated eh?
A/N: There you go my dear readers. The first chapter. :) I'm quite happy with the length. Haha. Although I know most of you didn't. I never tried a long story (in English, but even my Filipino chapter stories are epic fail so I deleted them) before so forgive me for all the mistakes. :D Maybe the next chapter would be longer, but I don't know when I'm gonna start writing it. :P
And sorry for ruining Masaki. :P
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it (because I did). Feedbacks are very much appreciated. :)