Kuchiki Byakuya was thoroughly confused, and he hated being confused. Of course for Valentines Day he was used to getting dozens of chocolates by the multitude of girls in his high school that thought they were in love with him. Put together not only his looks, with his long black hair, smooth face and clear grey eyes, and also his family's overwhelming wealth, of course they thought that about him. He couldn't abide those girls though. They giggled, batted their eyes at him in what they clearly thought was a flirtatious way, talked to him about meaningless things, and gave him the ridiculous nick name of Bya-kun. He hated that name, but he was brought up proper by his grandfather and wouldn't contradict a lady.
The fact that he had gotten chocolates this year didn't confuse him, but one particular gift did. Several of the usual chocolates were obviously store bought, or else were made by servants. The majority of the girls here were very well to do, and could either buy the fancy chocolates, or else have servants make them. There were others in the school that came from the less wealthy, by his definition, would offer him homemade chocolates that they made themselves, but most of the time, they had shaped them in hearts, of course.
The chocolate piece that he held in front of him, even though it was still wrapped in a simple white cloth and closed with a light pink ribbon, was definitely not heart shapped. He could tell it was homemade because no confectionery shop would wrap their wares in such a way.
It was the only chocolate he kept, he had taken note of the names of the girls that were attached to the gifts so he could return the obligatory White Day gifts to them with the traditional gifts of cookies, jewelry, or white chocolate, but threw the rest away. He hated sweets, and chocolate, even Valentine's Day chocolate, were not an exception. He took care to through them away in his own mansion, so at the very least he wouldn't offend the girls.
He sat at his desk in his suite of rooms that was located in the eastern side of the Kuchiki mansion, just staring at the wrapped chocolate for a while. It wasn't that he didn't want to know what shape the chocolate took, but he was just confused. He had never received a gift like this before and liked things in his life to be predictable.
Finally he pulled at the pink ribbon that bound the cloth together and revealed the chocolate and he just stared at it in awe. It was a perfect carving of a branch from a tree, with small five petaled flowers that were obviously sakuras.
Every detail was immaculate, there were five blossoms spread along the branch in varying degrees of opening, and not all of the flowers were facing him. And on the ones he could see them, even the long stemen and pistols that were centered in the middle of the flowers were perfect.
How could someone divine such beauty from a mere piece of chocolate, and how would anyone know to send him this kind of flower? If they were to send a flower, even a carving of a flower, most would send roses, which were of course beautiful flowers, but sakura blossoms were his favorite. But he had told no one love for them, not even his family.
In fact, each spring he would sneak away, dress as a commoner, and go visit the local Hanami festivals. He would occasionally visit the vendors and buy something to eat, but usually he would walk to small parks, and just view the flowers in peace.
He gently reached out and lightly brushed the piece of art and immediately felt the chocolate start to melt under his touch, and quickly pulled his hand away. He could see a light indention of his finger print and carefully smoothed it over, making it smooth again. Even if he did like chocolate, he wouldn't deface it by eating it.
He started to gently wrap it up again when he saw the note. He took it out and finished wrapping the chocolate up and set it in the far corner of his desk so he wouldn't accidentally knock into it, or push it on the floor and started reading.
Kuchiki-sama
I hope this little gift of mine brightens your day. I've noticed in the past you don't seem to care for the gifts the other young ladies in our school always force upon you, and since I know you like sakuras I took the time to make you this gift. I do hope that it wasn't presumptuous of me to give this to you, I know it looks like a honmei gift, but I just mean this for a giri courtesy. I harbor no illusions that you might care for me in that way, since we've never actually officially met, but I do wish to make people happier, and I thought this might make you at least a little happier.
Don't feel obligated to try and give me a White Day gift, it really was my pleasure.
All the best wishes
Tsukino Hisana
He stared at the note in confusion for a little while. He couldn't think of who this young lady, apparently a classmate of his, was. Not only that, but when he was in school he always kept his emotions from everyone, how is it that a girl he didn't even know could tell how he liked sakuras, let alone how he felt about the gifts from those frivolous girls.
He stared at the name at the bottom of the note, thinking maybe if he looked at the name long enough, a face might appear. But he stared in vain. No sudden visions or revelations lit the darkness that was his ignorance on this subject.
He had decided to wait till tomorrow to be enlightened on that mystery, at school.
It was nearing March 14, and he still wasn't sure on what to do.
He had learned who Tsukino Hisana was by truly paying attention at role call for the first time. It turned out that, as he had suspected, she was one of those that came from a commoner family. And judging from her school uniform, her family was poorer than even most other commoners, or that her family skimped a lot on things that they felt didn't matter too much.
She didn't exactly have the look of someone starved, but she had a somewhat underfed manner about her. Also her grey skirt and white shirt was somewhat faded and thread bare, like it was second hand. Her black hair was always brushed, but lacked a luster shine, and was cut short with strands of bangs hanging between her eyes. He eyes always twinkled with good humor, and for a while he couldn't decide what color they were. He could see both purple and blue, but then he decided they were a dark purple, with hints of blue in them.
Also, others rarely talked to her, not even to tease her. The couple times he had witnessed someone trying to make fun of her since February, she had just smiled a little, and said something in her soft voice. He never was close enough to hear what she said, but it must have unnerved the person as they looked at her a little strangely, and walked away with a befuddled, and unsatisfied look on their face. Those who try to make fun of someone always do it to have what they called fun, but it was obvious that she wasn't hurt, or intimidated. And where was the fun if she didn't react the way they wanted her to?
Yet, despite her circumstances, she always had a small, but obviously happy smile on her face. Of the times he's observed her, he had never seen her without a smile. He's also followed her a few times and seen her be kind to everyone she met. He's seen her pick up a child who had fallen and started crying to offer comfort, offered assistance to the elderly when they were struggling with their purchases, and even parted with needed food or coin to a homeless vagrant on the street. She was obviously a kind giving person who made him slightly ashamed of himself.
She would give without a second thought when she had so little to give. He on the other hand had anything a male could ask for, prestige, honor, money and a handsome face, yet never shared anything of his with anyone. Even his feelings, he never let anyone see those, except apparently this female could read him. How did she do that?
He'd often watched her since her gift, but he never let her catch him looking at her. Though he suspected that she knew he was staring every so often, she was very perceptive. There was no way she couldn't be perceptive since she knew so much about him without him even speaking to her.
The reason he was not sure on what to do was because he wanted to do something for her to show his appreciation for her thoughtfulness. It wasn't often that he wanted to do something for someone else, but this time he really wanted to. But he wasn't sure on what to give her.
He knew the pride of the poorer people and knew she wouldn't want a handout. It would make her feel that he didn't think her family could provide for her well enough. And while it was obvious to him that they really couldn't, he didn't want her to think he was offering charity. He also knew that even though she would accept it with good grace, he didn't want to give her a large gift and embarrass her. Not to mention it would embarrass him too.
An idea came to him one day when he was watching her discretely and saw her stop at a flower store window. She stared at the display in that window with an expression that he would describe as tender, and also with a little longing. After staring for a few minutes, she tore herself away and walked on.
He stopped at the window and looked in to see what she saw. In the small window, a vase of white Japanese golden rayed lilies were prominently displayed with ferns and other leaves giving it some color and variation.
He'd always liked lilies, even if they weren't his favorite. They were always so simple, in any variation of the beautiful flower. The lily must be her favorite flower. He had no intention of even trying to do the same for her and carve her a flower out of chocolate. He knew he had no skill in carving and the end result wouldn't even look like a flower. And he couldn't ask any of the cooks to do it for him, they would wonder what was wrong with his head.
He wondered about that himself as he walked home. He had never felt inclined to give anyone anything unless the situation required it, like a birthday, or White Day, or any other gift giving holiday. She had specifically said that he shouldn't feel obligated to give her anything. But this went beyond feeling obligated. Her kindness stood out to him in a way that nothing ever had before. He had never wanted to do something so much before. Her unselfishness made him smile and feel the need to be unselfish as well. It made him want to be better, like her.
He wasn't sure on what to make of the strange feelings that have recently manifested inside himself. But he decided to act upon them. He had learned that she liked lilies, but wasn't sure on what to do with that knowledge. Giving her a bouquet of lilies would of course please her, the the act seemed a little presumptuous to him. He wasn't anyone to give her flowers, that seemed more like the gift of at least a boyfriend. And he hadn't even talked to her yet.
He wondered what to do when something a table of cheap jewelry caught his eye and he stopped to take a closer look. There was a black fabric over the table to display the jewelry better and the many pieces were impressive for the location of the stall and the obvious lack of quality he was accustomed to, but the necklace that caught his eye was beautiful, despite the lack of jewels. It was a lily pendant with a blue trim framing the snow white petals hanging on a simple golden chain.
He stared at the lovely piece while the female vendor of the table bargained with another customer. He picked up the necklace and held it against the back of his hand to see what it would look like against skin. He knew that on the table it would look different than it would against the different color of skin, but even on his hand it was still beautiful. The blue setting off the white perfectly.
"Simple elegance, that's what I call that piece."
Byakuya looked up at the woman and she smiled at him.
"A perfect name for it."
"White lilies like this one represent purity and modesty. A wonderful gift for such a girl." She gave him a knowing smile and he blushed a little. Then cleared his throat and bargained with her for it.
Finally March 14th arrived and Byakuya was a very nervous. He had already handed out the obligatory White Day gifts to the other girls who had given him a Valentine's Day gift and as with every year, they squealed in their high pitched voices probably thinking he liked them or some nonsense like that, but that couldn't be farther than the truth.
He wanted to give his gift to Hisana separately, not in view of others. He was a rather private person and he didn't think he'd like people watching him during that time. So he decided to get ahead of her on her way home from school, he had watched her several times walking home so he knew her route. Though he never followed her all the way to her home, he wasn't sure if he should. After all, it was her life and if he saw that she was in poverty or some other situation, he wasn't sure on his reaction and if he could restrain himself from doing something that wasn't wise.
So he sat on a bench that was beside a walkway in a park that she walked through. It wasn't long till she came in sight and even though he knew she must have seen him and known who he was, he knew she would walk by him without saying anything so he called out to her as she walked in front of him.
"Tsukino-san."
She stopped, and after a second she turned to him smiling, "Hello Kuchiki-sama. How are you today?"
"I am doing well thank you." He stood up and faced her looking down, she was even shorter than he thought. "I wanted
to thank you for your thoughtful gift."
"You liked it then?" she smiled a little more.
"Yes, I liked it very much." He looked her squarely in the eye, "How did you know that I like sakuras?"
"My family sets up a stall to sell food for the Hanami festival, and even though you were dressed differently than you usually do, I knew you had disguised yourself to enjoy the sakuras in this park."
He thought about it and remembered that this indeed was the park he liked to view the blossoming trees the most.
He smiled a little, the first true smile that he could remember expressing in front of someone. "Well, it was very thoughtful of you. And I'd like to return the favor," he dug the small white box with the necklace in it out of his pocket and stretched his hand out to her.
She looked up at him a little surprised, "But I had said you needn't feel obligated to give me anything for White Day."
"I know, but I wanted to. Please accept it."
She looked up at him for a few seconds and he was worried that she would refuse, then she smiled and took the box from him, and lifted the smiled as he heard her gasp a little at his gift, and he knew she loved it.
"But Kuchiki-sama, I can't accept this," she looked up at him with her large expressive eyes.
"Please do, your gift meant more to me than you know. Every year I receive countless Valentine's gifts from girls who don't mean anything to me, and I'm basically a trophy for them. They don't really know me, and are only interested in getting close to me to show off to others that she got me. You actually put thought and effort into what you gave me. How long did it take you to make that anyways?
She blushed a little and looked down, "Several hours. But I didn't mind doing it, it was fun for one thing. I also wanted to bring a smile to your normally stoic, but sad face." She looked up at him again this time with pleasure on her face, "And I was able to see your smile today, it's a lovely smile."
He blushed a little himself, "Well, happy White Day Tsukino-san."
"Please, call me Hisana."
He looked at her surprised, "Um, alright Hisana-san. I hope you liked your gift."
She looked at the necklace again, "Oh yes I do. It's lovely, thank you."
She then looked up at him again and smiled. He didn't know where the impulse came from, but the next thing he knew he was kissing her with an arm around her waist securing her against him. He was so shocked at himself that he didn't realize that after her initial shock, she was kissing him back.
He quickly pulled away and bowed to her, "I'm sorry Hisana-san. I shouldn't have done that. That was very presumptuous of me, please forgive me."
He couldn't even look up at him he was so embarrassed, he half expected her to slap him really, and he would deserve
it. Instead he felt her fingers lightly clasp his chin and lift his head for him.
"It's alright Byakuya-sama, it was a very nice kiss." She smiled at him and then turned and walked towards her home.
A/N: Wow, that was fun. I've been wanting to do a Valentine's Day fanfic with this wonderful couple for a very long time now. And even though it really is more of a White Day story, it still counts, lol.
For those who are a little confused, here is an explanation. White Day is March 14th, a month after Valentine's Day. It is tradition in Japan for the women to give the men chocolates. Either a honmei-choco, which expresses your love to your husband/boyfriend, or giri-choco, which you give to your male friends. And on White Day is when the men give gifts in return to the girls who gave them chocolate. I kinda like that tradition more than the American Valentine's day. The girls can express their love a little better. In America the holiday has become more of a day when the guys go way out of their way to make their girls feel special, and makes those who don't have anyone sad and lonely. At least in Japan you can expect gifts from your friends.
Hanami literally means "viewing flowers" though it generally means the viewing of the cherry blossoms. There are festivals for viewing the many lovely trees.