Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. That is property of Tite Kubo.


"Twenty questions, huh?" Rukia murmured as she sat in the corner of the Thirteenth Company's barracks. Sentaro and Kiyone were most likely stalking Captain Ukitake so Rukia figured she had a moment's worth of time to gather her thoughts onto paper. She numbered her paper from 1 to 20 and started to list questions about Hisana as they came to her mind. She soon found herself erasing other questions in order to add new ones instead. "There's just too many!" She exclaimed to herself. She already knew Byakuya was married to Hisana for approximately five years and then she started to cross off questions that he probably wouldn't have learned in the period of five years.

Rukia started to wonder why Byakuya even made this deal with her. Twenty questions answered over the period of twenty days which meant she could only ask one question per day. She even wondered why he had told her that Hisana was her sister even when Hisana had requested him not to say anything. She then mentally scolded herself for believing such a pathetic lie. She should have known better than to believe that an aristocrat as noble as him would certainly have not brought a commoner into the family just because said commoner resembled his late wife. She should have known better.

With quick hands, Rukia shoved the paper down the front of her shihakusho as she heard Captain Ukitake, Sentaro, and Kiyone approach the barracks. Jumping to her feet, she dived towards the chair and desk where she was supposed to be completing paperwork. Captain Ukitake gave her a questioning look but didn't press the subject as he entered the room. Sentaro and Kiyone seemed completely oblivious what was going on as they were in an argument about who loved the captain more. Rukia smiled, amused by their fights and with a smile, completed her task before going home.


"Nii-sama? What happened and where did all these papers come from?" Rukia questioned as she found him at the dinner table surrounded by stacks of paperwork. She paused, registering the information. "Oh no. Renji-chan put up the paperwork, didn't he?"

Byakuya nodded without saying anything as a reply. He continued to work without even acknowledging Rukia, even when she timidly took a seat next to her brother. "I, um, have my first question." She said softly in a barely audible voice. When Byakuya didn't reply, she wondered if he had even heard her in the first place. She was about to repeat the question when she noticed he stopped working on the papers. He turned to her and made a gesture for her to continue. "Um, what was she like? Personality wise."

Byakuya paused, gathering his thoughts. "Hisana was quiet." He stated. There was another pause as he tried to find the words to describe her. It was difficult as there were almost no words that could match Hisana. "She was lovely, and…" He trailed off, closing his eyes as he attempted to recall fond memories. "She liked children a lot. She was a kind and generous soul and always put others ahead of herself."

Rukia listened as he passionately recalled a time when he was going to take Hisana out. "It was difficult to get her away from the children. They'd cry whenever she left." From the way he spoke about her, Rukia could feel that Byakuya really adored Hisana. She could wonder how much pain he endured when Hisana passed.

"You love her a lot, don't you?" Rukia inquired. "It must be awfully painful for you to recall her."

He shook his head. "It's fine. You deserve to know." His voice was soft, and no longer was the cold tone that hid his emotions that Rukia so used to hearing. It was like Byakuya was a complete different person when the topic of Hisana was brought up.

"Do you have any more pictures I could possibly look at?" Rukia asked. "I finished the other photo album and I thought maybe…"

"I have a few more." He stated. "Remind me to get it for you tomorrow morning. Is that all?" Byakuya then started to continue with his paperwork.

"Yes." Rukia replied. "Thank you."


Now in her room, she lay on her stomach with a notebook in front of her. Neatly labeled on the front was "Facts About My Sister." Rukia had decided to record whatever she learned about her mysterious sister in the notebook. She had even found a place to hide it from Byakuya and other servants. "She's kind, generous, loves kids and is quiet." She murmured as she wrote each fact in a bullets in the notebook.

She frowned looking at all the information she got from one question; it wasn't enough. "Byakuya doesn't elaborate well." Rukia sighed. "Perhaps I need to be more specific with my questions." Reaching into her shihakusho, she pulled out the folded piece of paper she had hidden from the members of the Thirteenth Company. With her pen, she scratched off "Question #1."

"That makes one question answered." Rukia sighed. "And nineteen left."

She looked over her list of possible questions and smiled as she found the next one she would ask.