Disclaimer: I can't get the spot out of my shirt because I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo won't give it to me because he thinks it's funny.
This chapter was brought to you by the lovely reviewers out there.
Second Scandal, Words Don't Count only Actions Do
We shall schedule our first appointment this Saturday at 5:00pm. Food will be served.
150 Minamikawase Street
If you get lost, call: 115-1513
Ha.
On that Friday afternoon Rukia had stored away the problematic note to be dealt with at a more conventional time and hadn't looked at it since. Well, it was Saturday, 4:30 in the afternoon and the time to make decisions was now. She was only able to stare at the crumpled note in between her fingers- unable to believe what was expected of her. His discrete message was scrawled messily on the lined paper and she could laughably compare his handwriting to that of a doctor. Then she remembered Ichigo was from a doctor's family.
The letters on the paper slipped out of her mind and she forced herself to consume the message. Reading the note again, Rukia could tell that his words were carefully thought out. She wondered what encouraged him to arrange such a thing in the first place. He had no obligation to do so, and suddenly, Rukia's thoughts were flooded with questions. What were his feelings towards this engagement? What did he feel about her? Rukia tried to decode his previous reactions, words, and expressions but they were undecipherable. As she recalled during that fateful dinner, his face only displayed a platonic mask that reeked of professionalism and calm. She was put to shame on her outburst the very first night, and in front of Byakuya no less. Was she just making a big deal out of the situation?
Rukia fell backwards into her queen size bed, allowing her legs to dangle off the edge as she held the small square paper out in front of her and contemplated on what to do next. She would have never thought that such a diminutive message could cause her so much internal grief.
She wasn't even dressed. Looking down, Rukia discovered that she was still donned in her faithful gray sweat shirt and Chappy shorts, along with a lack of motive to go anywhere at all. Simply thinking about meeting Ichigo somewhere made her stomach churn and her head hurt. Maybe it was best to ignore his offer. She may have been engaged to him, but that sure as hell didn't mean she had to deal with him now.
Rukia decided to call and cancel the 'appointment'.
Accompanied by uncertainty, she began to dial the number into her cell phone. Her thumb hesitated over the 'SEND' as she considered texting him instead. Rukia shook her head and mentally scolded herself for making such a big deal out of the situation before hitting the call button.
She placed the phone before her ear to listen to the still rings, waiting with baited breath between the silences.
"Kurosaki, des," came a slightly irritated voice through the receiver.
Rukia breathed, "Oh, ano…This is Kuchiki Rukia. Sorry, Kurosaki-Sensei, but I won't be able to make it."
The other end was still for a moment, "…Why."
'Why' was a good question. In truth, she was nervous. Rukia wasn't even sure what she was nervous of.
"I have a lot of homework to do," She lied.
"Then you can easily finish it on Sunday," He retorted.
Rukia tested another excuse, "My brother says I can't go."
"I highly doubt that," Ichigo snorted.
"I'm sick?"
He scoffed, "Oh, of course. Well I'm not accepting any more of your lame excuses, Kuchiki. I know for a fact that you don't have a lot of homework, I bet you haven't even talked to your brother about tonight, and you don't even sound sick on the phone. So you better haul your little ass to my place on time, or else. "
Rukia puffed out her chest in indignation, "You don't have any authority over me."
Ichigo growled between his teeth, "You will show up."
"What are you going to do- mark me absent?"
"Don't test me, midget. I swear, if you don't show up I'll- "
Rukia abruptly pressed the 'END' call button, feeling very smug about his lack of authority outside of school. That should teach Ichigo to refer to her height disposition- 4'8 ½ wasn't even that short. As a matter of fact, he was too tall. How could she ever kiss him? He was twelve inches taller than her, and simply standing side by side required her to crane her neck to the sky. Why was she even thinking about such ludicrous ideas in the first place? She batted away the disturbing image in order to calm herself down.
Why did it have to be him? Rukia silently remembered questioning Byakuya before he left for another political campaign.
She stared silently at the small velvety case in front of her as the feelings of anxiety and sadness overwhelmed her. It was the equivalent of Pandora's box, capable of containing all her grief in the form of a ring. This wasn't what she wanted. But then again, no arranged marriage was a happy one. Her brother appeared before her, quiet and contemplating.
"Nii-sama, why…him?"
His cold, gray slate eyes gave away nothing as he said, "You will know in time."
What did he mean by that? She could not pick out the meaning in his short response, and easily grew frustrated with the cryptic phrase. There was something he knew, that she didn't. He had adapted that cold and distant demeanor ever since the day of Hisana's last breath. Rukia was only a small child at the time, but she could not even remember her sister's face. It was as if her memories of that time were blocked by a thick ominous curtain that should not be touched. No matter how far she dug back into her mind, she couldn't see anything.
A soft knock on the door caught her attention, "Rukia-Sama, you have a visitor."
It was one of the maids, and by the sound of her voice Rukia recalled her name to be Kyoko.
Without getting up, she asked, "Who is it?"
"I believe the man's name is Kurosaki-San. He said he was a friend of yours?"
Rukia sprang up from the bed in alarm. He came here? In broad daylight? She was violently thrown into a state of panic as she paced her room trying to decide what to do.
Sensing her nervous reaction, Kyoko asked, "Rukia-sama, should I send for the guards?"
She shook her head in apprehension. Although she would have immensely enjoyed seeing her bodyguards dragging her Sensei kicking and screaming through the front doors, it was not the best action to take. The guards would report to Byakuya about it, and she did not want her brother to find out in risk of her being embarrassed.
"He's a friend. Don't worry, I'll handle it," Rukia assured the maid.
Rukia pulled on a calm expression over the tempest of irritation and dread as she prepared to face her fiancé. She came down the stairs with her head held high, immediately spotting a man with a head full of aggravating orange hair.
Rukia took a good look at him and was mildly impressed because he was actually dressed presentable for once. His blue oxford shirt was unwrinkled and casually untucked over his black slacks. Instead of a tie, his shirt was unbuttoned twice at the top, and he wore a black designer coat that fitted him perfectly. On top of that, he sported shiny black loafers and a Rolex watch.
Aside from his peculiar choice in clothing, Rukia noticed that Ichigo appeared to be engaged in a conversation on his cell phone.
She began to hear snippets of the exchange, "We'll be down town, nobody will recognize us there."
Rukia could only make out the buzzing of incoherent words through the receiver. Who's going down town?
"Of course I'll be cautious, I'm not completely careless!"
There was a pause before Ichigo sheepishly replied, "Well…that time was an emergency so it doesn't count."
Suddenly his eyes found hers, " Wait, I see her. Ja ne."
Ichigo snapped his phone shut before throwing her a devious smirk that Rukia would soon learn the meaning of. She stopped a few feet away from him, not daring to come any closer as he scanned her attire with a critical eye. He nodded to himself in approval before seizing her lithe body and throwing Rukia ostensibly over one shoulder.
"What the hell are you doing?" Rukia screeched.
"I'm trying to take you out to dinner," He replied simply.
The horrifying thought struck her and she stuttered, "B-But I'm not even dressed? How the hell is this happening? Security!"
"No use, Byakuya already knows where I'm taking you and told the guards to stand down," Ichigo chuckled.
"You unbelievable...IMBECILE," She hissed.
Rukia unleashed her wrath upon the orange haired man as he carried her out the front door, down the entrance path and to his car…kicking and screaming.
He finally set her down by the car and rubbed the back of his neck where Rukia managed to violently bite him.
"Ouch," He frowned at her.
Rukia simply stuck out her tongue before making a dash back to the house.
Ichigo easily hooked Rukia's arm, reeling her in close before she could go anywhere.
He lowered his breath to her ear before whispering, "Do you really want to test my patience," His voice took on a mocking tone, "Dearest?"
Rukia pursed her lips and shook her head, and once Ichigo was satisfied, he let go. He unlocked the doors to his sleek black Corvette and motioned for Rukia to get in. She grudgingly obliged as Ichigo did the same. The engine started with a deep purr, and Ichigo maneuvered his way out of the mansion's vast entrance towards the direction of Karakura's downtown center.
The tinted windows created a dim ambient atmosphere, however, in reality it was not so. Rukia could manage nothing other than glaring at the intricate dashboard in front of her, occasionally throwing chilling looks at Ichigo. Ichigo, in turn simply ignored her and invested his focus on driving.
"I hate you."
He raised an eyebrow at Rukia's plain statement and shrugged, "You annoy me."
That was the extent of their conversation.
The Corvette reached the outskirts of the town center and it continued to weave around the crowded streets, sailing smoothly across the roads as it did so.
Rukia recognized the street as they began to pass extravagant restaurants that she intermittently dined in with Byakuya and his supporting followers. This orange headed idiot wasn't really thinking to…
Rukia morbidly glanced down at her grey sweatshirt and Chappy pj shorts and thought- He wouldn't.
As if reading her thoughts, Ichigo cheerfully stated, "We're here."
They pulled up to a place called 'Le Goût', and Rukia asked timidly, "What ever happened to your place?"
"After you called, I changed my mind. You deserve so much better, darling," Ichigo replied sardonically.
Rukia sat stiffly in the car with her arms crossed, "I refuse."
"Do I have to drag you with me?" He teased.
She ended up stepping into the fine restaurant with her head held high, standing next to a snickering Ichigo.
"Bienvenue sur le Goût, je serai votre serveur, de cette manière s'il vous plaît," The server bowed.
He smiled politely before eyeing Rukia wearily, "Monsieur, cette femme vous ennuie?"
Ichigo stared blankly at their server and asked, "Come again?"
"I am his date," Rukia's eye twitched precariously.
"Oh, I see…Please come this way," He gestured the odd couple to follow him through the restaurant's exquisite design.
The place offered a French atmosphere that demanded sophistication. The ceiling was high, where dimly light chandeliers twinkled romantically. The tall windows were draped in red velvet, while circular tables covered in white cloth occupied the center of the dining room. Waiters and waitresses swept in and out of the kitchen carrying silver platters that were responsible for the most alluring aromas. In the back of the room there was an enormous shelf presenting an impressive array of fine wines. The people enjoying their meals matched the level of extravagance. The men were donned in suites and ties, were the women were dressed in gowns.
All of them stopped to stare at Rukia as she was paraded through the dining area.
"Well, I surely hope you understand that you are the bane of my existence," Rukia muttered under her breath.
"It is my pleasure."
She narrowed her eyes, "You're paying the bill."
When they were seated, Rukia found herself combing through her hair uncomfortably before opening the menu. She wasn't new to the restaurant or the food, in fact, she was quite familiar with the place. It was a favorite of Byakuya's. Rukia just found herself thankful that no one recognized her.
She set down her menu and decided to glare at the man sitting across from her. It seemed as if he were having trouble reading the menu, because he constantly stared at one part of the page or scratched his head awkwardly with a scowl on his face. She suddenly realized that the menu was in French. Perfect.
The waiter came promptly after Ichigo finally set down his menu and asked, "Would you like anything to drink?"
"Water will be fine," Ichigo awkwardly handed the menu back to the server, "I'm not particularly hungry anymore."
"What about you, miss?"
Rukia cleared her throat before speaking in perfect French, "Je suis prêt à commander, monsieur. Pour l'apéritif, je voudrais commencer avec une salade simple et vos plus beaux champane. Ensuite, je vais avoir la fameuse blanquette de veau, et pour le dessert que je veux l'éclair au chocolat."
"Certes, jeune dame," The waiter was impressed as he wrote down Rukia's order, "You speak good French."
Ichigo looked mildly surprised at Rukia, "What did you say?"
Rukia ignored Ichigo and turned to the waiter with an apology, "Je suis désolé, mon IDIOT d'un ami n'a jamais été dans un restaurant français avant."
The waiter laughed in amusement before walking away from the eccentric pair.
There was a stubborn silence between them before Ichigo curiously asked, "Did you tell the waiter that I was an idiot?"
"Now-" She paused to gingerly sip her water before continuing, "Why would I do such a thing?"
Ichigo looked as if he was about to form a witty response, but changed shook his head as he managed to hold back his tongue.
"Never mind, forget I even asked," He sighed.
There was a moment of silence as the two let their eyes wander around the restaurant.
Ichigo fixed his eyes on Rukia, before letting his gaze slide down to her hand, "Why aren't you wearing my ring?"
Rukia was caught in surprise as she inadvertently pulled her left hand into her lap and away from his indifferent gaze.
"Don't tell me you lost the damn thing already," Ichigo frowned.
She shook her head, "I just forgot to put it on."
"I'll surmise that you don't like it?" He inquired stoically.
She glared, "What? You mean the fact I don't like the ring or being engaged to you?"
"Did I forget to mention how lovely you look tonight? I just can't get over your rabbit shorts- HEY!"
Rukia batted her doe eyes innocently, "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"
Ichigo was hunched over in his chair as he gingerly nursed the foot that had been maliciously kicked under the table.
"Great, I'm going to be married to an abusive spouse," He muttered.
Rukia arrived home that night feeling rather miffed at the whole experience. She was confused, and the only feeling that she was sure of was annoyed. Annoyed that Ichigo was her fiance. Annoyed that she had been dragged to dinner with him. And annoyed with him.
"I can't believe that was actually my first date."
The phone on her bed began to vibrate, and she absentmindedly flipped it open to read the message.
Ichigo: Next time you're treating me to dinner, midget.
Her fingers furiously stamped a message through her cell phone, "That jerk."
I am not a midget!
A response from Ichigo buzzed back promptly.
Ichigo: A person under 147 cm or 4'10 is legally defined as a midget. Ha.
Rukia stared at the screen speechless.
…I hate him.
That night Rukia fell asleep and dreamt that she was being chased by a strawberry around her house.
Mondays were her worst nightmares in real life. The start of a new week were she had to deal with him all over again could only make her detest school. Rukia prepared herself with slow, somber movements, as she pulled on her school uniform and brushed her hair. She could feel the heavy reluctance in her body as she stepped out of the door. Her thoughts trailed towards skipping, however she would hate missing out on notes and completing makeup work. Heaving a heavy sigh, she solidified her resolve and began making the fifteen minute walk to school. The morning was delightfully cold, reminding Rukia that winter was just around the corner, and the thought brightened her mood. There was nothing more breath taking than the first snowfall of the year, and she would always be looking forward to it.
"Rukia-chan!" A perky voice joined Rukia on her walk, "How was you're weekend?"
Rukia smiled at Rangiku as she flounced over, "It was okay."
She immediately fell into step with the daily routine as Rangiku began to describe her affairs in a rush of loud chatter. The two were promptly joined by Momo, then Toshiro, as they walked to school.
"So Rukia-san, did you here the news?" Momo inquired.
She shook her head, "What news?"
"Well, they finally found a new teacher to replace Aizen-sama," Rangiku filled in, "You know, the one who had an affair with some student?"
"I don't think it was that..." Momo defended, "That was just a rumor, he was a good teacher."
"Then why was he fired?" Rangiku pointed out.
Momo frowned, "He could have just quit..."
"I doubt that," Toshiro rolled his eyes, "He was hardly a saint."
"Well, who is it?" Rukia asked.
"We'll find out during History I guess. He's suppose to be teaching today," Rangiku shrugged.
They arrived at the high school, as students begin to infiltrate the building talking animatedly with their friends.
"I have to pick something up from my locker, so I'll see you guys in History," She manuvered her way through the crowded halls heedlessly.
To her dismay, the bell rang, initiating a small whirlwind of chaos as students hurried to class. Unfortunately she found herself getting caught in the middle of the pushing and shoving and was roughly knocked backwards. Unceremoniously landing on her rear end, she briefly witnessed a mass of books and papers fly into the air accompanied by a string of colorful curses. As the papers feathered down to the floor, she found herself looking up at a very familiar person.
A tall man was awkwardly dressed in a suit and tie, he was strongly built, according to his broad shoulders and thick arms. His wild crimson red hair was pulled back into a messy red ponytail so they wouldn't fall onto his high cheekbones or brown eyes. Currently he was busy picking up the fallen mess of things. It was nostalgic seeing him again, and despite wearing a tie she knew he was the same old Renji.
"Abari?"
Upon hearing his name he looked up and finally noticed the small girl that was still sprawled on the floor. He furrowed his weird eyebrows before tentatively inquiring, "Rukia?"
Her lips formed a smile to mimmick his as their eyes traced lines over their faces, bringing back fond memories.
Renji placed his things back on the ground and walked over to help her up, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," She assured him, "But what are you doing here?"
"Rukia, I work here now" He grinned sheepishly, "You don't happen to know where room B-06 is do you?"
"Wait, are you...Are you the new History teacher?" Rukia's eyes widened in surprise.
A/N:
My excuse-
So sorry for this late update! I was suppose to finish this story on the 20th, but I caught the zombie flu and was out the whole entire week before. When I get sick, I literally pass out and can't do anything but breathe or cough my lungs out. The reviews really made my day despite being dead, I love you guys. Well, the Centers for Disease Control finally hooked me up with some chicken noodle soup along with a myriad of pills- and I was cured. Yay! So now that I no longer crave brains, I buckled down and started writing. Hope you guys still like it.
This chapter-
If any of you readers out there speak French, don't be offended if I get something wrong. I'll make it clear that I've never been to France, and I only speak some Spanish, so I have no background of the language. Don't worry about what the waiter is saying, you can figure it out with context clues, and the dialogue is not important anyways. I know it's not perfect, but I felt that keeping this chapter from you guys any longer would make you hate me.
Happy Thanksgiving you guys!
Review, kudasai.