The next morning Toshiro was up and getting ready for the big event taking place early on the next morning. Everything was ready days prior under the watchful eye of one Rangiku Matsumoto. She wouldn't let anyone else organize it but he didn't particularly care either way.

There were tailors and stylists everywhere, making sure that everything would look in place and perfect on him when the time came, his clothes and hair being the main point of their thoughts.

'Great,' he thought sarcastically 'this is gonna take a while.' and by a while he meant a whole lot.


The morning found Kurosaki Karin waking up quite startled by an excited Orihime who just burst through her bedroom door. Surprisingly, or not, Yuzu was already awake and currently jumping up and down excitedly too.

When reality kicked in, Karin groaned and flopped back onto her pillows and under her covers. It seems though that her sister and sister-in-law weren't gonna take no for an answer.

"Come on Karin, we don't have much time. You must get ready; I repeat… we don't have much time till we depart... Get up!" and as Yuzu said that she pulled the covers out of her sister's reach.

With that Karin groaned again before finally giving in and getting out of bed. No use fighting with two overly-excited girls. She had previous experiences to turn to and all indicated that it was like asking for a death wish if she did.

"Karin-chan, I'm so happy for you." squealed Orihime while Karin just huffed and sighed before murmuring "Well, somebody's gotta be, 'cause I certainly ain't" and then let herself be led by Orihime and Yuzu to the bathroom and the room where her dress was positioned in order to try it on. The final dress-up was going to happen at her husband's-to-be place when they arrived.


She must admit that the dress was very pretty on and out of her. It was pure white with small diamonds that sparkled with every little step she made.

It was strapless -even though it was winter- and showed the smallest trace of cleavage making it tasteful. It also had more noticeable diamonds on the base of her neckline. She was going to complete the look with a light-blue diamond necklace –a present from her mother- along with the matching earrings.

Her hair, since they now went a little past her shoulders, was going to be put up on a small stylish bun while straight bangs were going to frame her face on either side of her head. The bun would be secured there by a white hair-band that had a small glistering butterfly on the side, an idea of her sister and Orihime.

After the try-outs were complete, a pair of grey sweat-pants and a white t-shirt -some of the few clothes that hadn't already be sent to her new house starting tomorrow- were what she wore for the journey that was ahead of them.

Her face was also finally bare of any trace of the make-up that they had tried on her earlier to save time for tomorrow. If it was up to her however, she wouldn't wear any of it, but with two overly excited sisters on your head you couldn't argue with pretty much anything.

They decided that just light-blue eye shadow that showed off her deep-grey almost black eyes perfectly, blush on her cheeks, black mascara and light-pink lipstick on her full lips was gonna be enough at least.


After two full hours of getting ready, or in Karin's opinion going through hell and back, the door opened after a soft knock to reveal her brother, Ichigo. He looked kind of sad as he saw them but smiled at Karin.

"You don't have to do this you know. We can just refuse." were his words as he neared his -still but not for long- single little sister.

She just chuckled softly and sadly before replying "I know, but it's the right thing to do. Besides, my belongings are already on their way there, as we should also be soon." and then she hugged him with him instantly returning it.

"Anyway, if he is some kind of pervert and try something on me, all those years of training won't go to waste, right?" she continued, now a little brighter with a big grin on her face, her eyes shining with mirth.

"I'm so gonna miss you kiddo." he said with a grin of his own now after a brief chuckle.

At that Orihime just giggled and went to her husband putting a hand on his shoulder getting them out of their world.

"We're all gonna miss you Karin-chan, but you will always have a home to return to here if you ever wish to. We are all here for you and for everything that you may need." she said while giving her a tight hug.

Yuzu was almost to tears when the door opened again and revealed their father, Isshin, together with Jinta.

The younger of the two went and hugged his wife from behind by putting his hands around her waist while she held them there with one of her own.

Isshin had a sad smile on his face while he came in front of Karin when Ichigo had left and went to the side with Orihime in his arms, his chin resting on her head while they all stood and looked as father and daughter interacted.

"Will you ever find it in your heart to forgive your father Karin?" he asked while right in front of her.

She just gave him a look at the beginning that could easily be described as a glare, but then sighed and opened her hands so that he could hug her, which he did right away with tears on his face saying thank you to every god he knew that his daughter forgave him.

She just sighed once again and when he didn't make any attempt to let go but just hugged her tighter, she pushed him a little herself.

"However idiot of a father you are, you're doing what is right for everyone, and even I know that this is what it must be done even though I don't want to... It must and itwill be done. Right Yuzu?" she said while turning to face her sister who now had a sad smile on her tearstained face but nodded nonetheless.

Then she turned back to face the rest of her family.

"Well, as much as I would love to stay here and keep... whoever he is waiting or not going at all, it isn't nor the right thing neither the smartest. So, are you coming or what?" said Karin now much happier that she knew she will always have a family that loved her.

She decided to see this optimistically as she saw most of the things in life and gone for the door.

Almost instantly her family was right beside her and heading for the cars to begin their journey for her wedding and new life.

It took up to at least five hours to get there, and with no time of resting at that, so they had a big journey in front of them.


When the teal-eyed man was ready with all the clothes and hair, Rangiku opened the door to his bedroom...

"Are you finished? The things of your future wife just arrived and I came to ask you where to put them. I also came to see if you're finally ready cause without a doubt, they will arrive in a few hours as well."

"Yeah, yeah... I'm ready. Let's just get this over and done with. Regarding her things, you can put them in the next room or something, I don't particularly care." he replied while passing by her and leaving the room.

"You just go to work if you want while I go and wait to welcome them. Just don't stay here. The groom mustn't see his bride before the wedding." She ordered the last part while shoving him lightly to the direction of the stairs so he could take the hint and go. For a moment there he wondered who was the boss of this mansion.

"So much for talking to her before the wedding." he mumbled to himself before sighing and going his way.

He just went to the garage and took his black mustang before driving to his office. That would keep him busy at least and take his mind off of the problem for the time being.


As Rangiku waited at the front gates for at least fifteen minutes for them to arrive without any luck, she finally spotted a shining silver car coming that direction followed by another slick black one.

When they stopped in front of the gates, she went to the first one just before the doors opened.

Out of it came four adults, quickly becoming six and a baby when the other car also unloaded its cargo.

She just went in front of them to greet them, and more specifically in front of the only girl that didn't have someone holding her romantically one way or another. The older of the group was currently asking to hold the baby in his arms by the sweet-looking woman with auburn hair that was holding it before.

"Hello, you must be Kurosaki-sama. I'm here to welcome you all in our residence… Hitsugaya-sama is currently at work so if you need anything, you can ask me. My name is Rangiku Matsumoto and I'm the head maid of this estate. Please, follow me while I show you your appointed rooms till tomorrow." said Matsumoto before giving a deep bow and going on the direction of the house. She was interrupted however when that lone lady wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt spoke, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"Could you please call me Karin. I don't know what this Hitsugaya guy wants to be called, but I am just another person, like you, so I'm not superior to you or anything to be called with such honorifics." said the young girl before nodding her head to herself and without waiting to see if her request was going to be followed, she retraced the steps that the older woman had stepped on.

Her older brother had a rare occurrence of same train of thought pattern with their father as an almost identical grin broke out in both their faces at Karin's exclaim, before following close behind with the rest of the family.

Yeah… she would be just fine on her own as well…


As to their destination, nobody but Matsumoto knew.

One thing was for certain however.

This place was huge, and currently bursting with life as everyone went right and left to make sure everything for the wedding looked perfect and in place.


Ignoring the massive staircase existing in the middle of the entrance hall, they made their way behind it and down a different hall leading to numerous doors, three of which Matsumoto opened and indicated as the living quarters for the time being.

After showing where the two couples and the father would spend the night, she took the young bride and continued on with her way to the end of said hall. Opening the lone door that stood there, she made her way inside with the rest of the family following.

"This is going to be only temporary, till tomorrow, to avoid any unplanned meetings. The groom mustn't see the bride till the wedding after all…" Matsumoto repeated the phrase she had said to her master earlier that day, and giggled at the face that said bride made at the comment.

"Oh, don't be such a kill-joy… He is not ugly or anything, nor is he a tyrant… I have a photo around here somewhere to show you… I think." saying that, she made her way to one of the drawers that were inside and opening the second from the top, she took out a silver-white family photo-album.

Returning to the confused Kurosaki family members, she showed them the picture of a baby boy with snow-white hair and teal eyes seemingly laughing while sitting on the lap of a black-haired woman with the same eye color and playing with her. A man with short silver hair and a proud grin on his face and something gold shining from the side of his left eyebrow was in the background crossing his arms in front of his chest while observing the photo-taking from the side.

Isshin's face broke out in a small fond grin as his eyes took on the picture, memories filling his head of old and passed times. It developed into a sad smile when he noticed the rest of the onlookers looking at him weirdly so he began explaining before they had the time to even ask the questions.

"Kensei and Lisa… Oh god, how long has it been now since I even saw a picture of them… What a lousy friend I've been, not even attending any other memorials after they passed away. And that must be Toshiro-kun… Oh, yeah… he was so cute back then… I doubt he remembers me though, not after all this time…"

While being inside his own memories, Isshin didn't notice his son's brain gears turning as he placed two and two together, but he did notice when his loud confused voice resounded inside the bedroom they were in.

"Wait a minute… You mean to tell me that the man that my sister is going to marry is Kensei's and Lisa's brat…?"

The rest of his family sweat-dropped at the way the only son of the Kurosaki family avoided using honorifics if not absolutely necessary… no matter how rude he may sound.

Everyone turned to face him as his brain continued in its attempt to take everything in. Isshin was the one who spoke however.

"Yes son… Doesn't the surname 'Hitsugaya' mean anything to you when I announced it yesterday…? And he is not a 'brat' as you have so kindly put it... Didn't you ever listen to what your mother and me always told you...?"

Ichigo just huffed…

"Well, excuse me if I don't remember the surnames of your friends, whom I may add only met when I was barely five… It won't happen again…"

They all sweat-dropped at the exclaim…

Karin, getting tired of the topic, just told everyone to stop talking and leave her alone for now. It was too late to see any photo of the groom since tomorrow would be the wedding whether they liked to or not anyway. She would just have to see the real person in due time.

Matsumoto informed her that some person from the stuff would be there shortly to bring her dinner and told her that if she needed anything, she would be just outside making sure that the last details were in place.

Yuzu decided to stay with her and keep her company –in an attempt to be together with her twin for as long as possible- which Karin allowed whole-heartedly.

Orihime –deciding to leave the sisters some alone time- requested to assist Matsumoto in any way possible and so followed her out, while the rest of the family decided to go do some exploring, all taking to mind the need for the twins to have their much needed alone time.


Hitsugaya Toshiro was not amused… or pleased for that matter, with the way his day had gone.

Firstly, after the long stressful morning of getting ready for his much-not-wanted wedding taking place the day after, he was shooed away from his own house by Matsumoto no less, in order to prevent him from meeting –for the first time he might also add- his soon to be wife. Then -after a long day at the office, where problems piled up before he even crossed the threshold of the main entrance- his car had to go and give itself a problem of its own by not starting up.

Truthfully speaking, he knew that his car's problem was not his car problem literally, since a car isn't a living object and all… ahem… but still... that didn't change the fact he had to leave it at the garage and catch a taxi home.

It seemed like fate had begun a cruel game with his nerves and… she appeared to be winning…