Author Notes: I'm back! Is someone still reading this fic? LOL. Well, here's the second chapter and I hope my dear, Rin would enjoy it. And since RL is still being a bitch to me, I've decided to follow Rin's way of updating her fics. XD I'll try to update every month, just so people won't have to wait that long. Anyway, please tell me what you think and enjoy? :)
Thank you to: Ring-01 / Miyuko-Matsuda / KairiiKat / ShadowsArch / OrdinaryKyuu / Myra Cifer / Forbidden . Kawaii . Chan / Curiosity Killed Kristy / Syolie / Megumi Kei
Warnings: yaoi (as if you don't know that already), bad language, possible OOCness and grammar slips. The beta'ed version will be posted as soon as Keadeblue264 is done proofreading it. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Chapter Two:
The Job Offer
"Grimmjow-sama, we've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?"
"Are you alright, your highness?"
"Your uncle was getting worried."
Grimmjow's cold, cobalt orbs glared at the panicked and worried faces that greeted him, silently commanding his bodyguards to shut up as he walked pass by them and into his room. He ignored the voices that inquired about his whereabouts and tuned them all out by immediately closing the door behind him and leaned on it, a small sigh escaping his parted lips as he allowed his entire body to relax. The last thing he wanted was to explain himself and he was definitely in no mood to tell his guards of where he had been to when they were one of the reasons why he secretly sneaked out of their suite in the first place. Yes, he knew his adjuncts would be in big trouble because of what he did, but he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to get away from this room, away from everyone, away from this fake world of royalty and dignity even for an hour, so he escaped, ran away, wandered around to search for a quiet place where he could truly be alone and seek solace and he found it in a form of a huge empty pool where you could see the raven sky, the glittering stars and the glowing moon when you look up the ceiling. His little taste of solitude would have been perfect if it hadn't been for that orange-haired man who had disturbed him.
A small smile slowly graced his lips as he recollected what the cocky stranger looked like. The bright orange hair definitely caught his attention in an instant. He had to admit, he initially hated the man and had wanted to get mad at him, but he found himself amused instead because the stranger didn't have a clue on who he was and even scolded at him, a treatment that he hadn't experienced from anyone outside the royal family and castle ever since he was 12 years old. He was even more pleased when he finally had a good look of the man and discovered that the furious individual possessed a face that secretly captivated him and a pair of intense, chocolate-brown eyes that pierced right through his soul. The smile on his face widened, turning into one huge grin that he usually hid underneath a reserved and dignified facade when his chest suddenly welled-up in happiness.
He wished to see the mysterious man again, maybe find out who he was. He knew he could easily find him with his power and influence, but the spark of excitement that rushed through him was quickly squished into nothingness as dread filled his heart. He wasn't supposed to meet people. He wasn't allowed to show interest at other people because he was about to get married, enter a sacred marital vow with someone he didn't even know.
He quickly pushed himself away from the door and went to a small, round table at the corner of the room where a bottle of red wine and glass was settled. He hastily poured himself a drink and downed it, allowing the sweet, bitter taste of the red substance to wash away his anger and frustration.
He didn't want this.
He never wanted any of this.
He didn't wish to be the crowned prince and most of all, he didn't want to be forced into marriage.
He used to be a strong child who didn't care about what other people think, a person who did what he wanted to do and took what he desired, but everything, everything in his life changed... He had to change himself into this fake, hateful man that he was now. He was forced to bury who he really was ever since his-
He quickly shook his head, eliminating those painful thoughts that began to creep out from the deepest recesses of his memories.
No, he didn't want to think about it.
He didn't want to remember what happened at that time. He didn't want to further torture himself by thinking about the reason as to why he was forcing himself to do this.
With a deep growl, he grabbed the wine bottle on the table and brought it to his lips, hurriedly chugging its entire content, hoping that the fiery, crimson drink would help him regain his control and emotions.
Ichigo stuffed the last of his toast in his mouth, silently thankful for the delicious breakfast his sister had made that morning. Said sister was currently busy packing the bento she had made for their father, a cheerful smile present on her thin lips as she finished her task by carefully tying the ends of the pink, Chappy-printed cloth she used into a beautiful bow. Then, she walked towards the table where his older brother was drinking his orange juice and gently placed the pastel-colored package in front of him.
"There you go, Ichi-nii. Please tell Dad to eat well because I made this food with lots of love and care." She cheerfully beamed with a bright smile on her petite face, her innocent aura, oozing with optimism and positivity.
"Will do. Thanks for the meal, Yuzu." Ichigo replied with a timid smile, somehow affected by the young girl's mood, then stood up, grabbed his bag that was settled on the empty chair beside him and placed the bento inside it. "I'll take my leave now. Stay safe and call me if something came up." He reminded as he made his way towards the exit.
"Yes, Ichi-nii. Take care!" Yuzu giddily replied and escorted her brother to the main door, giving the orange-haired man a lively goodbye as he finally left home.
Ichigo just nodded, turned his back on his sister and tried his best not to worry to much about his day as he took the path towards the bus station. He always dreaded mornings. He truly hated it when the feeling of something bad was going to happen to him on that day haunted him, and those ugly feelings only grew stronger today with the painful fact that he only had two days left till his father's operation.
He let out a very long sigh, his shoulders slumped in distress.
Frankly speaking, he still had no idea where to get the money he needed. He already knew that no matter how hard he worked, how many jobs he took, he would never be able to get the money required for the operation.
Two more days...
Only two more days left...
What was he going to do?
Maybe he should rob a bank? Or kidnap some rich kid and ask for ransom? Maybe he should sell one of his kidneys? Or himself... if he would be desperate enough? He closed his eyes shut and shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? Even if he was desperate, he knew he wouldn't be able to do such things. They were wrong and and vile and disgusting and-
Thump!
He immediately opened his eyes, feeling stupid for walking on the street with his eyes closed while he shook his head from side to side like an idiot. Look at what his stupidity brought him. He bumped into someone who was innocent to all the cruel thoughts he was cooking up inside his head. On instinct, he immediately bowed and uttered a quick apology. "I'm sorry!"
He looked up, expecting to see an annoyed expression greeting him, but instead, a set of deep, blue eyes gazed back at him, gleaming with wonder and confusion. He straightened up, mouth partly opened as a small gasp of surprise escaped him because there, in front of him was a foreigner... a blue-eyed foreigner. Was it just a coincidence? He seemed to attract blue-eyed foreigners these days.
Ichigo blinked and tried to compose his thoughts, deep, brown eyes intently staring at the foreigner in front of him. But unlike the handsome and charismatic prince he had met last night, this person was different, a whole lot different. The man was smaller than him, basically because of his poor posture caused by his old age. He had silver hair which was neatly combed to one side and his face was pale white and wrinkled. But despite the old foreigner's appearance, his deep, azure eyes stood out and as he gazed longer at them, he began to remember the prince... the prince who had the bluest hues of eyes he had ever seen. "Uh... I'm... sorry." He absently mumbled in his native language and wondered if the foreigner could even understand him. "Are you alright?"
The old man's eyes traveled from his face then down to his feet, as if he was inspecting him, studying every detail of his body and the clothes that he was wearing, which made him feel even more uncomfortable and awkward. Was the old man checking him out? Was this old geezer a pervert?
"What the hell are you looking at, old man?" He snapped with a scowl now present on his face.
The foreigner blinked, as if he suddenly woke up from a daze and tried to give him a polite smile. "I apologize for my behavior. I just couldn't help but stare at you. I've never seen such a charismatic, young man like you."
Ichigo gaped. Did he hear the old man right? Charismatic? Him? What the fuck? And that coming from an old foreigner, should he feel flattered? His skin tingled in disgust as he thought that maybe the man was interested in him. "What the fuck are you saying?" He almost yelled. "Look, old man. I'm not one to fall for sweet talk like that, especially from an old guy like you." He warned as he increased the level of his glare's deadliness. "Anyway, I'm sorry if I hurt you." He ended with finality and turned his back on the foreigner to leave.
"Wait!" The old man suddenly said as a hand touched his arm, preventing him from his attempt to walk away. "I apologize once again for what I said. I just couldn't express myself very well." This made Ichigo halt from his movements.
He slowly looked at the man and looked at him, his gaze still threatening.
"As you probably notice, I'm a foreigner and even if I am fluent in Japanese, I still find it difficult to truly convey myself." The other man continued with a pleading look on his face, as if he was silently asking the young Japanese to listen and understand him. "What I meant was, it has been a long time since I last saw a fine, young man like you and you have reminded me of my grandson."
A single orange eyebrow rose skeptically. Should Ichigo believe what this old guy was saying? He realized that he didn't really care because he was wasting his precious time talking to a potential pervert and he needed to leave. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and yanked his arm away from the old man's hold. "Whatever." He replied and began to take his leave again.
This time, the foreigner blocked him, literally, with his entire body. "I'm really sorry, but please believe me."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. The man was really getting on his nerves and if he continued to talk to him, he might explode and kick the guy back to whatever country he came from. But he knew he couldn't actually do that. Aside from his father, he didn't really like hurting other people, especially women, young kids and old people. So as much as he wanted to kick the foreigner's ass to oblivion, he was trying to be patient as well. He took a very deep breath to calm the blazing fury that was starting to burn inside him. "Okay, I get it, old man. I believe you. Now would you please let me leave? I can't waste my time talking to you."
The old man looked even more pitifully at him, as if he was some lost dog asking a stranger to be adopted. "I understand but can I ask you one last question before you leave?" He asked in a voice so low and sad, Ichigo felt his heart throb in pity.
Great. Just great.
With a tired sigh, he replied, "Fine."
The old man suddenly smiled and showed him a piece of paper that he was holding in his hand. "Do you happen to know where this place is?"
He carefully took the piece of paper from the old man's hand and read the neatly scrawled text in the smooth piece of parchment, his eyes slightly lighting up when he realized that he knew where the place was. "Cafe Le Rouge. I know where this place is." He answered nonchalantly.
The smile on the foreigner's face widened, relief sparkling in his deep, blue eyes. "Can you tell me how to get there?"
Ichigo just stared silently at the old man, contemplating. Actually, Cafe Le Rouge was just a couple of blocks away from the hospital. He could either give the man some directions on how to get there or take him there himself.
Take him there? Did I seriously just think of that?
He mentally shook his head, hesitating if he should actually consider the second option. The man freaked him out, yes, but he didn't look like a criminal or a pervert. He actually looked decent and educated. Maybe he just really had a hard time properly conveying himself. Also, if he gave the man some directions, there was a big possibility that he would get lost. Japan doesn't really have a lot of street signs written in English, after all. Finally making up my mind, he tried to lose the scowl on his face and spoke, "It's actually not far from my destination. I can take you there if you like." He casually suggested. If the man didn't trust him too and rejected him, that was fine with him.
"That would be really nice, young man." The foreigner cheerfully replied.
"Uh... okay." Ichigo mumbled and motioned for the man to follow him. They walked towards the bus stop in silence and finally got on a bus. The bus ride wasn't that long, only twenty minutes or so and since they would be passing the hospital first, Ichigo thought it would be better if he could first drop off the bento in his father's room, take the old man to the coffee shop, then go back to the hospital.
"Is it okay if we pass by the hospital first? I just need to drop off something." He asked when they got off the bus, which dropped them off in front of the hospital.
The foreigner only replied with a small nod of agreement.
In a matter of minutes, they were finally inside the establishment. Ichigo led the old man towards the waiting area in the first floor and asked him to sit in one of the chairs neatly lined up in the area. He then hurried towards the elevator to go to his father's room on the third floor.
When Ichigo got back in the waiting area, he saw Unohana-sensei gleefully bowing to the mysterious old foreigner who was waiting for him then left. He didn't get to approach the kind doctor because she was walking towards the opposite direction, leaving him wondering and curious. Did they know each other? Were they friends? Contacts? Acquaintances? He didn't know but he was suddenly so curious to find out. He increased his pace and almost jogged towards the old man. The foreigner immediately smiled at him as soon as he got near. "Sorry for making you wait." He apologized as he looked at the ceiling. He was still not comfortable with the old man's presence.
The man chuckled. "Don't worry. You weren't gone that long and I didn't feel lonely at all because I was accompanied by a very beautiful and kind woman."
A clunky laugh made it's way through his throat. "I did see that you were with Unohana-sensei before I arrived."
"Oh, she's such a friendly woman. She approached me and said she was a friend of yours. She was wondering as to why I was with you and I told her that you volunteered to help me get to Cafe Le Rouge."
Ichigo slowly nodded. "Yes, she is." Unohana-sensei was indeed a naturally friendly person and she was probably wondering as to why he brought someone to the hospital with him today. Then, he took a deep breath and tried to give the old man a small smile, which came out as an ugly twitching of his lips. "Well, let's get you to Cafe Le Rouge."
The old man quickly agreed, stood up and quietly followed Ichigo.
They were also quiet through their entire stroll towards their destination. Ichigo wanted to make some small talk or ask for the foreigner's name or why he was in Japan, but he felt it wasn't necessary. They wouldn't see each other again and the foreigner didn't seem to be interested in knowing him as well, so he thought it wasn't needed. After a few minutes, one left turn and around seventy steps, they finally arrived in front of Cafe Le Rouge, a coffee shop popular for their caramel machiatto and blueberry cheesecake.
"Thank you for your help, young man." The foreigner said with an appreciative smile. "You won't probably say yes, but can I ask you to join me for a cup of coffee?" He kindly offered.
Ichigo's stomach silently churned at the invitation, not because he found the offer disgusting or whatsoever, but because it had been a long time since he last tasted the coffee shop's machiatto and he truly missed it. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to accept the foreigner's kindness. He shook his head, his face reflecting dejection. "Well, I'd really love to, but unfortunately, I need to go now. Thanks for the offer though, old man."
The old man just nodded, as if he already knew the reason why Ichigo couldn't stay. "If I can't offer you to join me for coffee then can I..." Suddenly, the man's blue eyes flickered with mischief or an emotion that made the young Japanese feel awkward again. "Give you another offer?"
Auburn eyes began to gleam with wonder and curiosity. Ichigo had no idea what the other man had wanted to say but he had this strong feeling that it would be something... heavy... or significant. "Uh... sure. Let's hear it."
Another kind smile graced the foreigner's lips. "While talking to Unohana-sensei, I came to discover that your father is currently in the hospital and would be undergoing a major surgery in two days. She said you're working hard to gather money for the operation."
Ichigo's heart ached as he listened to the old man's words. Even though he knew he didn't need to feel angry, he was mad. He didn't really like it when people talked about him or when people pity him because of his situation. It made him feel weak, which pisses him off because showing his weaknesses was one of the things he hated the most. What right did this stranger have to ask about his personal life?
The other man must have noticed the change in his expression and quickly said. "I can help you find a good source of income."
This made Ichigo's growing anger vanish and made his ears perk up in interest. He knew the foreigner was still a total stranger but it wouldn't hurt to hear his offer, right? "Y-you can?" He asked, hoping that his voice didn't sound too eager. At this point, when desperation currently filled his chest, he was open to any possible option one or a situation could give.
The foreigner's smile was back on his face. "Yes. My grandson is currently looking for a personal assistant. I can ask him to give you your salary in advance. The job is really simple. All you have to do is to stay by his side at all times."
Ichigo looked down on the concrete floor and chewed on his lip, contemplating. A job where he could get his salary in advance wasn't bad. Actually, the idea sounded pretty good to him but if it required most of his time, then he would need to quit his part-time jobs. But if he could quickly get money, then why should he hesitate? But a very good offer suddenly coming from a foreigner, from a man he just met and barely knew...
Why?
He slowly looked up at the old man again, the foreigner's cerulean eyes were patient, genuine concern gleaming from them, and for a moment, he felt that maybe... maybe he could trust this man, maybe he was telling the truth and the help he was offering was real. But then again, maybe that was his desperation talking. He took a deep breath and tried to force his head to think rationally. "And why would you ask me to work for your relative? You just met me and you're not sure if I'm even qualified for that position. And... and I barely know you so why should I trust you?" He pointed out, his voice thick with doubt.
The old man just continued to smile at him, unaffected by his sudden harsh tone. "I know you just met me, but I assure you. I'm not an evil person, young man. And I'm offering you this opportunity because I'm sure you're a good person and I know you're the perfect person for this job." He simply explained.
Karin was looking intently at Ichigo when they finally stepped out of their father's room. Unohana had just finished informing them about their father's operation schedule and had showed her relief and happiness because Ichigo was able to pay for the operation on time. In that moment, a certain raven-haired teen had looked suspiciously at him and in a matter of seconds, her dark eyes had turned murderous.
Ichigo casually faced his sister and leaned one shoulder against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, acting as if nothing was wrong. He silently took a deep breath, readying himself to answer the assault of inquiries that would be coming from the young woman in front of him.
"Where the hell did you get the money?" The dark-haired teenager asked, or rather, demanded in a voice so cold, it would instantly freeze a Popsicle.
Ichigo fought the urge to sigh or show any sign of irritation. He knew Karin deserved to be angry because they kept her and Yuzu in the dark again, but he hoped they would understand him. He had a good reason for doing this really... or maybe not, because he actually accepted a stranger's offer out of desperation, because he had no other choice and as much as it pained him, his current abilities wouldn't get him the money they needed to cure their father. But come on, it was better than robbing a bank or selling one of his organs... or whoring himself out. "I got a new job and my employer gave my salary in advance. I have to work for him until I finish paying him the money I owe."
"What kind of job?" His sister quickly asked.
"A personal assistant to some rich-ass guy."
Karin just looked at him, her eyes dripping with suspicion. "And how'd you get the job?"
"A foreigner whom I helped yesterday offered it to me." He knew shit was about to go down after he said that.
"A foreigner?" She began, her expression both surprised and murderous. "And you just met him yesterday? Are you out of your fucking mind?" She yelled as if she was scolding someone who was younger than him.
He sighed and glared at her. "No, I'm not and yes, I'm sure about this job. Look, the job offered a good pay and I got to receive my salary in advance. It was a good opportunity that I couldn't pass up." He explained. Frankly speaking, he didn't really know much about his new job. All he knew was that he needed to make sure that his employer was being taken care of, that he would start working for him this afternoon and someone would pick him up in front of his house at 11:00. Other than that, he had no other information, which made him think that he was truly stupid for accepting a stranger's offer... but he wasn't going to admit that, though. Nope. Definitely not. Karin would seriously rip his head off. Still, he tried to keep a straight face and looked pleadingly at his younger sister, silently asking her to understand him. "Just... trust me on this, okay?"
The younger teen just stared at him for a moment, her deep dark eyes torn between believing him and strangling him to death. After a few seconds, she released a deep sigh and gave him a bored/worried look. "This isn't a dangerous job, right? You're not going to be a member of a yakuza, are you? Or an organ donor? Or a slave? Or... or a prostitute?"
"What? Of course, not! What the fuck are you thinking?" He screamed, his cheeks burning in shame because frankly, he had thought of doing all of those things to get money... but again, he wasn't going to admit that. The danger of him being mauled to death by his sister would be 100% if she found out that he actually considered doing those things.
"I'm just worried!" Karin shot back, her hands raised defensively. "I mean, it's just suspicious that some stranger, and a foreigner at that, would give you a job when you just met that person. It's just really weird. Are you sure he's not some human trafficker?"
"You read manga way too much, you idiot! I know it's weird but let's just hope that maybe this person really wanted to help us. At least, we don't have to worry about Dad's operation anymore. So shut the fuck up and just focus on studying!" He retorted, glaring annoyingly at his sister.
Karin just sighed and leaned on the wall, her eyes fixed on the tiled floor. Ichigo knew his sister was worried, worried about him, worried about their Dad's operation, worried about how they would pay the money they owe a person they hadn't even met. But he didn't want her to worry. That was his responsibility. He didn't need his sisters to further suffer and share this burden.
He rolled his eyes and heaved another sigh. "Stop worrying, will you? Everything's going to be fine."
The young girl looked at him, her eyes searching for the truth in his words, searching for reassurance and he provided it by looking straight into her eyes, silently promising that everything would be okay, that their life would be back to normal once their father was cured.
He was alone at home when afternoon came. Since the twins had to go to school at that time, he would be leaving without anyone seeing him off. He got a text message from his sisters though, as well as from Isane and Shinji, wishing him good luck on his new job. Luckily, his former employers was kind enough to easily let him go on short notice. Also, he was able to talk to Karin in the hospital a while ago and to Yuzu when he went back home to fix his things. The younger of the twins was crying, as if he would be going abroad and it would be ages till they would be seeing each other again. He did harbor that sort of feeling. He didn't really know if he would be given day-offs or if he would be allowed to visit his family once in a while. He would have to talk about that to his employer once they meet.
Shifting his weight to his other foot, he then glanced at his wristwatch for the tenth time in that hour to check the time. Only three minutes left before eleven o'clock would strike and as the seconds ticked by, Ichigo felt as if his heartbeat began to echo louder and louder. He was nervous for some reason and he hated feeling that way. He sure hoped to god the old man didn't sell him off as a sex slave or prostitute.
The sound of a car engine alerted him. He quickly stood up from the love seat he was sitting on in the living room and looked out the window, his heart skipping a beat when he saw an expensive-looking car park in front of their house. Heaving a deep breath to calm his raging nerves, he quickly grabbed his luggage from the floor and hurriedly went out of the house.
As he got outside the gate, the door on the backseat opened and a man, maybe around mid-twenties, stepped out of the vehicle. He had silver hair and a pair of closed eyes that reminded Ichigo of a sneaky fox. He had no idea how the man managed to walk perfectly with his eyes closed, but he successfully did it. The man slowly opened his eyes, silver eyes that seemed to glow against the bright afternoon sunshine instantly regarded him as the mysterious man approached. "You must be Ichigo Kurosaki?" He asked, in a voice that made chills ran down Ichigo's spine. It wasn't that the man's voice was screechy, no. It just sounded really creepy... for some reason.
He swallowed hard and tried his best not to look like an idiot. "Yeah, that's me."
The grin on the fox widened. "My name's Ichimaru Gin. I'm here to bring you to the master's estate." He simply said and signaled for him to come with him.
Ichigo followed hesitantly, his steps heavy as he walked towards the car, feeling his luggage growing heavier as he got nearer to the vehicle. All of a sudden, he wanted to back out, run away, but, no! He couldn't! He quit all of his jobs for this one, he was able to pay for his father's operation because of this job. He could and must not back out. With a silent intake of breath, he hauled his luggage inside then climbed into the car after the man named Ichimaru Gin got in.
Then, the car drove away, away from his house, from his home, from his family. He sat there in silence, a thousand questions swirling inside his head as he silently observed the interiors of the car and the man beside him. The car was obviously expensive and it was being operated by a driver. The man beside him was very neat and looked very formal, despite the twisted, foxy grin on his lips. Taking these things into account, he could tell that he would really be working for a rich family, a fact that made him even more nervous. He had no experience when it came to interacting with rich, important people. The only and last time that he encountered one was two days ago, when he accidentally stumbled upon a noble prince from a small country, and he, failed epically at that time. Maybe he could also count the old man he met as a rich person, but he also failed at showing respect to him.
Still, he wanted to know more about his job and if he wanted to get more information, he had to man up and ask. Silently taking a deep breath and gathering courage, he slowly cocked his head to the side to look at the man next to him. "Can I ask something?" He casually began, hoping that his voice sounded calm.
Ichimaru looked at him, his grin still plastered on his face. "What is it, Ichigo-chan?"
Ichigo fought the urge to twitch at the childish, creepy way the other man had addressed him and forced himself to voice out his inquiry. "Well, I know my job is to be a personal assistant of some wealthy man but I'm just wondering, what kind of person is he?"
The expression in Ichimaru's face changed. It suddenly turned into confusion, which bothered him. "Personal assistant? Boss?"
Now it was Ichigo's turn to get confused. Why did Gin look as if he was clueless about what he was saying? "That's what the job description said." He replied hesitantly.
"Didn't they give you the engagement money yesterday?" Ichimaru asked again, his brows furrowing further in confusion.
Ichigo blinked. Sure he received money yesterday but it wasn't an engagement money. The old man said it was cash advance, right? And what the hell was an engagement money. "I... I did receive some kind of payment yesterday." He replied, doubtful.
"Oh, alright." He said, his face now looking relieved, as if his confusion was now solved. "Don't worry. You'll meet him once we arrive in the mansion."
Ichigo just stared at the man, clueless of what he should do and say. He wanted to ask more questions, but it seemed, Ichimaru wouldn't entertain his queries. So, he just nodded and stared out of the window instead, noticing that they were about to leave the city.
When Ichimaru Gin said they would be going to a mansion, he thought he would actually see a mansion. But no, he didn't see a mansion. What he saw was nothing like a mansion. The huge structure before his eyes was not a mansion, it was a castle, a castle similar to those huge works of art one would see in Europe, and he didn't know such a place existed four hours away from Karakura City.
With his eyes almost bulging out of his sockets, he tried to look at every wonderful detail the huge mansion had, but all he could really notice was how big and beautiful it was with it's elegant Victorian theme. A soft chuckle erupted from his side, prompting him to stop acting like an ignorant. He had forgotten that Ichimaru was beside him and the fox was definitely amused by his awe-struck expression. He immediately straightened up and tried not to look like an idiot.
Ichimaru just chuckled. "This is where the master and his family usually stay when they're in Japan. It's a mansion they've owned for seventy-five years." He introduced. "I'll give you a tour of the entire house later, Ichigo-chan. For now, let's go inside. I'm sure the master is already waiting for you."
His heart played a frantic beat once he heard that, feeling excited, yet nervous at the same time. He silently followed Ichimaru inside the huge so-called mansion and tried not to get too distracted by the beautiful things around him, but he couldn't help falling in a deep state of wonder and amazement when he stepped inside the mansion. There were beautiful paintings everywhere, elegant furniture tastefully set in all the right places and gorgeous curtains hanging in every lavish window. The place was so beautiful and so foreign, he felt like he wasn't in Japan anymore.
They climbed up a huge staircase that led to the second floor where he saw more paintings, more furniture and a long hall which had huge closed doors that probably contained elegantly-styled rooms. They probably walked along it for hours, Ichigo wasn't sure, the distance of the hall was just really long but when they finally reached the end, Ichimaru turned to the door on the right and smiled at him. "The master's waiting for you here." He said as he gestured towards the door in front of them.
Ichigo swallowed hard, sweat breaking through every pore in his forehead and neck as the moment of truth finally came. He hoped his boss was a kind man. He hoped his boss was not a yakuza or a sadist. Most of all, he hoped that his boss was going to treat him well. Ichimaru knocked and slowly opened the door for him and with a deep breath, he carefully stepped inside, his heartbeat ringing violently in his ears as he went further inside the room.
He didn't see anyone or any sign of life at first, only a huge mahogany desk at the middle of the room, a fluffy sofa at the side, some chairs and a huge cabinet and bookshelf at the corner. But when his eyes traveled towards the window, a tall figure with a familiar mop of blue hair greeted him.
His heart stopped.
Did this mean that his boss was...
But no, he couldn't really tell yet. The man had his back towards him. He hadn't seen his face so it was possible that he might be wrong.
Suddenly, the tall man shifted and slowly turned around to face him and in that moment, Ichigo felt like he died and went to heaven then lived again.
It was him.
The prince.
He was certain that it was him.
What the hell?
Did it mean that he would be working for him, for the prince whom he had met two days ago? As to how it had happened or if the prince had intended to find him, he didn't know. But right now, happiness and relief was welling up inside him. He knew he didn't need to worry too much if he would be working for the prince... right?
He wiped the shocked expression on his face and tried to smiled or look pleasant. "I... never thought we would meet again. Th-they didn't say that I would be working for..." He stopped when he noticed that the prince was slowly approaching him and yet, the surprise on his handsome face was still there. Did it mean that the prince had no idea, too? Was he also surprised?
The handsome prince continued his way towards him, until he was only an arm's length away. His face was still conveying surprise but as he looked wonderingly at those beautiful, blue orbs, a small, harsh smile slowly graced those perfect lips.
The reaction made Ichigo's skin crawl. Something was off. Something was wrong and he was suddenly so scared to know what it was.
"I never would've expected that it would be you." The prince said all of a sudden, acid heavy in his deep voice. "When this person asked to be paid in advanced, I wondered what kind of person he would be." He smirked as he looked at Ichigo from head to foot. "Now, I do."
Ichigo was confused. So confused. What was happening? Why was the prince looking at him like that? Did he do something wrong? He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and gathered enough courage to voice out a question. "What? What do you mean?"
A hand suddenly curled harshly around his arm, making him groan in pain. What the hell was wrong with the prince? Why was he angry? Why did he look like he was betrayed? Hurt? What was happening? "Don't act like you don't know!" He yelled in an accusing voice.
"What the fuck! What are you doing? Let go!" He yelled back and glared at the prince. He had no idea why the other man was acting this way. As far as he knew, he didn't do anything wrong.
"Still trying to pretend? You can't fool me! I thought you were different but it seems you're just like everyone!" The prince said again, his accusing voice was now mixed with hurt and disappointment.
"What the hell are you talking about? I don't fucking know why you're angry but I came here to work!"
"Liar!" The hand on Ichigo's arm tightened even more as the prince got angrier, his blue eyes looked so mad, so furious he thought he could die from the other man's dangerous stare alone. "You fucking know why you came here! You came here because of money! You came here because you were paid to come here! You came here to marry me!"
As if cold water was suddenly splashed on his face, Ichigo instantly stopped moving.
What the hell?
That wasn't true.
The old man said he would work as an assistant!
What the hell?
What the fucking hell?
He wasn't paid to marry the prince! The old man didn't say anything about marrying someone, especially a man! How could he become the fiancee the prince was looking for? That was just impossible! He slowly shook his head in disbelief, his face pale in horror. "No! That's not true! The old man said I-"
The prince growled and pushed him away. The force was so powerful he almost landed on his butt. Luckily, he was able to regain his balance and straightened, clutching his throbbing arm, his mind blank and reeling. He had no idea what was going on, but one thing was certain to him, he was in a nightmare and he wished he could wake up.
Those deep, ocean blue orbs continued to glare at him, the prince's dark cobalt irises piercing through him like lasers. "I don't want to hear more of your lies! Just stay the hell away from me!" He shouted furiously and marched out of the room.
Ichigo just stood there, in the middle of the room, rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the closed door that was slammed harshly on his face a few seconds ago, still unaware and in disbelief of what had just occurred. He didn't know why the prince was so angry at him, but he knew this, a very big misunderstanding had happened between them.
Author Notes: This story is a killer and I'm really having a hard time keeping Grimmjow's character. I'm not really used to him acting all quiet and dignified because we all know what he is. But then, as hinted in this chapter, there's a reason why he acts like that. Hope we will get to find out what that is in the next chapters. Thanks for reading and please, please tell me what you think. My plot bunnies are starving, ya know. XDD
