O-hisashiburi desu. :D
Ugh, I'm stressed right now :'( Too many noisy children in our house *cries*
I hope Kubo-sensei could help me ease my stress by giving me the rights to Bleach. XD
Chapter Three: The Interview
Kurosaki Ichigo eyed the 28th leader of the noble Kuchiki Clan sit in front of him. Kuchiki Rukia, his adoptive sister, sat a few inches behind him. This whole formality thing is making him want to bang his head right in front of the Kuchiki siblings. Just what on earth does Byakuya want?
"Wait," Kurosaki Ichigo said, raising one of his hands to stop Byakuya from saying whatever he was about to say. Rukia half-glared at Ichigo. She knows that he does not respect her nii-sama like the others do (probably because of what happened at the Soukyoku before), but she did not expect that he would not let him speak even before Byakuya showing any sign of even opening his mouth. As usual, on the other hand, Byakuya just watched the Substitute Shinigami with his expressionless gaze.
"Before you say anything," Ichigo continued. "Why do we need Rukia to be in here?"
"Because we're talking about her," Byakuya answered.
Rukia nodded. Ichigo, maybe for the first and last time, acknowledged Byakuya's logic. It sounded right. It may be right. But he's not going to let him win. No.
"But this is manly talk," he pouted.
Rukia stifled a laugh. She covered her mouth and looked at Ichigo. She almost couldn't believe what Ichigo had said. She hadn't thought that the words 'manly' and 'talk'—or even the phrase 'manly talk'—could be used in one sentence coming from Ichigo's mouth. To top it off, it came out with a pout. Imagine that. Rukia watched her nii-sama and waited for his reaction even though she knows that watching him for a decade would net her nothing.
Ichigo, on the other hand, just realized what he had said. He mentally stabbed himself with Zangetsu's bankai. Those words must not reach his father's ears. But, that would come later. For now...
Byakuya cleared his throat. With that, Rukia regained her composure and wiped the tears off her face. "Let's start this already," Byakuya said. "I have important things to do afterwards."
"Then, why don't you attend to those important things first?" Ichigo spat, obviously irritated and uneasy about the topic.
"Ichigo," Rukia growled.
"Shut up, midget. I'm not talking to you," Ichigo said.
"Kurosaki," Byakuya called. "How dare you call my sister like that and oppose my idea?"
"Idea?" Rukia looked at Byakuya, but was ignored. She was just there to put pressure on the Kurosaki brat. Kuchiki Byakuya does not intend to tell her about the topic at hand. He would do that after Kurosaki Ichigo answered the question. Nobles, even though people call them cold and heartless, consider other people's opinions about certain matters, especially when they are deeply involved in the situation. In this case, he would not love to admit, but this Kurosaki brat is deeply involved.
"So…" Byakuya continued. "Answer the question now. You know the consequence of not answering."
Ichigo gulped. He's not yet ready to tell him his answer. It's hard to answer Kuchiki Byakuya when we're talking about his sister. He does not know what kind of answer is proper for Kuchiki Byakuya—one that would not give him a hundred flying sakura petals all over his room.
"Uhm…" Ichigo looked at Rukia, who mirrored the worry in his eyes. "Does it have to be now?"
"Of course," Byakuya answered.
Ichigo thought for a while. Surely, he would not want Rukia to be around when he answers the question. It would be way too embarrassing. The answer inside his head is very out of character. Rukia would definitely laugh and humiliate him the moment she hears his answer.
"Can't you just give me some more time about his?" Ichigo asked.
"Why would I give you more time?"
"So that I could think of a good answer."
"I believe that you have answered this question for more than once," Byakuya said. "Why do you have to think of a good one?"
"Well…" Ichigo scratched his head. There's no way Byakuya would understand him. "It's…" He glanced at Rukia. "It's a different situation."
"What's different?"
"The situation!" Ichigo said. "Damn it, Byakuya. Can't you get the situation in here?"
"I fully understand what is happening right now, kozo."
Ichigo stared at him. He knows there's no way Byakuya would let him escape. Inwardly, he grinned. He just has to prolong this conversation and bore Byakuya to death. A Gotei 13 Captain, let alone the nobility part, has a lot of things to do. For sure, if he decides that this conversation would go nowhere, he would go away and would stop pestering him. But, of course, the possibility of boring Byakuya to death might result to the abrupt return of Rukia to Soul Society. He might not be able to see her again.
That, he would not allow.
So, there's this one last choice. Embarrassing, yes, but he has to do it since it's for making Rukia stay with them in the Living World. Ichigo gulped. Here we go…
"Please," he said. Ichigo bowed low enough for his forehead to touch the floor. "Give me more time to answer the question," he continued. He looked at Byakuya straight in the eye. "I beg you."
The Substitute Shinigami knows that the moment Byakuya steps out of his room, Rukia would annoy him to no end, asking about the question that made him beg and bow in front of Kuchiki Byakuya.
The Captain rubbed his chin, as if contemplating. Ichigo knows that deep inside, this Kuchiki Byakuya is laughing his ass off.
"Very well," Byakuya finally broke the silence.
Ichigo straightened up. Rukia was surprised. She never expected that her nii-sama would let this slide. Time is important for nobles. This is very out of this world. This day would definitely be written in history books.
"Really?" Ichigo smiled. "Thank god," he murmured.
"Three days," Byakuya said. "After three days, I'll go back here. Same time, same place." He looked at Rukia. "Without her with us. I can see that you are having a hard time answering because of her presence."
"So you've noticed," Ichigo muttered.
The moment Byakuya disappeared; Rukia stood up in front of Ichigo and folded her arms in front of her chest.
"What is Byakuya-nii-sama's question?" she asked.
Ichigo sighed. He may have escaped Byakuya tonight but Rukia would not allow him to let it go just like that. He knows that bowing, pleading, begging, even crying, would not make Rukia back off and let him go.
I don't like the ending. :O
anyways, i love bullying Ichigo. So, the next chapter would be another bullying *evil laugh*
thank you for reading. 3