Hello Reader,

I'm sorry I haven't been updating any of my stories. It's Examination Week in our university (Davvy Jones help me) and I've been cramming to get something inside my head.

here's a new chapter. hope you'll enjoy it despite its shortness.

Kudos to Tite Kubo, who owns bleach. Lucky guy.

Byakuya was not pleased when Kurosaki Ichigo, of all people, came to him three days ago, on a beautiful morning while he was taking a stroll in his garden. Had his sister not been there, he would have gladly kicked him out of his estate. But all violent thoughts towards the ryoka were put aside the moment Byakuya saw them approaching them. They were holding each other's hands. He was dumbfounded.

When the two explained of their mutual love and blossoming relationship, it took all the willpower in the world for Byakuya not to unsheathe Senbonzakura and tear Ichigo into a million, unrecognizable pieces. This was one option. Another was to steal Rukia away, lock her up in a room and forbid her from ever seeing the light of day. For the love of Captain Seaweed, Rukia was too young to be in a relationship!

"She's a hundred and fifty years old." Ichigo had argued then. The gall of that ryoka to answer back to him. Then again, he's been answering back to Byakuya from the moment they met.

For some unknown and unspeakably insane reason, Byakuya had accepted Ichigo's invitation to have dinner at his house together with his family. Though he would never admit it, Byakuya was pleasantly surprised that Ichigo was putting effort to formally seek his approval. And in his opinion, any unfortunate soul who wanted to have anything to do with his sister should do just so, or face his wrath

And so now, here he was, in the Kurosaki residence, gripping their dinner table so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Woah, you're actually making cracks on the table," Karin mused coolly.

"Don't be angry, Byakuya. I've tried many times to convince these two to let me buy a bigger bed for Ichigo's room. Don't know what's up their asses, but they just won't accept my offer." Isshin laughed, which just made Byakuya's blood boil.

"So, you've been sleeping inside a closet every time you came here, Rukia?" Byakuya asked, his voice dangerously low.

Oh sweet Chappy, save me now. "Yes, brother."

A very awkward and heavy silence descended on the room. Yuzu, glancing at her brother, saw how miserable he was. This wasn't how he had hoped things would go. In an attempt to save her big brother's relationship, and dinner, she got up and smiled. "Who wants dessert?"

"I'll go with you," Karin said, throwing her napkin on the table, "tension here is so thick you can cut it with a knife."

Isshin laughed at that while Ichigo buried his face in his hand.

Yuzu and Karin hurried into the kitchen.

"We need to help big brother, Karin." Yuzu whisphered urgently.

"What? Why?"

"Look at him, Karin. He looks so sad and miserable! I He's been planning this dinner since last week just to impress Rukia's brother and now it's all messed up."

"Gee, and whose fault is that?" Karin asked sarcastically.

"Dad doesn't know any better. And he's just trying to liven things up," Yuzu hissed. She opened the fridge and brought out the Strawberry shortcake she'd made. Karin eyed it suspiciously.

"You're serving that for dessert?" she asked, pointing at the cake.

Yuzu paused and looked at her cake, then back at Karin. "Yes. Why? Does it look bad?"

"It's beautiful actually - The cream, the layers, the strawberries."

Yuzu looked at her sister, confused.

Karin sighed. "Are you sure you really want to serve Byakuya Strawberry shortcake when, at this very moment, all he has in his mind is to flay Ichigo alive?"

Yuzu gasped. She got it. "How could I be so stupid?!" she cried.

Everyone at the dining room turned their heads towards the kitchen at Yuzu's voice.

"Yuzu, what's going on?" Ichigo asked.

"Um…nothing, big brother. Just…forgot to close the refrigerator door. Sure is cold here. And I thought there was a draft in here." Yuzu laughed nervously, trying to sound happy. It ended up sounding like a constipated seal. Karin rolled her eyes. Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other.

"Yuzu, relax! You're going to blow it for Ichigo if you panic now," Karin said, gripping her sister by the shoulder, "we don't have a choice. It's either we serve that, or offer Byakuya some sugar cubes."

"But, we don't have sugar cubes," Yuzu whimpered.

"THAT'S THE POINT!" Karin hissed a little too loudly.

Byakuya raised a brow. "Girls, are you sure everything's alright in there?" Isshin called out.

"Yes dad!" Yuzu and Karin answered back.

"Just...Um…shooing the cat away. Darn cat!" Karin grumbled.

Yuzu stared incredulously at her. "And you said I was blowing it for Ichigo."

"We have a cat?" Ichigo asked, turning to his father. Isshin just shrugged.

Back at the kitchen, Yuzu and Karin gave each other one last comforting glance before heading into the dining room to serve the blasted cake to a strawberry-hating Byakuya.