Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Though I love seeing Rukia in her bankai!

A/N: Hi everyone! I wasn't actually planning on posting this chapter until next week but seeing your reviews fired me up. Haha. Thank you very much! I appreciate them. Read and review this one okay? Also my other stories if you can :D

-000-

Chapter 12: Of An Old Name and A New Neighbor

-000

After carefully placing the three cups of steaming hot tea in the middle of the table, I took refuge into slumping myself down on the seat next to Ichigo. The two men inside my unit had been staring at each other the whole time, not uttering a single word. I scanned my mind for a question that will make a conversation and hopefully break this deafening silence between them. I cleared my throat before speaking a question appealed on my mind. " Uh…" I started carefully. "…so you two know each other."

" Yup." An immediate answer from Kaien.

" No." Ichigo growl almost simultaneously as the older guy.

This made me look at the two of them abstrusely. Kaien had an amused and curious smirk erupted on his lips while Ichigo's scowl went deeper as he wore a recondite look.

It was Kaien who decided to keep the conversation going. " We're cousins."

" Distant." Ichigo immediately corrected fervently.

A soft chuckle came out of the older man. " Third degree cousins then." He said it lightly, shooting a mischievous look over to his claimed relative.

Ichigo wore a sour face as he growled. " I don't even want to be anywhere near the word relative if it concerns you."

It threw me off, this Ichigo that's before me. He may have been wearing a permanent scowl on him every single minute every day, though it wasn't enough to ward off his fan-girls, but he had been nice to everyone, always ready even to those who considered him a rival one-sidedly. This is the first time a saw him disliking someone, to a great degree I might add. And it just had to be with Shiba Kaien, of all people! I chose to keep silent and watch what will transpire between the two. It must be very personal. Somehow, it made me feel to be a total stranger inside the comforts of my own home.

Casually, Kaien picked up the cup I had laid for him and took a sip, his green eyes not leaving the orangette even for a moment. He had a focused gaze in him. " Come on Ichigo, it's not like I did a crime against you." The words slipped out of his mouth as if he was just talking about the weather.

However, the younger man wasn't acting as coolly as Shiba did. I noticed Ichigo's fists that were placed on top of the table turning into chalk-white knuckles. He must have been trying to contain his anger. Through gritted teeth, he articulated. " It was beyond a crime."

With a sigh, Kaien shook his head. " Ichigo," He began with a remorseful voice. " I'm sorry okay? I was being childish back then. I didn't mean to hurt her in any way. I really regret involving you as well. At that time, I didn't know that yo—" He glanced at me and shook his head. "—no, it's not the right place and time to talk about that."

Ichigo eyed me as well and looked like he had forgotten I was there. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make an outburst."

I just faced him without uttering anything, lips pursed into a straight line. Somehow, I felt disappointed that he was so absorbed with Kaien that he had actually forgotten my existence.

" So, what's he doing here?" It was Kaien's effort trying to put back the conversation right on track, jerking a thumb at Ichigo's direction.

Startled that the question was actually addressed to me, I snapped my head to him without an answer. " Uhh…" Am I supposed to say that we had a date? Should I introduce Ichigo as my friend or my boyfriend? My train of thoughts blew me off, especially the last one. I had never been in such a dilemma before of how to refer to Ichigo. The guy isn't my real boyfriend, he just decided that on his own against my will. Unknowingly, my brows furrowed but still no answer came out of me. I stayed there silent, dumbly looking at Kaien and actually feeling ambivalent if I'm still sane or not.

Ichigo interceded and spoke on my behalf when he probably realized I won't be answering any time soon. " I walked her home. What about you? Why are you here anyway? Who are you to Rukia?"

Kaien sat straight and with a smirk on his face, he confidently answered. " I have business with her. I'm Nozomi's legal guardian. You probably know her since you're actually acquainted with Rukia."

Despite my chaotic mind with things concerning Ichigo which I really consider unnecessary, I didn't miss the fact that he actually omitted out the part that he was my legal guardian too or that he used the word 'acquainted'. It was out of Kaien's character. 'Acquaintance' didn't exist in Shiba's dictionary. Source? Me. I was rather certain he would use the term 'friend' if not 'bff' since he'd been so ecstatic when he suggested that I should "enlarge my circle of friends" as he used to quote when we were still living under his roof. Kaien may had been young that time but he did well being our guardian, taking his responsibility seriously and not overlooking anything that we might have needed though the financial assistance was unnecessary since Nii-san had been keen enough to prepare everything before he decided to—I searched my mind for the right word—'pull a stunt' back then that fateful night. He had let Kaien handle the funds he left for Nozomi and my mother's trust fund.

Ichigo was definitely surprised to learn that fact with the way his eyes grew wide upon hearing it. Then he turned to me, asking silently to tell him if it was true or not. I nodded, making his eyes narrowed and look back at Kaien with dislike.

Kaien leaned forward and placed both his elbow on top of the table while he rested his chin on his hands intertwined together. " So, Ichigo. Shouldn't you be going home already?"

I glanced at the clock. It read 10:32 pm. " It's late already." I muttered absent-mindedly.

Shiba took the opportunity and urged." See? It's not good for minors to stay out so late at night. Rukia and I can handle things here." He winked at the orange head.

The look Ichigo gave his cousin—third cousin—became harder. He looked uncertain of what to do. It didn't seem like he was about to do anything soon anyway for that matter. He just stayed there, silent and glowering at the smirking Kaien. At last, he pushed his sit back with his body and stood up, his hand still firmly planted on the top of the table. " Fine." It was a mutter. Then he turned to me and said. " I'll see you at school."

I nodded and before I was able to open my mouth to say good night, he was already by the door. I just looked at his retreating form. Somehow, his dejected back made me feel like I shunned him away.

My gaze lingered at the door Ichigo had exited longer than necessary. I'm not surprised when I turned around to be greeted by a scrutinizing look from my guardian though he didn't say anything. " What?" I asked innocently.

Kaien raised a brow as he leaned back to the backrest, armed crossed on his chest. " What's between you and Ichi?"

" Nothing." I averted my gaze and picked up my cup of tea that had been forgotten. My eyes then strained on Ichigo's portion left untouched. I frowned at the thought. When did I even start caring about him too much? Confusion succumbed me. To distract myself, I lifted the cup to my lips and gulped the now luke-warm liquid. Still, it was comforting. Before Kaien can come up with another facetious comment, I spoke again. " So, why are you here anyway? I've never heard of you this past year, not even once." I accused, trying to make a distortion.

I lifted my eyes from Ichigo's cup to see Kaien playing with the half-filled china, twirling the content inside. " Nothing much. Just work and some things…" He trailed off, just focusing on the mini-whirlpool the dark liquid inside his cup formed. It ended with a shrug before he looked at me with a devious smirk. " Missed me too much?" He quizzed.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed and humored him. " More than you can imagine." The tone used was brutal enough to even beat a tasteless soup with its blandness.

My weird humor got into him as he erupted in a loud laughing fit. " Still as the same huh, Kuchiki?" He leaned forward and ruffled my hair with his free hand.

I whisked his hand away and scowled at him. " Back off Shiba." Running a hand through my now disheveled hair, I made effort to comb it into an acceptable neatness my hand could afford. " Why didn't you visit Nozomi? It's her birthday today remember?"

He didn't look dumbfounded which means he remembered. And that cocky look on his face told me that he had already done something. " I left her gift with her landlady since no one answered when I went there earlier."

Bingo. Kaien Shiba was so easy to read. How I wish Ichigo was the same. I could never tell what that idiot was thinking. I shook my head when I realized that I was again being distracted by Ichigo. " Well, what did you want to talk about?" My full attention was now on him, waiting.

Kaien put down the cup carefully before looking at me square in the eyes, full of seriousness. My breath was caught in my throat. Based on that kind of look he was wearing, the reason why he's here could never be something good. Well, the fact that he came all the way here from Rukongia which was miles away was a good reason enough to believe that something did happen. Then all of a sudden he grins widely and looked boyish. " I just wanted to tell you that I was reassigned."

It took a moment for me to realize what he's said. I've been running several possible worse scenarios in my mind that I got caught up with it. When everything he said finally sunk in, I was finally able to let go of my breath. " Oh." I said with a lack of enthusiasm.

In response, he raised a brow. " That's it?"

" Oh, I mean that's great! Really? Why? How? I mean, where were you reassigned then?" I bombarded, this time with enough euphoria that's acceptable for him.

He nodded with satisfaction. " Take a guess."

I have no idea. " Tokyo?" A wild guess. A totally wild guess.

He wriggled his index finger left to right. " Nuh-uh."

" Libya then. The government must have hated your guts enough and decided to send you there under the façade of assisting it's government but they were really just getting rid of you." I grinned with my explanation. Smart-ass me, le intellectual Rukia. A wilder guess, wilder than a goose chase. If he's annoyed, then that's better. That's what I want to happen.

Disappointed I was to see him actually still in a good mood. " Trying to get rid of me huh, Kuchiki? You'll miss me if that happens."

Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows, who cares? It was already annoying that I can't get into his nerves. " Where then?" I'm a bit of a bad sport, getting worked up.

Playing games was his favorite past time. " What's the magic word?"

Rolling my eyes, I sighed in defeat. " Please." I tried to put a hint of mockery in it.

That certain was what he was after when his face turned smug. " Right here." When I didn't show any reaction, he added. " In Karakura."

His answer almost threw me off my chair in surprise. " What?! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" I'm not aware if I was making a weird face at the moment but seeing my companion at the moment, perhaps I did.

The baritone laughter courtesy of the police inspector echoed throughout my unit. " Seeing your surprised look is worth the wait." He hugged his abdomen, perhaps having too much of a laughing fit.

Pouting, in the least, helped in piping him down. " So, where are you staying? In one of the prison cells?" I asked snappily. Sulking was my last chance to save face. But I was in fact curious.

He smiled mischievously as he spread his arms wide. I should have known that the surprises weren't yet done when he said. "Well, missy—" I could have never guessed what he was about to say next. "—say hello to your new neighbor."

It left me gaping at him, Kaien Shiba. My new neighbor, the guy next door. " No way!"