Rukia blanched as she opened her mouth to speak. "In..Inside out?"
Hisana raised her eyebrows as she stared at Rukia. "If I remember correctly, they weren't inside out this morning."
"Well.. I.. Hey, wait a minute. I don't have to report to you every single thing that happens to me, isn't it?" Rukia said as she narrowed her eyes.
Hisana looked taken aback but she regained her composure. "Well, of course not. You don't have to go losing your temper at me just because I asked you a question, right?"
Rukia stared at the floor angrily as she sighed. As she turned around to leave, Rukia came face to face with someone's bosom.
"Matsumoto-san!" Rukia greeted as she quickly took a step back.
Matsumoto greeted them back with a cheery wave as she smiled. "I didn't know you were all here!"
"What's the matter?" Rukia asked.
Matsumoto's gaze fell onto Hisana as she smiled at her politely and then turned to Rukia. "Who is she, Kuchiki-san?"
"She's Takashi Hisana. Nii-sama's.. um.. fiancée." Rukia replied.
Matsumoto stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Really? I always presumed that Kuchiki-taichou's fiancée wouldn't look like that."
"What's wrong with how I look?" Hisana asked politely but Rukia could see she was practically seething underneath.
Matsumoto let out a laugh as she waved her hand airily. "Ah.. Don't mind me!"
Byakuya cast an impatient look towards Matsumoto. "Is there anything, important? If not, I would like to head back to my division now."
"Oh, right! I was going to invite Kuchiki-taichou and Kuchiki-san to my sake party tomorrow!" Matsumoto said happily as she clapped her hands together in delight.
"I don't drink, Matsumoto-san. I don't think I'd be going." Rukia replied giving Matsumoto an apologetic smile.
"Please don't reject me, Kuchiki-san!" Matsumoto wheedled as she batted her eyelashes at Rukia. "Please come, it'd be fun. Besides, everyone is coming! Even my taichou!"
Rukia looked at Matsumoto and sighed. Well, she hadn't been to parties for such a long time and since everyone will be going, why not? "All right. I'll go." Rukia said and smiled while Matsumoto whooped in glee.
"What about you, Kuchiki-taichou? Why don't you come?" Matsumoto asked.
"I would be busy with stuff to do." Byakuya replied stiffly.
"Can I go?" Hisana asked suddenly.
Matsumoto stared at her for a moment before replying. "Oh.. This party was meant for all my friends but I guess.. Well, alright."
"So where is the party held at?" Rukia asked.
"It would be held in the tenth division, of course! I had to beg taichou to hold it there and he only agreed after I promised him to do my paperwork from now on." Matsumoto replied as she grumbled. "Oh, and Kuchiki-san? Would you mind being taichou's date for the party?"
"What?" Rukia asked as her eyes widened.
Matsumoto sighed. "Actually, I threw this party hoping to cheer him up. He has been so depressed after what happened to Momo so I was hoping you could cheer him up."
Rukia lifted her gaze from Matsumoto just in time to catch Byakuya staring intently at her.
"I am sure Rukia would not agree. After all, it was none of her business if Hitsugaya-taichou is depressed or not." Byakuya said smoothly as all heads were turned to him.
Rukia glared at him angrily. How dare he decide for her. Well, since she's still mad that he didn't believe her, Rukia decided to push his buttons and see how far she could go.
"I believe I am capable of making my own choices, Nii-sama." Rukia said as she smiled at Byakuya and then turned to Matsumoto. "I'll be Hitsugaya taichou's date."
Matsumoto smiled in delight as she hugged Rukia. "Oh, thank you, Kuchiki-san! I'm sure he'll be delighted to know that you'll go with him. The moment when I mentioned to him about the party, he asked me if you would go."
Rukia smirked at Byakuya as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Tell him, I would love to go with him." Rukia replied.
"Why would Hitsugaya-taichou be delighted if Rukia goes?" Byakuya asked.
Matsumoto shrugged. "Well, I told him the plans for the party just now and he asked if Kuchiki-san would go. And he even addressed Kuchiki-san as Rukia. So I think taichou must have some feelings to Kuchiki-san, eh?" she said and nudged Rukia on the elbow playfully.
"He called her Rukia?" Byakuya asked in a deadly whisper.
Matsumoto nodded, oblivious at Byakuya's tone. "Yes. Well, come to think of it, taichou and Rukia makes a pretty good match."
Rukia didn't know what to say. She knew that Toshiro had asked only because they were now friends and now, Matsumoto and Byakuya had gotten the wrong idea. She didn't really want to clarify as they would only question her on why she and Toshiro had suddenly become so close. She couldn't possibly tell them that she told Toshiro her troubles! If she would do that, Matsumoto would bug her and ask her what is wrong with her and what was she going to do? Tell Matsumoto about what is going on with Byakuya and her? Matsumoto would scream and in less than a second, the whole of Seireitei would know what is going on.
"What time will the party start?" Byakuya asked.
"It'll start at eight o'clock sharp." replied Matsumoto.
"Well, I think I would be able to go after all." Byakuya replied as he stared at Rukia again.
Matsumoto grinned. "That would be great, Kuchiki-taichou! Uh.. What's her name again?" she asked and pointed at Hisana.
"Takashi Hisana." Rukia replied.
Matsumoto nodded. "Right. So Kuchiki-taichou could bring Takashi Hisana as a date to the party!"
Hisana's face glowed in excitement as she tugged at Byakuya's arm. "I'm so excited, Byakuya-sama! I rarely attend parties."
Byakuya jerked his arm away from Hisana irritably.
"Well, I'd better go. I still have to deliver this news to others!" Matsumoto said excitedly as she dashed off.
Rukia started towards the door as Byakuya grabbed on to her arm. "Where are you going?" he asked harshly.
"I'm going to the 11th division, Nii-sama." Rukia replied in a dull tone as Hisana watched on curiously.
"Is anything wrong, Byakuya-sama?" Hisana asked.
Byakuya let go of Rukia's arm reluctantly as he ignored Hisana.
"I shall take my leave now, Nii-sama." Rukia mumbled as she walked off quickly.
As soon as Rukia was sure that Byakuya and Hisana were out of sight, she made a turn and walked towards the 10th division instead. Upon reaching the door of the 10th division, she knocked softly and entered. Toshiro was sitting on his desk as surprise flitted across his face.
"I'm sorry for intruding. I just needed to sit somewhere for awhile." Rukia said hastily.
Toshiro, sensing that Rukia was upset, nodded. "You're not intruding. I'm done with my paperwork anyway."
Rukia gave a small smile as she sat at the couch beside his desk. She stared off into the distance as tears slowly cascaded down her face.
Toshiro stared at Rukia, his eyes widening slightly. He had never seen Kuchiki Rukia cry before. And this sight had shocked him. What had happened to that strong and feisty Rukia?
"Are you alright?" asked Toshiro.
Rukia sniffled as she quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. "I'm terribly sorry. I just couldn't control.."
Toshiro left his desk and he went to sit beside Rukia. "You don't have to apologize. Just go ahead and cry if it would make you feel better. Do you want to talk about it?"
Rukia sighed and told Toshiro about what happened after he left. She left out the part where Byakuya and her were making out and only explained that Byakuya came over and they talked and Byakuya revealed that he didn't believe her.
Toshiro remained silent as Rukia spoke. After Rukia ended, he said. "I really don't think what Kuchiki-taichou did was right. But I don't think you should stay mad at him. Like what you said, Hisana is a manupilative uh.. bitch so give some time for Byakuya to understand."
Rukia nodded and asked, "You're going to the party tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, I think that it would be nice if you could go too. You seem to be so troubled lately and I think a party is what you need." Toshiro replied.
Rukia let out a laugh as she punched him lightly on his arm. "When did you think that parties would lift someone's mood? I thought you hated parties!"
"I don't know. Matsumoto always seem so much happier after a party." Toshiro replied as he furrowed his brows and continued. "I just assumed that girls are all the same. Well, if it wouldn't cheer you up, you don't have to go."
"Are you crazy, Toshiro? Of course I'd go." Rukia said as she smiled.
Toshiro seemed somewhat relieved and nodded.
"So we'll be each other's date, right?' Rukia asked as she beamed.
Toshiro frowned. "What? What date?"
"Well, Matsumoto asked me to be your date for the party tomorrow. Didn't she tell you that?" Rukia asked.
Toshiro shook his head as Rukia replied. "Well, I agreed to it. But if you find it weird, I can go alone."
"Don't you want to go with Kuchiki-taichou?"
"I'm still mad at him. And he's taking Hisana."
Toshiro thought for a few moments and nodded. "Sure, I guess we could go together."
Rukia smiled as the two friends lapsed into a comfortable silence.
Byakuya sighed as paced around him room waiting anxiously for Rukia. It was nearing 11p.m and she has not been back. After Rukia had left him and Hisana in the 13th division, he had gone back to his office to work on his paperwork. When it was time to leave, he went to the 13th division but Rukia could not be found. He had waited there for an hour but not a single soul turned up. He had gotten impatient and decided to head home. Dinner time and Rukia was still not back. At 8p.m, he ate dinner alone and went to work on his paperwork while glancing at the clock frequently.
Byakuya suddenly heard the servants greeting Rukia outside the hall and he quickly walked out.
"Where have you been?" Byakuya asked harshly.
The servants had quickly scampered away sensing that Byakuya is in a foul mood.
"Out." Rukia replied simply as she looked away.
"Where to? Why did you miss dinner?" Byakuya asked as he walked nearer to her.
Rukia stared at the floor as she spoke. "I was talking to Toshiro and we lost track of time."
Byakuya clenched his fists in anger as he tried to suppress the anger that was building inside of him. "Toshiro? When did you start calling him by his first name? Are you that close to him?"
Rukia's eyes finally left the ground as she looked up. "Yes, he is my friend."
"Are you sure he is just a friend?" Byakuya asked as he gripped onto Rukia's shoulders tightly.
Rukia gulped as she stared at Byakuya. She had never seen him so mad before. He was beginning to scare her as his eyes narrowed into slits of fury.
"What are you trying to say?" Rukia asked as she tried to calm herself down.
"Were you two just talking or doing something else? How could you possibly lose track of time?" Byakuya asked as his voice became softer, but angrier.
Rukia tried to struggle out of his grasps as she winced in pain. "Stop this! You're hurting me!"
Byakuya released his hold onto her and Rukia stared at him angrily. "Are you trying to say that something is going on between Toshiro and me?"
Byakuya's eyes seem to soften as he reached out to Rukia. "I.. I did not mean that, Rukia."
Hurt flashed past Rukia's eyes as she slapped his hand away. "I can't believe you. How dare you insult me like this. Do you think that I'm some kind of cheap whore that sleeps around?"
Byakuya recoiled slightly as he drew his hands back. Tears were forming around Rukia's eyes and it hurts him to see this. He did not mean what he said, of course. He just said that on impulse because he was mad. And terribly jealous. He did not understand why did Rukia went to talk to Toshiro instead of him. He did not understand how Rukia and Toshiro had gotten so close. There were so many things that he did not understand recently and he know that he should not have taken it out on Rukia. He was just overwhelmed by jealousy and had blurted out those nasty words.
"I am sorry, Rukia. I really did not mean that.." Byakuya trailed off softly as Rukia's tears fell.
Instead of replying, Rukia shook her head in disappointment as she fled back to her room leaving Byakuya standing alone as guilt and regret consumed him.
A/N: Oh no! What have I done?! Before you throw tomatoes at me, I deeply apologize if you hate this chapter. I don't like this chapter either but its part of the plot. But I promise that it's a good ending and I promise that you guys would not regret this (hopefully)!
Please don't hate Byakuya. Look at what Toshiro said. Hisana is a manipulative bitch/slut/whore, we must give Byakuya some time to realize this, right?
