Chapter 37: The list

Karin rubbed her head in concentration. She was reading a particular list that she wasn't very fond off. It was the guest list for her wedding. Rukia was practically listing down everyone, and Karin was tired of it. She wanted a simple wedding with only the friends. But Rukia won't have any of that.

"What are you talking about!? You are marrying a TAICHO!" she boomed. Karin groaned and slapped her head.

"I'm sure he wants it to be private. He's not a celebrity, ya know." said Karin, annoyed. Rukia rolled her eyes and practically pushed the list to her.

"Fine, then. You do it." she said. Karin took it and eyed it. Just as she thought… Half of the list was people she didn't know. And the other half were barely close to her.

"Rukia!" cried Karin. Rukia sweat dropped.

"How should I know who to invite? Hitsugaya taicho knows a million people, so I wrote everyone he's connected too." said Rukia defensively.

Karin sighed.

"Maybe I should let him do the list." said Karin in surrender, and she placed the list on the table. He happened to be in a mission, and he allowed her to stay with Rukia at the Kuchiki mansion.

"Good idea." said Rukia happily. Karin closed her eyes for a second, and then opened it to find Rukia watching her.

"What?" she asked. Rukia bit her lip.

"Do you have a plan to tell your family?" she asked. Karin gulped.

"I told my mother, but I'm not sure how to tell the rest. After all, they are living in the real world." she replied. Rukia nodded.

"You should find a way to contact them. Or if you want, I'll request you a Senkai gate." said Rukia. Karin beamed.

"That would be great. Maybe I should visit them… It has been years since I saw Yuzu and dad." said Karin.

Rukia grinned back then stood up.

"I should probably get you back to the 11th squad." said Rukia. Karin scoffed.

"HEY! I'm not a kid." said Karin, half-laughing. Rukia smirked.

"I want to accompany you, madame." she said mockingly. Karin giggled.

"Alright."

Then they walked out, to the beaming sun, their laughter ringing in the air.

The list lay forgotten.

HT/KK

Byakuya never meddles. But at this particular day, he felt he had to check Rukia. The last few days, she seemed to be giddy and too excited for his taste. She even forgot to act like a Kuchiki in front of him.

He walked to the maze that was Kuchiki mansion, his feet moving in its normal pace. He wasn't that busy today, anyway. And Renji seemed to have done most of the work already.

As he reached to her door, he knocked and waited. No answer. Byakuya resisted the urge to bang the door. He never felt ignored in his whole life.

"Rukia?" he called out quietly. No answer. Byakuya was getting impatient, though it didn't show in his face.

He slid the door open, to find the room empty. He glanced around, and blinked in amazement as to find her room messier than the last time he had been there. The bed was still not fixed, and it looked like she just shed some skin. Mainly known as her clothes.

He sighed inwardly. He made a mental note to contact his servants and was about to leave when out of the corner of his eye, at the table was a note that looked as if it had a lot of exes and checks on it.

Byakuya went forward and picked the note up with a dainty finger. His eyes widened as he scanned the list and the heading.

Karin and Toushiro's wedding list

The name was drawn with red marker hearts on it, and he suspected it Rukia's. But a wedding…? Byakuya tucked the list neatly in his pocket and walked out, in hopes to find Rukia.

HT/KK

"Karin-chan!" cried Yumichika and he hugged her tightly. Karin grimaced as his feathers tickled her cheeks.

"Ahh… "She said quietly. Yumichika seemed to be excited. Ikkaku was standing over a couple of turned over beaten-up guys.

He too seemed to be amused and his bald seemed extra shiny. He walked forward, and threw the wooden sword to the side.

"So, you're getting married, eh?" he said. Yumichika was in tears.

Karin looked at Rukia's guilty face.

"Rukia!" she cried again. Rukia raised her hands in surrender.

"It slipped out!" she said. Ikkaku smirked.

"Congratulations. I wouldn't have believed it if I heared it from Renji… I mean Hitsugaya taicho… MARRIED?" he burst into laughter. Yumichika groaned.

Then he smiled at her.

"Congratulations…" he said. Karin grinned.

"Thanks. He proposed three days ago, so I don't have a marriage plan just yet." said Karin. Yumichika looked at her.

"Are you asking me to do the planning?" asked Yumichika, his face shining with happiness. Karin gulped.

"N-No… But…"

"I ACCEPT!" he boomed. Rukia giggled. Karin groaned.

"Fine… Just make sure it's not frilly or has beautiful written around." said Karin. Yumichika raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with beautiful?" he asked, his voice flat. Karin sweat dropped.

"Nothing is wrong… It's just that—"

Then the door banged open to reveal Renji, his jaw was dropped.

HT/KK

Byakuya paced faster, and found Renji still in the office, his face buried in a mountain of papers. He seemed to have slept.

"Renji." He called out, angrily. How dare he sleep?

Renji stirred and muttered,

"Not now… I have to defeat… Kuchiki… Taicho…"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"RENJI!" he called out, this time in a loud voice. Renji jumped and fell off the chair with a loud bang. He stood up, and faced the angry face of Byakuya.

"Kuchiki-taicho!" he said loudly. Byakuya gritted his teeth.

"Why pray tell, are you sleeping on the job?" he asked. He didn't bother to mention the dream.

Renji laughed nervously.

"Y-you see—"

"Never mind. Have you seen Rukia?" asked Byakuya. Renji stared at Byakuya.

"No, taicho. Why?" he dared to ask.

"I have to consult her about this peculiar list." he replied, and he showed Renji the list with a swift hand.

Renji, ignoring the look on Byakuya's face, took the letter with a swipe. He gasped so loudly that Byakuya winced. (Inwardly)

"T-Taicho?" he asked. Byakuya nodded.

Renji beamed evilly and ran out of the room. Byakuya sighed, while a hell butterfly floated to him.

HT/KK

"Is it true?" he asked Karin, his eyes wide. Renji looked stupid, alright.

"What are you talking about?" asked Karin. Rukia eyed Renji.

"A wedding with Hitsugaya taicho!?" he cried. Yumichika and Ikkaku blinked. Rukia gasped.

"How'd you know? We weren't supposed to tell anyone until Toushiro gives an okay sign!" cried Karin. Then he looked at Rukia angrily.

"Hey! I didn't tell him, honest!"

Karin gasped. Rukia gasped.

"THE LIST!" they both said at the same time. Renji nodded.

"We left it." said Karin, to shocked to speak. Rukia gulped. How did he get it? Unless…

"Kuchiki taicho has it. He was looking for you, Rukia." said Renji.

Karin gasped. Rukia gasped. Karin cursed. Rukia cursed.

"Hey, that's not beautiful." said Yumichika. They ignored her.

"Nii-sama… Has the list?" chortled Rukia. This was worst than they taught.

"We have to get it back… And force him to swear not to tell!" cried Karin, frantically. Renji smirked.

"That's impossible. Right now, there is a captain's meeting, and most likely, he is going to tell everyone." said Renji. Rukia punched him.

"SHUT UP!" she cried. Karin groaned.

"We have to go there." said Karin, quietly. Rukia looked at her.

"W-What?" she asked.

"We… No. I have to go there." said Karin. "If everyone finds out, I have to at least be there to help Toushiro explain."

Rukia stopped strangling Renji. Renji nodded. Ikkaku and Yumichika had their arms crossed.

Karin ran out of the dojo, only to hear Renji call out her name.

"KARIN!" he cried. Karin looked at him, her hair swiftly moving with her speed.

"WHAT!?" she called back. Renji smirked.

"Congratulations."

Karin grinned at him, and ran faster.

HT/KK

Toushiro sighed as he just came back from a mission. He was exhausted, and all he wanted was to see Karin. Then he groaned when a hell butterfly made its way to him.

As usual, a captain's meeting was in place. He stood up from his chair, and exited the office. Matsumoto was busy doing paperwork.

"We have a meeting." said Toushiro. "The captains, I mean. So don't leave this room."

Matsumoto eyed the paperwork then nodded. It was best to follow instructions when her taicho was as tired as hell.

Toushiro walked off, and made his way to the 1st squad.

HT/KK

Karin barged into the 10th squad office, and Matsumoto jumped out of her wits.

"Karin!" she cried happily. Karin looked around, Toushiro wasn't there yet.

"Where is he?" asked Karin. Matsumoto didn't have to ask who she was talking about.

"Actually, he was here a minute ago. He just came back from a mission. Then the sotaicho called for a captain's meeting. Why?" she asked. Karin groaned and ran out, Matsumoto looked flustered.

"What now?" she asked herself.