Disclaimer: Bleach is owned by Kubo.
A/N: Yeah, I took my time. I know! Well, I've been busy and will be busier for weeks to come but don't worry…I'm not going to abandon my stories. There's actually an announcement in my anuthor's notes after the story so be sure to read it! Well, for now read and Enjoy! And also…review!
P.S: Still no rereads and edits done so pardon me. ;)
52. Chapter 13: Of Name and Power [ Forward]
" But it's you."
I shook my head to wear off the thought that kept plaguing my mind since yesterday. Ever since he uttered those words, I kept thinking about it—trying to figure out what he actually meant. Or if he's simply showing the same kindness that he'd shown me. Even if I don't want to admit it, his words gave me a reason to hope for something from him. It was like he hasn't ended things between us yet. Sitting on the patio was one thing that I've come to enjoy in my time here in the house. Tou-sama had been gone directly in his study room to work and had even had his dinner brought there.
" Yoh Rukes!" Abarai Renji called out as he went and sat beside me. He'd been coming back and forth, running errands for my father.
" Hey." I muttered, resting my chin on my knees as I hugged my legs closer.
Giving out an exhausted sigh, Renji had his hand supporting his weight as he leaned back in a relaxed position, with his long legs parallel to the brick floor. " What's up? You seem to be thinking too deeply."
" Hmmm." I grunted, not looking at the red head but stared at the vast garden in front of the patio—one of the many gardens in the Kuchiki estate—so beautiful and well-manicured. Yet my mind was running back to the scene under the trees and hopping bunnies. " Renji…" I addressed, understanding that this is one time when I should actually consult a man, to have a better understanding of them. . " If…let's say…hypothetically speaking…" I was searching for the right words to convey the things that I want to express and remain subtle about the issue being about Ichigo given that the two of them are actually friends. It was a task that made ma struggle and ended up deciding not to say anything to him at all. Of course I had no intention of mentioning Ichigo's name but I wouldn't dare take that kind of risk. Not right now when I'm still uncertain of what I'm exactly I'm supposed to do. Just watching things wasn't the answer. Neither is simply accepting things as they are now. It breaks ones heart however anything drastic could affect so many and I don't want that.
" What are you going to say Rukes?" Abarai asked when I suddenly stopped, probably curious about what I was supposed him with that confused look on his face.
I shook my head to him and rested my cheek once more on my knees. " It's nothing important. Don't you have things to do for my dad? You always seem on the go this days." I commented.
He shrugged before sitting straight, stretching out the kinks in his muscle. " Naw. I was about to head home actually. My work here is done." He declared triumphantly with the cocky look on his face.
I chuckled lightly. " Good for you then."
" Yup." He pulled himself up and looked down to me. " Well, if you're bothered by something, why don't you try talking to your dad? I'm sure Kuchiki-sama will be more than willing to listen. And if you think that will disturb him, don't worry. He'd finished his work and will be left free until we go back to England after the meeting with the Shibas." The smugness in his face gave away the confidence he had on the words he had uttered. " So nice to be young again."
I raised a brow at his last comment. " Are you that old already?" I asked in curiosity. " How old are you anyway?"
The redhead smirked at my way. " Take a guess." He simply answered.
With a wry smile on my face, I have the man a once over and began estimating, tapping a finger on my chin as I did so. " Hmmm…basing from the fact that you're already working for my dad as a secretary…I say early thirties!" I said though I little bit hesitant, given that he looked a lot younger than that. But there is that possibility of him being one of those people who seem to physically age slowly—betraying all aesthetic norm. One good example is my very own father who, if made to stand beside me, would look like my older brother instead of a father. Not that I mind, of course.
" Woah!" He exclaimed, sounding offended as he feigned wincing. " That hurts Rukes. You're telling me that I already look like in line with your father's age?"
It was my turn to shrug. " Well, being theKuchiki Byakuya's personal assistant…I would say that you should already have lots of experience before he deems you worthy to be his assistant."
" Heh." Abarai Renji looked bashful with my words as he scratched an imaginary itch on his cheek. " Well, I did have lots of experience but I'm still living my early twenties."
My eyes widened in surprise. " Early twenties?! You mean you're still that young? But how?" I sounded genuinely bewildered. Who knew Renji could actually accomplish something at such an age? I mean, seriously? If I wasn't Kuchiki Byakuya's child, it would be a dream to be of service to one of the most influential people in Japan; and not just a simple employee but his right had no less! And by standards, it would take a lot of education and experience for one to even meet the minimum qualification of being Kuchiki Byakuya's personal assistant.
This time, the personal assistant chuckled with amusement. " I get that a lot. All of them surprised that I'm Kuchiki-sama's personal assistant at this age. Well, it wasn't easy proving my worth to your father. I worked hard to gain the position I'm in right now. I just started very young—a reckless brash teen that actually dared to go against your dad that one time." He had that far-off look on his face as he reminisced the past. " I thought I'll be a goner going against nobility but then instead of sending me to prison, Kuchiki-sama took me in and trained, saying I could be of use to him. And you know the rest of it."
It made the pride I felt for my father swell in my heart. " My father really is a great man."
" I couldn't agree more, Rukes. He is one person I want to surpass." Abarai admitted mindlessly. " Well anyway, I'll get going now. You talk to your dad if you can't bring yourself to talk to me. I'm sure it will help."
I nodded at his direction. " Thanks, Renji."
" You're welcome little miss." With that, he spun around and walked away heading towards the front door, greeting Kenta-san on his way out.
I followed him with my eyes, how words not completely sinking in until he was already out of the house. " Little miss? Did he just insult me?!"
-000-
" Okay. Well, there's really nothing important to tell you." Kyourako-sensei's voice filled in the air as he wandered his eyes around us lazily. It was homeroom after the last period and by the looks of it, everyone seemed dead tired. " I'm just curious about how everything went out for all of you in yesterday's trip. I kept my ears open for some scandalous news but no buzzing bee whispered in my ear. I might as well ask every one of you teenagers directly." He grinned broadly with keen interest gleaming in his eyes. " Well? Anyone?" He tilted his head to the side as he waited for any volunteers.
The classroom's atmosphere suddenly dropped into something glum as most students were filled with forbidding aura about them. Heads were hung low in depressed spirits with shoulders slumped weakly as well. Eyes were warily glancing in different directions and smiles were mostly forced, anxious or bitter.
With only silence to fill in the lack of reaction from the class, our homeroom teacher pressed his case further. " It was a chance of a lifetime for all of you.
" Sensei…" Came that whiny voice from one of the girls, a flaxen haired with dark eye-lashes and very thick application of make-up. Dark circles evident around her eyes. "…even if we wanted to tell you…it's just that it's uh…" She trailed off as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. It was obvious that she was struggling not to cry but by the way her jaws were tensing...she wasn't faring well. One moment she was simply doe-eyed then all of a sudden she began bawling. " Kurosaki-sama rejected me! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
It surprised me for a moment. That kind of honesty for such a private matter and the display of raw emotions. Something would not expect to see from a teenager so conscious about how others see them that they try to keep up with a status quo image. But then I felt bad for her, the way she was crying so loudly and almost too embarrassing in my opinion. I was already expecting the rest of the class to laugh at her but to my astonishment, the wailing—like a contagious virus—hopped from one girl to another as the rest of the female classroom population cried in as well.
" But he was so cool rejecting us." Another girl said in the midst of her crying, biting her handkerchief, looking both daydreaming and forlorn. I couldn't exactly make out which one prevails most.
It was such a flustering sight that I didn't know how to even react. But then it reminded me of lapse in my yesterday's hazy memory where I lost sight of both Senna and Ichigo. And ended up thinking that the two of them went away. So that's why I didn't see Ichigo for a while. I thought. And truth be told, it was an uplifting discovery on my part.
To transform the situation into a mind-blowing one, the boys as well had that sympathetic look in them as they regarded each other with a unified emotion.
" Inoue-sempai is just so out of our league." Someone from the males casually threw in and the rest nodded sadly. They were too manly to shed tears and I'm certain they'd rather die than be too open with it although this much honesty seemed tolerated in their masculine culture.
" Even Kuchiki-sempai was just too dazzling." Another male specimen cried out with awe and reverence.
The ambiance escalated quickly into something woeful as the homeroom appeared instead like a forum for the heart-broken. Perhaps, the teacher was expecting something fun, intriguing and worthwhile to listen but instead he was welcomed but tons of failed attempts in confession. This brought back the memory of the last time I tried confessing to someone, albeit forced. The one which both ended up a failure and a success.
My eyes glided back to the teacher in his podium who sweat-dropped as his eyes widened ever so slightly. " Oh…uh…well, that's unfortunate to hear." He scratched his chin as he gave the whole classroom another swift glance and held back a wince for good measure. " I guess we'll just have to let this one slide and on our separate ways now so all of you could…uh… recuperate." I smiled gingerly on his choice of word. It was the most appropriate term to use in this kind of situation that even I had to agree with him. People inside the classroom weakly nodded in agreement. It wasn't the end when, with a tinge of guilt on his feature, our homeroom teacher cleared his throat and added. " Well as a way of consoling you, I'll spare everyone for tomorrow's pop-quiz."
That is when everyone cheered, spirits high once more as they cheerfully exited the classroom in bundles called friendship.
" Sensei!" A group of females shouted in unison, gathering the attention of those left in the room and of the teacher as well. " You're the best teacher! You're the only one who understands your students' feelings!"
" Well, I was the one who made you remember." Admitted the drowsy looking teacher, assuming an apologetic face. " Off you go now." He waved them off as he plunged his upper body on the podium like an exhausted man would. For a moment, he forced his head to rise as he called on the class president. " Yamada-kun.."
" Y-yes sensei?" Stammered the ever jumpy class president.
" I need you to come with me to the faculty room. We have to sort out your class' checklist." Kyoraku-sensei sounded bushed and almost blanched as he thought of the work waiting for him.
When only a few were left inside the classroom, I pulled myself up from my seat as well with bag secured in my hand and walked towards the door without anyone noticing. Expecting a quiet time as I head home, I almost jumped when I felt an arm hook on my own. I shifted my eyes to the owner of the intrusive body part only to find Kuchiki Senna giving me a loop-sided smile. " Took you so long to come out. I thought I had to march in and grab you."
" S-Senna-san!" My voice was constrained inside my throat in my appalled state. " W-what are you doing here?"
Her smile broaden and with a sweet sugary voice, she told me. " I've decided to have you come with us for some snacks." Before I could say anything, she was already pulling me along with her. Her strides were long and purposeful as she effectively evaded students in the crowded halls of the school.
" S-snacks? What snacks?" I managed to ask even though we were already leaving the school premises.
Senna didn't look back as her grasp on my hand remained firm. " Well, I was hungry so I wanted to grab something to eat but then I remembered you and so here we are!" She finally came to a full stop and released my hand.
She does whatever she wants. I thought once I regained my freedom and finally glanced at the coffee-shop right in front of us.
" Let's go?" The older Kuchiki pushed open the establishment's door which caused the door chime to give off that melodious sound.
I followed her inside the shop. It was filled with students from my school as well. All eyes were on us as Senna paraded through the venue like a queen, not even glancing around but set on a singular direction. Meekly I followed her lead until she decided to slip in one of the booths in one end of the shop. " Oh…" I jerked my body a little in the abrupt stop, my eyes automatically lingering more than necessary on the other person whose presence I was not informed about. " I didn't that you have company." I mumbled. Here I was, being dragged into this place against my will only to find Kurosaki Ichigo seated on the cushioned couch of the booth where I was gaping like stupid. I should have expected this but it slipped my mind—brought about by the turmoil of Senna's unpredicted invitation. I immediately removed my eyes from Ichigo, realizing that I was staring at him too long and took a step back before reasoning. " I don't want to disturb you and Kurosaki-san so I'll just—"
" Stay." Ichigo's pure baritone voice growled like thunder making me still in my place and gaze at him in surprise. He was looking at me directly with unwavering amber irises that it made me more conscious of myself and had to avert my eyes towards Senna instead.
The other ebony-haired was looking at me as well with that wide grin of hers as she propped her elbow on the table, with her chin resting on her palm. It was a successful attempt to look adorable and disarming. " You're not disturbing Rukia-chan. I was the one who dragged you here after all."
So she's aware. I thought, feeling awkward the longer the two of them stared at me.
" And if you're feeling like a third-wheel, don't be!" Senna joyously delivered. " This is a double-date!" Was her squeal before the door chime rang another melody. Her brown eyes immediately went to the door and lit up. " Oh, here he is." Excitement was not simply contained in her voice as she vigorously waved at someone. " Grimm! Here!"
Both Ichigo and I had to glance at the arriving individual as well. It didn't take long for the rather uncharacteristically sullen Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez to stand beside me. " What's this all about?" He spat the moment he stood in front of the table. The query was directed to Senna. And he sounded so certain that this was her doing—which was true.
" Well, how about you two take a sit first. You sit beside me Rukia!" The elder Kuchiki deliberately ignored the blue-head's question as she got out of the both and went behind me, before pushing me into the seat she had once occupied earlier. " And you, Grimm. You seat beside Ichigo." She did the same with the senior as she did with me, placing Grimmjow beside Ichigo smoothly. The three of us were quiet as she inspected her work. " Well, now that you're all here, I'll go place the order in the counter and no! I would take no suggestion. I'll be the one to decide." With that, she spun herself and walked to the counter, lining up on the queue for the order.
A sigh came from Grimmjow as he slouched on his seat. " She does whatever she wants." He grumbled, massaging the bridge of his nose for a moment before looking at Ichigo then to me. " Well, this is awkward." Though he said that, he had that amused smirk on his face. I was tensed on my seat, fidgeting as I tried hard to look at anything but the two men in front of me. On the other hand, Ichigo was uncharacteristically calm on his seat. " So, how'd the trip yesterday went? With the two of you in the same group…with Senna." The guy was taunting as he let out a chuckle escape.
The question prompted yesterday's memories to come back to my mind. I flinched slightly and glanced at Grimmjow's direction with nothing to say. At all.
Unexpectedly, it was Ichigo who answered. " It was great."
" Oh? I heard a lot confessed again to you." The panther commented and casually sent me a suggestive glance. I pursed my lips and glared at him in return. " I wonder…" He mused but didn't say anything further.
" Yeah." Ichigo replied with indifference. " It took the whole afternoon to reject them."
" Well, aren't you the popular one." Grimmjow teased though it sounded more like a ridicule. " Found anything interesting in that place?" He asked but there was only disinterest in his voice. One could even wonder why he bothered asking. Perhaps it was the lack of topic that made him do so.
" There was a trail, a mariposa, a forking of roads, bunnies, clumsiness…" Going on in phrases, Ichigo's answer actually confused Grimmjow while my heart started beating rather fast. He was summing up our whole experience together while playing with words as well. He paused and thought for a moment before adding. "…and I did confess to someone too." The carrot head admitted so casually before taking the glass of water in front of him and drinking half its content in one gulp, all the while his eyes were lingered on me.
His admittance made me stare at him incredulously. So did Grimmjow who looked genuinely surprised with his mouth slightly open, all amusement wiped away from his face. It was too forward of Ichigo and it was something that I never could have predicted. Yesterday's event, for me, could have been a simple lapse on Ichigo's part that I kept exaggerating inside my mind. But then, he attacks like this all of a sudden. How am I supposed to react to that?
Kurosaki Ichigo wore that neutral look on his face that it was difficult to tell what he was thinking, only his scowl was the determining point to conclude that he wasn't losing his mind just yet.
" I'm back!" Senna bellowed as she jumped in front of us and found us in the same perplexed state. " What's going on? Rukia and Grimm looked so shocked. Did I surprise you that much?"
And to put icing on the cake, Ichigo smiled oh so sweetly at Senna before asking. " So, what did you order?"
To make the long story short, the stop in the coffee shop remained awkward for as long as it lasted. Senna had been chatting idly about things that I had difficulty figuring about. I didn't even know how the food actually tasted when all my attention went to Ichigo and his directness. Even Grimmjow didn't say anything the whole time while the ginger head would casually nod and occasionally gave Senna some sort of remark, enough to be considered actually interacting with her. Though it only lasted for over half an hour with Senna excusing herself for being called back home by her father out of the blue, it felt like eternity for me.
The three of us were left there on the table, making things even more awkward.
" So what's the deal with you Kurosaki?" Grimmjow asked. He was probably referring to Ichigo's rather blunt admittance from earlier. I knew the guy had been itching to ask the orangette and was grateful enough for Senna's early departure. " Did the air from the Eco-park get in your head or something?"
Kurosaki Ichigo looked my way for a moment before sparing Grimmjow a look. " I guess it did." He confidently answered without reservation. Then he threw me another glance. " Does it affect you?"
" Why do you care, Kurosaki-san? You're engaged for goodness sake!" I hissed, grappling my fork tightly in my hand. I knew it was stupid to get riled up. The way I responded only meant that I was confirming his query and that made me hate myself a little for my impatience. I need more self-control.
" I'm engaged. Not married." He simply replied, his attention now focused on the chocolate mousse Senna had ordered for him yet he wasn't eating it.
I bit my inner cheek as I huffed in frustration. It was like he was dodging the question by playing words with me. " What game are you playing with me Ichigo?" I growled irascibly.
This time, he removed his eyes from the food and looked at me with intense amber gaze. " You're finally calling me by my name again. That's a good thing."
Frowning, I leaned back on the chair, arms crossing over my chest. He was being impossible to deal with right now. " You're being impossible right now." I flatly stated. " You wouldn't even give me an explanation for what you did, suddenly leaving me in the air and now you…you intrude with my life again?!"
" Then if I tell you my reason, are you going to forgive me?" Ichigo looked at me with resolute eyes.
It was one response that I wasn't ready for. Suddenly, my heart became erratic. I didn't exactly know if I was simply nervous or something. This time, I simply narrowed my gaze at him, opting to be quite instead. If this is simply prank for him…I am so going to kill him one of these days. What's he's doing isn't good for my heart.
" Kurosaki." It was Grimmjow who uttered the name in a steely manner, snapping me out of my daze and allowing me to get out of his hypnotic gaze and actually wallow in frustration and irritation. " I hope you know what you're doing." He was all seriousness and no fooling around.
With a determined look, Kurosaki Ichigo replied. " Actually, I have no idea what I'm doing." All the coolness he seem to try to exude totally vanished to thin air in a millisecond. " Don't worry. You can punch me in the face once you think I'm already getting nowhere."
A nod came before a satisfied look appeared on the blue-head's feature. Then the malicious grin he always had on resurfaced. " I'm already itching for that day to come." He sounded hopeful and eager as he said so. " Go finish up your food, Kuchiki. Then I'll walk you home." Grimmjow declared, eyeing the orangette beside him. " Kurosaki can't but I could." A triumphant smirk was then plastered on his face as he munched down the confectionary on his plate.
Ichigo had stared daggers at the blue-head but didn't say anything as he pursed his lips tightly together, his frown ultimately deepening with displeasure.
" You may have somehow become decisive Kurosaki. But that doesn't mean I'm going to just sit here and wait until you fix the mess you made—whenever that will be. I'm not a good guy. I'm not even your friend." Even Jaegerjaquez' eyes were laughing at the orange head. " Better yet…you have my full support with Senna. I'll take care of Rukia well so don't worry if that's what's holding you back."
Well, that is one heck of an offer…though I don't exactly know what to feel about it.
-000-
My home was remarkably silent as usual. I was casually chilling out in the patio, rewinding the conversation from earlier and trying to find logical explanation why that fool was acting that way. Maybe, he ate something bad and it affected his mind or he had a fever or..or…
My phone suddenly became alive; singing Chappy's happy tune so loud that I almost jumped, the servants who were passing by had to stop and look at me with bewilderment on their faces. I stammered to pick up my phone, mumbling to the people around some sort of apology for the disturbance before actually answering the call. " Hello?"
Answering the call without checking the caller ID, it was a surprise to discover who the caller was. "Rukia-chan." Came Kurosaki Masaki's gentle voice from the other line, startling me. " I'm sorry for calling in late. Are you busy?"
" Uh…no…I was just uh…enjoying the night sky in the patio." My voice was quivering and my heart was erratic. The thought of talking to Ichigo's mother made me nervous and anxious. " D-did you need something, Masaki-san?"
In the background noise, I could hear Kurosaki Isshin and Ichigo's voice actually arguing about something incoherent. " I'm sorry it's a little noisy inside the house." The Kurosaki woman chuckled. " Well, I was actually wondering if you'd like to come for dinner tomorrow evening. It's been a while since you visited us here and Isshin was whining about it. I actually told Ichigo to ask you but he insisted on me asking you myself instead."
I unconsciously gripped my blanket tightly. " I'm sorry Masaki-san but I think it's a bad time for me tomorrow." I bit my lower lip, feeling guilty.
" Ohh…" Came that disappointed sound from the other line. " Well, that's okay but make sure you visit us soon Rukia-chan. We miss you! Me and Yuzu-chan."
Before I could respond, I heard Isshin-san's voice boom. "Masaki-chan! Who's on the phone?"
" I'm talking to Rukia-chan dear—"
" RUUUUUUUUUUUUKIA-CHA—"
Bam!
" Stop doing that dad!" Ichigo growled.
" Oh!" Masaki-san exclaimed on the other line. " Since you're missing dinner, then how about just drop by my house for tea and cookies? I'm going to make Chappy cookies, your favourite! I'll expect you in the afternoon~" Then the call was dropped before I could even give my answer.
-To God be the glory!-
A/N: Oh…uh yeah…I have some news to tell you. So, I decided that I won't update again until I finish the whole story. It will probably take me a month (more or less). Then, once I do that, I will update every three days! Yay! And no, I'm not kidding…sorry…hahahaha….Please REVIEW!
Well, for my reply to your reviews:
JoTerry: I figured as much…actually…no, your hate for her surpassed my expectations. I'm totally amazed haha
NieveDrop: Hmmm…well, there's still a few more left on the whole big part about Senna…and I would love to add some more haha (just kidding…or not…or maybe) So, are we cool? hahahahahaha
Guest: I'm not actually surprised haha…I'll wager you'll be happier if I made her jump off a cliff. I totally know you would…but nah…I like putting Senna here and there
Ej: Well, introducing new characters will be a little difficult at this point in time but I'll consider that as I go along with writing this one. Just don't hold your breath about it okay?
Star133: I just don't know if your suggestion and this chapter jibes but I hope you're still satisfied with the outcome…if not…well…*shrugs*
Plushe Doll: I leave to you the benefit of the doubt…I am so mean right now….hahaha
Well, I'll see you guys soon. I'll try to finish it within two weeks...Don't forget to review! :D
