Hisana nervously adjusted the finely embroidered clothes and the elegant hairpieces that Byakuya had given her to wear for this occasion. She will be meeting Byakuya's sister today, someone who Byakuya loves dearly. She knows just how important Kurui is to Byakuya like how Rukia was to her. No matter what she did, Hisana just cannot calm her anxious nerves. If Kurui doesn't accept Byakuya and her seeing each other…
"Hisana, what's wrong?"
"Byakuya-sama!" Hisana let out a startled gasp upon spotting her lover. When did he get to her back without her knowing it? He needs to stop walking so silently all the time!
"If you are worried about Rui not accepting you, then don't. She is not the kind of person who judges one based on the background which they have no control over. If Sofu accepted you, she will as well."
Hisana can only give a small nod upon Byakuya's words as they embraced each other. His words had the soothing effect that she desperately needs right now.
"Byakuya-sama." Hisana spoke softly as she looked back up at the new Head of the Kuchiki clan. "Is there… erm… anything else I need to know or do before meeting your sister?"
Byakuya blinked his eyes twice in surprise, but he cannot help but let the warm feeling that grew from his heart spread throughout his body. He knows Hisana loves him as much as he does for her, and she is trying her best to get herself accepted by his family. She had passed Sofu's test for her, something that Byakuya had never doubted that she will do so with flying colours. So that leaves Kurui, whose reactions can never be predicted. The fact that Hisana is willing to try anything to leave a good impression of her on his sister shows how much she wants them to stay together, a feeling that he shares as well.
"Rui is… unpredictable." Byakuya finished his sentence as he too racked his brain for anything Hisana can do to get Kurui to accept Hisana as her new soon-to-be (hopefully) sister-in-law. He admits that he and Sofu had spoiled Kurui rotten, although thankfully she never grew to be a spoiled brat that he often sees in the other noble families. However, if Kurui doesn't like Hisana and given Kurui's personality, that sister of his will go out of her way to make life a living hell for Hisana in an attempt to chase her away from his side. That will be a headache and a half.
"Unpredictable?"
"Rui is a free spirit. She doesn't listen to anyone and anything." Byakuya gave a resigned sigh as the images of the list of things Kurui had did since she was a child resurfaced in his mind. Most of them were fond memories, but the scares, headaches, rising blood pressure, and the clean-up of her messes that followed were not as pleasant.
"She loves having fun and she acts in a childish manner despite her age. There is no set rule on what kind of people she likes, the friends she made in the Seireitei comes from all walks of life. I don't approve of some of them, but so far they had not been a totally bad influence on her, so Sofu and I turn a blind eye. There's really no telling what her reactions to you will be."
Byakuya can see Hisana biting her lips nervously and he knows she is starting to worry once again.
"Don't worry too much. I don't see a reason why Rui will not accept you beyond the childish notion that you will steal me away from her, but I don't think it is likely that this scenario will happen. She can be mature in her thoughts despite her childish behaviour." Byakuya said in the most reassuring tone he can manage as he cupped Hisana's face with his hand.
The two of them spent their remaining time in blissful silence as they sat down on the wooden porch and watched the flowers in the garden of the Kuchiki manor. That silence will be broken when Kurui returns home from the Seventh Division and it will never be back until she leaves for work again, so he is milking every chance he has right now to enjoy his peace and quiet.
Hopefully, Kurui will grow to love Hisana as her new sister.
"She isn't back yet?" Ginrei asked the moment he entered the dining room where Byakuya and Hisana are already seated and waiting for the youngest member of their family to arrive. Ginrei sat himself down at the end of the table, a spot reserved for the elder that signifies his importance in the family. The table itself is already filled with delicious delicacies, many of them are favourite dishes of Kurui's and Hisana's. Byakuya had wanted to make it easier to convince Kurui to accept Hisana as her sister-in-law and he knows her mood is usually better after a good meal, so he went the extra mile to ask the chefs working in their kitchen to prepare Kurui's favourite dishes on top of Hisana's.
"I'm afraid not, Sofu." Byakuya tried to hold back the sigh in his voice. For some reason, he and Sofu are just not capable of controlling Kurui and her desire to venture to unknown places. "Maybe something new has caught her attention on her way back again."
Hisana tried to process whatever new information she had just gleaned about Kurui as she sat in her seat silently. From what she gathered so far, Byakuya was right to say that Kurui is unpredictable. There is no rhyme nor reason for her to do what she did.
"Sooooofuuuuuu!"
From out of nowhere, a black little blur barrelled into the dining room and latched onto Ginrei immediately. The looks on Ginrei's and Byakuya's face told Hisana that they were taken by surprise too, it seems that the two Shinigamis did not sense Kurui's presence before she made her sudden entrance.
"Rui." Ginrei said in a gentle voice that Hisana would never expect the stern elder to use as he dotingly pats his granddaughter on her head. "You look well."
"Of course I am well!" Kurui said with a pout as she put her hands on her hips. "Why won't I be?"
"Of course, of course." Ginrei said with a hearty laugh and Kurui turned around, spotting Byakuya immediately."
"Nii-sama!"
Kurui crashed into Byakuya in a glomp as Byakuya plucked the energetic Kuchiki off him with practised ease.
"Rui, behave yourself."
"You are boring, Nii-sama." Kurui made a face and stuck her tongue out at him. She turned her head again, and this time she spotted her.
"Hello." Hisana spoke in the most confident, approachable, and gentle voice she can muster and pushed all her nervousness into the deepest confines of her mind. "My name is Hisana. It is nice to meet you, Kurui."
A period of silence followed as Kurui stared at Hisana without moving. It got to the point that even Ginrei and Byakuya started to have worried looks on their faces. Hisana herself is trying her best not to appear uncomfortable under Kurui's scrutinising gaze.
Byakuya was about to shake Kurui out of her stupor when she broke out of it herself.
"Nii-sama." She said in a calm tone that is uncharacteristic of her usual talkative self as she spun to face him. It got the alarm bells in his head, the ones that only rung when it has anything to do with Kurui, to ring loudly. This time, the ringing is the loudest he had ever experienced.
Kurui pointed a finger at Hisana.
"Marry her already."
Cue another period of silence.
"Nii-saaaamaaaaaaaa." Kurui whined as she walked up to him, tugged on the long sleeves of his clothes and waved an obnoxious hand in front of his face. "Hello? Ding-dong! Anyone in there? Earth to Nii-sama!"
"I can hear you just fine." Byakuya grumbled as he took a quick glance in Hisana's direction. She seems relieved that Kurui didn't harbour any ill feelings towards her. There is also a faint blush on her cheeks, most likely due to what Kurui had said after her silence.
"When are you getting married?" Kurui asked excitedly as she disappeared with a shunpo and reappeared by latching onto his back, forcing Byakuya to piggyback her. Hisana have to forcefully hold back her laughter at the sight of her lover getting manhandled by his sister. This is a side of Byakuya that she hasn't yet seen before.
"We are still dat-"
"Grow a pair and PROPOSE to her already!" Kurui shouted in her brother's ear as he nearly stumbled from the sudden increase in volume. Ginrei had opted to ignore the happenings in front of him as he suddenly found the fine antiques in the dining room to be extremely interesting to watch, choosing to leave Byakuya to his fate if it means Kurui will not be bugging him.
"There is also the issue of the clan elders to-"
"Those old-timers? They are still giving you a hard time?" Kurui said with a scoff which was replied by a flick of Byakuya's finger to her head at her disrespectful remark. Kurui dropped down from his back and returned a glare at her older brother as she nursed her forehead where Byakuya had flicked his fingers on.
In an unpredictable move, Kurui spun on her heels of her foot and walked out of the dining room, catching everyone by surprise once again.
"Rui? Where are you going?"
"To make sure the old-timers won't be an obstacle for the two of you. It just so happens that I know the old-timers will be gathered at the West Wing around this time for their weekly shogi sessions, so it is a good opportunity for me to be giving all of them a visit. See you later! Won't be long! I expect you and Hisana-nee to be married by the end of next week! I will only take a few minutes!"
"Rui! Get back here!"
"How." Ginrei spoke in a mixture of disbelief, amazement, and apprehension as he looked down at his granddaughter, who is looking up at him with that beaming smile of hers. She looks almost like an eager puppy who had done something worthy to be called an achievement and is waiting for his praise.
"How what? You need to be more specific, Sofu. I am not a mind reader."
"How did you get the clan elders to change their mind in…" Ginrei took a pause as he tried to recall just how long his lovely granddaughter had took. He is sure that even brewing a nice cup of tea takes even longer than what she just did.
"Secret~~"
"No, seriously. Rui, just what did you do?"
Kurui turned around in a dramatic fashion to face her older brother, who had posed the question to her on their grandfather's behalf. Hisana's mouth is agape, her expression similar to the one Ginrei is sporting, only that there is also a hint of gratefulness to it. After what Kurui had done, there are no longer any obstacles standing in the way of the marriage between her and Byakuya.
"Well, if a dog misbehaves, there are two ways to correct their behaviour." Kurui started to hold her head high with her chest puffed out, speaking as if she is a lecturer giving an important lesson that they all should remember by heart. "It is either the carrot, or the stick. In this case, the stick is a more effective approach."
Ginrei and Byakuya both facepalmed. Ignoring the fact that Kurui had just referred their esteemed clan elders as mere dogs, her explanation still doesn't tell them just what exactly she had done.
"You… threatened them?"
Hisana spoke out softly in a hesitant manner, as if fearing that breathing a single wrong word will incur Kurui's displeasure.
"Threaten is too harsh a word to use, Hisana-nee." Kurui said playfully as she hopped over to Hisana's side, who is obviously surprised that Kurui had taken to accepting her as her own elder sister immediately, and effectively acknowledging the relationship between her and Byakuya.
"I would say that I… very helpfully remind them that they could very well lose their positions as clan elders if, for example, slip on a banana peel and knock their head on a metal pole that just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, causing them to-"
"That." Byakuya said in a reprimanding tone as he pulled on Kurui's ear, who is now yelling at him to let go. "Is the very definition of threaten, Rui."
Hisana allowed a small smile on her face as she watches Rui arguing with Byakuya. Byakuya may look as if he is giving Kurui a scolding, but there is no real bite to it. He secretly approves of what Kurui had done.
"- and you are a big meanie! I prefer Hisana-nee more, hmpf!"
Rui reappeared beside Hisana again with a flicker, who decided that she should try and get used to the Kuchikis' love of travelling around unannounced with shunpo. Kurui wrapped her arms around Hisana's left and proceed to drag her along.
"Come, Hisana-nee, let's leave Nii-sama here while we eat our meal."
"Rui-"
"LALALA I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM NII-SAMA!"
Hisana turned back to look at Byakuya and Ginrei, not knowing how to react to Kurui's actions. Ginrei had started to follow after them while Byakuya has that annoyed look on his face after Kurui had stolen her away from him.
Hisana has a feeling that she will be spending a lot of time with her new sister. She is unsure if someone like her deserves another sibling. After all, she had ditched her own sister. She doesn't deserve someone as accepting as Kurui to call her Hisana-nee of all things.
However, she also knows that Byakuya's greatest wish right now is for her and Kurui to get along with each other, and she admits that she does have a soft spot for the young Kuchiki. Kurui had even took the effort to get the clan elders to accept her marriage to Byakuya without question, even if it was done with thinly veiled threats. Byakuya had initially said that it might take a few years before the clan elders even consider their union a possibility, but with Kurui's interference, it seems that she might be married to Byakuya years earlier than expected.
For this, she will be forever grateful to this new sister of hers. She had failed her own younger sibling once; she will not fail another. Never again.
Byakuya watched on as Kurui chattered with Hisana without a care in the world. They had finished their meal and the entire family is now resting in a pavilion, watching the sakura flowers that dotted their manor. He is glad that Kurui didn't kick up a big fuss over getting himself a girlfriend, and one that he didn't tell her about until the very last minute. To top it off, he was already planning on marrying Hisana when Kurui had finally got wind of the news. He wasn't sure if Kurui would like the sudden change in their family. He was afraid of introducing Hisana to Kurui because even he is unsure what Kurui's reactions will be. Kurui can be possessive of the people she cares about, and he was scared that Kurui might think that Hisana's presence will mean that Hisana will 'steal' him away from her. Kurui can be childish when it comes to things like this, so he thinks that his fears are not unfounded.
Thankfully, she accepted Hisana immediately, and even somehow managed to threaten the clan's elders to accepting the union between him and Hisana within minutes after she returned home. If it were left up to him, his meticulous nature would mean years of delicate planning to ensure that he can finally marry the woman of his life without complications. Kurui had just drastically shortened that time for him.
But.
"And do you know that Nii-sama really hates to eat nuts after that? I mean, come on! It was just-"
The only thing that he really wishes right now, is that Kurui doesn't steal Hisana away from him. She had practically shooed him away from Hisana during dinner, taking the seat beside her where he is supposed to sit as Hisana's intended.
Yes, he is jealous. Of his little sister no less. Jealous of his little sister monopolising his girlfriend's, no, his fiancée's time.
Their grandfather simply sat on a rocking chair that Kurui had gifted him a few months back as he basked in the happiness. She had found and asked an experienced carpenter to make one, and their grandfather had loved the present. Now, rocking chairs can be found in every place that their grandfather frequents in the manor. His bedroom, the pavilion, his study, and so on and so forth.
"I know, right! Nii-sama can be so childish and stupid at times! And oh, oh! Have I told you-"
Byakuya decided that now is the time to step in. Monopolising Hisana's time and stealing her away from him is one thing. Telling her all about his embarrassing moments is another. It seems that his initial worries about Kurui not accepting Hisana is uncalled for. In fact, the two of them get along with each other too well.
"Rui. The kettle is boiling."
Kurui gave him a glare, one that he had long since grew used to seeing in the years that he had watched her grew up. Despite her dissatisfaction at being interrupted, Kurui walked over to the kettle and started to brew cups of tea for each of them. The moment she is done, she offered the first cup to their grandfather, who accepted it eagerly. Kurui is very good at brewing tea, something that none of them would have expected from her.
Kurui had started to learn about tea ceremonies at a young age, right after she realised that their grandfather loves his tea as much as he loves his sword. It was unexpected, that the energetic girl that cannot sit still for more than a minute would voluntarily ask them to get her an instructor to teach her about tea ceremonies. They know how much she dislikes acting like a noble and all the 'troublesome routines and ceremonies that comes with being one', in her own words.
As usual, the two elder Kuchikis indulged her whims, although they were not expecting her interest in it to last for more than a week. As if defying all expectations they have for her, Kurui performed splendidly in each of her lessons with her instructor.
It wasn't long before the two realised that the reason Kurui would willingly sit herself down to learn about tea ceremonies and how to properly brew a nice cup of tea is because of their grandfather. She had decided to learn something that is against her nature because of her love for her grandfather. It was a touching moment for them, and it was then they realised that Kurui is a lot more mature and smarter than they give her credit for. Kurui had started to personally brew tea for their grandfather after that, something that he enjoys immensely. Before Kurui left them to join the Academy, she would personally brew flasks of tea every morning so that their grandfather can bring it with him when he goes to work at the Sixth Division's barracks. Their grandfather had missed her tea when she was no longer around to do so after she joined the Academy. The ones that the servants brewed never smelled and tasted as fragrant as the one Kurui did, even if they had done it nicely.
The four of them sat around each other as they sipped on the hot beverage Kurui had brewed for them. Byakuya took satisfaction in the fact that he now has the chance to finally sit beside Hisana.
"Nii-sama, are you jealous?"
Kurui's sudden inquisitive question got his eye twitching in response. He knows she is spot on in her observation, but his pride will never let him admit it.
"No, I'm not. I am just rescuing Hisana's ears from your noisy chattering."
"Awww, Nii-sama! I didn't know you can get jealous!" Kurui shifted herself closer to Byakuya and wagged her right eye suggestively. Byakuya had to resist the urge to call upon his newly attained Bankai to wipe that look off his sister's face. His other hand is just hovering over the hilt of his zanpakuto right now.
"I don't know what you are talking about. If you are so free, go practice on your Hakuda. You are still abysmal at it."
What went unsaid is that he would finally have time to spend with Hisana once his noisy and talkative sister lost herself in practicing the combat arts.
"Sooofuuu! Nii-sama is a big bully!"
Ginrei merely gave a disinterested look at her before returning to sipping on his tea in contentment. The wise elder had known by now not to get himself involved in Kurui's shenanigans.
"Hisana-neeeee!"
"Hisana, don't listen to Rui. She is a spoiled brat."
"Nii-sama!"
Hisana sat down on a chair in Kurui's room as the young Kuchiki girl insisted on helping to comb her hair. Hisana didn't want to overstay her welcome initially and had wanted to return back to her home in the Rukongai. However, Kurui had insisted on her staying in the manor, saying that since it is more or less confirmed that Hisana is now going to be the next matriarch of the Kuchiki clan, it will be safer for her to live in the Kuchiki Family Manor instead of her house in the Rukongai. Byakuya had jumped on the chance and agreed as well. He had told her previously many times that she can stay at the manor whenever she wants and however long she wants, but back then Hisana was afraid of wagging tongues and the impact it will have on Byakuya. Furthermore, it was a crucial time for him when he was about to be appointed as the new head of the clan. She will not allow herself to drag him down. She knows that her home is constantly watched by the Kuchiki clan's personal guards even if she had never spotted them before. Byakuya will never let her go unguarded given how protective he is of her.
Ginrei didn't say anything about Kurui's insistence, but the look in his eyes had conveyed to her that he also agrees with his grandchildren. Ginrei had left the decisions on how to best run the Kuchiki clan to Byakuya the moment he passed on the mantle of the Head of the Kuchiki clan to him.
And so, now begins the first night that she will live at the Kuchiki manor. This is her new home starting from now. She and Byakuya aren't officially married to each other yet and going by their clan's traditional take on things, they are not allowed to share a single room. Thus, Kurui had dragged her to her own room, saying that they should have some 'sister-bonding' time.
"Um… Hisana-nee. I know this is a personal question, but…"
"You can just speak your mind, Rui." Hisana said gently as she allowed the young girl to continue combing her hair. Kurui had grown on her in the short span of a single day. She can see why Byakuya and his grandfather doted on her. Despite Kurui's childish tendencies, she has her own mature side and she also loves just as hard. Being around Kurui never fails to make them smile.
"Do you… have other family members? I mean, you and Nii-sama never said anything about it and I found it weird that you agreed to stay here after I proposed the idea. Most women would have said something along the lines of 'my parents would have disagreed' or something."
"I don't have parents, Rui." Hisana spoke in her soft voice as she shared more of her past with the girl. "I do have a younger sister, once. I am still searching for her, and hopefully she will forgive me when I find her."
"What's her name?"
"Rukia." Hisana whispered the name of her sister as a look of melancholy crossed her face. Where is Rukia now? How is she doing? Is she even alive?
"Then I will help search for her." Kurui said in certainty. "You came from the 78th district, right? I will ask Captain Komamura to post me there on some kind of mission when I report back to work tomorrow. I am sure he will agree. I can help look for your sister there."
"There's no need for you to do this for me!" Hisana said in alarm as she tried to turn around, but Kurui's hand pressed on her shoulders and kept her seated on the chair.
"You are my brother's girlfriend and soon-to-be wife. That makes you my sister and family. Of course I will help." Kurui said as she finally finished combing Hisana's hair. "I think you and Nii-sama are made for each other. I haven't seen him smile so genuinely in such a long time."
"Are you sure that is not because you always give him high blood pressure and migraines with your antics?" Hisana teased as she finally convinced herself that she is truly accepted by the Kuchikis. So what if she is born a commoner? So what if the clan elders don't accept her from the bottom of their hearts? What truly matters is that Byakuya and his family had accepted her. That is all she needs.
"What antics?! I am not a monkey!"
"Strange, Byakuya-sama always calls you a little monkey." Hisana continues with her relentless teasing as she can't help but let a smile rest on her face. Byakuya never fails to tell her how his sister's misbehaviours drove him up the wall. Sometimes quite literally too.
"Hisana-neeeee!"
