"Caaaaptaaaaain!"
"Kurui." Sajin greeted his previous subordinate with a curt nod from where he was standing outside the Ninth Division and about to enter the building. "What brings you here to the Ninth Division?"
"I'm helping Captain Shiba to deliver some super secret important paperwork to Captain Tosen!" Kurui replied brightly as she held up said paperwork in her arms. "Let me guess, you are here to visit Captain Tosen as well?"
"That I am." Sajin nodded in reply as the two of them strolled into the Ninth Division with Sajin leading the way. "How's life at the Tenth Division?"
"It's so fun!" Kurui visibly lit up at the thought. "Captain Shiba and Rangiku are very fun people! Ne, ne, Captain, you should visit the Tenth Division when you are free! We can bully Shiro-kun together! He's no fun at all! We need to liven him up a little!"
"Please don't traumatise the poor boy any further." Sajin said with a sigh, knowing about the relationship between the two geniuses of Seireitei.
"What traumatise? It's all in good fun! He needs to live a little! He never smiles! What did Momo see in that little prick anyway?! He's so dense that he will never know that Momo actually likes him unless we put them stark naked in the same room together and make them confess to each other!"
Sajin gave Kurui an incredulous look even if it cannot be seen due to his helmet.
"Oh, oh! We should do this as a prank!" Kurui said happily at the thought as she bounced on her feet. "I should totally get Ginny to help! And Yachiru too! We can do this together! Then we will have little Shiro-kun and little Momo-chan running around nine months later!"
"Kurui."
"Captain~ Come on! This will be fun!"
Both of them had reached Tosen's office by now. Sajin slid it open, knowing that his good friend would have heard him coming a long time ago.
"Sajin, Kurui." Tosen acknowledged with a nod in their direction from where he is sitting behind his desk doing paperwork.
"Kaname." Sajin greeted back as Kurui cheerfully greeted his best friend with "HELLO CAPTAIN TOSEN!" at the top of her lungs.
"The Kurui Special Delivery has arrived!" Kurui exclaimed in that energetic manner of hers as she waved the large stack of paperwork about. "Where should I put this, Captain Tosen?"
"Here." Kaname pointed to an empty spot on his table. "Thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard at all!" Kurui replied with a smile on her face. "By the way, do you know-"
"Hisagi will be at the training field at this time. You know where it is."
"Yay! I won't be bothering you then, Captain Tosen! Bye! Bye Captain Komamura! I will leave you two alone and go bother Shu instead!"
"Please do not land him in the hospital like before. I want my Fifth Seat alive, not dead by Raining Sakura." Sajin found it amusing when Kaname shot those words at the departing Kurui, who merely replied with "What doesn't kill him makes him stronger!" before leaving the office with a burst of speed. Kaname merely let out an audible sigh and shook his head at the response as the Kuchiki princess disappeared from view.
"She's an energetic one alright."
"The Seventh Division hasn't been quite the same without her around." Sajin agreed as he took a seat opposite his friend as his friend poured them some tea. It's not as nice as the one Kurui will brew for him when the girl was still his subordinate, but then again not even their Captain Commander has the same proficiency as the girl when it comes to making tea.
"You are not here for just a casual visit, are you?"
As always, his friend is so perceptive. Sajin put down his cup as he turned serious.
"There are some things that the Captain Commander wants us to do…"
"Shuuuuu~ Miss me?"
"No."
"Awww, it was all in good fun! Come on!" Shuhei pointedly ignored his best friend who was running around him in circles while flapping her arms while he practiced his Zanjutsu in the training field. Kurui braked to an abrupt stop as she leaned her face in close to his with a sheepish look on her face.
"I'm sorry?"
Shuhei irritatedly gestured to the multitude of bandages currently wrapped around his person. His entire body still hurts after so long.
"I'm super sorry?" She said as she put her palms together in an apologetic gesture, her facial expression equally apologetic. "I mean, I really didn't expect Nii-sama to go Bankai all over you… Eheheheh..."
Shuhei sighed. This is Kurui for you. You just can't get mad at her.
But he still felt really, really annoyed at what had happened to him because of her.
"You owe me a good meal. A really good one."
"Okay! I will make sure mackerel will be on the menu too! All the mackerel you want! Promise! Like pinky promise!"
"That's more like it." Shuhei grumbled, not like there's any real bite in it because this is Kurui he is talking about. He can never get mad at her.
"So…" Kurui leaned in obnoxiously close to him as she peered up at his face by his side. "Did your near death experience by Nii-sama's hands allow you to unlock your Bankai…?"
"Wait. THAT's the real reason you did that? Near death experience?! Rui! There are better ways to go about unlocking one's Bankai!"
"But I told you! Your Zanpakuto's theme is death! Anime logic dictates that you have to go through a near death experience to undergo a power boost that goes kapow! Boom! Wham! Shing!" The energetic Kuchiki punctuated each of her sound effects with punches into the air. "Really! Trust me! This is for your own good!"
Shuhei facepalmed. Seriously, what the hell?
"Shuuuheeeei~"
"I'm not going to talk to you." He muttered darkly as he continued with his Zanjutsu training, still a little mad that that was the reason behind her actions.
Hisagi Shuhei tuned everything out as he continued his practice. He still doesn't like to call upon Kazeshini's Shikai form, so he had decided to make sure that he will be so skilled at Zanjutsu that he wouldn't need to rely on his Shikai unless absolutely necessary. That doesn't mean that he will not train himself in using Kazeshini's released form to its fullest extent, but he wants to make it such that using his Zanpakuto's ability will only be a last resort.
The clang of metal brought him out of his thoughts when that familiar nodachi blocked his blade and the petite girl looked up at him while blinking her eyes in that mischievous manner.
"Need a sparring partner? I won't talk, I promise. Just a good old Zanjutsu spar. Take it as an apology from me. I'm sorry, Shu. I went too far in that prank."
He can sense the sincerity in her voice even though he was still irritated that he of all people had to experience that terrifying Raining Sakura phenomenon. Still, this is his best friend and he is not one to hold grudges in the first place.
"Just don't do that the next time. You know what I'm talking about."
"Okay!" She chirped back and Shuhei can't help but blink twice. Was he seeing things? Did Kurui look a little sad just now?
Must be his imagination.
The day ended with him losing the Zanjutsu spar again. It was to be expected, considering that Kurui had always been excellent in this area of combat.
Those mackerels she treated him for dinner were really good though.
"What are you mumbling about?"
"Rukia? What are you doing here?"
"Taking a night stroll." Rukia responded as she sat herself beside Kurui on the wooden porch where the girl was lying on her stomach and plucking the petals of the flower in her hand one by one while mumbling something under her breath. Rukia frowned. It is not like Kurui to have such a heavy expression on her face.
"What's bothering you? You are usually a lot livelier."
"It's nothing." Kurui sighed as she threw the unlucky flower away. "Just me being stupid and emotional. I'm an idiot."
"You are a genius."
"Nah." Kurui waved it off as she supported her head by resting her chin on her palm as the both of them gaze at the full moon in the sky. "Even the smartest of people can easily become idiots under the right conditions. Like me right now. I'm an idiot."
Rukia can feel her eyebrows rising higher and higher at those unusual words. What's with Kurui today?
"How's your Shikai training coming along? Kaien is a good teacher, right?"
"He is." Rukia nodded, wisely deciding not to comment on that obvious change of topic. "My three dances are nearing perfection."
"Your Shikai is really pretty. Ah, if only mine is as pretty as yours and Nii-sama." Kurui sighed out loud as she kicked her legs childishly in the air while lying face down.
"Come to think of it, what's your Shikai? It's like you can do the impossible with all the nonsense you pull off everyday. There's no rhyme nor reason to what you can do."
"That's the whole point, my dear Rukia." Kurui replied cheekily with an equally cheeky grin. "It's supposed to keep you guessing. Between you and me, if the true nature of my Zanpakuto gets out there will be less than savoury creatures out for my head. Only Sofu, Nii-sama and Captain Commander will know what it truly is because I let them. Some of the older Captains might have their own suspicions, like Captain Kyoraku or Captain Ukitake and especially Captain Unohana, but I never confirmed anything. They are some of the oldest Captains around so it is kinda hard to fool them."
"That bad?" Rukia asked in concern.
"Bad only because even Soul Society isn't safe. Look what happened to me. I nearly got eaten by a hollow and till now we don't even know who's the traitor that stabbed me in the back."
"I'm not sure if there's anything I can do to help, but if you need it, just know that I'm here."
"Thanks, Rukia." Kurui said softly with a smile. "This means a lot to me, really. Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Rukia shook her head in fond exasperation. "We are sisters, right?"
"Uh huh." Kurui nodded before that usual sly look crept up her face once more. "Say, Nii-sama and Hisana-nee did retire to their bedroom really early tonight and it was right after dinner. Do you think…"
"Please don't say it." Rukia immediately held out a hand to stop that line of thought from polluting her mind. "I don't want to think about it."
"But Rukia! This concerns the future of the Kuchiki clan! Our cute little nephews or nieces!"
"I don't want to know what goes on in their bedroom. If they are really doing that, then all the more we shouldn't disturb them while they are doing the deed."
"Rukia~~~"
"Kurui, no."
"Please?" Kurui blinked her eyes at her in that manner of faux innocence. "We just tiptoe to outside their bedroom really stealthily and if we hear any weird noises we boot the hell out of there? Take it as stealth training?"
"I don't want to die by Raining Sakura." Rukia hissed back. "Are you crazy?! Byakuya-nii sama is a Captain! Captain! There's no way he couldn't sense us!"
"Will it be better if we drag Renji along then? If we die we all die together?"
"No!"
"Yes…?"
"NO!"
"Stop daydreaming." Kuchiki Byakuya gently knocked his knuckle on the top of his sister's head. She had been spacing out in her room for the past two hours in that same position he last saw her in. The book in her lap is still on the same page. She had obviously never read a single thing on it.
"Nii-sama~"
"Really, Rui. What's on your mind?" Byakuya asked in concern as he sat beside his little sister. It's not just him. His wife, Rukia, Renji. All of them had observed that Kurui had been spacing out a lot as of late. This is very unlike her. It's rare that all of them are free to spend time with each other in the first place and when they finally had a few days to spend some quality time as a family, the first thing they notice is how Kurui will just space out at the most random of times.
"I kind of miss Sofu, you know?" Kurui said with a sigh as she took out the tea set that the Captain Commander had given her to brew some tea for the both of them. It used to be for three, now it is for two. Maybe he should pull his wife, Rukia, and Renji together for some tea sessions with Kurui later. That might cheer her up.
It also didn't escape his notice that his sister had purposely diverted his attention away by mentioning their grandfather. It is no lie that she misses him, but whatever is causing her to daydream is definitely not because she misses their grandfather.
But if she really doesn't want to say what's really on her mind, then he won't push too hard. He will be there for her until whenever she wants to open up, because he is her big brother, her Nii-sama.
They both enjoy the tea in silence. The only sounds are the breeze entering the room through the window and the occasional chirps of birds outside.
"Nii-sama?"
"Yes?" He perked up when his sister asked him a question. Is there something she wants to talk to him about?
"How did you know when you…" Kurui trailed off in uncertainty, something very unlike her. Kurui is never uncertain. "Uhm, you know, like somebody else?"
The thunder boomed, he froze, the teacup in his hand shattered, his entire world shattered.
"You… like... somebody?"
Who is it? Which scoundrel stole his precious little sister's maiden heart? WHO?! Is he the reason why Kurui has been acting like that for the past few days? Oh he is so going to go all Bankai on that swine and nobody, even the Captain Commander, can stop him.
"I don't know!" Kurui whined as she kicked up a tantrum before spotting the shattered teacup. "And Nii-sama! My teacup is innocent! This is the one that the Captain Commander gave to me too! Now the set is incomplete! Waaahh~"
"I will get you a better one." He quickly promised his little sister lest she starts moaning and crying about the teacup for the whole of the next month. It won't surprise him if she really did so considering how much she loves this particular tea set because it is one that the Captain Commander had personally given her as a gift. "But Rui, who is it?"
"Not telling!" She stuck her tongue out at him in a defiant manner as she propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her palms. "I don't want it to be Raining Sakura or he might hate me! And answer my question!"
"You answer my quest-"
"No, you answer my question first because I asked first!"
The siblings glared at each other as sparks danced between their eyes. In the end, Byakuya relented as he gave in with an audible sigh.
"I guess the first signs will be that you cannot stop thinking about her, or in your case, him. Everything that person does will seem so right to you. All you would think about is what you can do for that person and you will never ask for anything in return. All you want is for them to be happy. That's how you know that you like somebody."
"Ah…" Kurui let out another sigh as she visibly deflated and Byakuya's eyes narrowed.
"It's that Hisagi, isn't it?"
"His name is Shuhei." Kurui clicked her tongue in annoyance, indirectly confirming his suspicion. He should have known. Of course it has to be him.
"What did he do to you?" Byakuya immediately pressed on, feeling a sense of worry and anger that he had never felt before. If that scoundrel dared to hurt his precious little sister in any way he is so going to pay. "Did he touch you inappropriately? Did he say something that hurt you? Did he insult your honour? What did he do? Rui, this is important. Stop hiding your face and answer me properly."
"No, no, no, no." Kurui answered each of his questions in turn as she continued to hide her face with her palms. "Shu is nice. Really really nice. It's just… just… I never thought that I would… I treated him as my best friend! MY BEST FRIEND! I never wanted to pursue any form of… that kind of relationship! But then when I realised it I just can't stop thinking about him and then everything I did just reminds me of him and then what if we cannot be friends anymore and- ARGH! I DON'T KNOW OKAY?! I'M PRETTY SURE HE HATES ME NOW AFTER WHAT I DID! THAT RAINING SAKURA! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"
Oh, that.
"Uh, sorry?"
"It's not your fault, it's mine." Kurui said listlessly as she went back to moping around and drawing circles on the tabletop with a finger. "I never thought that I would fall in love, Nii-sama. Thought that I would never need a man in my life because I am the mighty Kuchiki Kurui. Love is beneath me. And then he comes into my life like a silent breeze and before I knew it all I ever think about now is him. I don't know how to love, Nii-sama. I don't know what that word means other than looking it up with a dictionary. I even gave him a kiss on his cheek to see if he likes me. He's pissed about that. Like really pissed, so I laughed it off as a prank. Great. Now things are awkward for both of us."
Byakuya wanted to sigh, but he knows that is not an appropriate response when his little sister actually worked up the courage to confide such a private thought to him. For once, she is genuinely looking for proper advice.
"If it's any consolation, I won't rain petals on him anymore if it caused so much trouble for you."
"It's not about that anymore." Kurui clicked her tongue once again. "I'm just not sure if he's really not interested in me or if he doesn't get the hint. Everything I did is with his best interests in mind, you know? Like when I keep forcing him to use his Shikai to get over his fear of Kazeshini. Even when I set you on him to let you rain your petals of doom on him like hellfire. I really want him to awaken his Bankai as soon as possible and nothing is a better teacher than experience itself. Especially if it's a near death experience because as long as you survive it, you will grow stronger."
His sister rambled on and on with a soft expression on her face, no doubt thinking about that thrice damn Hisagi that had somehow stolen her heart.
"I told you how I managed to survive long enough for Kaien to reach me that time, didn't I? How I really invoked my true Shikai to save myself. Let's face it. We all know that something bad is coming. Times are changing. The Sereitei is slowly getting more and more dangerous to live in and I don't want him to get hurt for whatever reasons, so I want him to get stronger as quickly as possible. I want him to unlock his Bankai. I know he can do it. He's just too scared of himself because he's just so kind. Too kind to be a Shinigami and yet saddled with that kind of power. The power over life and death, that's Kazeshini."
Byakuya found himself at a loss for words as memories from that day assaulted him once more. Kurui's Shikai is a scary thing to face if used right. People will fear her for what it can do. It is how she kept doing the unexplainable even if in public, he acted like he also didn't know what her Shikai is and what it does in order to better protect her. The lesser people who know, the better. Her unreasonably powerful ability might explain that assassination attempt on her even if they quickly ruled her Shikai out as the reason behind that attempt on her life. There are better ways the assassin could go about doing the assassination if that really was the case.
"If you truly like him, then there is nothing that I can do to help you when it comes to the matter of the heart, Rui." Byakuya held in his sigh as he gave her his answer. "This is something that only the two of you can solve. Nobody else can."
"Figured that was the case." Kurui continues to draw her imaginary circles on the tabletop listlessly. "Nevermind. For now I'm satisfied with our current relationship. We have hundreds and thousands of years as souls anyway. I'm not in a real rush. Just seeing and teasing him everyday makes me very happy already."
Kurui let out another long sigh.
"Who would have thought I would fall for him of all people? I'm hopeless. I never wanted to fall in love."
"This is why people call this phenomenon falling in love." Byakuya reminded his sister. "Like the physical act of falling, you cannot help it but let it drag you along for the ride. When it happens, it happens. You cannot control it. It is nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Wow, my Nii-sama is so wise."
Byakuya can feel his lips twitching at the tone his little sister used. Well, at least she is back to normal seeing that the usual mischievous look had returned.
"I won't interfere with what you want to do about your relationship with Hisagi now that I heard what you said, but as a Lady of the Kuchiki clan, there are some lines that you cannot cross if the both of you ever decide to pursue a romantic relationship. At least, wait until marriage like how Hisana and I did."
"I know, I know." Kurui lazily waved it off. "You worry too much. That blockhead won't even think about it. Geez, it's like he doesn't even see me as a woman. Do I not have boobs, huh? I know they are a little on the small side but hey! Pretty sure I am one of the prettiest women walking around in the Seireitei! Look at my beautiful black hair! So smooth and silky! Is he blind like Captain Tosen?"
"Rui." Byakuya frowned as he took a sip of his tea. "Language."
"There's only us here. Who cares about language? Like fuck it all, right?"
"Rui."
"On a side note, how's it coming along with Hisana-nee?" That sly look appeared on her face once more as Kurui wagged an eyebrow at him in a suggestive manner. "You know, the baby making? Last night must be a very hectic night for the both of you, eh? You two never went to bed so early before and the both of you woke up later than usual this morning."
"I'm leaving." Byakuya stood to leave immediately with Kurui's laughter sending him off. She and her incessant teasing.
Still, Byakuya cannot help but let a small smile rest on his face. At least she's not moping about anymore. The things he does for his precious little sister.
Then again, it is what older brothers do.
