AN: Eheheh, a teensy bit late, but that couldn't be helped. Truckloads of work to do. Anyway, anything to say about the wonderful reviews I got, except you guys are all awesome? I can't believe I've been quoted! Such an odd picture in my mind. In all honesty, I don't know how I do it either. I wrote ninety percent of this entire story over Christmas in several long sessions. I was totally absorbed. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. I always thing enthusiasm is key, and I was wrote this almost obsessively. I'm rambling. Hah, Byakuya wanting sex… I suppose he is finally a normal guy. Hah, I never really thought about it a great deal, but it's good it's been brought to my attention. You'd think my brain was completely switched off when I wrote this considering the amount of people who have pointed out things I haven't thought about concerning the story. Such is life. Once again, thank you all! But now let's look at the sequel to radio-cassette player… chapter twenty-two, theme seventeen!

17. KHz

The radio cassette player was proving a hit with Hisana. She woke up, had breakfast with Byakuya, made light conversation while adamantly forcing her weakened hand to work her chopsticks. Byakuya left her for work and she retreated to her room, refusing to make eye contact with the house members, even if they had heeded Byakuya's words and now acted like she was a rabid dog with a status on par with Byakuya himself. Once safely sealed in her room, she would happily take hold of the cassette player, pick one of the blocky plastic 'tapes', shove it in the device and press the play button. And then she could lay back and be swept away by wonderful music.

The escape of music was heavenly. While lying in her room with the music going through the headphones, she could stay still with her eyes closed and imagine all sorts of things. Sometimes she was running through Rukongai, stealing to live, searching to gain absolution, other times she either imagined or replayed moments with Byakuya.

Of course, the music didn't solve everything, but it eased the dilemma she was in. She still turned over the idea of staying in the Kuchiki residence permanently. At the moment, the mere thought made her heart pound fearfully, as if staying there would be a tightening noose around her neck.

'He wouldn't hold me here like a caged bird. I'd be free to go where I pleased. What am I afraid of? He won't stop my search, he just would like me to live with him,' she thought angrily. Her heart betrayed her, still pounding.

'Commitment.' Her blood ran cold.

"So that's it…" she murmured. Hisana truly loved Byakuya, but there was a part of her that never wanted to be tied down anywhere. If she was going stir crazy with an injured hand, what about being tied to a house, to a person? The thought of her committing and then running away made her feel sick.

'I'd just be repeating history. Couldn't handle the responsibility of being tied to Rukia, so she was abandoned. Maybe if I can't cope being tied to Byakuya, I'll run again. Except I doubt he'd let me get away. Which makes it ten times worse. And would I live to regret it, like I did Rukia?' She hated thinking that way, but it was the truth. It hurt like hell.

'My own personal problems left Rukia in the cold. Because… I'm pathetically weak when people start leaning on me. I can't let everyone else prop me up and allow no-one to gain my help in return, even if it scares me I might fail and let them down…'

Hisana lay there, eyes closed, the music drowning out the world around her. All she could feel was the tears seeping out from under her eyelids down the sides of her face.

Hisana and Byakuya's meal together proved tense. Hisana was emanating tension, stiffly eating while avoiding Byakuya's gaze. Byakuya remained calm, but his eyes tried to meet hers intensively, exploiting every opportunity that arose when she had to reach with her chopsticks for more food.

Eventually, they finished, and Hisana sat with her hands curled into fists in her lap. Byakuya said nothing, but still watched her, seemingly trying to stare a reaction from her.

"Kuchiki-sama… my arm is almost better now. I've been spending time thinking about what you asked me, now the trial run is almost over," she finally said, meeting his eyes.

He was surprised she was on the verge of crying, but resolutely not letting any tears fall.

"Yes. It is fine if you don't wish to stay here, Hisana. I don't wish to cause you pain over it," he told her, frowning slightly. It disturbed him to see her look so upset. He didn't think he'd ever seen her like that.

"Thank you, but I already decided to stay here, if you don't mind. There's… a lot of stuff in my head that pressures me to run, but never in my life has that brought me happiness. I ran once from something important, and it's caused me the greatest pain. I won't make that mistake again."

Byakuya couldn't find any words in which to address her unelaborated words. He had an idea of what she was talking about, but couldn't be certain. And with the way she looked, he had no intentions of pressuring her to tell him. Instead he moved beside her and drew her into his arms. She clung to him with her good arm, burying her head in the crook of his neck, and he felt her tears finally fall.

"I won't run… I want to stay with you…" she mumbled with a soft sob. He didn't want to let her go. She appeared so fragile, shuddering under her distress.

"If there is anything I can do, you only have to tell me, Hisana," he said, holding her as tight as she did him. He felt her nod against neck, a few stray hairs tickling his face.

"I will, Kuchiki…" she whispered. He felt his lips press against her forehead and her eyes slid shut, content.

"Thank you, Hisana."

She wondered if it was because she took a tiny step in addressing him, for deciding to live with him, or something greater than that.

It didn't matter – to remain in that moment, hearing the steady sound of his heartbeat, feeling his calm breaths brush her hair and smelling the warm, male scent that was Byakuya – was all she needed.