Chapter 4- Office Etiquette

Kuchiki Byakuya was pleased; actually he was very pleased because he had finally found someone with enough past experience and suitable qualifications to fill the post of his personal assistant/secretary. The old woman who had occupied the post previously had been there since perhaps Byakuya's father had been CEO and he really was becoming concerned about her welfare since she seemed to be forgetting bits and pieces of information. You see, she had one time absently brought Byakuya a cup of soft drink instead of coffee when he had actually ordered some tea, among many other silly little errors. So really, it was time the old woman had retired.

Now Byakuya prided himself in being able to spot talent and was, well all the more pleased when he realised that his hunch that Hisana would make a perfectly efficient secretary had been accurate. She was punctual, she was neat, she was obsequious and when pushed a little was perhaps a little too loquacious. But all in all she was what he needed in an assistant.

Now of course, the fact that he was pleased with her performance didn't mean he hadn't tried her any; all new employees of his family run corporation were put under a trial period for one entire month; something the employees themselves were all perfectly ignorant of. So when he gave Hisana some of the most fool hardy assignments (which he couldn't help but silently chuckle at when she grumpily disappeared behind his door) he would watch in rapt amusement as she struggled to get them done. She always managed to succeed though and Byakuya would often find himself wondering what exactly comprised the core of her soft but fragile nature; she fascinated him…

Now Hisana couldn't help but gape at her superior every time he ordered her to engage in these ridiculous tasks and she would often find herself wondering how on earth such a cold, emotionless man could come up with these extremely absurd errands.

He had ordered her at one point to call a prestigious sculptor to begin work upon one of the most… uh… well bizarre looking figures she had ever seen. He had seriously queried her about the design, asking her opinion and listening to her frank answers. (She had been trying as hard as was humanly possible to not succumb to the laughter that had been tickling her throat.) Byakuya had also compelled her to go with his part time driver, Abarai Renji to pick up the commissioned piece of art. Renji had been kind enough to explain to her that Byakuya was a pretty weird guy and that she would in time get used to it. So she helplessly put her trust in the red headed driver's words and hoped that this stoic man called Kuchiki Byakuya would one day realise that for a serious guy he had a really weird taste in art.

But of course as time wore on Hisana finally began to realise that all of the tasks that had been assigned to her initially, had only been given so as to test her loyalty to the company and ultimately its Chief Executive Officer. So she was quite pleased when she finally began to engage in the regular tasks accorded to her position at the company and she contentedly settled down into her work routine, grateful for a well paying salary and a boss who did not seem to be interested in the shape of her legs beneath her modest skirts.

Despite her contentment however another realisation had also dawned upon the young assistant, something she was both admittedly amazed and confused about. She was not surprised to find that many women both within and outside of the company well, actually lusted after her boss; that was understandable. He had the ability to trigger such reactions from members of the opposite sex but she had almost fallen flat on her face when one of her female colleagues had asked her to attend a 'Kuchiki Byakuya Fan Club Committee' meeting. Alright Byakuya was handsome but there was a secret club dedicated to him? That was insane!

"What!" she had exclaimed in uncontained disbelief. Her colleague had eyed her in open confusion and had asked, "Well don't you think him a devastatingly distracting and sexy man?"

"Uh-am… well…I…"

Her colleague had scandalously laughed then and had walked away with a look of smug superiority plastered all over face. "See." She had elatedly quipped, "He is ir-re-sis-ti-ble. His name alone caused you to immediately fall into a state whereby you were absolutely lost for words!"

Hisana had ignored the resounding taunt and had angrily buried herself in her work thereby totally refusing to engage in any such meetings that were held in honour of that arrogant man as she silently grumbled away at the absurdity of it all.

Apart from the fact that these women lusted after her superior she was however quite simply astonished to learn that they also seemed to begrudge her of her position and her apparent 'proximity' to him. Becoming quite annoyed at some of their ominous gazes and little hisses she had once and for all cleared up the matter when she had calmly told all the girls in one of the company's 'Annual Female Workers Day Convention' that Kuchiki Byakuya was not interested in her in any romantic way and they, the other girls were most certainly entitled to lust after him for all she cared, (after all why would those stupid girls think she should care?) He was the last man she wanted anything to do with and least of all have an affair with, firstly because she would never forget how appallingly arrogant he had been on their first encounter and secondly because… well because… well… she still had to find a valid second reason but she really didn't like him, of that she was most certain.

One day she had come into the office a little earlier than expected to finish typing out and emailing some letters that had needed her attention for the longest while. She was quite surprised then when she had found Byakuya, (with his shirt rolled up to his elbows and his tie loosely and carelessly hanging from around his collar) sitting in her chair with a complicated blue sheet spread out before him. Did the man ever cease working?

"Mr. Kuchiki…?" she uncertainly queried as she rested her handbag upon her desk.

He glanced up at her and cocked an eyebrow at her innocuous presence so early in the morning. "Is there anything I can help you with sir?" she patiently asked as she took in his dishevelled appearance. (Had he even gone home last night?)

He sighed, agitatedly ran his hands through his long black tresses, ruffled the sheets of the papers before him before gathering them up in his hands and moving towards his office.

"No." he emotionlessly asserted with his back towards her, "I do not wish to be disturbed today Hisana." And with that he securely shut the door behind him leaving a confused Hisana in his wake. She blankly stared at the closed door and shook her head at his evidently worn out deportment. She could have seen it; he was absolutely and positively tired. Didn't he realise that he was only human? He really did work more than was necessary but in any case the company was desperately trying to come up with an efficient design for the next line of its new generation of hybrid vehicles. If she were perhaps a bit more familiar with her superior she would have suggested to him that he take a day off, but that was most certainly not her place. As much as she was worried about him, she could not bring herself to air her concerns. He worked too much as far as she was concerned and perhaps needed a little slack time. It was admirable that he was dedicated to the company's cause, he was of course its CEO but still he needed to take a breather. For the past few months she had been working in the company thus far she had never actually seen him with so much as a look of relief on his face.

Now of course poor Hisana hadn't even realised that she was actually worried about a man she had sworn she didn't like, so concerned was she that Byakuya was working a little too much…

About thirty minutes later, just as she had finished typing out a perfectly tedious speech that was to be given by Byakuya next week in a trade union meeting she was duly disturbed by the soft clicking of stilettos upon the gleaming marble tiles of the office. Hisana quickly glanced up then and blinked in confusion at the beautiful woman expectantly standing before her desk, her dangerously red lips pouting down at her.

"Um- how can I help you ma'am?" Hisana uncertainly queried.

"Could you enlighten Byakuya as to my presence…uh little miss, he's expecting me." The woman was by now absently glancing at her perfectly shaped and polished nails as she flicked her silken wave of flowing strawberry blonde hair behind her.

"I am sorry ma'am," Hisana stiffly muttered, for she had been deeply offended by the address of 'little miss' "Mr. Kuchiki has asked not to be disturbed this morning-"

"Excuse me?" the woman's eyes were dangerously flashing down at Hisana, "I am most certain that Byakuya will never refuse to see me." The woman continued to examine her nails again as she confidently waited for Hisana to alert her superior. Hisana however was by now perfectly seething. There was no way this arrogant woman was going to come up here and tell her who and whom she could and could not allow to see her boss! Hisana firmly raised her eyes up to the woman and in as a professional a manner as she could muster she attempted again to refuse the woman, "I am very sorry ma'am but he specifically instructed me to not disturb him, now if you would-"

"Now listen here sugar plum," The woman's eyes had narrowed in a snake like fashion and she was glowering down at Hisana as she dangerously snarled, "There is no way that your precious 'Mr. Kuchiki' will never see me, you see I am-"

"Hisana what on earth is going on out here!"

Both Hisana and little miss prissy's gaze instantly swivelled over to his door in surprise. Byakuya's eyes were dangerously flashing and his hair seemed more dishevelled than before. There was low snarl upon his lips and he looked almost as though he was about to explode at any given point.

"M-Mr. Kuchiki, sir, this woman is demanding to see you and she won't listen-"

"What on earth do you want Matsumoto?" he tiredly glanced over at the tall blonde haired woman before agitatedly running his hands through his hair once more.

"Oh my goodness…!" she immediately purred "Byakuya darling look at you! You need a holiday! What on earth have they been doing to you all alone up here?" She had immediately switched on the charm and had quite frankly forgotten Hisana's presence.

Byakuya cocked an eyebrow at the woman's chirpy address before tiredly sighing and folding his arms against his chest as he leaned himself up against the frame of his door. "I have been working." He stiffly murmured as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You should…really take some time off…" she suggestively raised her eyebrow at him as she slowly twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. Hisana almost found herself puking in disgust at the display.

"Oh…?" Byakuya softly murmured as his eyes lingeringly ran over her frame.

The woman had by now silkily snaked herself up into his arms before circling her hands around his neck, her fingers elegantly brushing away the errant strands of hair that fell into his smokey eyes. "We could go to dinner tonight…or do something a little more convenient…" she softly purred into his ear as one of her hands caressingly began to run down his front before coming to rest upon the warmth of his chest beneath his shirt.

Hisana could perfectly see the entire episode playing out before her and she was desperately trying, with very little success, to curb the stab of hatred running through her veins… She could have only curled her hands into two tight fists beneath her desk as they shook in utter rage. How dare that insolent woman… UGH! And Byakuya? And Byakuya was allowing this! In an office! Did he not have any professional etiquette! Did he not realise she was sitting here… watching this…

"I'll call you…" he softly murmured before caressingly cupping the woman's cheek and smoothly removing her hands from around his neck in an effort of easing her away from him.

"You promise?" she soft whispered, disappointment lighting her eyes as he disengaged himself from her.

Byakuya expressionlessly observed her for a moment before closing his eyes, "Yes."

"Good, I'll see you tonight then…Byakuya…" and with that she blew him a provocative kiss before purposefully and seductively swaying her way out of the office. Hisana was still shaking in rage as she watched the wretched, no social decorum, falling all over Byakuya, woman. She closed her eyes in an attempt of assuaging her anger and softly counted to ten before opening them once more. She was surprised then when she perceived her boss's frame suddenly standing before her desk.

His eyes were narrowed with a frigid tinge chilling their depths, his brows knitted in obvious ire and his lips pressed with an ever deepening scowl. "Hisana…?" his voice was soft, yet absolutely dangerous and Hisana felt herself softly tremble in terror as his deadly aura began to slowly permeate the perimeter around them. "When I ask not to be disturbed, I do seriously mean it."

Hisana's eyes widened upon his accusing tone and she bemusedly began to stutter. "B-but I told her not to-"

Much to Hisana's surprise Byakuya had suddenly leaned in over the desk and had skilfully captured her chin between his index and thumb. She had fallen dumb the moment his fingers had touched her chin, her lips quivering in fright. She had never been this close to him in her life and she could smell the alluring scent of his cologne as it lingered in the air between them.

"M-Mr. Kuchiki…?" she nervously whispered, her heart pounding deep within her chest. She was unsure of what exactly he was going to do and she was very, very afraid…

He intently eyed her then, his face merely inches away from hers before he tenderly tilted her head up to his own. Hisana felt her eyes widen in disbelief as she observed the softening in his eyes if only for a moment and the lapse in their cold glint as he lingeringly began to trace his thumb over her trembling lips.

"Are you afraid of me…?" he softly asked as he leaned further in. Hisana was blinking in helpless confusion and she was certain he could almost hear the drumming of her heart. She nervously gulped before slowly shaking her head in the negative.

"Good…" he whispered his lips mere centimetres from hers. He brushed passed her cheek then and softly whispered into her ear, "I don't want you to ever be afraid of me Hisana, so next time, when I say no disturbance I really mean it…"

And before Hisana could fully comprehend the nature and implication of his actions he had swiftly turned on his heel, his back towards her as he made his way to his office again. "Do not answer any calls this evening and please switch of my cellular phone as soon as possible." His voice had resumed its expressionless undertones. "I left it on your desk. I do not intend to be disturbed for the rest of the day."

Sorry if I made Matsumoto sound somewhat bitchy… but somebody had to get the role right…? I mean I like her she's really funny but I didn't know who else to put in there and she seemed SO perfect for the role. Um if anybody read the latest manga chapter, did u see her in it? I wonder what's gonna happen now that she's turned up.. exciting stuff!