THREE:

A Misinterpretation

There was rain outside of the auditorium, and rain on the inside too. Both were quite noisy. The sobs of parents and little sisters ricocheted off the walls while families and relatives awaited the ceremony. The realization that school was officially over did not hit Ichigo until Rukia swatted the back of his head.

"Ichigo, you slob," she said, and began to button his cuffs, rolling the hems over several times, and flattening them out neatly. "There are hundreds of people out there. You can't present yourself to the world like this."

He scoffed. "You should talk," he said. "You're the one wearing jeans to graduation."

Rukia did not look up at him. She gently turned his hands over, examining the fading bruises. She always did that, turn his hands over thoughtfully. Her tone went soft, "I'm not graduating with you. You're walking alone."

Ichigo frowned. "But you've been going to school for three years, and you've completed everything— "

"I've asked them to take my name off the program."

"But— " He saw that there were people staring. Lots of people were staring. Someone snickered.

"But Kuchiki-san," Inoue said loudly. "You deserve a diploma too."

Rukia smiled reassuringly. "I don't belong to this world," she said. "So, there really is no reason for me to intrude on your achievements." She released Ichigo's hand and took a step backward, placing between them a lonely and desolate gap. "I'm sorry, but you're walking alone today." She wished them both good luck and told Ichigo to straighten his tie, and then she was gone.

Standing there, alone in the middle of the band room, with just Inoue, it felt so lonely. Yet, standing there, with his graduating classmates all clustered near the walls, it also brought a sense of independence.

Ah, now he understood.

Straightening his shoulders, Ichigo turned to a defeated Inoue and said, "Don't look so glum. Rukia's got her reasons."

"But without a diploma, she can't come to college with us."

Ichigo shrugged, rubbing the sore lump on his head. "Yeah, but it won't matter. She'll come eventually. She always does, doesn't she?"

- - -

"Please," Matsumoto said, sitting at the Uruhara's table. "Please tell me what's going with Rukia and Ichigo."

Uruhara gave her a funny look. She really wasn't supposed to be here, but she just had to know what was going on. If Rukia was involved in a three-some romance, then surely Uruhara would know.

"What do you mean?"

"I heard something strange." She then told him all about the things she had heard last week. Of course she was breaking the rules just being there. And yes, she wasn't supposed to talk about it, but hadn't she already spilled the beans? Matsumoto had started all those horrible rumors, and she was determined to find out the truth.

By the time she was finished, Uruhara was wearing an oily smile.

"I see," he said. "Rukia hasn't told anyone about the ceremony has she?"

Matsumoto gapped. "What is it? Is she really walking down the aisle with Ichigo?"

"Oh yes," said Uruhara. "I don't know why you weren't told. They're walking today in fact."

She gasped. Heaven and hell, it was true! "T-today? The ceremony's today?"

Uruhara's lips twitched. "Yes, yes. About time, don't you think?"

"Oh, lordy!" She stood up. "Excuse me, but I have to hurry!"

"Don't forget a present," Uruhara called as she left the shop. He was half laughing. "It's traditional to give presents at this ceremony!"

- - -

"Give it a rest already," Karin told her sniffling sister as Rukia came to join them. "He's graduating and no amount of tears will stop him."

Taking her seat next to a sobbing Yuzu, Rukia smiled. "Hey," she said, pointing to a boy Yuzu's age. "Isn't that the boy you adore?"

The tears stopped almost instantly. Yuzu clapped her hands over her mouth and gave a small gasp. Her shoulders lifted, her eyes glittered. She was practically picked up off her chair by the mere sight of that boy.

Karin rolled her eyes. "His sister's graduating today too."

Yuzu nodded and sighed through her fingers. "He's so nice," she said. "And he has a nice smile." Then she turned to Rukia. "Rukia? Can I…can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

Yuzu hesitated, glancing back at the boy. "What do you like best in a boy?"

Well, it was certainly a surprising, if not awkward, question to answer. The old chair creaked as Rukia shifted uncomfortably. She stared at her knees, thinking and smoothing out the creases in her jeans.

"Truthfully?" An unexpected smile crept across her lips. "His hands. I love his hands…strong, bruised hands."

"Oh yes!" cried a cheerful voice from behind. "Strong hands are always a plus in a man!"

Rukia whirled around, mortified.

To her utter horror, she found Matsumoto standing behind them, wearing a frilly pink dress. She was dressed for what appeared to be an exceedingly formal occasion, like a wedding or a cocktail party. Her large breasts were spilling over the lacy pink bodice, and she was carrying a semi-large package under her arm.

"M-Matsumoto," Rukia stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

Matsumoto laughed and tossed a handful of sakura petals in Rukia's face. They fluttered lazily in the air.

"You're so silly," said Matsumoto. "I'm here for the ceremony, of course. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Rukia did not remember telling anyone in Soul Society about graduation. "How did you…"

Matsumoto laughed again. "Uruhara told me," she said. "I heard about you were walking down the aisle today, so I asked him and he said. 'Oh yes, they're walking alright!'" She paused. "And then he sort of laughed."

Before Rukia could say anything, Matsumoto shoved the package into arms. "Here, I bought you a gift for your new life! It's not much, but I had to hurry to get here on time. I only just found out!"

The package was wrapped in pearly white paper imprinted with little wedding bells, and furnished with a big, golden bow. Rukia stared up at Matsumoto, in all her lacy pink glory. What the hell was going on?

"Matsumoto— "

Matsumoto leaned in and whispered, "It's called a blender."

Rukia stared at the package. "Why are there wedding bells— "

Matsumoto laughed. "It's only suitable for the occasion," she said. "It is, after all, your wedding."

"Wedding!"

"Uruhara said you were walking with Ichigo today. Honestly, dear, I can't believe you weren't going tell anyone— "

Suddenly, Rukia realized what was going on. Her face was burning red. She leapt to her feet, seething and mortified. "First of all," she said, "Do you I look like I'm getting married?"

"Well, I was wondering about your choice of attire, but Uruhara said— "

"You idiot, he was talking about walking at the graduation!" She shoved the package back into Matsumoto's lacy arms. "I can't believe you would gossip with Uruhara, of all people!"

Matsumoto blinked. "So, you're not getting married?"

"Hell no!"

Matsumoto gave a small 'Oh' sound. She appeared to be very disappointed. Then the lights suddenly dimmed and the auditorium grew quiet. The rain clattered heavily on the roof.

"It's starting," Karin said. She smirked, looking up at Matsumoto. "You should hurry and go find a seat."

"Yes…yes, I think I will." She gave Rukia an apologetic look. "We can talk afterwards, right?"

"Oh, we'll talk alright," Rukia muttered. "Talk about your lack in communication skills."

The sound of rain and sobbing little sisters filled her ears. She brushed a sakura petal out of her hair; it fluttered to the ground. Then, as the first speaker stepped up to the podium, a dreadful thought occurred to Rukia: What if Nii-sama heard about the 'ceremony' too?


A/n: Well, this was incredibly fun to write. I hope you enjoyed another misunderstanding, and with those rumors running around there's bound to be a few more mix ups. Don't forget to review! I would love to hear what you think.