Chapter 9: Contrasting emotions
Summary: My name is Kurosaki Karin. 17 months and some after my brother lost his powers I… died. After training so hard in almost two years to become stronger and protect my family back in Karakura, I needed to leave them after a freaking car accident. But I'm not worried. My life here in Soul Society just began. [HitsuxKarin]. Maybe I'll write stories for another partners, too.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tite Kubo's Bleach, and its characters.
We're now on the Academy arc, and here are the list of teachers and the subject they're teaching:
Gengoro Onabara-Hakuda
Fujita Aoi-Hoho
Izuru Kira-Haiku
Ashikaga Yuuta-Kido
Higuchi Isamu-Zanjutsu
Kuchiki Byakuya-Calligraphy
Previously on Hitsugaya Karin…
Rukia was standing outside the guest room's door; tears flowing in her eyes as she listen to her brother's chant, holding to it like a lifeline. Nanami-chan is onee-sama. My onee-sama. "A little more." She whispered to her self as she walked away from the guest room, forgetting why she went back in the first place. She dried her eyes, and put a smile on her face.
Karin went to the Kuchiki Family Manor after she changed into her semi-formal clothes. She knows that she doesn't need to dress up but she doesn't really know the people who will be attending the party. It's better to be ready. She wore a blue sweater that hugged her slender, athletic frame, and she wore a blue skirt that reaches the ankles of her feet. She then put on a white big belt on her hips, where the sweater and skirt meets. I don't want to wear this but Yuzu will nag me, and I don't want to go back home again. It's so hard to have a girly sister.
Karin knocked on the gate of the Kuchiki Manor. "Hello, anybody there?" Karin saw her brother on the roof, doing some minor changes on a banner. Why does it this party has to have a banner? Karin was thinking when a servant opened the door. "Oh, hi, thank you for opening." Karin walked in.
"Hey, Karin, you're too early!" Ichigo told her sister.
"I want to visit Nanami first. What the hell is that?" Karin indicated the banner.
Ichigo grinned. "Oh, this? This is a banner for you."
"What the! It's that man's idea, isn't it?" Karin asked. She saw Rukia coming out of the house. "Konnichiwa, Rukia-nee. Thank you for the party, but do you really need to put a banner up?"
Rukia beamed. "Of course! It's to tell everybody that you're found!"
"But Rukia-nee…" Karin protested.
"I know! You want to see His-Nanami-san, right? Come on. I'll show you her room." Rukia went inside the house again. Karin followed.
"So, how's school, Karin? Everything okay? Rukia asked. "And why do you look so…girly today? Is it for Hitsugaya-taicho?"
Karin blushed. Rukia said the true reason why she wants to dress up without Yuzu bugging her. Rukia grinned when she saw the blush. Karin pouted. "How about you and Ichi-nii? You were so sweet last night."
It's Rukia's turn to blush. She stopped in front of a door and knocked. "We're here." She told Karin. "Nanami-san, Karin's here to see you. Can she come in?"
Nanami, who can't sleep and rest properly because of what occurred a few hours ago, sat up. "Hai." She smiled when she saw Rukia and Karin. "Hello, Karin-san. Wow. You look so pretty. Is that for a certain white-haired boy?"
"Not you too!" Karin cried. Nanami's brow goes up.
Rukia laughed. "I asked her about it a while ago. So, Karin, what's happening between you two?
"They're-" Nanami teased.
"Nothing!" Karin continued and sent a glare at Nanami.
Byakuya opened the door to his wife's room and saw Rukia and Karin. "Rukia. Kurosaki."
"Kuchiki-sensei, ahm… sorry for a while ago. You know…when I glared at you." Karin said.
"… It's okay." Byakuya answered.
"It's just… since the first day of school, bullies started attacking Nanami." Karin bowed her head. "I heard people say things like 'How shameful, befriending a Kurosaki to gain fame' and 'She's flirting to get Kuchiki-sama's attention' and 'Taicho's staring at her again today'" As she said every rumors she heard, Karin began to lift her head and narrowed her eyes into slits like a dangerous predator.
Nanami's faced heated. She doesn't want her husband to hear those. She looked at Byakuya, and noticed that his expression is in a cold murderous state. She didn't notice Rukia's worried expression.
"Kobayashi-san. I apologized for creating problems for you. Is this the reason you were attacked today?" Byakuya asked in a quiet voice.
"No! I-" Nanami tried to say.
"Yes and no. It's my fault too, sensei. If I wasn't her friend, she won't experience this." Karin answered the question, and then looked at Nanami. "But I won't let them break our friendship Nanami-chan. I won't leave, and you need to be strong so that you could fend for yourself. I won't always be at your side, but turning your friendship away is not an option, too."
"She's right, Nanami-san. I'll introduce you to some of my friends tonight. I'm sure that if you need anything, they'll help you too. We will always be with you." Rukia added.
Nanami cried. "You two, come here and give me a hug." Karin and Rukia rushed towards her embrace. Nanami smiled at her husband. A faint smile touched his lips.
"Okay! We need to even your hair!" Karin broke the group hug. "Rukia-nee, do you have scissors?"
Byakuya left the three; his command to stop bothering his wife while she's resting was never voiced out. A full smile lights up his otherwise cold face as he heard the females talking about hairstyles and laughing.
"Rangiku-san, do you know where Rukia-nee is?" Yuzu asked the strawberry blonde.
"Hah? I don't know. She went outside to tell Ichigo to help carry those… I don't know. I think that's just her excused to have a private time with your brother." Matsumoto answered. The two grinned.
"Hey, Matsumoto, don't tell my sister weird things." Ichigo entered the room where the party will be held. "Rukia is with Karin, they went to Nanami's room."
"Karin's here. Rangiku-san. Sorry, I can't help you supervise anymore." Yuzu dashed out of the room.
"Matsumoto. What kind of party is this? I thought it was supposed to be informal, but why the catering? Why does Karin dress up so pretty?" Ichigo asked the girl whose giving the servants a hell of time, making them rearrange things that are already placed okay.
Matsumoto grinned. "She's dressed up?" Ichigo nodded. "Then it's for my taicho!" Rangiku shouted in glee.
"What do you mean it's for Toshiro? Did that guy did something to my sister? I told him not to put her in danger!"
The servants who were running around the place stopped. "What are you doing? Keep moving, please. We only have three more hours." Rangiku looked at Ichigo. "Hitsugaya-taicho won't put her in any harm. Just ask them about it later, okay? I'm not even certain."
Toshiro wrote furiously as he read and signed the stacks of papers in his desk. Hinamori softly knocked on the door. "Come in."
"Shiro-kun, are you going to Kurosaki-kun's welcome party tonight?" She asked her childhood friend.
Toshiro nodded as he continued what he's doing. "Then I'll go, too." Hinamori said. "C-Can you arrive there with me, Shiro-kun?"
Toshiro signed the last of the papers. He saw uncertainty in Momo's eyes and he felt compelled to say yes. He sighed. "I'll come and get you later."
Hinamori smiled. "Thank you, Shiro-kun."
Before she can go out, Toshiro said, "That's Hitsugaya-taicho to you." And she smiled because of the feeling of familiarity she felt., but she also felt sad because those lines reminded her of one of Toshiro's birthday that was celebrated on the top of the roof with fireworks on the sky. Aizen-taicho…
"Isshin-ji, you have powerful children. Great job!" Kukaku told her uncle.
Isshin wince. "You made it sounds like it's my job to create powerful beings. But you're right! My precious little children are very strong…" He remembered Yuzu. "…In their own ways."
"Of course! My Ichigo-kun and Karin-chan were former students of mine. They'll be powerful." Uruhara said.
The two received a punch and a kick from Yoruichi. "Stop boasting! I'm the one who helped Ichigo achieved his bankai, and I'm the one who taught Karin how to use shunpo and control her reiatsu." She looked at Isshin. "You're just the source." She looked at Uruhara next. "And, you're the schemer!"
The mentioned two wince while nursing their injuries. Kukaku laughed. How could they not be strong? Their teachers are all captain levels.
Karin and Yuzu looked in wonder when they saw Nanami with a short hair, much like their Rukia-nee's new hairstyle. "Nanami, can you please sit next to Rukia-nee again."
"But it's the fourth time already!" Nanami pouted.
"Nanami-chan, you looked exactly like Rukia-chan. You're just…slightly taller than her. Karin and I are confused."
"Someday you'll know why I can't tell you today or tomorrow, or any day, Yuzu-chan." Nanami told the girl.
Rukia stared at her carbon copy. "From now on, I'll call you nee-sama." She said while blinking her tears back. I already cried many times today. I need to stop these damn tear glands.
Nanami looked like she'll cry, too, instead she grinned and nodded. Oh, Rukia. I always wanted to hear you call me nee-san. I guess nee-sama's okay too.
"Then if Rukia-nee called you nee-sama, we need to address you as one, too!" Yuzu declared. Karin grimaced.
"Karin won't be able to call me that Yuzu. She'll wince every time she needs to say it, but you're very much welcome to call me nee-san."
The four looked at the door when someone knocked. "Order from Kuchiki-sama, Rukia-sama. We're here to help Kobayashi-chan change for the party."
"Oh gosh! The party! I forgot about it." Rukia got up. "I'll just look at the room and go change." She bowed in front of her nee-sama, and disappeared from the place.
Yuzu and Karin rise from their seat. "Then we're going. I don't plan to change my clothes, but the skirt is already wrinkled." Karin said as she dragged Yuzu from the room.
"But Karin-chan. It looks good on you! I just need to iron it a bit, and it will be good as new!" Yuzu's shout is heard along the hallway.
"No can do, Yuzu. There's no flatiron in the house. Sorry." Karin answered.
Nanami shook her head at the twin's antics. Then she looked at the servant and signaled them to begin.
Servant-san helped the girl get out of her clothes. She's also wondering why her Rukia-sama suddenly has a look-alike.
Shinigamis arrived as seven in the evening nears. Toshiro is walking with Hinamori on his side.
"Karin-chan's very lucky, right, Shiro-kun?" Hinamori said. Even though Toshiro is walking with her, she doesn't feel like there are two of them together because he's not talking.
"Why did you say that?" Toshiro asked back.
"Because there are many people who love her." Hinamori answered back. "I'm so glad that even after what I…did two years ago, there are still many people who consider me as their friends. Just like you Shiro-kun. You'll always be with me, right?"
"… Hinamori, I… will be here if you need me but I…" Toshiro didn't finish what he's saying because he felt Hinamori's hand tugged at his, and suddenly her lips are on his. He froze for a second and pushed Hinamori backed. "What did you do that for?"
"To thank you, Shiro-kun. You just said that you would always be with me." She said equivocally.
"I didn't, Hinamori! I didn't say anything like that!" Toshiro sighed. "I have… someone special okay. Please don't do that again." He flash stepped towards the Kuchiki manor, leaving Hinamori behind.
Hinamori felt tears sliding down her cheeks. She looked up the sky. Don't cry, Momo. You will find the one for you someday, too. Be happy for your Little Shiro-kun. Karin-chan makes him happy. Be happy, too.
Karin and Yuzu came back to the manor an hour later. (A/N: They went to Nanami's house to change at, let's say, 5:45). A servant ushered them into the house to the room where the party will happen.
"Noooo! Karin-chan, you change your clothes. Taicho wants to see you in a dress." Rangiku said.
Karin looked at her clothes. After wrestling with Yuzu for more than fifteen minutes, she managed to escape her sister's deadly grasp and lock herself in her room. She spent another thirty minutes putting and taking off clothes, she decided to just come in one of her clean school uniform. She looked at her sister who's still pouting. "I didn't put a dress earlier. It's just a simple outfit."
Yuzu pouted more. "But it was a lot nicer than what you're wearing now! I mean, your school uniform is beautiful but it's not a party attire." She said when the room suddenly became silent.
Karin winced as she saw the captains and vice-captains' faces. Some of them are grinning, but there are others who grimaced. She doesn't know if it's because Yuzu said that it's not as nice as what she's wearing a while ago, or if because she use it as a party attire. "Yuzu, why don't we, uh, get some refreshments. You know, juice and such? I'm starved. Ahahaha." Yuzu nodded.
Rukia entered the room and saw Karin and Yuzu. " Karin! Yuzu! Are you enjoying?"
The two change course and went to their Rukia-nee. "We just arrived, Rukia-nee. You didn't change, too?" Karin asked when she saw that Rukia is still in her shikakusho.
"I can't find any other clothes fitting for an informal party in my closet." Rukia answered. "Anyways, do you want me to introduce you to the captains and vice-captains?" Karin and Yuzu winced but followed Rukia when she started walking towards the table assigned for the Gotei 13.
The night is getting late, when two hours later, Kyoraku-taicho and Matsumoto took a dozen jar of sake out. Renji and Ichigo started going at each other's throat because of something, causing Rukia to throw them out. The intoxicated Hisagi and Kira decided to call it a night and went back to their barracks. Ise-fukutaicho began dragging a drunk Kyoraku out of the house and stopped in front of Karin to say goodbye. Sui-Fong was getting irritated because her Yoruichi-sama started kissing the traitor Uruhara. She got up and diappeared into the night with her fukutaicho following her. Isshin and Kukaku are sprawled in the floor. Too drunk to know what's happening. Servants came in to took their bodies and put them in a guestroom, by the order of Kuchiki-taicho.
Karin sighed, and Toshiro put his arms around her. They were sitting outside the room, overlooking the garden. "This party is so chaotic. It looked so planned a wile ago but…"
"You're right." Toshiro said. "… Karin, I have a confession to make."
"Hmmm?"
"I. Hinamori and I k-kissed a while ago." He waited for a reaction and he felt her stiffened. "It's not what you're thinking. She… I promised that if she ever needs something, I'd be there for her, so she… thanked me with a kiss. I just want to tell you so that, you know… If it came from another people, it won't be so bad because I already explained myself." He relaxed when she turned to face him and buried her face in his chest.
"I love you, Karin." Toshiro whispered as he kissed her raven-colored locks.
Karin lifted her face. "I love you, too." They were going to kiss when the room behind them suddenly became quiet. They looked at each other, and stands up to see what had everyone silence.
Kuchiki Byakuya never saw an angel as beautiful as his wife. A smile graced his lips when the door opened and he saw his wife in a blue silk kimono. The people in the room looked at the overdressed girl.
"Kuchiki-fukutaicho?" Ukitake-taicho asked the woman in blue.
"Hai, Taicho?" Rukia answered. She and Ichigo came in from the left entrance of the big room. Eyes traveled from the woman in kimono to Rukia. Rukia looked at the woman in the right entrance. "Nee-sama!" She run and went to Nanami's side. "You look so beautiful."
The shinigamis watched silently. Some of the taichos who knew about Hisana looked at Byakuya. The others looked confused why there are two Rukia.
"Nanami. You really look like Rukia-nee in that hairstyle." Karin said as she and Toshiro came in.
Yuzu, who was currently instructing the remaining servants on what to do with the foods, said. "Nanami-neesan, I thought you're never coming. It's already 9:30."
The four girls went to the food area. "I'm sorry, Karin, Yuzu. Their reactions are the reason why I'm hesitating to come."
A pink hair appeared out of nowhere, "Rukia number two! You look so beautiful. Are your dress from Byakkun?" Yachiru asked the startled Nanami.
"Ah. Hai, Kusajishi-taicho." Nanami answered. The little vice-captain pouted, and they watched her walked towards Byakuya.
"Byakushi! Give me a kimono, too."
The people who remained watched as the four girls interact with each other. Renji, Toshiro, and Ichigo chatted among themselves, too. As the night went on deeper, the shinigamis left one by one, and by midnight, the ones who remained are Karin's family members (except Ganjyu, Kukaku, and Isshin) and the Kuchiki family (with Nanami). The servants went to clean the place spotless like there's no party that ever happened.
"I had guest rooms ready for all of you. Kusosaki." Byakuya said.
"Hai?" Answered Ichigo.
"Don't you ever dare visit Rukia's room when you think that everyone else are already sleeping."
"Don't worry. I won't disgrace her." Ichigo replied rather seriously.
Byakuya nodded. "Mae-san, please bring them to their guest rooms. Rukia, go straight to your room after you said your good night. Good night."
"Yes, Kuchiki-taicho. This way, please." The servant said as she directed Karin and the others to their rooms.
"Hai, Nii-sama." Rukia said. "Good night." She followed the others and waited until the maid showed Ichigo his room.
"Good night, midget." Ichigo said as he turned to face his woman. He then brought his face down for a kiss.
"Good night, baka." Rukia answered before she met the kiss. The two break off, and Ichigo watched as Rukia walked away.
Nanami finished changing from her kimono to a simple nightgown. She's just settling down her futon when she saw a shadow in the wall that is clearly not hers. The figure is on her side in a matter of second and is kissing her. She recognized the kiss and responded.
Byakuya ended the kiss. He hugged Nanami tightly before releasing her. "Good night, my sweet Seven Seas."
"Good night." She answered as she watched her husband's figure disappear from her sight.
A/N: I didn't put a cliffhanger, didn't I? I want to describe the party in a greater detail, but I don't have time. I'm also sorry if there were parts that should have been described more. I should've mentioned all the people who came, but that would've been a long list, and I don't want you to get bored reading character names. Anyway, New love team with Uruhara and Yoruichi. *grins
Thank you to the following:
ArtemisKirara7
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KumiTiny-Thank you for liking the last chapter. I'm also shocked at how Byakuya could figure things out, but he's not blind. He's been watching her for days, and even though Nanami is a lot different with Hisana, her noble attributes still shows up. I want to tell Nanami's story on the Living World, but I still don't know how to put it on the story without making her know her human life. She's supposed to be a special case that only remembers her pass life as a soul. I'll think of something.
Meganlei
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RedRubyS.C- Thank you so much. You even capitalized SO BEAUTIFUL I was so happy. Thank you for liking that impromptu poem, too. I just made that up on the spot.
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darkstar2010- Thank you very much! I promise that every weekend, I'll write as many chapter as I can.
Arigato, minna! All of you who favorite and followed and reviewed this story, thank you very much. They were all so special reviews; I'm grinning everyday and read them again and again. They're my source of power that even in the lack of sleep, I'm still writing. It was once a random plot of mine that I want my sister to write but she couldn't because she's writing her own story, too: Amnesia by eurielle. She's so supported of me, and she keeps on promoting my story in her fiction. If you also want Prince of Tennis, please read her story. It's about Atobe and an OC named Hotaru. Thank you sister! Until next time (meaning tomorrow.)