A/N: Hello everyone… I'm sorry for the late update. Anyhow… I'm so glad receiving all of your "welcome back!" _. Nice to know that you missed me, or… my story at the very least. Thanks to my dearest beta: ksko81 for her help.

Actually, I need to say sorry again, since I couldn't give you another review-reply in my appreciation corner at this moment, except for those of you whom I haven't give a personal review-reply yet. The weather here is crazy, so I have a slight fever. Nothing's major, but it make me sleepy.

Appreciation Corner:

My biggest thank you for my reviewer:

LazierThanShika-kun;

darklover;

StupidMe – So, what do you think of Rukia in this chapter? Was it enough to prevent you from stealing Kurosaki? Lol;

ashezo;

near-note – aaaawww… thank you. Actually, I had a little problem with imagining Hisana's character. I only knew that she was a loving person, but how to express it when Rukia was only her sister in-law. I'm glad to know that you didn't think the last chapter was a drama queen chapter. Lol. And yeah, Ichigo was already falling for Rukia, but being the logical one, he didn't want to confess it already. He'd need someone to choke him the truth before realizing it. _;

Roma88 – lol… you really flattered me with your review. That's the exact reaction I've wanted from my readers. And you described it very well… hehe… I guess, there'll be time when you will be in the middle of two handsome beings, but unfortunately… They wouldn't be Ichigo and Byakuya – sigh – I do wanted to be Rukia at that moment. Lol… J And yes, I was in hurry and I've been absent from writing stories for quite some time, I do apologize if you had difficulty in understanding the previous chapter. I'll read it again and I will make some correction whenever I could.

Luminous Snow;

Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky - I'm sorry I couldn't reply all your reviews. -_-;

thesecretfromzaft – Thanks for the idea, but if you noticed, I've used Toshirou's name before. Besides, I don't quite capable of writing another conflict in this story. J;

ruffy – lol thanks for you enthusiastic review. I had fun reading it. Hm… do you think Rukia would notice it? Well… hehehe… we'll see… we'll see… And of course if Byakuya brought senbonzakura along, there'll be no future chapter, coz Ichigo would be already… (you know)… lol;

Welcome to the Club for those of you who added this story into your favorite list:

youtubesam; dodus; twizzlers24; Tyrack Wolf II; kayleeh1994; SasuSaku007; thesecretfromzaft; and Liv007.

And another welcome for those of you who added this story into your story alert:

franziga; KrAzI JaY; Otta; Outer space-alien; thmarth; CharmedNightSkye; youtubesam; Djulien; Tyrack Wolf II; XLightningX; calliecature; and Llyssa-maiden.

Thank you for youtubesam who added me to his/her author alert and favorite author and dodus for added me to his/her favorite author

Disclaimer: Bleach is still belonged to Kubo-Sensei and the original novel is belonged to Holly Jacobs. But… I owned the plot in this chapter.

Chapter 13

Previously

"I think we should hear what Rukia wants." she said, now walking toward Rukia and freed her from both men.

"After all," she put her hands on Rukia's shoulder, "this is her life. Right, Rukia-chan?"

Rukia couldn't be more grateful toward her sister in-law. She nodded. However, she didn't miss the twinkle in Hisana's eyes. It was as if Hisana was trying hard to suppress her laughter. Something Rukia didn't understand, because she didn't think that she found anything's funny right now.

"I agree, Hisana-san. Rukia should decide whether she will stay here with me or return to Kuchiki House." Kurosaki stated, nodding toward the said woman.

Byakuya nodded, "Rukia… what do want to do? Don't worry whatever your choice will be; I will still protect both of you."

Rukia looked up in confusion. "Both of us?" she repeated.

Byakuya nodded. "Yes."

Rukia thought maybe Byakuya was saying about Hisana and her. So she didn't go any further.

She looked at Kurosaki. He returned her gaze, and nodded. That deep scowl was still etched in his forehead.

"I…" Rukia started.

Rukia kept glancing towards the two men. She didn't know what to do, or what to say.

Byakuya was her brother. She was sure he would help her to take care of her problems, including Kurosaki, if he'd really sue her because she broke their agreement. However, that also meant that Rukia showed her incapability in front of her brother. That made all her efforts become wasted. Once again, she used the Kuchiki name to take care of her troubles.

Rukia bit her lips unconsciously.

Meanwhile, with Kurosaki… all they had was an agreement. Kurosaki didn't really fall in love with her. Kurosaki didn't marry her because he couldn't live without her. Kurosaki needed to be a partner in his firm, and Rukia was just a stepping stone.

'No,' Rukia scolded herself, 'Not me. Any woman could do. He was desperate. And since I agreed to become his fiancé, and everyone believed it, he just got carried away. If it wasn't me but another woman… that would do.'

Rukia didn't know why, but she felt a pang of hurt when she thought like that. She tried to prevent the tears that were involuntarily pooling around her eyes.

She took a deep breath, and held her chin high.

Confidently, she walked towards… Byakuya.

Kurosaki watched his fiancé intently. He didn't know what's going through her mind. But he knew that she was thinking hard to make a right decision.

Somehow, Kurosaki was nervous. He was… well… afraid with what would, or rather, who Rukia would choose. Sure, they had an agreement. But he didn't know what they were talking about in his study room earlier. Did she tell him that they just had an agreement?

Kurosaki brushed that thought. No way, if she told her brother, the situation would worsen than this. He was sure that Rukia didn't tell Byakuya.

But that didn't mean that Rukia would choose to stay with him.

Kurosaki knew, deep inside, that if Rukia chose to leave him, he would be devastated. Not only because he lost the chance to become a partner. But…

At that moment, Kurosaki watched in shock as Rukia walked towards her brother.

"Nii-sama…" Rukia started, glancing at Kurosaki.

And Kurosaki was… dumbfounded. She didn't think her fiancé really looked at her.

Rukia would chuckle and giggle uncontrollably if only they were in a different situation.

However, she focused to her brother again.

Rukia took a deep breath; she looked her brother in the eye. The grey eyes she knew so well.

Then, she bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry Nii-sama. I wanted to stay here with Kurosaki. I am thankful for your concern. And I apologize for my selfishness, however…" Rukia didn't finish her speech.

Two strong hands held her shoulder.

"Enough, Rukia." Byakuya said.

Rukia straighten up. She looked at her brother.

"If that what you choose, I will respect that."

Rukia was relieved… almost.

"However, I have a question."

Rukia nodded.

"Did you decide to stay because of the baby?"

Kurosaki couldn't be more relieved when Rukia said that she chose to stay with him. Something warm was filling his vein. He felt he was about to smile, but he tried his best to prevent that.

He kept telling himself that he was glad because that meant he still had the chance to become a partner. And he was relieved because Rukia still remember their agreement. Nothing else.

"Did you decide to stay because of the baby?"

Byakuya's question took him off-guard.

'What baby?' Kurosaki thought.

It seemed like Kurosaki wasn't the only one who was surprised by that question.

Rukia was dumbfounded.

After a full minute, she finally managed to utter a question, "What do you mean with baby, Nii-sama?"

Byakuya Kuchiki, thought he may not show it, was struck by that innocent question. Before this, he was sure that the only reason of why Rukia suddenly decided to get married to that ungrateful lawyer was because she was pregnant. However, when Rukia asked that question, Byakuya started to doubt his own deduction.

Byakya Kuchiki was rarely made a mistake. Nevertheless, when it came to his sister, it was hard for him to keep his mind straight. Of course, no one knew this because he could put the Kuchiki façade all the time. Like what happened now…

"Nii-sama," Rukia called him again, no doubt waiting for his answer.

Byakuya looked straight to Rukia. He found honesty in her eyes. Even without doing that, Byakuya never doubt his sister.

Right, he was now in a troublesome condition. What should he do to avoid embarrassing himself by telling Rukia that he assumed Rukia was pregnant? It would also mean that he accused Rukia of being irresponsible. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Byakuya, we need to speak in private." a male voice interrupted Byakuya's thought.

He felt relieved, more or less, because he could avoid answering the question. But it was that brat who "saved" him…

Kurosaki closed the door behind him. In spite of not in his own house, Byakuya seemed in control and it was as if Kurosaki was the one who was invited, not the other way around.

Kurosaki cleared his throat before began, "So… let's straight to the point."

Byakuya glared at him. He was still silent.

If Kurosaki hadn't heard Byakuya's conversation before, he would have thought that this man was incapable in uttering a single sentence, thus he chose to mute almost all the time. But no, Kurosaki knew better that Byakuya was trying to intimidate and create an unfriendly atmosphere to make his companion nervous. But Kurosaki wasn't nervous - at least not because of Byakuya's actions. But he was nervous because of unknown reason. And he knew somehow, that the fact Byakuya had rejected his proposal was one of the reason on why he felt nervous.

"I agree," Byakuya finally responded. "However, I should tell you that I do not feel grateful because you were trying to save me."

Ichigo snorted, "I never expected a 'thank you' from you, anyway. Besides, I'm not doing that for you."

Byakuya raised his eyebrow, "I never say that you're doing that for me."

Kurosaki bit his lips to avoid snapping another imbecile words towards his future brother in law, if he wanted Byakuya to be his brother in law soon.

"Listen, I can have this kind of conversation all night. But I prefer not to, since I think we have more important thing to discuss."

Byakuya stared coldly at him. Kurosaki returned the stared with the same expression.

Suddenly, Kurosaki could smell a nice scent of coffee. And he knew right away what that's meant.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," this time, Kurosaki was snapped from his short trance and met the older man's eyes.

Kurosaki nodded, signaling that he was still listening.

"What is your purpose toward my sister?" Byakuya asked.

"I told you before." Ichigo said stubbornly, "I want to ask her hand in marriage."

Byakuya sighed sophisticatedly. He almost looked as if he pitied Kurosaki. Well… almost.

"I thought I've already told you that I decline your proposal."

"And I thought that I already told you that it is no longer a request, or a proposal. It is now merely a statement."

"Why do you want to marry her?"

Alright, Kurosaki had predicted that Byakuya would ask that. But the perfectly prepared respond was stuck in his tongue. It was the first time for him.

"At least not because of the reason you thought before,"

'Well, that's a nice dodge.' Kurosaki thought.

"And what do you know about my former thought?" Byakuya refused to give up to the younger bright hair man.

"Che," Kurosaki smirked, "As if your last question toward Rukia wasn't obvious."

Byakuya shut his mouth. He refused to say anything that may cause further damage toward his dignity.

"You thought that the only reason I want to marry Rukia was because she is pregnant, correct?" Kurosaki retorted him.

Byakuya still in his stance, not uttering a single word.

"Well… as you know now, Rukia isn't pregnant. And so, that is definitely not my reason to marry her."

Byakuya was still silent.

Kurosaki viewed this as a chance to deliver his already prepared-speech. "Listen, we may not seem like we are head over heels on each other. But I want to marry Rukia. I want to protect her."

Now, the last words from Kurosaki made Byakuya glared at him.

"Protect her from what, exactly?"

Kurosaki just shrugged. "Anything." he said nonchalantly.

"She is a grown up woman, she could take her own decision. Will you just become a good brother and let the two of us marry?" Kurosaki added.

Byakuya sighed. "I don't see any differences between you and the previous people who wanted to marry her."

Kurosaki was about to retort back, but Byakuya stopped him with his hand sign.

"Thus, I don't see any reason of why I should grant your request." upon seeing Kurosaki's expression, Byakuya added, "or statement."

"However," Byakuya trailed off, "This is the first time Rukia stood in for another man. That is why I…"

"Sssst… Rukia-chan, don't be too noisy, they could hear us."

"Nee-sama, you're the one who is speaking too loud."

"No I'm not, besides… it's not good to eavesdrop into others' conversation."

"But you're the one who told me to keep an eye on them."

"Exactly, an eye, not an ear."

"That's not making any much difference."

"Sssstttt…"

Rukia lost her balance when suddenly the wooden door opened. Fortunately, someone caught her arm and steadied her. Rukia gripped the tray with her hands and tried her best not to spill the coffee.

"Listened something that you like?" Kurosaki smirked.

Rukia glared at him.

'Now, I know why I felt a familiar feeling when Byakuya glared at me. It seemed, it runs in family.' Kurosaki said mentally.

"Byakuya-sama, Rukia and I were just about to serve some coffee for both of you." Hisana walked toward her husband.

Byakuya just nodded.

Rukia placed the tray on the nearest table.

"Ehm…" she fidgeted in her stance, "So… did you two sort it out?"

Both Kurosaki and Byakuya looked at her.

Rukia was even more nervous than before. "I meant… did your conversation go well?"

"I've been in a better conversation before," was Byakuya's answer.

Kurosaki, on the other hand, looked pleased. "There's nothing you should worry about."

Rukia looked up and met the amber eyes. Kurosaki nodded.

Rukia turned her eyes toward her brother, "Nii-sama…" she started.

"Escort me to the front door, Rukia. It's already late." Byakuya said.

Rukia bowed, "Of course Nii-sama…" then she added, "Thank you…"

Byakuya nodded stiffly, while Hisana smiled gently.

"So… not bad, huh?" Rukia asked Kurosaki when they were cleaning the dining room.

"I've been through worse." Kurosaki said smugly.

"Stop being too proud of yourself." Rukia scolded his fiancé. "Besides, what was that with 'the right time'?" Said Rukia, referring to Kurosaki's proposal before.

"It's the right thing to say at that moment." Kurosaki defended himself.

"According to you, yes." Rukia sighed, "It still surprised me that Nii-sama didn't ask Kageyoshi to beat you up."

Kurosaki just shrugged, then something came to his mind. He turned to face Rukia, leaned his back on the wall, and folded his arms. "So, heard something that you like back then?"

Rukia was stuttered, "I… was… I meant… I didn't hear much. We've just arrived when the door was suddenly opened."

Kurosaki laughed, "You're a bad liar, you know that?"

Rukia's face reddened. "How dare you…"

Rukia's embarrassment only made Kurosaki laughed even more.

Kurosaki stopped laughing after Rukia shot him a cold glare, and also a wet cloth toward him.

"Next time you're going to eavesdrop, don't bring coffee."

"Wha…"

"I could smell the coffee long before Byakuya opened the door."

Rukia closed her mouth. Defeated.

Kurosaki found she looked cute that way, but of course he knew better than to say it out loud.

"So…" Rukia started, "So... now they've known that the Ukitakes are the one who will arrange the marriage."

Kurosaki nodded.

"Nee-sama said she will contact Retsu-san tomorrow." Rukia informed Kurosaki.

Kurosaki nodded again.

Rukia sighed. Kurosaki raised his eyebrow.

"What is it now?" he demanded.

Rukia shook her head gently, "I just never thought that I will ever be able to make such a lie toward Nii-sama."

"Come to think of it, I am curious… Why?" Kurosaki asked.

Rukia looked confused, "Why what?"

"Why you're trying so hard to convince your brother like you did before?" Kurosaki asked gently.

He walked toward her.

Rukia was panic, suddenly the moment when they lips brushed each other came to her mind.

"Wha… what did you say before?" she stuttered, trying hard to make some distance.

"Why were you trying that hard to convince your brother that you want to marry me?"

"I…" Rukia stopped in track when Kurosaki stopped.

Something clicked in her mind, Rukia looked up with more confident and said to Kurosaki, "Perhaps… it is the same reason of why YOU're trying so hard to ask my hand in marriage from Nii-sama."

That statement surely shut Kurosaki up.

A/N: Well…. how is it? Like it? Too absurd? Too OOC? Tell me what do you think. I am gladly welcome any kind of reviews…