Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or anything associated with it. Title of owner goes to 久保 帯人. :3 Nor do I own anything related to the Hana Yori Dango drama or manga.
AN: I'm back again! So the consensus was for me to continue on with the story and add in the ToJ bit from HYD! I will definitely do so and this chapter will leeway into that. Once again, thank you reviewers and readers! By the way, does anyone read the Bleach manga? I'm super excited that Ichigo is finally going to face Aizen! You don't how much I squealed at the end with the appearance of badass looking Ichigo! Hehe, I am a true Ichigo fangirl... Ahem, anyway...
Yosh! Let's go! よろしくお願いします！
Japanese Notes:
-Yakusoku shinasai: "Promise (me)" (although it's a harsher, more demanding form)
Chapter 23
Byakuya's cold gray eyes narrowed in response to the information given to him by an aide of Ichimaru Gin.
"Kurosaki Isshin did not accept the offer?" Byakuya repeated what was said to him.
The aide quickly nodded in a nervous manner. "We expected his son to falter but it seems he did not even show up."
"Leave." Byakuya simply stated with a wave of his hand. The aide obliged, happy his deliverance of bad news didn't result in losing his job. He took a second to bow and left the room.
"Nanao." Byakuya called out to his assistant who sat nearby. She had just regained her breath after she ran from her secret meeting with Rukia and Ichigo.
"Hai, Kuchiki-shachou." She answered readily and stood up to stand in front of his desk.
"Contact the necessary people for my next plan of action." He ordered.
"Your… next plan of action, sir?" Nanao questioned him, trying to hide her concern. Was there something she missed?
"Yes. Take this and do as I say." Byakuya opened one of the side drawers in his desk and took out a manila folder. "I expect satisfactory results, Nanao. That disrespectful sister of mine will not have her way as long as I'm head of Kuchiki enterprises." He handed the folder to her across the table. "Report back to me tomorrow morning, 6AM, on the progress."
Nanao gulped slightly. She had mistaken how serious this really was.
Ichigo stood outside with his father on the small balcony overlooking the street below them. It was barely past 10 o'clock in the morning when Ichigo had approached his father who was skimming the employment ads in the newspaper in front of him. Ichigo had asked if they could talk and Isshin merely smiled and nodded, keeping up his constant joyful demeanor despite the tough circumstances his family was in.
As they went outside, Ichigo went over to the railing and took a quick glance down below. Isshin did the same but his gaze lingered at the passing cars. To Ichigo's surprise, Isshin fished a hand into the pocket of his pants and revealed a cigarette in his hand.
"Dad, when did you start to smoke?" Ichigo asked with a look of concern on his face, this being the first time he ever saw his father with a cigarette.
Isshin chuckled but lit the cigarette with a match regardless and took a slow puff from it. "I used to smoke when I was a kid, around your age. When I first met your mother, she actually said I looked cool with a cigarette in my mouth. Kicked the habit once we started dating though… she said I looked cool with it but wasn't cool when I actually smoked it. Your mother was a funny one…" Isshin trailed off, the memory of a woman he loved so dearly still fresh in his mind.
"Anyway, I just smoke one occasionally to get my mind off of things…"
Ichigo nodded, understanding what those things were. He had seen the mail they received that morning. Bills upon bills stacked upon one another, half of it bills from loan sharks, and the other half having to do with Takaimono's monthly tuition fees.
He was fully aware that more than half of his family's collective income went directly to those bills. With Isshin's job search just beginning, how long it would take until they were financially stable again to afford even basic necessities? They were hardly getting by with little before but how would they get by with less?
Ichigo started speaking, hoping what he would reveal would lessen the burden. "Rukia and I discussed a few things yesterday about what happened... She knew about Ichimaru Gin and how her brother had given us an ultimatum. Well the thing is Rukia has equal power with her brother. She's offered a management position at one of the branches of Kuchiki Enterprises to you. Her brother will have no power to stop her considering she owns half of the company. You won't have to keep looking for work and you won't have to worry about my relationship with Rukia. That's good news, right?" Ichigo asked hopefully.
Ichigo waited as his father took a few consecutive puffs of his cigarette while keeping his eyes focused in front of him on something down below them. What was just under a minute felt like an hour to Ichigo as he waited for his father to speak, assuming Isshin was contemplating on the offer.
Finally after a minute, Isshin dropped the cigarette onto the ground and mashed it under his foot. The corner of his lip turned in a small upward smile as he answered his son. "No, I refuse." He pivoted and went back inside, leaving Ichigo in a dumbfound stupor.
"Dad, wait! You have to understand that Rukia's brother cannot fire you. I have the utmost faith in her that she won't let that happen." Ichigo went inside after Isshin who sat back down on the couch, grabbing the employment ads with him.
Isshin's eyes lit up at the mention of Ichigo having faith in Rukia. "I'm proud of you, son. My little boy is growing up by having a relationship!" He said causing Ichigo's cheeks to redden. "You better marry her so you can relish in that fortune!" Isshin winked.
Ichigo groaned at his father's comment but his cheeks reddened further. "Dad, not this again. I could care less about her money."
Isshin raised his eyebrows at his son's answer but let out a jolly laugh. He then took a sip of coffee and propped his feet up on the coffee table, reopening the ads in front of him. "I stand by my decision. I refuse to work under a man who has disrespected my son and his happiness. It's final, Ichigo. Leave it be."
Ichigo knew if he further protested, it would only fall upon deaf ears. He sighed heavily and took a seat next to his father. He noticed the multiple red marks crossing out each ad. "What happened to all these ads you called? Did you get any good responses?" Ichigo asked with concern.
Isshin shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. It was either me being unqualified for the position or the job was already filled. Quite odd though. I mean, the ads can't have been here more than two days at the least." Isshin laughed it off. "Yosh! I will get a job soon, sonny. Don't worry!"
Even when we're in such a rut, he still manages to stay jolly. Ichigo thought as he dodged his father's hand from ruffling his hair. For once, he was glad his father had a naturally positive disposition. To any other person, losing a job and trying to find one so quickly while getting denied left and right wasn't an easy act to follow but somehow his father could always find a bit of light in the darkest of hours.
Wait a second…
Was it not a coincidence after Isshin refused Byakuya's offer that Isshin could not find a job at all? And with Rukia disobeying her brother's demands and going against him, could Byakuya be so persistent by being the mastermind behind a much larger plan?
No. It couldn't be a coincidence when it all happened at the right moment.
Ichigo quickly stood up and left his father's presence to go his room without another word. He snatched up his coat due to the chilly morning weather outside and quickly headed out of the apartment, not indicating where he would be going to his family although Isshin was engrossed in his employment ads.
A pang of insurmountable anger welled up within him and the deepened scowl on Ichigo's face showed it. He was going to settle this once and for all. He thought about calling Rukia for a moment, perhaps to warn her about what he was going to do.
She's just going to talk me out of it. Ichigo was pretty sure Rukia would think him stupid for doing such a rash thing, and the last thing he needed was her powers of persuasion.
It might turn out to be an imminent death sentence, but Ichigo could care less at the moment. He took out his cellphone, the white bunny phone ornament dangling precariously as he bustled outside of his aparment, and dialed Nanao's number.
"Nanao-san? I need to ask a favor."
Byakuya sat in his plush leather armchair, documents among documents strewn out (very neatly nonetheless) in front of him on his desk. He gave himself an affirming nod after he quickly calculated the amount of money he would profit from a recent business endeavor then mentally checked off a list in his head and went on to the next document that required much deciphering among the many pages of legal mumbo jumbo.
His ears picked up the sound of a knock on his office door. "Enter." He briefly glanced up at the visitor, looking back down at his documents when Nanao entered through.
She bowed before him, causing her glasses to slip down the bridge of her nose. She nervously pushed her glasses back up while clearing her throat. "Um, Kuchiki-shachou, there's, uh, someone here that requests to see you."
"I have no meetings planned at this hour. Turn the person away." Byakuya directed with a wave of his hand, annoyed at such a distraction.
"It's Kurosaki Ichigo." Nanao replied quickly.
At the revelation, Byakuya abruptly stopped skimming his document in mid-sentence. As he slowly lifted his head, his eyes shown with such a subtly frightening look that Nanao took a small step back, afraid for herself.
"By all means, bring him in." Byakuya ordered in a surprisingly calm tone.
"Hai." Nanao scurried out of the room briefly and came back with Ichigo trailing cautiously behind her.
This was Ichigo's second time meeting Byakuya face to face. Although he arrived at Kuchiki Enterprises main building with a clear confidence, that confidence was diminished the moment he stood before Byakuya who looked awfully frightening behind the large mahogany desk. It didn't help that behind him was an expansive glass pane window, showcasing a magnificent view of the city below and beyond the horizon.
Byakuya's face was now expressionless. "What brings you here, Kurosaki?"
Ichigo gulped, hoping for the best. "I have a few questions concerning what happened recently."
The corner of Byakuya's lip turned upward in a smirk. "The answer to your inquiry is yes. It's exactly what you think." He replied automatically as if he read Ichigo's mind. "I arranged everything. Your father refused my offer which meant you would continue seeing Rukia." A low chuckled escaped his lips. "It's quite unfortunate considering I have countless connections and made one simple phone call to deny your father the opportunities for work. That's all there is to it."
Ichigo clenched his fists at hearing Byakuya's careless words. It was enough to bring back the anger he felt all at once. "That's all there is to it?" He repeated incredulous.
Byakuya raised an eyebrow, deciding to offer an ultimatum once again. This was taking too much of his time as it was. "No, that's not all. From now on, you will have nothing to do with Rukia or the Kuchiki family. Yakusoku shinasai." He stated coldly. "If you choose to do so, you and your family will have everything returned back to the way it was. It is a small price to pay for such a privilege to be granted."
Ichigo glared at Byakuya, trying to understand exactly how nothing could get through Byakuya's thick skull. He was stubborn, kind of like Rukia, but in an extremely intolerable way.
But unbeknownst to Byakuya, Ichigo had already chosen a path. He wasn't exactly sure when he did but a large part of it had to do with Rukia. Her need for someone who understood her deep pain even as she tried to conceal it spoke volumes to him the night before. He couldn't leave her now, not when their bond of trust was starting to form and stabilize. Her emotional wellbeing was important to him now more than ever.
"You think it's that simple, huh?" Ichigo spoke low, his eyes focused on the ground. "Are you stupid?" He sneered and looked toward Byakuya.
A gasp came from Nanao's mouth in reaction to Ichigo's words as if they were blasphemy. Byakuya narrowed his eyes and took heed of Ichigo's challenging tone.
"Stupid?" He said. "Do you know who you're taking to, boy?"
"Someone who's too close minded to recognize his own sister's suffering!" Ichigo yelled out. "You think because you have so much money, you have all the power in the world and nothing else would matter. How can you take pleasure in ruining the lives of others? Do you enjoy tormenting us, tormenting your own sister?"
Byakuya's left eye twitched for a millisecond. He was thoroughly offended. "Who do you think you are?"
"It doesn't matter who I am." Ichigo replied calmly. "Because of my status, I may seem like nothing to you. But contrary to what you think, I'm not ashamed of the life I live. I don't regret the time I spent with Rukia despite all that happened."
Byakuya scoffed at the nonsense he was hearing. "Is that so?"
"Yes. I've realized that Rukia has never had a chance to know what compassion feels like. Her own brother is the farthest thing she has from family. You should be ashamed of yourself because with the way you look down on her and everyone else, it makes you worse than scum! I will never succumb to your demands." He paused. "Excuse me." Ichigo swiftly pivoted and walked out the doors, not giving Byakuya a chance for a comeback.
Ichigo walked through the building's corridors at a rapid pace. His erratic breathing started to normalize when he left the building after what he felt was the longest trek ever to get out. He stood outside for a moment, running a hand through his hair and catching his breath as if he finished competing in a marathon. Many people who passed him eyed him with concern, thinking the young boy would faint at any second.
"Ack, me and my big mouth. I'm done for now." Ichigo mumbled worriedly after he caught his breath and started to head back home. However he didn't get too far from the Kuchiki Enterprises main building when he heard Rukia calling out from behind him.
"Ichigo!" He turned toward her voice and was caught off guard when she engulfed him a crushing hug around his torso, keeping his arms anchored to his sides in the process. The people who were worried about Ichigo fainting, snickered to themselves when they spotted him with Rukia.
"How did you know I was here?" Ichigo asked, utterly surprised at her perfect timing. His arms were starting to ache though as she hugged him. He was still baffled that someone small like her possessed so much physical strength.
She separated herself from his body but kept a lingering hand on his forearm. "Nanao called me right after you left Byakuya's office. Luckily I was in the building already. I was getting worried." She paused, noticing passersby who recognized her face and were speaking in undertones, no doubt about her. "Let's go inside here and talk."
She tightened her grip on his forearm and led him with her into the nearby bistro right beside Kuchiki Enterprises. They were seated immediately in a private secluded area of the restaurant (thanks to Rukia). When asked what they'd like to order, Rukia requested a cup of cocoa and Ichigo merely asked for a glass of water.
When the waiter left them, Rukia looked toward Ichigo with disbelief but a twinkle of amusement in her eyes shown simultaneously. "Nanao told me that you stood up to Byakuya. I didn't think anyone had the guts to do that."
"The blood was rushing to my head. I guess I got angry." Ichigo responded, fiddling with his fingers slightly.
Rukia nodded. "She didn't tell me all the details but she said it got pretty heated in there…" She briefly moved her eyes downward then back toward his. "Do you regret it?"
"No." Ichigo answered instantly, recalling how he had defended Rukia fiercely. He assumed Nanao had left that out that detail when speaking to Rukia. "Though I am a bit worried honestly… but I don't want to lose."
The determination in his eyes reminded Rukia when Ichigo had stood up to her the first time they met. By that look, she knew he was serious and it warmed her heart knowing he was willing to go against her brother and refuse backing down in spite of the turmoil he was facing.
"Ichigo, listen. I'll always be by your side." Boldly she reached over the tabletop and placed a hand atop his as if emphasizing her words. Ichigo could feel his skin tingling at her touch and his face was never redder than it was now. "No matter what happens, I'll protect you because I know you're protecting me."
Ichigo nodded in response, speechless but thankful nonetheless.
"And the same goes for your family." She retracted her hand from atop his and Ichigo could swear it felt as if his hand instantly felt cold again. "How much is the debt?"
Ichigo racked through his memory momentarily, estimating the amount. "Last I believe it was around three million yen."
"Then I'll pay it all off." Rukia decided without a moment of hesitation.
"Eh?" Ichigo almost fell back in his chair from shock. He shook his head side to side. "No, no, you can't do that."
"Why not?" Rukia questioned.
"Well…" Ichigo scratched the back of his head in thought. "If you were to pay for it, it would be the same money that came from your company, thus it would come from your brother." Ichigo nodded resolutely. "Yeah, and that would be wrong."
"That's true…" Rukia sighed then bit her bottom lip, thoroughly frustrated now. "But what the heck are you going to do then?"
Ichigo didn't know what to say. He definitely had no real plans. There was no doubt finding another job was out of the question, considering his father was barred from getting hired in this town. "I guess I'll work extra hours at Urahara's shop."
Rukia looked at him, knowing that wouldn't be enough for such a large debt. "I suppose…" She paused, her head tilting a little to the side in thought. "You know… maybe we should get married."
"What?" Ichigo's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
Rukia pouted at his reaction. She was serious. "Don't you think it's a good idea?"
"What are you talking about? We're only fifteen!" Ichigo was fully flustered when considering the notion of marriage between them albeit it made his skin warm up.
"Oh yeah…" Rukia said as if their age was the last thing keeping them from marriage. She was about to say something else when her phone rang. She answered readily after reading the caller ID. "Hai, Kaien-dono… Yes, yes…. We're at Matsumoto's Bistro. You can meet us here now." She gave Ichigo a thumb up, signaling her faith in Kaien's involvement.
Ichigo blew out a sigh of relief, thankful that Kaien had intervened on Rukia's topic of marriage.
Heh. Ichigo laughed to himself nervously. Marriage.
AN: I decided not to add a few huge scenes from HYD(dropping out of school, etc.) because I was iffy about tying it in with the elements I added in originally. Love you all and look out for the start of the ToJ arc, haha!
Thank you again! :D