DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters associated with it. They belong to their respective owners. This storyline, however, does belong to me.

Thelovablechelsea: Yeah. XD Stupid instructor. And who said anything about TELLING the elders?

Conterra-san: Hehe, I'll let you imagination wander as to what he wanted to say. But it was something along those lines.

Juud, animequeen100, WiNdGoDdEsS68, and Byakuxhisa4eva: Thank you for your reviews. :D I'm glad to see you're all still reading.

The House of Kuchiki

CHAPTER TEN

"I... should get back to class then." She didn't know how long she had been standing in his arms, but she felt comfortable being there. There was no awkward tension... it was nice.

She felt Byakuya nod and slowly pulled back, taking his hands once they had parted. "Will I see you at lunch today, then?"

Byakuya shook his head. "I have things I have to take care of."

Hisana let go of one of his hands and put her hand on the door. "After classes then?"

Byakuya nodded as Hisana slowly slid the classroom door open. "After classes," he replied as she stepped into the room. Their hands still hadn't parted and, as a result, the class had gone silent.

The instructor, who had been purposely standing closer to the door to eavesdrop, had her jaw wide open.

Hisana looked around to see the class staring, then looked back at Byakuya and blushed, reluctantly letting go of his hand. "I'll see you soon."

Byakuya nodded then bowed slightly at the instructor. "I apologize for interrupting your class."

"Oh... no... anytime..." The instructor watched Hisana walk back to her seat, then looked at Byakuya and back at Hisana.

As Byakuya began to leave, Hisana called out, "Oh! Kuchiki-sama! You owe me seven now."

"Seven...?" Byakuya popped his head back in. "I thought it would be more... felt longer. Seven it is, then."

With that, Byakuya left the Academy.

After class, Hisana was practically pounced on by Matsumoto. "Hisana-chaaan! I saw Kuchiki Byakuya walk towards your classroom befoooore! Explain!"

Hisana blushed slightly. "Nothing to explain."

"What's with the smile then? Hmmm? Is it good news?"

"I suppose you could say it's good news, Rangiku-chan."

"Worthy-of-sake good news?" Matsumoto began to get excited, but then frowned when Hisana shook her head. "Is he gonna start coming back for lunch, then?"

At this, however, Hisana nodded slowly. "Just not today. Has things to do."

Matsumoto nodded thoughtfully. "Ahhh... of course. He must've come to his senses and went to go dump that other girl for you."

Hisana blushed even redder. "What makes you think Kuchiki-sama would do something like that?"

"... you're joking, right? The man never smiles unless he's with you. Which, by the way, he has a very nice smile."

Hisana nodded. "It's nicest up close." A slight pause. "And when it's really real."

Matsumoto raised an eyebrow as they entered their next class together. "If I didn't know any better... I'd say you have it bad."

"Huh...? Have what bad?" Hisana frowned. "I don't have anything 'bad'..."

Hisana was never able to forced out what 'it' was, not even at the end of the day. But at that point, trying to find out was insignificant in her mind. Byakuya was waiting for her, and she certainly wasn't ready to make him wait for her to get answers out of her friend.

Running out of the Academy, she found Byakuya standing near a tree. His outfit was different, she noticed. That must be the outfit the girls described as his 'official nobleman business' outfit. It looked simple enough, she observed from the distance, death god uniform underneath a white overcoat held shut at the chest by... was that gold? Oh my goodness... that's gold. Must've been important things he had to take care of...

Finally walking up to him, she smiled slightly. "Get everything done then, Kuchiki-sama?" Byakuya nodded.

"It was just one thing, but I knew it would take a long time to take care of. Would you mind if I brought you back to the manor?"

"Me? I'm not dressed to go to a manor!" Hisana looked down at her school uniform.

"I'm sure we can find something for you there."

"But I..."

"Please?"

Hisana bit her lower lip. "Oh... alright. Fine then."

---

He has servants to open doors and gates... Hisana stepped inside the manor and looked around, attempting to take in the splendor of it all. Everything was spotless, organized, and the room seemed to have a glow about it.

There were portraits on the wall of all the previous clan leaders, at least... that's who she assumed they were. No... not previous... Byakuya's up there... or is that... his father? He certainly looked a lot like Byakuya, but he seemed... colder. Her eyes wandered across the wall, and then around the room as she stood there with Byakuya, who was discussing something with an elderly servant.

"Is he home?! Get him in here!" A voice came from a room down the hall. Oh my... that doesn't sound good.

Byakuya smirked. "It begins." He walked down the hall to the left, passed the room where the voice came from and into a room at the end of the hall.

The elderly servant looked at Hisana. "Hisana-san, please come with me." He lead her down the hall to the right and into the first room they came to. He looked her over briefly then walked over to a closet and slid the doors open.

"Let's see here... Ah, this should be the one Byakuya-sama was talking about." Pulling out a box, the servant lifted the lid off and revealed a dark pink kimono with lighter pink cherry blossoms embroidered onto it.

He gently handed her the kimono. "I hope it fits you, Hisana-san," the servant said as he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Hisana slowly glanced down at the brilliant fabric she held in her hands. This is... She ran her hand across the flower pattern. ...amazing...

---

After a lot of gentle struggling, Hisana finally managed to get the kimono on. Looking herself over the mirror, her jaw dropped. It fits almost perfectly... She slowly slid the door open and popped her head out, looking around. Walking back towards the entrance, she saw Byakuya coming from down the hallway. He changed his outfit again, she realized, to a set of plain white robes and a light green overcoat, and, for one reason or another, his soul slayer.

They both arrived at the entrance at the same time, Hisana blushing at the look of admiration from Byakuya.

"Um... Byakuya-sama." The servant from before, Kanaye, approached him slowly. "The elders..."

"Kuchiki Byakuya!" The head elder opened the door of the room and stepped out, followed by the rest of the elders.

Byakuya turned to face them. "Yes?"

"WHAT is the meaning of this?"

----------
Another cliffhanger! GASP! I'll post the next chapter tomorrow :D R&R, please and thanks.