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.

Conterra-san: Actually, according to your profile, we live in the same time zone. I just tend to not sleep if I don't have to wake up early. Actually, I tend to not sleep until 3 AM even if I have to wake up early and just take a nap after school. Oddly enough, I function better that way. XD And I'm glad you stumbled across my fic while slacking off in class. :D I do the same thing!

thelovablechelsea: Welcome back! I actually thought for a moment that I scared you off when I put that message at the start of chapter 20 and it made me very sad. D: But now you're back! And I'm glad you still like my storyyyy. ;3

The House of Kuchiki

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"

As the servant slided the manor entrance open for Byakuya, he stepped in slowly and observed the scene in front of him.

Hisana was standing aside, her face buried in her hands, blushing a brilliantly bright shade of red that would make a cherry quite jealous.

Arisu was standing in front of the girl named Matsumoto, nodding quickly. "Yep. It's true."

Matsumoto's jaw was hanging open. "But just... before... I was... and she ... and now..." Her gaze turned to look at Byakuya, who approached Hisana to see if she wasn't ready to die from embarrassment. "They... he..."

Arisu nodded slowly. "I know. Shocking, isn't it? Who would want to marry HIM?"

Matsumoto looked from Byakuya to Hisana repeatedly, blinked a few times then looked at Arisu. "... getting married?"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow and looked at Matsumoto. "Weren't you the one who was perfectly capable of formulating witty sentences not too long ago?"

Hisana, no matter how much Byakuya tried to gently pry her hands away from her face, remained in that position, shaking her head repeatedly. "At this rate, the entire academy will know within an hour..."

Matsumoto's eyes began wandering across the walls of the manor. "You don't want the academy to know? It would stop their stupid remarks about you in the hallways, you know. ... that vase over there is very nice, by the way, Captain Kuchiki."

Arisu went over to Hisana and forcefully pulled her hands away from her face. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear Hisana-san. He proposed, you said yes. You should be telling to world you're getting married. It's a happy day."

Hisana nodded slowly, still remaining a shade of red and looking down at the floor. "I just... I don't want..."

Byakuya glanced at Hisana briefly and then looked sternly at Arisu. "This is not to spread around Seireitei. It stays in the house." Moving his gaze to Matsumoto, he continued, "In fact. It stays between us. Do you understand me?"

Arisu and Matsumoto nodded simultaneously.

---

Several hours later, after Matsumoto had forced her way into a tour around the manor, she also managed to get herself invited to dinner at the Kuchiki manor.

Needless to say, the elders were not pleased.

She was seated next to Hisana, forcing Arisu to move across the table and sit opposite Hisana next to Byakuya. While Matsumoto made her usual loud jokes and laughed often with Arisu, the elders remained silent, muttering under their breaths and watching Byakuya intently.

Byakuya was focusing completely on his new fiancée, smiling continuously and occasionally reaching over to move hair out of Hisana's face. Of course, the elders had no idea that the two were engaged to be married, and the dramatic change in Byakuya's character had surprised them all.

Matsumoto, who of course opted to drink sake with her meal, began getting tipsy by the time dinner was drawing to a close. As with most drunken ramblings, she made absolutely no sense half the time, drew dirty looks, caused eye rolls, and made the elders sigh in disgust.

Her obviously disapproved of behavior was mostly poorly ignored by the members of the Kuchiki household. That is, of course, until she focused her attention on the newly engaged couple and stupidly opened her mouth.

"Sooo! When's the weddin'?" Matsumoto slurred out with a hiccup and a giggle as she pointed to her chest. "Not too soon, I 'ope. I need some time to find a good kimono that'll fit these babies."

Suddenly, the already semi-silent room became tense and completely quiet.

Matsumoto looked around. "What?! You all didn't know!? These two are engaged now!" Matsumoto raised her sake bottle and downed it, forgetting to mention, and then forgetting to carry out, the toast she was going to give.

Arisu looked around the room nervously, looking between the angry elders to Byakuya, who, for some reason, looked completely calm. "... so how about I show Matsumoto-san the ... uh ... garden." She stood up slowly. "Let's go, Matsumoto-san."

Matsumoto also stood up, stumbling out of her chair, grabbing her sake bottle and walking out with Arisu, offering her some sake as she used her as a support to prevent herself from falling over.

The head elder, who had watched Matsumoto leave with a genuine look of disgust, turned his gaze to Byakuya. "Engaged? Since when?"

Byakuya's gaze never wavered as he leaned back in his chair before replying, "This afternoon. What of it?"

Hisana frowned and put her hands on her lap, looking down. And here comes another round of arguments...

The elder narrowed his eyes. "Have you gone mad?"

"It's possible." Byakuya glanced over at Hisana, reaching to take her hand to give it a light squeeze of reassurance.

"Do you wish to disgrace us, Byakuya?"

"Are you going to spout the disgraceful nonsense again? I figured getting the captain's position was more than enough to shut you up about that."

"Insolen--" The elder glared at Byakuya as he cut in.

"Regardless. Arisu, if I'm not mistaken, already cleared this situation up with you quite some time ago. And even if you DID have a problem with it..." He looked at Hisana with a slight smile before looking back at the elder. "That wouldn't stop me."

"Now... if you'll excuse us." Byakuya stood up slowly, offering his hand to Hisana, who looked up and took it with a little hesitation. "We have a wedding to start planning."

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Another update tomorrow after graduation. I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so the chapter wasn't as long as I had expected it to be... but tomorrow is going to cover quite a lot (not the wedding, so don't get your hopes up. D;)