Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Note: Thank you sooo much for the lovely reviews! Please enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 32:

"Aw, they've already stopped", complained Rukia.

"Don't worry", assured Byakuya calmly, "I still have an ace up my sleeve."

Rukia fought back a grin. Nii-sama was thoroughly enjoying this. She was interested, what this 'ace' would be.

"Enough slacking off already", said Byakuya, when Shihana and Renji were back inside, cheeks still flushed.

"It is time to take the next step. Music please!"

As the music began to play and Byakuya instructed them how to move, he barely suppressed an evil snicker. Just you wait, he thought. Nobody can fight the 'Tango treatment'!

"And to give Rukia, too, a chance to learn this properly, we will now change partners", announced Byakuya. There was unmistakeably a note of amusement in his cool voice.

Shihana and Renji both blushed when they approached each other. Renji gingerly took her hand in his.

"What is this, Abarai?" called Byakuya from across the room, already leading Rukia skilfully. "You can't dance a tango standing that far apart. I get the impression you are not trying enough. Need I show you myself?"

"N-no, taichou!" stuttered Renji and finally pulled Shihana closer. He was almost able to feel her rapid heartbeat. He swallowed. "Um, you'll need to place your foot between..." ...my legs now, he had wanted to say. Now that sounded incredibly wrong. Though wasn't that how taichou had instructed them earlier?

Lucky for him, Shihana began moving on her own accord. Very unlucky for him, this stupid dance was stimulating, in a very wrong way...

Renji soon found himself moving in a daze only concentrating on imagining he would dance with anyone except the person he actually held in his arms.

Shihana constantly swayed between two thoughts: this feels amazing...stop! I can't do this with Renji...still this feels amazing...I wonder how it would be to dance like this with Reki...not as amazing I guess...

Rukia buried her face in Byakuya's shoulder to hide her grin. Nii-sama had truly outdone himself with this one. It was only a matter of time until they cracked.

1...2,3 Ikkaku, 1...2,3 Iba, 1...2,3 Omaeda, thought Renji desperately. Don't look at her. Those are no breasts that press against my chest...Why is taichou trying to drive me crazy?

"Would you dance with me at the reception, Renji-san?", asked Shihana suddenly, her voice dreamy. As soon as the question was out she wanted to whack herself around the head. What the heck was she thinking? If anyone saw her dancing with Renji like that, they'd think you-know-not-what!

"If you would like that, Shihana-san", answered Renji, unable to drive the husky tone from his voice. And damn, he had to look her in the face, while saying it. They needed to stop dancing this second! Yet his body just continued moving on its own accord. And his tongue seemed to move without its master's command, too.

"May I ask you something, Shihana-san?"

"Sure", she answered. "What is it?"

"Do you truly love Shihoin Reki?"

Shihana went white as a sheet. They froze and it seemed as if the music had stopped, too, the entire room falling silent.

She wanted to say 'Yes' with the same cool resolution she had said it in front of her parents, yet she couldn't bring the word over her lips.

She looked up into Renji's face. He looked half-expectant, half-shocked about his own question.

A rapid series of images flicked through her head. Renji, the day she had met him in Rukongai, his face twisted with anger the night of Matsumoto's party, him lying dead in his own blood, his face full of determination when he refused to kill her, his grinning face in the 4th squad's barracks.

She could not tell this lie. Not to him.

"No", whispered Shihana. And then she threw herself at Renji and started to cry against his chest.

He gently stroked her back and shot Rukia and Byakuya a panicked look.

"Now, now, Shihana-san, no need to cry", he muttered eventually.

"You have no clue!" she sobbed. "If I don't do this, the-then m-my parents will be ruined!"

"Surely not", said a voice and Shihana looked up to see Byakuya standing next to them.

"I already assured your parents that the main family won't abandon them no matter what. Surely they told you this?" In her astonished face he read that they had not. The fools! Byakuya thought. He would need to have a strict word with his uncle.

"Slight changes to the marriage can be made the last minute. And I am certain some people will come even if they are invited without much time for preparation."

Now it was Renji's turn to be confused.

"What are you talking about, taichou? What kind of changes? Which people?"

Rukia gave him a smack on the back of his head. "Wake up, baka!" she said. "Haven't you told me yourself that this was the last question left to ask? Now go on!"

"Uh..."

Byakuya made a gesture and the band began to play a soft romantic tune.

Renji swallowed.

"If you don't really like Shihoin-kun, well, I thought, perhaps...ow!" He rubbed the spot on his back Rukia had punched.

"Will you marry me instead, Shihana-san?"

Shihana turned her still tear-streaked face up to his. She was silent for a moment. Only the sappy yet tasteful melody was heard.

Then she smiled.

"Sure I will, Abarai Renji", she said and kissed him.

It's finally out! Will they live happily ever after? Find out in the next chapters^^. And please tell me what you think! Also, you can make suggestions for a name for Reki's mother, for I still haven't decided on one.