It's me again with the Chapter 13 update. :D Would love to thank all those who reviewed the previous Chapter 12, I really appreciate every single one. Thank you all, you motivate me and keep me going. :)

And now here is the newest chapter, and I hope you all will enjoy.

Some tiny things to pay attention to for better reading:

*Nabe or Yosenabe = Hot pot

*Udon = A type of thick Japanese wheat-flour noodle

*Soba = A type of thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour

*Yakidofu = Grilled tofu

Rukia fiddled slightly with her bunny gloves as she walked. Slowly, she chanced a sideway glance at the man walking silently next to her.

Byakuya smiled easily at her as she caught his eyes. He had not looked away from her once as they walked.

Rukia hurriedly turned away and looked ahead to the road. And yet, she was already beginning to grin in spite of herself.

"It's getting near, isn't it?"

Rukia looked up at the deep voice. She nodded. "How did you know?"

"Because you are already smiling so happily." Byakuya gave her a flawless one of his.

Rukia couldn't help it. She smiled back at him.

xXxXx

Byakuya watched the pretty smile curve Rukia's lips as she looked ahead. She apparently retained the childlike qualities so commonly found in kids, that pure excitement and happiness brought forth by very simple things in life. Like a surprise birthday party you already knew your parents had been planning for the past two weeks. Like buying that delicious fruit pastry you had been dying to sink your teeth into. Like hearing the jingle of the ice-cream cart around the corner.

Byakuya had long forgotten what it felt like. Somewhere along his six hundred years of life, those emotions were deemed useless and unnecessary and he banished them effectively from his life forever. Effectively. He was Kuchiki Byakuya, the flawless and untouchable leader of the Kuchiki demon clan. He was perfect, the epitome of everything demonically powerful and deadly.

Byakuya wondered how everything got to where they were now. He was sure he hadn't started out like this. When small things slowly became useless, when there was nothing to look forward to everyday, when there was no need to even feel happy at all.

Somewhere along the way to power and leadership, he lost a lot… in himself. He only wanted to train, to get powerful, to uphold the name of the Kuchiki clan. He wanted to prepare himself to take over the leadership mantle, and to ensure he was the best of anyone who had ever taken it up. And when he finally did, even that didn't matter anymore. He went about life everyday, surrounded by the best of luxuries and never taking a second notice at all of them. As an Incubus, he of course enjoyed the sexual activities of his demonic nature, but even that was in a way, detached. Everything was just an object, mattered little to him.

Until he met her.

She fought his arrogance and he was curious. And that night, he touched her for the very first time, her position unwillingly purchased by the one thing she loathed about him. And she was different from anyone he had ever met. She cried, she resisted… but when she finally succumbed to him, he became the slave.

Byakuya shook himself slightly and continued watching Rukia's excited expression. Somehow, he found it all so endearing. She was like a fresh breath of air, a golden patch of warm sunlight you just wanted to stand in and bask.

She was everything away from his dark, deadened world.

Perhaps I have lived for too long, Rukia.

He watched as her face scrunched up slightly. Then she turned to him. "D-Did you say something?"

Byakuya smiled and shook his head.

xXxXx

"Here we are!" Rukia bounced happily on the balls of her feet as she stopped in front of the shop. It was a small shop, with fogged-up huge windows and bamboo blinds covering the front entrance. Byakuya stared up at the simple red lights at the front of the shop.

Matsuri's Yosenabe Shop.

Underneath the sign were hanging wooden boards bearing the names of the food offered. Nabe. Soba. Udon. Homemade Squid Cakes. Rice Cakes…

Rukia walked toward the entrance. "Let's go in!"

Byakuya followed her into the shop, which was very warm. The faint smell of cooking stew greeted them, coupled with loud sounds of cleavers chopping on boards. Byakuya looked down the narrow hallway in front of him, that snaked past the front counter. The hallway was lit by white lanterns and bamboo blinds obscured the tables and their occupants from view, as shoes lined the hallway.

He looked back at Rukia, who had just pressed a buzzer on the counter. She smiled at him slightly. "It's different from what you usually do, isn't it?

Byakuya did not answer because suddenly, there was a loud bang from the door behind the counter and a large woman stepped into view. She was plump and her hair was curly, held up in a bun with a chopstick at the back of her head. Her eyes were wide and fierce and she was brandishing an enormous cleaver. Byakuya reflexively moved out to step in front of Rukia but the petite girl called out first.

"Madam Matsuri!"

A happy smile spread across the woman's face as her eyes filled with recognition, immediately lightening the crazed look.

"Rukia dear! I haven't seen you in a while!" Madam Matsuri threw the cleaver with a clang against the table, walked out from behind the counter and threw her arms around Rukia, almost squeezing the air out of her. "It's been so long! The last time you came here was with…" The woman looked past Rukia's shoulder and her eyes widened when they settled on Byakuya.

Byakuya bowed politely, the front strands of his black hair falling over his grey eyes as he did so.

The woman's eyes widened until they were the size of saucers, her mouth open in a wide O.

"Madam?" Rukia pulled slightly back to look at the proprietress, puzzled. She followed the line of gaze and smiled awkwardly. "Err… this is my friend, Byakuya-san."

"Nice to meet you, Madam Matsuri." Byakuya bowed. "I hope we won't be an inconvenience. Rukia thought she would bring me to taste the food here, she said it was out of this world."

Madam Matsuri immediately beamed at Rukia, whose cheeks were a little red. "That's my girl!" She gave Rukia another bone-crushing hug before shuffling down the hallway. "Come on now, my dears! Today's pretty busy but I don't mind feeding well-mannered children!"

Rukia chuckled softly and followed Madam Matsuri, Byakuya behind her. They walked past tables filled with customers, and one or two children ran past them on their way. It was certainly a busy day, Madam Matsuri was apparently very well-known for her hot pot specialty.

Finally, the trio stopped at an empty table where the blinds were folded up.

"Step right in, my dears! I will be back with the pots and goodies!" Madam Matsuri smiled. "I hope you will enjoy my food, Byakuya-san."

"I think I already do." Byakuya bowed and smiled.

"I like him already." Madam Matsuri cheekily poked Rukia in the waist and winked, before hurrying off. Rukia blushed and waved her hand slightly at the table. "Er… step right in."

Rukia removed her shoes easily before seating herself onto the bench at the table. The tables here in the Matsuri shop were fashioned in the middle of polished wooden benches built around the table itself. You had to remove your shoes before stepping in and seating yourself at the table. Shinji often liked to jump in with his Nike shoes on, often culminating in him cowering before a murderous Madam Matsuri and her ever-present cleaver.

Now, Rukia watched as Byakuya removed his own polished shoes and took his seat across from her. A waitress approached their table with white plates of soy bean sauce, chili sauce and garlic, and a bowl of eggs. She put these down on the side of the table, bowed and unfolded the blinds in front of their table before walking off.

Byakuya turned to Rukia. "I have to admit, it has been a very long time since I came to a place like this."

Rukia smiled. "Really? When was that?"

"It felt like a hundred years ago." Byakuya nodded. "A lot has changed." He smiled at Rukia. "I was a kid then."

Rukia smiled. "Well, it's time to refresh those memories." She took a set of white plate and bowl and placed it down in front of Byakuya. Next, she took a pair of chopsticks from their holder and arranged it at the side of his plate.

"All set." She moved to take another set of plates.

"Arigato, Rukia."

Rukia smiled slightly, before she started doing the same for her own.

"Who were you with the last time you came over here?" Byakuya asked as he intently watched what she was doing.

Rukia looked up. "Oh, a group of my friends. We came over here for some pot luck night." She smiled at the memory.

Byakuya stared at her, his expression unreadable. "I see. At least it wasn't with Ichigo alone. I might have thrown a fit."

Rukia's eyes widened but Byakuya smiled at her easily.

"Do you always have Nabe often?"

Rukia smiled. "Only for group outings, and sometimes with Otousan. I thought it'd be really nice to come here today, eating Nabe is absolute heaven during rainy days."

Byakuya and Rukia looked up as another waitress appeared at their table with a cast-iron pot in her hands. She looked at Byakuya and blushed when he looked up at her. Slowly, she placed the pot over the built-in stove on the table. Next, the waitress poured in soup ("Madam Matsuri's special home-made broth," Rukia remarked happily) from a jug into the pot and turned on the stove. Then she stepped back and stared dreamily at Byakuya again. Rukia looked at the girl, a little amused.

The waitress took a theatrical deep breath before speaking. "Welcome guests, to Madam Matsuri's Nabe shop. She has requested that I give the general introduction about the dishes here to the new guest present." The girl looked at Byakuya again with dreamy eyes. "Nabe (meaning 'pot') is a one-pot dish where several ingredients are cooked together in a broth. The symbol of eating Nabe carries the quintessential image of a happy family gathered around the dining table eating together from the same pot. Because a Nabe is always hot, it serves as a great winter meal, with very little preparation."

Rukia looked at Byakuya with a triumphant smile.

"Here at Matsuri's, we use an array of fresh materials for cooking in your Nabe. The broth is made only here in Matsuri's, consisting of chicken meat and bones, seaweed, young bamboo and seasonings. The fresh materials, which will soon be presented to you, consist of vegetables such as white tofu and yakidofu, napa cabbage, fresh shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, leeks, bunch spinach and carrots. The meats available are boneless chicken meat, spiced beef, clams, prawns, fish balls and red snapper slices. I hope you enjoy your meal."

The soup was already simmering as the waitress bowed and retreated after one last longing look at Byakuya.

Rukia could not help it, she chuckled. Byakuya turned to her in curiosity.

"She likes you, the waitress." Rukia laughed slightly.

"Are you trying to mask your jealousy?" Byakuya smiled.

Rukia's eyes widened at his words. "No! Why would I be jealous?"

"Because you like me too."

"N-No, I don't!" Rukia felt her cheeks turn red at Byakuya's straightforward shameless comment. Why was she always caught stuttering when she was supposed to be firm?

Byakuya chuckled. "I liked that little introductory speech of the waitress. That means when we eat from the same pot, we are bonded together?"

Rukia opened her mouth to answer but she was spared the necessity when two waitresses materialized with plates of fresh, raw food material. Rukia looked excitedly as they placed the raw food on the table before them and the already boiling pot of soup, her discomfort and embarrassment easily forgotten.

"Arigato." She smiled as the waitresses departed once again. Rukia reached for a pair of chopsticks and looked at Byakuya. "I will put a little of everything in, okay?"

Byakuya nodded.

Rukia smiled and took up the plate of seafood. "Madam Matsuri's Nabe broth is very well-known and delicious, you will soon see. But whenever you are having Nabe, always put the prawns and fish balls in first. They add more sweetness to the soup." She put in the seafood, before adding more meat and vegetables.

Then Rukia took another bowl from the stack of clean ones and cracked one of the eggs into it. "This is not for cooking in the Nabe. It is a form of condiment with the hot pot, besides the soy sauce, chili sauce and garlic. When you take out the food from the hot pot, you may dip them into the raw egg for taste." She smiled again and put the bowl at the side, along with the other condiments.

"I like your speech a lot better."

Rukia felt herself blush at Byakuya's words. 'This man is... really…'

xXxXx

"Hey, have you guys realized something?" Renji took a gulp of sake.

"What?" Momo looked at him enquiringly.

"That you actually look ten times uglier from the last time we saw you? I agree." Matsumoto nodded.

"Shut up. If you were a guy, I'd have flung this bottle right at your head." Renji poured himself another cup as Matsumoto stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm talking… about Byakuya. Don't you realize he's been keeping a lot to himself these days?"

The group of demons had decided to take to one of their favourite haunts, away from the club scenes and luxurious five-class pub rooms. They were in the mood for plain old sake, and pal-talking time.

"Just because you failed to ask him out, which has happened almost every other time, doesn't mean he's decided to become a hermit." Matsumoto took up her own cup of sake.

"He's always been that way." The blond hair blew slightly in the wind as Izuru Kira put his hand to his chin. "He was never one to mix with the crowd anyway."

"Yeah I know but…"

"Kuchiki-san seems alright, I don't see anything wrong with him. Abarai-kun, you are overthinking." Momo smiled.

"I hope I am." Renji nodded thoughtfully.

Man, if only they knew. He doesn't seem to fight as well, he keeps pictures of young girls in his wallet. And that scene in the car…

Renji downed his cup in one go.

Byakuya, you better not be losing yourself.

xXxXx

"Itadakimasu!" Rukia clapped her hands together happily. The two pairs of gloves now lay next to each other on the bench, and Byakuya and Rukia were finally going to start eating. The hot pot was boiling, the steam wafting upwards, and the delicious contents were merrily beckoning to them. Even though, she had had dinner, Rukia's mouth was practically watering.

Byakuya gestured to the pot. "After you."

Rukia smiled and took a cooked sliced fillet from the pot. She dipped it into the soy sauce and transferred it straight into her mouth. She chewed happily, her eyes sparkling.

Byakuya stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"You should eat it with soup. Here, I will help." Rukia reached for Byakuya's bowl and ladled the soup into his bowl. She added some meat and vegetables along with it and placed it over to his side. "Nice and hot!"

"Arigato, Rukia."

Rukia smiled but watched Byakuya carefully as he picked up his chopsticks. Would he like the Nabe? After all, he was so used to more expensive types of food…

Byakuya spooned the soup into his mouth slightly and took up a piece of meat. As he chewed slightly, Rukia watched him almost breathlessly. And as she watched, something passed through the misty grey eyes.

"Is it good?"

Byakuya looked up and nodded. "Really, really good."

Rukia could not help it, she grinned at him.

xXxxx

Byakuya watched the happy smile curl Rukia's lips. If he was going to comment on anything that would taste the sweetest in the whole shop, her lips would be his answer. The things she could do to him, just by smiling, was remarkable.

She had helped set out his eating utensils for him, and served him food easily. And she did it as if it was the most natural thing in the world, that she was happy to eat dinner with him, that she wanted him to enjoy his food. Byakuya did not think she even realized it.

But Rukia was right, the food was absolutely delicious. He had not lied, he hadn't tasted this sort of traditional food for so long, a hundred years would be close. But it was so good, the hot nutritious food, the tasty broth… and Rukia smiling at him from across the table as they ate dinner together.

So when we eat from the same pot... we are bonded together?

xXxXx

"Arigato." Rukia smiled as the waitress left their table. She had just placed yet another order for a third set of fresh food material. She laughed softly. "We are going to be black-listed soon enough."

Byakuya smiled. "It's business, Rukia."

Rukia nodded. Then she looked up at Byakuya, the soup now simmering softly between them. "Speaking of business, are your parents in the same line as you are now?"

Byakuya lifted his eyes to her. "I never knew my parents. They died when I was a baby."

Rukia's eyes widened. "Oh... I am so sorry."

Byakuya smiled. "It is alright."

"Ah." Rukia nodded a little. "So you…"

"I was raised by my grandfather and relatives. When I came of age, I took over the presidency of the hotel chain and Grandfather went off on a long retirement holiday." Byakuya smiled.

"I see." Rukia deliberated. "So your Grandfather is away at the moment?"

Byakuya nodded. "He still is… on his holiday. I'd say he deserve it. Right now, I feel like retiring myself."

Rukia laughed. Byakuya smiled, before plucking a shrimp from the hot pot into his bowl.

"So where did you study?"

Byakuya chewed slowly, before looking up. He cocked his head to one side, and the stray strands of hair fell softly over his piercing grey eyes as he looked at Rukia. "You seem to be really interested in me."

Rukia blushed horribly. "NO! I just wanted to know, I mean, you do know a lot…" She spoke grudgingly.

Byakuya chuckled. "I was educated in a lot of countries ever since I was a child, Rukia. Our family moved around a lot. I have been to the States, England, Russia, France, Korea, China… and a fair bit of the European regions. But I've always returned here in between, to home."

"You have been to France?" Rukia's eyes were wide.

Byakuya smiled and ate some more.

"Traveling extensively must be tiring though." Rukia stuck a square white beancurd into her mouth unceremoniously. "It'd be like sight-seeing. You'd only stay at a place a few months or so."

Byakuya lifted his eyes to Rukia. "If you say so."

Rukia swallowed her food.

"What else do you want to know?" Byakuya leaned back easily and watched Rukia. "I am not married, I am definitely single and available. And I sure as hell am…" His grey eyes lowered in a sexy stare as he looked at her.

"… interested."

Rukia felt her face turn tomato red. What sort of man spoke all these cheesy words outright like that? But what was more shocking was the way he pulled it off so successfully… and so effortlessly. So sleek, with just the easiest hint of seduction…

Rukia gave herself a mental slap. 'He's definitely back to himself already if he can start spouting all these shameless words.'

Rukia lifted her head. "The same can't be said for me."

His sexy smile got wider. "It can't?"

Rukia nodded firmly. "It can't."

"So which is it?" Rukia's eyes widened at the question. "Which is it? Are you not single? Or are you not available? I will have to use different strategies for each."

Her cheeks heated up instantly.

'Lie.' The reasonable voice at the back of her head said. 'He already thinks you are Ichigo's girlfriend anyway. Tell him you really are, then he can stop all this rubbish.'

"I thought you already know that-

"I am ten thousand times better than Ichigo in every single way."

Rukia's eyes widened. Byakuya leaned forward on his seat, his grey eyes piercing and intense. "And I know the feelings I give you are a thousand times better than the ones he does."

Rukia's eyes widened. Byakuya smiled and picked up his bowl. "I do not like courting another man's woman. But…" He lifted his grey eyes slowly to a flustered Rukia opposite the table. "… if she was made to belong to me in the first place, then that makes the other man the third wheel, doesn't it?"

Rukia did not know what to say. Byakuya scooped a ladleful of soup into his bowl, along with some greens and meat. Rukia opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Byakuya looked up, before gesturing easily to the pot. "Eat up, Rukia. Things are only good…" He smiled, his grey eyes misty. "… when they are hot."

xXxXx

Rukia patted her stomach slightly, feeling contented. The food was really good, there was no doubt this was the best Nabe shop she had ever, and will ever go to. She looked over quickly at Byakuya. He smiled easily at her.

Byakuya and Rukia had refilled the hot pot over and over with goodies and soup refills. Despite his strong but lean build, Byakuya appeared to be a very heavy eater. He didn't do it voraciously ('But of course his image wouldn't allow him to,' Rukia thought) but he had smoothly polished off one bowl of food after another in the blink of an eye. Rukia herself wasn't one to be outdone in terms of food consumption. Despite having had dinner already, she found herself eating as if she had not.

"I will get the bill." Rukia started to get up.

"No."

Rukia looked over at Byakuya. He was already taking a credit card out of his wallet.

"No, I promised you today was my treat." Rukia shook her head but her eyes widened as Byakuya swiftly got up and swept past her without another word. She clumsily got up and wore her shoes ('How did he get into his shoes so fast?') before heading out front. Byakuya was already paying at the counter as Madam Matsuri swiped the card through the machine.

Rukia rushed toward them. "Byakuya!"

"The day for you to treat me will come…" Byakuya looked down at Rukia and smiled. "… but it is not today."

"Your receipt, Byakuya-san." Madam Matsuri smiled as she handed over the white piece of paper. "I hoped you liked my humble food."

"It was the best I have had in a long time, Madam." Byakuya bowed politely. "Thank you for having me."

"My pleasure, my pleasure." Madam Matsuri smiled delightedly, before winking at Rukia. "Come again sometime, my dears."

xXxXx

"Well... here we are," Rukia spoke uncomfortably as they reached the front door of the flower shop. Byakuya and Rukia had walked back through the streets after dinner. Both of them were very full and warm from dinner, they hadn't even used the gloves. Now Rukia stood in front of the glass door uncertainly, the light from the shop playing on the jet black of her hair.

"Go in, Rukia," Byakuya smiled. "I said I would send you in the door safe."

"Oh." Rukia opened the door and went in. Her eyes widened slightly as Byakuya followed after her.

"Err…"

But Byakuya walked past her into the shop.

Rukia lifted her eyebrows but she followed after him. Byakuya stopped in front of the array of vases set out in one corner of the shop. Rukia watched as a long arm stretched itself out and pale fingers curled around a stalk of red rose bud in the third vase. Byakuya took the rose stalk from its companions as he placed some money on the counter top.

"Rukia." He offered the stalk of flower to her.

Rukia looked at him in surprise.

"I told you before that I would buy something I sincerely want from your shop for every time you agree to go out with me. This is one of them."

Rukia stared at the red rose bud. "You don't have to...-"

"I sincerely bought it… to give to you. Do not place it back into the shop to sell. I want this rose to be in your room, preferably at your bedside table." Byakuya's eyes were misty and unreadable. "And I want it to grow in close proximity to you… and when it finally blooms its beauty before your eyes, I want to be in your thoughts then."

Rukia's eyes widened. If someone like Shinji or Ichigo had spoken those poetic words like that, she would have burst out laughing instantly. But right here, spoken by this mysterious man who was impossible in every way, it was… possible. Everything was… possible.

"Can you do that for me?"

Slowly, the small hand accepted the rose from the bigger one. "I… Thank you."

Byakuya smiled. "Thank you for accompanying me out tonight for dinner and for over two hours. I really appreciate it." Byakuya smiled and turned away. "Good night, Rukia." He began to walk out of the flower shop.

"Byakuya!"

He stopped and turned around, the steady grey eyes betraying just slightly of the surprise he had felt when she called him.

Rukia looked out at him, her brows knitted together and her eyes slightly worried. "I don't know what it is that's troubling you but whatever it is, you'd get through it. So don't get down just because of that. I mean…" Slowly, she smiled ever so slightly. "… you are Kuchiki Byakuya."

Byakuya stared at her for a while. Then he smiled softly at her, as the glass door swung close between them.

xXxXx

"Good night, Otousan!" Rukia smiled at the bedroom door. "Yes, dinner was good." She did not even blush. "I want sushi for breakfast tomorrow." She giggled, before closing her father's bedroom door.

Slowly, Rukia began to make her way up the stairs, the stalk of young rose in her hand. She stared down at it for a moment.

And when it finally blooms its beauty before your eyes, I want to be in your thoughts then...

Rukia touched the folded petals of the rose bud as she walked into her bedroom. She stared out the balcony door at the white moon.

xXxXx

Byakuya stepped out of his bathroom in his white terry robe. He walked over to his bed as he yawned slightly. Today had been a tiring day. But it had been good. Very, very good.

Byakuya got onto his king-sized black bed and straightened his legs out before reaching for his mobile phone on the bedside table. He keyed in the words on the lit screen before scrolling to the recipient he was all too familiar with now.

'Thank you. I liked the Nabe very much.' -Byakuya-

Byakuya smiled softly as he lay down on his bed. His bed felt all too comfortable, and he hadn't realized how beautifully intricate the design of his wallpaper was as he stared up at it now. Suddenly, Byakuya's mobile phone beeped and he turned to it in surprise. He reached for the phone and stared at the screen.

And as he lay on his bed, Byakuya felt his lips curve into a contented smile as his misty grey eyes softened. He continued looking at the text message for a long time as the soft moonlight bathed the room through the glass pane windows.

'I liked the Nabe too.'

xXxXx

And woo~ She likes the Nabe too? *cheeky wink* :D I hoped this chapter was full of ByaRuki goodness for you, chronicling the dinner they had... and in her natural environment, Rukia opens up even more to Byakuya as they get to know each other. :) And well, our Bya-kun is still being all smooth on her, determined to take her away from Ichigo. XD

An idea jumped into my head as I was typing this chapter out... for the next two chapters. So I will still have some long work to expand on it, but I will certainly write when I have free time. (though I will be busy all over again when weekend ends)

Thank you once again for the reviews for Chapter 12, they were all lovely to read (and the spelling corrections and suggestions too). :) I really do love all of you who took the time out to tell me what you think about the fic.

So please review this chapter and tell me what you think about it (feedback, suggestions, corrections etc), it helps motivate me along the way! :D

Nice to see you all again after a little over 2 weeks. :)

p/s: I managed to snag tickets to the HP7 movie opening day yesterday, it was really enjoyably decent. If you like the Harry Potter series and haven't seen the latest movie, do jump in the nearest theater when you can. :)