~Kairi's P.O.V~

~Nine Years Later, In the World of the Living~

I had just gotten home from school when I saw Renji, Rangiku, and Rukia all standing outside Kisuke's shop/home, and they were all wearing their Soul Reaper uniforms, this probably was a very bad sign.

Running towards them, I looked at all of them with concern and worry etched into my face, as I spoke to them. "What's wrong, did something happen in the Soul Society? Is everything okay with Captain's Ukitake, Kuchiki and Hitsugaya? Please tell me if everything's okay!" I shouted at them, as tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

Placing a hand on my shoulder, Rukia looked into my eyes and gave me a warm smile. "Kairi everything's fine with our Captains, let's go inside and talk okay?" She said to me.

Letting out a yawn, Renji stood up and stretched out his back and then spoke to us. "Besides, we wouldn't be here if something happened to our Captains Kairi-," Renji was cut off when Rangiku punched him in the face.

Rolling her eyes, Rangiku gave me a warm smile and then shot a glare at Renji. "You never shut up do you Renji?" She said to him, as she grabbed him by the neck and opened the shop's door and dragged him inside.

Following behind Rangiku and Renji, I went inside the shop and heard Kisuke and Tessai laughing along with another familiar voice, it was Captain Ukitake's voice that I heard.

Shaking off Rukia's hand that was still on my shoulder, I ran past Renji and Rangiku and opened the set of doors that led to the back of the shop and saw Captain Ukitake for the first time in several years. Forgetting formalities, I rushed over to Captain Ukitake, and hugged him, cause us both to fall down. "Oh captain, I've missed you, are you feeling better? The last time I saw you-,' Captain Ukitake cut me off with a finger to my lips before giving me a warm smile.

Sitting us both up, Captain Ukitake gave me a hug and a light kiss on the forehead. "Now, now Jinjou let's not bring up the past, besides I wouldn't be here if I wasn't at my best, and as you can see, I'm perfectly fine." He said to me, as he eyed the lieutenants, Kisuke and Tessai before looking at me, the warm smile that was on his lips, was now replaced with a more serious look. "Jinjou if you would please get off of my lap and take a seat, it's time that I explained the real reason that were all here today." He said to me, his eyes never leaving mine.

Standing up, I took a seat in between Kisuke and Tessai, and waited for the Captain's reason to why they were all here...

Once Captain Ukitake finished speaking, I stood up, bowed and thanked him, before running out of the room so the captain and anyone else wouldn't see the tears that were falling down my cheeks, I ran out of the shop and headed towards the Sakura Cherry Blossom tree, and sat under the shadow of the tree and curled up into a ball, thinking about what Captain Ukitake just told everyone. "Why did you have to be the bearer of bad news Captain Ukitake, the Soul Society could've just sent Rukia and I would've been okay with that but, hearing it come from your lips just makes me feel worse." Was all I said to myself before getting lost in my thoughts...

~Flashback, An Hour Earlier~

Lowering his head, as he reached into his robes, he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. "I'm sorry about this Jinjou, but the Head Captain and the Central forty-six council ordered me to do this, but you' be spending your summer in the Soul Society, and once you read this letter you'll understand why." He said softly to me, as he handed the letter over to me without looking into my eyes.

Taking the letter from his hands, I looked at it and knew at once that this letter was an official document and an official order from the Head Captain himself and it even had his official signature on it.

Dear Kairi Jinjou Yuuki, you've been asked to attend a meeting with myself and the thirteen Court Guard Squads present to deicide on my choice of which Thirteen Court Guards Squads you'll be in, and to decide on an appropriate date and time for your marriage to Captain of the 6th division Byakuya Kuchiki. I am deeply sorry about this but, I'm afraid that this is out of my hands. Should you choose to come back to the Soul Society with lieutenants of squad's six, ten, and thirteen and also Captain Ukitake tomorrow evening, your failure to show up will result in the loss of your Soul Reaper abilities. Have a good evening.

Signed,

Head Captain Yamamoto

Was all the letter said, after I finished reading Head Captain Yamamoto's letter, I let the letter slip from my hands as I looked at Captain Ukitake with a frown on my face. "Head Captain Yamamoto does know that I have one year of High School left, doesn't he? Couldn't he have waited until next year! At least then I could-," Kisuke cut me off with his words warning.

Letting out a sigh, Kisuke stood up and looked down at me with a scowl on his face. "Kairi Jinjou Yuuki, you better watch your tone of voice, you have your orders and you will follow them. Besides, we all knew this day would come sooner or later, you thought the Head Captain would just let you go and forth between the Land of the Living and the Soul Society without expecting something from you? You'd have to be a fool to believe that." Was all Kisuke said to me, before letting out an aggravated sigh, and sitting back down in his seat and staring at Captain Ukitake...

~End of Flashback~

~End of Kairi's P.O.V~

~Kisuke's P.O.V~

Once Kairi ran out of the room, I watched as the three lieutenants followed after her. "I figured this would go south once she read the letter Ukitake, don't blame yourself, Kairi just needs time to adjust that's all, she'll be fine." I said to him, as I grabbed my cup of now cold herbal green tea.

Ukitake looked at me with a frown on his face. "Are you sure about that Urahara? If I were in her place, I'd be upset to. I think marriage should be about being with someone you love, and it shouldn't be forced either." He said coldly to me.

Raising an eyebrow at Ukitake's words, I took a quick sip on the tea, and then swallowing it down I spoke to him. "You want to know something Ukitake, I became an ex-Soul Reaper because of her, and in order for me not to executed, I did the unthinkable, I made a deal with the Head Captain. He would spare my life and Kairi's if I promised that she would be married to one of the Captain's, and the funny thing is you Jushiro Ukitake was the Head Captains first choice, but I guess as time went on, he figured that Kairi would want someone else close to her age, so he choose Captain Kuchiki instead. Besides, the next two months are just a test run to see if Kairi and Byakuya might hit off, and if they do, well then Yamamoto was right to chose Byakuya." I said to him, smiling afterwards.

Looking at me with a cold look in his eyes, Ukitake's lip curled up. "And if it doesn't Urahara, what then? Is the Head Captain just going to pass her along the Captains like she's a free sample? Do you know what some of those men would do to her!" He shouted to me, before adding softly, "she's not some bimbo, Kairi's a person, and she's also a young lady who knows very little about the Soul Society even though she's been there a dozen times, and she's well respected by almost everyone, hell if she really wanted to, she could become a Captain herself, but you and I both know that she won't because that's not who she is."

Raising an eyebrow at his words, I looked away from him. "You're right Ukitake, I can clearly see that you know what's best for her, which is why I'm entrusting you with her well-being." I told him before standing up and leaving the room, muttering a "good night" to him before heading to bed, I mean after all tomorrow was the big day for Kairi after all...

~End of Kisuke's P.O.V~