Disclaimer: I do not use big words and I do not own Bleach. Also, I do not have beta reader.
Yawning, Rukia walks lazily to the door. She just got back from the hospital after almost 24 hours on duty. She has gone to bed without changing but now, half and hour later, some moron has been ringing her doorbell non-stop. Rukia curses under her breath.
"I'm coming! Stop ringing the fucking bell!" Rukia yells as she unlocks her front door. She yawns again.
Her mouth stays open when she realizes who it is on her doorstep. It is not a moron. It's...
"Nii-sama"
"Shut your mouth Rukia," orders Byakuya as he walks into her apartment, uninvited.
Rukia snaps her mouth shut and gulps. She still cannot believe her eyes. What is her brother doing here? She has not heard from him for more than half a year and prefers to not to.
She quickly closes the door behind her and tries to makes herself look presentable in front of her brother. Her hair is in a mess and there is a blood stained on her dress. It was just a drop but to her brother, it would seem like she is bathed in blood. She cannot do anything about the blood but she can at least comb her hair with her hands...
Byakuya has already seated himself on her couch and is waiting for Rukia to greet him formally. Rukia walks tentatively towards him and bow. Once, twice and she stands in front of him, ready to be judged.
Byakuya inspects Rukia from head to toe, and then his eyes spot the drop of blood on Rukia's dress.
"Busy day at the hospital?" Rukia nods.
"Not even time for shower or new clothes?"
Rukia does not say a word. She does not see any point of explaining herself to her brother when she knows that he will dismiss everything she would say anyway.
Byakuya interprets Rukia silence as a sign of guilt. "Think of the family name next time you decided to look like a walking corpse."
Rukia flinches. She hates it when her brother starts giving her lectures on family name and she could feel anger rising up inside her.
He made it sounds like my job is disgraceful!
"My apology, Nii-sama. I'll be more careful next time," Rukia is barely able to keep her anger under control. She is not a fool to lose her temper in front of her brother who is notorious for his bad temper albeit the lack of emotion.
"There won't be a next time."
Rukia startles. She looks directly at him but immediately averts her eyes back to her toe when her violet meets the grey pool of Byakuya's eyes.
"It is time for you to fulfill dad's wishes."
Rukia shifts her weight from left foot to right. So finally the issue she has been trying to avoid for thirteen years has comes up.
I guess I couldn't run forever.
"Well?" Apparently Byakuya is waiting for her answer.
"I love what I do right now, Nii-sama."
"So you are saying that you refuse to fulfill dad's wishes..."
"No! But -"
"Apparently I have been too lenient on you." Byakuya stands up and is now towering over his sister. Rukia takes a step back, eyes still focusing on her toes.
"I'll send Hanatarou for your dress. He'll help you get ready. I expect to see you tomorrow at the ball along with your answer." Byakuya put a hand on Rukia's shoulder and she flinches. Byakuya caught his sister's reaction and immediately takes away his hand.
Why did she flinch? Does she hate me that much?
Seeing that her brother is ready to leave, Rukia makes haste to open the door for him. Byakuya is a man that will not dirtied his hand by opening doors. Without saying goodbye, Byakuya leaves her apartment leaving the perplex Rukia hardly able to think of what had just occurred.
He doesn't want to know my answer. He already made up the answer regardless of what I decided to do. It was just a formality. A task he needs to take care of and I am that task.
Rukia sighs as she closes the door behind her. She has gone passed the stage of pleasing his brother when she enrolled for medical school behind his back. Byakuya wanted her to take up business study so that she can fulfill her dad's wishes of the two of them managing the company but that clearly not what she wanted to do. However, she did take part time courses to prepare her to face her fate should day such as this comes.
And just thinking about the ball gives her the headache. It is that time of year again when their company will host the ball to lure in potential clients and pleases the existing ones. Rukia only went to the ball once, when her father is still the head of the company but it bored her so much that she always threw tantrum whenever the subject of her attending the ball came up. Her parent gave up on her and when Byakuya takes over the business, he always send a formal invites but she knows that her brother does not actually expect her to attend the ball and she was thankful for that. But today Byakuya has personally comes to invite her and Rukia knows that her brother will not take no for an answer.
She hates it trying to mingle with people who only nice to her either because she is a Kuchiki or because they want to use her to get to Byakuya's good side (Rukia does not know if he has one - if he has, she surely never saw it).
Rukia sighs again and walks to the bathroom. I need a date...
Only one name comes into her mind. She smiles for the first time today.
--
Ichigo has said no when Ishida handed him the invitation but Ishida had insisted Ichigo to be present. He never gets used to these formal balls. For him, it is just a way for rich people to waste their money lavishly. Most of them do not even like one another. But since Kuchiki is a big shot name in this business, Ichigo has to oblige.
Ichigo looks at his date for the night. She is wearing a red evening gown to match her hair. It has long slit, exposing her long leg and a black empire line made from satin ribbon that compliments her upper assets. Inoue looks stunning and turning heads every which way she goes.
Inoue has been the last minute option as he needs someone to take along. Ichigo is not totally comfortable about the arrangement because he knows he is using her, yet again.
He is fully aware of Inoue's feeling towards him. She has confessed to him after they were making out several months ago. Ichigo did not response to her confession, knowing fully well if he did, he will damn break the girl's heart. Inoue is one of few good friends he has and he would not forgive himself if he ended up hurting her intentionally. So he is thankful that Inoue does not bring up the matter after that and does not act awkwardly around him.
Inoue looks at Ichigo from the corner of her eyes. He looks dashingly in that black Hugo Boss suit. She feels pride rises up in her knowing that he has asked her to be his date instead of picking a bitch from the line. She blushes when Ichigo catches her looking at him and averts her eyes back to the guy in front of her. She does not hear a word he says though because her mind is fully occupied with the thoughts of Ichigo.
There is something about him that has changed though. Inoue could not really say what it is but she notices that his scowls are deeper than usual and he always have this faraway look in his eyes. She has asked Ishida about it in passing but Ishida just adjusted his glasses and shrugged. Inoue does not want to presses on the subject, afraid that her feelings will be known to Ishida.
Inoue knows that Ichigo could never love her like she loves him. That is why she was grateful that Ichigo did not say anything about her confession because if he did, she knows that things will never be the same between the two of them. The rejection would be too painful. It would be a lie though to say it did not hurt at all because it did and still is. However she has managed to learn to live with it.
"So I was hoping you know... that we could grab coffees sometimes..." Inoue's attention comes back to the guy in front of her.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to what you just said. Excuse me," Inoue walks towards Ichigo who is talking to Ishida and Renji, dismissing the guy. She hates it when guys hitting on her. She hates it even more when guys keep on staring at her chest, which what that guy just did.
"Get you boobs full of staring, Orihime?" teases Renji. Inoue smirks and sling her hands across Ichigo's.
"Ignore the joker, Inoue. He was pissed Ishida is ignoring him for a bishie," said Ichigo.
"He's not."
"He is too."
"I'm not, Kurosaki," Ishida interrupts to end the bickering. Really, they are at a formal ball and these two cannot get enough of each other. Renji smirks and Ichigo scowls.
"By the way Ishida, why Grimmjow isn't here?" Ichigo asks looking around for his nemesis. He knows Grimmjow gets an invitation. All the top models at the agency got one. Nel however could not come because of prior engagement.
"He is. But... you're right, I haven't seen him anywhere." All four of them look around searching for Grimmjow until Inoue caught sight of him entering the hall.
"There he is!" exclaims Inoue rather too loudly while pointing at Grimmjow’s direction. People around them that are within ear shot stop their conversation to have a look as well, intrigue as to whom the excitement is for.
Grimmjow walks in with Rukia besides him who is wearing sequined black strapless gown that makes her violet eyes stand out even from afar. She let her hair loose and she wears little accessory: diamond earrings with a matching ring on her finger. She is looking drop dead gorgeous.
A murmur can be heard across the hall when she made the entrance, people are wondering who she is. Most of the guests know who's who but apparently no one knows who this petit girl is. Kuchiki Byakuya does not invite just any people so she must be pretty important.
Both Ishida and Ichigo gasp when they see Rukia and Grimmjow, together! Her hand holding on to Grimmjow’s suited elbow.
Ichigo particularly is in shock watching Rukia in the arm of Grimmjow.
What the hell? How did she... and Grimmjow?! This defies logic!! And why am I so worked up seeing her with him?
"Because it's Grimmjow. Yeah, that's why..." Ichigo mumbles to himself trying to create logic that can explain his rising anger. Inoue looks at him with one raised eyebrow but all he sees now is Grimmjow and Rukia. Other people have miraculously vanished from his eye sight.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue tugs at Ichigo sleeve.
But why do you even care who she is with? Why do you even care about her at all?
"Shut up!" scowls Ichigo to himself. Inoue cowers and releases his sleeve. This brings Ichigo back to reality and realizes what he just did. Ishida and Renji look at him questioningly.
"I'm sorry Inoue, I didn't mean -"
Inoue shakes her head. "It's okay Kurosaki-kun. I didn't realize you have that much of a problem with Grimmjow. That's all."
Yeah, that is all. Ichigo takes a deep breath to calm himself down and try to look away from the couple. People have created a small gathering around them. He can hear Grimmjow obnoxious laugh amidst the crowd.
"Who's that with Grimmjow? I have never seen her before," Renji asked, tip-toeing to have a better look at the girl.
"That's Rukia -"
"Rukia?!" Renji cuts short Ishida's attempt to explain. He looks at Ichigo and a wide smirk spreads across his face. "No wonder you are acting all weird, Ichigo."
"I am not," denies Ichigo.
"Who's Rukia, Renji-kun?" Inoue asks, still confuse.
"She is... " Renji tries hard put her in a category but he is confused himself. "Yeah, who is she to you, Ichigo?"
"Just someone who has not return my coat," with that as an answer, Ichigo leave his friends. He needs some fresh air. The hall has suddenly becomes too stuffy for him. Inoue tries to follow him but Ishida stops her.
"Let him be, Inoue."
Inoue looks at Ichigo's slouching back and then at the girl in that sequined black dress across the hall. She clutches at her heart. She can almost hear it breaks yet again.
--
Rukia just smiles and smiles and smiles some more. She does not know any of these people except for his brother and Grimmjow. She looks at her companion who is basking the attention, and loving every moment of it.
Rukia has known Grimmjow for almost four years. She met him when she was still an intern. He came in with a bloody nose and broken ribs. He was making such a ruckus, complaining and shouting at everyone especially at the nurses. It got on her nerve so much that she finally walked up to him (ignoring her colleagues' advice not to do so) and kicked his shin, which caused him to yelp even louder. This earned him another kick. Oh he was so enraged then but before he can snap her in two, she smacked his head and hissed, "Make another noise and god forbid me, I'll choke you to death!"
No woman had ever talked so disrespectfully to him like that, and yet Grimmjow couldn't find a word of protest. He let her do her works on him and he has kept his mouth shut the entire time, which was quite an accomplishment to a big mouth like him. She had left soon after her works were done but she came back later on, not to check up on him, but to visit him, like a friend. She apologized for kicking him earlier but she needed to do that to make him shut up. Then she had asked him what had happened, not to filled in the silence, but because she really wanted to know. Grimmjow can see that in her eyes. So he explained to her about the fight he had with another model at his agency that came in a year earlier and who has pretty much stole his spotlight. Rukia listened carefully and after he had done with his sob story, all Rukia said was, "You are not a bad person Grimmjow but you have an awful temper. That guy maybe a jerk but you are no less of a jerk if you can't face some competition."
That was a major slap in the face for Grimmjow but he took it like a man. They became friends after that. Rukia is not like any other women (or men for that matter) he has met. She certainly is not the type of fake and shallow models that he is around with most of the time. Being with her gives Grimmjow a sense of calm and always remind him to stay grounded. She is still the only short girl he knows that can ever reach his height to smack his head whenever he is not making any sense. Grimmjow has develops feelings for her but knowing fully well where her heart is at the moment, he keeps his distance, hoping one day, she can see him and love him like he loves her.
Grimmjow was surprised when he got her call last night, asking him to accompany her for the ball. She does not tell him why the sudden change of heart, because he knows Rukia does not like parties like this, but he can guess that Byakuya must has something to do with it. Plus she is acting strange tonight. Her eyes constantly looking for his brother and is quieter than usual.
"You OK there, Rukia?" he asks. Rukia can clearly hear the concern in his voice and slaps herself mentally for that.
"I'm fine... But I think I need some fresh air."
"Want me to come with you?"
"Nah, I don't want to steal you from your adoring fans." Grimmjow makes a face. Rukia chuckles and walks away from the crowd, heading towards the patio.
That is when she notices a guy with orange hair. His back is towards her but she recognizes him nonetheless. This evening is turning out not quite like what she has imagined.
"Hey there, Pansy"
It is incredible that a person can memorized a voice that he/she only heard twice. Ichigo immediately recognized to who the voice belongs to and amazes at the power the voice held over his emotion. He feels elevated. He turns to faces her and she takes his breath away. She looks so amazingly beautiful under all these lights.
"Hey yourself. And it's not Pansy -"
"I know, I know..." Rukia rolls her eyes. "What are you doing out here anyway, Ichigo?" she asks, making sure she emphasizes his name. She stands next to Ichigo.
"It's stuffy inside. What are you doing here? Unlike me, you are too short to be a model and I don't recall we ever need a doctor in any of the parties before."
Rukia sighs. That question reminds her of why she is here. Ichigo caught her sighs and looks at her closely.
"What's wrong?"
Rukia shakes her head. "Nothing"
Ichigo knows when to stay silence and when to pursue the matter further. This is a matter that requires him to stay silence.
Both of them stood besides one another looking up admiring the skies, the stars and the moon. They are both oblivious to the people around them. They are lost in their own world. After several minutes, Rukia looks up at Ichigo and study his face.
"What?" Ichigo asks after Rukia does not say anything.
"You are a model?!"
R&R! Your reviews really encouraged me to continue. Thank you.
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