Chapter I

You're not here

Ukitake's eyes widened, teeth gritting in anger as he glared angrily at the Sixth Division's Captain, "This is irrational! She is not even a seated officer, and to send her on a suici—"

"There was no one else," Byakuya simply answered, wearing his cool and collected appearance once more.

"Kuchiki-Taichou! Rukia…your sister—she surely will not survive such a dangerous mission! Would you really put her in danger like that?"

"What I believe does not matter," Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, and then glanced over at the other Captain who stood in the doorway of his office. He had previously been sorting paperwork on his desk, until a fellow Captain interrupted him, "You should calm down. It is bad for your health to become upset over such trivial matters. Do not dwell over things that happened in the past—"

"But she's been gone for weeks! Are you really so heartless? Aren't you the least bit worried?" There was silence in the room, "Well…aren't you?"

It was not that Byakuya was heartless in anyway, it was simply that he did not show his emotions. To him, Hisana was one of only a few people who truly understood how he felt, even if he never showed any traces of it in his actions. He remained silent.

Ukitake sighed heavily and lowered his gaze in disappointment, "I see. Then I won't say anymore." He turned his back to the young noble and began sliding the office door shut behind him, "Good evening, Kuchiki-Taichou."

There was a sudden knock at his office door and he looked up in the direction, finishing up his work in the same moment. It had only been a few hours since Ukitake left, and he was finally done with everything that was issued to him. "You may enter."

A familiar flash of red hair caught his eye. His Vice-Captain stepped forward though the open doors, a somewhat look of determination in his eyes as he stared directly at his superior. "Captain," he began kneeling, "requesting permission for a few days of leave."

"Why is that, Renji?"

"I…I can't just stand by as a comrade of mine is missing. I know this is acting out of personal feeling, but I just can't leave this alone. I'm going to look for her, if you don't mind, Sir. She must have told you how I feel about her, so please, Taichou, allow me to search for Rukia."

"Very well. Do as you will." Byakuya shoved a few papers to the edge of his desk. "As you leave, please take these papers to the 10th Division, if you will. Then you can go on with your search."

"…What? You're not going to object to me doing this?" Renji stared at him suspiciously, seemingly not understanding what was just said. "You're…letting me go?"

"Yes. You have 7 days. I suggest you be going before I change my mind." He gestured for his Vice-Captain to get the dreadful papers.

Following orders, at a very sluggish pace, the youth stood and headed for his Captain's desk, snatching of the papers with one hand. He took a moment to just stare at his Captain in wonder and in that time, Byakuya met his gaze.

"One more thing before you go, Renji. If you find Rukia, notify me at once."

"Huh…? Why?" Renji raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Why, you ask? For reasons that do not concern you, is all. Simply let me know, is what I ask. Nothing more."

"Yes, Sir."

Renji leaped up from the sidewalk up to Ichigo's open window to see his soulless body, laying in bed, and his Shinigami form leaning up against his closet door with his arms crossed.

"Well it's about time," the orange haired boy began, "I was thinkin' that you might not show."

"Of course I showed up—and quit complaining. We should hurry. There's no telling what has happened."

"Right."

Renji disappeared from the windowsill, and soon, Ichigo left his room, as well, following the other into the night.

Byakuya stood over the small pond outside his room where Hisana used to come from time to time. Often, he would come here to seek an answer to some things that he could not find anywhere else.

His mind then began to wander, as he thought of his last conversation with Rukia:

The fall wind blew softly through the area, caressing her hair through the opened door of the meeting area. The young noblemen and Captain of the 6th Division, shot an uninterested glance in the girl's direction from looking over his shoulder, and she, always feeling nervous around him, even though he did not face her, nodded weakly and began with a barely audible answer of: "Byakuya-Nii-Sama."

After a few moments, he sighed and nodded, signaling that she could begin. Even though it was very late at night, the Head Kuchiki was entitled to attend festivals from time to time, and so he had chose this time to stay awake. "What is it? Be swift."

"Nii-Sama…This festival has brought many surprises and new experiences. I was able to express myself and find out new pieces of information from simply looking in a special someone's direction."

"You are stalling."

"No, no, Nii-Sama. I was just inferring that I…"

"…Are delaying the point. What is it? Answer."

"I am…I was asked to—"

"To what?" He was beginning to lose his patience and it showed in the rising annoyed tone within his voice.

"To marry. Renji proposed—" she finally blurted out, blushing and smiling excitedly. Her nervousness began to fade, as the happiness in her heart invaded.

There was silence within the room, as Byakuya seemed to sit motionless, perhaps in shock. He stayed this way for quite the while.

"Do you approve, Byakuya-Nii-Sa—"

"You agreed…to marry that man?" There was nothing pleasing about his tone.

"I did not agree. He simply asked…and I wanted to see if we have your blessings? He is currently awaiting my answer and since I will be going on a mission soon, I will have plenty of time to think of an answer." Rukia fiddled with her fingers in her lap, slightly nervous of what her brother would answer. "You are the first to know, brother."

"I see…" Byakuya looked away from her and sighed deeply. "Your suitor will not be pleased in hearing this."

Rukia's bright smiled faded and she stared at Byakuya with a confused expression. "Suitor? What do you…?"

"I was going to inform you later of this upcoming. Your future husband will not be Renji. I have decided on another."

She stared at him, dumbfound. "That—It can't be—this can't be true. Nii-Sama. I love Renji."

"You can love him, but I do not allow it to lead to marriage. An arrangement has already been made. Your husband will be nothing other than a Captain."

Byakuya sighed and turned his gaze to the sky, still deep in thought. Although he would never admit it openly to others, he was beginning to become anxious. His thoughts would constantly drift to the whereabouts of his lost sister, but no matter, he would always drop the thoughts as fast as they came.

It was now becoming morning and the sky was mixed with orange, blue and purple. It would have been a beautiful sunrise, if nothing were awry.

'Perhaps I went about informing her in the wrong way. Maybe I was too hasty,' he thought, 'Abarai should not take as long as I gave—' His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The person

"You're late," was the first thing that came from the Kuchiki noble. "I assume that by your being here, you're going to search for Rukia?"

"As if I had a choice. It's an obligation, remember, Kuchiki-Taicho," answered a male, as he stopped and loomed a few feet behind Byakuya, "She's my Fiancé. I would be seen as cold hearted if I ignored the fact that she's missing. I barely know her so saying that I feel anything for your sister would be dishonest." The male figure sighed, and crossed his arms. "No more than a stranger."

The 6th Division Captain turned to face the other person, a slight look of disappointment in his expression. "I see. Well then. I won't delay you any longer. You may leave."

Ranting Author moment: Well...I'm having trouble with this stuff, but it's all good.

Just so you know, the "Suitor" is NOT Yamamoto. Byakuya isn't heartless. Too much of an age difference. I mean, c'mon. Ew. That's just nasty.

Vincentre