Affected By Death

Chapter 12: The Talk

Inoue stares at the cover of the magazine that Tatsuki has brought over, with her hand over her mouth.

"I don't understand how this is supposed to work." Inoue says doubtfully, feeling her cheeks heat up in shame.

Everyone will know that's me!

"It's like this. That Kuchiki Rukia is a rich girl. In our country, she's practically famous. I'm thinking her family may not allow her to marry Ichigo if they think he's already cheated on her. Then, if and when that happens, you can apologize to him for all the trouble we've caused him, and he'll surely start to notice you then. All we need is this girl out of the picture! If only you'd confessed sooner..." Tatsuki says, and Inoue sighs.

"It sounds possible when you say it like that. The biggest problems with it are what if they don't cancel the wedding, and even if they do, what if Kurosaki-kun never forgives us?" Inoue whispers, and Tatsuki shrugs off that worry pretty easily.

"I think he will." Tatsuki says, as she remembers all of the whispered comments about Orihime made by the majority of the male population in her school

"Eh?" Inoue is startled by Tatsuki's sureness, because she figured they'd done the unforgivable.

"We'll just have to wait and see." Tatsuki says. "Cross your fingers that the wedding gets canceled tonight at the engagement party." Tatsuki says, and Inoue wonders if they've committed some kind of mortal sin with their actions.

I hope not...

..................................

Ichigo follows Byakuya with a great deal of dread, wondering what the man will have to say to him, but they exit the party room of the hotel and go down a hall with no other guests in view until Byakuya leads him into a conference room that the hotel provides for its guests. He gives Ichigo an icy stare for a long moment before he decides to speak.

"Kurosaki Ichigo...what is your goal?" Byakuya asks in a quiet and low dangerous voice.

"Eh?" Ichigo is astounded, speechless, and completely caught off guard.

His expression is genuine enough for Byakuya to give him a look before he reaches into his jacket for the same offensive magazine that his father had brought home this morning.

"What is the meaning of this?" Byakuya asks next, and Ichigo gives him a puzzled look.

"I thought Rukia explained it to you already..." Ichigo trails off as he goes over in his head very quickly how his explanation might sound to this man, and he already doesn't want to have to explain it.

"I want an explanation from you." Byakuya says in a hard voice, and Ichigo fights the urge to bite his lip.

I was afraid of that...

"What you see in that picture there isn't anything consensual. I was unconscious when that photo was taken." Ichigo says, and Byakuya slams his fist into the table.

"How did you find yourself in that situation to begin with?" Byakuya asks next, and Ichigo crosses his arms defensively.

"I was forced. My...uh...childhood friend..." Ichigo has a hard time saying it considering how furious he is with the girl at the moment, but he manages to spit it out. "...twisted my arm and dragged me over there saying I was engaged too quickly. She is responsible for my being there and for the photos that were taken." Ichigo says quietly.