Plans

EPILOGUE: The Best Plan Ever

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach.

"Rukia-chan will not be able to accompany you today, she's ill" Karin said.

"Yeah, I am supposed to do this mission alone anyway. And to be honest, I already expected that for some reason, Rukia will not be able to come" Renji sighed on the other end of the line.

"I know you are not okay with the idea, so why did you end up agreeing to this plan?"

"I don't know myself" there was a pause as if he was thinking. "Then let me ask you Karin-chan, why did you join the Ichiruki gang? You don't seem like the type to be scheming together with your father."

Karin snorted, "I didn't. Nobody knew about our plan. Anyway, I've have to go. Yuzu's calling me for breakfast" and she hanged up.

Karin smiled to herself. She heard the conversation that Rukia and her brother had that night. She is not one to openly share her emotions with everyone, so she enjoyed having these plans with few very trusted accomplices. Thus, she didn't mind having few hours of sleep that night as long as she was able to help her brother achieve happiness.

Rukia sneezed.

"Way to go! That's 7 for Rukia and 4 for Ichigo. I can't believe you're still losing at this son" Isshin hooted and looked towards Ichigo who was sitting across the dining table.

"Shut up old man! Who the hell have sneezing contests?" Ichigo paused feeling like a sneeze is about to come. He could feel it at the tip of his nose...but for some reason, the sneeze didn't come.

"Haha! Nice try. But the scores remain at 7 to 4 with Rukia on the lead"

"Dad, stop it already." Yuzu said with concern placing a hand on Rukia's forehead. "You already have a fever Rukia-chan! Ichi-nii seems to have a fever as well" she exclaimed.

"Yes yes! My children need to rest. And since you should not affect the rest of the family, you two should stay in Ichigo's room! Together!" this earned Isshin a good punch on the right cheek from Ichigo and a good kick on the left abdomen from Karin.

Ichigo cleared his throat and faced Rukia, "How about your date with Renji?"

"Oh, so you think it was a date?" Rukia said amusedly.

"It was not?" Ichigo did not hide his relief.

"No. It was a mission. We were supposed to check out certain points of Karakura town to know if the transfer of this world to Seiretei caused any damage to your world." She took a spoonful of porridge before continuing. "Anyway, I believe Karin already called to tell him to reschedule the mission because I am not feeling well."

"Oh" was Ichigo's only reply and proceeded to have his breakfast with his heart free of worry.

"He said he'd do it alone. The mission seems to be urgent" Karin said after swallowing her toast. Then her soul phone rang. Everyone looked at her and Ichigo questioned, "Is it a hollow?"

"No" was her simple response before getting up to walk outside the house and answer the call.

"Hello...why did you call Toshiro?" she whispered as she closed the front door.

"I just wanted to ask how our little plan went."

"It went well. He already confessed last night."

"Was that girly plan of yours effective as well?" Toshiro asked jokingly.

"Hey! It was not girly. And I believe it did help." Karin defended, feeling a blush crept to her cheeks with embarrassment.

"Okay. If you say so...So where did you get that idea anyway?"

"It was Yuzu's idea actually. She said if we put Rukia-chan's picture under Ichi-nii's pillow and he slept on it, he will dream about her."

"That really works huh...hmmm" Toshiro's voice hinted that he was contemplating about something.

"Anyway, I am still amazed that you were able to convince Captain Kuchiki to send Renji, instead of Ikkaku." Karin said.

"It was fairly easy to convince him that Ikkaku was too much of an idiot compared to Renji. But I'm afraid of what Kuchiki Byakuya might do if he found out that the simple act of sending Renji over resulted to Ichigo and Rukia being a couple"

"Being afraid does not suit you Toshiro" Karin chuckled.

"I know" the fact that he was also smiling was evident in his voice. "Anyway, Renji was more difficult to convince. To the end, I never did understand why he agreed to the plan."

"He doesn't know why he agreed either" Karin laughed. "Anyway, thanks for the help. Who knows how long Ichi-nii will hold his tongue if we didn't help him out"

"I will not settle for a 'thanks' though. You remember the other end of the bargain I suppose?"

Karin swallowed hard. "Hmmm...Of course I do. See you in a week" Karin said hurriedly and pressed the red button on her phone to end the call. She was thankful of the fact that it was just a phone call. It will be too embarrassing for him to see her beat red face.

After eating breakfast, Ichigo walked Rukia to the twin's room. They exchanged a simple kiss before he headed towards the door to leave. But when he turned the knob, he was surprised that it was locked. Something that was unexpected, how can it be locked from the outside?

He ran to the window and tried to open it, but it too seems to be magically locked.

Rukia looked at him with worry. "What are we going to do?"

Anger boiled inside of him and he shouted "Dad!"

On the other side of the door...

"I told you this is not necessary dad. Ichi-nii has already confessed to Rukia-chan" Karin explained.

"Fufufu...then the more they needed to be alone. It's their first day as a couple" Isshin snickered evilly.

"They both have colds and high fever" Yuzu also reasoned out.

"That's good then. They are both in heat. Hahaha!" Isshin said and laughed loudly.

Karin punched him square on the face. "Stop this already dad"

"I'll telling Mr. Renji, Mr. Urahara and the others" Yuzu said stomping away angrily.

"Hey..." Isshin came after her daughters, the unlocking of the door completely forgotten at that moment.

- The End -