Two small figure rested under a sakura tree, small tables were set up before them. They were packed with scrolls and papers. The dark haired boy, sat elegantly by his table, despite his rigid posture and blank face, his small hand easily guided his brush as he wrote down his next kanji. The blond beside him, was an extant opposite, he was in a half-laying, half-sitting position, his blond hair fallen before his greyish blue eyes as he rested his head was propped up his left hand as he lazily waved his brush around the page, drawing only God knew what.

„Ne, Bya-kun." The blond's voice shattered the silence which settled around them.

„Yes Kisuke?" the young dark head noble's grey eyes flickered toward his companion.

„Why are you never smile?"

„Nobles never smile."

„But Yoruitchi smile." Kisuke pointed out.

"Uhm." Long silence settled around them again, for a while neither of them spoke. Byakuya frowned as he thought about the answer while Kisuke's intense grey eyes studied his friend's face.

"Emotions such as smiling are unbeknown to a Kutchki. As a member of the Kutchki family, we need to uphold the noble traditions and set an example for Soul Society's population." Byakuya quoted the one of the Kutchki family's old doctrine; he heard many times from his tutors and older members of the household.

"Ah."

Silence settled around them again, both of them went back to work on their papers. Good five minuets later Kisuke broken the silence again.

"Ne Bya-kun."

"Uhm?"

„You don't need to smile; I will smile for you too." With that Kisuke grinned at the dark haired boy, before he turned back to his work. Byakuya sat there stunned for a minuet, just staring at his friend, and then he felt the corner of his mouth curled upward, just a bit, before Byakuya turned back to his work.