SIDE STORY

A gentle wind breezes through; passing a figure that is standing in front of an Elementary school. The wind blows a few strands of that person's dark hair. A hand then reached up to fix the long fringe that has been scrambled by the wind.

The bell then rings loudly, signing that the school is over. Children then started to flowing out of the building, towards their respecting parents.

"Byakuya ji-sama!!" a certain girl around 8 years old with orange-colored hair called. Her eyes are in the color of violet and her hair, which went down to her shoulder, is gently swayed by the wind as she ran towards the dark-haired figure.

Byakuya waves his hand to the girl in acknowledgement as she ran to him. When she arrives to where he's standing she stopped and catches her breaths.

"Haah…haa—h… J-Ji-sama, is Okaa-chan home yet?" she asked excitedly. Byakuya smiled at the innocent question before he bends down and pats the girl's head tenderly. His smile did not reach his eyes, though.

"Why? Does Ichigo miss Kaa-chan?" Byakuya asked softly as he pats the child's head.

"Of course! I miss Kaa-chan so-o much!" Ichigo answered energetically and a little bit whiney. Byakuya then takes her small hand in his as he leads her inside the car. He puts her in the passenger seat and helps her to put on her seatbelt before he also comes in to the car on to the driver's seat and locks the doors.

Inside the car, the little Ichigo is bouncing happily. Thank goodness Byakuya put on the seat belt for her.

"Ji-sama, listen to this! Today Akito-kun's mother brought Akito-kun an Ichigo daifuku! Hehehe… Isn't that funny?" she giggled, but Byakuya only smiled a small bitter smile.

"Really? Does Ichigo want one too? Ji-sama will make one for you, but sit down first, okay?" Byakuya scolded lightly. Ichigo then stopped bouncing and flopped down on her seat as she frowned.

"I don't want that! I want the one Kaa-chan makes! When will Kaa-chan come home?" Ichigo whined to her uncle. Byakuya's eyes then got saddened by this.

"Not so soon, Ichigo-kun. Kaa-chan is accompanying Tou-chan now, so she can't be with Ichigo-kun," Byakuya answered as cheerfully as he can as he pinched the cheek of the little girl beside him.

"Tou-chan?" she asked confusedly as her face became sorrowful.

"I've never seen Tou-chan before… Was it Tou-chan that made Kaa-chan refused to be with me again? The last time I saw Kaa-chan was 2 years ago… Why Tou-chan wouldn't let Kaa-chan come back? Were Kaa-chan and Tou-chan didn't love me anymore?" she asked sadly.

Those are innocent questions, which Byakuya could not answer. Countless of times he had lied to the little girl, wrapping the real truth with lies.

Byakuya then calmed himself before he turned to her and stared at her like a kicked puppy, a small smile still visible on his face. "Then would Ichigo-kun leave Ji-sama alone to follow Tou-chan and Kaa-chan?"

The girl then looked at him with horror on her face as she shakes her head. "No! I will never leave Ji-sama. If I do, then no one will be keeping Ji-sama accompanied!" she said.

Byakuya was touched to hear her exclamation. He truly felt guilty for keeping the truth to himself, but what can he do? He won't know what to do if the girl breaks down when hearing that she had become an orphan.

She's still so innocent… so naïve…. So young.

Byakuya smiled a small, bitter smile after Ichigo's exclamation. Ichigo, who saw Byakuya smile, also smiled to him and pulls out a piece of paper that is titled: ATASHI NO KAZOKU

Byakuya's eyes widened upon seeing the picture.

"Ji-sama! Look at this! I drew Kaa-chan, Tou-chan, me, and of course, Ji-sama!" she said as she pointed one of the person in the picture with black, shoulder length hair. The picture is not really clear, since it is a child's drawing, but Byakuya can clearly see which one is which in the picture that Ichigo drew.

He saw Ichigo, Rukia, little Ichigo, and himself, currently holding the hand of the little Ichigo. He trailed his sight to under the picture, to see some sentences, written in child-like scrawls.

This is my family. Even though I never see Tou-chan and rarely see Kaa-chan, which are busy working, I love them the most. There's also Byakuya Ji-sama, who was taking care of me since little and always taking me for a walk or a ride around. I never got bored with Ji-sama.

I love them all the most.

Thank you Tou-chan and Kaa-chan, for giving birth to me. I missed you and I wanted to meet you so bad.

And thank you Ji-sama, for always erasing my sorrow and being with me every time I'm lonely.

Byakuya felt his eyes are stinging. He can't hold off his feelings anymore.

"It's good, isn't it Ji-sama? Sensei said that my picture is the best!" the girl said cheerfully with a big, shy smile etched on her face.

Seeing this little girl, smiling so innocently… So little…. So naïve….

Guilt, sadness, and pain… All mixed into one. His eyes then blurred as tears fell down from his eyes, trailing down his cheek.

The smile the little girl had before disappeared once she saw water trailing down from her beloved uncle's eyes.

"Byakuya Ji-sama…?" she asked softly and concerned.

It hurts… This secret is tormenting him… But, seeing her naïveté, innocence… He can't destroy her hopes…

"Ji-sama…? Why are you crying…?"

Sapphire09: Now it's truly done.

Chariot330 + Sapphire09 : Please tell us what you think!!