Disclaimer: I'm way too young to own Bleach.

Chapter 3

"Dinner with them, tonight? That's great!" Rukia exclaimed, finishing her porridge that their butler served. "What do you seem excited about?" Byakuya asked.

"I can't wait to see Ichigo again. I know we're not friends yet, but I already like her." answered the raven head before leaving for the shower. "How exactly are you friends with the Kurosaki family?" he asked his uncle. "I was in the same class with the father in my young days."

"I see. So it's just dinner? Nothing else?" he received a no, and he finished his breakfast as well before going up to his room. Before he could open the door, he heard a cracking voice that seemed to be singing, and when he opened the door next to his room, he saw Rukia trying to hit high notes much to her horrible failure.

Rukia saw him and quickly stopped, embarrassed and hid the musical sheets back in her drawer. "What were you singing just now?" asked Byakuya, entering her room. "Pie Jesu." she replied, taking out 'The Three Musketeers'. "I never thought you were the type to sing."

"After hearing Ichigo sing, I wanted to try it out myself even though I know I suck at it." she stated, turning from page to page. "I guess she left a really good impression on you." Though quiet, he often has these kinds of conversations with Rukia, who he is the most comfortable with.

"She really did. But I'm surprised that I never heard of her before. My friends told me that she's been singing for almost three years, and I only knew about her when we went to the musical."

"That happens to some people, who only hear of somebody famous just recently." he sighed. "If she is going to perform in another show here, then I'll be going there. And if it ever happens, will you come with me, Nii-sama?"

A question he didn't expect to be asked. And it's about Ichigo, whose voice he wants to listen to once more. "If that is what you want." he replied, hiding that intention. Rukia and the others have known him to be one who likes books and standing by the law. Music was never in them.

Later, he left his sister to read and went back in his room to take a small rest, just so he could have enough energy for the evening.

At five-thirty in the afternoon...

All what he had to do was wear a simple black suit and shined shoes with the same color, and he was already finished. He faced the mirror and found no other place to fix, so he decided to go and check on Rukia, whose only problem left is her hair.

He walked downstairs and waited for her to finish, warming himself by the fireplace with his aunt who is reading a book at the moment. Later, he hears fast footsteps and turns around, seeing Rukia all done.

With that, they walked out the house after leaving their butler to guard the house in their absence, and head for most likely a restaurant since they are having dinner with another family.

The sun set and allowed the moon to rise up during the whole ride, until they have reached a stop. He realized that they're going to eat at the restaurant where he dined in a few times when he was still a child, which won't be a problem for him.

Someone called for them before they opened the door, and he saw the same family he met at the musical. Ichigo was there as well, wearing a silver dress reaching down to the knees, but the man who she said to be her fiancee is absent which he noticed. He didn't question that though for it's irrelevant.

"It's nice to see you again, Ichigo." Rukia greeted, eagerly putting up her hand. Ichigo took her hand and both shared a brief handshake, but all what Byakuya said was a calm good evening to them before going inside.

"You should know that Nii-sama is kind of quiet so don't be all too chatty with him." Rukia reminded, leading Ichigo inside. Neither of the family said anything until they gave their orders to the waiter, and when the man left that was when they started chatting.

Ichigo and Byakuya couldn't say anything, and the former kind of envied her younger sisters for getting along with them so well in spite of their ages of nine.

When it comes to aristocrats, she doesn't feel like she fits in. She never sang to make money, only to express her talent. And she knows that they're a nice family, but whenever she would try to join in, her throat would close up.

So she stayed quiet, listened and nodded along before the food was served. All of them left momentarily for the bathroom, and she was too focused in her eating to notice that Byakuya also didn't go with them.

She quietly hummed another song that sounded foreign to the man, and when he asked what was it that she was humming she was taken by surprise. "Oh, it's just some melody I made up. Sorry, I didn't notice you." she replied.

"My sister was really amazed with your performance at that night, and now she admires you at a great deal." he stated, to explain why his sister is so lively around her as he noticed the slight confusion in the orange head's eyes a while ago.

"Oh, now I see. I know I can sing, but I'm not even sure if I can catch up with the others, since I'm just a student." she said truthfully, eating another strip of chicken. "There is always room for improvement, so it's not something to worry about." he responded, and she smiled. "I guess." "I also liked it, even though I am not a music fan myself." he said, taking a sip of wine. "I can consider that a compliment."

And that was the end of their conversation since their relatives were back. Once again, she became silent and slowly finished her meal. But the dinner was far from over, and soon Rukia dragged her in for a conversation. She had no choice but to speak up once in a while, and this time she envied the man sitting across her for being able to not say anything.

"So, where do you study?" Rukia asked, and Ichigo knows that she's just being friendly. "Seyin Academy." she answered. "Oh, so we're actually in the same school."

"I didn't know that. Maybe we don't see each other much because we're in different classes." Ichigo said, shrugging her shoulders and pouring herself some water. "I'm not sure though. How old are you?" asked the raven head. "I'm fifteen."

"Then we're of different levels. I'm two years younger." From the reply, Ichigo mumbled, "That explains your height." But no one heard her. Soon the dinner was over and they bid farewell, but before Ichigo stepped in her car Rukia ran to her and gave her a small piece of paper. "Hmm? What's this?"

"An address to our house. It's not so far but not so near either. If ever your family would visit, this is the place." she said, pointing at the words she wrote. "Thanks." smiled Ichigo, knowing that the girl really is nice.

They parted ways, and both siblings talked again at the back of the car. "It seems you made a new friend." he told her, sounding as calm like always. "It seems. Hey, do you think it'll snow anytime soon?"

"Why?"

"Because it's already December. I wonder if winter's late this year?" she wondered, looking at the sky. He said nothing, and remembers how he prefers spring to winter. And as he overheard the talk about Rukia giving Ichigo their address, he jokingly thought that it would be Rukia who would visit them and not the other way around.

TBC . . .