"Although we expected that those opposed to peace would try to cause trouble, I didn't expect you to eliminate two of them in such a short time," — Suì-Fēng remarked with a hint of surprise as she reviewed Ren's weekly report.
It had been only a week since Ren arrived in Kuoh Town, yet he had already faced both a Stray Exorcist from the church and Kokabiel, one of the Grigori's Cadres.
"It's not funny at all. I barely get a moment to rest," — Ren muttered in clear frustration. What he had thought would be an exciting assignment had turned out to be annoyingly exhausting.
He had to review patrol reports from his subordinates scattered across Kuoh Town, deal personally with any Hollow they couldn't handle, and even write weekly reports to Suì-Fēng.
And now, on top of that, he had to face people like Freed and Kokabiel. Although he hadn't come out of those encounters empty-handed, the constant workload left him endlessly irritated at his inability to slack off.
"It seems you're finally beginning to understand what true fieldwork means, my new lieutenant," — Suì-Fēng said softly, a faint smile curling on her lips. Her sharp eyes assessed him, not for his achievements, but for his discipline.
"I don't think my exhaustion deserves this level of mockery, Captain," — Ren replied flatly, tilting his head slightly, one hand in his pocket while twirling a pen with the other.
"On the contrary," — she answered calmly, closing the file and placing it neatly on her desk, — "what you've accomplished in just one week surpasses what some captains manage in a month. Defeating Kokabiel alone was enough to attract the attention of the higher command."
She paused briefly before continuing in a more serious tone:
"Still, don't let it get to your head. Kuoh is not a place where you can lower your guard. The number of entities present there… makes it a powder keg waiting for a single spark."
"I'm well aware of that," — Ren replied without meeting her gaze, his tone weary but laced with that familiar indifference.
"I just want one week without incidents. Is that too much to ask?"
Suì-Fēng chuckled softly — an unusual sound — then turned slowly toward the window.
"Unfortunately, that kind of peace exists only in fairy tales. Prepare yourself — your upcoming missions will be far more troublesome."
He raised his eyebrows slightly, letting out a long sigh before muttering under his breath:
"Yeah… of course. I can't be that lucky."
As he turned to leave the room, Suì-Fēng's calm voice followed him:
"Ah, Ren… since I'm such a merciful and understanding captain, I'll grant you the rest of the day off. You may stay in Karakura Town and enjoy time with your family — it's been a while, hasn't it?"
Ren froze mid-step, surprise flickering across his face. Slowly, he turned toward her. Though her expression remained neutral, the way she clasped her hands behind her back didn't hide the faint trace of concern she rarely displayed.
"...A day off?" — he murmured incredulously. "Am I really hearing this from Captain Suì-Fēng?"
She raised one eyebrow and replied in her usual cool tone:
"Don't exaggerate. Even swords need their sheathes from time to time — otherwise, they'll break."
Ren chuckled lightly, shoving both hands into his pockets.
"Poetic, coming from you. Didn't see that one coming. But… I'll take the offer before you change your mind."
"Just make sure not to cause any incidents during your 'vacation'," — she said, glancing up from her papers, her tone a mix of warning and subtle amusement.
"I'll try… no promises," — he replied with a sideways smile, turning calmly toward the door.
Just as he was about to leave, Suì-Fēng added softly — her words carrying an unusual warmth:
"Make sure to actually rest this time, Ren. No one wants to find your name in next week's report as a corpse."
He paused at the door, glancing back with a tired smile.
"That's surprisingly kind of you, Captain. I'll take that as encouragement."
"Call it whatever you like. Now get out before I change my mind."
He laughed under his breath, then quietly closed the door behind him.
Outside, a short silence lingered as Ren exhaled deeply, his gaze drifting to the gray sky visible through the long corridor window.
—
Kurosaki Clinic
"…" — Ren stared at his old home, which somehow felt both new and familiar. It hadn't been long since its renovation, yet a deep sense of nostalgia stirred within him. This was the house he'd lived in his entire life, and though he'd been gone only a week, he had missed it more than he'd realized.
After a brief moment, he released a breath he hadn't known he was holding and walked toward the entrance.
"I'm home!" — he called naturally as he slid open the wooden door, greeted by the familiar hallway and the comforting scent of dinner.
"Welcome back, Ren!" — Ichigo's voice rang out from the living room, followed by his heavy footsteps as he appeared from the corridor, a towel draped over his shoulder, his hair still damp from a quick shower.
Ren smiled faintly, raising a hand in casual greeting.
"Good to see you're still alive. That's reassuring."
"And here I was hoping for something like: 'I missed you, brother.' But fine, I won't expect miracles," — Ichigo replied dryly, crossing his arms.
Behind him, Yuzu emerged carrying a food tray, as usual fussing over every little detail, while Karin sat on the couch watching a soccer match without lifting her head — Hina sitting beside her, watching curiously.
The kitchen, meanwhile, was occupied by Tsukiko and Rui, assisting Yuzu with dinner.
It seemed that during Ren's absence, the Tachibana family had adapted perfectly to the household. The remarriage between Isshin and Tsukiko hadn't caused any awkward tension at all.
The scene before him felt strangely timeless — that beautiful chaos of laughter, voices, and the aroma of warm food filling the air.
"Oh, Ren-nii!" — Yuzu called out cheerfully from the kitchen. "Dinner's almost ready, so don't you dare sneak off again before eating!"
"As if I'd have the courage to refuse your cooking," — Ren replied with a small smile, slipping off his shoes and walking quietly down the hallway.
"Welcome back, Ren-san," — Tsukiko greeted gently over her shoulder, ladle in hand, her long brown hair tied in a neat bun. "I was just telling Rui that good food takes time — but you young men never seem to understand patience."
"Well, recklessness is a privilege of youth," — Ren said with a faint smirk, glancing at Rui, whose usually blank face brightened the instant she saw him.
"Welcome back," — Rui said softly, her tone quiet yet her shining eyes revealed genuine happiness.
"I haven't seen you in a whole week. I almost thought you'd forgotten about us."
"Who could forget a noisy place like this?" — Ren replied with a light smile.
From behind, Ichigo's sarcastic voice came again:
"Oh wow, it's been a while since we've actually agreed on something."
Ren chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
"Yeah… things haven't exactly allowed much time for family visits."
Ichigo laughed and waved a hand dismissively.
"That's fine. At least you're back now. This place needs someone to keep it in order — or at least try to."
Finally sitting down on the couch, Ren exhaled a long, quiet sigh as he leaned back.
The sounds of the kitchen, Ichigo's banter, Yuzu and Karin's chatter, and even the sports commentary on TV all blended into a familiar, chaotic symphony.
"You look exhausted, Ren," — Tsukiko said as she placed a warm cup of green tea before him, then sat across from him.
"Is Kuoh really that bad?"
He raised the cup slowly, gazing at the rippling surface before replying quietly:
"You could say… it's more active than I expected."
"The kind of 'active' that involves explosions?" — Karin asked without looking up.
"A bit more than that," — he said, taking a sip — cold, unusually so, which made Tsukiko sigh.
"You really don't understand what rest means, do you? Even on vacation, you carry that fighting energy with you."
At that moment, Isshin entered, wearing his white doctor's coat and holding a juice box, apparently just back from the clinic.
"Oh, look who's here! Ren! It's been forever! Got tired of Suì-Fēng and came looking for a home that actually accepts you?"
"No, I just got a temporary leave," — Ren replied with a raised brow and a teasing smile.
"And you? Still causing chaos at the clinic?"
"Of course! It's my natural talent!" — Isshin said proudly, only for Tsukiko to lightly smack his arm.
"Stop teaching the kids your bad habits."
Everyone laughed softly as they gathered around the small dining table for dinner.
The dishes were neatly arranged — rice, spicy curry, miso soup, and grilled fish.
As Ren reached out for his meal, his hand suddenly paused — a fleeting moment of silence amid the noise.
A memory surfaced — of a time long ago, when he sat at the family table as an old man joked to amuse the children, while a gentle, beautiful woman smiled softly, patting his head and praising or scolding him with tender warmth.
I wonder… would you praise me or scold me if you saw me like this, Mother? — Ren thought silently, before a wry smile tugged at his lips. I bet you'd scold me to death for turning your innocent little boy into a famous womanizer — one who even got someone pregnant before finishing high school.
...
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