Chapter 213
"I'm so sorry, Onii-san!"
After apologizing sincerely to her brother, Inoue Orihime began to eat the cake in front of her. A satisfied smile appeared on her face, her cheeks puffing out like a small hamster. As she ate, she started to speak about her recent experiences.
"I didn't expect that Karakura Town would encounter such a big crisis."
"There is a captain named Aizen Sōsuke in Soul Society who wanted to destroy Karakura Town."
"All of us were powerless in the face of such overwhelming strength."
"I even thought the world was going to end."
"Back then…"
Inoue Orihime thought of Yuta.
The one who appeared like a god and saved everyone.
The one she compared to her favorite cake.
"When he appeared, he defeated Aizen Sōsuke and saved everyone in Karakura Town."
"His name is Yuta. Onii-san, you've seen him before. He's the hero who saved Karakura Town… it's just a pity that no one knows his name."
By the time she finished speaking, Orihime had already eaten the last bite of cake. At that moment, a message alert sounded from her device.
It was something that had the appearance of a mobile phone, though it was in fact a tool Soul Society used for communication. Originally, Orihime did not have one of her own. It was Yuta who had provided her with one so that she could keep in contact.
When she checked the message, she saw it was from Kuchiki Rukia. Rukia wrote that she was going to be promoted to vice-captain and wanted to share the news with her.
During that same period, after the Visoreds had recovered from their injuries in Soul Society, there had been a proposal to select three new captains among them to fill the vacancies of the 3rd, 5th, and 9th Divisions. Another faction opposed this idea, however, arguing that those with Hollow powers should not be allowed to serve as captains. Disputes broke out between the opposing sides.
...
Soul Society.
Rukia Kuchiki happily told Yuta the news of her promotion.
"Congratulations."
Rukia seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking further.
"What's the matter?" Yuta asked.
Rukia said, "It's like this… I want to cut my hair short. What do you think?"
"That's great. Maybe you'll look even better with short hair. Let me help you cut it."
"Yes!" Rukia nodded and sat down on a chair with a bright expression.
Yuta condensed a pair of scissors from reishi and began cutting Rukia's hair carefully. When he finished, her shorter hair gave her a cleaner and more decisive appearance. Less gentle, but steadier and sharper. Perhaps this was closer to her true self.
Rukia stared silently at her own reflection in the mirror.
It was the first time she had truly stepped out of the shadow of her sister.
Not long after she had entered the Shin'ō Spiritual Arts Academy, she had been adopted into the Kuchiki clan, one of the four great noble families of Soul Society. At that time, she had believed it was because she resembled the deceased wife of the clan head, Kuchiki Byakuya.
She once doubted if a family as lofty as the Kuchiki would adopt someone merely because of her appearance. But when she stood in the ancestral hall and saw the portrait of Byakuya's late wife, Hisana, she felt like she was looking into a mirror. The only difference was that the woman in the painting was ethereal-like snow and ice-so beautiful and untouchable, but with a smile warmly remembered by all, unlike the cautious one Rukia had borne in Rukongai.
From then on, she had grown her hair long to resemble Hisana, thinking she had been chosen only for her looks and believing it was her duty to resemble the portrait more closely to repay the Kuchiki family.
Later, she learned the woman in the painting was indeed her sister. The Kuchiki clan hadn't chosen her just for appearance, but because of Byakuya's promise to Hisana.
Now, however, Rukia had her own reasons for cutting her hair-to move forward for herself and for someone she cared about. She glanced briefly toward Yuta as the thought crossed her mind.
"By the way, these two gloves are for you," Yuta said, producing a pair of white sleeves.
Because Rukia's Zanpakutō was an ice-type, she often risked frostbite while training. Yuta had prepared a pair of protective gauntlets for her. "Try them on."
Rukia slipped them over her arms. They felt like smooth silk yet were firm and elastic in places. They fit snugly to her skin and outlined her slender arms gracefully.
"Thank you… Yuta."
Her gloved hand caught lightly against Yuta's clothes. Rising on her toes, she pressed a brief kiss against his lips.
...
Inside a cave, despite the bright sun outside, the air inside was bitterly cold.
"Not enough."
"Not enough… not enough…"
"I'm still not strong enough."
"I must master Bankai."
"My strength was too weak before Aizen Sōsuke."
"No… I'm still not strong enough."
Hitsugaya Tōshirō gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he continued to push himself through training, refusing to stop.
...
"Good afternoon. Is the lovely Hinamori-san here?" Hirako Shinji's voice sounded at the door.
Momo Hinamori, still recovering from her injuries, called from inside.
"Please come in."
Shinji pushed the door open and looked at her sitting on her bed. She seemed to be watching the scenery outside the window, but her gaze was distant, like her mind was somewhere far away.
"I'm going to become the captain of the 5th Division," Shinji said plainly.
"Ah… is that so?" Hinamori blinked in surprise, though she seemed unsure of what else to say.
Shinji's Zanpakutō, Sakanade, was a troublesome one with a mischievous temperament. It had reacted strongly the first time Shinji had encountered Aizen Sōsuke, as if it recognized something in him. From that moment, Shinji had begun to suspect Aizen's true nature, though he had lacked the proof.
"I should have killed Aizen Sōsuke back then," Shinji muttered.
Tears slipped down Hinamori's pale cheeks.
"Please don't say things like that."
"I… I'm still grateful to Captain Aizen."
"I admired him ever since I was in the Shin'ō Academy-and even more after I joined the division."
"Captain Aizen gave me guidance and encouragement… I always respected him."
"But now… I don't know where I should turn."
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