On the day the written exam results were announced, a large board was set up in the plaza of the Shin'ō Academy, displaying just a few dozen names.
A crowd quickly formed, students squeezing forward to check — some left disappointed, others ecstatic. A few were practically wailing with regret.
Petite and unable to push her way through, Rukia called out to Abarai Renji, who had made it to the front, "Renji, what does it say?"
"Rukia! Your name's on it — you passed!" Renji turned back with a big grin.
Relief washed over Rukia at his words, and her smile brightened. "What about you?" she asked.
Renji didn't answer. He was still searching, scanning the list top to bottom — once, then again.
"No… no way…"
A realization struck him. His eyes widened, and he muttered in disbelief.
Once they had stepped out of the crowd, Rukia turned to him. "So? Did you make it?"
Renji scratched the back of his head. "No… no, I didn't. My name's not there."
Rukia's expression faltered. The soft smile on her face faded. "I see…"
She quickly tried to cheer him up. "Don't feel bad, Renji. The questions were really strange this time. The Academy is about learning how to become a Shinigami, after all. Just getting into Class A already proves how strong you are."
Renji shrugged like it didn't matter, then placed his hands on her shoulders with an encouraging smile. "Doesn't matter. What's important is you passed. Rukia, make sure you give it your all in the interview."
Rukia hesitated slightly. "Honestly… I hadn't really planned to join the student council…"
"What are you saying?!" Renji interrupted her. "Look how many people signed up, and only a handful made it through the first round. That means this student council has to be something special. They're being strict because they want the best. Rukia, you can't waste this chance!"
"…"
Rukia met Renji's eyes — earnest and full of support. She gave a small, resolute nod.
---
The day after the written exam came the interviews.
With only a few dozen candidates remaining, the workload wasn't too heavy.
Nobu, Kasakurōji Mitsugorō, and the department heads were all present. They had taken over two adjoining classrooms — one as the interview room, the other as a waiting room for students.
"Hi."
Rukia, seated alone as she waited, looked up to see a girl around her age with a neat bun and a bright, sweet face.
"Hello," Rukia said quickly, standing and returning the greeting.
"I'm Hinamori Momo. I don't think we've met — we're not in the same class, right?" The girl was warm and friendly, smiling openly.
"I'm Rukia. From Class B."
But Hinamori's expression didn't show even a hint of condescension. Her smile didn't falter. "I see. I'm in Class A. I wonder what the interview will be like… The written test was hard enough. Honestly, I thought I wouldn't make it."
She began chatting naturally with Rukia. The reason she'd approached her was simple — there weren't many girls in the waiting room, and among them, Rukia seemed the most approachable.
"I didn't think I'd pass either," Rukia admitted.
"So how'd you answer those questions? Like the one about being placed in a division you didn't want."
Rukia thought for a moment. "I wrote that it didn't matter. Any division would be fine."
Hinamori blinked. "That works?"
"How did you answer?"
Hinamori's face crinkled with a bit of embarrassment. "I wrote a lot… Basically, that I'd work toward a target division during my time at the Academy, but if I were placed elsewhere, I'd trust that the assignment was made with care — that it meant I was better suited for it. I'd reassess my strengths and weaknesses and do my best in that squad… Was that too long-winded?"
Rukia shook her head quickly. "No, not at all! You really thought it through, Hinamori-san. I could never have come up with a response like that."
She couldn't help but recall how short Renji's answers were when they'd discussed the test — and how he hadn't seemed even a little upset about being eliminated.
"Hinamori Momo, Class A!"
At that moment, a senior student council member called from the doorway.
Hinamori straightened up at once. "Here!"
She turned to Rukia. "I'll be back."
"Good luck!"
Just outside the interview room, Hinamori saw a senior speaking with a blond boy.
"Congrats on making the student council, Kira-kun. Looks like the president has his eye on you."
He passed too? she thought. I think he's in Class A as well…
The boy looked familiar, but classes had only just begun — she hadn't gotten to know all her classmates yet.
They passed each other as she stepped to the doorway of the interview room. Hinamori paused briefly to take a few deep breaths, then walked inside.
The room was large and quiet. At the front, behind a row of desks, sat what appeared to be the student council's key members. In the center sat someone she recognized — the one who had spoken after the headmaster during the entrance ceremony:
Tachikawa Nobu, the president of the student council.
Across from them sat a single desk — bare and solitary.
Hinamori approached and saw a sheet of paper laid out — it resembled the test sheet from before, with a few questions printed on it.
Before she could read it in detail, one of the students seated before her spoke up:
"Hello, Hinamori-san. Please begin with a self-introduction — share your strengths, interests, and what department you'd like to join if accepted."
This was the first-ever student council. There were no past interview formats to draw from. Hinamori had spent the entire previous night trying to guess what kinds of questions they'd ask.
Now, with all eyes fixed on her, she grew nervous. Her breath caught. Her limbs felt stiff.
After a moment of stillness, she bowed and began: "Hello, upperclassmen… I'm Hinamori Momo, first-year, Class A…"
Her introduction was plain, even a bit dry. She said she liked reading and studying, and that she hoped to make friends at the Academy. As for what department, she was fine with joining any.
As soon as she finished, she felt her performance had been too underwhelming — her anxiety only worsened.
"No need to be nervous,"
The voice came from Nobu himself, seated in the center, smiling faintly.
"We're all just students here — just a few years ahead of you. This is just a chance to get to know you better. That's all. Don't overthink it."
He's the president…
Hinamori looked toward Nobu, surprised by how approachable he seemed. That helped ease some of her nerves.
Kanisawa, seated nearby, glanced sideways at Nobu.
Then Hisagi Shūhei said, "There's a sheet in front of you with a few questions. You have three minutes to read and think. We'll start asking after that. If you're ready earlier, you can let us know."
At his words, Hinamori finally looked down at the paper. Only three questions:
1. You're a Shin'ō Academy student sent to the human world for konso (soul burial) training. You encounter a Menos Grande. The upperclassman leading the group chooses to stay behind while telling you to run. What do you do?
2. As a student council member, you face widespread skepticism about the council's usefulness. Many students see it as meaningless. How would you change their perception?
3. You're the treasurer of the student council. A holiday is approaching. The Public Affairs Department requests funding to host a campus event, while the Academy's administration asks for funds to buy gifts for the faculty. There's only enough budget for one. What's your decision?
Hinamori's head spun as she read — each question more difficult than the last.
What did that blond boy answer?
These weren't questions with right or wrong answers. It was all about reasoning, judgment, and clarity.
She stood silently, deep in thought, mind racing.
"…I'm ready."
She didn't wait for the three minutes to end — she spoke up early.
Her gaze swept across the group seated before her. They were students, like her — just older — but she dared not underestimate them.
The president had spoken at the entrance ceremony, right after the headmaster. That alone said plenty about his standing.
And the one beside him, elegant and composed — clearly a noble.
The more difficult the questions, the more Hinamori felt she'd come to the right place. This wasn't just some trivial student organization.
Hisagi Shūhei asked calmly, "Please answer the first question."