"You are not allowed to do this next time." Rangiku Matsumoto's muffled voice came through the fabric of the clothes. "At least... you have to tell me."
Warm breath brushed against Soifon's ear. She hesitated for a moment before gently patting Rangiku Matsumoto's back.
"There won't be a next time, Rangiku." Her voice was faint. "This is the last time, forgive me."
Hearing the answer she wanted, Rangiku Matsumoto finally loosened her arms slightly, but still maintained a close distance.
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Soifon's profile which was close at hand. "So, back in the office, Captain Soifon already..."
"—You knew about my illness and were already setting out to find a solution, right?"
Soifon nodded.
Rangiku Matsumoto acted coquettishly in Soifon's ear: "Then... can you tell me?"
"Are you sure you want to hear it? Rangiku."
"...After all, it is a problem with my own body, so I want to know regardless."
"Mn, it was technology obtained from Kisuke Urahara that repaired the missing parts of your soul..."
"Kisuke... Urahara?"
Rangiku Matsumoto's body stiffened noticeably.
This name was taboo. Although the Captain-Commander turned a blind eye, he would never allow them to be so arrogant as to speak it openly.
Noticing her reaction, Soifon suddenly smiled. She turned her face, tapping Rangiku Matsumoto's nose.
"Weren't you quite good at guessing just now?" Soifon's voice carried a trace of teasing. "Now that I've told you the answer, how have you turned into an ostrich?"
Rolling her eyes, Rangiku Matsumoto tightened her hold on Soifon's arm a few degrees more.
"Captain Soifon..."
The profiles of their faces rubbed against each other. Rangiku stared at the ringed-braids behind Soifon's head, somewhat entranced.
"What is it?"
"Do we count... as... accomplices now?"
Accomplices. In a certain sense, this was a type of "intimate" relationship even more solid than friendship.
Just then, the sound of two people gasping for cold air came from the entrance of the courtyard.
Momo Hinamori and Rukia stood by the threshold, still holding the documents they had just collected. Their eyes were staring round and wide, their pupils trembling.
—Why are there such high-level players here?!
"Teacher Soifon..." Rukia's voice was filled with disbelief. "Vice-Captain Rangiku... What are you two doing?!"
"That's right! In broad daylight, this is simply too enviable..."
"No! It's improper!"
Momo Hinamori added from the side.
The next moment, Soifon and Rangiku Matsumoto sprang away from each other almost simultaneously, their faces still carrying blushes that hadn't yet faded.
"Vice-Captain Matsumoto came to discuss the Shinigami Women's Association flower arranging competition with me."
"Right, right, regarding the details of the competition venue layout, I needed to confirm them with Captain Soifon..."
Rangiku and Soifon turned their backs at the same time, adjusting the collars of their Shihakushō, explaining with feigned calm.
To the side, Rukia and Momo Hinamori exchanged a glance.
Who are you trying to fool?!
Does discussing a competition require hugging that tightly?! Did it require being cheek-to-cheek?!
Rukia and Momo Hinamori did not believe their nonsense. They simply stared with small, glum faces at the two people who had just been doing bad things.
Being stared at until she felt somewhat guilty, Soifon coughed once:
"Hinamori, Rukia..."
"Have you finished your work?"
The two small ones instantly froze.
"Not yet..."
Momo Hinamori's momentum was instantly cut short.
"Then why aren't you going quickly?" Soifon turned sideways, making way for the path to the Captain's office. "Also, regarding the activity proposal for the flower arranging competition, Rukia, you need to follow up on that too."
Today was the day of the flower arranging competition.
After practicing with Unohana for a month, aside from the back of her hands becoming more resistant to beatings, Soifon also earned the nickname "Flower Destroyer."
[Oh great System, please grant me the ability to become a flower arranging master!]
However, no miracle occurred.
After a month of special training, where Unohana Retsu taught her hand-over-hand countless times, Soifon's work was swept into the elimination group by Unohana, who was serving as a judge, right at the end of the first round of display and evaluation.
"As expected, Captain Soifon's talent points were all put into combat..."
"However... it's already amazing that Captain Soifon could come to participate! She's usually so busy."
"Maybe she lost on purpose? After all, as a sponsor, it wouldn't be good to take the championship..."
The surrounding female Shinigami whispered among themselves, their gazes drifting toward her from time to time, carrying good-natured teasing.
The grueling competition ended, and finally, it was the awards ceremony.
As the only two Captains and sponsors in the Shinigami Women's Association, Soifon and Unohana Retsu went on stage together to present the awards.
The Champion: Isane Kotetsu.
Soifon took the trophy from the etiquette team member and walked in front of Isane.
The height difference made Isane subconsciously bend down slightly. Soifon had to raise her arms a bit to hand the trophy to her.
"Thank you, Captain Soifon!" Isane took the trophy, her face somewhat red, and whispered an addition, "Um... I'm really sorry for growing so tall..."
Soifon glanced at her, then suddenly raised her hand and gently rubbed the top of Isane's lowered head: "Congratulations."
Today she basically got to touch Isane Kotetsu's head. A win!
The Runner-up was Nanao Ise.
Soifon wasn't familiar with her, so she simply nodded politely and handed the trophy over.
"Congratulations."
"Many thanks, Captain Soifon."
Nanao Ise pushed up her glasses.
Then the Third Place winner... Rangiku Matsumoto.
Offstage, Momo Hinamori and Rukia held their respective consolation prize small bouquets, watching Soifon interact on stage, their two small faces scrunched up into balls.
"Idiot Rukia, didn't the Kuchiki Clan teach you flower arranging?"
"My studies were too broad and mixed..."
"Damn it! You are the only rival I acknowledge; matters having reached this point, let us join forces!"
Perhaps this was the precious revolutionary friendship of contemporaries.
...
By the time they came out of the Fourth Division's consultation room, the sky was already dark.
After the competition ended, Soifon asked Captain Unohana to give Rangiku Matsumoto a physical examination.
"Hmm~~ Indeed, there are no abnormalities whatsoever." Rangiku Matsumoto stretched her waist. "Even Captain Unohana said my Reiatsu is stable and my soul is complete. I am a genuine 4th Spiritual Rank."
"Speaking of which..."
"I didn't expect the omnipotent Captain Soifon to have absolutely no talent in flower arranging."
"The God of Fate is truly too unfair..."
Rangiku Matsumoto suddenly turned her head, her long orange hair sliding in an arc over her shoulder.
Soifon glanced at her: "Shouldn't that be considered fair?"
"It is not."
"If trading talent in flower arranging could yield talent like Captain Soifon's..."
"I think no one would be unwilling to trade."
Rangiku Matsumoto shook her head.
"...You have a glib tongue."
Soifon rolled her eyes at her.
They walked a bit further before Rangiku Matsumoto suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Captain Soifon." Her voice was lower than before. "Actually... I've been thinking about something."
"I always feel..."
"That being with Captain Soifon is very reassuring."
"Moreover, you even dealt with that person for my sake."
"As a friend, I don't even know how to repay you properly."
Rangiku Matsumoto's gaze landed on Soifon's face, then moved away.
She paused, then suddenly laughed: "If Captain Soifon were a boy... maybe I would give myself to you and fall in love with you."
The air went quiet for a few seconds.
"So, you don't like me now?"
Soifon tilted her head.
"Of course I like Captain Soifon too..."
"B-But it's the like between friends! There's still a bit of a gap compared to the like between lovers, right?"
Rangiku Matsumoto waved her hands in a panic.
Seeing Rangiku like this, Soifon couldn't help but smile: "Just a joke. I'm leaving first."
The Shunpo Soifon used casually was as swift as ever, but this time Rangiku Matsumoto could already faintly capture the afterimage of Soifon disappearing.
Friend? Lover?
Clutching her chest which was going thump-thump, Rangiku Matsumoto actually couldn't distinguish what exactly she felt toward Soifon.
When with a good friend... does one's heartbeat accelerate?
I can't think about this any deeper...
Rangiku Matsumoto, sober up a little!
____
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