Kotetsu Isane stepped into the room with a slightly dazed expression. She recognized most of those present. Shiba Kaien was the first to greet her with a smile.
"Vice-Captain Kotetsu."
"…Captain… Kaien."
Isane couldn't even describe what she was feeling right now. Thinking back to all her pointless imaginings since yesterday, she suddenly felt it was all absurd—tinged with a kind of indescribable bitterness.
Forcing a smile onto her face, she found herself a seat among the others.
"Ganju, is the food ready?" Kaien called toward the kitchen.
Ganju Shiba wasn't the only one there—Kira Izuru was helping, too.
"Almost, almost!" Ganju answered hurriedly from the stove.
Kira muttered under his breath,
"Why are we, the guys, stuck cooking?"
Ganju could only shrug—he had the lowest standing here, after all.
In the living room, people chatted idly, sometimes tossing around ideas for how Nobu should decorate his new place.
None of them really knew much about it—they were just describing what they thought a home should look like.
Isane sat quietly off to the side, her gaze sweeping the room. She knew Aoshika and Kaien well; the rest were acquaintances—Hinamori, Kuchiki Rukia, and Hitsugaya Tōshirō—or strangers, like Abarai Renji, Hisagi, and Kanisawa. From the way Hinamori and Rukia carried themselves, they were probably Nobu's friends from the Academy.
She didn't join the conversation, only sipped her tea as if it could wash away the bitterness in her chest.
Too awkward… too humiliating… too pathetic…
The more she thought, the worse it felt. Her eyes warmed, and she quickly tipped her head back.
She glanced at Nobu—he was laughing and talking with Hinamori and the others.
She wanted to leave, but that would be far too rude. It might even make people speculate, and put Nobu in an awkward spot.
Still, she felt out of place here. And because she was a vice-captain, Rukia and the others didn't dare casually strike up conversation.
At one point, Hinamori took the initiative.
"Vice-Captain Kotetsu, do you remember me?"
Isane blinked, then smiled.
"I do—you're Hinamori Momo, right?"
Hinamori leaned closer.
"Yes! After I graduate, I want to join Fourth Division!"
On any other day, meeting an Academy student who wanted to join Fourth Division would have made Isane happy. She loved Kaidō and her division. But right now, it only deepened her bitterness.
The girl was clearly here for Nobu. She liked him, and she made no attempt to hide it.
Isane was sure she wasn't the only one who could see it—everyone here probably had.
And Nobu? Does he know?
A quiet envy stirred in her. If only she could be so direct.
She smiled politely.
"That's great—Fourth Division would be glad to have you."
"Mm! I'll definitely join!" Hinamori said brightly.
At that, Kaien's eyes lit up.
"Actually, you could consider Third Division. We're looking for excellent juniors like you—and the treatment would be very good!"
"No! I'm going to Fourth Division!"
Hinamori even glanced at Nobu as she said it.
It was obvious enough, and everyone here knew about her feelings for him.
Hisagi muttered,
"This tea tastes kind of funny…"
"Shūhei-senpai!" Hinamori said in mock outrage.
Hitsugaya drank silently, eyes lowered.
Rukia didn't speak either—she was quietly watching Nobu's reaction.
Seeing Hinamori's determination, Kaien didn't press. His gaze shifted to Kira, who was carrying dishes out of the kitchen.
"Kira-kun, what about you? Which division do you want after graduation?"
Kira hesitated, then said,
"I haven't decided… maybe Fourth Division."
"Why Fourth?" Kaien asked.
"Because Nobu-senpai is there. If I joined, he'd look after me."
Nobu grinned.
"Of course. Our Captain Unohana and Isane-san are both wonderful."
Kaien hooked an arm around Kira's shoulders.
"You're thinking small. Fourth is a medical squad—not for everyone. You were top of our class, right? Join Third—I'll look after you, and your talents will grow better there. I can guarantee you a seated position fast!"
Nobu feigned annoyance.
"That's not fair, Captain Kaien. Are you saying joining Fourth would hold him back?"
Hisagi raised a hand.
"Ninth Division's good too."
Kanisawa added blandly,
"Eighth is great."
"And Tenth!" Hitsugaya chimed in.
"You guys—!" Kaien protested, laughing despite himself.
Kira, new to such banter, looked awkward.
"I really haven't decided yet…"
He actually had another reason: choosing a support division other than Fourth meant the chance of being reassigned elsewhere. Fourth never did that.
Besides, joining a division didn't mean staying forever—transfers were possible. Better to pick Fourth, where he already knew Nobu, Aoshika, and, in the future, Hinamori.
Isane watched silently. Even though they were discussing Fourth Division, she felt little interest.
Kaien kept pitching Third Division. Nobu countered deliberately.
"Kira, think carefully—promotion's harder in Third. At best you'd reach Third Seat."
After all, Third's vice-captain was Kaien's fiancée.
"Third Seat not good enough for you? You're Third Seat!" Kaien shot back, laughing.
"I just think Kira's capable of more," Nobu replied.
"You flatter me, Nobu-senpai," Kira said, touched.
Finally, he nodded to Kaien.
"Thank you, Captain Kaien. I'll think about it seriously."
"That's better," Kaien said happily.
Then his gaze moved to Renji.
"Eleventh Division," Renji said immediately.
No matter what Kaien said, Renji didn't budge.
Kaien gave up, glancing briefly at Rukia without comment.
"You haven't asked me," Ganju muttered.
"Go wherever you want," Kaien said bluntly.
Ganju looked wounded, making the others laugh.
When the food was served, Kaien praised Kira's cooking, then asked Nobu,
"No sake?"
Nobu rolled his eyes.
"It's late. If anyone drinks too much, I've only got one bed."
The remark made Hinamori's heart jump. She glanced at her glass of water, ripples trembling on the surface.
After dinner, people began to leave. Nobu saw them out one by one.
Isane was last. At the door, she unconsciously clenched her fist.
"Nobu, I—"
"Isane-san," he cut in. "You've seemed… off today. Quiet."
"…"
She smiled faintly.
"Really? Maybe I've just been busy lately, didn't rest enough."
Standing in the doorway, the light behind her, her eyes shone faintly. She looked at him for a long moment, lashes trembling.
"I should go. Rest early."
She turned to leave—only to feel him catch her hand.
A soft sigh sounded behind her, like a pebble dropped into a still pond, sending ripples through her chest.
"I think I understand now, Isane-san."
"…"
Understand? Understand… my feelings?
Her breath caught—until his hand reached past her to shut the door.
Then he turned her gently but firmly to face him.
"Nobu, you—"
Her eyes were like shattered glass, fixed on him.
Outside, Hinamori and the others parted ways with Rukia. Hinamori was heading back to the Academy with Kira and the rest.
She glanced back toward Nobu's place—and saw the door suddenly close.
Just before it shut, there had been someone standing there…
"Hinamori?"
Kira's voice pulled her back.
"What are you looking at?"
"Ah?" She shook her head, unsettled.
Did I imagine it? No… Vice-Captain Kotetsu is Nobu's superior. They could easily have something to discuss…
No reason to overthink.
"Let's go, Hinamori."
"Right."
...
Nobu looked at her, eyes clear and earnest.
"I'm sorry, Isane-san. I didn't make myself clear yesterday…"
Her lips pressed tight; all the bitterness and hurt in her chest surged up at once.
But she forced herself to say,
"Why are you saying this all of a sudden? I…"
She didn't want him to bring up her misunderstanding. She needed to guard that bit of dignity—didn't want to look too pitiful, too ridiculous in his eyes.
If she just left now, that would be fine. No need to say more.
But Nobu still held her hand—and then stepped forward, pulling her into a tight embrace.
She froze, her weight tipping back against the door.
"Nobu, what… what are you doing…" Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry, Isane-san."
She tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling light, listening to his apology. Her throat moved.
"You've done nothing wrong… it's late. I should go."
He only shook his head, holding her.
"After I said those things before… I've been hesitating."
"…Hesitating about what?" she asked.
"If I'd been too hasty… if I'd made you uncomfortable."
"…"
"So I didn't dare bring it up again. I was afraid you'd reject me."
He let her go then, stepping back with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Isane-san. I was impulsive again."
She stood there silently, staring at him for a long time.
She remembered their first meeting—him in her classroom at the Academy, his gaze the clearest among so many blank young faces.
A look she'd never forgotten—pure enough to make her heart tremble even now.
She thought of all their time together since—her private Kaidō lessons for him at the Academy, his earnestness each time, his confidence in every challenge since joining Fourth Division: the fight for Third Seat, representing them at the exchange meet.
So why was he suddenly unsure of himself with her?
Because of her wavering?
Here she was, mired in her own loneliness and hurt over a misunderstanding. If she left now… what would he think?
Three years. Less than that, even. A blink in a shinigami's lifetime—yet the memories of him felt so long, so full, they could stop her in her tracks.
Without realizing it, she'd sunk deep.
Suddenly, she stepped forward, leaned down slightly, and—seeing the surprise in his eyes—kissed him on the lips.
"Mmh—"
---
T/N: 4 chaps meeting this weeks quota, last week it was 7dtd this week it was tomodachi life........ teehee
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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