Seeing Toshiro drink, Unohana couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Captain Hitsugaya, your injuries aren't fully healed yet, so it's better not to drink casually."
Unohana couldn't help but advise.
"It's fine, it's fine..."
Toshiro waved his hand dismissively and poured himself another cup.
Seeing Toshiro insist on drinking, Unohana didn't try to persuade him further. Although casually drinking could indeed hinder recovery, for a strong one like Toshiro, it wasn't really a big deal.
"Speaking of which, how are Byakuya and Komamura doing?"
Toshiro asked.
"Captain Kuchiki's injuries aren't too serious. After treatment, he's basically fine. As for Captain Komamura..."
"After all, he was directly hit by a 90-level Kido, so his injuries are quite serious. However, thankfully, since Aizen skipped the incantation, the power of Kurohitsugi was only about one-third of the original. So, although his injuries are severe, after treatment, his life is not in danger. With proper rest, he should be fine."
Unohana replied.
"Is that so? That's good..."
Toshiro felt a bit guilty towards Komamura. This time, when Komamura angrily attacked Aizen, Toshiro was actually hiding in the shadows.
But in order to find an opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Aizen, Toshiro watched Komamura get defeated in one blow and still held back from acting.
Although in the original work, Komamura didn't die under Aizen's Kurohitsugi, this was, after all, a real world. Toshiro couldn't be sure if the butterfly effect he caused might change things.
What if Komamura really died...
"Captain Hitsugaya need not blame yourself. Everything you did was also for the Soul Society. And I believe that if Captain Komamura were truly in danger of death, you would not have stood by and done nothing."
Unohana comforted him with a gentle smile.
"Well, maybe..."
Toshiro said noncommittally.
Toshiro didn't know if he would have risked his plan failing to save Komamura if he were truly about to be killed by Aizen.
Probably he would have...
"Speaking of which, why are you here alone late at night, enjoying the moon and drinking, Captain Unohana?"
Toshiro asked.
"It's nothing much. I just felt a bit tired today... so I suddenly had the urge to drink a little to relieve the fatigue."
Unohana said with a hint of inexplicable melancholy.
"Yeah... today was indeed tiring enough..."
Toshiro empathized.
Not just physical exhaustion, but also mental fatigue.
Speaking of this, the atmosphere inevitably became a bit heavy.
"Well, forget it. Let's not talk about this. Let's talk about Lieutenant Kotetsu instead."
Toshiro somewhat awkwardly changed the subject.
"That kid Isane is usually so timid and introverted. I didn't expect her performance today to be surprisingly good. Seeing her calmly commanding the 4th Division's members to treat the wounded was quite unexpected."
Toshiro said.
"Yes, Isane is usually timid and introverted, but at critical moments, she's unexpectedly reliable. It's almost like she becomes a completely different person."
Speaking of Isane, Unohana's expression also softened.
For Unohana, Isane was not just her Lieutenant… most of the time, she was more like a daughter to her. So, after mentioning Isane, Unohana's mood brightened a bit.
"Speaking of which, Isane is not just usually introverted and timid… she also often has nightmares. And after having nightmares, she often gets scared and runs to the 13th Division to sleep with her sister Kiyone. Hehehe..."
As Unohana spoke, she couldn't help but laugh.
Seeing Unohana's smile, Toshiro couldn't help but pause for a moment, staring blankly at her.
Well, don't misunderstand. This wasn't because Unohana was beautiful, but because Toshiro, in a daze, saw the shadow of his mother in her.
Unohana wore a pink yukata. Her long, glossy black hair was braided and draped over her back, not hanging in front of her chest as usual. Her whole body exuded a kind of maternal glow, which involuntarily reminded Toshiro of his mother from his previous life.
In his previous life, Toshiro's family was relatively poor, but his parents still supported him through university. However, before he could graduate, he suddenly transmigrated into this world.
Toshiro had always missed his parents from his previous life and felt guilty towards them.
Fortunately, Toshiro was not an only child in his previous life… he had a younger brother who could take care of their parents in their old age.
"What's wrong? Is there something to see? Why are you staring at me, Captain Hitsugaya?"
Unohana's expression was a bit unnatural as she turned her head to avoid Toshiro's gaze.
"Hey, Captain Unohana..."
Toshiro suddenly called out somewhat hesitantly.
"Hmm? What is it, Captain Hitsugaya?"
Unohana asked puzzledly.
"Well... could you not call me Captain Hitsugaya? It always feels a bit distant. If you don't mind, I'll call you Hana-chan, and you can just call me Toshiro..."
Toshiro said a bit embarrassedly.
"Oh? Why?"
Unohana looked at Toshiro with interest.
"Well... for some reason, I always feel like you have a kind of maternal feeling. Seeing you is like seeing my mother..."
Toshiro said somewhat 'shyly'.
Hearing Toshiro's words, Unohana was a bit puzzled. She knew some of Toshiro's basic situation. As far as she knew, Toshiro didn't have a mother and had lived with his grandmother since childhood.
"Sorry."
Toshiro apologized and then stopped speaking.
Toshiro was talking about his mother from his previous life, and Unohana obviously didn't know that. So Toshiro didn't mind.
Then he casually explained: "There's nothing to apologize for. In the Soul Society, I indeed don't have a mother. Since I can remember, I've lived alone with my grandmother, and she never talked to me about my mother."
"Maybe my mother died before I could remember..."
"Maybe I died in the Living World when I was very young and was sent to the Soul Society, coincidentally adopted by my grandmother. After all, most families in the Rukongai don't have blood relations… they're just a group of people longing for family warmth, huddling together for warmth."
"But although I don't know if I have a mother, I feel that if I did, she would definitely be as gentle as you..."
In terms of appearance, Unohana always gave people a feeling of gentleness and kindness, like a gentle mother.
Well, as for her usual slight mischievousness and the fact that she was once an unprecedented great evil in the history of the Soul Society, let's just ignore that for now...
Unohana looked at Toshiro, whose eyes were full of longing for family. Finally, she nodded and said, "Although I'm not your mother, you can call me Hana-chan in private from now on, Toshiro."
"Hana-chan?"
"Toshiro."
Step, step, step...
A series of footsteps suddenly came, and Isane suddenly appeared here.
"Captain, you haven't rested yet... Huh? Captain Hitsugaya, why are you here too?"
Then, seeming to notice the special atmosphere between the two, Isane cautiously asked, "Uumm... am I disturbing you?"