The gentle assault drained every ounce of strength from Muten Natsu. Retsu Unohana slipped a hand behind his back and leaned forward as he fell.
The accumulated gravitational potential energy turned into kinetic energy, pressing the front of her Shihakushō into a soft curve. As it brushed against Muten Natsu's chest, hovering between contact and separation, it transformed into elastic potential energy, producing a subtle deformation.
Muten Natsu lay flat on the tatami. Retsu Unohana's loose hair spilled down around him in fine strands, forming a delicate black cage like slender bars. Together with her body, it trapped him beneath her.
Her silky hair grazed his ear, carrying what felt like a faint electric current that sent a pleasant tingling across his cheek.
The hand that had supported Muten Natsu's back moved to the tatami. Retsu Unohana straightened her arm to hold herself up, and their tightly joined lips parted.
Muten Natsu instinctively tried to rise, but the hand Retsu Unohana placed on his chest gently pressed him back down.
Their lingering attachment stretched between them in a glistening thread.
Retsu Unohana raised a hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. "If they react the same way you did, it means they want to become closer to you. Do you understand?"
Muten Natsu pressed his lips together. "What if they don't?"
"Then you should calm down and honestly face the nature of your relationship."
"What if... they all do?"
"Then I'll teach you some other methods." Retsu Unohana knelt beside Muten Natsu and stroked his head. "Go on."
"Mm..." Muten Natsu rose hesitantly. After taking two steps, he stopped again. "Captain..."
Retsu Unohana's beautiful eyes curved into crescents. "Go."
"Okay."
Retsu Unohana watched until Muten Natsu disappeared from sight, then touched her pale fingertips to her lips. Between her slightly parted cherry-red lips...
"Captain?" Isane Kotetsu called from outside the door.
Retsu Unohana lowered her hand. "Isane? Come in."
"Captain, the Oncidium orchids you planted have bloomed. They're beautiful." Isane Kotetsu opened the door. "Shall I cut a couple of bunches and put them in your room?"
"No need." Retsu Unohana stood. "Since I planted them myself, naturally, I should be the one to do it."
...
Why am I making no progress at all...
In the Thirteenth Division office, Rukia Kuchiki finished processing the paperwork and set her Zanpakutō on the desk. Propping her chin on both hands, she squashed her cheeks between her palms.
She had clearly felt as though she had finally found the direction she needed to pursue, yet she still could not master Bankai.
Forget a complete Bankai. At this point, she could not even perform an incomplete one.
She had decided that she would go to the World of the Living once she mastered Bankai, but now...
Where exactly had she gone wrong?
Muten Natsu's head popped up outside the window. "What are you thinking about?"
"You!" Rukia Kuchiki froze when she saw him, then immediately identified the root of the problem. "It's all your fault!"
This was all Muten Natsu's fault!
Rukia Kuchiki had decided to remain in Soul Society precisely because Muten Natsu had chosen to return to the World of the Living.
As long as they lived in different worlds, Rukia Kuchiki would have to visit the World of the Living whenever she wanted to see him.
So she had imposed a rule on herself. Only after mastering Bankai would she be allowed to stay in the World of the Living for extended periods as she had before.
She had hoped that this would force her to improve.
But Muten Natsu kept visiting Soul Society whenever he had the chance. Rukia Kuchiki ended up seeing him every few days.
Her sense of urgency had completely vanished!
How was she supposed to improve like this? She was already starting to regress.
"It's because you keep coming here!" Rukia Kuchiki glared at Muten Natsu, grabbed him by the collar, and hauled him through the window. "Now I can't even settle down and focus on training my Bankai..."
Rukia Kuchiki's voice gradually faded.
Muten Natsu had just asked her...
[What are you thinking about?]
Which meant her answer had been...
"I..." Looking at Muten Natsu's face, now pulled close to her own, Rukia Kuchiki suddenly panicked. She reached out with her other hand to push him away.
But Muten Natsu caught her small hand.
"I understand." The warmth of Muten Natsu's palm seeped into Rukia Kuchiki's cold fingers. "I know..."
"No..."
That wasn't it. That wasn't what she meant!
Rukia Kuchiki wanted to deny it, but... if she truly did, Muten Natsu would be hurt, wouldn't he?
Yet if she allowed him to say it aloud, how was that any different from admitting it herself?
She had to stop him.
One of Rukia Kuchiki's hands was clutching Muten Natsu's collar. If she let go, he would fall on top of her.
Her other hand was trapped in his, leaving her unable to cover his mouth.
The only thing she could use to stop Muten Natsu from continuing was...
Rukia Kuchiki leaned forward and kissed him.
She could only use her mouth.
They had already kissed before, anyway.
One more kiss wouldn't make any difference... "Mmph!"
A faint sound escaped Rukia Kuchiki. Her eyes had been slowly drifting shut, but they suddenly flew wide open. Then, as Muten Natsu pressed his advance, she closed them again as though seeking refuge.
Her petite body was braced against the desk behind her. Her slender waist seemed to lose all strength, and she toppled backward onto the desk, leaving only her straight legs dangling helplessly over the edge, swaying faintly.
At some point, the hand that had been gripping Muten Natsu's collar had moved to his chest.
Meanwhile, the fingers of the hand he held slipped between his, tightly clasping his warm palm.
This... This kind of thing...
It was completely different from their previous kiss.
Rukia Kuchiki nearly forgot to breathe. Only when Muten Natsu lifted himself slightly and their tightly pressed lips parted did cool air finally rush into her lungs.
She tilted her head back and belatedly tried to draw in more air, hoping to clear the haze from her mind after forgetting to breathe.
Seeing her raise her chin, Muten Natsu, who had already stopped, lowered his head once more.
"Mmph. Mm~"
Caught completely off guard, Rukia Kuchiki let out a faint gasp. It was smothered the very next instant, escaping through the tiny gap between their joined lips and turning into a soft, wavering hum between their noses.
Again...
Rukia Kuchiki curled her slender fingers around Muten Natsu's large hand, trying to warn him by squeezing hard.
But her hand was limp. She could not summon any strength at all.
No... it was not just her hand.
Rukia Kuchiki's long eyelashes trembled as she searched for another way to make this stop.
But her thoughts, along with something else, had been thrown into complete disarray. Every solution that came to mind seemed entirely impractical.
Then she could only...