After downing their drinks, many of the Shinigami wiped the corners of their mouths and collapsed into their seats with a thud. Cheers, playful shouting, and scuffles over food immediately filled the air.
This stuff's nowhere near as good as the old man's stash!
Masatsuki Aozaki reluctantly set down his cup, smacked his lips, and started thinking—maybe after the banquet, he should swing by the old man's place and see if there was anything worth "borrowing."
As the former Captain-Commander, the old man's retirement perks were nothing to scoff at. Not only had he been granted land and a house, but he'd also received noble status.
That old man, who spent a lifetime protecting the nobility, had finally become the one being protected.
Just then, a mustached middle-aged man silently walked past Masatsuki and casually tossed him a flask.
Masatsuki blinked, then realized it was Lieutenant Sasakibe. He quickly called out:
"Senpai!"
Chōjirō Sasakibe turned at the call, letting out a faint sigh as he pulled another flask from his coat and handed it over.
This guy… if I didn't call him "senpai," he probably would've kept that second flask for himself.
Masatsuki took the flask and guessed it must've been from the old man's personal stock. He couldn't wait to crack it open. The moment he took a whiff, his eyes lit up.
Damn, this was the real deal—definitely some of the old man's best vintage, aged for years. Way better than anything he'd ever snuck before.
When Kyōraku Shunsui reached out to grab the flask, Masatsuki immediately pulled it protectively into his arms, pushing only the glass on the table toward him.
"Cheapskate," Shunsui muttered, clearly annoyed.
"Haha, Kyōraku-senpai, you're still recovering! I'm just looking out for your health," Masatsuki said helplessly.
Shunsui waved him off.
"You don't get it, kid. The more it hurts, the better the drink tastes!"
Masatsuki stared in shock.
Wait... did getting beat up by Retsu a few days ago turn him into a full-blown masochist?
Still, since it was technically his wife's fault—and considering Shunsui was about to become half a senior family member—Masatsuki went ahead and poured him a full glass.
And where there's one senpai, the other's not far behind.
Sure enough, Jūshirō Ukitake was helped to his feet and made his way over, looking a bit wobbly.
"Junior... junior, I want some too," he slurred, cheeks flushed.
That meal lasted all the way from sunset to deep into the night. By then, the barracks were littered with team members lying around, bellies bulging.
Luckily, they were all built like tanks. Sleeping out in the open like that wasn't going to give any of them a cold.
If the Wandenreich invaded right now, odds were, aside from the Aozaki family, the Gotei 13 wouldn't have many left who could put up a real fight.
The so-called strongest force under the Gotei name had spent the whole night doing nothing but feasting and drinking. Who knew if the noble lords might get so worked up by the scene they'd pop a vein?
Still, the unspoken understanding among the team members was incredible.
They'd tossed all those noble lords to the back of their minds, allowing their tightly wound nerves to finally unwind.
...
Near midnight, Masatsuki Aozaki led the ladies along the broad avenues of Seireitei.
Even after drinking that much, none of them felt the slightest bit dizzy. If anything, their minds were clearer than ever.
It was safe to say that "drowning their sorrows in alcohol" would never be a part of their lives again.
Ever since they'd fused with the Hōgyoku, their bodies were no longer anything close to ordinary, though they still had a sharp sensitivity to the taste of alcohol.
For them, if they wanted to drink, they could do so as much as they pleased—without consequence.
"Today was completely out of control, haha... those nobles might come complaining to me, the Captain-Commander."
Masatsuki Aozaki walked at the front of the group, about to scratch his head when a soft hand suddenly reached out and stopped him.
A radiant figure with flowing golden hair quietly walked beside him. That stunning face—he knew it all too well.
"What is it?"
Masatsuki turned to her, puzzled.
With a faint smile, Retsu Unohana strolled past him on the other side. Tilting her head slightly, her eyes were gentle as she said softly,
"You really are hopeless at moments like this. It's a girl's private date invitation, you know? Leave the other ladies to me—you two enjoy your time together."
With that, she waved at Masatsuki and led the rest away.
Watching their retreating figures, a sudden realization dawned on Masatsuki's face.
"So that's what this is…"
He remained there, watching them disappear into the night.
"That's why I said, sometimes you're just a complete idiot," Rangiku Matsumoto muttered, shaking her head helplessly. She grabbed Masatsuki's sleeve and started pulling him toward a stone tower, mumbling as she went, "Come on, follow me."
The two of them climbed the towering structure, eventually reaching the very top.
The wise men of Seijōtōkyorin had long since turned in, and the area was completely quiet.
Silver moonlight draped everything in a mysterious, serene glow. In the distance, the starry sky shimmered like a dreamlike painting.
Below, there were barely any guards, lending a quiet, lonely air to the surroundings.
Masatsuki glanced around. The pure white stone pillars stood in a scattered, orderly arrangement, like they were silently recounting the passage of time. The moonlight spilling over them added an aura of purity and solemnity.
He took a deep breath, taking in the fresh air and tranquil atmosphere, and couldn't help but say,
"It's beautiful."
"Told you," Rangiku replied with a slight smile. "Sometimes, when I'm bored, I sneak off here alone just to take in the view."
She sat atop the wall, casually saying things that—if heard by the wrong people—might warrant a death sentence. Her figure seemed to melt into the gentle night breeze.
"Hey, Masatsuki."
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
"Of course. It was scorching hot—I remember how thirsty I was…"
"I meant that night."
"Oh… that night."
"Don't start thinking weird things."
"I didn't say anything! Besides, all I did that night was help you change your clothes and socks. That's not weird, right?"
"Still. Don't think about it."
"Alright, alright."
Masatsuki scratched his head and smiled, then turned to meet her eyes.
"That night… the moon was full, the evening breeze felt nice, and a certain girl was really cute."
"Oh? So you really were up to no good from the start," she teased, lips curling into the faintest smile.
The moonlight on her face made her look even softer, even more beautiful.
"Well, obviously," Masatsuki said quickly. "You've always been special to me."
"Hmph, smooth talker. But yeah… that night really was wonderful," she murmured, a flicker of nostalgia in her gaze.
The two of them fell silent, looking out into the distance.
The stars twinkled faintly in the sky, as if quietly telling their story.
A soft breeze brushed past, cooling the air and settling their hearts.
Masatsuki looked up at the moon.
There were so many stars in the sky, yet not one dared to get close. Strange, wasn't it?
He suddenly smiled and gently took her hand.
"So... Ran, thank you."
"What's with that all of a sudden?"
"If it weren't for you, I probably would've turned into something weird. I'm just really glad I met you."
"What the hell!? You can't just say something like that out of nowhere! That's cheating! You cheater! You awful, awful guy!"