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Under the warm wash of moonlight, Su Li eased open the wooden gate of his courtyard.
Every time he returned, he could not help the wry smile and faint shake of the head at the sight before him. The little courtyard he had once known was no longer the same one he had left forty years ago.
The old patch of uneven dirt was now covered in fresh turf. Expensive grocery items were stacked neatly under the eaves. A glazed vase caught the moonlight, its bright surface gleaming. Clusters of flowers in full bloom added a riot of color, their fragrance lingering in the cool air. Even the far corner had been cleared into a small training space, with a wooden stake planted firmly in the earth.
Only the weathered frame of the house remained unchanged. Everything else bore the stamp of someone else's careful hand.
Most of the changes came from the enthusiastic efforts of a certain "big baby." The rest were courtesy of deliveries from the Ćmaeda family.
Since joining the Eleventh Division, Su Li had handed his salary to Aunt Inoue without a second thought. He had never asked how much there was, only that it must have been more than enough. She had spent freely on furniture, decorations, and supplies.
In her words, Su Li was a captain-class figure nowâhe could not live like some poor stray.
To Su Li, the effect was much like a battered old cart fitted with the most lavish interior. Pure nouveau riche behavior. But if it made Aunt Inoue happy, then he was happy too.
"I'm back," he called, as always.
The house shuddered with hurried footsteps. A moment later, Aunt Inoue appeared in a floral dress, her beauty seasoned but still radiant. She no longer had to worry about earning a living, though she stubbornly kept her fruit stand open. Su Li had suggested more than once that she close it and enjoy her days in comfort, but she would only laugh, saying idleness was for the elderly. In truth, she found staying home unbearably dull.
"Ali! You're back!"
She swept him into a hug that threatened to crush the air from his lungs.
"This suffocating welcome hasn't changed at allâŠ" Su Li muttered, his cheeks flushing.
She finally let go, but her eyes narrowed as she turned him this way and that, checking for wounds.
Seireitei's gates had been shut for three full daysâa fact that had shaken every district of Rukongai. Few knew the truth of what had transpired inside the Court of Pure Souls. They only knew that intruders had breached the great White Road Gate, and after the gates closed, all word from within vanished.
For the families of seated officers and unseated shinigami alike, the wait had been agony.
When the gates finally reopened, rumors spread like wildfire: three captains defected, Central 46 annihilated. Not in centuriesâperhaps a thousand yearsâhad Soul Society seen such upheaval. Shock and fear rippled through every district.
As more shinigami emerged, the picture became clearer. Yet much of the news was still muddled, distorted by distance and retelling.
Aunt Inoue's frown deepened. "Those old fools told me you were mixed up with those traitors, that you'd been arrested. As if I'd believe it! You'd never betray the Gotei 13. Tomorrow I'll go give them a piece of my mindâ"
Her chest heaved with indignation.
"It's fine," Su Li said with a faint smile. "Give it a few daysâthey'll be apologizing to you themselves."
Clearly, the details of the captains' meeting had yet to reach the lower ranks. Many still doubted him. Soon enough, the truth of his roleâand his achievementsâwould spread, and those doubts would vanish on their own. He had no interest in explaining. Time would do it for him.
"Come eat. I'm hungry," he said, heading inside.
The next morning, pale light spilled over the tiled roofs of Seireitei. In an unmarked back alley, Su Li walked at an unhurried pace. Few ever passed this way.
After several turns, he emerged onto a side streetâand nearly walked straight into a familiar figure.
"Abarame?" he blurted, then realized his mistake. "No⊠Ichigo?"
Kurosaki Ichigo stopped short, equally surprised. "Su⊠Su Li-san? What are you doing here?"
Su Li arched an eyebrow at the question. "Going to work."
Ichigo flushed. "Oh. I was just out for some fresh airâŠ"
Su Li's gaze flicked to the bandages showing beneath Ichigo's open collar. "How's the injury?"
"Ah, Inoue healed me. She's amazingâalmost as good asâ" Ichigo broke off, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
"She's the strongest healer in the Soul Society right now," Su Li said with a nod.
"What?" Ichigo blinked, clearly missing the point.
"Nothing," Su Li said, smiling faintly. "You'll be heading back soon, won't you? Spend these last days looking around. The Soul Society's nothing like the human world."
He clapped Ichigo on the shoulder. Ichigo nodded, though still a bit stiff.
"Alright, I'm off to work. Enjoy your walk," Su Li said, turning to go.
Ichigo hesitated, then called out, "Wait! Su Li-sanâ"
Su Li stopped and looked back. "What is it?"
Ichigo scratched his head. "I was looking for you, actually. Since we met here, I'll just tell you now. You know Urahara Kisuke, right?"
Su Li's eyes narrowed slightly. "I do."
"Last night, Urahara sent me a message. Told me to pass it on to you."
"What message?"
Ichigo's brow furrowed. "I don't really get it myself, but⊠he said, 'The people wearing masks want to meet you.'"
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