"Hello, Grandma. It's nice to meet you. I am Hitsugaya Tōshirō's friend, Suō Tsukasa. You can just call me Tsukasa."
Without waiting for the old woman to ask, Suō Tsukasa stepped forward slightly, bowing lightly to introduce himself, his attitude respectful yet cordial.
Children who are poised and polite are always the most liked by the elderly.
"Good, good, good, Tsukasa, is it?"
"Come on in quickly. It's too sunny outside."
Tōshirō's grandmother nodded repeatedly, gently patting Suō Tsukasa's strong arm.
She moved aside to clear the entrance path as she spoke, her gaze remaining fixed on Suō Tsukasa.
The boy's tall stature, neat attire, and gentle smile charmed the old woman; she liked everything about him.
She was also happy that her grandson had made such a good friend, and her eyes were full of smiles.
The furnishings inside the house were very simple: a dirt floor in the doma (earthen floor entrance) and tatami mats laid out in the main room.
A low tea table stood in a corner, and a hearth in the center of the room. This was the entirety of the Hitsugaya home.
Suō Tsukasa removed his straw sandals at the threshold and sat properly on the cushion the old woman had laid out in the main room.
"Oh dear, I'm old and forgetful. I was so happy I forgot to entertain my guest."
"I apologize, we don't have much to offer here."
"I'll brew some tea. It's just rough tea, but I hope you don't mind, Tsukasa."
Tōshirō's grandmother, sitting down, finally snapped out of her joyful state, a hint of apology on her face.
Remembering her duties as a host, she made to get up.
"Grandma, please just sit and rest."
"Let us handle this small matter."
"I'll boil the water, Tōshirō, you prepare the tea leaves and other things."
Suō Tsukasa immediately got up and gently pressed her back into her seat, then turned to give Tōshirō a look.
"Okay."
Tōshirō understood instantly, nodding in response.
The two acted quickly and with great coordination.
Suō Tsukasa expertly put a few pieces of firewood into the hearth. A red flash appeared in his palm, and with a puff, the firewood ignited.
Before the flames shot up, he took the kettle hanging on the wall, filled it with water from the water barrel, and hung it steadily over the hearth.
On the other side, Tōshirō was not idle. While Suō Tsukasa was moving, he wiped clean the tea table in the corner and moved it to the center of the room.
He then took the peaches from the bag and carefully washed them aside, finally arranging them on the table along with the yam cakes wrapped in oil paper.
Their movements were swift. Tōshirō's grandmother barely had time to react before the kettle over the stove began to let out its first wisp of steam.
"You two..."
The old woman looked at the scene before her, her eyes filled with both surprise and comfort, and her words turned into a sigh of joy.
A moment later, the tea table was filled with the fragrance of tea, mixed with the fruity scent of peaches and the sweet aroma of yam cake, creating a calm, warm, and peaceful atmosphere.
However, the water level in the teacups lowered somewhat, but the pastries and fruit on the table remained untouched.
Seeing this, Suō Tsukasa immediately guessed the old woman's thoughts. He pushed the pastries closer to her and spoke softly.
"Grandma, Tōshirō performed excellently at the Academy and bought these with his very first reward, and he spent a long time picking them out."
"You must try them properly and see if they suit your taste."
Tōshirō's grandmother was immediately stunned. She turned to look at Tōshirō, who was sitting beside her, her eyes welling up with tears and brimming with pride.
Only then did she pick up a piece of the white yam cake and carefully take a bite.
The pastry slowly melted in her mouth. The soft, delicate sweetness not only lingered on her tongue but warmed her heart as well.
"It's... very delicious. My little Shiro, you've truly grown up..."
She finished the pastry in her hand, saying happily.
Tōshirō looked at the expressions of contentment and emotion on his grandmother's face, and at the nickname he hadn't heard in a long time. He turned his head awkwardly, his ears completely red.
His tightly pursed lips secretly curved upwards, betraying his inner joy.
"You should also try these peaches."
Suō Tsukasa cut a peach into four slices and placed them in front of her.
"Good, good. I'll eat them, let's all eat..."
The old woman gently wiped the corners of her eyes, urging the two boys.
The three then tasted the fruit and pastries, the tea on the table steaming warmly. The atmosphere grew increasingly harmonious, and they began a relaxed chat.
Suō Tsukasa was already skilled at conversation, and he was exceptionally good at charming the elderly.
He first talked about how diligently Tōshirō was studying at the Academy.
Then, he moved on to how Tōshirō was eating well and training hard every day, with rapid progress in all his subjects, ranking among the top of his class. His words were full of recognition and admiration for Tōshirō.
"Is that so? That's wonderful!"
"Oh, Tsukasa, you wouldn't know, but Tōshirō has never been much of a talker. I've always worried about him ever since he first enrolled."
"I remember once he..."
His words made Tōshirō's grandmother beam, her face flushed with joy, her eyes narrowed into thin crescents from laughing.
As she grew enthusiastic, the old woman wanted to talk about some amusing anecdotes from Tōshirō's past.
"Grandma!"
Tōshirō, who had been sitting quietly next to her, instantly sensed trouble and quickly spoke up with a stern face to stop her.
He knew very well that whatever the next sentence was, it would definitely not be a good thing for him.
"Alright, alright, I won't say it."
The story was halted just as it reached her lips. Tōshirō's grandmother happened to be looking at the cut peaches in front of her, as if something had suddenly occurred to her.
She changed the subject, turning to Tōshirō to ask.
"By the way, Tōshirō, have you seen Hinamori at the Academy?"
"Yes, we bumped into each other this morning and said hello."
Tōshirō replied with a normal expression, nodding his head.
"Is that so? That's good."
"You've only ever had Momo as a friend since you were little. When she didn't come around for a long time, I was afraid you two had a falling out and never dared to ask."
Hearing this, Grandma looked relieved, a reassuring smile appearing on her face.
When Momo Hinamori first enrolled, she would often come to visit and say hello during holidays.
However, a long time had passed since her last visit. This sudden change naturally caused the old woman anxiety and worry.
"Now that you have Tsukasa as a good friend, I feel even more at ease."
Putting down her long-held worries, the old woman's loving gaze moved back and forth between Tōshirō and Suō Tsukasa, saying with satisfaction.
"We didn't fall out. It's just that the Academy courses are too busy."
"But don't worry, Grandma, I'll come back to see you whenever I have a holiday."
Tōshirō's hand movements paused, and he explained calmly.
He clearly remembered that during their last meeting before he enrolled, he no longer saw his entire self reflected in her eyes.
The girl's eyes contained more of a pursuit and hope for the future.
He never blamed her for it. It was a good thing for someone who lived in the Rukongai to have their own dreams, and it was something worth celebrating.
Now that he had enrolled, he could understand her feelings even more.
Some sceneries can only be seen from a different vantage point.
Hearing that his courses were busy, the old woman began to worry about her grandson, saying affectionately.
"Good, good. Then you don't need to keep coming back to see me. You take good care of yourself and get enough rest."
"It's alright, Grandma. I'll manage my time well."
Tōshirō gently held her hand, reassuring her with a firm tone.
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