Night, at the Kuchiki Clan manor.
Soifon—who just a short while ago had been loudly 'conspiring' with Sōsuke Aizen and expressing her disdain for the Soul Society's nobility—was now appearing near the gates of the Kuchiki estate alongside her close friend.
"Captain Soifon, please follow this small path."
Leaning close to Soifon's ear, Isane Kotetsu covered her mouth and spoke in a hushed tone.
The warm breath against her ear and a unique, pleasant fragrance made Soifon instinctively tilt her head.
Sniff, sniff.
Soifon leaned closer to Isane Kotetsu and asked, "Isane... are you wearing perfume?"
Isane's fair cheeks quickly flushed crimson under the moonlight. "It's not perfume. It's a sachet the Captain made herself..."
As she spoke, Isane Kotetsu stepped into the secret passage first, beckoning Soifon to follow, seemingly embarrassed to continue the topic.
At first, the path was extremely narrow, just wide enough for one person. After walking several dozen paces, it suddenly opened up into a wide, clear space.
Compared to her companion who had to stoop, Soifon's petite frame provided a distinct advantage in navigating the tight space.
After several twists and turns, they arrived at a spacious, meticulously maintained courtyard.
The surrounding walls were concealed by a dense bamboo grove, and in the center sat an exquisitely constructed pond, with white moonlight resting silently upon its surface.
By the light of the moon, Soifon noticed the rising mist from the large building within the courtyard, and her brows twitched slightly.
Another hot spring!
"Is Captain Unohana... inside?"
Sensing several familiar spiritual pressures within the building, Soifon turned to ask Isane Kotetsu.
Isane nodded, the blush still lingering on her face. "Yes. Captain Unohana requested the Kuchiki Clan to build this open-air hot spring..."
So that's it. Captain Unohana requested it herself.
Since it was a request from the 'Death Sword,' it wasn't surprising at all.
The two crossed the courtyard and arrived at an elegant side room connected to the main manor.
As they pushed open the sliding door leading inside, a wave of warm, moist white mist carrying a fresh fragrance washed over them.
On a low stool in the middle of the changing room, two swimsuits of varying sizes were neatly folded.
As expected of Unohana Retsu—she had easily figured out Soifon's size.
With a dark expression, Soifon stepped forward and claimed the set that belonged to her.
Just as she finished tying the side straps, she heard a rustling sound coming from behind the nearby storage lockers.
"Captain Soifon... are you finished changing?" Isane's voice drifted from behind the lockers. "Could... could you please help me with something?"
Soifon walked over and saw Isane Kotetsu with her back turned, her hands struggling behind her as she attempted to fasten the clasp of a light blue swimsuit.
"What's the matter?"
Soifon asked despite knowing the answer, her gaze falling on Isane's smooth back. The swimsuit top hung loosely on her frame, the back straps clearly unfastened.
"The clasp..."
Isane kept her head lowered, and Soifon could only see the tips of her ears turning red.
"...Turn around."
Soifon sighed and stepped behind Isane Kotetsu.
She reached out, her fingertips pinching the two thin straps. She could even feel the warmth of Isane's body trembling slightly from nervousness.
—Wait, how does this clasp actually work?
Soifon's movements froze. It seemed she had never worn this type of clothing before, but she couldn't bring herself to admit she didn't know how to do it.
A few seconds passed in silent, awkward tension.
"Ahem. The swimsuit Captain Unohana gave you doesn't fit quite right, so I'll have to use a Bakudō to secure it for now."
Spiritual power flickered at Soifon's fingertips. A 'slim' version of Bakudō #4: Hainawa manifested, binding the two clasps together.
"I see!" Isane didn't doubt her for a second, simply marveling at the feat. "Captain Soifon's mastery of Kidō really is impressive."
Soifon looked Isane up and down once she was changed. The blue swimsuit perfectly complemented her tall figure, highlighting her long legs beneath the hem.
And then there was the heavy burden at the front.
Soifon averted her gaze, stood on her tiptoes, and patted Isane on the shoulder. "You've worked hard, Isane."
Isane: "...?"
Having finished changing, the two pulled open the final bamboo door leading to the open-air hot spring.
Mist swirled through the air where several female Shinigami familiar to Soifon sat gathered in the spring. The steam acted in place of divine light, obscuring everything below their necks.
Unohana, Rangiku, Yachiru Kusajishi, and Nanao Ise.
This time, Captain Unohana hadn't unraveled the braid on her chest; instead, she let it float on the surface of the water, soaked through.
Was it because Yachiru was here?
Soifon's gaze shifted, lingering for a few extra seconds on Nanao Ise. She rarely had the chance to see this bespectacled beauty in such a setting.
"You've arrived?"
Unohana Retsu had sensed Soifon's spiritual pressure long ago.
At the same time, Rangiku Matsumoto patted the empty space beside her, splashing a bit of water. "Yo~ Our little busybody has finally arrived!"
Yachiru Kusajishi also waved a small hand. "Little Bee, over here, over here!"
"Let's go over, Captain Soifon."
Isane turned to look at Soifon. She instinctively reached out a hand but froze mid-air, suddenly paralyzed by her own internal social anxiety.
—Would doing this make Captain Soifon feel like I'm not respecting her?!
Tap.
Soifon placed her hand on Isane's, taking the initiative to lead her forward. "Mm, let's go, Isane."
"Ah? Yes!"
Led by the hand, Isane followed Soifon to the edge of the spring and slowly submerged into the water.
"Greetings, Captain Soifon."
As Soifon settled into the spring, Nanao Ise, sitting diagonally across from her, bowed respectfully, creating a small cascade of water.
"Uh... greetings," Soifon nodded back. "Be at ease. This isn't working hours."
However, Soifon couldn't help but steal a few more glances at Nanao Ise. Legend had it that any man who married into the Ise family would die young due to a curse.
Hmm, I wonder if a woman would die just the same?
"Is there something strange on my face?" Nanao Ise touched her cheek, only explaining herself once Soifon snapped out of her daze. "You've been staring for a while."
Soifon used her usual flat tone to brush it off. "No, it's nothing..."
"Pfft~~"
Beside them, Rangiku Matsumoto was already covering her mouth, her orange hair swaying as her shoulders shook with laughter.
"Nanao, don't be fooled by Soifon's act."
Once she caught her breath, Rangiku leaned against Soifon's shoulder playfully. "Captain Soifon is actually very easy to talk to. She was definitely just feeling shy just now."
"Ha—?"
Soifon, speechless, nudged Rangiku. Is that what you're laughing at?!
Unohana Retsu nodded at the perfect moment, adding fuel to the fire:
"Captain Soifon is indeed like that."
"She appears cold on the outside but is quite delicate at heart. A good child who is 'cold without, warm within.'"
Isane remained silent, simply nodding her head in vigorous agreement.
"Enough! If we're going to discuss such boring topics, then I'll..."
With her ears burning, Soifon suddenly stood up from the spring, splashing water all over Rangiku Matsumoto's face.
Realizing she had successfully agitated the 'cat,' the smile on Unohana Retsu's face grew even wider. She leisurely changed the subject:
"Ara ara~~ then shall we talk about Captain Soifon's students?"
"I hear there are a few promising seedlings. I wonder if the Fourth Division could snatch one or two away?"
Splash!
Rangiku Matsumoto grabbed Soifon's arm and pulled her back down into the spring, creating another wave of indiscriminate splash damage.
"Hee-hee, Captain Unohana, you're a step too late."
Rangiku linked her arm with Soifon's. "I've already made a reservation with Soifon for one of those geniuses, right?"
Soifon's arm was now completely submerged within Rangiku's 'territory.'
A genius?
Everyone's gaze focused on them.
"You and your big mouth..." Soifon pinched Rangiku's lips and gave them a few tugs. "Didn't we agree to keep it a secret!"
"Hiss—"
"Ow, ow, ow..."
Clutching her slightly swollen lips, Rangiku looked pitiful. "But Soifon, you said you wanted those little guys to graduate quickly! You can't hide a genius like that anyway, can you?"
Author's Note: Haha, three chapters today as well, but the beautiful weekend has come to an end.
_____
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