Chapter 72 Summer Vacation and a Trip to Soul Society

(one)

When it comes to summer vacation, many people imagine a carefree vacation, sleeping until they wake up naturally, or traveling to the sea, grasslands, various wonderful scenery and amusement parks.

But for me, the most precious summer trip is indeed——

"Am I disturbing you?"

"Welcome to the 10th Division, Homura!" Miss Matsumoto clapped her hands solemnly.

“Hey hey hey…”

Although there are only me, Toushirou and Ms. Matsumoto in the 10th Squad office now, I am still very happy!

After the national tournament, the Gotei 13 approved my visit. In the sweltering heat of late August, I finally returned to this strange yet familiar world. Unlike last time, this time, I'd have more time to explore and reminisce.

"So, um—" Looking at the three stacks of documents on my desk, I silently looked at Toushirou, who had his eyes closed and remained silent, and Matsumoto, who was smiling. "How about I go shopping on my own?"

It was definitely not possible to browse around on my own, especially with the recent personnel changes at Seireitei. Few people in the 10th Division knew me anymore. Toushirou had no choice but to ask Matsumoto to accompany me on my wanderings. As for the remaining documents, he said, "Today's workload isn't huge. I'll find you guys when I'm done."

Isn’t this enough?

"What on earth did Toushirou go through while I was gone?"

"Ahahaha." Rangiku, who had known us both since the Rukongai days, laughed brightly. "During the Aizen incident, the captain took on some of the 5th Division's official duties. Back then, there were more documents than there are now."

From time to time, one or two unfamiliar faces in black team uniforms would pass by the corridor and greet Miss Rangiku in a friendly manner. "And he's going to accompany you back to Rukongai tomorrow, right? That means the captain needs to complete his holiday today as well."

That's what I said.

"So what about your own work, Rangiku-nee?"

The beauty blinked innocently: "Let me think about it. Oh, right, let's go to the Women's Association first!"

Didn't answer my question at all.

Then I was dragged all the way to the Kuchiki mansion. Yes, the mansion of the Kuchiki family, one of the four great noble families. Because the Women's Association's office was located in a secret room built in the Kuchiki mansion.

It is said that this idea was decided by Captain Unohana and Vice Captain Kusaka, but one of them is now deceased and the other is missing. The remaining members, perhaps out of remembrance, have not yet moved out of the Kuchiki family's house.

As for whether Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth Division knew about this, well, he probably didn't know, right?

I don’t know if it’s because Rangiku-san had given us an advance notice, but no one was too surprised by my arrival.

"I'm sorry there's been so much turnover," said Ms. Ise, bringing over a bunch of snacks and some wonderful periodicals. "If the president and chairman were still here, this welcome party would probably be a little more lively."

"Thank you, thank you." Speaking of which, if we hold a welcome party in the secret room of someone else's house and get discovered, will we really not be punished by Captain Kuchiki?

"By the way, I have to show Homura our association's special collection!" As she said this, Rangiku suddenly spread out all the books on the table.

“This…this is…?!”

Aside from the Seireitei Newsletter, the rest of the books looked like photo collections. There were photos of Captain Ukitake of the 13th Division, Captain Shiba, Captain Hirako of the 5th Division, Captain Kensei of the 9th Division, and even Toushirou!

I picked up the photo album with the silver-haired, blue-eyed boy on the cover and looked up at Rangiku-san who was smiling slyly.

"Hehe, it's the source of funding for our association." She patted my shoulder, "It's a good opportunity to learn about Seireitei while you're away. But don't cry when you see photos of people you know."

I touched the books on the table. Among the publications that were mainly pictures, there was a book with a text cover that stood out.

The Rejection of Pisces - Ukitake Jushiro

It is a novel written by Captain Ukitake.

I've heard from Rangiku-san and Ise-san that when Captain Ukitake was still alive, he regularly serialized this action novel in Seireitei News. While the novel was published as a long series, each volume was a standalone story. After his death, Vice Captain Hisagi, the editor-in-chief, compiled the novel into a single volume, which is said to be very popular even in Rukongai.

My initially gloomy mood was shattered when I saw Captain Ukitake's photo album. In it, he looked like he'd been attacked by a kunai, his clothes tattered and torn, and some of the photos were nailed to the wall. He looked, how should I put it, like a delicate flower that had been ravaged.

It is said that they were attacked by Captain Soi Fong of the Second Division, and Miss Kiyone took the opportunity to take photos crazily.

...People with good tempers are easy targets, right? I don't think Captain Kuchiki has a photo album.

As for Toshiro's, it focuses primarily on his daily life in the squad barracks. Judging by the angle, it must have been taken by Rangiku-san. But it's a really good shot. They even thoughtfully included a group photo of him and the others from when he first joined the squad.

"Um, can you give me this book?"

"Of course, they're just sample copies anyway, so take them along with 'The Rejection of Pisces,'" Rangiku-san said, leaning closer to me with a mysterious air. "But if we're going to publish a second volume of 'The Lion in Winter,' I might have to trouble you, Homura, to take some photos, okay?"

ah?

"I don't want it."

"Why?"

As soon as I said this, I suddenly felt a little embarrassed. After all, it was a commission from Sister Rangiku.

But when I thought about Toushirou's photos being printed into a second photo album and circulated throughout Seireitei—

"In short, I don't want it. If that's the case, I don't want this photo album either..."

Ise Nanao: "Ms. Matsumoto, please stop teasing me."

Rangiku: "Ahahaha, but Homura is so cute when she blushes."

What? Damn it, was this intentional?!

"Sorry! I'm late!" Before I could get angry, an anxious voice suddenly came from the door. "There's a sudden temporary job in the team--"

A black-haired girl about my height was standing at the door, panting. She had a sweet face and big, bright eyes. Her hair was tied up and a few strands fell on her shoulders because of her rapid running.

The moment she looked at me, the girl stopped talking.

In my memory, her hair wasn't this long before. I remember when she first came back and excitedly told me and Toshiro that she wanted to grow her hair long, she still had it in a slightly short ponytail.

"...Hinamori?"

The girl was stunned for a moment, then she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes quickly turning red. "Is it really Homura?"

I laughed, "Well, long time no see, Hinamori."

Since Aizen was imprisoned, the former captain of the 5th Division, Makoto Hirako, who was forced to leave Soul Society, has returned to his post, and Hinamori, after resting for a while, continued to serve as the vice-captain of the 5th Division.

We tacitly skipped the topic of Aizen and focused our conversation on the bloody battle, the new captain, and some people I knew well.

Kira-kun, a contemporary of Hinamori, survived the ordeal but now appears to have become Captain Kuroda's experimental material, his body undergoing transformation. Abarai-kun, on the other hand, was promoted to Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division many years ago and is now happily married to his childhood sweetheart, Rukia Kuchiki.

"Abarai-kun and Kuchiki-san were childhood sweethearts?!"

Rangiku: "Yeah, but after little Rukia was adopted by the Kuchiki family, they haven't been seeing each other much since. Didn't you know?"

How could I possibly know? Abarai seems so carefree and never mentioned anything about it! But Oborozuki went to the 13th Division and said he met a girl who looked a bit like me. Could that be Miss Kuchiki?

"So, what about Captain Hirako?"

This opened Hinamori's mouth. "The Captain is a good man, but I wish he'd work harder!" She pouted, looking a bit like her old self in Rukongai. "It's one thing to always use the Captain's orders for unimportant things, but recently he's even trying to use the team funds to buy a 'Modern Hairstyle Collection'. There has to be a limit to his antics!"

Wow——sounds like someone with quite a bit of personality.

Not only that, but Captain Hirako is one of the few men in Seireitei who dares to tease Captain Kuroko to his face. Even Hinamori is worried that Captain Kuroko might get angry one day and start a fight with Captain Hirako.

Once we started chatting with a few girls I knew, we kept talking. In the end, Miss Rangiku simply took us to a restaurant she had booked early in the morning.

This is great, I meet more familiar people.

Vice Captain Hisagi even held me captive at my desk and questioned me for quite a while. He's the editor-in-chief of Seireitei News, and naturally, he's not one to miss out on any strange story. Especially since the recent bizarre story of me, a Shinigami, "coming back from the dead" has spread, it's only natural he'd publish a special issue to clarify the matter.

After a satisfying meal and a few drinks, a tipsy Rangiku-san clings to her drinking buddies. Ise-san, sensing trouble, makes an excuse and takes Hinamori away. I, on the other hand, am scooped up by Toushirou, who happens to arrive.

"Really? I waited for you guys in the office for ages but you didn't come back. It was only when Hinamori called me that I found out that Matsumoto had dragged you all over for drinks."

“Ahahahaha…”

Walking beside him, the night breeze dissipated some of the heat in the house.

"You didn't drink?"

I put my hands behind my back and said, "Minors can't drink this. You have to be at least 20 years old."

"That's good." He looked relieved.

"But I heard from Rangiku-nee that you don't usually drink. Why is that?"

Although they look like minors, there is no rule in Seireitei that prohibits children from drinking.

"I just don't like it." Dong Shilang frowned. "Matsumoto is enough of a drunkard."

"Hmph..." I drawled out, a fragmented memory suddenly popping up in the corner of my mind. "Isn't it because you mind if you drink and you don't grow taller?"

This is not something I made up. My grandma made it up when she wanted to scare us because I was very curious about wine at that time.

"Huh?! No way!"

Oh!

"Really?" I suddenly leaned close to someone's face, "Your ears are red." After saying that, I took the opportunity to kiss him on the cheek.

"Flame, you—"

"Wow! Sorry, sorry, I was just kidding, hahahaha!"

"Stop laughing!"

I didn’t drink any alcohol, but I felt so uneasy. Why?

Maybe it’s because the moonlight tonight is so beautiful.

(two)

On the second day after arriving in Soul Society, accompanied by Toushirou, I returned to the small house on Runlinan Street where he, my grandmother, and I once lived together.

Although I have imagined the scene of going home many times, but when I stood on the road of Rukongai and saw the familiar yet somewhat strange little house, I felt a little timid.

There's no way, I'm homesick.

The hut was no longer as shabby and cramped as before; it must have been renovated by Dong Shilang after he got his salary. The doors, windows, and walls all looked new, and there was even a fence around the entrance.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I..." I stumbled, clutching my skirt subconsciously. "I'm a little nervous. Is it really okay to just come over here without telling grandma in advance?"

Dong Shilang didn't wear a Shiba costume today, but changed into a casual dark blue kimono: "Even if I tell you, grandma won't believe it. Okay, let's go in."

After saying that, he took the lead and opened the door.

"Who's here?"

"It's me, grandma, I'm back."

Standing behind the young man, I saw an old man with a hunched back and gray hair.

"Dong Shilang is back? Have you had your vacation recently? Oh, who is this?"

I saw the old man open his eyes slightly, and his expression changed from confusion to surprise, and then to disbelief and confusion.

"Huh? You..."

"Good morning..." It suddenly occurred to me that I have grown up a lot now than I was back then. Not only has my hair grown longer, but its color has also changed.

Maybe grandma can no longer recognize me——

"Yan?" The old woman took a few shaky steps forward and stretched out her hand to us. "Is it Yan?" Her eyes were filled with tears.

For a moment, my eyes became blurred.

"Grandma..."

Along with the nostalgic title, tears suddenly fell.

I swear, I’ve never cried so miserably even when I saw the old man’s tombstone or the one-eyed Captain Kyoraku.

But my grandmother's hands were so warm, and having her touch my head was like going back in time, full of nostalgia. My heart felt warm, yet also aching. In the end, I could only sob and cry, unable to even speak clearly.

In the end, it was Dong Shilang who was there and explained the whole story in simple terms.

"It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay." Grandma wiped my tears with a handkerchief and gently touched my cheek. "Yan, it's great that you've grown up. It's a miracle."

Yes, this is a miracle that belongs only to me.

After crying, the old man took out the sweet natto that Dong Shilang loved to eat.

We sat at the small table, eating snacks and chatting aimlessly, just like we did long ago.

Although the changes in Soul Society did not directly affect Rukongai, they subtly influenced this place.

The dilapidated thatched cottages were gradually being renovated. While souls were still randomly assigned, there were now more detailed regulations. Recently, electric wires were even beginning to be installed on the streets near Seireitei.

Toshiro and Hinamori would also come back here during their vacation to spend time with their grandmother and family.

"A family moved in next door a while ago, and the children from that family would occasionally come over to keep me company, an old man."

"Excuse me!"

"Grandma, let's go play!"

As we were chatting, the kids from next door came over to visit.

The ones coming today were supposedly Shinji, the youngest of the five kids from next door, and Sakura, a girl. Perhaps because Toushirou was a Shinigami and knew them, Shinji and Sakura, though unfamiliar with me, didn't seem particularly reserved.

"Kosuke, Yuu, and Katsumi went to play near the White Gate with their friends."

"Oh, then you have to be careful. Don't make Master Sidanfang angry."

Mr. Oda next door is really amazing, raising five children at once. I heard that he works at Runlin'an's shop during the day, but while chatting with the two children, I heard some interesting topics.

For example, the people of the Shiba family seemed to have contacts with Mr. Oda, but he himself seemed somewhat reluctant to work for the Shiba family.

Captain Haiyan and Captain Yixin’s relatives shouldn’t be that scary, right?

"Are we a burden to Odasaku..." Sakura said this, looking a little disappointed.

Grandma touched her head and comforted her: "Don't say that, Oda-kun must have his own ideas."

I was sharp-eyed and caught a glimpse of the book in Shinji's arms. It was Captain Ukitake's "The Rejection of Pisces"!

"Do you like this book, too?"

This finally got the two children talking.

They had just arrived in Soul Society and, though they didn't know much about Shinigami, they were deeply impressed by Captain Ukitake, who had written this novel. Furthermore, their grandmother's Toushirou and the nearby Hinamori were both Shinigami, so the children naturally developed a fondness for this profession.

However, none of the five of them have shown any signs of spiritual power so far, and can only live as a part of Run Lin'an.

"Ah, but Odasaku is amazing! I heard from Ganjiri-nii that he has spiritual powers."

"Yeah! Odasaku is also very good at fighting, and he also likes the novels written by Mr. Ukitake."

Hmm, he sounds like a very gentle man, but he's really good at fighting...? What kind of person could he be?

Since I'd established a good relationship with Shinji, I simply gave him my brand-new copy of "The Rejection of Pisces." He'd been passing it around with his friends, and some of the pages were practically falling apart. Shinji was delighted to receive the book, and even Sakura became much closer to me.

"Is my sister also a Death God?"

"But onee-chan is wearing clothes from the real world. Are you new to Soul Society?"

Wow, you're a modern kid indeed, you got the point straight away. But it seems so difficult to explain.

"Excuse me, is anyone here?"

"Grandma, we're disturbing you!"

At this moment, there was another commotion at the door.

It turned out to be Shinji and Saku's guardian, who came to visit with the other three children.

The man was a rather unkempt, red-haired young man in his early twenties. He was carrying a box of snacks and was followed by three older-looking boys.

"I didn't expect Captain Hitsugaya to be here. Our child is disturbing us."

It seemed that because he was usually taken care of by his grandmother, he specially bought some snacks to express his condolences after work today.

Of course, these are not the point.

The point is, I knew this guy. But he didn't know me.

After the guests went home, Dong Shilang and I stayed at my grandmother's house that night.

In the darkness, I lay in the quilt completely sleepless. After the old man next to me fell asleep completely, I rolled out of the quilt, rolled a few times, and came to Dong Shilang's quilt.

"Have you slept?"

Out of consideration for the elderly person not far away, I lowered my voice.

"No, what's wrong?" Dong Shilang said the same thing. "I noticed you were distracted since we had guests at home today."

"Um...move aside, I'll get closer and talk to you."

The other party was strangely silent for a moment, then moved his body and lifted a corner of the quilt.

I dove into bed with all my might, and now, face to face, I whispered, "I've met Mr. Oda. His name is Oda Sakunosuke, right?"

"But he doesn't know you."

"Well, I've only seen her in photos. Remember my aunt? She's an editor at a fiction publishing house." I swallowed, turned my head to check on my grandmother, and continued. "Mr. Odasaku was one of her former authors."

This was actually a coincidence. When my aunt was in the hospital, the president of the Armed Detective Agency came to visit her, so I suddenly asked her how she knew the other person.

After all, as an editor, although she has many well-known authors under her, it is impossible for her to get to know the superpower group with her usual connections.

"Auntie told me that she once encountered a strange incident in Yokohama. It was Mr. Odasaku who recommended her to the Armed Detective Agency."

Although the red-haired young man had only submitted a few short stories to the editorial department, Auntie took a liking to him and recruited him to be her own author. His resume was rather mysterious, but Auntie speculated that he had been involved in the underworld and was quite skilled.

"But Mr. Odasaku's entire family died in an accident a few years ago. I only saw his submitted resume and a photo with my aunt on my phone."

It was said to be an accident, but seeing how secretive my aunt was at the time, I'm afraid there must be some hidden story.

"Actually, that person didn't originally belong to Run Linan."

Dong Shilang's words also confirmed my guess.

"Oda Sakunosuke was initially assigned to a relatively remote area. Later, he tracked down those children by some unknown method and finally arrived at Runlin'an."

"And I looked up his life story. That guy used to be a mutant."

After death, a psychic's chances of retaining spiritual powers were 100%. Perhaps his refusal to become a Shinigami and become too close to the Shiba family was also due to his past experiences, and he didn't want to hurt those children again.

“…Hmm…”

"You don't want to tell that guy the truth, do you?"

The room was dark, but Toushirou's presence was very close to me.

"No, but I just want to talk to him."

After all, he is someone who can make my aunt sigh with admiration for his talent, and I also want to encourage him to continue writing novels in this world.

"Well, I don't care. After all, they're in Rukongai now." Someone suddenly turned around and pointed the back of their head at me. "Okay, go back now. You're sweltering with me, squeezing in here."

What?! How could this happen!

Humph, you told me to leave, but I won't. Besides, the spiritual pressure that Toushirou exudes in the summer is so cool, and it's so comfortable to hold him. I don't want to go back!

Thinking of this, I took advantage of the fact that I was taller than him, stretched out my hand, and hugged him in my arms like an octopus.

"you!"

"Shh—do you want to wake grandma up? I don't want to overheat her either, so just make do with it for now."

After a few seconds, he relented.

"...Whatever you want. Just stay still and sleep well, okay?"

Hey hey.

-----------------------

The author has something to say: I didn't expect that a character from Wenye would appear in a special episode! It's Odasaku who lives a good life with the children in Soul Society. Of course, his life will not be so dull (dog head)

The first part, all the gossip about the other captains and members of Seireitei, is basically based on the official novels and official settings of Bleach. Yes, I didn't make it up, it's the official settings. Everyone's daily lives are actually quite interesting.

Unimportant Background: Hinamori was deeply worried and heartbroken during the time Toshiro remained silent after Homura's death in this story, and she truly considered Homura a younger sister. After Aizen's defection and the revelation of Homura and Oborozuki's deaths, she and Haku reduced their contact. This was primarily due to Hinamori's guilt; she didn't expect Homura's death to have such a lasting impact on Haku, and she didn't want to believe it was Aizen's doing. Even now, seeing Homura's return, she still feels sad, which is why her eyes are red.