Chapter 63 Honeymoon Period 2
Saturday, May 14th
It was a very long-awaited meeting between the "newlyweds" after nearly two months.
It was lunchtime, and the place was a cafe not far from the police academy. Hagiwara Kenji and Kurosaki Utaki sat face to face in a double seat by the window, and dessert had already been served on the table.
"I still find it incredible. What on earth were those guys thinking, robbing a convenience store near the police academy?" Kurosaki Utsuki, who had gone to the academy to see the professor that morning, looked a little tired, but in good spirits. "Of course, what's even more incredible is that you two were assigned to the same class."
Just one table away from their seat, four police reservists occupying a table for four were constantly casting glances at them with varying emotions.
Specifically, the squad leader Yi Dahang appeared a little envious. He probably had just sent an email to his girlfriend and was waiting for a reply, so he kept looking at his phone inadvertently.
Jinpei Matsuda acted a bit bored. He wasn't very interested in watching his friend and his wife's "two-person world" on the spot, but he couldn't resist the "strong invitation" of his peers, so he sat here and ate dessert and dog food at the same time.
As for Furuya Rei and Morobushi Kagemitsu, who had issued a "strong invitation" to Matsuda Jinpei, their eyes were full of scrutiny - but they themselves could not tell who these eyes were directed at.
Kurosaki Utsuki didn't care much about these looks. When they met just now, she had already apologized to her two friends whose marriage news had been concealed from them.
Besides, her family only received her email informing them about the marriage, but they had already communicated with her face to face.
"By the way, second year graduate student, is it okay to have the wedding ceremony in November? I don't have time to research venues or arrange the process this year, but I'm not sure about next year either..."
The man opposite was still smiling. "It's okay. As long as Utahi-chan can spare the time to attend the wedding on the day, that's enough." He said, "As for the arrangements related to the wedding, you can leave it all to my sister."
"Eh? Would this be too much trouble for Chisu-nee?"
"That's totally fine—my sister is a huge fan of Hagiwara Kaki. Ever since she found out you're Kaki herself, she's been asking me things like, 'When will Utaki-chan become a complete form?' She can't wait for you to become a naturalized Hagiwara Utaki. She's probably even more excited for this wedding than the rest of us."
…Then she would have no reason to refuse.
"I understand. I'll try to find time to meet with Chisuga-nee later to discuss it in detail." Kurosaki Utsuki also smiled. "November 22nd, there's still half a year left, but it feels like it's gone by in the blink of an eye."
After all, she felt that the past four years had just passed in the blink of an eye...that's how it was when she was busy.
"Since Utahiki-chan is always busy, of course you have to take care of your health no matter how busy you are," said Hagiwara Kenji. "Except for being on duty at the hospital, staying up late is strictly prohibited - do you remember this agreement?"
"Of course I remember. I didn't want to go to Soul Society so early, and I hardly ever have a night shift at the hospital."
Although I am busy, my daily routine is basically healthy and normal.
"Ah, is this Ishida-kun's help?"
Kurosaki Utsuki nodded. "Yeah, he took all the night shifts for me, so of course I would take the corresponding morning shifts for him. Hmm, maybe he was thanking me for helping him repair the relationship between father and son?"
Her original plan to inherit Karakura Central Hospital changed after Ishida Uryu decided to become a doctor. Moreover, she had no obsession with becoming the dean. After working as a "detective" for a few years, she became more interested in forensic work.
"Isn't it out of sympathy for Utahiro-chan's sacrifice in that great battle five years ago?" Hagiwara Kenji lowered his voice to avoid his friends at the next table hearing what he said. "After all, Utahiro-chan gave up most of her soul so that Ichigo-kun could have a complete Zanpakutō to fight the enemy."
There was a hint of resentment in her voice, and Kurosaki Utsuki smiled, knowing that he could understand her choice at the time. Faced with a huge crisis that could have destroyed the world, she had of course bet on her brother to win.
However, she still felt somewhat apologetic towards Hagiwara Kenji: "I'm sorry for making you wait like that every time."
During the battle with the Quincy seven years ago, Squad Zero's "Sword God" Nimaiya Oetsu pointed out that Ichigo Kurosaki's soul was incomplete and that some of his unusable power belonged to someone else - this someone else was of course Kurosaki Utsuki, who had established a special connection with his soul.
In order to allow her brother to have complete strength to fight against the powerful enemy, Yhwach, who indirectly killed her mother, she separated the part of her soul belonging to her brother with the help of Kisuke Urahara.
The original plan was to separate her portion of Kurosaki Ichigo's soul and exchange the two. However, the Hogyoku, already integrated into her body, suddenly attacked, completely sealing the "gap" in her soul, rendering her unable to accept any external "existence." While it slowly repaired her soul, it also plunged her into a deep sleep that lasted ten months.
Hagiwara Kenji shook his head.
"I've heard some of Urahara-san's speculations." His eyes grew softer. "Utahiki-chan probably didn't want Ichigo-kun to experience the pain of soul separation, and the Hogyoku responded to Utahiki-chan's expectations and decided to solve the problem on its own."
Kurosaki Utsuki pursed her lips: "...Maybe, I've forgotten."
This was the truth. When she woke up from the coma, the only thing in her mind was the panic of "I'm doomed and I won't be able to get into the University of Tokyo."
After a hearty meal, she gradually calmed down and began to think about "trying again next year". At this time, her brother told her that he and Hagiwara Kenji had submitted the application for admission to the University of Tokyo on her behalf, and Urahara Kisuke also handed her an emergency review plan at the right time.
After that, she was completely immersed in the arduous review and preparation for the exam. It was only after the exam was over that she finally felt a sense of reality: "Ah, so the Quincy War is over." As for her memories of that brutal war, she had almost forgotten them.
"But I'm still too busy to see you right now," Kurosaki Utsuki sighed softly, feeling a little guilty. "Things should get better after I finish my internship, but I might have to become a forensic scientist before I can have stable free time."
...or maybe not. After all, the number of bodies waiting for autopsy is increasing every day, while the number of forensic scientists is pitifully small.
But the person opposite shook his head again.
"I think this is better than the time in high school when I could see her whenever I wanted, but I didn't know when Utahiki-chan would open her eyes and recover."
He looked at the girl opposite him tenderly, with only her shadow in his eyes.
"Even though they are busy with their own work and studies, I know that Utahiki-chan is spending the day full of energy, and that is enough."
The four people at the next table raised their cups at the same time and took a sip of water strategically.
...I felt so sweet and was very envious.
On this side, Kurosaki Utsuki also took a sip of water tactically.
She didn't respond, but her cheeks gradually turned a gorgeous blush.
Sunday, June 12
After meeting Chisuga Hagiwara, or more precisely, the three members of the Hagiwara family excluding their son, discussing matters related to the wedding ceremony, and having lunch, Kurosaki Utaki returned to her home after a long absence.
She now lives in a rental apartment near the school, which is not too far from home. Before she started her internship, her sisters would occasionally visit her on weekends, but now she is so busy that she really can't find time to go home.
The two cats she adopted in high school are now kept at home, and their new owners are her sisters.
Sunday was a regular holiday at the Kurosaki Clinic. Although Kurosaki Utsuki didn't call in advance, everyone in the family was there when she returned home, including her younger sisters who were in their third year of high school and her older brother who had already graduated and was just starting his career as a translator.
Although she had complained about her sudden marriage and naturalization in an email before, her sister Youzi still showed a lot of resentment when they met.
"Sister! You got married without telling us or saying anything!"
In comparison, Xia Li was much calmer: "Sister, Dad has fainted from crying."
"...Don't bother with him," Kurosaki Utsuki glanced speechlessly at his father, who was sobbing without any image, and quickly looked away, his expression and tone as cold as ever. "I really should record this and show it to Toushirou and the others."
So the old father cried even louder.
Youzi finally softened her heart and went to comfort her father, but was mercilessly criticized by her sister and Xia Li at the same time. So the most caring daughter turned around and went to the less caring daughters, and the old father cried even more miserably.
Ichigo Kurosaki, who had not participated in the crackdown on his old father, looked at the harmonious interaction between his sisters with tenderness in his eyes. After they had finished chatting, he asked, "Utahiki, are you going to Mr. Urahara's place?"
The weeping old father immediately let out an even more eye-catching wail: "Wow, little Gexi finally came back once, and now she's leaving Daddy and going away right away..."
"I'm not staying overnight at Mr. Urahara's place. Didn't I say I'm leaving tomorrow morning?" Kurosaki Utsuki sighed helplessly and took a step closer to her brother. "It's rare for him to come back, so go say hello."
"Mr. Urahara has taken great care of me over the years. Besides, I've already asked Kenji, and he doesn't mind inviting my first love to the wedding."
·
At Urahara Shoten, the scene was completely different when the news of Kurosaki Utsuki's marriage was suddenly heard.
"I knew it would be like this, because, an old man like the store manager is completely uncompetitive—"
The red-haired boy Jinta, who was speaking so logically, was hit from behind by Wuling Tessai, and then he covered his head and slipped behind the door.
"Ichigo," the black cat-looking Yoruichi Shihouin spoke in a deep voice, "What do you think?"
"I think it's great," Kurosaki Ichigo replied seriously, "Haven't you all seen the man Utsuki is going to marry? Hagiwara-kun is a very gentle and excellent person. Most importantly, Utsuki and he love each other."
"I feel really sorry about that." The black cat licked its paw and said with regret, "It's a rare opportunity for Kisuke to find a partner, but it was snatched away by a human boy."
However, at this time, the two people at the center of the topic had already gone down to the training ground one after another.
Urahara Kisuke landed first and took out his small fan while waiting by the ladder. He waited until Kurosaki Utsuki slowly climbed down before speaking: "How is Miss Utsuki doing recently?"
"Nothing special, just as stable as a broken jade." She stood firmly on the ground and looked into the distance. "It seems that this metaphor is not appropriate... Eh? What kind of tree is that? There is yellow earth here, how can there be a tree? I didn't see it when I came here at the end of last year..."
As far as the eye can see, there are three not very strong small trees standing on the dry land. Their branches and leaves are not lush, but it can be seen that they are still alive.
Urahara Kisuke gave her the answer: "That was Ichimaru-kun's experiment, to see if it was possible to cultivate plants in the real world by relying on the Kidō."
If this is Ichimaru Gin's experiment...
"Is that a persimmon tree?" Kurosaki Utsuki pouted. Because her name sounded similar to "persimmon," she felt the question sounded strange. "I heard that when Ichimaru was captain, he planted a persimmon tree in the team yard, and they would later dry dried persimmon cakes and distribute them to each squad."
She also heard that the current captain, Fengqiao Loujuro, also inherited this tradition created by the younger generation... Although persimmons are delicious, she just feels that it is a bit subtle.
Urahara Kisuke spread out his fan, covering half of his face. "If these trees can successfully produce persimmons, Miss Utaki will be able to eat fresh dried persimmons. I believe Ichimaru-kun will take the initiative to deliver the most perfect products to Miss Utaki."
Kurosaki Utsuki raised an eyebrow: "What good thing happened?"
Sure enough, the answer was as she expected: "Vice-Captain Matsumoto seems to have successfully mastered his Bankai."
"Eh—that's really something to celebrate. No one from Ichimaru is excited to rush off to Soul Society?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the person she was talking about suddenly jumped out from behind the hill next to the persimmon trees and was in front of her in a few steps. "I don't want to be like Captain Aizen, caught by the God of Death and imprisoned underground for 20,000 years~"
Kurosaki Utsuki curled her lips speechlessly: "Won't the head of the Gojo family protect you?"
If the God of Death wanted to capture him, he would have come long ago, right? How could he be allowed to cultivate wasteland and grow persimmons in the real world?
"That's not the case," the silver-purple-haired man said in a sickly sweet Kansai accent, "Gojo-kun isn't that gentle."
"Speaking of which," Urahara Kisuke suddenly interrupted, seemingly intending to supplement her with some information, "I've heard that in recent years the Gojo family has been showing signs of replacing the Tsunayashiro family and becoming one of the Four Great Nobles. Meanwhile, the Central Forty-Six Chambers have been gradually suppressing the power of the nobles, transferring the decision-making power on many matters to Captain-in-Chief Yamamoto."
Ichimaru Gin responded, "Perhaps in ten years, the four great nobles will become ordinary high-ranking nobles."
...Is this different from before?
Maybe, but she has no interest in the power struggles among the nobles. As long as the people she cares about are not harmed and the voices cursing injustice do not reach her ears, she does not care who is in power.
"However, Mr. Gojo did send Ms. Utaki several job offers," Urahara Kisuke suddenly said, "but unfortunately, all of them were rejected by Ms. Utaki."
The invitation frequency was about once a year, and the position was "anyone who could replace anyone" in the Central Forty-Sixth Room. Just from the tone of Gojo Satoru's original words, she could hear that the Gojo family head had a casual and free nature that had not been eroded by the old men at all.
She would be a senior executive upon joining the company, and could also raise the status of the declining noble Shiba family. It sounded a bit tempting, but unfortunately she had no interest at all - taking hundreds or thousands of years to make slow changes was too tiring. She didn't feel any sense of accomplishment in contradicting the old men and making them so popular that they had to abdicate. Of course, she didn't want to decay with those old men.
Ichimaru Gin was still fanning the flames: "Gojo-kun, isn't this very sincere? The treatment will definitely not be bad. Don't you want to consider it?"
What is there to consider? Her happy life as a human being has just begun.
"Not at all," Kurosaki Utsuki snorted, "I don't want to end up in a cross-border, long-distance relationship like yours."
Monday, November 7th
The result was prophecy.
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