Having Rukia suddenly vanish from his side left Shin feeling... slightly out of step.
And word about her new status as the adopted daughter of the Kuchiki clan spread quickly throughout the Shin'ō Academy. A first-year from Class 1-B—becoming family to one of the Four Great Noble Houses! Envy and jealousy echoed through the student body like wildfire.
Even Hinamori had co to ask about it. She'd heard so of it but hadn't realized Rukia would be taking a full month of leave.
"I wonder what she'll be like the next ti we see her," Hinamori had murmured wistfully.
A street orphan from the outskirts of Rukongai now swept into Seireitei's most exalted circles—that kind of shift was hard to process, even for those who knew her.
Still, Rukia's temporary absence beca nothing more than gossip-fodder. Life at the Academy moved on.
Bored, Shin dropped by a class to actually attend for once.
When Hisagi Shūhei spotted him, his surprise was palpable. "Did sothing happen?"
"What, I can't show up unless sothing's wrong?"
"That is weird," Hisagi replied flatly.
Other students were equally astonished. Shin even spotted Kesa in a nearby seat.
Since the Student Council dinner after the culture festival, Kesa had been avoiding him. These days, she delegated her duties to other committee mbers who would handle the handovers with Shin directly.
Shin gave her a playful wave.
The normally stern-faced Disciplinary Committee chair blushed furiously and quickly looked away.
Today's class was about thods of communicating with one's Zanpakutō. The instructor was none other than their horoom teacher, Nanada Hidezawa.
When Nanada saw Shin enter, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
This brat finally rembered he's a student?
He'd long given up trying to manage Shin's attendance. The kid's influence in the Academy now surpassed even Nanada himself—hell, even the headmaster openly admired him.
The subject matter posed no difficulty for Shin. Ever since awakening his Zanpakutō, he'd delved deep into research at the library, devouring every book on the subject.
The class passed without incident.
When the dismissal bell rang, Nanada called a few nas from the podium: "Hisagi Shūhei, Kesa, Seika—co see ."
Shin raised a brow. "What's he want from you guys?"
Hisagi explained, "It's about the upcoming field training in the world of the living. We're the upperclassn assigned to lead it. He ntioned it to a while back."
Shin froze.
Field training in the living world...
There were two types of such exercises: Konsō (soul burial) and mock Hollow combat. For first-years, only the latter applied. They'd be sent to a warded area in the human world, where low-level Hollows were let in under strict control for combat experience.
"And no one told ?"
Hisagi gave him a blank look. "You don't show up to class more than once a month. Who the hell would tell you?"
"When's the departure?"
"In three days."
"Starting with Class 1-A?"
"Most likely."
Shin stood up abruptly. "I'm coming with you."
"Wait, what?" Hisagi was caught off guard.
Babysitting duty, basically. They'd all done it plenty of tis by now.
Kesa, who had walked out with Hisagi, looked away when she realized Shin was with them.
The four of them headed to Nanada Hidezawa's office.
Nanada was just as surprised to see Shin show up. "What are you doing here?"
Shin didn't beat around the bush. "Field training like this—obviously, it should be led by the best student in class. I think I qualify."
Nanada gave him a look of pure exasperation. If you showed up more often, I would've picked you by default! But how the hell was I supposed to find you?
Still, these mock Hollow encounters carried little risk. Aside from the student leaders, actual Seated Soul Reapers were deployed in secret to monitor the area. The Hollows permitted entry were always bottom-tier—just enough for the rookies to get experience.
After so thought, Nanada nodded. "Very well. You'll lead this training group. The participants are all first-years—do your job."
They didn't need much of a lecture. Shin and the others were already familiar with how these operations worked.
Hisagi and Seika were a bit perplexed—Shin usually avoided any responsibility tied to classwork. Why the sudden interest?
But Kesa... Kesa had a very different reaction.
She kept her head down, her thoughts spinning around a single, rising suspicion.
Did Shin co because of ...?
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she beca. Normally, he'd dodge this assignnt without hesitation—even if Nanada had begged him.
What other reason could there be, if not her?
She had been avoiding him lately.
If Shin hadn't co, the responsibility would've likely fallen to Hisagi. And Hisagi, for once, looked happy to be off the hook.
Nanada handed over a dossier containing mission details: date, location in the world of the living, which squad would assist, which class mbers were attending.
As they walked back, Hisagi reminded them, "Don't forget to pack gear and supplies."
"Got it," Seika answered. They'd be away for two or three days, so food and essentials were required.
Even if Shin hadn't shown up today, he would've learned about it soon from Hisagi—after all, the two committee heads would need to notify him before going off-grid.
Then, Kesa stopped walking.
"...Shin."
Hisagi glanced back, then pulled Seika away discreetly.
Shin turned to her, his expression unreadable.
"...Why did you volunteer for this?"
She knew the answer she wanted to hear.
Shin glanced down at the folder in his hand, then smiled faintly. "Because of you."
"..."
Kesa's face flushed instantly.
She didn't know that if Shin hadn't co, she might've died during this assignnt.
She didn't know that soone—possibly Aizen—was already setting pieces in motion.
All she knew was that what she hoped might be true... maybe it really was.
Her voice trembled slightly. "Saying sothing like that... what do you an?"
Shin didn't explain. He rolled the folder into a tube and lightly tapped her forehead with it.
"You don't need to know."
How could he tell her? "Oh hey, this might be a setup for a test by Aizen"?
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Kesa raised her hand to touch her forehead.
The sa place he'd kissed her... that night after the festival.
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