By the time Makoto escaped Saitō's clutches, it was nearing dusk. The streets bustled with off-duty Shinigami, some heading off in pairs to drink, others hurrying home for a hot meal. The crowd surged, oddly reminiscent of the after-work rush from his past life.
After months of reconstruction, much of the Seireitei still lay in ruins.
But with time, many areas had begun to take on a livelier, more human feel.
Gurgle…
Makoto's stomach growled faintly.
Clutching his belly, he muttered weakly, "Damn it!"
"That jerk Saitō!"
"It was just a little tongue grab, and she hit me that hard!"
"Next time, I'll bite you and see how you like it."
With no other choice, he detoured to a nearby makeshift market, picking up some braised meat and vegetables. He wrapped them in lotus leaves, tied them with string, and trudged home slowly, bags in hand.
In this sense, Shinigami weren't so different from humans.
Blessed with spiritual power, they still grew tired, hungry, and sleepy. Their daily rhythms barely diverged from ordinary people's.
At most, missions might flip their schedules or demand greater endurance against fatigue.
That's why places like Junrinan in the Rukongai thrived, merchants and taverns catering to Shinigami who occasionally ventured out.
Makoto was no exception.
But the cooks out there were so abysmal, that he couldn't risk his taste buds going numb over the next millennium. Self-sufficiency was his only option.
Too bad just as his meal finished cooking, an uninvited guest crashed the party outside his window.
Stare!
Batsu'unsai Katori plastered herself against the glass. Her soft pale face and her big breasts pressed into the window, casting three oddly shaped shadows.
Makoto stood by the kitchen window, staring back with dead-fish eyes.
[Makoto! Look at her!]
[Those huge boobs delivered right to your door, when are you gonna seal the deal?!]
[How about today?]
"Shut up!"
Makoto snapped irritably, silencing the little broken blade.
Then he turned to Katori outside, sighing. "Katori-san, if you've got something to say, you could just use the front door."
"Eh… ehehe~"
Katori tried to cute her way out of it.
Scratching her cheek, she mumbled, "Um, actually, I just wanted to check if Saitō-senpai was here today."
"If she is, it'd be awkward for me to come in…"
"Right?"
"What's awkward about it?" Makoto casually opened the window for her, gesturing her inside. "She just beat me up a little while ago."
"Look, my face is still bruised."
"D-Domestic violence?!"
Katori's eyes widened as if she'd stumbled onto a juicy scoop.
Makoto shot her a sidelong glance. "Next time, say that to Saitō's face."
"N-No, never mind then…"
Katori seemed to recall some grim memory, gingerly rubbing her big breasts.
Back when she'd accidentally ticked off Saitō in a fight, those had taken some loud, stinging slaps.
Makoto asked offhandedly, "So what's up today? I already gave you this month's draft, didn't I?"
"Oh, it's about drafts, but not this month's." Katori waved her hands hastily, still in that timid tone.
Yet when it came to manuscripts, this meek girl always turned surprisingly stubborn.
"Hm?"
A bad feeling crept up Makoto's spine as he looked at her.
Sure enough, a sly smile spread across Miss Katori's face. She scratched her cheek, feigning bashfulness. "Um, Makoto-kun, you know, right? We're heading to Hueco Mundo together next month for the expedition."
At that, Makoto's heart sank.
Before he could stop her, Katori barreled on excitedly, "I've thought it over! Even though it's during a mission, if I try a little harder, I can definitely cover your share of the work too!"
"So, um! Could you just focus entirely on writing during the expedition?"
"I-I'll make sure the logistics team drops off water and brings plenty of paper and pens for you!"
The bespectacled girl's breathing grew heavy, her expression ecstatic!
"Hold it right there!!!"
Makoto thrust out his hand as if trying to grab her breast and shouting to halt her.
"Don't abuse your authority, Captain Katori!"
"Snap out of it!"
"Slacking off mid-battle will get us both thrown into Muken!!"
At that moment, even Makoto wanted to yank her collar and give those big boobs a good smack.
Forced overtime?!
Was this something a human could pull off?
She was a demon!
"Eh?"
Katori's eyes widened, her voice cautious.
"Muken?"
"N-No way, right?"
"It's not that serious, is it?"
Makoto gently flipped the spatula, tapping her little head with a thunk as he scolded, "Yes, it's that serious!"
"You're a Captain, I'm a Vice-Captain!"
"There are only twenty-six of us in all of Soul Society."
"If we trade mission merits, you think that's a small deal?"
Indeed.
Even beyond the amusement it offered Captains, the Hueco Mundo expedition held immense appeal.
It was a rare chance to rack up merits by slaughtering Menos Grandes en masse while sharpening your skills.
"Ehh!?"
At that, Katori's voice stretched into a whine.
Her whole body slumped onto the table like a noodle, her breasts squishing flat against the surface, spreading into wide, flattened curves.
The bespectacled girl whined pitifully, "If you put it that way… d-doesn't that mean I won't see updates for who-knows-how-long?"
"Exactly!"
Makoto replied as he scooped the stir-fried dishes from the pot onto plates, setting them on the table before continuing, "I've been given a strict order by Unohana-sensei."
"If I don't master Shikai during this expedition, I won't be coming back."
"Then you're pretty dumb for not having learned Shikai yet." Katori rested her steamed-bun face sideways on the table, muttering under her breath with a huff.
"What was that?!"
Makoto thought he'd misheard, grabbing Katori's ear to make her repeat it.
"I-I didn't say anything!"
Realizing she'd accidentally blurted her thoughts, Katori clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide, instinctively bolting for the door.
But before she could escape, her collar was snagged.
She turned back, her face crumpled in a teary plea.
"I'm sorry."
"…"
Makoto gave her a sidelong glare, pinching her soft cheek before pointing at the table with a stern look.
"You're already here, I can't exactly kick you out on an empty stomach."
"Go on! Serve yourself some meals."
Katori's eyes sparkled faintly, a hint of delight breaking through.
"For real?!"
She'd been salivating over the aroma since she arrived.
Makoto raised an eyebrow, hearing that question for the first time. "Or would you rather I pinch you again?"
"I-I'll go serve it right now!"
Katori scampered out of Makoto's grasp, darting to the steamer to scoop rice.
Makoto watched her back, hands on his hips with a mix of exasperation. Apron on, spatula upside-down in hand, he scolded the troublesome kid like some old matron.
Tonight's meal at the Makoto household was simple, miso soup, tonkatsu, and gyoza.
He'd only cooked for himself originally, but since he'd felt like eating more, the portions weren't exactly small.
Katori, ever forgiving despite her high rank, didn't hold grudges. Though she always seemed timid with everyone, she shrugged off Makoto pinching her cheek. After serving rice for both of them, she plopped down without a fuss.
Unlike Senjumaru's flat-chested gluttony, Katori ate daintily. She kept her bowl neatly on the table, cradling it with one hand while the other wielded chopsticks, habitually circling clockwise among the three dishes.
"Are you from the living world, Katori?"
"Or were you born in Soul Society?"
Makoto had no silence at the table rule, he liked chatting over meals.
"I don't know."
Katori chewed slowly, her face glowing with contentment.
Hearing Makoto's question, she answered offhandedly without much thought, "I was really little when my mom found me. Probably dumped on the roadside by someone."
"By the time I came to my senses, I'd been living with her for a long while."
"Mom came from the living world, though. I heard she was from some famous warrior family, and died on a battlefield. But that was ages ago."
"Time in the Dangai's all messed up she probably lost track herself."
Makoto found Rukongai life stories intriguing. Picking up some gyoza, he asked casually, "Did she have spiritual talent too? She must've been strong, right?"
"A little, but not much."
Katori perked up, as if the topic sparked her interest, smiling as she explained, "Mom ran a business in the Rukongai."
"She'd occasionally take Hollow-killing bounties, but honestly, she killed people way more often."
"Rukongai thugs, wandering bandits, local nobles, rival merchants tons of folks loved killing."
Makoto didn't bat an eye at first, but by the end, he couldn't help interrupting.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"That kind of business isn't 'commerce' by any stretch!"
"Isn't it?"
Katori turned to him, blinking innocently, as if this were news to her.
Makoto groaned, "You guys were a murder syndicate! Straight-up assassins!"
"Ahahahaha!"
Katori tapped her head clumsily with the end of her chopsticks. "I don't really get it. Mom always…"
"She called us merchandise since I was little."
Makoto's chopsticks paused midair. Years in Soul Society had numbed him to its chaos.
Even hearing this, he regained his composure quickly.
"Merchandise?"
"Were you all sold off?"
Makoto asked casually, though his brow furrowed slightly.
He'd been too forward today.
He knew nothing of Katori's past yet dove in anyway.
"Not quite."
Katori shook her head, nibbling her gyoza slowly. "More like disposable goods."
"Normally, a kid who looks seven or eight, after ambushing and killing a target, wouldn't easily make it back from the scene, right?"
"So Mom would use one up, then move to the next."
"Calling us merchandise wasn't wrong."
"We went pretty cheap back then!"
Makoto's brow creased instinctively, wanting to drop the subject. But then he noticed Katori's expression hadn't shifted still that usual timid cheer, untouched by any trace of emotion.
Realizing this, he pressed on.
"And you, Katori?"
"How'd you survive back then?"
Katori turned to him, giving him a look like he was the idiot, and said matter-of-factly, "I killed every last one of them."
"From that day, life got pretty great."
"Not only could I eat Mom's home-cooked meals, but I got to sleep with her in a big room. Even the precious books in her cabinet she let me read them all…"
Recalling those days, a faint wistfulness crossed Katori's pretty face. She took a bite of tonkatsu and murmured, "In all these years, you're the only one besides Mom who's cooked for me, Makoto-kun."
Isn't this just the first half of a life exploited by a ruthless assassin running a murder racket?!
Makoto fought to keep his expression neutral, suppressing any hint of change.
Otherwise, the urge to retort would burst out.
He quickly shifted the topic. "So, you got into reading because of your mom?"
"Not really."
Katori shook her head, a soft smile creeping onto her face as if recalling something joyful.
"Mom said every story has all sorts of different people, but really, each one has its own main character."
"Every tale is a piece of their life."
"If I could glimpse their lives through those stories, maybe I could… try feeling emotions I've never experienced myself."
Makoto caught the key word sharply.
"Emotions?"
"Eh?"
Katori covered her mouth briefly.
But realizing it was Makoto across from her, she lowered her hand, a touch embarrassed.
"It's tied to my Zanpakutō's ability, so Gramps usually tells me not to mention it to others."
"But… Makoto-kun's a comrade, so it's probably fine."
Makoto frowned slightly. "If it's related to your Zanpakutō, then it's…"
"No big deal! It's not that serious."
Katori nibbled her chopsticks, waving it off casually. "My Shikai lets me see others' emotions."
"And my own emotions are the 'fuel' for my Bankai."
"The more they burn, the stronger I get."
"But once they're all gone, I'll probably die, right?"
Katori's voice carried a faint trace of wistfulness.
Makoto's pupils narrowed. "Then, the emotions you've already burned away are…?"
"Fear and pity."
"…"
Makoto's chopsticks froze midair.
Katori sat there, her milky breasts resting on the table. Her free left hand nudged her oversized glasses up her nose, those deep, dark eyes locking onto Makoto. She winked at him and chuckled softly.
"I'm usually trying really hard to act the part."
"Gramps said if I can rediscover my emotions, my strength could climb another level."
"But no matter what I do…"
"I can't remember what fear even feels like."
"Too bad."
"Oh, and don't tell anyone this secret, okay, Makoto-kun?"
Katori propped her cute chin in her hands, tilting her head slightly. Across the table, she flashed Makoto a flawless smile.
A scary smile.
He can feel a faint yandere vibe from her smile.
Especially with a cloudy sky background behind her.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, crimson rays pierced the window, casting a blood-red glow across the table.
It bathed half of Katori's face, making it all the more alluring.
Red like blood.
"That's harsh." Makoto leisurely picked up some food, biting into the tonkatsu. "I'm the one feeding you, and yet you idiot threatening me."
Katori's voice softened. "After all, you're the only one I've ever seen feel pity or sadness for someone like me while I tell these stories, Makoto-kun."
"It's honestly… a little hard to resist."
The bespectacled girl squinted slightly, instinctively reaching out as if to touch his face.
Makoto swatted her hand away with a flick.
"You can look, but no touching."
"Eh?!" Katori giggled sweetly. "Makoto-kun, you're not mad, right?"
"Mad 'cause you got tricked?"
"Nope!"
"Such a stubborn guy!"
"I was even gonna let you kiss me as an apology."
Makoto's eyes shot wide.
"For real!?"
[For real?!]
His Zanpakutō chimed in sync.
Truly, no Zanpakutō ever picked the wrong master.
Katori tilted her face, smiling. "I mean, you made me such delicious food, Makoto-kun."
"It's rare for me to feel this satisfied."
"Wait a sec."
Makoto hesitated mid-thrill, suddenly recalling something. "You didn't finish the story."
"What happened to your mom in the end?"
Katori paused, then laughed lightly. "She died, of course."
"By my blade."
"Because… I threw away 'fear' for her sake, but then she started fearing me."
"Isn't that just awful?"
As her words fell, a fleeting shadow passed through her eyes.
Lost in some unknown thought.
"…"
Makoto went quiet for a few seconds before firmly giving up. "Yeah, forget it!"
"You're way too yandere, terrifying!"
"Getting tangled up emotionally with you? I'd die a miserable death."
But his Zanpakutō doesn't have the same opinion as him, though. Its childish voice stretched into a whine, protesting loudly.
[Eh? No way!]
[T-Then kiss me instead!]
Katori glanced at the blade, eyeing the pink and white tabi wrapped around its hilt, and smiled as she declined.
"No way."
"Tabi get smelly if you leave them on too long."
"Stinky-foot blade."
The broken Zanpakutō was instantly slain.
It shut down in a sulk.
The real Katori sure had an unexpectedly sharp tongue.
…
Elsewhere.
Saitō trudged home with her sword slung over her shoulder.
Her face still carried a sour scowl.
At the door, two maids stood quietly waiting, bowing in greeting.
"Saitō-sama!"
"Yeah, yeah, I've told you not to stand here."
The deep purple twin-tailed girl kicked off her straw sandals, stepping onto the wooden floor in snowy white tabi.
A maid behind her tidied them up.
This was a spacious estate.
Every Gotei 13 Captain had been assigned one upon taking office.
Soul Society had no shortage of dead folks, after all, empty houses weren't exactly rare, just too many to count.
Thanks to Genji School's decree of "kill nobles and spare commoners," most of these estates' owners were long gone, but plenty of servants remained. They handled cooking, cleaning, bathing, and more tasks aplenty.
Saitō had little interest in cutting people down. Her greatest joy in life was probably soaking in a bath.
So, well before she got home, maids had already heated the faux natural bath in the inner courtyard, primed and waiting.
In the courtyard, a lone young maid stood by, and held a towel.
Splash!
Tossing aside her dirty clothes, Saitō bolted over and cannonballed into the bath like a monkey, letting out a satisfied groan.
"Oooh~~"
"Truly, the greatest bliss in life is a bath!"
"Hey! You there!"
"Koharu, right?"
"Scrub my back!"
The maid called Koharu glided over nimbly, wringing out a damp towel until it was just moist enough. With practiced ease, she began wiping Saitō's fair skin.
"Saitō-sama, another mission today?" Noticing her mistress's weary relaxation, Koharu asked softly, striking up a chat. "Must be tough."
"Nah, not really!"
Saitō let her purple hair spill loose, leaning her lower back against the large pebbles lining the bath. "Just had a scrap with an idiot and stretched my legs a bit."
"Makoto-sama again?" Koharu asked, curiosity piqued.
"You can tell?" Saitō turned to the maid, mildly surprised.
Koharu smiled faintly. "Whenever you've sparred with Makoto-sama, Saitō-sama, you always come back with this relaxed smile."
"Totally different from your usual whirlwind self."
"Eh?"
Saitō blinked, instinctively touching her cheek. "Really? I don't feel it."
"Oh…" Koharu seemed to catch herself, falling silent.
Some things a servant shouldn't say.
"Hey, hey, what'd you mean just now?!" Saitō, suddenly fixated, pressed her.
Koharu stammered, "Uh, well…"
"It's just… Saitō-sama, you and Makoto-sama get along really well… I guess?"
"Hah!"
"That's it?"
Hearing that, Saitō eased up, puffing out her chest with mock nonchalance. "Actually, that guy's super into me!"
"He's practically a weirdo!"
"Not only does he hang my tabi on his scabbard, but he even loves getting his face sat on by me!"
"So~ much fun!"
"But still, he needs to rein it in a bit. Today he got a little too bold!"
"Can't let that kind of behavior slide!"
"Otherwise, he'll climb all over me, and that'd be a disaster!"
Saitō rambled on about her day with Makoto from the Technological Development Department to ramen and beatdowns chattering away with glee.
Watching her mistress prattle on, oblivious to the gravity of it all, Koharu sighed inwardly.
Saitō-sama…
Aren't you super hung up on Makoto-sama too?
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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