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Time passed like a fleeting horse galloping through clouds, and in the blink of a breath, forty years had already flown by. At Yuanzi School, under the dappled light of a distant sun, a figure moved like flowing water—long hair drifting behind him like a silver banner. Each motion was effortless yet precise, each punch and kick cutting through the air with such force that the very space around him fractured faintly with strain. It was Su Li. Gone was the Aokiji-like youth of decades past; his features had matured, his body now tall and strong, limbs wrapped in lean, well-balanced muscle. His silver-white hair whipped behind him with each sweeping strike, a striking contrast to his sharp, youthful face. The once-delicate teenager had been forged into a striking and charismatic warrior, the elegance of his form now tempered by strength.
Sitting quietly nearby, Sui-Feng watched, her cold gaze shimmering with a subtle brilliance as she followed Su Li's movements, entranced. There was admiration in her eyes—reluctantly hidden behind the thin veil of her usual stoicism. She hadn't changed much in these decades, still fierce and poised, yet here in the quiet courtyard of Yuanzi School she wore something rare—a faint smile. Only here did she allow herself that softness. Su Li exhaled, letting the energy dissipate, and as his breath steadied, his long silver hair shimmered briefly before shifting back to its original black, like moonlight fading into dawn.
"Here, wipe off," Sui-Feng said as she rose, handing him a towel. Su Li smiled and took it, dabbing away the sweat. For forty years, she'd been a near-constant presence. At first she had only visited occasionally—nervous, cheeks flushed, conversations rigid and formal, speaking mostly about Gotei 13 business. But slowly her visits grew more frequent; she began appearing every few days, words loosening, tension fading, talking about trivial things and fleeting memories unrelated to duty. Eventually, she came daily—sometimes with fruit, sometimes with oddly packed bentō boxes whose taste forced Su Li to question whether he had developed immunity to poison over the years. He often wondered if she was trying to expand the definition of "inedible," yet her companionship broke the monotony of seclusion, and despite himself, he found her presence soothing. The woman he'd once known only as the icy Commander of the Second Division had become something different: warm, human, flawed, and real.
"Come on, let's eat. I made eel dumplings today," Sui-Feng grinned, lifting a food box from behind her. Su Li's face twisted into a mask of dread; he didn't know where she kept learning such bizarre recipes, but she had managed to break every limit of his already generous palate. He wouldn't be surprised if she served him marinated gravel next. I should've kept that delivery guy… I must've been brainwashed… he sighed in silent regret. Still, he sat, accepting the chopsticks from her hand and staring down at the eel dumplings—dark, mysterious, ominous—before hesitating. "Don't just stare at it! Eat before it gets cold," she scolded, and Su Li sighed, picked one up, and put it in his mouth. His eyes widened slightly. "It's... not bad?" "Right?!" Sui-Feng puffed up proudly. "I invented that recipe myself!" "The craftsmanship's improving, Bee," he said with a smile, using the nickname that still made her cheeks pink even after years. "I trained with the old man from the eel house for a whole week to get this filling right. Amazing, right?" "Amazing! Invincible! Niu bi!" Su Li nodded earnestly. "This meal exceeded all my expectations. Whoever marries you will be the luckiest soul in all of Soul Society." Sui-Feng's face instantly turned crimson, the flush crawling down her neck.
Then, cautiously, she added, "Um... Ah Li... when you finish eating, can I trim your hair?" "Eh? Cut it? Why? Doesn't it look good?" Su Li glanced back at the long tail of hair dragging on the ground. "I've been meaning to try this style…" "It's not spiritual at all," she frowned. "Looks like a woman's. Too dramatic." Su Li blinked, realizing that's how she saw it, but after finishing the meal he obediently found a stool and let her start cutting. She was surprisingly efficient, her sword slicing smoothly, far sharper than any human barber's scissors. Bit by bit, the weight of forty years of hair fell away, and with each stroke his appearance shifted into something fresh, streamlined, and clean-cut.
As she trimmed, Su Li asked casually, "By the way... anything new going on in Soul Society?" This had become their usual topic during haircuts or shared meals. "Not really…" she murmured, gently patting his head and brushing loose strands from his neck, cheeks still slightly pink. But then her hands paused. "Oh—actually, I almost forgot. Something did happen. One of the Thirteenth Division members disappeared during a mission to the world of the living. Their reiatsu vanished completely." Su Li froze, his gaze sharpening instantly. "Who?" Sui-Feng tilted her head, searching her memory. "The name was something like... Kuchiki... Ruki... yeah, Rukia! From the Kuchiki family." Su Li's body trembled slightly. Shhhhk! He shot up from the stool, eyes blazing.
Sui-Feng looked at him, startled. "Li…?" But Su Li wasn't listening. "Finally… finally!" A brilliant flame danced behind his eyes. He had waited forty long years, and now—it was here. The moment he'd anticipated for decades had arrived. Rukia Kuchiki had vanished in the world of the living, which meant the main storyline had begun. His retreat was over. Su Li turned with force, locking eyes with Sui-Feng. "Eh?!" Before she could react, he scooped her into his arms, lifting her clean off the ground. "Bee—let's go!" "H-huh?! A-Ah Li?!" Sui-Feng flushed violently, her voice shrill with surprise. "Put me down! What are you doing?!" But Su Li was too elated, spinning her once in the air like a child holding a prize. "Exit!! The retreat ends now!" "W-what—Ali! Let me go!!" Despite her protests, her limbs went soft, her heart thumped like a war drum, and her face glowed as red as a setting sun. Yet even in the storm of embarrassment, a tiny, joyous smile bloomed on her lips—like a girl who had just eaten candied fruit.
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