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Morning sunlight streamed across the Bee family courtyard, gilding the white walls and gray tiles with a faint golden warmth. Though not as resplendent as the Shihōin or Kuchiki estates, the house of the Bee family bore the serene elegance of old nobility—its sparse bamboo groves, tranquil ponds, and quiet paths reflecting a restrained grandeur that surpassed the common clans.
Within the silence of this calm morning, a sudden shriek tore through the compound.
"What—!"
Sui-Feng sat bolt upright, clutching the quilt around her as panic surged in her chest. Her clothes were different. She didn't remember changing. Her eyes darted frantically, scanning the unfamiliar softness of her bed.
Footsteps stormed into the room. Maids and guards burst through the sliding doors.
"Miss! Are you alright?! What happened?!"
The room filled with alarm, but Sui-Feng didn't respond. Her gaze swept past them, searching for someone she couldn't name.
"H-He… where is he?"
Brows furrowed in confusion. No one answered.
A gray-haired steward stepped forward, calm yet respectful, kneeling at her bedside. His voice was gentle. "Miss… do you mean Lord Su Li?"
She nodded, stiffly, as though her body no longer obeyed her.
"Lord Su Li returned home after bringing you back last night," the steward continued, his tone soothing. "He said he would not disturb your rest."
The panic that gripped her chest began to dissolve. Her breath slowed. Her face softened.
"Then… who changed my clothes?" she asked, almost inaudibly, face turning pink.
One of the maids bowed low. "Forgive me, Miss. I did. You had collapsed in your robes, and the Captain gave instructions to let you rest comfortably."
The tension in her shoulders eased. She exhaled slowly, body sinking into the mattress.
For a fleeting moment, she'd believed the worst—that she had done something irreversible, or worse, been taken advantage of in a haze of alcohol and unconsciousness. Even if it was someone she liked, such things couldn't be allowed to happen that way—not without clarity, not without dignity. Thankfully, Su Li had exercised restraint. The knowledge filled her with an unexpected pride.
He was nothing like the vulgar men she detested. Su Li, she reminded herself, was different.
Yet that didn't stop the heat rising in her cheeks as fragments of last night began surfacing. Her arms around his neck. The sway of his back. The warmth of his shoulder. The memory of retching. Gods… she'd vomited on him, hadn't she?
Face flushing crimson, she buried half her face beneath the quilt.
"How did I… get back?"
Her voice, barely above a breath, carried to the steward.
"Lord Su Li carried you home on his back, Miss," he said warmly. "He insisted it was safer."
Now her entire face blazed red.
She had held him, clung to him like a drunk child, and from the smell of her robes, possibly ruined his uniform along the way. The shame hit like a spiritual pressure to the chest.
Never again. She would never touch alcohol again. Not even a drop.
The servants exchanged uneasy glances. They had never seen her like this. Their proud, ice-cold lady—the one who lived by discipline and blade, who scorned softness and sentiment—now curled up like a teenager, cheeks pink, voice shrinking to whispers. The contrast was staggering.
Even the steward, though composed, held a fond twinkle in his eyes. He had raised her, watched her transform from a sharp-eyed child into a relentless warrior. Now, after all these years, he recognized the expression on her face without question.
The head of the Bee family… had fallen in love.
And to be fair, the man in question was no ordinary Shinigami.
"Did he… say anything else before he left?" Sui-Feng asked quietly.
"He left orders to prepare ginger tea when you awoke. Said it would ease your hangover."
Her breath caught again. That warmth in her chest returned, tinged with a flutter she couldn't suppress.
"Still thinking about me after leaving…" she murmured inwardly, a smile tugging at her lips. "He's really… thoughtful."
After a pause, she glanced up again. "Anything else?"
The steward's eyes narrowed briefly, recalling the message. "He also said you were to remain home for a few days. He instructed that you focus on completing the assignment he gave you."
She nodded, understanding instantly—White Killing.
She hadn't been looking forward to returning to the Second Division anyway. Facing him so soon, after everything that happened last night, felt unbearable.
Still, her heart pulled at her again. "He didn't say… anything else?"
The steward bowed. "No further instructions, Miss."
"…I see."
A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes, but she brushed it away with practiced grace. Slowly, she rose, tightening the sash at her waist and letting the blanket fall to the side.
The steward blinked in surprise. "Miss? Where are you going?"
She didn't pause. Her voice was light, but composed. "To work."
---
Second Division Grounds
Su Li walked slowly through the training barracks, rotating his neck to loosen a persistent ache in his shoulder. Returning home the previous night had felt like a minor battle in itself. Aunt Inoue, upon seeing him, had shrieked with joy and launched herself onto him in a dramatic display of emotion—only to find herself hanging awkwardly off his neck due to how much taller he'd become.
He nearly toppled trying to hold her upright.
And then came the barrage of questions.
Why did he smell like alcohol? Why did his robes carry a woman's scent? Who was she? How old? From what family?
He had barely managed to explain the events at the tavern before Aunt Inoue began prying into Sui-Feng's background as if preparing for a marriage interview. Not one question about his forty-year training. Not a word about his retreat. Just endless inquiries about Sui-Feng.
Su Li sighed. Women were strange.
He continued toward the inner sanctum of the Second Division. Truthfully, he had never once stepped into his captain's office since his promotion. The last time he'd even approached this building was when he'd been made vice-captain—forty years ago.
He didn't even know where his office was.
All those years of drawing a captain's salary… and not showing up once. He felt a small twinge of guilt.
Maybe I should ask someone later…
His musings were cut short by the sound of hysterical sobbing echoing down the corridor.
"Captain Su Li!!"
The voice cracked with emotion. A huge figure came barreling around the corner.
"I missed you so much!! Waaaaaahhh!!!"
Omaeda appeared in full, arms spread, tears streaming down his cheeks as he charged toward Su Li with the unbridled energy of a man finally reunited with his savior.
"I waited all night!! I didn't give up!! Captain!!"
Su Li blinked, stunned, before rubbing the back of his neck with a dry smile.
Still the same old Omaeda.
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