It was a snowy winter day in mid-December. Hinamori-chan, who juggled a triple identity as a member of the Gotei 13, the Kidō Corps, and Aizen's division, had a rare day off.
It had been almost a year since she officially became a Shinigami. She felt slightly moved by her first day off since joining the corps, after all, it had been seven years since she'd had any time to herself. She needed to make up for seven years' worth of missed holidays.
"...But I have such a packed schedule."
She wanted to visit her grandmother's house in Rukongai, but she had a public Kidō lesson with the 4th Division in the morning, and a tea party with the Women's Shinigami Association seniors in the afternoon. Both were unavoidable obligations, so unfortunately she didn't have much free time.
Well, after a year in the Gotei 13, you get to know various people from other squads. Especially when you're a new recruit with a track record of defeating giant Hollows, skilled in advanced Kidō, serving as a member of the elite Kidō Corps, and under the watchful eye of the renowned 5th Division Captain Aizen Sōsuke—you become quite the catch. Thanks to Aizen-sama's recommendation and her natural beauty, she was welcomed pretty much everywhere she went.
"H-Hinamori-senpai, you're really amazing! You learn so fast, while I'm always getting scolded..."
"Ahaha... I'm nothing compared to the other Kidō Corps members, Yamada-kun."
"A world where even that legendary senpai says such things... I can't even imagine..."
The 4th Division, specialists in healing arts. While steadily improving her skills, Hinamori had come to the 4th Division barracks to return to her roots and hone her self-healing abilities, essential for keeping watch over Shiro-chan.
The instructor for this publicly available Kidō class was the cynical Vice-Captain Yamada Seinosuke. By chance, the person sitting next to her was that gentle boy Hanatarō, who was still a student at the Academy. She thought she should talk to him, and they ended up becoming friends. When she revealed her true identity, the boy looked at her with sparkling eyes. He was indeed the most genuinely good-natured person in the series, Yamada, future 7th Seat (as planned).
"Yamada-kun, are you planning to join the 4th Division after graduation?"
"Yes. My older brother wants to transfer to the Noble's Integrated Relief Station, and he's been nagging me to fill his position..."
Hanatarō was one of the most skilled healers in the story, eventually rising to 3rd Seat. Well, that was partly due to a severe talent shortage, but he was still a student and already more skilled than her in healing arts. He was also an important figure connected to Ichigo and Rukia, so she wanted to build a relationship with him for technical exchange.
"What?! Me, a clumsy guy like me, teaching a senpai...!"
"I know I'm being presumptuous, but maybe I could teach you some Kidō techniques instead...! Binding spells would be useful for the 4th Division too..."
When she nervously asked, "Would that be okay...?" he nodded vigorously with a bright red face. She thanked him with a radiant smile, and his ears turned crimson. Beautiful girls really were powerful.
Feeling lucky to have such a fortuitous encounter, she headed toward her next destination in high spirits. Her destination was the Kuchiki family estate, the Women's Shinigami Association.
***
"—Hey, Hinamori. You look energetic."
After leaving the 4th Division, she headed to the Women's Shinigami Association with some relief corps members she'd met along the way, where she ran into her—Matsumoto Rangiku.
"Rangiku-san! It's been a while!"
"You're surprisingly resilient for someone so delicate-looking. Juggling the Kidō Corps and everything else would kill me..."
"Yes, it's tough, but I'm managing somehow!"
As always, she was showing off her cleavage while looking carefree, the quintessential sexy character of the Bleach world. Even though she was just a seated officer, her freedom to show up at tea parties for ordinary division members and devour snacks was causing all sorts of problems, but she'd still rise to vice-captain as in the original story, right...?
"Oh, right! That little childhood friend of yours who's skipping grades next year, our captain fought tooth and nail to secure him for the 10th Division."
"What?! Really? I was wondering if Rangiku-san might know, since Shiro-chan mentioned it in his letter."
Important information slipped out amid casual chatter.
Although she already knew this, she wanted to confirm that Rangiku-san still cared about the relationship between her and Shiro-chan.
This woman, Matsumoto Rangiku, was originally supposed to guide Shiro-chan down the path of a Shinigami, but in this world, Hinamori's intervention had changed the course of events slightly.
You see, she'd told Rangiku about the incident out of concern for her grandmother, and Rangiku had kindly kept her informed of Shiro-chan's progress in letters without holding a grudge. She'd hurriedly explained the situation to her instructor, rushed home, and literally bumped into Rangiku, or rather, her chest, at a corner in the marketplace. The rest unfolded naturally: she dragged Rangiku along to confront Shiro-chan, and as a Shinigami's professional opinion, Rangiku gave him the words "Go to the Shinigami Academy," allowing Hinamori to guide him down the same path as in the original story.
Well, in reality, she'd dramatized it more with tears and pleading, but you get the idea.
"Hehe, I can't wait for next year's graduation. I'll give you proper training, so you can protect that child."
"Huh?! No, no, that's not it! I'm not the one who needs protection, it's Shiro-chan!"
"Really? Well, what do you think? But Hina-chan is talented too, so I guess two geniuses will have their share of struggles."
With a knowing smirk, she teased her with "Thanks for the meal," and Hinamori responded with a classic flustered reaction, blushing furiously.
Hmm, in Rangiku-san's mind, Hinamori and Shiro-chan were probably a comedic couple trying to outdo each other in protecting one another. She hoped Rangiku would tease him about their relationship more often in the 10th Division to make him more conscious of it.
However, even though she'd visited the Women's Shinigami Association several times, she was still just a regular division member, so she hadn't met many characters from the original work. Of course, it was impossible to meet veteran captains like Unohana-san, and Suì-Fēng was upper brass. Her bookish friends like Nanao-chan and the Kotetsu sisters were probably mid- to lower-ranking officers, and the others either weren't part of the Gotei yet or hadn't even been born.
"Do you know Rukia, Kuchiki-san? From the 13th Division?"
"Oh, the young lady with the serious expression? She came here once last month... Did you know her?"
"Yes. She was a childhood friend of someone from my class, and we were friends too, but we had a sad parting..."
Hmm, well, since it was being hosted by the Kuchiki family thanks to Byakuya's patronage, Rukia-chan was at least making appearances. Actually, lately Toshirō had been getting excited with Aizen-sama about creating a special Hollow that could fuse with a Shinigami, so she wanted to check on things before that event occurred...
Well, Metastacia was still in the experimental stage, and the original timeline was still far off. She couldn't save Kaien, but she had to be kind to Rukia as a friend! (Dark smile)
The peaceful tea party came to an end, and she parted ways with Rangiku. Finally, she headed to the Seireitei to enjoy the highlight of her holiday.
Well, let's have some fun today!
***
With light footsteps, she walked through Rukongai, sensing spiritual pressure and searching for his location... There he was.
It had been since graduation, but it seemed his power had increased significantly in just one year. He might already be on par with Renji and the others in terms of spiritual pressure.
"I'm home! Happy birthday, Shiro-chan!"
"Eh, Hinamori?!"
She burst into the house with explosive energy! And immediately ruffled Shiro-chan's hair, surprising him with the unexpected return of his childhood friend. Of course, he immediately tried to pull away.
"What are you doing here...?! What about the 5th Division and the Kidō Corps?"
"Hehe. I heard that Shiro-chan had graduated early and had nothing to do until the new term, so I took both days off! It's been seven years since we last celebrated together!"
"...Hmph."
Hinamori gave Shiro-chan her full-force smile for the first time since last year's real-world training, and he mumbled, "B-But I didn't ask you to celebrate..." trying to hide his embarrassment. Ah, it was so wonderful to see him growing up so well.
Hahaha, that "I'll protect you" line from back then had almost made her lose her composure with delight. She praised herself for not breaking character right there on the spot.
...But really, was that any way to treat a childhood friend who'd taken time off work to be there for him? (Sudden shift in mood)
"Hmph, fine then. I'll celebrate by myself. —Grandma, can I help with dinner? Is there anything I can do?"
"Of course there is. Come on, Momo-chan."
"Hey, wait..."
The blatant "I'm sulking" performance looked genuine to young Shiro-chan's eyes. Leaving him flustered, she flounced off to the kitchen, abandoning the birthday boy. Hehehe, let him enjoy the rare sight of his cute older childhood friend in an apron for a while.
Incidentally, Shiro-chan's favorite food was exactly as in the original work: sweet rolled omelet with grated daikon radish. However, there was a trick to it. It wasn't about love or anything, there was a practical reason behind it.
Shiro-chan had a childish palate and couldn't handle spicy foods. And grated daikon radish, if you don't prepare it properly by blanching it lightly, peeling it thick, and using the part near the leaves, is basically spicy. One day, she'd tried a technique she remembered from a TV show in her past life, and Shiro-chan had been over the moon. Ever since then, whenever she stepped into the kitchen, his face would light up with excitement.
"—Ta-da! Big sister's special grated daikon dashi-flavored omelet!"
"...!"
In the familiar kitchen, she put her heart into making several dishes that were notches more luxurious than usual. The way he devoured them so eagerly that he didn't even notice her usual big-sister act... well, as someone who'd cooked for him, it just made her happy.
Maybe he noticed the relaxed expression on her face, because Shiro-chan suddenly looked away. But his chopsticks never stopped moving. Oh my, he was completely hooked on her cooking. What would happen to him when she wasn't around...?! (Heavy breathing)
She felt a smile of a different nature starting to appear on her face, so she calmed herself by telling her grandmother about her recent life as a Shinigami. Then Shiro-chan joined in with stories about the Academy, so she decided to seize the moment and plant a seed.
"...That Aizen guy is the captain who helped Hinamori before, right? The one from your 5th Division..."
"Yes, Captain Aizen! He's handsome, cool, and kind! He taught me everything about Kidō and how to be a Shinigami! Ah, Captain Aizen... He's my idol..."
The line was so cheesy it made her want to laugh, but thanks to practicing it five times beforehand, she managed to deliver it without snorting.
Of course, the goal was to create rivalry between Hitsugaya Toshirō and Aizen Sōsuke. Glancing over, she saw Shiro-chan with his usual displeased expression.
"So about that, what's wrong?"
"...Nothing."
"Huh? Oh, right! There's this amazing person in the Kidō Corps, my squad leader..."
It would be too early to act as fanatically as Hinamori-chan in the original story, so she casually changed the subject and returned to the friendly atmosphere.
After all, the Kidō Corps, that mysterious elite unit, was always a fascinating topic. Shiro-chan forgot about Aizen-sama for the moment and showed keen interest.
After that, they talked about how incredible the ultra-advanced binding technique Kin was during missions, and the night continued late into the evening, with the family gathered together for the first time in ages, going to bed contentedly.
—Or so it seemed.
In the quiet house, she opened her eyes and, using the stealth techniques she'd learned from the Kidō Corps, quietly slipped out of the living room and positioned herself on the veranda in the garden. She created the scene of a beautiful young woman admiring the moon on a winter night.
Shiro-chan always got up once in the middle of the night, so if she did this...
"—Hinamori?"
There it was. A magical winter moonlit night, alone with her childhood friend whom she hadn't seen in so long on his special day.
The perfect emotional setup.
"...Shiro-chan? Did I wake you?"
"No..."
Her century-old act of pretending it was all coincidence went unnoticed, and the innocent boy approached and sat beside her.
Now, how should she handle this?
"...Aren't you cold?"
"A little. But with you here, it feels warm."
"——!"
First, a light jab disguised as casual conversation. For the boy who'd nearly frozen his grandmother to death, hearing "it feels warm" was a critical hit.
Of course, one wrong move could trigger his complex about his powers, but right now Shiro-chan was in a mentally fulfilled state, having graduated at the top of his Academy class and celebrated his birthday with family. And the one saying it was none other than Hinamori Momo. Her "admiration for Captain Aizen" appeal would only motivate him further, there was no way he'd be upset.
"...You stupid peach."
"What? What's with you all of a sudden?"
Toshirō's face turned bright red. It seemed he'd taken her words at face value.
Hehe, she knew him better than anyone else.
"...Next year."
Shiro-chan murmured softly.
"Next year, I'll become a Shinigami."
"...Yeah."
She voiced gentle acknowledgment in a wistful tone. The older childhood friend who wanted to protect him forever, and the earnest boy who wanted to protect her. This dynamic could never be broken, not when it led to such ultimate satisfaction.
"When I become stronger than you..."
The boy's—no, the young man's, serious words were etched into the night sky between them.
A reaffirmation, or perhaps a new declaration?
That's what she'd hoped for, but...
"—Ugh, whatever! I'll say it when I'm actually stronger!"
"Eh, wait... Shiro-chan?!"
The future 10th Division Captain, who'd been in such a good mood, chickened out and ran away. Seriously? After setting up such a perfect scene, leaving her hanging like this was too cruel!
"...Well, maybe it really was that important to him..."
Watching his retreating form, she convinced herself it was fine. It was an incomplete ending, but it didn't seem like a waste. The web of anticipation she'd woven was completely secure.
From now on, they'd both get busier and busier, and there'd be almost no time left for just the two of them.
—But that was fine.
The expression he'd make when he regretted not saying what he should have back then would be sweet nectar that would captivate her. When he finally realized everything was too late, the anguished look Shiro-chan would show her would be a breathtaking sight, as if he were ascending to heaven.
What she had prepared was the ultimate pleasure that would enhance the brilliance and appeal of the man known as Hitsugaya Toshirō.
Yes, the stage was not yet set.
Let her savor this patience, slowly and thoroughly.
Everything would be revealed when the time was right...
***
10 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://patreon.com/Well_being