Sunlight poured through the window and soaked the quilt until it looked like it might shine on its own. The heat clung to Hinamori Momo's skin as sweat gathered beneath her clothes and made everything feel sticky and uncomfortable.
"So hot..."
She stirred in the bed, blinking once toward the unfamiliar golden ceiling. Soft white lights were set into the panels overhead, but none of them were on. She stared at them blankly for a moment, confused by how strange everything felt in that instant.
"Wait... where am I?"
It took her several seconds before the sluggish realization set in and she sat up all at once, scrambling upright in the unfamiliar bed.
"What's happening? Why am I sleeping in some stranger's room? What happened last night?!"
Her hands clutched at her own clothes. They were intact and undisturbed. Nothing inappropriate had happened-or so it seemed. Beneath the quilt, her legs shifted nervously together and apart as she tried to piece everything together from memory. Her toes tapped lightly into each other while she clutched her head with both hands and tried to recall-
"Yesterday… I bought some peaches… then passed by that tavern… Matsumoto called me over… Yuta was there too… and after drinking his homemade wine…"
Thud. Thud.
Her fingers knocked against her skull a few times out of frustration before someone knocked on the door outside. The rhythm lined up almost exactly with her tapping.
She took one deep breath and puffed her cheeks slightly before letting it out in a frustrated sigh.
"…Come in."
The door clicked open under Rangiku's hand. It swung inward and stopped when it gently bumped against the doorstop magnet. Her eyes scanned the warm-toned interior that looked almost identical to her own quarters. The pale curtains, the wide window glass, and the gold wallpaper all matched perfectly.
Even the pink quilt had been her choice during their department store trip.
"Hinamori, how are you feeling? Are you getting used to sleeping in a new place?"
Rangiku casually brushed her fingers through her tangled hair as she stepped farther inside.
"This... where are we?"
"This is one of Yuta's rentals," Rangiku answered with ease. "That quilt you're wrapped in-I picked it out myself."
"Eh?" Hinamori stared and tilted her head to one side, confused as ever.
Rangiku sat on the edge of the bed and patiently explained what had happened last night. Hinamori sat cross-legged beside her as she listened without interruption.
"So he really brought me back himself last night... I must've been a handful to deal with."
Though she sounded calm enough, her toes grabbed tightly at the sheets under the blanket.
"If you're that embarrassed about it, buy him dinner next time."
"Mmm-but that's nothing serious. Anyway, the sun's already baked your ass for long enough. Don't you think you're already late for duty?"
"Ah! Totally doomed!"
Like someone had set off fireworks near her ears, Hinamori launched off the mattress with frantic energy. Shoes slipped onto her feet mid-run as she fled through the door toward the Fifth Division barracks.
She already knew she was late-but Captain Aizen...
He was always so kind. Surely he could forgive one slip-up?
That thought alone gave her enough comfort to keep running faster with every step.
Rangiku leaned beside the window and watched the chaos fade down the road. She laughed softly under her breath and shook her head. That girl would probably always move on reflex alone.
…
Inside Division 12's lounge, Unohana remained seated on the futon where she'd been kneeling since nightfall.
In silence, she took up plain tea leaves between two fingers and tilted the pot with measured care. Thin strands of hot water streamed through the spout into white cups laid out on lacquered trays below.
The gentle swirl of leaves mirrored swimming fish as they floated through steam and gathered strength from the water slowly warming them from within.
Unohana's hands moved without waste or hesitation as she prepared what was traditionally known as "awakening tea"-a pour that allowed leaves to open and bloom fully for proper flavor extraction after.
Next to her, Kotetsu Isane lay curled into herself on the floor mat with both arms tucked under her pillow. In sleep, she seemed gentler than usual-and younger too, stripped of duty and discipline for once.
Morning instincts finally stirred in her body as she opened her eyes slowly and stretched against the mat with a breathy yawn.
She rested her chin against one hand while gazing across at Unohana without speaking.
There was always something peaceful about watching her captain prepare tea. Everything was controlled, elegant, and grounded-even meditative.
Unohana always radiated calmness from every motion she made. That silent poise made Isane feel at ease without knowing why. She often wondered when-or how-a woman learned to act with that kind of lasting grace.
While caught in those thoughts, Unohana's low murmur reached across the table without warning.
"Isane, try this."
Isane snapped out of her daze and leaned forward quickly. Being offered tea directly by Unohana wasn't something that happened often-and she knew better than to take it lightly.
"Okay."
She picked up the cup carefully and inhaled deeply before sipping it down. At first taste, it was smooth against her tongue-but bitterness came right afterward and lingered near the back of her throat firmly enough to make her flinch slightly from its strength.
Unohana Retsu had always carried herself gently-but there really was something harsh buried beneath that shell of warmth and formality too.
Isane couldn't recognize or name it outright-but somehow that intense flavor reminded her of it instinctively all over again.
"You really do love strong tea." She winced slightly as the bitter edge numbed part of her mouth for several seconds afterward. "Does your name have anything to do with it?"
Before Unohana could reply, the sliding screen at the far end rolled open again without warning. Cool air swept through as Nemu entered silently with zero expression to greet them.
"Captain Unohana," she said clearly, "Captain Kurotsuchi has finished compiling new research results."
Unohana's reply came with no delay; only a faint smile touched her lips before she rose from kneeling smoothly. Isane followed half a step behind as they crossed into Division 12's corridors together.
Walls were lined with research screens flickering data rapidly down every surface they passed-as though time spent walking deserved no idle gaps between progress or results.
They reached Mayuri's lab after only minutes inside that building's corridors-and what they heard from him left everyone in shock.
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