Shin'o Academy, Class 2-A.
"Ugh... I'm exhausted..."
Rangiku slumped into her seat and collapsed onto the desk.
The focus of the second-year curriculum was Shunpo.
Naturally, mastering Shunpo required relentless practice.
If first-year Zanjutsu training left the students' arms sore, then second-year Shunpo left their legs utterly spent.
As one of the top three students in Class 2-A with the highest Reiryoku, Rangiku was under the teacher's close supervision. After a single practical Shunpo session, her legs felt like they no longer belonged to her.
Just then, a girl rushed over excitedly and asked, "Hey, Rangiku, do you remember Kyoya-kun?"
"Kyoya?"
The name made Rangiku pause, and Kyoya's face flashed through her mind.
The world worked in strange, cyclical ways.
Back when Rangiku was on the verge of starvation, she had been saved by Gin, and the two became family, struggling to survive together in the Rukongai.
After Gin left, Rangiku, in turn, extended a helping hand to Kyoya when she found him nearly starved to death.
That year of mutual support forged a bond between them, and though they weren't family, they were closer than family.
Yet neither of them ever spoke it aloud.
So, when they reached District 1, Kyoya chose to leave on his own.
Meeting Kyoya again at the Shin'o Academy had filled Rangiku with joy.
But as Kyoya's talents gradually became apparent, the words Rangiku wanted to say never made it past her lips.
The higher Kyoya climbed, the happier she was for him.
However, that also meant the distance between them grew wider.
Sure enough, in less than a year, Kyoya had completed the academy's six-year curriculum and graduated early.
Kyoya, like Gin, became a legend of the Shin'o Academy.
No doubt, even after joining the Gotei 13, they would both thrive.
Meanwhile, Rangiku was still stuck in her second year, agonizing over how to improve her Shunpo.
"...Sigh."
At this thought, Rangiku let out a long breath.
'Maybe by the time I graduate from the academy, both Gin and Kyoya would already be high-ranking officers in their respective divisions!'
Still, she couldn't help but wonder why this classmate suddenly brought up Kyoya.
After all, during those three months in their first year, Kyoya had barely interacted with anyone besides her.
At that moment, Rangiku raised her head and asked the classmate, "What about Kyoya-kun?"
"Word is, Kyoya-kun has returned, and..."
At this point, the female classmate glanced around and whispered to Rangiku, "He was wearing the Captain's haori of the 11th Division!"
"...What?"
Rangiku's mind buzzed. She shot up from her seat, staring at her classmate in shock.
As aspiring Shinigami, the students of the Shin'o Academy might have limited knowledge of the Gotei 13, but they all understood the significance of the Captain's haori.
A Shinigami's Shihakusho was entirely black.
Within the entire Gotei 13, only the thirteen captains at the pinnacle wore white haori over their uniforms.
And the 11th Division, if Rangiku remembered correctly, was a division where strength ruled supreme. As long as you were powerful enough, even a rookie who had just joined could challenge higher seats and take their place if victorious.
Even the captain… if you defeat them, you become the new Captain of the 11th Division!
Rangiku knew that with the talents of Gin and Kyoya, they would quickly make a name for themselves in their divisions.
However, she never could have imagined that Kyoya, just days after graduating, would already become the Captain of the 11th Division!
'Was this even real?'
Not even in her wildest dreams would Rangiku have dared to imagine this.
"Want to go see him?"
The girl looked at Rangiku with hopeful eyes.
Back in their first year, she had been one of the many who admired Kyoya.
But Kyoya was just too distant.
Apart from training, he hardly interacted with any of the other students.
Well, not entirely.
From what this girl had observed, Rangiku and Kyoya seemed to know each other well, and their relationship wasn't shallow.
Even if they rarely spoke, every time Kyoya arrived at the training grounds, he would always nod and smile at Rangiku before diving into his practice.
That was why this girl had deliberately befriended Rangiku in the first place.
Now that Kyoya had become such a prominent figure in the Gotei 13, most students would only be able to watch him from afar, chatting with the instructors.
But if she went with Rangiku… maybe they could get close enough to actually meet Kyoya and leave an impression.
Hearing the suggestion, Rangiku felt tempted.
She recalled that it had been over half a year since Kyoya skipped ahead in grades.
But after thinking it over, she shook her head and said, "No, let's not."
"If Kyoya came to the academy, he must have his own business to attend to. We shouldn't bother him."
"...Alright."
Hearing what Rangiku said, the girl felt a little regretful.
She had a hunch that Kyoya's visit this time might actually be for Rangiku.
As for going to see him alone, that thought never crossed her mind.
She knew that without Rangiku by her side, she'd be just like any other student, left to gaze at Kyoya from a distance with nothing but admiration.
But if she stayed in the classroom with Rangiku…
Maybe, just maybe, something unexpected would happen.
She couldn't shake the feeling that Kyoya's visit was for Rangiku.
Just then, the students in Class 2-A suddenly heard a commotion outside, as if a large group of people were heading their way.
Everyone exchanged confused glances, unsure what was happening.
A few curious students stepped out to investigate, only to become part of the growing uproar themselves.
"Captain Kyoya is here!"
…
"Captain Kyoya, this is Class 2-A."
The academy's head instructor smiled warmly as he guided Kyoya.
At this moment, he was utterly convinced that his past decision to fast-track Kyoya's advancement had been the right one.
Meeting Kyoya again, even he had been stunned speechless by the sight of the Captain's haori.
In all his years in Shin'o, there had been graduates who eventually rose to become Captains.
However, someone like Kyoya, who became a captain immediately after graduation, was truly unprecedented in history.
This was an honor that would bring pride to anyone associated with it.