Squad barracks cafeteria.
This thing hadn't appeared in the original story, but in fact every squad had similar facilities.
After all, from the team's initial establishment, it adhered to the principle that 'each squad' could possess independent operational capabilities even when losing contact with each other.
When gathered together they could cooperate through division of labor, and when scattered they wouldn't completely lose functionality...
"So, usually cultivating squad members' abilities in targeted ways, ensuring they don't have weaknesses in specific areas, is also one of the captain's tasks."
Hirako led Sakuya to the counter, grinning as he turned to the staff inside.
"Excuse me, one beef curry... Sakuya, what are you eating?"
The small figure revealed half his head from beside him, raising his right hand to greet the counter.
"Auntie Kyoko, are you on duty today?"
"Yeah, I have especially many shifts this month. Speaking of which... what does Sakuya want to eat today?"
"The usual is fine, please."
Soon after, a small wooden tray was brought out from behind the counter.
Rice, small pickles, grilled mackerel, miso soup.
A quite simple and plain set meal style, somewhat modest, barely able to provide the nutrition the body needed.
In comparison...
The captain's curry order was somewhat different.
A large tray was placed on the counter.
The red curry boiled to thickness not only had an obvious spice aroma, but also contained a palm-sized piece of marinated chicken leg meat.
A small plate of fresh salad medley filled the vegetable shortage, also a quite popular item among squad members.
Hirako looked toward Sakuya with a half-smile.
"This is what you usually eat?"
The latter nodded slightly, standing on tiptoe to carefully take down the plate.
"Because I'm not yet an official Squad 5 member, according to normal procedures... I can't eat the same things as you all."
The squad cafeteria varieties were all different.
Squad 5, under Hirako's management, implemented the most convenient self-service system.
The renovated cafeteria operated 24 hours, with squad members taking what they needed, all expenses free?
Of course... individuals still needed to bear half the cost, deducted from monthly wages.
The remaining expenses were filled through Gotei 13 subsidies and the captain's income.
Since work was already boring, they should at least satisfy their appetites.
Hirako's policy could be said to be deeply popular, also a squad internal reform that made him quite proud.
Popularity didn't matter - the main thing was wanting squad members to live more happily.
Hirako glanced at Sakuya's tray.
According to regulations, Sakuya indeed didn't have qualifications in this area... and because there was no precedent, when making rules they completely didn't consider 'family member' content.
But rules were dead after all, not to mention he was the Squad 5 captain with great authority?
This kind of thing just needed a word.
After a moment of silence, he raised his head, looking toward the counter.
"Give him..."
"No need! Captain Hirako!"
Sakuya half-raised his head, repeating with a firm tone.
"No need to do this, Captain Hirako."
"...Is that so?"
Hirako habitually tilted his head, his gaze revealing some thoughtful contours.
Since things had been said to this extent, he had no need to continue insisting...
"Then let's leave it at that."
Mature adults wouldn't force so-called 'kindness' onto others. People's values were inherently different - respect and mutual understanding were truly adult measures.
The two found seats by the side without regard to order.
Although it was mealtime, because there were no group activities, the interior was quite spacious.
Taking their seats and clasping hands, they nodded in unison.
"Thank you for the meal." X2
Hirako looked at him with a subtle expression.
"Unexpectedly polite, you guy."
Sakuya picked up his chopsticks, habitually stirring the miso soup in front of him.
"This should be basic, right? Courtesy before thought, correct sight and hearing, careful speech and action."
"Oh, I remember this seems to be..."
Hirako looked up at the sky, thinking for a moment.
"Old man Yama's rhetoric?"
"Exactly so."
Although Sakuya wasn't a native, because of the prison warden's strict requirements, even if he didn't like it he had to gradually get used to it...
No choice - if you didn't study, you'd get a beating of loving fists.
Should he endure the hardship of learning, or savor the pain of flesh? Although it seemed too harsh for a four-year-old child, this was the reality Sakuya had to face.
Hirako looked at the child in front of him with some sentiment, casually scooping a spoonful of curry.
The thick substance full of spice aroma easily stuck to the starch blocks. Mixing the two together and putting them in his mouth, he could taste two different textures.
A mixture of fat and carbohydrates, mixed with sufficient spices - there was no reason it wouldn't taste good.
Although not anything precious, it was literally commoner's cuisine.
Hirako casually fiddled with the plate in front of him, slowly picking off the chicken leg meat with his spoon and mixing it with the curry.
"Speaking of this, is this also homework your old man assigned you?"
Sakuya took a small sip of miso soup.
This fermented sauce flavor initially caused some physiological aversion, but after eating it a lot...
Well, he still couldn't like it.
But it was warm soup water after all, sufficient just for whetting the appetite.
"Although there's part of that, there's also a component of things I want to learn myself."
Hirako nodded slightly, using his spoon to dig out a piece of rice and press it whole into the curry mass, stirring gently.
"So, this is also the reason you're covered in injuries?"
Sakuya's motion of eating rice paused for a moment.
He didn't raise his head, just blinked his eyes, then took a bite of the grilled mackerel.
"When did Captain Hirako discover this?"
"That kind of thing, I already knew when you were brought back by Aizen."
Hirako's tone was calm, his eyelids slightly raised.
"I have no interest in commenting on others' family education, it's just... doing this to a small child seems somewhat excessive. So even if it's being nosy, I want to confirm..."
Pausing for a moment, he put down his spoon.
"These things aren't being forced on you, are they, Sakuya?"
Without immediately answering.
Sakuya just chewed the fish meat in his mouth.
Mackerel had high production as seafood, rich in oil, and an impressive meat yield rate.
As seafood it could be said to be a typical representative of cheap and delicious.
The mellow aroma of oil and the relatively hard white meat blended perfectly. After chewing twice, this flavor would spread even further.
"If I said I was completely willing, would you believe it, Captain?"
Hirako made a tactical lean-back motion.
"...Like hell I'd believe that."