After half an hour of riding, Seijirou and Suzune arrived at Shinju Hospital, their engines falling silent as they rolled into the underground parking lot.
The scent of oil and metal hung in the air, and the faint echo of their boots against the concrete floor was the only sound that followed them as they parked their bikes side by side.
With practiced ease, both of them took off their helmets, their hair slightly tousled from the ride.
Suzune shook her head lightly to fix hers while Seijirou adjusted his jacket, setting his helmet neatly on the seat of his CBR600RR.
Without a word, the two of them made their way toward the elevator that would take them to the lobby.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and as they stepped out, the sterile scent of antiseptic hit them immediately.
White floors, white walls, the faint hum of machines, and the quiet murmur of hospital staff filled the air.
Suzune's eyes briefly scanned the reception counter before Seijirou stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "Excuse me. We're here to visit Okamoto Renji. Can you tell us what room he's in?"
The receptionist, a young woman in her twenties, nodded politely and began typing rapidly on her keyboard.
After a few seconds, she looked back up and replied in a professional tone, "Okamoto Renji is in Room 303, third floor."
"Thanks," Seijirou said simply before turning around and heading toward the elevator again.
Suzune followed silently behind him, her boots tapping lightly against the tile as the two made their way down the corridor.
When they reached the third floor, the atmosphere grew quieter.
The sound of distant machines and soft beeps from the rooms created a faint rhythm that matched their footsteps.
Seijirou walked with his usual calm confidence, hands in his jacket pockets, eyes scanning each door until the number 303 appeared on the plate beside one of them.
Without hesitation, he turned the handle and pushed the door open. The sudden sound startled the person inside.
Renji, lying on his bed while watching television, flinched slightly before turning his head toward the door.
The moment his eyes landed on the two figures, he sighed in visible relief, his lips curving into a small grin.
"Oh, it's just you two," Renji said with a strained smile.
Despite the bruises on his face and the bandages wrapping around his shoulder and arm, he tried to sound lighthearted. "Boss. Suzune. Didn't expect you to visit this early."
Seijirou stepped closer, his gaze sweeping over Renji from head to toe.
His expression was unreadable for a moment, then a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You look like shit without your pompadour" he said casually, his tone half-joking but his eyes sharp with concern.
Renji let out a small laugh that turned into a cough. "Yeah, I know. Guess I'll stay ugly for a while."
Before Seijirou could say anything else, Suzune reached out and pinched his side lightly, a silent reprimand that made him wince.
Her glare told him enough—don't tease him too much.
Then she turned to Renji, her voice softening. "When did the doctor say you can leave?"
Renji sighed, resting his head back on the pillow. "Two weeks, maybe a little less if I recover fast. Nothing too serious, just bruises and a cracked rib."
Suzune nodded, visibly relieved that it wasn't worse, but she noticed Renji's expression shift slightly.
His fingers fidgeted with the blanket, his lips tightening as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
Seijirou caught the change immediately.
"Speak," Seijirou said firmly.
Renji hesitated, avoiding his eyes for a moment before finally meeting them. "Boss… don't go after the Hunters. Let it go. They're connected to the Bully Society. If you mess with them, they'll never let it go. Just leave it be. I can handle a few bruises."
The room fell silent. Suzune clenched her fists slightly, wanting to protest, but Seijirou lifted a hand, stopping her.
His gaze never left Renji. The two locked eyes, and in that quiet moment, the weight between them felt heavy.
Renji's eyes were filled with sincerity and determination, as if he was trying to protect them from what he saw as a pointless risk.
For a moment, Suzune thought Seijirou would explode, his pride not allowing him to be ordered around by Renji, but instead, Seijirou's lips curved into a teasing grin.
He suddenly stuck out his tongue and waved his hand mockingly, his tone exaggerated and playful. "Fuck. Who says I'm gonna mess with those big shots for you? I don't wanna ruin my peaceful life just because your weak ass got beaten up."
Renji blinked, staring at him blankly for a second before realizing what he was doing.
The tension broke instantly, and a deep, genuine laugh escaped him, echoing faintly in the quiet hospital room. "Hah! Damn it, boss, you never change!"
Seijirou smirked, leaning back slightly with his arms crossed. "Wouldn't be me if I did."
Suzune let out a soft sigh, shaking her head but smiling faintly at the scene.
For all his teasing and bravado, Seijirou knew how to ease the heaviness in a room, turning worry into laughter with a single sentence.
And as Renji laughed despite the pain in his ribs, the air in the room finally felt a little lighter.
*
Seijirou and Suzune stayed for a while longer, exchanging a few more quiet words with Renji before finally deciding to take their leave.
As they stepped out into the hallway, the air was still heavy with the faint scent of disinfectant and the sterile silence of the hospital.
Suzune glanced at Seijirou, her expression thoughtful, before asking, "Seiji, are you really planning to let those Hunters go after what they did?"
Seijirou stopped mid-step. He turned his head slightly, his sharp gaze locking onto Suzune's eyes.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
The unspoken tension between them was thick enough to be felt.
Suzune then gave a small, knowing smile, one that curved her lips with quiet amusement.
She understood him too well. Seijirou wasn't the kind of man who forgave easily.
Especially not something like this. He might have looked calm on the outside, but beneath that composed surface was a storm waiting to be unleashed.
He was definitely going to crush the Hunters.
At that moment, a faint vibration came from his pocket. Seijirou took out his phone and glanced at the screen.
A new message from Shou.
He opened it and read carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly as the contents sank in. 'They had already found the Hunters' headquarters.'
He turned the screen toward Suzune, letting her see the message for herself.
As she read, Seijirou explained in his usual calm tone, "The moment I found out that Renji was bruised and battered, I had already sent Shou and Sakai to start searching for the Hunters' base."
His eyes narrowed dangerously, "I had no intention of waiting or forgiving. I was simply biding my time until I had the information I needed."
Suzune's smirk widened, her tone teasing as she said, "Maybe I should change into something more… appropriate for the occasion, perhaps even bring some of my "tools" with me."
But Seijirou only shook his head. His voice was steady, his expression unreadable.
"There was no need for that. It won't last long anyway," he said quietly.
With that, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and resumed walking down the hall, his steps measured and deliberate.
Suzune fell into step beside him, her usual energy returning as she began skip-hopping lightly, humming a cheerful tune that contrasted sharply with the cold intent that hung between them.
Back in the hospital room, Renji sat quietly on the bed, staring blankly at the window where the city lights flickered in the distance.
His bandaged hands rested on his lap as he replayed the words his friends had told him earlier.
Seijirou's calm assurance.
And before Seijirou visited, there was Shou's lazy tone and Sakai's faint grin.
All three had told him the same thing—that they wouldn't ruin their peaceful lives just because he got beaten up. That revenge wasn't worth the trouble.
But Renji knew better.
He had known these people for years. He knew how they thought, how they acted, how they handled those who crossed them.
Seijirou's silence wasn't acceptance. It was a warning.
Sakai's grin wasn't dismissal. It was anticipation.
Shou's calm wasn't peace. It was restraint.
They were already moving. He could feel it. Somewhere out there, his friends were already on their way to the Hunters' den, and by the time the sun rose, the Hunters would no longer exist.
Renji exhaled slowly and looked down, his lips forming a faint smile.
"Be careful, you guys," he muttered softly. "Don't overdo it."
But even as he said it, he knew it was already too late, those guys would absolutely not restrain themselves.