The fight between Nobu and Zaraki Kenpachi had stirred no small commotion, eventually drawing the attention of the First Division.
Once the details came to light, the Head-Captain issued a formal criticism to the Eleventh Division and ordered that the cost of repairing the destroyed dōjō be borne entirely by them.
Still, the Head-Captain had asked about the outcome.
Madarame Ikkaku had not concealed the truth.
Word reached the Fourth Division quickly.
"Tachikawa won?"
Unohana Retsu's voice carried a faint note of surprise when she heard it from Kotetsu Isane.
"Yes." Isane nodded. "Someone from the First Division came by earlier, saying Head-Captain would be issuing a reprimand to Nobu… but he's out on field duty with his team, so he wasn't in the barracks."
At that, Unohana fell quiet for a moment before suddenly asking,
"Why would he… go to the Eleventh Division to cross swords with Captain Zaraki?"
Isane answered for him. "Actually, the Eleventh's Third Seat, Madarame-san, has invited Nobu several times. He always made excuses before, but I guess this time he couldn't dodge it anymore."
Unohana said nothing, sitting in stillness.
If Nobu truly didn't want to go, then no matter how many times the Eleventh asked, it would have been useless.
If that was so… why had he gone?
Isane added, "I think this isn't really Nobu's fault. Everyone knows Captain Zaraki's temperament—if Nobu went to the Eleventh, and Zaraki insisted on sparring, there's no way he could refuse right there."
"When Tachikawa returns, have him come see me."
"…Yes."
Isane pursed her lips, bowed, and was about to leave when—
"Never mind," Unohana said again.
"No need."
"…Understood."
The office fell silent again with the sound of the door closing.
...
That afternoon, Nobu came back.
In Isane's office, he gave a brief report on his mission.
She, in turn, told him the First Division's stance, and that Unohana-taichō also knew about the incident.
"What was Captain's reaction?" Nobu asked.
"I'm not too sure," Isane said thoughtfully. "She wasn't angry… but she didn't seem indifferent either. In short, strange."
Nobu smiled faintly. "I see."
"What do you 'see'?"
He stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. "Nothing."
Flustered, she tried to push him away. "What are you doing? We're in the barracks!"
"I'm not doing anything."
"Your hands say otherwise—"
In the captain's office, Unohana sat alone at her desk, afternoon light slanting across half the room, fixing her silhouette like ink on ancient paper.
Sensing something, she turned her head toward the latticed window.
...
On the eaves, the drooping branches of the cherry trees trembled lightly in the breeze.
A few petals brushed past the edge of the desk before falling into the quiet.
Isane finally wriggled free of Nobu's embrace, giving him a mock glare.
She smoothed her rumpled clothes, tucked back a strand of hair.
"I hadn't finished talking to you."
"What?"
Nobu walked to the cabinet and poured himself some water.
"You really beat Captain Zaraki?"
"It was just a spar."
"Still impressive," Isane said, lips pressed together. "I never thought you were this strong—you haven't even been a Shinigami that long."
Drinking, Nobu replied, "Not enough."
After a moment's thought, he looked at her. "Come to my place tonight."
Her face flushed again. "Not going."
"It's something serious."
"I don't believe you."
"I have a way to make you stronger."
She blinked in suspicion. "Really?"
"When have I lied to you?"
"And you just said you weren't doing anything, but your hands—"
In the end, Isane agreed. Truthfully, even without that promise of making her stronger, she wouldn't have been able to refuse him.
Still, to avoid being seen, she chose not to leave with Nobu, staying behind to handle paperwork instead.
She wasn't lazy—her work rarely piled up—so in no time she had nothing left to do, and ended up lying on her desk, lost in thought.
Should I go home first and take a bath… change clothes?
If she went home, Kiyone would definitely tease her.
She sniffed her sleeve lightly, then her hair, making sure there was no lingering scent before relaxing.
After all, with this new layer to their relationship, she cared very much about the image she left in Nobu's mind.
As for his "way to make her stronger," she suspected it was just a bluff. There were only a handful of ways for a Shinigami to grow stronger—could there really be another?
He probably just wanted to… do that.
The thought brought heat to her cheeks again.
Outside, the sky had turned fully dark. Moonlight poured in clean and white, the whole barracks quiet—most members must have gone.
She cupped her face in her hands, then stood, took up her Zanpakutō, and left.
Closing the office door behind her, she turned—and saw a figure seated in the barracks corridor.
It was Captain.
Moonlight, pale as silk steeped in icy water, lay across the Fourth Division's tiled roof.
Unohana Retsu sat in silence, a sake set by her side.
In one hand, she held a white porcelain cup, paused halfway to her lips.
Her mouth seemed to carry a smile, lighter than the drink it framed.
Moonlight brushed over her black hair, hiding the faintest trace of melancholy in the folds of her sleeves.
"Isane."
She turned her head, smiling gently.
Isane stared for a moment before color crept into her cheeks.
Captain is beautiful… she thought.
"Captain."
She sat down beside Unohana, posture careful, joining her in watching the moon.
"What has you in this mood tonight, taichō?"
"Why indeed…" Unohana tilted her head to the round moon above, almost speaking to herself.
"I just thought—perhaps there won't be another chance like this in the future."
"I don't understand, Captain. What do you mean?"
Unohana's smile softened further. "There's something you don't know yet."
"…"
"Tenth Division's Captain Shiba, to allow his nephew Shiba Kaien to take the captain's seat, has petitioned the Head-Captain and Central 46. Three years from now, he will step down."
Isane blinked in surprise. She didn't know why her captain was suddenly telling her this.
But the explanation cleared one of her earlier questions—how Kaien had become Third Division's captain.
"Shiba Isshin hasn't actually been captain for very long. He's in his prime, highly capable. If it were only that, the Head-Captain and Central 46 would never agree. So—he offered another condition."
Isane listened quietly.
"Three years from now, someone will take his place. And that person…"
Unohana paused briefly, still smiling as she looked at Isane.
"…is Tachikawa. It's an agreement between him and Captain Shiba."
"…"
Isane stared, wide-eyed.
Unohana, seeing her reaction, turned her gaze back to the moon above.
"So in three years… Nobu will leave the Fourth Division to become the Tenth Division's captain…" Isane murmured.
"Mhm."
Her thoughts tangled. Why hadn't Nobu told her? Was it because it was a matter between captains and couldn't be shared?
Three years… only three years left…
For a Shinigami, that was a short time.
"…This is good for Nobu, right?"
After a long silence, she spoke slowly. "Captain, I won't leave the Fourth Division. I won't leave you."
Unohana smiled gently. "I know, Isane."
"…"
"But do you know why it's three years?"
Isane shook her head.
Unohana's fingers caressed the cup in her hand.
"Tachikawa told Captain Shiba—there are still things he must do in the Fourth Division."
"What things?" Isane asked before she could stop herself.
Unohana only smiled faintly, without answering.
Isane began to wonder—was it because of what Nobu had said before, about changing the atmosphere within Fourth Division?
Or… was it because of her?
---
T/N: heres ur updates :3 meeting the 4 chaps a week quota :3
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