"So... Momo, Rangiku, and Aizen, why are you all here?" Toshiro asked the group.
"Hehehe... Captain, disappointed to see us instead of someone else?" Rangiku teased with a mischievous grin.
"Hmph, Rangiku, you wrote that note, didn't you?" Toshiro stated with certainty. No one else would pull such a prank.
"Bingo! So, Captain, did you think it was a love letter from some beautiful female Shinigami?" Rangiku said triumphantly.
"As if," Toshiro quickly denied.
"Anyway, why did you call me here?" He smoothly changed the subject.
"Ah? Captain, today's your birthday! Don't tell me you forgot?" Rangiku stuck out her tongue playfully.
"My birthday...?" Toshiro admitted, somewhat embarrassed, that he had indeed forgotten.
Since arriving in this world, Toshiro had focused on increasing his strength, rarely paying attention to his birthday.
For long-lived Shinigami, skipping an annual birthday wasn't a big deal, so over time, even Toshiro himself forgot.
At this moment, Momo said softly, "Toshiro, I remember since we entered the Shin'o Academy until now, you've rarely celebrated your birthday."
"That's true," Toshiro admitted. Due to various reasons, from his academy days to becoming Captain, Toshiro had seldom celebrated his birthday.
Combined with his own indifference, the number of birthdays he'd celebrated over the years could be counted on one hand.
"Before, due to various circumstances, we couldn't celebrate your birthday. But this time is different. This is your first year as captain, so we must celebrate properly," Momo insisted.
"Alright then," Toshiro conceded. Though he didn't care much, he didn't want to disappoint their kind intentions.
"Oh, right, Captain Aizen, why are you here too? Did you come specifically to celebrate my birthday?" Toshiro asked casually.
Aizen, who had been standing aside, spoke only when addressed. "Actually, earlier, when Lieutenant Matsumoto and the others went to the Rukongai to prepare birthday gifts for you, I happened to meet them. Thus, I learned today is Captain Hitsugaya's birthday and asked to join."
"Moreover, as fellow Gotei 13's Captains, more interaction fosters unity in serving the Soul Society," Aizen explained with a smile.
"Is that so," Toshiro said noncommittally. Hearing 'serving the Soul Society' from Aizen's mouth felt rather ironic.
Just then, Rangiku suddenly called out, "Hey, Captain, and Captain Aizen, stop chatting! Come over here!"
"What is it?" Toshiro walked over to Rangiku and Momo.
"Look, Captain!" Rangiku pointed at the night sky.
Toshiro looked up, puzzled. "Look at what? There's nothing—"
Whoosh… Boom!
Before Toshiro finished, a firework blossomed in the night sky. Like a chain reaction, one after another, fireworks began blooming in succession.
Gazing at the beautiful night sky adorned with fireworks, Toshiro was momentarily captivated.
Seeing his expression, Rangiku said proudly, "So, Captain, winter fireworks are beautiful, right? This was Momo's and my idea!"
Looking at Rangiku's smug face, Toshiro tightened the scarf around his neck and couldn't help but retort, "Idiot, the fireworks are just so-so. And sitting on a rooftop in winter, I just feel cold."
After saying this, Toshiro noticed Rangiku, Momo, and Aizen were looking at him with strange expressions.
"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Pfft… Hahaha!" Rangiku burst out laughing. "Captain, the wielder of the Strongest Ice-type Zanpakuto is afraid of cold? That's the worst lie ever!"
Soon, even Momo and Aizen couldn't help but chuckle.
"Shut it!" Toshiro said, somewhat flustered.
After laughing, Rangiku added, "By the way, Captain, it's winter now, but the Soul Society hasn't had snow since winter began. Don't you find that regrettable? If it snowed now, with snowflakes and fireworks, it'd be truly amazing!"
She looked expectantly at Toshiro, clearly hoping he'd create an artificial snowfall.
However, Toshiro remained unmoved. "What's so regrettable? It's just snow. When it snows later, you can look all you want, no one will stop you."
Rangiku pouted discontentedly. "Hmph, such an unromantic guy."
Then she turned to Momo. "Momo, you want to see snow too, right?"
"Mhm!" Momo nodded, then hugged Toshiro's arm, coaxing. "Shi-ro… chan! I really want to see snow now. Make it snow for us!"
Feeling the soft sensation against his arm, Toshiro sighed helplessly. "Alright, alright, I'll make it snow. Let go first."
Hearing this, Momo obediently released his arm.
Snap!
With just a snap of Toshiro's fingers, the originally bright night sky of the Soul Society became overcast with dark clouds. Snowflakes began swirling down from above.
"So beautiful!" Momo and Rangiku marveled, captivated by the scene of snowflakes and fireworks intertwining in the night sky.
"Well, such scenery is indeed quite nice," Toshiro murmured to himself.
Aizen, watching the picturesque beauty, remained silent, lost in thought.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Soul Society.
"It's snowing?" A Gotei 13's Shinigami looked up at the swirling snowflakes.
"What a beautiful sight!"
Reaching out to catch a snowflake, they felt the chill in their palm and remarked, "This must be the first snow since winter began."