Suō Tsukasa watched this scene with a smile in his eyes.
He picked up his teacup and took a light sip, then gently placed another cup of tea in front of Kuchiki Rukia.
A person's state of mind can easily change because of a trivial, insignificant matter.
Just moments ago, Kuchiki Rukia had been mired deep in self-doubt and the quagmire of surrounding criticism, unable to extricate herself.
However, after a simple exchange of formal greetings, those dull eyes had regained a glimmer of light.
This was the subtle beauty of the human heart.
It didn't necessarily require some earth-shattering rescue or a grand lecture.
Oftentimes, a single moment of being treated with kindness by a stranger was enough to chisel a crack into a young girl's frozen heart.
Of course, the human heart is fickle and can change at any time, but Suō Tsukasa had at least done what he could for now.
He had his own cultivation and life; he couldn't look after her every second of the day, even if he greatly admired and liked the spirited and resilient Kuchiki Rukia from his memories.
Similarly, this "liking" was just that—liking. Suō Tsukasa didn't harbor a single improper thought toward Kuchiki Rukia.
The girl before him was too short and too thin; she was only slightly taller than Tōshirō, looking exactly like a middle schooler who had just graduated from elementary school!
Even though her actual age was older than his, Suō Tsukasa's mind told him clearly that trying to stir her emotions would be no different from a crime.
Back in his previous life when watching her on screen, he hadn't paid much attention to her height or figure, but seeing her in person, he truly experienced the stark contrast.
Some boundaries were better kept clear.
Suō Tsukasa lightly rubbed the warm rim of his cup, pulling his thoughts back.
Beside him, Konoe Shūzō had completed the mission Suō Tsukasa entrusted to him. He cleared the empty tea tray, bowed, and spoke.
"3rd Seat Suō, I shall take my leave first. Please, enjoy your conversation."
"Thank you for your hard work, Konoe."
Konoe Shūzō exited the side room, leaving the interior to the two of them once more.
It was only then that Kuchiki Rukia noticed the teacup placed before her. She hastily bowed in thanks.
"Thank you, 3rd Seat Suō."
"Don't mention it. You are Abarai's friend, which makes you my friend as well."
"If you ever need anything in the 13th Division, you can come find me. If you can't find me, looking for Konoe is fine too; it's the same thing."
"Someone probably took you around the barracks today, but I expect they didn't give you a very thorough introduction. Would you like me to tell you a bit more about the place?"
Suō Tsukasa waved his hand nonchalantly, speaking in a relaxed tone.
"Uh—yes, if it's not too much trouble."
Kuchiki Rukia responded with a hint of embarrassment.
It was exactly as Suō Tsukasa had surmised; the person leading her had only given her a cursory glance at the grounds.
She had only heard the names of many places without getting a proper look before being ushered to the next location by her guide.
"Alright."
Suō Tsukasa then raised a finger, and a concise map of the barracks manifested at his fingertips.
For the following time, he introduced the functional areas of the 13th Division's barracks in great detail, as patient as Shiba Kaien had been when first introducing them to him.
As for the dormitory area, he brushed over it briefly. After all, most Shinigami from noble backgrounds would return to their family estates and rarely stayed in the barracks.
Given Kuchiki Byakuya's "sis-con" personality, it was even less likely he would allow Kuchiki Rukia to live alone in a small single room in the barracks.
He spoke meticulously, and the girl listened intently, their physical distance unconsciously narrowing a little.
"Don't keep whispering during the lineup, stand straight!"
The voice, as usual, arrived before the person.
The sliding paper door was pulled open. Shiba Kaien caught sight of the two figures sitting quite close inside the room and assumed he had walked in on something "good."
His eyebrows shot up, and he gave a light cough, smirking mischievously at Suō Tsukasa.
"Pardon me, I really am interrupting, aren't I!"
Suō Tsukasa's expression remained unchanged as he dispelled the Reishi map on his finger.
"That's—!"
Kuchiki Rukia, on the other hand, recoiled sharply. When she turned and saw who it was, she scrambled to stand up and explain herself.
"No need to get up, I'm going to sit down anyway."
Shiba Kaien laughed heartily and gently pressed the girl's shoulder to stop her from moving.
He pulled a cushion, tossed it next to Suō Tsukasa, and sat down cross-legged, raising a hand enthusiastically.
"I didn't expect you and Tsukasa actually knew each other."
"I am the Lieutenant, Shiba Kaien. Looking forward to working with you!"
"—Kuchiki Rukia. It is an honor."
"So, tell me, how do you know this little lady?"
Shiba Kaien lightly bumped Suō Tsukasa's shoulder, leaning in to whisper playfully in his ear.
He had seen Rukia's file; it was quite rare for two people from different grades to know each other and seem so familiar. His gossipy heart was immediately set ablaze.
Suō Tsukasa didn't answer immediately. He calmly lifted his teacup and took a shallow sip.
After stalling for nearly ten seconds, he suddenly spoke at high speed, his tone laced with fake concern.
"Kaien-aniki, I really have to say something. Miyako-ane (Sister Miyako) wasn't here just now, and you actually dared to get touchy-feely with a new female recruit."
"You really have a lot of nerve!"
Clack—
The next moment, the sliding door was pulled open. Shiba Miyako, Kotsubaki Sentarō, and Kiyone Kotetsu, who were standing outside, heard that sentence loud and clear.
"You brat!"
"Miyako, listen to me, it's not—that is—I—!"
Shiba Kaien's eyes widened. His figure vanished from his seat and reappeared instantly beside his wife, speaking frantically, at a loss for where to start.
"I know, I know."
Shiba Miyako suppressed a laugh and shook her head helplessly.
Looking at the flustered Shiba Kaien, Sentarō and Kiyone had long seen through the joke; they were standing to the side with their shoulders shaking from muffled laughter.
"Ah, Tsukasa, I'm going to strangle you!"
Coming back to his senses, Shiba Kaien turned around and lunged at Suō Tsukasa with his arms flailing.
His Hakuda skills were already inferior to Suō Tsukasa's, and right now he was just playing around with a bit of urgency.
Suō Tsukasa stood up gracefully, deftly caught Kaien's incoming wrist with a reverse grip, and used the momentum to press him down onto the cushion. He spoke with a stern, solemn face.
"Lieutenant Shiba, please act with some dignity in front of the newcomer!"
"Dammit, Tsukasa, you brat... just you remember this!"
The pinned man struggled unsuccessfully a few times before finally giving up, gritting his teeth in mock anger.
"Yes, yes, I'll remember."
Only then did Suō Tsukasa let go. He straightened his sleeves as if nothing had happened and composedly sat down in Shiba Kaien's original spot.
The performance of a third-rate comedy was complete.
"Don't mind them, they are always like this."
"I am Shiba Miyako. Welcome to the 13th Division."
Seeing the bewildered Kuchiki Rukia, Shiba Miyako walked over to her side and knelt down gracefully, speaking softly.
As she spoke, she naturally reached out and lightly smoothed Rukia's hair.
The Shiba household had a younger sister and a little brother; seeing the well-behaved and cute girl before her, she unconsciously fell into her habit of coaxing her younger siblings.
"Thank you."
Kuchiki Rukia's eyes stung slightly, and she spoke in a low voice.
During these past days in the strictly regulated Kuchiki Manor, she had felt almost suffocated.
No matter how hard she worked to learn etiquette, no matter how she tried to greet everyone with a smile, she had never received a single moment of genuine kindness in return.
Formalities, deliberate distance, and cold gazes had formed the main colors of her life recently.
And at this moment, Shiba Miyako's sudden tenderness completely pierced through her defenses.
The remaining time waiting for the ceremony was no longer so agonizing.
After greeting everyone, Kuchiki Rukia sat quietly beside Shiba Miyako, listening to the laughter around her, feeling a sense of relief wash over her heart.