The base of the porridge bubbled and rolled.
The light, pleasant atmosphere made one forget the troubles of daily life. As the side dishes on the table were nearly depleted, a strong sense of guilt filled Isane Kotetsu. This unprecedented dining experience had caused her to temporarily lose her reason, her brain's rhythm completely hijacked by her taste buds. She had even forgotten the dietary control and maintenance she had practiced for so long.
One must realize that before today, she had maintained a diet of clear soups and bland foods for over a decade. The temptation and impact of this congee hotpot's deliciousness were, for her, self-evident.
"Ah—what if I grow taller again—?"
She hesitantly put down her bowl and chopsticks. Her vision went dark for a moment, and she leaned her arms against the table, letting out a nearly silent sigh of lament. Perhaps it was the post-meal carb crash combined with a tiny hint of alcohol, but her consciousness was a bit hazy. Her voice was very soft, little more than a low murmur.
However, everyone present was a Shinigami with keen spiritual senses; the words reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
Rangiku Matsumoto was the first to lose it, bursting into laughter so suddenly she nearly dropped the sake cup in her hand.
"Isane, is that what you're worried about?"
"It's just one hotpot meal, it's not that exaggerated!"
"Don't worry!"
She laughed until her shoulders shook, her curvaceous figure swaying along with her mirth.
"?! I—what did I just say?!"
A flush deeper than any alcohol-induced glow instantly stained Isane Kotetsu's cheeks. She snapped back to her senses, realizing she had accidentally voiced her inner thoughts. She was so embarrassed she wanted to vanish on the spot or simply dig a hole in the ground to crawl into.
Afraid of growing taller—
What kind of "humblebrag" was that!
Toshiro Hitsugaya's eyes widened slightly as he stared blankly at Isane. A rare look of stunned emptiness appeared on his usually expressionless face. He practiced day and night without rest. He made sure to sleep well and eat well. If he could make his height increase by even a single centimeter, he would be secretly happy for a long time. The impact of her words on him could well be imagined.
Toshiro silently finished the last bit of porridge in his bowl, chewing mechanically to use the action of eating to mask the roiling emotions in his heart. His gaze fell to the tabletop, his bangs casting a shallow shadow over his eyelids.
Suō Tsukasa took it all in.
He looked at Isane, who was practically steaming with embarrassment, then glanced at Toshiro, who had fallen into a brief state of paralysis. A gentle curve touched the corners of his mouth. This scene was simply too amusing. He cleared his throat at the right moment to draw everyone's attention back and spoke softly.
"Isane-san, the height of a soul's form depends more on the innate structure of the spiritual body. Once it reaches a certain point, the influence of food is almost negligible."
He added with a self-deprecating smile, "Look at how much I usually eat, yet I haven't grown an inch in a long time."
"Besides, you didn't eat that much tonight. There's no need to carry any burden in your heart."
Toshiro also recovered from the brief shock. He took a sip of his tea and added a sentence with a face as calm as still water. However, beneath that calm tone seemed to hide a tiny sliver of indescribable complexity. It was the most honest reaction from a boy with an obsessive hope for height when faced with another person's "sweet trouble."
"—Yes, Lieutenant Kotetsu, you're fine just as you are."
Rangiku Matsumoto finished her laugh, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and leaned forward to close the distance with Isane, patting her affectionately on the shoulder.
"Exactly!"
"Don't think about those pointless things; being happy is what matters most. Besides, someone as tall and beautiful as you are now is the envy of so many people!"
"True, you usually look very dashing."
Suō Tsukasa tossed in a timely compliment.
"—Yes, thank you all. I was just overthinking things."
She took a deep breath, the blush on her face lingering, and gave a smile of relief.
"That's the spirit!"
"To celebrate Isane breaking through her worries, and for this delightful meal, let's have another toast!"
Seeing Isane relax, Rangiku's face immediately lit up with joy. She picked up the sake bottle again, poured herself a full cup, and raised it. Suō Tsukasa didn't stop her this time; he simply shook his head with a smile and poured half a cup for himself and Isane. Toshiro silently refilled his cup with floral tea that had grown slightly cold.
The four vessels tapped gently together under the starlit sky, making a crisp sound.
The dinner had truly reached its conclusion. As the last bit of porridge was scraped clean, the four began clearing up in a silent, tacit understanding.
"Tsukasa, let me."
Isane Kotetsu took the cloth from Suō Tsukasa's hand and began helping to wipe down the stone table. She worked seriously, her movements meticulous. She wasn't just cleaning the table; she was also organizing her happy yet slightly cluttered heart. What she ate or whether she grew taller didn't seem to matter anymore.
Toshiro was responsible for handling the extinguished charcoal stove. He generated a stream of water to thoroughly soak the ashes and cool the stove down. Then, he carefully gathered the ash to one side; mixing these powders into the soil was beneficial for crop growth, and not a bit could be wasted.
Rangiku Matsumoto hummed a little post-drinking tune as she sorted the dishes into a nearby bamboo basin, her movements casual but not sloppy. Suō Tsukasa was responsible for putting the kitchen area back in order. Watching this harmonious scene, a wave of warm satisfaction rose in his heart.
Before long, everything was tidied up, and the stone table was as clean as new. Suō Tsukasa pulled out a set of Ludo—or Flight Chess—from the house. As a certain famous person once said, this was an intense and exciting game, hailed as the king of party games. It was simple and easy; the only threshold was finding three other people willing to play. In this atmosphere, the game was exceptionally fitting. Having anticipated this day, he had prepared in advance.
"This is Flight Chess."
Suō Tsukasa spread the board out on the stone table and distributed the different colored airplane pieces to everyone.
"The rules are simple: roll the dice to determine the number of steps. You need a six to take off. Try to get your four pieces out of the base, around the board once, and parked at the finish line to win."
"On the way, you can knock other people's planes back to the base to restart."
He briefly explained the rules while observing the reactions of the three.
"Of course, if you think this is too childish, I can bring out two sets of Five-in-a-Row (Gomoku) for two separate tables," Suō Tsukasa added with a smile.
"No, let's play this."
"You can knock other people's pieces away? That sounds fun!"
Rangiku Matsumoto picked up the large wooden die and weighed it in her hand. A competitive glint already shone in her eyes; she had clearly caught onto the most confrontational part of the game. Although she wasn't sure what an "airplane" was, it didn't matter.
Toshiro didn't say anything, but he placed his blue pieces in his designated base on the board.
"Then let's give it a try—"
Isane Kotetsu picked up the green pieces, equally interested in the brightly colored board and the cute pieces.
Seeing that no one objected, Suō Tsukasa took the red pieces and said cheerfully, "Alright, let's begin!"
Just as he expected, even if the game looked a bit childish, it was quite easily accepted and welcomed in the Soul Society.
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