The Fourth Division courtyard.
Stepping out of the hot springs, the evening glow of the horizon reflected off the pebble-strewn walkway, coating it in a layer of gold.
After bidding farewell to Unohana Retsu, a radiant Soifon walked toward the Fourth Division's main gate, led by Isane Kotetsu.
Gurgle—
The clear sound of a stomach growling was particularly abrupt in the quiet courtyard.
Soifon froze mid-step and instinctively clutched her stomach. Having endured high-intensity combat followed by hot spring therapy today, Soifon's body was crying out for food.
I'm so hungry... I want meat! I want BBQ!
Beside her, Isane Kotetsu was momentarily stunned before she couldn't help but let out a soft "pfft" and a giggle.
Realizing her slip-up a second later, she quickly lowered her head and bowed, her cheeks flushed. "I am so sorry, Captain Soifon! I didn't mean to..."
"It's fine," Soifon said, waving her hand dismissively. " I'm just hungry."
She looked at the sky, then at the tall, white-haired 3rd Seat beside her, and suddenly spoke up. "Isane, have you had dinner yet? Do you want to join me?"
Soifon tilted her head back to look at her. Since they had already reached the stage of 'one-sidedly meeting with sincerity' (nakedness) in the bath, she felt there was no need for formal titles between them.
"Eh?"
"Me... with Captain Soifon?"
Isane Kotetsu looked down in surprise, a look of delight crossing her face.
I actually get to eat dinner with Captain Soifon? What an honor!
"Silence is consent. Let's go, I know a good place."
Soifon waited a few seconds, and seeing that the other girl was just staring at her blankly without refusing, she naturally reached out and grabbed Isane Kotetsu's wrist.
"Ah? Yes!"
Isane was still a bit dazed, following Soifon's lead in a bit of a stupor.
However, after walking for a while, Isane realized the direction was a bit off. This seemed to be... the road to the Tenth Division?
She hesitated for a moment before whispering a reminder, "Um, Captain Soifon... this seems to be the way to the Tenth Division? There don't seem to be many restaurants around here."
Could it be that Captain Soifon has no sense of direction? Isane thought daringly.
"I need to find someone at the Tenth Division first," Soifon replied without looking back. "I still owe Rangiku a meal. I'll just treat her as well while I'm at it."
Soifon added, "She was quite a big help during the last investigation mission."
Oh, so I'm just a tag-along.
Isane shook her head, tossing that momentary, strange complaint out of her mind.
They were in luck. Just as they arrived at the Tenth Division entrance, they ran into Rangiku Matsumoto, who was just about to head home from work.
The orange-haired beauty's eyes lit up the moment she saw Soifon and Isane Kotetsu. "Captain Soifon? Isane? What are you two..."
"I'm treating you to dinner. Let's go."
Soifon's words were short and to the point.
"All right!"
"I won't be holding back, Captain Soifon!"
Rangiku Matsumoto agreed readily. She and Isane Kotetsu flanked Soifon, sandwiching the Captain between them as they walked side-by-side.
To be honest, if one ignored the Captain's Haori on Soifon... the scene looked exactly like two older sisters taking their little sister out for a stroll.
Who could tell that these three girls were actually of similar ages? One could only say that the constitution of every Shinigami is different; everyone develops at a different pace.
The three of them crossed the streets of the Seireitei and finally stopped in front of a very grand-looking BBQ restaurant in the center of the Noble District.
The wooden sign was inlaid with gold edges and featured a very gaudy shop name. Even through the door curtains, one could smell the enticing aroma of roasted meat.
"Captain Soifon, here... I've heard this place is very expensive. Are we really eating here?"
Isane Kotetsu tugged gently on Soifon's sleeve and whispered as she looked at the obviously high-priced storefront.
Rangiku Matsumoto nodded beside her, though her eyes were already betraying her longing for BBQ as she reached up to wipe a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth.
"It's fine, no big deal." Soifon shook the hem of the Captain's Haori behind her. "This is my Lieutenant's family shop. It's free for me."
In that moment, Soifon's small figure suddenly became towering in front of the two of them.
How tall? As tall as the BBQ restaurant itself.
The maid at the door was clearly well-trained. She recognized Soifon and her Captain's Haori at a glance and enthusiastically led the three to a quiet, private room that was always reserved for her, then served a pot of hot tea.
"Give me two servings of everything on the menu."
After sitting down, Soifon took the menu, scanned it, and ordered the entire thing. She was truly starving; her body was in desperate need of energy after the intense battle and medicinal bath.
"What do you two want?" After speaking, Soifon turned the menu toward Rangiku and Isane.
"Captain Soifon, should we have a little something to drink? I heard the sake here is also very good~"
Rangiku Matsumoto's eyes seemed to glow as she looked at the sake names on the menu.
"No!" Isane Kotetsu immediately spoke up to stop her, her expression serious. "We are still young; we shouldn't be drinking!"
As she spoke, she pointedly turned her gaze toward Soifon.
Cough, cough, cough...
Soifon, who was drinking tea, suddenly choked. She felt somewhat offended. What was with that look?
"It doesn't matter," Soifon said, wiping the corner of her mouth nonchalantly. "Drink if you want to."
Soon, the table was covered with a dazzling array of meat plates and various side dishes.
The charcoal fire flared up, and the dripping fat made a pleasant sizzling sound, filling the air with fragrance.
Soifon looked at the mountain of grilled meat in her bowl and was a bit speechless. "Eat up. Don't be polite."
Then, she picked up a piece of grilled beef tongue and held it to Rangiku Matsumoto's mouth. "Open up."
"Eh?" Rangiku Matsumoto blushed slightly. "You don't need to feed me, right? I can do it myself..."
"I said, open up."
Soifon's tone took on a hint of Captain-level authority.
"Ahm..."
Rangiku Matsumoto chewed and swallowed the meat.
Next was Isane Kotetsu. Soifon held a piece of grilled beef tongue to her mouth as well.
"Me too?"
"It's an order."
"Then... excuse me."
Putting her hands together and closing her eyes, Isane Kotetsu opened her lips almost reverently and took the beef tongue from the chopsticks into her mouth.
What does it feel like to be hand-fed by the Captain you admire? / Thanks for the question. Currently in the Soul Society, just got off work.
After several cups of sake, a flush appeared on Rangiku Matsumoto's face, and she became more talkative.
"Speaking of which, Captain Soifon... hic..."
"When I first saw you at the Fourth Division, I thought you'd be a super difficult, arrogant genius..."
"But it turns out, you're unexpectedly a pretty nice person... hic~"
Beside her, Isane Kotetsu was listening so intently her cold sweat was almost breaking out. She quickly poured tea for Rangiku. "Rangiku, are you even awake?!"
Soifon was focused on dealing with a piece of beef tongue. Hearing this, she just glanced at Rangiku and said to Isane, "Ignore her. Let's keep eating."
However, they both underestimated Rangiku Matsumoto's courage after drinking.
After a few more cups, the orange-haired girl's eyes began to glaze over. She suddenly stood up and wobbled around the table.
Rangiku Matsumoto practically hung herself onto Soifon, her warm, alcohol-scented breath puffing against Soifon's ear.
"Hey, hey, hey—!" Isane Kotetsu watched the scene in a panic. "Rangiku! Let go! That's too disrespectful!"
Enduring the fingers poking at her cheeks, Soifon blankly uttered two words: "It's fine."
Then, she grabbed the sake bottle on the table and shoved it directly into Rangiku Matsumoto's mouth.
Glug, glug, glug—
In any case, a Shinigami wouldn't die from alcohol poisoning; at most, they'd suffer through some vomiting and diarrhea.
"Mmph, mmph..."
Even a drunkard like Rangiku Matsumoto couldn't handle being forced to drink like that.
"Don't worry, feeling dizzy is normal."
Soifon's tone was gentle as she tilted the bottle higher, letting the sake flow better into the other's mouth.
_____
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