Suì-Fēng was still lost in memories of the past when a sudden burst of noise disturbed the peaceful bamboo grove.
The sound shattered the quiet and dragged her sharply back to the present.
"Who's there? Who dares trespass on the Onmitsukidō's grounds?"
Suì-Fēng shouted coldly.
Her senses had always been exceptionally sharp.
Even the faintest disturbance rarely escaped her, and although Kurosaki Ichigo's complaints hadn't been particularly loud, she still heard them clearly.
At the same time, she picked up a powerful, unfamiliar reiatsu nearby.
Her instincts immediately warned her that an intruder had entered the area.
Without hesitation, Suì-Fēng vanished in a flash and raced toward the source of the sound with astonishing speed.
Bamboo leaves scattered behind her, shaken loose by the force of her passing.
"That little bamboo house?"
Suì-Fēng stared in shock at the familiar building before her.
The mysterious reiatsu was coming from inside it.
That small house held far too many memories.
She and Lady Yoruichi had built it together with their own hands.
They'd spent countless happy days there, laughing, talking, and training side by side.
Yoruichi had always treated her warmly, almost like a younger sister, yet deep down, Suì-Fēng had never stopped regarding her with profound respect and awe.
Then, a hundred years ago, everything fell apart.
She learned that Yoruichi had supposedly betrayed Soul Society.
The news had made Suì-Fēng feel as though her whole world had collapsed.
She couldn't understand why Yoruichi would commit such an unforgivable act — not only betraying Soul Society, but also abandoning the honor of the Shihōin Clan.
Later, when Kazuma visited the Shihōin estate and personally named her as the next captain of the Second Division, Suì-Fēng secretly swore she would capture Yoruichi one day and demand an explanation face-to-face.
Only yesterday had she finally learned the truth.
Aizen had been behind everything. Yoruichi had never betrayed Soul Society at all.
Since then, Suì-Fēng's emotions had been in complete turmoil. She had no idea how she was supposed to face Yoruichi now.
...
Inside the bamboo house, Ichigo had been absorbed in his own thoughts when Suì-Fēng's shout startled him so badly his whole body jerked.
His expression sharpened at once.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Zangetsu from where it leaned against the wall and rushed toward the door like an arrow.
"Huh? It's you. What are you doing here?"
Only then did Suì-Fēng recognize the person hiding inside the house.
It was Kurosaki Ichigo, who'd already been listed as missing.
Surprise flashed across her face before irritation quickly replaced it.
Ichigo noticed her clothing too.
The haori over her shoulders clearly marked her as a captain, so he lowered the oversized blade he'd raised for battle.
"Huh? A woman?"
He stared at Suì-Fēng as though he'd just made some incredible discovery.
"Who are you?"
"I am Suì-Fēng, captain of the Second Division and commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukidō!"
Suì-Fēng announced her titles proudly.
"And you're Kurosaki Ichigo? Captain Shiba's son?"
Ichigo paused, scratched his head, and selectively heard only the second half.
"You know my old man? Then we're on the same side, right?"
A look of realization crossed his face.
He casually slung Zangetsu across his back, folded his arms, and leaned back with a completely relaxed expression.
All the important information Suì-Fēng had just given him about her position apparently went in one ear and out the other.
"The same side? Who said we're on the same side?"
Suì-Fēng's brows twitched as she glared at the shameless boy.
"The Captain-Commander may have shown mercy and pardoned your crimes, but that doesn't mean Soul Society has accepted you as one of us."
What nonsense was this brat spouting?
Was something wrong with his head?
After the tension between them eased slightly, Suì-Fēng took a breath and forced herself to calm down.
"More importantly, why are you on Second Division territory?"
"Yoruichi-san brought me here."
Ichigo scratched his head and grinned.
"Oh, right. You said you're the captain of the Second Division, didn't you? Then you must know Yoruichi-san pretty well."
Ichigo had no idea what kind of reaction those casual words would cause.
He simply assumed that because both women had served as captain of the Second Division, they naturally had some connection.
He had no way of knowing how complicated the history between them truly was.
"You said Lady Yoruichi brought you here?"
Suì-Fēng's eyes widened.
"Where… where is she now?"
Her voice trembled with emotion, and soon her whole body began shaking as though electricity were running through it.
"Hey, Second Division captain, are you having some kind of seizure? Why are you shaking?"
Ichigo stared at her in confusion.
They'd been talking normally a moment ago, and now she suddenly looked like she was losing her mind.
"Where is Lady Yoruichi?"
Suì-Fēng repeated the question, louder this time.
"Yoruichi-san is inside. Do you need something from her?"
Suì-Fēng had waited years for this moment.
Every day, she'd imagined what it would be like to finally see Yoruichi again.
Only a short while ago, she'd ordered Ōmaeda and an entire Onmitsukidō detachment to search the whole Seireitei for her.
Now fate had suddenly placed Yoruichi right in front of her.
Who could have imagined their reunion would happen through such an absurd coincidence?
Suì-Fēng completely ignored Ichigo's question.
She vanished in a flash and rushed into the small bamboo house.
The instant she entered, her eyes met those of a black cat.
The whole room fell silent.
For a moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped and even the air had grown heavy.
One woman and one cat simply stared at each other, neither willing to speak first.
The silence stretched on, quiet enough to belong in some overly sentimental poem.
At last, Yoruichi broke it.
"Oh, it's you, Soifon. It really has been a long time."
Perfectly composed, she extended her small pink tongue and slowly licked one furry paw.
"How have you been?"
Suì-Fēng's emotions churned violently inside her.
Countless things she'd wanted to say came rushing to the surface, yet just as she opened her mouth, Yoruichi's casual greeting shattered every carefully prepared word.
"Hmph! What does it matter to you whether I've been doing well?"
Suì-Fēng stared at her with wide eyes, mouth slightly open, yet nothing came out.
It took her several moments to recover.
Then she turned her head away, crossed her arms, and let out a scornful huff.
Anyone watching would have thought she couldn't care less.
Only Suì-Fēng herself knew how desperately she'd searched for Yoruichi, and how deeply that longing had stayed buried inside her.
"Why didn't you tell me the truth back then? Why didn't you take me with you?"
The restraint she'd struggled to hold on to finally broke.
"If you'd explained everything from the start, I wouldn't have suffered like this all these years! Why did you do it? Why?!"
All the anger, grief, and resentment she'd held down for a century erupted at once.
Suì-Fēng had always been proud and stubborn, but this time she couldn't hold her composure for even a full minute.
Her furious, tear-filled eyes stayed fixed on Yoruichi, as though she wanted to see straight through her.
"You foolish girl. You've suffered so much because of me."
Yoruichi looked at Suì-Fēng's tear-streaked face, her heart aching with guilt.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you dragged into what was happening. I thought leaving you behind would protect you, but instead I only hurt you even more."
She sighed softly.
"Maybe I was wrong from the very beginning."
Yoruichi lifted one paw and gently stroked Suì-Fēng's hair, affection and regret filling her golden eyes.
They'd once been as close as sisters. There was no way either of them could feel nothing for the other.
"Wah—!"
Before Yoruichi could react, a pair of strong arms snatched her up.
Suì-Fēng pulled the small black cat tightly against her chest and began sobbing uncontrollably.
Yoruichi froze in confusion.
Before she could say anything, Suì-Fēng's embrace tightened even further, her cries growing louder and more heartbroken.
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