REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!Chapter 74: Meeting Again
Two days later.
Suoh Tsukasa, slacking off during his shift, felt these past two days of traveling back and forth to the underground training ground should be called "ant moving house."
Fortunately, through persistent tinkering, he'd finally successfully constructed an open-air kitchen beside the hot spring.
"Tsukasa, there's a new recruit joining soon. Remember to attend."
Shiba Kaien's hearty voice came from outside the door.
"Alright."
Suoh immediately snapped alert, withdrawing from his mentally vacant state, nodding in response.
Daily paperwork was too dry and boring. During idle moments, he could even read World of the Living magazine advertisements with great interest. Emptying his thoughts for mental training was commonplace.
Efficiently tidying the documents and items on his desk, thinking of the predicament a certain someone might currently be experiencing, he smiled freely.
The side chamber of the meeting room.
Kuchiki Rukia stood dazedly in place, still maintaining the same posture from when the squad member who'd guided her had left.
Though a stack of cushions sat clearly beside her, she remained completely oblivious.
Outside the door.
Some squad members participating in the individual induction ceremony gathered outside the meeting room, peering inside through the gap in the improperly closed paper door.
Among the onlookers, one squad member lowered his voice but carried undisguised contempt and jealousy.
"I thought it would be another big shot who graduated early like Suoh 3rd Seat, but it's just an unremarkable little girl."
"This is noble privilege, really—"
"She's the Kuchiki family's adopted daughter. Dare talk carelessly? You want to die!"
The veteran squad member beside him quickly grabbed him.
Unlike when Suoh joined the division, this discussion clearly mixed in some resentment and malice.
This was also unavoidable. Ordinary squad members had to pass graduation exams and division entry exams, going through tremendous hardships to join.
Yet this new recruit standing in the side chamber now, without passing any exams, had directly become a division member relying on noble privilege. Anyone would feel dissatisfied.
Though deliberately lowered, the discussion outside the door still clearly reached Kuchiki Rukia's ears.
The young woman's hands clenched tightly at her Shihakusho's hem, her knuckles whitening from the force.
But Kuchiki Rukia didn't voice any rebuttal, because even deep in her own heart she somewhat despised her current self.
The side chamber's atmosphere was awkwardly oppressive and suffocating. The time waiting for the ceremony to begin was torturous, and she couldn't avoid it.
"Suoh 3rd Seat—"
Rukia unconsciously spoke this name aloud. At the Shinoreijutsuin, they'd only met once, but the impression had been quite deep.
However, their grades differed, and they'd had no interaction whatsoever normally.
Only a few months ago had she heard this name again from Abarai Renji, learning he'd become Thirteenth Division 3rd Seat.
The continuous affairs and mental pressure these past days had almost made her forget about this matter.
"If I were a genius like Suoh 3rd Seat, I wouldn't be in such an awkward position right now."
"Brother wouldn't always treat me with that kind of attitude either."
The young woman lowered her head, sinking into her own depressive world. Days of bitterness spread through her heart.
"Calling for me?"
At this moment, a warm voice suddenly came from before her.
Kuchiki Rukia's head snapped up sharply. Her gaze suddenly crashed into a pair of calm, gentle eyes.
Suoh Tsukasa, whom she hadn't seen in so long, stood at the doorway at some unknown point, wearing his black Shihakusho neatly, his face carrying a dazzlingly brilliant smile.
The originally half-closed paper door had been pulled open. Those peeking squad members outside had somehow already scattered and returned to formation.
"Good afternoon, Suoh 3rd Seat."
Kuchiki Rukia hurriedly bowed in salute, her movements somewhat flustered momentarily, but she organized her condition and expression in an extremely short time.
"Long time no see, Student Rukia."
Suoh raised his hand in greeting, then turned to shout outside.
"Konoe, bring me two cups of tea. My friend and I haven't seen each other in a while—we need to chat."
"Yes!"
Immediately, a response and hurriedly departing footsteps came from the waiting crowd outside.
Next, ignoring the whispering among squad members outside caused by his words and actions, Suoh simply closed the paper door.
Then he pulled two cushions from the stack beside him.
He directly tossed one at his feet and plopped down. The other he threw at Kuchiki Rukia's feet, gesturing.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Hearing this, Kuchiki Rukia nodded, bowed, and slowly sat down.
Every movement carried the elegant bearing of a refined young lady from period dramas, though her actions appeared somewhat unpracticed.
Suoh looked directly at Kuchiki Rukia sitting ramrod straight before him, marveling at how terrifying noble rules truly were.
Originally a perfectly fine young person, after not even living at the Kuchiki residence for long, had already become a puppet who only knew compliance.
Her appearance and age should have brimmed with vitality and vigor, yet her expression revealed a spirit-drained wilting—exactly like a shriveled onion.
Suoh naturally withdrew his gaze, tapped his fingertip on his knee, and spoke in a relaxed manner.
"I see you seem somewhat unaccustomed to me directly calling your name just now."
"Would you prefer I address you as Kuchiki, Rukia, or Miss Kuchiki?"
Their relationship could only be considered friends of friends. By normal etiquette, Suoh should currently address Kuchiki Rukia as Miss Kuchiki.
And this was the Thirteenth Division. Based on status, he could directly address her as Kuchiki.
"Just call me Rukia."
Kuchiki Rukia hesitated momentarily, then nodded with a smile.
Only her smile was somewhat stiff and forced, as if she'd just learned how to smile.
Originally, according to the etiquette knowledge she'd learned, Suoh before her should choose to address her as Kuchiki.
But she felt she wasn't worthy of those two noble characters of Kuchiki, so she chose her own name among the three options.
"Alright."
Suoh nodded, solving the simplest form of address issue.
Knock knock knock—
Knocking came from outside the door.
"Come in."
The paper door slid open. Konoe Shuzo entered carrying two cups of hot tea, approaching the two to present them.
Suoh reached out to accept the tea tray, nodding thanks while simultaneously making introductions.
"Thanks."
"Konoe, this is Kuchiki Rukia. From now on, everyone's colleagues—get acquainted."
"Since she's joined the Thirteenth Division, here everyone has only one identity—Shinigami."
"Normally, have everyone in the division look after her. Don't let some loose-lipped folks keep gossiping behind her back."
Suoh knew he couldn't change all Thirteenth Division squad members' views of Kuchiki Rukia.
But converting some and silencing others was still quite easy for him.
"Understood, Suoh 3rd Seat."
"Hello, Kuchiki-san. I'm Konoe Shuzo. Please take care of me."
Konoe Shuzo nodded in acknowledgment, then raised his eyes toward Kuchiki Rukia beside them, speaking naturally.
He directly used informal language for his greeting, completing the initial salutation, completely disregarding her status as a noble family's adopted daughter.
Since she'd gained Suoh's recognition, everything else had already become irrelevant to him.
"I'm Kuchiki Rukia. Please take care of me."
Kuchiki Rukia's expression froze momentarily before she smiled in response.
Her tense body relaxed somewhat along with her naturally emerging smile.