Birthday

He had plans to drink with Rangiku, Shūhei, and Shiba today.

"Gaoyu, where have you been for the past month?"

At the table, Rangiku gulped down a large mouthful of sake and immediately asked curiously.

"Don't even mention it. I just became a Vice-Captain and I already have a mission," Gaoyu sighed, taking a sip of sake as well.

"Oh right, I heard Shūhei is going to be a Vice-Captain?"

He looked at Shūhei.

Shūhei was the same rank as him. They all thought he would become a Vice-Captain first, but they never expected Gaoyu, who had always been unremarkable, to get there before him.

Shūhei quickly waved his hands and said, "I haven't yet. Captain Tōsen just has that idea, but I'm not as capable as you are now, Gaoyu. I don't have that qualification yet."

Shiba said in a deep voice, "Gaoyu, because of you, a precedent has been set in the Soul Society. That's why Captain Tōsen wants Shūhei to be the Vice-Captain."

"Captain Aizen is too good to you," Rangiku chuckled. "But it can't be helped. Gin, that scoundrel, went to the Third Division to be a Captain, so someone has to fill the vacant spot for the Fifth Division Vice-Captain."

"Oh right, let's not talk about Gaoyu and Shūhei for now. What about you..."

Rangiku looked at Shiba again and said, "I heard you're going to be a Vice-Captain too?"

"Huh?" Shūhei was stunned for a moment and quickly said, "But aren't you in the Eleventh Division, Senior Shiba? The Eleventh Division already has Vice-Captain Yachiru."

"Not the Eleventh Division, but the Seventh Division," Shiba's face showed no hint of his inner thoughts. He just poured himself another drink.

"The Seventh Division is lacking a Vice-Captain. They said I'm an all-rounder and want to transfer me to the Seventh Division to be Vice-Captain."

"Congratulations, Shiba," Rangiku raised her cup and said. "I heard your family has always hoped you would become a Vice-Captain."

The four of them had formed a regular group and often went out for drinks together.

Seeing Rangiku again this time, Gaoyu found that her favorability towards him had reached eighty-one. He had permanently gained the ability Great Replenishing Pill.

Acquiring Shiba's "All-rounder" ability was just a matter of time.

It was foreseeable that they would often drink together for the next few decades, and raising their favorability to eighty would be no difficulty at all.

After drinking quite a bit, Gaoyu, feeling a little tipsy, returned home.

As soon as he opened the door, he froze.

Because inside his house were Shūhei, Rangiku, and Shiba, who had just left the bar.

And Renji, Hinamori, Kira, and Tōshirō.

"What are you guys..."

Gaoyu scratched his head, saying in confusion, "Why did you all come to my place?"

"You really don't remember?" Rangiku's eyes widened in surprise.

"Remember what?" Gaoyu had drunk a bit too much earlier, but hearing Rangiku speak like this made him think he had forgotten something important, and he quickly started thinking.

"Kimi Gaoyu, today is your birthday."

Suddenly, a voice came from behind him.

Gaoyu quickly turned around and, upon seeing who it was, stammered, "C-C-Captain Aizen?!"

That's right, it was Aizen!

Aizen was holding a giant cake. He walked in with the cake in both hands and placed it on the table.

Damn, it's my birthday today?!

Wait, today is December 25th. Damn, it really is my birthday!

Gaoyu was stunned.

"No way, Senior Gaoyu forgot his own birthday?!"

Renji also said with some surprise, "I thought only we from the Rukongai forget our birthdays. So nobles forget them too."

"Alright, alright, don't just stand outside. Come in and cut the cake. Kimi Gaoyu, you're the birthday boy today, so you should blow out the candles first."

Gaoyu looked at everyone, and his heart couldn't help but warm.

Although he had approached them with ulterior motives when making friends, looking at them now...

The feeling of making friends...

Was quite nice.

A smile spread across Gaoyu's lips. This wasn't his usual fake smile from before.

"Honestly."

Gaoyu said softly, "If I had known, I wouldn't have eaten so much earlier."

"You have the nerve to say that," Shūhei said with some heartache. "I heard I was treating, and you didn't save me any money, my old classmate."

"Haha, it's rare for you to treat, Shūhei, so of course, I have to squeeze you dry!"

"What?! Miss Rangiku, you have no right to say that! You're always skipping out on the bill!"

"Hmph? Are you saying I, a beautiful woman, should be the one to pay?"

"So this is life in the Gotei 13," Momo Hinamori said, watching the two people 'argue.'

"What a pain," Tōshirō said, crossing his arms and looking at everyone with a speechless expression.

"Don't try to act mature," Gaoyu said, walking up to him and roughly ruffling his hair.

Tōshirō quickly struggled free.

"Stop messing with my head!"

Gaoyu chuckled and walked over to the cake.

The cake was large, with thirty-three candles stuck in it.

This wasn't to say Gaoyu was thirty-three years old. In reality, one candle represented one year, but in the Soul Society, they couldn't keep doing that.

After all, there were many people in the Soul Society who had lived for hundreds of years. If they had to stick hundreds of candles for their birthdays, would that even be possible?

Here, one candle represented the time Gaoyu had been completely independent.

Gaoyu's parents had passed away thirty-three years ago. Until their deaths, while they were alive, Gaoyu had always followed the path they had arranged for him.

It wasn't until they passed away that Gaoyu developed his own will.

I see...

Aizen investigated me thoroughly.

Well, if he couldn't find that out, he wouldn't be Aizen.

Gaoyu blew out all the candles.

Even though he was already full and had drunk his fill, at this moment, he still cut a large piece of cake for everyone and himself.

"Thank you, thank you all,"

Gaoyu said sincerely, "I hope we can always gather like this in the future, and that no one will ever leave."

Although these words came from the heart, he knew it was an impossible wish.

Everyone...

Would eventually go their separate ways.

Like ripples in the river of fate, they would spread further and further, moving away from the center point...

And further and further away.

It was one thing for the others, but Aizen's current demeanor was all a facade. What about him?

Was his current heartfelt emotion genuine, or was it just an unconscious act of emotion, just like Aizen's?

Honestly, he wasn't even sure himself anymore.

Gaoyu glanced at Aizen. The latter seemed not to have noticed Gaoyu's gaze, still chatting and laughing with the others as they ate cake.

As a Captain, to be able to act to this extent was indeed very 'approachable.'

Whatever, the future is for the future!