It was already late at night when the drinking party broke up.
Aizen Sōsuke stood in the doorway with a gentle smile, his hands tucked into his wide sleeves.
He looked at Yan Si, his eyes curving slightly behind his lenses.
"It's been so long since we last shared a drink, Brother Yan Si. That was truly refreshing."
"Talking with you is always such a pleasure." His tone sounded almost nostalgic.
"We discussed so many things today that I'd never known before."
The curve of his lips deepened.
"I learned a great deal."
Hirako Shinji stood two paces behind them.
He wasn't smiling. His face was expressionless, his dead-fish eyes fixed on Yan Si's and Aizen's backs.
He studied the lines of their shoulders, the angles of their heads, the spacing of their steps.
Something kept feeling off.
Especially after Aizen said he had learned a great deal, Hirako's vigilance shot up.
His mind frantically replayed every exchange at the table, every expression, every clink of their cups.
But he found nothing: no obvious flaws, no slips of the tongue, no unusual fluctuations in reiatsu.
It was like a flawless performance.
Yan Si turned to Aizen and smiled too.
"Brother Aizen," he said, his voice steady in the night breeze.
"The world is a grand stage, and anyone can be its leading actor."
He raised a hand, spread his fingers, then slowly closed them into a fist.
"I just want everyone to have a chance to step onto it."
Aizen's pupils contracted slightly.
He lowered his head and reached up to adjust his glasses.
The lenses reflected the lantern light, hiding his eyes.
"I see. Thank you for the lesson."
Yan Si turned to Hirako and waved.
"Brother Hirako, let's have another drink sometime."
Hirako tugged at the corner of