Kyoraku Shunsui looked at the face of his elder brother Qingqiu quietly. In his impression, his expression had never been so calm.
"Shunsui, I'm sorry. I haven't been able to have a good chat with you as a brother... I didn't expect that this might be the only chance."
Shunsui looked at Qingqiu's face, and the image once again appeared in his mind when he was a child, when he was too naughty and was repaired by his elder brother.
That was many years ago, right?
I shouldn't have been very tall at that time. And what about my eldest brother? He seemed to be very young too.
However, no matter how Shunsui recalls it, he can never remember what his eldest brother looked like at that time.
He blinked in confusion and looked at Qingqiu's weathered face.
Facing Shunsui's speechlessness, Qingqiu showed some regret. The rebels had just attacked the convoy, and he was unable to dodge while lying on a stretcher. He was approached by a rebel Shunpo, who stabbed Saketsu.
This knife penetrated the abdomen, only a few inches away from the vital point.
"When your parents died, you were still young, too young to take care of yourself. But at that time, I was just an ordinary Spirit Arts Academy graduate.
Thanks to Lord Shihoin, I was allowed to enter 2nd Division directly. I finally got a place in Court Guard Squad. Although the Kyoraku House family is no longer as prosperous as when my parents were still alive, at least it can still be called Shihoin House's right-hand man."
Qingqiu paused, pursed his chapped lips tightly, and swallowed hard to relieve the discomfort in his throat.
Shunsui woke up from his daze, sat up straight and looked around, trying to find some drinkable water to moisten Qingqiu's throat.
This is a small outpost where Soul Reaper team members take a break and take shelter from the wind and rain during their inspections. In the corner, there happens to be a reserve of water cans.
Shunsui poured a small bowl of water, came to Qingqiu, carefully mixed it with his brother, and fed him to drink.
Qingqiu swallowed the last drop of water, exhaled with satisfaction, looked at his brother's face, and blinked slowly.
"At that time, you were just a brat who loved to play. Today, you are an adult who can take care of others and can fight - I heard others say that your performance in fighting today was very good, not bad..."
Shunsui put the water bowl aside and gently flattened Qingqiu so that he could lie down more comfortably. Faced with his elder brother's praise, he opened his mouth slightly but made no sound.
Qingqiu raised his hand, gently touched Shunsui's forehead, and said softly:
"I remember that at that time, my work in the team was very heavy. And you had no one to take care of you at home, only servants following you around every day. Although I miss you, I can't do anything about you.
Later, I got a promotion and you became a little more sensible. Then we moved from Seireitei to Danzhao.
Although I always scolded you at that time, I was actually very scared, brother. In the eyes of other little nobles, we were the stumbling block between them and Shihoin House. I don't know how many families are looking forward to getting close to Shihoin House.
At that time, I was afraid that you would be too naughty and fall into someone else's trap. So, I would always put on a bad face and scold you for being unmotivated...
Fortunately, you later entered Gen Private School and became a gifted student of the Spirit Arts Academy. I am very happy, but due to busy work, I have never had the opportunity to talk to you...
That time you were kidnapped, my heart nearly jumped out of my throat. But after seeing that you were fine, I blurted out and scolded you...
I am afraid that you will be too complacent and proud. Once you are impulsive, someone will seize the opportunity and cause harm to you.
You won't hate me for this, right?"
Kyoraku Seishu murmured in a low voice, recalling the past events between the two brothers. In the small space, his weak voice quietly surrounded him, and his words were full of worry about his younger brother.
Shunsui just looked at Qingqiu's face quietly, listened to his words, and nodded from time to time.
Although these past scenes were appearing in his mind frame by frame, he always had a very distant feeling, as if he was listening to something that had nothing to do with him.
Not long after, the wounds on Qingqiu's body began to bleed more and more seriously, and his face became paler.
Shunsui looked at Qingqiu who was getting weaker and weaker, and felt a very unreal feeling in his heart.
"This is all fake, right? It must be. 2nd Division Fourth Seat Kyoraku Seishu, when did you talk to your brother so tenderly... When he recovers, he will definitely deny that he ever said such words to me..."
Qingqiu coughed slightly, reached into his arms, and slowly took out a small hairpin.
There is a windshield pattern on the hairpin, which is small and delicate.
"This hairpin is a token of love between Kaori and I." He stretched out his hand and handed the hairpin to Kyoraku.
"Kaori Ise House comes from a female clan. That family only gave birth to daughters from generation to generation. In order to continue the family bloodline, they had to recruit sons-in-law.
In order to break the curse that 'Ise House's adopted son-in-law will never live long', she resolutely severed ties with her family and married me, Kyoraku House.
You know, Kyoraku House at that time was incomparable to Ise House of the priest family. For our happiness, Kaori really paid a lot..."
Qingqiu seemed to think of his beloved wife's face, and an unhealthy blush appeared on his face.
"I guess I'm about to die. From now on, the burden of Kyoraku House will fall on your shoulders. Don't pay attention to those stubborn old people who split up the family. After all, we are the main family.
However, my brother asks you to help me take good care of Kaori and my children. She gave up her family and future for me. Please ensure that she can have a peaceful and stable life after I can no longer take care of her..."
Shunsui stared at the hairpin blankly, and couldn't help but think that his sister-in-law Kaori seemed to have seen such a hairpin on her head.
After my sister-in-law married Kyoraku House, it seems that a lot of things have really changed. The family has become harmonious and much warmer.
Shunsui Even with my sister-in-law, I felt the long-lost family warmth.
In the past, when he was scolded so badly by his brother, he even imagined how great it would be if his parents had given birth to a sister for him. However, after Kaori married Kyoraku House, it seemed that this fantasy had become a reality.
Kaori will care about his daily life and whether he has enough food and clothing. In the few months since she got married, she has even cared more about herself than Qingqiu has in her entire life.
Unfortunately, later on, I left home and went to Gen Private School.
Shunsui looked at the windmill hairpin in front of him and forgot to respond to Qingqiu. He had only one thought in his mind: What are you talking about? Do you want to leave your sister-in-law alone? Stop dreaming, you bastard, get well quickly and make her happy by yourself! It took a lot of effort for me to feel at home at home!
The two brothers fell into a brief silence. Behind them, the secret door of the outpost quietly opened, and the face of Lin Nan appeared from behind the door.
Seeing the appearance of the two of them, Lin Nan was filled with astonishment. As a reader of the original work, he immediately understood what the scene in front of him represented.
Kyoraku Seishu, is about to finish his life.
Facing his brother's silence, Qingqiu was a little anxious. He shook the hairpin in his hand towards Shunsui, but still got no response.
Seeing this, Lin Nan hurriedly gestured behind him, asking Ukitake to also enter the outpost. Then he closed the secret door of the outpost to avoid being discovered by the outside world.
The slight disappointment on Qingqiu's face was immediately wiped away after seeing Lin Nan.
"Ah, Lin Nan, you, you are here..." He stretched out his hand to Lin Nan.
Lin Nan quickly stepped forward, leaned down and held Qingqiu's hand.
"Thanks to you, I saved Shunsui's life... You are my Kyoraku House's benefactor, thank you..." Qingqiu struggled to get up.
Lin Nan quickly reached out and gently pressed his shoulders. "Shunsui and I are good friends, so there's no need to be so polite."
As he spoke, he turned his head and glanced at Shunsui: "In my words, our relationship is called 'brothers'."
Qingqiu blinked in confusion, then understood what Lin Nan meant, and nodded with satisfaction. "Then I'm relieved. You are all Captain-Commander's proud disciples, and you will definitely achieve a lot by helping each other in the future..."
Seeing the unnatural blush on Qingqiu's face, Lin Nan couldn't help but feel nervous, and quickly comforted her softly, "Don't get excited, speak slowly."
Qingqiu took a long breath, and then said with relief, "As the eldest brother, I failed to fulfill my responsibility. Shunsui may not understand me, but I still want to ask you to help me take care of Kyoraku House when it is convenient..."
His tone became weaker and weaker, and his voice became smaller and smaller.
Lin Nan quickly squeezed his hand. "Don't get excited! If you have anything to say, please slow down before speaking!..."
Qingqiu didn't seem to hear what Lin Nan said. While he spoke softly to Lin Nan, his eyes were staring straight at Shunsui. The hand holding the hairpin tightly stretched out slowly in front of him again.
Lin Nan glanced at the hairpin held in his pale hand involuntarily.
But the hand holding the hairpin suddenly dropped and lay limply on the floor.
"Ding~" The hairpin fell to the ground and made a crisp sound.
The hand held by Lin Nan also fell to the ground feebly and opened in vain, as if trying to hold something, but in the end it was empty.
Kyoraku Seishu, passed away.
Lin Nan sighed with some regret and closed Qingqiu's eyes. Ukitake behind him also lowered his head silently at this time.
On the side, Kyoraku Shunsui stared blankly at his elder brother's face, and then looked at the hairpin that fell in front of him with a dull look.
He picked up the hairpin at an extremely slow speed and looked at it carefully before his eyes.
"Kyoraku. We..." Lin Nan spoke several times, but faced with the silent Kyoraku, he didn't know how to comfort him.
He looked at Ukitake, who also lowered his head sadly.
Just when he turned his attention back to Kyoraku and wanted to say something, Kyoraku's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Lin Nan. Is he dead?"
Lin Nan looked at Kyoraku in surprise, not knowing why he asked this.
I saw Kyoraku Shunsui's eyes full of tears, looking at him blankly:
"I still have a lot of things I want to say to him. Why did he die like this?"