The few children nearby all froze slightly when they saw Aizen.
It took them a moment to realize that the man before them, with his sharply defined features and a faint smile on his lips, was actually Aizen!
After all, the Aizen they remembered wore a pair of dark glasses, had a gentle expression, and often wore a warm smile.
Though the Aizen standing before them now was smiling, he somehow inspired a faint sense of awe. They didn't dare act carelessly in front of him.
Just then, Aizen turned his gaze toward them, his lips curving slightly as he said softly,
"It's been a long time, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato."
The three children each reacted differently to Aizen's words.
Konan's face lit up with delight. A faint blush mingled with the color in her cheeks, and she gave a soft little "Mm."
Yahiko's usual carefree grin faded, and he looked at Aizen, unsure of what to do.
Nagato, meanwhile, gazed at Aizen with a resolute expression. A hint of reverence flashed in his strange Rinnegan, its irises marked by concentric rings.
Aizen slowly made his way toward the Lake Pavilion where the others were. Oni quietly withdrew and stood to one side.
He wouldn't dare overstep in front of this lord.
Aizen glanced at the tea brewing on the table in the pavilion, the corners of his mouth lifting. He looked at Tamako, who was kneeling inside, and chuckled.
"You've become even more skilled at brewing tea, Tamako."
At Aizen's praise, Tamako's fair cheeks flushed slightly.
She had long since shed the aura of peerless intelligence that had once made her seem so imposing. Now she was like a gentle, well-behaved young woman. Her cheeks rosy, she quietly shifted aside to make room and respectfully welcomed Aizen to sit.