Retsu Unohana looked puzzled, but Rangiku Matsumoto tugged at her and cheered, "Hana-nee... let's drink! That business with the Sōkyoku has been driving me crazy these past few days. Now things have finally settled down! We're all here together, so let's forget about everything else!"
Retsu Unohana smiled gently and took a sip of sake. Rangiku Matsumoto, on the other hand, drank deeply, without a care for how much she had!
Her gusto made Shunsui Kyoraku smile. "You can hold your liquor! Let's keep drinking!"
The two began matching each other drink for drink. Gin Ichimaru quietly joined them and sipped his wine, smiling as he watched Rangiku Matsumoto. There was tenderness in his gaze, but also heartache and a hint of sorrow.
Ren, who was watching them, saw Gin Ichimaru's expression clearly. He also knew Gin Ichimaru served Aizen solely to take revenge and reclaim what belonged to Rangiku Matsumoto. What Gin Ichimaru felt for her had gone beyond all limits.
Ren shook his head and thought no more of it. He simply went on sipping his drink and eating.
As time passed, no more Death God captains came to the table across from him.
Ren looked over the captains who had arrived and said calmly, "Not many showed up. Even Aizen, whom I was hoping to see, didn't come."
Aside from Kenpachi Zaraki, Retsu Unohana, and Toshiro, the captains present were Shunsui Kyoraku, Jūshirō Ukitake, and the uninvited Gin Ichimaru. That was all; none of the other division captains had come.
Aizen, in particular, seemed unlikely to come at all.
Nemu Kurotsuchi said, "Lord Ren... Aizen never drinks, and he's never attended a gathering of captains. Even at gatherings hosted by the Captain-Commander, he only drinks tea. I don't think he'd ever come to one like this."
Ren