Seireitei
The Zhu Sibo family estate
Rough gray-white gravel covered the courtyard. Several towering old pines rustled in the dry wind, and weathered weapon racks stood along both sides of the corridor. A faint scent of metal and medicinal herbs hung in the air.
In the inner hall, Zhu Sibo Zhengyuan sat cross-legged behind a long camphorwood table.
He had taken off the white haori of the Fifth Division Captain and wore only a dark purple warrior's robe.
Across the table sat a woman who looked remarkably like him.
Zhu Sibo Yihua.
Though she was Zhengyuan's twin sister, Yihua had none of his fierce looks. Her features were delicate, fresh, and gentle.
She wore a pink patterned kimono. Her straight red hair had a fringe on the right, and a tied section fell over the front of her right shoulder.
Hmm. That was a dangerous hairstyle.
A pot of freshly brewed coarse tea sat on the table, white steam curling between them.
"Have you truly made up your mind?"
Zhengyuan's gaze rested on his sister's calm face.
"Zhengyuan."
Yihua watched a tender leaf circle in her tea. She lowered her eyes, and a trace of a healer's weariness crept into her smile.
"Because I'm tired. Captain Unohana has already approved my request to leave the division."
At the words Captain Unohana has already approved, Zhengyuan's fingers paused around his coarse pottery cup.
A tiny ripple spread across the tea.
Zhengyuan did not answer at once. He lowered his eyes to the rugged face reflected in the murky tea, a face that looked menacing even at rest.
As Fifth Division Captain, he knew better than anyone what the Fourth Division was like.
People thought the Fourth Division was a merciful refuge, a place where the wounded could rest.
But only those