Hinamori seemed to be earnestly savoring the warmth atop her head, but her tightly shut eyelids trembled involuntarily.
Just as Xin was about to withdraw his hand, Hinamori suddenly found the courage from somewhere and fiercely grabbed his hand with both of hers.
"President..."
Xin lightly brushed his knuckles against her cheek, but it left Hinamori looking as though she had lost something precious.
She suddenly regretted it. Perhaps she really should have made a more forward request.
"Hinamori?"
Xin called out with a soft chuckle.
Only then did Hinamori slowly release Xin's hand, which she had been clutching tightly.
She pursed her lips. "If anyone else made that kind of request, would you agree too, President?"
Of course not. If Shūbīng asked, I'd just kick him.
He lightly flicked Hinamori's forehead. "What are you thinking about all day?"
Hinamori muttered something under her breath, but Xin did not catch it.
"What did you say?"
Hinamori covered her forehead and repeatedly shook her head. "Nothing..."
Hinamori Momo Affection: 70
Hinamori's affection had finally settled on a number, and it was the highest among all the girls Xin had met.
Rukia had only just reached 60.
As the two girls' affection steadily rose during this time, Xin had also received increasingly more rewards.
Spiritual Pressure Level: Lv29 Zanpakutō Unlock Progress: 24% (Half-Release)
Through his own training, Xin had only raised his Spiritual Pressure Level by one level, while his Zanpakutō unlock progress had increased by merely 2%.
All the remaining improvements had come from system rewards.
A Spiritual Pressure Level of Lv29 would probably translate to above Fourth Class Spiritual Might in Soul Society's realm classifications.
Captains were at least Third Class Spiritual Might, while Fourth and Fifth Class Spiritual Might generally corresponded to Lieutenant Captain level.
In this extremely short period, Xin had achieved progress that would take others decades, or even centuries.
Without the system, his Spiritual Pressure would likely still be inferior to Toshiro Hitsugaya's innate Sixth Rank Spiritual Pressure.
The growth of Spiritual Pressure differed from Zanpakuto, Kidō, Hoho, and Hakuda. With astonishing talent and comprehension, one could make rapid progress in those four disciplines, but Spiritual Pressure could only be cultivated through long-term accumulation.
Fortunately, he had the system.
The afternoon class was Kido Theory Class, with several classes attending together in a large Lecture Hall.
After Hinamori entered the classroom, she spotted Rukia sitting alone by the window.
She walked over of her own accord.
"Mo... Momoko..."
Rukia was initially delighted to see her, but then seemed hesitant to speak.
Hinamori's feelings were somewhat complicated, though she still smiled. "Why didn't you wait for me? Did you eat lunch?"
Rukia nodded. "I ate with Renji and Kira. I thought you had something to discuss with the President, so I left first."
Renji and Izuru Kira had grown rather close lately. Renji had said that during one Swordsmanship Class, he had failed to hold back and injured Kira. Yet Kira had not taken it to heart; instead, he had even approached Renji first to make friendly overtures. The two had become good friends as a result.
After hesitating for a moment, Rukia said to Hinamori, "Momoko, there's something I want to tell you."
Hinamori sat beside her and interrupted with a smile. "No need."
"Huh?" Rukia froze. "But I haven't said it yet..."
"I know what you want to say, but there's no need." Hinamori Momo said, "Rukia, there's no misunderstanding between us, nor will there ever be one. Rukia, I know what kind of person you are, and I trust you."
Rukia fell silent. She recalled the words she had overheard outside the Student Council Office and unconsciously clenched her hand, only to slowly loosen it again.
"Mm." she responded softly.
At that moment, a book traced a graceful arc through the air and landed squarely on Rukia's head.
Rukia cried out in pain, then immediately knew whose prank it was.
"Renji!"
She glared furiously at the two people standing not far away. They were Renji and Kira.
Renji merely waved at her. "Save seats for Kira and me!"
With that, he left the Lecture Hall again with Kira.
Rukia casually tossed Renji's textbook onto the desk beside her and said indignantly, "That bastard Renji! He's awful!"
But Hinamori smiled. "Renji only acts like that around one person. Rukia, you're special to Renji, and he's special to you too, right? You're only truly relaxed when you're around Renji."
Rukia froze at her words. Hinamori had teased her about her relationship with Renji more than once, but hearing those words now, Rukia felt that Hinamori had ulterior motives.
Did she really want to set Renji and me up that badly...?
During class.
Hinamori and Kira listened attentively and took notes. Renji was nearly falling asleep, while Rukia's mind had wandered elsewhere.
She was thinking about the Kuchiki family coming to find her.
Rukia did not know anyone from the Kuchiki family, and no one in her class had the surname Kuchiki. There seemed to be no one in Class A with that surname either.
Why exactly had the Kuchiki family come looking for her?
Could it have been because there had been someone from the Kuchiki family in the audience when she performed during the Cultural Festival?
Because of what Xin had previously told her, she had instinctively begun to suspect that the Kuchiki family's purpose in finding her was related to that.
But Momoko should have been prettier than her, so why had they singled her out?
Rukia had little confidence in either her looks or figure. Among everyone she knew, she was the shortest.
The President told me not to worry. He'll definitely protect me, right...?
After class, Renji seemed to have slept enough and stretched lazily.
Rukia also came back to herself belatedly, regretting that she had wasted an entire class like this.
Renji called Kira over to train for Swordsmanship Class, but Kira said he was on Student Council duty today and could not go.
Renji pursed his lips and said he would go alone.
"Do you want to look at my notes?" Hinamori handed her notebook to Rukia.
"Thanks, Momoko. You really saved me." Rukia said hurriedly.
"What were you thinking about during class?" Hinamori asked with a laugh.
Rukia pondered for a moment. "It's about the Kuchiki family, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, coming to the Student Council today. The President said they came looking for me, and I'm a little worried..."
Hinamori comforted her, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen while the President is here."
Rukia still nodded with a worried expression. Watching Renji's retreating figure, she had not yet told him about this.
Another two days passed.
The Kuchiki family came again, and this time they still headed straight for the Student Council Office.
By coincidence, both Xin and Rukia were there this time.
The moment Rukia saw them, she grew nervous and instinctively hid behind Xin.
"Lieutenant Captain Kuchiki, we meet again." Xin said with a light laugh.
Kuchiki Byakuya silently watched Rukia standing behind Xin. Over the past two days, he had learned everything about Xin and Rukia.
There was nothing remarkable about Rukia. She was an orphan from Inuzuri District of the Rukon District, who had come to Seirei Academy with a man named Renji Abarai and joined the Student Council.
There was nothing outstanding in her record, and she was only in Class B.
In Kuchiki Byakuya's view, a position such as assistant to the Student Council President could hardly be considered outstanding.
This Tachikawa Xin, however, was rather surprising.
Kuchiki Byakuya spoke without expression. "Tachikawa Xin, I have something to discuss with Rukia. Would you please excuse yourself?"
Rukia hurriedly tugged at Xin's sleeve upon hearing this.
Xin remained composed. "Rukia is my assistant, and this is the Student Council. There is nothing here that requires me to excuse myself."
Rukia also gathered her courage and spoke. "If you have something to say, please say it directly."
Kuchiki Byakuya showed neither joy nor anger. He merely gestured to the elderly man beside him, who stepped forward and addressed Rukia.
"Rukia, would you be willing to enter the Kuchiki family and become a member of the Kuchiki family as an adopted child from this day forth?"
Promoting this book
"Three Kingdoms: I Am Not Liu Bian"
Synopsis:
Liu Bian carried Liu Xie's head in his left hand and gripped a blood-dripping sword in his right as he slowly walked toward the terrified Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty, I've decided. There can only be one Crown Prince today!"
"I want command over the troops of the Northern Army's Five Colonels!"
"Rebellious son, you...!"
"Please address me as Crown Prince, Your Majesty!"
Before you continue