Do You Like the President?

The Kuchiki residence.

Returning here after school, Rukia found Kuchiki Byakuya also at home. After a moment's thought, she mustered her courage to pay her respects.

Kuchiki Byakuya was now the Lieutenant Captain of the Sixth Division, fully responsible for its affairs. Kuchiki Ginrei had actually already prepared to hand over the captaincy of the Sixth Division to him, but previously, due to the matter of Kuchiki Byakuya's wife, there had been some discord between grandfather and grandson, and this matter had been shelved as a result.

Now, however, having gone through the incident with Rukia, it could be considered that one of Byakuya's worries had been resolved.

"Brother."

Kuchiki Byakuya was sitting in the living room reading a book. Seeing Rukia enter and kneel at the doorway, he merely gave a faint "Mm" in response.

Rukia knelt there very properly and stiffly, hesitating as she spoke: "Brother, I went back to the Spirit Training Academy today and was transferred to Class A... Was it Brother who helped behind the scenes?"

Kuchiki Byakuya didn't even lift his eyelids. "Such a matter doesn't warrant my concern."

Rukia's body tensed, and she quickly lowered her head. "I'm sorry, I spoke out of turn."

She had still underestimated the influence of the Kuchiki family. For her to be transferred to Class A, even without any member of the Kuchiki family needing to put in a word, the leadership of the Spirit Training Academy would have arranged it entirely on their own.

However, it was normal for her not to have this awareness.

Rukia continued, "I will continue to study hard at the Spirit Training Academy and will not disappoint the family's expectations and nurturing of me."

Only then did Kuchiki Byakuya calmly glance at her. "No one holds any expectations for you. Just don't do anything to disgrace the Kuchiki family name."

"..."

Rukia hadn't expected this elder brother to say such cold words. She truly couldn't fathom his thoughts.

Why had they taken her in to be adopted by the Kuchiki family in the first place?

"If you have nothing else, you may withdraw."

"...Yes."

Rukia returned to her room. It was quiet and lonely. She ate dinner alone. Though it was far more refined than what she'd had at the Spirit Training Academy, the taste was not good.

Was this the life she would have to endure from now on...

Rukia thought, her eyes lowered.

The next day, she was escorted to the Spirit Training Academy by two servants again. These two servants would wait at the academy gate until she finished school and returned.

As soon as she walked into the classroom, many people greeted her enthusiastically or respectfully, addressing her as "Kuchiki-san."

When she was in Class B, she had been practically invisible. But now that she was in Class A, many people were proactively extending goodwill toward her.

Rukia had never imagined she would one day be so popular. Even the teacher's attitude toward her was different from the teacher in Class B. A smile was always on their face. She remembered that this teacher had taught some general classes for first-year students before, and their attitude back then hadn't been very good.

Rukia understood clearly that all of this was brought to her by the surname Kuchiki.

Among the current students at the Spirit Training Academy, the one of the highest birth was none other than Student Council Vice President Kasumi Oji Gorō. The Kasumi Oji Clan was already an existence beyond the reach of many.

And the Four Great Noble Clans were like people living among the clouds.

Being able to study in the same class as a member of the Kuchiki family, one of the Four Great Noble Clans—even if only an adopted child—was still an honor for many.

"Rukia, you've really become a celebrity now," Hinamori said to her with a smile.

Rukia felt a bit uncomfortable. "I don't really like this, actually."

Too many eyes made her feel pressured. After returning to the Spirit Training Academy, she felt that no matter what she did, she was being watched, and wherever she went, she was the center of attention.

Hinamori noticed her awkwardness, tilted her head, and suddenly grabbed her hand, ready to stand up. "Let's go!"

Rukia was puzzled. "Where to? Class is about to start."

Hinamori lowered her voice and laughed. "Skip class, of course."

"Huh? But..."

"It's fine. If the teacher asks, we'll just say we had Student Council business."

Hinamori pulled Rukia out of the classroom. Right at the classroom door, they ran into the teacher who was coming in to start the lesson.

"Kuchiki-san, Hinamori-san, what's this?"

"Sorry, Teacher Ishihara. We have Student Council business, so we can't make it to class today."

This Teacher Ishihara looked at Rukia and said with a chuckle, "It's fine. Go ahead and take care of your business. If you fall behind and have any questions, you can come ask me."

The two of them walked out of the classroom brazenly like that and all the way out of the school building.

Rukia realized that the place Hinamori was taking her was the Student Council office.

Actually, Rukia didn't really want to skip class. The Kuchiki surname made her feel she had to be a student who excelled in both character and academics.

But when they arrived at the office, it was completely empty.

"The President isn't here?" Hinamori was a little surprised, and a little disappointed.

Rukia thought about it. "The President is probably training."

They all knew the President rarely attended class, and they also knew that the President spent most of their time training on their own.

She watched as Hinamori sat directly in the President's usual seat and couldn't help thinking that Hinamori had probably skipped class just to come looking for the President...

Hinamori suddenly noticed an Asauchi standing upright against the wall behind the desk.

"This is... the Student Council President's Zanpakutō?"

She said as she picked it up. "The President is so careless, how could he just leave his Zanpakutō lying around here like this."

Rukia then said, "It would be quite inconvenient to always carry a blade around at school, wouldn't it?"

Hinamori thought about it and agreed. As she spoke, Hinamori Momo carefully examined the Asauchi. From its appearance, there was nothing outstanding about it—it was the same type of Asauchi they used in Swordsmanship Class.

She couldn't help but draw the blade from its sheath.

"Momoko..." Rukia couldn't help but speak up in warning at the sight.

A Zanpakutō was an extremely personal item. She felt that Hinamori's action was very rude.

Hearing this, Hinamori also felt that what she was doing was inappropriate and placed the Zanpakutō back in its original position.

"The President went to train, didn't he? If he didn't bring his Zanpakutō, what kind of training would he be doing?"

"That's hard to say... Kido, Hakuda, Shunpo—it could be any of them."

Hinamori leaned back into the chair, letting out a contented sigh. "The President's daily life is really enviable. No one at school ever bothers him."

Rukia said, "But as the Student Council President, he's done a lot for the school and the student council."

Hinamori Momo let out a light laugh at this, her eyes fixed straight on Rukia.

She just stared like that, saying nothing else, until it made Rukia a little uncomfortable.

"Is there something on my face?" Rukia asked, touching her cheek.

Hinamori finally looked away, propping her cheek on one hand on the desk while the other picked up a pen and began to toy with it.

"Rukia, I have a question I want to ask you."

"..."

Rukia's heart suddenly jolted. She instinctively felt that the question Hinamori wanted to ask would be something very difficult for her to answer.

Her thoughts raced, but she steadied herself. "What is it?"

The office fell silent. Hinamori's gaze was fixed on the pen spinning between her fingers—a trick she'd learned from Xin, though she wasn't very good at it.

The pen slipped from her fingertips with a clatter onto the desk, and Rukia's heartbeat seemed to skip a beat along with it.

Hinamori let out a long breath, but then said, "Never mind, I won't ask."

"..."

Rukia's eyes flickered. She pressed her lips tightly together, then suddenly mustered her courage.

"Momoko, I have a question I want to ask you too."

"Hm?" Hinamori looked at her casually.

Rukia clenched her hands, then released them. The words lingered at her lips for a long moment before finally spilling out. "You... do you like the President?"

"Yes."

Hinamori Momo answered without any hesitation, clean and frank.

"A lot of people know I like the President. Even though I've never said it, they must all be able to tell. I've never thought about hiding it."

"..."

"And." Hinamori paused. "The President definitely knows too."

After she finished speaking, her gaze locked onto Rukia, as if waiting for Rukia's next words.

But Rukia didn't know what to say next, or how to say it. She had guessed what Hinamori was about to ask her earlier, and she somewhat regretted asking her own question.

Should she say something now?

Something like, "Did you know that Senior Kanazawa also likes the President? Aren't you afraid there might be competition?" or something along those lines...

But even if she asked, from the attitude Hinamori had shown in her answer just now, she could already guess what she would say.

"Rukia, what about you?" Hinamori suddenly turned the question around.

Rukia's breath caught, her heart pounding violently. She didn't dare look at Hinamori anymore, and even her voice began to tremble. "Me... what about me?"

A bright smile spread across Hinamori's face as she asked unhurriedly, "You... have you already figured it out too?"

"..."

The office was dead silent.

Knock, knock, knock~

The sudden sound of knocking broke the strange, stiff atmosphere in the room.

Rukia let out a huge sigh of relief and immediately turned her head toward the door.

"Come in!"

The door pushed open to reveal a graceful figure, clad in a black Shinigami Robe. Both Rukia and Hinamori found her somewhat familiar, but couldn't quite remember where they had seen her before.

However, noticing the vice-officer armband on her sleeve, Hinamori immediately sat up straight from her chair.

"You are?"

The visitor smiled gently. "Sorry to intrude, I'm here to see Tachikawa."

The Fourth Division's Lieutenant Captain... I think her name was Kotsubaki Kotone.

Hinamori Momo recalled who she was—that unusually tall figure was hard to miss. On the day of the Cultural Festival, she'd been the one accompanying the Fourth Division Captain.

"You're Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, right? The President isn't here right now," Hinamori said immediately.

A Lieutenant Captain of the Thirteenth Division was still a major figure beyond their easy reach.

Kotetsu Kotone chuckled softly at that. "I forgot it's class time now. I'll wait for him, then."

"Please, have a seat."

Hinamori and Rukia promptly began hosting their guest.

There was no tea for guests in the office, so Rukia poured a glass of water and brought it over.

"Thank you for the trouble." Kotetsu Kotone's features held a certain handsomeness, but her brows were full of softness, and her voice was gentle—quite mismatched with her stature.

"I remember you two. You performed on stage during the Cultural Festival, right?"

"Yes, I'm Hinamori Momo, and this is Kuchiki Rukia. We're both members of the Student Council."

Kuchiki?

Kotetsu Kotone looked at Rukia with slight surprise.

The news that the Kuchiki family had adopted a son hadn't spread much; she didn't know about it yet.

But she didn't dwell on it and asked casually, "Isn't class in session now? What are you two..."

Rukia felt a bit embarrassed at that, and Hinamori's cheeks warmed as she said, "There were some Student Council matters we needed to handle, so..."

She couldn't bring herself to say they'd skipped class.

Kotetsu Kotone understood and remarked, "It seems Student Council work keeps you busy. But don't let it affect your studies."

"You're right. We'll keep that in mind."

Kotetsu Kotone assumed Xin was in class, while Hinamori and Rukia thought he was training—waiting for him could take who knows how long.

Rukia considered going to find the President and telling him someone was waiting.

Hinamori, meanwhile, struck up conversation again.

"Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, may I ask what business you have with our President?"

Kotetsu Kotone smiled. "Nothing much. I just brought him some books."

"Books?"

"I found a few books on Kaidō while organizing things. The Spirit Training Academy's library probably doesn't have them. It occurred to me that Tachikawa might be interested, so I brought them over."

Hinamori thought to herself: Do people from the Fourth Division care this much about future subordinates? Or is it because he's the President that he deserves such attention?

"You went to so much trouble. The President will definitely be happy."

Kotetsu Kotone laughed. "I think so too. Tachikawa seems quite interested in Kaidō. What about you, Hinamori? What do you think of Kaidō?"

Hinamori's eyes lit up. "I'm very interested in Kaidō too!"

Hearing that Hinamori was interested in Kaidō, Kotetsu Kotone's impression of her improved greatly, and she said warmly, "Is that so? Then you might consider joining our Fourth Division after graduation. The Fourth Division would welcome you."

The two of them chatted about Kaidō. What Hinamori knew naturally couldn't compare to Kotetsu Kotone, but Kotetsu Kotone patiently answered her questions.

Rukia, standing to the side, thought about slipping out to find the President. Just as she reached the door, it opened on its own.

"P-President?"

Xin stood at the door with wet hair, not wearing his school uniform but a set of very casual clothes.

"Rukia?"

Xin looked further inside, even more puzzled. "You all..."

Hinamori was also confused by his appearance. "President, what are you..."

Standing close, Rukia caught the scent of body wash and shampoo on Xin, and seeing his damp hair, it seemed he'd just taken a shower.

Xin said casually, "I went to take a bath."

Hinamori: "..."

Rukia: "..."

Xin looked at Kotetsu Kotone. "Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, what brings you here?"