Do You Like the President?

Kuchiki Residence.

When Rukia returned home after school and saw that Kuchiki Byakuya was there as well, she gathered her courage after some thought and went to greet him.

Kuchiki Byakuya was now the Lieutenant Captain of the Sixth Division, fully responsible for its affairs. Kuchiki Ginrei had actually already been preparing to hand the captaincy of the Sixth Division over to him, but because of the matter involving Kuchiki Byakuya's wife, a rift had remained between grandfather and grandson, and the matter had been shelved as a result.

But after what had happened with Rukia, one of Byakuya's concerns had been put to rest.

"Brother."

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

Rukia knelt there properly and stiffly, hesitating before she spoke. "Brother, when I returned to the Spirit Training Academy today, I was transferred to Class A... Did you help arrange it behind the scenes?"

Kuchiki Byakuya did not even raise his eyes. "Such a trivial matter is not worth my attention."

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

She had still underestimated the influence of the Kuchiki family. For something like her transfer to Class A, even without anyone from the Kuchiki family making a request, the academy's administration would have arranged it on their own.

Still, it was only natural that she lacked that awareness.

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

Only then did Kuchiki Byakuya glance at her calmly. "No one has any expectations of you. Just do not do anything that disgraces the Kuchiki name."

"..."

Rukia had not expected her elder brother to say something so cold. She truly could not fathom what he was thinking.

Why had they brought her to the Kuchiki Residence and adopted her in the first place?

"If there is nothing else, leave."

"... Yes."

Rukia returned to her room. It was cold and empty, and she ate dinner alone. Though it was far more exquisite than the food at the Spirit Training Academy, it did not taste good at all.

Would this be her life from now on...?

Rukia lowered her gaze as she thought.

The next day, she went to the Spirit Training Academy again under the escort of two servants, who would wait at the academy gates until school ended and take her home.

The moment she entered the classroom, many people proactively greeted her, some warmly and others respectfully. They addressed her as "Kuchiki."

Back in Class B, she had been little more than invisible. Yet after arriving in Class A, many people began taking the initiative to show her kindness.

Rukia had never thought that she could one day become so popular. Even the teachers treated her differently from the ones in Class B, their faces always full of smiles. She remembered that this teacher had taught a shared class for several first-year classes before, and his attitude back then had not been very good.

Rukia knew that all of this had come from the surname Kuchiki.

Among the current students of the Spirit Training Academy, the one with the most distinguished background was no more than the Student Council Vice President, Kasumi Oji Gorō. To many people, the Kǎxiá Dàlù Clan was already an untouchable existence.

The Four Great Noble Clans, meanwhile, were like people who lived above the clouds.

And being able to attend class with a member of one of the Four Great Noble Clans—even if she was only an adopted child—still made many people feel honored.

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

Rukia felt a little uncomfortable. "I don't really like this."

There were too many eyes on her, making her feel pressured. Since returning to the Spirit Training Academy, she felt as though people watched everything she did. No matter where she went, she was the center of attention.

Hinamori noticed her discomfort. Tilting her head, she suddenly grabbed Rukia's hand and rose. "Come on!"

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

Hinamori lowered her voice and smiled. "We're skipping class, of course."

"Eh? But..."

"It'll be fine. If the teacher asks, just say the Student Council has something to deal with."

Hinamori pulled Rukia out of the classroom, only to run straight into the teacher entering to begin the lesson.

"Kuchiki, Hinamori, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, Teacher Ishihara. The Student Council has something to handle, so we can't attend class for now."

Teacher Ishihara looked at Rukia with a genial smile. "That's fine. Go take care of your business. If you fall behind on anything and don't understand it later, you can come ask me."

The two of them walked out of the classroom openly and continued all the way out of the school building.

Rukia discovered that Hinamori was taking her to the Student Council office.

In truth, Rukia did not really want to skip class. The Kuchiki name made her feel that she had to become an outstanding student in both character and academics.

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

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

Rukia thought for a moment. "The President may be training."

They all knew that the President rarely attended class and understood that he spent much of his time training on his own.

Watching Hinamori sit directly in the seat where the President usually sat, Rukia could not help thinking that Hinamori had probably skipped class simply to come find the President...

Hinamori suddenly noticed an Asauchi hanging vertically on the wall behind the desk.

"Is this... the President's Zanpakutō?"

As she spoke, she took it in her hand. "The President is far too careless. How could he just leave his Zanpakutō here?"

Rukia said, "It would be inconvenient to carry a sword around at school all the time."

Thinking about it, Hinamori felt that was true as well. Hinamori Momo carefully examined the Asauchi in her hands. Its appearance was entirely unremarkable; it was the same kind of Asauchi they used in Swordsmanship Class.

She could not help drawing the blade from its sheath.

"Momoko..." Rukia could not help reminding her.

A Zanpakutō was an extremely personal item. She felt that what Hinamori was doing was very impolite.

Hinamori also realized it was inappropriate after hearing that and returned the Zanpakutō to its original place.

"Didn't the President go train? If he didn't bring his Zanpakutō, what could he be training?"

"That isn't clear... Kido, Hakuda, or Shunpo, perhaps."

Hinamori leaned back in the chair, letting out a satisfied sound. "The President's daily life is really enviable. No one at school manages him at all."

Rukia said, "But as Student Council President, he has also done many things for the school and the Student Council."

Hinamori Momo chuckled softly at that, staring straight at Rukia.

She simply looked at her without saying anything else, until Rukia began to feel uncomfortable.

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

Only then did Hinamori withdraw her gaze. She rested her chin on one hand against the desk while picking up a pen with the other and playing with it.

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

"..."

Rukia's heart abruptly lurched. Instinctively, she felt that Hinamori wanted to ask something that would make answering extremely difficult.

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

The office fell quiet. Hinamori stared at the pen spinning between her fingers. She had learned this pen-spinning trick from Xin, but she was not very good at it.

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

Hinamori let out a long breath, then said, "Forget it. I won't ask."

"..."

Rukia's eyes trembled. Pressing her lips together, she suddenly gathered her courage.

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

"Hm?" Hinamori looked at her casually.

Rukia clenched her hands, then loosened them again. The words lingered at her lips for a long while before she finally forced them out. "Do you... like the President?"

"Yes."

Hinamori Momo answered without the slightest hesitation, direct and open.

"Lots of people know I like the President. I never said it outright, but they can definitely tell. I never intended to hide it either."

"..."

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

After saying that, she stared intently at Rukia, seemingly waiting for what Rukia would say next.

But Rukia did not know what she should say or how she should say it. She had guessed what Hinamori had wanted to ask her earlier, and now regretted asking such a question herself.

Should she say something now?

Something like, Do you know that Senior Kanazawa likes the President too? Aren't you afraid there'll be competition?

But even if she asked, judging from Hinamori's attitude when answering just now, she could guess what Hinamori would say.

"Rukia, what about you?" Hinamori suddenly asked in return.

Rukia's breath caught, and her heart shook violently. She did not quite dare look at Hinamori anymore, and even her voice began to tremble. "I... What about me?"

A radiant smile appeared on Hinamori's face as she asked unhurriedly, "You... had already figured it out too, hadn't you?"

"..."

The office became deathly silent.

Knock, knock, knock—

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

Rukia let out a sharp breath of relief and immediately turned to look toward the door.

"Come in!"

A graceful figure pushed open the door. She wore a black Shinigami Robe, and both Rukia and Hinamori found her somewhat familiar, though neither could immediately remember where they had seen her.

But when they saw the lieutenant's armband on her sleeve, Hinamori immediately rose from the chair.

"May I ask who you are?"

The visitor smiled gently. "Sorry to disturb you. I came to see Tachikawa."

The Lieutenant Captain of the Fourth Division... Her name seemed to be Kotsubaki Kotone.

Hinamori Momo recalled who she was. Her unusually tall stature was far too eye-catching. On the day of the Cultural Festival, she had been the one following beside the Fourth Division Captain, had she not?

"You're Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, aren't you? The President isn't here right now," Hinamori Momo said at once.

A Lieutenant Captain of the Thirteenth Division was still an important figure beyond their reach.

Kotsubaki Kotone smiled softly at that. "I forgot that it's class time now. Then I'll wait for him."

"Please have a seat."

Hinamori and Rukia immediately began receiving their guest.

There was no tea in the office for entertaining visitors, so Rukia went to pour her a glass of water and brought it over.

"Thank you." Kotsubaki Kotone's features carried a touch of heroic spirit, but her brows were full of gentleness. Her voice was soft as well, somewhat at odds with her build.

"I remember you two. You performed on stage during the Cultural Festival, didn't you?"

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

Kuchiki?

There was a hint of surprise in Kotsubaki Kotone's eyes as she looked at Rukia.

News that the Kuchiki family had recently adopted a child had not spread much, so she did not yet know about it.

But she did not dwell on it, merely asking casually, "Isn't it class time now? You two are...?"

Rukia immediately felt a little embarrassed at that. Hinamori Momo's cheeks warmed as well. "The Student Council has some matters that need us to handle, so..."

She was too embarrassed to say that they had skipped class.

Kotsubaki Kotone understood and remarked, "It seems Student Council work really is quite busy. But don't let it cause you to fall behind in your studies."

"Yes, we'll remember that."

Kotsubaki Kotone thought Xin was currently in class, while Hinamori Momo and Rukia believed that Xin was probably training right now. If they waited, they had no idea how long it would take.

Rukia wondered whether she should go find the President and tell him that someone was waiting for him.

Hinamori Momo, meanwhile, took the initiative to start chatting with Kotsubaki Kotone again.

"Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, may I ask why you came to see our President?"

Kotsubaki Kotone smiled. "It's nothing much. I simply brought him some books."

"Books?"

"While sorting through my things earlier, I found several books related to healing arts. The Spirit Training Academy library probably doesn't have them. I suddenly thought Tachikawa might be interested, so I brought them to him."

Hinamori Momo secretly wondered whether people from the Fourth Division cared so much about their future subordinates, or whether he received such concern only because he was the President.

"You've really gone to a lot of trouble. The President will definitely be happy."

Kotsubaki Kotone smiled. "I think so too. Tachikawa should be quite interested in healing arts. Hinamori, what about you? What do you think of healing arts?"

Hinamori Momo's eyes immediately lit up. "I'm very interested in healing arts too!"

Hearing that Hinamori was interested in healing arts, Kotsubaki Kotone's impression of her immediately improved considerably. She said warmly, "Is that so? Then after graduation, you can consider joining our Fourth Division. The Fourth Division would be very happy to have you."

The two of them began discussing healing arts. Naturally, Hinamori did not know nearly as much as Kotsubaki Kotone, but Kotsubaki Kotone patiently answered her questions.

Rukia, standing to the side, intended to quietly leave and find the President. But just as she reached the door, it opened on its own.

"P-President?"

Xin stood in the doorway with wet hair, dressed not in his school uniform but in a light, casual outfit.

"Rukia?"

Xin looked farther inside, even more confused. "You two..."

Hinamori was also puzzled by Xin's appearance. "President, you...?"

Standing so close, Rukia caught the scent of body wash and shampoo on Xin. Looking at his wet hair, he seemed to have just taken a bath.

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

Hinamori: "..."

Rukia: "..."

Xin then looked at Kotsubaki Kotone. "Lieutenant Captain Kotetsu, why are you here?"