Interviewing Hinamori

On the day the Written Exam results were announced, a large notice board was set up in the Spirit Training Academy plaza, bearing only a few dozen names.

Countless people crowded forward to check the results. Some were disappointed, some delighted, while others beat their chests in despair.

Rukia was petite and simply could not squeeze her way to the front, so she could only call loudly to Renji Abarai near the front. "Renji, how is it?"

"Rukia, your name's there! You passed!"

Renji turned around and called out with a delighted expression.

At once, Rukia felt much more at ease. Then she asked, "What about you?"

Renji did not answer. He was also desperately searching for his own name, but after scanning the entire notice board twice from beginning to end, he still could not find it.

"N-No way..."

Realizing something, he widened his eyes and muttered.

After leaving the crowd, Rukia asked him, "What about you? Did you pass too?"

Renji Abarai scratched his head. "N-No. My name isn't on it."

Rukia froze at that, and the faint smile on her face faded. Pressing her lips together, she said, "I see..."

She immediately began comforting Renji. "Renji, you don't need to lose heart. The questions on this exam were all strange. At the Spirit Training Academy, the main thing is learning how to become a Soul Reaper. You were already amazing in Class A."

Looking utterly unconcerned, Renji put both hands on her shoulders and encouraged her instead. "It's fine. As long as your name was there, that's what matters. Rukia, you need to keep working hard for the interview too."

After hesitating briefly, Rukia said, "Actually, I never really wanted to join the Student Council..."

"What are you talking about?!" Renji interrupted her. "So many people applied, but only a few dozen passed the first round. The Student Council must be a great place, or they wouldn't be so strict about recruiting people. Rukia, you can't give up this opportunity so easily!"

"..."

Rukia looked intently into Renji's eyes. Seeing that they were full of sincere well-wishes, she gently nodded.

The day after the Written Exam was the day of the interviews.

Since only a few dozen students remained, the interview work was not especially burdensome.

Xin, Kasumi Oji Gorō, and the heads of every department had all arrived. They borrowed two adjacent classrooms, one for interviews and the other for students to sit and await their summons.

"Hello."

Rukia, who was sitting alone waiting, suddenly heard someone call to her. She discovered it was a girl about her age, with her hair in a bun and a sweet, lovely face.

"Hello." Rukia hurriedly stood and returned the greeting.

"Hello, my name is Hinamori Momo. I don't think we've met before. We're not in the same class, are we?" The girl seemed very friendly, with an enthusiastic smile on her face.

"I'm Rukia from Class B."

Yet Hinamori Momo showed no hint of disdain. Still smiling warmly, she said, "I see. I'm in Class A. I wonder what the interview will be about. The Written Exam questions were already tricky enough. I thought I wouldn't pass."

She naturally began chatting with Rukia. She had approached Rukia because there were not many girls in the classroom, and Rukia was the one who looked the most approachable.

"I never thought I'd pass either."

"So how did you answer those questions? For example, the one about being assigned to a Division you didn't want to join."

Rukia thought for a moment. "I wrote that either option was fine. Every Division was the same."

Hinamori Momo gave a soft "Huh?" Tilting her head, she asked, "That was an acceptable answer?"

"How did Hinamori answer it?"

Hinamori Momo looked troubled. "I wrote a whole lot. Basically, I said that while at the Spirit Training Academy, I would work hard with a particular Division as my goal. But if I were assigned to another Division, it would surely be because my superiors had carefully considered that I was better suited to it. I would reassess my strengths and weaknesses and work hard to do my job well in that Division... Was that too long-winded?"

Rukia quickly said, "Not at all. I think Hinamori, you considered things very thoroughly. If it were me, I definitely couldn't have written an answer like that."

She could not help recalling the brief answer Renji had given when they discussed the questions after the Written Exam... It seemed Renji really had no reason to resent being eliminated.

"Hinamori Momo! Hinamori Momo from Class A!"

At that moment, a senior Student Council member at the classroom door called out.

Hinamori Momo immediately stood and answered, "Here!"

She looked at Rukia. "I'll go first."

"Good luck!"

As soon as Hinamori Momo left the classroom, she saw a senior student speaking with a blond young man at the entrance to the other classroom.

"Congratulations on joining our Student Council, Kira. It's clear that the President thinks highly of you."

Did he pass? He seemed to be from Class A too...

Hinamori Momo found him somewhat familiar, but school had only recently begun, and she had not yet learned every classmate's face.

The two passed each other, and Hinamori Momo paused for a few seconds at the entrance to the other classroom. After taking several deep breaths, she walked inside.

The classroom felt very spacious and quiet. A neat row of desks had been placed by the podium, where several Student Council officers presumably sat. Hinamori Momo recognized the person in the center: Tachikawa Shin, the Student Council President, who had spoken onstage during the entrance ceremony.

Opposite them stood only a single, lonely desk.

Hinamori Momo walked over and found a sheet of paper on it. It resembled the Written Exam paper, and it too contained several questions.

Before she could examine them closely, someone among those seated spoke. "Hello, Hinamori. Please introduce yourself first. You may talk about what you consider your own strengths and talents, your hobbies and interests, and which department you would like to join if you enter the Student Council."

Because this was the first Student Council recruitment, there was no prior experience to draw upon. Hinamori Momo had spent the entire night thinking about what questions she might be asked in the interview.

Being watched by so many people instantly made her nervous. She felt as though even breathing had become difficult. After standing stiffly for a long moment, she finally bowed and said, "Seniors, I'm Hinamori Momo from first-year Class A..."

Her introduction was ordinary, even somewhat dry. She only said that she usually enjoyed reading and studying, that she hoped to make more friends at the Spirit Training Academy, and that she was fine with joining any department.

After finishing, Hinamori Momo felt that she had performed only so-so, and she grew even more nervous.

"Don't be nervous."

Xin, seated in the middle of the group, spoke with a faint smile. "Everyone here is still a student too. We're only a few years ahead of you, so there's no need to be nervous. It's just an introduction, so that we can get to know you. Don't overthink it."

That's the President...

Hinamori Momo looked at Xin, who sat there smiling. He was unexpectedly approachable, and that helped her relax considerably.

Asanobu Kanzawa glanced over from the side.

Hisagi Shūhei then said, "There is a set of questions in front of you. You have three minutes to read and consider them. After three minutes, we will question you. If you are ready beforehand, you may say so directly."

Only then did Hinamori Momo pick up the paper again. There were only three questions on it.

The first:

As a student of the Spirit Training Academy, you encountered a Menos Grande while traveling to the Human World for Soul Burial training. The senior leading your group chose to stay behind and cover your escape. What would you choose to do?

The second:

You are a member of the Student Council. The Student Council has only just been established, and many students of the Spirit Training Academy do not think highly of its existence. They believe it is useless. What would you do to change others' views of the Student Council?

The third:

You are the head of the Student Council's Finance Department. A holiday is approaching, and the Publicity Department comes to request funding because the Student Council wants to hold a campus event at the Spirit Training Academy. At the same time, Academy leadership asks you to spend money on a gift for every teacher. However, the budget can only cover one of these requests. What would you do?

After reading the questions, Hinamori Momo felt her head begin to ache. How could each one be trickier than the last?

She thought of the blond boy she had seen earlier and wondered how he had answered them.

None of these questions had fixed answers. Everything depended on one's eloquence and logic. Hinamori Momo stood there and thought seriously, her mind racing.

"I'm ready."

Rather than waiting for the three minutes to end, she spoke up midway through.

Hinamori Momo swept her gaze across the seated group. Like her, they were all students, only a few years older, yet she did not dare underestimate them in the slightest.

This President had spoken onstage at the entrance ceremony, and even after the Principal. He was certainly no simple figure.

And the person beside the President was dressed extravagantly and carried an air of nobility. He was obviously an aristocrat.

The questions were indeed tricky, but the trickier they were, the more Hinamori Momo felt she had come to the right place by joining the Student Council. This was not merely some childish organization for students to fool around in.

Hisagi Shūhei asked, "Please answer the first question."