Interview Hinamori

When the written exam results were posted, a large notice board was set up in the plaza of the Spirit Training Academy, bearing a scant few dozen names.

Countless students crowded forward to check the results—some dejected, some overjoyed, and a few beating their chests in frustration.

Rukia, being petite, couldn't push her way through the crowd, so she had to call out loudly to Renji Abarai, who was at the front: "Renji, how is it?"

"Rukia, your name's here—you passed!"

Renji turned his head and shouted back with a delighted expression.

Hearing this, Rukia's mood lightened considerably, and she asked further, "What about you?"

Renji didn't answer. He was still frantically searching for his own name, scanning the entire notice board from top to bottom twice without finding it.

"No... no way..."

He realized what that meant, his eyes widening as he muttered under his breath.

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

Renji Abarai scratched his head. "No... no, my name wasn't on there."

Rukia froze for a moment, the faint smile on her face fading. She pressed her lips together and said, "I see..."

She immediately tried to comfort him: "Renji, you don't need to be discouraged. The questions on this exam were all really strange. At the Spirit Training Academy, the main thing is learning how to become a Soul Reaper, and you're already in Class A—that's impressive enough."

Renji put on a carefree expression, then placed both hands on her shoulders to cheer her on. "It's fine. The important thing is that your name was there, Rukia. Keep up the hard work for the interview."

Rukia hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually, I wasn't all that keen on joining this Student Council in the first place..."

"What are you saying!" Renji cut her off. "With that many people signing up and only a few dozen passing the first round, this Student Council must be something special—that's why they're so strict with recruitment. Rukia, you can't just give up on this chance!"

"..."

Rukia stared intently into Renji's eyes, and seeing nothing but sincere encouragement there, she gave a slight nod.

The day after the written exam was the day of the interviews.

With only a few dozen students left, the interview workload wasn't too heavy.

Shin, Kasumi Oji Gorō, and all the department heads were present. They borrowed two adjacent classrooms—one for conducting the interviews, and the other for students to sit and wait for their turn.

"Hello."

Rukia, who had been sitting alone waiting, suddenly heard someone call out to her. She turned to find a girl about her own age, with her hair tied up in a bun, her face delicate and cute.

"Hello." Rukia quickly stood up and returned the greeting.

"Hi, I'm Momo Hinamori. I don't think we've met before—we're not in the same class, are we?" The girl seemed very friendly, a warm smile on her face.

"I'm Rukia, from Class B."

Momo Hinamori showed no sign of disdain; her warmth remained undimmed as she said cheerfully, "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 myself."

She naturally struck up a conversation with Rukia. The reason she'd approached her was that there were very few girls in the entire classroom, and Rukia was the most pleasant-looking one.

"I never thought I'd pass either."

"So how did you answer those questions? Like the one about being assigned to a division you didn't want to go to."

Rukia thought for a moment and said, "I wrote that I'd be fine with any division—they're all the same to me."

Momo Hinamori let out a curious "Huh?" and tilted her head. "Writing it like that works?"

"How did you answer it, Hinamori?"

Momo Hinamori's face took on a troubled look. "I wrote a whole lot. Basically, I said that during my time at the Spirit Training Academy, I'd work hard toward a specific division as my goal, but if I got assigned to a different one, it must be because the higher-ups carefully considered that I'd be a better fit there. I'd re-evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and strive to do a good job in that division... Was that too long-winded?"

Rukia quickly replied, "Not at all. I think you thought it through very thoroughly, Hinamori. I could never come up with an answer like that."

She couldn't help but recall discussing the exam questions with Renji afterward—his answer had been so short and blunt... It was no wonder he'd been cut.

"Momo Hinamori, Class A's Momo Hinamori!"

Just then, a senior Student Council member called out from the classroom doorway.

Momo Hinamori immediately stood up and answered, "Here!"

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

"Good luck!"

As Momo Hinamori stepped out of the classroom, she saw a senior male student talking to a blond young man at the door of the other room.

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

So he passed too... He looks like he's from Class A as well...

Momo Hinamori thought he seemed familiar, but since school had only just started, she hadn't yet learned everyone in her class.

They passed each other without a word. Momo Hinamori stood at the door of the other classroom for a few seconds, took a few deep breaths, and walked in.

The room was very spacious and quiet. At the podium, a row of desks was neatly arranged, occupied by what seemed to be the Student Council's inner circle. The person seated in the center was someone Momo Hinamori recognized—Tachikawa Shin, the Student Council President, who had spoken at the entrance ceremony.

Across from them sat a single, solitary desk.

Momo Hinamori walked over and noticed a piece of paper on it, much like the exam sheet from the written test. This one also had several questions written on it.

Before she could examine it closely, someone among the seated group spoke up: "Hello, Hinamori. Please begin by introducing yourself—tell us what you consider your strengths, your hobbies and interests, and, if you were to join the Student Council, which department you'd like to be in."

Since this was the first-ever Student Council recruitment, there was no historical precedent to draw from. Hinamori Momo spent the entire night thinking about what questions she might be asked during the interview.

Suddenly being stared at by so many people made her nervous inside. She felt her breathing grow uneven. After standing frozen for a long moment, she bowed and spoke: "Senpais, I am Hinamori Momo from Class A, first-year student..."

Her self-introduction was very ordinary, even a bit dry. She only said she usually liked reading and studying, hoped to make more friends at the Spirit Training Academy, and as for which department she wanted to join, she said any would be fine.

After finishing, Hinamori Momo also felt her performance was mediocre, and her heart grew even more tense.

"Don't be nervous."

The man seated at the center of the group smiled as he spoke. "Everyone sitting here now is also a student, just a few years ahead of you. So there's no need to be nervous. It's just a self-introduction, letting us get to know you. Don't overthink it."

It's the President...

Hinamori Momo looked at the smiling man sitting there. He was unexpectedly approachable, which relaxed her quite a bit.

Asanobu Kanzawa shot a glance over from the side.

Hisagi Shūhei then spoke again: "Now there's a set of questions in front of you. You have three minutes to review and think. After three minutes, we'll start questioning you. If you finish preparing early, you can also indicate that directly."

Hearing this, Hinamori Momo picked up the paper again. There were only three questions on it.

First:

[As a student of the Spirit Training Academy, you encounter a Great Hollow during a Soul Burial internship in the Human World. The senior leading the team chooses to hold the rear and tells you to flee. What is your choice?]

Second:

[You are a member of the Student Council. The Student Council has just been founded, and many students at the Spirit Training Academy are not optimistic about its existence, thinking it useless. What would you do to change others' views of the Student Council?]

Third:

[You are the head of the Student Council's Finance Department. A festival is approaching. The Publicity Department comes to you requesting funds for a campus event to be held at the Spirit Training Academy. At the same time, the academy's leadership also approaches you, hoping you can spend money to buy a gift for every teacher. But the budget can only cover one of these. What would you do?]

After reading these questions, Hinamori Momo felt a headache coming on. How was each one more tricky than the last?

She thought of the blond boy she had seen earlier, wondering how he had answered.

These questions had no fixed answers; it all depended on your eloquence and logic. Hinamori Momo stood there and began to think seriously, her mind racing.

"I'm ready."

She didn't choose to wait until the three minutes were up but signaled midway.

Hinamori Momo's gaze swept over the people sitting there. They were all students like her, just a few years ahead. But she dared not underestimate them in the slightest.

This President had been able to speak on stage at the entrance ceremony, right after the principal. He was definitely no simple character.

And the person beside the President had extraordinary clothing and a noble bearing, clearly an aristocrat.

These questions were indeed tricky, but the trickier they were, the more she felt she had made the right choice in coming to the Student Council. This wasn't just some small-time organization for students to play around in.

Hisagi Shūhei then asked: "Please answer the first question."