Sunset

"Not bad!" Shadow appeared in front of Kaien Shiba and said coldly, "If Lady Yoruichi really likes..."

"Bang!"

Yoruichi Shihōin punched Shadow on the head, her face dark as she said in a low voice, "Shut up!"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!"

Shadow answered without even frowning, then glanced at Kaien Shiba.

But that glance startled Kaien Shiba. He grabbed his younger sister beside him and hurriedly warned, "Kukaku, remember, never say things like that carelessly again!"

"Why?"

Kukaku Shiba was not someone easily fooled. There was something strange about this!

"Why do you have so many questions?" Kaien Shiba said helplessly. "Just remember what I told you!"

"Got it!"

Seeing that she could get nothing out of Kaien Shiba, Kukaku Shiba lost interest. She turned to Yoruichi Shihōin, pointed at Shadow, and asked, "Yoruichi, who is he?"

"Merely Lady Yoruichi's shadow."

Before Yoruichi Shihōin could speak, Shadow answered with an indifferent expression.

"Yoruichi's shadow?"

Kukaku Shiba was astonished. What was going on? She had only been apart from Yoruichi Shihōin for a few days, yet now there was a Shadow who looked incredibly strong. Even her brother was so wary of him.

After looking Shadow up and down, Kukaku Shiba rubbed her chin and nodded. "Very good. He's a cool guy!"

Seeing that Shadow showed no sign of speaking, Yoruichi Shihōin shook her head helplessly. Shadow was good in every way, but so far, his only flaw was that he was too cold.

Her golden eyes turned as Yoruichi Shihōin smiled slyly. Fine! The Shadow reformation plan would officially begin today.

Suddenly, as though recalling something, Yoruichi Shihōin said, "Kukaku, Kaien, have you heard? The heir of the Kuchiki family will be born soon!"

"Ah."

Both Kaien Shiba and Kukaku Shiba looked completely unconcerned.

Yoruichi Shihōin was not at all surprised by the Shiba siblings' reaction.

"I heard from Father that the Kuchiki family will hold a grand banquet then. It seems the Shiba Family is among those invited too!"

"The Kuchiki family really is loaded," Kukaku Shiba said with a curl of her lip.

"Well, it is Uncle Sōjun's son," Yoruichi Shihōin said with a smile. "And he'll be the Kuchiki family's future heir!"

The Shihōin family and the Kuchiki family had always shared a deep friendship. By the generation of Shihōin Shanqing and Ginrei Kuchiki, they were as close as two branches on the same tree, and the two families had continually maintained marital ties.

The Shihōin family also had a good relationship with the Shiba Family, not merely because of Yoruichi Shihōin and the Shiba siblings.

However, the Kuchiki family and the Shiba Family were not on good terms. Especially after the Shiba Family declined, they had almost ceased all contact.

Not just the Kuchiki family—throughout the entire Seireitei, the only noble family that still associated with the Shiba Family was the Shihōin family.

Even the smaller noble families attached to the Shiba Family had begun paying lip service while acting otherwise.

But no matter what, the Shiba Family had once been one of the Five Great Noble Families. For a banquet like this, they still had to be notified. As for whether they attended, that was no longer the hosts' concern.

Matters among noble families were complicated. Kaien Shiba understood, Kukaku Shiba understood, and Yoruichi Shihōin understood as well. So she did not press them. Whether they went or not was something the Shiba Family would have to discuss themselves.

"But after the child is born, we can secretly carry him out to play!" Yoruichi Shihōin said with a giggle, her eyes constantly shifting.

"Secretly carry him out?" Kaien Shiba was startled.

"That's right!" Yoruichi Shihōin nodded, smiling mischievously. "Don't you think it'd be fun to teach the Kuchiki family's future heir a lesson?"

"That really is a bold idea," Kaien Shiba said speechlessly. "Aren't you afraid of being discovered? This isn't something to joke about!"

"Coward." Yoruichi Shihōin shot Kaien Shiba a contemptuous sideways glance.

"This isn't about being a coward!"

Kaien Shiba turned away helplessly, only to discover even more speechlessly that his own sister looked eager to try. He immediately gave a bitter smile.

"Yoruichi, you really are something!" Kukaku Shiba asked excitedly, "But the Kuchiki family is heavily guarded. How are we supposed to carry him out?"

Kukaku Shiba had never been a settled sort. Put another way, how could anyone who became friends with Yoruichi Shihōin possibly be well-behaved? The two were quite alike in some ways.

Hearing that, Yoruichi Shihōin said carelessly, "It's fine, Kukaku. Shadow can enter the Kuchiki family estate. I guarantee no one will notice!"

Kaien Shiba did believe that. He had seen Shadow's strength before, but...

"You're not going to fool around with them too, are you?"

"As long as Lady Yoruichi is happy."

Hearing Shadow's cold voice, Kaien Shiba instantly broke down. Then, the next moment, he heard his sister Kukaku Shiba's voice again.

"Can you really do it? That's the Kuchiki family... Ah! Big Brother, what are you doing?!"

Ignoring Kukaku Shiba's words, Kaien Shiba dragged her aside and began educating her.

Yoruichi Shihōin turned to Shadow and asked, "Is this idea really that bold?"

"No." Shadow shook his head. "You worry too much, Lady Yoruichi."

"Is that so?" Yoruichi Shihōin blinked her large golden eyes and pursed her lips. "Actually, I might have just been joking!"

"Ah!!!"

Night had already fallen, and the sunset had dyed the entire sky red. Beneath the setting sun that seemed infinitely close to the heavens, the white clouds were gilded with a sacred crimson glow. From time to time, a few birds flapped their wings, chirping as they flew into the distance.

As they left the Shiba Family estate, a cold wind swept over them. Leaves were blown from the trees, fluttering up before falling to the ground.

Yoruichi Shihōin bent down, picked up a withered yellow leaf, and looked toward the horizon.

"Before we knew it, winter is almost here!"

"Yeah! It's getting colder and colder."

Kukaku Shiba puffed on her pipe, exhaling a ring of smoke as she watched it gradually vanish before her eyes.

"Honestly, Kukaku!" Yoruichi Shihōin looked at Kukaku Shiba helplessly. "How did you put that pipe in your mouth again after only a moment? Aren't you afraid Kaien will scold you?"

"Big Brother isn't here right now anyway!" Kukaku Shiba said with a curl of her lip. "Besides, I've held back for a whole day. If I don't take a puff now, you can just wait to collect my corpse!"

"Is it really that serious?"

"Mhm, mhm!"

Kukaku Shiba nodded instinctively, but then she realized something and turned around in shock. "Big Brother!"

"If not me, who did you think it was?" Kaien Shiba sighed and rubbed his nose. "Come with me to Rukongai tomorrow and hand out food to the residents. Consider it your punishment for secretly smoking your pipe!"

"Got it!" Kukaku Shiba nodded, smiling with satisfaction.

Suddenly, snow began to drift down from the sky. Under the setting sun's light, the snowflakes that had originally been white as salt were dyed like falling cherry blossoms, and the entire world seemed to suddenly become a realm of cherry blossom snow.

Though none of them knew why it was snowing at this time, its beauty made them unable to help falling in love with the exquisite scene.

Yoruichi Shihōin stood where she was, unable to stop herself from smiling. The curve of her lips was not her usual mischievous or sly smile, but a gentle one. It was beautiful and deeply moving.

Shadow stared blankly at that smile, suddenly feeling something indescribable. But what exactly was that feeling? Shadow did not know.

"Shadow! Shadow!!!"

Shadow abruptly came back to his senses. Looking at Yoruichi Shihōin before him, he could only set aside the thoughts in his heart.

"Lady Yoruichi, are we going back?"

"Mhm."

Yoruichi Shihōin nodded and nimbly climbed onto Shadow's back. "What were you thinking about just now?"

"Nothing, Lady Yoruichi."

The sun had completely set. In Rukongai, a black figure flashed past, carrying a yawning girl on his back.