Byakuya Kuchiki

"Is Yoruichi still asleep or something?" Kūkaku Shiba complained. "Why isn't she here yet?"

"Yeah, maybe she's too scared to come because she's only a Third Seat!" Hiyori Sarugaki was as arrogant as ever.

"But I heard Yoruichi has already learned Bankai!" Mashiro Kuna pouted and shot Hiyori Sarugaki a sidelong glance. "And you, Hiyori..."

"..." Hiyori Sarugaki was defeated.

"Maybe something came up!" Kaien Shiba stroked his chin, looking inscrutable.

"Is that so?" Kensei Muguruma folded his arms and lifted his chin. "Even that guy Urahara is here!"

"..." Kaien Shiba was defeated.

"What does that have to do with me?" Kisuke Urahara looked baffled.

"Hey, they're here. Yoruichi and Shadow." Lisa Yadomaru pushed up her glasses and spoke calmly.

Sure enough, two figures approached one after the other. The one in front had short purple hair, bronzed skin, and wore the Punishment Force's tight combat uniform beneath an orange jacket. A black ribbon was tied around her neck, and a trace of sleepiness still lingered in her amber eyes as she yawned. It was Yoruichi Shihōin.

A step behind her was a man with messy black hair, a few strands hanging beside his ears. He wore a forehead protector, black fitted clothes, fingerless gloves, and carried a pitch-black Zanpakutō on his back. His sharply defined handsome face was full of indifference. It was Shadow.

"You're late, Yoruichi!"

Kūkaku Shiba and Hiyori Sarugaki both rose to their feet and shouted.

"Sorry!"

Yoruichi Shihōin gave an awkward laugh, sat down, and rubbed her head. "I overslept yesterday, but it's all Shadow's fault. Who told him not to wake me up?"

"..."

Everyone was speechless. Please, asking Shadow to wake her up was clearly impossible.

Seeing Yoruichi Shihōin's innocent expression, then looking at Shadow standing behind her with a cold face as if he had heard nothing, everyone fell silent in defeat.

"Shadow, grilled fish slices and pumpkin cakes! Pass me that tempura and rice crackers too!"

While eating, Yoruichi Shihōin gestured at Shadow beside her, ordering all sorts of things she could not reach.

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi..."

Shadow skillfully set plate after plate in front of Yoruichi Shihōin, busily running about.

Looking at the towering stack of plates not far behind Yoruichi Shihōin, Kūkaku Shiba and the others could only sigh helplessly and awkwardly. That was just too... embarrassing!

But Shadow did not see it that way. Watching Yoruichi Shihōin continuously stuff food into her mouth while muttering something, a nearly imperceptible smile rose at the corner of his lips. Lady Yoruichi was still the same as ever.

"Hey, hey, listen." The overly familiar Kaien Shiba leaned over and whispered, "Don't you think this is pretty humiliating?"

Shadow said nothing, merely giving him a casual glance. Yet the look in his eyes, as though he were staring at an idiot, instantly petrified Kaien Shiba. Fine! He admitted it—he had just asked the stupidest question of his life.

"Hey! Yoruichi, aren't you afraid you'll eat yourself to death?" Kūkaku Shiba asked helplessly, puffing on her pipe.

"Shut up."

Yoruichi Shihōin mumbled indistinctly, took the cup Shadow handed her, and drained it in one gulp. "Shadow, bring me some more fish slices and sesame cakes..."

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi!" Shadow answered.

"..." Kūkaku Shiba slapped her forehead. Fine, she had been too naive.

"Ugh."

At another table, Shihōin Shanqing decided with a headache to ignore Yoruichi Shihōin's "savage" eating and Shinji Hirako's occasional strange smiles.

With his face flushed red from drinking, Shunsui Kyōraku staggered over and stammered, "Shadow, kid, how about joining the Eighth Division? I'll give Lisa to you!"

"Hey, Yoruichi!" Hiyori Sarugaki nudged the happily eating Yoruichi Shihōin. "Someone's trying to poach your man!"

"It's fine!" After swallowing the food in her mouth, Yoruichi Shihōin said unconcernedly, "If he can poach him, then let him try!"

Then she buried her head back in the sea of food, leaving Hiyori Sarugaki with a dark expression and twitching lips. Come on, could she at least take this seriously?

"Shadow!"

"Lady Yoruichi, do you still need... mmph!"

The instant he opened his mouth, a pastry was shoved into it. Shadow choked and coughed twice, while Yoruichi Shihōin grinned slyly.

Yes, victory!!!

The gathering was lively. The squad members drank and chatted together while a breeze swept past, scattering cherry blossoms through the sky like snow. They fell onto the plates, adding a unique flavor to the food.

As the party reached its peak, the squad members hooked arms around each other's shoulders, held up their cups, and sang songs that had no discernible tune at all. Seeing them howl as though their hearts were being torn apart, one could not help fearing they would collapse the next moment.

"So you're Shadow! I heard your Swordsmanship is impressive!"

Just as Shadow placed another plate piled with food before Yoruichi Shihōin, a childish yet proud voice sounded behind him.

In an instant, everyone was stunned. Kūkaku Shiba even forgot to smoke the pipe at her lips. Only Yoruichi Shihōin and Shadow, the people involved, did not even raise their heads, as though they had heard nothing.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Don't ignore me!"

The boy behind Shadow was enraged by his attitude. He was the heir of the Kuchiki family, the foremost of the Four Great Noble Families! A noble of the highest standing! How could this guy...

"Such admirable courage, mm-hmm!" Kaien Shiba said in praise.

"But... such foolish behavior!" Kensei Muguruma shook his head and sighed.

"This is going to be entertaining!" Kūkaku Shiba looked delighted at the prospect of chaos.

"Shadow, teach that arrogant brat a lesson!" Hiyori Sarugaki shouted.

"Well, that crest belongs to the Kuchiki family!" Kisuke Urahara said.

"What is Kuchiki...?" Mashiro Kuna asked in confusion.

"Boring." Lisa Yadomaru continued reading without even lifting her head.

"You... you people..." The boy, Byakuya Kuchiki, was instantly furious. What did they take the Kuchiki family for?!

"Byakuya!" A hand rested on his head. "Do not be rude!"

"Grandfather..."

Byakuya Kuchiki turned around. It was his grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki, the current head of the Kuchiki family.

"So this is little Byakuya!" Shihōin Shanqing, who had arrived with him, sighed with emotion. "I can't believe he's grown so much in the blink of an eye!"

"Byakuya!"

Yoruichi Shihōin finally lifted her face, covered in pastry crumbs, from the food and looked at Byakuya Kuchiki. "He's Uncle Sōjun's son!"

A glimmer shone in her golden eyes, as though she had encountered something interesting, and she stared intensely at Byakuya Kuchiki.

Under Yoruichi Shihōin's gaze, Byakuya Kuchiki suddenly shuddered. At that moment, he felt as though a cat had fixed its eyes on him. He forced himself to remain calm and nodded, answering Yoruichi Shihōin.

"Mm! Mm! Not bad, very good!"

Resting her chin on her hand, Yoruichi Shihōin looked Byakuya Kuchiki up and down for a while, nodding repeatedly. Her eyes flickered, and no one knew what she was thinking.

But one thing was certain: Byakuya Kuchiki, your future was going to be tragic!