The bright moon sank in the west as the rising sun cast its golden light over the horizon.
As sunlight once again bathed the Soul Society, Seireitei awakened to the usual morning bustle.
"A familiar Reiatsu..."
Masatsuki Aozaki sat up, rubbing his drowsy eyes as he muttered to himself.
For him, there was no point in trying to conceal Reiatsu within the Noble District. The only time someone could successfully hide their presence from him was when he simply chose not to notice.
Still groggy from sleep, Isane Kotetsu weakly rubbed her head, blinking in confusion.
"Kiyone!? She's looking for me!? What do we do? She can't see us , can she?"
"You..." Masatsuki's voice came from beside her. He teasingly hooked a finger under her nose, his tone affectionate.
"Why is an older sister so afraid of her younger sister? This is when you need to stand tall. Besides, we haven't done anything shameful—what's there to be nervous about?"
Still dazed from just waking up, Isane mumbled in response, comforted by Masatsuki's words.
"Hey, where are you going?"
Noticing Isane wince slightly as she tried to get out of bed, Masatsuki asked in confusion.
Isane absentmindedly rubbed her sore head, wondering why she felt such discomfort this morning. Instinctively, her hand moved downward, ready to perform Kaidō.
Hearing Masatsuki's question, she answered without thinking, "I can't leave my sister waiting outside for too long."
"You were exhausted last night. Just rest."
Masatsuki gently but firmly pushed her back down onto the bed and pulled the blanket over her, shielding her from any stray morning light.
Despite being taller than him, Isane wasn't the type proficient in Hakuda. After an entire night of exertion, even if she had used Reiatsu to sustain herself, fatigue had long set in.
"I'll go meet your sister. Seeing how tired you are, I'll also take care of breakfast—something to help you recover."
"Thanks..." Isane mumbled, his voice oddly familiar, yet she didn't quite register it.
Hearing the door open, she snuggled back into the covers, preparing to drift off for a little longer.
A sudden jolt of realization sent a shiver down her spine.
This isn't my room... Who was just next to me...?
Her eyes snapped open. Looking down, she saw the slightly damp Shihakushō on the floor. Memories from last night came rushing back in perfect clarity.
Last night, Captain Masatsuki and I...
So alcohol really is that powerful... It even gave someone as timid as me the courage to take the initiative...
Lying under the covers, wrapped in a blanket still carrying a faint, unfamiliar fragrance, she listened to Masatsuki's footsteps outside. Slowly, she covered her flushed face with the blanket.
"...This feeling isn't so bad."
With Masatsuki outside, handling Kiyone, an odd sense of security settled in her heart—like she had found something, someone, to rely on.
An entire night? That doesn't match the timeframe my sister told me at all!
Hearing the sound of the noble estate's door opening, Kiyone Kotetsu quickly stopped knocking, only to feel her face heat up the moment she looked up.
Masatsuki Aozaki stood at the entrance, wearing a thin yukata, his long black hair loosely draped over his shoulders. His smile was as radiant as the morning sun, and the light breeze carried a refreshing scent around him.
It wasn't that she was mesmerized by his looks—definitely not. But just thinking about her sister spending the night with him made her feel a little flustered.
After all, Isane wouldn't have ended up in this situation if not for her subtle nudging.
"Here to see your sister? I'll take you inside."
Masatsuki stepped out, glancing at her with an amused smile.
"Should I... call you brother-in-law?"
Kiyone hesitated for a moment before finally voicing the question, her expression filled with uncertainty.
"Is my sister still sleeping? She didn't have any nightmares last night, did she?"
"...She was pretty exhausted," Masatsuki replied helplessly, leading Kiyone through the estate. "And let's not pretend—I know exactly who's been stirring things up. Don't think I didn't notice you spying on us at the 13th Division yesterday."
"Hehe..." Kiyone scratched her head with a sheepish grin. "But come on, my sister likes you, and you like her too. People who like each other should be together, right?"
"Besides, those idiots who make fun of her don't know what they're talking about. The most important thing is that she's happy."
"You sure are a little schemer," Masatsuki said with an amused shake of his head.
"I'm an adult, okay?" Kiyone puffed up her chest indignantly, staring at Masatsuki with exaggerated defiance.
Masatsuki smirked. "Ah, my mistake—I almost forgot that Isane is special."
"That's how it should be," Kiyone paused for a second, then nodded. "It's best if she's always treated like a normal person."
"That won't do." Masatsuki rejected the idea outright. "She's important to me—why would I treat her like just anyone else?"
"To be perfectly blunt, I've never been the type to treat everyone equally."
He patted his chest confidently, as if considering it a point of pride.
"If you ever become Captain-Commander, Soul Society is doomed," Kiyone teased, shaking her head. "But as family, you're just right."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Masatsuki chuckled, scratching his head as a carefree aura settled around him.
"Everyone was right—you really are a kind person," Kiyone thought to herself, her earlier annoyance over her height disappearing as she felt the morning breeze against her skin.
"You'll take care of my sister, right?" She asked, her eyes flashing with seriousness as she looked up at Masatsuki.
"Of course. No one will ever hurt her as long as I'm here," Masatsuki said firmly. "So when you go in, don't startle her too much."
"You make it sound like I'm always bullying her," Kiyone huffed in mock indignation.
"I never said that," Masatsuki laughed. "But you know her personality—just imagine how embarrassed she's going to be when this comes up."
Watching Kiyone flail her arms in exaggerated protest, Masatsuki couldn't help but smile as his thoughts drifted to the girl inside.
"Oh wow, so this is what a man in love looks like? Always thinking about my sister," Kiyone teased with a knowing nod, looking far too serious for her own good.
"Well, Isane is someone worth cherishing."
Masatsuki led Kiyone to the dining hall before heading toward the kitchen.
"Have you eaten yet? I'm cooking today. Want me to make you something?"
"Really? Then I'll take you up on that, brother-in-law!"
Kiyone's eyes lit up with excitement.
After all, this was the man whose cooking had once completely captivated Kirio Hikifune, the former Captain of the 12th Division.
p@treon com / PinkSnake