"Ugh..."
Senjumaru Shutara clutched her chest, feeling her heart pounding wildly as she stumbled into her room. Fumbling with the door, she slammed it shut and slid down against it, gasping for breath.
What the hell am I doing?
She couldn't tell if she was more embarrassed or frustrated—all she knew was that she kept questioning herself over and over.
For days now, she had barely slept.
No matter how many times she returned to her room, rest never came.
Even lying in bed, her body felt unbearably hot, as if she were trapped in a fever that refused to break.
Images of Masatsuki Aozaki refused to leave her mind.
Kirio Hikifune's figure would also surface from time to time, alongside a chaotic mess of thoughts, all tangled together, leaving her completely overwhelmed.
Eventually, exhaustion had claimed her, but when she woke again, it was already morning.
She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the lingering haze of sleep.
And then...
Without thinking, her hand moved downward.
The moment she realized what she was doing—what had become disturbingly familiar—she bolted to the bathroom in a panic, shame crashing over her in waves.
Cold water poured over her head, sending a shiver through her body.
She squeezed her eyes shut, letting the freezing sensation wash over her, hoping it would quell the turmoil raging inside her.
This had been happening for days now...
Each one felt like a bizarre, endless film, looping the same emotions, the same confusion.
But at noon today...
For the first time, she had felt a sliver of peace.
Her thoughts had settled, her mind finally regaining the composure befitting a senior figure like herself.
And then she saw Masatsuki Aozaki.
In an instant, all of that hard-earned stability shattered.
Her face burned, her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst from her chest.
Before she knew it, her legs had already started moving—fleeing from the sheer awkwardness of it all.
"Ugh... Why am I like this..."
Hugging her knees, Senjumaru curled up in the corner of the room, mumbling to herself in frustration.
Once again, she couldn't make sense of her own feelings.
Desperate for answers, she found herself thinking of the Almighty Soul King, silently praying for some kind of divine revelation.
But then reality hit her.
That so-called omniscient king might have a son, but he'd never experienced love, never had a lover, never even had a wife—just a lonely old bachelor who had been single for a million years.
What could he possibly teach her?
With a helpless sigh, she shook her head, knowing full well that no cosmic enlightenment was coming.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself.
It's just a passing impulse. Give it time, and things will go back to normal.
But deep down, an unfamiliar emotion had already taken root.
Something she couldn't quite name, something that made her doubt herself more than ever.
She had been an absolute mess these past few days, drowning in emotions she couldn't control, unable to pull herself free.
But this was only because she had seen things she'd never seen before—thrown off balance by the unfamiliar.
Now that she had adjusted, she could regain control.
From now on, she would act like a proper senior, take care of the juniors, and never, ever let her thoughts wander into strange territory again.
That was the plan.
But in the end, the body never lies.
Neither does the subconscious.
And so, Senjumaru Shutara could only bury her face in her knees, torn between frustration and despair, almost on the verge of tears, hiding in the corner until she could finally compose herself.
...
A meal doesn't take that long, but for a couple in love, it can feel like an eternity.
Kirio Hikifune had been staring at Masatsuki Aozaki ever since she woke up, her gaze locked onto him even as they ate, unable to look away.
She knew he would be leaving soon. That was exactly why she wanted to steal every last glance she could before he was gone.
Masatsuki Aozaki, of course, wasn't the type to get flustered. He met her gaze just as intently, chuckling softly.
"It'll still be a little over half a month, but I have a feeling we won't be apart for long."
Hearing this, Senjumaru Shutara couldn't help but mutter,
"Cocky bastard. Talking like he can just come up here whenever he pleases."
"Mhm."
But Kirio Hikifune didn't seem to hear—or maybe she just didn't care. She simply nodded obediently.
By all logic, a couple freshly in love should be inseparable, clinging to each other at every opportunity.
But Kirio understood this wasn't the time to indulge in romance.
She had never been the type to act selfishly. Their lives were long, with more than enough time to spend together.
Besides, she had already received plenty of love from Masatsuki these past few days. For now, it was enough.
Patience, after all, was also part of being a good partner.
She gazed at Masatsuki, a soft smile appearing on her lips.
"I'll be here… waiting for you."
Masatsuki Aozaki gave a small nod.
After one last lingering kiss, he pulled away.
Senjumaru Shutara was just about to slip out of the room when Kirio suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.
It wasn't as if she wanted to flaunt her love life in front of a senior who had been single for a thousand years.
But at that moment, her usually clear eyes held a rare hint of shyness, tinged with a delicate, almost teasing charm as she looked at Senjumaru.
In a soft voice, she spoke.
"Senjumaru-senpai, can you stay for a moment? I have a favor to ask."
"…A favor?"
Kirio nodded lightly and led her into the room.
Once inside, she opened her wardrobe.
What came into view was a neatly arranged collection of clothes—clothes that had previously been torn to shreds.
Senjumaru Shutara blinked.
For a brief moment, she just stared at the pile of ruined fabric, her eye twitching slightly as she narrowed her gaze at Kirio.
…Is she seriously showing off her 'spoils of war'?
That's just a little too much!
Kirio stepped closer, looking down at her senior, who—even in her high-heeled geta—was still slightly shorter than her. In a gentle yet pleading tone, she asked,
"Senpai, could you help me mend these clothes?"
"…That might be difficult. I haven't been feeling well lately."
Senjumaru turned her head away.
Not because she was jealous or unwilling to help—after all, she wasn't in any position to feel that way.
But just looking at that pile of fabric was enough to make unwelcome memories flash through her mind—scenes from this very room over the past few days that she had been trying desperately to forget…
At that moment, footsteps approached from outside.
Masatsuki Aozaki strolled in, moving with the ease of someone who had long since made himself at home.
"Even the Zero Division has times like this, huh? But if Senjumaru can't do it, I'll take care of it."
"…You can even do this?"
Senjumaru raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, tilting her head slightly.
She was still maintaining that same subtle distance from Masatsuki that she had been keeping all day—exactly two arm's lengths apart.
"This kind of thing is nothing for me," Masatsuki replied casually.
Then, his gaze sharpened slightly, watching her with curiosity.
More than teasing her with his Zanpakutō, he was far more interested in the way she had been acting today.
Distant.
Avoidant.
But whatever.
She was just throwing a childish tantrum.
Masatsuki exhaled in exasperation, shaking his head like a long-suffering parent dealing with a troublesome kid.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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