Even Auntie hadn't expected this day to come so soon, much less in such an unusual way.
Although she didn't know exactly what Orihime Inoue had been through, judging from her reaction just now, the girl really had grown up.
Orihime Inoue hadn't even graduated from high school yet, but she was already capable of supporting herself. She had also experienced things beyond the imagination of ordinary people, matured emotionally, developed opinions of her own, and learned to stand by them.
"I used to deposit this directly into your account." Auntie took out an envelope. "This year, I can finally give it to you in person. Orihime, Happy New Year."
Orihime Inoue accepted the envelope containing the New Year's Money, and her voice involuntarily took on a tearful edge. "Auntie..."
Auntie pulled Orihime Inoue into her arms, expressing her familial affection in the most direct way possible. "You've been through a lot these past few years."
"I haven't..." Orihime Inoue hugged her back. "Everyone has always helped me... Thank you, Auntie."
"As your family and your elder, it's only right that I look after you." Auntie stroked Orihime Inoue's head. "Besides, I haven't done that much. If you really want to thank me, then pass that kindness on to someone else someday."
Orihime Inoue nodded firmly. "Mm!"
"Natsu..." Auntie released Orihime Inoue. "Could we talk alone for a moment?"
"Of course."
For some reason, Muten Natsu felt a little nervous as he followed Auntie into the study.
He didn't even know what there was to be nervous about.
"The ring on Orihime's finger..."
"I gave it to her," Muten Natsu answered honestly.
"What about yours?"
"That ring has a certain protective function, and it's somewhat troublesome to make," Muten Natsu explained. "Its effect would be negligible for me, so I didn't make one for myself."
"That ring... would still work if she wore it on a different finger, wouldn't it?"
"Yes."
"Then setting aside its practical function and looking only at what a ring symbolizes..." Auntie paused. "Orihime has already accepted your feelings, but you haven't accepted hers. Is that right?"
"Of course not."
"Then you simply don't know what to do yet."
"...Yes."
"After learning about Orihime's healing ability, I stopped worrying quite so much about her safety. With an ability like that, whenever danger arises, she would undoubtedly be the first person all of you would protect." Auntie looked at Muten Natsu. "What worries me is how she gets along with other people. Her cheerful, optimistic nature lets her become close to people very quickly, but... it also makes it difficult for anyone to truly reach her heart."
Muten Natsu lowered his eyes slightly. "I understand."
Orihime Inoue never passed her negative emotions on to others.
There were several reasons for that.
First, because of everything she had experienced in the past, she didn't want other people to become unhappy just because she was unhappy.
Second, people became friends with her so quickly because of her cheerful and optimistic personality.
But if she showed them a side of herself that wasn't cheerful or optimistic, what would happen to those friendships?
Because she feared the answer to that uncertainty, Orihime Inoue gradually developed the habit of hiding her negative emotions.
And once something was being hidden, it naturally became impossible to completely open one's heart.
That was why, although Orihime Inoue was very popular, very few people could truly reach her heart.
Finally, the close friends who had managed to reach her heart were all doing their best to help her fight those negative emotions. She didn't want their efforts to go to waste.
So even after confiding in everyone, if those negative feelings hadn't actually disappeared, she would still pretend that she was fine.
In everyone's eyes, Orihime Inoue was a bright, warm sun.
But that sun was also burning every moment, suffering within its own blazing flames.
Auntie glanced toward Orihime Inoue in the living room. "Although this is the first time we've met, Orihime talks about you often. From the little things she's told me, I know you've taken better care of her than I have. So you should understand her problems better than I do."
"I only..."
"There's no need for modesty. It's simply the truth. What I want to say is..." Auntie pursed her lips. "Everyone carries pain in their heart, but not everyone can face life with optimism. Orihime's cheerfulness and optimism today were certainly influenced by her suffering, but what shaped her even more was something positive. You've helped her far more than you realize. And Orihime likes you far more than you imagine..."
...
"She didn't finish the sentence." On the way home, Muten Natsu relayed Auntie's words to Orihime Inoue. "She said you should be the one to tell me the rest."
"Me?" Orihime Inoue tilted her head, her large eyes full of confusion. "But I don't know what she was trying to say either."
Muten Natsu stroked Orihime Inoue's head. "That's fine. Maybe it'll come to you eventually."
"That's true~" Orihime Inoue nuzzled into Muten Natsu's palm and naturally wrapped her arms around him.
Muten Natsu hugged her back. "What's wrong?"
Orihime Inoue breathed in his familiar scent. "Nothing. I just wanted to hug you. It feels like it's been forever since we last hugged."
Muten Natsu spoke softly. "Orihime."
"I'm here~"
"I like you."
"I know." Orihime Inoue tightened her arms around him. "I've always known."
"Would you be willing to keep living with me from now on? To stay together forever?"
"Huh?" Orihime Inoue raised her head from Muten Natsu's embrace and stared at him in confusion.
"Hmm?" Muten Natsu hadn't expected that reaction.
"Huh?" Orihime Inoue blinked. "Haven't we already been living together for ages?"
"Mm... I mean as lovers."
Orihime Inoue shook her head vigorously. "That won't do!"
"It won't?"
"Of course not!" Orihime Inoue raised the hand wearing the ink ring in front of Muten Natsu. "We're already husband and wife. How could we go backward and become lovers?"
The words Orihime Inoue had spoken when Muten Natsu slipped the ring onto her finger surfaced in his mind.
["Then... please take care of me for the rest of my life."]
Her words touched the softest place in his heart. Joy bloomed there uncontrollably, spreading wildly until it filled his entire being.
"Orihime..."
"Ah... I got it." Orihime Inoue gazed at the blissful smile on Muten Natsu's face. "I know what Auntie wanted to say but didn't."
"What was it?"
"Lean down a little. I'll whisper it to you."
The moment Muten Natsu bent down, Orihime Inoue rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.
"Muten." After their lips parted, Orihime Inoue revealed the answer, her bright eyes sparkling. "I like you even more than you imagine."
Muten Natsu couldn't put his happiness into words. All he could do was convey the joy overflowing from his heart to Orihime Inoue in the simplest way he knew.
Their tightly embracing bodies warmed each other as their long kiss mingled their breaths.
...
"Phew~" Retsu Unohana took a sip of hot tea as she sat beside the kotatsu, then let out a long breath and gently rubbed her lower abdomen.
Although Muten Natsu had already lived in Soul Society for several decades, judged by the lifespan of a Spirit Body, his physical condition was perfectly consistent with his current identity as a high school student.
He was at exactly the age when one seemed tireless... and overflowing with energy.
On top of that, the Myōki's Soul Essence Stealing technique allowed him to rapidly absorb Reishi and replenish what he had expended, so Muten Natsu's recovery ability was also rather... astonishing.
Retsu Unohana rubbed her waist. At first, she had still been able to keep Muten Natsu under control, but later on, she had been the one getting overwhelmed instead.
Still...
Retsu Unohana lowered her gaze to the ink ring on the ring finger of her left hand. With a thought, wisps of black mist intertwined with blood energy and rose around her fingertips.
Just as Muten Natsu had guessed, back in Dangai, Retsu Unohana had fought at full intensity while simultaneously healing Muten Natsu's body. In the end, she had even given him her Zanpakutō.
If ordinary Soul Essence Stealing was comparable to a blood transfusion, then what Retsu Unohana had done was, in a sense, equivalent to a heart transplant.
That was why recovering Retsu Unohana's strength wasn't like recovering from simple physical weakness, something that could be fixed merely by resting and recuperating for a while. She needed to replenish what her body itself had lost, which was far more difficult.
Fortunately, Retsu Unohana had already found a suitable method.
It hadn't been the original purpose, but the result was certainly good.
Just as she had used the blood produced by her Bankai, Minazuki, as a medium to pour her power into Muten Natsu, Muten Natsu had now used his own method to give his power... to her.
The strength she had recovered over the past few days exceeded everything she had regained before combined.
It was just... a little too much.
Retsu Unohana pressed a hand against her lower back. At her age, some soreness and aching were inevitable.
She would definitely have Muten Natsu give her a proper massage later...
No.
Last night, Muten Natsu had been massaging her too, and then somewhere along the way...
Retsu Unohana sighed helplessly.
Fortunately, she was already quite old. Otherwise...
"Captain?" Rukia Kuchiki noticed her movement. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm fine..." Retsu Unohana smiled gently. "It's just that some of my strength has recovered recently, so I thought I'd get some exercise. I ended up doing a little... too much. Don't worry, it's nothing serious."
Rukia Kuchiki was still somewhat concerned, but then she remembered that Retsu Unohana was the Captain of the 4th Division and knew far more about physical health than she did, so she didn't press the matter.
"Rukia?" Retsu Unohana held her cup of hot tea and let her gaze linger briefly on Rukia Kuchiki. "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"
"Huh?" Rukia Kuchiki touched her own face. "Is it that obvious?"
"Not really." Retsu Unohana chuckled. "But all of you grew up by my side. I may not be able to read your minds, but when something is troubling you, I can still notice the little signs."
"I..." Rukia Kuchiki sat down in front of Retsu Unohana. "I heard from Muten that you used to be incredibly strong."
Retsu Unohana smiled. "I suppose I was."
"May I ask..." Rukia Kuchiki leaned forward slightly. "Exactly how strong were you?"
"Hmm..." Retsu Unohana answered casually. "Strong enough that there weren't many people who could be called my opponents."
Rukia Kuchiki's eyes immediately lit up. "I... I want to know how to become stronger!"
"How to become stronger..." Retsu Unohana shook her head. "My method probably wouldn't suit you."
"Why?"
"That isn't quite accurate. It would be more accurate to say that my method no longer suits this era." Retsu Unohana took a sip of tea, suppressing the memories stirring in her heart. "Learn through battle and battle through learning. Once you understand an enemy's fighting style, use that same style to kill them. Once you've killed enough people, you'll naturally become strong enough."
Rukia Kuchiki: "..."
Retsu Unohana had said it so casually, yet Rukia Kuchiki felt as though she had caught a glimpse of endless carnage drenched in blood.
Retsu Unohana was right.
That method truly wasn't suited to the present era.
But...
Rukia Kuchiki lowered her gaze. "I've already been through many battles, but my strength..."
"You're already very strong." Retsu Unohana spoke earnestly. "Many Shinigami graduated from the Shin'ō Academy in the same year as you, but only a handful have become Lieutenants, let alone begun to master Bankai. There's no reason for you to underestimate yourself."
Rukia Kuchiki lightly bit her lower lip. "I know."
"You don't actually think your strength is improving too slowly. What bothers you is that the speed of your improvement can't keep up with Muten's." Retsu Unohana had understood Rukia Kuchiki's thoughts for some time and pointed it out directly. "But Muten has the aid of the Hell Flames, and he rebuilt himself after being broken down twice. That's how he reached his current level. It isn't just you. There's no one in all of Soul Society whose growth can outpace his."
Rukia Kuchiki let out a quiet sigh. "I understand."
Seeing the disappointment on Rukia Kuchiki's face, Retsu Unohana's eyes shifted slightly.
"However... based on my past experience, you really do still have room to grow."
Rukia Kuchiki immediately raised her head. "Really?"
"Of course." Retsu Unohana continued, "Both the speed of your growth and the way you fight show your innate potential. The reason your strength hasn't improved dramatically... though it actually has improved a great deal. What I mean is that you haven't made the kind of sudden leap you were hoping for. That is probably because you still haven't found your direction."
"Exactly!" Rukia Kuchiki nodded rapidly like a chick pecking at grain. "I've felt the same way. After I used my incomplete Bankai, I vaguely sensed the proper direction for developing the power of Sode no Shirayuki, and my strength immediately increased by a lot. But after that..."
"The proper direction for developing your power?" Retsu Unohana murmured. "That is indeed one kind of direction, but the direction I'm talking about isn't the direction of your power..."
Retsu Unohana reached out and pointed at Rukia Kuchiki's chest.
"It's the direction of this."
"Here...?" Rukia Kuchiki looked down. "My chest?"
"Think deeper." Retsu Unohana pressed her fingertip forward slightly. "Your heart."
"Ah... right, my heart." Rukia Kuchiki's face flushed red. "I need to find the direction of my heart... the direction of my heart?"
***
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