Chapter 290: The Kind That Shines
"Medication isn't an option during pregnancy, which means at times like this what she needs most is company -- without that, the accumulated stress from multiple directions can cause unnecessary harm to both mother and child!"
Straightforward. Completely without softening. Matsushita Yusuke found himself rubbing the back of his head.
"But she's still in the early stage -- the baby hasn't even fully formed yet, has it?"
That was enough to make even Aizen smile.
"You--"
He shook his head with the particular quality of someone trying to find a kind way to process something. After a moment, he turned to his vice-captain beside him and said with easy calm:
"How about this -- let Hinamori help out for the next few days? Squad 5's internal work has quieted down for now. Until the next new recruit orientation, there's nothing pressing on the administrative side."
The two reactions were very different.
Matsushita Yusuke agreed immediately.
Entirely reasonable. Due to certain inherent differences in perspective, Matsushita Yusuke had a consistent tendency to overlook things in this area. There were female squad members around on ordinary days who helped cover those gaps, but they had their own responsibilities and couldn't always be counted on to catch everything.
Someone specifically available to help would be ideal.
Hinamori Momo's expression went slightly uncertain.
"But Captain, the squad's work--"
"Don't worry. I can handle it on my own. And everything you know, I taught you -- surely you're not questioning my ability to manage my own squad?"
No angle to argue from. Hinamori gave a slightly embarrassed nod, and the matter was settled.
Aizen was sending over what amounted to a dedicated support person. As gestures from a superior went, that was genuinely considerate.
"Thank you for your help, Captain Aizen."
"Not at all. We look out for each other. That's all this is, Captain Matsushita."
The exchange between them carried layers that a bystander wouldn't pick up on. To anyone nearby it would have read as simple collegial warmth between two captains.
Nothing more.
What ran underneath it would only become visible once the story had fully played out. Until then, it stayed where it was.
"Then I'll take my leave. Hina -- if you need anything at all, reach out. Squad 5 is available for whatever you need."
Watching Hinamori give her somewhat flustered agreement, Matsushita Yusuke stepped in and answered on her behalf.
"Don't worry. She's coming to Squad 11 -- we'll take care of her. She won't have any complaints."
"That's all I needed to hear."
The two parties separated.
After leaving Aizen, Hinamori composed herself faster than expected.
"Captain Matsushita -- could you tell me a bit about Vice-Captain Soifon's current condition? The specifics of how she's been recently?"
They were walking as they talked. It was still about half an hour back to the squad compound, and that window was enough for her to take notes and get a preliminary picture put together before she arrived.
"Appetite's been off. Energy's low. She occasionally has some very particular ideas about things and says things that take a while to work through."
"Right, right -- that makes sense. Probably some component of hormonal change, but more than that it sounds like she's channeling feelings she doesn't have another outlet for."
"...Hm? What do you mean by that?"
Hinamori tilted her head up and said with a tone that was somewhere between observation and gentle amusement:
"I mean -- when Vice-Captain Soifon isn't feeling well physically, the first person she thinks of is you, Captain Matsushita. That's actually a wonderful sign. The relationship you two have really does seem genuinely close."
Well.
Hinamori was unexpectedly good at saying things that landed.
Matsushita Yusuke pressed his lips together, scratched the back of his head with the air of someone slightly at a loss, and ended up laughing quietly despite himself.
"You know, I'm starting to understand why Captain Aizen thinks so highly of you."
"That's obviously because of my professional ability!"
She really was interesting. And she had an unusual quality -- the kind of person who felt immediately familiar without effort on anyone's part.
After that brief aside, the two of them returned to the topic.
"That being the case, Vice-Captain Soifon's situation sounds reasonably stable. She probably doesn't need anything particularly specialized."
Hinamori closed the notebook she had been writing in, tucked it under her left arm, raised her right index finger, and said in a tone that was light but meant to be heard:
"What she actually needs most right now is company! Captain Matsushita, I'd ask that over the coming days you try to set aside about two hours per day -- that alone should do a lot for Vice-Captain Soifon's mental state!"
Not the most clinically rigorous prescription.
But Matsushita Yusuke agreed anyway.
Because the way she said it -- the complete, cheerful, unquestioning confidence behind it, like the word "conviction" had been painted directly on her face -- made it difficult not to.
Thinking about that for a moment, he glanced sideways at her and said quietly:
"Vice-Captain Hinamori, have you done this kind of care work before?"
She blinked. Half-turned her head at the question.
"Hm? Why do you ask?"
"Because you seem genuinely knowledgeable about it."
"Oh, that."
She laughed, slightly self-conscious, and dropped her voice just a little.
"Not professionally, no. It's all self-taught."
"Self-taught?"
"Yes! After I joined Squad 5, during the new member orientation, Captain Aizen introduced Squad 5's purpose to us. We're the most versatile support unit in the Gotei 13! So I decided I wanted to be someone who could function competently across every area -- that way, wherever I ended up or whatever came up, I could actually carry out Squad 5's purpose the way it's supposed to be carried out!"
Something about the way she said it.
Matsushita Yusuke had the distinct impression this person was glowing.
An actual, genuine glow. The kind of person who lit up around their own convictions. No wonder Aizen had a genuine appreciation for her -- ambitious, capable, and completely earnest about it. The combination was difficult not to be charmed by.
He let out a quiet, amused breath.
Then, at the next intersection, turned down a completely different path from the one they had been taking.
Hinamori noticed the change immediately. She stopped at the crossroads with a small confused sound, looked at Matsushita Yusuke's back, looked at the direction they were supposed to be going, and then jogged after him.
"Captain Matsushita! Did we take a wrong turn?!"
"No. I just need to stop somewhere before heading back. It's right past this corner."
As he said it, he had already come to a stop in front of a small shop.
The exterior was worn and dated. The wood inside looked like it had been there a long time. A faint, clean sweetness drifted out from the doorway, and Hinamori, blinking for a moment, instinctively stepped back half a step.
She looked up at the sign.
Miyama Dango Shop.
"..."
Matsushita Yusuke was already pulling out his wallet. He turned and looked at her with an easy smile.
"I'm picking something up for Soifon. She's had a thing for sweet food lately. What do you want? Order whatever -- this one's on me."