Two days passed in the blink of an eye...
While the Seireitei was engrossed in a tense and thrilling search for him, Makoto had been living rather comfortably during this period.
At the very least, after taking on the role of Vice-Captain for the Fourth Division, Makoto's free time had drastically diminished.
In truth, the Fourth Division was practically Makoto's domain. This naturally meant an endless stream of administrative work and patients to attend to every single day.
However, the past two days had been like a mini-vacation for him. To Kuchiki Koga, Makoto's leisurely demeanor was akin to that of a slacker who had no intention of fleeing.
Adding to the surreal atmosphere, his zanpakuto spirit, Shinro Bansho, a tiny and curious entity, wandered about the villa, keeping a not-too-close, not-too-distant eye on Senbonzakura, as though observing the spirit to make a new friend.
To Koga, the fact that Makoto hadn't seized the opportunity to destroy Shinro Bansho's physical manifestation and fully recover his zanpakuto's abilities suggested a lack of hostility. This lessened his wariness of Makoto further.
"Has Makoto really accepted his fate? Planning to stay here peacefully with me in the human world?"
The thought seemed absurd to Koga, yet Makoto's calm, unhurried manner, coupled with his adept use of worldly items, even better than Koga himself, made it difficult to see Makoto as a captive. If anything, he appeared more comfortable than his "captor."
"Makoto, is there anything you need me to bring back for you?"
On the third morning, Koga, having somehow procured a gigai, prepared to go shopping for supplies. Surprisingly, he remembered to ask Makoto.
"Hm…"
Descending the stairs, Makoto seemed slightly startled but casually listed a few medical books from the human world, thanking Koga as he added, "I appreciate it, Koga. No need to buy everything—just get what you can."
?!
Koga looked at the half-page list of book titles in his notebook, utterly baffled by the complexity of the names.
Still, this exchange reinforced his belief: Makoto truly intended to settle in the human world. Otherwise, why would he bother with books to pass the time?
What Koga didn't know was that Makoto planned to bring those books back to the Soul Society eventually.
After all, given Makoto's current position in the Seireitei, he could easily procure worldly goods through divisions with regular contact with the human world.
But… if someone offered free labor, why not take advantage of it and save some favors?
Adjusting his glasses, Makoto glanced, seemingly unintentionally, at Senbonzakura, who sat upright in the living room, diligently monitoring his movements.
Senbonzakura's physical form was that of a purple-clad samurai wearing a demon mask. Despite his rigid and serious demeanor, his internal temperament was evidently fiery and impulsive.
Sensing Makoto's gaze, Senbonzakura placed a hand on his sword and regarded him warily.
Makoto, however, simply smiled gently, beckoning, "Senbonzakura, why don't you visit my room when you're free? I'm quite intrigued by Byakuya's zanpakuto and would love to learn more about you."
Senbonzakura immediately stood and bowed respectfully, responding stiffly, "Thank you for your kind offer, Makoto. However, as a rogue zanpakuto, I dare not accept such honor as a comrade's friend."
"No need to be so formal," Makoto replied warmly. "I'm sure you must have your reasons for leaving Byakuya temporarily. Compared to you, Shinro Bansho is like an unruly child. If you have the chance, I'd appreciate it if you could guide her a little."
"You overestimate me, Makoto. Shinro Bansho's strength is no less than my own," Senbonzakura replied hastily.
Makoto chuckled softly, then turned towards Shinro Bansho, who had appeared in another corner of the living room. "Shinro Bansho, don't cause trouble. Try not to bother Senbonzakura too much."
"Stop bossing me around!" Shinro Bansho pouted, clearly understanding her master's subtle hint.
Makoto waved a hand to Senbonzakura, signaling a later conversation, and disappeared into his room. Shinro Bansho, meanwhile, cautiously approached Senbonzakura with a timid yet endearing demeanor.
"Senbonzakura, I have something to show you…"
As she spoke, she extended her tiny clenched fist towards him.
Though Senbonzakura's eyebrows twitched under his mask, he neither rejected nor retreated, allowing Shinro Bansho to step into his "circle of vulnerability."
Shinro Bansho's smile grew sweeter.
Both Makoto and Shinro Bansho knew the truth: Senbonzakura's greatest flaw lay in his defensive radius—a zone of about 85 centimeters where his countless cherry blossom blades would never pass, ensuring his safety.
To Makoto, this represented the softest part of Byakuya's otherwise rigid, rule-abiding heart.
Though Makoto, as a kind-hearted healer, couldn't bring himself to exploit this weakness, he had no qualms about letting Shinro Bansho try.
After all, who could blame such a cute girl for a surprise attack? Surely even Senbonzakura would forgive her.
Moments later, Makoto, who had deliberately left his door slightly ajar, heard a loud crash, followed by a muffled groan and the sound of something hitting the floor.
"Shinro Bansho actually succeeded so easily? Looks like I can postpone giving her that 'onion-head' hairstyle for emergencies."
Smiling faintly, Makoto adjusted his white gloves and got back to work.
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