Hinamori seemed to be quietly savoring the warmth resting on top of her head, but her tightly shut eyelids were faintly trembling.
Just as Nobu was about to withdraw his hand, Hinamori suddenly, as if summoning courage from nowhere, reached up and grabbed his hand with both of hers.
"President…"
Nobu gently brushed his knuckles against her cheek in return, a casual gesture — but it left Hinamori with a forlorn look in her eyes.
She suddenly felt a pang of regret.
Maybe I really should've asked for something more… something that brought me closer to him.
"Nobu?"
He chuckled softly. "Hinamori?"
Only then did she slowly let go of his hand.
She bit her lip and murmured, "Would you have agreed… if anyone else asked for the same thing?"
Nobu thought: Of course not. If it were Hisagi, I'd have kicked him across the room.
He flicked her forehead lightly. "What kind of nonsense are you thinking about now?"
Hinamori mumbled something under her breath, too quiet for him to catch.
"What was that?"
She covered her forehead, shaking her head quickly. "Nothing…"
[Hinamori Momo]
[Affection Level: 70]
Her affection level had finally stabilized — the highest of any girl Nobu had encountered so far.
Rukia was only just approaching 60.
And as the two girls' affection levels steadily increased, Nobu's system rewards had likewise grown more generous.
[Reiatsu Level: Lv29]
[Zanpakutō Unlock Progress: 24% (Partial Shikai)]
Through personal cultivation, Nobu had only managed to raise his Reiatsu by one level; the Zanpakutō unlock had advanced just 2%.
The rest of the growth came entirely from system bonuses.
A Reiatsu level of 29 translated to somewhere around Fourth-Class Spiritual Pressure in Soul Society rankings.
Captains were at least Third-Class. Fourth- and Fifth-Class were typically Vice-Captain tier.
What others needed decades — even centuries — to achieve, Nobu had accomplished in mere weeks.
Without the system, he still wouldn't match Hitsugaya's naturally gifted Sixth-Class Spiritual Pressure.
Unlike the other four core disciplines — Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, and Hohō — which could leap forward with bursts of insight, Reiatsu growth could only be accumulated day by day, through long and steady effort.
Thankfully, I have the system.
...
That afternoon was a lecture on Kidō theory. Several classes shared one large tiered lecture hall.
When Hinamori entered, she spotted Rukia sitting near a window.
She made her way over.
"Momo…"
Rukia's face lit up at first — but then she hesitated, her expression caught between relief and unease.
Hinamori's emotions were still somewhat tangled, but she smiled warmly. "Why didn't you wait for me? Have you had lunch?"
Rukia nodded. "I ate with Renji and Kira. I thought you were still talking with the President, so I went ahead."
Renji and Kira had grown close recently. According to Renji, during one of their swordsmanship classes, he'd accidentally hit Kira too hard — but Kira didn't mind. In fact, he approached Renji afterward, and the two had gotten along since.
Rukia hesitated a moment, then said, "Momo, there's something I want to talk to you about."
But Hinamori sat down beside her and cut her off with a smile. "You don't have to."
"Eh?" Rukia blinked. "But I haven't even said—"
"I know what you want to say. But it's fine," Hinamori said softly. "There's no misunderstanding between us, and there won't be. I know what kind of person you are, and I trust you."
Rukia fell silent.
She remembered the conversation she'd overheard outside the Student Council office. Her hands clenched reflexively… then slowly relaxed.
"…Okay," she said quietly.
Just then, a book soared through the air in a graceful arc — and landed squarely on Rukia's head.
"Ow—!" she yelped in pain, immediately knowing who it was.
"Renji!"
She glared furiously at the two culprits standing a few rows away — Renji and Kira.
Renji simply waved a hand. "Save us two seats, will ya?"
And with that, the two of them ducked out of the lecture hall again.
Rukia tossed his textbook onto the desk beside her in frustration. "Renji, that idiot! He's so annoying!"
But Hinamori just smiled. "He only acts like that with one person. Rukia, you're special to him. And he's special to you too, isn't he? You're most at ease when you're around him."
Rukia froze. Hinamori had teased her about her relationship with Renji more than once before… but hearing it again now, Rukia couldn't help but feel that there was something more deliberate behind her words.
Is she trying to set me up with Renji…?
...
During the lecture, Hinamori and Kira listened attentively and took notes, while Renji dozed off, and Rukia… was lost in thought.
She kept thinking about the Kuchiki family.
Rukia didn't know anyone from the Kuchiki house. No one in her class had that surname, and she didn't think anyone in Class A did either.
So why were they looking for her?
Could it really be because of the cultural festival? Was someone from the Kuchiki family in the audience when I was performing?
Nobu's earlier teasing made her instinctively jump to that conclusion.
But… Momo's prettier than she was, right? Why would they single her out?
Rukia had never had much confidence in her appearance or figure. Among the people she knew, she was the shortest.
Still… the President said I didn't need to worry. He'd protect me… right?
...
After class, Renji stretched lazily, apparently well-rested.
Rukia blinked, annoyed with herself for spacing out the entire period.
Renji asked Kira to join him for sword training, but Kira declined — he was on Student Council duty today.
Renji grumbled, then wandered off alone.
"Do you want my notes?" Hinamori offered her notebook to Rukia.
"Thanks, Momo. That really helps."
"What were you daydreaming about in class?" Hinamori asked with a teasing smile.
Rukia hesitated. "It's just… the Kuchiki family. The President said they came to the Council office asking for me. I've been a little worried…"
Hinamori reassured her, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine — the President's got your back."
Rukia nodded, still looking a little anxious. She watched Renji's back retreat down the corridor — she hadn't mentioned it to him yet.
...
Two days later.
The Kuchiki family came again — once more, heading straight for the Student Council office.
And this time, both Nobu and Rukia happened to be there.
The moment she saw them, Rukia tensed up and instinctively stepped behind Nobu.
"Vice-Captain Kuchiki. Good to see you again," Nobu said with a light smile.
Byakuya's gaze rested silently on Rukia, who was partially hidden behind Nobu. In the past two days, he'd gathered all the relevant information on both Nobu and Rukia.
There wasn't anything especially notable about Rukia. An orphan from Inuzuri District of Rukongai, she had entered Shin'ō Academy alongside one Abarai Renji, and had joined the Student Council.
Nothing in her record stood out — she wasn't even in Class A.
The position of "Student Council President's Assistant" hardly counted as remarkable, at least to Byakuya.
But this Tachikawa Nobu… was somewhat unexpected.
Byakuya, face as unreadable as ever, spoke coolly: "Tachikawa Nobu. I have something to discuss with Rukia. Would you mind giving us a moment?"
Rukia tugged lightly at Nobu's sleeve.
Nobu remained calm. "Rukia is my assistant, and this is the Student Council office. There's nothing here I need to excuse myself from."
Rukia, too, gathered her courage. "If there's something you need to say, please speak plainly."
Byakuya showed no emotion, but gestured toward the elder at his side.
The elder stepped forward and addressed Rukia directly.
"Rukia, would you be willing to enter the Kuchiki household — to become a member of the family, formally adopted as one of our own?"