"Insolence is second nature to you, huh? So—what do you want to achieve?"
"I want to get married successfully," she blurted out.
Our faces all stretched out.
"My family isn't particularly wealthy, so my mother is trying to marry off all her daughters as well as possible. So, as one of them, I need to find myself a good, rich match, just like my sisters. Heh-heh-heh. Well, it's better to do it among the shinigami, since I have the ability."
"Well, well," I chuckled.
"So if you become rich and influential, remember me," she added, scooting closer. "Heh-heh-heh."
Her face was actually quite pretty, and she herself wasn't bad at all. If it weren't for that aura and her creepy smile, she'd be perfect.
"Definitely. Are you, by any chance, related to Ichimaru Gin?"
"No."
"You look very similar."
"If he's rich, I might consider it," she smiled even wider.
"Hmm."
"You two are funny twins," she said, pointing at Rukia and me.
"We're not related!" we said in unison.
"But you can tell just by looking at you," she laughed.
"That's not true!" we jumped up at the same time. Damn. Why did she say the exact same thing I did? What a nightmare.
"What a joke," Renji sighed.
"Ho," Hebiko muttered, finishing everything that was left. "The line's gone."
It was true. While we sat gossiping, the crowd had dispersed.
When we reached the warehouses, I had to argue with the attendant for quite a while, proving I was a guy. Otherwise he would've given Rukia and me identical uniforms. But as soon as he remembered where he'd seen me earlier, he immediately stopped laughing and hurried away. I promised we'd meet again. Great—now I have a "sister." No, not even a sister—more like something I can't define. And you can't prove anything. We're similar, too similar. We even say the same things sometimes.
The scariest thing now is if Rangiku finds out about this. She'll never let me live in peace—and she'll torment Rukia too.
Oh, I can already feel there will be no end to the problems this brings.
In the end, they gave me a uniform consisting of blue hakama pants, a blue shitagi, a white kosode, white socks, and sandals. The sandals were a very controversial item of clothing for me. The tabi socks were more or less comfortable, but the sandals… not so much. They made me tense. Uncomfortable. But I had to wear them.
Also included were fundoshi underwear and other necessities like towels, gloves, and various small items. Three full sets of clothing to change into. You hand them in to the laundry and get them back clean the next day. Academy responsible for it, so there are no mix-ups.
They also told us that Academy students are entitled to a scholarship—meant for residents of poor districts, commoners, and those who have no money. But the scholarship is modest, which makes you think about getting a part-time job. You're only allowed to work inside the Academy itself: in the laundry, in the kitchen, or as a cleaner. Earnings and all that. Fortunately, all this is only relevant for 3rd Class ; 1st Class students get free breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which greatly reduces expenses. I'm lucky. I already have the money I earned, and now I have a scholarship, too. And once again, I find myself with nowhere to spend it.
Well, fortunately, I'll have weekends off, and I know how to use a shunpo—so I'll be able to help someone out. And if I get along better with my new acquaintances, I'll have assistants of my own.
We were sorted. The dormitory is divided into male and female sections. Each 1st Class student gets their own room. 2nd Class live in groups of three or four. But the 3rd Class are unlucky—ten people in one room. Fortunately, the rooms are large. It's good in a sense: it motivates them to work harder. But the downside is that it breeds envy. And envy causes problems.
And things aren't going smoothly for us either.
Some aristocrat living in the room next to mine gave me a very disapproving look. A tall guy with short purple hair and beads around his neck and arm.
Oh well, screw him.
My room turned out to be small but cute. It even looked a little unusual. Instead of a futon, there was a bed. A real bed, made of wood.
It was a single bed, clearly not intended for inviting girls over. Though with my height, that probably wouldn't matter much. Either way, the bed was quite large for me.
There was a table, a chair, and a nightstand. And a door leading to a toilet. Well, that's nice. The showers are further down the hall. Apparently, toilet business is private, but bathing is communal. Sounds a little ambiguous.
Well, never mind.
In any case, I was happy with the room. Renji was placed across from me, and Kira further down the hall.
The first thing I did was change into the Academy uniform. It seems they're used to students of all shapes and sizes, because the clothes fit me perfectly. Even the sandals weren't that annoying anymore. Overall, not bad, though I'd never worn hakama before. Simply hadn't had the opportunity.
To be honest, I don't really like the local fashion. These robes worn on bare skin, the hakama, the uncomfortable shoes… Yes, we're in Japan, but for some reason it doesn't feel natural to me. You can get used to it, sure, but I'd prefer something else. I remember trying on clothes at that costume shop. The clothes may have been strange and foreign, but they were much more comfortable. The shoes didn't bother me much either, except they were heavy and noisy. I hope that someday, shinigami will allow a break from uniform traditions.
Although… it's probably better just to get used to it. I feel like I'll be wearing this for a long time.
Well, that's about it.
I enrolled, got into trouble, got a reprimand, and made friends. Too early to say anything for sure about them, but still—not bad.
Now it would be good to eat properly and explore the Academy. There seems to be a tour for newcomers. They'll tell us where to go and what to do.
Good luck to me…