Since the dawn of time, human beings have harbored an innate need to share information.
This need manifests not only as curiosity but as a genuine interest in and concern for those around them. Gossip, as a form of social interaction, stimulates the brain to release dopamine, making people feel a sense of pleasure when participating in such topics.
Men and women. Friendship and love.
Particularly in a relatively oppressive environment like the Seireitei, even the slightest ripple of news can quickly evolve into dinner-table conversation, quietly circulating among the masses. It could be said that behind every interpersonal relationship, there are bound to be countless discussions spreading.
And that was indeed the case. Suō Tsukasa had experienced this firsthand.
"Speaking of which, Tsukasa, have you been getting quite close to Rukia from our squad lately?" Kotetsu Kiyane asked, her eyes twinkling with a hint of playfulness.
As the topic shifted from the Captain-Commander to Tsukasa's personal life, the atmosphere in the office became noticeably more relaxed and lively. After all, few people were as socially adept as he was, with acquaintances spread across every division.
"When Hikone and I were moving boxes yesterday, we happened to see you through the window of the training grounds," she added. Her words immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Yes, I saw them. It was the training ground in the southeast corner," Mitaka Hikone added with a silent nod, confirming her story.
"What?"
"Tell us more!"
Everyone's gaze turned toward Tsukasa; the air around the heater seemed to grow a few degrees warmer. The room fell silent for a moment.
Meeting their probing eyes, Tsukasa looked at the faces filled with curiosity and found it somewhat amusing. He replied calmly, his tone as flat as if he were commenting on the barely fair winter weather outside.
"I was simply instructing her in Zanjutsu and Hakuda."
"Rukia has a solid foundation in Shunpo and Kido, but her close-quarters combat needs work. The year-end squad evaluations are coming up, and as a senior and the Third Seat, guiding a squad member is part of my duty."
"As long as someone has the courage to ask me for help and circumstances allow, I will provide guidance to anyone equally, regardless of who they are."
The answer was airtight—a display of magnanimous selflessness that left no room for criticism. Beyond her current strength, Tsukasa felt that Kuchiki Rukia needed improvement in many areas—such as her mindset.
She wasn't the only one; the same had been true for Kira Izuru previously. Even though their talents far exceeded others, they were both bound by the shackles of their own hearts. Tsukasa's upright attitude lent further credibility to his words.
"Tsukasa, you're just too nice!" Kiyane pouted, her voice tinged with a bit of lament. "Back when I first joined the squad, why wasn't there a handsome senior to guide me so patiently?"
"Am I not handsome?" Shiba Kaien pointed at himself, his face a giant question mark.
Not taking that lying down, Kaien straightened his posture and put on a "what kind of thing is that to say" expression, his eyebrows arching high.
"Is that even the same thing?" Kiyane retorted immediately. "Back then, your hair looked like a bird's nest every day, and your Shihakusho was always wrinkled. You only got better after you married Sister Miyako."
In all fairness, Shiba Kaien's face and overall physique were fine, but his personality was a bit boisterous. Furthermore, when they first met, he hadn't yet married Miyako; in those days, he didn't care much for trivial details like personal grooming and often appeared quite unkempt.
He was nothing like Tsukasa, who took the time to tidy his appearance properly every day.
Tsukasa chuckled quietly to himself; Kiyane's description was incredibly vivid. She paused for a moment before adding another remark.
"Besides, everyone knows your teaching style. It's either 'figure it out yourself' or 'you'll learn after getting hit a few more times.' It's completely different from Tsukasa's gentle approach!"
As she spoke, she nudged Mitaka Hikone, who had been quietly drinking tea, with her elbow. Hikone was bumped so hard his hand shook, and his tea nearly spilled. Steadying his cup, he nodded with absolute sincerity. He was always the primary victim during group training. Recalling the countless days spent aching from head to toe, his expression stiffened slightly.
"Kiyane is right. Vice-Captain Kaien's teaching... style is certainly unique."
"Hey, hey, that's uncalled for!" Kaien protested. "Weren't we talking about Tsukasa? How did the conversation turn into an attack on me?"
"Alright, we'll accept the excuse that guiding Rukia is a senior's responsibility for now. Tsukasa, be honest—if it isn't Rukia, then what's the story between you and Matsumoto Rangiku?"
"..."
"Aren't you two supposed to go to the shopping district tonight to do some year-end shopping?" Kaien leaned forward slightly, tapping his finger on his knee, a playful smile playing on his lips. Taking advantage of the information gap between him and the three latecomers, he intentionally omitted Hitsugaya Toshiro from the story to make it sound more ambiguous.
The moment he said this, the atmosphere in the office, which had just cooled slightly, flared up again with even more excitement. If guiding a junior from the same squad was within the scope of his duties, then being close with a Vice-Captain from another division—especially a strikingly beautiful woman like Matsumoto Rangiku—was far more likely to trigger wild imaginations.
"What?!" Kiyane's eyes went wide, sparkling with excitement.
"Vice-Captain Matsumoto is indeed one of the great beauties of the Seireitei. She's pretty, and her personality is cheerful. Tsukasa, you have good taste," Kotsubaki Sentaro said, nodding at Tsukasa in approval. "Even though she's a bit older than you, that's not an issue at all. You two make a good match; Tsukasa, you have to seize the opportunity."
"Kaien, honestly... wasn't the Third Seat, Hitsugaya Toshiro, going with them as well?" Shiba Miyako said, lightly slapping her husband's arm in reproach. From the sidelines, she saw the reactions of the group—and particularly her husband's mischievous intent—clearly.
Based on her observations at the last two banquets, the relationship between Tsukasa and Matsumoto Rangiku was indeed good; they shared a friend-like rapport in their actions and speech, but it was far from intimate. Furthermore, Tsukasa hadn't shown any of the telltale signs of falling in love recently.
If the two did become a couple in the future, she, as an elder sister who viewed Tsukasa like a younger brother, would certainly be happy for them. But if they weren't, she didn't want her husband's half-joking remarks to add unnecessary pressure to Tsukasa or affect their friendship. Even though everyone present was family and wouldn't spread rumors, it was still improper to talk about others behind their backs like that.
She turned to Tsukasa with a soft gaze, intending to comfort him and help him out of the situation. Tsukasa clearly felt her thoughtful protection. Meeting Miyako's gaze, he shook his head slightly, signaling that he didn't mind.
Matters of the heart would take their natural course; Rangiku wasn't as carefree as her exterior suggested, and she carried a great deal in her heart. Their current mode of interaction was very comfortable.
"What!?" The others cried out in disappointment, all of them pointing fingers at Shiba Kaien.
Especially Kotsubaki Sentaro, an old-timer who had witnessed Kaien and Miyako's entire journey from their first meeting to their marriage. He began to spill all of Kaien's past embarrassments, such as the funny stories about him trying to win Miyako over with gifts.
Sentaro cleared his throat and, amid Kaien's suddenly nervous eyes and Miyako's smiling gaze, began his exposé.
"I won't mention anything else, but let's talk about gift-giving."
"Vice-Captain Kaien made more than a few fools of himself back then. Once, for Miyako's birthday, he ran to the shopping district and, believing the words of a merchant, bought a music box that was supposedly the latest trend in the Living World—one that would absolutely move a girl to tears of joy..."
He began to describe the scene vividly, talking about how the music box, when opened, played a tune that was wildly out of tune, and a wooden figure popped out that wouldn't even spin.
"At least the sentiment was sincere, and Miyako accepted it happily," Kaien said with a hint of embarrassment.
The room erupted in laughter. Even Miyako couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle, her eyes shimmering with the tenderness of fond memories.