The backs of their shihakushō bore the numbers [9] and [3] respectively — Shūhei Hisagi and Renji Abarai trudged through the streets of the Seireitei looking like n who had already given up on life.
"Tōshirō?!"
"Please, we're begging you — this is the one request of our entire lives. Spare a few people from the Tenth Division to co help us handle our division paperwork!"
"You have no idea how much has piled up in the Ninth and Third Divisions. We're going to die!"
Spotting the white-haired boy coming toward them from the other end of the street, the two of them lunged at him like drowning n grabbing a lifeline, each seizing one of Tōshirō's hands.
They had no choice — as newly appointed captains, they couldn't very well go crawling to the Captain-Commander for help. That would make them look incompetent. So Tōshirō Hitsugaya, fellow alumnus and old classmate, was the only card left to play.
Tōshirō struggled violently. He even tried coating his spirit body with Reiatsu for leverage. It was no use — against their combined grip, he couldn't break free. He let out a thoroughly defeated sigh.
"Nothing I can do. Everything's in reconstruction mode right now. The Tenth Division can't spare anyone either."
—
World of the Living. A certain mysterious beach.
Sunshine. Sand. Waves. And perched on a gentle seaside hill, a pure-white three-story villa.
The occasion was, nominally, a celebration of three people's promotions to captain. Shūhei Hisagi and Renji Abarai, however, had not received any invitation whatsoever — left out in the cold in what could only be described as Arican-style social bullying.
"This is the beachside villa the Ishida family has arranged for you, Captain Soifon."
Candice walked alongside Soifon, leading the way. Before them stood a white three-story villa nestled on a small hill near the beach.
The mont the changing room door swung open, Soifon's footsteps stopped dead.
"What… are all of these…"
Soifon stood at the entrance of the changing room, staring at the dazzling array of swimsuits that packed every hanger inside. Her feet instinctively shuffled back half a step.
Bikinis. One-pieces. Two-pieces. The designs were audacious, the variety overwhelming — enough to make anyone's eyes spin.
She quietly turned around, preparing to make a soundless exit from this den of chaos.
A slender hand reached out from behind her and gently pressed down on her shoulder.
"Captain Soifon — where are you going?"
Unohana Retsu had appeared at her side at so point, her smile so gentle it sent a chill straight to the soul. Her other hand had already, quite naturally, plucked a solid black bikini from a nearby hanger and held it up in front of Soifon, sizing it against her.
Soifon froze in place.
"This one looks wonderful — very fitting for Captain Soifon's Stealth Force sensibility."
Unohana Retsu smiled pleasantly as she spoke, bending her knees slightly to rest her chin on Soifon's shoulder, her breath a soft warmth against Soifon's ear.
Soifon worked hard to keep her expression neutral, but her gaze had already begun drifting involuntarily toward the door. "Well… I think…"
"Oh, this white one with the little skirt is so cute!"
Momo Hinamori squeezed in from the side, holding up another option.
"Teacher Soifon, try this one! It has a bow!"
Rukia joined the fray, waving a pale blue school-style swimsuit up in front of the full-length mirror.
Leaning against the door fra, Rangiku Matsumoto and Isane Kotetsu each held a can of wheat juice, watching the spectacle with the relaxed satisfaction of seasoned spectators.
"Ha — I've always wanted to ss with Captain Soifon like this." Rangiku breathed out a little huff and turned to Isane. "You know what I an, right?"
"?!" Isane startled and took a sip of her wheat juice. "What? What is it?"
She'd been so absorbed in watching the others tease Soifon that she hadn't caught a single word Rangiku had said.
"Ah, never mind…"
Rangiku twirled the long hair draped over her chest and gave her best friend a withering look. Hopeless romantic, the lot of her.
"Take a look at this yourself. I'm going to find a swimsuit I actually like."
With that, she stuffed a copy of the Shinigami Won's Association magazine into Isane Kotetsu's arms.
Isane looked down at the magazine in her hands and shrugged. So mysterious — what on earth was this about?
There, splashed across the cover in bold print: Most Desirable Shinigami to Date (Gender Inclusive) — 2nd Place: Soifon.
"Huh —?!"
Isane Kotetsu's pupils trembled. Shouldn't a list like this be full of high-quality male captains like Byakuya Kuchiki? Why was Captain Soifon in second place?!
And bear in mind — this was a magazine published by the Shinigami Won's Association. Which ant the voters were exclusively won. Which said quite a lot.
The concentration of a certain sothing in Soul Society was dangerously high. Drastic counterasures were required!
Isane Kotetsu felt an unprecedented sense of existential crisis!
Rangiku strolled back over with a deep teal bikini in hand and hung it over Isane's wrist.
"This is the latest poll. Surprising, isn't it?" She grinned. "First ti I saw it, I nearly fell over. Who would've thought Captain Soifon was so popular with won~~"
As she spoke, she held the swimsuit up against Isane, angling it this way and that, then gave a satisfied nod.
"I… I suppose…" Isane managed a strained laugh. "Ahaha…"
—
On the other side of the room.
Soifon stared at the two swimsuit pieces — which, combined, were smaller than the sleeve of her captain's haori — and fell into silence.
Unohana Retsu gave her a gentle nudge, steering her in front of the full-length mirror.
"This one, this one! Teacher Soifon would definitely look amazing in this one!"
"No no, that's way too conservative! We're at the beach — you have to be bold! Otherwise what are the rest of us even looking at?"
"Seriously, what are we looking at?"
"I think this one is nice — the color really suits Teacher Soifon…"
"Hmm… this one doesn't look bad either…"
Soifon felt like a doll being dressed up and passed around. Swatches of fabric in every color were held up against her, this way and that, in an endless rotation.
A warrior could be slain — but not humiliated!
Soifon took a deep breath and decided to redirect the conversation.
"Where did Miss Yoruichi go? Didn't we agree she'd co along?"
Using the brief distraction, Soifon spun around and swept her gaze across the room.
Momo Hinamori and Rukia both paused at the sa instant. The two exchanged a lightning-fast glance.
Momo scratched her cheek, her eyes wandering:
"We asked, but… apparently the Shihōin Estate has been quite busy lately…"
Rukia picked up her friend's lie with flawless ease: "That's right, that's right — my brother told , the three Great Noble Clans have been busy opening up land in Hell! So it wasn't convenient for her to join the vacation, ahaha…"
A quick rhetorical pivot — it had already beco the 'three Great Noble Clans.' The Tsunayashiro na had been swept into the dustbin of history.
Soifon narrowed her eyes. The reaction from these two girls… was deeply suspicious.
After all, Soifon understood Yoruichi Shihōin inside and out. Yoruichi would never, under any circumstances, pass up a chance to stir up trouble.
But…
Soifon let it go without pressing further. Yoruichi not coming was, in its own way, a good thing. One fewer person to fan the flas.
At last, Unohana Retsu lifted a lace two-piece swimsuit from the rack.
"This one, then." She looked up and t Soifon's eyes. "Though it's a bit awkward to put on a two-piece alone — let help you."
Momo Hinamori and Rukia both went wide-eyed simultaneously, their faces written all over with 'we want to help too.'
But Unohana Retsu had already naturally taken Soifon's hand and was guiding her toward the small door at the far end of the changing room. In the instant before the door closed, Unohana leaned her head back out and smiled warmly at the two younger girls:
"You two little ones can wait outside."
The door closed in their faces.
Momo Hinamori and Rukia looked at each other. In each other's eyes, they found an identical, unmistakable disappointnt.
The soft click of the lock falling into place shut out most of the light and sound from outside — and in doing so, amplified the sound of breathing in the slightly cramped space within.
A large mirror occupied the entire wall, reflecting two figures with perfect clarity.
Unohana Retsu had drawn Soifon to stand before it. Before Soifon could mount another attempt at protest, the ties at her back were deftly undone, and her captain's haori was hung on the hook behind the door.
"Retsu…" Soifon swallowed with so difficulty. "Do I really have to wear this…"
"Of course~~"
Unohana Retsu stood behind her, lace swimsuit in hand. "Everyone so rarely gets a chance to relax at the beach together. Soifon… you wouldn't want to be the one who kills the mood, would you?"
She leaned forward slightly, her chin almost grazing Soifon's shoulder, warm breath brushing past Soifon's ear.
While Soifon was still searching for a coback, Unohana Retsu's fingers moved with practiced ease, undoing the ties of Soifon's Shihakushō. The fabric fell away; skin t the faintly cool air, and Soifon's body instinctively tensed.
Outside, pressed against the door, Rukia and Momo gritted their teeth as the soft rustling sounds of changing drifted out from within.
— Honestly, does changing clothes really take this long?!
"Relax."
"It's normal for there to be a little discomfort at first."
Unohana's lips were close enough to Soifon's ear that her voice was barely more than the hum of vibrating air — as though she were employing so technique specifically to prevent eavesdropping.
Soifon: ...
Sothing about that sentence sounded profoundly wrong.
But before she could think it through, Unohana's fingers had already begun moving across her body.
The soft fabric of the swimsuit settled gently against her skin. Fingertips inevitably brushed the smooth curve of Soifon's waist, carrying a faintly cool touch.
"Could you… speed it up a little…"
Soifon finally couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up.
"My apologies."
The words had barely landed when the swimsuit ties at Soifon's back were pulled taut all at once — a firm, secure embrace of fabric wrapping around her.
Soifon raised her eyes to look at herself in the mirror — and found…
Her gaze was t instead by Unohana Retsu, who had turned her back to the mirror. The upswept dark hair ca cascading down, black as a waterfall, gleaming with a soft luster under the light.
Whoosh —
Fabric fell away. Unohana cradled what needed cradling with one arm, and with her other hand extended the red swimsuit toward Soifon, placing it in her palm:
"Now then…"
"I'll have to trouble Soifon in return."
Gulp —
Soifon heard the sound of her own swallow with perfect clarity.
She stood behind Unohana Retsu, close enough to feel the scorching warmth radiating from her body.
For the first ti — without the cover of a hot spring — face to face like this, with nothing between them.
In the mirror, two faces tinged with a flush of red both worked diligently to maintain the appearance of calm.
—
A long while passed.
The changing room door was finally pulled open from inside.
"Whoa—!"
"Oof!"
Without the door to support them, four figures ca tumbling in through the entrance in a spectacular chain reaction, crashing onto the smooth floor one after another.
Soifon and Unohana Retsu stood side by side in the doorway, looking down at the chaos sprawled at their feet. Soifon's eyes narrowed slightly. "What exactly… are you all doing?"
In the next instant, all four scrambled off the floor at astonishing speed and lined up in a row.
"What do you an, 'what are we doing'!"
"You and Captain Unohana are the ones who've been hogging the changing room this whole ti! We were just — just coming over to check on you out of the goodness of our hearts!"
Rangiku Matsumoto spoke first, smoothing her brilliant orange hair with one hand while doing her best to hold a composed expression.
Her words were punctuated by vigorous nodding from the girls lined up behind her.
—
Out on the beach.
Six lounge chairs sat peacefully in the sand. On the table beneath the white beach umbrella rested glasses of fruit juice.
Unohana Retsu had a pair of sunglasses perched on her face, her long black hair fanned across the back of the chair, hands folded on her stomach — seemingly already drifting into a light doze.
"Ah, to be young… unlike , having been sent on missions in the World of the Living several tis already, the ocean holds no particular novelty anymore…"
Rangiku Matsumoto lay on her side, one hand propping up her head, the other idly sifting through the sand with aimless fingers. Her gaze drifted at intervals toward the figures moving at the water's edge, and she exhaled a wistful sigh.
Soifon stood where she was, taking in the scene — and quietly began edging her feet toward the far end of the beach.
Now was her chance. Lower her presence. Slip away…
"Captain Soifon."
A lazy voice floated up from behind her.
Soifon's feet stopped.
Rangiku Matsumoto was still lying on her side on the lounge chair, one hand propping her cheek, the other lifting a can of juice and giving it a little wave in Soifon's direction. "Could I ask you for a small favor?"
Only once Soifon had walked over did Rangiku pull a bottle of sunscreen from her chest and place it in Soifon's hand — the bottle still warm from Rangiku's body heat.
"I can't reach my own back. Could Captain Soifon give a hand?"
Rangiku stretched out on the lounge chair as though this were the most natural thing in the world, her request delivered with easy nonchalance.
She put her smooth back fully on display, sweeping that dazzling orange hair to one side.
"Ha…" Soifon turned the sunscreen bottle over in her fingers. "Back to calling Captain now, are we? Do it yourself…"
Rangiku glanced back over her shoulder and winked at Soifon. "Co on, help out, Captain Soifon~~"
"Besides — I only ended up as captain because of you, didn't I? Surely a little compensation like this isn't too much to ask?"
Nearby, Unohana Retsu cracked one eye open a sliver beneath her sunglasses, glancing briefly at the little exchange — then over at Isane Kotetsu in the water, who was carefully, timidly attempting to teach herself to swim.
Then, in the privacy of her own heart, she shook her head on her vice-captain's behalf.
[Isane… you're just too oblivious…]
With that, she closed her eye again, looking every bit as though she'd genuinely fallen asleep.
—
Back on the other side, Soifon uncapped the sunscreen and squeezed a dollop of the milky lotion into her palm.
She looked at Rangiku Matsumoto's back, glowing in the sunlight as though it had its own sheen. She hesitated a mont — then pressed her palm against it.
"Mm…"
The sudden cold touch made Rangiku let out a soft sound, her body giving a slight shiver.
"Could you please not make sounds like that. People will get the wrong idea."
Soifon's eye twitched, and she poked Rangiku's ticklish spot with one finger.
"What do you an, 'get the wrong idea'?" Rangiku squird like she was doing the worm. "Given the relationship we have — isn't it a little late to suddenly be shy?"
Soifon continued spreading the lotion without a word. But the pressure of her hands grew a little heavier — her fingertips tracing down along the groove of Rangiku's spine, then drawing a feather-light line across the sensitive curve of her waist:
"Then why don't you tell — what exactly is our relationship, Vice-Captain… Ran… gi… ku…"
"…!"
Rangiku's playfulness ca to an abrupt halt.
Her body stiffened just slightly. The hand propping up her head instinctively clutched the edge of the lounge chair.
Soifon's voice ca from above her head: "What's wrong? Can't answer?"
Rangiku said nothing. But the face turned to the side was visibly, undeniably flushed — her body tensing over and over, then forcing itself to relax, again and again.
A quiet, charged atmosphere spread between the two of them.
The last patch done, Soifon withdrew her hands, recapped the sunscreen, and set it on the nearby side table.
Then she bent down, bracing both hands on the sides of the lounge chair, and brought her face close to Rangiku Matsumoto's ear.
"Then let answer for you, Rangiku."
"We should be lovers — don't you think…"
Soifon's breath drifted past Rangiku Matsumoto's ear.
Silence. Rangiku stayed in her prone position and buried her burning face in the crook of her arm.
"Unfair…"
After a beat, her muffled voice finally erged from beneath her arm.
____
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