"Really? That's wonderful!"
Hinami exclaid happily.
"I'm actually a bit surprised you're willing to visit so soon."
Byakuya remarked.
"Surprised? I'm just fulfilling your request. Otherwise, I wouldn't want to see that old man."
Eto said with a light laugh.
"So you called just to tell this? Or is there sothing else?"
Byakuya asked.
"Mm, I wanted to invite you out for a drink. I also have so things I'd like to discuss with you."
Eto said.
"So... the usual place?"
"That's right. I'll be waiting for you there..."
Then she hung up.
"Is Oniichan going to et 'Takatsuki-sensei'?"
Hinami asked.
"Yes."
Byakuya nodded.
"I see... Then let's finish this book next ti. I've already placed a bookmark where we stopped."
Hinami said.
"Good girl, Hinami."
Byakuya patted her head. "I'll be going now."
"Goodbye, Oniichan. If possible, could you get another autograph from 'Takatsuki-sensei'?"
Hinami handed Byakuya the small notebook she had been using for her drawings.
"Of course."
Byakuya nodded slightly.
...
At the sa coffee shop as before, Byakuya had arrived on the second floor.
"Hello~ Over here!"
Spotting Byakuya coming up, Eto waved at him.
She was sitting by the window.
Byakuya walked over.
At the mont, Eto was naturally dressed as the human author "Sen Takatsuki"—an innocent-looking, harmless cute girl.
"I've already ordered ahead. It should arrive soon. Until then, let's just chat."
Eto said casually.
Byakuya didn't care what Eto had ordered. He got straight to the point. "Hinami asked to get your autograph. She wants you to sign this notebook."
Seeing Byakuya produce Hinami's notebook, Eto asked curiously, "Hinami-chan's notebook... do you mind if I look inside?"
"Should be fine."
Byakuya handed the notebook to Eto.
Since she was going to sign it anyway, he had to give it to her eventually.
Eto first signed her na on it, then flipped through the pages.
Page after page revealed drawings by little Hinami.
Though the style was rather rough—almost like a child's doodles—you could still make out what Hinami had drawn.
The earlier pages were mostly about Hinami and her parents. Later, Byakuya, Touka, and others began to appear, with Byakuya showing up most frequently.
"...These are really nice. I'm almost jealous."
Eto smiled as she returned the notebook to Byakuya.
She wasn't joking. Hinami's family was so much more complete than hers—not only were both parents present, but she was also cared for and protected by everyone at Anteiku.
In comparison, she herself had...
Sotis, Eto's offhand jokes could already be planting seeds of resentnt against you. She was extrely vindictive. Shinohara Yukinori had been tortured into a vegetative state simply because he'd said sothing slightly wrong that irritated her—and Shinohara hadn't even realized he'd said anything wrong.
Of course, it depended on who was involved. Shinohara was a CCG investigator—in Eto's eyes, he was either an enemy or soone whose life or death didn't matter, just a chess piece.
But Hinami was different. Eto had always been rather friendly toward Hinami. Moreover, Hinami was soone close to Byakuya...
"Jealous...? Well, I suppose so. After all, Hinami is far happier than you."
Byakuya said calmly. "Your childhood experiences in Ward 24 are beyond what the Manager or I can imagine. Only you know what kind of hell that was..."
"...Talking about that now is aningless. It's been ten years. I stopped caring long ago."
Eto said with an indifferent look in her eyes.
But Byakuya could detect a trace of displeasure deep within them.
He knew Eto was never the type to easily let things go. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so vindictive.
"Still... even though Hinami-chan is happy, she must have her own worries, right?"
Eto deliberately changed the subject. "Actually, I could tell from those drawings. The more recent ones especially—you can feel the anxiety in her strokes."
"...What do you an?"
Byakuya asked.
He could already guess. Hinami's worries were probably about not being able to help everyone at Anteiku—especially during the Owl Suppression, when all she could do was flee to Ward 4 for safety.
"At Hinami-chan's age, there are always things you can't solve on your own—situations where you feel helpless, where you don't know what to do. I went through that phase too."
Eto said. "So, could you tell Hinami-chan for that whenever she's struggling, she can reach out to anyti? I'll answer as long as I'm not 'working.'"
"Mm... I'll let her know."
Byakuya nodded slightly.
"By the way, you're being so nice to Hinami-chan—is it also for gathering material for your writing?"
Byakuya saw right through Eto's true purpose.
"Correct. I didn't expect you to see through so easily."
Eto admitted with a smile. "But I really do like Hinami-chan. That doesn't conflict with wanting to use her as inspiration."
"Mm, I know you won't hurt her. So what I ant was, when she needs it, I'll be counting on you to have heart-to-heart talks with her."
Byakuya said.
Having Eto, this kindred big sister, counsel little Hinami wasn't a bad idea.
"Also... if you didn't burden yourself with so much—if you weren't constantly thinking about changing the world at any cost—you could probably live quite happily too."
Byakuya then steered the topic back.
Hearing this, Eto fell silent for a mont. Who knew what she was thinking? Then she finally spoke. "...I'd like that, but what can I do now? Everything I had planned was thrown into chaos by you."
"If you'd agree to beco the 'One-Eyed King,' I wouldn't have to worry about so much."
Eto said, taking the opportunity.
Then she watched Byakuya's face, observing his reaction.
...
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