Who Is She?

"That is already a very favorable price. The two wrapped pairs are five hundred kan each, and the pair you are wearing is especially worth its thousand kan. The silver spirit steel used to make them alone is worth seven hundred..."

The eyeglasses shopkeeper paused, seeming to notice Akira's embarrassment, and said, "If you like, you can switch to something more cost-effective. I can give you an additional discount."

"No need."

Akira glanced at Shao Ling beside him, then said, "I like this pair. This will do."

After that, he counted out two thousand kan from inside his robe, paid the shopkeeper, accepted the two wrapped pairs, and left directly.

At that moment, feeling nearly half a month's salary vanish from his pocket, Akira could not help sighing over the evils of Seireitei's nobles.

Money earned in Seireitei was spent in Seireitei. Not a single coin could make it home.

Fortunately, he currently lived in Retsu Unohana's captain's courtyard, with food and lodging covered and no extra expenses. Otherwise, within a few days, all his salary would probably have been handed back to the nobles.

Just as Akira once again deeply felt how important Captain Unohana was to him, Shao Ling's slightly embarrassed voice sounded beside him.

"Actually, you did not have to buy that pair. I have not bought many things before, so my taste might not be very good."

Akira pushed up the glasses he was still not used to and said, "No. Miss Fon has excellent taste. I like these glasses very much. Thank you, Miss Fon."

In truth, when Akira had chosen the glasses, he had not been considering Shao Ling. He had simply compared several pairs repeatedly and selected the three that fit his plan relatively well.

Hearing him say that, however, a faint blush flashed across Shao Ling's face. Her steps quickened without her noticing, and she moved ahead of Akira while panic stirred in her heart.

'This bastard... D-do not make it sound like I gave them to you as a gift.'

Walking behind her, Akira's gaze unconsciously fell on her back.

He had to admit, Shao Ling's build at this point was extremely youthful. Akira was still developing as well, but he was already close to 180 centimeters tall and had room to grow. Shao Ling barely reached his chest.

As she walked in front, Akira's attention was drawn even more easily to her waist, which truly lived up to the image of a bee.

Slender, graceful, beautifully curved, and so narrow it seemed one hand could nearly circle it.

'Can a waist that slim truly unleash enough Hakuda power to kill someone?'

Although Akira knew Shao Ling would eventually reach captain-class achievement, that question still surfaced in his mind on instinct.

"We're here. Lady Yoruichi brought me to this barbecue restaurant before. It is very good. Is this all right?"

When Shao Ling turned back, Akira's gaze had already returned to its usual gentle calm.

"No problem. I will follow Miss Fon's decision."

"Mm."

After that, Shao Ling, whose speech and actions still carried a somewhat immature edge, pretended to be mature as she spoke with the staff in front of Akira. Then she chose a seat near the window.

Looking at the innocent-looking young man across from her, who seemed curious as he observed the surroundings, Shao Ling secretly encouraged herself.

'Good. Everything is going smoothly. Next, I can truly start finding a way to draw out information.'

'Alcohol. That's right. Even noble Lady Yoruichi lowers her guard after drinking. I need to find a way to make Doctor Morisawa drink later too.'

'I can do this. I can definitely complete Lady Yoruichi's mission perfectly.'

Soon, barbecue and sake arrived one after another. Under Shao Ling's somewhat clumsy attempts to start conversations, Akira behaved like an innocent boy who had only recently entered Seireitei and knew nothing of the world.

Especially after Shao Ling invited him to drink, Akira went along with it and sipped the sake twice. The calm steadiness he had shown in the department faded, and he became much more proactive.

For a time, the atmosphere between them became increasingly harmonious and affectionate. One amusing story from each of their pasts after another was brought out.

"Miss... Miss Fon, did you know? Back when I was in Rukongai, I watched one patient after another die helplessly, and I swore that I would become..."

Before Akira could finish, Shao Ling, who had been taking small sips of sake, interrupted him with hazy eyes.

"Doctor Morisawa, you do not have to be so polite. You can call me Shao Ling."

Akira's voice stopped. His similarly hazy-looking eyes quietly assessed her.

'She... is not actually drunk, is she?'

At once, Akira lost more than half his interest in continuing the act. He understood that there was not much point in going on. Trying to fool a drunk Shao Ling was like making eyes at someone who could not see. How much information could she remember while drunk?

It would be better to save time and do something more meaningful, such as training. Or training. Or training.

"Miss... Miss Fon, you are drunk," Akira said with a faintly thick tongue, subtly reminding her.

"I... I am not drunk... hic."

Shao Ling smacked her lips, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she asked, "Aside from Lady Yoruichi, you are the only person who has been this gentle to me, Doctor Morisawa. I am very happy today. Are you... my friend?"

Friend?

Hearing that, Akira could only feel pain for his salary.

The sting in a hornet's tail was nothing compared with a woman's heart.

With Shao Ling drunk like this, his salary was the one about to suffer.

For some reason, Akira had the illusion that he had been lured out by someone pretending to be friendly, only to be forced into paying an expensive bill.

But in public, he could not exactly reach into drunk Shao Ling's robe to search for her wallet.

So after helplessly settling the bill, Akira supported Shao Ling and prepared to send her back to the Second Division.

After all, Akira did not currently have an independent residence of his own. He also could not bring Shao Ling straight back to Retsu Unohana's courtyard to rest. That would be... rather inappropriate, and inconvenient.

Although Akira was an upright gentleman with nothing to fear, he still worried about creating an unnecessary battlefield and accidentally being cut down.

However, the moment he supported Shao Ling out of the barbecue restaurant, Akira's body stiffened.

He stared blankly at the group in front of him: Chiyoko Aoki, Risa Aoki, the members of the Fifth Relief Team, and Retsu Unohana standing at the very front with a smile as gentle as water.

Akira froze.

Risa stared at him in shock, then looked at Shao Ling, who was half leaning against him.

"A-Akira-kun, why are you here? Who... is she?"

Chiyoko Aoki looked up at the sky. Her tone seemed a little puzzled.

"Akira-kun, isn't it only just time for the shift change?"

As for Retsu Unohana, she still wore that smiling, gentle look, without the slightest trace of surprise or anger.

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