When Nobu found himself facing both Rukia and Hinamori at the same time, it was impossible not to feel a flicker of guilt in his heart.
It might look like the classic playing the whore while pretending to be the saint act, but these were two living, breathing people before him, and Nobu was by no means someone so cold and ruthless.
Still, that was only something he allowed himself to think in passing.
When it came to doing what needed to be done, he would never hesitate.
"Kaichō, did you come here… especially to see me—us?" Hinamori asked at that moment.
Nobu nodded. "I took a day off."
Then he said to the two of them, "Rukia is the Student Council President now. From now on, you don't need to call me Kaichō anymore."
Hinamori couldn't help mumbling under her breath, "But in my heart, you'll always be Kaichō. There's only one Kaichō…"
At that, Rukia rolled her eyes in silence.
But Hinamori didn't insist further. Maybe because Rukia was right there, she hesitated before asking, "If I can't call you Kaichō, then… what should I call you?"
"Up to you," Nobu said with a small laugh.
That only made the two of them more troubled.
Mainly because they were both conscious of the other's presence. Anything too intimate would be hard to say out loud.
Even though each felt her relationship with Nobu was close enough, the idea of directly calling him by his given name felt awkward—like it would strip away a layer of respect.
In their hearts, Nobu wasn't just the person they admired romantically; he was someone they aspired toward, someone they respected deeply.
But to call him Tachikawa, or Tachikawa-senpai, would be far too distant.
Hinamori couldn't help thinking privately that if Rukia weren't here, she could've just called him "Nobu" openly and without hesitation.
Seeing how troubled they were, Nobu said, "You can change the way you address me gradually. No need to rush."
That let both of them breathe easier.
Nobu also noticed that Hinamori's affection level for him had reached 89 points—same as Rukia's.
In fact, during the month-plus they hadn't met, Hinamori's affection had steadily risen to 88, and then at the very moment they reunited just now, it ticked up by one more point.
Rukia's, on the other hand, hadn't budged. From 89 to 90, it would probably take some kind of special opportunity.
Casually, Nobu asked, "I just noticed something on Rukia's desk. Are you preparing for Student Council recruitment?"
Rukia nodded. "Yes. We're following your old methods. Kira is mainly in charge of it—he's the head of the Organization Department now."
"Oh?" Nobu chuckled. "Kira's always been excellent, though his personality's a bit like Shūhei's—comes off as quiet to outsiders."
Hinamori said, "He's not quiet at all. Around people he knows, he talks more than Abarai."
Nobu laughed aloud. "And what about you, Hinamori?"
Rukia answered for her. "Momo is the head of the Academics Department now."
She went on to briefly explain the personnel changes in the Student Council.
For example, Shiba Ganju was now the president's assistant, taking Rukia's old position.
The vice president was still Katori Hayaha. Unlike when Nobu was president—where Katori had mostly just been a figurehead—he now worked closely with Rukia and actually involved himself in council affairs.
In Nobu's view, that was a good thing. Rukia was still very young and inexperienced, and she needed that kind of support.
The other department heads were all familiar names to him.
And Abarai Renji? Still an idle man with no position—Rukia hadn't promoted him just because they were close.
"You two are underestimating Abarai," Nobu said with a smile. "Maybe if he took on a role, he could do really well."
In the original story, Renji had become the Sixth Division Vice Captain—it wasn't possible he was completely incompetent. Maybe he just hadn't "switched on" yet.
Hinamori muttered, "Better not. I'm afraid he'd turn the Student Council upside-down."
Rukia also mentioned that Principal Suzumebe had called her in recently, encouraged her, and told her he had high hopes for her.
Nobu listened quietly, feeling a faint sense of wistfulness.
In his eyes, everyone at the Academy was a good person. That was why he had been so reluctant to leave back then.
"Kaichō, can't you come see us more often?" Hinamori asked him earnestly.
Nobu sighed helplessly. "I don't have that much free time. The Fourth Division has plenty of work to do."
That was true—now that he was Third Seat, there was no way he could just sit idle. Everything he had discussed before with Kotetsu Isane and Unohana Retsu, he fully intended to put into action.
Rukia reminded Hinamori that Kaichō was now the Third Seat of the Fourth Division.
Hinamori reacted much the same as Rukia had earlier, but grinned and said, "Then if I join the Fourth Division in the future, Kaichō can keep looking after me."
Rukia said nothing to that.
"You really plan to come to the Fourth Division?" Nobu asked.
Hinamori straightened up. "Kaichō, my Kaidō is the best in our year! Don't underestimate me!"
Kaidō was a separate subject, but it fell under the broader category of Kidō—and Kidō was where Hinamori excelled most.
Normally, she still had three years before graduation.
Three years…
"Well, you're still far from graduation," Nobu said. "No need to rush."
They chatted idly for a while longer, until class time approached and Nobu told them to head back.
But neither Rukia nor Hinamori seemed eager to leave. With their Student Council positions, they had plenty of excuses for skipping class.
Nobu put on a stern face and scolded them. "The Student Council isn't a place for abusing privilege!"
Only then did the two agree to go back to class.
But just before leaving, Hinamori suddenly threw herself into Nobu's arms right in front of Rukia, hugging him tightly for a long moment.
Feeling the soft warmth in his arms, Nobu didn't dare move—just stood there awkwardly, because he'd noticed the faintly resentful gaze Rukia was directing his way.
"All right, go back to class. I'm planning to go visit my homeroom teacher," he said.
Hinamori reluctantly let go—but to Nobu's surprise, Rukia then stepped forward and leaned into his arms as well.
Nobu: "…"
Hinamori froze at the sight, her hands hanging at her sides suddenly clenching.
Rukia didn't hold him for long. She let go quickly, then turned and left the office ahead of them.
Hinamori stood there for a moment, glancing from Rukia's back to Nobu's face.
Nobu didn't understand the complicated emotions in her eyes.
She left too, following after Rukia.
It wasn't until they had walked out of the office building that Hinamori finally spoke. "Rukia, are you mad?"
"…No." Rukia didn't stop walking, only lowered her head and replied.
Hinamori sighed inwardly. Truth be told, her flare of anger earlier had only lasted a moment. She quickly realized that being so openly intimate with Kaichō in front of Rukia had been improper.
Her heart softened again—magnanimous, she told herself—and she felt she shouldn't deliberately provoke Rukia like that.
Choosing her words, she said, "It's my fault. I just couldn't hold back after not seeing Kaichō for so long…"
Rukia glanced at her. "I know. I missed Kaichō too."
"…"
Hinamori forced an awkward smile. "I know, so… I guess that means we're even now, right?"
Even?
Was there even such a way to talk about something like this…?
Rukia suddenly stopped walking, making Hinamori halt too. Her heart beat uneasily, unsure what Rukia was about to say.
"Momo, deep down… have you been feeling rather proud of yourself?"
Hinamori's smile froze.
"What do you mean?"
Rukia said, "Kaichō has already graduated. We still have three years left. You've said you plan to join the Fourth Division, while I can only go to the Sixth. So you think there's no future between me and Kaichō, don't you?"
"…"
Rukia drew in a deep breath. She stood silent for a moment, then said to Hinamori, "Momo, we agreed before on fair competition. So I won't quarrel with you over something like this. I only want to tell you one thing—"
"For Kaichō, I will never, ever give up."
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