Chapter 43: Ichigo kun, Become the Pillar of the Thirteenth Division!
This was not a question Ichigo was hearing for the first time.
The four of them had already discussed it in private before.
Most of the time it had turned into the usual, "I will definitely do this and that in the future," kind of talk, impulsive declarations that evaporated as soon as someone changed the topic.
Plenty of it could not be taken seriously at all.
Even so, there had been a few moments of genuine thought mixed in.
Especially when it came to choosing a Division.
"For me, it will probably be the Fifth Division."
Ichigo answered honestly.
Then he saw Ukitake freeze for a moment.
Beside him, Kyoraku reached out and patted his friend's shoulder, the gesture looking like comfort but sounding very much like teasing.
"I told you, Ichigo is Captain Aizen's disciple. There is no way he would pick another Division. Besides, the Fifth Division has a great atmosphere. Among the Gotei 13, it is practically a breath of fresh air. Perfect as a first stop for a new recruit."
"From the way you say that, Kyoraku san…" Ichigo scratched his cheek, suddenly catching on. "Ukitake san, were you planning to invite me to the Thirteenth Division?"
"I did have that idea," Ukitake admitted, with a soft sigh.
Then he slowly laid out the predicament the Thirteenth Division was facing.
"To be honest, the position of Vice Captain in the Thirteenth Division has been vacant for a long time, and we have not been able to find anyone suitable to take over. On top of that, my health is not good. Most of the workload is shared among the seated officers.
"For now, we are managing. But in the long run, that will not do."
He paused, the smile fading from his features.
"If something were to happen to me, and there is no Captain class Shinigami to take the lead, then in the event of another major upheaval, the worst case scenario would be the dissolution of the Division itself."
"It is already unreasonable to have seated officers handling so many official duties every day. If things were to end like that because of me, then I would be failing every member of the Thirteenth Division even more."
"So," Ukitake continued, his gaze warm yet firm, "after hearing about Ichigo kun's exploits, I thought that even if the chances were slim, I had to at least try to invite you. I firmly believe that Ichigo kun is the Vice Captain candidate I have been waiting for, and the future pillar of the Thirteenth Division."
"No, wait… Ukitake san!" Ichigo almost jumped. "Even if you say that, I am still just a student who has not even graduated yet. Becoming a Vice Captain right away… I really do not have that kind of ability!"
At first, he had assumed a Captain had simply recognized his strength and wanted to recruit a promising talent.
That much he could accept.
But this level of expectation went far beyond what he had imagined.
He instinctively tried to retreat, even unconsciously copying a certain someone's habit of passing the problem off to someone else.
"Besides, I am not the only one who is good. Takeru is not a bit worse than me. He is meticulous no matter what he does, and he seems to fit what you need even better, right, Ukitake san?"
"Takeru kun is indeed excellent, but…"
A faintly troubled look crossed Ukitake's face as his gaze drifted toward the black haired youth who had, at some point, started chatting quite comfortably with Soi Fon.
Judging from the fact that he could get along with the usually cold and strict Second Division Captain, if that boy became a Vice Captain or even a Captain one day, he would have no trouble winning over his subordinates and earning their trust.
But precisely because of that, Ukitake hesitated.
"I just have a feeling that it might hold him back. In my opinion, aside from the Fifth Division where his teacher is, he is more suited for the First Division."
"Is that so?"
Ichigo glanced at the Captain Commander, who was quietly preparing tea with unwavering focus.
Then he looked at Takeru again.
The difference in age went without saying, and their appearances could not be more different, but the aura they gave off…
At first glance, it was similar to that pretentious noble, Byakuya Kuchiki, but without the sense of distance created by status.
Ichigo could not think of the right word, so he could only mutter vaguely, "He does kind of feel like the sort of good kid old people would like."
"That aside."
Ukitake suddenly straightened a little, his expression turning serious.
"I do not think Ichigo kun is just a substitute. On the contrary, I believe there are things like compatibility and fate between people. I swear on my honor, Ichigo kun will definitely grow to love the Thirteenth Division."
"So, Ichigo kun… please become the pillar of the Thirteenth Division."
"Ehh… there is no need to be that formal. It puts a lot of pressure on me." Ichigo's shoulders slumped. "Can I at least go back and think about it properly?"
If possible, he still preferred a Division where he already knew people.
Rindo Yu and Hachihara had both clearly said that if Takeru went to the Fifth Division, they would also make it their first choice.
That was just the way their reckless, youthful camaraderie worked.
So Ichigo had never even considered being an exception.
Ukitake could see that he was trying to stall and felt a weight settle in his chest.
"Do not get discouraged," Kyoraku whispered, this time genuinely trying to comfort him. "Back then, Kaien rejected you several times too, and you still won him over in the end with your stubborn persistence."
"Exactly. Since you have decided that he is a talent even greater than Kaien, then you should show twice as much sincerity. Only then can you prove how serious you are.
"Come on, Kyoraku, help me think of some other reasons that might move him. You are the best at this, right?"
Ukitake's earnest request left Kyoraku a little helpless.
"I am happy you acknowledge my skills, but I am better at persuading little girls, not little boys."
"…"
"Oh, that look in your eyes right now is just like Nanao's," Kyoraku added cheerfully.
While the two Captains traded lighthearted comments, a faint fragrance of tea slowly spread through the air.
It was not strong, but gentle and refreshing.
The warmth flowed through the body with each breath, and everyone's mood unconsciously calmed.
The once lively tatami room gradually fell quiet.
All eyes turned toward the Captain Commander.
The old man's movements were craftsmanship in its purest form.
At this point, one could not help but recall the three main steps of making matcha.
Steaming: the tea leaves are first steamed until soft, then baked and dried.
Grinding: the dried leaves are ground into powder with a natural stone mill, then sifted to remove impurities.
Whisking: a small amount of tea powder is placed into a warmed tea bowl, hot water is added, and the mixture is briskly whisked until a fine foam rises.
As someone who had received aristocratic education in a large zaibatsu, Takeru was well versed in Japanese tea ceremony.
Even so, he had never seen anyone complete the first step entirely by hand, without any tools.
The grinding that followed did make use of a natural stone mill.
The tea bowl and boiling water were both prepared.
The only unconventional part was the kettle itself: it was not set on an induction heater or on a pile of firewood, but on a blazing Zanpakuto.
It was such an absurd scene that Takeru did not know where to look.
More astonishing was the fact that everyone else wore expressions that said, "This is normal."
He found that even harder to accept.
Soon, however, there was no room left in his mind for such details.
The Captain Commander stirred the tea with a whisk that looked like a bundle of fine hair. The rising steam mingled with the rhythm of his hands, creating a quiet sense of Zen that settled over the room.
He prepared two bowls in one go, then set them on a wooden tray.
Under the focus of the entire room, the old man calmly called out two names.
"Takeru Shimiya, Kurosaki Ichigo. You two will be the first to taste this old man's tea."
<><><><><>
[P@treon Christmas Discount: 20% OFF]
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]