Clang—.
The bell marking the end of the class rang out, echoing across every corner of the training grounds.
Almost at the instant the first note of the bell sounded, the two dazzling afterimages on the training field suddenly froze.
The female teacher's figure stopped about three chi (about a meter) away from Suō Tsukasa. Her long, slender fingers extended, stopping a hand-span away from Suō Tsukasa's shoulder.
Suō Tsukasa maintained a side-step evasion posture, his peripheral vision locked onto her position.
The two retrieved their movements. The female teacher flicked away a strand of hair stuck to her temple by fine sweat, saying with appreciation:
"Very good speed. It's almost catching up to mine."
"Hoo—."
"You flatter me, Teacher. I still have a long way to go."
Slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, his tense body finally relaxing, Suō Tsukasa was clear-headed. His Shunpo (Flash Step) was still far from hers. He shook his head, speaking modestly.
When fleeing, he only needed to consider the speed of his Shunpo underfoot, and his travel path was entirely his own.
However, while chasing, she also had to use her sensory nerves to predict the direction of Suō Tsukasa's next landing spot.
Even so, she had almost caught him several times at the start, only for him to slip away because she had held back.
"Good boy, you know it!"
Shindō Shiki chuckled lightly, her tone teasing, yet not entirely dismissive.
What she said was half-true; in the latter half, when she used only the same footwork, their pure Shunpo speeds were indeed not very far apart.
"I almost forgot, I'm Shindō Shiki."
"Don't keep calling me 'Teacher' all the time. Just call me Sister Shindō in private."
"If anything comes up at the Shin'ō Academy, just come find me. There's usually nothing I can't handle!"
Shindō Shiki originally wanted to pat his head, but halfway through raising her hand, she realized Suō Tsukasa was quite a bit taller than her.
She could only settle for patting his shoulder instead, saying cheerfully.
"Understood, Sister Shindō."
Suō Tsukasa replied readily. When outside, calling someone 'Sister' cost nothing, a principle he understood well.
Shindō Shiki curved her lips in satisfaction and led Suō Tsukasa back to the students to announce the class dismissal.
Before leaving, she intentionally gave the replacement instructor, Yuuki Shinnosuke, a meaningful look to let him figure things out for himself.
...
Academy life was unremarkable yet fulfilling.
In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. Suō Tsukasa's proficiency in Zanjutsu, Hōhō, Kidō, and Hakuda had steadily improved, consistently leading everyone in the Elite Class.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya, on the other hand, showed the powerful potential of a late bloomer.
Not only did his Zanjutsu pass the assessment and enter the advanced group starting the second week, but his levels in Kidō and Hōhō were second only to Suō Tsukasa in the class.
As for Hakuda, it remained the same—either basic punching practice or hitting wooden dummies, simple and straightforward as always.
Besides the four major skills and compulsory theory classes, the Shin'ō Academy also offered various elective courses.
Music, Go/Shogi, Dance, Calligraphy, Painting, and so on...
However, Suō Tsukasa didn't choose any electives. When others attended electives, he chose to immerse himself in the library, reading and selecting books.
The enthusiastic librarian had recommended the Calligraphy course to him several times, but he declined, citing the course's popularity and his desire to focus on training, sticking to his life plan.
"Tōshirō, after breakfast later, do you want to come with me to check out the commercial street near the Academy?"
"We can also buy some things to take back to your grandmother."
Walking along the crushed stone path of the courtyard, Suō Tsukasa, with Oboroyo tucked at his waist, turned his head to ask Tōshirō, who carried a wooden sword on his back.
The friendship between the two, who spent every day together, had long exceeded the scope of ordinary friends. Neither of them remembered when their forms of address suddenly changed.
Today was a special day.
Since their enrollment, Suō Tsukasa and Tōshirō had received their first small vacation—two days of monthly leave.
The regular holidays and permission to leave the Shin'ō Academy were closely linked to the student's overall performance. Only those with outstanding performance earned this freedom.
Furthermore, the Academy was quite generous, not only granting the holiday but also a small extra bonus, which was quite thoughtful.
"Okay."
"I just wonder if the commercial street sells her favorite sweet nattō."
Mentioning his grandmother, who lived alone in the West First District, Tōshirō's cold eyes softened with tenderness, his voice carrying unmistakable longing. He nodded in agreement.
"Stop dwelling on your sweet nattō."
"Have you ever considered that she likes it because you like it? I suggest you buy some seasonal fruits and some light-flavored items instead."
Hearing this, Suō Tsukasa couldn't help but roll his eyes and retort.
He had tasted sweet nattō himself; it was purely sweet and somewhat chewy, definitely not the kind of food an elderly person would typically enjoy.
In the Rukongai, 99% of people who loved this were children, around the age that Tōshirō, who stood next to him, looked like.
Especially the third and fourth children in Matsuzaki Yoshito's family; they always eyed the oiled paper packet in his hand with longing.
"Eh, is that so!?"
Hearing him say that, Tōshirō suddenly froze.
He instinctively stopped walking, recalling scenes from his childhood.
Every time he brought sweet nattō home, his grandmother would accept it with a smile, saying, 'Little Shirō is so good,' and then open the bag of sweet nattō and push it toward him.
She herself would only occasionally pick up one bean, take a small bite, and stop, spending most of the time smiling and watching him eat.
The details he had never noticed before were now unusually clear upon reflection.
"What you said makes sense."
"...I never paid attention before."
Tōshirō's face couldn't help but show a little embarrassment, and he replied in a quieter voice.
"It's not too late to notice now."
"Seasonal fruits suitable for the elderly this time of year are Hami melon and peach."
"The former might be expensive, so your budget probably isn't enough. Buying fully ripe peaches would be perfect."
"For snacks, I recommend buying some yam cakes. They're affordable, soft and glutinous, and have a refreshing sweetness that's easy on the palate."
Looking at Tōshirō's sudden realization mixed with awkwardness, Suō Tsukasa couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He patted Tōshirō's shoulder. As an expert foodie and former head chef, he gave his practical suggestions.
"Si, thanks."
When it came to food, Tōshirō only trusted Suō Tsukasa. He thanked him with a very earnest tone.
If it weren't for Suō Tsukasa's reminder, he might not have discovered this overlooked detail for a long time, perhaps never.
"Don't mention it. Besides, it's a rare chance to see her on vacation, so of course, we should find a way to make the elder happy."
"Let's go."
Suō Tsukasa waved his hand, his tone casual.
Tōshirō's stopped footsteps immediately followed suit, his face full of anticipation for going home.
As the two talked, they reached the moon gate entrance of the small courtyard.
They hadn't walked far out of the courtyard when they were met by a very rough male voice.
"You're the kid, Suō Tsukasa!?"