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Then… evening arrived.
The sun had set, the world outside the window was dark, and the cool moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the cool woman.
Senjumaru quietly and stealthily emerged from her room.
She moved like a thief, hugging the wall cautiously, slipping out through the hallway and up the stairs.
Seeing no one around, she silently raised a hand to her mouth, coughed lightly, and regained her usual composure.
Immediately, she heard sounds from the dining room, and the voices of Aozaki Reiji and Hikifune Kirio speaking.
"As a guest staying in someone else's home, it was truly rude of me to leave without a word at noon, without even greeting Kirio!"
Senjumaru felt inexplicably dejected, wondering for the umpteenth time about her image as a senior.
"We've only been living under the same roof for less than a day, and how many embarrassing things have I done…"
Of course, Senjumaru certainly didn't know.
Her self-proclaimed glorious image as a senior never existed from the start.
Aozaki Reiji, the man who never took "seniority" seriously from the beginning, is another matter.
Hikifune Kirio, as Senjumaru's colleague and good friend from the same Squad in Seireitei, knew her true nature from the start.
She merely refrained from saying anything to save her senior's face.
The delusion of having a reliable image in the minds of these two was, from the beginning, the futile effort of a single-core processor senior.
So, when she cautiously crept to the living room entrance and peeked in with half her face…
"Wow, it's quite a spread, Reiji is impressive!"
Senjumaru's eyes suddenly lit up, instantly forgetting all her worries.
Shifting her gaze to the dining table, she saw Aozaki Reiji and Hikifune Kirio conversing happily, with various delicious foods laid out before them.
"Come in."
Hikifune Kirio called out loudly.
Her maternal voice was warm, and if she ever had children, she would surely be a good mother.
Aozaki Reiji raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin on his face, and his eyes playfully looked at Senjumaru.
Seeing his face, Senjumaru's cheeks flushed slightly.
But she tried to remain calm, straightened her clothes, maintained an elegant and noble demeanor, and walked into the living room.
Aozaki Reiji exclaimed:
"Senpai's expressions are becoming more and more varied. Good, from today onwards, I will learn from you how to manage subtle expressions."
"If you keep this up, even as your senior, I won't be able to help but get angry, Reiji."
Upon hearing this, Senjumaru felt a surge of grievance, and her lips involuntarily pouted.
But she quickly recalled what had happened at noon, and while feeling shy, a flicker of alarm suddenly crossed her mind.
After all, she was Senjumaru, who had served as a Gotei 13 Captain and Zero Division member for several hundred years!
Although she didn't like to act old and bossy, she couldn't let herself continue to be shamed!
Senjumaru mustered her courage and carefully tiptoed into the room with small, delicate steps.
She tried to make her movements appear elegant and graceful, but she still couldn't hide her inner nervousness.
She walked over and sat down opposite Aozaki Reiji.
She found an untouched set of bowls and chopsticks already prepared on the table, along with the same dishes as the other two.
The presentation was good, and it looked appetizing.
Clearly, it was specially left for her.
Senjumaru felt a little touched, but also too embarrassed to express it directly; it was a subtle feeling.
"Then… I shall begin."
Senjumaru glanced at the two of them.
She lightly clapped her hands, then straightened her face and unhesitatingly picked up her chopsticks to begin eating.
Tonight's dinner, besides a delicious seafood curry rice for everyone.
There was also wagyu beef, Aozaki Reiji's favorite among all the foods in this country, as a meat lover.
Aozaki Reiji had lived in Soul Society for nearly a hundred years, and when he was bored, he would try to find ways to have fun.
When he was idle, improving his cooking skills was also one of his pastimes.
The dishes he could make now were also more diverse than before.
What?
Where did the ingredients come from?
Don't forget, the five great cities allocated by the Soul King to the Zero Division were not just decorations, but true territories!
For Hikifune Kirio, a seasoned foodie and culinary master, her Zero Division Palace had no shortage of various ingredients.
Things that fly in the sky, swim in the sea, or run on land—nothing was missing.
If he wanted, even if Aozaki Reiji wanted to eat shark fin, the divine soldiers could deliver it.
Aozaki Reiji propped his cheek, watching the two people across the dining table with interest.
Hikifune Kirio, without looking away, was stuffing food into her mouth like a gluttonous kitten who hadn't eaten in ages.
And Senjumaru, although she tried very hard to appear proper.
But with every bite, her guarded expression would instantly relax.
So, her efforts to maintain her image were completely useless.
And perhaps she wanted to display her elegant table manners.
She very affectedly used a porcelain spoon to scoop up the rice covered in curry sauce, taking a small bite each time.
But her movements were elegant, yet her frequency of eating was very fast.
If you can't help it, don't make it difficult for yourself; learn from the bold older sister next to you!
Aozaki Reiji looked at Kirio and Senjumaru.
The strong contrast between the hearty eater and the feignedly reserved young lady made him sigh with amusement.
And Senjumaru probably didn't realize it, but Aozaki Reiji had already noticed.
From the moment she entered the living room, Hikifune Kirio had stopped speaking.
Although her cheerful expression remained largely unchanged.
But Aozaki Reiji could tell.
From time to time, during chewing, her gaze would shift back and forth between him and Senjumaru, then she would pout a little, hidden by the food.
Aozaki Reiji chuckled softly.
Since Hikifune Kirio could give him a kiss in front of all the Captains before her first ascent to the Soul King Palace.
No one would believe it if he said there was nothing between them.
Therefore, before the situation changed, Aozaki Reiji decided to first appease his girlfriend, whom he had reunited with after many years of separation.
He turned his head, met his girlfriend's eyes, and said with a very serious expression:
"Tonight, I also want to learn how to cook. Kirio, please continue to be my teacher and guide me."
"No problem, leave it to me."
Upon hearing Aozaki Reiji's request, Hikifune Kirio's eyes immediately lit up, and she naturally straightened her back.
Unlike the young lady next to her, Hikifune Kirio was a very straightforward person.
Every move she made exuded a carefree enthusiasm, and every smile was as warm as an oven emitting an enticing aroma.
Therefore, when this older sister showed happiness, it was also very obvious.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Kirio-sensei."
"Leave it to me!"
Aozaki Reiji's sincere address made the smile on Hikifune Kirio's face grow wider, and the curve of her lips rose even higher.
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