"Tea Art Association?" Rangiku tapped the rim of her glass with the tip of her finger, producing a soft sound, and the kaki Ruyi fruit tea inside trembled with gentle ripples.
Suddenly, she straightened up, the full curves of her chest rising and falling beneath her shihakushou. "Ah, that's the thing you mentioned last time when you gave us the tea set. If you hadn't brought it up now, I almost would've forgotten."
Rangiku leaned forward, her voluptuous chest pressing against the edge of the counter, drawing a seductive line. "So, Arata, are you planning to officially establish the association now?"
Arata calmly shifted his gaze away from the proud whiteness in front of him, so it wouldn't attract too much attention.
"That's right. The requirements the captain set for my duties are quite relaxed, and I've taken advantage of Shinō Academy's break to prepare the preliminary things."
"Just seeing how popular Kikuchaya is under Rangiku-san gave me some ideas."
At that moment, a noise came from behind the counter.
Kira hurriedly caught a tipping teapot. The four of them, unnoticed until then, had already gathered behind them, their eyes shining like lanterns in the night.
"What kind of association? Is it something like the kendo club?" Renji said excitedly, his red hair standing like flames. "Arata-senpai, please let us join!"
Practical Rukia quickly pulled a small notebook from the pocket of her apron. "Arata-senpai, how much is the membership fee? How many times a week are there activities? Can we learn tea-making techniques like yours?"
Hinamori Momo also, eyes sparkling, drew imaginary shapes in the air with her hands: "If I join the Tea Art Association, then I can drink tea brewed by Arata-senpai every day—"
"You..." Arata tapped the marble countertop with his fingertips. The clear sound immediately interrupted the flood of questions.
"First take care of your studies at Shinō Spiritual Academy, then worry about little things like this. Are any of you top of your year?"
The four kids simultaneously lowered their heads.
Arata had to soften his tone a bit: "Don't be discouraged, there'll be plenty of chances to learn from me in the future."
Rangiku suddenly laughed, twirling a strand of golden hair between her fingers. "A la la, Arata said that like he really wants to be their teacher."
Arata's heart trembled for a moment.
The fact that Captain Yamamoto had called him to take on the position of teacher still hadn't been publicly announced, and until now only Unohana Retsu had mentioned it.
He hadn't expected that Rangiku, with one casual joke, would almost give it away. He winked mysteriously and said, "Who can say anything for certain about such things?"
"Senpai, you really do plan to return to the Spiritual Academy as a teacher, don't you?" Kira sharply caught the topic, and his usually calm voice shifted tone.
"Don't believe in rumors, and don't spread them either." Arata raised his index finger and wagged it. Seeing the worried expressions on the faces of the four boys and girls, he quickly changed the subject.
"Instead, shouldn't you all be worried about the end-of-break assessment?"
As soon as he said that, Renji, as if someone had hit a sore spot, immediately grabbed his head and wailed: "Arata-senpai, you have no idea how hard the kidō class is, it's like listening to divine language!"
"I can confirm that. Renji still hasn't mastered Hadō number four, Byakurai, and the other students finished it a month ago."
Kira shook his head and sighed helplessly, pitying his comrade with pitiful talent for kidō.
"Kira, you're pushing me off a cliff—"
"Alright, alright, I'll teach you when I have time, okay?" Rangiku clapped her hands to break up their bickering and pulled a teapot out from under the counter.
"Let's get back to the main thing. Arata, I don't mind if you want to use Kikuchaya's popularity, but how exactly do you plan to pull it off?"
Arata took the sample tea she handed him and rubbed it between his fingers, the dry leaves rustling in his palm.
"The first step is to make flyers explaining the purpose, benefits, and other information about our Tea Art Association. Every time a cup of tea is sold at Kikuchaya, we'll include a flyer, and keep it up for at least two weeks straight."
"Benefits?" Rangiku raised an eyebrow and looked at Arata suspiciously. "Don't tell me you're going to pay out of pocket again for those outrageously expensive tea sets?"
"The first group of members who join will receive a custom tea set." Arata smiled mysteriously. "But this time I'll leave the production to the Omaeda family's factory. Costs should be under 500,000 ryo."
Rangiku rolled her eyes when she heard that.
Five hundred thousand was obviously more than her monthly salary, but coming from his mouth it sounded like some trivial pocket change.
"Alright, let's count that as a kind of benefit. And what about a place for association activities?"
"For now, we've decided to use the second training hall of the 4th Division," Arata said confidently. "The Fourth Division holds kaidō training there every Wednesday. I've already asked Captain Unohana, and she agreed to let us use the hall during that time."
"Fourth Division? So that means…" Rangiku, who had been jotting down the key points, suddenly looked up.
"That's right." Arata knew what she meant. "I plan to have Kotetsu Isane as the association's regular instructor. As for Rangiku-san. " He deliberately drew out the words.
"My main duty is to be as beautiful as a flower and serve as the association's face, right?"
"So you're calling me a vase? Looking for a beating!" Rangiku grabbed the teapot and pretended she was going to throw it, her golden hair dancing in waves under the light.
"Hey, hey, hey, not the face!"
"Right in the face!"
Behind the counter, Renji and the others were trying so hard not to laugh that their faces turned red. It was the first time they'd seen Arata-senpai so flustered.
Still, being humiliated by a woman didn't seem like such a bad thing.
The wind chimes at the door jingled, and the wooden doors suddenly opened, letting in the warm summer night air.
"Hehe… I didn't expect to find Saito-kun here."
An old but dignified voice instantly silenced the entire Kikuchaya.
Kuchiki Ginrei stood at the entrance, and behind him was the cold-faced Byakuya.
The old man's gaze swept over the stiff crowd and finally settled on Arata. "I just happened to pass by and heard that Saito-kun intends to establish a Tea Art Association?"
Arata quickly stood up and bowed: "Lord Ginrei, what brings you here…"
"Grandfather came to pick up the Gyokuro tea I ordered," Byakuya explained coldly, but his eyes unconsciously drifted toward Rukia.
She really… does resemble her.
How can there be a girl who looks so much like his wife?
The girl was suddenly startled by the gaze of that noble man and quickly hid behind Renji, only half an eye visible.
Byakuya also flinched at his own behavior. Realizing he had just shown improper conduct for a noble, he quickly withdrew his gaze.
But his thoughts were still in turmoil.
Rangiku quickly pulled a gilded box from under the counter. "Captain Kuchiki, your precious Gyokuro tea is ready."
Kuchiki Ginrei took the tea box, then suddenly said: "Saito-kun, if that Tea Art Association you mentioned is really a serious endeavor, how about signing me up as a member?"
Arata paused. He hadn't expected the old man to be serious.
It seems the saying is true—nobles really do love refined things like this.
"Well, Lord Ginrei… nothing has been finalized yet regarding the Tea Art Association. But if you truly wish to join, how about I reserve a spot for you as honorary director?"
"You won't have to worry about anything. It'll be enough just to show up when the association holds events." Arata patted his chest and emphasized it several times.
Kuchiki Ginrei smiled quietly.
"Since Saito-kun is inviting me so graciously, I certainly have no objections."
"As soon as the flyers are ready, we'll deliver one to you. We look forward to your visit, Lord Ginrei."
"Very well, very well."
After seeing off the grandfather and grandson of the Kuchiki family, Arata quietly sighed in relief.
With Kuchiki Ginrei as a living signboard, his Tea Art Association would never have to worry about attracting members again.
———
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