Chapter 122: Secret Record
Drip, drip.
Wall clock hands moved bit by bit.
Office lighting gradually dimmed somewhat with time's passage.
"Tch... so slow."
Since Suoh's reply message, two full minutes had already passed.
Matsumoto Rangiku propped chin, fingertips aimlessly drawing circles on desktop, clicking tongue.
Then turning head toward Hitsugaya beside her, asking.
"You and Tsukasa usually send messages like this? Or is that communication device itself the problem?"
"Women truly prove troublesome..."
Hitsugaya returned her a faint glance.
But recalling initial division joining when she'd instructed him, he could only helplessly chat with her awhile, patiently explaining.
"Tsukasa said this device's backend has management. Daily message contact should remain as brief as possible. Meaning conveyed suffices."
"Some matters—the fewer people knowing, the better."
Recently while Suoh's activities faced restrictions, even matters like instructing medicinal herb watering only wrote two characters.
Secrets remained secrets precisely because requiring usual utmost care.
"I see. Then I won't buy one after all."
"Feels not too cost-effective."
Matsumoto Rangiku blinked, comprehending.
Originally she'd considered buying a device to chat with Suoh when free, arranging drinks.
Thinking now, forget it.
Though she had many friends, most were acquainted through Female Shinigami Association, lacking someone who could accompany her drinking two cups.
Other lieutenants also included drinkers, but different division squad members could only communicate via Hell Butterflies. This private matter couldn't rely on that for contact, so opportunities drinking together proved extremely rare.
Though sometimes she'd also drag other squad members drinking together, salary gaps proved somewhat disparate. After several times, everyone started avoiding her.
Generally she drank alone.
In Seireitei, most people remained lonely.
This thought suddenly flitted through mind. Though she'd just drunk tea, thoughts seemed stirred by something, slightly dazed.
Within her mind surfaced another somewhat blurred face. She frowned slightly, somewhat irritably shaking her head, suddenly losing continued chatting interest.
"???"
Hitsugaya watched her suddenly silent profile, somewhat unable to understand what madness the person before him was having.
Since she didn't want continuing conversation, he also lacked chatting intention.
Naturally withdrawing gaze, directly ignoring her emotions—he welcomed the quiet.
The office completely quieted, leaving only clock pendulum's regular ticking sounds.
Time slowly passed. Off-duty time arrived.
"Let's go."
Hitsugaya stood speaking, taking the lead heading outside the office.
"Wait for me!"
Matsumoto Rangiku quickly followed.
The two proceeded one after another, departing Tenth Division barracks.
Hitsugaya's chosen route proved extremely secluded, nearly avoiding all main roads and commonly traveled areas.
He strode briskly, bringing her weaving through alleys, intimately familiar with every branch path.
Matsumoto Rangiku followed closely. Many small paths Hitsugaya walked, she'd never even traversed.
Twilight deepened.
Approaching Sōkyoku Hill, she also understood the secret base's general location, plus why he and Suoh proved so careful.
Rule-violating behavior's stimulation quietly arose, making her even more anticipate the upcoming journey.
Approximately quarter hour later.
Hitsugaya crouched, pulling up stone slab.
Stone slab lifted, revealing below bottomlessly deep yet brightly lit cave opening.
"This is it."
"Be careful descending. Cave's somewhat deep."
Matsumoto Rangiku leaned forward observing the opening, eyes flashing surprise, nodding, taking the lead leaping down.
Hitsugaya followed immediately after. Stone slab closed accordingly.
The descent process proved longer than imagined, surrounding environment incomparably open.
When she finally stood on solid ground, scenery before her left her completely frozen.
A hot spring pool steamed with curling white mist. Verdant bamboo forest extended beside the spring. Nearby stood two small cottages.
Farther away stretched an orderly pastoral secret realm.
Air permeated with pure atmosphere and rich spirit particles—different from anywhere in Seireitei, a completely independent small world.
"This... this place is..."
Matsumoto Rangiku momentarily lost words, golden eyes widening, disbelievingly surveying surroundings.
Shock.
"Rangiku, welcome."
Suoh arrived beside her, smiling in greeting.
The enormous underground space rarely welcomed a third person's arrival.
His heart concealed many matters, yet he also wasn't someone who enjoyed excessive secrecy.
Today Hitsugaya's message somewhat surprised him, but he'd never considered desperately concealing the secret base's existence.
If someone genuinely wanted coming, he welcomed it.
Matsumoto Rangiku turned her head, looking toward Suoh beside her, voice still carrying threads of unrecovered shock.
"Really impressive. You usually train here?"
"Yes. Actually this place doesn't have too many things. First follow Hitsugaya walking around everywhere. The pot's cooking something—I'll head back continuing."
"Alright."
Suoh didn't stand on ceremony. After briefly instructing, he turned departing.
Hitsugaya nodded acknowledgment, turning.
"Follow me."
"Oh, okay."
Guest follows host's convenience. Matsumoto Rangiku heeded arrangements, following him touring around.
"This space's light—how's it achieved? Did Tsukasa create it?"
Just walking several steps, Matsumoto Rangiku raised head gazing at this space's constant light source, asking with confusion.
She felt it resembled what Suoh's zanpakuto ability could produce, yet obviously sensed some differences.
"No. Tsukasa said this underground space's hot spring plus light source originally existed."
"Everything else you see was created by Tsukasa. After I came, I also helped somewhat, though not much."
"Here's the medicinal hot spring. Beside it's bamboo forest. I'll show you other areas."
Hitsugaya walked while answering, then bringing her touring the entire base once, also introducing throughout.
As though not giving her opportunity asking more questions, or perhaps returning treatment from when she'd first joined.
His speaking speed and walking pace proved slightly faster than usual. Their figures only made brief stops at each location.
Final stop brought Matsumoto Rangiku before Suoh who was cooking.
"Here's the kitchen—where we usually eat."
Hitsugaya told her the last sentence, concluding the tour.
"Okay, that quick? I was thinking after you finish eating, I'd tour more later."
"You two sit first. Almost ready."
Suoh looked toward both, raising head speaking.
Shortly.
Three bowls of steaming noodles were placed on the stone table.
Still the same noodles as when Hitsugaya first arrived, only the bowl before Matsumoto Rangiku held slight differences.
Suoh sat down, looking toward her explaining.
"Yours I cooked separately, didn't add bamboo shoots. Don't worry—taste won't be inferior."
"How did you know?"
Matsumoto Rangiku froze slightly.
Their acquaintance time wasn't too long. Total shared meals only three times. How could he so clearly know her preferences?
"Last time at the courtyard banquet. Only your table had some remaining bamboo shoots."
Last bamboo banquet, others basically cleared plates. Only Matsumoto Rangiku's setting had remaining bamboo shoots, so his impression proved quite deep.
Observing her appearance, she didn't seem like Kotetsu Isane who enjoyed controlling diet. Then the reason mostly proved disliking eating bamboo shoots.
As a chef, Suoh possessed extremely keen sense for these matters, tone relaxed continuing.
"That time was my first formally hosting everyone. Didn't know your preferences. If there's anything else you dislike eating, you can tell me."
"Next banquet I can pay attention."
"Uh, it's not that I dislike eating. You cook very deliciously. Just I read in a book that bamboo shoots' alkalinity proves bad for skin, so ate less."
Matsumoto Rangiku felt somewhat embarrassed, hurriedly explaining.
"As a chef, I can very responsibly tell you—that's not true. Rather, appropriately eating bamboo shoots proves more beneficial for skin whitening."
"Moreover what I use can be said as Seireitei's highest quality bamboo shoots. The dietary fiber and various elements within hold certain beauty and skin-nourishing benefits."
Suoh's tone proved decisive. Raising chopsticks pointing toward bamboo shoot slices in his own bowl, speaking confidently.
"Really? The book I read seemed quite convincing..."
Hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku blinked, somewhat awkwardly touching her cheek.
"Which book?"
Beside them, Hitsugaya suddenly spoke, voice calm.
In the office he'd never seen her holding a book—only various magazines.
"Uh... 'Seireitei Beauty Secrets.'"
Matsumoto Rangiku's voice grew increasingly smaller, losing usual confidence.
Suoh and Hitsugaya exchanged glances, simultaneously falling into silence.
Both possessed extremely strong psychological quality. Generally wouldn't easily mock others. Suoh raised chopsticks, speaking.
"Let's eat..."
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