Chapter 161: New Year's Festival
Winter night stained the sky above West Rukongai.
From eaves to alley ends, familiar scenery appeared especially warm in the dimming twilight.
The door slid open with a clatter, lamplight flowing like water across the threshold, spreading bright patches across the ground.
"I'm home!"
Suoh called out loudly.
These words were meant both for those inside and for himself.
Returned to this place that brought his spirit peace.
"Tsukasa—!"
Kotama bounded over like a nimble sparrow, her apricot-colored kimono hem rising with movement, face brimming with undisguised joy.
Her gaze first fell on Suoh's face, then shifted to the elderly woman on his back, finally noticing Toshiro and Rangiku following close behind.
"This must be Toshiro's grandmother! You've had a long journey—please come in quickly!"
Her gaze paused on Rangiku, obvious amazement flashing through her eyes as she spoke with an enthusiastic smile.
"And this one... must be Miss Rangiku! Tsukasa mentioned you in his letters—you're so beautiful!"
"Pardon the intrusion."
Rangiku nodded slightly, the smile on her face somewhat more restrained than usual.
She didn't hide her curious gaze examining this unfamiliar environment.
"Kotama, don't block people at the doorway."
Terada-san's gentle voice came from behind her, accompanied by unhurried footsteps.
"Sorry!"
Kotama stuck out her tongue playfully, hurriedly stepping aside.
"Terada-san."
Suoh carefully set the elderly woman down as Toshiro immediately stepped forward to support her.
"Welcome home."
Terada-san's gaze lingered briefly on each person's face before she bowed slightly in greeting to those meeting her for the first time.
"Welcome, everyone, to Terada-ya."
Heat drifting from the brazier made the entire house warm and cozy.
Grandmother Hitsugaya gazed around with gentle curiosity at this place soon to become her new home.
This was a fairly typical Japanese-style room.
The ceiling exposed light-colored wooden beams, four walls covered with beige wallpaper.
The left side held a row of built-in cabinets, cabinet doors made of sliding shoji paper decorated with simple pine and bamboo patterns.
The right side featured a large window facing the back courtyard. Night deepened outside, the window frame's outline appearing especially clear reflected in the indoor lamplight.
The floor was covered with tightly woven tatami, the grass mat scent mixing with a faint after-washing fragrance.
A plain ceramic vase sat on the low table with several sprigs of wintersweet slanted inside, tender yellow blossoms quietly blooming in the warmth.
Everything proved perfectly appropriate.
"This place is wonderful."
"You've all gone to such trouble."
She spoke softly to Suoh beside her.
Yet her gaze still slowly surveyed this warm space.
Her voice very light, as if afraid to disturb this dreamlike tranquil beauty.
Toshiro silently knelt at his grandmother's other side, eyes downcast, fingertips unconsciously rubbing the tatami's edge.
He could read the restrained emotion in his grandmother's eyes.
In those past years, home had merely been the smallest unit providing shelter from wind and rain where they depended on each other—simple to the point of hardship.
Becoming a Shinigami meant not only controlling his spiritual pressure to avoid threatening his grandmother's life, but part of his motivation also stemmed from the simple wish to give his grandmother a better life.
Now this wish had been directly realized in a manner exceeding his imagination.
"Tsukasa, thank you."
Toshiro lifted his head, speaking earnestly.
Without excessive verbal embellishment, exceptionally sincere.
"There you go again."
Suoh shook his head helplessly, turning toward the grandmother with a lighter tone.
"This room faces south with excellent sunlight. Toshiro and I will prepare a flower bed for you in front—when spring comes you can plant some flowers and grass there."
"When you're free daily, you can tend them for some amusement."
Just then Kotama entered from the courtyard carrying a tea tray, her wooden geta producing light, cheerful sounds.
Entering the room, she knelt to pour tea for everyone, smiling sweetly.
"Please enjoy."
"Thank you."
Grandmother Hitsugaya accepted.
She then lifted her hand to gently press the corner of her eye, wiping away tears threatening to overflow, revealing a gratified smile.
"I truly don't know how to thank you all—making you go to such trouble."
"No thanks needed."
Kotama waved her hand.
"We're so happy Grandmother could come—it makes things more lively. Terada-san said so too, that having more people makes a home livelier."
"Ever since Tsukasa left Terada-ya for Seireitei, the back courtyard has been much quieter."
Meanwhile, Terada-san and Rangiku in the back kitchen pursued their own activities.
The air filled with warm cooking aromas, the atmosphere permeated with food's rich fragrance.
Before the stove, Terada-san held a long wooden ladle, gently stirring the bubbling soup base in the clay pot.
"Is Miss Matsumoto's position in Seireitei the same Third Seat as Tsukasa's?"
Terada-san asked curiously while monitoring the heat.
Suoh occasionally sent letters home, but the content mostly consisted of daily greetings with limited mention of people and events.
She asked casually, her tone purely curious.
Rangiku stood nearby leaning against the prep counter, helping process ingredients with a kitchen knife, acting as assistant.
Though she knew nothing of culinary arts, being around Suoh had given her some familiarity—she wasn't completely kitchen-illiterate.
While Suoh and Kotama busied themselves settling Toshiro's family, she'd volunteered to help in the kitchen.
"I'm a vice-captain."
Hearing the question, she nodded in response.
She unconsciously straightened her back, unintentionally using more formal speech.
"A vice-captain? That's truly impressive."
"Tsukasa must receive considerable care from you then."
Terada-san stopped stirring, turning her head with genuine admiration flowing through her eyes.
Living in Rukongai, her understanding of the difference between vice-captain and Third Seat remained simple.
For her, distinctions within the Gotei 13's internal hierarchy mattered far less than the clear fact that 'Tsukasa's friend is a very beautiful and warm person.'
"It's not like that—I'm in Tenth Division while Tsukasa's in Thirteenth Division. We're not in the same division."
"And actually, he's helped me a great deal."
Rangiku stopped her work, looking at Terada-san with somewhat embarrassed response.
Terada-san smiled knowingly, her smile gentle yet perceptive.
"I see. That's fine—friends being able to support each other is quite good."
"Yes, becoming his friend has been very good."
Rangiku looked at Terada-san's gentle profile, warmth welling up in her heart.
Tap tap—
Hearing footsteps, both simultaneously turned toward the doorway.
"What are you two chatting about? You both look happy."
Suoh approached from outside, picking up an apron from the wall to tie on, speaking casually.
With Kotama helping watch over Toshiro's side, he worried the two in the kitchen might be overwhelmed and came to check.
Terada-san watched Suoh's approaching figure, gentle smile rising in her eyes.
"Nothing much, just casual conversation."
"Everything's mostly prepared—you take over now."
"Leave it to me."
Suoh swept his gaze across the orderly array of various ingredients on the prep counter, nodding.
He walked to the sink to wash his hands, dried them with a cloth, accepted the wooden ladle, movements natural and efficient.
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