Chapter 163: Ganju
January 3rd, afternoon.
On the final day of the holiday, Terada-ya welcomed a new visitor.
"Happy New Year, Tsukasa! You home?"
Shiba Kaien's cheerful voice came from outside Terada-ya's entrance.
Suoh was helping Terada-san prepare dinner ingredients in the kitchen when his movements paused upon hearing this.
"Kaien-niisan's here."
He wiped his hands, smiling at Terada-san beside him.
The two proceeded to the front room to greet their guest.
Sliding open the wooden door revealed Shiba Kaien's tall figure standing on the stone steps outside.
He wore no shihakusho, instead dressed in a deep blue casual outfit with a thick haori draped over it, shoulders bearing scattered snowflakes from his journey.
His face carried its habitual cheerful smile, hands holding what appeared to be an exquisite gift box.
Terada-san nodded slightly in greeting.
"Shiba-san, it's been a while. Happy New Year."
"Please come in."
"Terada-san, a small New Year gift to add some festive cheer to Terada-ya."
As a regular customer of Terada-ya, Shiba Kaien had met Terada-san many times.
He didn't stand on ceremony, stepping across the threshold while passing over the gift box.
"You're too kind..."
Suoh helped accept it—the box carried considerable weight.
At this moment, Rangiku also emerged from the inner rooms.
She'd changed into more casual home attire today, golden hair simply tied back, body clothed in a plain-colored home kimono.
"Vice-Captain Kaien?"
"How'd you find this place? Don't you need to stay home with Miyako-neesan?"
She blinked with some surprise, speaking with confusion.
"Hm?"
Shiba Kaien froze at the question, looking toward Suoh with a puzzled 'didn't you tell her?' expression.
Suoh smiled helplessly, explaining.
"This one had fun last night and drank too much—probably didn't hear. Even if she heard in that state, now that she's sobered up she wouldn't remember."
"Kaien-niisan and I arranged to visit the Shiba household on the holiday's final day."
Suoh first explained the reason to Rangiku, then turned toward Shiba Kaien with a smile.
"Kaien-niisan, come in for some tea. I've got everything ready—just need to grab it and we can leave. Won't take long."
Shiba Kaien didn't stand on ceremony, entering the house and following Terada-san's guidance to wait in the main room.
"Right!"
"Now I remember—think there was something like that."
"Sit tight, I'll help pour tea."
Hearing this, Rangiku's eyes widened slightly before showing sudden realization, turning to fetch tea.
Because of the advance notice, others showed little emotion at Suoh's sudden departure.
Toshiro and Rangiku planned to spend one more night at Terada-ya, departing tomorrow morning to return to their divisions.
After waving goodbye to everyone, Suoh followed Shiba Kaien's lead toward the Shiba family main residence.
The destination lay deep in West District 1's outskirts.
The Shiba family main residence's location proved more remote than Suoh had imagined.
Passing through a mountain forest covered in thin snow, an ancient, spacious mansion gradually revealed itself in view.
The mansion didn't follow Seireitei's common luxurious, serene style, instead radiating a rough, solid atmosphere.
Deep gray roofs bore accumulated snow, icicles hanging from eaves.
The spacious courtyard's vegetation had withered from winter cold, but remained clean and orderly.
Most eye-catching was a thick, jet-black chimney standing in the courtyard's corner, representing the Shiba family's generations-old fireworks secret techniques—quite symbolic.
At this time the Shiba family remained under Shiba Kaien's stewardship, lacking the unique architectural style from the original work's later period.
No sight of the house flanked by stone giant hands holding banners aloft.
"We're here—this is the Shiba family main residence."
Shiba Kaien walked at the front, pushing open the heavy wooden door, speaking easily.
At the entrance, two burly men had long awaited.
The twin strongmen wore traditional Japanese tube-sleeve clothing with armbands bearing the Shiba family crest—one with a single lock of bangs hanging over his left forehead, the other's bangs forming a contrast on the right.
"This must be Lord Suoh. First meeting—I'm Kanehiko (Ginpei). Please treat us well."
Both greeted in unison, voices thick and powerful.
"Please treat me well."
Suoh returned their courtesy politely.
"Kanehiko, Ginpei, where are Miyako and Kukaku?"
Shiba Kaien asked while removing his haori.
"Lady Miyako is preparing refreshments in the tea room. Lady Kukaku is in the workshop behind the house. Young Master Ganju was playing in snow with Bonnie in the front courtyard earlier, though I don't know where he's run off to now."
Kanehiko answered respectfully.
"Bonnie?"
Suoh paused in confusion—he didn't recall any such character in the original Shiba family.
"Lord Suoh, Bonnie is the pet the master gave Young Master Ganju—a small boar."
Ginpei explained upon seeing this.
"That kid... Ginpei, go call him then."
Shiba Kaien shook his head helplessly, instructing.
Then turning to Suoh with a smile.
"Let's go—we'll sit in the tea room first."
The tea room was located on the mansion's east side. Kanehiko slid open the door, warm atmosphere carrying faint tea fragrance greeting them.
Shiba Miyako knelt before the tea table, tea whisk in hand gently stirring matcha in a tea bowl.
She wore a light purple visiting kimono today, decorated with pale family crests.
Long hair arranged in an elegant bun, pinned with the jade camellia hairpin Suoh had gifted.
The tea room's arrangement proved simple yet refined, though a boldly splashed ink calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall reading "survival of the fittest" somewhat disrupted this beautiful scene.
Noticing Suoh's gaze, Shiba Kaien introduced.
"My younger sister's work. She likes that phrase, so she hung it up. Not bad, right?"
"Quite excellent."
'Very much Shiba Kukaku's style.'
Suoh responded, though swallowing his next words.
Shiba Miyako heard their voices and looked up. Seeing the two enter, her face immediately rippled with gentle smile.
"Tsukasa, Kaien, you're here. Hard journey—please sit quickly."
She set down her whisk, rising to lay out cushions for them.
"Miyako-neesan, Happy New Year."
Suoh knelt before the tea table.
Shiba Miyako again took up the tea bowl, skillfully completing the final stirring before presenting two bowls of matcha before Suoh and Shiba Kaien respectively.
"It's cold outside—drink some tea first to warm yourselves."
Suoh cupped the bowl with both hands, sipping in small mouthfuls. Warmth flowed down his throat, dispelling the cold clinging to his body.
The tea soup appeared jade green, fragrance carrying pleasant bitterness with sweet aftertaste.
"That child Ganju—hearing you'd come, he's been restless since yesterday."
"But I had Kaien pick you up later, and he couldn't wait so went off to play by himself."
Shiba Miyako smiled lightly.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the tea room.
A child's figure poked inside, roughly slightly taller than Toshiro.
Hair cropped short, revealing a full forehead, eyes round, cheeks flushed from cold and running.
"Ganju, slow down! Don't be so reckless!"
Shiba Kaien called out loudly, eyes full of affection.
"This is Ganju."
Shiba Kaien reached out to ruffle the boy's head.
"Ganju, this is the Suoh-niisan you've wanted to meet."
Shiba Ganju's eyes lit up, standing firm before Suoh.
Looking up to examine him carefully before bowing in proper fashion.
"Hello Tsukasa-niisan! I'm Shiba Ganju!"
"My dream is to join Thirteenth Division and become an excellent Shinigami like you and my big brother!"
"Ganju, hello. I believe your wish will come true."
Suoh also smiled in return, gently patting his head encouragingly.
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