The scenery of the Shin'o Academy's gardens did not hold Suo Tsukasa's attention for long.
Crossing the familiar central courtyard and cloisters, he headed straight for the faculty offices located at the edge of the teaching wing.
The assessment had finished early. At this moment, the other students were still in class, leaving the corridors of the school building empty; only the sound of his own footsteps echoed against the walls.
Arriving at the faculty office door, Suo Tsukasa knocked lightly.
"Come in."
A familiar voice came from inside.
Clack—
Suo Tsukasa pushed the door open and entered. The afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting dappled light and shadows across the office floor.
In the office area for Class One, the three teachers—Saito Yuichi, Yuuki Shinnosuke, and Shindo Shiki—were sitting at their respective desks.
Saito Yuichi was rarely seen wearing his teaching uniform so neatly, sitting in his chair and leisurely crossing his legs.
Yuuki Shinnosuke had his arms folded, his sturdy physique almost filling the entire seat.
Shindo Shiki looked relaxed, holding a file as she buffed her short fingernails.
On normal days, these three were rarely seen in the office unless they had classes that day. Their gathering today was naturally to wait for Suo Tsukasa's assessment results.
In truth, all three of them already knew what the outcome would be; they had gathered today simply to see him off.
"You're here."
Saito Yuichi was the first to spot Suo Tsukasa entering. He nodded and raised a hand in greeting.
Shindo Shiki put down her file, and Yuuki Shinnosuke uncrossed his arms. The trio's gaze focused on Suo Tsukasa simultaneously.
"Good afternoon, teachers," Suo Tsukasa said with a slight bow.
"Judging by your expression, I don't think we need to ask about the results?" Saito Yuichi leaned forward slightly and smiled. "To think that after you graduate, there won't be a single kid in class as decent as you. Even the joy of teaching will be much diminished from now on. Isn't that right, Yuki?" He turned his gaze toward Yuuki Shinnosuke and raised an eyebrow.
Despite his massive build, Yuuki Shinnosuke actually had a low tolerance for alcohol. After a recent faculty gathering, it had become clear that night who would miss the soon-to-graduate Suo Tsukasa the most.
"Suo, I hope that even after you join the 13th Division, you won't forget to continue refining your Hakuda training."
"Congratulations on your graduation."
The man who had been called out cleared his throat and straightened his expression, but his voice was much gentler than usual.
"I will, teacher," Suo Tsukasa replied with a serious nod.
"Alright, alright, my turn!" Shindo Shiki slapped Suo Tsukasa on the shoulder with a joyful expression. "Tsukasa, congratulations on graduating. Are you really not going to consider the 2nd Division? It's not too late to change your mind, you know." She paused for a moment and leaned in, whispering with a hint of playful testing.
"Sister Shindo, you must be joking."
"Fine, I'll stop teasing you. This is a graduation gift from all of us. Even though Kamiki is still in class, there's a token of his heart in here as well. Take it." Shindo Shiki picked up a long, slender wooden box from the desk and handed it to Suo Tsukasa.
The wooden box was simple in appearance, with only the metal character for "Sincerity" inlaid in the center of the lid.
"Thank you, teachers, for your dedicated guidance. Please also convey my gratitude to Teacher Kamiki." Suo Tsukasa was momentarily stunned, then solemnly accepted the box with both hands.
The Shin'o Academy never held individual graduation ceremonies for students who graduated early. Usually, the files were transferred today, and the receiving division would send someone to pick them up tomorrow morning; the entire procedure was so concise it was almost cold. Because of this, this private gift from his mentors, filled with warmth and blessings, was far more precious than any formal ceremony.
The mention of Kamiki Mokushū in Shindo Shiki's words was especially surprising to Suo Tsukasa.
Under the strict regulations of the Seireitei, the inheritance of Kido was far more rigorous than other Shinigami arts. For instance, high-numbered Hado were strictly controlled due to their immense power; most high-level incantations and core techniques were kept under lock and key. Ordinary Shinigami could go their entire lives without ever touching them; they could only be practiced by joining the Kido Corps for intensive study or by being promoted to a high-seated officer.
As a Kido teacher, though Kamiki Mokushū would occasionally offer Suo Tsukasa pointers during regular classes, the content he taught was always identical to that of the other students. It was precisely because of this that this unexpected gesture made Suo Tsukasa realize he had always been appreciated and held in high regard by this rigorous teacher.
Shindo Shiki stood on her tiptoes and smiled as she ruffled his hair. With eyes full of warmth, she said softly, "Alright, don't be so polite. A young man should act like a young man. Go on. We'll be waiting for the day you become a Lieutenant or even a Captain, and are invited back to school as a distinguished graduate to give a speech."
"Haha, well said!" Saito Yuichi agreed with Shindo Shiki's sentiment, laughing and clapping his hands in praise. Nearby, Yuuki Shinnosuke felt the same and gave Suo Tsukasa a firm nod of approval.
"I will. Goodbye, teachers."
"Goodbye."
Faced with his teachers' earnest expectations, Suo Tsukasa said no more, offering only a bright smile. That smile carried his usual composure, but with a few extra traces of the sharpness belonging to his age.
Taking his leave, he clutched the gift filled with their well-wishes and turned to walk out of the office briskly.
Back at the dormitory, Suo Tsukasa pushed the door open. Sunlight streamed through the doors and windows, spreading warm patches of light across the room.
He removed the Asauchi from his waist, placed it on the sword rack, and began to pack his belongings methodically. He didn't have much; besides Oboruya and the Asauchi, there were just a few personal items. There wasn't much else that required special attention. In less than fifteen minutes, his traveling pack was ready.
Having finished his preparations, Suo Tsukasa walked out to the porch and leaned against the engawa for a short rest during this rare moment of leisure. The gentle sunlight bathed his body, and he squinted his eyes, enjoying the tranquility of the small courtyard alone.
After an unknown amount of time, familiar footsteps echoed from outside the corridor.
"Yo, class is over!" Suo Tsukasa opened his eyes, a knowing arc appearing at the corner of his mouth as he raised a hand.
"Yeah."
Stepping onto the gravel path in the yard, Toshiro stopped in front of the door and nodded, the sunlight making his silver hair shine brightly. Looking through the open door, Toshiro saw the packed bag on the table and asked, "Looks like you're all ready. When are you leaving?"
"I didn't have much to begin with. I'll leave as soon as the escort arrives tomorrow morning. That other small bag is for you; it should be enough to last until you graduate." Suo Tsukasa clapped his hands and sat up straight, pointing to another small bundle on the table.
"It's enough."
After several attempts, Toshiro had finally passed his application with his homeroom teacher a while ago. His graduation would only be a few months later than Suo Tsukasa's.
"Take that back and put it away first, then we'll go eat."
"Okay."
Toshiro picked up the small bundle and turned to walk back to his own room. A moment later, he returned to Suo Tsukasa's side. The two then walked side-by-side through the moon gate of the courtyard, just as they always did.
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