"Still working on fireworks?" Masatsuki Aozaki looked at the woman before him in surprise.
The woman had a striking figure, a headscarf tied around her head, and long black hair parted into two sections. A tattoo of the kanji for "空" (Sky/Empty) adorned her left arm, and a long smoking pipe was tucked into her waistband.
This was Kūkaku Shiba, younger sister of the current Shiba family head and, in truth, the real power behind the clan.
Not that it mattered much—there were only four people left in the family who still carried the Shiba name…
She called it fireworks research, but Masatsuki didn't see any blueprints or designs. The only thing different was the smooth, pitch-black sphere sitting in front of her.
"The gunpowder formula you taught me has significantly increased in power—no residue, no smoke. When combined with Reiatsu, it could even be used as a weapon."
Kūkaku smiled slightly.
"I really don't know how you come up with these ideas."
Masatsuki shook his head. "Honestly, I have Lieutenant Sasakibe to thank. He's passionate about Western culture and gave me a lot of inspiration."
Thanks to Chōjirō Sasakibe's fascination with the West, the Soul Society had never been affected by the two-century-long isolation policy of the World of the Living. In fact, even centuries ago, when Sasakibe was still young, he had begun embracing Western influences, never once breaking that connection.
While the Soul Society's technological development took a different path than the World of the Living's, books on chemistry and physics could still be found.
Without them, even knowing the formula for modern gunpowder wouldn't have helped Masatsuki—it would've been impossible to recreate.
Kūkaku chuckled. "So, those guys left?"
"'Those guys'? You mean your uncles?" Masatsuki smirked. "They've already gone back to report to Master. I'd say we'll have an answer in a few days."
"Uncle Isshin was here too?" Kūkaku asked, surprised.
Masatsuki raised a brow. "Ganju didn't tell you?"
"Should we go find him? It's not too late—I have a pass from Master."
"No need to go through all that trouble. It's not like he's never coming back." Kūkaku gave a small smile. "But why didn't you leave with him? Weren't you planning to join the Gotei 13?"
"Before long, you'll be a mighty Shinigami. You'll probably start looking down on us declining nobles."
Masatsuki shook his head. "That's nonsense."
Kūkaku grinned. "Oh? Don't want to part with me?"
Masatsuki hesitated, unsure how to answer, and simply let out a quiet "Mm."
"Tch. Now that Kaien's not around, you sure have some guts." Kūkaku spoke casually, as if it were nothing. "But once he's back, you'll still end up slinking off to Seireitei."
Masatsuki fell silent for a long time.
There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he couldn't seem to find the words.
Back then, Kaien had been an immovable obstacle between them.
Born into the Shiba family, naturally gifted, and overflowing with Reiatsu, he had always loomed large.
Masatsuki had lost count of how many times Kaien had caught him visiting Kūkaku under the guise of business, only to chase him for miles.
Probably enough to circle Seireitei ten times over.
But things were different now.
His strength had already surpassed Kaien's—there was no need to sneak around anymore.
Even if he stood openly by Kūkaku's side, what could Kaien do about it?
"I'm not afraid of him anymore," Masatsuki finally whispered. But the words that followed were—
"...Let's have a baby!"
Kūkaku: ?
Even if she had been trying to provoke him into being bolder, wasn't this leap a little too big?
Wasn't the normal sequence supposed to be: confess, fall in love, get married... then have kids?
How did he just skip straight to the final step?
Kūkaku froze, momentarily at a loss.
The two of them sat side by side on the workbench. Masatsuki took her hand, interlocking their fingers, and slowly leaned in.
Kūkaku chuckled, eyes twinkling. "Masatsuki..."
"Hm?" Masatsuki blinked, caught off guard.
He had already thought of a name for the baby—wasn't it a little late to back out now?
But Kūkaku didn't seem fazed. Instead, she seemed to be speaking from the heart when she casually asked,
"Don't you think time is kind of a strange thing?"
"Sometimes it passes in the blink of an eye, and you don't even know what you did with it."
"But other times, every single second is packed with nonsense, and your head is a complete mess."
"...Yeah." Masatsuki's heart unexpectedly calmed. He gazed up at the starry sky, exhaling softly.
"My years in the Soul Society have felt long."
"But I don't regret coming here. This world… it's fascinating."
As he reflected on his past life, he realized there had been no one to miss, no keepsakes to cherish.
"You were a noble in the World of the Living, weren't you?" Kūkaku asked offhandedly. "Wasn't there anything you left behind?"
Masatsuki thought for a moment before chuckling. "Saying I had no attachments at all would be a lie. Who wouldn't want to live a comfortable life?"
"But I still prefer it here. After meeting you all, I know for certain—this is where I was meant to be."
"...Was that a confession?" Kūkaku grinned. "Now that actually makes my heart flutter. That baby talk earlier? Not so much."
"Let's call it that."
Truthfully, it was more of a personal revelation than a confession. But Masatsuki didn't want to spoil the moment, so he simply asked,
"So… can you accept it?"
"Call me Ane-san!" Kūkaku rolled her eyes before flashing him a bold smile. "And yeah—I accept!"
"...I knew it wouldn't be that easy…" Masatsuki sighed. But then, a beat later, he stiffened, eyes widening in realization.
"Wait... what? You accept?"
Kūkaku didn't hesitate in the slightest, casually confirming, "That's right, I accept."
She slung an arm around his neck, grabbed the black sphere from the table, and grinned.
"As a celebration, let's go set off some fireworks—starting with this one we made today!"
Side by side, they walked outside. Before long, the pitch-black night sky was ablaze with vibrant colors.
...
The next morning.
"Good morning, big brother-in-law!" Masatsuki greeted with the utmost sincerity.
Kaien smirked, rolling up his sleeves as he silently eyed the man standing before him—so full of respect, so irritatingly polite.
The faint scent of alcohol lingered in the air, clouding his thoughts.
When he glanced to the side, he saw his sister clinging to Masatsuki's arm, an almost otherworldly softness in her demeanor. The way she looked at him—serene, warm, affectionate—was an unfamiliar sight.
Kaien frowned.
...Was this really his sister?
Where was the rough, hot-tempered Kūkaku he knew?
Who was this gentle, loving woman in her place?
Give me back my foul-mouthed, explosive-tempered sister, you bastard!
"Masatsuki," Kaien said slowly, twitching with barely restrained irritation. "What the hell did you do to my sister?"
"Nothing much," Masatsuki said, spreading his hands innocently. "We just set off a firework together and had a drink."
"...Do you really expect me to believe that?"
Looking at his sister—who now radiated the unmistakable glow of someone deeply in love—Kaien couldn't help but suspect the worst.
Had she already…?
"Kūkaku can vouch for me!" Masatsuki hurriedly tried to pass her off as a witness.
But it was obvious Kūkaku hadn't sobered up yet. She took two unsteady steps before promptly collapsing back onto the floor.
"...Tch."
With a thud, Masatsuki was sent flying across the room.
Kaien's kick launched him straight into the wall, where he left a perfect human-shaped hole before dropping flat onto the ground.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake