Just as Fujimiya Makoto pondered the letter secretly delivered by Kūkaku Mela, his thoughts drifting to the impending Quincy war, his spiritual senses suddenly stirred.
"Who?!"
He tensed, turning toward the door.
Simultaneously, he waved his hand, scattering the clumped spiritual particles he'd been holding, rendering them unrecognizable.
"Hey!"
The voice outside instinctively rose, then abruptly lowered, cautious and guilty: "Keep it down, quieter!"
Hearing the voice, Fujimiya Makoto paused, then reacted, cracking the door open a sliver.
In an instant, Saitō Fubuki's petite figure slipped through the gap, as agile and silent as a fish.
"Saitō?" Fujimiya Makoto looked at her in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
But Saitō Fubuki, for some reason, tightly pressed her lips together, her small hands behind her back. She averted her single eye, refusing to meet Fujimiya Makoto's gaze, stammering as if she had something to say but couldn't.
"Old… I mean, I came here because…"
The girl struggled to speak, her words tangled, her nervousness making her seem unlike herself.
But… such words were too strange, too embarrassing!
For the usually prideful Saitō Fubuki, this was harder to bear than her physical wounds, her fair cheeks flushing with shame.
Watching her flustered state, Fujimiya Makoto suddenly recalled something and quickly explained: "At the last meeting, I didn't get a chance to clarify."
"Actually, Kagerōsa insisted on staying by my side to protect me from Unohana-sensei's attacks."
"It was Yama-jiji's order."
"I don't know if you misunderstood, but… I felt I should tell you, Saitō."
Fujimiya Makoto's tone was sincere, without a hint of concealment.
"Huh?" Hearing the topic shift, Saitō Fubuki instinctively froze, then quickly recovered, muttering, "I-I didn't misunderstand!"
"And I wasn't paying attention to what you said!"
Feeling she'd embarrassed herself in front of her junior, Saitō Fubuki quickly crossed her arms, turning her head away.
Her long purple ponytails swayed with her movement, revealing her swan-like neck, her skin smooth and glowing.
She stubbornly insisted, "I almost forgot, if you hadn't brought it up!"
Cute.
Fujimiya Makoto's heart warmed, but his gaze fell on the object Saitō was tightly holding.
"Those… tabi socks you're holding?"
"Hmm?"
"Eh—?!"
Saitō froze, then suddenly reacted, making rare sounds of panic as she tried to hide the tabi socks behind her, unsure where to stash them. She instinctively tried to stuff them into her sleeves.
But as she frantically hid the socks, lifting her head, she met Fujimiya Makoto's amused smile.
In an instant, the unique mix of a young girl's embarrassment and panic overwhelmed her, and she instinctively raised her voice:
"N-No, it's not like that! I just… I mean…"
As she spoke, she realized how loud she was, quickly lowering her voice until even Fujimiya Makoto could barely hear her.
"…I thought you might have used them, and they're washed clean."
"So, it's better to keep them with you."
"You might… need them."
These few words seemed to exhaust Saitō, her cute face nearly turning red, her head bowing as if to hide, her single eye refusing to meet Fujimiya Makoto's.
Ah!
She knew it!
Taking the tabi socks and then returning them—this was just too strange!
Saitō felt so embarrassed her scalp tingled, wishing she could shatter Fujimiya Makoto into pieces on the spot!
Unaware, Fujimiya Makoto's facial muscles were tightly clenched, his forehead veins nearly popping from the effort.
It was a struggle to hold back.
What to do?
Saitō was too adorable; not taking her home would be unjust.
Moreover, advancing his [Footwear Enthusiast] trait still required outside help.
Fujimiya Makoto decided Saitō Fubuki was perfect.
However, years of battle had taught him to see both sides of things.
While acknowledging Saitō's cuteness, he also knew she was a powerful figure who could end him with a single strike.
In such situations, a cooler approach was needed.
"Cough, cough."
Fujimiya Makoto feigned a cough, prompting Saitō to look up.
Saitō's pretty face tried to look fierce, but paired with her flushed, tender skin, it only made her adorably menacing, nearly deflating Fujimiya Makoto's resolve.
But then he said seriously, "Captain Saitō, I don't need the tabi socks."
"But could you help me with something else?"
"Huh?"
Saitō Fubuki paused at the first sentence, her heart sinking slightly.
But at the second, her tension suddenly returned.
This Saitō had already seen through Fujimiya Makoto's foolishness!
Just thinking of Unohana's description of his shikai release made her ears burn.
Under these circumstances, claiming she had no guard against Fujimiya Makoto would be a lie!
Yet, driven by some unknown impulse, the girl didn't move, seemingly wanting to hear him continue.
"Saitō, could you help me try on some other 'socks'?"
"..."
Saitō Fubuki froze, her expression shifting from tension and worry to confusion and bewilderment.
"What for?"
Fujimiya Makoto replied seriously, "To try on socks."
Almost instinctively, Saitō's tone rose: "Why should I do that for you?!"
"Because Saitō's feet are adorable."
"If I had to choose, it would be between Captain Kagerōsa and you."
Fujimiya Makoto's voice remained sincere.
However, any normal person hearing his words would look at him with disdain—the sound of his scheming could echo from Soul Society to Hueco Mundo!
Fortunately, Saitō was not normal.
Her concern lay elsewhere.
"Huh?"
Saitō seemed deeply offended: "What do you mean, only between Kagerōsa and me?!"
Fujimiya Makoto sighed, "Actually, not only is Kagerōsa's snow particularly fierce, but even her legs, usually hidden under her skirt, are perfectly shaped."
Saitō's eyes widened.
He continued, "Moreover, she's Yama-jiji's appointed protector, specifically to shield me from Unohana-sensei's probes until I grow stronger."
"Thinking about it, even her strength is unfathomable."
"Truly admirable, Kagerōsa."
Saitō Fubuki's single eye seemed about to crack.
Her small hand grabbed Fujimiya Makoto's collar, shouting:
"—Who said I lost to Unohana six times?!"
"I just didn't use my full power!"
"Kagerōsa, that big snow idiot, is far weaker than me! What does Mujiki know?!"
Fujimiya Makoto looked at her skeptically: "Saitō, are you stronger than Kagerōsa?"
"Of course!"
"I'm a senior, after all."
Saitō glared at him, as if insulted by the question.
"In other aspects too?"
"All of them!"
"Then please, Saitō, come with me."
At this point, Fujimiya Makoto, cloaked in innocence, finally revealed his true intentions.
"Eh?"
Saitō paused, meeting his gaze and feeling inexplicably uneasy.
"W-Where are we going?"
"Of course, to see Shutarō for custom clothing." Fujimiya Makoto's smile was warm.
So kind, a perfect 100!
"I…" Saitō instinctively sought an excuse.
But just as she opened her mouth, she realized her earlier words had blocked her own path.
Fujimiya Makoto pressed, "Saitō, were you lying just now?"
"I'll go ask Kagerōsa later…"
"Who's lying?!"
"I'm going!"
At the mention of Kagerōsa's name, Saitō Fubuki reacted instinctively.
She couldn't control herself!
Though she immediately regretted it, Saitō showed no sign of backing down, stubbornly staring at Fujimiya Makoto.
J-Just trying on new socks…
It should be fine, right?
The girl tried to reassure herself.
...
"What are you talking about?"
Shutarō Sutōmaru looked up from the petri dish of root cells, listening to Fujimiya Makoto's 'custom request.'
But halfway through, he couldn't help but frown, stepping away from the microscope to gaze at him with a peculiar expression.
Fujimiya Makoto repeated, "I want an elastic, semi-transparent fabric that can adjust its light transmission based on thickness and density, fitting snugly over the entire leg."
Shutarō imagined it for a moment: "You mean, silk?"
"Similar, but elastic, hugging the skin tightly to outline the leg shape!"
Words were limited, so Fujimiya Makoto asked, "Do you have paper and a pen? I'll draw it for you."
Shutarō, intrigued by the idea, quickly provided them.
Thus, the two leaned over the table, watching Fujimiya Makoto sketch a 60D black lace stocking—he'd practiced this before, though only this small part.
His faith was pure.
Shutarō, equally interested in novel fabrics, or rather, curious about all silk products, watched intently.
Only Saitō Fubuki stood aside, like a wooden statue, observing the two scribble on paper.
After a while, the sketch was complete.
Shutarō's bony fingers lifted the paper, examining it closely. His initially furrowed brow slowly relaxed.
"A fabric that conforms to the body, revealing yet concealing…"
For a moment, Shutarō's gaze at Fujimiya Makoto became peculiar, almost teasing:
"Makoto, you're quite knowledgeable."
"Just picking up bits and pieces, you flatter me."
Fujimiya Makoto was humble, never overreaching—he was only after the bond trait, not some lecherous old man.
His goal was pure and just, though the path was winding.
Shutarō ignored him, turning to Saitō: "So, we'll weave it according to Saitō's leg shape?"
"Is it urgent?"
"If not, I can add some extra features."
"Really?! Shutarō-sama?!" Fujimiya Makoto's eyes lit up.
No joke! Who didn't know Shutarō Sutōmaru's level in Soul Society?
"Hmph~!"
Seeing his abrupt change in attitude, Shutarō turned away, seemingly disdainful.
"Wait!"
Saitō finally spoke up: "If it's for me, I should at least see what it looks like!"
"What if it's weird?!"
"Here."
Shutarō casually extended her bony hand, having already memorized the details.
"Eh!"
Fujimiya Makoto froze, instinctively reaching out to stop her.
But Saitō Fubuki, clearly more interested than she pretended, darted forward, snatching the sketch.
As she looked, Saitō paused.
The legs were well-drawn.
But the next moment, noticing the fabric wrapping the legs, the semi-exposed skin, and the intricate lace patterns extending from mid-thigh downward…
And imagining this on her own legs…
Saitō's brain overloaded, her head heating up as if steam would rise.
"No! Not this!"
"This doesn't count! These aren't tabi socks!"
The girl, holding the sketch, chased Fujimiya Makoto, hitting him randomly, her voice filled with betrayed shame.
Fujimiya Makoto immediately fled in panic.
Shutarō watched from afar, a faint smile on her face.
"...Such a foolish monkey in puberty."
Just as she chuckled softly,
she noticed the two in the distance suddenly freeze.
Shutarō paused.
Then, her spiritual senses detected a massive surge of spiritual energy approaching from the sky.
The next moment,
the sky roared like thunder, shaking the earth.