Party

"That's unfair of you to drink without me, Captain Kyōraku."

Muyang said as he pushed the door open and found Kyōraku Shunsui was drinking all by himself.

"Come on, don't be so stiff." Kyōraku Shunsui lazily said as he poured a glass of sake for Muyang. "What took you guys so long? Quick, have a seat."

"Yeah~" Muyang sat down and took a sip of the sake that Kyōraku Shunsui poured for him, and it felt like he came back to life, and his fatigue so far disappeared all of a sudden.

"By the way, Lisa is not coming with you?" Muyang asked Kyōraku Shunsui after putting down his glass because Kyōraku Shunsui usually took Lisa wherever he went.

"Well, she's a girl, and It's not good for a girl to drink too often, so I asked her to go back with the rest of Division Members."

"Was he always the type of guy who looks after someone else this much?" Muyang thought while glancing at Kyōraku Shunsui. He wouldn't be surprised if there was another reason. After all, he had lived for only god knew how long, and he should be used to dealing with this kind of situation.

Hirako Shinji just listened to Muyang and Kyōraku Shunsui talking with each other while sipping his drink. Although he and Muyang were good friends, he couldn't just casually join in the conversation. After all, Muyang was talking with a fellow Captain, and it would be rude if he casually joined in the conversation.

"By the way..." Kyōraku Shunsui put down the glass in his hand and looked at Muyang. "You look tired. Are you having a hard time with a Captain's job?"

"Well, my job as a Captain is not that taxing." Muyang scratched his head embarrassedly. "Mostly, it's because this is my first time as a Captain, and I was never part of the 10th Division prior to this. I've only figured out our Division's task and other details recently after checking the past documents and files from my predecessors.

"Wow, you are so diligent!" Kyōraku Shunsui looked at Muyang in surprise. "Gotta leave it to youth for being so energetic. You sure have the drive."

"That's not it, really." Muyang looked down at the glass in his hand. "I'm not trying to prove something or anything of the sort. It's just that I want to live up to my men's expectation of me and make sure they're in good hands."

Hirako Shinji, who was pouring more sake for Muyang, paused slightly before pouring it again and placed it in front of Muyang with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. Kyōraku Shunsui was taken aback as he looked at Muyang for a while without saying a word.

"Pardon me. I end up saying something such trifling stuff." Muyang said with an awkward laugh after realizing he got all emotional.

"Tsk." Hirako Shinji clicked his tongue faintly and took a sip of his drink.

"Haha, the 10th Division sure is blessed for having someone with your mindset as their Captain. Too bad Ukitake didn't come today. Otherwise, you two will definitely hit it off."

"Captain Ukitake? By all means, let's have a drink if you and he have time."

"Definitely! I'm sure we'll get the time sometime in the future."

After having a toast and put down their glasses, Kyōraku Shunsui suddenly asked, "by the way, are you close with Lieutenant Kuchiki of the 6th Division?"

"6th Division's Lieutenant?" Muyang recalled that Kuchiki Sōjun was the son of 6th Division Captain Kuchiki Ginrei, which made him Kuchiki Byakuya's father. "Well, we've talked a few times back when I was the 12th Division Lieutenant, but we're not close or anything. However, I could tell that he was a very kind person. He's well-mannered, and it was clear that etiquette was properly drilled into his head. A fine example of a noble indeed."

"Well, you're right about him being kind, but it's a pity that his body is too weak. Since he's a noble, he inherited a massive Reiatsu, but he was not suited to fight because of his frail body, and it's demoralizing as he is the next head of Kuchiki Clan."

"There are many things that won't go the way we want in life is always so unsatisfactory, and reality is often cruel." Muyang sounded gloomy at first, but then he smiled for some reason, "but that's exactly why we call it life!"

Kyōraku Shunsui was taken aback as he saw Muyang was smiling. He then shook his head slightly and said: "I'm surprised, honestly. You are so much mature compared to the last time we met!"

"You jest, Captain Kyōraku." Muyang said indifferently, "everyone will eventually mature with time passing and various events happening around us, and that is not something we have a say in."

"You really have changed... That's a really mature outlook on life" Kyōraku Shunsui smiled out of awe and then poured a glass of sake for Muyang, raising his glass so that Muyang did the same, "Alright, we're here to drink, so let's drop all the serious talk."

Muyang raised his glass and had another toast with Kyōraku Shunsui, but he felt there was something wrong with himself. Why did he get so emotional all of a sudden? He came here to relax, but he ended up brooding over such a trivial matter. Was it because he has been too busy recently? Even after finishing the sake in his glass, he was still perplexed by the same question, but he decided to forget about it. As usual, Muyang would rather forget things that he couldn't understand altogether than brooding over them for too long.

"By the way, Captain Kyōraku, do you know any solution to a problem regarding Reiatsu's stagnancy?" Muyang suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Kyōraku Shunsui put down his glass, "Why did you ask me of all people?"

"Well, you're older, and you've been a Captain for so long, so I figured you should know things that I don't know about."

"Then you really are asking the wrong person." Kyōraku Shunsui said as he rubbed his chin. "Although I am indeed older than you, I'm afraid that I don't know the answer to your question. As far as I know, Reiatsu is inherited. Calling it talent isn't an exaggeration. It's something that you're born with, and I believe it won't be easy to overcome this limit."

Kyōraku Shunsui then added after a brief pause, "Are you asking this because of the new girl you recruited today?"

"Yeah." Muyang did not really deny that he wanted to see if there was something he could do for his former classmate, who has now become his subordinate. He felt something from that girl that was somehow similar to him, which was why he couldn't leave her alone.

"Although I don't know why you have such an idea, it's close to impossible. But if you really want to find a way, you should ask Captain Hikifune. She is an expert in regarding this, and there aren't that many who can rival her."

"Kirio-san." Muyang already planned to ask Hikifune Kirio about it from the beginning. He simply asked Kyōraku Shunsui just for the sake of it, but after asking him, it seemed that he really had to ask Hikifune Kirio. As expected of someone who would be promoted to Zero Division, she should have some unique insights.

"I haven't visited Kirio-san for quite a while because I've been busy with handling the paperwork and other jobs as a Captain. I hope Kirio-san is not angry."

"Of course not. Captain Hikifune is a kind woman. There's no way she'd be angry at you." Kyōraku Shunsui laughed, "However, I might have heard that recently 5th Seat Hiyori has been complaining that you haven't paid her a visit and grown cold since you become a Captain."

"My God!" Muyang face-palmed. There was no doubt that Kyōraku Shunsui must have heard it from Lisa. If he went to the 12th Division, Hiyori would rain him down with complaints for sure, but he did feel bad for not sparing any time to visit her.

Seeing Kyōraku Shunsui's teasing smile, Muyang cast away all his thoughts and said as he picked up his glass, "Forget it, I just want to drink now."

"Haha~" Kyōraku Shunsui laughed and toasted with Muyang.

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