Chapter 109: Spiraea · Flower Arranging
"Ah, so that's how it is."
Unohana spoke gently, her voice calm and soothing, yet it sent a subtle shiver through Makoto's heart as he stood beside her.
Fortunately, Unohana didn't press further. Instead, she shifted the focus, thanking the gathered captains for gracing her celebration with their presence.
Unohana's influence was remarkable. Nearly every captain of the Gotei 13 had gathered for the occasion. Even those who couldn't attend personally sent their gifts.
Everyone, that is, except for Zaraki Kenpachi.
Whether his absence was intentional or accidental was anyone's guess.
Standing quietly beside Unohana, Makoto listened to the captains' conversations. He couldn't help but notice how they subtly avoided any mention of the Eleventh Division.
At this point in time, the untamed Zaraki was likely seen by most captains as little more than a wild beast, consumed by his thirst for battle and chaos.
As the atmosphere grew more lively, and conversations flowed more freely, Hirako Shinji sidled up to Makoto, casually slinging an arm around his shoulder. With a playful glint in his eye, he teased,
"Hey, Makoto, I heard you planned this whole birthday banquet. So... tell me, do you have anything fun or exciting lined up for later?"
Makoto scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "Captain Hirako, what kind of entertainment are you expecting?"
"Oh, you know..." Shinji grinned conspiratorially, lowering his voice. "How about taking this chance to turn it into a matchmaking event? I mean, the Fourth Division has so many cute girls, right? And Unohana, well, she's been single for, what, over a thousand years? Who knows? Maybe she's finally looking for someone tonight. If she does find someone, she might even retire soon! Then, wouldn't you naturally become the next captain of the Fourth Division?"
Makoto stared at Shinji in disbelief.
How could someone say something so audacious and mischievous with such a straight face?
Did he really think I was some naïve, innocent kid?
It was obvious Shinji just wanted an excuse to flirt openly with the girls from the Fourth Division without getting on Unohana's bad side—and he wanted to use me as his scapegoat!
Does he not realize Unohana could literally end me if she wanted to?
Before Makoto could decline outright, Aizen, standing quietly behind Shinji, stepped in.
"Captain Hirako, please refrain from making suggestions that might trouble Makoto-kun."
"What? I'm just looking out for him," Shinji replied shamelessly. "Besides, whose side are you on, Aizen?"
Aizen, ever composed, ignored Shinji's protests. With an apologetic tone, he turned to Makoto.
"My apologies, Makoto-kun. Captain Hirako seems a bit... overexcited today. Please don't take his words to heart."
"Hey, hey, I haven't even started drinking yet!" Shinji protested indignantly.
Without missing a beat, Aizen gently yet firmly led Shinji away, throwing in a parting remark, "There are many captains present tonight, Captain Hirako. Please try to maintain the dignity of the Fifth Division."
"Who needs your reminders, Aizen..."
As Shinji and Aizen left the area, Makoto exhaled a quiet sigh of relief.
After all, he had his hands full with preparations for tonight's event. There was no time to entertain Shinji's whims.
With a subtle signal from Makoto, one of the evening's planned activities—a flower arranging competition—began.
What caught Unohana by surprise, however, was seeing Makoto, who had never participated in any of the Fourth Division's internal flower arranging events before, rise to join this one.
"Makoto, are you interested in flower arranging?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Makoto gave her a playful wink but avoided answering directly. Some passions aren't born from the thing itself but from admiration for someone else.
"Sensei, I'd like to give it a try," he said humbly.
"Very well. Do your best," Unohana encouraged with her usual warmth. "This time, I won't participate. Instead, the captains and I will serve as judges to evaluate the works."
Makoto nodded, then joined the other participants in selecting from the variety of flowers displayed.
Flower arranging, at its core, is simply placing flowers into containers to create a composition.
But like tea ceremonies, dancing, or painting, the simplest of acts can take on profound meaning when infused with personal expression and emotion.
While others meticulously selected a wide array of flowers and carefully planned their arrangements, Makoto chose only one type: Spiraea.
Then he returned to his seat.
The sight of him selecting just one kind of flower drew puzzled looks from the spectators.
Even in its most minimalist form, flower arranging usually required a variety of materials to convey balance and harmony.
Was this even flower arranging? Or was it just laziness?
It felt akin to drawing a single line on a canvas and calling oneself a master artist.
Among the participants was Aoki Risa, who, seeing the growing crowd's attention on Makoto, reluctantly sat next to him. She leaned in and whispered,
"Makoto-kun, you need more flowers. Quickly, go pick some more!"
Makoto offered her a gentle smile. Looking at the Spiraea in his hands, he replied softly, "No, this one flower is enough."
"Are you sure?"
Risa, determined to save him from embarrassment, whispered urgently, "With just one type, your arrangement might not even qualify as flower arranging!"
"Trust me," Makoto said, his voice calm yet resolute. "For me, this is enough."
Seeing his confidence, Risa hesitated. The onlookers around them only grew more intrigued, their attention focused on Makoto's every move.
'Maybe… Makoto-kun has a plan,' Risa thought, watching his focused profile.
Her heart skipped a beat. Somehow, his unwavering confidence gave her a sense of reassurance.
More importantly, knowing Makoto, he was never one to act arrogantly. His confidence, she realized, was always grounded in sincerity and skill.
And for that, it was entirely worth believing in him.
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