Shinigami: Medicine Can't Save The Soul Reaper Society

"Makoto, was this also something you had to do?"

With a somewhat stiff smile, Unohana turned towards Makoto and asked.

"Are you planning to enjoy a hot spring in my courtyard by yourself, or are you intending for me to soak in front of you instead?"

Makoto instinctively took a step back, waving his hands in front of him defensively. Just as he opened his mouth to explain, Unohana's eyes narrowed as she pressed further.

"Or perhaps… you're thinking of soaking together with your teacher?"

Makoto swallowed nervously and hurried to explain.

"I… Sensei, let me explain—no, I mean, clarify. I discovered that this hot spring has remarkable effects on spiritual bodies... Yes, that's it!"

"And I was also worried about how tired you've been lately. Hot springs are perfect for relieving fatigue, so I thought..."

"Don't worry, Sensei. If you decide to soak in the hot spring, I'll personally stand guard nearby. Not even a single male fly or mosquito will get through."

A soft but chilling smile spread across Unohana's face.

"Oh, there's no need to trouble you, Makoto. If anything dares intrude while I'm soaking, I'll simply cut it down myself."

"...Ha..."

Makoto smiled stiffly in response, but a chill ran down his spine.

Standing at the doorway, Unohana looked at him with a gentle and composed gaze.

"Vice-Captain Senju, thank you for escorting me home. You've worked hard today, so go rest well. Tomorrow, you'll be attending the Captain's meeting with me—don't be late."

Before Makoto could say anything, Unohana closed the door, leaving him outside.

---

A cold wind blew past.

Sensei… My room is in the courtyard too…

But Makoto didn't have the chance to say that.

At this moment, Makoto had the unsettling feeling that he'd experienced this scene before.

So now, with the long night ahead, where could he go?

Staring at the crescent moon, various options flashed through Makoto's mind.

As the Fourth Division's Vice-Captain, he couldn't very well admit he had nowhere to stay after being kicked out.

Maybe I'll just crash at the Vice-Captain's quarters for the night?

Last time, when I got kicked out, Vice-Captain Yamada refused to let me stay at his house. He claimed his wife wouldn't allow it. But this time, it's my own quarters, and Yamada Rinka herself said she wouldn't mind.

Of course, that thought remained just that—a thought. Even if Makoto had nothing to hide, he didn't want to risk damaging Yamada Rinka's reputation.

As for others like Aoki Risa and Kotetsu Isane, both of whom he was close to in the Fourth Division, they also lived alone. He worried that asking to stay over might inconvenience them or cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

After all, as Vice-Captain, any request could be seen as carrying the weight of his position, potentially making them feel obliged to agree even if they didn't want to.

In the end, Makoto pondered for a few moments before quietly heading to the underground training area—a space where he could both train to pass the time and find a place to sleep.

---

After Unohana shut the door, she glanced at the hot spring in the corner of the courtyard. A faint blush appeared on her otherwise graceful and composed face.

As she surveyed the meticulously restored courtyard—its layout nearly identical to how it had been—Unohana couldn't help but realize this was undoubtedly Makoto's handiwork.

Having lived in this courtyard for nearly a thousand years, Unohana had slowly filled it with her personal touches. Only someone as observant and detail-oriented as Makoto, who had lived here for a year, could replicate it so flawlessly.

Walking through the courtyard, Unohana's attention was drawn to a newly added room adjacent to her master bedroom—a room that was clearly not a guestroom.

She quickly realized it must have been prepared by Makoto.

"Makoto, do you really plan on staying by my side forever?"

After hesitating for a long time, Unohana chose not to dismantle the room filled with Makoto's personal style. Instead, she gently closed the door and returned to her own bedroom.

Inside, the familiar decor of her master bedroom hadn't changed at all, evoking an immediate sense of comfort.

Her eyes were soon drawn to the centerpiece of the cabinet: a floral arrangement titled The Forest and the Spiraea.

A soft smile spread across Unohana's face.

She had thought this cherished work of ikebana had been destroyed along with the courtyard's ruins, yet here it was, perfectly preserved.

Hurrying forward, she cradled the piece in her hands, admiring it closely.

Not a single detail had changed.

The spiraea flower at the center was untouched, and the surrounding green grass still thrived with vitality—just as it had when he first created it.

Gently stroking the vibrant greenery, Unohana's smile deepened as she murmured,

"In light of this gift, I suppose I'll let you stay a while longer…"

---

The Next Day

When Unohana awoke in the familiar surroundings of her courtyard, she felt a rare sense of peace. After washing up, she sensed Makoto's spiritual pressure precisely at her doorstep.

Opening the door, she looked at him and said warmly, "Come in. Let's have breakfast together."

"Thank you, Sensei."

For the first time in a while, Unohana and Makoto shared a meal.

Although it had only been a month, both of them inexplicably felt as if it had been much longer—like they had grown used to each other's presence, and the sudden solitude had been unbearable.

In that moment, they both realized how much closer they had become, having glimpsed a more genuine side of one another.

Without exchanging words, they simply enjoyed each other's company, relishing the feeling of long-lost companionship.

And at that moment, Makoto understood a profound truth:

"A person's life is inherently lonely, but once they've been truly accompanied—heart to heart—they'll never forget it for the rest of their life."

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