First Meeting

By the time Seiya opened his eyes again, the sun was already setting.

His stomach rumbled slightly.

If Gin were still here, he'd probably have a persimmon or two on hand.

But since today was Hinamori Momo's first day as lieutenant, it wouldn't be fair to expect her to anticipate such things—she needed time to adjust.

Besides, there was still time before dinner with the others.

Rather than wasting it, Seiya figured he might as well use it wisely.

So, after a brief moment of thought—

He called his new lieutenant to his office.

"This may not be our first time meeting, but I suppose this counts as our first official conversation."

Seiya placed both hands on his desk, his smile calm yet firm.

"Hinamori Momo, I apologize. As your captain, I should have met with you properly much sooner."

The already tense girl quickly shook her head.

Her hands, resting on her lap, clenched tightly.

"Not at all! I know how busy you are, Captain Arima! And Gin-senpai's training was incredibly thorough… I never once felt like you were ignoring me!"

Her nervousness was visible.

Seiya thought about trying to ease her tension—

But sometimes, it was best to let people regulate their own emotions.

"Oh? If that's how you see it, that helps me a lot."

He paused, then smiled.

"After all, you had excellent grades and high evaluations at the academy. Ahaha… I'm lucky to have someone as talented as you join my humble, unknown division."

"You're exaggerating! The Fifth Division is not a place to be looked down upon!"

"Good perspective. Looks like you've already learned a lot these past two months."

Now then.

It was important to understand his lieutenant's goals and aspirations.

Lowering his gaze slightly, Seiya quickly organized his thoughts.

"Since this is your first time handling the duties of a lieutenant, there's no need to rush. Take your time."

"Our division is a support unit—we rarely take the front lines."

"That means most of our members are more gentle-natured, and compared to other squads, our combat power is relatively limited."

Hinamori listened attentively.

She leaned forward slightly, nodding occasionally as she processed his words.

As lieutenant, aligning with her captain's ideals was essential.

She had to understand his logic, his way of thinking—

Communication was key.

It wasn't enough to just listen.

For dialogue to have value, there needed to be a back-and-forth.

So—

The first question arrived.

Seiya's eyes glinted with curiosity as he smiled.

"I've been wondering about this, actually."

"As captain, I'd like to hear your perspective."

"From your point of view, what do you think our division lacks the most?"

Hinamori's fingers fidgeted against her sleeves.

She wasn't sure how to answer.

—Could she just… not?

The thought crossed her mind,

But the moment she saw Seiya's relaxed smile, she knew she couldn't.

So, after a moment of hesitation—

"I… I think it's trust?"

Seiya let out a thoughtful hum.

Hinamori's heart sank.

—Did I say the wrong thing?!

"I see. So that's how you feel about it, huh?"

To her surprise, Seiya didn't reject her answer.

Instead, he smiled warmly.

"Since we're a support division, and we're often sent to remote areas, earning others' trust is crucial."

"Your thought process is sound. Not bad at all."

"You must have put a lot of thought into this, Hinamori."

She wasn't used to being praised.

Her cheeks flushed almost immediately.

After a few seconds of flustered silence, she finally managed a quiet yet determined—

"T-Thank you for your kind words, Captain Arima…"

Seiya's gaze softened.

Respectful, yet fearless.

Shy, yet composed.

Her small stature was deceiving—

Who would have thought this delicate-looking girl had the same unyielding spirit as any seasoned warrior?

"It's not just kindness—it's a well-thought-out answer."

"That said… I do think there's something even more important than trust."

Hinamori's expression steadied.

Her voice carried genuine sincerity.

"May I ask what that is, Captain?"

She was eager to learn.

Seiya chuckled.

"I believe it's a sense of relief."

"As a support division, I don't just want people to trust us—I want them to feel an immediate sense of safety when they see us arrive."

"Think about it."

"Remember when you were attacked during that Konso Reishi Incident?"

"You and your classmates weren't saved by some legendary hero. You were just helped by a Soul Reaper doing his job."

"We're not saviors. But when we take action, we do everything in our power to protect others—even if it costs us our lives."

A moment of silence.

Then—

"Hinamori, I think you have that potential."

This wasn't empty encouragement.

It was genuine belief.

And Hinamori couldn't handle it.

Her face turned an even deeper shade of red.

—W-Wait… I'M BEING TRUSTED THIS MUCH?!

—Oh no… n-now I really can't afford to fail…!

With sudden determination, she straightened up.

"I-I will not let you down, Captain Arima!"

"Ahaha, good answer! That's the spirit."

Despite it being their first official meeting,

Hinamori's mindset had already shifted.

This wasn't just some distant authority figure.

He was an approachable, level-headed captain—

Someone who genuinely cared for his subordinates.

—Having a leader like this… is amazing.

For the first time that day—

Hinamori relaxed.

She let out a quiet breath, easing the tension in her shoulders.

Seiya noticed.

"By the way, I haven't asked this yet."

"Sorry for being late about it, but consider this a formality."

He tapped his forehead lightly and smiled.

"Why did you choose the Fifth Division, Hinamori?"

She hesitated briefly.

Then, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she forced a small, somewhat shy smile.

"It's actually simple."

"That day… when we were attacked."

"If you hadn't saved us, we wouldn't have lasted long enough for reinforcements."

"So just like you said—I was drawn to that sense of relief."

"I want to be that person for someone else."

Her voice grew firmer.

"I want people to feel safe when they see the Fifth Division."

"To know that when danger comes—there's a squad willing to lay down their lives to protect them."

"A squad that never hesitates. A squad worth believing in!"

Seiya blinked.

Then, grinning slightly, he leaned back.

"Oh? That's quite a speech, Hinamori."

He hadn't expected to hear something so passionate.

Hinamori, suddenly realizing what she had said, let out a small, panicked gasp.

"Ah… I-I'm sorry!"

—Oh no.

—Did I just rant at my captain?!

—Please, let me disappear into the floor…!

Seiya, on the other hand, simply laughed.

"No need to apologize. That was an excellent answer."

A moment of realization settled in—

His actions had mattered.

The smallest things could change someone's life.

"Looks like I really am on the right path."

Past, present—

And future.

He was walking in the right direction.

Seiya glanced at the clock.

"Alright, that's enough for today."

Standing up, he smiled playfully.

"Don't be so stiff, Hinamori—we're going to be working together for a long time."

Reaching out his right hand—

"From now on, I'm counting on you, Lieutenant Hinamori."

Taking a deep breath—

Hinamori grasped his hand firmly.

"I won't let you down, Captain Arima!"

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New fics out, one called Hogwarts: Don't Call Me a Wand Maker and another called One Piece: Farming from the Rocks Era. I will delete one based on the reception later, if both do well, I'll keep both.

Powerstones?

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