Kazuya engaged in light conversation with Apacci and Tier regarding Menoly. Apacci, though harsh, rarely defied his orders. Nonetheless, he felt compelled to ensure she neither mistreated Menoly with severity nor with too much kindness. They had to treat her normally.

Afterwards, he said goodbye to the ladies and headed out to Kisuke’s old shop. He gave the vacant shop a thorough examination, finding nothing but remnants of Toshiro, Unohana, and Rangiku’s Reiatsu.

‘Yup, Unohana took her.’

{Let’s go to Momo!}

He went to regroup with Shunsui and Nanao at Sung-Sun’s flower shop. Opting not to wait indoors, the pair stood outside the entrance.

Nanao’s angry look and the red fingers mark on Shunsui’s face conveyed the whole story — Shunsui got punished for making advances towards the ladies inside the shop. The large hand belonged to Mila Rose, which was quite fitting reaction from Mila Rose. Sung-Sun fought her battles with words over her fists.

“He’s here…” Nanao greeted him with a smile. “Captain, why do you get into situations where you have to apologize to him?”

Merely a week prior, the notion of her Captain apologizing to the notorious charmer of Shino Academy would have seemed far-fetched to Nanao; even stranger was the fact she asked him to do it.

Kazuya gave an amused smile. “No need. He already got his just desserts at Rose’s hand.”

Just the mark alone told the force and annoyance behind the slap; it also showed Shunsui hadn’t gone overboard. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have ended with one slap. The fierce lioness would’ve gone to war like she did with Grimmjow.

Shunsui rubbed his chin with a genial smile. “Isn’t it a man’s duty to compliment every beautiful woman?”

{The skirt-chaser of the Gotei 13 is on a different playing field. Partner, level up your game!}

‘Get off Adderall.’

Nanao smacked his back. “That’s enough, Captain!”

“Haha.”

Laughter ensued among them until the door abruptly slid open with a sharp sound. Momo’s eyes widened upon noticing Kazuya, and she swiftly lunged towards him with arms outstretched.

“Kazuya-kun~!”

“Not again.” Kazuya resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Being the affectionate man he was, he gently caught Momo in his arms. “Can you stop doing that?”

{Momo suffered for you. Console her with love.}

‘What if I don’t?’

{I—I’ll never make an effort to connect with Izumi.}

‘I got no choice then.’

{Manipulation successful, ufufu.}

Kazuya ignored Nami’s obvious attempts to get a reaction out of him.

“I’m sorry…” Momo whispered, looking up with teary eyes. “I-I couldn’t come to help you… The flower lady knocked me out from behind.”

Shunsui crossed his arms, his expression one that of an enlightened fellow. “They both pack a punch. Really they are—”

Nanao cut him off with a light jab at Shunsui’s chin. “Stay quiet, Captain.”

Kazuya’s gaze returned to Momo, who offered him a look so imploring it seemed she would disregard the entire world until he pardoned her perceived transgression.

He pulled her cheek until she began tearing for real. “You little idiot.”

“I’m sowwy!”

“Wait here. I'll knock some sense into that arrogant woman.”

“No—”

Brushing Momo aside, he stormed into the shop, as Yoruichi jumped down from his shoulder. As Momo reached out to follow, the door clicked shut, firmly locked.

Nanao grasped Momo’s hand and pulled her away from the shop. “Let him handle it.”

Unlike Momo, Nanao knew Kazuya’s deep relationship with the two women inside the flower shop. And unlike Momo, she knew his true nature as a Hollow. She felt strangely proud of knowing Kazuya’s biggest secret that Momo, his love interest, had yet to learn.

“Nanao-san, it’s not their fault…” Momo shook her head. “They wanted to stop me from interfering in a battle beyond my league.”

Reflecting on her awakening in the shop, Momo remembered her anger towards the receptionist and the florist. The memory of her futile attempt to fight the florist, Sung-Sun, brought a flush of embarrassment to her cheeks. Sung-Sun had floored her with one move, leaving Momo utterly humiliated.

‘Dividing his attention to protect you could’ve caused him his life. Learn to know your limits if you want to support him from the bottom of his heart. Sometimes… not rushing head-first into your death is the best option.’

It was this lesson that caused Momo to calm down and think about the situation logically. Momo had to acknowledge that the flower lady was not only stronger physically but also more intelligent and mature.

Nanao placed a hand on Momo’s shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Momo slowly nodded. “Sorry for spacing out.”

Soon, they heard things being thrown around inside the shop, which Momo interpreted as things becoming physical between Kazuya and Sung-Sun. Momo wanted to intervene but she had to stay here. After all, she had promised him to never go against his wishes.

“It’s not what you think,” Nanao whispered in her ears. “It’s like an argument between friends.”

Momo was reminded of her heated argument with Rukia. Choosing to trust Nanao’s words, Momo waited outside the door with a bated breath.

Eventually, Kazuya emerged, looking as if he had endured a storm—his appearance disheveled.

Nanao’s cheeks flushed upon noticing the love bite marks on his neck. Shunsui's smirk indicated a similar understanding. The Captain and Vice-Captain duo easily connected the dots with the earlier noises inside the shop. He had been battling Sung-Sun but not in the way Momo anticipated.

Unconcerned with his disarrayed state, Momo immediately inquired about his well-being. After pacifying Momo’s worries, he made Shunsui summon the Senkaimon door.

Kazuya and his companions stepped through the Senkaimon, emerging into a vast chamber. Captains of the Gotei 13 were arrayed in disciplined ranks, forming two lines that faced each other in silence.

Isshin Shiba, Retsu Unohana, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Soi Fon, and Jushiro Ukitake stood on the left while Kenpachi Zaraki, Ginrei Kuchiki, Kaname Tosen, Gin Ichimaru, and Saijin Komamura stood on the right.

Meanwhile, right in front of him, seated on a tall wooden chair that seemed almost out of place in its simplicity against the grandeur of the surroundings, was the Captain Commander.

Their Senkaimon was intercepted and made to open in the assembly hall of the 1st Squad’s headquarters.

Momo leaned towards Kazuya, shivering from the dense Reiatsu enveloping them. “Kazuya-kun, this is… Captain Commander?”

“Yeah.”

Isshin, Ukitake, Ginrei, and Unohana acknowledged Kazuya with either a smile or a polite nod.

Soi Fon fixed her intense gaze on Kazuya and the cat sitting on his shoulder.

Mayuri only glanced at him before going back to counting the lines on the floor’s design.

The rest of the captains looked disinterested aside from Saijin. The dog-headed warrior seemed to have smelled the lingering scent of ladies on him.

“Shunsui Kyoraku,” Yamamoto called out in a low but intimidating voice and lightly struck his cane on the floor. “I, hereby, seize your captain seat.”