บท 22: Chapter 22: If You Love It… Then Have Some More
After all, it wasn't as though Makoto had spent his time in the gynecology department dissecting a hundred or so female Shinigami.
So this time, the questions Makoto prepared to pass the test were nearly every confusing aspect of healing techniques and medicine he had grappled with over the years.
Makoto genuinely couldn't imagine how Unohana managed to draw out every last detail with such precision—without embarrassing him in the slightest.
Could it be… that Unohana really was incredibly experienced? In both healing techniques and medicine…
Suddenly, Makoto's eyes widened, and he bolted upright, muttering to himself.
"I… I fell for it…"
There was no doubt about it. Today, when Unohana sent him to the gynecology department and used a gift as an excuse, Makoto had completely fallen into her rhythm.
Because of that, he'd forgotten to hold back even a little, allowing Unohana to gauge his current level in healing techniques and medical skills entirely.
"So… does this mean that if I try to slack off in the department someday, she'll just expose me with a few questions?"
Makoto's eyes… slowly lost their sparkle.
…
Meanwhile, in the Aoki family's courtyard, Risa knelt dejectedly on the gravel-strewn ground. A cold wind blew past, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, seeking a bit of warmth.
This was her punishment, decreed by Chiyoko for Risa's rudeness and improper behavior today.
To mock and slander Captain Unohana's disciple as though he were some ordinary woman—it was no trivial matter. If Makoto decided to pursue the matter, it could potentially implicate the entire Aoki family.
As soon as Risa returned home, she was immediately subjected to the most severe punishment from Chiyoko: no dinner and an entire night of kneeling outside, repenting until dawn.
Though exhausted, hungry, and chilled to the bone, Risa dared not resist her mother's authority.
Moreover, Risa understood how much her mother had been through. After her father's irresponsible departure from life, her mother had shouldered the burdens of the Aoki family alone.
Logically, Risa should feel resentment toward Makoto. That guy could have clarified things on the spot…
And yet, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, the image of Makoto's gentle, earnest face drifted into her mind—a face she instinctively wanted to trust.
Maybe… he was simply indulging me? Or perhaps he didn't have time to remind me? Or could it be he wanted to get closer to me, even if it meant tarnishing his own reputation?
Was he grateful for my "help" today?
Honestly, I didn't do anything for him…
Yet here she was, shivering in the cold, hungry and weary under the night sky, and somehow, Risa found herself thinking of Makoto's smile—a warmth that felt strangely comforting.
…
The next day, as Makoto clocked in promptly at the gynecology department, he was surprised to find Risa already at the office, even placing a neatly prepared, appetizing bento on his desk.
"Is she… planning to poison me over such a small matter?"
For a brief moment, Makoto cast a rather peculiar look at Risa. He couldn't think of any other reason for her unexpected gesture. He noticed the faint traces of fatigue on her face, hinting that she must have spent the previous night "experiencing" her mother Chiyoko's version of motherly discipline.
Hence, he could think of no other possibility but revenge, perhaps through poison.
Caught under his scrutinizing gaze, Risa shifted her expression awkwardly, turning her head to the side as if avoiding eye contact. She spoke in a nonchalant tone, "I made extra bento this morning. I figured, rather than waste it, I might as well share."
Her tone grew sharper, as though trying to assert herself, and she even tried to meet Makoto's gaze with a defiant look. But as soon as her eyes met his, warm and curious, her confidence wavered, and her voice softened.
"Would… would that be alright?"
Makoto nodded, sensing that Risa's intentions might actually be sincere, free of any malice.
"Thank you. I'll eat it gratefully," he replied earnestly.
"Who… who needs your gratitude! If… if you like it, eat more."
After a slight pause, Risa, stumbling over her words, quickly ducked her head and hurried out of the office, practically fleeing.
Watching her retreat, Makoto thought for a moment. He tidied up the office, then resumed studying the healing and medical techniques of the department. Truthfully, he didn't have the luxury of slacking off—not with Captain Unohana likely to test him daily back at the courtyard.
If he didn't make progress, who knew how Unohana, with her hidden sharpness, might react?
For a Shinigami with such a long life, time was something easily overlooked.
Makoto delved deeply into his studies of healing and medical skills, choosing to delay other tasks. He was in no rush to spread the 'Seeds of the Forest' considering he still had over a century before ichigo reached adulthood. And with Unohana's support, he felt he had little to fear.
Yet, in his mind, Unohana herself was the biggest "problem" he had to manage.
As for Risa's supposed revenge through poisoning, that didn't materialize. Instead, she began to prepare various bento meals for Makoto. At times, she seemed conflicted, torn between wanting to distance herself from him and an inexplicable urge to draw closer.
Makoto ultimately decided it was probably a task assigned to her by her mother, Chiyoko.
Despite joining the gynecology department, Makoto hadn't taken on patients directly; he absorbed knowledge like a sponge, focusing on studying healing and medical techniques. However, as his presence at the department became more regular, the news of a male Shinigami doctor in gynecology began to ripple through the Seireitei, stirring waves of curiosity.
The true shockwave came when, during a captains' gathering, Unohana casually acknowledged Makoto as her disciple, explaining that she had specifically assigned him to the gynecology department to complement his strengths.
In no time, "Gynecology Senju" became a famed name throughout the Seireitei.
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