Flowers also burn

The smell of gunpowder was so familiar to her that her sense of smell almost ignored it. The artisanal crafting of fireworks was an art made for others' enjoyment, but required extensive preparation behind closed doors. The scent of explosives lingered in the workshop where they were created, as well as on the hands of their makers.

The preparation and sale of fireworks was the Shiba siblings' «legal business», and Karin quickly took an interest in it. Ganju had been her main teacher, occupying her hours of sorrow over her own death with lessons and practice.

The youngest of the Shiba siblings might not have been the brightest of the family, but he was empathetic and soon grew fond of the sullen Kurosaki. The start of their relationship had been nothing short of tumultuous, with constant arguments and challenges whenever Kukaku wasn't looking. But Ganju appreciated her straightforward nature, positive attitude, and eagerness to learn.

As a student, Karin excelled at learning quickly, though she often frustrated herself by trying to skip ahead to practice prematurely. This had led to more than one accidental explosion and several scoldings from the family leader. Karin seemed to share her older brother's recklessness when it came to trying out new techniques. Eager to prove her worth, she had driven her teacher to his limits so often it became routine.

"You're being too cocky, and you still don't have the proportions right!" Ganju scolded her, smacking her on the head to make his point. "Too much sodium will overpower the strontium effect, and you'll end up with an ugly orange mess."

"No way! I added enough copper between the two so they wouldn't mix," she argued with a frown. "You're just not creative, you know that?"

"WHAT?!"

Eventually, they decided to test it out. Karin tied up her skirt to move comfortably as she positioned the firework on a small, gray stone slab they used for testing. After securing the stabilizing stones and properly exposing the fuse, she retrieved a match from the folds of her skirt. Lighting the fuse with brimming confidence, she stepped back to where Ganju was waiting.

A high-pitched whistle preceded the burst of colors: a fiery bloom of yellow, purple, and red. Karin turned to her companion with a smug grin on her face.

"Didn't you say the copper would overshadow the strontium? I was right about purple being the transition color!"

Ganju growled.

"Yeah, but it's uneven."

"Of course it's uneven, you kept interrupting me!"

"Only cowards make excuses to justify sloppy work."

"What did you just call me?!"

Sixteen years together as siblings hadn't been enough to stop them from bickering like children, Kukaku thought irritably. She exhaled a puff of smoke from her pipe and observed from the workshop's doorway the absurd quarrel playing out between her brother and her protégé. Taking a long drag, she finally approached them.

"Well, looks like you're ready to help with this year's fireworks display", she announced. "Prepare ten of your best designs, kid."

Karin's eyes lit up, matching her radiant smile. She nodded and gave a barely noticeable hop of excitement, which she paired with a challenging grin. Having Kukaku approve the quality and aesthetics of her products was a milestone: it meant she could officially present her work as part of the entertainment services, and that meant the world to her at that moment. Turning to Ganju, she tugged down one of her eyelids in a teasing gesture and laughed like a mischievous child.

Ganju rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Congrats, kid."

Karin raised her hand for a high five but suddenly sensed a familiar reiatsu approaching them. Excusing herself, she headed toward the house to prepare some tea; Rukia would be arriving in a few minutes if she kept her current pace.

Making fireworks hadn't been the only skill she had improved in her years as a soul. She was also proud to say her tea-making skills were more than decent, a fact that would have left Yuzu both incredulous and proud. Karin smiled wistfully. By now, Yuzu had become a teacher and had her own preschool. It felt strange to think sixteen years had flown by in the blink of an eye. Soon she'd be turning twenty-nine, yet her overall slender body still showed the budding curves of adolescence. Stuck in her generous fourteen-year-old biological frame, she was starting to understand how the body and soul matured on different timelines.

"Could you move the coffee table to the outer hallway for me, Ganju?", she asked while selecting some of Rukia's favorite snacks to accompany the tea and placing them on a tray.

As expected, she exited the kitchen and walked into the outer hallway with the tray just as Rukia arrived from the Seireitei. Karin took a moment to set the tray down on the table, nod to Ganju in thanks, and dust off her skirt before smiling at her visitor.

"Hey, Rukia. How's it going?"

"Good to see you, Karin… Do you smell like powder?"

"And sulfur too, probably. Sorry, I wasn't expecting you today", she admitted, brushing off her skirt again. "Have a seat. Hoganehiko made your favorite cookies" you're in luck!"

Rukia chuckled, taking one of the cookies Karin offered with hospitality.

"Rangiku wanted to come, but with all the preparations for the commemoration, she's behind on her duties as lieutenant. Captain Hitsugaya has her under strict orders."

"Strict orders? What kind of threat would keep her in line this time?"

Rukia smiled mischievously.

"Oh, he threatened to freeze her sake stash in the office."

Karin raised an eyebrow.

"But sake doesn't freeze; it's alcohol."

"Don't tempt Captain Hitsugaya. He'll freeze whatever he has to freeze."

Karin laughed, picturing the scene. With Rukia now a captain after the war, her visits to the youngest Kurosaki had become less frequent due to her pressing duties. However, with an efficient lieutenant like Kotsubaki and her own diligence, Rukia rarely fell behind on her tasks. That allowed her some free time every now and then.

"You didn't bring Ichika", Karin mentioned.

"Renji's with her, practicing with the sword", Rukia muttered, clearly upset about it. "She usually practices with me, but Renji insists she needs to spar with opponents bigger than her from time to time."

Karin suppressed the smile that threatened to break out.

"So you've been replaced", she concluded. "At least you'll always be able to brag about her kido skills."

That seemed to cheer up the shinigami, who quickly started boasting about Ichika's progress like the proud mother she was.

"How's Kazui?" Karin asked.

"Oh, right! Inoue sent you some photos!" Rukia remembered, pulling a manila envelope from her robes.

Karin eagerly took it. It was so strange that her nephew was already thirteen years old; if he saw her now, he'd assume they were the same age.

"I don't really understand how Ichika grows at a human pace while we stay the same", Karin said as she flipped through the photos of her family and nephew. "Oh! This is Yuzu's boyfriend!"

"Yes, they're getting married at the end of the year," Rukia informed her.

"What a lucky guy," Karin said happily. "Maybe I'll have more nieces or nephews soon."

"Yes, hopefully. Though I know you already consider Ichika one of your own", Rukia noted.

"I do, but now that she's almost as tall as me, she's getting rebellious."

Rukia smiled.

"Souls born in the Soul Society age differently: they grow until their bodies reach the stage where they can best handle their reiatsu. It's different for everyone. After that, their aging slows considerably", Rukia explained. "Didn't Kukaku ever tell you that?"

"More or less", Karin replied, pouring tea. "My body has grown a little, though. Eventually, my growth will slow down even more, or so I've been told."

"Take Lieutenant Ise or Captain Hitsugaya as examples", Rukia pointed out. "They both became shinigami very young. Their bodies couldn't fully withstand the potential of their reiatsu, which left them with two options."

Karin listened intently.

"At least that's what Captains Kotetsu and Kurotsuchi concluded: in Nanao Ise's case, her body limited the maturity of her reiatsu until she reached an appropriate age; whereas with Captain Hitsugaya, his reiatsu and Zanpakuto forced his body to mature."

"Oh, he seemed older the last time he visited, but it's a sensitive topic for him, so I decided not to ask", Karin commented, smirking a little as she broke a cookie into pieces and ate it. "So basically, they're giving Ichika time to mature so her development isn't stunted or her body isn't forced."

"Exactly. Eventually, her accelerated growth will stop, and it'll be time for her to join a squad. For now, she'll remain in training."

"She's probably in a rush to grow up."

"Isn't everyone at that age?"

Karin smiled. By the time she turned thirteen, she had already been settled in the Soul Society for several months, fully aware that her body wouldn't age at the same pace as it had in Karakura. She shrugged, not having much of an opinion about it. Ichika wasn't particularly interested in reaching adulthood; she just wanted to finally join a squad; it was her dream.

It wasn't like physical maturity brought better things, aside from gaining strength and, hopefully, a more refined body. But it wasn't a hard rule: both Ichika and Karin already had a privileged physique, athletic builds, and excellent spiritual control.

This physical condition worked in their favor during sword training. A coordinated, strong, and agile body made it easier to handle weapons. Karin could vouch for that. Moreover, unlike her brother and under Rukia's guidance, Karin had shown not only physical talent but also remarkable skill in Kido and other spiritual arts.

Rukia updated her on the latest news from the Seireitei and her personal life, then shifted the conversation toward Karin. Karin groaned, certain that Rukia had already heard the gossip about that poor guy from District Three, where she often accompanied Ganju to buy supplies for fireworks.

His name was Taiju, and he was a kind young man despite his intimidating appearance. He worked as a supervisor, dispatching products and checking the condition of the merchandise in front of customers before sealing and packaging it. Karin was responsible for ensuring that the purchase was in optimal condition while, on the other side of the store, Ganju handled the payment. The process took several minutes, depending on how much was bought each time, and Karin tended to be quite talkative when she felt comfortable.

After years of conversing with Taiju while reviewing the goods, Karin had developed a certain camaraderie with him that had strengthened over time as she became a regular customer. It was easy to make friends with Taiju: he always had a smile on his lips and a bubbly, contagious sense of humor. Moreover, he was friendly and affable.

Everything went well until one morning when she found him particularly uncomfortable. After more than ten years of frequenting his store, Karin had never seen him so clumsy. She was struck by how suddenly the usually confident and laid-back Taiju had become nervous. When Karin asked him sincerely about it, he surprised her by formally asking her out. She was left speechless, hesitating as she searched for a polite and gentle way to reject him. It was, honestly, very awkward.

This was the second time.

"Why do guys get confused just because I'm friendly?" Karin wondered, frustrated. Ganju had mocked her relentlessly that afternoon, but later he approached her, taking on his self-proclaimed role as an older cousin.

"I warned you that you were letting him take too many liberties", he reminded.

"I was just being friendly, asking ordinary questions and all that. I wasn't trying to flirt " Karin grumbled, annoyed. "Now it's going to be awkward to go get the minerals."

"If you're so… uh, «friendly», and you're pretty, I can't blame him for trying. Maybe he thought he could, I don't know, win you over or something." Ganju shrugged as if he hadn't been mocking her just moments before. "That poor guy doesn't know what he just saved himself from."

Karin hit him on the shoulder. At least this guy hadn't accused her of being a «flirt». Taiju had simply nodded with an air of regret and reassured her that everything was fine, not to worry.

After her second cup of tea, Rukia clearly brought up the topic, and Karin, of course, tried to avoid it until she was cornered by the Shinigami. How did she always get roped into these events? It was a mystery.

"Why didn't you accept? I thought you liked him" Rukia asked, devouring a sweet. Then, with a spark of enthusiasm, she added: "Oh, don't tell me! You like someone else!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but no" Karin replied, rolling her eyes. "I rejected him simply because I didn't want to go out with him. It would have made things very awkward."

"Sometimes friendship turns into love; just look at me", Rukia pointed at herself with pride.

Karin grabbed the last cookie from the plate, eating it quickly just to annoy Rukia.

"You're a spoiled girl, stop crying over dessert " she scolded her with a smile. "But no, I don't like the guy, that's it."

"You didn't like the other guy either. What was his name…?"

"Takeru? Well, no. Too prim and proper for my taste" Karin grimaced. "That was years ago; I didn't think you'd even remember."

"You have a scarce love life. It's easy to remember", Rukia teased her.

" Says the one who married her childhood friend. Weren't you a virgin when you got married or something like that?", Karin stuck out her tongue.

Rukia laughed, admitting: "You're cruel, but sincere."

Karin always enjoyed Rukia's visits. She was polite but funny, and she had been the first to offer to teach her kido, a discipline Karin had initially found complex. Kukaku, on the other hand, had trained her in reiatsu control, which allowed her to master shunpo quickly.

However, Rukia focused on developing her kido, starting from the basics. Thanks to the guidance of both, Karin could proudly say she had reached a respectable level, especially in healing Kido.

"How's your meditation going?", Rukia suddenly asked.

Karin avoided her gaze.

"You haven't meditated at all, have you?", Rukia sighed. "You'll never develop a connection with your Zanpakuto this way."

"She talks to me, occasionally. It's like a whisper at the back of my mind", Karin confessed. "But I've been really busy, it's hard to concentrate."

Rukia didn't buy it. Rangiku had mentioned that Karin seemed to be avoiding meditation, and now she was convinced something was going on.

"You're avoiding it", Rukia stated firmly.

Karin bit her lip. Yes, she was avoiding it, but she wasn't about to admit it. She didn't respond to the accusation, and Rukia didn't press the issue. However, Karin knew her friend didn't believe her excuse. Still, she was confident that since she could control her spiritual power, it wasn't a danger to herself or others. That's why she hadn't been pushed to join the Shinigami Academy when her spiritual power had marked her as someone with significant potential.

The few times she had accessed her inner world, her Zanpakuto hadn't wanted to show itself. She could feel it, but it seemed determined not to reveal itself. Frustrated, Karin decided to leave it for a while and focus on her work as a fireworks artisan.

"Kukaku gave me the green light: she'll include my creations to open the fireworks show at the commemoration festival", Karin said happily.

"That's wonderful. That gives you a little over a month to prepare everything", Rukia responded, clearly excited for her.

"They'll be unforgettable, you'll see!" Karin exclaimed, confident in her skills and enthusiasm for the project.

It was stressful.

Karin had dedicated her time to creating her best works over the past three weeks. When she was finally satisfied and Kukaku approved the final products, she suddenly found herself with nothing to do. In her eagerness to finish, she had unintentionally gotten ahead of herself.

"Take a few days off, on the festival day, Ganju will take care of things", Kukaku suggested.

She didn't handle time off very well; she tended to get bored like an oyster with nothing to do but contemplate her own existence. The servants kicked her out of the kitchen with a couple of cookies in her hands, telling her to go do «whatever it is that ladies do on their days off». She had no idea what that meant, and apparently, neither did they.

She decided to go out for a walk, if only to keep moving. She wore an outfit she had inherited from Kukaku, like most of her clothes, and tied her hair in a high ponytail. She missed hair ties, but over time, she had learned to manage just fine with a ribbon. The splash of color in her dark hair was her only vanity.

With sandals strapped on and a little money tucked into the folds of her skirt's waist, she headed towards Rukongai. She had been walking for a short time when a familiar reiatsu approached her. Karin had been browsing some of the nearby market stalls looking for new ribbons for her hair; they tended to wear out over time.

"Toshirō, I wasn't expecting to see you until after the commemoration", she mentioned, standing up from her crouched position in front of a vendor. "Is Rangiku behaving herself, I suppose?"

As Rukia had said, her body had adapted at a rapid pace to accommodate her spiritual energy. While it was still far from the adult form she would take when fully in control of her bankai, she could no longer find the childlike features on her bronzed face. When she straightened up, she quickly realized a detail she had missed on her last visit: her height.

The fleeting thought of «elementary school student», flashed through her mind at lightning speed, but she tried not to laugh at the memory.

"Not as much as I'd like", she admitted, omitting the lack of her title.

Throughout his time with the Shiba family, Toushirō Hitsugaya had visited the youngest daughter of his former captain many times. He had done so out of principle, feeling responsible for her early death, as well as out of honor: he had promised Isshin Shiba that he would look after and watch over Karin.

After winning the war and properly recovering from his injuries, he had kept his promise: he went to see her. Karin had looked exhausted, though composed; she understood the damage done and the cost of victory.

Confirming that she had adapted to her new family gave the captain a sense of relief, in a way. She seemed lost in some matters, but in general, she had dealt with her death without major issues. Hitsugaya was surprised at how happy she had seemed to see him, and the transparency of her emotion.

"I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see you again", she had murmured, then thanked him for returning alive.

Kurosaki always had her feelings on display, open about her thoughts and the emotions everything stirred in her. She was as honest as few people were, and that was something refreshing to him. He found her true to herself, sincere, and cheerful. And that was fine; that was exactly how she should be.

Over time, he had come to appreciate the maturity she had gained. She had abandoned her irreverent ways, though she remained fiercely direct, and had turned into a more measured version of herself. However, she still laughed at any little thing and was easily distracted; that hadn't changed over the years. She remained fresh and rebellious.

And of course, she still didn't refer to him as captain.

Toushirō had thought that his physical change would make those who had trouble seeing him as the captain he was due to his appearance finally recognize him. It had been a positive outcome of the changes in his body, which had caused him so many headaches: his more childish form had prevented many problems, and he had been more than comfortable in his skin at the time. He no longer was.

Captain Kotetsu had warned him about this when he was still serving as a lieutenant: forcing his bankai would subject his body to an unbearable power load with unpredictable long-term effects. During a war, he wouldn't have cared about dying in exchange for victory; after all, they were warriors. He hadn't expected to survive and for his body to eventually take its toll.

When he went to the fourth division for a check-up shortly after the first year since his victory due to body pains, nothing could prepare him for the captain's verdict: "You're growing, what you're feeling are just growing pains".

His face must have been a sight because he quickly began explaining and theorizing that the abuse of his bankai on the battlefield could be the cause. Then he grew, and it was a real pain in the ass.

His damn bones hurt all day and night. He had become clumsy, unable to judge distances properly with his gangly body; spilling tea by trying to grab the cup blindly had become his routine.

Matsumoto had tried to help him see the bright side of it, limiting it to "You'll be very popular with the girls!" which wasn't much of a consolation.

A step through puberty and adolescence was supposed to take several decades to complete at a natural pace, estimating one physical year for every three or four spiritual years depending on the specific case, since there was no such thing as a scale for this. He had already been in this torture for more than fifteen years. At least the pain had improved significantly, and with training, he had regained some grace in his movements.

Karin smiled at him from her spot on the shopping path. She supposed she must be going through her own version of it.

"That's what I call a growth spurt", she joked. "Ah, I'll still be a kid for a few more decades."

"It's not something to envy", he grumbled.

She shrugged and kept walking, assuming he would follow her. Indeed, Toushirō walked beside her as he watched the girl scrutinize the stalls around them.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" he asked, surprised to see her rummaging through accessory and makeup stalls that he had never seen her use.

Well, it wasn't like he spent much time with her, and clearly, she was a woman free to develop an appreciation for those things.

"Hair ribbons, but I can't find the shade of red I like", she replied, pouting. "I got used to long hair, but wearing it loose can be really uncomfortable."

"Uhmm." He nodded, not sure what to add to the conversation.

It didn't take much more, as Kurosaki seemed comfortable enough with him and started talking about trivial things, like the upcoming festival, her work as an artisan, and her progress with kido.

On the tenth anniversary of the victory, with Seireitei almost completely rebuilt, the Captain Commander had approved a proposal from the first districts of Rukongai: a commemorative celebration to remember the fallen. In truth, over time, it had become more of a festival than a commemoration. Karin was telling him about the firework designs she would present that year when she was interrupted.

"Karin", a young man called.

For a brief moment, the captain observed the girl become uncomfortable, tense her shoulders, and then immediately recover as if nothing had happened. It caught his attention, and he turned to face the young man who approached them. He didn't seem to give him a second glance, focusing instead on the brunette in front of him.

"How have you been?" the young man asked.

"I've been well, working a lot", she seemed to excuse herself, then turned her eyes back to her companion.

Taiju followed her gaze. Dressed in simple but apparently expensive clothes was a young man almost as tall as him with silver hair and bronzed skin; but with a younger, thinner build. Hitsugaya gave them some space and pretended not to notice the scrutiny he was under from the young man.

"Am I interrupting something?" he hesitated.

Karin tilted her head in clear confusion before nervously shaking her head. She was aware of the curious looks from the merchants and stall vendors. The supposed "comings and goings" of Taiju and her were the market's favorite soap opera in the third district of western Rukongai, much to her misfortune. She didn't need to turn it into a fake love triangle, and bringing the taciturn captain into it out of the blue was a terrible idea.

Taiju nodded with some suspicion and then pulled a package from his shirt pocket to offer it to Karin. She took her hands together instead of extending them as the young man had intended.

"It doesn't seem appropriate for me to accept a gift from you, Taiju", she commented politely, feeling watched. "I've already declined your invitation for a date…"

Hitsugaya would be embarrassed to admit he paid attention to her words, although he would excuse himself by saying his only goal was to avoid Karin having an uncomfortable moment by intervening if necessary.

"I rushed things the other day", he admitted. "Please, take it."

Damn Soul Society with its archaic traditions and strictly traditional way of life. In her world, she could have accepted that gift as an apology, and that would have been more than enough to put the matter to rest and resume their cordial relationship. But Rukia had explained to her the underlying implications of accepting a gift from someone who had already expressed their intentions with her.

Had it been given as a friend, she might have accepted it without complications.

Did everything have to be so twisted?

"She has already rejected your proposal", Toushiro interrupted sharply. "By insisting, you put her in a difficult position."

Taiju turned to face him. Hitsugaya had approached and ended up behind Karin, who could see the people staring at them. Yeah, she didn't need that. She could almost hear the gossip in her head already. Toushirō crossed his arms behind her, emitting an aura of authority that followed him wherever he went. However, Taiju seemed to see that as a challenge instead of what it was: a warning.

Mentally counting, Karin dismissed the situation.

"Taiju, I like you, but I'm not going out with you", she clarified. "I'm sorry if I wasn't clear and you misunderstood me, please don't waste a gift on me: give it to someone who can accept your intentions."

She bowed to him, then quickly turned around and began walking away without giving him time to insist on the idea. Toushiro followed her without casting a second glance at the young man. It didn't take him long to catch up with the Kurosaki, who was already leaving the small shopping path they had been on.

"By the way, any special reason for visiting me?", she asked, bending down to look at some ribbons resting on a makeshift stall and clearly intending to change the subject. "With the commemoration so close, you must have a lot of work."

Of all the people who could witness such an embarrassing spectacle, it had to be him, the girl mentally complained.

The captain kept a respectful distance while she reviewed the merchandise with feigned interest. The vendor watched her with bright eyes, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of repulsion toward him and the inappropriate way he was looking at her uncovered legs. But, again, it wasn't his business if Kurosaki had adopted the eccentric fashion choices of her protector.

She was so eye-catching that she didn't even bother to hide it.

"Do you not have this in a wider size of the same tone?", she asked, showing him a vermilion ribbon.

Ah, that was the shade she was looking for.

" No, I'm sorry, miss", he answered, then tried to sell her another pair.

Karin wrapped up her shopping and quickly bid farewell to the vendor. They had ruined her day unintentionally, and now she only intended to devour some dessert and end her day lying in the garden reading something.

She headed back to the Shiba residence with Toushiro by her side, who seemed even bored.

"You didn't answer my question", she reminded him, quickening her pace.

"Matsumoto mentioned you were having trouble meditating. Some people can focus more with a meditation object, usually, a zanpakuto", he informed her, taking off the wrapped sword he had been carrying on his back. "Since you don't have traditional training, this might help you."

"I thought it was Hyōrinmaru", she admitted, seeing him unstrap the sword.

Hitsugaya stopped his steps to partially remove the sword's wrapping. It was about the same length as his own zanpakuto but much lighter. The woman approached and took the uncovered sword he handed her, revealing, between the green military cloth, a sword of a slightly pewter color that shimmered under the light of the setting sun.

"A sword as a meditation object?", she asked incredulously, finding no remote sense in it.

"Academy students eventually receive a sword like this while developing their connection with their zanpakuto", he instructed, tying the green cloth back around it. "Eventually, it transforms into their zanpakuto and helps many in their introspection process: it's an asauchi."

Hitsugaya finished tying the knots with the ease gained through years of carrying his own zanpakuto under the attentive gaze of his companion. She accepted the sword and resolutely placed it across her back, slinging it over one shoulder with the strap he had provided for her transport.

The strap disappeared into her more-than-beginning cleavage. He averted his gaze.

Yes, her physical development was more of a hindrance than anything most of the time. Why couldn't Kurosaki adopt the modest fashion of Rukongai and wear a more typical yukata or kimono? No, he scolded himself, she could dress however she pleased, and no one should look at her the way that vendor had… or him.

Damn it.

"You suddenly got serious" she pointed out, surprised.

"I'm a serious person", he countered.

"More serious than usual, then", she narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "Well, never mind; thanks for the sword".

After a moment's pause, she pursed her lips and made a face.

" Well, actually, thank you for taking the trouble to bring it when I know these last weeks have been filled with paperwork for you all", she added. " And I'm sorry about the scene in the market."

"That wasn't your fault. It's dishonorable to insist like that with a woman."

"So it's dishonorable, huh?", she teased lightly.

Toushiro didn't let himself be carried away by her playful tone, at his expense of course, and simply ignored her. If he gave her an opening, Kurosaki would take it all as a joke and somehow end up losing his patience with her. The woman seemed to understand that he wasn't inclined to banter at the moment and shrugged.

"You don't have to accompany me to the house" Karin said, tightening the strap and turning to face him. "It's more convenient for you to go straight to Seireitei, and I'll turn right. See you at the festival!"

Without waiting for a response, she turned and waved him off with a wide smile.

Toushiro, don't look at the strap; he repeated to himself.