>>5252510“Look around us, Harumichi-san.” You say, gesturing outwardly to the class around you. “What do you see?”
She blinks at you once, before doing as you asked, looking at the others. Some were at the desks, writing notes. Others were making jokes and laughing with people, and some of the nobles were even already beginning to form cliques. There were even one or two sleeping away. She turned back to you, tilting her head again. “…Prospective shinigami?”
You shake your head, smiling. <span class="mu-i">This girl’s way too innocent.</span> You barely restrain your smile from turning twisted as you continue to think to yourself. <span class="mu-i">Makes her an easy mark.</span> “In a sense, you’re right. But that’s not what I meant. When I look at that lot? All I see is a bunch of kids who only got here because their families wanted them here. That’s all. They wouldn’t know the first thing about observin’ people, even if they knew to try.”
Her gaze remained on you intently, just like it always seemed to. If you made her one of yours, you’d need to train her out of doing that. Or at least get her to only do it when she was actually trying to unnerve people. “But you’re different, Hokkyokusei-san?” She asked quietly.
“Indeed I am, my little butterfly. And so are you. We’re different from the rest of them. Just you wait and see.” You said, before turning back to the front of the class, leaning back, kicking your feet up onto the desk and waiting. Beside you, Kazeko continued looking at you, before shrugging and turning back to the front as well.
“Why’d you think people would be lookin’ at everyone else here anyway?”
“Isn’t it natural to want to scope out the competition?”
You raised an eyebrow at that, eye flicking over to Kazeko, who was staring straight ahead. “Competition, huh? Aren’t we all meant to be allies in our shinigami duty, and all that?” You asked with a smirk.
“Are we?” She asked, still not looking at you.
Her answer only made your smirk grow wider. You opened your mouth to continue the conversation, but then the instructor walked back in, so you stood to go back to your original seat. “Are we indeed? Wonder what the answer to that is.” You looked back at her, smirking, to find her already staring at you. “You’re interesting, Harumichi. Let’s continue this later.” You took a step down the stairs, before pausing once more. “Oh, and just call me Danketsu, alright?”
She stared at you for a few seconds, before nodding, giving you the slightest, smallest smile you’ve ever seen - but it was still a smile nonetheless. “Okay, Danketsu-san.”
You nodded back, smiling too, before going back to your seat. <span class="mu-i">I knew that would be easy. </span>
You zone out through the next few lectures, the end of the day quickly approaching. You…
>Take the chance to talk to the Rukongai boy before he runs off again>Finally decided to chat to Tsukuya>Simply gather your things and leave 