Shinigami: Medicine Can't Save The Soul Reaper Society

At this moment, Makoto could feel his heart racing uncontrollably.

"Unohana-sensei, could you not show up so punctually???"

Turning back, he found himself facing Rangiku, clutching a bundle of clothes to barely cover herself. Cold sweat trickled down his back in torrents.

If he got caught…what would happen?

Could he even explain this?

"Sensei, please don't misunderstand. I was just teaching Rangiku how to wear her clothes…"

The moment he said it, Makoto knew: besides Ikkaku, no one else would even consider believing such nonsense.

Should he… just step out and face the disaster?

But wouldn't that be like throwing himself into the lion's den?

Run?

Hide?

Makoto dismissed the thought immediately. His Shunpo skills weren't nearly enough to escape from Unohana's watchful gaze.

"W-What's happening?" Rangiku asked weakly.

"Nothing… Worst case, I'll… lose something important…" Makoto muttered with a twitching mouth, imagining the most dire outcome.

"Is it Lady Unohana outside? Did she misunderstand something?" Rangiku's intuition as a woman kicked in quickly. Alarmed, she asked hurriedly, "Makoto-kun, do you think I have time to put my clothes back on?"

Makoto gazed at the ceiling and shook his head.

Given Shūhei had confirmed this as Rangiku's dressing room, if Unohana caught him here, no explanation would suffice.

From what Makoto knew of Unohana, she might not even give him a chance to explain.

Makoto stood frozen, listening to the approaching footsteps, now distinct and deliberate. Through the crack in the door, he could even catch the faint fragrance unique to Unohana.

She was right outside.

Through the narrow gap, Makoto saw Unohana slowly raise her hand, poised to either knock or open the door directly.

Closer…

Even closer!

Just as her hand was about to touch the door, Unohana hesitated and stopped.

Letting out a self-deprecating chuckle, she murmured, "What am I even thinking, trusting my intuition like this? How could Makoto possibly be in a little girl's dressing room?"

"Am I getting too sensitive lately?"

"But where could Makoto have gone? Could it be an emergency patient in the Fourth Division?"

After pondering aloud, Unohana turned to Shuhei with a gentle smile. "Once Rangiku finishes changing, please bring her to me."

"Yes, Lady Unohana." Shuhei responded earnestly, as though he had received a vital mission.

Through the crack, Makoto watched Unohana walk away with her hands tucked into her sleeves, her graceful and composed figure retreating towards the courtyard where she seemed to be overseeing preparations.

Makoto finally exhaled a long breath, relieved he hadn't been caught and, possibly, castrated on the spot.

After all, if someone dared to do anything improper to a young Rangiku, even Makoto himself would have them punished.

"It's fine… Everything's fine…" Makoto stood up, his usual gentle and composed demeanor intact—except for the large patch of cold sweat soaking the back of his shihakushō.

Without further delay, Makoto was ready to tell Rangiku to get dressed and leave quickly so he could sneak back to the Fourth Division and handle the "emergency situation."

What? There wasn't an emergency?

There would be one! If there wasn't, Makoto would personally create one.

However, just as he was about to execute his escape plan, a sweet voice rang out from above.

"Eh? Makoto-nii, are you playing hide-and-seek here?"

Makoto looked up to see Yachiru squatting on the rafters, her big, curious eyes blinking down at him and the half-naked Rangiku.

Makoto's mind blanked.

"Yachiru? How did you get in here?" he asked in shock.

Pointing to a small ventilation hole behind her, Yachiru replied matter-of-factly, "I walked in~"

Makoto stared at the tiny opening, feeling utterly defeated. Only Yachiru could say something like that with such confidence.

Anyone else—Unohana, for instance—wouldn't even fit through such a space, let alone consider it an option.

"Hey, hey!" Yachiru chirped, flipping gracefully to the floor and tilting her head at Makoto.

"Makoto-nii, are you really playing hide-and-seek? I just saw Captain Unohana looking for you, and you were hiding here, not moving a muscle."

"Yes… That's right…" Makoto replied, his mouth twitching.

"But, Makoto-nii, why are you playing hide-and-seek with this half-naked blonde lady who looks like she'll grow up to be super evil?" Yachiru asked innocently, her gaze darting between them.

"Uh… This… This…" Makoto stammered, trying to ignore the "super evil" comment. Faced with such a pure yet dangerous question, he was completely at a loss for words.

More importantly, he feared Yachiru might blurt out something ridiculous, spreading it across the entire Seireitei.

"Vice Captain Senju was playing hide-and-seek in a room with a half-naked girl!"

If that happened, not even acid could cleanse his reputation.

"Well, um…"

Makoto, who prided himself on his honesty, suddenly found himself tongue-tied.

At that moment, Rangiku raised a finger and said to Yachiru, "He's treating me! Makoto-kun is just giving me medical treatment."

"Really?!" Yachiru's curiosity was piqued. "Makoto-nii, I want to watch you treat her! I heard you're really good with needles. Show me how you'll treat this evil-looking blonde lady!"

Makoto quickly followed Rangiku's lead, saying, "No need. I just checked—Rangiku is perfectly healthy. Her future development looks very promising, and no further treatment is required…"

Clearing his throat, Makoto added, "Rangiku, get dressed quickly. I need to head back to the Fourth Division to… handle some matters."

Before leaving, Makoto leaned in close too Yachiru and whispered, "Yachiru, don't tell Unohana-sensei where I am. We're playing hide-and-seek, remember?"

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