Yuichi lay flat on his back, staring up at the sky, his chest rising and falling with heavy, labored breaths. Every inch of his body ached from the sparring session. His face was a mess—bruised, swollen, and still bleeding in places. Despite how far he'd come in his training, Yūshirō had, as always, barely broken a sweat. Yuichi could hear his sparring partner stretching and yawning nearby, completely unbothered by the fight.

"That was a good warm-up," Yūshirō said, his tone light and unbothered. He reached up and stretched his arms above his head, cracking his neck in a slow, exaggerated motion. "You should get up. Let's hit the baths and get cleaned up for dinner."

Yuichi forced a dry laugh from his throat, though it quickly turned into a painful cough, his ribs protesting every movement. His body pulsed with pain, but he still managed a grin, the corners of his mouth twitching despite his fatigue. "You go ahead. I'll just... lie here for a few more minutes."

Yūshirō gave him a quick, amused smile. "Suit yourself," he said casually, adjusting his uniform as if he hadn’t just spent the last hour pummeling Yuichi into the ground. "Don’t take too long, though. Dinner won’t wait for you."

With that, Yūshirō turned on his heel and made his way toward the baths, leaving Yuichi alone on the training grounds. Yuichi closed his eyes, grateful for a brief moment of respite. The soreness was unbearable, but lying down, even on the hard ground, provided some relief.

His thoughts were muddled, and exhaustion crept in as his body begged for rest. But just as he felt himself drifting off, a voice—soft and teasing—pierced through the haze of his mind.

"Did you have fun playing with my little brother?"

Yuichi’s eyes shot open immediately. He recognized that voice. Slowly, painfully, he turned his head to the side, and sure enough, there she was.

Lady Yoruichi Shihōin, the captain of the 2nd Division and head of the Shihōin Clan, was squatting right next to him, watching him with a wide grin. Her golden eyes sparkled with amusement as she rested her chin in her hand, clearly enjoying the sight of him lying there, battered and bruised.

Despite the pain, Yuichi forced himself up, pushing through the soreness. His mind snapped to attention, and he straightened his posture as much as he could, his face serious. "Lady Yoruichi," he greeted her formally, wincing as he rose to his feet. "I didn’t realize you were here."

Yoruichi’s grin only widened as she raised her fist. Yuichi, knowing what was coming, scrambled to stand fully upright and offered a proper bow, though every movement was agony. "It’s good to see you," he said, doing his best to ignore the pain in his ribs and head. "You’re looking well, Lady Yoruichi. I apologize for not greeting you when I arrived—Yūshirō was eager to spar, and I didn’t want to keep him waiting."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Yoruichi stood up and walked over to him, patting him hard on the shoulder. The force of her hand on his already bruised body made Yuichi wince, but he gritted his teeth and forced a smile.

"What do you think I am, a tyrant?" she asked with a mockingly offended tone. "I don’t mind that you didn’t greet me. I was just messing with you." She smirked, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

Yuichi managed a weak laugh, his body still trembling from the earlier sparring session. "Of course. How could I forget?" He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling some of the tension ease now that Yoruichi’s teasing had subsided.

But her playful smirk quickly returned. "Still," she said with a glint of mischief in her eyes, "you were rude not to greet me, and I think you should make up for it."

Yuichi stiffened, sensing where this was going. "How... how would you like me to make up for it, Lady Yoruichi?" he asked, dreading the answer.

Yoruichi’s grin widened as she patted him again, this time more gently. "I’m glad you asked! You can lend me your small hollow."

Immediately, Yuichi’s heart sank. The inner lining of his uniform began to shake as Miel, the tiny hollow who had been hiding within, cowered in fear. She had heard Yoruichi’s words and was already frightened at the prospect of being 'borrowed' again.

"No, no, no, no!" Miel whispered frantically from her hiding spot inside Yuichi’s uniform. She trembled, the faint sound of her wings buzzing nervously. It was no surprise she was terrified—Yoruichi had borrowed her before, and every time Miel returned, she looked worse for wear.

Mei had diligently reported on the issue and revealed Miel’s existence to Yoruichi some time ago, which led to Yoruichi kidnapping them both for 'research.' While Yuichi hadn’t been particularly fond of the idea, he hadn’t had much of a choice. Yoruichi had taken a keen interest in Miel’s abilities and had found ways to use the small hollow’s powers for her own purposes.

And each time Miel was returned, she was visibly exhausted and shaken, having been thoroughly drained by whatever missions Yoruichi had tasked her with. Ever since then, Miel had taken to hiding in Yuichi’s uniform whenever Yoruichi was around, hoping to avoid her notice.

"I-I don’t want to go!" Miel whispered again, her tiny voice filled with panic. Yuichi could feel her trembling against his chest.

Yuichi forced a tight smile, trying his best to placate both Yoruichi and Miel. "Ah, Lady Yoruichi... you see, Miel’s been, uh, rather tired lately. She’s not quite up to full strength, so—"

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, her grin never faltering. "Oh? Is that so? Well, I’m sure she’ll bounce back in no time once I’m done with her." She leaned in closer, her golden eyes gleaming. "Come on, Yuichi. Don’t tell me you’re not going to accept my polite request."

Yuichi’s mind raced as he tried to come up with a reasonable excuse. He couldn’t exactly refuse Yoruichi—she was, after all, a powerful noble and captain with more influence than he could ever hope to have plus she knew quite a few of his secrets. But at the same time, Miel was his ally and responsibility. The last thing he wanted was to send her off and she died during one of these ‘special’ missions.

"I... I understand, Lady Yoruichi," Yuichi finally said, his tone resigned. "But please, just—"

Before he could finish, Yoruichi clapped him on the back again, this time a bit more gently. "Don’t worry, Yuichi. I’ll take good care of her," she said, her voice light and cheerful. But the look in her eyes told a different story.

Miel let out a tiny squeak from within Yuichi’s uniform, but there was no escaping Yoruichi’s attention now. Yuichi could only sigh internally, knowing that Miel’s fate was sealed—for now.

"I’ll bring her by later," Yuichi said quietly, doing his best to sound cooperative. "Just... please be gentle with her this time."

Yoruichi laughed, giving him a playful wink. "No promises!" She started to walk away, her hands behind her head. "Come by my room later. I’ve got some new ideas I want to test, and I could use your help. Bring Miel along. We’ll have a great time!"

As Yoruichi disappeared from view, Yuichi sighed heavily, leaning back against a nearby wall. "Sorry, Miel," he whispered, patting the inside of his uniform where she was hiding.

Miel’s tiny voice responded in a trembling whisper, "Why does it always have to be me?"