Bleach : I Need To Rizz To Become Stronger ?!-Chapter 56: The Quarrel
Chapter 56 - The Quarrel
Even though she'd known it deep down, having it said aloud made it feel so much worse.
Hinamori couldn't shake the bitterness swelling in her chest. Rukia... shouldn't have done this. Especially not as her closest friend.
She knew Hinamori liked the President.
Hinamori had believed that her relationship with Shin was only a breath away from becoming something official. She thought that after telling Rukia, her friend would slowly come to terms with it.
It wasn't arrogance. It wasn't selfishness.
If someone didn't even have the courage to confess their own feelings, then didn't they deserve the pain of unrequited love?
If, when she'd told Rukia she liked Shin, Rukia had responded honestly and admitted she felt the same—then fine. Hinamori would have accepted a fair rivalry.
She wouldn't have gotten angry. Wouldn't have blamed her. After all, the President was such an outstanding person. It was only natural to like him. Rukia was just another girl, wasn't she?
But she had been wrong about Rukia.
Why hadn't she said anything back then? Why wait until now? Was it because she'd joined the Kuchiki clan? Did that change her heart too?
But Rukia doesn't know what's happened between me and the President since then...
If she knew how far things had gone between them...
Would she be devastated?
Before Afternoon Classes
Rukia stepped into the classroom and saw Hinamori already seated.
She quietly made her way over and sat beside her.
"...Momoko," she greeted gently.
"..."
Hinamori didn't reply. She turned her head slightly, lips pressed tight, and for a moment, she too felt a pang of grief.
She didn't want things to turn out like this. Didn't want their friendship to end up as cold silence. But she was still angry—furious, really—at the words Rukia had said.
Rukia had outright accused her, as if trying to match her with Renji was something vile and manipulative.
Renji's a good guy, she thought. He was strong, capable—even if he wasn't great at Kidō, he excelled in nearly everything else. Couldn't Rukia see that Renji had always liked her?
Was it wrong to try and help two people come together?
...Okay, yes. Maybe she'd had her own motives, but still—if it worked, wouldn't everyone win?
Hinamori clenched her fists in her lap.
Rukia, seeing her frozen like that, bit her lip. Her disappointment was plain on her face, and her eyes reddened as she held back emotion.
Neither of them spoke for the entire class.
When the bell finally rang, Rukia packed her things and left without a word.
"Rukia?" Renji called out, but she didn't respond. He scratched his head, baffled.
Kira walked over to Hinamori. "What's going on with Kuchiki-san?"
No answer.
"...You two didn't fight, did you?"
Renji quickly leaned in. "Wait, what? You two fought?"
Hinamori glared at them both, tears brimming in her eyes. "It's your fault!"
"...What did I do!?" Renji shouted.
"You're too stupid! Get lost!"
Hinamori stormed out, leaving the two boys dumbfounded.
"...She's lost it," Renji muttered.
"...What happened between them?"
"How would I know?!"
Student Council HQ
Most of the members were gathered, handling the leftover work from the day before.
"Where are Rukia and Hinamori?" Shin asked, noticing their absence. Neither girl ever skipped council duties.
Kira approached quietly. "They... might've had a fight."
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Shin blinked. "A fight?"
Rukia and Hinamori? Those two were practically inseparable.
Was it because of me...?
He opened the system's status menu.
Rukia: Affection 82
Hinamori: Affection 85
Shin sighed. It really was about him, wasn't it?
But... Hinamori didn't know that he had told Rukia he liked her.
And Rukia didn't know he had kissed Hinamori.
"I'm such a damn sinner..." he muttered to himself.
The Next Day
Rukia didn't show up to class. She'd taken a personal leave.
Hinamori stared at the empty seat beside her. Her stomach twisted with guilt.
Kira and Renji walked up during break. "Hinamori, what happened between you and Rukia?"
"Yeah," Renji added. "Just make up already. You girls are too dramatic. Kira and I never argue."
Kira made a face—he'd wanted to punch Renji a dozen times for sparring too hard during training.
Hinamori snapped. "You idiots don't understand anything!"
She turned to Renji, eyes blazing. "Let me ask you—what would you do if Kira liked Rukia?"
Renji blinked, stunned. Then suddenly grabbed Kira by the collar. "You what!?"
Kira groaned. "She said if, idiot!"
"...Oh." Renji let him go.
Hinamori glared at them both. "I can't talk to either of you!" She stormed out again.
"Hinamori, class is about to start!"
"Mind your own business!"
Kira sighed. "She's probably still angry. She'll calm down after a few days."
Renji scratched his head. "But seriously, what did they fight about? Something about me liking Rukia?"
Kira stared at him. A theory formed. "...It's probably... something about feelings."
Renji froze.
"...Kira."
"Hm?"
"Do you think Hinamori... could she be in love with me?"
"..."
Renji continued, eyes wide. "She yelled at me, said it was my fault. And today she asked about if Kira liked Rukia! That must mean she thinks I like Rukia, and that's why they fought!"
Kira's face fell flat.
"...You're an idiot."
"I'm serious! Rukia—okay, maybe not, but Hinamori? Maybe she likes me. And now she thinks I like Rukia, so—boom! War!"
"No."
"...Kira?"
Kira looked at him with the kind of gaze one reserves for mentally challenged children, then sighed heavily.
Hinamori likes the President, he thought.
Everyone in the student council knew it.
And from what she said earlier, it sounded like Rukia might feel the same.
Which meant...
Kira looked at his friend with pity.
"...Forget it, man. You're not even part of this equation."
