"Venture the Void?"
"Like diving into the sea? That sounds exciting," he said, continuing to chew.
Their mouths twitched at his analysis.
Before they could ask or explain more, they heard a knock on the door.
Isane stood up and pressed the button that automatically slid the door open.
Mei, Nemuri, and Unohana walked in.
The three teachers saw that Maki had returned to his braided hairstyle while chewing, and they all shared the same thought.
Adorable.
If Maki heard that, he would undoubtedly disapprove. He was a man, and "adorable" or "cute" were not words suitable for his manliness.
The three walked toward the sofa where Maki was seated.
He looked at them and waved his hand.
Mei smiled. "I'm back. Did you miss me?"
"Aap," he answered, nodding his head.
Mei didn't need to know what that meant. His nod already made his answer clear.
Nemuri chimed in teasingly, "What about me, honey? Did you miss me?"
He repeated what he had said, and Nemuri gave him a hug around his neck.
Isane stood and walked toward Unohana, who went to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Isane helped her.
Rangiku watched Mei and Nemuri with the man before her. She felt left out.
"Is the meeting over?" he asked.
Nemuri and Mei nodded.
Mei, seated on his left side, said, "Yup, it's over. Do you know what class you're in?"
Nemuri, still hugging him from behind, chuckled. "Fufufufu… look at you. You really got points in the exam. I was honestly expecting zero at most."
"Class?" he asked. "Was that test really that hard?"
They all twitched their lips at him.
Really, this guy, they muttered.
From the back, Unohana spoke calmly. "Your total score is quite low, so you've been placed in a class that suits you. Let's just say… it's a special class only for you."
Rangiku and Isane raised their eyebrows.
Special class?
They both repeated it in their minds.
"Special class?" he asked. "Like a different aquarium?"
They understood what he meant, even if the phrasing was off, and the three nodded.
"So Maki-san is officially a first-year student," Isane said.
That made everyone smile.
They had already known Maki had been accepted by Nezu, but hearing it confirmed still felt different.
"Wow, congratulations, Maki-chan," Rangiku said from the side. "You'll be my kohai then." She rested her arms on the table and pressed her palms into her face.
The two ladies stared at her. They knew her antics, and for her to call Maki like that—
Mei looked at her. "Matsumoto, don't you dare flirt with my husband. Shoo, shoo, shoo." Her hands motioned for her to leave.
Rangiku smirked. "Oh… Princess Mei, don't be like that. I'm sure he likes it bigger."
That irritated them.
Their eyes dropped to her open cleavage, the rounded curves pressed together by her crossed arms. Her chest strained against her black kimono.
They knew her cup size was around J or K. One of the biggest out there. They looked at her, and Mei and Nemuri were clearly on guard against this woman.
Rangiku had the upper hand when bust was the topic. With her large breasts, slim waist, wide hips, and tall frame, her allure was definitely above standard, and she was proud of it. Nemuri and Mei were around E or F, so the difference was obvious.
Isane and Unohana, of course, wasn't really into their conversation.
After Unohana and Isane finished the tea, Isane served it to Mei and Nemuri while Unohana sat beside Maki on his right.
Unohana noticed the earrings on his ears and widened her eyes slightly.
"Anata… where did you get those earrings of yours?"
Mei, Nemuri, and Rangiku stopped staring at each other. Even Isane, who had been enjoying her tea, looked up.
They all wanted to know where he got them, especially since they couldn't physically touch them.
"Oh? These?" He touched the earring on his right ear. "They were a gift. Pretty shiny, right?"
Nemuri scoffed and clicked her tongue. She had tried many times to touch them but couldn't.
Mei also tried to touch the one on his left ear, but her fingers passed through it.
"Why can't I touch this?"
Isane and Rangiku were also curious.
Unohana said calmly, "Those golden snake earrings aren't just about their appearance. They have more meaning than you think."
"Really?" he asked.
She nodded. "Did Shakuyaku give them to you?"
He remembered that woman — the one who bit his lips.
"No."
Unohana raised her eyebrows. "Then who gave them to you as a gift?"
Before Maki could answer, Nemuri and Mei suddenly realized something.
"Now I know where I've seen them. They're from Shakuyaku."
They leaned closer and studied the earrings more carefully.
"Yes, they're clearly similar."
Unohana looked at him again. "Do you know what these golden snakes symbolize?"
They all stared at Unohana in curiosity.
"No," he said.
Unohana explained, "These golden snakes symbolize Medusa and the history of her Gorgon sisters. It's an identity — a beautiful but dangerous woman who uses 'snakes' to signal her lethal nature. That's what it means. Having one of these earrings is like wearing a permanent crown accessory that reinforces one's royal status."
Their eyes widened. Their mouths opened slightly at the realization of what the earrings represented.
Royalty from Kuja?
They looked at the man sitting on the sofa, tilting his head, clearly unaware of what they were talking about.
Unohana studied him carefully.
"Now I have to add another mystery to you. Why do you have those earrings?"
Meanwhile, in his mind—
Aren't these just shiny earrings?
.
.
( *´・ω)/(;д; )
AM N. NOT.