The love letter situation still hadn't been resolved. Several days had passed since the night Rukia said "ridiculous" and ran off. In the morning classroom and at the convenience store after school, Rukia was as cold as ever, yet somehow always lingering around Ichigo's desk. Neither of them had mentioned her red ears that day. October had arrived. The mornings in Karakura City were growing colder. The trees on the slopes were beginning to change color. In Class 2-3 of Orange High School, preparations were starting to gear up for "Oka Fest"—the cultural festival held every second weekend in October—scheduled for the end of the month. That morning's homeroom. Ukitake-sensei stood in front of the podium. "[gentle]We have a new classmate joining us today. Everyone, please take care of her" The door opened. Salmon-pink long hair swayed in loose waves. Bright light-brown eyes swept across the classroom, then immediately broke into a cheerful smile. At about 162 centimeters tall, she wore her navy blazer in a way that suited her remarkably well. "[excited]I'm Inoue Orihime. I transferred from the class next door. Nice to meet you all!" Her voice was bright and energetic. The classroom took on a warm atmosphere. "She's cute," voices came from the boys. Ukitake-sensei pointed to an empty seat—diagonally in front of Ichigo. Orihime walked toward it. As she passed beside Ichigo, she glanced at him and smiled again. Ichigo reflexively bowed back. "Ah, thanks." What the hell is this person? Orihime sat down and pulled something from her bag. A colorful lunch box. "[excited]Um, Kurosaki-kun!" "[surprised]Huh? Me?" "[excited]I just transferred and don't have anyone to eat with. Would you like to have lunch together? I made it myself—" The lid of the lunch box opened. Four octopus-shaped sausages. Rolled egg. Simmered hijiki. Three cherry tomatoes. The colors were perfect. It was practically glowing. "[surprised]Whoa, this... seriously? That's amazing" Ichigo reached toward the lunch box. In that instant. Clang. A chair scraped in the back. "[cold]Ichigo's lunch is made by me" Rukia was standing. Her silver hair fell smoothly, her violet eyes fixed straight on Orihime. In her hands were two black lumps wrapped in plastic wrap. Charred. Completely charred. "[serious]Here" Thud. Rukia slammed the black rice balls onto Ichigo's desk. They rolled and stopped right beside Orihime's lunch box. On Ichigo's desk now sat a colorful bento with octopus sausages and two charcoal-black rice balls. The classroom fell silent. "[surprised]Um... what is this?" "[cold]Rice balls" "[surprised]Rice balls? But the color..." "[cold]Charring is part of the flavor" Ichigo looked between both options. The colorful bento and the two pieces of charcoal. Then at Orihime's smiling face and Rukia standing with arms crossed. "[serious]...What the hell is this" "Which one are you eating, Ichigo!" Jeers flew. The classroom erupted in noise. Someone said "It's a bento war!" The girls in the back whispered, "Wait, does Rukia-chan always make it for him?" Rukia and Orihime looked at each other across Ichigo. Both smiling. But their eyes weren't smiling. The story reached the school store. Satsuki from the store was apparently excited about "a bento war in Class 2-3!" before lunch. --- Even after school, the classroom air was still strange. Rukia and Orihime kept asking Ichigo "How was it today?" "Did you eat?" "Which was better?" and he managed to get through by just saying "Both were good." Both were actually good, but he couldn't eat the outside of the charcoal rice balls. He kept that to himself. When Ichigo reached for his bag saying "Guess I'll head home," the classroom door opened. Ishida Uryuu stood there in his archery club practice clothes. His jet-black hair fell slightly over his right eye, and his pale blue eyes behind his glasses looked straight at Ichigo. His 178-centimeter frame stood perfectly upright. "[serious]Ichigo" "[surprised]Whoa, Ishida. What's up, coming in practice clothes?" Uryuu walked to Ichigo's seat and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "[serious]Join the archery club" "[surprised]Huh?" "[serious]Let's go home together after school. I have something to tell you" His voice was quiet, yet somehow burning with intensity. Rukia and Orihime both turned back with "What?" Their gazes concentrated on Uryuu. "[cold]...What do you mean by that" "[surprised]Going home with Ichigo-kun—" "[serious]Ichigo needs me" Three people stared at Ishida Uryuu. "[surprised]Why?" Uryuu opened his mouth. "[serious]That is..." He stopped. He adjusted his glasses with a click. Stopped again. "[serious]...I think Ichigo needs something. Whether that something is archery or perhaps—" He stopped again. This time it was longer. "[surprised]...Why are you stopping?" "[serious]I'm thinking" "Don't talk while you're thinking!" A voice cut through the silence. "Either way is fine" It came from the next seat. White-haired Byakuya, still reading a book, stopped turning the page and looked up. Ichigo thought this was the first time he'd seen him look up from his book since coming to this class. "[cold]However—Ichigo chooses" With just that, he lowered his eyes back to the book. He turned the page. The classroom froze. Rukia, Orihime, Uryuu, Ichigo. All four stared at Byakuya at once. Byakuya was reading. Completely reading. "[angry]Why do I have to choose!!" No one took it back. --- The next day, sixth period. Ukitake-sensei wrote "Oka Fest Planning Meeting" on the blackboard. "[gentle]Now then, let's decide what Class 2-3 will do for this month's cultural festival. Does anyone have ideas—" "A café sounds good" "A play would be nice" "Café" "Café" "Wait, anyone for a play?" "Obviously a café" The vote was decided quickly. Café it was. "[gentle]Alright, let's assign roles. Anyone who wants to be a waitress—" Snap. "[serious]I'll do it" Immediate. Snap. "[excited]I want to do it too!" Not even a comma's delay. Both had their hands up, looking at each other. Smiling again. Eyes not smiling. "[gentle]Both of you want to be waitresses? Then for the kitchen staff—" "[serious]I'm planning to pair up with Ichigo in the kitchen" "[cold]...Ichigo's seat is next to mine" He closed his book. Byakuya closed his book. "[surprised]Wait—hold on, nobody asked me!?" "[serious]I asked" "[surprised]When!?" "[cold]I felt like asking now" "What kind of answer is that!!" "[gentle]E-everyone calm down—get along—" The teacher raised his hand. He coughed. Cough. Cough cough. "[gentle]...Excuse me for a moment..." Ukitake-sensei left the classroom. His coughing continued. He disappeared down the hallway. In the remaining classroom, four-directional claims exploded around Ichigo's seat. Rukia and Orihime clashed with "unwavering smiles" over the waitress position, Uryuu and Byakuya quietly asserted their rights to the kitchen, and all the classmates gradually moved their seats away. Only the area around Ichigo's desk was a storm. "[angry]Do whatever you want!!" He stood up. Grabbed his bag. Flew out of the classroom. He ran down the hallway. Sprinted up the stairs. The emergency exit at the end of the main building. He pushed the iron door. Autumn wind blew in. --- The rooftop. Ichigo stepped out from the door, breathing hard. The sky was vast. Thin autumn blue. The schoolyard visible in the distance. The wind was cold. And. Rukia was there. Standing by the railing, looking at him. Her silver hair swayed in the wind. Her blazer worn properly, arms lightly crossed. She had the look of someone who'd been waiting. "[surprised]Why are you here first!?" "[cold]Don't run away, Ichigo" "I'm not running. Just cooling my head!" "[cold]It's the same thing" She spoke facing forward. Not looking at Ichigo. Looking at the Karakura City landscape. The buildings near the station, the arcade roof of Harukaze Shopping Street, the distant Karakura River in the distance. Ichigo approached the railing, breathing hard. He stopped about two meters from Rukia. "[serious]...I don't get what you're thinking at all" Rukia moved slightly. "[serious]I don't either..." Her voice was different. "[whispers]...I don't understand this feeling" It trembled. Just slightly. But definitely. That voice which had been cool for three episodes was faintly shaking. Ichigo lost his words. He searched his mind for something. Tried to say something. But words wouldn't come. Rukia kept facing forward, eyes distant, and said nothing more. Only the wind blew. Cold autumn wind. (She makes a face like this?) Ichigo silently watched Rukia's profile. He tried to open his mouth. In that instant. The door opened with a sound. "[scared]...Kurosaki-kun" It was Orihime. Her salmon-pink hair swayed in the autumn wind. Seeing Rukia and Ichigo standing together alone, her expression changed. Her bright light-brown eyes seemed to glisten slightly. "[sad]...Kurosaki-kun, was I... a bother to you?" Her voice was small. As if responding to that voice, two presences waiting in the hallway entered the rooftop. Uryuu came. His blue eyes behind his glasses suppressing emotion. Byakuya came. Still holding his book. Expressionless. Only watching Ichigo. Five people stood lined up beneath the autumn sky. Four gazes converged on Ichigo. No one spoke. The wind blew. Rukia's silver hair swayed. Orihime's eyes glistened. Uryuu adjusted his glasses with a click. Byakuya stood without opening a page, just standing. Ichigo couldn't say anything. What is love? Who do you like? What should you do? He understood none of it. Unable to understand, he simply stood under the weight of emotions coming from four directions. The autumn sky was vast. Ichigo's mouth remained closed.