Ichigo was still hung up on that gray haze. Yesterday after school, near the school gate—that sensation of murky air. He'd felt the same thing this morning by Haruka River. But he couldn't tell anyone. "The air looked gray"—if he said that, people would just think some sleep-deprived high schooler was rambling. (Well, whatever. It's probably nothing.) He reached his usual conclusion and entered the classroom, bag in hand. Wednesday morning. April sunlight streamed through the windows, dimly illuminating the right edge of the blackboard. The classroom was noisy. Noisier than usual. When Ichigo took his seat—second from the back by the window—he caught two girls in the row ahead whispering. "Transfer student, apparently." "A girl?" "Yeah, super tiny, they say." (Oh right, the seat next to me was empty.) Ichigo glanced at the empty desk beside him. Still no one there. Just a chair. Then the classroom door opened. Homeroom teacher Tashiro entered. A man in his forties, always wearing his tie loosened around his neck. Behind him, a small silhouette. Small was the first impression. She barely reached Ichigo's shoulder in height. Pure white short hair glowed quietly under the fluorescent lights. Despite being white, it didn't look dirty somehow. More like silver. Like moonlight. The navy blazer of her uniform fit her frame perfectly, her posture ramrod straight. Around her knees, she held a white rabbit plushie in one arm. (...A rabbit?) "[serious]So, starting today we have a transfer student, Kuchiki Rukia. Everyone be nice to her." Tashiro's casual introduction ended. The girl—Kuchiki Rukia—swept her gaze across the entire classroom with an expressionless face. Her large silver eyes traced a slow arc. Even under the stares of the whole class, she didn't flinch. If anything, those eyes seemed to be observing them. Then her gaze stopped. On Ichigo. (Huh? Me?) Rukia's eyes fixed on Ichigo. Silent. Like she was confirming something. The classroom's chatter seemed to fade into the distance. Rukia's mouth opened slightly. A voice so small only Ichigo could hear. "[whispers]We meet again." "[surprised]Huh?" The word escaped before he could stop it. Ichigo leaned forward. "[surprised]Did you just say something?" In that instant—Rukia's face turned bright red. Crimson all the way to her ears. Not just her cheeks. Her neck too. She clutched the rabbit plushie tight in both arms and turned away sharply. "[angry]I-it was nothing! Don't get the wrong idea!" Her voice was firm. The force of her denial was strong. The classroom stirred. "Is the new girl mad?" "Why?" "Scary..." Ichigo sat back down. Something felt strange in his chest. Like he was about to remember something but couldn't quite grasp it. Like that feeling right after waking from a dream. That voice—"We meet again"—still echoed in his ears. He knew that voice, he thought. But he had no idea where from. ＊ First period ended. "...Huh?" The seat next to him was empty. Rukia was gone. She'd been sitting there just moments ago. Even when the second period chime rang, she didn't come back. Third period either. "Where'd that girl go?" he heard from the seat in front. Ichigo was wondering the same thing. During break, Ichigo went into the hallway. He wasn't particularly looking for her. His feet just naturally drifted toward the infirmary. Back of the first floor, main building. Tachibana-sensei's room. Peeking through the small glass window— A small figure in a white coat sat on the edge of a bed. Ichigo opened the door. The girl in the white coat looked up. It was Rukia. Somehow the coat suited her. White hair, white coat, silver eyes. The rabbit plushie "Chappy" sat perched on the pillow. Tachibana-sensei—a plump woman in her forties—smiled and spoke. "[gentle]Oh, Kurosaki-kun. Kuchiki-san here is such a dedicated volunteer. She's been a real help." "[surprised]...Volunteer?" Ichigo looked at Rukia. She sat composed, Chappy on her lap. "[serious]Hey, you've got class. It's your first day as a transfer student." "[cold]The infirmary is a place of learning." "[surprised]What?" "[cold]From here, one can observe the entire school grounds. An optimal environment for observation." Ichigo was speechless for a moment. He couldn't tell if that was logic or nonsense. "[serious]That's not a reason to skip class..." "[cold]It is." Absolute certainty. Not a shred of doubt. Tachibana-sensei just smiled and went along with it, saying "That's true, you can learn a lot seeing everything from here." Ichigo's retort hung in the air. (What is this kid...) In the end, he couldn't drag Rukia out. Ichigo was practically pushed into the hallway, watching the infirmary door close quietly behind him. ＊ Lunch break. Ichigo was on the roof. Sitting on his usual bench, opening his usual lunch. Fried chicken, tamagoyaki, cherry tomatoes—all packed by Yuzu. Sagami Bay glittered. Clear day today. He took a bite. Delicious. "[cold]Can you see it too?" A voice. From behind. Ichigo turned. Rukia sat on the bench next to him. No footsteps. She held Chappy in both hands. Expressionless. "[surprised]...How long have you been there?" "[cold]Just arrived. Answer me. That gray thing." Ichigo's hand stopped. The word "gray" caught somewhere in his chest. "[surprised]...What do you mean?" "[serious]Yesterday after school. Near the school gate. You saw it, didn't you? The air getting murky, like haze." Ichigo set his lunch box on his lap. Rukia's silver eyes looked straight at him. She'd seen it too. This girl. "[serious]I saw it." Rukia nodded slightly. She stood and walked toward the roof fence. Ichigo stood too, standing beside her. Beyond the fence, the town of Nijino Hama spread out. The Nijino Oka residential district, Nijino Hama Station beyond that, and further still, the sea. The small white lighthouse of Coast Park stood glowing in the light. Rukia pointed toward the lighthouse area. "[serious]There." Ichigo squinted. —There it was. The air along the coast, just one corner of it, was faintly gray. Not smoke. Not fog. Like the light was thinning there, like the world had a hole in it. For just a few seconds, he saw it. Then it vanished. "[serious]Anyone who touches that becomes apathetic. I saw the same thing at my last school. A student who touched it couldn't focus on anything for a while." "[serious]Apathetic? Like a disease or something?" "[cold]No. That's not a disease." Rukia's voice lowered. She hugged Chappy tighter. Her hands stiffened slightly. "[serious]Your last school... where are you from?" Rukia didn't answer. She just stared at the sea. The wind blew, her white hair swaying. Her profile looked—exhausted. Not the face a seventeen-year-old should have. "[whispers]I'll tell you someday. Not yet..." Her voice was small. Not the decisive tone from before. Ichigo said nothing. Didn't press. Felt like he shouldn't. Instead—he thought again about that voice. "We meet again." Was it really just his imagination? What did this girl know? Why was his chest so restless? The chime rang. Afternoon classes starting. "[serious]Let's go." "[cold]...Yes." ＊ After school. Ichigo was gathering his things when he stepped into the hallway and found Rukia standing in front of the infirmary. She'd returned the white coat. In her uniform, Chappy in her arms, standing there naturally. "[serious]Let's head home." Rukia just said "Yes" and fell into step beside him like it was obvious. Three seconds into walking, Ichigo realized something. "[surprised]...Which way are you going home?" "[cold]The same direction as you." "I'm heading toward Nijino Oka." Rukia went quiet for a moment. "[cold]...The same direction." Her expression hadn't changed. But her eyes seemed to be wandering. Ichigo just said "I see" and didn't push further. They descended the slope and came out onto the usual route along Haruka River. The cherry blossoms were nearly gone, petals falling onto the water. Evening light turned the surface orange. At the bridge over Haruka River, Rukia stopped. She placed her hand on the railing and gazed at the water. Ichigo stopped beside her. For a while, neither spoke. Only the sound of the river. "[gentle]You're a kind person, aren't you?" Rukia said it. Softly. Like she was speaking to the river. Ichigo turned to look at her. Rukia was watching the water. Evening light illuminated her profile. She was smiling. Faintly. Holding Chappy to her chest. That smile stayed with him. Deep in his chest. It felt strange. A warmth spreading through his core. He didn't know why. When he tried to think about it, he couldn't quite grasp it. But—he didn't want to hurt this small back. Not anymore. The feeling came from somewhere deep, beyond reason. (What is this?) Ichigo turned forward. Looked at the orange river. (I don't know anything about this girl...) "[cold]...This was the long way." Rukia said quietly. "[surprised]Huh?" "[cold]This bridge is the opposite direction from your house." Ichigo looked at her. Rukia's gaze shifted away slightly. "[sarcastic]...You're the one who said it was the same direction." "[cold]Be quiet." Immediate response. Ichigo almost laughed. He held it back. ＊ He reached home. The moment he opened the front door— "[excited]Big brother! You were walking with a girl! Did you get a girlfriend!?" Yuzu was waiting right at the entrance. Her ponytail swayed, eyes sparkling. "[angry]No! She's a transfer student! We just happened to be going the same way!" "[sarcastic]But your face is red." Karin's voice came from the kitchen. Cool. The kind of calm that came from using a knife. "[angry]It's not red!" The moment he said it, he felt his cheeks burning. Yuzu squealed "Ah! It is red!" Ichigo yelled "Shut up!" and bounded up the stairs. He entered his room on the second floor and closed the door. He threw his bag on the floor and sat on his bed. Through the window, the sunset was visible. Nijino Hama's sky gradually turned orange. (...What is she?) That voice. "We meet again." White hair and silver eyes. That nonsensical logic about the infirmary. And those eyes that knew about the gray shadow. That smile on the bridge. Ichigo collapsed onto his bed. Stared at the ceiling. What was she hiding? What was that gray shadow really? What did "We meet again" mean?—Questions spun in his head. But before any of those questions came something else. That smile. Just for an instant, visible above the river. That small smile. (...This is bad.) Ichigo covered his eyes with his arm. The sunset light filtered through faintly. His cheeks were still a little warm.