That small transfer student who'd taken up residence in the infirmary—Kuchiki Rukia—had been stuck in the back of Ichigo's mind all weekend. He didn't know why. Just that sensation when she looked at him with those dark, deep eyes—like "we've met before"—wouldn't fade. Monday morning. He was sitting on the rooftop bench, about to open his lunch box. A thud. Someone sat down beside him. He turned around. It was Rukia. Chappy—a white rabbit plush—on her lap, facing the ocean, sitting there like it was the most natural thing in the world. "[serious]The view is good here" "…Yeah, why'd you come?" "[sarcastic]Your lunch looked so pitiful, I thought I'd share some of mine" She said that while pulling a small lunch box from her bag. She opened the lid with a soft pop. Ichigo couldn't say anything for a while after seeing what was inside. One rice ball. Two slices of egg roll. That was it. His lunch had fried chicken and sausages. By any measure, he should be the one sharing. "[sarcastic]…Your lunch is the pitiful one" Rukia's cheeks turned red in real time. "[angry]S-shut up! This is strategic distribution! Don't you know the concept of quality over quantity?!" "What's strategic distribution supposed to mean?" "[sarcastic]One rice ball is enough to fill the stomach. Eighty percent full. It's healthy" "Liar. You're definitely not full" Rukia turned her face toward the ocean, ears completely red, and muttered "…That's none of your business." Ichigo gave a wry smile and placed some fried chicken and a sausage on the lid of her small lunch box. "Eat" A moment of silence. Rukia glanced at it sideways, then faced forward again, and said in a small voice: "[whispers]…I'll accept it" The moment she bit into the fried chicken, Rukia's eyes widened slightly. Her ears got even redder. She didn't say anything, but her expression wasn't bad. The two of them sat quietly for a while, watching the ocean. From the rooftop of Nijino Hama High School, Sagami Bay gleamed beautifully on clear days. Seagulls flew in the distance. The wind smelled a little salty. Something felt strange, he thought. Nothing special was happening. They were just eating lunch. But somehow—his chest felt unsettled. Like that sensation from before, when he felt like he'd been protecting someone in the previous world. Similar, yet different. (…Well, whatever) He put a sausage in his mouth. "[sarcastic]Do you eat here every day?" "Almost every day. It's quiet" "[serious]I see" That was all she said, and Rukia faced the ocean again. Nothing else followed. But the silence didn't feel bad. ＊ After school. It happened when he passed the edge of the grounds. Soccer club practice had started. The keeper was shouting, the coach blowing his whistle. The usual scene. —But Ichigo's feet stopped. In the middle of the grounds. Right behind one player chasing the ball. There was a gray haze. The same thing he'd seen in front of that utility pole. But this time it was different. Clearer. It had a human shape. A vague human silhouette wavered and swayed, drawing closer to that player. (What is that—) He could see it for several seconds. This time it didn't disappear even when he blinked. The shadow touched the player's shoulder, smoothly. That instant. The player's movement stopped dead. He stood still, swayed a little, then slowly dropped to his knees. "[sad]…I don't feel like doing this anymore. Never mind" The other members stirred. "Hey, what's wrong all of a sudden?" "You okay? Got a fever?" No one noticed the shadow. The shadow was already gone. But the player just sat down on the bench, his face blank, saying "I'll take a break." Ichigo was about to rush over when— "[cold]—You've come" A voice. He turned around. Rukia in a white coat was jogging toward him. She must have come from the infirmary. She wasn't carrying Chappy. Her expression was completely different from lunch. Sharp, composed, like she'd made up her mind about something. When their eyes met, Rukia stopped. She didn't say anything. But her eyes said "You saw it too?" Ichigo nodded. Rukia nodded slightly as well. ＊ At the edge of the grounds, near the fence. The player was surrounded by his teammates on the bench. The coach could be seen running over with water. Rukia stood in front of Ichigo and began speaking in a low voice. "[serious]That is called a Veil Shift" "Veil Shift…?" "[serious]It's a shadow born from the seams of a rewrite. This world—the world we're in now—has been remade in a different form than before. It's gray residue seeping out from the joints" Ichigo turned the words over in his mind. Rewrite. The previous world. Joints. "[serious]Only those who retain memories from the previous life can sense it. That player can't see it. The other members can't see it. So no one notices. Those touched become temporarily unmotivated—that's all" "[serious]…Did you see it at the school before?" Rukia paused for a moment. "[serious]Yes. That's why I've been staying in the infirmary" Ichigo looked toward the player on the bench. He seemed to be recovering a bit, drinking water and talking with the coach. There didn't seem to be any danger to his life. But that expression from before—that hollow look like nothing mattered anymore—he couldn't forget it. "[serious]What can we do? Is there a way to stop it?" Rukia answered after a slight pause. "[sad]…I don't know. Not yet" That single sentence was heavier than he'd expected. "[serious]But—if only we can see it. Then only we can do something about it" It was said with both hesitation and resolve at once. Ichigo couldn't say anything. There was nothing to say. The player's profile on the bench was visible in the distance. ＊ The two of them walked to the Misaki Hill observation deck. Twenty minutes on foot from Nijino Hama High School. At the top of the hill, 120 meters above sea level. From the wooden observation deck, you could see the city and Sagami Bay at a glance. It was near dusk, and the sky was beginning to turn orange and indigo. Standing on the observation deck, looking toward the ocean. "[serious]…There" Rukia was looking too. Gray dots were visible in several places along the coast. Near the Haruka River riverbed. Around the lighthouse at Coast Park. Small, but definitely there. The same color as that shadow. "[serious]They're increasing" Her voice was low. "[serious]More than the other day?" "[serious]Yes" The two of them stood silently for a while, watching. The wind was strong. The smell of salt mixed in. A vending machine stood alone at the edge of the observation deck bench. No one else was around. "[serious]Are you scared?" Rukia paused for just a moment. "[sarcastic]Fool. I'm not scared" There was a brief silence. "[whispers]…It's just that not being alone. Makes me feel a little braver" Her voice was small. At the same time, Rukia's hand moved. Not to grip. She just pinched the edge of Ichigo's sleeve with her fingertips. Just barely. With about the same force she'd use to hold Chappy. Something in Ichigo's chest pulsed heavily. He couldn't say anything. If he did, he felt like this moment would break. The two of them watched Sagami Bay dyed in the sunset glow in silence. A few seconds that were frightening, yet strangely peaceful. ＊ The path down from the observation deck was a narrow mountain trail. The streetlights weren't on yet, and they walked in the thin light of dusk. Rukia was walking slightly ahead. Despite being shorter than Ichigo, her pace was fast. Partway down, Rukia suddenly stopped. Ichigo stopped too. "[serious]…Ichigo" Not his last name. Not "you." His first name. For the first time, she called him by his name. Ichigo waited without saying anything. Rukia kept facing forward, then spoke after a pause. "[serious]Do you…remember things from the previous world too?" Ichigo thought for a moment. He couldn't remember everything. Just dream-like fragments. But—that sensation was certain. "[serious]Not all of it. But…I feel like I was fighting to protect someone" Rukia took a slow breath. Ichigo could only see her back, but he could tell her shoulders trembled slightly. After a while, Rukia spoke. "[gentle]I see. …I see" That was all. She didn't turn around. She didn't say anything more. Ichigo couldn't ask. He caught a glimpse of Rukia's profile when she turned slightly, and he understood—he couldn't ask what she was thinking, why her eyes were glistening. The air didn't allow it. They started walking again. Down the mountain path, into the residential area, approaching the slope that led toward the station. By the time they reached it, the sun had set. The lights of Nijino Hama Central Street's shopping district glowed faintly in the distance. At the fork in the road, Rukia said "Well then" and walked toward the infirmary. Holding Chappy, her back perfectly straight. Ichigo stood there until her back disappeared around the corner. That night. Even in bed, he couldn't sleep. The blank face of the player sitting on the bench. The gray dots along the coast seen from the observation deck. The sensation of Rukia's fingers pinching his sleeve. And—that trembling voice when she said "I see, I see." There was no way to stop it. He didn't know what the shadow really was. But it was definitely increasing. (Well…it'll work out somehow) He tried to think that, but tonight the words wouldn't quite work. He clenched his right hand. Like he was trying to confirm the sensation of holding something from a dream. He stared at the wood grain on the ceiling. The number of gray shadows was probably increasing somewhere tonight too.