Chapter 1: Nighttime in the World of the Living

Don't you think it's strange, Yumichika?

What's strange?

This...this hand-made rice ball.

They're made by hand, but so neat.

They've carefully packed them in this complicated wrapping...

...and they've got plenty of them stacked on shelves in all the stores.

And according to what the sales-girl said, they're replaced several times a day.

That can't be right.

I don't believe that girl has the skill to do something like this.

There's got to be something fishy going on behind the scenes.

What a coincidence. I just came to the same conclusion about those hand-made rice balls.

I was reluctant to come on this investigation mission in the world of the living, but I think this could get interesting.

By the way, Ikkaku. I'm sorry to interrupt you while you're trying to open your rice ball packaging, but...

What? Tell me later if it can wait.

...where do you plan to sleep while we're on this mission?

I'm going to lay this flat out, but if you plan to sleep outside, I'm going somewhere else.

I don't mind if we split, but do you have somewhere in mind?

I don't. That's why I'm telling you. Let's go look for a place.

Sleeping outside was never even a choice to begin with.

Roooaaaarrr...

Dammit, a Hollow? I'm still busy.

You can savor it later when we're done.

Yeah, let's go!

*Sigh* My stupid sister.

Seriously, she should go out and buy her own damn juice. The convenience store didn't sell that brand.

I hope the vending machines have it.

Roooaaaarrr...

Huh? What?! Is that some sort of fancy dress? It's not Halloween yet!

Roooaaaarrr!

Ah! Wahh, ah, ah?! No way! What's going on?!

Rahhh!

These Hollows aren't very strong, but there's quite a few of them.

Who cares? We need the exercise anyway.

Ah, ah-ah-ah, uhhhhh!

Huh? What the hell do you want? Oh, wait, I've seen you somewhere before.

Hmm, right. I think we saw him in school.

W-Wait a minute! So it is you! But why do you have a sword...and what's this monster?!

Stop talking so much!

Eep!

No, wait.

Hey, kid. I've got a proposition I want to talk about. You wanna hear it?

Well, now, that all depends on what you have to say.

We're looking for a place to stay tonight and we don't have much cash on us. You have a place, I imagine.

But you've stumbled into a battle and are about to get killed. Here's the deal.

You put us up in your place for a while and in return for that, I'll protect you from these bozos.

Huh?

Are you brain damaged or something? It's a simple question. Give me a "yes" or a "no!"

Yes! You can stay!

Alright. Thanks for the invite.

Hey, I'm back.

"I'm back?!" Keigo, you jerk! How long's it take for you to get some juice?!

I-I'm sorry, there's uh...some people I brought back.

What?! Who?!

You see, um. Well, uh, I was going to buy the juice, and I saw these guys just lying there in the road...

...and when I rescued them, I kinda forgot about buying juice...

...and then I guess I told them they could stay at our house for a while.

Oh, but if you're absolutely not cool with that...

...I suppose I could try to suck up enough nerve to tell these guys that there's not enough room, and they'll just have to...

Why, you...you did an incredibly good deed!

Huh?! What? You're gonna let them stay?

Well, you know me! I'm totally cool with that!

How can you be fine with that? They're complete strangers! They might be fugitives from prison or something!

Don't worry.

I wanna be the kind of sister who trusts her brother's judgment, even if he chooses to bring a total stranger into my home.

That's the kind of sister I truly want to become.

The truth is, I love guys with shaved heads.

Aha! The real truth comes out!

And by the way, he doesn't have a shaved head. The guy's bald!

Who says I'm bald?

What? Did I say that? You're not bald.

You'll learn to enjoy our company.

Sure. There's no one else here except my bald-loving sister, but...

Didn't we just go over this? I'm not bald!