A cool breeze swept through the empty hallways of the high school, rustling loose papers and whispering through the vacant classrooms. The faint hum of fluorescent lights buzzed in the silence, and the scent of old textbooks lingered in the air. The school was eerily quiet, almost too quiet.
Shinichi stood in the middle of the corridor, staring at the familiar surroundings with a mixture of confusion and nostalgia. The polished floors reflected the dull ceiling lights, the wooden desks neatly lined up inside each classroom, the whiteboards filled with scribbles and half-erased lessons—all of it was exactly as he remembered from his previous life.
His chest tightened as an uneasy feeling crept over him.
Why am I here?
Had everything been a dream? Was his reincarnation into Bleach nothing more than an illusion? He quickly looked down at his hands, only to find them unchanged—these were not the hands of his old self, but the ones he had gained in this world.
Just then, a glimmer in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
A mirror.
His gaze slowly moved towards it, hesitant yet desperate. The reflection that stared back at him was not the one from his old life—it was his current face, the face of the Shinichi in Bleach. Yet, something about the mirror unsettled him.
A sudden, choked sob echoed through the hallway.
Shinichi's heart pounded. That voice… it was painfully familiar.
His feet carried him forward before he could think. He turned the corner and found himself looking at a lone figure crouched against the wall, hugging his knees, body trembling violently. Blood dripped from the boy's busted lips and forehead, staining the white shirt he wore. His breath hitched as he took a step closer, his voice hesitant yet filled with concern.
"Hey… are you okay?"
The boy didn't respond.
Shinichi's eyes widened as realization set in like a heavy weight in his chest. The boy before him… it was him.
His past self.
The lonely, beaten-down high schooler that he once was.
His past self shuddered, gripping his arms tightly as if trying to hold himself together. Then, suddenly, he lifted his head—bloodshot eyes filled with anguish met Shinichi's stunned gaze.
Then he screamed.
A raw, piercing scream that felt like it shattered the very air around them.
Shinichi recoiled, clutching his ears as the sound drilled into his skull. The agony in that voice, the sheer desperation—it was unbearable.
"STOP!" Shinichi shouted, but the screaming only grew louder, suffocating, overwhelming—
And then—
His eyes snapped open.
---
Shinichi shot up from his bed, chest heaving, drenched in cold sweat. His hands gripped the sheets as his heartbeat pounded in his ears.
"…Just a dream," he whispered hoarsely, trying to catch his breath.
The silence of his room settled around him, grounding him in reality. His gaze flickered to the clock on his bedside table. Morning. Sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room.
With a long exhale, Shinichi ran a hand through his hair before pulling off the blanket. A faint sting pulsed through his torso—his wound from the hollow attack still hadn't fully healed.
Pushing the lingering unease aside, he got up and began his morning routine.
He stretched, wincing slightly before heading to the bathroom. The cool splash of water against his face was refreshing, washing away the remnants of his nightmare. As he stared at his reflection, he muttered to himself.
"It begins today."
After getting dressed, he grabbed his school bag and slung it over his shoulder.
As he stepped out, he made a conscious decision.
I won't wait for Ichigo today.
It wasn't because he didn't care—quite the opposite. But if he wanted the story to unfold properly, he couldn't interfere too much. Ichigo had to experience things for himself.
Just as he began walking, a sudden ding echoed in his mind.
[ Yo, why are you acting like a depressed anime protagonist? This is getting boring.]
Shinichi blinked, then groaned. "Oh great, you again."
[Excuse me? You should be grateful for my presence, mortal.]
Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because my life would be so empty without your inspirational pep talks."
[Exactly. Imagine your boring existence without me. Tragic.]
"…I could imagine it. And I'd be so much happier."
[Wow. Rude.]
Shinichi let out a snort of amusement as he walked towards school, the conversation making the morning feel a little lighter.
---
At school, the day passed as usual. Classes were boring, but lunchtime brought a much-needed break.
The group gathered on the rooftop, chatting and joking around.
Tatsuki nudged Shinichi, giving him a suspicious look. "You're acting different today."
Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
"You're actually having fun. Are you drunk?"
Shinichi gasped dramatically. "Tatsuki! How dare you? Do I look like the type to drink?"
Tatsuki narrowed her eyes. "Yes."
"…Fair."
The group burst into laughter.
As they continued their banter, Shinichi looked down, a small smile tugging at his lips.
This is probably the last time things will be normal.
Let's make it worth it.
---
After school, Shinichi walked home alone. He glanced at the clock upon arriving.
Four hours until Ichigo's first real fight.
He pulled up his status screen.
[Level: 24]
[Main Quests:]
Physical Training (22%)
Spiritual Awareness (Complete)
Survive a Near-Death Experience (18%)
"Hm. Let's push my physical training up a bit."
[ Activating 40% Physical Training Boost. Valid for 4 hours.]
Shinichi immediately got to work. His workouts had become easier thanks to his increased strength, but he still pushed himself.
As he neared the end of his session, the system chimed in.
[Come on, take an L already! How am I supposed to roast you if you keep improving?]
Shinichi chuckled mid-push-up. "I'll make sure to fail spectacularly next time, just for you."
After a grueling 4-hour workout, Shinichi wiped the sweat from his forehead. That's when he felt it—
A presence.
He turned towards his balcony.
The hollow had arrived.
Excitement flickered in his chest.
He quickly changed and headed outside. Hiding behind a pole, he watched as Ichigo and Rukia confronted the hollow.
When Ichigo declared, "Then give me that sword, Shinigami."
"My name is Rukia... Rukia kuchiki."
"And I am Ichigo Kurosaki"
A bright white light exploded outward as Rukia shoved the blade into Ichigo's chest and he started transforming.
Shinichi calmly slipped on sunglasses and pulled out a bag of popcorn. "Damn, this scene doesn't hit the same without the OST."
[You're welcome for the popcorn.]
Shinichi took a bite. "Thankyou, now i can enjoy this scene properly."
Then—Ichigo's transformation completed.
Shinichi whistled. "Damn, he got a lot stronger."
A voice, casual yet knowing, spoke beside him.
"Seems like it."
Shinichi, still watching Ichigo's transformation, barely processed the words at first. He nodded absentmindedly.
"Yup."
Then his mind caught up.
Wait.
That voice wasn't the system. That voice wasn't Rukia. That voice wasn't Ichigo.
That voice was right beside him.
Shinichi's body stiffened, his neck creaking as he turned his head ever so slowly.
A man stood there, dressed in a dark green haori over a black kimono and gray hakama. A striped green-and-white bucket hat sat on his head, its shadow hiding his eyes. He held a closed paper fan in one hand and a cane in the other, his lips curled into a mysterious, ever-amused smirk.
There was no mistaking who this was.
Urahara Kisuke.
Shinichi's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
"WHAT THE FU—"
His instincts kicked in, his body recoiling backward. Unfortunately, there wasn't much room to retreat. His foot caught on the pavement, and in his panic, he stumbled forward like a cartoon character on ice.
"GAH—!"
He barely managed to stop himself from face-planting, but it was far from graceful.
His sudden outburst naturally drew attention.
Ichigo, now standing in his brand-new Shinigami attire, and Rukia, looking utterly exhausted, both turned toward him.
A beat of silence.
Then—
"You…?" Rukia blinked in confusion.
"Shinichi?" Ichigo frowned.
Shinichi swallowed, sweat forming on the back of his neck.
Shit.
Think, think, think!
His lips curled into a weak, hesitant smile.
"H-Hey guys…!" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I actually wanted to go buy some groceries but… uh… lost my way? Haha…?"
Ichigo's eyes narrowed.
"Shinichi." His voice was flat. "The grocery store is literally on the next street."
Shinichi's smile twitched.
"I—I took the scenic route?"
Urahara chuckled. "Oh my, quite the unexpected coincidence."
Rukia, still staring at him in her now powerless state, furrowed her brows.
"Shinichi… so that's your name."
Shinichi sighed. "And you're Rukia, right?"
Rukia blinked. "How do you know that?"
Shinichi smirked. "You just announced it loud and clear while shoving that sword into Ichigo."
Rukia turned a little red. "T-That's…!"
Shinichi casually turned toward Urahara and pointed. "Also, who's that guy? And why was he standing next to me like a horror movie jumpscare?"
Urahara waved his fan. "Ah, I had also lost my way."
Rukia squinted. "…Sure you did."
Ichigo let out a groan, rubbing his forehead. "What the hell have I gotten myself into…?"
Rukia sighed, pushing herself up. Her current state, dressed in a simple white kosode, made it clear—her powers were gone.
"Now that I think about it…" She turned to Urahara. "I can't go back to Soul Society now."
Urahara snapped his fan shut. "That's right. For now, you'll have to stay in the World of the Living."
Rukia's eyes brightened. "Oh! So you're going to let me stay at your shop, Urahara?"
Urahara's expression remained unchanged, but his fan moved in a slow, deliberate motion. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I really wanted to, but…" He glanced toward Ichigo. "Don't you think you should stay near Kurosaki-san? After all, he is now a Substitute Shinigami."
Ichigo scowled. "What?!"
Rukia turned to him. "Now that my powers are with you, you need to slay the Hollows that appear until I recover."
Ichigo groaned. "Why me?!"
Rukia crossed her arms. "Because you took my powers, duh."
Ichigo grabbed his head, muttering, "Goddammit, why is my life like this…?"
Then, realization dawned upon Rukia. "Wait, if I need to stay near Ichigo, then…" She turned back to Urahara. "Are you suggesting I live at Ichigo's place?"
Urahara rubbed his chin, as if considering it. "Hmm… that would be the best-case scenario. However, Kurosaki-san does have his family at home, and explaining your presence would be… problematic."
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, no way I'm explaining why a random girl in a kimono is living in my room."
A thoughtful silence.
Then—Urahara and Ichigo both turned toward Shinichi.
At that exact moment, Shinichi was busy swatting at a fly that had been buzzing around his face. He clapped his hands together.
"Gotcha!"
Then, he noticed the glares directed at him.
Urahara's signature smirk.
Ichigo's ominous grin.
Rukia's confused expression as she slowly caught on.
A bead of sweat dripped down Shinichi's temple.
"Uh… what happened, guys…?"
Ichigo smirked. "Hey, Shinichi, you live alone, right?"
Shinichi blinked. "Yeah?"
Urahara added, "And your house is pretty close to Kurosaki's, isn't it?"
Shinichi frowned. "Uh… so what?"
The smirks widened.
Then, it hit him.
Shinichi's expression dropped.
"Oh, hell no—"
Ichigo clapped his hands together. "Alright, it's settled!"
Urahara cheerfully nodded. "Kuchiki-san, you'll be staying with Shinichi-kun!"
Shinichi's soul left his body.
"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! LISTEN! My dad, who left to buy milk when I was born, just came back TODAY! AND HE JUST GOT MARRIED AGAIN! I HAVE A STEPMOM NOW! AND SHE'S PREGNANT! WITH TWINS! MY HOUSE IS COMPLETELY FULL, I SWEAR—"
Ichigo stared at him blankly. "…Bullshit. No one's living there."
Rukia stepped forward. Her expression softened. "Shinichi, please… just for a few days?"
Shinichi looked away, gritting his teeth. Damn it. Why did she have to look so innocent and helpless?!
"…Fine. Just… don't give me that look."
Rukia turned to Ichigo and Urahara, giving them a thumbs-up.
"Alright! I'll be staying at Shinichi's place for a few weeks!"
Shinichi's head snapped up. "YOU SAID DAYS!"
Rukia covered her mouth. "Oh, did I? I don't remember. Do any of you remember?"
Ichigo and Urahara both shook their heads.
Shinichi closed his eyes. "I'm being set up."
A system notification popped up.
[I understand you.]
Shinichi sighed. "Thank you. At least someone does."
[A guy who's had zero interaction with a girl in his whole life would obviously be nervous about a girl living with him.]
Shinichi clenched his fists.
"I wish I could uninstall you."