The first golden rays of the sun stretched over Karakura Town, bathing the streets in a soft, amber glow. Birds chirped melodiously outside, their calls blending with the faint hum of the city waking up. The sky was a vast canvas of pastel blues and warm oranges, the lingering haze of dawn giving it an almost dreamlike quality. Cool morning air drifted in through the slightly open window, carrying the fresh scent of dew-kissed grass and distant bakery aromas.
Inside Shinichi's apartment, rhythmic thudding sounds filled the air—steady, relentless, and precise.
From the small bed, Rukia groggily blinked awake, her violet eyes dull with sleep. Her brows twitched at the familiar sound echoing through the room. Pushing herself up, she peered down, expecting exactly what she saw.
There he was.
Shinichi was already on the floor, shirtless, his toned body glistening slightly with sweat as he maintained perfect form, pumping out push-ups with mechanical efficiency. His breath was steady, controlled. His muscles tensed and flexed with each repetition, his body moving in perfect synchronization—like a machine programmed for discipline.
Rukia let out a tired sigh.
"Can't you take a rest day or something?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "You just fought a Hollow yesterday."
Shinichi didn't stop. He didn't even slow down.
"Rest days are for the weak," he said between push-ups, voice annoyingly composed. "This has become a part of my routine now. I can't skip it."
He pushed himself up one last time—his two-hundredth—before letting his body collapse onto the cool wooden floor. His breathing remained even, barely disturbed.
Rukia rolled her eyes, jumping down from her bed.
"Whatever. I'm gonna freshen up," she mumbled.
Shinichi, still lying on the floor, turned his head lazily toward her. "Yeah, you do that. I'll start making breakfast."
That caught her attention. She turned back, arching a brow.
"Oh? So you can cook?"
Shinichi snorted. "I've been living alone for most of my life. Of course, I can cook."
Rukia smirked, crossing her arms. "You're not planning to poison me, are you? For crashing at your place every day?"
Shinichi closed his eyes, a weirdly serene smile forming on his lips.
Rukia stiffened slightly. "I—I was just kidding, but… you were somewhere in your mind planning that, weren't you…?"
Shinichi remained silent. The smile lingered.
Rukia backed away toward the bathroom. "I'll… go wash up now."
Minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open, and a warm wave of steam rolled out into the apartment. Rukia stepped out, her damp raven hair clinging slightly to her fair skin. She ran a towel over her head, ruffling her locks, sending stray droplets cascading down the side of her neck and shoulders. Her usual uniform hung loosely on her frame, the fabric slightly sticking to her still-cooling skin.
Her eyes flickered toward the kitchen.
The moment she inhaled, her nose was assaulted by a heavenly aroma.
A sweet, buttery scent, rich with warmth and just the slightest hint of caramelized sugar, filled the air. The scent alone made her mouth water.
Curious, she walked over to see Shinichi standing in front of the stove, his back turned to her as he worked with effortless precision.
The sizzling sound of batter hitting the pan filled the kitchen. Shinichi moved with practiced ease, flipping the golden-brown pancake in a perfect arc before letting it land neatly back in the pan. His expression remained cool and focused, the soft glow of morning sunlight streaming through the window highlighting his sharp features.
His movements were almost rhythmic—the way he poured the batter, the way he twirled the spatula, the way his hand instinctively reached for the syrup bottle before he even needed it. It was clear he had done this countless times before.
Rukia leaned against the doorway, watching with fascination.
"What are you making?" she asked eagerly.
Shinichi didn't even look back. "Pancakes. Ever heard of them?"
Rukia tilted her head. "No."
A small smirk tugged at Shinichi's lips. "Oh, you're gonna love them."
He grabbed two plates, carefully stacking the pancakes in neat layers before drizzling them with a rich, golden stream of maple syrup. A small pat of butter sat perfectly in the center, slowly melting into the fluffy stack.
Shinichi placed the plates on the table and sat across from Rukia.
"Dig in," he said.
Rukia cautiously cut a small piece, spearing it with her fork before placing it in her mouth.
The moment the soft, fluffy pancake melted on her tongue, her eyes widened in pure shock.
Shinichi frowned slightly. "What? Is it bad?"
Rukia shook her head violently.
"No… This is… so good!"
Shinichi chuckled, watching as she practically devoured her meal.
Rukia swallowed and pointed her fork at him. "How are you so good at this? You'd make such a great husband for someone! Imagine eating this every morning for the rest of your life—"
Shinichi snorted. "Yeah, that is, if a girl even looks in my direction for once."
Rukia, still stuffing her mouth, casually replied, "You don't look half bad. You'll probably get one someday. Don't worry."
At that moment, a translucent blue system notification popped up in front of Shinichi's vision.
[HAHAHA SHE THINKS YOU'LL GET A WIFE SOMEDAY. LMAO.]
Shinichi's brow twitched as he stared at the floating screen in irritation.
Rukia blinked, noticing his blank expression. "What's wrong?"
Shinichi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Nothing. Just… existential dread."
Rukia grinned. "Mood."
As expected, school was mind-numbingly boring. By the time lunch rolled around, Shinichi was already on the rooftop, sprawled lazily on the bench, while Ichigo and Rukia stood nearby, deep in conversation.
"You're telling me the Soul Society has Shinigami schools?" Ichigo asked, his brow furrowing.
"Uh, you could call them that." Rukia replied, holding onto a juice box she had somehow acquired. She turned to Shinichi, holding it up. "Hey, how do I drink this?"
Shinichi exhaled through his nose, running a hand down his face. "Just use the straw, idiot."
"Huh? What straw? Where is it?"
"Goddammit… give it here." He snatched the box from her hands, poked the straw through the tiny hole, and handed it back. "Look—this is the straw. You put it in this hole. Then you drink. Got it?"
Rukia nodded, taking a cautious sip. "...Oh. Oh. This is good." She started sipping with exaggerated enthusiasm, looking ridiculously pleased with herself.
Mizuiro strolled onto the rooftop at that moment, his eyes flicking between Rukia and Shinichi before smirking. "You two spend a lot of time together, you know. People are going to start talking."
"Knowing Shinichi, he probably doesn't care," Ichigo added dryly.
"True that." Shinichi said, still sipping on his own juice box.
Mizuiro chuckled, but Shinichi's mind was suddenly elsewhere.
Something wasn't right.
This scene... it was supposed to be Ichigo teaching Rukia how to use the juice box. Not me. Mizuiro was supposed to tease Ichigo and Rukia, not me and Rukia.
He let out a slow breath. Should I distance myself from her?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud, theatrical voice.
"If it isn't the beautiful and mysterious transfer student—Miss Rukia Kuchiki!"
Keigo burst onto the rooftop, striking an exaggerated pose. "Hello, I'm Keigo! It's very nice to meet you! Oh, I wonder who recommended you this school—whoever they are, I swear I'll kiss them!"
Ichigo and Shinichi simultaneously raised a finger and pointed at each other.
"It was Ichigo!"
"It was Shinichi!"
Keigo rubbed his chin, nodding sagely. "Hmm… Shinichi, I see her with you more than with Ichigo, so I'm gonna assume it was you! THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
He launched himself at Shinichi, attempting to tackle him into a hug—only for Shinichi to kick him in the stomach mid-air.
Keigo was sent flying backward—only to slam directly into Chad's broad back.
"Guh—!!" Keigo crumpled to the ground.
Chad, unfazed, simply walked forward, setting down a small birdcage. Inside was a bright green parakeet.
At the same moment, both Ichigo and Rukia stiffened.
They could feel it.
The parakeet had a spirit inside of it. And not just that—there was something… off. Something unnatural.
Meanwhile, Shinichi?
He was still calmly sucking on his straw.
Mizuiro, noticing Chad's battered state, frowned. "Chad, what happened to you?"
Chad answered simply, "An iron rod fell on me."
Ichigo and Rukia exchanged glances.
"You felt that, didn't you?" Rukia whispered.
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Is it a Hollow?"
"No… It's a normal spirit, but…" Rukia frowned, eyes locked onto the parakeet. "There's something strange about it… We should perform Konso on it tonight."
She turned to Shinichi. "You felt it too, didn't you?"
Shinichi didn't even glance up. "Felt what? No idea what you're talking about."
Rukia narrowed her eyes. "Liar."
As Shinichi and Rukia walked home, she looked deep in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Shinichi finally asked.
"It's just Chad and that parakeet. It was a normal spirit, but there was Hollow essence too… I don't know."
Shinichi held back a smirk. Man, the urge to just tell her everything is insane.
But nah. Gotta keep the mystery alive.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Shinichi answered, holding it up to his ear. "Yeah?"
On the other end, Ichigo's voice sounded frustrated. "Dude, Chad is at my house. Injured."
"Oh. Alright."
"Alright?! How the hell are you so calm?!"
"I just swing that way, man."
"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"
"Okay, bye." Click.
Rukia blinked. "What happened?"
"Eh, Chad's at Ichigo's house, injured and admitted."
Her eyes widened. "HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!"
Shinichi shrugged. "I know Chad's strong. It's not a problem, to be honest."
---
The Next Morning
Shinichi was jolted awake by his phone blaring in his ear.
Half-asleep, he picked up. "...Yeah?"
"Chad is missing, we need to find him quick!"
Shinichi blinked. "...Okay. We're coming." Click.
He turned to the lump beside him.
"Hey, Rukia. Wake up."
No response.
"Wake up, idiot."
Still nothing.
"HEY, WAKE THE FUCK UP!"
"WHAT, YOU IDIOT?!"
"Chad's missing. We need to find him."
"Huh? This is serious, we need to hurry!"
The morning air was thick with unease. The streets, usually filled with the hum of life, felt eerily quiet.
Shinichi and Rukia moved swiftly through Karakura behind Ichigo, their footsteps light but urgent. Something was off. They both felt it—the lingering pressure of a Hollow, but also something else… something twisted.
Then, suddenly—
"Wait." Ichigo came to an abrupt stop, eyes narrowing as he turned toward an empty alleyway. His expression tensed, as if struggling to focus on something unseen.
Rukia frowned. "What is it?"
Ichigo's grip tightened.
"...I think I can see it." His voice was barely above a whisper.
A faint glow flickered in his eyes. White bands of reiatsu.
They coiled and stretched across the cityscape, like invisible trails left in the air.
A signpost here. A broken tile there. The faintest remnants of Chad's energy.
Shinichi smirked. Looks like he's awakening his spiritual awareness.
Ichigo's eyes tracked the residual energy, his jaw clenching as he pointed toward the distance.
"He's that way."
And then—
He took off running.
Rukia and Shinichi immediately followed, weaving through the streets with urgency.
But then—
A familiar presence stopped them cold.
Karin.
She was hunched over, her small frame trembling, her breaths ragged.
Ichigo instantly skidded to a stop. "Karin?!"
She lifted her head, and for the first time—Shinichi saw fear.
Pure, unfiltered fear.
"The… the bird… that little boy…" Her voice was hoarse, shaken. "The Hollow—it's been tormenting him."
She clutched her head, as if the memories themselves were suffocating. "It killed his mother. And now it's using him as bait."
A pulse of reiatsu surged around them.
Ichigo's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
Rukia placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take Karin home. Shinichi and I will handle this."
Ichigo hesitated—eyes flickering between Rukia and Shinichi.
Finally, he exhaled, shoulders tense.
"Be careful." He turned to Shinichi. "Protect Rukia with your speed. Got it?"
Shinichi clicked his tongue. "Tch. Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
In reality? He was totally planning to dip at the first opportunity.
That plan got ruined when—
"Damn… we need to go faster…"
Rukia suddenly turned to him with a grin.
"Oh hell no."
Before he could react—
She jumped on his back.
"GO, HORSEY!"
"I SWEAR TO FU—"
With a burst of movement, Shinichi shot forward, the world blurring past as his speed doubled.
Rukia's playful grin quickly turned into shock.
She knew Shinichi was fast—but this? This was slightly faster than last night
Her grip around his shoulders tightened, wind rushing past her face as Shinichi's feet barely touched the ground.
How the hell is he improving so quickly?
The thought barely registered before—
They arrived.
The alley was dead silent.
Too silent.
The air felt wrong.
Ahead, in the dim light of the setting sun, a massive figure loomed—a grotesque Hollow with jagged claws and a grinning, skeletal mask.
Shrieker.
His head twitched unnaturally, sharp claws dragging against the ground with an eerie scraping sound.
And then—his head snapped toward them.
Glowing yellow eyes locked onto Rukia.
"You… look delicious."
Rukia barely had time to react before—
BOOM.
A blur slammed into Shinichi's side with inhuman force—sending him flying.
His body smashed through a brick wall, dust and rubble exploding into the air.
Rukia's breath hitched. "Shinichi—!!"
She barely dodged as Shrieker lunged for her, his claws raking through empty space.
Her hand shot out—
"Hado #33: Sōkatsui!"
A brilliant blue fireball roared from her palm, engulfing the Hollow in an explosion of flame.
Smoke filled the alley. The walls trembled from the force of the blast.
For a moment—silence.
Then—
A dark chuckle.
The smoke cleared—revealing Shrieker, completely unharmed.
Rukia's eyes widened.
"...No way."
Shrieker's grin stretched wider. His claws gleamed in the fading light. "Is that all you got, little girl?"
He raised his hand—ready to strike—
But then—
A low breath.
A sudden drop in temperature.
Shrieker froze.
Behind him—
A shadow loomed.
A dark figure, standing in the ruins of the collapsed wall—dust swirling around him.
Shinichi.
Unscathed.
His crimson eyes glowed, an unreadable expression on his face as he slowly cracked his knuckles.
Shrieker barely had time to react before—
BOOM.
A gust of wind exploded outward as Shinichi vanished.
Shrieker's instincts screamed—
Too late.
In an instant—
Shinichi appeared behind him.
His fist was already cocked back—
And then—
He struck.
CRACK.
A devastating shockwave erupted through the alleyway as Shinichi's fist collided with Shrieker's skull.
The sheer force distorted the air, sending ripples of pressure outward.
The Hollow's mask cracked—splintering like shattered glass—
His entire body whiplashed forward, skidding across the ground like a ragdoll.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Shrieker slammed through one wall—then another—before finally crashing into a distant building with a deafening CRASH.
A massive cloud of dust rose into the air, debris raining down from above.
Silence.
Shinichi exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers. His breath came out in soft, measured intervals.
Steam rose from his knuckles.
He glanced down at them—untouched.
Then, he lifted his gaze—crimson eyes glowing in the fading light.
"Who the fuck says 'you smell delicious' to a woman?"
He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.
His voice was casual. Almost bored.
"Are you a damn pervert?"