Orihime's house.
"Those Arrancars were really strong. Sado-kun and I were no match for them at all. In the end, even Kurosaki-kun lost. If Captain Hitsugaya hadn't come from the Soul Society, we might have been killed."
"But Captain Hitsugaya defeated those two Arrancars, and Kurosaki-kun's injuries have healed..."
Orihime was sitting in front of the memorial tablet, telling her older brother, Inoue Sora's photo about the events of the past two days.
Although Orihime had a fractured left arm, in a cast and sling, and even had bandages wrapped around her head, looking quite pitiful, even so, in front of her brother's memorial tablet, she tried her best to put on a smiling face, as if not wanting her deceased brother to worry about her.
"And then, Captain Hitsugaya and the others came to our school today. Unfortunately, I happened to miss them. I didn't get to see them."
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as Orihime was 'talking' to her brother, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
So Orihime ended her 'conversation' with her brother and got up to open the door.
Creak—
"Matsumoto-san!"
Orihime was a little surprised to see Rangiku appear before her.
"Yo, Orihime, long time no see!"
Rangiku greeted her cheerfully.
"Um... Orihime, the advance team will be stationed in the Human World for a while and won't be returning for some time. So, could I stay at your place for a few days?"
After greeting Orihime, Rangiku got straight to the point.
"You want to stay at my place?"
Orihime was a bit surprised to hear Rangiku's request.
"Doesn't the Soul Society have any outposts or something in the Human World?"
Orihime couldn't help asking.
"Well, traditionally, Shinigami sent to the Human World on missions have had to figure out their own accommodation and travel. So, as unbelievable as it might sound, the Soul Society doesn't really have any official outposts."
Rangiku said apologetically.
"I see. Well, if you don't mind the humble conditions, please feel free to stay, Matsumoto-san."
Without any hesitation, Orihime immediately agreed to Rangiku's request.
"Great! I knew you wouldn't refuse, Orihime!"
Rangiku happily spun Orihime around.
"Ow, ow, ow! Put me down, Matsumoto-san!"
Orihime quickly called out.
"Without any hesitation, you agreed right away. That's what I like about you, Orihime."
Rangiku put Orihime down with a grin.
"Oh, right, I'd like to use your bathroom for a shower. I haven't been to the Human World for a while, and I played too hard today, worked up quite a sweat. Especially around my chest here."
Rangiku said, again unbuttoning her shirt and fanning herself with the collar.
"And, hehehe, Orihime, you can join me."
Rangiku had the look of an experienced veteran.
"Eh? But I just..."
"Oh, don't worry about it. Let's just take another bath together."
Rangiku, acting like she belonged there, grabbed Orihime and started pulling her inside.
"Oh! Right!"
Rangiku seemed to suddenly remember something, let go of Orihime, and walked back outside.
"Hey, Captain! If you can't find a place, come in and stay with us! Living with two beautiful women would be a very happy thing, you know!"
Rangiku looked up and shouted towards the roof of Orihime's house.
"Hmph! Mind your own business!"
Toshiro's voice came from the rooftop.
Earlier, when the group split up, Toshiro had chosen a direction at random and ended up heading the same way as Orihime's house, so Rangiku had followed him.
Then, for some reason, Toshiro had unconsciously come near the Inoue house with Rangiku.
"Eh? Captain Hitsugaya is here too?"
Orihime was a bit surprised.
Then Orihime also walked outside and shouted towards the rooftop, "Captain Hitsugaya, if you don't mind, please stay here with Matsumoto-san. It's just me here, and there's an extra room, so it's perfectly fine."
"..."
The rooftop was silent, with no sound coming from it, as if no one was there.
Just as Orihime and Rangiku thought Toshiro had refused their invitation, Toshiro's voice echoed faintly, "Well... since you've invited me so sincerely, I'll generously accept."
Tap—!
Toshiro leaped down from the rooftop and landed in front of the door.
"'Generously accept'?"
Hearing Toshiro's words, Rangiku twitched her mouth in exasperation.
"Alright, Captain Hitsugaya, Matsumoto-san, please come in."
Orihime quickly mediated.
Among the advance team members, Toshiro and Rangiku ended up staying at Orihime's house. Rukia shamelessly barged into the Kurosaki residence. Renji went to the Urahara Shop. Meanwhile, Sojiro and Ashido pitifully ended up spending the night on a windswept, abandoned building.
…
Inoue residence.
Although Orihime said there was extra space for Toshiro and Rangiku to stay, the Inoue house was actually not very big, even somewhat small, with only two rooms.
It's because Orihime wasn't originally from Karakura Town. She was born into an unfortunate family elsewhere. Her parents had severe violent tendencies and often beat her and her brother.
So when Orihime was three, her brother Sora took her and left home to live in Karakura Town.
The siblings depended on each other for survival, and even maintaining their daily lives was difficult, so they naturally couldn't afford any fancy places. They could only rent a modest apartment.
So, the final arrangement was for Toshiro to stay in the room Sora left behind, and Rangiku to share Orihime's room with her.
Right now, Toshiro sat in the cramped living room of the Inoue house, feeling somewhat restless.
The reason Toshiro felt this way wasn't because the living room was too small, but because Rangiku was taking a shower in the bathroom.
The bathroom was right next to the living room, so Rangiku in the bathroom was only a few steps away from Toshiro in the living room, with only a door between them.
At that distance, coupled with Toshiro's already sharp senses, the sound of Rangiku showering, the splashing water, seemed to come from right next to his ear, unsettling him.
And to make matters worse, Rangiku was making quite a bit of noise while showering.
"Is the water temperature okay, Matsumoto-san?"
Orihime, sitting at the bathroom door, asked Rangiku inside.
"Yeah, the water temperature is fine, but the place is a bit small."
Rangiku's voice sounded from the bathroom.
"I'm sorry, the place is modest. I hope you can bear with it."
Orihime said with an apologetic smile.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
Rangiku quickly apologized.
"Um... Orihime, you seem a bit down today. Is something on your mind? If you don't mind, you can tell me if something's bothering you."
Rangiku suddenly said.
"Ah? No, I'm fine... What would I have to worry about?"
Orihime said sheepishly.
"If you won't tell me, I'll have to resort to force, you know."
Rangiku 'threatened'.
Perhaps feeling the care in Rangiku's words, Orihime hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, "It's about Kuchiki-san..."
…
Meanwhile, Toshiro in the living room grew even more restless.
'Women talking about private matters... Should I excuse myself?'