A clear bell rang as everyone pressed their palms together and closed their eyes.
I hope I can become stronger... No.
Tatsuki Arisawa took a deep breath and made her wish.
I hope Orihime will be safe, happy, and joyful.
Orihime Inoue closed her eyes and silently made her wishes.
I hope everyone can be happy every day, and that we can have lots and lots of delicious food every day. Ah... but we can't eat so much that we get fat. That wouldn't be healthy. I hope we can stay healthy while eating lots of delicious food, and that everyone can spend every day happily together... I hope Unohana-san joins us soon... No, wait. I hope Unohana-san's strength recovers as soon as possible. I hope Rukia can overcome her troubles soon, and I hope Muten Natsu can... Maybe I shouldn't bother the gods with that one~
Although Muten Natsu didn't believe the gods would actually answer prayers, as he stood there with his palms pressed together, specific wishes still inevitably surfaced in his mind.
I hope life can continue peacefully like this, one day after another, without any unexpected changes... No, some changes are still necessary. I hope life can change for the better, in the direction I want it to go...
That seemed a little too greedy.
I hope what I do can help things turn out better instead of making everything worse.
Then what did he need the gods for?
Muten Natsu opened his eyes. Wouldn't it be better to work hard himself?
Even if there truly were omnipotent gods in this world, they probably wouldn't help an outsider like him anyway.
He could rely on heaven or earth, but in the end, the only one he could truly rely on was himself.
Rukia Kuchiki's curved eyelashes trembled.
I hope I can master Bankai as soon as possible... No, not just Bankai. I hope I can gain even greater power, power that surpasses Bankai, so I can do the things I couldn't do before.
So I'll never have to experience that helplessness and pain again.
Ririn's wish was much simpler.
To live better and experience everything that made life wonderful.
After returning home from their first shrine visit, Retsu Unohana suddenly remembered something she had forgotten earlier.
"Rukia, Orihime, Ririn, these are for you."
"Huh?" Orihime Inoue accepted the envelope. "What's this?"
Muten Natsu's expression became complicated. "New Year's Money."
"I meant to give these to you this morning," Retsu Unohana added. "But the kimonos Rukia's older sister sent were so beautiful that I completely forgot. Happy New Year~"
Retsu Unohana had given Rukia Kuchiki New Year's Money in previous years as well, so Rukia was already used to it. She smiled, thanked her, and carefully put the money away.
Orihime Inoue stared blankly at the envelope in her hands. Her slightly parted lips pressed together, and after blinking her beautiful eyes a few times, crystalline tears began to fall.
"This is the first time I've ever received New Year's Money in person..."
She sniffled and looked at Retsu Unohana with tear-filled eyes.
Retsu Unohana had seen that exact look on Muten Natsu's face far too many times.
"Come here." Retsu Unohana opened her arms. "Let me give you a hug~"
"Unohana-san..." Orihime Inoue could no longer hold herself back. She threw herself into Retsu Unohana's arms and clung to her.
"There, there~" Retsu Unohana gently stroked Orihime Inoue's hair. "It's all right. Everything's all right."
Retsu Unohana knew quite a bit about Orihime Inoue's circumstances.
It truly hadn't been easy for Orihime Inoue to remain as cheerful and optimistic as she was now.
She knew better than anyone how painful sorrow and despair could be, which was why she always tried to brighten the lives of those around her with her own cheerfulness and optimism.
But that also meant she had always suppressed her own emotions, unwilling to express them.
It was only when Retsu Unohana opened her arms to her that Orihime dared to throw herself into her embrace and release all those feelings she could never put into words.
In that respect, Retsu Unohana was different from both Rukia Kuchiki and Muten Natsu.
Although Orihime Inoue was much younger than Rukia Kuchiki and Muten Natsu, both their appearances and the way they behaved made her feel as though they were her peers.
Only Retsu Unohana truly felt like an elder to her.
Someone older and far more experienced, someone who wouldn't be shaken by her worries or sadness.
It was like a child who fell and got hurt. In front of other children, they might pretend to be brave, only to burst into tears the moment their mother came to pick them up.
Only in front of Retsu Unohana could Orihime Inoue let out all her emotions without holding anything back.
Watching Orihime Inoue sob in Retsu Unohana's arms, Muten Natsu realized where he had fallen short before.
Whether it was him, Tatsuki Arisawa, or Rukia Kuchiki, whenever they helped Orihime Inoue, they also encouraged her to become independent.
Teaching someone how to fish was better than simply giving them a fish. There was nothing wrong with that approach.
But... Orihime Inoue was still a child.
She needed a warm embrace too. Someone to open their arms to her and tell her not to think about anything else for now, just come here and have a hug.
A simple hug with no reason behind it.
A hug that needed no reason at all.
Rukia Kuchiki and Muten Natsu exchanged a glance and saw the same emotion reflected in each other's eyes.
It took quite a while before Orihime Inoue gradually calmed down under Retsu Unohana's soothing touch.
She was still a little embarrassed, though, and buried her flushed face in Retsu Unohana's arms.
"There's one more thing." Retsu Unohana gently patted Orihime Inoue's shoulder. "Rukia, your salary has already been transferred to your account, right?"
"Mm," Rukia Kuchiki replied. "Along with the stationing allowance, Konsō commission, hazard pay, and year-end bonus."
A Lieutenant's monthly salary was around seven hundred thousand, and once all the various allowances and subsidies were added, the total became quite substantial.
Retsu Unohana nodded. "Orihime, have you checked your account?"
"Huh?" Orihime Inoue blinked. "Mine?"
"You helped treat a large number of wounded people in Soul Society before, so I applied to have you registered as an auxiliary member of the 4th Division," Retsu Unohana explained. "The salary should have been deposited by now. Take a look."
Orihime Inoue took out her Denreishinki. "Let me see... How do I check it?"
"Like this..." Muten Natsu showed her how.
"That's... that's so much!" Orihime Inoue's eyes widened. "Can I really accept all of this? Everyone has already given me so many gifts."
Retsu Unohana rubbed her head. "Compared to a life, this is nothing. You earned it."
"But there's still way too much..." Orihime Inoue stared at the long string of zeros until she started feeling dizzy.
Retsu Unohana chuckled. "Your salary is only part of it. There was also the treatment you provided to certain special individuals."
Muten Natsu immediately thought of someone. "Suì-Fēng?"
"That's right. A Captain's hand was completely restored, and without using methods from the Research and Development Institute." Retsu Unohana looked at Orihime Inoue with undisguised admiration. "Both the Hachi family and the Ōmaeda family paid you very generously."
The Ōmaeda family in particular, who were in the gemstone business, were famously lavish even by Soul Society standards.
Muten Natsu remembered that Marechiyo Ōmaeda had personally paid for the 2nd Division barracks to be furnished and renovated.
"Just accept it." Muten Natsu encouraged her. "Otherwise, if something happens again, Soul Society won't feel comfortable asking you for help."
"Exactly. Part of this was also specially approved by the Captain-Commander," Retsu Unohana explained further. "As far as the Captain-Commander is concerned, the fact that Soul Society's affairs dragged humans from the World of the Living into danger was a failure on the Shinigami's part. He wants to settle things properly through compensation. If you refuse it, they may have to find some other, more troublesome way to make it up to you."
Orihime Inoue finally understood how determined Soul Society was.
"...All right, then."
"Money from Soul Society can be exchanged for currency from the World of the Living," Rukia Kuchiki reminded her. "Urahara can handle that."
Orihime Inoue's eyes lit up.
"In that case, there's somewhere I want to go!"
...
Carrying an assortment of gifts, Muten Natsu accompanied Orihime Inoue to the door of a house in Naruki City.
"This is the place?"
"Mm. This is the home of the aunt who's been supporting me all these years." Orihime Inoue took a deep breath. "I've always wanted to come thank her in person, but she never allowed me to visit."
"Why?"
"She said I shouldn't come see her until I could support myself." Orihime Inoue scratched her head. "I don't really know why, but I know she only said it for my own good."
Muten Natsu had a vague idea of the reason.
"I think so too."
Orihime Inoue rang the doorbell.
Footsteps sounded from inside. The door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman dressed in a kimono.
The aunt had a stern face, with lines between her brows that could only have come from years of frequent frowning. Her long hair was tied into a neat, severe bun. Though fine wrinkles had begun to appear on her face, it was still easy to see how beautiful she must have been when she was younger.
Her deep, sharp eyes swept briefly over Orihime Inoue before fixing on Muten Natsu as if pinning him in place.
Only after staring at him for quite some time did she look back at Orihime Inoue.
Her brows furrowed slightly before she stepped aside.
"Come in first."
Orihime Inoue and Muten Natsu entered the house.
"Excuse us."
The aunt silently prepared tea for them. Only after they had each taken a sip did she speak.
"Didn't I tell you not to come here? And you brought all these things with you."
"I can support myself now," Orihime Inoue answered earnestly. "Thank you, Auntie, for everything you've done for me all these years..."
"You've only finished one year of high school." The aunt interrupted Orihime Inoue, her piercing gaze settling on Muten Natsu. "How exactly are you supporting yourself?"
"The dishes Orihime developed have been extremely popular with certain people who have unusual needs, and they've been very helpful to them," Muten Natsu replied with the explanation he had prepared beforehand. "She received a considerable amount of compensation for her work."
The aunt studied both of their expressions without showing anything on her face. Her sharp gaze carried an almost tangible pressure.
"You're Muten Natsu, right? Orihime has mentioned you to me. Many times."
"Yes." Muten Natsu nodded.
"You're her classmate now?"
"Yes."
"You get good grades?"
"Yes."
"You've been taking Orihime along to do strange things?"
"...Hmm?" Muten Natsu refused to let himself be swept along by her rapid-fire questioning. "Strange things?"
Orihime Inoue hurriedly tried to explain. "Auntie, Muten, he..."
"The reason I married and moved so far away was because, when I was a child, I often saw strange things." The aunt went straight to the point. "After I left the city where I grew up, that ability gradually faded, but it never disappeared completely. Both of you have strange auras around you. Orihime's is much stronger than it used to be, but yours is stronger still. What exactly are the two of you doing?"
No wonder there were obvious signs that a family of three lived here, yet her aunt was the only one home during the New Year.
Presumably, her family knew nothing about her ability. After learning that Orihime Inoue was coming to visit, she must have found some excuse to send them elsewhere.
"Looks like there's no point being vague about it." Muten Natsu patted Orihime Inoue's hand, signaling for her not to be nervous. "Orihime awakened her ability. This ability..."
Muten Natsu drained the tea from his cup, then casually crushed the cup in his hand.
"Orihime."
"Sōten Kisshun!" Orihime Inoue immediately understood and activated the Shun Shun Rikka. "I reject!"
A spindle-shaped golden barrier enveloped the broken pieces of the cup and rapidly restored them.
Obvious shock appeared in the aunt's eyes.
"This..."
"This is one of Orihime's abilities. It doesn't only work on objects. Even far more serious injuries can be restored just as easily." Muten Natsu pushed the restored teacup toward the aunt. "She used this ability to treat many wounded people, so naturally she received the compensation she deserved."
Rather than feeling reassured, the aunt's frown deepened.
"Many wounded people... Are the two of you doing something extremely dangerous?"
"Muten is really strong. He's always protected me." Orihime Inoue tightly gripped Muten Natsu's hand. "And... the danger didn't appear because of Muten. Even if I refused to get involved, I'd still be caught up in it."
Take the previous battle in Karakura Town.
If Orihime Inoue had never met Muten Natsu and never awakened the Shun Shun Rikka, she might very well have disappeared along with Karakura Town itself.
The aunt's gaze paused briefly on the ring on Orihime Inoue's finger.
"So it really is dangerous, isn't it?"
"It is," Muten Natsu admitted. "But I can promise you one thing. No matter what kind of danger we face, I'll die before she does."
Orihime Inoue's grip tightened. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but stopped herself.
"..." The aunt sighed. "Orihime, do you know why I never allowed you to come here?"
"I don't..." Orihime Inoue answered honestly. "But I know you must have done it for my sake."
The aunt's gaze gradually softened.
"I supported you because I wanted you to grow up healthy. I never wanted you to develop any unnecessary feelings or burdens because of that support."
Just as he had thought...
Muten Natsu understood how the aunt felt.
The fact that she could notice the change in Orihime Inoue's aura suggested that she had probably gone to secretly check on Orihime quite often.
Her deliberate distance from Orihime Inoue was most likely meant to protect Orihime's emotional well-being.
When someone received financial support from a benefactor, it was difficult not to feel some degree of pressure, especially for a sensitive teenager.
That was why the aunt had told Orihime Inoue not to come see her until she could support herself.
Once there was no longer any financial relationship between them, and Orihime had grown more emotionally mature, she would finally be able to interact with her without that burden hanging over her.
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