When classes at the Shin'o Academy ended, the setting sun painted the classroom window frames in gold.
Hasumi Ren packed his theory notes while Nanao, beside him, swiftly stuffed her books into her cloth bag.
Life seemed to have returned to its normal rhythm. Ren continued to attend classes, train, and collect fragments just as he always did.
But he knew in his heart that some things had already begun to change.
Perhaps it was because a Seated Officer of the Fifth Division was involved in a desertion, causing an invisible hand to exert its influence.
The specific intelligence regarding the Soul Burial Field Trip was not made public.
Only a report was released, stating that Menos had appeared in the World of the Living on the day of the exercise.
Consequently, the focus of the discussions on campus regarding the matter was on strengthening security and protection for related internship activities.
No one knew about the desertion of the Fifth Division officer.
Ren guessed that it might also be related to the fact that the person involved was already dead.
Similarly, Ren's actions during this affair were not widely known by the public.
However, rumors spread throughout the academy about a powerful fifth-year student who could one-shot a Menos approaching the Gillian level.
Several consecutive days of training and study had left Nanao looking somewhat exhausted.
Seeing how hard Nanao was pushing herself, Ren made a suggestion.
"Would you like to go to the new Ichiraku shop today? You probably haven't tried our new yakitori yet."
"Yaki... tori?"
Nanao looked a bit dazed.
"Come on, I'll take you there."
The two walked out of the classroom side by side, heading toward the academy's exit.
As they passed the library entrance, Ren caught a figure out of the corner of his eye.
It was a tall young man with light blonde hair that gave off a soft luster in the sunset.
He wore a black Shihakusho and had a gentle expression, a humble smile on his lips as he conversed with a teacher.
But Ren's pace slowed by an almost imperceptible half-step.
'Why does this guy look a bit familiar...'
But he certainly hadn't met this man before; there was no impression of him in his memory.
'Is it just a delusion?'
Ren hesitated only for a moment before withdrawing his gaze and walking away slowly with Nanao.
Business at the new Ichiraku Ramen shop was becoming increasingly popular.
The newly introduced yakitori series had clearly struck a chord with the taste buds of the Rukongai residents.
Quite a few Soul Reapers and even minor nobles from the Seireitei had come to show their support.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before a fourth branch could be opened.
'I wonder if it's possible to open one inside the Seireitei. Without a noble's endorsement, though, it would probably be difficult to pull off.'
'If I could open a shop in the noble district, that would be where the real money is.'
Right now, the shop was full of diners, and the air was thick with the aroma of charcoal grilling and rich sauce.
Using his manager's privilege, Ren arranged a single table in the corner for himself and Nanao.
Before long, the food was served.
Nanao ate happily, her face full of the bliss that only good food could bring.
As time passed, the crowd in the shop began to thin out.
Then Ren noticed him.
In a corner near the edge sat the blonde young man, alone.
He had ordered several skewers of yakitori and a bowl of ramen, eating heartily and occasionally letting out a gasp of wonder.
"What are you dazing off for? I can't finish this, here, you have it."
Nanao held a chicken meatball skewer out to Ren, interrupting his thoughts.
"Thanks."
Ren took it and took a bite.
But most of his attention was currently focused on that corner.
A person he had just seen once before appearing here again—while there was a possibility of coincidence.
But Ren's intuition told him that this didn't feel like a coincidence at all.
Ren chewed his food, keeping an eye on the man from time to time.
As a result, he was somewhat distracted while eating the skewer.
When Ren finished the last bite, he made a decision.
"Nanao, you head back first."
Ren wiped his mouth.
"There are some ingredient procurement matters at the shop I need to check with the old man."
Nanao glanced at him, then peeked toward the shop's interior, her gaze lingering for a split second in the direction of the blonde young man.
Clever as she was, she had already sensed something.
She nodded without asking any further questions.
"Then remember to come back early. I'll wait for you at the library tomorrow."
"Alright."
After seeing Nanao off, Ren didn't immediately go to find the blonde guy who was still slurping his noodles.
Ren sat in place for a few minutes, waiting for the man to finish his last bite in a slow and unhurried manner.
Only then did Ren stand up and walk straight toward that corner.
The blonde man looked up, those eyes hidden beneath a gentle exterior looking at Ren with only a perfectly measured hint of confusion.
As if he were simply curious about Ren's actions.
"Sir," Ren's tone was very calm, "you seem to be quite interested in me?"
The blonde man blinked, then revealed a harmless smile.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
"From the academy to here, two encounters. You've clearly appeared within my field of vision, yet you want to say it's just a coincidence?"
He looked at Ren with interest.
"Why can't it be a coincidence?"
"So it was a coincidence then."
Ren realized this and stood up to leave.
"Wait, wait, wait, don't go! I really do have something I want to talk to you about."
The blonde man quickly reached out and grabbed Ren's sleeve.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Urahara Kisuke. I came to find you today because there's something I'd like to understand."
Ren was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.
Urahara Kisuke.
'No wonder he looked familiar.'
At this moment, Urahara Kisuke's temperament was gentle and restrained, a far cry from the eccentric shopkeeper with the bucket hat in the future.
Consequently, Ren hadn't recognized him at first glance.
Information related to him flashed through Ren's mind.
The current Captain of the Twelfth Division was still Hikifune Kirio, so Urahara Kisuke should still be the Third Seat of the Second Division.
Simultaneously, he was the Commander of the Third Unit of the Onmitsukido, the Detention Unit in charge of the Maggot's Nest.
The Maggot's Nest was different from the Central Underground Great Prison where serious criminals like Aizen would be imprisoned in the future.
It housed suspects who were deemed likely to pose a threat to the Soul Society.
Right now, Kurotsuchi Mayuri was likely sitting in there because of his reckless research, waiting until Urahara Kisuke became a Captain to fish him out.
Yet now, this Third Seat of the Second Division was appearing before him in such a low-profile manner.
'What did he come to find me for?'
Urahara's smile didn't change as he wiped his mouth and picked up a small cloth bag by his side.
"Student Hasumi Ren, I wonder... do you recognize this?"
He poured several deep purple fruits from the bag onto the table.
The skins of these fruits were already looking a bit shriveled, appearing as if they had been kept for a long time, and they no longer had the glow of the fragments.
Ren hadn't introduced himself, but he wasn't surprised that Urahara Kisuke could call him by name directly.
He looked at these familiar fruits, narrowing his eyes slightly, and then nodded without showing any emotion.
"About a month ago, I bought some from an old man in West Rukongai. They tasted good, and the Reishi content was higher than normal wild fruits."
Urahara picked up a fruit and twirled it between his fingertips.
"I heard that you also followed that old man to the place where the fruits grow?"
Ren's expression turned somewhat serious.
"Are you investigating me?"
Urahara Kisuke nodded.
Ren immediately took on a thoughtful expression.
"Since you were able to investigate so thoroughly, I assume you are no ordinary person."