He walked toward home alone.
Asakura Yoh had turned down the Kurosaki family's invitation to their celebration.
Actually, Ichigo and Masaki-san had been quite insistent—one tugging his left arm, the other pulling his right, while Kurosaki Isshin pushed him from behind. The three of them had been seconds away from just tying him up hand and foot.
Unfortunately for them, Asakura Yoh was much faster at escaping.
Taking advantage of the moment Ichigo was distracted by Yuzu, he slipped out of their encirclement. By the time Kurosaki Ichigo realized what happened and tried to give chase, he had already vanished from the street.
"That kid—" Kurosaki Ichigo stood at the door, feeling both annoyed and amused.
But Asakura Yoh knew they would understand.
Now that Ichigo knew the truth about his mother, Kurosaki Masaki naturally had no reason not to return for a reunion.
She was wearing a specially made Gigai from Urahara Kisuke—it was exquisitely crafted, appearing identical to a real human, capable of even simulating body temperature and a heartbeat.
When Yuzu saw her mother, she cried so hard she nearly fainted. Karin tried to hold it back, but her eyes turned red instantly.
That was their family reunion.
Not his.
Asakura Yoh stood at his own front door, looking at the two extra pairs of shoes in the entryway.
One pair was sneakers, a size smaller than his, with the laces flopping messily over the tops—clearly kicked off carelessly by some unrefined individual.
The other pair was canvas shoes, placed neatly with the toes facing out and the heels together, perfectly orderly.
'Two people?'
He actually had an idea. Every year on this day, someone would show up uninvited to take over his living room.
But this year... there was an extra?
'Not that it's hard to guess, though.'
He sighed and pushed the door open.
"Yo! Yoh, you're slow!"
At the end of the entryway, the living room door was wide open, casting a warm yellow light. Arisawa Tatsuki stood there with her hands on her hips, a brilliant smile on her face.
"Orihime and I have been waiting for over an hour!"
Behind her, Inoue Orihime poked half her head out, her cheeks slightly flushed as she waved at him a bit bashfully.
"Good evening, Asakura-kun. Hehe!"
"Young Master, welcome home!"
Immediately after, a synchronized chorus of greetings flooded out from the living room.
Asakura Yoh's lip twitched.
A group of spirits were crowded at the living room door.
They stood in a row, bowing to him in unison. The display was just like a prestigious household welcoming back their young heir.
"Ho ho! I didn't know your house was so lively."
Arisawa Tatsuki popped up behind him, peeking inside with a teasing tone.
"The young master! Hahaha!"
"Mm-hmm! That's so cool!"
Inoue Orihime joined in the fun, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered a new continent.
"Asakura-kun is like the prince of a ghost castle!"
"Pfft!"
Arisawa Tatsuki burst out laughing, clutching her stomach and crouching on the floor, her shoulders shaking. Inoue Orihime looked innocent, having no idea what she had said was so funny.
Asakura Yoh's face darkened.
He glared at Arisawa Tatsuki. She finally managed to stop laughing, but when she met his eyes, she let out another snicker.
Sometimes Asakura Yoh really wondered—did this girl come to his house every year on this day to comfort him, or just to annoy him?
"Miss Arisawa!"
The old butler suddenly squeezed through the crowd, walking up to Arisawa Tatsuki with an excited expression.
"Thank you so much for coming to keep the young master company every year!"
He grasped Tatsuki's hands with both of his, shaking them vigorously, as tears began to well up in his cloudy eyes.
"Waaah! The master and mistress passed away so early. If it weren't for you and Master Kurosaki keeping him company, I really don't know... waaaah!"
He pulled a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and began to wipe his eyes.
Arisawa Tatsuki's smile froze on her face.
"Um, I... it's not like that..." She stood there awkwardly, wanting to pull her hands back but feeling too embarrassed to do so.
"Hey, please don't cry..."
Her face began to heat up.
Visiting Asakura Yoh's house on this day every year was an unspoken understanding between them—he never said 'thank you,' and she never said 'I'm here for you.'
It was as if she just happened to be passing by, happened to be hungry, and happened to want his family's apple pie.
But now, having the old butler point it out so bluntly...
"Oh!"
Inoue Orihime's voice suddenly rose, excited as if she'd made a grand discovery.
"I've got it!"
She clapped her hands together, her eyes bright as lightbulbs.
"Asakura-kun and Tatsuki grew up together, and the butler grew up watching Asakura-kun—that means he must know a lot of secrets that only Tatsuki and Asakura-kun share!"
She leaned in closer, blinking expectantly at the old butler.
The old butler finally finished wiping his tears and tucked his handkerchief back into his pocket. He cleared his throat, a kindly smile unique to those reminiscing about the past appearing on his face.
"Well, about that... there are indeed many memories..."
He paused, his gaze turning distant.
"For instance, back when Miss Arisawa and the young master finished practicing in the family training room, they often took baths together with the mistress, and—"
"Pfft!"
This time, it was Asakura Yoh who did the double-take.
He spat the barley tea he had just sipped all over the floor.
Inoue Orihime's smile froze.
Like a rusty robot, her neck jerked as she turned toward Asakura Yoh, then back to Arisawa Tatsuki, her eyes screaming, 'What did I just hear?'
Arisawa Tatsuki's face turned beet red instantly.
"That was all before I was eight years old, okay?!" she practically screamed.
"My mom forced me to—" Asakura Yoh spoke up at the same time, his voice even louder than Tatsuki's.
Their voices exploded in the living room, causing the chandelier on the ceiling to wobble.
Fortunately, this mansion had a barrier; no matter how loud they were, no one outside would hear a thing.
Inoue Orihime stared blankly for a moment, then slowly raised her hands to cover her burning cheeks.
"...Bathing together..."
she muttered, steam practically rising from her head.
"And then there was the time..."
Entirely unfazed by their shouting, the old butler continued his reminiscence, his face wearing that same kindly smile that suggested 'young people are so easily embarrassed.'
"Miss Arisawa was bullied to tears by the young master and went to complain to the mistress, then the young master was beaten to tears by the mistress, after which the master appeared—"
"Okay, that's enough! You don't need to say another word!"
Asakura Yoh and Arisawa Tatsuki charged forward simultaneously, muffling the old butler's mouth from both sides.
The old butler blinked, his eyes clearly saying, 'But I still have so many stories left.' With his mouth covered, however, he could only sink into his memories with a sense of lingering regret.
Asakura Yoh took a deep breath, released his hold, and turned to walk away.
"Come on, let's go somewhere else."
He grabbed the still-petrified Inoue Orihime and shot Arisawa Tatsuki a look. The three of them fled the living room as fast as they could.
Behind them, the old butler's gaze followed, filled with nostalgia.
"Go on and do whatever you need to do."
Asakura Yoh waved a hand at the other spirit servants as he walked.
"Auntie Den, please prepare some dinner. Oh, and don't forget the apple pie."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Auntie Den replied with a hearty voice.
Asakura Yoh paused.
"I told you to stop calling me young master!"
His voice drifted back from the end of the hallway, tinged with helplessness.
Auntie Den chuckled and shook her head before heading into the kitchen. The other spirit servants also dispersed, returning to their respective duties.
The old butler stood there, watching the direction where Asakura Yoh had vanished, and murmured softly.
"The young master has grown up... Mistress, Master, are you watching...?"
Upon reaching his room, Asakura Yoh slammed the door shut with a thud.
Although it didn't really affect spirits—they could just walk through walls—it at least offered him a bit of psychological comfort.
Arisawa Tatsuki plopped down on the floor and let out a long breath.
"Phew... your old butler is really something else..."
She couldn't find the right words to describe him.
"Enthusiastic?" Inoue Orihime suggested, having recovered from her petrification.
"Too enthusiastic," Arisawa Tatsuki added, rubbing her temples.
"By the way, are ghosts actually able to handle cooking and cleaning?" Tatsuki asked.
"They're Shamanic Souls modified by the Asakura family's secret arts," Asakura Yoh explained.
"Naturally, they're different from ordinary ghosts."
He looked at Inoue Orihime.
"Sora... your brother... I used the same method to modify him as well."
"Yeah!" Inoue Orihime nodded vigorously, a happy smile appearing on her face.
"Aside from his appearance and being invisible to others, Big Brother is just like a normal person!"
'No... I don't think you can really count him as a normal person anymore...'
Arisawa Tatsuki complained a little in her head.
But she said nothing, simply reaching out to ruffle Orihime's hair.
"Hehe!"
Inoue Orihime squinted her eyes like a kitten being petted, not at all resisting Tatsuki's touch.
Then, she felt an intense gaze.
Arisawa Tatsuki felt it too.
The two of them turned at the same time to meet Asakura Yoh's gaze.
"What are you looking at us like that for?" Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.
Asakura Yoh rested his chin on his hand, looking thoughtful.
"I was thinking..."
He paused.
"Tatsuki, is it because your own hair is as frizzy as a porcupine's that you like ruffling Orihime's hair so much?"
Arisawa Tatsuki's lip twitched.
Inoue Orihime blinked, looking at Tatsuki's eternally fluffy, short hair and then at her own long hair, sinking into deep thought.
"Come to think of it..."
"Shut up!"
Arisawa Tatsuki lunged forward, extending her arm and putting Asakura Yoh in a headlock.
"Does it make you physically ill not to annoy me?! Huh?!"
She asked with a dark expression, though her actions gave him no chance to answer—she clamped his head under her arm and vigorously rubbed his hair, turning his black mane into a bird's nest.
"Exactly!"
Inoue Orihime suddenly stood up, hands on her hips, looking righteous and stern.
"That was way too much, Asakura-kun! How could you say that to a girl!"
Arisawa Tatsuki looked at her with touch—her best friend really did come through in the clutch.
"At the very least, you should've said she looks like a hedgehog, not a porcupine!"
"..."
Arisawa Tatsuki fell silent.
Asakura Yoh burst out laughing from under her arm.
Inoue Orihime remained dead serious, completely unaware that she had said anything strange.
Arisawa Tatsuki sighed, released Asakura Yoh, and sat back down on the floor.
Orihime was wonderful in every way, but her train of thought was just on a different track from normal people.
She was used to it.
"So?" Asakura Yoh sat up and fixed his messy hair. "How did you two end up coming here together this year?"
"What, are we not welcome?" Arisawa Tatsuki eyed him sideways.
"You're welcome, you're welcome," Asakura Yoh held his hands up in surrender. "I'm just curious."
"I asked Tatsuki to bring me."
Inoue Orihime sat back down beside Tatsuki, a gentle smile on her face.
"I... I also wanted to keep Asakura-kun company. I might not be much help, but at least..."
She didn't finish, but her meaning was clear.
Asakura Yoh was silent for a while, then he gave a soft smile.
"Thanks."
"Eh?" Inoue Orihime was stunned—Asakura Yoh actually said thank you? She felt like it was the first time she'd ever heard it from him.
"Don't mind him," Arisawa Tatsuki patted her shoulder. "This guy actually speaks like a human once in a while."
"...Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Of course it is."
The three of them continued to chat idly.
Time flew by amidst the banter and casual conversation.
Before they knew it, a fragrant aroma seeped through the crack in the door.
Soon after, there was a knock.
"Young Master, dinner is ready."
It was Auntie Den's voice.
"Got it, we're coming—"
Before Asakura Yoh could finish, a head suddenly popped up from the middle of the low table.
It was the face of a middle-aged man, sporting a creepy grin as he stared directly at Arisawa Tatsuki.
"Waaah!"
Tatsuki jumped in fright, her back slamming into the wall with a loud thud.
"Hahahaha!"
The man's head rocked back and forth with laughter as he slowly crawled out from under the table—he had been crouching underneath the whole time, only popping his head up to scare them.
"Uncle Gen..." Asakura Yoh facepalmed.
"Hehe, just a joke, Young Master!"
Arisawa Tatsuki clutched her racing heart, glaring at him fiercely.
Inoue Orihime, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened and even waved at him. "Good evening!"
"Good evening, Miss Orihime."
Asakura Yoh was speechless.
'Inoue's nerves really are made of steel.'
Although they were called servants, he never treated these spirit servants as underlings. Most of them stayed at the Asakura household out of gratitude, treating him more like a child they had watched grow up.
Because of that, though, there were always a few eccentric types who found ways to prank him.
The one just now was child's play.
"Let's go, time to eat."
The three of them went to the dining room.
Tonight's spread was exceptionally lavish—braised pork, sweet and sour fish, stewed chicken soup, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and several dishes he couldn't even name, filling the table.
"Wow..." Inoue Orihime gasped in awe.
Arisawa Tatsuki was also taken aback—this spread was even grander than what she'd seen in previous years.
"Auntie Den, are you experimenting with new recipes?"
Asakura Yoh asked casually. Their chef loved trying out bizarre new recipes every now and then; compared to her usual "dark cuisine," these new dishes looked quite normal.
"Young Master," Auntie Den said as she walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands.
"These new dishes were all prepared by that lady you brought home the other day."
"A lady?"
Arisawa Tatsuki and Inoue Orihime turned to look at Asakura Yoh simultaneously.
Asakura Yoh followed Auntie Den's gaze.
At the edge of the crowd stood a young woman. She was dressed plainly, and a white parrot was perched on her shoulder.
Seeing Asakura Yoh look her way, she took an uncomfortable step forward.
"Young... Master."
She clearly wasn't used to the title yet; her voice was noticeably stiff.
"It's fine," Asakura Yoh waved his hand. "You don't have to follow their lead. Just call me by my name."
"I couldn't possibly!"
The woman's reaction was more intense than he had anticipated.
"Young Master, you are the benefactor of both me and my son. How could I dare address you by your name!"
Inoue Orihime stared at the parrot for a few seconds before suddenly exclaiming.
"Ah! You're... Yuichi!"
She pointed at the parrot, her eyes wide.
"You really found your mother! That's wonderful!"
Arisawa Tatsuki remembered too.
"So you weren't lying when you said you found her," she said, looking at Asakura Yoh.
"Hey now, what do you take me for?" Asakura Yoh said helplessly.
"Why would I lie about something like that?"
"Fine, fine."
Arisawa Tatsuki slapped him on the back with enough force to sound like a drum.
"My mistake, then."
The parrot flew off the woman's shoulder and landed on Inoue Orihime's outstretched finger.
"Hello, Big Brother! Hello, Big Sister Inoue and Big Sister Tatsuki!"
"Hehe, Yuichi is as cute as ever!"
As the woman watched this scene, her eyes grew slightly misty.
"Young Master..." She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come.
Asakura Yoh gave her a nod and said nothing.
Some gratitude doesn't need to be spoken.
"All right, all right."
Arisawa Tatsuki clutpped her hands and naturally walked over to sit in the chair where the apple pie was placed.
"Let's eat before it gets cold."
She knew that was her spot—every time she came to Asakura Yoh's house for dinner, he would have an apple pie made specifically for her.
Asakura Yoh himself hated it.
He hated apples, and he hated pie; apple pie was a double dose of hate. Only because Arisawa Tatsuki loved it would such a thing even be allowed in his house.
"Eh? Tatsuki, you sit there?" Inoue Orihime asked curiously.
"Yeah," Arisawa Tatsuki nodded as if it were obvious.
"It's like this every year."
She picked up her fork, cut a small piece of apple pie, and put it in her mouth.
Asakura Yoh sat across from her, unable to help a small smile as he watched her look of satisfaction.
"Eat slowly. No one's going to steal it from you."
"Mind your own business."
Inoue Orihime smiled as she watched their interaction.
She picked up a piece of braised pork and took a bite.
"Mmm! It's delicious!"
"If it's good, eat your fill," Auntie Den said, grinning from ear to ear.
"There's plenty more in the kitchen."
The dining room was filled with warmth, the aroma of food and the sound of laughter mingling to drive away the chill from outside.
Arisawa Tatsuki finished her last bite of apple pie and let out a satisfied sigh.
She looked at Asakura Yoh.
He was eating with his head down, his profile appearing exceptionally soft under the lights.
'This guy...'
She looked away and said nothing.
Some words don't need to be said.
Just like how she would show up here every year on this day.
Just like how there would be an apple pie waiting for her here every year on this day.
Just like—
"Tatsuki, do you want more?" Inoue Orihime's voice broke her train of thought.
"Ah? No, I'm good." Arisawa Tatsuki waved her hand.
"I'm full."
"Hehe, then I'll finish the rest!"
"Go for it."
Asakura Yoh looked up at the two of them, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
[ Author's Note : If you're loving the story, a power_stone, review or comment means the world!
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