Sora Inoue's Resolve

The next day, Tsuna's trio once again gathered at Orihime Inoue's house.

"Huh? Arisawa, Sawada, and Kurosaki, you're back again? Welcome." Orihime stepped aside to let them in, asking, "Didn't you finish your homework already? What's going on?"

Tsuna lifted the fruit in his hand and said, "Since you're alone, it's easier for us to hang out here. Tatsuki and Inoue, you two can wash these fruits first."

"This is too much." Orihime took the bag, knowing fruit wasn't cheap and this bag cost a fair bit.

"Forget about that, come on, Orihime, take me to the kitchen." Tatsuki linked arms with Orihime Inoue affectionately.

This was what Tsuna and the others had planned earlier—Tatsuki would distract Orihime Inoue first, while he and Ichigo talked to Sora Inoue.

The two walked over to the corner where Sora Inoue was crouching. As expected, he was still there, quietly watching Orihime Inoue's life.

"Can we talk? Inoue's Brother." Tsuna said softly, trying to minimize the chance of Orihime Inoue noticing.

"You can see me?" Sora Inoue, who had long accepted his own death, asked in surprise.

"Inoue's Brother, you've been reluctant to pass on. Are you worried about Orihime Inoue?" Ichigo couldn't help asking.

"You're Orihime's classmates, so you should know how could I possibly feel at ease leaving a middle school girl to live alone?" Sora Inoue sighed, his face full of worry.

"But if you don't ascend, once the chain on your chest disappears, you'll turn into a monster, and then you'll only endanger Inoue!" Ichigo said according to his understanding.

"Monster?" Concerned for Orihime Inoue's safety, Sora Inoue's expression grew urgent. He looked at the Causal Chain on his chest. "Is this it?"

"Tsuna, this chain still looks pretty long..." Ichigo stared at the meter-long chain on Sora Inoue's chest, clearly not something that would vanish anytime soon.

Tsuna naturally knew Sora Inoue wouldn't become a Hollow anytime soon. According to the original course of events, he wouldn't be devoured by a Hollow and turn into one until after Orihime Inoue entered high school. That meant he maintained this soul state throughout Orihime Inoue's entire middle school years.

Tsuna's eyes flickered with a strange look. Normally, it would be completely impossible for a soul to last this long in the World of the Living. Yet Sora Inoue had held on this long purely through his concern for Orihime Inoue, only gradually becoming hollow and getting devoured by a Hollow after Orihime kept talking about Ichigo's goodness in front of him.

Was there something different about Sora Inoue compared to other souls?

Tsuna used Reishi to probe Sora Inoue from behind, and actually detected faint Reiatsu on Sora Inoue's spirit body. Perhaps this was the key to why Sora Inoue could last so long.

"Tsuna, what's the situation?" Ichigo asked with concern.

"Inoue's Brother, you have Reiatsu within you. That has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that you can exist in the World of the Living for a long time—a year or two? The disadvantage is that your Reiatsu is very likely to attract the covetous attention of Hollows. It's hard to guarantee that after a Hollow devours you, it won't turn its target toward Inoue." Tsuna analyzed.

"Hollows—are those the monsters you mentioned?" Sora Inoue asked.

"Exactly."

"Then what should I do?" Sora Inoue's face was full of worry. He truly cared about his sister, but he didn't want her to die at the hands of a monster either.

"Normally, when a soul ascends, it goes to a place called Soul Society. There, you can live a second life as a soul. And since you already have some Reiatsu, you just need to choose to become a Bleach. When Inoue dies naturally, you'll be able to meet her in Soul Society." Tsuna gave Sora Inoue a suggestion.

"Wait for Orihime to die naturally? But during this time, I still can't stop worrying about Orihime..." Sora Inoue's mood sank.

"Don't worry, Ichigo will take care of Inoue." Tsuna patted Ichigo on the shoulder.

"Hey, Tsuna, why me?" Ichigo complained in a low voice, dissatisfied.

"Me take care of her? Tatsuki would kill me." Tsuna said calmly, stating a fact Ichigo couldn't argue against.

"But... but..." Ichigo racked his brain for a reason, but it was still a bit difficult for him.

"You're Ichigo?" Sora Inoue asked excitedly. "Orihime talks about you every day. So you're that person."

When Tsuna and the others came yesterday, Sora Inoue thought they couldn't see him. His attention was entirely on Orihime Inoue, so he hadn't even noticed Ichigo's name.

"Inoue talks about me?" Ichigo couldn't figure it out. He'd only known Orihime Inoue for a short time, yet she mentioned him every day?

"That's right. Orihime says you're like a ray of sunlight shining into her world. It was after meeting you that Orihime's smile became more frequent." Sora Inoue answered very seriously.

"Me? Am I really that amazing?" Ichigo didn't know what expression to use to convey the complexity inside him.

"Ichigo, you don't realize how much your kindness attracts people trapped in darkness." Tsuna said.

"Um, this is very rude of me, but could I ask you to take good care of Orihime? I'm sorry, I have nothing to give you, so I can only offer my sincerest thanks." Sora Inoue performed a perfect Dogeda to express his gratitude to Ichigo.

"Get up, you don't need to ask—I'll do it anyway."

Ichigo was a bit embarrassed, flustered. Tsuna quickly held him back—his movements were too loud.

"Inoue's Brother, can you rest assured now?" Tsuna asked.

"No choice, young man. Even if I disagreed, you'd find a way to deal with me, wouldn't you?" Sora Inoue asked with a smile.

"Inoue's Brother has sharp observation skills."

"You have to pick up some basic skills to get by in society." Sora Inoue turned to Tsuna. "Thank you."

"Alright, Tsuna, let's call Inoue over quickly." Ichigo urged.

"Let me watch Orihime leave? That's fine too..."

Before Sora Inoue could finish, Ichigo interrupted him. "No, it's not that. We're letting Inoue see you one last time. That should fulfill Inoue's wish, right?"

"See me?" Sora Inoue touched the nonexistent tears on his face, satisfied and a little emotional. "Orihime really didn't misjudge you, Ichigo. I'm entrusting Orihime's future to you."

That look from Sora Inoue only made Ichigo more flustered, while Tsuna watched the show with a smile. The way Sora Inoue looked at Ichigo was clearly the gaze of someone sizing up a brother-in-law.

"Kurosaki, Sawada, the fruit is here." Just then, Orihime Inoue walked out carrying the washed fruit.

"Inoue, come quick! There's a surprise!"

Amid Orihime Inoue's continuous exclamations of surprise, Ichigo impatiently pulled her over in front of Sora Inoue's photo.

Just as Orihime Inoue was feeling a bit confused, Ichigo and Tsuna both placed their hands on her shoulders at the same time.

Having learned the basics the day before, Ichigo could already roughly channel Reiatsu, and together with Tsuna, they infused it into Orihime Inoue's body.

Orihime Inoue's vision blurred, her pupils trembled, and tears instantly spilled from the corners of her eyes.

"Brother, I've missed you so much!" Orihime Inoue choked out, the fruit she was holding slipping from her grasp, though Tsuna was quick enough to catch it.

"I'm sorry, Orihime..."

The Inoue siblings wept as they poured out their feelings, both knowing this might be the last time they'd see each other. Tsuna and the other two didn't rush Orihime Inoue, simply waiting in silence.

They talked until evening, when the reunion finally drew to a close. Two trash bags full of tissues sat beside Orihime Inoue, all soaked with her tears.

"Let's stop here, Orihime." Sora Inoue said softly, then turned to the two supplying Reiatsu: "Thank you, both young men, and the other classmate too."

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime Inoue said through her tears, thanking them as well. Having seen her brother one last time, the gloom in her heart had completely vanished.

"Lastly, I'm counting on you, Ichigo-kun." Sora Inoue suddenly singled out Ichigo, his gentle, entrusting tone so pointed that even Orihime Inoue, with her thick nerves, caught something off.

"Brother, what are you saying!" Orihime Inoue's face flushed red as steam, her hands flailing in front of her. She wanted to cover Sora Inoue's mouth but couldn't manage it.

"You talk about Ichigo-kun's good points every day. Your big brother here has heard every single word, you know." Sora Inoue said gently, dropping a truth that hit Orihime Inoue like a critical blow.

Orihime Inoue was so red-faced she couldn't speak at all, even starting to wonder why her awful brother wouldn't just disappear already.

"Don't worry, Inoue's Brother. We'll make sure to invite Inoue-san over to Ichigo's place more often. I'm sure Aunt Masa would be thrilled." Tsuna added at the perfect moment.

"Huh? Mom? Why?" Ichigo's reaction nerve was sometimes sharp, sometimes dull.

Orihime nearly fainted on the spot when she heard Ichigo's mom mentioned, but Tatsuki was quick enough to catch her.

Seeing Orihime Inoue like this, Sora Inoue was even more certain of his guess. He smiled faintly and said, "Let's leave it here then. Be happy, Orihime."

Sora Inoue drifted toward the door, asking Ichigo and Tatsuki to look after Orihime Inoue. Tsuna followed him out, and Sora Inoue waited for him just outside.

"Can't you just ascend directly?" Tsuna asked. He had changed form, now in a suit, a Black Blade idly spinning in his hand.

If it were anyone else, Tsuna wouldn't bother with words—he'd just Konso them and be done.

"Regardless, thank you. My wish in life was to watch Orihime grow up. Maybe that's why I couldn't ascend."

Sora Inoue looked at the Chains on his chest. Because he was a spirit, he could see Orihime Inoue one last time, but because of those Chains, he had to stay away from her.

"Relax, you'll meet again in a hundred years." With that, Tsuna pressed the hilt of his sword toward Sora Inoue's head.

"A hundred years is too long. Tsuna-san, is there any way I can witness Orihime's growth? Any price, I'll pay it without hesitation!" Sora Inoue asked, his gaze firm.

Looking into Sora Inoue's eyes, Tsuna understood that what bound him was the obsession of his life. How could meeting a hundred years later ever erase that?

Tsuna carefully recalled Sora Inoue's few appearances. Maybe there really was a way?

"Even if it means becoming a monster?"

"A Hollow?" Sora Inoue had already remembered the name for the monsters. "I'm begging you, Tsuna-san!"

"I understand. But fair warning, I'm not sure it'll work." Tsuna said.

"I'm already dead anyway."

If it failed, he was just dead. Looking at this carefree man before him, Tsuna felt the power of obsession for the first time.