Our Promise

The next day, Soul Society, Seireitei, Fourth Division Barracks.

In the silent room, Shadow, lying on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes and sat up. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his ink-black eyes held a trace of confusion.

He pressed a hand to his chest and gradually calmed his rapid breathing. Shadow gave a bitter smile.

"I thought I'd already come to terms with it, but in the end... I still can't let go!"

After a moment of silence, Shadow let out a heavy sigh. His ever-changing expression gradually calmed as he leaned against the wall beside the bed and looked through the window at the bright sunlight outside, seemingly lost in thought.

After an unknown amount of time, a scream suddenly jolted Shadow awake. When he came back to himself, he caught sight of a girl hurrying out of the room from the corner of his eye. Looking outside again, he realized it was already dusk.

Outside the Fourth Division Barracks, Yoruichi Shihōin and Kūkaku Shiba walked through the gates.

"Kukaku, you didn't have to come with me!"

Seeing her friend yawning nonstop from exhaustion, Yoruichi could not help saying so.

"Yeah..." Kukaku yawned and slowly said, "I just wanted to see how long a certain idiot could keep forcing herself to endure it. Not eating, not sleeping..."

Yoruichi froze for a moment before turning her head away. "I just haven't had much of an appetite, and I can't sleep."

"Tch." Kukaku curled her lip. "Give me a break. You think I don't know you? But seriously, Yoruichi... the person Shadow mentioned, you..."

"..."

Yoruichi smiled without saying anything. Seeing that, Kukaku sighed, took a puff from her pipe, and said no more.

"Ah! Yoruichi and Kukaku!"

Retsu Unohana, who was walking briskly with several squad members, smiled gently when she saw Yoruichi and Kukaku approaching. "What a coincidence. I just received a report that Shadow has already woken up!"

"He's awake already!"

Yoruichi's body jolted, and then she vanished.

She had actually used Shunpo. Kukaku twitched her mouth helplessly and followed after her with Unohana.

Bang!

The violent sound of the door being shoved open startled Shadow awake again. The first thing he saw was Yoruichi.

Seeing the joy flash through her still-bright golden eyes, as well as the exhaustion she could not conceal in their depths, Shadow's lips curved faintly.

"Lady Yoruichi..."

"So you're finally willing to wake up?"

"Lady Yoruichi?" Shadow was stunned. What did she mean by that?

After a brief silence, Yoruichi spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. "Don't call me that anymore. Let Captain Unohana examine you again."

"Alright."

Retsu Unohana, who had arrived afterward, was also slightly taken aback. However, she knew this was not something she could interfere with. After answering, she began carefully examining Shadow's body.

"Lady Yoruichi!"

Though he allowed Unohana to examine him, Shadow's mind was nowhere near it as he looked at Yoruichi in astonishment.

"I said, stop calling me that. Did you hear me?"

"..."

The room fell silent, heavy with a stifling atmosphere. Only after Unohana finished her examination and confirmed that there was nothing wrong did she leave with Kukaku, gently closing the door behind them.

At a time like this, everyone understood that this was time meant for Shadow and Yoruichi. No one else could intrude or disturb them. Some matters had to be resolved by the two of them alone.

"She... is very important to you, isn't she?"

After a long while, Yoruichi lowered her head slightly. In the dim room, Shadow could not see her face clearly. "That... Lady Anko."

Shadow's eyes widened abruptly, and his face turned deathly pale. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but his throat seemed glued shut, and not a single word came out.

Yoruichi smiled. There was relief in that smile, but also melancholy and loneliness. Her ever-lively golden eyes now revealed a trace of sorrow.

To Shadow, it felt as though a heavy hammer had smashed into his chest. His heart churned, and he could barely breathe. That sorrow made his heart ache, and the unprecedented feeling nearly suffocated him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Other than those words, Shadow had no idea what else he could say.

"Honestly..." Yoruichi wrinkled her delicate nose, crossed her arms over her chest, and walked to the window. Looking at the sky outside, she said, "Why are you apologizing again? You haven't done anything wrong. Actually, I should be the one apologizing to you..."

"Yoruichi..."

"Listen to me!"

Yoruichi cut Shadow off. Her tone was so calm that no emotion could be heard in it. "Ever since you unconsciously called out that name, I've been lost for the past day. I really didn't know what I was supposed to do."

"Well... to be honest, I've gotten used to it. Used to your protection, your care. All these years, whether I was happy or unhappy, no matter when it was, you were always by my side."

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Yoruichi suddenly laughed. "You idiot! You were clearly so strong, yet you insisted on pretending to be useless and nearly got yourself killed!"

Shadow lowered his head, seemingly remembering that time as well.

"I've always been glad about the choice I made back then. I always have been. I thought you would stay by my side forever too, but now... I really don't know what to do. You said back then that I gave you a reason to keep living, but honestly, it wasn't just because of that, was it?"

Silence. Once again, silence. After a long while, Shadow finally nodded and murmured, "Mm."

"It had something to do with her, didn't it?"

"Mm."

"Hey." Yoruichi suddenly turned around and stared into Shadow's eyes. Her golden gaze seemed capable of seeing through everything. "Do you remember what you promised me?"

"I remember." Shadow answered in a deep voice, "How could I forget?"

"Is that so?" After a long pause, Yoruichi spoke again, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible tremor. "Can I... still call you Shadow?"

"Of course." Shadow nodded solemnly. "I've always been Shadow."

Yoruichi pressed her lips together and smiled, then looked out the window again. "You know, I thought about a lot of things. I even thought that you might leave just like that. I... was a little afraid."

"Lady Yoruichi!"

Helplessness. Yes, that was it—helplessness. The helplessness Yoruichi revealed made Shadow feel as though his heart were being cut apart. Scenes from all the years they had spent together surfaced before his eyes, both happy and painful. At that moment, Shadow suddenly understood many things.

"Lady Yoruichi, don't say such foolish things anymore. Even if you told me not to call you that, no matter what, you will always be my Lady Yoruichi! A shadow will never betray its master!"

"So Shadow will not leave your side. Never. I promised I would stay with you. I've already suffered once—how could I make the same mistake again, Lady Yoruichi..."

"Ah! I heard that. You said it yourself!"

Yoruichi walked to the bedside, her lips lifting into a smile. Beneath her fluttering lashes, her golden eyes held an indescribable tenderness.

"You can't go back on your word now!!!"

"Mm!"

Shadow nodded heavily. It felt as though something had filled his heart, warm and full enough to overflow.

"Alright!"

Yoruichi laughed, her eyes curving into crescents as she held out her little finger.

"Let's make a pinky promise. Once we seal it, it'll be a real promise! You have to stay with me forever!"

Shadow was slightly stunned, but he also held out his finger and hooked it around Yoruichi's. Their thumbs pressed together, like their intertwined fates. Their hearts were bound tightly together, never to be separated again.

Watching Yoruichi laugh heartily as she returned to her former self, Shadow's lips lifted into a deep smile.

Lady Yoruichi, thank you. I think I understand a little now. Lady Anko is important to me, but Lady Yoruichi, you are just as important.

Both of you are more important to me than my own life.