Blondie

When classes at Shin'ō Academy ended, the setting sun had just turned the classroom window frames gold.

Wang Xun gathered his theory notes from the desk while Nanao deftly stuffed her books into her cloth bag beside him.

Life seemed to have returned to normal. Wang Xun attended classes, trained, and picked up fragments as usual.

But he knew that some things had begun to change.

Perhaps because the matter involved the defection of a Fifth Division Seated Officer, an invisible hand had begun to move.

The specific details of the Konsō practicum were not made public.

The only announcement said that a menos grande had appeared in the World of the Living on the day of the practicum.

As a result, discussions on campus focused on strengthening security and protection for such practicums.

But no one knew about the Fifth Division Seated Officer's defection.

Wang Xun guessed that it might also have something to do with the fact that the person involved was already dead.

Likewise, Wang Xun's actions in the incident were not widely known.

But word spread throughout the campus that one of the fifth-year students was powerful enough to kill a menos grande close to Gillian level in an instant.

Days of training and study had left Nanao looking somewhat tired.

Seeing how hard Nanao was pushing herself, Wang Xun made a suggestion.

"Want to visit the new Ichiraku today? You probably haven't tried our new yakitori yet."

"Yaki... tori?"

Nanao looked a little confused.

"Come on, I'll take you to try it."

The two walked out of the classroom side by side and headed out of the Spiritual Arts Academy.

As they passed the library entrance, Wang Xun caught sight of someone out of the corner of his eye.

It was a tall young man whose pale blond hair had a soft sheen in the setting sun.

He wore a black shihakushō and had a gentle face, with a modest smile on his lips as he spoke to a teacher.

But Wang Xun's steps slowed almost imperceptibly.

Why does this guy look a little familiar...?

But he was certain he had never met the man, and had no recollection of him.

Was it just my imagination?

Wang Xun hesitated only a moment before looking away and walking on with Nanao.

Business at the new Ichiraku Ramen was booming more than ever.

The newly introduced yakitori selection had clearly made an impact on the taste buds of Rukongai's residents.

Many Shinigami, and even minor nobles from Seireitei, came to patronize the shop.

At this rate, it wouldn't be long before they could open a fourth branch.

He wondered if they could open one inside Seireitei, though that would probably be difficult without a noble's backing.

If they could open one on the nobles' street, the money would really come rolling in.

The shop was packed with customers, and the air was filled with the savory aroma of food grilling over charcoal and the rich scent of sauce.

Wang Xun exercised his privileges as shop manager and arranged a separate table in the corner for himself and Nanao.

Before long, the food arrived.

Nanao ate happily, her face filled with the bliss of good food.

As time passed, the crowd in the shop began to thin.

Then Wang Xun noticed something.

A blond young man sat alone in a corner near the edge of the shop.

He had ordered a few skewers of yakitori and a bowl of ramen. He ate with evident enjoyment, exclaiming in amazement from time to time.

"What are you staring at? I can't eat any more. You can have this."

Nanao held out a chicken meatball skewer to Wang Xun, interrupting his thoughts.

"Thanks."

Wang Xun took it and had a bite.

But most of his attention was on that corner.

The man he had just seen once had appeared here too. It could have been a coincidence.

But Wang Xun's instincts told him it didn't seem like one.

Wang Xun chewed his food, keeping an eye on the man from time to time.

As a result, he ate the chicken meatball skewer rather absentmindedly.

When Wang Xun finished the last bite, he made a decision.

"Nanao, you go back first."

Wang Xun wiped his mouth.

"There are some ingredients the shop needs to buy. I have to check the details with Uncle."

Nanao looked at him, then glanced around the shop. Her gaze also lingered briefly in the blond young man's direction.

Clever as she was, she had already noticed something.

She nodded without asking further questions.

"Remember to come back early, then. I'll wait for you at the library tomorrow."

"All right."

After seeing Nanao off, Wang Xun didn't immediately approach the blondie, who was still slurping his noodles.

Wang Xun sat where he was for a few minutes, waiting as the man leisurely finished his last bite.

Only then did Wang Xun stand and head straight for the corner.

Blondie looked up. His eyes, hidden beneath that gentle exterior, turned to Wang Xun with only a perfectly measured hint of confusion.

As if he were curious about Wang Xun's behavior.

"Sir," Wang Xun said calmly, "you seem very interested in me."

Blondie blinked, then gave him a harmless smile.

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"We've run into each other twice, from the Spiritual Arts Academy to here. You've been right in my line of sight both times, and you're going to tell me that's just a coincidence?"

He looked at Wang Xun with interest.

"Why can't it be a coincidence?"

"Oh, so it was a coincidence."

Enlightened, Wang Xun stood up and left.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't go! I do have something to ask you."

Blondie hurriedly reached out and caught Wang Xun by the sleeve.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kisuke Urahara. I came to see you today because there's something I'd like to ask you about."

Wang Xun froze.

Kisuke Urahara.

No wonder he looked familiar.

Kisuke Urahara now had a gentle, reserved air, making him seem like a completely different person from the eccentric shopkeeper in the bucket hat he would become.

So much so that Wang Xun hadn't recognized him at first glance.

The information he knew about Urahara flashed through Wang Xun's mind.

Kirio Hikifune was still captain of the Twelfth Division, so Kisuke Urahara should still be the Third Seat of the Second Division.

At the same time, he was the captain of the Detention Unit, the Stealth Force Third Division responsible for guarding the Maggot's Nest.

The Maggot's Nest was different from Shin'ō Underground Great: The Jail, where dangerous criminals like Aizen would later be imprisoned.

It held suspects believed likely to pose a threat to Soul Society.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was currently locked up there for researching things indiscriminately, and wouldn't be released until Kisuke Urahara became a captain.

And now this Third Seat of the Second Division had appeared before him in such a low-key manner.

What does he want with me?

Urahara's smile didn't change. He wiped his mouth, then picked up a small cloth bag beside him.

"Student Wang Xun, I was wondering... do you recognize these?"

He tipped a few dark purple fruits out of the bag and onto the table.

Their skins had grown somewhat shriveled, and it looked as though they had been sitting around for a long time. The glow of fragments was no longer on them.

Wang Xun hadn't given his name, but he wasn't surprised that Kisuke Urahara could call him by it.

He looked at the familiar fruits, his eyes narrowing slightly, then nodded without betraying any emotion.

"About a month ago, I bought some from an old man in West Rukongai. They tasted good, and their Reishi content was higher than ordinary wild fruit."

Urahara picked up a fruit and turned it between his fingertips.

"I heard you also followed that old man to where the fruit grew?"

Wang Xun's expression grew a little serious.

"You investigated me?"

Kisuke Urahara nodded.

A thoughtful look appeared on Wang Xun's face.

"Since you were able to investigate in such detail, I imagine you're no ordinary person."