The next day, Tsuna's trio arranged to et again at Inoue Orihi's house.
"Eh? Arisawa-san, Sawada-san, Kurosaki-san—you're here again? Welco."
Orihi stepped aside to let them in and asked curiously, "Didn't you already finish your howork? What brings you here?"
Tsuna lifted the bag of fruit in his hand.
"You're living alone, so it's easier if we just hang out at your place. Tatsuki, Inoue-san—could you wash these fruits first?"
"This is too expensive…" Orihi said as she accepted the bag. Fruit wasn't cheap, and this was quite a lot.
"Don't worry about that. Co on, Inoue—take to the kitchen," Tatsuki said affectionately, linking arms with her.
This had been Tsuna's plan all along. Tatsuki would distract Orihi first, while he and Ichigo went to talk to Inoue Sora.
The two of them walked over to the corner where Sora was crouching. As expected, he was still there, quietly watching over Orihi's life.
"Can we talk, Inoue-niisan?" Tsuna said softly, trying not to attract Orihi's attention.
"You can see ?"
Sora, who had already accepted the fact that he was dead, asked in shock.
"Inoue-niisan, you haven't passed on for so long… are you worried about Orihi?" Ichigo asked.
"You're Orihi's classmates—you should know why I can't rest easy leaving a middle school girl to live on her own," Sora sighed, his face full of worry.
"But if you don't pass on, when the Chain of Fate on your chest disappears, you'll turn into a monster. If that happens, the one in danger will be Inoue!" Ichigo said according to what he understood.
"A monster?"
At the ntion of Orihi's safety, Sora's expression imdiately turned anxious as he looked at the chain on his chest.
"You an this?"
"Ichigo… that chain still looks pretty long," Ichigo muttered as he looked at the Chain of Fate, which was still over a ter long. It was obvious it wouldn't disappear anyti soon.
Tsuna already knew Sora wouldn't beco a Hollow anyti soon. According to the original tiline, he would only be devoured by a Hollow and beco one himself after Orihi entered high school.
That ant Sora had maintained this spirit body state throughout her entire middle school life.
Tsuna's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Normally, it was impossible for a soul to remain in the Human World for that long. Yet Sora had endured purely through his concern for Orihi—until, eventually, Orihi constantly talking about Ichigo caused a sense of emptiness to grow within him, allowing a Hollow to devour him.
Could Sora be different from other souls?
Tsuna quietly manipulated Reishi behind his back and examined Sora.
To his surprise, he discovered faint Reiatsu emanating from Sora's spiritual body.
Perhaps that was the key to why Sora had been able to persist for so long.
"Tsuna, how is it?" Ichigo asked.
"Inoue-niisan, you possess a small amount of Reiatsu. That's both good and bad," Tsuna explained.
"The good news is that you can remain in the Human World for quite a long ti—maybe a year, maybe two."
"But the downside is that your Reiatsu could attract the attention of Hollows. If a Hollow devours you, there's no guarantee it won't turn its attention toward Inoue afterward."
"Hollows… the monsters you ntioned?" Sora asked.
"That's right."
"What should I do then?" Sora asked anxiously. He worried about his sister, but he didn't want her to die at the hands of monsters either.
"Normally, after a soul passes on, it goes to a place called Soul Society," Tsuna explained.
"There, you can live a second life as a soul. Since you already possess Reiatsu, you could train to beco a Shinigami. When Orihi eventually dies of natural causes, the two of you could et again in Soul Society."
"Wait until Orihi dies naturally…" Sora murmured, his mood sinking.
"But during this ti, I still can't stop worrying about her…"
"Don't worry," Tsuna said, patting Ichigo on the shoulder.
"Ichigo will take good care of Inoue."
"Hey, Tsuna—why ?" Ichigo protested in a low voice.
"Should I do it instead? Tatsuki would beat to death," Tsuna replied calmly.
Ichigo fell silent. He couldn't refute that.
"Well… but… but…" Ichigo desperately tried to co up with a reason, but it wasn't easy for him.
"You're Ichigo?" Sora suddenly asked excitedly.
"Orihi ntions you every day. So you're that person."
Yesterday, Sora had assud Tsuna and the others couldn't see him, so he had focused entirely on Orihi and hadn't even noticed Ichigo's na.
"She… talks about ?" Ichigo said in confusion. They hadn't known each other for very long.
"Yes," Sora replied seriously.
"Orihi said you're like a ray of sunlight shining into her world. Ever since she t you, she's been smiling much more."
"? Am I really that amazing?" Ichigo didn't know how to react to that.
"You have no idea how attractive kindness can be to soone living in darkness," Tsuna said.
"Um… this may be rude, but could I ask you to look after Orihi?" Sora suddenly said.
"I'm sorry. I have nothing I can give you. All I can offer is my most sincere gratitude."
He imdiately dropped into a deep dogeza, bowing to Ichigo.
"H-Hey, get up! Even if you didn't ask, I'd still do it!" Ichigo said in embarrassnt.
He started flailing awkwardly, but Tsuna quickly stopped him—too much noise might alert Orihi.
"So, Inoue-niisan… you can rest easy now, right?" Tsuna asked.
"Well… I suppose I have no choice," Sora said with a smile.
"Young man, even if I refused, you'd still find a way to deal with , wouldn't you?"
"You're very perceptive, Inoue-niisan."
"When you survive in society, you learn a few basic skills," Sora said before turning back to Tsuna.
"Thank you."
"Alright Tsuna, let's call Inoue over!" Ichigo urged.
"You want to watch Orihi leave…? I suppose that's fine…" Sora began.
But Ichigo imdiately interrupted him.
"That's not it! We want Orihi to see you one last ti. That should fulfill her wish, right?"
"See ?" Sora wiped tears that technically didn't exist on his spirit face.
"Orihi really didn't misjudge you, Ichigo. Her future… I'll leave it to you."
That look Sora gave Ichigo made him even more flustered, while Tsuna simply watched the scene with a smile.
That gaze clearly looked like an older brother evaluating his future brother-in-law.
At that mont, Orihi ca out carrying the washed fruit.
"Kurosaki-san, Sawada-san—the fruit's ready."
"Inoue, co here! We have a surprise!" Ichigo said eagerly.
Amid Orihi's confused protests, Ichigo pulled her in front of Sora's photograph.
Just as she was wondering what was going on, Ichigo and Tsuna both placed their hands on her shoulders.
After practicing the day before, Ichigo could already mobilize a small amount of Reiatsu.
Together, the two of them infused their Reiatsu into Orihi.
Her vision suddenly blurred.
Her pupils trembled, and tears instantly stread down her cheeks.
"Brother… I missed you so much!" Orihi sobbed.
The fruit slipped from her hands, but Tsuna quickly caught it.
"Orihi… I'm sorry…"
The siblings cried as they spoke to each other.
Both of them knew this might be their final eting.
Tsuna, Ichigo, and Tatsuki didn't interrupt—they simply waited quietly.
They talked until evening.
By the ti the conversation finally ended, two full bags of used tissues sat beside Orihi, filled with tears.
"That's enough, Orihi," Sora said gently.
Then he looked at the two boys supplying Reiatsu.
"Thank you both… and the other classmate as well."
"Thank you… Kurosaki-san…" Orihi said through tears.
Being able to see her brother one last ti had completely cleared the darkness in her heart.
"And lastly… Ichigo," Sora added with particular emphasis.
That gentle, entrusting tone was so obvious that even Orihi's slow nerves noticed sothing was off.
"B-Brother, what are you saying?!" Orihi shouted, her face turning bright red as she flailed her arms helplessly.
"You talk about how wonderful Ichigo is every day," Sora said warmly.
"Your brother here heard everything."
Orihi's face turned completely crimson. She couldn't say a word.
She even wondered why her annoying brother hadn't disappeared yet.
"Don't worry, Inoue-niisan," Tsuna added helpfully.
"We'll invite Inoue to Ichigo's house more often. I'm sure Aunt Masaki will be very happy."
"Huh? My mom? Why?" Ichigo asked, completely confused.
At the ntion of Ichigo's mother, Orihi nearly fainted from embarrassnt. Fortunately, Tatsuki caught her in ti.
Seeing this reaction, Sora beca even more certain of his guess.
"Well then… I'll leave it here," he said with a smile.
"Be happy, Orihi."
Sora floated toward the door.
After asking Ichigo and Tatsuki to look after Orihi, Tsuna followed him outside.
Sora was waiting there.
"Can't you pass on directly?" Tsuna asked.
His appearance changed—he now wore a black suit, casually spinning a black Zanpakutō in his hand.
If it were another soul, Tsuna wouldn't bother talking and would simply perform Konsō.
But this was Sora.
"No matter what, thank you," Sora said.
"My wish in life was to watch Orihi grow up. Maybe that's why I couldn't pass on."
He looked down at the Chain of Fate on his chest.
Because he was a soul, he could et Orihi again.
But because of that chain, he also had to stay away from her.
"Don't worry. You'll et again in a hundred years," Tsuna said as he raised the hilt of his Zanpakutō toward Sora's forehead.
"A hundred years is too long," Sora replied firmly.
"Mr. Tsuna… is there any way for to witness Orihi's growth?"
"No matter the cost."
Seeing the determination in Sora's eyes, Tsuna understood.
What bound him here was his lingering obsession. eting again a hundred years later wouldn't resolve that.
Tsuna carefully recalled Sora's few appearances in the original story.
Perhaps… there really was a way.
"Even if you beco a monster?" Tsuna asked.
"A Hollow, you an?" Sora said, already rembering the na.
"Please, Mr. Tsuna."
"I understand," Tsuna said.
"But I'll be honest—I'm not sure it will work."
"Well… I'm already dead anyway."
If it failed, it would simply an his death had truly co.
Looking at the man before him—so open and resolute—Tsuna felt the power of sothing called obsession for the first ti.
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