The Next Day.
A gentle breeze slipped through the half-open windows, carrying with it the scent of dew and the faint fragrance of flowers from the backyard garden. The sky was still in the process of changing colors, dominated by a pale blue deep above, while shy threads of orange began creeping up from the horizon, gently pushing back the darkness.
A heavy silence filled the house, broken only by the slow ticking of the wall clock and the soft drip of a water drop falling from a faucet that wasn't tightly closed.
Inside Ren's room, the curtains fluttered softly with the passing air, and the first golden light slowly crept across the wooden floor, gradually rising to the bed and touching his cheek.
"Hmm…" Ren let out a soft sigh as he turned onto his side, trying to ignore the fragments of a fading dream he no longer clearly remembered. Slowly, he opened one eye… and found himself staring directly at the ceiling.
His room was very simple, containing only a single bed. Beside it was a small table holding some of his essentials like his phone, headphones, and other simple belongings.
Besides the bed and the table by his head, there was a simple study desk, a sliding paper-door closet, a gaming computer, and a small shelf holding many Bokuto (wooden swords).
Ren sat up a little on the bed, stretching and yawning without opening his eyes fully; he didn't want to receive an overwhelming flood of information the moment he woke up, as it would be very annoying.
Usually, Ren would either still be asleep at this time or outside in the garden swinging his wooden sword. But today, with everything that happened yesterday, his head was full of many thoughts, and he wasn't in the mood.
"Ah…" Ren sighed quietly, running his hand through his messy hair. His voice was still heavy and drowsy, as if coming from the depths of a well. He sat still for a moment, simply feeling the weight of his body and the cold waves touching his bare feet.
Finally, he opened his eyes slowly and hesitantly, flooding himself with a rush of sensory information: the slow movement of dust in the sunlight, the distant chirp of a bird, a faint vibration in the air caused by a shift in reiatsu... all things unnoticed by most humans, but for him, they were loud and disturbing.
"Nothing's changed…" he murmured, looking back at the ceiling. That small dark spot in the corner hadn't disappeared, perhaps caused by a water leak or maybe a shadow of something he never cared to notice before.
After a moment, he quietly rose from the bed and pulled the curtains with his right hand, letting the light flood the entire room.
The golden light swept through the place swiftly, revealing it like a scene from a hanging painting, while its reflection on the row of Bokuto on the shelf made them shine as if waiting for someone to use them.
"Looks like I need to clean this place soon…" he said without real intention, then headed straight to the bathroom after grabbing a towel from the closet.
_
A few minutes later…
Ren emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. Steam still rose from his body, and he was dressed in his gray school uniform with some red stripes.
Although Ren no longer cared much about his appearance like he did back in middle school, he still made sure he looked decent and neat, as that was the minimum anyone should expect.
Satisfied that he looked presentable enough, Ren left his room. Although everyone else was still asleep, Yuzu was already awake, as she was responsible for making breakfast for the unfortunate family.
Yuzu was in her final year of elementary school and would be entering middle school with Karin next year, just a few months away since the school year was nearly over. Yet she was already more responsible than anyone else in the house.
Unfortunately, no one else in the household knew how to cook, and Yuzu prepared all meals for the family of five by herself most of the year. Ren helped her occasionally, while the old man ordered food from restaurants every two days to ease the burden on his youngest daughter. The family's financial situation was comfortable, as their clinic was well known in the neighborhood.
Upon reaching the lower floor, Ren smelled fried fish and miso soup spreading through the house.
"Good morning, Yuzu," Ren smiled at his younger sister and sighed with relief inside, glad to see her perfectly fine. It seemed Rukia had used Kaidō to heal them, and they were all well.
"Good morning, Onii-chan," Yuzu smiled happily at her older brother as she stirred the miso soup quickly and returned to flipping the fish in the oil.
"I'll help you," Ren said as he put on a black apron and entered the kitchen.
Without hesitation, Ren grabbed a knife and took out a chopping board, standing next to the miso soup to stir it while preparing the salad. Their breakfast was traditional Japanese: white rice with fried or grilled fish, miso soup, and salad.
"Thank you, Onii-chan," Yuzu smiled warmly upon seeing her brother rush to help her. She felt a warmth in her chest and focused on her task of frying the fish.
The atmosphere in the kitchen was calm and cheerful, with both of them concentrating on their tasks without much talking. The rhythmic sounds of chopping and boiling in the background gave a cozy, homely feeling to anyone who heard it.
...
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