The next day, I stood up in front of Urahara's shop. The shop was like an old candy store, standing out among the new buildings.
Hoshito: 'It looks exactly like the way it looks in manga and anime. Just how did Urahara hide Soul Reapers' things in this store, including a basement?' — I thought while giving a puzzled expression. I took a deep breath and shouted at the store — "Oi! Urahara! Come out! There is something I want to ask you about!"
It took a few moments for a red-haired boy wearing a sleeveless blue shirt and white-and-grey pants to burst out.
Jinta: "Who the hell are you, shouting at the store!" he said while charging at me with a punch, aiming at my face.
Thankfully, I avoided it and countered with a punch to his stomach. He kneeled and groaned in pain.
Hoshito: "And who is the idiot who charges at his opponent without a plan?"
Jinta immediately stood up and pressed his head against mine with an angry expression on his face.
Jinta: "What did you say?!"
I didn't want a fight in front of Urahara's shop, so I ignored him. Jinta didn't like it and grabbed my collar.
Jinta: "Hey, Shithead. We don't welcome people who don't show respect for us and think we are pushovers." He said in a threatening voice.
Then, suddenly, Jinta got hit on his head by a tall, muscular, light-tan-skinned man. He has a calm/serious expression on his face and a pair of rectangular-shaped glasses. He wore a blue apron and regular pants with a white muscle shirt.
Tessai: "Jinta, stop picking fights with others."
Jinta: "Ow! Hey Tessai! Why did you hit me?! And he is the one who started it by shouting at the shop!" He said angrily, pointing at me.
Tessai: "Even so, you shouldn't fight with them. You can tell them to leave." He said with a calm and grounded voice. Then he turned to me, and his expression softened it or maybe not, I can't read this guy's expression. "I assume you are Hoshito Yuru, right?"
Hoshito: "Yes, that's right." I said nervously. 'Tessai looks more intimidating than Manga and Anime. But still, his clothes make him less scary, and more like a weirdo.' I thought.
Tessai: "Tencho was expecting your visit. He is in the basement waiting for you." He said while pointing at the shop with his arm.
Hoshito: 'Urahara is waiting for me?! What kind of games is he playing?' I thought with a surprised expression.
Tessai then led me to the basement while Jinta was glaring at me from behind. When we arrived at the basement, I was amazed by how it looked. The roof was painted blue, making it look a lot like the sky. The ground looks barren with dead trees and rocks.
Hoshito: 'Seriously. How did Urahara build this giant room underneath the shop and WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING IT?!'
My eyes fell to Urahara, who was standing, and he was playing with his fan. His eyes were serious for a second, but they softened, and he playfully smiled at me.
Urahara: "Ah, Hoshito-San, I was expecting you. How did you like my Gift?"
Hoshito: "It's not bad, the soul candy is good, but why the hell is his personality so loyal and grounded?" I said with a puzzled expression.
Urahara: "That's the kind of person you are showing to others."
Hoshito: "But he is too grounded and stubborn!" — I screamed at him with an angry expression, then I remembered why I came here. — "Ahem, anyway, the fact you were expecting me means you know why I came here, right?"
Urahara: "You mean you came for training here? Well, of course, I knew about it. And I know about your countermeasure against Tsukishima's Fullbring ability." He said the last sentence in a sharp voice with cold eyes.
Hoshito: "Huh?" My eyes widened. And before I asked how, Urahara said to Tessai.
Urahara: "Tessai-San, take the notebook from Hoshito's pocket."
Tessai: "Understood."
Tessai put his hand into my pocket and pulled out a notebook from it. I rushed to take my notebook back, but Tessai threw it into Urahara's hand.
Hoshito: "Hey! Give it back!"
Urahara ignored me and started reading the notebook in silence. He saw it full of notes saying 'don't trust my memories and Tsukishima.' His eyes went dark as he continued reading it and found some of the notes had been scratched out.
He closed the notebook and turned to me with a cold expression mixed with concern on his face.
Urahara: "I see, so this is your method. Writing some notes as a reminder about memories that aren't real." He said in a cold voice. "It's a pretty clever method, but it has one big flaw in it."
I clenched my teeth and my hand as I listened to Urahara with a defensive expression.
Urahara: "You still need to fight it mentally."
Finally, at my breaking point, I launched at Urahara with the intent to kill him. But I felt something heavy fall onto my back and pin me down. I looked back and saw V holding my head and arm down.
Hoshito: "V, you bastard! Why did you stop me?! And why did you show yourself here?!" I shouted angrily at him.
V: "Urahara knew about me, and he made you leave the house to have a chat with me." He said calmly with an emotionless expression. "And I was the one who told him about your method and the notebook."
Hoshito: "What did you say?!"
Urahara then approached us and lowered himself to my level.
Urahara: "Calm down, Hoshito-San."
Hoshito: "Why the hell am I calm down?! I will kill you, you bastard!"
Urahara: "Sigh. Tessai-San, can you?"
Tessai: "I understand." Tessai then points his index and middle fingers at me. "Bakudo# 1. Sai."
Then my hands went to my back and locked. I tried to free my hands, but in vain.
Urahara: "Hoshito-San, we won't release you until you calm down, so please calm down."
Hoshito: "Damn you."
After a few minutes, I calmed down, and my expression softened. I looked at them while still glaring at them.
Hoshito: "Oi, release me. I've calmed down now."
They took a few glances at me until they released me. I got up and stretched my arms.
Hoshito: "So? Back in the house, when you gave me the candy, it was to get me out of the house, right?"
Urahara: "Yep."
Hoshito: "And V told you about the notebook and about himself?"
V: "I told him what I wanted him to hear."
Hoshito: "I see… okay, line up so I can punch you in the face." I said in an angry expression, holding my fist out.
V: "Didn't you say you calmed down?"
Hoshito: "I did. But the fact that you both talk behind my back is pissing me off."
V: "I don't understand. Is it wrong to tell others about your struggles?" he said while tilting his head.
Hoshito: "No. But talking about another person's struggle behind his back is completely wrong!"
V: "I see, I understand that, but one question. Does telling him about your bruises count as a bad thing?"
Hoshito: "You told him about that, too?!!" I said with a shocked expression on my face.
I began scolding V for this while Urahara was watching us.
Urahara: 'A boy who seems to have both shinigami powers and Hollow within him. And a Quincy with the social skills of a child, and he has expert combat skills. What an interesting combination~ I can't wait to see what kind of future both of them hold.' He smirked behind his fan.