Inoue House, rooftop.
"It's snowing, Rangiku-san. Snow in this season... how strange..."
Rangiku caught a snowflake drifting down from the sky.
It was only September, summer hadn't fully passed, and the weather was still hot. Snow was supposed to be impossible.
"This snow probably isn't a natural phenomenon. Could it be... Captain!"
Rangiku suddenly thought of Toshiro.
Since this sudden heavy snow wasn't natural, it must be artificial.
But being able to change the weather single-handedly required either god-like power or special abilities related to weather control.
Among the beings Rangiku knew, only Toshiro could do something like this.
"Seriously, why would Captain suddenly make it snow? Sure, the sight is beautiful, but snow in this season is obviously abnormal no matter how you think about it. It's bound to attract a lot of attention..."
The Kurosaki House.
"Dad, Dad! Look! It's snowing! Snow in this season!!"
Yuzu ran outside excitedly.
"Ah, what a magnificent and beautiful sight."
Isshin followed her out, looking up at this strange phenomenon.
'It's snowing... Did Toshiro do this? What is that kid doing...?'
Keigo's House, Ichigo's friend.
Sojiro and Ashido sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, drinking sake and admiring the moon.
"Sigh... Summer snowfall. What a beautiful and strange sight."
Ashido drained his cup and sighed as he looked out the window.
"The only one who could perform such a miracle is Captain himself."
Sojiro said with a look of admiration.
"Yeah, only Captain has the power to change the weather. But come to think of it, you still admire Captain as much as ever."
Ashido teased him.
"Hmph. You're one to talk. I know that last time, the reason you insisted on fighting the enemy alone without help wasn't just to avoid losing to me. More importantly, you wanted to become stronger, to help Captain more. Isn't that right?"
Kusaka countered.
"Good grief..."
Ashido smiled wryly and didn't respond.
"Oh my, oh my. Drinking without asking me to join you? How rude of you, Sojiro-sama, Ashido-sama."
A woman's voice suddenly rang out, making the snow-and-sake-enjoying Kusaka and Ashido tremble with fear, spilling their drinks.
A relatively pretty young woman attached herself to Ashido and Kusaka like a hungry beast. Kusaka and Ashido immediately turned tail and ran.
This young woman was none other than Keigo's older sister.
After Ashido and Kusaka started living at the Asano house, they naturally got to know Keigo's sister.
And Keigo's sister was very enthusiastic towards Ashido and Kusaka.
Normally, since Keigo's sister was pretty and enthusiastic, Kusaka and Ashido shouldn't have run away from her... it was very rude.
But they had their reasons.
When they first met Keigo's sister, she had fallen for both handsome men at first sight.
If that were all, it might be fine. But Keigo's sister acted like a total fangirl, often clinging to them with a lecherous, perverted expression.
She would constantly confess her love to them. If Sojiro refused, she'd go to Ashido. If Ashido refused, she'd go back to Sojiro. In short, she annoyed them to no end.
They were so traumatized that they ran at the mere sight of her.
"Forgive us, Asano-san! We have some errands to run outside!"
Kusaka and Ashido made up a flimsy excuse and ran off in a flash.
"Sojiro-sama! Ashido-sama! Don't go!!"
Keigo's sister hurriedly chased after them.
…
A park in Karakura Town.
"Mommy, Mommy! Look! Look! It's snowing! It's snowing!!"
A small child tugged excitedly at his mother's shirt.
"Yes, yes, I know."
The young mother replied absently, looking up at the sky with a puzzled expression: "Autumn hasn't even arrived yet. Snow at this time of year... the weather really is strange this year."
"Mommy, Mommy! Let's make a snowman!!"
The child jumped up and down, shouting.
"Alright, alright. Snowman, snowman."
The young mother didn't have time to ponder the impossibility of snow in this season and simply went along with her child to build a snowman.
Nothing was more important than her child.
…
Grandma Haru's House.
"In the end, Yosuke got to see the snow. That's good."
Karin finally broke the silence.
"Yes, he saw it very clearly. Now Yosuke has no regrets. Thank you so much, Toshiro."
Grandma Haru smiled.
Toshiro blamed himself: "No, it's nothing. If I hadn't been careless, Yosuke wouldn't have..."
"Don't blame yourself, Toshiro. This isn't your fault."
Grandma Haru said.
After Toshiro and Karin helped Grandma Haru clean up the yard, which had been damaged during the fight, they took their leave.
After all, Yosuke was gone. Although Grandma Haru didn't show it, she was still very sad inside. It was better to leave her alone at a time like this.
At the door.
Seeing Toshiro and Karin about to leave, Grandma Haru still saw them off.
"Toshiro, I'm sorry for all the trouble."
Grandma Haru said.
"Alright, Grandma Haru. Let's not apologize back and forth. It's pointless."
Toshiro said helplessly.
"Um... Grandma, could I come here to play too sometime? There's a small soccer field nearby. After I play, could I bring my friends to visit you, Grandma?"
Karin suddenly spoke up.
Just as she had told Toshiro, to keep Grandma Haru from being lonely, Karin decided not only to come herself but to bring her friends too. The livelier, the better.
"Hee hee... It really will become lively around here then."
Grandma Haru laughed happily.
"Hey, Toshiro. Do you think Yosuke suddenly calmed down and stopped attacking because Grandma Haru appeared?"
On the way home, Karin suddenly spoke to Toshiro.
Hearing Karin's words, Toshiro paused mid-step.
"I think that even though Yosuke became a monster, his heart was fighting the monster the whole time. That's why he stopped attacking at the end. Right, Toshiro?"
Karin continued asking.
"Well, who knows?"
Toshiro chuckled lightly.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's what happened!"
Karin nodded firmly.
Whoosh...
Karin shivered and breathed warm air into her hands.
"Brr... It's cold..."
Karin rubbed her hands together vigorously.
It was still summer, and the temperature was high, so Karin was only wearing a short-sleeved soccer jersey. But then Toshiro had suddenly brought a heavy snowfall.
Although the sight of summer snow was spectacular, the temperature had plummeted.
While this level of cold didn't affect Toshiro at all, it was different for Karin. She had high Reiryoku, but she was still only human.
"Are you cold?"
Toshiro frowned.
"Yeah..."
Karin shrank into herself, her voice trembling.
"Good grief, this can't be helped..."
Toshiro sighed suddenly and took off his Captain's Haori.
When he had transformed into his Shinigami form for the battle, to avoid damaging his Gigai, he had used a Gikongan to have a Gikon take it away. So, he was still in his Shinigami form.
"Here, this should keep you warm."
Toshiro walked behind Karin and draped his Captain's Haori over her shoulders.
But just as Toshiro was about to pull his hands away after draping the haori, Karin suddenly grabbed his hands and pulled him forward. Toshiro's body pressed tightly against Karin's.
Karin even placed Toshiro's arms around her waist. From a distance, it looked like Toshiro was hugging Karin from behind.
"This is warmer."
Karin whispered, her face red.
"Yeah..."
Feeling Karin's body trembling in his arms, whether from the cold or shyness, Toshiro couldn't bring himself to push her away. Instead, he held her tighter.
The goose-feather snow continued to fall from the sky. On the vast, white earth, two small figures held each other tightly.