Grandma Haru and Yosuke stood together, looking as harmonious as a real grandmother and grandson.
Seeing this, Karin suddenly asked, "Hey, Grandma, what about your own family?"
Hearing Karin's question, Grandma Haru's expression darkened slightly. "I've always lived alone."
"Ah, sorry!"
Karin quickly apologized.
"It's alright. Now that I have Yosuke and all these other spirits with me, I don't feel lonely at all."
Grandma Haru put away her sad expression and smiled again.
"I see."
Karin stretched lazily, looking comfortable. "But the spirits that come near me are always annoying ones."
Because Karin had relatively high Reiryoku, she often attracted all sorts of spirits, which was a constant nuisance.
"Come to think of it, Yosuke, is there some unfinished business keeping you from going to the other world?"
Karin asked.
"Yeah..."
Yosuke still looked down shyly, not daring to speak.
Grandma Haru spoke up to explain: "Yosuke... he wants to see the snow."
"The snow?"
Karin was slightly surprised.
"Yosuke originally wanted to go overseas to ski with his family. But on the way to the airport, they got into an accident."
"It was a very serious accident. Many people died. His parents seem to have already found peace and gone to the other world."
"But this child had lived abroad in a tropical country his whole life because of his parents' work. He only came back to Japan this year. He's never seen snow falling before, so he was really looking forward to seeing it for the first time. That wish stayed with him very strongly."
"When he was wandering the streets, lonely and helpless, I found him and brought him home."
Grandma Haru narrated softly.
"I see..."
Karin murmured, feeling a bit emotional.
"But in another two or three months, it'll be snow season. Then Yosuke will be able to see the snow. I'm really looking forward to it."
Grandma Haru said, her face full of smiles.
"Yeah!"
Even the shy and introverted Yosuke couldn't help but look happy when the topic of snow came up.
"Hee hee hee."
Perhaps imagining that happy scene, everyone couldn't help but laugh joyfully.
Only Toshiro, sitting off to the side, frowned, seeming out of place with the harmonious, joyful atmosphere.
Toshiro and Karin stayed at Grandma Haru's house until evening before heading home.
The bright moon hung high, its pure white light illuminating the path as Toshiro and Karin walked.
"Hey, Toshiro. Is it really okay to just leave that child alone?"
Karin suddenly spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
Toshiro asked.
"Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about. Isn't it dangerous to leave a spirit that hasn't gone to the other world alone? If we ignore him, who knows what will happen? Won't he turn into one of those monsters?"
Karin thought of the Hollow they had encountered last time, her expression worried.
"Yeah, you're right. At this rate, Yosuke will undoubtedly become a Hollow."
Toshiro admitted directly.
"Hollow?"
Karin asked, puzzled.
"That's what you call a 'monster'."
Toshiro explained.
"What! In that case... wouldn't Grandma Haru be in danger too?!"
Karin grabbed Toshiro's shoulders, her expression agitated.
Even though she had just met Grandma Haru, Karin had come to like her very much.
Seeing Karin so agitated, Toshiro sighed, walked over to the riverbank, and sat down on the grass. Karin followed him.
Then, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, Toshiro spoke softly: "This is a story from when I had just become a Shinigami, not long after."
"After graduating from the Shinigami Academy, I joined the 10th Division and immediately became the Third Seat, second only to the Captain and Lieutenant. But to gain experience and learn about the Living World, I was still sent here for a fairly long-term mission."
"To be honest, the mission wasn't very fun. The ordinary Hollows were no match for me, but there were a lot of them. I spent every day hunting Hollows, living a rough life. I didn't have much of an expense account, so I couldn't afford to go sightseeing."
"Besides, Karakura Town wasn't as bustling decades ago as it is now. There wasn't much to do for fun. So, besides eliminating Hollows, there wasn't much else. I lived that dull, monotonous life until one day..."
"After eliminating a Hollow, I met Grandma Haru. She was still a young woman back then, with considerable Reiryoku. I don't know where she had heard about Shinigami, but she actually came up and spoke to me."
"That's how we got to know each other. During that time, she often invited me to her house, making sweet natto for me."
"She had already lost her family when I met her, living alone. And because she could see 'spirits' and talk to them, people found it creepy and wouldn't go near her. So for her, only those 'spirits' kept her company and kept her from being lonely."
"So, Grandma Haru truly sees Yosuke as her own grandson. If I force him to pass on to the Soul Society without fulfilling his wish, Grandma Haru would surely be very sad."
Grandma Haru had been very kind to Toshiro back then, so he had a deep impression of her and genuinely respected her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to recognize her decades later, despite her appearance having changed greatly.
Seeing Grandma Haru always reminded Toshiro of his own grandmother, who still lived in the Rukongai. He saw a reflection of his grandmother in her. So, Toshiro didn't want to make Grandma Haru sad.
Karin, listening to Toshiro's story, fell silent, looking thoughtful.
"Hey, Toshiro. What are you going to do about Yosuke?"
Karin broke the silence.
"Normally, once a 'spirit' like that is found, a Soul Burial would be performed immediately. But if I do that, Grandma Haru will be sad. So, I didn't do it. But leaving him like this isn't a solution either. So..."
"I'm thinking of observing him for a while. Or rather, letting Yosuke stay with Grandma Haru for a few more days. Since I'll be staying in the Living World for a while, if Yosuke shows signs of turning into a Hollow, I'll find a way to fulfill his wish and then perform the Konso on him."
Toshiro had already decided. He would leave things be for now, and if necessary, personally intervene to suppress Yosuke, delaying his Hollowfication, so that Yosuke could spend a few more days with Grandma Haru.
Then, just before he was about to Hollowfy, Toshiro would create 'artificial snowfall', fulfill Yosuke's wish, perform the Soul Burial, and send him to the Soul Society.