Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Gin and Rangiku
Chapter 3: Gin and Rangiku
The escape plan ended in failure.
The moment Yato pushed open his door, he spotted several idlers in short brown jackets loitering outside his yard. They were gathered in twos and threes, laughing and playfully shoving each other.
A few of them cast occasional, ill-intentioned glances in Yato’s direction, their faces practically screaming malice.
Uchiha Yato closed the wooden door and sat back down.
"So, they prepared for both scenarios. Yuji Nomura comes over as the persuader, while they send men to keep an eye on me and prevent me from running away."
He paused, genuinely puzzled.
"Is the Horiuchi family really this desperate for the acceptance letter in my hands?"
"Yato, be careful," the nameless girl warned, her expression serious.
"A Class 12 Rei-i isn’t enough to intimidate a noble. Right now, you don’t even have a Zanpakuto, and you are completely clueless about Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido. Clashing with the Horiuchi family is not a promising prospect; the scales of victory will not tip in your favor..."
"You’re being too polite with your words. Between the two of us, you can just speak your mind."
"You’re incredibly weak right now. The Horiuchi family could slaughter you as easily as butchering a pig. Sigh, what a useless guy."
"..."
Yato rolled his eyes. Just as he was about to retort, he caught sight of two heads bobbing by the window.
"Oh, it’s you two. Come on in and sit down. What are you doing peeking around outside?"
The youth waved the bundles in his hand. "District Head Nomura just dropped these off. There’s smoked chicken and dried meat. It’s been a while since you two had meat, hasn’t it?"
"Wow! I want some!"
Before Yato even finished speaking, a blonde-haired girl dashed into the room.
She looked to be about twelve or thirteen, wearing a coarse hemp kimono. Her golden hair was dazzling under the sunlight, brimming with vibrant energy.
—It was none other than Matsumoto Rangiku in her youth!
"Thank you, Big Brother Yato! You’re the best! You’re so capable, way better than Gin!"
The little girl was as sweet-talking as she was quick-handed. With a cheeky grin, she snatched up the smoked chicken and started eating right on the spot.
Even as she ate with unbridled joy, Rangiku didn’t forget to tear off the plumpest drumstick and shove it toward the boy standing behind her.
"Gin... you eat some too... Mmm, meat really is the best."
Uchiha Yato smiled and looked up at Ichimaru Gin.
At this point in time, Ichimaru Gin had light purple hair and a slender face. His narrow eyes were perpetually half-closed, perfectly concealing all of his emotions.
"Sorry to bother you, Big Brother Yato."
He was far more polite than Rangiku, expressing his thanks with standard respect and eating his share of the smoked chicken with refined manners.
"Eat slowly, there’s more if that’s not enough."
Yato poured tea for the two of them and brought out some fruit and rice balls to set on the table.
It was a stroke of fate that Rangiku and Gin, who also lived in the Hanagare district, happened to live right next door to Yato.
However, their living conditions were far more miserable than Yato’s. Being too young and not yet physically strong enough, they couldn’t earn much and had to rely solely on each other to survive.
Yato would occasionally offer them some relief. Over time, they grew quite familiar with one another. Gin and Rangiku were also deeply grateful and knew how to return a favor, often helping Yato tidy up his yard or pull weeds.
"So being a Soul Reaper is this great?" Matsumoto Rangiku mumbled, her mouth slick with grease, marveling at the feast.
"District Head Nomura usually walks around with his nose practically touching the sky, but he actually gave you all this delicious food!"
Yato smiled and clarified, "I’m not a Soul Reaper yet. I haven’t even stepped through the doors of the Shin’o Academy."
"You’ll definitely make it, Yato!"
"I hope so... Rangiku, do you want to become a Soul Reaper?"
"I always used to hear that those guys die young, that they could get eaten by a Hollow at any moment. But if it means eating this much delicious food every day, maybe it’s not such a bad idea?"
"Haha..."
The current Rangiku was quite innocent, a bit naive and sweet, and Yato took pleasure in teasing her.
"Speaking of which, I’m heading off to the Shin’o Academy soon. You guys have eaten so much of my food, how are you going to pay me back?"
"Uh..." Little Rangiku scratched her head. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and her face lit up with a beaming smile.
"I know! Gin and I are going fishing in the eastern forest tonight. Last time I went diving, I saw tons of river clams hiding under the pebbles. I’ll get some pearls to give you!"
"Alright, it’s a promise."
The nameless girl, clad in her crimson Sengoku-era armor, couldn’t help but let her eyes shine slightly, casting an approving look at Matsumoto Rangiku.
—Pearls were known to improve eyesight, and she possessed a rather intense obsession with anything that could nourish the eyes.
While Yato and Rangiku were deep in lively conversation, Ichimaru Gin remained completely silent on the sidelines.
He quietly took small sips of his tea and swallowed the dried meat, chewing slowly and deliberately.
He looked exactly like a snake preparing for hibernation.
Only when Rangiku tired herself out from talking and shifted her attention back to the smoked chicken did Ichimaru Gin put down his teacup and speak calmly.
"Big Brother Yato."
"What is it, Gin?"
"It’s much livelier outside your yard than usual."
"Yeah."
"I heard there’s a gang of thieves operating in the area lately. You..." The young Ichimaru Gin paused, deliberately adding weight to his words.
"Unlike me and Rangiku, you have a lot of valuable things in your house. Be careful."
Oh?
A trace of admiration rose in Yato’s heart.
Tsk... what an exceptionally sharp kid.
As expected. A genius of this caliber is truly extraordinary, even from a young age.
Yato waved his hand dismissively, appearing somewhat nonchalant.
"Don’t worry. District Head Nomura has quite a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to dealing with thieves. Besides, aren’t the noble lords here to protect us?"
He grinned. As his lips parted and closed, his snow-white teeth clashed together. It didn’t look like he was speaking; rather, it resembled a ferocious tiger preparing to devour its prey.
"If one wishes to redress a grievance, there’s always someone to hold accountable, right?"
"That’s true..."
Ichimaru Gin blinked in surprise. He failed to pick up on the restrained killing intent hidden beneath Yato’s words. He merely assumed that this older neighbor, who spent his days studying hard and training relentlessly, already had a well-thought-out plan in mind.
The three of them chatted for a little while longer before Gin and Rangiku stood up to take their leave.
"No rush, you two wait a second." Uchiha Yato separated a portion of the food Yuji Nomura had brought, packed it up, and handed it to Rangiku.
"Take this. I’m heading off to the Shin’o Academy soon anyway. For the next six years, at least, I won’t have to worry about food."
Smiling, Yato handed the package over. He raised his head and cast a brief glance at Gin and Rangiku’s small shack, not too far away.
It was less than fifty meters from his own yard.
Too close.
He furrowed his brows imperceptibly. By the time he turned back around, he had concealed any trace of unease.
"Rangiku, don’t forget my pearls."
"You got it, Big Brother Yato! Don’t you worry, I’m an amazing swimmer! I’ll head out right now!"
The blonde-haired little girl dashed out of the yard in an absolute rush, leaving Ichimaru Gin behind to juggle the various bags and awkwardly bid Yato farewell.
"Thank you again for all the trouble, Big Brother Yato."
"It’s nothing. Oh, by the way, you and Rangiku are going fishing in the eastern forest tonight?"
"Yes. We’ll be diving for pearls as well."
"Haha... Listen, kid. Make sure you fully grasp the opportunity to spend time alone with a girl late at night."
Uchiha Yato patted Ichimaru Gin on the shoulder.
In the span of a single breath, his five fingers squeezed down hard, making Gin’s bones creak under the pressure.
"Spend as much time as you can playing with Rangiku out there... There’s absolutely no rush to come back tonight."
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