Pain that won’t heal
Sadness you feel
Scars that just refuse to fade from memory
Sometimes the burden’s too much for one to bear
Don’t give up on me, please don’t turn me away
Whoa!
I’ll hold your hand in mine
Will I lose my hold on her someday?
Will her smile fade in a flood of tears Or can I keep the fears at bay?
Echoing, distant voices wither into silence.
But there is one thing that will never ever age…
My love for you is timeless
Pain that won’t heal
Sadness you feel
Smiles with hearts’ bitterness replaced
“I’ll never smile again”
“I’ll never let love in”
Don’t ever say such things to me
A future we cannot see
All happenings Find meaning in the story
In time the clouds will clear away,
so just stay, please stay with me… Whoa!
Who are we to pass through you? Whoa!
That answer will find you someday
He got me…
What was that just now?
Zabimaru…
Damn…
It hurts.
My body feels heavy.
My legs…
won't move.
My arms…
won't rise.
Damn it…
Have I lost?
Damn…
Rukia…
When she left, I was the one who didn't go after her.
“Hanging Dog,” the 78th district in South Rukongai.
To the east, west, north and south,
Rukongai has districts numbered from one to eighty.
District One has the highest standard of living,
and a district like 78 was the lowest of the low.
And we were kids who lived in such a lowly town.
Get away!
We didn't do anything!
We never knew what would happen to us,
if there was even the slightest provocation of the grown-ups.
Quit staring like that!
Okay!
Still…we did anything we could to survive.
Let's do it!
Hey! You brat!
Serves you right!
Now's our chance!
– Yay! – It's water!
Stop, you brats!
Run!
Stop, you brats!
You can beg forgiveness, but I won't listen!
Renji, this is bad! He's serious!
Shut up and keep running!
Taking me lightly, huh?!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We hated this town.
I can't run anymore!
Wha--?!
Why you--!
This way! Follow me!
H-Hey! Wait!
Hurry it up! Do you want others to come after you for the water?!
Let's go!
Renji!
We met…in a town like that.
Huh? What's that?
I divided up the snacks we got. This is your share.
Thanks.
Confetti candy.
Confetti candy?
Don't you even know that? It's sweet.
Really?
Oh!
It's mine!
Give it back! Please!
What's the big deal?
What's with you? You don't need it.
You ain't got an ounce of spiritual energy anyway.
If you have water, you don't get hungry.
What a crybaby! Cut it out!
Stop crying, I said! What a racket!
Hey!
Huh?
Not get hungry? We're all the same!
What did you say?! You're just a newbie!
We may not get hungry. But we can taste! We can smell!
Happiness is to be shared among everyone!
Don't act like those dirty adults!
Got that?
Don't cry anymore. Here, you can have this.
Even she must've been reluctant to give it away…
And yet…
Rukia was different.
She had a big attitude, and she spoke like a man…
Hey Renji!
What? What is it?
N-Nothing!
You're so weird.
You're the weird one!
Hey, what're you laughing at?!
But whatever she did, there was an aura of refinement around her.
What's the matter?!
Nothing. I'm fine!
Wow! Look at this rickshaw!
Isn't it amazing?
It's so shiny!
You can see yourself! See?
But it's something, ain't it?
That brat is going to become Mr. Soul Reaper.
He's going to be the pride of this town.
I want to be one, too.
In your dreams!
In order to become a Soul Reaper, you've gotta have a ton of spiritual energy.
Well, that means we're totally out of luck.
Got that right.
Hey! Get your dirty hands off that!
I'll be on my way.
There he comes!
Do your best!
Good luck to you!
Do your best!
Go for it!
Good luck!
Hey Rukia!
Hey! What's the matter?
Are you all right?
Are you kids hungry?
Err…no, we're not hungry…
Feeling hungry in this world where you're not supposed to get hungry.
I was confused about it at first.
But it's a reality that you have to accept.
I think your body felt my Spiritual Pressure
which used up your own energy instantly.
Here, eat these.
No need to hesitate.
Oh…
Wow!
That's amazing, Renji!
I'll bet you're gonna become a real Soul Reaper one day!
Damn right!
Wow!
It's way bigger than Renji's!
Hey!
Rukia and Renji should both become Soul Reapers! Right?
No, I…
I will always be here.
Rukia!
I want to stay here with you.
Really?
That makes me so happy!
Right, Renji?
Y-Yeah…
– Yes! – Yes!
We'll be together forever!
– Together! – Together!
With or without spiritual energy, it didn't matter one bit back then.
But, even though she lived in the dregs,
she always shined.
Renji, it's coming your way!
Right!
Hold it!
Hey, if you keep running around like that…
the other fish will get away!
Dammit!
Shut up!
Flowers…
Flowers?
There!
Yay! How do you like my talent, huh?!
Hey, you guys, get the fire ready!
What're you standing around for?!
Hey! What did you do that for?
Before we realized it, we were together, always together.
We were a family.
But…this was still a dirty town with dirty people living dirty lives.
The grown-ups were either thieves or murderers.
The kids were all delinquents.
Everyone around us.
And…
to get out of this life… there was just one way.
Renji…
Let's become Soul Reapers.
If we become Soul Reapers, we can live in Seireitei.
I hear it's a nice place to live inside there.
Each of us came here all alone, searching for a family, and came together.
But this town was just too cruel for kids like us to survive in.
Ten years had passed since…. Rukia had become our friend.
The rest of our friends were all gone.
Yeah, let's become Soul Reapers.
Shortly after that, we both entered the Soul Reaper Academy.
And our school life began,
among the spoiled brats of the noble families.
However…
Yes! I know that one!
Please let me solve it, Sensei!
I like your spirit!
But in order for you to write on this blackboard,
the other students around you would have to stand up to let you pass.
So I'll do it today.
He has no common sense.
Well, he's from District 78 of Rukongai, after all.
Why's he in such a rush to prove himself?
He really is vulgar.
Be quiet.
Now, let's move on to the next problem.
Renji…
Oh…shucks! I can't waste time like this!
Because unlike you, I'm in a special promotion class.
I'm really busy.
I like it when you raise your hands eagerly.
So…so keep showing that enthusiasm. Okay?
W-What was that for?
Most of the students here come from nobility.
They can't understand the feelings of those who've led our kind of existence.
It can't be helped.
Yeah…
Even after we left Rukongai and came to this Academy,
there was a huge gap between them and us.
I swore to myself that I’d make them eat their words.
And…
Whoa…!
Sorry!
Rukia! You've gotta hear this! I passed the Second Exam!
Now if I pass the next one, I…
Kenseikan…
Nobles?
Hmm… it seems we've been interrupted.
Now then, we will await a favorable answer.
This…amazing Spiritual Pressure!
I can't even look into his eyes.
Renji…
Oh…Hey Rukia.
Man, that seemed pretty intense.
What was that about?
What?
– The Kuchiki family… – Huh?
wants me as their adopted daughter.
They'll let me graduate right away,
and make arrangements to put me into one of the 13 Court Guard Squads.
Renji… I…
You did it! Rukia!
The Kuchiki Family is a powerful noble family!
That's great!
If you're adopted by a family like that, you'll live in luxury!
I wonder what you eat as a noble.
Man! I'm jealous!
Not only that… You can graduate immediately!
Damn! I'm so jealous, I could throw up!
That's great! It's awesome!
You think so?
Boy, I'm speechless.
Thanks…
Rukia finally found a family.
Don’t interfere, I mustn't.
That's what I kept telling myself.
But when I think back… I may've just been scared.
Dammit! I'm a stray dog down to my bones!
I'm sick of it…
I only bark at the stars…
I don't have the guts to jump.
It's your fault that Rukia was imprisoned!
Every time I thought about it, my blood boiled!
But that wasn't it…
It's because I didn't stop Rukia…
That time, I…I didn't tell Rukia to go to the Kuchiki Family
so she'd end up being a condemned criminal.
I thought Rukia would find happiness…!
I truly believed that…!
I wanted to surpass Captain Kuchiki…
From that day, ever since… I've pursued him…
Every day I trained like mad.
But I still haven't been able to beat him, not once.
He's too strong!
Getting Rukia back with strength…
was something I couldn't do!
Kurosaki… I'm swallowing my shame and asking you!
Save…
Save…Rukia!
I will.
I shall put that unreachable fang in flames.
So that I need not look at that star.
So that this throat will not be torn apart.
To be Continued
I looked up into the night sky and saw a comet
I want to see you right now, but I can't fly
If I could become a comet
I would fly across the sky… I'm sure
I would circle the skies and shine over you
With this instantaneous light that will definitely reach you
If I could become a comet
I'm sure I'll always stay close to you
Now and forever
I am the new century's charismatic medium, Don Kanonji!
This positively reeks of bad things!
– What about the fight? – This definitely smells like bad spirits!
– And my injury? – Good kids nationwide, you just wait!
– Bohahahaha! – What's going on?!