Eren was in the nearby food joint eating three onigiri for lunch. It wasn't enough, but riceballs seemed to fill him as the thought of his friends' fate worried him more than hunger. He then heard a voice next to him

"Your letter got rejected again?"

Eren looked him to see the child genius captain with his hands folded in front of him along with Rangiku, his subordinate.

"Toshiro."

Rangiku then went up to place an order for dango while Toshiro sat next to Eren on the table.

Over the years, the two had formed amicable relations. They had known each other for three years, with Toshiro giving Eren a few additional lessons and spars at nights when he couldn't sleep. It had only been a month since Eren started calling him by his first name, and so far he didn't seem to mind, as long as he addressed him by title in official business.

"Even someone as cheerful as Rangiku would have put a hit on her for what that woman put you through. I know your crime is really severe and you deserved that harsh training, I won't deny that. But to be so hostile to you, to remind you that you're a murderer, even after all this…that's something stupid. Although the people around don't talk to you much, they at least don't annoy you due to the reputation you've built during these years."

"Yeah…hopefully that's a step forward…"

"Why do you even put up with her in the first place? Do you consider it a form of atonement for what you did? To ease your guilt?"

"W-What are you talking about? I'll be honest with you Toshiro, I don't regret anything I did."

"I didn't ask you if you regretted what you did. I asked if you felt guilty about it. You were recommended by Lord Enma to a Shinigami despite committing the most violent act in all of the Soul Syndicate. He won't do something like that for a man without a conscience. Seeing you for these years, I can tell that you clearly have one. Killing so many people, it wouldn't have been easy for you. If I were in your place, I would be brimming with guilt if I did something like that. So…"

Eren pursed his lips and then slowly said "I do feel guilty…a lot, but in this case, that's not the reason. I only put up with her only because I don't want to fight her, not because I don't need to. Besides, it's only going to cause problems for me in the future. As of now, she's the only one who's hostile to me. So, it won't hurt to tolerate her a bit, right? It still annoys me to not get my leave though. It's getting on my nerves at this point"

"Rangiku gave me the details. If I recall, this is your ninth letter, right?"

"Yeah."

Rangiku then came back with the dango

"Well, to be fair, you didn't specify your reasons properly. Not in any letter."

"I did mention that I won't kill anyone, right? Isn't that enough reason? Besides, I'm only a soul now. What can I do anyways?"

"Rukia thinks you want to 'see the people suffer in your world because of you'. She says it's a 'killer's thing' to do." Rangiku said with air quotes

Toshiro looked at Eren, who had his eyes wide open

"Well?"

"N-No! I-I don't want to tell you my intentions, but it's definitely not what the Captain thinks! It's…just…that…" Eren protested as he went deep in thought while his teeth gritted with a slight tear in his eye.

Toshiro looked at him for a second. He was about to say something when Rangiku pointed out

"Um…Captain, there's someone coming our way…"

Toshiro and Eren looked to the side to see Rukia's lieutenant Sentarō Kotsubaki walking towards them. He had a slight evil smirk on his face.

"Eren Yeager, Captain Rukia has called for you. Report to her office at once."

Eren and the other two stood up

"Is it fine if we tag along?" Toshiro asked

"Umm…yes, Captain Hitsugaya, not a problem."

The three went along with the messenger to Rukia's office

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Eren." Toshiro whispered to him

"Can't find out until we get there, right?" Eren said as looked front.