When Yoru finally reached the shop, he was greeted by something unusual. Two children were cleaning the front a girl with long black pigtails and a boy with spiky red hair. 'Cleaning' wasn't the right term, really...the girl was trying to sweep while guarding her head with one arm, while the other was more interested in smacking her with his broom than using it properly.

"Stoooop..." the strange-faced girl whined, but did nothing more to resist.

That scenario, however, was completely normal.

At least, for that particular shop.

What struck him as odd was the fact that both of them stopped and stared as he ran up.

"Yeah, I know I'm late," Yoru muttered as he grabbed his blue apron off a hook on the wall, dismissing their looks.

"Yoru-kun..." the girl finally spoke up, her voice slow and shy. "We didn't think you would come today..."

"Why wouldn't I?" Yoru gave them an incredulous look. "When do I ever not show up for work?"

"When your brother's in the hospital, baka!" the boy's obnoxious voice rang out next to her as he waved the broom in his hand.

Yoru glared at the children for even bringing it up. He didn't ask how they knew; people connected with this store seemed to know a lot of things they hadn't been told directly. "He's fine, alright? Why does everyone think I need to be sitting around moping?" He flung the door open to go in. "You'd think tenchou would be grateful anyone shows up here at--"

He was cut off abruptly as he looked forward, only to find the skull-shaped butt of a cane heading for his face. It hit him hard in the forehead, though he felt no pain as he stumbled backward. He put a hand on the place he was struck anyway. "What the hell was that for?" he demanded.

The man who held the cane looked just as surprised as he did. "Yoru-kun?" He turned to the burly man with glasses beside him, peering up with dull eyes from under the wide brim of his striped hat. "I thought you said he wasn't coming today..."

The much taller man turned toward the kids, a stern look on his face. "No, JINTA said he wasn't coming today."

"Who in their right mind would go to work after taking their brother to the hospital!" the red haired boy shouted back, eager to take the blame off him.

Yoru, on the other hand, was too dazed to listen in on the conversation. That is, until he looked over and saw his body lying next to him. His eyes widened and he took a few steps back, finally noticing that it wasn't the only change. "Why the hell am I over there!" he shouted angrily at the blond who'd hit him. He then gestured to himself. "And why am I wearing a hakama!"

The man with the cane just waved a hand at the panicked boy. "Oh, you're alright, just climb back in there." He turned and went back inside. "I do wonder why that happened, though..."

"How am I supposed to do that!" Yoru shouted back, but the manager was already gone.

"Cool!" Jinta rushed up to him with an excited but devilish grin. "Hey, let me play with your zanbatou!"

Yoru let out a heavy sigh as he hung up his smock. The work in this place was hardly daunting—they were lucky if they got more than one customer a day—but the environment was definitely chaotic. Those who came in were usually there to speak to the boss personally. The customers who did come to buy already knew what they wanted and were in and out fairly quickly. It didn't surprise him that customers were rare; he didn't know what the things they sold were used for, but they looked like children's toys to him. At the prices they sold them form, who would want them?

He was about to leave through the back door when he thought of something he'd meant to ask. "Hey, tenchou?"

The manager silently lifted his eyes from his place on the floor, though it was hard to tell under the shadow of his hat.

"Can I have a raise?"

"Denied!" the man responded cheerfully, then took a sip of sake from the cup in front of him.

Yoru's neutral expression turned into a glare. "Why not!"

Urahara put a hand on his chin in a mocking thought gesture. "I seem to recall someone begging for a job a few months ago...said he'd take anything, no matter how little pay. Who was that, now?"

the glare Yoru held on the manager intensified. "Why do I work for you again?"

"Because no one else will hire you," Urahara pointed out tactlessly.

As much as Yoru hated to admit it, he was right. A few months back he'd gone all over the city looking for work, but few had even acknowledged him, and some even told him off outright. He hadn't even known Urahara Shoten existed at the time...until the manager approached him with an offer. Shocked but grateful, that was what he'd felt at the time. He supposed he couldn't hope for more than that.

Silently he turned back to the door in order to leave. Before he could close the door something light struck him in the back of his head. He spun around with a growl, but stopped as he found a small bundle of money sitting at his feet. He knelt to pick it up, confusion apparent on his face.

"Call it an advance," Urahara explained without asking. "I'm sure you'll be in on Sunday to earn it, hm?"

Yoru just couldn't seem to wipe the dumbfounded look off his face. He'd have to bring Mineki with him if he worked Sunday, but..slowly his bewilderment morphed into suspicion. "You're not going to take it back when you sober up, are you?"

Urahara raised his half-lidded eyes and held out a hand. "If you don't want it, give it back. I'll go buy more sake."

Yoru was out the door before he finished his sentence.

A small, rare smile crossed his lips; gestures like that from the eccentric businessman were practically unheard of. He was grateful...but he wasn't about to let him get a big head about it.

"You're kind of a jerk, you know that?"

Startled by the voice Yoru looked up with a snarl, only to find Izumi stranding across the street from him. She easily crossed the street to get to him. There were no cars around. There never were this time of night anymore.

Yoru's response was to stare at her dully. "What, are you girls stalking me now or something?"

Izumi returned the stare for only a moment before her golden eyes narrowed. "If you don't care what's happening with your brother, I'll leave." With that she turned the opposite way on the sidewalk and moved away from him.

"O-Oi!" Yoru rushed to catch up. He walked alongside her, a scowl on his face as they went in the direction of his apartment. "What happened to him!"

For his concern, Yoru received a smirk over Izumi's shoulder. It was a familiar look, one it seemed every member of her family had perfected. "He was really mad when he found out you left him there," she reported, as if discussing the weather. "He only calmed down when that weird rich kid said he'd stay with him."

Yoru was silent then, but the small, relieved smile on his lips spoke volumes. He really hadn't wanted to leave his brother alone...he was glad someone was staying with him. Even if it was that weird kid.

"You're not going to see him?" Izumi asked after a moment.

Yoru just shook his head. "I have to get home; Okaasan's probably mad already. I'll go see him before school tomorrow."

Izumi stopped walking the moment Yoru mentioned his mother, causing him to pass her before he stopped as well. He spun around to face her, but by then she had resumed and he had to catch up.

The look on her face had changed, however, as she seemed to be hesitating. She offered a few sidelong glances before speaking at last. "Come stay with me."

"I can't," Yoru replied instantly, not even pausing to give it thought.

Izumi shot him a look, clearly showing her disapproval at being turned down to quickly. "I meant you and your brother. I already talked to okasan; she said you could stay with us until you can get a place of your own."

"I said no."

At once Izumi went from his side to the front, blocking his path as she glared up at his face. "Why not?" she demanded. "Things will get worse if you keep staying with those damned parents of yours! You know that! So get out of there!"

"I said I can't!" Yoru snapped back, equally as defiant. He his tone would end the conversation.

It didn't. "Why do you have to be so stubborn!" she yelled. "What is wrong with you! You have people who can get you out of that hellhole and you want to stay there? Why won't you let anyone help you!"

Yoru's eyes dimmed slightly as he looked away from her, but his expression stayed the same. He'd heard those words before...and they came with memories Yoru wished he could forget. "Just drop it," he said huskily.

"You--"

"I said drop it!" he repeated; this time his tone demanded compliance.

Izumi continued to glare, but his voice had served its purpose. But, not without its consequences. After several long, silent moments Izumi raised her hand and slapped him across the face. The startled boy stumbled back a few feet, but before he could recover the angered girl walked away quickly, heading for her own house.

As he continued home, he came to realize that she hit remarkably hard for a girl.

"Damn, that hurt," Yoru muttered, touching the place Izumi hit him with a wince. The red hand-shaped mark was beginning to swell, but he didn't want to leave his room again to get ice. He was surprised and relieved to find that no one was awake to yell at him. Still, he didn't want to take the chance.

He glanced at the book bag beside his desk. If there was any homework, he didn't know about it. He didn't feel much like studying, anyway. Sleep sounded very good right then...

He shut off his light and fell sideways into bed. Before he could close his eyes, he saw his door begin to open. He involuntarily tensed as he saw his mother's silhouette in the light that shone from the hallway. "Yoru?" he heard her call into the dark room.

For a moment Yoru thought about staying quiet. "What?" he asked softly after reconsidering.

"Oh...so you are awake," she noted, her tone surprised but not at all angered. "Yoru...look, I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you, I just...I've had to deal with your father recently..."

"It's fine, okasan," Yoru broke in, though he didn't look at her. Her apology sounded so sincere...but then, it always did. He'd heard similar speeches many times before, regardless of of whether his father was around or not.

Still, she seemed to accept his reply. "We'll talk in the morning, all right?" she said as she shut the door.

With a heavy sigh Yoru rolled over to face away from his room's entrance. She hadn't even mentioned Mineki...but at the same time he wasn't that surprised. If Mineki were to disappear for good, neither of his parents were likely to even notice, much less care. That morbid thought was the last thing to cross his mind before he fell asleep.

"Okasan, I'm home," Izumi called, her tone still irritated as she pulled off her shoes.

"Okairi," her mother called from the kitchen area. As her daughter walked into the room and sat next to her, she put down the paper she was grading. "You didn't turn your work in."

"You didn't call me back," Izumi replied, pulling her previous homework out of her bag and handing it over.

"I knew where you were," she responded, going back to her work after putting the new paper on the bottom of her stack. "Your aunt called me earlier. How is Mineki-kun?"

When Izumi didn't answer the black-haired woman poked her in the side, causing her to jump, and she finally looked up. "What did we miss in class?"

Emiko smiled faintly; obviously her daughter hadn't heard the question. "After Oneesan called me I went to speak with the principal. The school board is going to rearrange some of the teachers, and Mineki's teacher will be replaced immediately, of course." A dark look passed over her features. "I can't believe someone in her position would do that..." When silence followed, she resumed her work. "So I take it you talked to him?"

The sour look that took over Izumi's face spoke volumes. "He's such a moron," she grumbled.

"I take it that's a yes?" Emiko smiled sympathetically. "Not arguing with you there. But if he wants to be a stubborn pig head, that is his choice to make. We can't force him."

"I know." The expression on Izumi's face softened, just a little. "It's just not fair."

"Hello? Oh, hello! How are you this evening? I just love this—I'm sorry? Oh, I'm sorry to hear that...yes...the elementary school?"

"Mother? I--"

The woman on the phone held up one finger for quiet as she continued to speak. "A permanent position? Why yes, I'd love to! Children are so adorable at that age, don't you think? I wish I could have more...Oh, yes...I'm sorry to keep you...yes, I'll see you tomorrow then! Goodbye!"

As she hung up the phone she turned her attention to the other who asked for it. "What's the matter, honey? Are you ready for school tomorrow?"

"Yes, Mother, but...my uniform..."

"Is something wrong? It doesn't fit?"

"N-No, it's does...just..." A dark blush spread over the child's face. "I think you may have ordered the wrong one..."

"Did I?" She set a finger on her chin and looked thoughtful. This only lasted a moment, as it was replaced by a cheerful grin. "Well, we can order you a new one. But it will be alright for now, ne?"

The other's face turned to shock. "What! Mother, you can't possibly expect me to--"

"Now don't be silly, dear," she interjected, the touch of sternness in her voice indicating how serious she really was. "You can't very well go to school without a uniform, can you?"

"I suppose not..." the other sighed, getting the very distinct impression that perhaps she'd ordered the wrong uniform on purpose, and with a look of defeat retreated back upstairs. "I'll go to bed now...goodnight, Mother."

"Goodnight, dearheart."

Disclaimers: Jinta, Ururu, Tessai, Urahara - BLEACH; property of Tite Kubo.
Yoru, Mineki, Sage, Thyme, Emiko, Izumi, Kyosuke - Property of the Bishounen Hunters Group.

A/N: I realize that so far, much of this is drama. ; I have to gather a few more characters and work through certain things before we can get to more of the randomness, so bear with me, sorry.