Prolongue: Heavens hell, hellish heaven.

Are they enemies?

Certain Shop in Karakura Town

"That... can't be right." A tall, lean-built man with light skin and gray eyes furiously typed on his computer, looking at the screen with wide eyes.

His hair was messy, light-blond in color, with few strands framing the sides of his face and hanging between his eyes.

Next to him, on the table was resting a stripped dark green and white bucket hat, which he wore most of the time.

The man cursed and grabbing the hat, he ran to the entrance of his shop and resolutely opened it.

"I need to change the plans if it's true." He muttered and in the next instance, he vanished from the sight.

...

Five minutes later, he stood above resting female shinigami and looked around himself in a alarm. Seeing the body he was looking for, he flashed next to it and tried to feel a pulse, only to find out that the body was already lifeless and cold.

"Damn."

In his line of vision he noticed another body he knew.

Trying to feel pulse again, he sighed in relief. This body was still alive and so he could talk to that person later.

He returned to the shinigami and shook her up lightly, so that she would wake up.

She stirred a bit but after continuous poking from the shopkeeper, she finally opened her eyes and glanced above her.

Seeing the man grinning at her, she recoiled in shock.

"You?"

The man nodded and pointed behind him.

"I think it's clear I'm not here to harm you. On the contrary, I'd like to offer you help, seeing as you are in no condition to travel back to the Soul Society."

She squinted her eyes suspiciously.

"Why would you do that? How can I trust you. You realize what we are taught about you in the Academy, don't you?"

Shopkeeper just laughed.

"Of course I know and of course you can't trust me. However, do you have any other option? You'll eventually die if you'll leave those injuries unattended, you know. Wouldn't that bring shame to your clan, Seok?"

Her jaw almost fell on the floor and in a panick she tried to grab her sword, but her broken ribs prevented her from doing so and she yelped from the pain.

"H-how do you know my name?"

With a dazzling smile, the man pointed to himself.

"I think it would be weirder if I didn't know who you are, don't you think, Young Jae?"

Seeing that she didn't know what to do, he crouched next to her.

"Why don't you tell me what happened here? It looks kind of... messy."

He sighed, when he noticed how she cringed at those words and prepared for the worst.

...