Ginjo Kūgo and the others were there. After Riruka left, everyone stayed where they were. Ginjo Kūgo looked at the black card on the table. He picked it up and examined it. An address was written on the card, and on the back was a chrysanthemum design resembling a carving. Since the card itself was black, the chrysanthemum appeared black as well.
"Black chrysanthemum?" Ginjo muttered, frowning slightly.
He couldn't help but think of the organization that had surfaced within the past two years: the Black Chrysanthemum Society. The leader of the Black Chrysanthemum Society was said to be a man named Kokoro No Jiuka. Could it be that this Yuta was actually Kokoro no Jiuka himself?
Tsukishima Shūkurō quietly slid a bookmark into his book and closed it. Although his eyes had been fixed on the pages earlier, his focus had never truly been on reading. Now, he lifted his gaze to Ginjo. A faint blush rose on his face as he broke the silence.
"Ginjo... what do you think after seeing this? Should we really follow it-or not?"
For Tsukishima, Ginjo was unlike anyone else. When he had been abandoned and alone, it was Ginjo-acting as a Substitute Shinigami at the time-who had approached him. Dressed in the black shihakushō of a Shinigami, Zanpakutō at his side, Ginjo had found him beneath a tree, crying by himself.
Ginjo was the one who gave him direction and taught him how to wield his Fullbring. If Tsukishima were to describe their bond, the word "friend" was not enough-Ginjo was more like an older brother to him. The meaning Tsukishima had discovered in his life had been given to him by Ginjo Kūgo.
Ginjo stayed silent for a long moment, thoughts weighing heavily on him. Could this person named Yuta really be trusted? He remembered his own past. Like Kurosaki Ichigo later on, he had once stood as a Substitute Shinigami, only to be betrayed by Soul Society itself. How could he be certain that someone appearing before him now wouldn't also betray him?
But there was also something else that gave him pause-Yuta had no clear reason to deceive them. With his level of power, Yuta had little need for an alliance like theirs to achieve his goals. In essence, Ginjo could not understand Yuta's true intentions at all.
"Let's move," Ginjo finally said. He had decided to see Yuta face to face.
...
Yuta glanced at Riruka. In the original sequence of events, Riruka's ending had been the best among the Fullbringers. Most of them had perished, and the only one left alive afterward was Riruka Dokugamine.
Fullbringers were often burdened children from the start. Their abilities usually awakened when they were still very young, giving them power beyond what ordinary people could comprehend-and in turn shaping their personalities in distorted ways. Many of them grew up believing they were different and resented by others. If they accidentally exposed their abilities, those abilities quickly became a reason for fear and alienation-from friends, neighbors, and even family.
Riruka had awakened her power after losing her favorite doll to someone else. Her ability was born with the thought, "As long as I hide the things I like, they will all become mine."
Yuta looked at her briefly before beginning to walk forward, ignoring her for the moment.
"Hello, your name is Yuta, right? What do you like to eat? Do you like donuts? Do you like rabbit dolls?"
Riruka trailed beside him, her voice rapid and persistent as she tried to engage him. Then, sensing an opening, she extended her thumb. From it, a pink heart-shaped aura shot out and drifted toward him.
Seeing this, Riruka's eyes lit with excitement. She began to imagine the result in her mind. Now he'll be caught in my Dollhouse ability. If he's trapped there, I'll take care of him forever. I'll give him food, drinks, and keep him surrounded by dolls. He'll have me beside him every day for the rest of his life.
Her thoughts raced with certainty-until she realized her Fullbring had failed. Yuta had not been pulled into her Dollhouse at all.
"What...?" Riruka stared in shock. Why isn't it working? Why doesn't my Fullbring affect him?
Before she could make sense of it, Yuta turned and lifted her effortlessly. The world spun as she was hoisted onto his shoulder, her legs draped in front of his chest while her upper body leaned behind him.
"Ahhh! What are you doing?! Put me down right now!"
Riruka twisted and flailed, but it was useless. Yuta's grip was like iron, his hand pressing her in place as though she were pinned by a vice. The disparity in their strength was obvious.
His voice was calm when he spoke. "I don't plan to hurt you. I just plan to lock you up."
"Locked up?" Riruka gasped in shock. "Where are you planning to lock me up?"
"In a room filled with dolls and donuts," Yuta said flatly. "But once you're there, you won't be leaving again. If I have time, I'll visit. If not, you'll stay there by yourself."
"You're a demon! A terrible person! Let me down!" Riruka smacked at his back with her fists, fear mixing with anger. The thought of being confined again unsettled her deeply-even if there were sweets and dolls, the lack of freedom was unbearable.
"Since you call me a demon," Yuta replied sternly, "you should already understand why I won't let you keep trying to trap others in your Dollhouse." His hand came down sharply, striking her.
"A-ah!" Riruka cried out from the impact, her cheeks flushing red with humiliation. No one had ever done that to her before-not even her parents. The shame of it seared through her as much as the sting.
Furious beyond words, she resorted to biting at his side in desperation. But when she bit down hard, she realized with shock that her teeth couldn't leave even the slightest mark on his body.
"Wha… what is this guy made of?" Riruka whispered breathlessly, disbelief tightening in her chest.
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