Koneko and Kuroka woke up after eight hours of peaceful sleep. Even after they woke up, they kept cuddling each other silently for another hour until they heard Aika's voice beyond the door, "Koneko-chan and older sister, Yoruichi-san said that both of you are already awake. Please get up and have some meal, or would you rather take a dip in the hot spring?"

They looked at each other first and Koneko answered Aika, "We'd like to take a bath first... Are you the only one here, Aika-senpai?"

"No. Kisuke and Yoruichi-san are also here. Sakura-san returned back home. They said that they'll attract more attention if she disappeared for long periods of time."

"Then please join us in the hot spring. I'd like to introduce my sister to all of you." Koneko said as she arranges her pajamas.

Kuroka was startled at her words, "Kisuke? Is it that hateful human, Shirone?"

"Umm. He's technically a good guy if you were to know more about him and ignore his perverted antics." Koneko dragged Kuroka's hand as they went to the door.

"I'll be the judge of that. And that's not my concern! Are you letting him take a dip in the hot spring with you?" Even though they haven't talked much, after their 'reconciliation', her protective nature towards her little sister is resurfacing, 'Anyone who can tie someone up like that isn't a good person! I have to protect Shirone against that beast!'

Koneko opened the door and saw Aika who's curiously looking at Kuroka and introduced herself, "Aika Kiryuu, Koneko-chan's good friend and U.S. #3." Aika extended her right hand for a handshake.

"Hi~. You can call me Kuroka-nya~. I'm Shirone's older sister. But what does U.S. #3 means?" Kuroka accepted her hand but she asked Koneko about the unknown term.

"Who knows, Aika-senpai, like Kisuke-senpai, has some screw loose. Understanding them is a futile effort." Koneko, without hesitation, dissed Aika.

"What!? Please don't group me with that pervert! He is so much worse!"

'So you're not denying the fact that you have some screw loose?' Koneko and Kuroka thought to themselves.

"Then what does this U.S. #3 means?" Although Aika is saying some nonsense, Koneko is still curious about what she means when she calls herself U.S. #3.

"You know how Kisuke is strangely stubborn on keeping this group named 'Urahara Shop (Urahara Shoten)'? I've been thinking these past few days how we should call ourselves when it's time to introduce ourselves to the enemies, but all I could think of are 'Owner', 'Clerk 1', 'Clerk 2', 'Manager' etc. But that sounds so lame! So I just settled with the U.S. and a number." Aika narrated with all her feelings.

"Aika-senpai, I'm surprised that you still have the energy to think about these things while taking Yoruichi-san's training." Dumbfounded, Koneko actually found her amazing.

"Hehehe... If I don't do this, my sanity will slowly slip out of my grasp..." A cold chuckle escapes from her.

"I see. So you wanted to escape reality. And? What does this number mean?"

"It's nothing fancy. The latest addition will have the highest number. Kisuke is 0, Yoruichi is 1 and you're 2 while I'm the 3."

"Did Kisuke-senpai agreed to your naming scheme?" Koneko dubiously looked at Aika.

"I haven't told him yet."

"And yet you just introduced yourself using it... Amazing." 'An amazing idiot.'

"Don't look at me like I'm some big idiot. I intend to 'persuade' him and I'm not taking no for an answer this time. I don't want me shouting to the enemy before the start of the fight "Aika Kiryuu, Urahara Shop Clerk 2". "

"You've got a point but do you really have to introduce yourself to your opponents?" Koneko can now somehow agree to her claims.

"It's just proper manners, but after that, you can raise your middle finger at him. At least you tried to be polite, right? The easiest way to piss your enemy I must say." Aika nodded satisfied as she imagines herself in that kind of scenario.

"... Let's go. I'm sweaty." 'Not good. Kisuke-senpai's way is infecting her too much.' Koneko immediately changes the topic. Anyways, she won't be able to address the issue as the only one who could do that would even support her.

Aika separated from Koneko and Kuroka to inform Yoruichi and Kisuke of their plans. Since the location of the hot spring is about one kilometer from the lodging and they took their time walking. They started talking about things that happened to Koneko after they separated.

Koneko told her everything that happened to her until the day she met Kisuke. It's a bitter experience at first but it gets better as time goes. The Gremory Household took great care of her despite the past she has, although they are also one of the reasons why she didn't want to use Senjutsu. Koneko stopped telling her story after the point Kisuke took her in. Throughout her story, Kuroka held Koneko's hand and would sometimes squeeze it depending on the content of her story.

"Thanks to senpai, I was able to sort out my feeling about you. And I'll say it again, I missed you, Nee-sama." Koneko stopped walking and faced her.

Kuroka wanted to leap in joy but stopped herself and smiled brightly, "I also missed you so much... Shirone."

After a brief hug, the two resumed their pace and Koneko tried to ask Kuroka about her time when she separated from her, but she refused with an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry, Shirone. I promise I'll tell you later, but not now."

"Is it dangerous?" Koneko looked straight to her eyes.

Kuroka neither denied nor confirmed her question.

Koneko returned her gaze forward, "If you ever need help, please tell me."

"Are you going to ask that strange human to help?"

"No. I'm very thankful for him, but I can't ask him everything. It'll only be me."

"Hmm... Shirone, do you understand what it means to have comrades-nya?"

"They are people who you can trust and depend on?"

"You're right, so you shouldn't say it'll only be you-nya~."

"...Why?"

"Regardless of what you do and as long as you don't stray away, they'll be there to assist you in your venture. So don't disregard their will to help you. Aren't you the same? If they need assistance, you wouldn't hesitate to give it, right?"

Koneko's eyes were wide open after hearing her words, "But I'm too in debt to them that I can't possibly ask for more..."

"That's a good indicator for you not to depend too much on your comrades. But too much of that will not make you comrades, but business partners. It may have started as a deal or a whim, but two or more people could come together without a reason you know." Kuroka smiled because she ends up remembering her rowdy friends.

Koneko understood her words and her smile, "Nee-sama, looks like you have some good comrades."

"We may be just a bunch of problem children, but you're right. They're my precious comrades-nya~."