Orihime's older brother, Sora, was 15 years old when Orihime was born. Due to their parents' abusive behavior, Sora left home as soon as he turned 18, taking Orihime with him. Their relationship was more akin to a parent and child than siblings, with Sora raising Orihime like a daughter. When Orihime was in middle school, Sora gave her some hairpins as a gift, but she rejected them, thinking they were too childish. Feeling disheartened, Sora went for a walk and was tragically hit by a car, dying at the Kurosaki clinic.
His unresolved feelings of not wanting to leave Orihime alone prevented him from passing on, and he watched over her as a ghost for over a year until he was consumed by hollows. As a hollow, his twisted emotions led him to attack Ichigo and Tatsuki, whom he believed were making Orihime forget him. With Ichigo's help, Sora regained his humanity long enough to say goodbye to Orihime before purifying himself with Ichigo's sword.
Every day after Sora's death, Orihime wore the hairpins he had bought her and made friends with Ichigo and Tatsuki to show Sora that she wasn't lonely or sad.
