"Ishida-kun!" Orihime jumped up from her seat and waved enthusiastically at the tall slender man who had just entered the room. It had been a long time since she had last seen her old comrade. Although Ishida had also pursued medicine, he had been accepted to his first choice university with a full scholarship while Orihime ended up at her second choice school. When she had found out that he was also doing his residency at Karakura General Hospital, she had been thrilled, remembering fondly of their past experiences fighting alongside one another.

Ishida turned toward the bubbly woman and was taken aback by her energy. Being a quiet introvert, he naturally surrounded himself with similar individuals, preferring to share comfortable silence rather than engage in conversation. He could feel the eyes of every male in the room on him. He pushed his glasses up and walked briskly towards Orihime.

"Ohayou Inoue-san," Ishida said softly and politely. He nodded and gave her a small smile. He couldn't deny that he had looked forward to seeing her again.

"How have you been? Have you eaten yet? Have you spoken to Sado lately? Want to grab lunch together later?" Orihime bombarded him with questions, words racing. She couldn't contain her excitement. A part of her missed the comfort of the old crew and she wished that things could be as they once were.

Ishida didn't know which question to answer first, and he wasn't entirely sure that Orihime was even expecting him to respond. He chuckled lightly as memories of Orihime's exuberance flooded his mind. He was slightly surprised with himself, but he was truly happy to be in her company again. He could feel his body relaxing and taking comfort in her presence. Their reunion was cut short when the Department Head for their unit suddenly entered and commanded their attention. The orientation was brief and dry. After orientation, each of the residents was assigned a separate task and Orihime didn't get to see Ishida again until lunchtime.

"Inoue-san," Ishida said, standing beside her in line at the cafeteria.

"Ishida-kun!" Orihime exclaimed. She gave him a big smile and proceeded to ask him about his morning.

They sat down at an empty table and Ishida couldn't help but notice that the men around them were gawking at his female companion. He studied Orihime as she continued to talk about her eventful (but not really) morning with animated gestures. Orihime's rich auburn hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, but the few pieces around her face framed her chin and drew attention to her cheekbones. The hard years of study had taken a few pounds off of the young woman, but all of her natural curves remained. He blushed instantly when his eyes rested on the stretched fabric across her chest. He jerked his head quickly, causing Orihime to stop mid-sentence and inquire about his sudden reaction.

"Ishida-kun, is something wrong?" Her smile was replaced with a serious look of concern and she stared into his deep blue eyes, inching forward anxiously.

Instinctively, he pulled back and held up a hand as he readjusted his glasses with the other. He felt his cheeks burn and he was afraid that she would discover his embarrassment. He cleared his throat a few times and then gulped down the rest of his water.

"I-uh-must have choked on something," he fibbed.

"Ah! Be careful, Ishida-kun. One time, I almost swallowed a fish bone..." Orihime began to tell him about a childhood incident, but his thoughts trailed off again and he didn't hear the rest.

Ishida wondered whether Orihime knew that there were people watching them. No, her, specifically. He mused over her modesty and childlike personality. He thought back to the people who had initially questioned Orihime's ability to succeed in their demanding profession. He knew what they were thinking; how could such a beautiful woman have all the beauty in the world and the smarts to excel in medical school? He shook his head. They knew nothing. Those who doubted her didn't know all the hardships that she had endured and that her life had not been as blessed as they had assumed. Then again, sometimes, he didn't even know if Orihime knew, herself. If she did realize how difficult her life had been, she certainly didn't show it. He silently admired her strength. This was a woman who was unaffected by all the darkness surrounding her and continued to be a beacon of light to those around her. He felt an odd tug deep within his chest. I will always protect you, Inoue-san, Ishida vowed to himself.

"... But I still eat fish. I'm not scared at all." Orihime had finished telling her story and was now waiting for Ishida to comment. When he didn't, she waved a hand in front of his nose and forced a laugh.

"Gomen, Ishida-kun. I'm rambling again. Am I boring you?" Orihime put a hand behind her head and a slight pink tinged her cheeks.

"No, not at all, Inoue-san. I was just thinking that you haven't changed at all. I'm glad to see you looking well." Ishida dabbed his mouth with his napkin and tidied up his tray. Time had passed rather quickly and their lunchtime was up.

"Oh, is it time already?" Orihime glanced up at the large round clock hanging beside the vending machine. There was a touch of disappointment in her voice.

"Same time tomorrow?" Ishida asked, smiling.

"Same time tomorrow!" Orihime replied with gusto, promptly pumping her fist in the air. She would look forward to it.