The plane touched down in Narita in the late afternoon. Disembarking, Orihime stretched her limbs and rubbed at the knot at the base of her neck. Although long, the flight home had been more pleasant than their initial flight to New York. At one point, Orihime was even able to nap for a few hours. It had been a dreamless slumber, but she had awoken recharged and rested. Any time a thought of Ichigo popped up, Orihime quashed it just as quickly, reminding herself that they only rekindled their friendship, nothing more.

Pulling her carryon luggage behind her, she tried to quicken her pace to catch up to Tatsuki and her students. They had a train to catch to return to Karakura and Tatsuki had stubbornly insisted on resuming classes at her dojo that same evening. Lost in thought but charging full speed ahead, Orihime crashed into Tatsuki's back when she suddenly stopped. Stumbling back a little, she looked ahead to see a large crowd forming with flashes of light and excited chatter. Beyond the heads, one taller one stood out. With dark wavy hair and sweeping bangs covering one eye, there was no mistaking who it was.

"Sado-kun!" Orihime called out in gleeful surprise.

In spite of the people swarming him, Chad heard and recognized the voice of his bubbly comrade. Politely pushing through the crowd, he found his way to where Orihime stood with Tatsuki and her students. Not needing to say a word, he covered Orihime with his large muscular arms. Squealing, Orihime returned the enthusiastic embrace with equal zest. It'd been a long time since she had last seen Chad. A rising professional boxer, Chad was often out of town. Furthermore, he had taken up residence in Mexico, trying to contribute however he could to the community that he held fondly in his heart.

"It's been too long!" Orihime burrowed her face into his chest, finding comfort in the familiarity of his touch. In a way, Chad was like a giant teddy bear. Albeit, not as fluffy and certainly firmer and less cuddly, Orihime had always enjoyed being in his presence, basking in his gentle and kind aura, a contradiction to his size and physical build.

Chad didn't give a verbal response. He simply held her tighter, lifting her off the floor and swinging her in a semi-circle. Their spirited reunion was called to an end by Tatsuki clearing her throat loudly and pointedly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we've got to get going or we're not going to make it." Tatsuki gave Chad an apologetic look, but ultimately, she had to stay on schedule.

"Are you coming home to Karakura?" Orihime asked, hopefully.

Chad shook his head.

"Shanghai tomorrow morning."

Orihime looked to Tatsuki. She didn't even have to ask; Tatsuki beat her to it.

"Orihime, you stay behind with Sado. Catch the next train after dinner. It's perfect timing. You'll get back when I'm done my evening classes." She didn't give Orihime a chance to decide. Waving, she was already pushing through the growing masses of people with her students close behind.

Orihime turned back to Chad, smiling happily. What a lucky encounter! She had managed to rekindle her friendship with Ichigo in the past week. Now, she had the opportunity to catch up with another dear friend. However, before she could say another word, the impatient fans that had accumulated were now closing in around them. Suddenly, seemingly from nowhere, suited men appeared and began to push the people back. Wow, Sado-kun is like a celebrity! Taking her by the hand, Chad pulled Orihime past the crowds and they exited through a private corridor that led to a side door. Outside, an unmarked sedan with tinted windows awaited them.

"My luggage!" Orihime suddenly remembered when she was buckled into the backseat next to Chad.

"Don't worry, Miss. I can have it delivered to your residence." The driver tipped his hat in the rear-view mirror. Then, he passed her a notepad and a pen.

Orihime wrote down her address and slipped it back to the driver. If she hadn't known Chad as long as she had, she might have become star-struck. She glanced to her side. He hadn't grown in height, but his biceps appeared to bulge even more than when he was a teenager. His jaw and cheekbones were still as pronounced as they once were and his hair still hid one eye. While his appearance intimidated many, to Orihime, he was just her sweet gentle nakama.

"Sir, I've made reservations at your favourite restaurant," the driver said.

Chad nodded. Still a quiet guy, Orihime thought to herself. She wondered briefly how he was handling the newfound limelight. The ride to dinner was a short one and they arrived outside of a boutique sushi bar nestled between an antique shop and a bakery. Inside, they were led into a private room with traditional tatami flooring. Kneeling across from Chad, Orihime wasted no time in engaging Chad in conversation. She told him all about her residency with Ishida and visiting Ichigo on her recent trip to New York. Apparently, Chad had also visited Ichigo not too long ago when he was in town for a boxing match.

Pouring them both another cup of sake, Chad felt himself relax as he watched Orihime speak. He wasn't really listening anymore; he couldn't keep up with her rate of speech. She seemed to bounce from one idea to the next, equally excited with each new topic, but not pausing to break in between. As Orihime waved her arms about, he couldn't help noticing that she hadn't lost her buxom figure. In the years leading up to his current success, he had experienced a sharp incline in popularity with the opposite sex. Not good with words, he had had trouble rebuffing advances from some of the more aggressive ones, which had resulted in some indiscretions along the way. Being a testosterone-charged male, it wasn't like he had minded, but he had never encountered anything meaningful beyond sexual gratification. Now, as he watched Orihime talk, the warm feelings churning within him made him realize how lonely he had been.

"I've missed you," he said, thinking aloud.

Orihime was mid-sentence when Chad spoke out. Surprised, she blushed modestly and smiled brightly at him. She felt the same way.

"I've missed you, too, Sado-kun."

In spite of the outburst, their conversation naturally reverted to Orihime talking and Chad "listening" without awkwardness. The sky was still light out after dinner so Orihime and Chad walked next door to the antique shop.

"Wow! These are beautiful!" Orihime gushed, her nose and hands pressed up against the glass at the figurines.

When no response came, Orihime turned around in search of her company. She spotted him by the back, looking down at something in the jewelry display. Curious to see what had captured his attention, she skittered over and tried to peer over his broad shoulders on her tippy toes. Even then, she couldn't manage the height to see over him.

"This," he said, moving out of the way so that Orihime could see what he was pointing to.

Orihime's eyes widened at the sight of the necklace that Chad had found. Dangling on a simple silver chain was a large turquoise six-petal flower pendant. It was almost a perfect match to her hairpins. However, when she eyed the price tag attached, she sighed.

"It's very pretty," Orihime said, giving Chad a big smile. Then, she moved to another shelf.

After perusing the antique store, Chad escorted her back to the airport and waited with her for the train back to Karakura.

"I have a few days off next month," he announced as the train screeched to a halt before them.

"Come home!"

Chad smiled at the cheerful woman who was now pulling him down for another tight embrace. The word home tugged at his heartstrings. Even though he wasn't in Karakura, being with Orihime had made him feel like he was home again.

A/N: Chapter 21.5 (Chad's Lemon) has been posted as a separate story because it centers on Chad.