"Alright, everyone, in your seats, please," Mrs. Eto told her students over the ringing school bell, "so we can begin. Thank you."

The class hurried to their seats, and some lagged. Once the last student sat, Mrs. Eto's eyes swept across the room, quietly accounting for each student before reading off the attendance. When a tall figure stopped in the doorway and lightly knocked.

"Excuse me," pleasantly spoke a gruff voice, "is this Mrs. Eto's classroom?"

Mrs. Eto turned to the door and found a muscular man dressed in black trousers and a yellow shirt with orange prints, with spiky black hair, brown eyes, and thin facial hair around his mouth and cheeks. With a relatively simple and unassuming smile.

"Yes," Mrs. Eto answered sharply with caution, eyeing him, "can help you?"

Noticing her defense, the man cleared his throat and minimized his smile, "Sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt your class, but you wouldn't happen to have a student named Adam Bishop, would you? He has blonde hair, a cute face, and glasses." He slipped a hand into his pocket, pulled out a wallet, and opened it, taking out an old picture of toddler Adam with his kids.

"Yes. Why?" Mrs. Eto answered, still maintaining her defense, and fully faced the man, "Why do you ask? Who are you?"

The man chuckled a bit and scratched the back of his head with a bit of embarrassment, "I'm his uncle. Isshin Kurosaki. I wanted to tell him his cousins would wait for him after school. Is he here?" Isshin peered into the class at the curious face staring back; he immediately noticed Adam was missing.

"No," she answered flatly, returning to the attendance sheet, "he'll be out a bit."

Isshin's eyes narrowed slightly at her words, but he kept his voice cheerful and smiled on, "Really? Haha, I didn't know that. I know you're busy, but do you know why?"

Mrs. Eto shot him a sharp look of annoyance; Isshin flinched and quickly held up his hands, chuckling uncomfortably, "You know...umm, never mind. I think I'll...give them a call. Yeah. Haha."

Slowly he shuffled back and rushed away. Only to come to return suddenly; he left his information with Mrs. Eto, and in a flash, he was gone.

"Alright! Is everyone paying attention?" you ask the class standing behind your workstation, dressed appropriately for today's demonstration with a white apron over your beige button-down off-shoulder cargo jumpsuit, and a white bandana fastened over your hair.

You had everything you needed laying orderly before; the ingredients on the left, utensils on right, and though you didn't need it, the cookbook(which you proudly made) opened to the recipe. Today the students would be making: Lemon and Cherry Muffins. A simple recipe and perfect for Spring. It wasn't complicated and everyone passed the quiz which you were thrilled about. Each station had the ingredients prepared and ready, along with their utensils, even the muffin pans were taken out. You arrived early to do just that. You even had their aprons and hand bandanas folded and waiting for them. They were rather surprised and quickly put them on, you noticed Orihime being the first one done, even raising her hand and informing you.

Once they were dressed and ready you greeted them and pointed to the board behind you, you went over each ingredient and utensil that would be used. You had them take out the recipe folder you provided on the second day, they found the page and set it before them. After you instructed them to wash their hands at their station, which they did. Orihime was the first one done, her eyes never left you. Once you saw they were ready, you took out two baskets full of fresh muffins. The room was instantly filled with a dancing aroma of tanginess and tartness, and the faces of each student, minus one, lit up. Some held a dreamy look in their eyes, while others did their best to hide their eager smiles. They knew right away what was coming, taste testing!

You passed them out, politely denying Orihime's and Mizurio's offer to help, insisting you wanted to get the lesson started. When you came to Ichigo's station, you tried to get one look from him, but he refused and kept his eyes on the wall. Chad took his muffin and thanked you. Once the last student had their muffin you let them eat. Nearly every face a luminescent blush dusted their cheeks, and one student Keigo Asano had tears.

A few students muttered praises and questions.

"It's so delicious!"

"The flavor is...is heaven!"

"Spellbinding!"

"Is this magic?!"

You stiffen a bit at a few of them and modestly chuckled, as they enjoyed you used this to get ready. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Ichigo didn't even bother to touch it, and your heart broke. But you retained and carried yourself with joy.

"Everyone ready?" you repeated, last the student finished their muffin. "Wonderful. Now, please if you would like to see the process closer, come. If not that is alright, though others make sure not to crowd."

Students hurried over and surrounded you, except Ichigo really, he just moved to Chad's spot. Orihime took the spot on your right she gave a bashful wave, and you gave her a pleasant smile, Tatsuki was by her, but Tatsuki's eyes glanced over at Ichigo. On your left, surprisingly Chad with a disappointed Mizuiro and Keigo. Just a few students over, Uryu who remained a bit in the back.

It was hard for you not to laugh with delight, "Eager minds. I love it!" you smiled, reaching for the flour, and began.

"Orihime! Careful squeezing the lemon!" Tatsuki shouted, ducking out of the way from a spray of lemon juice.

Orihime unaware clenched the lemon too hard and accidentally squirted the juice nearly everywhere at the station. Some managed to hit her eye and next thing her screams were heard among the clamoring of students. Your head snapped in her direction from the other side of the room and remaining calm you rushed over.

"Miss Orihime, come with me," you instructed, gently removing her from the station and over your sink.

The whole time Orihime had a hand clasped over her eye and despite the visible discomfort she was in retained her bright smile.

"I'm fine, Miss Bishop, really," she assured you, wincing a bit with tears running down."See."

You turn on the water, quickly grab a stool, and had Orihime sit. She still kept smiling, until you cupped her face in your both hands. Your eyes scan Orihime's face slowly, occasionally your gaze locked with her eyes with assurance and tenderness. Orihime sat perfectly still and was rendered speechless. Your touch was delicate with a firmness she couldn't...she hadn't felt...or known. Tatsuki looked up from what she was doing and observed Orihime's reaction to you and yours with her. The soft expression you held on your face as you gently held Orihime's face under the running water to clean out her eye. You did it a couple of times, taking it out and holding up two fingers to test her vision. After the last rinse, you squatted to her level and took out a cloth, and begin dabbing Orihime's face until it was dry. Not once did Orihime remove her eyes from you, her eyes remained steady. Tatsuki noticed the corner of Orihime's mouth tremble slightly when your back was turned for a moment, she knew that look.

"Alright, how is that, Miss Orihime?" you asked tenderly, your eyes still scanning her face for anything a sign of uncomfortableness.

"Umm...a.."Orihime tried to get out, but her mouth closed.

You noticed, "Are you alright?" Your voice was full of worry. Getting down to her level, staring into her eyes. "Please, tell me what is wrong. Do you need to go to the nurse? I can write you a pass."

"I'm okay!" she sprung up nearly falling over, and you moved back quickly to avoid being hit. Her smile was back and her laughter, "I'm fine! Really! I'll go back and be extra careful with the lemon."

Before you had time to say anything she was gone and back at the workstation. You stood there a bit confused at the sudden transformation, your eyes stayed on Orihime for a bit; she dove back into the assignment Tatsuki this time took over, and you couldn't help but quietly chuckle.

The rest of the class went by smoothly, everyone finished baking their muffins and the room was filled with the sweetness of their work, you went around to look and taste a few. Some were a bit lumpy, different sizes...some you weren't sure what it was. But you saw the proud look on their faces. Your keen eye could see some might have missed a few steps, and the only one that came out looking well was Uyru's station. In the last ten minutes of class, you had one person bring up a muffin so you could taste and grade them, then instructed them as before to clean their station before leaving.

With two minutes to spare they finished and gathered their things, you stood by the door with a stack of worksheets for their next assignment due at the end of the week. Once the bell rang for lunch everyone walked out and you handed them a worksheet. Everyone said bye or waved, except Ichigo who quickly snatched the worksheet. You stopped the corners of your mouth from trembling and retained your smile. After the last student left you hurried inside to grab your things, and hurried out. Just as you closed and began locking up, Orihime walked up from behind.

"Miss Bishop."

You turn around surprised to see her, "Miss Orihime, is everything alright? Is it your eye?"

She blushed, shaking her head, "N-No. It's fine. I promise. I just..." her eyes lowered to the ground and clenched her skirt a bit. "I just...I mean..."

Her words fell out choppy, you waited to try to get her to meet your eyes. She kept her's lowered and fumbled over her words. It was clear she wanted to either ask you something or say something. As sweet as it was you quietly had an urgency to attend to and needed to check it before lunch ended.

"Is it about eating lunch here?" you asked, "If it is I do apologize but it might have to wait for another day. Is that it?" She shook her head and opened her mouth only to close it. You made a guess again, "Is it about your group's muffin? You will the results tomorrow. Is that it?"

Again she shook her head. You tried a few more questions and assumptions, but it was none of them. You didn't want to do this but your urgency pushed through your voice.

"Miss Orihime, please forgive me but I need to leave," you tell her, and quickly pull out a piece of paper and write down something, "here is my number if you would like to inform me what you would like to say. Alright? Have a good lunch. Bye." You give her shoulder a light pat and another pleasant smile and hurry off.

You walk off the grounds, and continue until you were a few blocks away, and slip into the alley. Though the sun was out, you did your best to remain in the shadows as you walk deeper, when you felt you were far enough, grasp the dangling crystal spear on your chocker. With a quick sweep of your surroundings ensuring it was just you, close your eyes, and remain calm as the winds around you swept up. Engulfed you in thick winds dissolving you into its current. When you open your eyes, you found yourself solid and in your backyard.

Not a single bit of you was out of place, it would have been easier to fly but you didn't have the time nor did you need to attract anything. Letting go of the spear, a stream of coughs poured out and you nearly lost your balance. Luckily you caught yourself and kept yourself steady, this is what you get for spreading yourself thin. Shaking off the effects you hurry inside and straight to Adam's room.

Quietly you open the door and peek your head in, he was sleeping just fine. Just as you left him. You felt a bit guilty from the knot in your stomach about this, but it had to be done. It was alright if he missed school a bit, when he went back no one would be none the wiser.

Should you have done that? You mused and concluded, yes. You were certain it wasn't enough to cause any effect. After another minute on Adam, you close his door and leave.

Unaware the phone began ringing, and on its last ring the answering machine took over.

"Hey May, it's you're favorite brother! Isshin!"