So I know this is pretty damn late, but I had some problems to take care of. I still have many people to thank and a whole bunch of messages to send out, but I'd just like to say thank you right now if you favorited or followed. Here is the chapter you so patiently waited for, and I hope you enjoy it.

Orihime hummed as she walked around the grocery store, studying all the fruits and vegetables before her critically before picking out a few and adding them to her basket. She continued walking, her humming picking up a bit as she reached the meat section, grey eyes lighting up when she realized they had her favorite pork chops on sale. It would go great with her special red bean sauce! She smiled happily and was reaching out to lift it when a tan hand reached it before her, looking up only to find the one and only Ichigo Kurosaki in front of her.

"K-Kurosaki-kun?!"

He grinned and nodded, "Hey, Inoue. Shopping for groceries?"

She nodded shyly, and tucked her hair behind one ear, motioning to the pork chops in his hands. "Yeah. I was actually just about to grab that for dinner when you showed up."

"Oops, sorry. Here," he said, handing her the meat, "I'll just grab another one."

She smiled and took it from him gratefully before storing it away in her shopping basket and looking up to see him staring at her. "What is it?" she asked, staring at him confusedly as he chuckled, shaking his head, a light grin on his face

"Nah, it's nothing."

She shrugged before moving on to the spices section, surprised when he followed after her. "Do you have to buy something from here too?" she questioned as she reached for the rosemary, looking back at him curiously.

"Yeah," he said, over at the other side of the aisle as he chose three and grinned at her. "Yuzu sent me shopping because Karin won a huge soccer game. She wants a huge feast for celebration."

Hey eyes lit up and she continued walking down the aisle, the two of them side by side as she spoke excitedly. "She won her game?! She's been talking about this one forever! I'm so happy for her. Yuzu-chan's probably excited to have a good reason to throw a party."

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair as he smirked. "She doesn't need a reason to throw a party, getting a pair of new shoes is good enough for her."

Orihime giggled behind her hand as they walked towards the next section, talking and laughing with Ichigo as they shopped. Before they knew it, all their groceries had been found and it was time to check them out and leave.

"Thanks for the help, Kurosaki-kun!" she called out as she waved to him jovially, a grin on her face.

He waved a hand over his shoulder before grinning and calling back. "Stop calling me that, you make me feel like an old man! Just call me Ichigo!"

Her eyes widened before her grin grew slowly and she waved even more energetically, a small blush on her face. "Good night, Ichigo!"

"Good night, Inoue," he said as he swung the grocery bags over his shoulder.

And as she walked home skipping and humming, she couldn't quite bring herself to stop smiling and giggling for the rest of the night.

She yawned tiredly as she trudged to school, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She'd gotten very little sleep last night thinking about Kurosaki-kun and their meeting at the store. 'No, it's Ichigo now,' she reminded herself with a smile on her face as she giggled.

She could feel her heart skip a beat as she saw the familiar orange in front of the school gates as Ichigo walked through, looking as if he was in deep thought about something. Grin widening, she bounced up to him and greeted him cheerfully. "Good morning, Ichigo!"

He looked up, startled, before he smiled and replied. "Good morning, Inoue. How'd you sleep?"

She pouted as they reached the classroom, sliding the door open and walking into the noisy classroom. "I only had four hours of sleep last night!"

He raised an eyebrow as he pulled out his chair and sat down before asking her, "Why?"

She blushed a bright red and he stared at her amusedly, head held up by his hands as he leaned forward.

"I take it you don't want to tell me then?" he said, mirth in his brown orbs as she spluttered.

"I-It's not that I don't want to tell you, it'd just be really a-awkward and I don't think you want to hear about my pr-problems so u-um, yeah."

She looked at the floor awkwardly as he burst into laughter and caused the rest of the class to stare at them, Rukia gasping as she tugged on Rangiku's sleeve.

"Oh my god, she's making progress," she whispered excitedly, grey eyes gleaming as she looked over at Orihime and Ichigo.

"Wow, she moves fast," Rangiku whispered back to the raven haired girl, "that sleepover was just a week ago!"

"That's my girl," Rukia said proudly, eyes shining.

They watched the two carefully as they conversed, bell ringing and Orihime taking her seat near him before class started.

"Maybe they're not as hopeless as we thought they were," Rangiku murmured as she studied them. "In fact, I think I have just the thing to give them a little push."

Ichigo sighed as he laid his head on the desk, closing his eyes as the teacher droned on about algorithms and letting his mind drift off. He though of the little shopping adventure he and Inoue had, chuckling as he remembered her trying to reach the chocolate cookies on the top shelf and accidentally knocking seven other boxes along with it. They'd run away from the aisle quickly, grabbing the box and watching as one of the employees sighed and cleaned it up. She'd fretted over it a bit, but he assured her it was fine. Things like this happened all the time, he'd told her, it was nothing.

He could the same ridiculous grin on his face and saw Uryuu staring at him, shaking his head and fighting the urge to smile like an idiot. Covering most of his face with his elbow, he discreetly snuck a look at the orange-headed girl, raising an eyebrow when he noticed the doodles she was drawing. They were…interesting, he though, a fond grin on his face.

The bell rang, startling him out of his thoughts as students packed their bags and filed out of the classroom to lunch. Yawning, he stood up and stretched, waiting for the others at the doorway. They walked to the roof, arguments and laughter all around as they headed to their usual spot. He shoved a hand in his pocket and breathed in the fresh afternoon air as they opened the door, closing his eyes and appreciating the breeze. He opened his eyes when a gentle pressure pressed against his arm, Rangiku having put her hand on it.

"What is it?" he questioned.

She shook her head and gave a secretive smile, pointing to the far end of the roof. "We'll talk over there."

He nodded his head, thinking of all the things she could want to talk about. An order from Seireitei? No, she wouldn't smile like that if it was an order. Something to do with Toshiro, perhaps? He followed her to the abandoned cranny, leaning against the fence with his hands stuffed in his pockets. She grinned and pulled out colorful and flashy flyer, waving it in his face cheerfully. He raised an eyebrow at the paper in front of him as he read it. A firework festival? Ah, right, summer was coming soon.

"Sorry, Rangiku. You're not my type," he said, a small grin on his face as she pouted all the while knowing that wasn't what she had come to him for. She huffed and crossed her arms before glaring at him.

"I want you to take Orihime there," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It's a perfect chance for you and don't give me any crap about not liking her or anything because we are all so past that."

He studied the flyer, eyes running over it as he read it before nodding as she spoke. "Okay," he said, stuffing his hands back in his pockets. She stopped mid-rant before turning to face him and blinking.

"Okay?" she echoed, the look on her face hilarious. He grinned and held down his laughter as she stared at him like a deer in the headlights, mouth opening and closing without a sound as she blinked rapidly.

"Yeah, okay. You're right, and I see your point. I like her and this is a good chance, one I should take. Plus, if I didn't, Yuzu would kill me."

She stared at him for a bit longer before her eyes softened and she shrugged before smiling at him. "You really have matured, haven't you?"

He looked up the sky again, a small smile coming onto his face.

"Yeah, I guess I have."

Some of you may be confused but I think that Ichigo would have matured (it's after the time skip but Rangiku and the others are still at school for reasons. I'll just say to watch over Ichigo Kurosaki and his newfound powers.) after all this time, especially if you've read the latest chapter. Tell me your thoughts, ask a few questions, maybe leave a couple compliments? ;)

~ForeverBlackSun