Sado looked around the pet shop. This was the last time he would be in here, getting ready to head to the academy and start his adult life. The animals seemed to sense something was wrong. As he fed the cats, they came up to the cage and put their heads against his hands. He smiled as he pet them. "You all be good." he told them, before turning to feed the bunnies. They also seemed a little down. As he finally turned back to the door he hesitated to go out of it.

For a long time Ichigo had been by his side. The two of them fought together, got along together, and were just best friends. Ichigo was the first real friend Sado ever had. Then the orange haired boy opened his up to a whole world he would never have known. Yet it was scary. Ichigo was no longer beside him. Although now that he thought about it Ichigo never really was beside him, at least not since he met Rukia. Ichigo had been in front of him, leading the way. Now he was no longer there. Sado still had his other friends but it wasn't the same. He and Ichigo had a special friendship and while they were still friends, Sado would be getting into trouble by himself now. It was an overwhelming thought and he felt maybe if he didn't walk out that door he wouldn't have to face it.

"Hey Chad! Are you coming?!" Keigo called from outside of the shop, and Sado took a deep breath. It was foolish of him to think he was alone, even for a minute. Keigo wasn't like Ichigo however. Keigo chased after Ichigo and Sado, which meant the roles were now reversed. Instead on Sado having a person to stand closely behind, now he was leading someone else. He reached for the door again.

"Yeah." he called, ready to try this.

xxx

Tatsuki looked around her empty room. Everything was packed away and there was hardly anything left. She would be living in the dorms now. She was nervous, but knew she wasn't alone. Uryu and Mizuiro were going to the same school and they already had a class together. Orihime would be around a lot since she was going to school nearby as well. Yet there was that heavy feeling, the feeling that she was going out on her own. She wondered if that was how Orihime felt right now. At least the others had people they knew. Sado and Keigo were training together, and she had the other two. Even Ichigo was with Rukia. Would Orihime be alright?!

The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. "Coming!" Tatsuki yelled, running down the stairs. She wasn't sure who it could be. She reached the door and pulled it open to see Uryu and Orihime on her porch. "Orihime...Ishida..." she was confused. Orihime coming to her house was no surprise, the girl practically lived there at times. However in all the time they had known each other, neither Tatsuki nor Uryu had been to each others homes.

"I thought you might want some help packing, so I rushed right over!" Orihime said with a smile. Tatsuki nodded, accepting that answer but it still didn't explain why Uryu was with her. Uryu seemed to read her expression because he adjusted his glasses and spoke up.

"I was walking home from the store when I ran into Inoue and she asked me to come help." That explained it. Tatsuki knew Uryu had never been able to refuse anything Orihime asked him to do. Tatsuki glanced up the stairs.

"Thank's for your help guys, but it's pretty much done." she said. Orihime deflated for a second, like she had been really looking forward to helping Tatsuki pack, then she smiled.

"Alright, then let's go out and get dinner together! We can invite the others too!" she cheered. Uryu gave her a soft smile and Tatsuki knew she would have to give in. She supposed her and Uryu had at least one thing in common after all, they couldn't turn down Orihime.

"Alright, let me get my wallet." Tatsuki said.

xxx

Mizuiro finished backing his bags and looked at the white walls. He didn't tell his mother his post graduation plans. He doubted she'd even notice if he was gone. He didn't even know when she would be back home. His thoughts began to wonder to his future. It was a little scary, having to step out that door. For a long time Keigo had been by his side. The guy was an idiot, but he meant well and even though Mizuiro always brushed him off, he never seemed to take it personally. It was like Keigo was intent on making sure Mizuiro never felt completely alone. Then they met Ichigo.

Ichigo hadn't even meant to, but he forced Mizuiro to open up to the others. Now Mizuiro felt a comfort from the fact that Tatsuki and Uryu would be around, despite the fact he hardly knew them. He was concerned about Keigo though. Would the idiot be alright without Mizuiro around? He was sure nothing physically bad would happen to him, after all he would be near Sado and the man would never let harm come to anyone. However he still worried about Keigo. It took him a while to figure out it wasn't so much Keigo making new friends that made him worried, but the idea that Keigo would forget him and the others. However he quickly banished that thought from his mind. There was no way in the world that Keigo would forget them.

Mizuiro looked at the clock. He still had a whole night before he could leave to his new home. It was these times that he hated the most. The waiting. Like when they waited for Ichigo and the others to return. Or when they waited for Ichigo to wake from his coma. He always hated the anxiety that came with it. Suddenly his phone lit up and he looked at the caller ID. It was Orihime texting him. Mizuiro picked up the phone and looked at the text. She wanted him to come have dinner with her and the others. A small smile came over his face. He could think of much worse ways to spend his night. The top of that list was not accepting this invite.